Author: bridgete

Categories
Fish

Croque Monsieur Salmon

  • ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1½ cups whole milk
  • 2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
  • ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg or ¼ ground nutmeg
  • Kosher salt
  • 8 slices ½”-thick country-style bread
  • 6 oz. smoked salmon-thin sheets
  • 3 oz. Gruyère, grated (about 1½ cups)
  • 1 teaspoon herbes de Provence

béchamel

  • Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until foamy. Add flour and cook, stirring, until mixture is pale and foamy, about 3 minutes. Gradually add milk, stirring until mixture is smooth. Cook, stirring, until sauce is thick and somewhat elastic, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in mustard and nutmeg; season with salt.
  • DO AHEAD: Béchamel can be made 1 day ahead. Let cool; press plastic wrap directly onto surface and chill.

assembly

  • Preheat oven to 425°. Spread bread slices with béchamel, dividing evenly and extending all the way to the edges. Place 4 slices of bread, béchamel side up, on a parchment-lined baking sheet; top with salmon and half of cheese. Top with remaining slices of bread, béchamel side up, then top with remaining cheese and sprinkle with herbes de Provence. Bake until cheese is brown and bubbling, 10–15 minutes.
  • DO AHEAD: Sandwiches can be made (but not baked) 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.
Categories
-sides Vegetarian

Stuffed Bell Peppers

  • 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • ¼ cup chopped walnuts
  • 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp. tomato paste
  • ½ tsp. cayenne pepper
  • ½ tsp. ground cumin
  • ½ tsp. ground turmeric
  • ½ tsp. smoked paprika
  • ¼ cup dry white wine
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ lb. veggie meat
  • 1 cup cooked rice
  • ¼ cup golden raisins
  • 2 oz. Parmesan, finely grated (about ½ cup), divided
  • 4 medium or 6 small bell peppers, any color
  • 4 cups tomato juice (100% juice)

THIS TAKES ABOUT 2 HOURS TO PREPARE AND COOK

  • Preheat oven to 350°. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium. Cook onion, stirring often, until translucent and starting to brown, 10–15 minutes. Add walnuts, garlic, tomato paste, cayenne, cumin, turmeric, and paprika and cook, stirring constantly, until combined and garlic is softened, 2–3 minutes. Add wine and cook, stirring, until just slightly reduced, 1–2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Chop veggie meat and remaining 1 tsp. salt with your hands in a large bowl. Fold in rice, raisins, and ¼ cup cheese with a wooden spoon and mix well to combine. Add onion mixture and mix with wooden spoon until incorporated.
  • Carefully cut off bottom bumps of bell peppers to create a flat end so they can stand upright. Don’t shave off too much or the filling can leak out. Using a spoon, stuff peppers with meat mixture and fill to the top. Press down and pack pepper fully.
  • Arrange peppers in a small Dutch oven or baking dish. Pour tomato juice around them, leaving about 1″ of pepper exposed.
  • Top stuffed peppers with remaining ¼ cup cheese; season with pepper. Cover with foil and bake 1 hour. Uncover and continue to bake until peppers are tender and cheese is browned, about 30 minutes more.
  • Do Ahead: Stuffed peppers can be made 2 days ahead. Transfer to an airtight container and chill. Reheat in a 350° oven, covered, until heated through, about 20 minutes.
Categories
Shrimp

Grilled BBQ Shrimp

  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh basil
  • 4 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 36 uncooked large shrimp, peeled, deveined (about 2 pounds)

NEEDS 2 HOURS to MARINADE

  • Whisk first 8 ingredients in small bowl.
  • Thread 6 shrimp onto each of six 10- to 12-inch-long metal skewers. Place skewers in 15x10x2-inch glass baking dish. Spoon all but 1/4 cup marinade over shrimp; turn to coat. Cover and chill shrimp and reserved 1/4 cup marinade at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.
  • Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Grill shrimp with some marinade still clinging until just opaque in center, about 2 1/2 minutes per side. Arrange skewers on platter. Spoon reserved 1/4 cup marinade over and serve.
Categories
Desserts

Rasberry Yogurt Cake

  • 240 ml (1 cup) plain yogurt (two 120-ml ou 1/2-cup tubs, which is the French standard)
  • 1 1/2 tubs (3/4 cup) sugar (I typically use blond unrefined sugar), plus 1 to 2 tablespoons for sprinkling
  • 1/2 tub (1/4 cup) oil
  • 3 large eggs
  • 3 tubs (1 1/2 cup) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tub (1/2 cup) almond flour (you can also use almond meal or finely ground almonds)
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 300 grams (10 1/2 ounces) raspberries (fresh or frozen; no need to thaw if frozen)
  1. Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Line a 22-cm (9-inch) round cake pan with parchment paper.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, put the yogurt, the 1 1/2 tub sugar, the oil, and the eggs.
  3. Whisk together until combined.
  4. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, almond flour, baking powder, and salt.
  5. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix it in with a spatula until you can’t see white traces of flour. Do not overmix; some lumps are OK.
  6. Pour half the batter into the cake pan. Cover evenly with half of the raspberries.
  7. Pour the other half of the batter, and add the other half of the raspberries on top. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining sugar.
  8. Put into the oven to bake, for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is springy and a cake tester comes out clean. If it looks like the top of the cake is browning too quickly, cover loosely with foil for the rest of the baking time.
  9. Allow to rest on the counter for 15 minutes. Lift from the pan, and transfer to a rack to cool.
  10. Serve slightly warm or completely cooled.
Categories
Pasta Vegetarian

Porcini Pasta

  • 455g pappardelle pasta
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • 60g parmesan cheese, grated
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 25g dried Porcini mushrooms
  • 1 small glass white wine
  • 300g fresh chestnut mushrooms, sliced
  • 75g butter
  • Handful parsley, chopped

September in Ardennes has a lot of Porcini fresh so I used that and had no need for regular mushrooms or dried mushrooms.

1.Place the Porcini Mushrooms in a small bowl, cover with boiling water and leave to rehydrate for 15 minutes.

2.Melt the butter in a frying pan, and fry the chestnut mushrooms on a moderate heat for 3 minutes.

3.Lift the rehydrated Porcini Mushrooms from the bowl and fry with the chestnut mushrooms for 2 minutes.

4.Peel, and finely slice the garlic and add to the pan with a few grinds of salt and pepper.

5.Stir the mushroom from time to time allowing them to go nicely golden.

6.Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta according to pack instructions. (see fresh pasta recipe)

7.Place the wine and half of the mushroomy water into the frying pan, and allow to simmer on a gentle heat.

8.When the pasta is ready, drain and add to the mushrooms.

9.Throw in the parsley, parmesan and fresh lemon juice, and toss so that all the pasta is nicely covered. Serve.

Categories
Pasta

Homemade Pasta

  • 300 gr 00 flour
  • 185 gr wet (2 eggs + 3 yolks and water to reach 185)
  • 1 tsp table salt
  1. whisk dry ingredients including 1 tsp table salt and then add the 185 gr of wet ingredients. If you can do this in two steps in a food processor its better.
  2. 1 minute kneading before adding any extra flour
  3. fold small and press heel of hand and turn-no tearing or holes (sticky hands) Add with small amounts.
  4. Knead for 8-10 minutes
  5. Cover with plastic and rest for 30 at room temperature.
  6. Always roll it out the same day you make it.
  7. Tighten machine to table. Place at the edge of the tabletop so that you have a lot of room to let the dough come out of the machine
  8. Semolina flour on the the area where you will place the ready pasta
  9. Put regular flour in front of the pasta machine for working. (not semolina)
  10. cut into 3 parts and wrap the other three parts in plastic
  11. flatten the piece of dough and set machine to 1
  12. Run through 4 times and try to make a rectangle
  13. when you are happy with the shape then go through each setting twice.
  14. Add flour if it is sticky
  15. Cut in half if its unmanageable
  16. stop at 6
  17. if you are filling, do it while the dough is sticky. If you are cutting into ribbons, let the sheets of dough dry. Until they feel like leather. When the first side feels good, flip. About 15 minutes.
  18. If you want to store the sheets (cut right before cooking) the put the dried sheet stacked with parchment paper, flour and plastic wrap. They will last in the fridge for one to two days. (you can fold)
  19. sprinkle with semolina. Roll the sheet on both ends towards the middle. Then cut into the thickness you want.
  20. Place your knife flat on the board and shove under at the crease, then lift (17:44)
  21. Fresh pasta needs a lot of salt in the water. 6.5 quarts with 1/4 c salt
  22. covered pot with salt will boil over so add the salt at the almost boiling
  23. Drop in pasta into the water and cook for 1 minute
  24. Do not drain with a colander. Take it out with tongs and slotted spoon to leave flour in the bottom of the pot.
  25. Put in the the hot pasta sauce and add butter.

Categories
Shrimp

Curried Shrimp with melted cherry tomatoes

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 pound peeled and deveined extra-large shrimp
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
  • 2 pints cherry tomatoes
  • 3 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
  • 2 cups precooked brown or basmati rice
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves (optional)

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to pan, and swirl to coat. Sprinkle shrimp with 1/4 teaspoon salt and black pepper. Add shrimp to pan, and cook for 2 minutes on each side or until done. Remove shrimp from pan; keep warm.

Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to pan. Add ginger and garlic; sauté 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, garam masala, cumin, red pepper, and tomatoes to pan; cook 4 minutes or until tomatoes begin to break down. Stir in cream and honey; cook 1 minute. Add shrimp and almonds; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Serve shrimp mixture over rice. Sprinkle with basil.

Categories
-sides

Carmelized Onion Cranberry Compote

  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 cups thinly sliced sweet onions
  • ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
  • ½ cup fresh or frozen cranberries (thawed), coarsely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon grated orange rind
  • whole grain crackers
  • ⅓-less-fat cream cheese
  • parsley, for garnish

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add onions, and sauté 15 to 18 minutes or until golden and tender. Stir in vinegar and remaining ingredients; cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 4 minutes or until liquid is reduced to about 2 tablespoons.

Spread 16 whole grain crackers each with 1½ teaspoons ⅓-less-fat cream cheese; top each with 1 tablespoon. Caramelized Onion-Cranberry Compote. Garnish with fresh parsley leaves.

Categories
Desserts

Baked Apple

  • Cooking spray 4 tbsp. 
  • melted butter 1 tbsp. 
  • packed brown sugar 1 tbsp. 
  • granulated sugar 1/2 tsp. 
  • ground cinnamon 4 
  • apples 8 
  • chewy caramel squares Breyers Natural Vanilla ice cream, for serving Caramel, for drizzling
  1. Preheat oven to 375° and grease a medium baking dish with cooking spray. In a small bowl, whisk together butter, sugars, and cinnamon.
  2. Slice top off of each apple then use a melon baller (or a teaspoon) to scoop out core. Using a paring knife, make two circular cuts in apple. Place apple cut side down on a cutting board and slice crosswise, being careful not to cut through the core.
  3. Place cut apples in a small baking dish. Fill each apple with two caramel squares, then brush melted butter mixture on top. Bake until the apples are tender, about 30 minutes.
  4. Serve warm with ice cream and drizzle with caramel.
Categories
Fish

Greek Baked Cod with lemon and garlic

INGREDIENTS  

  • 1.5 lb Cod fillet pieces, 4-6 pieces
  • 5 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

Lemon Juice Mixture 

  • 5 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbsp melted butter

For Coating

  • ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • ¾ tsp sweet Spanish paprika
  • ¾ tsp ground cumin
  • ¾ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  • Mix lemon juice, olive oil, and melted butter in a shallow bowl. Set aside
  • In another shallow bowl, mix all-purpose flour, spices, salt and pepper. Set next to the lemon juice mixture.
  • Pat fish fillet dry. Dip fish in the lemon juice mixture then dip in the flour mixture. Shake off excess flour. Reserve the lemon juice mixture for later.
  • Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat (watch the oil to be sure it is shimmering but not smoking). Add fish and sear on each side to give it some color, but do not fully cook (about a couple minutes on each side) Remove from heat.
  • To the remaining lemon juice mixture, add the minced garlic and mix. Drizzle all over the fish fillets.
  • Bake in the heated oven for until it begins to flake easily with a fork (10 minutes should do it, but begin checking earlier). Remove from heat and sprinkle chopped parsley. Serve immediately.