Pacific Northwest Dinner

Appetizer

 Totchos - F & L

 -- Tater tots were invented in Oregon and Totchos first appeared on menus in Portland

Main

Cook's Choice!  Grilled Salmon or Ribs - L & T

 -- PNW is indelibly linked with Salmon and Coffee (Also Tom Douglas is an excellent Seattle chef)

 Grilled Nectarine Salad with Gorgonzola and Hazelnuts - J & K

  -- 98% of the hazelnuts in the US come from Oregon, also large stone fruit crops are grown in SW Washington, the Columbia River valley and the Oregon Willamette river valley

Mushroom Rice - T & J

 -- A huge variety of mushrooms grow wild in the rain forests of the PNW

Dessert

A trio of baked goods - Z & K

Nanaimos

 -- From Nanaimo in British Columbia

Peach and Blueberry crumble

-- California and Southern Oregon are known for their walnuts

Cornmeal Rosemary Cake with Lemon Glaze

-- Another recipe from Seattle chef Tom Douglas

Peach and Blueberry Crumble with Oat-Walnut topping

Very loosely based on this recipe

Ingredients

Topping:

10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus more for the baking dish
3/4 cup rolled oats
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
Pinch of salt
1 cup chopped walnuts

For the Filling:

4 pounds peaches (pitted, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch slices)
2 cups blueberries
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2.5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1.5 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt

2.5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Method

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 2-quart shallow baking dish or 10 6-ounce ramekins.

Make the topping: Whisk the oats, flour, brown sugar and salt in a bowl. Stir in the walnuts. Work in the butter with your fingers until evenly moistened.

Make the filling: Peel the apples and cut into 3/4-inch chunks. Toss with the blueberries, granulated sugar, flour, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl.

Transfer the filling to the prepared dish or ramekins and dot with butter. Squeeze handfuls of the crumble mixture and scatter on top of the fruit. Bake until golden and bubbly, 40 to 45 minutes.

Let sit 10 minutes before serving. Top with whipped cream if desired.

Tiny Cornmeal Rosemary Cakes with Lemon Glaze

From The Dahlia Bakery Cookbook - Sweetness in Seattle

Recipe below makes a single layer 9 inch cake, I plan to make mini glazed cakes to go with the other desserts.

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pan
1.5 cups (7 3/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (4 ounces) medium grind yellow cornmeal
1 Tbs finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 Tbs grated lemon zest
1 tsp baking poder
1/4 tsp kosher salt
2/3 cup (4 7/8 ounces) mascarpone
4 large eggs
1 1/3 cups (9 1/3 ounces) sugar

Lemon Syrup

1/2 cup (4 1/4 ounces) freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cup (2 3/8 ounces) sugar

Lemon Fondant

1 Tbs fresh rosemary leaves
1 1/2 cups (6 1/8 ounces) powdered sugar, sifted
1/4 cup (2 3/8 ounces) heavy cream
2 Tbs lemon juice
1 tsp granted lemon zest

Method

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Butter 9-inch cake pan, line with a 9-inch round of parchment paper and butter the paper.

In a bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, rosemary, zest, baking powder and salt.

In a large bowl, briefly whisk the mascarpone to loosen it.  Add the eggs one at a time, whisking to combine. Add the sugar and whisk until smooth.  Using a rubber spatula, fold the dry ingredients, in 2 batches, into the wet ingredients, mixing until smooth.  Stir in the remaining butter.

Scrape the cake batter into the prepared pan and bake until a skewer comes out clean of batter but with a few crumbs clinging, about 50 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time.

While the cake is baking, make the lemon syrup.  Combine the lemon juice and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook for a few minutes., stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves.  Remove from the heat.

All the cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes before unmolding.  To unmold, run a small knife around the cake. Invert onto plate. Peel off the parchment paper, then place plate over the cake and invert. 

Poke a few dozen holes all over the top of the cake.  While the cake is still warm, brush the cake with the lemon syrup.  Continue brushing for several minutes, giving the syrup time to sink into the cake, until you've used all or most of the syrup.  Allow cake to cool.

To make fondant: bring small saucepan of water to boil.  Add the rosemary leaves and blanch them for 1 minute.  Scoop out the rosemary leaves with a small sieve and drop them immediately into a small bowl of ice water.  Drain and spread the rosemary leaves on a paper towel to dry.  In a bowl, whisk the powdered sugar, cream and lemon juice until smooth, then whisk in the blanched rosemary and the zest.

When cake is completely cook, transfer it to a rack set over a baking sheet.  Pour the fondant over the top of the cake and allow it to drip of the sides.  While the glaze is still wet, transfer the cake to a cake plate.  Allow fondant to dry (an hour or more) before slicing and serving.

Nanaimo Bars

Source: Canadian Living 

Yield - 1 9 inch square pan

Ingredients

 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
 1/3 cup finely chopped walnut
 1/4 cup cocoa powder
 1/4 cup granulated sugar
 1/3 cup butter melted
 1 egg lightly beaten

Filling:

 1/4 cup butter softened
 2 tablespoons custard powder
 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
 2 cups icing sugar
 2 tablespoons milk (approx)

Topping:

 4 oz semisweet chocolate chopped
1 tablespoon butter

Method

In bowl, stir together graham crumbs, coconut, walnuts, cocoa powder and sugar. Drizzle with butter and egg, stirring until combined.

Press into parchment paper–lined 9-inch (2.5 L) square cake pan. Bake in 350 F (180 C) oven until firm, about 10 minutes. Let cool in pan on rack.

Filling: In bowl, beat together butter, custard powder and vanilla. Beat in icing sugar alternately with milk, making 3 additions of sugar and 2 of milk and adding up to 1 tsp more milk if too thick to spread. Spread over cooled base. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

Topping: In heatproof bowl over saucepan of hot (not boiling) water, melt chocolate with butter; spread over filling. Refrigerate until chocolate is almost set, about 30 minutes.

With tip of knife, score into bars; refrigerate until chocolate is completely set, about 30 minutes. (Make-ahead: Wrap and refrigerate for up to 4 days or overwrap in foil and freeze for up to 2 weeks.) Cut into bars.

Fennel and Dill rubbed grilled Salmon

Source: Tom Douglas via Bon Appetit

The recipe as written says it serves 8.  I think this would be enough for our group, given it's one component of a large dinner and not everyone in the group loves fish.  Please feel free to increase the recipe based on your judgement though.

Serves 8

Ingredients

1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons (packed) golden brown sugar
3 tablespoons Pimentón de la Vera (Spanish smoked paprika), other smoked paprika or 2 Tbs sweet paprika and 1 Tbs cumin
1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons dried dill weed
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 3 3/4- to 4-pound side of salmon with skin (preferably wild salmon)
Olive oil

Method

Finely grind fennel seeds in spice mill, mortar and pestle or coffee grinder. Transfer to small bowl. Mix in next 5 ingredients.

Spray grill rack with nonstick spray. Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Brush salmon lightly on both sides with olive oil. Rub spice mixture generously over flesh side of salmon. Place salmon, skin side up, on grill rack; cover and cook until fish is slightly firmer, about 8 minutes. Slide rimless baking sheet under salmon to turn salmon over without breaking. Place another rimless baking sheet atop salmon. Using both hands, firmly hold baking sheets together and invert salmon; slide salmon, flesh side up, off baking sheet and onto grill rack. Cover and grill until just opaque in center, about 8 minutes longer. Using rimless baking sheet, remove salmon from grill. Gently slide salmon, flesh side up, onto platter and serve.

Mushroom Rice

 Source: Budget Bytes

Serves 10

Ingredients

16 oz. mushrooms
4 cloves garlic
6 Tbsp butter, divided
1 tsp fresh thyme
1/2 tsp freshly cracked pepper
1/4 tsp salt
2 cup long-grain white rice (uncooked)
3 cups vegetable broth
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Method

Slice the mushrooms and mince the garlic.

Add the mushrooms, garlic, thyme, pepper, salt, and 2 Tbsp butter to a deep skillet. Sauté over medium heat until the mushrooms have released all of their water and the water has evaporated off the bottom of the skillet.

Add the rice and 4 Tbsp butter to the skillet and continue to sauté for about two minutes more.

Add the vegetable broth to the skillet and stir to dissolve any browned bits off the bottom of the skillet.

Place a lid on the skillet, turn the heat up to medium-high, and allow the broth to come up to a full boil. When it reaches a full boil, turn the heat down to low, or just above low, so the broth remains simmering.

Let the rice simmer for 15 minutes without stirring or removing the lid. After 15 minutes, remove the pan from the heat and let the rice rest for another 5 minutes, without removing the lid.

Finally, remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork. Taste and add salt or pepper, if desired. Top with chopped fresh parsley as a garnish.

Do Ahead:

Leave lid on dish after rice rests.  When ready to serve, warm in oven or microwave until rice is hot and fluff.  Fluff with fork and top with parsley before serving.

Totchos (Tater Tot Nachos)

Source: Umami Girl 

Ingredients

48 ounces frozen tater tots
8 ounces extra-sharp cheddar
3 plum tomatoes

3/4 cup sour cream
1.5 teaspoon onion powder
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
4 - 8 ounces can sliced black olives, drained
1/2 cup minced red onion
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro leaves
Pickled jalapeño slices, drained, to taste

Method

Preheat oven to 425°F with a rack in the center.  Arrange frozen tater tots in a single layer on a rimmed half-sheet pan lined with parchment.

Bake tater tots for 25 minutes. Meanwhile, prep the remaining ingredients:

Shred the cheddar on the large holes of a box grater. Core, seed, and dice the tomatoes, and let any excess liquid drain away.

In a small mixing bowl stir together the sour cream, onion powder, and salt.

Remove tater tots from oven. Sprinkle about ⅔ of the cheese evenly overtop and return to pan oven for a minute or two, until cheese is melted.

Heap cheesy tots onto a serving plate — or serve them right from the baking sheet.
Dollop sour cream mixture over tater tots.
Sprinkle with tomatoes, olives, onion, cilantro, jalapeño, and remaining cheese.

Salad with Grilled Nectarines with Gorgonzola and Hazelnuts

Source: Pioneer Woman and Smitten Kitchen

Serves 10

Ingredients

5 nectarines, halved and pitted (1 half for each serving)

Olive oil, for grilling

6 teaspoons honey 
6 teaspoons Dijon mustard 
6 teaspoons white wine vinegar 
1 1/2 cup olive oil 
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup hazelnuts, toasted 
18 ounces spring mix salad greens
6 ounces Stilton, Gorgonzola or other blue cheese

1 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves (aprox)

Method

Prepare the fruit: Heat a grill to medium-high heat. Cut nectarines in half and remove the pits. Drizzle with a bit of oil and grill until charred and warmed through, about 3 minutes per side.

In a bowl, whisk together the honey, Dijon and vinegar. Whisk in the olive oil to emulsify. Add some salt and pepper to taste.

In a large bowl, toss the salad greens with enough of the dressing to lightly coat. (You won't use all of the dressing; save to have on another salad tomorrow!) Toss in the toasted hazelnuts.

If plating - divide the salad among 10 plates. Place a nectarine half on each serving. Crumble cheese and divide on top of salads.  Sprinkle with chopped mint.

If serving in a bowl, place salad in serving bowl and arrange nectarine halves on top.  Drizzle the nectarines with a little more dressing. Crumble the blue cheese into chunks and distribute on salad.  Sprinkle with chopped mint.

Barbecue Coffee Rubbed Ribs

Source: Recipe - Serious Eats and Weber

Ingredients:

Rub:

4 tablespoons freshly ground coffee
4 tablespoons kosher salt
4 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoon ancho chile powder
2 tablespoon dark brown sugar
2 teaspoon oregano
2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
1 teaspoon coriander

Meat: 4 racks spare ribs, preferably St. Louis cut

Sauce (Optional):

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1½ cup minced yellow onion

¾ cup strong brewed coffee

½ cup ketchup

2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 tablespoons molasses

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon mustard powder

Method

Mix together the coffee, salt, paprika, chile powder, dark brown sugar, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, coco powder, and coriander in a small bowl to make the rub.

Remove the membrane from the back of the rack, and trim the ribs. Rub each rack liberally with the rub. Wrap ribs in foil or place in a large container and store in the refrigerator over night (optional).

Remove the ribs from the fridge while preparing the smoker. Fire up the smoker to 225°F, adding a few chunks of smoking wood chunks when at temperature. When the wood is producing smoke, place the ribs in the smoker, meat side up, and smoke until the ribs have a slight bend when lifted from one end, about 5-6 hours. If using sauce, brush on the sauce and continue to cook until sauce has caramelized, about 15-20 minutes longer. Remove from the smoker, slice, and serve.

Dazzling, Delicious Dumpling Dinner

 Menu

Appetizer

Sesame Prawn Toast (Z & K)

Dumplings

Tofu, Pork, Beef and Chives - Filling (Chinese Mustard) (T & J)

Pork/Shrimp/Napa Cabbage - Filling (Garlic Chili Sauce) (F & L)

Mushroom  - Filling (L & T)

Carrot - Filling (J & K)

Sides

Carrot and Daikon pickles (J & K)

Stir Fried Bok Choy (L & T)

Dessert

Strawberry/Blackberry Pudding (Z & K)

Garlic Chili Sauce

 Garlic Chili Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoon sugar
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 birds eye chili (thinly sliced)
• 2 green onion (thinly sliced)
• 2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon chili oil

Method

Mix everything.

Chinese Hot Mustard

 Source

Chinese Hot Mustard

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup mustard powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 2 tablespoons hot water
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons rice vinegar optional

Method

Mix the dry ingredients together in a small bowl until evenly combined. Add water and stir well until a liquid paste forms and all dry ingredients are absorbed. Next, add oil and vinegar and stir well until evenly combined.

Let your Chinese hot mustard rest for 10 minutes covered, and re-stir to ensure the dry ingredients have fully absorbed. At this point, taste your Chinese Hot Mustard and adjust it to your own preferences.

Add a little more water or oil if you like a thinner in consistency. Add more vinegar if you like it a tad tart. Omit the vinegar altogether if you like it spicier, since vinegar makes your mustard a bit mellower in flavor. Add more white pepper and/or mustard powder if you like it spicier.

Strawberry-Blackberry Pudding

 https://whiteonricecouple.com/recipe_print/37708

Strawberry-Blackberry Pudding

Makes 3 1/2 cups

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups (360ml) water
• 1/4 cup (32g) cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 egg yolks
• 12 ounces (340g) blackberries , fresh or frozen (thawed)
• 12 ounces (340g) strawberries , fresh or frozen (thawed)
• 1/2 cup (100g) sugar
• 3 Tablespoons (45ml) fresh lemon juice (about 1 average lemon)

Method

1. Whisk together the water, cornstarch, and salt until well combined. Whisk in the egg yolks. Set aside.
2. Blend the blackberries, strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice into a puree. Pour the puree into a saucepan and bring to a simmer over high heat. Remove from the heat.
3. Whisk about 1 cup (240ml) of the hot puree into the cornstarch mixture. Pour the tempered cornstarch/berry mixture into the saucepan with the remaining puree, whisking vigorously.
4. Return the saucepan to the cooktop and heat over medium heat. Bring the pudding to a boil, whisking frequently. The pudding will thicken and the bubbles will rise large and slow, making a "gloop or plop" sound - as the author of Bakeless Sweets perfectly describes.
5. Continue to simmer for 2 minutes, whisking frequently. Immediately strain the pudding through a wire mesh sieve.  Pour the strained pudding into a shallow container and cover with a piece of plastic wrap or butter wax paper directly touching the top surface of the pudding. Chill for at least 2 hours and serve in dessert cups with a fresh whipped cream. Best eaten within 3 days.

Sesame Prawn Toast

Source

Sesame Prawn Toast

Ingredients

• 6 slices of bread, or 8 depending on size
• 150g of prawns, raw, de-veined
• 1 garlic clove, large
• 1 knob of ginger, thumb-sized
• 3 spring onions
• 1 red chilli, deseeded
• 1 egg
• 1 dash of soy sauce, (make sure you use gluten-free if making a GF version of this dish)
• 1 dash of sesame oil
• rice flour, just enough to bind the mixture so it's not too sloppy
• sesame seeds
• oil, for deep frying (I used groundnut, but sunflower or vegetable will do the job)

Method

1. Roughly chop the prawns, garlic, ginger, onions and chilli and stick the lot in a food processor with the egg, soy and sesame oil. Blitz until you have a paste, adding a little bit of rice flour if your mixture is too sloppy
2. Spread the mixture generously over the slices of bread, with more in the middle than the edges. Pour you sesame seeds into a bowl big enough to fit in the sliced bread and dunk it, prawn mixture side down, into the seeds to stick
3. Cut your slices into two or four triangles (again, this depends how big your slices are – gluten free bread tends to come up smaller, so I only cut mine in half)
4. Heat up the oil in a wide heavy-bottomed pan and use a fish slice to carefully place them in the hot oil, sesame side down. Leave them for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown, before carefully flipping them over in the oil for another minute or so to brown the other side. Do this in batches, so you don’t overcrowd the pan
5. If you put too many in at once, your oil will cool and your toast will get soggy. Once it’s nicely golden, fish your prawn toast out of the oil and drain it on kitchen paper, before serving with sweet chili

Stir-fried Bok Choy

Source

 Stir-fried Bok Choy

Ingredients

• 2 T water
• 2 tsp. soy sauce (see notes)
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 1 T oyster sauce (see notes)
• 1 T vegetable oil (see notes)
• 2 heads head Bok Choy, ends trimmed and cut crosswise into strips and washed if needed
• 1/2 tsp. salt (optional)
• 1 T butter
• Toasted sesame seeds for garnish, optional but recommended

Method

1. Combine water, soy sauce, sesame oil, and oyster sauce and set aside.
2. Heat wok or heavy frying pan until very hot, about 1-2 minutes, then add oil and heat about 30 seconds more.
3. Add bok choy and salt and stir-fry for 2 minutes.
4. Add soy sauce mixture and butter and stir fry 1-2 minutes more, until bok choy is still slightly crisp, but getting tender.
5. Serve hot, sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds if desired.

You can prep the ingredients and stir fry them right before dinner if you like.

Pickled Vegetables (Carrot and Daikon)

 Source

Pickled Vegetables (Carrot and Daikon)

Ingredients

For the Vegetables

• 1/2 cup Jalapeño, sliced thin*
• 1 cup Daikon, Julienne Sliced
• 1 cup English Cucumber, Julienne Sliced
• 1 cup Carrot, Julienne Sliced
• 1 cup Red Onion, thinly sliced
• For the Pickling Brine
• 1/4 cup Sugar
• 3/4 cup Water
• 1 1/4 cup Rice Wine Vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt

Method

Preparing the Vegetables

1. First, prepare all of the vegetables by thinly slicing them. For the daikon, cucumber, and carrot it works best to use a julienne peeler to peel long thin strips. For the red onion and jalapeno, use a sharp knife to slice thin strips of each.
2. Then, add the prepared vegetables to a jar. It can be a jar large enough to fit all of the vegetables or they can be divided between two jars if necessary. Make sure that the vegetables are packed tightly.

Preparing the Pickling Bring

1. Combine the sugar, water, rice vinegar, and kosher salt in a small saucepan. Taste when the sugar and salt have dissolved, before the mixture boils and is too hot to the touch (take care not to burn your mouth). Add additional salt or sugar if desired.
2. Heat the mixture to boiling over medium high heat. Then, remove from heat.

Pickle the Vegetables

1. Pour the pickling brine over the vegetables.
2. Cool the mixture to room temperature, then seal the jar with the lid and transfer to the refrigerator. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving to ensure the best flavor.

NOTES

*Feel free to adapt this according to your taste preferences! To enjoy the flavor of the jalapeno without the heat, simply remove and discard the seeds of the jalapeno before pickling this recipe. Or, if you'd prefer this recipe to be completely mild, simply omit the jalapeno.

TIPS FOR QUICK PICKLING

This recipe for Asian Pickled Vegetables must be stored refrigerated.

The veggies will develop a stronger taste the longer they are stored.

Taste the brine before adding it to the vegetables. Want it saltier? Or more sweetness? Add a touch more salt or sugar – 1/8 tsp at a time, until desired flavor is reached

HOW LONG DO QUICK PICKLES LAST

For recipes that have not been water bath canned, quick pickles typically last up to 3 weeks when kept refrigerated. I think they taste best up to 1 week, store refrigerated, because they will continue to get stronger the longer they are stored in the pickling brine.

Carrot Dumpling Filling

Source

Carrot Dumpling Filling

Ingredients

• 1 pound (450 grams) carrots, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup dried shiitake mushrooms, rehydrated
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 slices ginger
• 3 tablespoons sesame oil (or vegetable oil)
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 cup bamboo shoots, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper powder
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Method

• Rinse shiitake mushrooms and transfer them to a bowl. Add hot water to cover. Rehydrate for 30 minutes, or until tender. Rinse with water again and gently rub by hand to remove dirt from the surface. Drain and set aside.
• Add carrots, shiitake mushrooms, garlic, and ginger into a food processor. Pulse until all the ingredients are minced, but not turned to mush.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat until warm. Add the minced carrot and shiitake mushrooms. Cook and still until the carrot is completely cooked through. Transfer to a large plate to cool.
• Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the same skillet. Add the beaten eggs. Stir and chop the eggs with a spatula, until the eggs are cooked through and turned to small bits. Transfer to a large plate to cool.
• When the eggs and carrot mixture have cooled, transfer them to a large bowl. Add bamboo shoot, white pepper powder, light soy sauce, and salt. Mix with a spatula, until everything is mixed well.

Mushroom Dumpling Filling

 Source (includes a sauce and cooking instructions - all you need to prepare is the filling)

Chinese Mushroom Dumpling Filling

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 2 shallots, chopped
• 4 cups shiitake or cremini mushrooms, chopped
• 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
• 1 clove garlic, minced or grated
• 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce or tamari
• Black pepper
• 2 cups roughly chopped spinach or bok choy

Method

1. Heat the sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the shallots and cook until fragrant and lightly caramelized, 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms, ginger, and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally until the mushrooms have cooked down, about 5 minutes. Add the soy sauce and large pinch of pepper. Stir in the greens. Cook another 2-3 minutes, until the mushrooms are caramelized. 
2. Remove from the heat and let cool. 

Pork/Shrimp/Napa Cabbage Dumpling Filling

 Source

Pork/Shrimp/Napa Cabbage Filling (Jiaozi)

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 1/2 pound shrimp (shelled, deviened and coarsely chopped)
• 2 large napa cabbage leaves (salted, drained, rinsed and finely diced)
• 2 green onions (finely sliced)
• 2 tablespoons bamboo shoot (finely diced)
• 2 tablespoons ginger (finely diced)
• 1 tablespoon garlic (finely diced)
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Method

Combine the pork, shrimp, cabbage, green onions, bamboo shoots, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, and cornstarch.

Tofu, Pork, Beef and Chive Dumpling Filling

Source 

Dumplings with Tofu, Pork, Beef and Chives

Ingredients

• 8 ounces medium-firm tofu
• 8 ounces ground pork
• 8 ounces ground beef
• 2 cups buchu (Korean garlic chives), finely chopped
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon white or black pepper

Method

1. Drain the tofu: Tofu usually comes in 16-ounce blocks. You will use half of it. Reserve the other half in the fridge for another use. Place the tofu on a cheese cloth or flour sack towel.
2. Loosely break it up into small pieces using your fingers. Wrap the cloth or towel around the tofu tightly and squeeze out as much of the liquid as possible.
3. Leave the tofu in the cloth and set it in a colander for 10 to 15 minutes to make sure it’s drained well.
4. In a large bowl, add the tofu, pork, beef, buchu, onions, garlic, ginger, egg, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, and black pepper. Stir until combined well.

Cozy Italian - January 2022

We are meeting at F & L's on Saturday Jan 22nd - looking forward to seeing everyone there!

Appetizer:

Caponata with bread - T & J

First Course:

Parmesan and White Bean Soup - Z & K

Main Course:

Zucchini Salad - L & T

Coq Au Vin Meatballs with Mashed Potatoes - F & L

Dessert:

Crema di Limoncello - Z & K

Ugly, but Good Cookies - J & K

Caponata

Source: Saveur

Serve the Caponata with slices of crusty bread as an appetizer.

Ideally Caponata should sit at least 2 hours before serving, but it is even better if it is made a day or two ahead.  To make ahead, cover and refrigerate.

Ingredients

2 lbs eggplant, cut into 1⁄2 inch cubes
Salt
10 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped
1 cup crushed canned tomatoes
2 ribs celery, thinly sliced crosswise
1⁄4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tbsp. sugar
2 tbsp. tomato paste
2 tbsp. golden raisins
2 tbsp. pine nuts
2 tbsp. capers, rinsed
12 pitted green olives, such as cerignola, coarsely chopped
1 red bell pepper, roasted, peeled, cored, seeded, and thinly sliced
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp. coarsely chopped basil
2 tbsp. coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Method

Put eggplant into a colander set over a large bowl; toss with 1 tbsp. salt. Top with a plate weighted down with several large cans; let drain for 1 hour. Rinse eggplant and pat dry with paper towels. Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add one-third of the eggplant and cook until golden brown, 7–8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer eggplant to a bowl. Repeat with oil and remaining eggplant.

Reduce heat to medium-low and add remaining oil and onions; cook until soft, 14–15 minutes. Add tomatoes and celery and increase heat to medium; cook 5–6 minutes. Add vinegar, sugar, and tomato paste; cook until thickened, 3–4 minutes. Add cooked eggplant, raisins, pine nuts, capers, olives, roasted peppers, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook until hot. Transfer to a plate; let cool slightly. Top with basil and parsley. 

Serve at room temperature.

Parmesan Broth with Kale and White Beans

 Source

Serves 10-12

Ingredients:

Broth

1 lb cheese rinds, any paper at the ends removed
12 cups water
2 large onions, peeled and quartered
6 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
2 Handfuls of flat-leaf parsley
Salt, to taste

Soup

5 to 6 ounces tuscan kale (also known as black or lacinato kale; this is the thinner, flatter leaf variety), washed and patted dry
2.5 cups cooked white beans
Thin slices of baguette, toasted
Olive oil and parmesan for serving

Method:

Make the broth: Bring all broth ingredients to a boil in a large pot, then reduce it to a simmer. Simmer for one hour. Pour broth through a strainer. Your yield should be approximately 9 cups. You can use this right away or cool it before storing it.

Turn the broth into soup: Prepare kale by removing tough stems and center rib (I often use kitchen shears for this), then cutting the leaves into thin ribbons. Add them to the broth, along with the beans. Add bean cooking liquid if you wish; this not only stretches the intense parmesan broth further but adds a gorgeous extra depth to the soup. Simmer ingredients together for 10 minutes, until kale leaves wilt and beans are warmed through.

To serve: Ladle a small amount of beans, kale and broth into a bowl. Top with a slice of toasted baguette. Drizzle baguette and soup lightly with your favorite olive oil and grate some fresh parmesan cheese over. Eat immediately.

Ugly, but Good Cookies (Brutti Ma Buoni)

 Source

Yields 36 Cookies

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups hazelnuts
1 cups granulated sugar, divided
1/4 teaspoon fine sea or table salt
4 large egg whites
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder (optional)
8 ounces (about 1 1/3 cups) miniature chocolate chips or bittersweet chocolate, chopped small

Method

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Place hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast in oven for 10 minutes or until golden, rolling around once to ensure they cook evenly. Let cool completely.  Place nuts in a dishtowel and roll them around so that the skins largely come off. Reduce heat to 300 degrees F.

Transfer toasted, peeled hazelnuts to a food processor and add 1/4 cup sugar and the salt. Grind until well-chopped but not fully powdery.

In a large bowl, beat egg whites with an electric mixer until very foamy. Slowly pour in remaining 3/4 cup sugar, beating the whole time. Beat until stiff peaks form; when you lift the beater, they should flop over slightly after forming a peak. Fold in nuts, espresso powder (if using) and chocolate.

Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Scoop batter into about 1 1/2 tablespoon mounds with about an inch of space between them. Bake for 25 minutes, until very faintly golden. Let cool on baking sheet for 5 to 10 minutes, after which they’ll be easier to remove with a thin spatula. Let finish cooling on racks.

Cookies keep at room temperature in an airtight container for a week.

Zucchini Salad

Source

Serves 12

Ingredients:

3 pounds zucchini (about 6 large) or a mix of thin summer squash

2.5 teaspoons kosher salt
1 pound baby arugula
2 ounces parmesan, coarsely grated (on large holes of a box grater; about 1 cup) or shaved with a vegetable peeler
Juice of two lemons
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup olive oil

Method:

Shave the zucchini into long ribbons using a vegetable peeler (this works best if zucchini are thinner than the length of the peeler blade). Toss zucchini ribbons with 2 teaspoons salt in a large colander set over a bowl and let drain 20 minutes.

Rinse zucchini slices well, then drain, pressing gently on slices to extract any excess liquid. Pat zucchini slices dry with a kitchen towel.

[Do ahead: Once drained well, zucchini keeps in the fridge for a few days in a container.]

Put arugula in a large bowl. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup parmesan and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Drizzle 3 tablespoons of oil over greens and toss. Arrange zucchini over arugula greens, then drizzle with remaining oil, lemon juice and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup parmesan and black pepper.

Coq Au Vin Meatballs with Mashed Potatoes

Are they Italian?  French?  Who knows?  These meatballs should be served with mashed potatoes, let me know if you need a recipe.

Source: Half Baked Harvest

Coq Au Vin Meatballs

Serves 12

Ingredients

2.5 pounds ground turkey or chicken
2 eggs
2/3 cup Panko bread crumbs
2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
kosher salt and black pepper
5-6 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
2 yellow onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced or grated
8 carrots, chopped
4 cups cremini or button mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup tomato paste
3 cups dry red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
4 bay leaves
8 thyme sprigs
1 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Mashed potatoes, for serving

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment.

2. Add the turkey, egg, bread crumbs, parmesan, and a pinch each of salt and pepper to a bowl. Coat your hands with a bit of olive oil and roll the meat into tablespoon-size balls (will make 36-40 meatballs), placing them on the prepared baking sheets. Transfer to the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until the meatballs are crisp and cooked through (check the meatballs at around 8 minutes and rotate baking sheets if they seem to be cooking unevenly).

3. Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon and reserve. If there's excess bacon grease, drain off all but 1 tablespoon. To the skillet, add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, until softened and fragrant. Stir in the garlic, carrots, and mushrooms. Cook another 5 minutes, until the vegetables are caramelizing on the edges. Add the tomato paste. Cook 1 minute.

4. Add in the red wine, chicken broth, bay leaves, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine, bring the sauce to a boil, cook 10 minutes or until the sauce thickens slightly. Stir in the meatballs, cover and cook 5 minutes, until the meatballs are coated in the sauce. Remove the bay leaves and thyme and discard. Stir in the parsley and reserved bacon.

4. Serve the meatballs and sauce over mashed potatoes.

Crema Di Lemoncello

Serves 20 (Yields 5 cups)  

This recipe can be easily doubled. 

Ingredients: 

5  lemons, scrubbed and dried 
1  (375-ml) bottle 80-proof vodka 
1/2  vanilla bean
21/2  cups half-and-half 
2  cups sugar 
1/2  cup water

Method:

1. Use vegetable peeler to remove only yellow zest from lemons. Place lemon zest and vodka in blender and process until lemon zest is reduced to fine particles, 15 to 30 seconds. Transfer mixture to airtight container and store in cool, dark place for 1 week. 
2. Cut vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Using tip of paring knife, scrape out seeds. Combine vanilla bean and seeds, half-and-half, sugar, and water in medium saucepan and bring to simmer over medium heat. Simmer, stirring frequently, until sugar is completely dissolved. Set aside and let cool completely. 
3. Pour vanilla mixture through cheesecloth-lined fine-mesh strainer set over medium bowl. Pour lemon zest mixture through strainer and press on solids to extract as much liquid as possible; discard solids. Whisk to combine. Transfer to bottle and refrigerate until cold. Serve in chilled glasses. (Crema di limoncello can be refrigerated for up to 1 year.)