Summertime Peach Cobbler

GAHHH, why isn't EVERYTHING made out of peaches?! It's the peak of summer and I cannot think of a single food that I love more.

I love peaches.

SO SO MUCH!

They're a real peach.  I guess that's where that saying comes from.

You can grill them, you can put them in salad, you can make my very favorite desserts out of them.  You can bob for them. You can eat them with a man named Bob. They'd even brighten up some corn on the cob. (Sorry, I momentarily channeled Dr. Seuss there. I'm on a peach sugar high). Anyway, there is really nothing that a peach can't make better. Even RK, who claims that he has always disliked peaches, now loves them. They are perfect. We are in love. WE are a real peach.

I am also in love with this cobbler recipe. It is SO simple. Nothing fancy. It just focuses on the flavor of the peaches and the simplicity of a perfect pastry topping. Just use very ripe, fresh peaches and you will have the perfect summertime dessert! Rich's grandmother's china is optional, but encouraged.

Ingredients:

For the peaches
8 fresh peaches, peeled, and sliced into thin wedges
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

For the pastry
1 cup flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoon chilled butter cut into small cubes
1/4 cup boiling water

For the topping
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Flaky sea salt (optional)

Method:
In a large mixing bowl, combine peeled and sliced peaches, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Toss everything together until the peaches are coated evenly. Pour into a greased baking dish and bake in an oven preheated to 425 degrees for about 10 minutes.

While the peaches are baking, in another large bowl, combine flour, remaining sugars, baking poser, and salt. Using your fingers or a pastry blender, cut in the chilled butter and blend until the mixture resembles course meal. Stir in the boiling water until just combined.

Remove the peached from the oven and top with spoonfuls of the pastry topping. Sprinkle the entire cobbler with the cinnamon and sugar mixture. Bake until the topping is golden and the peaches are bubbling, about 40 minutes.

Remove the cobbler from the oven and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. This is totally optional, but I did it and it was delicious.

Serve warm with vanilla bean ice cream!

Cauliflower and Black Bean NACHOS!

Please allow me to introduce you to my new favorite food.....

They are cheesy, spicy, and have all of the flavor of your very favorite late night bar food... except they are carb free, and nutritious! No, I am not joking. I replaced tortilla chips for sriracha roasted cauliflower and then piled them high with all of my favorite nacho toppings. They lasted about 5 minutes. RK and I gobbled them up so fast!

Cauliflower nachos for the win!

Ingredients:

For the cauliflower

1 head of cauliflower cut into thin florets

Sriracha sauce

Olive oil

Taco seasoning

For the nachos

Black beans

Tomatoes

Pickled jalapeños

Shredded cheddar cheese

Shredded jack cheese

Iceberg lettuce

Avocados

Green onion 

Fresh cilantro

Salsa

Sour cream or greek yogurt

Method:

No, there are no measurements.... this is all completely to your taste! 

Pre heat your oven to 400 degrees. 

Cut the cauliflower into florets and then slice each one into thin-ish slices. They will fall apart a little bit, which is fine. You want to get the florets thin, but not all falling apart into tiny pieces. The cauliflower will replace tortilla chips, so you want them to hold some toppings! 

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

Toss the cauliflower with a little olive oil, sriracha, taco seasoning, salt, and pepper. 

Spread the cauliflower in a single layer in the baking sheet and bake for about 40 minutes or until the cauliflower is roasted and browned. 

Once the cauliflower is roasted, top with cheese, black beans, and pickled jalapeños and put back in the oven to bake until the cheese is melted and the black beans are hot. 

Then, pile on the toppings of your choice and enjoy!

Carb-free, Guilt-Free, Taste-full Eggplant Pizzas

Ok, this recipe was so delicious that I didn't even stop stuffing my face long enough to take a photo! (Rich took an embarrassing photo of my stuffed face that shall remain unpublished.) Fortunately for me, that gave me the perfect reason to make it again today! I'm a little obsessed...

As I said yesterday, Rich and I are trying to eat healthier for our upcoming vacation(s). Well, I am eating healthier and since I usually make the dinners in this family.... Rich is getting into bikini shape too! Next up, couples waxing. Butt (yup, I did that) as I've mentioned, when I decide to eat healthy, all that I want to eat is pizza. Quite honestly, all that I EVER want to eat EVER is pizza. 

I am a big fan of the Pinterest famous cauliflower crust pizza. It's absolutely delicious, but it is SO much prep work. Anything that requires a food processor is a pain in my ass, which makes me a pain in Rich's... it's a rabbit hole of pain. So, I like to stick to kitchen appliances that require very little cleaning. And while the zucchini pizzas I have seen floating around the internet look really yummy, they are way to small. I mean, I need to mush two of them together to make them "bite size!"  So, no. Then, I remembered Julia Child's eggplant pizzas! 

Tranches d'aubergine a italienne. A' perfecto is what I call them. They are so easy and so delicious!I actually really dislike eggplant! (Please note that I did not say "hate" eggplant because I save that word for foods like salmon.) But, it's true. Eggplant is not something that I usually reach for in the kitchen. But, I think I have finally found an reason to show it a little love. 

Now, even though this recipe is from Julia Child (after all, the best are other people's), I made this my recipe my own... which you should do, too! I had some extra mushrooms in the fridge that I sautéed and put on top and I also added some kalamata olives and fresh basil. 

Ingredients:
1 large globe eggplant
About 1 tablespoon salt for drawing out excess water from eggplant
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
Fresh basil

Salt and Pepper

Hot red pepper flakes

(Again, you can add more toppings if you want to...)

Method: 
Slice the eggplant into 3/4 inch thick slices. Sprinkle with salt and let sit for about 30 minutes to draw out the excess water that makes eggplant have that awful, mushy texture. Wipe the eggplant fry with a paper towel to remove the water and all that salt. Don't skip this step or your pizzas will be wayyyy to salty!

While the eggplant is sitting, you can make the pizza sauce! (Recipe below!)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Brush both sides of each piece of eggplant with olive oil and place on a parchment paper lined backing sheet. Roast the eggplant for about 25 minutes. I flipped the eggplant halfway through baking so that both sides got golden brown. 

Once the eggplant is roasted, top each piece with pizza sauce, grated cheese, and toppings of your choice and bake for another 8 minutes or so until the cheese is melted and slightly browned! Then top each pizza with fresh basil and crushed red pepper flakes! 


For the pizza sauce:
You can totally use your favorite store bought sauce, but if you are feeling fancy here is my recipe.....

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
16 ounces of cherry tomatoes
1 tablespoon water
Salt and pepper

Method:
Heat olive oil in a medium skillet. Add the tomatoes, garlic, and water. Cover and bring to a simmer. 

When the tomatoes are beginning to cook down, about 20 minutes, remove the skins, they should slide off easily, and dispose. Once all of the skins are removed, remove and dispose the garlic cloves and crush the tomatoes until they are smooth. 

Continue cooking, uncovered for another 25 minutes until the liquid has evaporated and the sauce is a deep red color. 

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy!!!!

Post Detox Green Chicken Soup

Why yes, it does say "post detox" in the title. Which means yes, I actually did a cleanse. I know... I am as surprised as anyone!!! I had very little faith in myself going into this whole thing, but I actually made it through and I feel absolutely amazing! I started out doing a three day cleanse though Pressed Juices and loved it so much that I actually added two days and did a five day cleanse! I was definitely hungry at first, especially being around food non stop. Cooking and cleansing is tough to say the least, but it was totally worth it. 

This soup is perfect for coming off of a cleanse! Orrrr just because soup is delicious. It's super healthy, packed with immunity boosting greens and lean chicken breast. I made a huge batch of it so that it would be ready when I was done my cleanse and so that I would have extras to freeze for the next time I wake up with a sniffle in my nose.

POST-DETOX CHICKEN SOUP
Recipe from Chalkboardmag.com

Ingredients:

For the soup:

½ bunch kale (washed, stem removed and leaves shredded)
½ bunch swiss chard (washed and shred leaves only. Keep stems)
1/2 leek (mostly white part, washed very well and sliced into strips)
2 cups green cabbage (shredded)
2 stalks of celery (washed and slivered)
6 cups fortified chicken stock (regular chicken stock, reduced to ½ its volume)
couple minced cloves of garlic
salt and pepper to taste

To simmer the chicken:
2 chicken breast (bone-in for more flavor)
2 carrots (peeled and cut into thick slices)
2 stalk celery (washed and cut into big slices)
Swiss Chard (sliced stems)
½ cup leek (washed and sliced)
½ cup Spanish onion (cut into chunks)
cold water- to cover chicken and veg


Method:

For the Chicken:

Add all the ingredients in stockpot and cover with cold water. Start on high until it comes to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and let the chicken cook for 25 minutes.

Remove chicken from pot and chill until cool enough to handle with hands. Pull chicken into shreds. I saved the stock for the soup... I just reduced it by half so that it was much more flavorful.

For the Soup:

Place all the shredded greens and garlic into a separate pot. Cover with fortified chicken stock and cook at medium high heat, until it begins to boil (you won’t see it very well, as the greens will cover the broth). The greens will soon cook down and diminish in size. Let soup simmer slowly for 10 more minutes. Stir in shredded chicken breast and cook for 1 or 2 more minutes. Adjust seasoning. I like to keep it low in salt after co ming out of detox.

Green Minestrone for a Summertime Cold

Wanna know what's worse than sweating in 90 degree weather.......??
Sweating in 90 degree weather because you have a fever and feel like death.

UGH!

Summertime colds are the very worst time. They are way worse than winter colds because at least when you have a winter cold you can wear sweatpants.

In front of me I have two glasses of OJ because one is obviously not enough, 5 dogs piled on my lap, 97 or so crumpled up tissues, a scary movie playing on netflix because only scary movies are appropriate for me to watch in my current state of horror, and one Bon Appetite Magazine from which I found the recipe for my only reason for surviving today...

Green Minestrone. 

It is soup for summertime colds and it is delicious. Like, really, really delicious. It is quick to make, so you don't have to have the stove top on all day long. And it is packed with bright, seasonal produce and herbs!


Ingredients:
6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 leeks, white and pale green parts only, chopped
1/2 fennel bulb, chopped
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
4 cups veggie broth or chicken broth
2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced lengthwise on a mandolin
1 1/2 cups green peas (fresh or frozen)
1 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
1/2 shallot finely chopped
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
Shaved parmesan to serve, optional

Method:
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat and cook the leeks, onion, fennel, and celery until softened, but not taking on any color, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds before adding the broth and bringing to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 10- 15 minutes.

Add the carrots and the peas and simmer until the carrots are tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

While soup is cooking, process the parsley and the remaining 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a food processor to a course paste and transfer to a small bowl. Mix the shopped shallot into the parsley paste.

Serve the soup topped with the parsley pesto, thinly sliced red onion, and shaved parmesan.

Töltött Káposzta- Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage

In so many many ways, I am a carbon copy of my mother. I ended up with so many of her traits, mannerisms, and special quirks (umm... like my love for pretty things... furry four legged things... and men just like my father.) But, one thing that I got from my dad was my passion for cooking.

Just like his mother (my grandmother), my father is not just a cook, but a phenomenal chef. I mean, when my Dad had the day off work, we knew dinner would be something special that night. (Except that time he made spinach soup... which is something we will never let him live down). My Hungarian grandmother, Ama, as we like call her, is probably the best chef that I have ever met in my life. And, since she taught my dad everything she knew... my dad was able to teach it to me. Now, it probably would have been better if I had been eager to learn how to cook when I was a bratty teenager before moving to LA, but no. I chose to learn over many panicked phone calls after moving to Los Angeles and having no idea how to feed myself!

When I was fresh to LA and missing my family, I would always cook Paprikash (now one of Rich's favorites too... I will post the recipe one day, I promise). For me, hungarian food has always had a way of making me feel right at home. Now that I'm married and not so lonely, I almost always cook something Hungarian when Rich and I are craving comfort food, just like my dad... and my Ama. So... when Richard and I both woke up with nasty colds this morning (UGH!) and could use a little comforting, that is exactly what I decided to do....

Töltött Káposzta, or Hungarian stuffed cabbage, is actually not something that my dad made often, but the great thing about Hungarian food is that the flavors are always the same. It's what Anthony Bourdain refers to as peasant food, and as you can imagine, back in the day peasants only had access to very limited ingredients, usually of the root vegetable variety. The cabbage (a staple of Hungarian cuisine) is stuffed with beef, paprika, onions, caraway seeds (you'll see, keep reading)...  So, since I was itching to try something new, this seemed like just the dish... something new with a little taste of home to treat the adventure in my spirit and the sniffle in my nose.

Now, don't be intimidated... there are a lot of ingredients, and a lot of steps, but if you have the time, this dish is actually much easier than it seems... and HOLY DELICIOUS!

Töltött Káposzta

Ingredients:
For the cabbage leaves-
1 head of cabbage
3 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 cup apple cider vinegar

For the meat filling- 
1/2 onion, diced
1 pound ground beef (preferably grass fed)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large egg
1 tsp caraway seeds
3/4 cup rice
Salt and cracked pepper to taste

For the sauce- 
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bell pepper, thinly sliced
10 ounces tomato paste
16 ounces sauerkraut, drained (available at most grocery stores, I found it at Whole Foods)
2 tablespoons Hungarian paprika
1/2 tablespoon caraway seeds
2 cups water
Salt and cracked pepper to taste

To garnish-
Sour cream or greek yogurt (I always use greek yogurt!)

Method:
For the cabbage leaves-
Cut the core out of the cabbage. Put the head of cabbage, bay leaves, spices, and vinegar in a large stock pot and cover with cold water. Heat the ingredients on high and bring to a boil. Cook for 20- 30 minutes until the cabbage leaves have softened. Drain and let cool.

For the meat filling and stuffing the cabbage-
In a large bowl, combine meat, onion, egg, garlic, spices, and rice. Mix with your hands until just combined. Do not over mix.

Lay a single cabbage leave on your cutting board or work space. Remove any leftover hard stem that wasn't already removed when you cut out the core. Put a spoonful of meat filling the the center of the leaf. Fold the bottom (stem side) of the leaf up, each side in, and then roll the cabbage leaf up toward the unfolded part (have I lost you, yet?) You will then tuck the open end of the leaf into the roll. It should be pretty secured and look like a little envelope, or an innie belly button.

Continue to make the rolls until you are out of cabbage leaves, placing them in a baking dish as you go. Once finished, refrigerate the rolls while you prepare the sauce.

For the sauce:
Drain and rinse the sauerkraut. You do not want it to taste sour. Squeeze out the water and set aside.

In a large sauce pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the onion and bell peppers until translucent. Add spices and garlic and cook until fragrant.

Add the tomato paste and water. Bring the mixture to a simmer. If it is too think, add a little more water. Once the sauce is simmering, add the sauerkraut and cook for 20-30 minutes, letting the flavors deepen.

To assemble-
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

In a large baking dish, pour half of the sauerkraut sauce. Layer the cabbage rolls with the seam facing down/ towards you. You want to place them in fairly tight rows so that they will not loosen up while they are baking.

Pour the remaining sauce over the cabbage rolls, cover tightly with foil, and bake at 425 for 1 1/2 hours until the meat is cooked through and the rice is tender.

Serve topped with sour cream or greek yogurt!

Ricotta Gnocci with Spring Vegetables

Remember last summer, when my old man of a husband hurt his back and I spent the better part of a month making fun of him for being a baby? Well, turns out that karma is a bitch... a serious one, because this ginger has been stranded on the couch with a hurt back for the past two weeks! I know, I know... what a crazy thing to happen to such a young and able girl. But, it did happen and the absolute worst part has been trying to stay off my feet!

Usually, when I am sick or stuck at home, I take advantage of my free time by trying out new recipes, baking, and doing other fun things that require me to be on my toes. So, you can imagine that being stuck on the couch with doctor's orders to stay off my feet and out of the kitchen, has been nothing less than miserable. And a big, huge pain in the ass. Sometimes literally. Thankfully, rules are meant to be broken (for 30 minutes or less... while medicated). So, with my hubby home for lunch today, I figured I would whip a little something up... God knows he deserves it for putting up with my whining and constant begging for back massages. 

With spring being one of my favorite times for produce, I figured I would throw together something using some fresh, seasonal veggies. I love citrus, asparagus, and green peas... all of which were absolutely perfect tossed with some fresh, homemade ricotta gnocchi! The lemon zest made for a bright, springy pasta perfect with a glass of white wine! Hey, I gotta keep myself in good spirits somehow, right? (Did I mentioned medicated?)

Ricotta Gnocci with Spring Vegetables

Ingredients:

4 cups ricotta cheese

2 large eggs

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 cup all purpose flour

1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into bite sized pieces

1 small shallot, finely chopped

1 cup green peas (if frozen, thawed)

1/4 cup butter

2 tbsp olive oil

Chopped fresh chives

Finely grated lemon zest

Grated parmesan 

Salt and freshly cracked pepper

Method:

FOR THE GNOCCHI-

• Line a baking dish with 3 layers of paper towels; spoon ricotta onto paper towels and let sit 20 minutes (if the ricotta is too wet, the dough won’t hold together).
• Combine ricotta, eggs, Parmesan, and salt in a food processor; season with pepper and process until smooth. Add flour and pulse just to combine (mixture should be smooth and fairly wet). Transfer gnocchi mixture to a pastry bag fitted with ½” round tip or a large resealable plastic bag.
• Gnocchi mixture can be made 1 day ahead. Cover pastry tip and chill.

VEGETABLES AND ASSEMBLY

• Cook asparagus in a large pot of boiling salted water until bright green and crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Using tongs or a mesh strainer, transfer to a bowl of ice water to cool; drain. Slice asparagus on the diagonal into bite-size pieces, leaving tips intact.
• Reduce heat so water is simmering. If using a resealable plastic bag for gnocchi mixture, cut a ½” opening in bottom of bag. Working in 3 batches, pipe dough into pot, cutting off 1” lengths with a paring knife and letting dough drop into water. Cook until doubled in size, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer gnocchi to a lightly oiled baking sheet. Reserve ¼ cup cooking liquid.
• Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shallot and cook, tossing occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes; set aside.
• Add gnocchi, asparagus, peas, butter, and reserved cooking liquid to skillet. Cook, tossing gently, until vegetables are warm and sauce has thickened slightly, about 2 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Serve topped with chives, Parmesan, and lemon zest.
  
  
  Recipe adapted from Bon Apetit.

Short Rib Bolognese

I am less than thrilled to report that I have caught one of the nasty bugs that's floating around town. Yup, I currently have a 102 degree fever (which is not the kind of hot I like to be) and a very cranky attitude (which is not kind of bitchy I like to be.) And, while I am much more lucky than most and have the freedom in my schedule to indulge my immune system with 48 hours of couch ridden movie watching, I am still very mad. Sick and tired and mad... or as Rich would say, "Somebody please help me." 

Right now, there are two very big problems that I am having with being sick. Firstly, at this very moment in my fridge, there is a fresh black truffle from Burgundy, France. I know... I am one lucky ginger... (or "zhan-zhay" as I say when I'm being fancy.) You see, this truffle was bought to be shaved over uova da raviolo tonight at a dinner that I have been really been looking forward to hosting. A dinner that has been scheduled for nearly six weeks. A dinner that due to my germ-ridden-self, now has to be rescheduled. 

Secondly, also calling my refrigerator home is a very large tupperware container filled with homemade pasta tossed with a decadent short rib bolognese. Why is this a problem? Because my sick ass is eating chicken soup instead. Ok, maybe I'm being slightly dramatic, but I had to tie my "poor me, I am sick" pity party to my bolognese recipe somehow, right? But, let's focus on what's important, shall we?

Short rib bolognese. I know, I had never thought of it either... and neither had the sweet boy helping me at our butcher shop. His mind was blown when I told him why I had requested 2 pounds of short rib to be ground up for me. You see, Richard are I were at McCalls Meat & Fish Co. last weekend and brought home short rib and gruyere sausages, which was one of the most delicious things that I have ever put in my mouth. And then these sausages got me thinking... why don't people use short ribs for everything!? Ok, maybe not everything, it would probably make a terrible face cream, plus it's pretty fatty and Pilates can only do so much... but, every once in a while, a little indulgence is good for you! And that, my friends, is how this recipe came into play. 

Unless you are much fancier than I am and have a meat grinder at home (hint hint, dear husband,) you will need a butcher to grind the meat for you but, trust me when I say that, this is one of the tastiest, most decadent bolognese sauces that I have ever had... let alone made! 

You can, of course, substitute the ground short rib for a more traditional blend of ground beef, veal, and pork, but then you may as well make split pea soup with turkey bacon. And that, for me, is a fate worse than this immobilizing infection.

Homemade Fettuccine & Short Rib Bolognese

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped 
2 carrots, peeled, finely chopped
2 pounds ground short rib
1 cup dry red wine
3 cups (isn) beef stock or chicken stock, divided
3 Tbsp. tomato paste
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup whole milk

Homemade fettuccine... find my recipe HERE!

(if you must use store bought pasta, look for a fresh egg pasta!)
Finely grated Parmesan 

Method:

• Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add onions, celery, and carrots. Sauté until soft, 8-10 minutes.  Add the ground short rib and sauté, breaking up with the back of a spoon, until browned, about 15 minutes. Make sure that you brown the meat all the way, that is where a lot of the flavor comes from! Add wine and reduce 2-3 minutes, stirring often and scraping up browned bits. Add tomato paste and then the stock, stirring to blend. Reduce heat to very low and gently simmer, stirring occasionally. As the liquid reduces, continue to add more stock. Cook for about 2-3 hours.
• Bring milk to a simmer in a small saucepan and then gradually add it to the meat sauce. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the milk is absorbed, about 45 minutes. 
  
  
  Serve over pasta and top with freshly grated parmesan cheese. 
  Makes about 8 servings. 

Pork Cheeks with Balsamic and Onions (Guancialino di maiale all'aceto balsamico con composta di cipolle)

T.G.I.F! Do people still say that? Well I just did. Mind=blown?

Yesterday I finally got around to making a photo album for our trip to Italy (and one day soon I'll even finish retroactively blogging about it) and it got me reminiscing about the wonderful meals we had while we were there. One of my absolute favorite meals that we had was at a tiny place in Modena (actually pronounced Mode-a-nah), which is famous for balsamic vinegar (duh) and to die for cuisine.  I mean, absolutely, to die for... and that is saying a lot considering my taste buds were completely shot from the monster cold that I caught two days into our trip AND I was also in a post-halloween-in-Venice hungover (Lemon Drops have Vitamin C, right?). In fact, my cold-over was so bad that I almost avoided dinner all together! Thank God for my husband and his amazing immune system because, as much as I was ready for a hot bath and a cozy bed, Richard convinced me that I was pathetic and that the phrase "when in Rome" also applied in Modena.

So, I pulled my self together and we found ourselves at Hostaria Carducci in the Centro Historico. This Hostaria is a charming little restaurant on a cobble street, off the beaten path, where the only traffic was locals zipping by on their bicycles and the only sound, other than Rich incessantly practicing his Italian, was the choir singing at the gorgeous church down the street. I know... sickeningly wonderful! Just like this restaurant, where the menu was small, the ambiance was perfect, and there were gallons of balsamico in every corner... And when I say balsamico, I do not mean balsamic vinegar, but "aceto balsamic traditzionale" which is NOT the same thing. Balsamico is to balsamic as truffles are to mushrooms. Balsamcio goes on everything from steak to vanilla gelato and strawberries... If you haven't had it, click the link above right this instant, learn about it, buy it, eat it... and thank me. And please, for the love of God, do not pour it into olive oil and dip your bread in it, or Italy will deport you.  

So, after a glass of wine and a liter or so of balsamico, I ordered "guancialino di maiale all'aceto balsamico con composta di cipolle..." I know, quite the mouthful. Let's try that again... I ordered "the pork cheeks in a balsamico and onion compote." Now, when I say that this is one of the best meals that I had in Italy, I am not kidding. The pork was melt in your mouth tender (which is ironic because it pretty much is pork mouth). The balsamico reduction was like caramel. And the onions were caramelized perfectly. I think that it actually took me over an hour to eat my meal that night because I spent 10 minutes savoring every bite. At the end of our meal, I actually asked the chef how it was prepared and he introduced me to a little technique called Sous Vide. Yup, for all of you comic book fans out there, this is the origin story for my sous vide. You know, the one my wonderful husband bought me for Christmas, which I can imagine was only for the sole purpose of recreating this dish. (You can read more about Sous Vide and what on earth it is HERE.)

So, you guessed it, this is my version of the sous vide guancialino di maiale all'aceto balsamico that I had in Modena. While they are very inexpensive, pork cheeks are not easy to find. If you are in Los Angeles, you can find them at Lindy and Grundy in West Hollywood or McCalls Meat & Fish Co. in Los Feliz (where they also have jambon iberico, the balsamico of ham.) If you are not fortunate enough to live near these wonderful butchers, you can cross your fingers and give your local butcher a call... but your grocery store definitely WILL NOT have it. And, since not everyone is fancy and can pull a sous vide out of their cabinet, you can find the braise version of this recipe below. You are very, very welcome. 

Sous Vide Method
Ingredients:
6 large pork cheeks, extra fat and cartilage removed
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed
4 whole cloves
1/4 cup olive oil
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 bay leaf
1 cup of pearl onions, peeled
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar (get the good stuff!)
1/2 cup chicken broth
Fresh parsley
Salt and pepper

Method:
Preheat the water bath to 176 degrees.

Place the pork cheeks and other ingredients into a vacuum sealed bag and place in the preheated water bath for 8 hours. 

Once cooked, keep the pork cheeks in the bag and place them in an ice bath to cool. Do not remove them from the bag until you are ready to serve. 

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Once melted, brown the onions for about 8 minutes or until caramelized. Add the balsamic vinegar and the wine and deglaze for a few minutes until reduced. 

Open the vacuum bag and add the cooked pork cheeks and the liquid from the bag to the skillet. Add the chicken stock. Gently simmer over medium heat for about 20 minutes or until the cheeks are cooked through and the sauce has reduced to a thick, sticky consistency. 

Adjust the seasoning, if needed. I served the guanciale with polenta and topped them with freshly chopped parsley. 

Braising Method
Ingredients:
6 large pork cheeks, extra fat and cartilage removed
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed
4 whole cloves
1/4 cup olive oil
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 bay leaf
1 cup of pearl onions, peeled
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar (get the good stuff!)
4 cups of chicken chicken broth
Fresh parsley
Salt and pepper

Method:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. 

In a medium sized dutch oven, heat the oil and brown the pork cheeks. Add the garlic, bay leaf, rosemary, and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook in the oven for 2 hours or until very tender. Set the cheeks aside. 

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Once melted, brown the onions for about 8 minutes or until caramelized. Add the balsamic vinegar and the wine and deglaze for a few minutes until reduced.

Add the cooked pork cheeks and the liquid from the bag to the skillet. Add the chicken stock. Gently simmer over medium heat for about 20 minutes or until the cheeks are cooked through and the sauce has reduced to a thick, sticky consistency. 

Adjust the seasoning, if needed. I served the guanciale with polenta and topped them with freshly chopped parsley. 

White Wine Braised Chicken with Olives and Preserved Lemons

Tuesday, January 14th, 2014....

Another lovely winter day with a brisk high of 84!!! Are you kidding me, Los Angeles?!?! It's like Jimmy Fallon said, the only two seasons we have in Los Angeles are Pilot and Awards.

Some of my favorite things about "Awards Season (aka Winter)" are comforting soups, slow cooked braises, and cozy comfort food. Nothing warms you up on an 80 degree day like beef stew. Ha. Right about now I am getting in bikini shape, thinking maybe we should fire up the grill for some burgers!

This weather is stupid. I love living in southern CA, and I LOVE that we never have to shovel snow (well, that Rich never has to) or bundle up in 14 layers (3-4 is nice though, JCrew agrees with me)...  But, we are getting close to mid July temperatures while the rest of the country is dealing with the "arctic vortex/frozen tundra/other thing Al Roker made up" nonsense.

So... what to do, what to do...

Make a braise... I just don't want to feel left out, ya know? The sun may be shining outside, but my house can be filled with the delicious aromas of roasting chicken and winter scented Yankee Candles. With just a few tweaks, you can make a perfect, lightened up version of this quintessential Awards Season dinner.

Here's the plan: Ditch the rich, heavy tasting red wine for white wine. Bonus: now you can drink that bottle of Brunello you were going to cook with. And since awards season will soon give way to "Bikini Season" (which is the season Rich gives me "awards" for...) leave out the bacon and veggies and add olives and preserved lemons and voila... you've got a lighter, bikini friendly, take on a classic coq au vin.

White Wine Braised Chicken with Olives and Preserved Lemons

Ingredients:
2 sprigs thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves)

1 bay leaf

Small handful of parsley leaves, chopped, plus a few stems

6 skin-on chicken legs

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Olive oil

10 cloves of garlic, peeled

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons flour

3 cups white wine

2 cups chicken stock or broth

16 green, briny olives

2 small preserved lemons, cut into ⅛-inch thick rounds (**recipe below)

**Whole Foods usually has preserved lemons in the olive bar section, but if they let you down (like they did me yesterday...) you can use this recipe in a pinch.  Slice two lemons into 1/8 inch rounds. Place in a glass baking dish. Sprinkle with salt, cover with water, and bake at 250 degrees for three hours. 

Method:

Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Heat a dutch oven (or large braising dish) and add about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. When hot, brown the chicken, skin-side down for about 4 minutes until brown and crispy. Turn and brown the other side. Set the chicken aside and add the garlic cloves to the pan and sauté until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the garlic to a bowl and set aside.

Make a roux. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter and the flour to the pan and whisk over low heat until golden brown, about 1 minute. Add the wine and bring it to a boil, scraping the pan with a wooden spoon to pull up the brown bits. Continue to cook until the wine is reduced by 1/3. Add the stock, browned garlic cloves, bay leaf, olives and thyme sprigs to the pan. Tuck the chicken, skin-side up, into the sauce. Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, for 45 minutes or so. You cannot rally over cook this dish... which is the best part of a braise!

Preheat the oven t o 425 degrees. Place the chicken legs on a large baking sheet along with the preserved lemon slices. Remove the garlic, olives, and herbs from the sauce and set them aside. Then, bring the sauce to a boil and reduce it until it is a nice consistency and coats the back of a spoon. Whisk in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and season to taste with salt and fresh cracked pepper.

While the sauce is reducing (it took about 25 minutes for me), put the chicken and lemons in the oven to brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer the garlic, olives, and browned chicken back into the reduced sauce. Place the preserved lemon slices on the chicken and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

I served this over oven roasted potatoes and it was perfect.

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Guinness Beer Braised Beef Brisket (it's a mouthful!)

Happy Monday. According to British researchers the first Monday of the year is statistically the MOST depressing day of the year. But not for me. For me, it's a day of triumph. Over mind, matter and meat.

You know those days when you are quietly keeping to yourself in your miserable post-wine-induced-couch-coma, just watching a little food porn, while waiting for delivery pizza? Don't lie. We both know that you do. Anyways. Food porn. You know what it is. I know what it is. And, a few days ago, while I was minding my own business in the lovely aforementioned scenario, I got really, really food horny. Which, according to Rich, looks very similar to the "real thing" and is very confusing for him. And yup, I went there. 

We were watching some wonderfully over-produced show where a semi-overweight man was stuffing his face with tender, fatty BBQ (it is much "food-sexier" than it sounds...) when I got the overwhelming desire to cook the biggest piece of meat that my butcher could cut for me. I'd pick it up early in the morning and spend the next 36 hours with it. You know, one of those day dates that turns into dinner and "stuff."  So, our butcher got a visit from his favorite ginger and I headed home with a nice, big piece of meat. (Note: Rich said this is the one of the only times he's okay with me "talking about spending so much time with another piece of meat." He's dirty. So are you. Get your mind out of the gutter)

I think that brisket might be the most underrated cut of meat... EVER. It is pretty much perfect in every way if you can give it the kind of love and attention it demands. You have to warm it up nice and slow...to temperature! Jeez, now I'm being dirty. Oh well, this recipe deserves my unrequited lust. Brisket needs to be cooked low and slow and pretty much wooed into the juicy, tender perfection it's capable of. And since it's winter and the smoker is off for now, I decided the best woman to guide me through the process was one of my personal favorites, Suzanne Goin. So, I broke out my Sunday Suppers at Luque's cookbook and found a superb recipe that I followed pretty much to the 'T.' I paired the brisket with beluga lentils and sautéed broccolini with garlic and shallots and everything turned out absolutely perfectly. Plus, the best part of my day today was eating last night's leftovers for lunch. Absolutely DELICIOUS!

*Note that you need to marinate the brisket with the dry rub at least 24 hours before cooking. You can also cook the brisket 24 hours in advance for a dinner party. It can be served hot or chilled. Ok, that's all of the notes... now to the good stuff...

Ingredients:
1 beef brisket, about 5-6 pounds with a 1/2 inch fat cap. Do not have your butcher remove the fat cap, it is essential for moist and flavorful cooking. 
2 tablespoons dried thyme leaves
2 bay leaves, crumbled
10 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed
3 chilies de arbol, crumbled with your hands (do NOT touch your face after... ouchie...)
2 tablespoons cracked black pepper
2 teaspoons coarse salt
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, peeled and quartered
3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into thirds
2 stalks of celery, cut into thirds
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
3 cups Guinness Beer
4 cups beef stock

Method:
Combine the thyme leaves, garlic, bay leaves, chilies de arbol, and cracked pepper and rub the spice mixture onto all sides of the brisket. Place the brisket in a shallow baking dish, cover, and refrigerate over night. 

Take the brisket out of the refrigerator 1 hour prior to cooking it to bring it to room temperature. 30 minutes before, season the meat with salt. 

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. 

Heat the olive oil over high heat in the largest sauté pan you have. Scrape the garlic and chiles off the brisket and reserve them. When the oil is shimmering, add the brisket and sear well on both sides—you may have to do one end of the brisket at a time, depending upon the diameter of your pan. It will take about 8 minutes per side, a bit more if you’re searing only a portion of the meat at one time. Once the meat is well browned, transfer to a large roasting pan or dutch oven, big enough to accommodate the entire piece of meat.

Add the vegetables to the sauté pan over medium high heat and cook 8 to 10 minutes, until they’re nicely caramelized. Stir often with a spoon to scrape up the bits on the bottom of the pan. 

Add the reserved garlic and chiles and cook another minute or two more. Turn down the heat and add the vinegar and the beer to the pan. Bring to a strong simmer and reduce the liquid by one-quarter. Add the stock and bring the mixture to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pan again to loosen any crusty bits on the bottom. 

Add the vegetables to the pan with the brisket, tucking them around the meat, and then carefully pour the hot stock mixture over the meat. Cover the pan tightly with foil—use two layers if it doesn’t have a lid, or one layer if your pan has a lid. 

Braise in the oven for 5 to 6 hours. The meat will be done when a fork slides into it easily.

When the meat is done, remove from the oven.  Let it cool in its juices for 30 minutes, then remove the whole brisket from the sauce to a baking sheet. Allow it to cool completely, and cover and refrigerate if you’re not serving right away.

Strain the braising juices into a saucepan, pressing down on the vegetables to extract all their liquid. Chill the liquid, and when cold, remove the top layer of fat.

Preheat the oven to 400F. Slice the cold brisket against the grain, and put back into a large roasting pan. Heat the braising sauce (you may want to allow it to reduce a bit to thicken—that’s up to you) and pour a bit over the meat enough to just cover the bottom of the pan and moisten the meat thoroughly. Put the roasting pan in the oven and cook about 20 minutes until the meat begins to get crispy on top. Serve with horseradish creme fraiche (recipe below.)

Horseradish Creme Fraiche
1 cup creme fraiche (or sour cream, but creme fraiche is preferred)
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
Coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Mix ingredients together. Serve over brisket. Even if you are not a fan of horseradish, this is quite possibly the most delicious sauce ever. 

Serve. Enjoy. Brag. Eat leftovers. 

Roasted Delicata Squash Stuffed with Wheat Berries, Mushrooms, Kale, and Goat Cheese.

Yesterday morning I was given the most magical glimpse into what a happy person I will be once fall is finally here. I know, I know, technically fall IS here, but tell that to the Native American Summer we're currently experiencing. And with the weather expected to hit 93 degrees tomorrow, Al Roker can take that weather report and shove it where the sun don't shine. Ok, I know that was kind of rude, but mother nature is a rude, 93 degree hearted bitch and what goes around comes around. And since I can't find her, I'm going to punish Al Roker for it. (Sorry, Al. She must be a real crappy boss.)

Anyways, yesterday morning was all foggy and there was a chill in the air. It made my heart happy. It made me want to bake and watch Home Alone and be all around joyful and pleasant. Unfortunately, Richard was at the gym because "joyful and pleasant" usually doesn't happen for me before 11am. Or my first glass of wine, whichever comes first. And some days you'd be surprised which comes first. So,  it really was such a good morning... until it was 85 degrees and then, well, it wasn't.  I love summer, but  enough is enough! I wanna cook some pumpkin shit, ya know?

So, I did. Nothing holds this ginger back.

We got some delicata squash in our CSA this week. What on earth do I do with these? I thought to myself... I mean, besides adding them to our transitional gourd display (it's almost time for pumpkins. goodbye gourds I've never heard of!). So initially I thought These are much too pretty to eat. But, you are what you eat, right? And pretty is a nice thing to be, so I decided to cook them. Now,  I know what that which saw in Hansel and Grëtl! Delicious, pretty youth. (Author's Note: Please do not eat children.)

Anywhoo, I think this is a good time to transition into the recipe...

Roasted Delicata Squash Stuffed with Wheat Berries, 

Mushrooms, Kale, and Goat Cheese. 

Ingredients:
1 delicata squash, cut in half with the guts scraped out
1 cup wheat berries, cooked according to package directions
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1/2 onion, chopped
1 small clove of garlic, minced
1 cup kale
1/4 cup pecans, toasted
2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
Goat cheese
Kosher salt and pepper

Method:
Cook the wheat berries according to package instructions, which most likely say something like "Bring a pot of water to a boil and simmer the wheat berries, covered, for about an hour until tender." Something like that... Once cooked, drain and set aside.

Cut the delicata squash in half. Scrape out the guts, drizzle with 1 tbsp of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Turn it upside down on a cast iron pan and roast the squash at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes until tender. Mine started to caramelize on the edges and it was delicious.

While the squash is roasting, prepare the stuffing.

Sauté mushrooms and onion for about 7 minutes until golden and the liquid has evaporated from the mushrooms. Add the garlic and kale and sauté for another 2 minutes until wilted and fragrant. Remove from heat and stir in the pecans, cooked wheat berries, and chopped parsley.

Once the squashes are roasted to perfection, fill them with the wheat berry mixture and crumble some goat cheese on top. Then place back in the oven for 10-12 minutes until the cheese gets a little bit melty and delicious.

Enjoy!