Caprese

There is nothing better than fresh vine-ripened tomatoes.  Yesterday we escaped the heat and headed to the coast (where it was 30 degrees cooler!) and ended up in Cambria just in time for their Farmer's Market.  I bought beautiful red and yellow tomatoes and fresh basil.  Stopped off at Trader Joe's on the way home and picked up some fresh mozzarella so I could make Caprese.

Thick slices of tomatoes are topped with a little salt and then slices of fresh mozzarella.  Then drizzle with a little olive oil and some good balsamic vinegar.  Lastly, sprinkle on ribbons of fresh basil.  So good!

Sausage and Pepper "Risotto"

Okay, so it's not real risotto cause I didn't stand in front of the stove stirring and instead just cooked it all in my Dutch oven and then finished it in the oven.  A one pot wonder and yummy too. 
 

2 yellow or orange peppers, large diced

½ sweet yellow onion (about ¾ cup), small diced
3 links Italian sausages, casings removed

Olive oil                       

1 cup Arborio rice

½ cup dry white wine

2-1/2 cups low-sodium broth, heated

1 can diced tomatoes (14 oz.) with juices (I use Muir Glen fire-roasted)

½ cup grated parmesan cheese

½ cup fresh chopped basil

In a Dutch oven, sauté the sausage in a little olive oil until browned.  Don’t cook all the way through as it will continue cooking in the oven.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Remove sausage and add the peppers and onion and cook for about 5 minutes.  Season with salt.

Add the rice and stir for about 2-3 minutes.

Add the wine to deglaze the pan and cook until mostly evaporated.  Add the broth, tomatoes, and cooked sausage.  Cover and bring to a boil.

Put the covered pot into a preheated 450 degree oven for 15 minutes.

Remove and stir in the cheese and basil.

Stuffed Mushrooms

These stuffed mushrooms were delicious! 

1 link Italian sausage, casing removed
12 medium mushrooms (I used cremini)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup crumbled gorgonzola
Splash of white wine
2 T. grated Parmesan
1 T. fresh tarragon or other herb
Olive oil spray

Wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp paper towel.  Remove the stems and set aside.  Using a small spoon, clean out any dark mushroom gills inside the mushroom.  This also makes more room for stuffing.  Be careful not to break the mushroom.  It's easier if you put the mushroom on a cutting board instead of holding it in your hand.

Chop the stems into small pieces.

Break up the sausage into a small saucepan and cook over medium heat.  After a couple of minutes, add the chopped up mushroom stems.  Continue cooking until sausage is cooked through.  Add the garlic and a splash of wine.  Cook until the wine is absorbed, about 2 minutes.  Remove from heat.

Add the gorgonzola and Parmesan cheeses, the Panko breadcrumbs, and the fresh tarragon.  Season with pepper.

Spray a baking pan with olive oil cooking spray (or brush with olive oil).  Put the mushroom caps on the sheet and fill with the stuffing mixture.  Lightly coat the stuffed mushrooms with the olive oil spray.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes until golden brown.

Potato Gnocchi with Gorgonzola Sauce

Gnocci is such a great alternative to wheat pasta.  I really want to make my own from scratch but I'll wait until I move into the new house and have a better kitchen.  I bought these at Trader Joe's and they're good, but a little too large.  I sauteed some mushrooms and tomatoes and finished the dish with a light gorgonzola sauce and some fresh tarragon.

Here are most of the needed ingredients:

The Sauce:
1-1/4 T. butter
1 T. flour
1 cup milk (I use skim)
6 oz. crumbled Gorgonzola
Pinch of nutmeg

In a small saucepan, melt the butter.  Add the flour and whisk for a minute or two.  Add the milk and whisk to combine.  Simmer sauce for 5-10 minutes until it starts to thicken.  Add the cheese and nutmeg and combine.  Keep warm.

The Gnocchi:
3 plum tomatoes, diced
8-10 medium sized cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 pound package of gnocchi
Fresh tarragon or other herb (about 1 T.)
Fresh grated Parmesan

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add the gnocchi and cook just until they start to float to the top, about 2 minutes. 

Heat a saucepan over medium high heat and add a little olive oil.  Add mushrooms and saute for about 5 minutes.  Add the tomatoes and continue cooking another 2-3 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.

Using a slotted spoon, remove the gnocchi from the water and add it directly to the mushroom mixture.  Stir to combine.  Add about half of the gorgonzola sauce (or as much as you want).  Add the tarragon and spoon into serving bowls.  Top with fresh grated parmesan.

You will have more sauce than necessary.  I save it for gnocchi another night.

Enchiladas Verde with Kale, Fennel, and Beans

Since I bought kale and fennel at the Farmer's Market, I decided to make some veggie enchiladas.  I used verde sauce but a red enchilada sauce or even salsa would work too.  Paired it with a simple salad of greens and tomatoes (from the Farmer's Market, of course!) dressed with olive oil and a fig white balsamic vinegar (yeah, from F.M.).

8 small corn tortillas
1 bunch kale, chopped
1 fennel bulb, trimmed and sliced thin
1/2 sweet yellow onion, sliced thin
1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/2 lemon
Cumin and coriander
Mexican cheese blend
Salsa verde mixed with Greek yogurt or crema

In a large skillet, heat olive oil and add fennel and onion.  Cook until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add the kale and continue cooking another 5-10 minutes.  Season with salt, cumin, and coriander.  Add the pine nuts and the beans and cook until heated through.  Remove from heat and add lemon juice.  Let mixture cool.

If using salsa verde, heat it up and mix in a little yogurt or crema.  Salsa right out of a jar would be good with this too, I would think.  I'll have to do that next time.

In a dry skillet, heat the tortillas on each side.  Put a little salsa on the bottom of an 8"x8" baking pan.  Fill each tortilla with an 1/8th of the kale/bean mixture.  Roll them up and put them seam-side down in the dish.  Top with remaining salsa and sprinkle with cheese.

Bake at 375 degrees until cheese is melted and turning brown, about 20 minutes or so.

Any kind of veggies can be used.  I add the beans for protein.

Roasted Carrots

I am totally in love with the carrots I buy now at the Farmer's Markets here in California.  This is my favorite way to cook them:

Carrots
Olive Oil
Cumin
Cardamon
Kosher Salt

Coat the carrots with oil and sprinkle on spices and salt.  Cook on a foil-lined baking sheet for about 15-20 minutes (depending on size) at 400 degrees.  Enjoy!

Pappardelle with Asparagus and Leeks

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

3 T. unsalted butter

2 medium leeks (white and pale-green parts only), cut into thin half-moons and rinsed well

2 lemons, zested

3/4 pound (or one bunch) asparagus, trimmed and cut into thirds

8 oz. dried pappardelle or other flat egg noodle

¼ cup mascarpone cheese

½-3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

While bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil, melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add leeks and asparagus and a pinch of salt; cook until leeks and asparagus begin to soften and are bright in color, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until very tender, about 5 more minutes. Turn off heat. Finely grate zest of lemons directly into skillet, and season generously with pepper, and salt, if necessary.

Add pasta to boiling water, and cook until just tender, about 4 minutes (do not drain water). Transfer pasta to skillet using a strainer.  Gradually stir in ½-3/4 cup pasta water, alternating with mascarpone and half the Parmesan and tossing until pasta is coated and sauce is creamy.

Top with remaining cheese.