What's On My Plate » ina garten

Prosciutto-Roasted Fish with Autumn Vegetables

Tonya — Thu, 05 May 2011 11:32:44 +0000

Since I always keep a stash of fish fillets in my freezer, I’m always on the lookout for new ways to use them up. When it comes to whitefish I don’t have a go-to recipe since I usually make fish a different way each time. What can I say? I like to keep things moving.

I came across this recipe in Ina Garten’s (aka Barefoot Contessa) book Back to Basics but never got around to making it since Prosciutto requires a special supermarket trip (I refuse to buy the prepackaged prosciutto and instead like to have the deli slice the amount that I need). I recently discovered that the Sobey’s around the corner from me has prosciutto in their deli case so I was in business.

This dish is equally suited for a weekend or a weeknight. I made this during the week and it made things a bit easier since I cut up the potatoes, parsnips and carrots the night before to save on prep time. The actually cooking of things is pretty easy. The vegetables are pretty much “set it and forget it” and you can even throw in the fish while the vegetables cook leaving you time to ~~have second glass of wine~~ clean the kitchen counter.

This meal totally worked out. I love when a recipe gives me my main and my side all in one! I managed to overcook the vegetables a but but they were still great. Honestly, I need to do more vegetable roasting. The fish/prosciutto combination was pretty darned good. It’s in your best interest to use the best prosciutto that you can get your hands on here. I used cod as my fish and a decent prosciutto and was really happy with the results. This recipe is definitely a different one for my regular cooking AND is good enough to make for a company. A definite keeper.

Prosciutto-Roasted Fish with Autumn Vegetables

2 cups diced butternut squash, cut into 1/2 -inch cubes (from about half of a peeled and seeded squash)
2 cups peeled and diced Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1/2 -inch cubes (about 2 potatoes)
2 cups peeled and diced parsnips, cut into 1/2 -inch cubes (about 3 large parsnips)
2 cups peeled and diced carrots, cut into 1/2 -inch cubes (about 3 large)
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced garlic
6 (8-ounce) skinless fish fillets, such as striped bass or halibut
6 thin slices prosciutto di Parma
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
6 sprigs fresh rosemary
3 tablespoons lemon juice (from 1 large lemon)
8 lemon wedges

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, toss the squash, potatoes, parsnips and carrots. Drizzle one-third cup of olive oil on the vegetables and season with 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and one-half teaspoon of pepper. Toss to combine.

3. Spread the vegetables in a single layer on a large, rimmed baking sheet and roast them until they are barely tender, about 30 minutes, tossing halfway through for even cooking and coloring. Remove the pan from the oven and toss in the garlic, then roast until the vegetables are tender, an additional 10 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, line another baking pan with foil and place a baking or cooling rack on top of the foil. Lightly brush the fish fillets on both sides with olive oil and season each with one-fourth teaspoon of salt and one-eighth teaspoon of pepper. Wrap a slice of prosciutto around each fillet, forming a wide band around the center and overlapping the ends on the underside of each fillet. Arrange the fillets on a rack, at least 1 inch apart, and roast until the fish is opaque, is firm to the touch and begins to flake, about 10 to 15 minutes. Do not overcook.

5. While the vegetables and fish are roasting, melt the butter over medium heat in a medium sauté pan. Add the rosemary sprigs and reduce the heat to low. Cook, shaking the pan gently, until the rosemary leaves are just crisp and the butter begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, discard the rosemary and stir in the lemon juice. Set it aside.

6. To serve, place the fish on a platter or on individual plates and spoon the rosemary butter over the fillets. Surround the fish with the vegetables, garnish with lemon wedges and serve hot.

Recipe from Back to Basics by Ina Garten

Parker’s Beef Stew

Tonya — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 11:37:04 +0000

In Toronto, winter is finally making its way on out. Finally. We didn’t have such a terrible winter but there’s nothing like 5 or 6 months of cold and grayness to mess with your emotions. The days are getting longer and the sun is starting to shine a bit brighter. Summer, is around the corner folks!

But before we fully welcome in spring, here’s another winter-y recipe filled with goodness. I love a big bowl of stew but you really can only eat it when the weather is kind of miserable. With that said, this stew will brighten up a dreary day. I’m pretty sure that I first saw this on an episode of Barefoot Contessa back in the day but I also have the recipe in my Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics cookbook.

It’s a pretty traditional stew with beef, carrots, peas and potatoes. What makes it extra fab is the addition of a bottle of red wine and 6 oz of bacon. Um, red wine and bacon? HOLLA! The recipe also includes sun-dried tomatoes. Normally I would skip the sun-dried tomatoes because I think they’re lame but instead I decided to throw them in. While I can’t say that the tomatoes contributed that much, the bacon on the other hand was fabulous. I of course used my homemade bacon so it imparted a really great smoky flavour to the stew. Smoke coupled with the red wine was perfection.

I ate this stew with a loaf of great whole wheat bread from Brick Street Bakery. Such a great pairing. The way the weather has been, many of us probably have one last cold snap which means a last chance to make some stew!

Parker’s Beef Stew

Serves 6

2 1/2 pounds good-quality chuck beef, cut into 1 1/4-inch cubes
1(750 ml bottle) good red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon
3 whole garlic cloves, smashed
3 bay leaves
6 ounces bacon, cut in 1-inch pieces
All-purpose flour
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Good olive oil
2 cups chopped yellow onions
2 tablespoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut diagonally in 1 1/2-inch chunks
1 pound small potatoes, halved or quartered
1 (14 1/2 ounce can) beef stock
1 large (2 small) branch fresh rosemary
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and sliced
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 (10-ounce) package frozen peas (not petits pois)

1.?Put the beef, red wine, whole garlic, and bay leaves in a bowl. Marinate overnight in the fridge.

2.?The next day, preheat the oven to 300?F.

3.?Brown the bacon in a large (12-inch) sauté pan for 5 to 7 minutes, over medium-low heat. With a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a Dutch oven. Combine 2 cups of flour, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 tablespoon pepper. Lift the beef out of the marinade and discard the bay leaves and garlic, saving the marinade. In batches, dredge the cubes of beef in the flour mixture and then shake off the excess. In the sauté pan, brown half the beef over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, turning to brown evenly. Place the beef in the Dutch oven with the bacon and continue to brown the remaining beef, placing it all in the Dutch oven.

4.?Lower the heat to medium-low, add the onions to the sauté pan, and cook for 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the carrots and potatoes and cook for 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Place all the vegetables in the Dutch oven with the beef. Add 2 1/2 cups of the reserved marinade (discard the rest) to the sauté pan and cook over high heat to deglaze the bottom of the pan, scraping up all the brown bits with a wooden spoon. Add the beef stock, rosemary, sun-dried tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon salt, and 2 teaspoons pepper. Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables in the Dutch oven and bring it to a simmer over medium heat on top of the stove. Cover the pot and place it in the oven for 2 hours, until the meat and vegetables are all tender, stirring once during cooking. If the stew is boiling rather than simmering, lower the heat to 250?F or 275?F.

5.?When the stew is done and the meat is tender, whisk 2 tablespoons of flour and 1 cup of the sauce together and pour it back into the stew. Simmer for 3 minutes, until thickened. Stir in the frozen peas, season to taste, and serve hot.

Adapted from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics

Caesar Roasted Fish

Tonya — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 11:45:44 +0000

Every once in awhile I buy a new cookbook and I get my money’s worth very quickly. Recently I’ve been loving Ina Garten aka Barefoot Contessa’s How Easy Is That?. The recipes are delicious and really easy to make. A lot of great dinner party recipes too.

I’m always looking for new fish recipes switch up my proteins. We generally keep a ton of salmon in the freezer to make it easier but recently we’ve had cod and tilapia on hand as well to switch things up. When I saw the recipe for Caesar Roasted Fish I was pretty intrigued. I love Caesar salad and was curious how that would translate to fish.

The sauce has the traditional flavours that you would expect in Caesar dressing including garlic, anchovies and creamy goodness. The sauce on its own was pretty great and would work really well with chicken.

The finished dish was great! I liked that it was a tad indulgent with the creamy sauce but still light enough to not feel too indulgent.

I served the fish with some roasted potatoes (using my new trick where I parboil the potatoes before roasting) and some sauteed broccoli rabe and it was a great meal.

Caesar Roasted Fish

2 large garlic cloves, chopped
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon anchovy paste
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 cup good mayonnaise
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 pounds striped bass steaks, ¾ to 1 inch thick, cut into 6 portions (I used cod)
½ cup chopped scallions, white and green parts (4 scallions)
2 tablespoons good olive oil
3 tablespoons drained capers
Lemon wedges, for serving

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Line a sheet pan with foil.

To make the Caesar sauce: In the bowl of a food processor combine the garlic, parsley, anchovy paste, and mustard. Pulse until the garlic is minced. Add the mayonnaise, lemon zest, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper and process to a smooth consistency.

Place the fish on the pan and season with salt and pepper. Divide the sauce into three portions. Save one portion for serving with the prepared dish. Spread half of the remaining sauce on one side of the fish, then flip and brush the remaining sauce on the other side. Sprinkly with scallions and let rest for 10 minutes.

Cook the fish for 10 to 12 minutes until just barely cooked. Cover the fish with foil and let rest for 10 minutes.

While the fish rests, heat oil until very hot and sautee the capers for about a minute until they start to pop and crisp up. Serve the fish with lemon wedges, crispy capers and the remaining Caesar sauce.

(Recipe from Ina Garten aka Barefoot Contessa)

Homemade Granola Bars

Tonya — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 12:48:48 +0000

Sure, I’ve been making my own Larabars and granola for a minute now but I’ve never even considered making my own granola bars. The funny thing is I generally find myself underwhelmed by the granola bars available in the supermarket. They generally have a lot of sugar, the ingredients aren’t that awesome and they aren’t at all fillings. A lot of these bars are like candy bars with oats. Don’t get me wrong, I eat them, but I’m generally disappointed.

I happened to be flipping through Barefoot Contessa’s Back to Basics and noticed that Ina has a recipe for granola bars. I’ve flipped through this book dozens of times and have never noticed that before! I already had all of the ingredients in my cupboard (except for the wheat germ) so I decided to make me some granola bars!

I followed the recipe for the most part but used coconut oil instead of butter to keep the dairy out. The great thing about this recipe is that you can really customize the mix-ins to meet your personal tastes. Why not swap out the honey for maple syrup? Or use dried cherries instead of cranberries? Hazelnuts would be fabulous too.

I’m so in love with these granola bars! They aren’t super chewy like the Quaker oats bars and they are not as crunch as the Nature’s Valley bars – they are somewhere in the middle. I love that they aren’t too sweet and actually feel like they might be a bit healthy. They are totally packed with goodness and made a nice little breakfast for me once I arrived at work. I’m looking forward to trying this again with some variations.

Homemade Granola Bars

2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup shredded coconut, loosely packed
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
3 tablespoons coconut oil
2/3 cup honey
1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup chopped pitted dates
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8 by 12-inch baking dish and line it with parchment paper.

Combine the oatmeal, almonds, and coconut on a sheet pan and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Monitor closely as the mixture is apt to burn. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and mix in the wheat germ.

Lower the oven temperature to 300 degrees F.

Combine the coconut oil, honey, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook and stir for a minute, then pour over the toasted oatmeal mixture. Add the dates, apricots, and cranberries and stir to combine.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Wet your fingers and lightly press the mixture evenly into the pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until light golden brown. Cool for at least 2 to 3 hours before cutting into squares. Serve at room temperature.

(From Ina Garten’s Back to Basics)

Easy Oven Risotto with Butternut Squash and Bacon

Tonya — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 14:48:02 +0000

Since acquiring the latest Barefoot Contessa cookbook, How Easy Is That? by Ina Garten, I’ve been steadily cooking my way through it. The recipes really are quick, easy and perfect for weeknight suppers without appearing to be too simple. When I do my weekly menu planning I find myself picking up this book and adding at least one recipe to my list for the week.

I enjoy a good risotto as much as the next girl. I even enjoy making it. For some reason people really get their panties in a knot when even thinking about making risotto because it involves a fair bit of stirring and you have to monitor it. The stirring and constant attention don’t really bother me at all. But when I saw Ina’s recipe for Easy Parmesan “Risotto” I was intrigued. The need for constant stirring is eliminated because you cook the “risotto” in the oven. Well played Ina, well played.

I thought the technique was interesting but found the recipe itself kind of lackluster for a full meal. The recipe is for a simple risotto with just peas and Parmesan but that wasn’t going to cut it for me. I looked in my fridge and found some butternut squash and my homemade bacon and thought that they would make a pretty fabulous risotto.

I started off by roasting the squash until they were cooked through. While that was happening I sauteed the bacon. I followed Ina’s recipe for cooking the rice but threw the squash in there for the entire cook time. In the final finishing step I added the bacon and let it cook for a few minutes longer to combine the flavours.

This was a really interesting way to make risotto. The texture was a bit on the mushy side but that could easily be rectified by cooking it less or with a tad less water. If I were making risotto as a side dish to accompany something else I would definitely use this technique again. Your risotto can be cooking while you’re preparing another part of your meal AND you end up with a pretty elegant side.

If you complain about making risotto because it’s time consuming, this recipe is definitely for you.

Easy Oven Risotto with Butternut Squash and Bacon

(Adapted from this recipe from Ina Garten aka Barefoot Contessa)

1 cup butternut squash, cubed
Olive oil
1/2 cup bacon, diced
1.5 cups Arborio rice
5 cups simmering chicken stock, preferably homemade, divided
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Toss the butternut squash in oil, place on a baking sheet and roast in the oven until tender.

Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees.

Place the rice, cooked squash and 4 cups of the chicken stock in a Dutch oven.

Cover and bake for 45 minutes, until most of the liquid is absorbed and the rice is al dente.

As the rice cooks, sautee the bacon in a pan to crisp. Set on paper towels to drain and set aside.

Remove the rice from the oven and add the rest of the chicken stock, the Parmesan, wine, butter, bacon, salt and pepper. Stir for 3 to 5 minutes until the rice is creamy and serve.

Panko-Crusted Salmon

Tonya — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 12:47:09 +0000

I love it when I find a quick and easy weeknight staple meal. Seriously. I mean who doesn’t like the idea of knowing that if all else fails there is a delicious meal that can be made quickly when you get home from work? AND it’s good enough to serve to company. EVERYONE WINS!

I’ve been cooking my way through Ina Garten aka Barefoot Contessa’s latest cookbook How Easy Is That? and since acquiring the book have made this salmon twice! That’s how good this is. It’s also super easy for me because I usually have all of the necessary ingredients on hand.

You take a salmon fillet and brush it with Dijon mustard. In a bowl you combine the panko with parsley, lemon zest etc. You then top the salmon with the panko and briefly brown it on the stove-top before allowing it to cook in the oven. The first time I made this I didn’t have a pan that could go from the stove to the oven so I used a regular frying pan and then transferred the salmon to a baking sheet before going into the oven. It wasn’t that hard. The second time around I bought a cast-iron pan that could go from stove-top to oven and it was easier but honestly, no need to rush out and get one for this recipe.

I’ve been pairing this salmon with couscous. The first time I did a plain couscous but the second time I made a couscous pilaf. I think the salmon could go well with some soba noodles or rice. Or even a roasted squash.

This is definitely a weeknight staple.

Panko-Crusted Salmon

2/3 cup panko (Japanese dried bread flakes)
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon lemon zest
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons good olive oil
4 (6- to 8-ounce) salmon fillets, skin on
2 tablespoons Dijon
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Lemon wedges, for serving

Preheat the oven to 425F.

Combine the panko, parsley, lemon zest, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Add the olive oil and stir to combine thoroughly. Set aside.

Place the salmon fillets, skin side down, on a board. Brush the top of the fillets with mustard. Sprinkly with salt and pepper. Top with the panko mixture, pressing so that it adheres to the mustard.

Heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet or large heavy, ovenproof pan. When the oil is very hot, add the salmon fillets, skin side down, and sear for 3 to 4 minutes, without turning, to brown the skin.

Take the pan off the stove and transfer to the oven for 5-7 minutes, until the salmon is almost cooked and the panko is browned. Remove from the oven, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve the salmon hot or at room temperature with lemon wedges.

(Adapted from Ina Garten’s How Easy Is That? )

Weeknight Bolognese

Tonya — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 13:17:31 +0000

So one of my fave “celebrity chefs”, Ina Garten has a new cookbook out called How Easy is That?. I’ve had good times pouring through it and deciding what to make. The other day I was craving a nice big bowl of pasta so I gravitated towards her “Weeknight Bolognese” which I incidentally made on a Sunday night, go figure.

There is nothing revolutionary about this recipe. It’s just a really basic recipe for pasta with meat sauce. A pretty delicious recipe for pasta with meat sauce. And it’s easy. There aren’t any surprise ingredients and nothing too fancy. The wine is a great addition and adds a nice layer of flavour to things.

I really enjoyed the sauce but at the end kind of felt like I didn’t need a recipe to make this happen at all. I think next time I’d throw a bunch of these ingredients into a pot and let them simmer. If you’re new to making your own pasta sauce this would be a great recipe. It really is perfect for a weeknight supper and is so much better than opening up a jar of random sauce. Trust me.

Weeknight Bolognese

serves 4-5

2 TB good olive oil, plus extra to cook pasta
1 pound lean ground sirloin
4 tsp minced garlic (4 cloves)
1 TB dried oregano
¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 ¼ cups dry red wine, divided
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
2 TB tomato paste
Kosher salt & black pepper
¾ pound dried pasta, such as orecchiette or small shells (
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves, lightly packed
¼ cup heavy cream
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

Heat 2 TB of olive oil in a large (12 inch) skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, crumbling the meat until the meat is no longer pink and has started to brown. Add the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 more minute. Pour 1 cup of the wine into the skillet and stir to scrape up any browned bits. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, 1 TB salt, and 1 ½ tsp pepper, stirring until combined. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the directions on the box.

Finish the sauce while the pasta cooks. Add the nutmeg, basil, cream, and the remaining ¼ cup wine to the sauce and simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened. When the pasta is cooked, drain and pour into a large serving bowl. Add the sauce and ½ cup Parmesan and toss well. Serve hot with Parmesan on the side.

(Recipe from How Easy is That? by Ina Garten)

Mac and Cheese

Tonya — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 13:24:42 +0000

I’m forever on the hunt for amazing macaroni and cheese recipes. Sure, macaroni and cheese is easy enough to make but I’m always looking to find the perfect ration of pasta to cheese to bechamel. My last attempt at mac and cheese was pretty lackluster so I wanted to step up my game.

Enter Barefoot Contessa. I figured she would have a great recipe for mac and cheese so I checked out FoodNetwork.com and came across this recipe from Barefoot Contessa Family Style. It uses old cheddar and Gruyere so I knew it would be rich and cheesy.

This mac and cheese is on the pricier side because of the amount of and types of cheese used. AND to add insult to injury the lady at the cheese store gave me double the amount of Gruyere than I ordered. I wasn’t paying attention when she weighed but new the price sounded high. I came home and weighed the cheese and it was double the amount. Amateurs.

There wasn’t really anything to special about the technique used to make the mac and cheese. The recipe calls for tomatoes to be integrated but I wasn’t feeling that at all so I left the out. The only extra things I like in my mac and cheese are caramelized onions and bacon. I didn’t add anything extra this time I around because I wanted something simple.

I did something different this time around. Normally when a mac and cheese recipe calls for a breadcrumb topping I immediately say PASS. I’d rather a brown cheesy topping. This time I decided to throw caution to the wind and go all the way with the breadcrumbs and I have to admit, it was a lovely addition. It added a nice buttery crunch and some contrasting texture. Not bad Ina, not bad.

I’m definitely a fan of this recipe. It was the perfect consistency. Not too watery, just creamy enough and even the noodles weren’t too soggy. This will definitely be my base recipe for future mac and cheese endeavours.

Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

* Kosher salt
* Vegetable oil
* 1 pound elbow macaroni or cavatappi
* 1 quart milk
* 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
* 12 ounces Gruyere, grated (4 cups)
* 8 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated (2 cups)
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 3/4 pound fresh tomatoes (4 small)
* 1 1/2 cups fresh white bread crumbs (5 slices, crusts removed)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don’t boil it. Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a large (4-quart) pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and stir well. Pour into a 3-quart baking dish.

Slice the tomatoes and arrange on top. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, combine them with the fresh bread crumbs, and sprinkle on the top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.

(Recipe via Foodnetwork.com)

Spring Green Risotto

Tonya — Thu, 13 May 2010 14:00:05 +0000

I’m back on my Barefoot Bloggers thing this month! This month’s recipe comes from Kimberly at Indulge & Enjoy. I know I just posted about risotto and trust me I wasn’t thrilled about making more risotto so soon but I was delighted at the spring-ness of this recipe. Leeks, asparagus, peas and fennel? Sign me up!

I’m taking a cooking class right now (post to come) so I ended up in the vicinity of the St Lawrence Market farmer’s market late Saturday morning for the rest of the summer. How awesome is that? It gives me an excuse to hit up the market and enjoy summer’s bounty. With that said I ended up buying most of my produce for this recipe form the market. AND price-wise it was pretty comparable to the supermarket.

I made one major-ish substitution to this recipe. I really didn’t want to buy mascarpone. A small tun is $6.99 and the bigger one is $12.99. The recipe only requires 1/3 cup. I said screw it and substituted a mix of cream cheese and sour cream instead. It was totally fine. Sure it’s not the same as mascarpone but the goal was to add some creaminess to the risotto and that worked like a charm. I also didn’t realize that there weren’t any chives in my fridge/freezer so I went without.

The risotto was pretty delicious. It was definitely more about the fresh vegetables than the rice. I loved that it was a good way to eat a lot of veggies in one sitting without even having to think about it. To make this vegetarian you could use veggie stock instead of chicken. I ate this as a main course but part of me wishes I would have thrown a piece of fish in the oven to eat alongside of it. I had to eat a LOT of rice to squelch my hunger.

Another winner from Ina Garten/ Barefoot Contessa!

Spring Green Risotto
Ingredients

* 1 1/2 tablespoons good olive oil
* 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 3 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts (2 leeks)
* 1 cup chopped fennel
* 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
* 2/3 cup dry white wine
* 4 to 5 cups simmering chicken stock, preferably homemade
* 1 pound thin asparagus
* 10 ounces frozen peas, defrosted, or 1 1/2 cups shelled fresh peas
* 1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
* 1/3 cup mascarpone cheese, preferably Italian
* 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving
* 3 tablespoons minced fresh chives, plus extra for serving

Directions

Heat the olive oil and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks and fennel and saute for 5 to 7 minutes, until tender. Add the rice and stir for a minute to coat with the vegetables, oil, and butter. Add the white wine and simmer over low heat, stirring constantly, until most of the wine has been absorbed. Add the chicken stock, 2 ladles at a time, stirring almost constantly and waiting for the stock to be absorbed before adding more. This process should take 25 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut the asparagus diagonally in 1 1/2-inch lengths and discard the tough ends. Blanch in boiling salted water for 4 to 5 minutes, until al dente. Drain and cool immediately in ice water. (If using fresh peas, blanch them in boiling water for a few minutes until the starchiness is gone.)

When the risotto has been cooking for 15 minutes, drain the asparagus and add it to the risotto with the peas, lemon zest, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Continue cooking and adding stock, stirring almost constantly, until the rice is tender but still firm.

Whisk the lemon juice and mascarpone together in a small bowl. When the risotto is done, turn off the heat and stir in the mascarpone mixture plus the Parmesan cheese and chives. Set aside, off the heat, for a few minutes, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve hot with a sprinkling of chives and more Parmesan cheese.

(Recipe from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics)

Barefoot Bloggers: Raisin Pecan Oatmeal Cookies

Tonya — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 02:16:36 +0000

I’ve been very behind on the blogging as of late. I’m posting this Barefoot Bloggers post a full week late. This month we have two cookie recipes which isn’t ideal especially since I’m on a big macaron making kick. Needless to say I’m eating a lot of cookies this month.

This pick comes courtesy of Leslie at Lethally Delicious.

If you’ve read this blog before you know that I have an aversion to raisins, so I immediately scrapped those and replaced them with dried cranberries. Then I remembered that I had hazelnuts on hand from my first attempt at making french macarons, so I used those instead of pecans.

I have a hard time making cookies. They never look the way cookies should look…. I’m not sure what it is. This time I was surprised when they actually turned out cookie-like. Very soft and chewy, nicely shaped etc. A total victory. The cranberry-hazelnut combination was really great and different — it gave the cookies an upscale quality for sure.

Once again another great Barefoot Contessa recipe.

RAISIN PECAN OATMEAL COOKIES

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups pecans
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
1 cup granulated sugar
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
1 1/2 cups raisins

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the pecans on a sheet pan and bake for 5 minutes, until crisp. Set aside to cool. Chop very coarsely.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low, add the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla.

Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt together into a medium bowl. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Add the oats, raisins, and pecans and mix just until combined.

Using a small ice-cream scoop or a tablespoon, drop 2-inch mounds of dough onto sheet pans lined with parchment paper. Flatten slightly with a damp hand. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until lightly browned. Transfer the cookies to a baking rack and cool completely.

(Recipe via FoodNetwork.com)