Italian Style Soup with Turkey Sausage
Italian Style Soup with Turkey Sausage
Serves 4
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 ounces sweet or hot Italian-style turkey sausage, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 can (32 ounces) reduced sodium chicken broth
1 can (15 1/2 ounces) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) no salt added diced tomatoes, undrained
1 teaspoon Oregano
1 teaspoon Rosemary, finely crushed
1 teaspoon Thyme Leaves
1 package (6 ounces) baby spinach, leaves
1/2 cup uncooked small pasta, such as mini bowties or elbows
Heat oil in large saucepan on medium heat. Add sausage; cook and stir 3 minutes. Add onion; cook and stir 3 minutes longer or until onion is tender and sausage is browned.
Pour chicken broth, beans and tomatoes into saucepan. Stir in oregano, rosemary and thyme. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer 10 minutes.
Stir in spinach and pasta. Return to boil on medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 minutes or until pasta is tender.
Pot Roast
Pot Roast
Serves 4
In order for this recipe to work properly, let the roast sit (wrapped) for one to two hours outside of the refrigerator so that it comes to room temperature (between 65 and 70°F) before cooking. Otherwise, it will take a lot longer to cook at the low heat called for in this recipe.
3 1/2 to 4 lb of beef shoulder or boneless chuck roast (look for a piece that is well marbled with fat for best results)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
2 large yellow onions, thickly sliced, lengthwise (root to tip), about 4 cups sliced onion
4 cloves of garlic, peeled (or use minced garlic)
1/2 cup of red wine
1 cup beef stock
1 bay leaf
Pinch of rosemary
Pinch of thyme
Six carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
1 cup chopped celery
Use a dutch oven, just large enough to hold roast and vegetables. Heat 2 Tbsp of oil on medium high heat (hot enough to sear the meat). Pat the roast dry with paper towels. Sprinkle and rub salt and pepper all over the meat. Brown roast in pot, all over, several minutes on each side. Don’t move the roast while a side is browning, or it won’t brown well.
When roast is browned, remove from pan and set on a plate. Add the onions to the pan and cook for about 5 to 10 minutes, until they begin to brown. Add the garlic, celery, and carrots to sit on top of the onions. Set the roast on top of the onions, garlic and carrots. Add red wine and beef stock. Add the bay leaf, rosemary, and thyme. Cover. Bring to simmer and then adjust the heat down to the lowest heat possible to maintain a low simmer when covered. If cooking in the oven, start the temp at 300°F for 15 minutes, then drop it to 200°F.
Cook for 3 1/2 to 4 hours, or longer, until meat is tender. (If you are using a pressure cooker, cut the time by half).
Suggest serving with green beans and potatoes
Tasting Notes: Do NOT use Pioneer Woman’s recipe; 275 degrees is way too high.
Braised Bone-In Veal Breast with Tomatoes & Potatoes
Braised Bone-In Veal Breast with Tomatoes & Potatoes
Puntine di Vitello
Serves 4
4 slices of veal breast or tough cut of steak, bone in
3 tomatoes, sliced (or a can of canned tomatoes)
4-5 garlic cloves, rough chop (or a teaspoon of minced garlic)
Pinches of rosemary, thyme, and oregano
1 1/2 cups of white wine
2-3 potatoes, thinly sliced (about 1/8 inch)
Olive oil
salt & pepper
Preheat oven to 350 F. In a roasting pan, add a healthy drizzle of olive oil. Lay down in a single layer the veal, sliced or whole. Season generously with salt & pepper, along with the herbs. Next lay tomato slices to form a layer. Sprinkle garlic, herbs & a little more salt & pepper. Pour white wine over the top. Layer potatoes. Top with a generous drizzle of olive oil and salt & pepper.
Cover with foil or parchment.
Place in oven (usually an hour) until you can easily slide a knife into the potatoes. Optional: uncover & turn up the heat to 375 F and bake until potatoes are browned. Time is usually 25-30 minutes per lb of veal breast.
Hunter’s Chicken Stew
Hunter's Chicken Stew
Serves 4
1 chicken,(4 1/2-pounds),cut into 8 pieces, or one 4 1/2-pound package chicken parts
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 bay leaves
2 fresh rosemary
3 garlic, (1 crushed, 2 sliced)
1 Chianti, (750 ml)
All-purpose flour, for dusting
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 anchovy fillets
1/2 cup green or black olives, pitted
1 28-ounce can plum tomatoes, crushed gently
Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper, and place in a large bowl. Add bay leaves, rosemary, and crushed clove of garlic; pour over wine. Let marinate for at least an hour, in the refrigerator, but preferably overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees;. Drain chicken, reserving the marinade, and pat dry with paper towels. Coat chicken pieces with flour; shaking off any excess. Heat oil in a Dutch-oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until golden brown, 5 minutes per side. Remove with a slotted spoon; set aside.
Reduce heat to medium and add the sliced garlic. Cook gently until golden brown, then add the anchovies, olives, tomatoes, and chicken pieces with their reserved marinade. Bring to a boil, and cover. Transfer to oven and cook for 1 1/2 hours. Skim off any fat from the surface of the sauce, and discard. Season with salt and pepper. Remove bay leaves and rosemary before serving.
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.
Rosemary Bread
Rosemary Bread
Makes 2 loaves
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for bowl
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons finely chopped rosemary, plus 1 Tablespoon whole leaves
1 1/2 cups plus 1 Teaspoon all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 cup whole-wheat flour
Stir together yeast and the warm water in the bowl of an electric mixer. Let stand until foamy, about 7 minutes. Add 3/4 cup water, the olive oil, sugar, salt, chopped rosemary, 11/2 cups allpurpose flour, and the whole-wheat flour to bowl. Fit mixer with the dough hook; mix on low speed until dough comes together, about 1 minute. Raise speed to medium-high; mix until dough is smooth and elastic, 8 to 10 minutes.
Lightly oil a large bowl. Shape dough into a ball, and transfer to oiled bowl. Loosely cover with plastic wrap. Let dough rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Punch down the dough; let rest, covered, 15 minutes. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface, and divide in half. Roll one piece into an 11-inch-long loaf. Gently twist dough to create contours, then tuck ends underneath. Transfer to a baking sheet. Press half the rosemary leaves into loaf. Repeat with remaining piece of dough.
Loosely cover baking sheet with plastic wrap, and let loaves rise slightly in a warm, draft-free spot 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees; Dust loaves with remaining teaspoon all-purpose flour. Bake until golden, about 30 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
Focaccia
Focaccia
Makes one 9-by-12-inch
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for baking sheet
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
4 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
2 teaspoons coarse salt
Malden sea salt, for sprinkling
Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine 6 tablespoons warm water (105 degrees; to 115 degrees;), the sugar, and yeast. Stir to dissolve. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add oil, 1 cup warm water (105 degrees; to 115 degrees;), thyme, and 2 teaspoons rosemary; stir to combine.
Add flour and salt, and mix on low speed until all the flour is incorporated into dough, about 2 minutes. Increase speed to medium and continue mixing until a very sticky dough forms, cleaning the dough hook 2 or 3 times, (it will not completely come up from the bottom of the bowl), about 3 minutes. Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface. Knead dough with lightly floured hands until smooth and elastic, about 2 minutes. Place dough on prepared baking sheet, turning to coat with oil. Cover lightly with plastic wrap; transfer to a warm place, and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees; with rack in the center of the oven. When dough has doubled in size, press out to fill pan. Let dough rest, covered with plastic wrap, for 10 minutes. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with remaining 2 teaspoons chopped rosemary and sea salt. Bake until top is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped, about 20 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
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.
Baked Beef Stew
Baked Beef Stew
1 or 2 (14.5 ounce) can(s) diced tomatoes, undrained (can use 10 oz can; can also use Rotel for some oomph)
1 cup water or red wine (Shiraz is best)
3 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons sugar (can substitute brown sugar)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt (can substitute soy sauce)
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 pounds lean beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch chunks
3 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 celery ribs, cut into 3/4-inch chunks
1 medium onion, cut into chunks
1 daikon, cut into chunks
Rosemary
Coat the beef with flour and quickly brown it in a little olive or vegetable oil in a skillet. In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, water, sugar, salt and pepper. Add remaining ingredients & beef; mix well. Pour into a greased 13×9 dish. Cover and bake at 375 degrees F for 1-3/4 to 2 hours or until meat and vegetables are tender.
Tasting Notes: Adjusted ingredients as labelled in the ingredient list. Started off by heating skillet with oil, sugar, a little red wine vinegar, rosemary, and red wine to burn off alcohol. Add potatoes to boil for five minutes, then added entire mixture to baker. Coated beef with flour, sugar, soy sauce, and pepper, and then browned it in hot oil in skillet with onions that were diced. While that was browning, added rest of vegetables to potato mixture along with tomatoes and some more beef broth. Once beef was browned, added entire mixture to baker. Created fond with beef broth, and added that to baker. Covered, baked at 375 for 2 hours. Possible to also do 350 for 2 hours depending on amount of meat.
Whole Roasted Sea Bass
Whole Roasted Sea Bass
Recipe courtesy Sam Hayward of Fore Street
Serves 2
Two 1 1/4 pound whole sea bass, gutted, gilled, scaled, and fins removed
Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for baking dish
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
6 fresh bay leaves
1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions
Juice of 1 lemon
Season the cavity and exterior of fish with salt and pepper. Cover with plastic, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Brush a baking dish just large enough to hold fish without crowding lightly with oil. Divide thyme, rosemary, and parsley evenly between each fish, and place inside cavity. Place 2 bay leaves in cavity of each fish, and place remaining 2 bay leaves in baking dish. Sprinkle scallions over and around fish; drizzle with olive oil.
Transfer to oven and roast 15 minutes. Continue to roast, checking every few minutes, until the thickest part of the fish is just firm, about 5 minutes more.
Drizzle fish with lemon juice and transfer to a cutting board; set baking dish aside. Working from the head to the tail, cut along backbone to separate the flesh from the bone. Carefully lift top fillet and transfer to a plate. Lift and discard bones. Gently lift second fillet to same plate. Repeat process with remaining fish. Drizzle with any pan juices before serving.
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