French Onion Soup
French Onion Soup
Serves 8
10 medium yellow onions, (about 4 1/2 pounds), halved, peeled, and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Coarse salt and ground pepper
3 (14 1/2 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup dry red wine
4 toasted multigrain bread
4 ounces sliced Swiss cheese
Preheat oven to 450 degrees;. In a large roasting pan, toss together onions, oil, sugar, thyme, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cover tightly with foil; cook until steamed, about 30 minutes. Uncover; cook, stirring every 30 minutes, until onions are golden brown and caramelized, 1 to 1 1/4 hours more.
Transfer onion mixture to a large saucepan (reserve roasting pan); stir in broth and 6 cups water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until liquid has darkened, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, deglaze the roasting pan with wine: Place the pan over medium heat; add wine. Scrape bottom of pan with a wooden spoon or scraper to loosen any browned bits. Simmer until reduced and syrupy, about 2 minutes. Pour liquid (and browned bits) into soup. Season with salt and pepper. (If freezing, let cool completely before transferring to airtight containers, leaving 1 inch at top.) If desired, make the cheese toast: Heat broiler. Place bread on a baking sheet; top with Swiss cheese. Broil until cheese is bubbly and golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Cut each slice into four triangles. To serve, divide soup among bowls; garnish each with two triangles of cheese toast, if desired.
Peppered Steak Sandwiches
Peppered Steak Sandwiches
Serves 4
2 boneless strip steaks, (about 3/4 pound each)
Cracked black pepper
1 baguette
Olive oil
1 clove garlic
Salt
1/4 pound Roquefort cheese
Caramelized Onions (recipe follows)
1 sprig fresh rosemary
Trim excess fat from steaks. Dry them well, coat all sides with cracked pepper, and refrigerate until needed. Split baguette in half lengthwise. Toast in the oven until golden brown. Drizzle with olive oil, and rub lightly with garlic clove. Heat a cast-iron skillet over high heat, and sear the steaks on both sides. Turn heat down to medium, and cook to desired doneness, about 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium rare. Sprinkle with salt, and let steaks sit for 5 minutes. Cut toasted baguette into four equal pieces. Make four sandwiches, placing thinly sliced steak atop slices of Roquefort, then sprinkling with caramelized onions and rosemary. Serve immediately.
Caramelized Onions
Makes about 1 cup
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium onions, (about 1 1/2 pounds), sliced into 1/8-inch rounds
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme (optional)
Heat butter and oil in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add onions, and cook until they begin to soften, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Add sugar, salt, and pepper; raise heat slightly, and cook until golden brown, stirring occasionally, 30 to 35 minutes. Stir in thyme, if using, and serve warm.
Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Serves 2 to 4
1 piece ciabatta bread, 5 by 10 inches
12 slices Emmentaler Swiss cheese
1 medium vine-ripe tomato, thinly sliced
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
Preheat a grill pan over medium heat. Using a serrated knife, carefully slice ciabatta horizontally into thirds; reserve top and bottom crust for bread slices. Place bread slices on work surface, crust side down; butter cut side of each slice. Top 1 slice with 6 slices cheese, tomato slices seasoned with salt and pepper, and basil leaves. Top with 6 more slices cheese and then with remaining bread slice, buttered side down. Butter 1 exterior side of sandwich, seasoning with salt and pepper; halve sandwich to fit grill pan.
Place sandwich butter side down onto grill pan. Weight sandwich with a large cast-iron skillet; cook until golden, about 3 minutes. Remove from pan, butter exterior side of top bread slice; turn, weight down sandwich, and cook for 3 minutes more. Repeat with remaining sandwich half. Slice sandwiches crosswise into 2-inch pieces. Serve immediately.
Mozzarella Panini
Mozzarella Panini
Makes 3
2 ciabatta rolls
1/4 cup Pesto (recipe follows)
1/2 cup Pepperonata (recipe follows)
6 thin slices fresh mozzarella
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
Slice off the top third of each roll. Slice remaining portions horizontally into three slices each. Preheat panini machine, or heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.
Spread three of the slices of ciabatta with pesto. Cover pesto with three slices of mozzarella each. Spread pepperonata evenly over mozzarella. Drizzle with oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover with remaining three slices ciabatta.
Place sandwiches into machine. Close machine, and cook until bread is lightly toasted and mozzarella is hot but not completely melted, about 5 minutes. Alternatively, place sandwiches in heated skillet, and weight with a heavy pan lid, then cook until golden brown on both sides, turning once after about 4 minutes.
Pesto
Makes about 3 cups
2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 teaspoon unsalted butter, room temperature
2 basil, leaves only, well washed and dried
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
In a food processor, combine the oil, cheese, pine nuts, and butter. Process until smooth. Add basil, and pulse to desired texture. Season with salt and pepper. Store, refrigerated, in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Pepperonata
Makes about 4 cups
5 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
In medium bowl, combine the peppers, red-pepper flakes, and thyme. Add the oil and vinegar, and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap, and let sit, at room temperature, for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees;. Spread peppers on a baking sheet, and bake until tender but not mushy, about 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Store refrigerated, in an airtight container, for up to 5 days.
Skewered Bocconcini Sandwiches
Skewered Bocconcini Sandwiches
Makes 2 dozen
30 bay leaves, preferably fresh
1 ficelle or very thin baguette, cut into forty-eight 1/4-inch-thick slices
12 balls fresh bocconcini (bite-size mozzarella), at room temperature, halved
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 flat anchovy fillets, minced
2 tablespoons capers, drained
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
Heat oven to 325 degrees, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Skewer 1 bay leaf, 1 slice of bread, 1 piece of cheese, and another bread slice. Continue skewering until 4 sandwiches are formed on each skewer, beginning and ending with a bay leaf. Place skewers on baking sheet. Brush each skewer with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake, turning skewers halfway through, for 7 minutes, or until cheese is warmed through but not melted. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add anchovies, and stir until well combined. Add capers, lemon juice, zest, and parsley. Spoon mixture over skewers. Serve immediately.
Prosciutto and Pesto Panini
Prosciutto and Pesto Panini
Serves 4
1 10-ounce loaf ciabatta, halved horizontally and soft interior removed
1/3 cup Pesto (recipe follows)
1/3 pound Prosciutto de Parma, thinly sliced
Tapenade, optional (recipe follows)
1 roasted red bell pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded, and cut into strips
1/4 pound fontina cheese, thinly sliced
1/2 cup baby arugula or basil, optional
Extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt
Freshly ground pepper
Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat or a panini press. Spread one cut side of ciabatta with the pesto and the other with olive oil. Layer one side of ciabatta with prosciutto, tapenade, if desired, red pepper, and arugula or basil, if desired; top with cheese. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Top with remaining bread.
Brush top and bottom of the sandwich with olive oil. Place on grill pan and weight top of sandwich with a heavy skillet or a foil-wrapped brick. If using a panini press grill according to manufacturer's instructions. Grill 3 to 4 minutes on first side, turn, weight down, and continue cooking until sandwich is golden and cheese is melted, 3 to 4 minutes.
Cut sandwich into quarters. Serve immediately.
Pesto
Makes enough for 1 panini
1/3 cup pine nuts
4 cups lightly packed fresh basil leaves (about 2 ounces)
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread nuts on a rimmed baking sheet; toast in oven until golden and fragrant, tossing once, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from baking sheet to prevent further browning. Let cool completely.
In a food processor, combine nuts, basil, cheese, garlic, and red pepper flakes; season with salt and pepper. Process until finely chopped. With machine running, pour oil in a steady stream through the feed tube; process until smooth.
Tapenade
Makes 1 cup
1 cup Kalamata or Nicoise olives, pitted
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon capers, drained and rinsed
3 oil-cured anchovy fillets
Zest of half a lemon
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, optional
2 tablespoons chopped parsley, optional
1 to 2 quarts extra-virgin olive oil
Coarsely chop olives garlic, capers, anchovies, and lemon zest on a parchment covered cutting board. Place chopped mixture in a bowl. Add pepper, mustard, parsley, and stir in enough olive oil to bind the mixture together.
Pasta e Fagioli
Pasta e Fagioli
Yields 4 servings
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus some for drizzling
4 thick slices pancetta, about half-inch thick each, diced
2 sprigs rosemary
4 sprigs thyme with several sprigs on it
1 large fresh bay leaf or 2 dried bay leaves
1 medium onion, chunked
2 small carrots, chunked
4 rib celery, chunked
6 large cloves garlic, chopped
Coarse salt and pepper
2 15-ounce cans butter beans, drained
1 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes
2 quarts chicken stock
1/2 box rigatoni
Grated Parmigiano or Romano cheese, for the table
Crusty bread, for mopping
Heat a deep pot over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and pancetta and brown pancetta bits lightly. Add herbs, bay leaf, vegetables and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Add beans, tomatoes and stock to the pot, and raise heat to high. Bring soup to a rapid bubble and add the pasta. Reduce the heat to medium and cook soup for 6-8 minutes or until pasta is cooked to al dente, stirring occasionally.
Remove the stems and bay leaf from soup and let it rest and begin to cool for a few minutes. Place the pot on a trivet on the table so the hot pot does not burn your table, then ladle soup into bowls and top with lots of cheese and another little drizzle of olive oil. Pass crusty bread for bowl mopping.
Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe
Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe
Recipe courtesy of Donatella Arpaia
Serves 4
4 sweet Italian sausages (about 1 pound), casing removed and crumbled
1 pound Fresh Semolina Orecchiette (recipe follows)
1 pound broccoli rabe, washed, trimmed, and cut into 3-inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
Place sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, until browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer sausage to a bowl; set sausage and skillet aside.
Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a large pot. Add salt, return to a boil and add broccoli rabe. Cook 1 minute and drain, reserving some of the cooking liquid; set aside.
Bring a second large pot of water to a boil. Add salt, return to a boil and add pasta. Cook until al dente, 5 to 8 minutes; drain.
Place reserved skillet over medium-high heat and add oil, broccoli rabe, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, about 30 seconds. Return sausage to the skillet along with the orecchiette. Stir to combine, adding reserved cooking liquid if pasta seems too dry; sprinkle with cheese and serve immediately.
Fresh Semonlina Orecchiette
Makes 1 pound
1 cup semolina
2 1/4 cups "00" flour, plus more for dusting (if you can't find this can substitute 1/2 flour and 1/2 cake flour)
1 cup lukewarm water
Pinch of salt
Sift semolina and "00" flour together onto a large work surface to form a mound. Make a well in the center. Pour water into the well and add salt. Using a fork, slowly incorporate flours, beginning with inner rim of well, into the water until it forms a dough. Gather dough together to form a rounded mass. Begin kneading with the palms of your hand until dough becomes smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Divide dough in half and wrap each with plastic wrap. Let rest 1 hour.
Cut each piece of dough in half. Working with one piece at a time, roll out dough 1/4 inch thick. Cut dough into 1-inch-thick strips and roll into 1/2-inch-thick rope. Cut rope crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces and lightly dust with flour. Repeat process with remaining dough.
Press each piece of dough along the blade of a butter knife and turn over with your thumb; place orecchiette on a floured baking sheet. Cover until ready to use. Repeat process with remaining pieces.
Pasta with Broccoli Rabe and Sausage
Pasta with Broccoli Rabe and Sausage
Serves 2
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 pound broccoli rabe, trimmed and washed
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic, crushed and peeled
2 shallots, crushed and peeled
8 ounces sweet Italian sausage, casing removed
1 1/2 cups canned low-sodium chicken stock
1/2 pound pasta, such as campanelle
1/8 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes
1/2 cup freshly grated Grana Padana cheese
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Add salt and broccoli rabe to the boiling water. Cook until just tender. Drain, and transfer to ice bath. When cool, drain, and set aside. Heat oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and shallots; cook until just golden. Add sausage; sauté, breaking up with the back of a spoon, until cooked through. Add broccoli rabe and stock. Cook until heated through. Into the same large pot, add pasta; cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain. Add pasta to skillet; toss to combine. Season with salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper. Sprinkle with cheese; toss to combine. Serve immediately.
Goat Cheese Log
Goat Cheese Log
Yields 12 servings
1/4 cup parsley
1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup basil
1 tablespoon thyme
1 plain goat cheese log
Chop herbs and walnuts together. Place on a plate or in a ziplock bag and roll goat cheese log in the herb-walnut mixture.
*Can add dried cranberries to mixture, approximately 1/4 cup. Also good with goat cheese/brie wheel.
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