Category: TOPICS & CATEGORIES

Osso Bucco

shank
Large veal shank

This is a large veal shank for which the original recipe was designed.
You can scale back a little bit if you wish. The below photos were for smaller veal shanks.
INGREDIENTS

  • 2 sprigs rosemary
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 whole cloves
  • 1 sprig thyme
    TIE ABOVE INTO BOUQUET GARNI USING CHEESECLOTH
  • 3-4 Whole Veal Shanks
  • 1 TBL Grandpa's Thunder Powder or Arghhh Powder
  • 1/4 C AP flour
    DREDGE DRIED VEAL SHANKS THROUGH FLOUR
  • 1/2 C Vegetable oil
  • 1 carrot (diced large)
  • 1 celery (diced large)
  • 1 onion (diced large)
  • 5 cloves garlic (whole)
  • 1 C dry white wine
  • 2-3 C chicken stock
  • 1 lime or lemon

CLICK ANY PHOTO BELOW FOR AN ENLARGEMENT

Mir Poix Veggies should be near the same size

Soften your veggies in the hot oil

When all is done, nestle veal shanks in the broth

STEP BY STEP

  1. Tie up veal shanks with butcher’s twine
  2. Dredge in 1/2 C seasoned flour seasoned with 1 TBL Grandpa’s Thunder Powder
  3. Heat up butter and oil in enamel cast iron pot at high heat
  4. Brown veal shanks on all sides
  5. Set aside when browned/blackened
  6. Put in another TBL olive oil into pan
  7. 1 cup each onion, celery, carrots – Chopped
  8. Add 1 TBL tomato paste
  9. Garlic . Sliced thin
  10. 1 can crushed tomatoes
  11. 1 C white wine
  12. 2 C chicken stock
  13. Do not completely cover meat
  14. Add onion, carrots, fennel, bay leaf, basil, crushed red pepper, orange zest
  15. Cover and bake at 325º for 2-2.5 hours or simmer in Dutch Oven for 1.5-2 hours.
  16. Move while shank is still tied.  Remove string AFTER it has been put onto the plate cause this will fall apart easily.
  • Since the meat has to rest a bit before being served, strain the solids from the pot and discard.
  • Return 1 C of the liquid to the pot and reduce (if necessary) on high.
  • Cook until thickend. Should be about like gravy.

 

Potato Gnocci

  • Use kitchen aid with batter beater
  • 1-2 potatoes – Steamed 45 minutes, then cooled
  • Peel potatoes and run through food mill
  • Add 1 egg and 1/2 C flour and 1/2 tsp salt – and mix
  • Add another 1/2 C flour
  • If after mixing for a while it looks kind of dry, add another egg
    If it looks too wet, add another 1/2 C flour

Turn onto board and mix and shape by hand until you have one large ball

  1. Break off tennis ball size and work by hand into log
  2. Cut into small bite-size pieces. Do not eat!
  3. Roll into a ball, press with fork. Roll onto tines of fork.
  4. Whatever. Just create little indentations that will retain sauce.

Bring large pot of salted water up to boil, then reduce to a fast simmer.
Start gnocci . They are done when they float to the top of the pot.

Cream Sauce

Heat in a large pot:
Whole Thyme, chopped zucchini and whole garlic
These classically go together.
Add radiccio . Shredded
Remove thyme and garlic
After cooked, add whole Gorgonzola cheese chopped
Add a bit of nutmeg
Mix with 1/4 c cream

Pesto Sauce

2 C basil
3 cloves garlic
1/3 C Parmesan
3 T pine nuts
1/2 C EVOO drizzle as food processor is running
1/2 tsp salt

Grandpa’s Paella

While living in Spain we ate some wonderful paella.  Cynthia, however, does not care for shellfish, so this is a recipe that has been Americanized.

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 chicken thighs
  • 1 C buttermilk
  • 1/4 C EVOO
  • 1 TBL Grandpa's Thunder Powder or Arghhh Powder
  • 4 Tomatoes
  • Second protein:  pork pieces – alt: rabbit, duck, lobster, buffalo
  • 1 Vidalia onion
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1 red bell
  • 1 green bell
  • 6 mushrooms – pieced
  • 12 black or Kalamata olives
  • 2 jalapeño peppers
  • 1 TBL butter
  • Third Protein:  Fish pieces:  Optionally shrimp, calamari, etc
  • Short grain rice
  • White wine
  • Chicken broth

Step by Step

  1. Marinate 4 thighs overnight in buttermilk, olive oil and Grandpa's Thunder Powder or Arghhh Powder
    Use skin on Bone in chicken thighs
    The next day…
  2. Bring large pan of boiling water up to heat
  3. Also prepare a large bowl of ice water
    Set ice bowl aside for later use
  4. Skin 4 tomatoes
    Put small X on top
    Plunge in boiling water 60 seconds
    Then in ice bath
    Skin should remove easily
    Halve and deseed
    … Or used canned tomato pieces
    Set aside
  5. Preheat a large skillet to about 400° on med high heat.
    Brown chicken thighs skin side down in a bit of olive or canola oil
  6. Add 1/2 lb pork pieces – alt: rabbit, duck, fish, lobster, buffalo
  7. Reduce heat to medium:  About 325°
  8. Dice 1 large white onion
  9. 2 cloves minced garlic
  10. 1 sliced red bell and 1 green bell – cut into strips
  11. Slice jalapeño – remove seeds
  12. Add tomatoes
  13. Sprinkle in salt
  14. Stir in, and simmer 5-8 minutes
  15. New smaller sautee pan on low heat . About 250°
  16. 1 TBL butter
  17. Fish pieces . Or shrimp, calamari, etc
  18. Saffron or colorante . Merest bit
  19. Arboreal rice . Or other short grain – high starch
  20. 1/2 C White wine
  21. Salt, white pepper
  22. Add 3 C HOT chicken stock and simmer 20 minutes
    Add more stock if necessary
  23. Mix rice into pan ingredients, let simmer 30 minutes
  24. Sprinkle over top with green peas and cook 5 more minutes
  25. Add in Chorizo
  26. 18 Bearded Mussels ( tightly closed shells – if shells are opened, discard them )  If a shell is open, tap it with your knife.  It should close meaning that the mussel is still alive – which is what you want.
  27. Cook just till mussels open
  28. Remove any clams or mussels that have not yet opened
  29. Garnish with parsley and lemon wedges
  30. Serve right in the pan

Chimichuri Sauce

INGREDIENTS and STEP BY STEP

  • 1/4 C Olive oil
  • 2 TBL red cooking wine
  • Lots of Fresh Parsley – Stems removed
  • Lots of Fresh Cilantro – Stems chopped
  • 1 tsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp dried Oregano
  • 1/2 tsp Coriander
  • 1/2 tsp Mrs Dash (or salt & pepper)
  • 1-2 clove garlic
  • 2 Scallions – minced
  • Lemon zest
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper sauce OR
  • 1/2 tsp Ground Chili or Chili Flakes

Suggested use

  • Steak Sandwich
  • Mix together all of the above – Put through blender
  • Oil and season a chicken breast.
  • Grill chicken breast for about 60 seconds each side.
  • Spread chimichurri sauce on top and serve

 

Super tasty and incredibly easy to make, this recipe features fresh parsley, cilantro, garlic, and tangy vinegar. It gets an extra kick from crushed red pepper.

 

Honey fried chicken

  • Crack four eggs
  • Mix in 1 C evaporated condensed milk
  • Add 1 C cold water
  • Add 1/2 C sugar
  • Brine chicken thighs for one hour

Create covering powder

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 cup cornstarch
  • 1 TBL Grandpa’s Thunder Powder

Dry chicken thoroughly, then dip in sifted flour/corn starch mixture

  • Heat peanut oil to 365°F
  • Dip and fry chicken – Keep oil temp between 365° and 175°
  • Will take 15-20 minutes to cook through
    • Take wings out first, then drumsticks, then thighs and breast

Roll in Panko bread crumbs, then set aside to cool for a little bit, then fry again for 5 minutes

Mix honey and cayenne sauce
Toss just before serving or serve with sauce on the side

Dinner Popover – with or without Cheese Filling

  • 1 C warm milk
  • 1 C AP flour
  • 1/2 C grated cheese – Fontina, Mozzarella, etc
  • 4 TBL melted butter
  • 1/2 tsp coarse salt
  • 4 large eggs

Optional for stuffing:  Hot chopped spinach with cheese

  1. Preheat oven AND cast iron pan to 425 degrees
  2. Brush standard muffin cups with Crisco
  3. Using a whisk, combine all of the upper ingredients, except the flour
  4. When ingredients are blended, add the flour and fold gently just until blended – DO NOT OVERMIX
  5. Fill muffin cups only halfway
  6. Place muffin pan in hot oven and cook for 12 minutes
  7. Reduce heat to 375º
  8. Rotate pan, and cook for 10 more minutes
  9. Pierce each muffin top with a skewer to let steam escape and let cook another 5 minutes
  10. Remove and serve immediately

You can serve just like this, or fill with spinach/cheese. 
If you want them filled, continue with step 12.

  1. Crisp up two strips of bacon in a skillet
  2. Thaw and squeeze dry 1/2 C frozen spinach
  3. Saute in butter, then mix in 1/2 TBL AP flour
  4. Add 1/2 C whole milk
  5. Add 1/2 tsp fresh nutmeg
  6. Season to taste with salt and pepper
  7. Cut top of  popover and stuff with spinach mixture
  8. Great when served with eggs

BASIC POPOVER

  • 3 Large eggs
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 cup AP flour
  • three TBL butter . Melted
  • Scant salt
  1. Bake in cups at 375 for 40 minutes
  2. Slit top
  3. Bake 10 more minutes
  4. Serve stuffed with cream cheese

PAN POPOVER

  • Small cast iron skillet
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 C milk
  • 1/2 C flour
  • 2 TBL melted butter plus 2 TBL melted butter (used separately)
  • 1 C fontina or gruyere cheese (Alt:   Parmesan or Pecorino)
  1. Preheat oven and skillet to 425º
  2. Mix ingredients, reserving 2 TBL melted butter
  3. Optional:  Blanche asparagus, broccoli, spinach, etc for filling
  4. Put 2 TBL melted butter (from Step 2) into bottom of skillet
  5. Put in vegetables
  6. Pour egg mixture over top
  7. Return to the oven and cook 20 minutes

 

Classic Popover

popBased on Yorkshire pudding, it is just a small puffy hollow muffin.

INGREDIENTS Recipe One

  • 1.5 C AP flour
  • 1.5 tsp salt
  • 1 c ice cold milk
  • 3 large eggs
  • 6 TBL butter – melted

INGREDIENTS Recipe Two (slightly healthier)

  • 5 oz AP flour (about 1 1/4 C)
  • 1.5 tsp salt
  • 1 C room temperature whole milk
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 TBL butter – melted

STEP BY STEP

    1. Preheat oven and HEAVY deep muffin pan to 450º
    2. Melt 6 TBL butter in a small skillet on the stove
    3. Sift together flour and salt
    4. Whisk together eggs and milk
    5. Generously butter side of cups with melted butter
    6. Whisk remaining butter into the milk, then fold into the flour, being careful NOT to overmix
    7. Fill HOT muffin tins half to 2/3 full
    8. Place in 450º oven for 10 minutes, then (without opening door) turn heat down to 350º
    9. In 10 more minutes (total 20 so far) open oven and rotate pan
    10. Bake another 10 minutes
    11. Remove and let rest 3-5 minutes before turning out onto bread cooling rack
    12. Poke the top with a knife to allow excess moisture to escape
    13. Serve with butter and preserves, or fill with a custard

 

Breaded Fish or Chicken

This is an unusual way to fix breaded fish. For this recipe, let’s assume that you are fixing two pieces of fish or chicken.

He will need two pieces of sponge bread.

Roll them as flat as possible using a rolling pin.
Season your meat however you feel like it.
Butter one side of the bread and place buttered side down over the top of your meat.
Flip over the pair and trim your bread to match the shape of your meat.
Flip back over and butter the top piece of bread.
Heat grill pan up to about 350 to 400°F
Flip the pair over so that buttered site is down.
Cook until bread is browned.
Flip over so that meat side is down.
If you are cooking fish, you only need to cook about 4 to 5 more minutes.
If you are cooking chicken, cook for about another 10 minutes.

Chicken nuggets

Brine chicken pieces two hours

Mix together brine liquid and put into a zip lock bag

  • 1 C warm water
  • 1 C warm buttermilk
  • 1 TBL sugar
  • 1 TBL salt
  • 2 TBL Worcestershire

Cut boneless chicken breasts into equal parts about 1/2 inch across, place in the brine bag and put into and bowl and place in the refrigerator.  Agitate every 30 minutes, or so.

Coat the Chicken Pieces

  • Combine
    • 1/2 C AP flour
    • 1 TBL Grandpa’s Thunder Powder
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • Put coating mixture into a bag
  • Drain and toss still wet chicken pieces in the coating
  • Set aside on a pan for the coating to firmly adhere
  • Meanwhile, separate the yolk from the egg white.  Keep the yolk for another recipe – we will be using only the white – beat the whites, then set aside
  • Combine 1 C Panko with 1 TBL Thunder Powder
  • Dip the chicken pieces into the egg with your left hand
  • Let drain for a few seconds, then drop into the Panko bread crumbs
  • Take the piece out with your right hand, and place on a clean plate
  • Repeat with all of the pieces.  Let rest for 5-10 minutes

Fry the Nuggets

  • While the pieces rest, preheat 4 cups vegetable oil to 350°F . Oil should be deep enough to completely submerge chicken pieces
  • Fry in the hot oil for exactly 3 minutes.  Do not overcrowd the pan.
  • Flip and cook for one more minute.
  • Set on plate and salt while still hot
  • Remove from your plate and place on cookie sheet in oven at 200° F to keep warm
  • When oil has returned to 350° add six more pieces
  • Repeat as necessary
  • See recipes below for dipping sauces

Honey mustard dipping sauce

  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1/2 cup mustard
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Fried Won Ton

Types of Pasta Wrappers

  • Won Ton Wrapper – Thin and small – about 30-40 per inch
  • Gyoza – similar to won ton, but round
  • Spring Roll Wrapper – medium sized
  • Egg Roll Wrapper – larger size
  • Mu Shu wrapper – larger and thinner
  • Rice Paper – larger and paper thin
  1. Buy a pack of won ton wrappers from the grocery store.
  2. Your filling should be some kind of protein mixed with sugar, soy, salt, pepper, mirin, sesame oil, chopped water chestnuts, ginger and chives.  Use the below recipe if you desire.  Proteins include hamburger, ground pork, sausage, tofu, etc.
  3. Brown 1/2 LB protein filling, then put in all the additional ingredients
  4. Combine 1/4 C scallions, 1 egg,  1 tsp sesame oil, 2 TBL chopped bell pepper, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp ground pepper, 1/4 tsp Thunder Powder, 2 tsp Worcestershire, 2 tsp ketchup or soy, and 1 tsp mustard.
  5. Mix with cooked protein
  6. Put 1 tsp mixture into center of won ton wrapper
  7. Use flour and water to moisten the edges
  8. Fold into triangle and use a fork to press and seal tightly, getting as much air out as possible.  Pleat final product.
  9. Keep covered with a damp towel as you work.
  10. Fry 8-10 at a time at 365 – 380º

A Nice Dipping Sauce

  1. In 1 TBL safflower oil, brown 4 cloves garlic and some grated ginger.
  2. Remove the garlic and discard.
  3. Stir in 1 C orange juice.
  4. Simmer to reduce.
  5. Add 1/4 C rice vinegar, and 1/2 C brown sugar.
  6. Add in 1 TBL soy sauce and 2 TBL water mixed with 2 tsp corn starch.

 

Holiday Beef Tenderloin

The tenderloin is from the back of the cow, just in front of the butt and behind the ribs.  There is not much movement there, so there is not a lot of muscle, so you end up with a very tender cut of meat.

Ingredients

  • 3-4 pound center cut Beef Tenderloin

Step by Step

  1. Put into mixing bowl :: 1 TBL each Grandpa's Thunder Powder or Arghhh Powder, brown sugar
  2. Mix with 1 tsp salt, pepper and corn starch, baking soda
  3. Keep any ground remnants for use the following day
  4. Tie your tenderloin with butchers twine every inch to help with even cooking and help with equal separation
  5. Pat roast dry and cover very well with your ground ingredients
  6. Let rest 1 hour at room temperature or uncovered in the fridge overnight.
  7. Bring up to room temperature the next day – on the counter for about 1 hour
  8. Chop one entire head of garlic, two carrots, two stalks celery and one large onion and saute in a pan.
  9. Toss in 1 TBL paprika and whatever remnants of your rub you might still have
  10. Add 1/2 C water to the bottom of the pan
  11. Dump the pan into the bottom of baking pan
  12. Fill the bed the rest of the way with baby potatoes.
  13. Bake at 425º for about 15 minutes
  14. Remove the baking dish, and put tenderloin on top of the chopped vegetables
  15. Brush lightly with EVOO
  16. Reduce heat to 300º and cook 50-60 minutes
  17. At 25 minutes rotate your pan in the oven – front to back
  18. It is better to cook to an internal temperature of 120 – 125º (for medium rare) rather than just watching the clock
  19. Remove from oven and tent with foil and let rest 15 minutes
  20. Cut medallions and plate before clipping off the string.
  21. Clip off strings and serve with veggies.

Persillade Sauce

  • 3/4 C chopped parsley
  • 2 minced scallions
  • 8 cornichons or gerkin pickles
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 TBL capers – chopped
  • 5 cloves minced garlic
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1/4 salt and pepper
  • 1/2 C EVOO

Serve with potatoes

Baked Zucchini

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 Zucchini
  • 2 pieces of broken bread
    or 3/4 C soda crackers or pretzels
  • 1 clove garlic (minced)
  • 2 eggs
  • salt & pepper
  • 2 oz jar diced pimento (or chopped red bell pepper)
  • 1/4 C sharp chedder cheese – grated

STEP BY STEP

  1. Boil zucchini just until tender (about 10 min)
  2. Drain and toss with broken bread.
  3. Mix w/ garlic, salt, pepper, and egg – mix well.
  4. Pour mixture into greased ramekins
  5. Cover w/ grated cheese
  6. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes.

Baked Beans – COLLECTION

Regular ol’ Baked Beans

2 CU prepared beans – See recipe for Dry Bean Processing
¾ lb fat salt pork or 2 strips bacon
½ tsp salt
3 TBL brown sugar
½ tsp mustard
1/2 onion – chopped small
1 TBL ketchup
1 clove garlic – minced

1 a Put pork on glass plate and cover with paper towel.
1 b Cook in microwave 30 seconds and change towels.
1 c Cook another 30 seconds.
1 d Repeat one more time if necessary – ususally not necessary
2. Put cooked pork in bottom of glass casserold dish (that has a cover available)
3. Strain beans, reserving liquid
4. Add beans into pot, burying pork
5. Mix in all other listed ingredients
6. Add Reserved Liquid (from beans) pouring over top to barely, but completely, cover – use spoon to work liquid through beans
7. Cover with glass lid and bake 2 hours at 300 degrees
8. Uncover and cook 1 more hour

Reserved liquid means the liquid in which the beans did their final soak in, and were subsequently cooked in.

Boston Baked Beans


… From scratch.

Boston Baked Beanss (1)

https://www.grandpacooks.com/recipes/boston-baked-beans/

Boston Baked Beans (2)

https://www.grandpacooks.com/recipes/boston-baked-beans-2/

Backyard Baked Beans

https://www.grandpacooks.com/recipes/backyard-baked-beans/

Kettle Cooked Baked Beans

image

 

Simple Baked Beans

2015-12-19 12.43.14

Bush’s Boston Baked Beans

2015-12-19 12.45.26

 

 

Breakfast Quiche

Start with Grandpa’s recipe for BASIC CUSTARD

Modify as follows:
1/2 CU Cheddar cheese (grated) – cheese mix is OK
1 tsp sugar OR
1 banana – a little bit on the over-ripe side

Instructions
1. Mash or chop banana and put into pyrex bowl.
2. Mix custard and pour until it “shows” through fillings
3. Top w/ grated cheese
4. Sprinkle w/ parsley and nutmeg
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes
6. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

EVERYDAY REF ONLY – DELETE FOR BOOK

CUSTARD FILLING for two people
2 eggs (4 if small eggs)
1/4 CU whole milk
1/4 CU yogurt
1 TBL flour
1 TBL lemon juice
1 TBL olive oil
1 tsp chopped parsley
pinch nutmeg
pinch salt

Try replacing the banana with 1/2 CU chopped frozen spinach

Custard Filling appears in this book in the “OTHER” section
Custard Filling (see our recipe)

Breakfast Crepes

CrepeINGREDIENTS

  • 2 eggs or 1 carton Egg Beaters
  • 1 CU 2% milk
  • 1/4 CU Plain Yogurt
  • 2 TBL melted butter
  • 1 TBL canola oil
  • 1/2 CU All purpose flour (sifted*)
  • 1 TBL Whole wheat flour or Mesquite Meal
  • 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 2 TBL sugar
  • Pinch of salt

Get optional ingredients ready as well – read below

STEP BY STEP

  1. Mix all ingredients
  2. Let batter set for 30 minutes – better 2 hours

Preheat pan to about 350º

  1. Drop 1/2 cup mixture onto lightly oiled skillet
  2. Immediately tip and rotate pan to spread batter across bottom of pan
  3. Start timer – Cover and cook for exactly 90 seconds
  4. Uncover and flip crepe – cook uncovered for about 30 seconds more
  5. Slip onto cloth to cool for a few minutes
  6. Serve with squeezed lemons and powdered sugar

Special Steps – FOLDING

  1. Fold in half, then in half again the same direction creating a long skinny burrito kind of pastry.
  2. Fold in half, then again in the opposite direction creating a triangle with a rounded side

Special Steps – SERVING OPTIONS

  • Serve sprinkled with powdered sugar
  • Top with REAL Maple Syrup
  • Fill with strawberry jam or preserves (or apricot, etc)
  • Fill with meat for a lunch crepe
  • Fill with lemon curd and blueberry dressing
  • Fill with banana, strawberry and chocolate
  • Fill with spinach, tomato, roasted garlic, goat cheese, onion
  • Fill with tarragon, mushrooms and gruyere cheese
  • Fill with Nutella and sprinkle with powdered sugar
  • Fill with something sweet, then top with lemon zest
  • Sprinkle with Turbinado Sugar, then put into over to caramelize a little bit

Special Steps – PREPARATION OPTIONS

  • Substitute 1/4 CU skim and 1/4 CU yogurt for 1/2 CU 2% milk
  • It’s not traditional, but if you add 1/4 tsp baking powder, you will get a fluffier crepe
  • Eliminate the sugar for lunch crepes.
  • If you don’t have a sifter (I don’t either) you can do what I do:  use a wire strainer basket and a wooden spoon

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Blackend Tuna

1 filet sushi-grade ahi tuna
—————————
2 TBL ginger – chopped
2 TBL green onions – chopped
1 TBL mint
4 cloves garlic
3 TBL lemon juice
1 TBL anchovy paste (or fish sauce)
1/4 CU rice wine vinegar
1/2 CU tamari soy
1/2 CU oil

Instructions
1. Whisk all ingredients together
2. Marinate tuna filet for about three hours in fridger
3. Roll filet in Curry Blackening Spice (see recipe) completely encrusting it
4. Put in very hot pan with a little bit of vegetable oil to sear (about 30 seconds all 6 sides) or 1 minute two sides
5. Pour a bit of olive oil on top as it is cooking
6. Slice in generous slabs, fan on plate and top with Lemon Grass – Yellow Bell Pepper Sauce (see recipe)

Black Bean Soup

Sautee 1/2 Vidalia onion in a large skillet with 1 TBL EVOO, then add (in order)
1 TBL butter
3 cloves of garlic (minced)
1 adobo chili
1 tsp cumin
1 can Black beans
2 TBL Cilantro
1/2 sliced bell pepper
2 C chicken stock
Simmer 30-40 minutes

To garnish:
2 Tortillas – toasted
Sour cream
1/4 C Ranchero cheese (shredded)
1/2 Avocado
1 bit of watercress for freshness
2 TBL Green onion or chives or grated lime zest

Instructions
1. Cut tortilla strips, fry till crispy
2. Cook soup, the drizzle with a bit of sour cream
3. Top w/ tortilla pieces, ranchero cheese, watercress & avocado

Serving suggestion, pour into bowl w/ squash soup for contrast

Tips: Cheese

SOFT CHEESES
Cover is light mold.
Mozzarella, provalone, or fontina cheese are fairly interchangeable

HARD CHEESES
Rind will be hard. It is actually not bad for you and can pack lots of flavor.  Use the crust of parmesan cheese rind to flavor and thicken your pasta sauce.  Remove it before serving.  Cheese is squeezed and compressed. Nutrition is about 14
times more than the milk used to make it.

Parmesean Cheese – Grate your own, don’t use the round green box either.

Eg: Cheddar, machengo, parmesean, gruyere

Lower fat content means stringier cheese.
Lower fat content means stringier cheese.

KEEP AND CARE OF CHEESE
Likes cool moist environment, but not COLD and not WET
Likes to breathe
Soft and medium in plastic container with a slice of apple.
Hard cheeses lightly wrapped in waxed paper secured with rubber band or aluminum foil.

MEDIUM CHEESES
Reddish or brown rind is more natural
Milk is pasturized at 145 degrees for 30 mintues
At 160 degrees for 15 seconds kills everything. Applies to most cheeses.
You can use dental floss to cut soft cheeses

FREEZING CHEESE
You can wrap cheese in Saran Wrap and then put it into a zipper lock bag. This will keep it for about three months.

GOOEY CHEESE
The melty stringy cheeses are those with a lower fat content.  That’s why low moisture, low fat mozzarella cheese is so great for pizza.  Mozzarella, provalone, or fontina cheese are fairly interchangeable

Caponata

imageINGREDIENTS

  • 1 eggplant
  • 1 zucchini
  • 2 C cubed winter squash
  • 1 Vidalia onion
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1 stalk celery
  • 1/2 CU green olive
  • 1/2 CU black olive
  • 1/2 C golden raisins
  • 1 can diced tomatoes (drained)
  • 2 TBL capers
  • 1/4 C apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 C white balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp salt

STEP BY STEP

  1. Toss your cubed squash in 1 TBL EVOO and 1 tsp salt
  2. Bake at 350º for 30 minutes
    While this cooks
  3. Cut up onion and mince the garlic – Set aside
  4. Peel the eggplant, leaving just a little bit of purple to make it pretty.
  5. Cut up the eggplant in 1/2 inch cubes – Set aside
  6. Put drained tomato into a third bowl
  7. Cut celery into thin crescents – Add to tomato
  8. Quarter olives – Add to tomato
  9. Add capers, raisins and salt to tomato
  10. Heat up a skillet, add EVOO and saute onions
  11. When the start to soften, add the garlic and celery
  12. As soon as this is all combined, add the eggplant and combine gently
  13. Add tomato mixture to the eggplant
  14. Mix very gently, and continue heating 5 minutes.
  15. Mix gently, and continue to heat another 5 minutes
  16. Add vinegars, stir to combine and heat for another few minutes.
  17. Stir in cooked squash
  18. Can be served hot, but it is great chilled for at least several hours, and served cold.

VARIATIONS

Add any of the following ingredients for twists:

  • Julienne strips from 1/2 carrot
  • Chopped fresh parsley, cilantro or basil
  • Fresh quartered cherry tomatoes
  • Pitted calamata olives
  • Pimiento stuffed olives
  • Add 1/2 tsp red pepper chili flakes to kick it up a notch
  • Substitute Red Wine vinegar for Apple Cider
  • Add tomato sauce to create more of a cold summer soup

NOTES

  • You can serve this hot when you make it, and refrigerate the left-overs. They will keep well in the refrigerator for days, and you can haul it out at any time and just eat it without any to-do.
  • Vinegar is the secret ingredient. It gives it a unique taste and acts as a preservative.
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