Kale Bruschetta

This was based on a recipe from Scandinavian Christmas by Trine Hahnemann.   There are many good ideas in this book for Christmas.  It is on my list to make more out of in the near future.

This was another of the appetizer like finger food that I served at the brunch.  It was simple to make and it was delicious.  I wanted some greens because even though it is winter and heavier foods are usually desired, I get cravings for greens.  Kale is a good choice for this appetizer as it holds up well.  Plus, with the oven turned on low it kept these little bites warm until the guests started to arrive.  This would work well with other greens as well.  I think it would be interesting to see it made with rainbow kale to give it a little more color. 




Kale Bruschetta
1 bunch of kale, washed (dried), ribs removed, and chopped
1-2 tablespoons butter
1 leek, washed (as they tend to be sandy), chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
6 ounces Gruyere finely grated

1 fresh baguette, cut into slices
butter to toast the baguette slices

Toast the baguette in the butter, turning to be sure they are crunchy on both sides.  Melt the butter in a medium sized saucepan.  (I used the same one that was used to toast the bread.)  Add the leek and garlic and saute for a couple of minutes, until softened.  Add the kale and mix together over a low heat until incorporated (you can cook this more or less depending on what you like).  Remove from heat and add the cheese.  Mix together so the cheese is incorporated throughout.  Taste and add seasonings if desired.  (I didn't because the cheese is salty enough for my taste.)  Arrange the baguette on a platter and put a bunch of the kale on top of each.  Serve warm.

Homemade basil pesto

Basil Pesto

If you have never tried to make your own pesto, you are missing out.  I highly recommend giving it a try as it is easy to do and doesn't take any time either.  Plus, you can use a variety of different herbs to change up the flavor and it makes a lot more than you can buy in the store.  The first pesto I made was one from Italian Immigrant Cooking by Elodia Rigante.  Once I realized how easy it was to make though, I now put in basically whatever I am feeling that day or what I have on hand.

Basil Pesto

1/2 cup basil (or whatever herb mixture you want to try)

3 tablespoons pine nuts (toasted)

2-4 tablespoons Parmesan or Romano cheese, finely shredded

6 cloves garlic, peeled

3/4 cup olive oil (more if you like it thinner)

1 tablespoon parsley

1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine all the ingredient in a blender until smooth.  Serve over pasta or gnocchi of choice.  Or you can try my ricotta gnocchi.  You can easily double this recipe.

Italian Potato Pie

When I first met my husband I discovered that he really loved Italian food.  Since I love to cook, I wanted to impress him with cooking good food for him, however, his family does not make Italian food from Italy, they make immigrant Italian food.  Once I realized the kind of food he loved I searched for a cookbook to give me ideas of what I could make for him that would be more similar to the food he was accustomed to eating.  I came across a recommendation for an out-of-print cookbook called Elodia Rigante's Italian Immigrant Cooking.  Never before have I read a cookbook that sometimes measures garlic in cups (see below).  However, everything which I have tried out of this cookbook has turned out very good.  Watch the portion sizes though as this states that it serves 6, but I really think it would serve 8 especially if you have other things to eat like a nice green salad.  This will also reheat well as long as your Parmesan or Romano cheese is thinly shredded instead of big pieces.

Italian Potato Pie

Crust: 

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup butter

3 tablespoons water

In a large bowl, sift together the flour and salt.  Work the butter into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter or your fingertips until the flour mixture is in small crumbs.  Add the water and mix to form into a ball.  Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.  Roll out the dough and then press into a large pie dish.  Set aside.

Potato Layer:

6 cups potatoes, cubed

1 cup cream, 2% milk, half & half

1/2 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

salt and pepper to taste

Cover the potatoes with water in a large pot.  Bring to a boil and boil until tender.  Pour the potatoes into another bowl and whip them with the half & half, olive oil and butter until fluffy.  Season with salt and pepper and set aside.   (As an alternative you can use an immersion blender and save a bowl.)

Tomato Layer:

6 cups tomatoes, diced

2 1/2 cups diced Mozzarella cheese

1 tablespoon oregano

2 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Stir all ingredients together and set aside.

Bread Crumb Layer:

4 cups fine Italian seasoned bread crumbs

1 cup olive oil

1 cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese

1/8 cup minced garlic

1/2 cup parsley

2 eggs

In a mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients.  Set aside.

Assembly:

Preheat oven to 375 F. 

Spread one half of the whipped potato mixture over the pie crust.  Add half of the tomato mixture, then one half of the bread crumb mixture.  Repeat the layering in the same order with the second half of each mixture.  Bake the pie until the crust and the bread crumbs are golden brown, which should be about 30 minutes.  Slice and serve hot, though this does reheat well.

Serves 6

Pork Adobo

I had heard of pork adobo before making this recipe, but I didn't really understand what it was or the flavors involved.  When I was paging through Brought, Borrowed and Stolen by Allegra McEvedy, I found this recipe based on her travels in the Philippines.  Once I saw that it contained pork belly I knew I had to give it a try since pork belly is one of the most delicious things I have been eating recently.  I fell in love with pork belly when I first tried it in Hong Kong.  I didn't realize that fat could have so much flavor and literally melt in your mouth.  That being said I became obsessed with trying it again.  It is not something to eat frequently, but it is absolutely wonderful to eat if cooked well.

This is a very rich dish so a little goes a long way.  Also, because of the high fat content of pork belly, I would ration it out because it will melt in your mouth, but also is difficult on the stomach if you aren't used to eating a lot of fat.

This recipe serves 4 easily, but again because it is rich, serve it with plain rice.  A nice green salad would help balance it out as well.

This is the most delicious pork belly.  Make sure you cut it in small enough pieces to enjoy, but not become overwhelmed.  Also, when you cook it up you want it to be crunchy.

Pork Adobo

2 tablespoons peanut oil

5 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced

10 ounces of pork belly cut into chucks (I recommend 1/2 inch x 1/2 inch x 1 inch)

1 red onion, peeled and sliced (length shouldn't be more than 1.5 inches)

1 red pepper, cut into large bit sized pieces

1.5 inches of ginger, peeled and grated

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 cup white wine vinegar

4 tablespoons light soy sauce

3 bay leaves

about 10 peppercorns

salt 

Heat the peanut oil in a large skillet over a medium high heat.  Put in half the garlic slices, make sure they are covered and remove once they are golden brown.  These will be your garnish, but also balance out the rich flavors.  Blot the garlic on a paper lined plate.

Add the pork belly to the pan and let them cook for about 10 minutes or until golden brown.  Add cut onions, pepper, ginger and the rest of the garlic slices.  Mix it all together, cover, turn down the heat and cook for about 6 more minutes, stirring once or twice, until the peppers and onions are starting to softened.  Add the paprika and mix again.  Pour in the vinegar and soy sauce and about 1 cup of water.  Also add the bay leaf, peppercorns and some salt.  Turn up the heat to bring to a boil.  Turn the heat down again so it is simmering consistently.  Cook for about 50 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has thickened.  Remove from heat and sprinkle with the fried garlic before serving.

Easy French Chicken

I stumbled upon this recipe while reading through cookbooks I had checked out from the library.  My husband didn't even know the library had cookbooks, let alone the number they actually do have on their shelves!  So my quest started to try to not buy very many cookbooks, but really that is a lost cause.  It became a way for me to preview a cookbook to see if I would be interested in cooking any of the recipes in the cookbook.  It does pay off as I can decide how many recipes I would like to try and decide if it really is worth buying the book.  This recipe for French Chicken comes from one such trip to the library.  This recipe I made before I even bought the cookbook.  I figured this and the other recipes in this book was well worth as easy and very tasty chicken recipe for an easy weeknight meal.  The book is called The Bonne Femme Cookbook by Wini Moranville.  I look forward to trying more of the recipes from this book.  The ingredient lists are not intimidating and the directions not extensive.  I think this book will bear more recipes which this ones shares...very good, easy and quick.

Chicken Francese (French Chicken)
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh parsley or chives
2 tablespoons  unsalted butter
3 cloves garlic, pressed
3/4 cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Pound chicken breasts between plastic wrap to about 1/4 inch thick or butterfly them.  Season both sides with salt and pepper.  Dredge chicken in flour, removing any extra.  Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the chicken and cook, turning once until no longer pink inside (7-8 minutes).  Transfer chicken to a platter and sprinkle with parsley or chives.  Cover to keep warm.

Drain off any fat from the skillet.  Add 1 tablespoon of the butter to the skillet.  When melted, add the garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds).  Add the wine and lemon juice,  stir to remove any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.  Bring to a boil and boil until reduced by half (about 2-3 minutes).  Reduce heat to low and whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, 1 tablespoon at a time to thicken the sauce.  Arrange the chicken on dinner plates and spoon the sauce over the chicken and serve.

Makes 2-4 servings, depending on the size of the chicken breasts.

Tzatziki

Tzatziki

For anyone who has tried tzatziki and wanted to make it at home, you should know that it is very simple.  There are several different variations out there, but this is the version I have been making for many years now.  It was based off a recipe from Greece that a friend gave me long ago.  It is great as a dressing on salad or just with warmed up pita bread.  It is nice and refreshing on a hot day.

Tzatziki
greek yogurt (1-2 cups)
cucumber - seedless is preferable, but not necessary
dill
garlic
salt and pepper

This is the basic recipe I use.  I did not include amounts because it depends on what you get for ingredients.  The thicker the yogurt, the more cucumber I add. (The cucumber should be shredded.  I use a box grater.  You can use the size you like, but I like the thicker pieces in mine.) I stir until I get the consistency that I like.  Dill - buy fresh and it will add such a refreshing flavor to the yogurt. I usually finely chop or press if I am being lazy 2-3 cloves of garlic, but add as much or as little as you like.  Add salt and pepper to taste once everything else has been added.