Crostini Alla Romana

Nicholas called the other day asking for this recipe. I had made it so often the last few summers when the sage was growing well. I knid of forget about it in the winter but it is a fantastic appetizer especially if you use fresh mozzarella or at least whole milk mozzarella.

Crostini Alla Romana

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Prep Time:

15 min

Inactive Prep Time:

--

Cook Time:

20 min

Level:

Easy

Serves:

4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

• 12 1/2-inch thick slices ciabatta bread
• 12 slices thinly sliced prosciutto (about 6 ounces)
• 1 pound fresh mozzarella, cut into thin slices
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 6 sage leaves
• Pinch salt
• Pinch freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Place the slices of ciabatta on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake until crisp and golden around the edges, about 8 minutes. Remove the bread from the oven. Place the prosciutto slices and mozzarella on the crostini toast and return to the oven to melt the cheese, about 8 more minutes.
Meanwhile combine the butter and the sage leaves in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the butter is melted and starting to brown in spots and the sage leaves are crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the salt and pepper.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Transfer the crostini to a serving plate. Drizzle the crostini with the sage butter and serve immediately.

Eating Omaha...Nicola's

Last night we had the honor of visiting Nicola's on 13th and Jackson. Cold night but well worth the trip. As our routine, we brought our own vintage and paid a corking fee. Seems to be a cheaper way to drink the good stuff and not pay an outrageous mark up. Even with the fee it's cheaper. Dinner was magnificent. First a cheese tray. Olives and assorted cheeses with crostini and crackers. A drizzle of olive oil and a dash of pepper. Yum.

We all ordered something different tonight. No specials (sorry Lori, I feel bad) It seems we always get burned on specials so I like to stick with signature dishes for a first time visit. Tonight's entrees were Lobster Ravioli, Mediterranean Lasagna, Ravioli and meatballs and the Bolognese. All was supper tasty and everyone appeared to happy. I know I sampled the Lasagna and wow was that great! We brought home a fair bit of food. Definitely a keeper and it looks like the rest of Omaha is aware of that.

For dessert, Lori made a test run of one of the desserts we had chosen for the party this weekend. Very good and light. Delicious. Food coma.

Looking forward to our next venture out. Lent is on the horizon so it will have to be seafood for us that night.

Cooking the same ol' thing

We are in a pre lenten rut these last few weeks. Planning the dessert party, getting ready for the major cleaning push that is going to happen and me being sick with a cold really takes the fire out of my cooking.

I have been cooking,  but basically the old standbys. Creativity has left me for the moment as I focus on desserts and trying to balance an array of possibilities that will elicit the appropriate responses from our guests but also represent a diversified portfolio of sweets and a mix of texture and flavors.

Every party has to have a Pave. I generally make strawberry or lemon so one of those with definitely be on the menu. Something chocolate and something spicy. something cheesy and something fruity is always a good mix. Decadence just comes with the territory. Perhaps a trifle this year or a tiramisu? I was looking for something artisan. Small individuals but they take a while and anyone who knows me knows I am not a patient man.

I have little time left and have to meet with our co-hosts to verify the task at hand. I have a few ideas still rolling around that need to jell up. Then I need to make that grocery list and pick up about 5 pounds of chocolate and a few quarts of cream. Hmmm.......

Pizza! Pizza!

Wednesday night I tried a recipe form Ezra Poundcake's blog for "Grandma's Pizza" actually known as "Nonna's Pizza" in any good Italian family. A Sicilian style crusted pizza, made in a pan with cheese and tomatoes. The toppings are sparingly applied but the result is fantastic.

Rising Dough

Baked to perfection.

So first the crust. It did not sound as if this would be enough but I followed the instructions and sure enough it covered the pan. This was yummy and I will make it again. Very fresh tasting and light.

Dough:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 1/2 cups (8 1/4 ounces) bread flour
• 2 1/4 teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt

Topping:

• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (2 cups)
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1. For the Dough: Measure 2 tablespoons olive oil onto a rimmed baking sheet (18″ by 13″), and use your fingers to coat the sheet with oil.
2. Measure water and remaining 1 tablespoon oil into a liquid measuring cup. Set aside.
3. Using a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt on low speed. With the mixer running, slowly add water mixture, and mix until dough comes together, about 1 minute.
4. Increase speed to medium-low, and mix until dough is smooth and comes away from sides of bowl, about 10 minutes.
5. Place the dough on the oiled baking sheet, and turn to coat. Stretch dough to 10 by 6-inch rectangle. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in warm place until doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Stretch dough to corners of pan, cover loosely with plastic, and let rise in warm place until slightly puffed, about 45 minutes.
6. Adjust oven rack to lowest position, and heat oven to 500 degrees F.
7. For the Topping: Place tomatoes in colander, and drain really well.
8. In a medium bowl, combine drained tomatoes, oil, garlic, oregano, and salt. Set aside.
9. In a second bowl, combine mozzarella and Parmesan. Set aside.
10. Sprinkle cheese mixture over the dough, leaving 1/2-inch border on all sides.
11. Top with tomato mixture, and drizzle with olive oil. Bake until well browned and bubbling, about 12 minutes. (If the oven starts to smoke, lower the temperature or move your pizza up a rack.)
12. Slide pizza onto a wire rack, sprinkle with basil, and let cool for 5 minutes. Serve.

*Cooks Note:  I would pre bake the crust a bit next time as it came out of the over softer than I like on the bottom. A good 10 or 15 minutes (watch carefully) before the toppings might bake it a bit longer before the topping gets too brown.

Preparing a post Lenten Treat

Beef Jerky is a staple around here after 40 days of no meat. We used to take it to church the night of Pascha services and eat it on the way home.
I generally like to get this done during the non fasting Pre Lenten period so I don't have to smell that delicious smokey beef drying out in the oven. Firstly, the beef. Never sure what to use but always looking for a sale, I found Bottom Round on sale for 2.69 a pound. Very lean and thick cut, it slices like a dream.  I have been cutting the beef a bit thicker these days and a sharp knife helps a lot.  After cutting into strips, I make a marinade of Hickory Smoke, Lawry's Seasoned Salt, pepper, Soy Sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Soak the meat over night then lay it out on a rack (I spray mine with Pam for easier clean up. I put the racks over pans lined with wax paper. Into the Convection oven for 1 hour at 165 then turn it down to 145 for 8 to 12 hours. I start checking to make sure its not too dry. I store it in a freezer bag in the fridge. Take care not to let any moisture accumulate in the bag, make sure its perfectly cool before bagging.  About $12 worth of beef makes about 3/4 gallon bag of Jerky but it does not last long at my house.

International Mixed Grill

I made Naan. Yum. So good and pretty easy. I made it to serve the Crock pot Buffalo Chicken with Blue Cheese. I had some wings on hand and I didn't want to press the Buffalo thing too far so I made them Asian Style with Hoisin and orange juice.



Crock pot Buffalo Chicken
3 pounds of frozen Bnls Sknls Chicken breast
1 bottle hot sauce
1 package Hidden Valley Seasoning mix.

Place it all in the pot and let it go for 8 hours or so. Shred the chicken and enjoy. (Just so you know, I thought this was VERY salty. Not sure why)

Asian Style Wings are made with baked wings coated with a sauce and re baked. The sauce is 1/3 c hoisin, 1 tbl garlic minced, 1 t ginger minced, 1/2 t Cayenne,  juice of one orange and a teaspoon of honey. Mix and coat the wings. Bake again for 10 or 15 minutes watching not to burn the sweet sauce.



Naan.  I used the Arti Party recipe from Food Network. A raised yeast dough with yogurt and baking powder. Cut into 6-8 balls, roll out and dry fry in a very hot skillet. Brush with butter and sprinkle with salt.

• 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling, see Cook's Note*
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 tablespoons plain yogurt
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Melted butter for slathering on the finished naans
• Coarse sea salt for sprinkling

Directions

In a large glass, dissolve the dry yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar with 3/4 cup warm water (about 100 degrees F). Let it sit on your counter until it's frothy, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, sift the flour, salt, remaining 1 teaspoon of sugar and baking powder into a large, deep bowl.

Once the yeast is frothy, add the yogurt and the olive oil into the glass, and stir to combine. Pour the yogurt mixture into the dry ingredients and add the kalonji and fennel seeds, if using, and gently mix the ingredients together with a fork. When the dough is about to come together, use your hands to mix. It will feel like there isn't enough flour at first, but keep going until it transforms into a soft, slightly sticky and pliable dough. As soon as it comes together, stop kneading. Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel and let it sit in a warm, draft-free place for 2 to 4 hours.

When you're ready to roll, make sure you have two bowls on your counter: one with extra flour in it, and one with water. The dough will be extremely soft and sticky-this is good! Separate the dough into 6 equal portions and lightly roll each one in the bowl of extra flour to keep them from sticking to each other.

Shape the naan. Using a rolling pin, roll each piece of dough into a teardrop shape, narrower at the top than at the bottom. It should be 8 to 9-inches long, 4-inches wide at its widest point and about 1/4-inch thick. Once you've formed the general shape, you can also pick it up by one end and wiggle it; the dough's own weight will stretch it out a little. Repeat this method with the rest of the dough. (If you're making the gluten-free version, you'll have better luck pressing the dough out with your fingertips, than rolling.)

Warm a large cast-iron skillet over high heat until it's nearly smoking. Make sure you have a lid large enough to fit the skillet and have a bowl of melted butter at the ready.

Dampen your hands in the bowl of water and pick up one of your naans, flip-flopping it from one hand to the other to lightly dampen it. Gently lay it in the skillet and set your timer for 1 minute. The dough should start to bubble.

After about 1 minute, flip the naan. It should be blistered and somewhat blackened, don't worry - that's typical of traditional naan! Cover the skillet with the lid and cook 30 seconds to 1 minute more.

Remove the naan from the skillet, brush with a bit of butter and sprinkle with a little coarse sea salt. Place the naan in a tea towel-lined dish. Repeat with the rest of the naans and serve.

This recipe is from Arti Party of the Food Network



Grilled Salmon with Artichoke Salsa, Pan Gratin Potatoes

Grilled Salmon...so easy. I placed the side of salmon on Non Stick foil, doused with olive oil and sprinkled with Crazy Jane's Crazy Mixed Up Salt. Grill till perfection. I like it moist and tender in the thick parts but crispy on the belly side.

Artichoke hearts, chopped Red Onion, Capers, Garlic, Halved Cherry tomatoes with a drizzle of lemon juice and olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste, marinate and top that salmon. You won't be sorry!

Pan Gratin potatoes. Spuds sliced super thin, sauteed in a bit of olive oil, flip when browned then flood the pan with a bit of cream, add some cheese, salt and pepper then cover till potatoes are tender. Slice into wedges to serve. Oh so good.

Jalapeno Popper Dip

A recipe from BakedBree

Ingredients

• 2 8-ounce bricks cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup sour cream
• 3/4 cup pickled jalapeno peppers, chopped
• 2 fresh jalapenos, chopped finely
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh pepper
• 1 cup Panko crumbs
• 1/2 teaspoon Montreal steak seasoning

Directions

1. 1 Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix together cream cheese, sour cream, pickled jalapeno peppers, fresh jalapenos (reserve a bit for the top), salt, and pepper.
2. 2 Spray a 1-quart casserole dish with cooking spray. Pour the cream cheese mixture into the dish. Top with Panko crumbs and Montreal steak seasoning.
3. 3 Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown and heated through. Add reserved fresh jalapeno to the top and serve with tortilla chips.

Jalapeño Popper Dip

Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

16 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup mayonnaise
8 pieces of bacon, cooked and chopped up
6 jalapeños, minced (if you can't get fresh, substitute a 4-ounce can diced jalapeño peppers, drained)
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon cumin
1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
Topping:
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Combine the cream cheese, mayonnaise, bacon, jalapenos, garlic, cumin and cheddar cheese in a mixing bowl. Pour the mixture into a casserole dish or 9x13 baking dish.
3. Combine the panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese and melted butter in a small bowl, tossing with a fork until the mixture is evenly moistened. Sprinkle evenly over the cream cheese mixture.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the dip is bubbling. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with your favorite tortilla chips, crackers, vegetables, etc.

I made this as a cold dip with the following changes:
1 large Jalapeno chopped whole
1/4 + minced pickeled Jalapeno
1 t chipotle powder
Put the parm in the mix and serve cold. 

Beef and Barley Vegetable soup

Another soup supper Sunday at our house. I like cooking this stuff all day and melding flavors into a savory warm treat on a Winter's day even though it was temperate out today.

1 to 1 1/2 pounds stew beef
1 T oil
1/2 c flour
3 medium carrots
3 leeks
2 cloves of garlic chopped
8 ounces mushrooms
1 medium onion
1 pkg frozen pearl onions or 1 jar
1 cup red wine
4 cups beef broth
1 T Thyme
1/2 to 2/3 c barley

I dredged the beef in flour and browned in hot oil in batches. I deglazed the pan with the wine, scraping all the brown bits then added the onions, pearl onions,  carrots, mushrooms, leeks and garlic. To this I added the broth which covered the ingredients. After it came to a boil, I simmered it covered for several ours till the meat was tender. During the last hour, I added the barley. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Served with some crusty bread you just can't go wrong.

And........done.

Well, probably done. I will live with it a few days and probably add a stroke or 2 before I finalize it with varnish. I see that I forgot the Red Oxide final strokes so those will definitely get added.

Looking at this, I can see the major differences in subtlties that I missed in the original. Standing alone it's OK. Looking for another quick project to do. Perhaps during Lent this year I will see how  many icons I can get done. Brenda says we will have to biuld a room to store them in as I still have the very large church icons in the front room. Not sure what to do with all this practice stuff. Perhaps I just need to sand them  down and paint again.