Another recipe in my exploration of vegetable and and ricotta gratins. The dried peppers soaked up some of the excess moisture from the zucchini which helped to keep the gratin from being too juicy. Definitely something to add to the zucchini repertoire.
Olive oil
1 oz. Pancetta, chopped
1/4 very large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. zucchini, diced
1 oz. dried roasted sweet peppers, chopped
8 oz. sheep milk ricotta
1/2 cup creme fraiche
1/2 cup stock
3 eggs
1 teaspoon dried Oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons fermented pepper flakes
2 oz. Parmesan, grated.
Bread Crumbs
Almond meal (optional)
Olive oil
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Lightly oil a 6-cup oval gratin dish.
Heat about a tablespoon of olive oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-low heat, add the pancetta and cook until soft. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Stir in the garlic and add the zucchini to the pan, cook about 5-7 minutes, stirring often, until softened. Stir in the dried peppers and set aside to cool slightly.
Whisk together the ricotta, creme fraiche, stock, and eggs. Stir in the oregano and pepper flakes and then fold in the vegetables.
Pour the vegetable mixture into the gratin dish, evenly distributing the vegetables in the dish, smooth the top. Evenly scatter the grated Parmesan over the top, then the bread crumbs, then the almond meal. Drizzle a tablespoon or two of olive oil over the top and bake for 1 hour.
Variation #2
Used 1/2 large red onion.
Added 2 tablespoons Sonora wheat flour to the custard mix.
Added about 1 teaspoon dried Persian mint.
Omitted almond meal from topping.
Showing posts with label Vegetarian Main Dish. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vegetarian Main Dish. Show all posts
Broccoli and Ricotta Gratin
1 pound steamed broccoli florets (3 small heads)
3 eggs
1/2 cup creme fraiche
1/2 cup stock
8 oz. sheep milk ricotta
1 tsp. kosher salt
freshly grated nutmeg
large pinch dried fermented Aji Golden flakes
1/4 cup thinly sliced I'itoi onion stalks (or use dried sweet onion powder or chopped dried onions)
2 oz. grated parmesan
dried breadcrumbs
olive oil
Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Cut broccoli into large pieces and steam for 3 minutes. Let cool and then coarsely chop.
Whisk together the eggs, creme fraiche, stock, ricotta, salt, nutmeg, and pepper flakes. Stir in the onions and broccoli.
Smear a 6-cup oval gratin dish with some olive oil. Spread the broccoli mixture evenly in the dish. Scatter the parmesan and breadcrumbs over the top and drizzle generously with olive oil.
Bake for 1 hour.
Roasted Peppers Stuffed with Ricotta and Spinach
Too many peppers this year! 70 plants, what on earth was I thinking. I've been preserving many of them but there's still loads of them so now I need to dream up ways of eating more of them now. So here's one dish that I whipped up for dinner recently that got rave reviews from Dave so I knew I needed to write it up because I won't remember how to make it again the next time he wants it.
Blanched chard can be substituted for the spinach. Sautéed chopped onions can be substituted for the dried onion. (I used dried onion for the sake of expediency). Chopped fresh sage or sage cooked in brown butter should be a nice addition to the filling. Or onion and sage sautéed together in butter or olive oil should be good too. Hmm, and since I just wrote a post about corn chicos, some presoaked chicos might be tasty too.
12 ounces ricotta, preferably sheepmilk
2 ounces freshly grated parmesan
1/4 ounce dried sweet onion, chopped (no need to rehydrate)
1/2 teaspoon mild pepper flakes
Freshly grated nutmeg
5 ounces blanched spinach measured after squeezing out excess moisture, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt (or more, I'm watching my salt intake these days)
9 or more roasted sweet peppers such as Ajvarski
Olive oil
Dry coarse breadcrumbs
Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Lightly oil a 8 x 12-inch oval gratin dish or equivalent sized baking dish.
Mix together the ricotta, parmesan, dried onion, pepper flakes, nutmeg, spinach, and salt.
Leave the roasted peppers intact but slit down one side so that they open like a book. Place a couple of tablespoons or so of the ricotta filling on one side of a pepper and fold the other side over to cover the filling. Repeat for the rest of the peppers using all the filling. Place the peppers in the baking dish with the seams to the side. Pack the peppers tightly into the dish so there are no gaps between the peppers, this keeps the filling from oozing out.
Scatter the dried breadcrumbs generously over the top of the peppers and then drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Bake for 50 minutes to an hour, until the dish is bubbling merrily all around the edges. Let sit for at least a few minutes or longer before serving.
Makes 3 to 4 main course servings or more as an appetizer.
Blanched chard can be substituted for the spinach. Sautéed chopped onions can be substituted for the dried onion. (I used dried onion for the sake of expediency). Chopped fresh sage or sage cooked in brown butter should be a nice addition to the filling. Or onion and sage sautéed together in butter or olive oil should be good too. Hmm, and since I just wrote a post about corn chicos, some presoaked chicos might be tasty too.
12 ounces ricotta, preferably sheepmilk
2 ounces freshly grated parmesan
1/4 ounce dried sweet onion, chopped (no need to rehydrate)
1/2 teaspoon mild pepper flakes
Freshly grated nutmeg
5 ounces blanched spinach measured after squeezing out excess moisture, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt (or more, I'm watching my salt intake these days)
9 or more roasted sweet peppers such as Ajvarski
Olive oil
Dry coarse breadcrumbs
Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Lightly oil a 8 x 12-inch oval gratin dish or equivalent sized baking dish.
Mix together the ricotta, parmesan, dried onion, pepper flakes, nutmeg, spinach, and salt.
Leave the roasted peppers intact but slit down one side so that they open like a book. Place a couple of tablespoons or so of the ricotta filling on one side of a pepper and fold the other side over to cover the filling. Repeat for the rest of the peppers using all the filling. Place the peppers in the baking dish with the seams to the side. Pack the peppers tightly into the dish so there are no gaps between the peppers, this keeps the filling from oozing out.
Scatter the dried breadcrumbs generously over the top of the peppers and then drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Bake for 50 minutes to an hour, until the dish is bubbling merrily all around the edges. Let sit for at least a few minutes or longer before serving.
Makes 3 to 4 main course servings or more as an appetizer.
Mustard Greens and Apple Galette
Sounds a bit weird perhaps, a savory galette of mustard greens with apple? But the hint of sweet and tart apple is a very nice complement to the slightly bitter bite of mustard greens and comes together nicely with the nutty whole wheat pastry and tang of sharp cheddar cheese. My husband who is generally not a fan of bitter things took note of the bit of bitterness but found the galette to be delicious. He ate a quarter of the galette with gusto. I carried the apple theme to the accompanying simple salad of Red Iceberg and Three Heart Butterhead lettuces tossed with sliced apple, toasted sliced almonds, and a lemony honey-mustard vinaigrette.
1 recipe Whole Wheat Galette Dough
About 1 pound mustard greens
About 2 tablespoons roasted peanut oil or other oil
1 small onion, chopped
3-4 ounces Pink Beauty apple (half of a large apple), cut into 1/4-inch dice, no need to peel
About 1 tablespoon fermented sweet pepper paste
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
Freshly grated nutmeg
4 ounces Cheddar cheese, grated on coarse holes of a box grater
About a tablespoon of creme fraiche or heavy cream or an egg yolk thinned with a bit of water
1 recipe Whole Wheat Galette Dough
About 1 pound mustard greens
About 2 tablespoons roasted peanut oil or other oil
1 small onion, chopped
3-4 ounces Pink Beauty apple (half of a large apple), cut into 1/4-inch dice, no need to peel
About 1 tablespoon fermented sweet pepper paste
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
Freshly grated nutmeg
4 ounces Cheddar cheese, grated on coarse holes of a box grater
About a tablespoon of creme fraiche or heavy cream or an egg yolk thinned with a bit of water
Prepare the galette dough and refrigerate it while preparing the filling.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch the mustard greens in batches, about 15 seconds per batch, allow to drain and cool in a colander. Gently squeeze some of the moisture out of the greens. Stack the greens so that the fat stems ends can be sliced about 1/4-inch thick and set aside, slice the leafy parts about 1/4 inch thick also. Don't be fussy, some fat stems will be a bit leafy and some leafy parts will be a bit stemmy.
Heat the oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Saute the onion until translucent. Turn the heat down to medium-low and add the diced apple and pepper paste and saute until the pepper paste is incorporated. Add the chopped mustard green stems and continue to saute a few minutes, then stir in the leafy parts and add salt to taste. Continue to saute until any excess moisture cooks off, turn the heat up again if necessary. You don't want the filling to be too wet or the pastry will become soggy but you don't want the filling too be dry either. Set the filling aside to cool as you roll the galette dough.
Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Cut a piece of parchment paper at least 12 inches wide.
Roll the galette dough out to about a 16-inch circle. Transfer the dough to the parchment paper, it may be larger than the paper but after folding the sides of the dough over the filling it should fit.
Arrange the filling over the dough leaving about 2 inches uncovered all around. Season the filling with freshly ground black pepper and grated nutmeg. Add more salt if necessary. Scatter the grated cheese evenly over the filling. Fold the edges of the dough up over the filling but don't be fussy about arranging it. Brush the folded over portions of the dough with the creme fraiche. Slide the pastry on the parchment paper onto a large flat baking sheet.
Bake in the middle of the oven for about 25 to 30 minutes, I use the convection fan so it speeds up the baking and makes for a nice brown crisp crust.
Transfer the baked galette to a cooling rack for a few minutes before slicing and serving. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Makes 4 main course servings or 6 to 8 appetizer servings.
Zucchini and Spinach Gratin with Ricotta Custard
My adaptation of a recipe from Deborah Madison's Book The Savory Way takes advantage of dried zucchini and frozen spinach from the garden. A pound of fresh zucchini dries down to about 1 ounce. I rehydrated it with the liquid that the frozen zucchini gives off as well as the moisture from the mushrooms and onions. The vegetable mixture should be prepared in advance to allow the zucchini to absorb the moisture from the other vegetables. It can be mixed and kept in the refrigerator overnight or longer.
1.25 ounces (35 g.) dried sliced Romanesco zucchini
8 ounces frozen spinach, thawed, excess moisture squeezed out and reserved
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 pound mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon tomato paste thinned with a little water
sweet fermented pepper flakes to taste (optional)
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
crumbled dried oregano to taste
1 cup ricotta cheese
2 eggs
1 cup milk, cream or a combination
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt
freshly ground pepper
freshly grated nutmeg
Place the dried zucchini in a bowl. Add the reserved spinach water to the zucchini and set aside.
Warm the oil in a medium skillet and add the onions and garlic. Sauté about 1 minute, then add the mushrooms and a pinch of salt. Cook until the mushrooms soften and begin to release their liquid. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of zucchini, stir to mix, cover and set aside for a few hours or overnight in the fridge.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Season the rehydrated zucchini mixture with the tomato paste, pepper flakes, parsley, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the mixture to a gratin dish. Chop the spinach and distribute it over the zucchini mixture, season with salt and fresh ground pepper.
Beat the ricotta with the eggs, then stir in the milk or cream, the cheese, and the remaining parsley. Season with salt and nutmeg. Pour the mixture over the vegetables. Bake until the custard is set and lightly browned on top, about 40 to 45 minutes. Allow the gratin to stand about 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm.
Makes 4 main course servings.
1.25 ounces (35 g.) dried sliced Romanesco zucchini
8 ounces frozen spinach, thawed, excess moisture squeezed out and reserved
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 pound mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon tomato paste thinned with a little water
sweet fermented pepper flakes to taste (optional)
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
crumbled dried oregano to taste
1 cup ricotta cheese
2 eggs
1 cup milk, cream or a combination
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt
freshly ground pepper
freshly grated nutmeg
Place the dried zucchini in a bowl. Add the reserved spinach water to the zucchini and set aside.
Warm the oil in a medium skillet and add the onions and garlic. Sauté about 1 minute, then add the mushrooms and a pinch of salt. Cook until the mushrooms soften and begin to release their liquid. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of zucchini, stir to mix, cover and set aside for a few hours or overnight in the fridge.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Season the rehydrated zucchini mixture with the tomato paste, pepper flakes, parsley, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the mixture to a gratin dish. Chop the spinach and distribute it over the zucchini mixture, season with salt and fresh ground pepper.
Beat the ricotta with the eggs, then stir in the milk or cream, the cheese, and the remaining parsley. Season with salt and nutmeg. Pour the mixture over the vegetables. Bake until the custard is set and lightly browned on top, about 40 to 45 minutes. Allow the gratin to stand about 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm.
Makes 4 main course servings.
White Bean, Winter Squash, and Cabbage Stew
The 3 main components for this stew are prepared separately and then combined at the end. I find it's easiest to make sure each different component is properly cooked if prepared separately and they also retain their individual flavors. This can easily be turned into a vegetarian main dish by omitting the ham hock and anchovy. Perhaps substitute some dried porcini mushrooms for the ham hock.
For the beans:
6 ounces dry Tarbais beans
1 small smoked ham hock
1 bay leaf
A 1 1/2-inch piece of dried kombu kelp (supposedly aids digestibility)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 quart cold water
For the squash:
1 1/4 pound piece of winter squash (Terremoto)
Olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 small sprigs rosemary, chopped (1 to 2 tablespoons?)
1/2 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon fermented sweet pepper paste
1 anchovy packed in olive oil
2 cups tomato puree
Cooking liquid from the beans (the bean broth)
For the cabbage:
1/2 head small green cabbage, cut in about 1 to 1 1/2-inch squares
Olive oil
To finish:
salt to taste
chopped fresh parsley
Start the beans first, I do this in the morning. Put all the ingredients for the beans into a small heavy covered casserole and cover. Place in the oven and heat to 250ºF. After 1 hour turn the temperature down to 220ºF. Cook, covered, until the beans are tender but not falling apart, about 5 to 6 hours, more or less depending on how old the beans are. Check the beans every hour or so and once they are plump and starting to soften check them more often. Set the beans aside to cool in the bean broth. The beans can be prepared in advance and kept in the refrigerator in the cooking liquid. They can sit at room temperature until the stew is assembled. Once the beans are cool remove the ham hock and remove the meat and shred finely. Set the shredded ham aside separately.
To cook the squash and stew base. First remove the seeds and then cut the squash into 3/4-inch thick slices (I use the width of my index finger as a guide), cut off the skins, then cut the slices into cubes and set them aside. Heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a deep heavy pot, I use a 5-quart Staub enameled cast iron pot. Saute the onions and garlic over medium-low heat until they are softened. Add the rosemary, tomato paste, pepper paste, and anchovy to the pot and stir until the pastes and anchovy are incorporated. Allow the flavor base to sizzle a bit and then add the tomato puree. Stir the squash into the tomato sauce and stir in enough bean broth to cover the squash. Bring to a strong simmer and cook uncovered until the squash is tender.
While the squash is cooking prepare the cabbage. Heat a couple of tablespoons over medium heat in a wide saute pan. When the oil just starts to shimmer add the cabbage and saute a couple of minutes and then add about 1/2 cup of the bean broth. Cover the pan and allow the cabbage to cook until it is just tender. Remove from the heat and reserve.
To assemble the stew. Drain the beans, reserving the cooking liquid, and gently stir the beans into the pot of squash. Stir in the reserved shredded ham. Stir in the tender cabbage. Add the rest of the bean broth. Season to taste with salt and stir in some chopped fresh parsley. Serve with additional chopped parsley on top.
Made about 6 main course servings.
For the beans:
6 ounces dry Tarbais beans
1 small smoked ham hock
1 bay leaf
A 1 1/2-inch piece of dried kombu kelp (supposedly aids digestibility)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 quart cold water
For the squash:
1 1/4 pound piece of winter squash (Terremoto)
Olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 small sprigs rosemary, chopped (1 to 2 tablespoons?)
1/2 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon fermented sweet pepper paste
1 anchovy packed in olive oil
2 cups tomato puree
Cooking liquid from the beans (the bean broth)
For the cabbage:
1/2 head small green cabbage, cut in about 1 to 1 1/2-inch squares
Olive oil
To finish:
salt to taste
chopped fresh parsley
Start the beans first, I do this in the morning. Put all the ingredients for the beans into a small heavy covered casserole and cover. Place in the oven and heat to 250ºF. After 1 hour turn the temperature down to 220ºF. Cook, covered, until the beans are tender but not falling apart, about 5 to 6 hours, more or less depending on how old the beans are. Check the beans every hour or so and once they are plump and starting to soften check them more often. Set the beans aside to cool in the bean broth. The beans can be prepared in advance and kept in the refrigerator in the cooking liquid. They can sit at room temperature until the stew is assembled. Once the beans are cool remove the ham hock and remove the meat and shred finely. Set the shredded ham aside separately.
To cook the squash and stew base. First remove the seeds and then cut the squash into 3/4-inch thick slices (I use the width of my index finger as a guide), cut off the skins, then cut the slices into cubes and set them aside. Heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a deep heavy pot, I use a 5-quart Staub enameled cast iron pot. Saute the onions and garlic over medium-low heat until they are softened. Add the rosemary, tomato paste, pepper paste, and anchovy to the pot and stir until the pastes and anchovy are incorporated. Allow the flavor base to sizzle a bit and then add the tomato puree. Stir the squash into the tomato sauce and stir in enough bean broth to cover the squash. Bring to a strong simmer and cook uncovered until the squash is tender.
While the squash is cooking prepare the cabbage. Heat a couple of tablespoons over medium heat in a wide saute pan. When the oil just starts to shimmer add the cabbage and saute a couple of minutes and then add about 1/2 cup of the bean broth. Cover the pan and allow the cabbage to cook until it is just tender. Remove from the heat and reserve.
To assemble the stew. Drain the beans, reserving the cooking liquid, and gently stir the beans into the pot of squash. Stir in the reserved shredded ham. Stir in the tender cabbage. Add the rest of the bean broth. Season to taste with salt and stir in some chopped fresh parsley. Serve with additional chopped parsley on top.
Made about 6 main course servings.
Spinach, Cheddar, and Brioche Pudding
I didn't measure most of the ingredients as I went along so the quantities are a bit vague.
1/4 loaf or so of Brioche, cut into about 1-inch cubes and toasted in a 350ºF oven
Butter as needed
1 small onion, chopped
A couple of small cloves of garlic, minced
Frozen spinach (about 12 ounces?), thawed, excess water squeezed out, and chopped
3 ounces cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups whole milk
2 eggs
Freshly grated nutmeg
Preheat the oven to 325ºF.
Generously butter a 10 x 6 x 1 3/4-inch glass baking dish or a similar sized gratin dish.
Saute the onion and garlic in a couple of tablespoons of butter over medium heat until the onion is soft and translucent. Season to taste with salt. Add the spinach to the pan and stir to mix. Remove from the heat and allow to cool a bit.
Scatter half of the spinach mixture over the bottom of the baking dish. Top the spinach with the toasted cubes of brioche fitting them in fairly snugly. Scatter the remaining spinach mixture over the brioche and then scatter the cheddar evenly over the top.
Whisk together the milk, eggs, and nutmeg. Pour the mixture evenly over the contents of the baking dish being sure to moisten all the brioche. The milk mixture will not completely cover the brioche and spinach.
Bake for about 30 minutes until the top of the pudding is browned and crisp. Serve hot or warm.
Makes about 3 to 4 main course servings or 6 to 8 side servings.
1/4 loaf or so of Brioche, cut into about 1-inch cubes and toasted in a 350ºF oven
Butter as needed
1 small onion, chopped
A couple of small cloves of garlic, minced
Frozen spinach (about 12 ounces?), thawed, excess water squeezed out, and chopped
3 ounces cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups whole milk
2 eggs
Freshly grated nutmeg
Preheat the oven to 325ºF.
Generously butter a 10 x 6 x 1 3/4-inch glass baking dish or a similar sized gratin dish.
Saute the onion and garlic in a couple of tablespoons of butter over medium heat until the onion is soft and translucent. Season to taste with salt. Add the spinach to the pan and stir to mix. Remove from the heat and allow to cool a bit.
Scatter half of the spinach mixture over the bottom of the baking dish. Top the spinach with the toasted cubes of brioche fitting them in fairly snugly. Scatter the remaining spinach mixture over the brioche and then scatter the cheddar evenly over the top.
Whisk together the milk, eggs, and nutmeg. Pour the mixture evenly over the contents of the baking dish being sure to moisten all the brioche. The milk mixture will not completely cover the brioche and spinach.
Bake for about 30 minutes until the top of the pudding is browned and crisp. Serve hot or warm.
Makes about 3 to 4 main course servings or 6 to 8 side servings.
Savory Winter Squash and Ricotta Custards
This is adapted from a recipe for a savory squash torte that is baked in a pan with a breadcrumb crust and then cut into wedges for serving. That sounds great but I didn't have any breadcrumbs or bread on hand so I decided to bake the custard in individual ramekins instead which is what I do for sweet pumpkin custards, aka pumpkin pie filling, because I don't eat the soggy pie crust of pumpkin pies. The savory custards came out better than expected and I think these will become a regular dinner item while I have winter squash around.
I used a chunk of the big Terremoto squash that I grew this year but butternut or pretty much any winter squash should do.
1 3/4 pounds winter squash
4 tablespoons butter
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
Fresh sage leaves, sliced thin (I used about 20 small leaves)
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 ounces ricotta
1 1/2 ounces parmesan
3 eggs
Nutmeg to taste
More salt to taste if desired
Remove the skin and seeds from the squash and cut it into 1-inch cubes. Set aside.
Melt the butter in a medium sized saute pan over medium heat and allow it to brown. Add the garlic and sage leaves and cook another minute or two. Add the squash and salt to the pan, stir to mix and add 1/2 cup water, bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, cover the pan and cook the squash until it is soft, about 30 minutes or so, check it every once in a while and give it a stir. Mash the squash (I used a potato masher) to a puree and let some of the moisture cook off, and set it aside to cool.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Butter 6 7-ounce ramekins and set them on a parchment lined baking tray.
Whisk together the ricotta, parmesan, eggs, and nutmeg. Stir in the cooled squash. Divide the squash mixture evenly between the ramekins and bake for about 50 minutes until the custard is puffed and set in the center and golden brown.
Serve immediately in the ramekins or they can be cooled and kept in the ramekins and reheated later. They can also be turned out of the ramekins and reheated with some cream or a sauce.
Zucchini "Lasagna"
A massive glut of zucchini and an avoidance of carbs led to an experiment with using zucchini as a substitute for pasta for a meatless lasagna. I think I'm on to something here but the method still needs some work.
Zucchini is full of water so simply slicing zucchini and layering it with the other ingredients would just lead to a soupy mess. I've had a lot of success using fully dehydrated zucchini rounds in veggie stuffed frittatas where I simply toss the dried zucchini in with the rest of the veggies and don't even bother to reconstitute the zucchini. The zucchini slices absorb moisture and flavor from the other veggies and the eggs as the frittata bakes. I tried using partially dehydrated zucchini to try to mimic al dente pasta in the lasagna. This version was very good but it was still a bit too soupy.
I didn't weigh how much zucchini I used but it was 5 good sized Romanesco zucchini about 8 to 10 inches long and about 1 1/2 inches in diameter.
For my first attempt I sliced the zucchini lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick slices using a mandoline. Then I salted the slices (no measuring, a few generous 5 finger pinches of kosher salt) and let them sit for 1/2 hour to draw out some moisture. I then rinsed and dried the slices and let them dry in a dehydrator set to 125ºF for almost 2 hours, they were still moist and quite pliable, maybe about half the volume of the fresh slices.
I layered the zucchini with 2 cups of tomato sauce, 12 ounces of sheep's milk ricotta, 8 ounces of buffalo mozzarella, and an unmeasured amount (fairly generous couple of handfuls) of finely grated parmesan, and some drizzles of extra virgin olive. I used an oval gratin pan that's about 9 x 12 inches.
The "lasagna" baked at 350ºF for 30 minutes and then another 10 minutes at 325ºF until the top was nicely browned. We at it after it sat for about 30 minutes.
Adjustments for the next attempt:
- Allow the zucchini to sit with the salt for an hour and then increase the time in the dehydrator. 3 hours perhaps?
Zucchini is full of water so simply slicing zucchini and layering it with the other ingredients would just lead to a soupy mess. I've had a lot of success using fully dehydrated zucchini rounds in veggie stuffed frittatas where I simply toss the dried zucchini in with the rest of the veggies and don't even bother to reconstitute the zucchini. The zucchini slices absorb moisture and flavor from the other veggies and the eggs as the frittata bakes. I tried using partially dehydrated zucchini to try to mimic al dente pasta in the lasagna. This version was very good but it was still a bit too soupy.
I didn't weigh how much zucchini I used but it was 5 good sized Romanesco zucchini about 8 to 10 inches long and about 1 1/2 inches in diameter.
For my first attempt I sliced the zucchini lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick slices using a mandoline. Then I salted the slices (no measuring, a few generous 5 finger pinches of kosher salt) and let them sit for 1/2 hour to draw out some moisture. I then rinsed and dried the slices and let them dry in a dehydrator set to 125ºF for almost 2 hours, they were still moist and quite pliable, maybe about half the volume of the fresh slices.
I layered the zucchini with 2 cups of tomato sauce, 12 ounces of sheep's milk ricotta, 8 ounces of buffalo mozzarella, and an unmeasured amount (fairly generous couple of handfuls) of finely grated parmesan, and some drizzles of extra virgin olive. I used an oval gratin pan that's about 9 x 12 inches.
The "lasagna" baked at 350ºF for 30 minutes and then another 10 minutes at 325ºF until the top was nicely browned. We at it after it sat for about 30 minutes.
Adjustments for the next attempt:
- Allow the zucchini to sit with the salt for an hour and then increase the time in the dehydrator. 3 hours perhaps?
- Bake at 325ºF for the entire time. 45 minutes?
Spring Onion and Goat Cheese Souffle
An adaptation of a favorite recipe for a caramelized onion souffle. I used some of the current bounty of spring onions flooding in from the garden instead of bulbing onions. The recipe needs some work, I either need to add an additional egg white or reduce the amount of onions to lighten it up. It may also help to bake it in a smaller dish to get it to rise higher. The smaller dish would also make for a more impressive presentation when served at the table. The nice thing about baking it in a larger dish is that it bakes more quickly, getting it on the table sooner which is nice because it takes quite a while to cook the onions for the base. Another thing to consider is baking it in a cast iron skillet. The flavor was great, I don't really need to tinker with that.
1 pound spring onions
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 Sprigs of fresh thyme
1 fresh bay leaf
Salt
1/2 cup chopped parsley, measured without packing down
5 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons flour
1 cup buttermilk (or milk)
1/3 cup cream
4 eggs, separated
4 ounces goat cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Nutmeg
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
Slice the solid stalks of the onions into 1/4-inch rounds. Slice the green leafy tops of the onions into 1/2-inch long pieces. Reserve the greens separately.
Heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Sizzle the thyme sprigs and bay leaf for a moment and then add the sliced onion stalks. Stir the onions and herbs together a few moments and then turn the heat down to low and cover the pan. Cook gently, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very soft and starting to caramelize. This may take about 20 minutes or so, don't rush it. Don't worry about the moisture released by the onions, it will eventually cook off. If the onions start to stick to the bottom of the pan that means they are about done. Stir in the sliced green onion tops and continue cooking until the greens are wilted. Add salt to taste and stir in the chopped parsley. Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs (the leaves will have fallen off) and set the onion mixture aside. The onions can be cooked hours or even a day in advance.
Butter a medium sized (9-inch by 14-inch) (? cups) oval gratin dish. Preheat the oven to 450º F.
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat and add the flour. Stir to combine and let the mixture cook for a couple of minutes. Whisk in the buttermilk and cream and cook a few minutes more until the mixture is thick and smooth. Remove from the heat and whisk in the egg yolks, one at a time, stirring well after each addition. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in the onion mixture. Add the goat cheese and mix well. Taste for salt and pepper and add a few scrapings of fresh nutmeg.
Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Add half to the onion base and fold in. Fold in the remaining whites. Pour the mixture into the prepared dish. Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese and bake for about 15 minutes or more for a firmer texture, until well browned.
Serve immediately.
Makes 3 to 4 servings.
1 pound spring onions
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 Sprigs of fresh thyme
1 fresh bay leaf
Salt
1/2 cup chopped parsley, measured without packing down
5 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons flour
1 cup buttermilk (or milk)
1/3 cup cream
4 eggs, separated
4 ounces goat cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Nutmeg
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
Slice the solid stalks of the onions into 1/4-inch rounds. Slice the green leafy tops of the onions into 1/2-inch long pieces. Reserve the greens separately.
Heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Sizzle the thyme sprigs and bay leaf for a moment and then add the sliced onion stalks. Stir the onions and herbs together a few moments and then turn the heat down to low and cover the pan. Cook gently, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very soft and starting to caramelize. This may take about 20 minutes or so, don't rush it. Don't worry about the moisture released by the onions, it will eventually cook off. If the onions start to stick to the bottom of the pan that means they are about done. Stir in the sliced green onion tops and continue cooking until the greens are wilted. Add salt to taste and stir in the chopped parsley. Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs (the leaves will have fallen off) and set the onion mixture aside. The onions can be cooked hours or even a day in advance.
Butter a medium sized (9-inch by 14-inch) (? cups) oval gratin dish. Preheat the oven to 450º F.
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat and add the flour. Stir to combine and let the mixture cook for a couple of minutes. Whisk in the buttermilk and cream and cook a few minutes more until the mixture is thick and smooth. Remove from the heat and whisk in the egg yolks, one at a time, stirring well after each addition. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in the onion mixture. Add the goat cheese and mix well. Taste for salt and pepper and add a few scrapings of fresh nutmeg.
Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Add half to the onion base and fold in. Fold in the remaining whites. Pour the mixture into the prepared dish. Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese and bake for about 15 minutes or more for a firmer texture, until well browned.
Serve immediately.
Makes 3 to 4 servings.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Squash with Crisp Parmesan Breadcrumbs
Another recipe for the Brussels Sprouts Challenge. This time I chose to roast them in an oval gratin dish along with some chunks of winter squash and topped it all with a seasoned breadcrumb mixture. Simple and tasty.
8 ounces peeled winter squash cut into approximately 1-inch chunks
12 ounces Brussels sprouts, halved
A pinch of salt
2 tablespoons melted butter for the veggies
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs made from stale rustic bread (part whole grain) with the crusts retained
1 1/2 tablespoons capers, preferably salt packed, rinsed and drained, chopped
1 teaspoon crumbled dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon pepper flakes, optional
1/2 ounce (1/4 cup) grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon melted butter for the breadcrumbs
Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
Toss the prepared veggies with a pinch of salt, not too much because the topping is salty, and the 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Place in an oval 12x8-inch gratin dish or similar sized baking dish. Place a piece of parchment paper that is cut to fit in the dish on top of the veggies. Bake for 20 minutes.
While the veggies are baking, toss together the breadcrumbs, capers, oregano, pepper flakes, and parmesan cheese. Toss with the tablespoon of butter.
Remove the veggies from the oven and uncover. Scatter the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the veggies and return the dish to the oven, uncovered, and continue to bake for an additional 20 minutes, or until the veggies are tender and the breadcrumbs are crisp.
Serve immediately.
Makes about 4 servings as a side dish or 2 servings as a vegetarian main dish.
8 ounces peeled winter squash cut into approximately 1-inch chunks
12 ounces Brussels sprouts, halved
A pinch of salt
2 tablespoons melted butter for the veggies
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs made from stale rustic bread (part whole grain) with the crusts retained
1 1/2 tablespoons capers, preferably salt packed, rinsed and drained, chopped
1 teaspoon crumbled dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon pepper flakes, optional
1/2 ounce (1/4 cup) grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon melted butter for the breadcrumbs
Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
Toss the prepared veggies with a pinch of salt, not too much because the topping is salty, and the 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Place in an oval 12x8-inch gratin dish or similar sized baking dish. Place a piece of parchment paper that is cut to fit in the dish on top of the veggies. Bake for 20 minutes.
While the veggies are baking, toss together the breadcrumbs, capers, oregano, pepper flakes, and parmesan cheese. Toss with the tablespoon of butter.
Remove the veggies from the oven and uncover. Scatter the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the veggies and return the dish to the oven, uncovered, and continue to bake for an additional 20 minutes, or until the veggies are tender and the breadcrumbs are crisp.
Serve immediately.
Makes about 4 servings as a side dish or 2 servings as a vegetarian main dish.
Winter Squash Flans
This is the lazy or time challenged cook's method to make a flan with winter squash. With time running short before I wanted to have dinner and a big winter squash demanding some attention before it spoiled and a desire for something custardy and cheesy I decided to try making a squash flan without using baked squash puree. And now that I look at the ingredients and proportions I can see that it is essentially the same as the crustless quiches that I also make. So call it what you will, flan or naked quiche, it's tasty and not too time consuming to make. The ratio of milk and cream is flexible, use more cream if you want a rich dish or use just use milk for a lighter dish.
4 tablespoons butter, plus additional for buttering the dishes
4 ounces chopped sweet red onion
1½ cups peeled and grated Buttercup Squash
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Freshly grated nutmeg
3 eggs
1 cup whole milk
½ cup heavy cream
4 ounces grated truffle Gouda or other such cheese
Preheat oven to 325°F.
Thoroughly butter 4 individual souffle dishes. My dishes have interior dimensions of about 4 inches by 1.25 inches. In a small skillet, melt the 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. When it begins to foam, add the onion and sauté, stirring often, until the onion is translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the squash, season with the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Remove from the heat and set aside.
In a medium bowl, beat together the eggs, milk and cream until well blended. Portion the squash mixture into the prepared souffle dishes and top each one with 1 ounce of cheese. Divide the custard mixture amongst the dishes. Place the filled dishes on a rimmed baking sheet.
Bake until the tops are puffed and golden, about 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve immediately or let cool slightly. They can be kept in the refrigerator in the dishes and reheated in the oven or microwave.
Makes 4 servings.
4 tablespoons butter, plus additional for buttering the dishes
4 ounces chopped sweet red onion
1½ cups peeled and grated Buttercup Squash
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Freshly grated nutmeg
3 eggs
1 cup whole milk
½ cup heavy cream
4 ounces grated truffle Gouda or other such cheese
Preheat oven to 325°F.
Thoroughly butter 4 individual souffle dishes. My dishes have interior dimensions of about 4 inches by 1.25 inches. In a small skillet, melt the 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. When it begins to foam, add the onion and sauté, stirring often, until the onion is translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the squash, season with the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Remove from the heat and set aside.
In a medium bowl, beat together the eggs, milk and cream until well blended. Portion the squash mixture into the prepared souffle dishes and top each one with 1 ounce of cheese. Divide the custard mixture amongst the dishes. Place the filled dishes on a rimmed baking sheet.
Bake until the tops are puffed and golden, about 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve immediately or let cool slightly. They can be kept in the refrigerator in the dishes and reheated in the oven or microwave.
Makes 4 servings.
Brussels Sprouts Galette
 |
| Brussels Sprouts Galette |
1 recipe whole wheat pastry dough
4 ounces red onion, sliced about ¼ inch thick
1 tablespoon olive oil
Pinch of salt
4 ounces or about 1/2 large Pink Lady apple, cored but not peeled
3 tablespoons creme fraiche
8 ounces Brussels sprouts
2 jumiper berries, minced
Freshly grated nutmeg
¼ teaspoon pepper flakes
½ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces Comte or Gruyere cheese, grated
1 tablespoon or more heavy cream or 1 egg white lightly beaten
Prepare the pastry dough and chill it while preparing the galette filling.
Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
Saute the onion with a pinch of salt in the olive oil over medium heat until softened, just a few minutes. Set aside to cool.
Dice the apple into 1/4-inch cubes and toss it with the creme fraiche in a large bowl.
Slice the Brussels sprouts 1/8-inch thick on a mandoline. Toss the sprouts with the apple mixture, juniper berries, a few swipes of nutmeg, pepper flakes, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. It is easiest to mix it all together with your hands.
Roll the pastry into a 14-inch circle. Don't worry about the edges, it's a rustic galette and the rough edges look nice. Transfer the dough to a sheet of parchment paper set on a rimless baking sheet. Arrange the Brussels sprouts mixture evenly over the dough leaving about 2 inches empty all around. Scatter the onions over the top and then the cheese. Fold the edges up over the filling pleating the dough as you go. Brush the top of the dough with the cream or egg white.
Bake the galette in the middle of the oven for about 25 to 30 minutes until the pastry is crisp and browned and the filling has settled and browned a bit also. Check the galette after about 20 minutes and if it seems to be browning too quickly turn the heat down to 375ºF.
Transfer the galette on the parchment paper to a cooling rack to cool briefly before slicing. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Brussels Sprouts Skillet Souffle
The Brussels Sprouts Challenge continues with this souffle that I adapted from a recipe for a skillet souffle that's packed with herbs. It's not a traditional souffle made with a flavored sauce base, it's more of puffy omelet or frittata. It is more simple to make than a true souffle and goes together very quickly. A skillet souffle is very adaptable to a host of flavorings. In this one I've shredded the Brussels sprouts and stirred them into the base raw so that they end up barely cooked and bright green. Dave declared this delicious and I'm sure I'll be making it again.
2 generous tablespoons fine dry breadcrumbs
3/8 cup milk
6 large eggs, separated
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper
6 large Brussels sprouts
1/2 cup sliced green onion tops
1/2 cup shredded Comte cheese
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Warm the milk and stir it into the bread crumbs in a large bowl and let them soak until they become pasty, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the egg yolks, salt, and pepper.
Finely slice the Brussels sprouts on a mandoline, about 1/8-inch thick. Add them to the egg yolk mixture along with 1/2 of the cheese, stir to combine thoroughly.
Just before you are ready to cook the souffle, place a 10-inch ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Beat the egg whites until they form very soft peaks. Scoop the whites into the yolk mixture and quickly fold them in. Add the butter to the skillet and allow it to sizzle but not brown. Pour the batter into the pan and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Immediately put the skillet on the middle rack of the oven and bake the souffle for 15 to 17 minutes, or until it is puffed and deeply browned.
Serve it right away, spooned from the skillet, or at room temperature cut into wedges.
Makes 2 to 3 servings.
2 generous tablespoons fine dry breadcrumbs
3/8 cup milk
6 large eggs, separated
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper
6 large Brussels sprouts
1/2 cup sliced green onion tops
1/2 cup shredded Comte cheese
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Warm the milk and stir it into the bread crumbs in a large bowl and let them soak until they become pasty, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the egg yolks, salt, and pepper.
Finely slice the Brussels sprouts on a mandoline, about 1/8-inch thick. Add them to the egg yolk mixture along with 1/2 of the cheese, stir to combine thoroughly.
Just before you are ready to cook the souffle, place a 10-inch ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Beat the egg whites until they form very soft peaks. Scoop the whites into the yolk mixture and quickly fold them in. Add the butter to the skillet and allow it to sizzle but not brown. Pour the batter into the pan and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Immediately put the skillet on the middle rack of the oven and bake the souffle for 15 to 17 minutes, or until it is puffed and deeply browned.
Serve it right away, spooned from the skillet, or at room temperature cut into wedges.
Makes 2 to 3 servings.
Parsnip & Mushroom Flans
I've adapted this recipe from Georgeanne Brennan's in her book The Vegetarian Table: France. I baked the flan in individual dishes rather than one large one and added cheese and changed the ratio of milk and cream, and changed the oven temperature and baking time. That's enough changes that I can call this recipe my own, but thanks Georgeanne for the inspiration.
4 tablespoons butter, plus additional for buttering the dishes
½ cup minced yellow onion
½ cup minced fresh mushrooms
3 eggs
1 cup whole milk
½ cup creme fraiche or heavy cream
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup minced fresh parsley
1½ cups peeled and grated parsnips
4 ounces grated truffle Gouda or other cheese
Option 1: substitute ham for the mushrooms
Preheat oven to 325°F.
Thoroughly grease 4 individual souffle dishes with butter, my dishes have interior dimensions of about 4 inches by 1.25 inches. In a small skillet, melt the 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. When it begins to foam, add the onion and mushrooms and sauté, stirring often, until the onion is translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
In a medium bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, creme fraiche, and salt until well blended. In another bowl, mix together the onion-mushroom mixture, the parsley, and the grated parsnips. Portion the parsnip mixture into the prepared souffle dishes and top each one with 1 ounce of cheese. Divide the custard mixture amongst the dishes. Place the filled dishes on a rimmed baking sheet.
Bake until the tops are puffed and golden and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, about 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve immediately or let cool slightly. They can be kept in the refrigerator in the dishes and reheated in the oven or microwave.
4 tablespoons butter, plus additional for buttering the dishes
½ cup minced yellow onion
½ cup minced fresh mushrooms
3 eggs
1 cup whole milk
½ cup creme fraiche or heavy cream
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup minced fresh parsley
1½ cups peeled and grated parsnips
4 ounces grated truffle Gouda or other cheese
Option 1: substitute ham for the mushrooms
Preheat oven to 325°F.
Thoroughly grease 4 individual souffle dishes with butter, my dishes have interior dimensions of about 4 inches by 1.25 inches. In a small skillet, melt the 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. When it begins to foam, add the onion and mushrooms and sauté, stirring often, until the onion is translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
In a medium bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, creme fraiche, and salt until well blended. In another bowl, mix together the onion-mushroom mixture, the parsley, and the grated parsnips. Portion the parsnip mixture into the prepared souffle dishes and top each one with 1 ounce of cheese. Divide the custard mixture amongst the dishes. Place the filled dishes on a rimmed baking sheet.
Bake until the tops are puffed and golden and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, about 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve immediately or let cool slightly. They can be kept in the refrigerator in the dishes and reheated in the oven or microwave.
Green Chile Pudding Soufflés
I used a recipe for sweet corn pudding soufflés as a template for this preparation. This was a great way to use up a package of the frozen roasted Sonora Anaheim chile peppers from my garden. One thing that is really convenient about pudding souffles as opposed to regular poofy souffles is that most of the preparation can be done in advance. The pudding soufflés are baked twice, the first baking can be done hours in advance of serving them. For the final bake the puddings are removed from the ramekins that they were baked in, placed on a baking sheet or oven proof serving dish, then baked with some cream until they are warm and puffy. These make a great first course or a vegetarian main dish. We enjoyed them as a main dish accompanied by a green salad.
About 14 oz. roasted peeled seeded green Anaheim peppers, chopped
2 cups whole milk
6 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons Oaxacan Green cornmeal, or use 4 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 teaspoon Oregano Indio, or dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
4 eggs, separated
2 1/2 ounces Mount Toro Tomme, finely grated, an aged dry Jack would be a good substitute
1/2 cup heavy cream or Crème fraiche
Smoked paprika
Blend half of the peppers with half of the milk in a blender or with a wand blender to make a smooth puree. Blend in the rest of the milk.
Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large saucepan, add the cornmeal and stir to mix, Allow to cook gently for a few minutes until the cornmeal becomes fragrant. Whisk in the pepper mixture until blended and smooth. Bring to a simmer. Allow the mixture to cook gently, stirring frequently, about 20 minutes, until thickened. Season with the oregano, cumin, and salt.
Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining butter. Stir in the egg yolks one at a time. Stir in the cheese and stir until the cheese has melted. Stir in the remaining chopped peppers. Transfer to a large bowl and allow the soufflé base to cool a bit.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Butter 7 or 8 ramekins, be sure to get the rims, and place them in a baking dish.
Beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks and gently fold them into the soufflé base. Ladle the mixture into the ramekins, filling them to the rims. Pour in enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Place the dish with the ramekins in the oven. The little soufflés should take about 30 minutes to cook, but check after 20 minutes in case there are hotspots in your oven. When done, the soufflés should be puffed up and brown on top. Immediately remove them from the oven, take them out of the water bath, and allow them to cool. The soufflés will fall. They can be made up to this point several hours in advance of serving.
Ten minutes before the soufflés are to be served, turn them out of the ramekins and place them, right side up, in individual gratin dishes that have been smeared with a spoonful of crème fraiche or use one large baking dish. Top each soufflé with another spoonful of crème fraiche. Put the baking dishes in the oven for about 8 minutes, or until the cream is bubbling slightly and the soufflés have swelled up. Remove the soufflés from the oven. If they've been baked on one large dish place each one on a warm serving plate and pour the cream from the baking dish over the soufflés. Shake some smoked paprika over all and serve immediately.
Note: The soufflés were looking close to finished at 20 minutes but were still quite jiggly. They continued to puff up over the next 10 minutes. At 30 minutes they were still somewhat jiggly but quite brown on top. Perhaps I'll cover them with a sheet of aluminum foil for the last 10 minutes the next time I try the recipe, either that or reduce the oven temperature to 375ºF. They seemed to be baked enough though and once cooled they came out of the ramekins fairly easily, I scooped out the little bit of souffle that stuck to the bottom and placed in the gratin dish and plopped the souffle on top. It came out great.
 |
| 20 minutes |
 |
| 25 minutes |
 |
| 30 minutes |
The corn soufflé recipe called for 6 ramekins of an unspecified size. I guess my ramekins were too small, I had to enlist a 7th one of a different shape and still had a spoonful of mixture left. My ramekins hold 7 ounces when filled to the rim, that other one holds a bit more and it has a rim with an outward curving lip which made for a different shaped top. I like the effect with the straight rim. Next time I'll probably make eight slightly smaller souffles with the straight sided ramekins.
Ricotta Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms in Sage Butter
For this dish I like to pick the zucchini blossoms at the end of the day when they have closed up but before the tips of the flowers have started to twist around, it makes them easier to fill without having the filling ooze out. Even blossoms that are a day old are ok if you can untwist the tips of the petals to push the tip of the pastry bag into the blossom. I don't remove the pistils or stamens from the blossoms but I do check inside to be sure there aren't any trapped insects. I usually have to collect blossoms for 2 to 4 days to get enough and have found that they keep well for a few days in the refrigerator in a large sealed container or a large bowl covered with plastic wrap. Plastic bags don't work as well, the blossoms get too battered.
If you have an aversion to using a pastry bag and have to use a spoon to fill the blossoms then you should pick the blossoms before they close up or you will have one huge exercise in frustration trying to stuff the blossoms. Try to twist the ends of the blossoms together so that the filling doesn't ooze out. That's a bit frustrating too, really, just try the pastry bag. I use a lightweight plastic pastry bag (Magic Line 14") which hasn't had the tip trimmed to fit a metal tip (no metal tip required for this recipe).
The stuffed blossoms are wonderful as an appetizer for 4 to 6 people or for a meatless main course for 2 or 3 people (2 if my husband is at the table).
6 tablespoons butter
1/4 ounce fresh sage leaves (about 24)
8 ounces whole milk ricotta (drain on paper towels if very wet)
1 1/2 ounces grated parmigiano
1 tablespoon whole wheat pastry flour or unbleached all purpose flour
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
a generous grating of fresh nutmeg
8 to 12 zucchini blossoms, depending on size
Freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Melt the butter over low heat in a flame proof baking dish or oven proof skillet. Add the fresh sage leaves to the pan, turn the heat up to medium-low and cook until the butter solids turn brown and the sage leaves crisp. Remove the pan from the heat. Remove the sage leaves from the pan and set them aside on a dish to cool. When cool, set aside 8 to 12 large whole leaves and chop the rest.
Mix together the ricotta, parmigiano, flour, egg, salt, nutmeg and chopped sage leaves. Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag. Stuff each blossom by pushing the tip of the pastry bag into the blossom and gently squeezing in enough to fill the bottom of the blossom (up to the point just below where the petals separate out into points). Lay each blossom in the baking dish and turn each blossom a couple of times to coat them a bit with the browned butter. Grind some fresh black pepper over all the blossoms.
So, here's the iffy part of the instructions, I haven't kept track of the time that the blossoms have been spending in the oven, but if memory serves me right (not always though), it should take about 20 to 25 minutes total. After about 15 minutes in the oven turn each blossom over so that it gets nicely coated with all that yummy butter and place one of the reserved sage leaves on top of blossom. Continue baking until the blossoms have puffed up and the ricotta filling has firmed up. Serve hot or warm.
Spinach Leaves stuffed with Ricotta and Spinach
An idea for a new recipe.
Stuff extra large spinach leaves with a mixture of ricotta, parmigiano, onion, garlic, chopped wilted/squeezed spinach, nutmeg.... spinach involtini.... blanch leaves first?
Bake in tomato sauce or with brown butter/sage.
Stuff extra large spinach leaves with a mixture of ricotta, parmigiano, onion, garlic, chopped wilted/squeezed spinach, nutmeg.... spinach involtini.... blanch leaves first?
Bake in tomato sauce or with brown butter/sage.
Creamed Spinach with Eggs and Parmigiano
There are any number of ways to prepare creamed spinach, but more often than not I think that most preparations cook the spinach to death and many recipes use a bechamel sauce, two things I wanted to avoid. One method of keeping the finished dish from being too watery is to sauté the spinach until the excess water has evaporated, which in my opinion overcooks the spinach. I suppose that using a flour thickened bechamel sauce also avoids a watery finished product, but I'm avoiding grains and white flour in particular so that isn't an option right now. My solution to the problem was to wilt the spinach and squeeze out most of the water (which is typically the first step anyway), but then I simmer the cream mixture to thicken it before I add the chopped spinach. It doesn't take any extra time if you are starting with fresh spinach, the cream can reduce while you are prepping the spinach. The addition of eggs to the dish made this a substantial main dish which merely required a simple refreshing salad to make the meal complete (in this case it was mâche with avocado and grapefruit).
Amounts are approximate, I did no measuring while I prepared the dish.
Creamed Spinach with Eggs and Parmigiano
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup creme fraiche
Freshly grated nutmeg
Fresh ground black pepper
Salt
1 1/2 pounds fresh spinach with no stems (weigh after removing stems)
4 eggs (extra large is nice)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano cheese
Olive oil
Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Bring a 9-inch (23 cm) cazuela up to medium low heat. Melt the butter in the pan and add the onion and garlic, sauté until the onion is translucent. Pour the cream into the pan and stir in the creme fraiche, turn the heat to low and let the contents of the pan simmer slowly while you prep the spinach. Use a medium sauté pan if you don't have a cazuela and have a 9-inch gratin dish or baking dish ready.
Wilt the spinach in an extra-large sauté pan in batches and set the spinach on a rimmed sheet pan to cool until it can be handled. Squeeze the spinach by handfuls to rid it of the extra moisture (you can save the liquid to use in soup), no need to squeeze it to death. Chop the spinach.
Remove the cream mixture from the heat and season it with nutmeg, pepper, and salt to taste. Stir in the chopped spinach. (Transfer the mixture to a gratin or baking dish if using one.) Make a well in the spinach mixture and crack an egg into it, repeat with the remaining eggs. Scatter the Parmigiano over the top and drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Bake until the contents of the dish are bubbling and the eggs are set, about 15 minutes if using the cazuela or longer if using a baking dish (preheat the baking dish if you want to speed things up).
Makes 2 to 4 servings.
Amounts are approximate, I did no measuring while I prepared the dish.
Creamed Spinach with Eggs and Parmigiano
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup creme fraiche
Freshly grated nutmeg
Fresh ground black pepper
Salt
1 1/2 pounds fresh spinach with no stems (weigh after removing stems)
4 eggs (extra large is nice)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano cheese
Olive oil
Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Bring a 9-inch (23 cm) cazuela up to medium low heat. Melt the butter in the pan and add the onion and garlic, sauté until the onion is translucent. Pour the cream into the pan and stir in the creme fraiche, turn the heat to low and let the contents of the pan simmer slowly while you prep the spinach. Use a medium sauté pan if you don't have a cazuela and have a 9-inch gratin dish or baking dish ready.
Wilt the spinach in an extra-large sauté pan in batches and set the spinach on a rimmed sheet pan to cool until it can be handled. Squeeze the spinach by handfuls to rid it of the extra moisture (you can save the liquid to use in soup), no need to squeeze it to death. Chop the spinach.
Remove the cream mixture from the heat and season it with nutmeg, pepper, and salt to taste. Stir in the chopped spinach. (Transfer the mixture to a gratin or baking dish if using one.) Make a well in the spinach mixture and crack an egg into it, repeat with the remaining eggs. Scatter the Parmigiano over the top and drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Bake until the contents of the dish are bubbling and the eggs are set, about 15 minutes if using the cazuela or longer if using a baking dish (preheat the baking dish if you want to speed things up).
Makes 2 to 4 servings.
Beet Greens Quiche with no Crust (updated 4/21/14)
Beets are very closely related to chard, they are really just chard plants with skinny stems and fat roots, but the flavor of the greens is stronger than chard. I prefer to use them in dishes that incorporate other ingredients to offset that stronger flavor. Here's a new recipe that I came up with to use the first beet greens of the year, it's an adaptation of a spinach quiche recipe baked without a crust - both a time and carbo saver. I baked these in individual serving sized ceramic souffle dishes since a quiche without a crust would be messy to try to serve in slices. You could bake the filling in a partially baked tart shell (use at least a 10-inch quiche or pie dish), if you do that bake the quiche at 425 for the first 15 minutes and then turn the heat down to 350 and continue baking for about 30 more minutes. You could also substitute an equal amount of chard or spinach for the beet greens.
Update, April 21, 2014: I've modified the recipe to reduce the amount of custard mix because I found that I often time had too much filling for 4 ramekins but not enough for 5. I've also added an option to substitute stock for milk in the custard because the last time I prepared the dish I didn't have milk on hand so I tried the stock instead and the end result was delicious.
About 1 1/2 pounds beet greens, or chard or spinach
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 small onion, sliced thin, or one large spring onion including green tops
3 eggs
3/4 cup milk or poultry stock
3/4 cup creme fraiche, or cream or milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
fresh grated nutmeg to taste
4 ounces grated gruyere or swiss cheese
smoked sweet or medium hot paprika
Preheat the oven to 325F.
Wash the beet greens and trim off the tough stems. Place the wet greens in a large saute pan over medium heat, cover the pan and cook until the leaves are wilted, turning them a few times to cook them evenly. Drain in a colander, allow them to cool until they can be handled, squeeze handfuls to remove excess moisture, and coarsely chop.
Saute the onion in the olive oil until the onions are translucent. Add the chopped greens to the pan and saute for a minute or two to dry them a bit more. Portion the onion-greens mixture into 4 individual sized souffle dishes (my dishes have an interior size of about 4 inches by 1.25 inches) and place the dishes on a baking sheet.
Beat the eggs, milk, creme fraiche, salt and nutmeg together. Pour an equal amount into each greens filled souffle dish, top each dish with 1 ounce of grated cheese, and dust the tops with the paprika. Bake the souffles for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the custard has set and the tops are golden brown and puffed. Serve immediately, or cool and reheat later.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)