BUTTERMILK PEPPERCORN DIP
1 cup sour cream
3 oz cream cheese
2 tablespoons nonfat buttermilk
1 teaspoon coarsely ground mixed peppercorns
2 teaspoons minced chives
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
1 shallot, minced
Stir well to combine.
Serve with crudités such as snap peas, carrots, red peppers and with
baguette.
RAVIOLI
Basic egg pasta dough, Kitchen Aid
4 large eggs
1 TBS water
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
Place eggs, water, flour, and salt in mixer bowl. Attach bowl and
flat beater. Turn to speed 2 and mix for 30 seconds.
Exchange flat beater for dough hook. Turn to speed 2 and knead 2
minutes. Remove dough from bowl and hand knead for 1 to 2 minutes.
Wrap in plastic wrap and let it rest for 20 minutews. Divide dough
into 4 pieces before processing with pasta sheet roller attachment. Seal
the seams of ravioli with egg wash to help them stay closed. Freeze or
cover before use.
CHEESE AND
HERB RAVIOLI FILLING
-Tyler Florence
3/4 cup ricotta cheese, well drained
6 ounces goat cheese, at room
temperature
1 cup fresh herbs (basil, parsley,
thyme, marjoram), chopped
1 egg
Salt and pepper, to taste
In a mixing bowl, thoroughly combine all ingredients.
Chill in the refrigerator a few minutes to firm up the filling.
*To Fry: Dip ravioli in buttermilk then in Italian seasoned bread
crumbs. Fry until golden brown.
Keep warm in oven until ready to eat.
KIM’S FRESH
MARINARA SAUCE
1/2 Onion diced
2-3 cloves garlic chopped
Zest and juice of one Lemon
2 cans diced tomatos
3-4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
salt to taste
Saute onion and garlic in olive oil in saucepan to soften, add remaining
ingredients and simmer until ready to eat. This is a great go-to sauce
that I use for a dipping sauce, a pizza sauce, and for a pasta sauce.
BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP
2 medium butternut squash
1 onion
1 royal gala or pink lady apple
1/4 cup butter
1 900-mL carton chicken broth
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 tsp. dried sage leaves, crumbled
Generous pinches cinnamon and salt
3 Tbsp. maple syrup
Peel squash. (Microwaving one whole squash at a time on
high for 2 minutes makes peeling easier.) Cut in half and discard seeds. Chop
into small pieces. Finely chop onion. Peel apple, then thinly slice.
In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add
onion and apple. Cook, stirring often, until onion begins to soften; about 5
minutes. Add broth, cream, squash, sage, cinnamon and salt. Cover and bring to
a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered and stirring often until
squash is very tender, from 20 to 25 min.
Ladle about 1/3 of soup into a blender and whirl until
puréed. Pour soup back into saucepan and set over medium heat. Stir in maple
syrup and add more broth or water if it needs to be thinned. Stir until hot.
Ladle into bowls and top with sour cream.
Soup will keep well, covered and refrigerated, up to 5
days or freeze up to 3 months.
Makes about 9 cups.
SALAD
Parmesan
Cheese Bowls
Grated, bagged Parmesan cheese
Heat a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
Sprinkle 3 tablespoons cheese over the bottom of the skillet. Cook for 1-2
minutes or until edges are golden brown and cheese is bubbly. Using a spatula,
carefully remove cheese mixture and immediately drape over the back of a small
bowl. Allow cheese to cool.
Fill bowls with Spring Mix lettuce and add Caprese
skewers and top with balsamic dressing.
Caprese
Skewers
Cherry tomato, fresh basil, mozzarella ball, drizzle with
balsamic vinegar
Balsamic
Vinaigrette Dressing
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon spicy brown mustard
1 teaspoon honey
1 garlic clove, minced or pressed
salt and pepper
You can whisk all the ingredients together really well or
put them in a bottle and shake. I put everything in the blender and pulsed
until mixed.
CHICKEN
BREASTS IN SHERRIED TOMATO CREAM
Recipe by- Karin Gehrke (Kim's friend)
2 lbs chicken breasts
salt, pepper, nutmeg
1 1/2 TBS butter
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
1/3 lb sliced mushrooms
1/4 Tsp dried basil
1/3 cup dry sherry
1 Tsp Dijon mustard
1 cup peeled, seeded, diced tomato
1/2 cup whipping cream
Season chicken on both sides with salt, pepper, and
nutmeg. Sate in butter until brown. Add onion and mushrooms around
the edges, sprinkle chicken with parsley and basil, pour in sherry.
Simmer, covered until chicken is done. (15-20 minutes) Transfer chicken
to plate. Stir mustard into pan liquid, add tomato and cream and let
simmer to reduce slightly. Add salt, pepper, or more sherry to taste.
Option- thicken slightly with cornstarch and milk. Serve sauce over
chicken. Goes great over pasta or rice. Don't forget to make it beautiful
with fresh parsley and shaved parmesan.
GNOCCHI
-Anne Burrell
5 large Idaho Potatoes
2 eggs
3/4 cup grated Parmigiano
3 to 4 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon salt
Preheat the oven to 375 or
400 degrees F.
Bake the potatoes until they
are fork tender, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Check them!
While the potatoes are still
hot peel and pass them through a food mill or ricer. (I find that the food mill works
just as well as a ricer and is much easier to handle) onto a sheet tray lined
with parchment paper. When doing this pay careful
attention to keep the potatoes as light and fluffy as possible. This will aid
in keeping the gnocchi light. Refrigerate the potatoes on the sheet tray until
cold. This is also a very important step. If the potatoes are warm while adding
flour they will require more flour, which will result in a much heavier
finished product.
When the potatoes are
absolutely cold, transfer to a clean work surface. Beat together theeggs and
cheese and pour onto the potatoes. Season with salt. Cover generously with
flour. It should look like snow on the mountains. Crumble the potato flour mixture
between your fingers. Begin to knead the dough until it is a dry homogeneous
mixture. The dough should feel slightly moist, but not tacky. If too tacky,
repeat the snow on the mountains stage.
Form the dough into a large
log. Cut slices off the log and begin to roll into long ropes that are about
1-inch in thickness. Cut the ropes into 1/2-inch lengths. Cover generously with
flour. Place the gnocchi in a single layer on a sheet tray dusted with flour.
DO NOT PILE ON TOP OF EACH OTHER!!
Use or freeze the gnocchi
immediately. If freezing, place tray directly into the freezer. Once frozen,
the gnocchi can be stored in plastic bags, in the freezer, indefinitely. When
cooking gnocchi they can go directly from the freezer into salted boiling water.
Note: It is a general
practice to take gnocchi out of the water when they float. This is a big
mistake. Gnocchi need to be cooked in boiling water until they float and get
nice and puffy. Not cooking gnocchi long enough will also result in heavy
gnocchi.
P.S. These are Chef Anne
"Secrets" to great gnocchi, use them and you will be successful every
time.
DEATH BY CHOCOLATE AND SALTED CARAMEL CAKE
Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart
Ingredients
For
The Cake
Unsalted
butter, room temperature, for pans
3
cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
3
cups granulated sugar
1
1/2 cups unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1
tablepoon baking soda
1
1/2 teaspoons baking powder
Coarse
salt
4
large eggs
1
1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk
1/2
cup plus 2 tablespoons safflower oil
2
teaspoons pure vanilla extract
For
The Caramel
4
cups granulated sugar
1/4
cup light corn syrup
2
cups heavy cream
Coarse
salt
2
sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
For
The Frosting
1/4
cup plus 2 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder
2
sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2
cup confectioners' sugar
Coarse
salt
1
pound semisweet chocolate, chopped, melted, and cooled
Garnish:
flaked sea salt
Mascarpone Creme- Mix together 1 tub of
Mascarpone Cheese, 1/4 cup powder sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.
Directions
.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the
cake: Butter three 9-inch round cake pans, and dust with flour, tapping out
excess. Sift flour, granulated sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and 1
1/2 teaspoons course salt into the bowl of a mixer. Beat on low speed until
just combined. Raise speed to medium, and add eggs, buttermilk, 1 1/2 cups warm
water, oil, and vanilla. Beat until smooth, about 3 minutes.
.
Divide batter among pans. Bake until
cakes are set and a toothpick inserted into the center of each comes out clean,
about 35 minutes. Let cool in pans set on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Turn out
cakes onto racks, and let cool completely.
Make the caramel: Combine granulated
sugar, corn syrup, and 1/4 cup water in a medium saucepan over high heat. Cook,
without stirring, until mixture is dark amber, about 14 minutes. Remove from
heat, and carefully pour in cream (mixture will spatter); stir until smooth.
Return to heat, and cook until a candy thermometer reaches 238 degrees, about 2
minutes. Pour caramel into a medium bowl, stir in 1 teaspoon coarse salt, and
let cool slightly, about 15 minutes. Stir in butter, 1 tablespoon at a time.
Let cool completely.
Meanwhile, make the frosting: Whisk
together cocoa and 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm water in a bowl until cocoa
dissolves. Beat butter, confectioners' sugar, and a generous pinch of coarse
salt in a clean bowl with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy.
Gradually beat in melted chocolate and then cocoa mixture until combined. Let
stand for 30 minutes before using.
Trim tops of cakes using a serrated
knife to create a level surface. Cut each in half horizontally to form 2
layers. Transfer 1 layer to a serving platter, and spread 3/4 cup caramel over
top. Top with another cake layer, and repeat with remaining caramel and cake
layers, leaving top uncovered. Refrigerate until set, about 1 hour.
Frost
top and sides of cake in a swirling motion. Sprinkle with sea salt. Serve with Marscarpone cream.
Cook's Note:
To make this cake ahead of time: The
caramel can be refrigerated for up to 3 days; bring to room temperature before
using. Cake layers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days (they actually taste
better when refrigerated and have a better texture for stacking). When
finished, the frosted cake can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
