Tag Archives: garlic

Florentine Lasagna by Terry

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1122-Lasagna-Florentine
1 pound spinach — fresh
1 pound mushroom — fresh sliced
1 cup onion — chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup bechamel sauce
nutmeg — fresh
15 ounces ricotta cheese
1 cup Parmesan cheese — freshly grated
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon basil — dried
1 tablespoon oregano — dried
1 package lasagna noodles — fresh
3 cups mozzarella cheese — fresh
1 can tomato sauce — small size

Blanch the spinach, drain pressing out excess moisture and set aside.
Saute the sliced mushrooms until they release their moisture and it cooks
off. Add the onions and saute until they are transparent. Add the garlic.
Add a little more oil if needed, a couple of tablespoons of flour and cook
for a few minutes. Add milk to make your bechamel. Make sure it’s rather
thick. Taste and add a generous grating of fresh nutmeg. Set aside until
cool.

Cook the lasagne noodles until just slightly underdone. Drain.
Mix ricotta, 1/2 of the Parmesan, egg, salt, pepper, basil, and oregano.(Rub
the basil and oregano between your hands as you add it to release the
natural oils).

Add the cooled spinach mixture to the ricotta mixture and combine gently.

Oil the bottom of your baking pan with a little olive oil. Start your layers
with the noodles then the ricotta-spinach mixture and so forth until you
have about 4 layers.ending with a noodle layer Top with the remaining
Parmesan cheese. Add the mozzarella cheese. I used the marinated fresh
mozzarella which has a wonderful basil flavor. I get it at the deli counter
at my supermarket. They are the small balls about the size of a large
marble. I slice them up and arrange on top of the lasagne. Add one small can
of tomato sauce. Cover tightly with foil and bake at 350F for 1 hour.

Remove from the oven after 1 hour and let it rest for 30 minutes before
cutting.
You can assemble this a day ahead if you like. It’s always wonderful
reheated.

The important thing with this recipe is to use all fresh ingredients. If you
can’t buy the fresh lasagna noodles you can use the dry but It would not be
as tasty. Serves 6

Butternut Squash Stew With Pomegranate Salsa by the weekend vegetarian

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FOR THE STEW
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 large onion, chopped
1-inch piece peeled ginger root, grated
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 serrano chili pepper, seeded and chopped
28 ounces canned diced tomatoes, preferably low-sodium or no-salt-added, plus their juices
1 large carrot, scrubbed well and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium (about 1 1/2 pounds) butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Water (optional)
4 to 5 ounces baby spinach leaves, chopped (4 cups loosely packed)
15 ounces canned chickpeas, preferably no-salt-added, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup packed cilantro leaves, chopped
1 teaspoon Tabasco, harissa or other hot sauce of your choice
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

FOR THE SALSA
1 cup pomegranate seeds
2 scallions, trimmed and finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
12 mint leaves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

For the stew: Pour the oil into a large saucepan over medium heat. Once the oil shimmers, stir in the coriander, cinnamon, turmeric, cardamom and cloves; sizzle them for a few seconds, then add the onion, stirring to coat. Cook until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes, then add the ginger, garlic and serrano pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until soft, 10 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and their juices, the carrot, squash and enough water, if needed, to barely cover the vegetables. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Stir in the spinach, chickpeas, cilantro and hot sauce; season lightly to taste with salt and black pepper. Cook for just a few minutes, to wilt the spinach and heat the chickpeas through. Remove from the heat; cover to keep warm.

Meanwhile, make the salsa: Stir together the pomegranate seeds, scallions, lime juice, mint and oil in a small bowl.

Serve the stew warm, with the salsa on top or served on the side. 6-8 servings; makes 8 cups

Nick and Toni’s Penne Alla Vecchia Bettola

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1/4 cup good olive oil
1 medium Spanish onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, diced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 cup vodka
2 (28-ounce) cans peeled plum tomatoes
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3/4 pound penne pasta
4 tablespoons fresh oregano
3/4 to 1 cup heavy cream
Grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Heat the olive oil in a large oven proof saute pan over medium heat, add the onions and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes until translucent. Add the red pepper flakes and dried oregano and cook for 1 minute more. Add the vodka and continue cooking until the mixture is reduced by half.

Meanwhile, drain the tomatoes through a sieve and crush them into the pan with your hands. Add 2 teaspoons salt and a pinch of black pepper. Cover the pan with a tight fitting lid and place it in the oven for 1 1/2 hours. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta al dente. Drain and set aside.

Place the tomato mixture in a blender and puree in batches until the sauce is a smooth consistency. Return to the pan.

Reheat the sauce, add 2 tablespoons fresh oregano and enough heavy cream to make the sauce a creamy consistency. Add salt and pepper, to taste, and simmer for 10 minutes. Toss the pasta into the sauce and cook for 2 minutes more. Stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan. Serve with an additional sprinkle of Parmesan and a sprinkle of fresh oregano on each plate.
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Pati Jinich’s Tortilla Soup

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For the Tortilla Soup:
3 Guajillo Chiles (stemmed; seeded and toasted)
1 pound ripe Tomatoes
1 Garlic clove
1/2 cup Onion (roughly chopped)
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil
6 cups Chicken Broth use veggie broth
1 sprig fresh Parsley
1/2 cup Mexican Crema (creme fraiche or sour cream)
8 ounces Queso Fresco (diced)
1 ripe Avocado (diced)

For the Tortilla Crisps:
Vegetable Oil (for frying) try baking
6 5-6 inch Corn Tortillas (cut into wedges)
1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt
Guajillo chiles (stemmed; seeded and broken into pieces)

For the Tortilla Soup: In a medium sauce pan, place the toasted Guajillo chiles, tomatoes, and garlic. Add enough water just to cover ingredients. Place over medium high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 12 to 15 minutes, until tomatoes are fully cooked and mushy and the Guajillos have re-hydrated and plumped up.

Place the Guajillos, tomatoes, garlic and onion in a blender along with 1 cup of the simmering liquid and salt. Puree until completely smooth.

In a large soup pot, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Once hot but not smoking, pour in the tomato puree. It will sizzle and make noise and smoke. Let the puree cook and thicken, changing from a bright red to a darker red and thicker consistency, for about 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken broth and the parsley sprig and return to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer and season, cooking another 10 minutes. Remove parsley sprig before serving.

Serve into soup bowls, adding a handful of tortilla crisps, a few chile crisps, and crema, cheese and avocado to taste. Alternatively you can place all the garnishes on the soup plates, and pour the hot soup into the bowls at the table. You may add other more hefty garnishes, such as cooked shredded chicken on top.

For the Tortilla Crisps: To fry: in a deep 12-inch skillet, heat 1⁄2 inch of oil over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking—a tortilla piece dipped in the oil should bubble around the edges. Add the tortilla pieces in small batches and fry, turning once, until they are a rich golden brown and nicely crisped. For crisps and chips, cook for 20 to 30 seconds per side; cook tostadas one at a time for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle immediately with salt so it will stick to the surface.

To prepare Chile Crisps, flash fry the chile pieces in the vegetable oil for 2 seconds, then quickly remove to a paper-towel lined plate.

To bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a baking sheet. Place the tortilla pieces (or whole tortillas) on the baking sheet. Gently brush the tops with oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake for about 20 minutes, stirring and flipping them occasionally, until golden brown and crispy. Let cool.

Helpful Tips:
1. Guajillo chilis aren’t as spicy as other peppers, so it’s a crowd pleasing base. You could also use ancho or Serrano chilis. It’s important to rehydrate the ancho chili so it creates a paste.

2. To cut fat out of your diet, you can bake the tortillas into chips instead of frying them.

3. Save tortillas crisps in a plastic bag and use them at breakfast, lunch, or dinner. For breakfast: If you scramble eggs with cooked onions, jalapeno and tomato, just when the eggs are starting to fluff and firm up, you add the tortilla crisps and makes them like “migas” (a traditional Spanish dish with eggs using leftover bread). For lunch: use them as a garnish for a salad. For dinner: top any soup, stew, chili with crumbled tortilla. You can also add them to any cooked beans for a delicious side!

4. How to store soft tortillas: If homemade, store wrapped in a cloth and inside of a sealed plastic bag. If store bought, keep in the refrigerator

Lemon Fusilli with Arugula — Ina

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1 tablespoon good olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic (2 cloves)
2 cups heavy cream
3 lemons
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch broccoli
1 pound dried fusilli pasta
1/2 pound baby arugula (or 2 bunches of common arugula, leaves cut in thirds)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved

Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the garlic, and cook for 60 seconds. Add the cream, the zest from 2 lemons, the juice of 2 lemons, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until it starts to thicken.

Meanwhile, cut the broccoli in florets and discard the stem. Cook the florets in a pot of boiling salted water for 3 to 5 minutes, until tender but still firm. Drain the broccoli and run under cold water to stop the cooking. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 1 tablespoon of salt and the pasta, and cook according to the directions on the package, about 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain the pasta in a colander and place it back into the pot. Immediately add the cream mixture and cook it over medium-low heat for 3 minutes, until most of the sauce has been absorbed in the pasta. Pour the hot pasta into a large bowl, add the arugula, Parmesan, tomatoes, and cooked broccoli. Cut the last lemon in half lengthwise, slice it 1/4-inch thick crosswise, and add it to the pasta. Toss well, season to taste, and serve hot.

Basil Green Goddess Dressing — Ina

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1 cup good mayonnaise
1 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts (6 to 7 scallions)
1 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
2 teaspoons chopped garlic (2 cloves)
2 teaspoons anchovy paste
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup sour cream

Place the mayonnaise, scallions, basil, lemon juice, garlic, anchovy paste, salt and pepper in a blender and blend until smooth. Add the sour cream and process just until blended. (If not using immediately, refrigerate the dressing until ready to serve.)

Savory Tomato Cornbread Cobbler – The Washington Post, August 14, 2013

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IMG_1889From Lewes, Del., resident Becky Hamill: “This is from a very old-fashioned recipe for fruit cobbler — every old Junior League cookbook has it — and can be found in many online simple fruit cobbler recipes. Every summer I prepare lots of these ‘EZ’ fruit cobblers with peaches and blueberries.

“Last July, I decided to experiment by adding some cornmeal with the flour; spices, herbs and salt instead of the sugar; and tomatoes instead of peaches. This savory cornbread tomato cobbler is the result.”

We tested this as submitted and also with a few tablespoons less butter, and we found that the cobbler works better with the amount called for.  6 to 8 servings

For the filling
1 pound mixed-variety sweet cherry tomatoes, each cut in half
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon hot Mexican chili powder
1/4 teaspoon celery salt
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Finely grated zest and juice of 1/2 lime
1/4 cup minced scallions, plus 2 tablespoons minced green scallion tops for garnish

For the crust
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter (see headnote)
1 cup whole or low-fat milk

Place a medium (10-inch) cast-iron skillet in the oven; preheat to 350 degrees.

For the filling: Cut each tomato in half and place all of them in a mixing bowl, along with the garlic.

Combine the chili powder, celery salt, kosher salt and cumin in a small bowl, then sprinkle the mixture over the tomatoes. Stir in the lime zest and juice and 1/4 cup of the minced scallions.

For the crust: Combine the flour, cornmeal, salt and baking powder in a mixing bowl.

Once the skillet is hot, add the butter. Watch closely; when the butter is melted and bubbling, stir the milk into the flour mixture to form a somewhat lumpy batter.

Transfer the skillet to the stove top just long enough to pour in the batter, spreading it evenly.

Immediately top with the tomato mixture. Return to the oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the cobbler is crisped on the edges and has started to pull away from the sides of the pan.

Cut into wedges; serve hot or at room temperature, garnished with the minced scallion tops.

Recipe Source:  From Becky Hamill of Lewes, Del.

Israeli Couscous and Tuna Salad, Ina Garten

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2 cups Israeli couscous (10 to 12 ounces)
2 (7-ounce) cans or jars Italian tuna, drained and flaked
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup good olive oil
3 tablespoons capers, drained
1/2 cup pitted, oil-cured black olives, coarsely chopped (3 ounces)
1/2 cup jarred roasted red peppers, medium-diced (4 ounces)
2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup chopped scallions (6-8 scallions)
1/4 cup julienned fresh basil leaves, lightly packed
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a medium-size saucepan. Add the couscous and reduce the heat to very low. Cover the pot and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, until the couscous is just tender. (I pull the pot halfway off the heat.) Drain in a colander.

Meanwhile, combine the tuna, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, capers, olives, red peppers, garlic, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper in a large bowl. Pour the hot couscous into the mixture and stir well. Cover and set aside for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Just before serving, stir in the scallions, basil, juice of the 1/2 lemon, and 1 more teaspoon of salt. Taste for seasonings and serve warm or at room temperature

Lentil Enchiladas

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2 1/4 cups lentils, cooked (I used Trader Joe’s Steamed Lentils)
1 tsp. olive oil
1/4 cup onion, diced
1/2 tbsp garlic, minced
4 oz can fire roasted green chilis
1/2 cup lite shredded Mexican cheese, divided
8 8″whole wheat flour tortilla taco shells

***Enchilada Sauce***
1 15oz can (1 3/4 cup) tomato sauce
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350F
To make enchilada sauce: In a medium bowl, add tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder and salt. Mix until combined; set a side.
In a skillet add olive oil, onion and garlic and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add green chilis and lentils, cook until warmed. Add 1/4 cup of cheese and mix until cheese is mostly melted.
Spoon a little bit of the sauce into a 9 x 13 baking dish. Evenly distribute lentil mixture to tortilla (about 1/4 cup), place tortilla seem side down onto baking dish. Top with remaining enchilada sauce and cheese.
Bake for 15 – 20 minutes, until cheese has melted

Optional: Top with tomatoes, jalapenos and greek yogurt

from peanut butter and peppers blog

Cream of tomato soup, based on allrecipes.com recipe

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here’s my version
3 tbsp butter
3/4 small onion, diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
3 tbsp flour
6 – 8c tomato juice
3/4 tsp basil
salt and pepper
1 1/2 c milk or to taste
+/- 1/4 c heavy cream

melt butter in heavy dutch oven, add onions cook gently until translucent, add garlic and cook a few min more. Add flour cook for a min or two. Add tomato juice,salt, pepper and basil. Cook for 12-15 min. Add milk and cream, heat through. Serve with grated parm or romano and crackers.

NOTE:  I like my tomato soup smooth so I ended up running it through a sieve.