Butternut Squash Soup with Spicy Pepitas

Ingredients

3T olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and medium diced
2½ lbs. butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into ½ inch dice (6 cups)
1 apple, peeled, cored, and cut into ½ inch dice (about 1 cup)
1½T fresh sage, chopped
4-5 cups chicken stock
Salt & Pepper

2 cups raw pepitas
1½ tsp. cumin seeds toasted * (or 1 ½ tsp. ground cumin)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ancho chili powder
1 tsp. black pepper
2T lime juice

1. In a large soup pot, over medium heat, add the olive oil; once warm, add the onions and sauté 3-4 minutes until slightly soft. Add the squash and apples and toss with the onions; cook for 4-6 minutes.

2. Add 4 cups of stock and the sage. Cook until the squash are very soft, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and cool somewhat.

3. Puree with an immersion blender or blender until soup is smooth and creamy. If the soup is to think add the remaining cup of stock, season with salt and pepper.

4. Pepitas: In a medium bowl combine the ground cumin, salt, chili powder, and black pepper; toss until combined.

5. Add the pepitas and lime juice and toss until well coated. Place on a baking sheet in a 350º F oven and toasted for 5-7 minutes or until slightly brown. Let cool.

6. Serve the soup in bowls or cups and garnish with pepitas.

** Toasting Seeds

1. Place the seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking the pan continuously until the seeds become fragrant.

2. Remove toasted seeds from the pan and place in a spice grinder; grind to a fine powder.

TIPS & TRICKS

• The smaller the cubes of squash, the quicker it will cook.
• The soup can be made 2 days in advance.
• Pepitas can be made days in advance. Store in an airtight container. They make a great snack on their own.
• You can serve the soup in little Turkish or espresso cups. Or, there are fun paper disposable cups available at party supply stores.

Tian de Vegetables

Ingredients

¼ cup olive oil
2 medium onions, cut in half and sliced into thin ½ moons, about ¼” thick
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 Italian, Japanese, or small eggplant
2 medium zucchini squash
2 medium yellow squash
4 Roma tomatoes
Salt & pepper
2T fresh thyme
2T olive oil
2T fresh basil, chiffonade

1.    Preheat the oven to 375° F.

2.    Peel and slice the onions in ½ and then slice into ½ moon slices about ¼ inch thick.

3.    Slice the peppers into ¼ thick strips. 

4.    In a large sauté pan over medium heat, add the ¼ cup of olive oil. Add the onions and peppers and cook until soft, about 10-15 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1-2 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

5.    Using a mandoline or chef’s knife, slice the eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, and tomatoes into ¼ inch rounds. Set aside.

6.    In the bottom of a 9”x12” baking dish, spread out the onion /pepper mixture. Layer the eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, and tomatoes on top of the onion/pepper mixture. Alternate and overlap the slices as you go, making 1 layer. You may have extra slices. Reserve them for another use.  

7.    Drizzle the 2 tablespoons of olive oil on top of the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the thyme on top.

8.    Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil. Bake for 40-45 minutes until the vegetables are soft.
9.    Remove the foil and cook an additional 35 minutes until the vegetables are cooked and slightly brown. If you have not achieved the desired brownness, place under the broiler for 3-5 minutes.

10.    Remove from oven and sprinkle the basil on top. Serve warm or room temperature.  

TIPS & TRICKS

•    You can substitute red onion for yellow. You can use red, yellow, or orange peppers too.
•    Try to find eggplants and squash that are the same diameter, so that they layer nicely. You will have the smaller end pieces left over. I chop them up, sauté in a little olive oil, and add to scrambled eggs.
•    This is a great dish for entertaining because you can prepare the dish till step #7 the day ahead. Then cook it earlier in the day. It is best serve warm. 

Greens & Mushroom Galette

Ingredients

Pastry:
1½ cup all-purpose flour
¼ tsp. salt
½ cup unsalted butter cut into ½” cubes and cold
8T iced, cold water

Filling:
8 oz. mushrooms ( any Varity you like )
1 bunch Swiss chard
4T olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and finely diced
2 cloves garlic
1T fresh thyme, finely chopped
1T lemon zest
1 cup ricotta

1.    Preheat oven to 400º F. If you have a pizza stone, place it on a rack in the middle of the oven.

2. Pastry:In a food processor, add the flour, sugar and salt; pulse a few times until combined. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture has pea size bits of butter. Add the cold water and pulse just until the mixture just starts to come together.

3.    Dump the dough onto a piece of plastic film, flatten into a rectangle, and chill for at least an hour.

4.    With a damp towel or vegetable brush, gently wipe the mushrooms to remove any dirt.  Remove the dead ends from the stems and slice into slices. Set aside. 

5.    Wash the Swiss chard, place in colander to drain but do not dry off. Chop the stems into small dice. Set aside. Chop the leaves into bite-size pieces. Set aside. 

6.    In a medium sauté pan with a lid over medium heat, add the 2 tablespoons of the oil.  When warm, add the onions and Swiss chard stems. Sauté until slightly soft, about 4 minutes.

7.    Add the garlic and cook an additional minute. 

8.    Add the leaves stir to combine. Place on the lid and cook for 3-4 minutes until the leaves are wilted. 

9.    Remove the lid Stir in the thyme and lemon zest.

10.    Place the Swiss chard into a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside to cool.

11.    Place the pan back on the fire. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the mushrooms and sauté until brown and all the water has cooked off; about 4-6 minutes. 

12.    Place the mushrooms in a bowl and season with salt and pepper and set aside to cool.

13.    Place a piece of parchment on the counter. Roll dough out into a 15 x 12-inch rectangle; transfer the dough to a baking pan.

14.    Spread the ricotta on the dough, leaving a ½-inch border.

15.    Spread out the Swiss chard on top of the ricotta.

16.    Sprinkle the mushrooms on top.

17.    Using the parchment paper to help you fold the ½-inch border over the vegetables, making pleats. Brush with beaten egg.

18.    Place the galette into the 400° F oven onto the pizza stone for 40-45 minutes, until brown.

19.    Pull the parchment paper with the tart off the baking sheet and place onto a cooling rack. Cool for 5-10 minutes.

20.    Cut into squares, place on platter and serve. Best served warm. 

TIPS & TRICKS

•    Pastry can be made ahead and kept frozen for up to 3 months in an air tight container or zip lock bag. Defrost in the refrigerator when needed.
•    You can use any mushrooms if you like. I used a combo of baby belle and button mushrooms. 
•    The galette makes a great lunch or picnic food. Serve cold or reheat in 350º oven for 5-8 mins. 
•    You could add other topping to this galette, like cooked sausage, chopped chicken, or crumbled cheese. I love goat cheese!
•    You can also change the vegetables to sautéed zucchini, eggplant, and peppers. Use about 1 cup of cooked veggies. Do not overfill or the crust will be soggy.

Spicy Chi-Chi Beans

Ingredients

3 cups cooked* or 2- 15oz can drained garbanzo beans
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. paprika
½ tsp. cumin
½ tsp. black pepper
¼ -½ tsp. cayenne pepper
1 ½ tsp. olive oil

1.    Preheat oven to 400° F.

2.    Line a rimed baking sheet pan with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Place the drained garbanzo on top of towel then cover with another towel. Gentle rub the beans to dry then. Pinch the beans to remove the outer skin on as many beans as you can. 

3.    Air-dry the beans for at least 1 hour, the longer they dry out the crunchier they will be.
4.    Remove the towels and place baking sheet pan in the 400° F oven. 
5.    Cook the beans until they are brown and crispy, about 25-30 minutes.  Check the beans at 15 minutes and give the pan a shake. The cooking time may vary due to how dry your beans are so watch then so they don’t burn.  

6.    In a small bowl, combine the salt, paprika, cumin, black and cayenne peppers.  Mix until well combined.  Set aside

7.    In a medium bowl, add the olive oil and toss in the toasted beans until well coated.  

8.    Add the spice mixture and toss the beans until well coated.

9.    Pour the spicy beans into a serving bowl and enjoy. 

*Beans:

1.    Rinse the beans to remove foreign particles.  Place in a bowl and cover with cold water; soak the beans overnight.  Drain beans.
2.    In a large pan, add the soaked, drained beans, and cover with water.
3.    Bring beans to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer; place cover on ¾ of the pot and simmer until beans are tender, about 40-60 minutes.  Add more water if necessary.  Once cooked, drain any remaining water.  1 pound of dried beans equal 6 cups cooked beans. 

TIPS & TRICKS

•    Chi- Chi is the Italian word for Garbanzo beans.
•    When I have the time I prefer to cook my own Chi-Chi/ garbanzo beans. I think the beans taste fresher, creamier and have no salt added. If you use canned beans. Just read the label and select the one that has the lowest amount of salt added.
•    If you’re going to cook a pound of them you might as well cook 2 pounds! They freeze beautifully.
•    Chi- Chi beans are a great source of protein. (9grams) You can add them to soups or salads
•    These make a nice spicy snack and the keep in an airtight container for a week. 
•    You can substitute the spices and use cinnamon & sugar for a sweet treat.

Stuffed Mushrooms with Sausage & Peppers

Ingredients

24 medium mushrooms
1 pound Italian sausage, removed from casing
4T olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
½ red pepper, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic
½ cup ricotta
½ cup panko crumbs
½ cup Pecorino Romano
3T parsley, finely chopped
1T thyme, finely chopped
salt & pepper

1.    Preheat the oven to 400° F.

2.    With a damp towel or vegetable brush, gently wipe the mushrooms to remove any dirt.  Remove the dead ends from the stems.  Using a melon ball scoop, remove the stems.

3.    Carefully scoop out a little of the cap to make a bigger opening.  Chop the stems and caps bits into a fine dice.  Set aside.

4.    In a medium sauté pan over medium high-heat, add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil; when warm, add the sausage.  Using a wooden spoon, break the sausage into pieces.

5.    Cook the sausage 8-10 minutes while stirring and continuing to break into small pieces.  When browned, remove with a spotted spoon and place in a medium bowl.

6.    If needed, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan (you may have enough oil left from cooking the sausage); add the chopped mushroom, onions, and peppers and cook until soft, about 4- 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute.

7.    Remove from the heat and stir in the ricotta until it is melted and mixture is creamy. Add to the cooked sausage.

8.    Add the panko, cheese, parsley and thyme, and stir until combined. Season with salt and pepper.

9.    Place a generous tablespoon of the sausage mixture into each of the mushroom caps.  Place on a baking sheet.  Bake in a 400° F oven until mushrooms are slightly soft and browned, about 10-15 minutes.

10.    Transfer to serving platter and let cool slightly.  Serve warm.

TIPS & TRICKS

•    Because mushrooms have a high water content you never want to submerge them in water. Just brush or wipe them off with a mushroom brush or clean kitchen towel.
•    The mushrooms are best served warm. If too hot you could burn your mouth.
•    You can prepare the whole recipe a day ahead. Either fill the mushroom caps and place on baking sheet. Then cover with a piece of parchment paper and plastic wrap. (remove paper/plastic  before cooking)  OR store the filling in a container and place the mushrooms is a clean kitchen towel then in a plastic bag, so they don’t dry out. Fill the mushroom and bake before serving. 
•    They reheat beautifully 

Salmon Rillettes

Ingredients

4 cups water
1 cup white wine
1 medium onion cut into ¼ inch pieces
1 stalk celery
2 bay leaves
4 peppercorns

½ pound salmon, 1inch thick, skin and pin bones removed

¼ pound smoked salmon, cut into small dice
3 scallions (green onions), white and green part finely diced
1T capers, rinsed
2T lemon zest (2 lemons) 
4T lemon juice
5T unsalted butter, softened

Crostini:
1 baguette loaf, cut on diagonal into 20 thin slices
 ¼ cup olive oil

1.    In a medium saucepan with a lid, bring the water, wine, onion, celery, bay leaf, and peppercorn to a boil, and then reduce the heat to “low” and simmer for 20 minutes.

2.    Place the salmon into the poaching liquid.  Cover with the lid, and turn off the heat. Poach the fish for 10 minutes.

3.    Remove the fish from the liquid with a slotted spoon, set aside on a plate, and let cool.

4.    Using a fork or your fingers, flake the salmon and place into a medium size bowl.

5.    Add the smoked salmon, green onions, capers, and lemon zest.  Mix until combined. 

6.    Add the butter, smashing with fork until well combined.

7.    Season with salt and pepper. 

8.    Pour into a terrine or jar, pressing the mixture down into the container. Top with a piece of plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the mixture.
9.    Chill at least 3 hours, or over night.
10.    Remove the rillettes from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before serving. Serve with crostini, Melba toast or pita chips.

Crostini:

1.    Preheat the oven to 400º F.
2.    Place the sliced bread onto a baking sheet.  Brush each slice with a little olive oil.  Bake until golden brown, about 8-10 minutes.  Set aside.

TIPS & TRICKS

Tips & Tricks:
•    Poaching fish is a wonderful way to cook fish for this recipe or for a simple meal. I like to use fresh wild salmon. If not available you can use frozen. If using farm-raised salmon try to purchase one without color added. General rule: for every inch of thickness of fish the cooking time is 10 minutes. So if you have a thinner piece, like ½ inch thick poach it for 5 minutes. It will continue to cook once it is removed from the water. 
•    The rillettes can be made 3 days in advance. 

Wintergreens with Roasted Beets, Fennel & Gorgonzola with Apple Cider Vinaigrette

Ingredients

Salad:
3-4 medium red or golden beets
4-5 handfuls of spinach, washed
4-5 handfuls winter greens: arugula, chicory, or curly endive, washed and torn into bite-size pieces
2 medium heads fennel, washed
8 oz. Gorgonzola, crumbled
½ cup roasted walnuts, broken into pieces ** see tips & tricks 

Vinaigrette:
1T Dijon mustard
4T apple cider vinegar
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

1.    Preheat oven 350º F.
2.    Line a baking sheet with foil.  Place the beets on the sheet and roast uncovered for 40-50 minutes, or until the beets are soft to the touch.

3.    Once the beets are cool enough to handle, peel them.

4.    Then dice into medium size dice.

5.    Using a knife cut remove the fennel fronds, discard or save for another use. Cut the fennel bulb in half, carefully remove the core and slice the fennel into thin slices

6.    Vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard and vinegar.  Slowly add the olive oil in a steady stream, whisking constantly until emulsified.  Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

7.    In a large bowl, place the greens and fennel and toss with the vinaigrette; season with salt and pepper, as needed to taste.

8.    Place the dressed leaves on a platter or individual plates.  Sprinkle the beets and cheese on top of the greens.  Top with the toasted walnuts.
9.    Serve immediately.

TIPS AND TRICKS

•    To roast nuts; preheat oven 350º F.Place nuts on a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes. Shake the pan and continue baking until nuts are toasted, about 3-5 minutes more.  Allow them to cool . Can be store in an air tight container for weeks.
•    Your clean hands are the best salad tongs! Don’t over dress your salad. You don’t want drown it. You can also add more dressing later. Always dress the salad right before serving
•    Roasted beets can last in refrigerator 2weeks. 
•    You can change this salad buy altering the cheese (blue, fete, and goat. The vinegar (raspberry, balsamic, and champagne) and the nuts (roasted almond, walnuts) 

Caesar Salad

Ingredients

Croutons
½ fresh baguette, cut into ¾ -1 inch cubes (3 cups)
6T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed

Dressing
4-6 oil-packed anchovies
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 egg yolk
1 tsp. lemon zest
3T lemon juice
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated

Salad
2 large heads Romaine lettuce
½ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated

1.    Pre-heat oven to 350°F.

2.    Place the bread cubes into a large bowl.  In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil and garlic until combined.  Add the garlic oil mixture to the bread cubes and toss until coated.

3.    Spread the cubes onto a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake until the bread cubes are golden brown, about 15-17 minutes. 

Dressing:
1.    In a blender, add the anchovies, garlic, egg yolk, lemon zest, juice, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper.  Pulse a few times until all ingredients are combined.

2.    With the blender running on “low” speed, slowly add the olive oil in a steady stream.

3.    Stop the blender and stir in the cheese.

1.    Wash the heads of Romaine lettuce.  Cut off the stems, and then cut the head into quarters.  Lay on a platter or salad plate.  Drizzle the salad dressing over each spear.

2.    Sprinkle the cheese, top with croutons and serve immediately.

TIPS & TRICKS

•    Croutons can be made and kept in airtight container for a week.
•    Dressing can be made 3 days in advance. It also made a great dip for crudités veggies and stemmed artichokes.