Moutabal . . . a.k.a. Charlie’s Eggplant Dip

Posted on August 12, 2012 by Sally Kemball-Cook

Moutabal

Anyone who knows me well knows that I love the process of cooking AND most especially,  I love a good party. So when my friend Charlie recently took a trip to Jordan to visit his son and was lucky enough to attend a Bedouin wedding ceremony, I saw the opportunity and did what any self respecting cook and party lover would do. I promptly said, “You should have a party and cook Jordanian food. I can help.” In other words, I invited myself and all our friends over to his house so he could spend the day cooking an elaborate meal for all of us while I “helped.” Luckily, Charlie is a great sport and loves a good party just as much as I do. In other words, he got on board right away in spite of my rather pushy ummm . . . “request.”

So the party was on and Charlie went in search of ingredients. Each morning when the group of us walked our dogs, he would keep us updated as to how the search was going. The sumac had to be ordered online as none was to be found locally. The finely ground Bulgar and fresh pita had to be purchased from an authentic Lebanese bakery. Some items (Jameed and Bakleh and PLEASE don’t ask me what they actually are) couldn’t be found and Charlie had to be creative with substitutions.

Finally, the day of the party arrived and I made plans to arrive early. Charlie began cooking shortly after our 7:00 AM walk and was incredibly patient with my frequent ”I’m stuck at work and can’t get there until . . . ” texts. Finally around 4:30, I arrived and discovered Charlie and his dog Obi happily installed with knife, martini and food. Who was handling what I still don’t know the answer to. So, I opened a bottle of wine and proceeded to become a nuisance. While Charlie finely chopped veggies for the Fatoush, I snapped photos and generally got in the way.

Charlie chopping veggies for the Fatoush Salad. Notice the martini in the foreground. Clearly this man understands the joy of cooking.

Around 7:00 PM, everybody started to arrive and the cooking got down to the wire. Charlie had to smoke the rice for the traditional lamb wedding dish (Mansaf). THAT was fun to watch and we all gathered round to see if Charlie would burn his hand off in the process. He burned a piece of charcoal over his gas stove and placed it in the center of a covered bowl of rice. The smoky flavor it imparted was amazing. What was I doing during all of this? Taking photos, drinking wine and generally getting in the way. There’s a theme here. Some helper I was!

Burning the charcoal for the smoked rice

The meal was served in a screened in ”mini-house” in Charlie’s backyard at sunset. We all gathered round as Charlie explained each dish in detail and I took videos (I’d actually post some of them on this blog but I haven’t figured out how to do that on WordPress yet. I am sooo not a techie!). Charlie donned a traditional Keffiyeh (a Bedouin head scarf) but deviated from tradition a bit when he let us use utensils to eat. If we were to be truly authentic, we would have used our right hand to dip pita into the dishes and eaten our food Au naturele. Our left hand would be left free to hold a cup of rosewater sweetened tea since Bedouins do not drink alcohol. Clearly tradition could not be followed in this case. We all happily sat with plate, knife, fork and an alcoholic beverage (or two) of choice.

The dishes were amazing and everyone asked for copies of the recipes. My favorites were the Mansaf (lamb wedding dish), the Moutabal (eggplant dip) and the Fattoush (vegetable and toasted pita salad). By the end of the night, everyone was stuffed and the party was declared a complete success. Thanks again, Charlie!!!!!!

Bedouin Meal

Now, as much as I want to eat like that everyday, those dishes are time consuming and a pain in the arse to make. The easiest and most addictive is the Moutabal. It has a smoky flavor that is truly unique and people were raving about it all night. I could eat a vat of it and still go back for more.

Clearly, I would have to learn how to make it since it’s not only yummy, but healthy as well. Nobody likes dips more than me and eggplant happens to be a personal favorite. So, I pestered Charlie for the recipe and proceeded to give it The Risky Kitchen spin.

Moutabal

Ingredients

  • 1 large eggplant
  • 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup tahini
  • 2 Tbsp. plain greek yogurt
  • 2 Tbsp. cilantro
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 Tbsp.chopped cilantro and 1 Tbsp olive oil for garnish

Instructions

  1. If you have a gas stove or grill, turn a burner on low and place eggplant on grate. Rotate the eggplant frequently until the skin is completely charred and the flesh is soft. If you are using an oven, put your broiler on low and do the same thing

    Charring the eggplant

  2. Once the eggplant is done, remove it from the flame and let it cool for about 10 minutes.
  3. Once cool enough to handle, peel the eggplant under cold running water and remove the stem portion.

    Peeled eggplant

  4. Place the eggplant and all of the remaining ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
  5. Let mixture sit in refrigerator for at least two hours and then garnish with olive oil and cilantro. Serve with pita and a nice white wine.

The Verdict

 

Moutabal

It was a huge success! I made it for the same group of friends at Andy’s party and they all seemed to like it in spite of the doctoring. I deviated from the traditional recipe by cutting the amount of lemon juice by 3/4. I found that with traditional two cups, it was was too tart a dip and all you could taste was lemon. I tried it with only 1 cup but it was still too strong. 1/2 cup seems just right.

I also used a blender instead of grinding everything with a mortar and pestle. This made for a finer texture and is also much less time consuming to make. I do prefer the coarser texture that Charlie’s had but I’m just not that ambitious.

Since the party, I have made this dip no less than half a dozen times. I even use it as a sandwich spread now in place of mayo. I never would have known it existed if Charlie hadn’t traveled to Jordan. Charlie—Can you ask your son to have you meet him in some other exotic locale next year? By then, I’ll need a few new recipe ideas!

 

 

 

 

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Mess in a Pan Scram

Posted on June 24, 2012 by Sally Kemball-Cook

Mess in a Pan Scram

Picture it. A woman who eats, sleeps and breathes food (and absolutely hates doctors) sits in a nutritionist’s office and receives some startling news. “I would recommend completely changing your diet. You need to focus on getting at least 5-7 servings of fruit and vegetables a day, more whole grains, organic proteins, less refined sugar and plenty of calcium. Quinoa, organic eggs, whole wheat pasta, dark green leafy vegetables, brown rice and yogurt should be a regular part of your daily diet. Think whole, natural and organic foods.” After that little bit of news, he took a breath and launched into the list of vitamins that I should consider taking. Let’s just say that my brain shut down when he got to blue-green algae.

You see, earlier this year I was diagnosed with a medical condition that, while it has a name, is not really understood by the medical community. If I hear the phrase, “the science hasn’t caught up with the diagnosis” one more time, I may scream. Thankfully, it isn’t life threatening and is more of a pain in the . . . ummm . . . arse than anything. So, after too many trips to the doctor and plenty of frustration, I finally decided to attack my condition from every angle possible. Perhaps it was time to “modify” my diet.

Notice I sad “modify,” not completely change. That was my thinking at least. Unfortunately, MY thinking didn’t jibe with that of my nutritionist. HIS idea was to change it completely. Even though the thought of giving up my beloved Coca Cola, pizza, pasta alfredo, etc. was distasteful, it wasn’t nearly as distasteful as the thought of NOT making those changes. So change, I did.

I gave up my Coca Cola and embraced “clean living.” I have fruit and veggie packed smoothies every morning, plenty of organic, lean protein and more vegetables and nuts than you could shake a stick at. I make sure to get my blue green algae (in a smoothie of course), hemp protein powder, chia seeds and raw cacao nibs everyday along with about 10 different vitamins and herbs. Is it working? Definitely. I have more energy and am feeling more like my old self than I have in ages. Am I enjoying the changes? You bet. Eating this way is turning out to be fun. I look forward to creating new dishes and have been surprised at how easy the transition has been. Today, I even took my first “shot” of algae . . . straight up. Once again, not so bad.

One food that was “recommended” I eat several times per week is eggs. Regular readers of this blog will remember that liking eggs is a relatively recent phenomenon for me. I don’t care for those pretty, showroom floor french omelettes though. No way. I like them scrambled and messy and full of tons of junk. Hence, my Mess in a Pan Scram. It’s one of those “anything you have left in the fridge” kind of meals and it’s a great way to pack in a lot of veggies. The best part though is that it actually tastes good. The worst part? Going out to breakfast and eating other people’s eggs isn’t nearly as satisfying anymore. Guess I’ll have to order waffles instead.

Mess in a Pan Scram

Ingredients

 

This is what I happened to have in the fridge today. The best part of this dish is that you can use WHATEVER you want. Easy way to get rid of leftovers!

 

  • 6 large eggs
  • 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
  • 6 dashes Tabasco Sauce
  • 1 Tbsp. water
  • 1 small, diced onion
  • 1 small, diced bell pepper
  • 3 strips diced bacon (turkey bacon is a great idea for this dish)
  • 1 small, italian sausage with casing removed
  • 2 diced red potatoes
  • 1/2 cup broccoli florets
  • 1/4 cup cooked soybeans
  • 1/2 cup chopped asparagus
  • 1/2 cup baby spinach
  • 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms (Sadly, I didn’t have any on hand)
  • 1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. onion powder
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Add eggs, Worcestireshire Sauce, Tabasco Sauce and water to a bowl
  2. Beat eggs lightly with a whisk
  3. Add bacon, sausage, onion, pepper, mushrooms and potatoes to a large sauté pan on medium high heat until the bacon starts to render
  4. Reduce heat to medium low and cook for about 12 minutes until potatoes are soft but crispy

    Long, low and slow is the key to making this dish a success.

  5. Add broccoli, soybeans, asparagus and spinach to pan
  6. Cook until spinach has wilted
  7. Add egg mixture, onion and garlic powder. Stir constantly until eggs are almost scrambled
  8. Add cheese, salt and pepper
  9. Serve with warm toast (I brushed some baguette bread with olive oil and herbs and threw it on the grill)

The Verdict

 

Oh my God . . . yum!

Honestly, these are the best scrambled eggs I’ve ever had. Enough said!

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Spinach and Crab Stuffed Portabellas

Posted on May 5, 2012 by Sally Kemball-Cook

Spinach and Crab Stuffed Portabellas

About a week ago, I “celebrated” the one year anniversary of purchasing my first home. Okay, okay! “Celebrated” may be too strong a word here. It was more like I realized it was the one year anniversary and gave it an honorable mention in my thoughts. It was a milestone for me not because I own my own house (though that IS pretty cool), but because I finally found my home.

What I am referring to is the community in which I live. Folks in the greater Newburyport area are gracious, warm, welcoming and committed to their community. “Buy Local” is a strong movement here and one which I gratefully support. I rarely venture to large chain stores and much prefer to frequent local, independent retailers because I like the personal touch and the “everybody knows your name” mentality. The folks at my local pet store, The Natural Dog, know me, my dog Fletch and now my “new to me” cat Big Boy.

My "new to me" cat Big Boy!!!!! He and Fletch are fast friends and Fletch even shares the bed with him. Now THAT'S love. Thanks again Prescott.

Folks at my local wine shop, Leary’s, know me when I walk in and ask what my latest culinary creation is going to be. The owners of my local dry cleaner always comment at the  “large variety” of clothes I bring in (I have a bit of a clothing addiction). My point is that I love the personal relationships that I have formed with the local retailers and my favorite of those relationships is with my butcher shop, Bucciarelli’s.

I started shopping at Bucciarelli’s when I first moved to Newburyport and have never looked back. The owners, Joe and Heidi, always had a smile and gradually got to know me as I returned over and over again for their amazing steak tips. One time, Heidi and her mother Diane (the whiz bang cook for the shop) even asked to meet my dog Fletch. So, I brought him to the store and they ventured outside to say hello and receive a slobbery greeting from Fletch. Neither one of them remembers that day but I always will because I was so struck by how nice and complimentary they were of my boy.

In any event, once I began working at Shaheen Bros. (a local food distributor) last year, it became my mission to get Bucciarelli’s as an account. I went in to reintroduce myself to Heidi and Diane in a professional capacity and low and behold, they gave me a chance and “hired” me to be their food rep. Of course, that endeared them to me even more and I truly look forward to my twice per week (oftentimes more because I’m a food hound) visits to the shop.

One of the perks of my job is that oftentimes, chefs at my accounts ask me to taste their culinary creations. Diane at Bucciarelli’s is one such person. She is always having me try this and taste that and more often than not, I am immediately hooked. A  few weeks back, she had me try a bite of her new olive tapenade. I would up eating considerably more than one bite and even bought a container of it at 9:30 in the morning. Her Tabouli Salad is a new favorite and her Mac n’ Cheese? Out of this world good!!!!!

My favorite of her dishes though is, without a doubt, the Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms. She had me try one a few weeks back and since then, I have been obsessed. You know how it is when you find a food you like and you can’t stop craving it, right? That’s the case here. I would wake up in the middle of the night wanting one and would find my thoughts wandering to them in the middle of the day. I was in spin class one night and wondered if people would notice if I skipped out early so I could go home and have a mushroom. Crazy, but true!

So . . . last week I got to thinking that perhaps it was time for me to try making those yummy mushrooms. Diane was excited when I asked if I could blog about her mushrooms and very graciously gave me the ingredient list. I know what you’re thinking right now. You’re thinking that I was given the recipe and what in the world is risky about that? The answer? Absolutely nothing! That’s why I had to put my own personal spin on it and add a few things to Diane’s recipe. Here’s hoping I did them justice!

Spinach and Crab Stuffed Portabellas

Ingredients

  • 3 large Portabella Mushroom caps

    Portabella Mushroom caps

  • 11 oz. baby spinach
  • 1 diced red pepper
  • 1 minced shallot
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • Juice and zest of 1/2 lemon
  • 1 egg
  • 1 sleeve of crushed unsalted saltines
  • 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
  • 1 cup drained lump crabmeat
  • 1/2 bunch chopped cilantro
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. onion powder
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350º
  2. Add spinach, pepper, shallot, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and egg to large bowl.
  3. Mix ingredients thoroughly with your hands until it forms a loose ball
  4. Add remaining ingredients and mix again until they are just incorporated

    The filling was even great raw. Don't judge. Rocky Balboa ate raw eggs too . . . remember?

     

  5. Add a generous amount of filling to each mushroom cap

    Stuffed and ready for the oven

  6. Place mushrooms on a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes

The Verdict

 

Spinach and Crab Stuffed Portabellas

Diane . . . I think I’ve done you proud. They were so good I didn’t want to stop eating them. My dear friend, who is a stuffed mushroom hater, thought they were great as well and even went back for seconds.

By the way, my additions to the recipe were shallots, lemon and crabmeat. The lemon added a brightness but you could barely notice the shallot and crab. But the question is, “Were they as good as the original?” The answer is no. They were good . . . but not THAT good. Looks like you’re going to have to set some aside for me next week Diane.

 

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Lamb Dippers

Posted on April 8, 2012 by Sally Kemball-Cook

And the winner is . . .

“Where’s the mint jelly?” As hard as I tried to suppress a shudder and ignore that question, out it came again. “Where’s the mint jelly?” Ugh! I was sooo hoping he wouldn’t bring that up. You see, I had just prepared a simple “app (short for appetizer) dinner” and broiled off some lamb cubes I had in the freezer when it started. “I hate mint jelly and I won’t make that (bleep),” I said. My dear, delusional friend replied, “You can’t have lamb without mint jelly.”

Thus began the debate that went on for nearly a week. Here’s the thing. I love the gaminess of lamb and if it’s prepared correctly (meaning you start with a great cut and then cook it to a perfect medium rare), I really don’t think it needs much in the way of adornment. My friend firmly disagreed and remained stubborn on the subject. So,  I decided to conduct an informal poll to see how other people felt. The next morning, I asked the folks in my dog walking group for their opinions. One man said, “I really don’t think lamb needs anything.” Another said, “I like mint sauce with lamb and I don’t really understand mint jelly.” And yet another said, “I don’t care if it’s mint sauce or jelly. It’s the tradition of the whole thing. My Grandmother ALWAYS had mint with lamb and it isn’t right without it.” Still another didn’t care at all. How’s THAT for help?

Over the course of the next few days, I continued to ask different people for their thoughts and I got the same type of reactions. People tended to feel strongly about the subject but were pretty evenly split on yeah or nay. So that’s when I got to thinking. If lamb HAS to have sauce, does it have to be a mint based sauce? Would folks be just as happy with, say, a yogurt or lemon based sauce? I brought it up to my friend again and he answered by spouting off some facts in my direction. Mint began to be used with lamb in England many years ago to disguise the strong (rotten if you ask me) taste of mutton. “Since you’re English, you should like mint jelly,” he said. Whatever!!!

An idea began to form in my mind. What if I were to make a variety of sauces and blind taste test my friend on them? Of course, some would be mint based but some wouldn’t. Which would he pick? My bet was that in the end, mint jelly would not be his favorite. I approached him with this scheme and he was all for it. He agreed to be completely honest in his reactions and we set a date and time.

Supposedly the best mint sauce out there. Hmph! We'll see about that.

The day before “the big test,” I went shopping for store-bought mint jelly and sauce. What shocked me is that I had a really hard time finding mint jelly, even during Easter week. Mint sauce was a piece of cake to find and I bought the brand that was rumored to be the best.

Mint jelly looks even more neon green in person. This photo doesn't do it's unnatural color justice. Rather curious stuff, isn't it?

I would love to say that I spent hours whipping up the perfect blend of sauces but really, I made everything but the mint sauce (created the night before) 30 minutes prior to my friend’s arrival for the test. What did I wind up creating? I made a homemade mint sauce, a lemon rosemary sauce with olive oil, a greek cucumber yogurt sauce called Tsatziki and a “sauce” of straight lemon juice and minced peel. In addition, I had the store-bought mint jelly and mint sauce. Of course, I planned to have a control sample with nothing on the lamb but the marinade. Would that fool him?

I decided to go for the whole kit n’ kaboodle and make a traditional English meal. I made smashed potatoes, asparagus, brussel sprouts and lamb. The sauce that I would serve with the meal would be the one that was deemed “the winner.” I used a simple marinade of olive oil, lemon juice and peel, rosemary, salt and pepper on the boneless leg of lamb and broiled it until I thought is was done. My guess would be that it was in the 15 minute range. Once the lamb was cooked and rested, I cut it into small pieces, wrapped a scarf around my friend’s head to shield his eyes and we began.

Clockwise from top left: Lemon Rosemary, Homemade Mint Sauce, store-bought Mint Sauce, Cucumber Yogurt Sauce and Mint Jelly

The first sauce I gave him was the store-bought mint sauce. His reaction was, “Hmmmm . . .” The next was a control piece with nothing on the lamb. His answer was simple. “Boring!” The next was the Lemon Rosemary. “Different!” Things were proceeding along nicely and then I came to the mint jelly. He laughed and said, “Okay. I see what you mean. Throw that one out.” I felt a small victory at that point. I loathe mint jelly and I’m glad he was “seeing” my point. Then I moved onto the Cucumber Yogurt. He thought that it belonged in a category all by itself as it was nothing like the others. Then it was onto my mint sauce. “That’s good.” Finally, it was the straiught lemon juice/peel. “Strong, but good.”

He took a fortifying sip of Champagne and asked to start again. I sampled him on everything a second time and he began to narrow things down. I feel I must mention here that he was meticulous about this process and gave it the complete attention and time that it deserved. He had me set aside the two mint sauces and he tasted them again. The winner? MINE!!!!!!! Woo hoo. I didn’t tell him that it was mine yet but I was doing a mental victory dance. Then, it was a test between the Cucumber Yogurt, Lemon Rosemary and Lemon Juice. He sampled all three multiple times and told me to throw out the lemon juice as it was too strong. So now it was down to three sauces and they all happened to be ones that I had made. I waited on pins and needles for him to pick a winner.

Here’s where I’m going to take a page out of the “Reality Show Production Handbook.” “You’ll find out the answer after this commercial break” or in this case, once you read on. Oh . . . that was evil of me, I know.

Lamb Dippers

Ingredients

Lemon Rosemary Sauce

  • Juice and minced peel of 3 lemons
  • 1 1/2 cups olive oil
  • Minced leaves from 3 stalks of rosemary
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Cucumber Yogurt Sauce

  • 1 cup plain greek yogurt
  • 1 peeled and chopped cucumber
  • Juice and minced peel from 1 lemon
  • 1 clove minced garlic
  • 1 small minced shallot
  • 2 tsp. dried dill
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Mint Sauce

  • 2 cups malt vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp sugar
  • 3/4 cup mint leaves roughly chopped
  • Peel from 1 lemon
  • Touch of salt

Instructions

Lemon Rosemary Sauce

  1. Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend on high until sauce is emulsified

Cucumber Yogurt Sauce

  1. Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend on high until sauce is emulsified

Mint Sauce

  1. Add vinegar and sugar to a small saucepan and bring to a simmer
  2. Add mint leaves and lemon peel and reduce heat to low
  3. Cook for 10 minutes and add salt
  4. Wait until cool and put sauce in a food processor to completely mince the leaves

The Verdict

I was biting my nails while waiting for my friend to pick the ultimate winner. It was now down to three and all were the ones that I had made. What shocked me was that the lemon juice had stayed in contention longer than the store bought mint sauce AND the store bought mint jelly. I thought that it would be one of the first eliminated. It was his fourth favorite.

In any event, he finally picked a winner. Drumroll, please! The winner was my homemade mint sauce. He said that the store-bought one was just too sweet. Mine was more subtle. I like to think that my addition of the lemon peel helped to counteract the sweetness from the sugar.

He also loved the other two sauces and just kept right on dipping even after the tasting was over. I was “over the moon” happy. Then, I began to plate the meal and he poured the wine.

If this is how my culinary efforts are rewarded, I think I'll cook more often!! MUCH more often.

As we sat down to eat this now VERY traditional english meal, we got to talking about the sauces. We agreed that all have their place and the addition of the sauces made the meal much more enjoyable. With each bites comes a new flavor. What excites me the most is the thought of all the different types of sauces I can make going forward. The possibilities are endless.

This was soooo much fun!!!!! 

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Spanikopita

Posted on March 18, 2012 by Sally Kemball-Cook

Spanikopita . . . a.k.a. Spinach Pie

I love Greek food. I love it to the point of, “If you could only have one more meal for the rest of your life . . . ”  For me, that meal would be a tossup between the Gyro from Yorkside Pizza in New Haven, CT and a certain Spanikopita. Both are, quite literally, some of the best foods I have ever eaten. Yorkside Pizza is a true greek joint and the Gyros are authentic. They cut the roasting lamb off one of those cone thingys and their Tzatsiki Sauce will make you want to weep it’s so good. My mouth is watering just thinking about it (even at 6:20 AM). As for the Spanikopita . . . read on my friends.

Now, you might just be wondering how a WASPY girl from CT ever developed such a love for greek food. Well, for that I have to thank my old friend Billy. Billy and I dated while I was in grad school and his family was, quite literally, off the boat from Greece. For the first eight years of his life, Billy and his family lived in Olympia, Greece. His parents decided to move to America to make their fortune so they came here and joined the restaurant industry. That is actually how we met. We were both working in the same little greek diner in Madison, CT.

Billy’s family could not have been more welcoming. I can’t tell you how many dinners I attended where his father, Gus, and I would debate this and that (usually at the top of our lungs) and his mother, Maria, would bring out platter after platter of food. The food was incredible and I was immediately hooked. She introduced me to things like dandelion greens, tripe (the ONE dish of hers that I didn’t like), Pastitsio, greek coffee and those yummy little almond cookies dusted with powdered sugar. Looking back, I have no idea how I didn’t gain 50 pounds from all that eating.

One of Maria’s specialties was Spanikopita and it was the one dish I would ask (really it was more like beg) for on a regular basis. This was the real deal folks. She made her own phyllo dough and the imported feta she used was authentic. You could tell because it smelled like sweaty feet, the way any good feta should smell as far as I’m concerned. Anyway, Maria would always make an extra pan of it when I was showing up because she knew I was down for eating at least half of one all by myself. I must have had a fast metabolism back then!

It’s been many years since my last dinner at Billy’s house yet I still find myself occasionally thinking about that Spanikopita. About a week ago, I had a vivid dream that took me right back to those times. I was sitting at Gus and Maria’s dinner table with Billy on my left and his brother Peter across the table from me. His father and I were debating at the top of our lungs (don’t ask me why but we both have a really good set of pipes) and his mother put a huge dish of Spanikopita in front of me. I remember being ecstatic in my dream and just as I was about to take a bite of that perfect plate of yumminess, I woke up. Rats!!!

So . . . I’m sure you see where I’m going with this. I need my Spanikopita fix. I had never considered making it myself since working with phyllo dough is a pain in the neck and not among my list of culinary skills. Buying frozen spinach pie is NOT an option and even though there are two perfectly good greek restaurants in my area, the Spanikopita they sell is just not as good as Maria’s. I had no choice but to overcome my culinary limitations and give it a try.

Spanikopita

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs. chopped baby spinach
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 3 large diced onions
  • 2 bunches diced green onions
  • 1 lb. diced baby bella mushrooms
  • 2 cloves diced garlic
  • 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
  • 1 tsp. onion powder
  • 1 cup chopped parsley
  • 3/4 chopped dill
  • 1 lb. imported, crumbled feta cheese
  • 3/4 lb crumbled gorgonzola
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 sticks melted butter
  • 1 package filo dough (Maria’s caliber . . . I am not. I prefer to buy mine, thank you very much)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°
  2. Add olive oil, onions and green onions to large, hot sauté pan. Cook until onions are translucent
  3. Add the mushrooms and cook until the moisture has leaked out
  4. Add the spinach, garlic, nutmeg, parsley and dill to the pan. Cook down until the moisture has evaporated
  5. Add the feta, gorgonzola, salt and pepper. Cook for 5 more minutes

    Spinach Filling---We won't discuss how much never made it into the pie

  6. Brush melted butter on sides and bottom of a deep sided dish (I used two glass 8 x 8 pans)
  7. Add one layer of filo dough and brush the top with melted butter

    It's a pain in the neck but VERY worth it!

  8. Add another layer of filo dough on top and brush it with melted butter
  9. Repeat step 8 nine more times
  10. Add a generous portion of the spinach filling on top of the 10 layers of filo dough

    We're more than halfway to the finish line by now

  11. Repeat step 8 ten times

    Phew! It's FINALLY done

  12. Cook for 35-40 minutes or until top of filo dough is golden brown

The Verdict

Spanikopita . . . a.k.a. Spinach Pie

I felt like I had stepped back time time. It was that good. All of a sudden, I was back in West Haven, CT at Billy’s dinner table. All that was missing was a group of people arguing at full volume and not listening to each other to make it complete. It’s funny how the taste of food can bring back so many fond memories.

The thing is . . . it wasn’t an authentic greek Spanikopita because I added mushrooms and gorgonzola cheese. Somehow, I can never picture Maria adding those touches. Even so, it was amazing and a recipe I will return to again and again.

That’s not to say that I’m swearing off of greek restaurants. After all, Yorkside Pizza makes the best Gyro on the planet and it’s not something I have a hope of prayer of replicating. Too bad it’s a 2 1/2 hour drive from my house. Oh well! I guess I’d better get on the road then. I have me a hankering. 

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Lemon Posset

Posted on March 7, 2012 by Sally Kemball-Cook

Lemon Posset

“I will never understand how your funny little brain works.” THAT was what my friend Erica said to me at breakfast a few weeks back. We were having our usual Sunday morning breakfast at Mad Martha’s on Plum Island when the subject of my blog came up. We were discussing what I would make that week and I was coming up empty in the idea department. We both got quiet for a second and that’s when I spotted a jar of strawberry preserves sitting on the counter in the kitchen.

About 5 seconds later I blurted out “lemon curd . . . with vanilla bean . . . and . . . and . . . ginger. Oooh, that’ll be GOOD.”  Erica looked at me like I had two heads. That’s when my fingers started waving and I got REALLY excited because the ideas were coming on fast and furious. That’s also when Erica reigned me in and asked me to explain. “How did you come up with that? I never would’ve thought of something like that.”

At that point, a little glimpse of my creative process was in order so I decided to take her on a convoluted trip through my mind. (I’m gonna paraphrase a bit here so bear with me.)

I saw the jar of preserves, right? That made me think of breakfast and how I haven’t really done anything breakfasty yet. Then I thought about how I don’t really like jam but I would like to try making a jam-like thing. Then I thought about all the cool flavors of jellies and jams that Stonewall Kitchen makes. That led to thinking about their dessert offerings and how pretty and yummy their lemon curd always looks. That led me to the idea of making lemon curd because my mother loves lemony stuff so much. But . . . how could I make a simple lemon curd more interesting? I’d jazz it up with something. But, what? Vanilla bean . . . and . . . ginger. Et voila! There you have it.

THAT is what led to Erica’s comment about how she doesn’t understand my brain. I might add here that she is the one who came up with the idea of the *crystallized* ginger. Needless to say, I didn’t wind up making the lemon curd that weekend because I wasn’t totally in love with the idea. I did buy the ginger though so I’d have it on hand for when I did fall in love.

Over the course of the next two weeks, I mulled over the idea of my lemon thing and then one night, it came to me at about 8:00 PM. I was going to steal yet another of Chef Mary’s ideas from the menu at Enzo Restaurant. I was going to attempt her Lemon Posset dessert but I was going to put my own twist on it with almond and ginger. There was no doubt about it this time. I was in love with the idea. So . . . I rushed right out to the store, bought all the ingredients and made it that very night.

Lemon Posset

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cups heavy cream
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • Grated zest of 4 lemons
  • Juice of 4 lemons

    Jeesh! That juicer hasn't seen the light of day in 5 years.

  • 1 tsp. almond extract
  • 10-12 graham cracker cookies
  • 1 Tbsp melted butter
  • 1/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger
  • 1 cup whipping cream
  • 1 Tbsp. powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract (you can use almond extract instead and I just might do that next time I make it)

Instructions

  1. Add heavy cream and sugar to a saucepan on high heat
  2. Bring to a boil
  3. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium and stir constantly for 4 minutes

    Boiling the Base

  4. Add almond extract, lemon juice and lemon zest and stir
  5. Remove from heat and allow to cool and set overnight in refrigerator
  6. Add graham crackers and melted butter to food processor
  7. Pulse blender until cookies become fine crumbs
  8. Add whipping cream to a bowl and beat until you have soft peaks
  9. Mix in vanilla extract and powdered sugar
  10. In a bowl or glass, add a layer of cookie crumbs to the bottom
  11. On top of crumbs, add a layer of cream and then a few bits of ginger
  12. Spoon some of the lemon mixture on top
  13. Continue layering but finish off with cream, a few cookie crumbs and ginger on top

The Verdict

Lemon Posset

I was so excited after my first bite, I immediately called Erica and took some of it right over to her house. She is somewhat of a Lemon Posset authority. I warned her that I hadn’t allowed the lemon mixture to set completely because I was too impatient to taste it. Then I told her to dig in. I was nervous but her face said it all. She LOVED it. She told me to write the following. “It is lick the glass good.” Anybody who has seen her devour the Lemon Posset at Enzo will know what I mean by that. It was absolutely, utterly fantastic and yummy looking to boot.

Even though the flavors were amazing and I was over the moon about it, I will be honest about one thing. I could leave the ginger out and you wouldn’t miss it. As for the almond extract? THAT is a keeper. Perhaps next time I’ll top it with a few blanched, sliced almonds for some crunch. Talk about a dessert show stopper!

All in all, this is a simple, fantastic dessert that will be a regular part of my repertoire. As for the glimpse into the inner workings of my creative process, that was a one shot deal Erica.

 

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Rabbit Stew

Posted on February 26, 2012 by Sally Kemball-Cook

 

Rabbit Stew

I’m a reader. Ever since I was a young girl, I have looked to books for inspiration, comfort, daydreams and a way to escape from the trials and tribulations of everyday life. I developed a habit very early on whereby I would lock myself in the bathroom, take a bath and read a book. It was my own version of “Calgon, take me away . . .” and boy did it ever.

I generally tend to favor non-fiction books though I will admit, somewhat reluctantly, to having gone through more than my fair share of Harlequin romance novels. Oh come on! You know that you’ve skimmed through a few of them yourself at the grocery store. When I’m not reading cheesy love stories, I can often be found reading and rereading some of my old favorites. According to me, one of the funniest storytellers of all time is Peter Mayle. Most of you know him as the man who penned A Year in Provence. He has also written other gems such as French Lessons, Encore Provence, Toujours Provence and Provence A to Z. Are you catching the theme here? Peter Mayle writes about life in France and I just “eat it up.” Ha, ha!! Pun intended.

What do I like so much about his books? He paints a compelling picture with his stories. I can just see myself sitting beside him at a bar enjoying a glass of Pastis or joining him for a rousing game of boules with the old timers in the village. My favorites though are his stories about the food and wine. His descriptions of escargot, truffles, melons, olives and cheeses never fail to make me salivate. When he describes a wine tasting in Bordeaux, I can almost taste the heavy reds on my tongue. The restaurants he frequents seem warm, charming and full of good hearted people who truly enjoy food, wine and wonderful company. By the way, I was lucky enough to travel to France a year and a half ago and it was everything he described and more.

My favorite of the Peter Mayle chapters is one in A Year in Provence in which he describes the winter food of the region. ”The cold-weather cuisine of Provence is peasant food. It is made to stick to your ribs, keep you warm, give you strength, and send you off to bed with a full belly. It is not pretty, in the way that the tiny and and artistically garnished portions served in fashionable restaurants are pretty, but on a freezing night with the Mistral coming at you like a razor there is nothing to beat it.”

For me, THAT paragraph more than any other gives me a sense of what it is like to be in Provence in the middle of winter. I picture myself sitting by a roaring fire with the wind howling, a glass of wine in hand and a stew bubbling on the stove. When I fantasize about it, I always picture that stew being made with a rabbit that a local hunter has brought by. It takes hours to cook and is warm, tender and tastes of game and wine. I have a big bowl of it along with crusty french bread and of course, more wine. Talk about a perfect winter evening!

Recently, I was sitting in the tub reading that very same paragraph when I got to thinking. It’s winter (just barely) and even though I’m not in Provence, there is nothing stopping me from trying to bring a little bit of France to Newburyport. It was then and there that I decided to make that rabbit stew. The only problem was that I generally don’t care for stews. I wondered if that rabbit stew was better left to my imagination or if I could, in fact, make a stew that I would actually enjoy. Possibly ruining my perfect winter night fantasy seemed awfully risky. Oops! There’s that word again. Risky. There was no doubt. I HAD to make it.

Rabbit Stew

Ingredients

  • 1 whole rabbit

    This is Bugs in his package

  • 2 cups flour (seasoned with your own blend of spices. I used salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and hot pepper flakes in whatever quantities I happened to dump in)
  • 3 Tbsp. butter
  • 1 cup diced onion
  • 2 cups diced celery
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 1 cup diced red pepper
  • 6 peeled carrots cut into 2 inch lengths
  • 3 cups of peeled, boiler onions
  • 8-10 roughly chopped baby red potatoes
  • 2 cups sliced baby bella mushrooms
  • 4 cups beef stock (Hats off to you if you make your own. I was not that ambitious)
  • 1 bottle red wine (I used a fantastic 2007 Bouchard Bourgogne Pinot Noir)
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp. garlic powder
  • 2 Tbsp. onion powder
  • 2 tsp. marjoram
  • 2 tsp. thyme
  • 1/2 cup cream
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Cut up the rabbit into large pieces just like you would a chicken (Thigh, breast pieces, etc.)

    What's up, Doc?

  2. At this point I seasoned the tenderloin pieces and sauteed them because they are too good to waste in a stew. Talk about tender and yummy!!!!!!
  3. Dredge the rabbit pieces in flour and shake off the excess
  4. Melt the butter in a large dutch oven
  5. Once the oven and butter are hot, add the pieces of rabbit and sear on each side
  6. Once seared, remove the rabbit from the pot and add your diced onions, peppers and garlic. Cook for 3-4 minutes
  7. Add the carrots, celery and boiler onions to the pot. Cook for 3-4 more minutes

    A classic Mirepoix

  8. Add the rabbit pieces, beef stock, red wine, garlic powder, marjoram and thyme to the pot
  9. Cover the pot and cook on medium for 1 hour
  10. After an hour, add the potatoes to the pot
  11. Cook for another hour
  12. In a separate sauté pan, add the olive oil, mushrooms salt and pepper
  13. Cook mushrooms until they are browned and the moisture has leaked out
  14. Add the mushrooms to the pot along with the cream and do a final check for seasoning
  15. Serve with crusty bread and a great bottle of red wine

The Verdict

Rabbit Stew

It’s official and quite frankly, a miracle. I have made and eaten a stew that I actually liked. It was rich, warm, flavorful and comforting. My trusty new taste tester actually said it was the best stew he’s ever had. I mentally jumped for joy at those words. He is a stew person and I don’t think he was blowing sunshine up my . . . ummm . . . arse!

I wondered if it was too acidic but when I tried it the next day, even I had to agree. It was amazing and I like to think that Peter Mayle would have liked it as well. Perhaps someday, I’ll be sitting in front of a fire in a big, old farmhouse in France during the winter. You’d better believe I’ll have a big old bowl of this stew, a crusty baguette and a full glass of Pinot Noir. Oh yeah! Now THAT’S a fantasy I look forward to making a reality.

 

 

 

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Bananas Foster Stuffed Crepes with Salted Caramel Sauce

Posted on February 11, 2012 by Sally Kemball-Cook

Bananas Foster Crepes with Salted Caramel Sauce

I had a revelation last Sunday when I was eating at my absolute favorite breakfast joint, Mad Martha’s, on Plum Island. I go there every Sunday with a dear friend and the place kind of reminds me of Cheers. When I walk in, instead of yelling “Norm,” the owners (Kendall and Kyrie) yell, “Hey Sally” or “Hey Girls.” I have a favorite stool at the bar and as soon as I sit down, a Coke and a water appear along with a menu. You may be wondering why I need a menu when I’m there every week. By now most people would know the offerings by heart. Ahhh . . . this is where we come to the revelation part. Ready? I have recently discovered that tastes and people do, in fact, change. Brilliant, huh? Yeah . . . I know. Seems pretty obvious but believe me when I say, it has taken me 37 years to internalize that little tidbit.

Why did a seemingly simple breakfast menu spark such thinking? I used to not be a breakfast fan. I disliked eggs, french toast and muffins and corned beef hash is not something I would even mutter, let alone eat. Yet, in the past few years, my tastes have changed and I am now a breakfast convert. I almost always lean towards the savory breakfast dishes and a menu appears at my spot each week simply because I am trying to work my way through it all and make up for lost time. The corned beef hash there is phenomenal by the way.

On that particular morning, I opted for a souped up Breakfast Burrito and my friend Erica went for the Caramelized Banana French Toast. Having never been a huge french toast or banana fan, I didn’t really pay much attention to her order until it came out. Kyrie had coated the thick slice of Portugese bread used for the toast in egg and breakfast cereal prior to grilling it. While it was cooking, she caramelized bananas and drenched the whole thing in maple syrup once it was cooked. My taste buds sat up and took notice. The plate was barely on the counter before I, vulcher that I am, was stabbing my fork into Erica’s toast and digging in. It was heaven and I was hooked.

That breakfast got me to thinking. Perhaps I had been too hasty in my prior assessment of bananas. Perhaps I had changed. Maybe Erica was onto something. I loved the taste of bananas with caramel and it was a fine time to try making it. I didn’t want to be a total copycat and make french toast but crèpes seemed like a neat idea. After all, I had never made them before and it was as good a time as any. Of course, I would have to put my own little spin on the whole thing. It wouldn’t be me if I didn’t. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Bananas Foster Stuffed Crepes with Salted Caramel Sauce

Ingredients

Salted Caramel Sauce

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1 Tbsp. butter
  • 1/2 tsp. salt

Crepes

  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/8 tsp/ salt
  • 1 Tbsp. melted butter

Bananas Foster

  • 2 Tbsp. butter
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
  • 1 Tbsp. banana extract or banana liquor
  • 1/4 cup dark rum
  • 4 sliced bananas
  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans

Instructions

Salted Caramel Sauce

  1. Spread sugar in an even layer on the bottom of a heavy dutch oven
  2. Turn heat on medium
  3. Slowly cook and stir the sugar until it has dissolved and is deep amber in color. Be careful not to burn it but don’t worry if it begins to smoke slightly
  4. Take the pan off the burner and whisk in the cream. It will bubble furiously but continue whisking anyway
  5. Add the butter and salt and continue to whisk for 2-3 more minutes

    Salted Caramel Sauce in the Making

  6. Allow to cool slightly and thicken before serving

Crèpes

  1. Whisk the flour and egg together in a bowl
  2. Add the milk, water, salt and butter
  3. Whisk mixture until smooth
  4. Put a small, non-stick pan on medium high heat
  5. Add 1/4 cup of batter to pan and swirl pan until batter forms an even layer on the bottom
  6. Cook first side for 1-2 minutes or until slightly brown
  7. Flip and cook the other side until slightly brown

    Crepe

  8. Remove from heat and serve immediately

Bananas Foster

  1. Add butter and brown sugar to sauté pan set on medium
  2. Cook until sugar dissolves
  3. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, banana extract and rum to pan. Cook for 1 minute
  4. Add bananas and nuts and continue cooking until they are slightly caramelized

    Caramelizing the Bananas

Assembly

  1. Lay each crèpe flat and add 2 heaping tablespoons of banana filling. Fold crèpe over and then fold again into thirds

    Assembly

  2. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and drizzle mixture with caramel sauce
  3. Serve immiediately

The Verdict

 

Bananas Foster Crepes with Salted Caramel Sauce

Holy Moly! It was really, really good and super simple to create. I actually made the dish twice. The first time I overcooked the caramel slightly and didn’t add the nuts or the banana extract. The second time was spot on. The caramel was perfect and the nuts really made the dish. You could take or leave the banana extract though. Next time, I will actually buy banana liquor and see if that adds something after all.

This dish has the perfect WOW factor for entertaining. You can make the caramel and crèpe batter in advance and cook it off  and assemble at the last minute. Your guests should be mighty impressed and you will gain that coveted “great cook” reputation.

So . . . I guess I have changed over the years. I am a fan of breakfast food now and am developing a true appreciation for the banana. Maybe it’s time to give some other dreaded foods a chance. Perhaps I have developed a fondness for Spam or tripe in my old age. I guess there’s only one way to find out. Stay tuned.

 

 

 

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Reptile . . . a.k.a. Python and Alligator . . . Chili

Posted on January 23, 2012 by Sally Kemball-Cook

Reptile Chili

It’s no lie. That title is correct. It started out as a joke. I was hanging out with a friend and he started cracking wise about my blog and the riskiness of it all. That’s when he laughingly said, “How about cooking snake?” I don’t think he ever expected my eyes to light up and for me to say, “Oooohhhh . . . that’s a GREAT idea!”

Thus began my adventure into the world of Python and Alligator Chili.  Believe me when I tell you that even I shocked myself with this one. I have had an irrational fear of snakes ever since I was a kid and my brother threw a little garter snake at me. That fear only compounded over the years. I used to avoid the front yard because there were snakes in the bushes. I’d stay out of certain sections of the woods because of rumors of a Copperhead pit. I used to check underneath my bed every night to make sure there were no snakes hiding out under there. To this day, I still flinch everytime I see a snake on TV even though I know it can’t jump out of the screen at me.  Irrational? Yes. Justified? No. Real, Honest-to-God fear? Absloutely!!!! So that’s why it came as a complete shock to my friends to hear that I wanted to cook a snake. The universal reaction was a look of disgust and a “Why would you want to do that? Yuck! Don’t give ME any.” I didn’t care about the naysayers. Come hell or high water, I was going to cook myself some snake.

The first issue was where to buy it. I went to a little specialty shop in Cambridge, MA named Savenors (Julia Child used to shop there) because they carry exotic meats. I had been told that they would have Rattlesnake so I went in with every intention of making Rattlesnake Chili. When they didn’t have Rattlesnake, I decided that improvisation was the key and that Python and Alligator would have to do as a substitute. Some substitute, huh? A very nice man who works at Savenors warned me about cooking the Python though. It is all muscle and tougher than shoe leather. Marinating for 24 hours followed by a long boil was essential. As for the alligator? He said that was pretty easy. No special handling required.

So off I went to make my oh-so-exotic chili. You would not believe how excited I was. I felt like a kid at Christmas only better. I was an adult who was going to eat me some Python.

Reptile . . . a.k.a. Python and Alligator . . . Chili

Ingredients—–(These measurements are such guess-timates)

  • 1 lb. Python meat
  • 1 cup of any acidic marinade you like (I used a bottled Chimichurri Marinade)
  • 3 cups chicken stock
  • 1 lb. chopped Alligator meat

    Raw Alligator Meat

  • 1/2 lb. sweet Italian sausage (casings removed)
  • 1/2 lb. ground beef
  • 1/4 lb. diced bacon (I also threw in a little ham I had left over)
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 diced sweet onion
  • 1 diced bell pepper
  • 2 diced Jalapeno peppers (I used seeds, veins and all for added heat)
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 2 diced carrots
  • 3 Tbsp. chili powder
  • 1 Tbsp. cumin
  • 1 Tbsp. garlic powder
  • 1 Tbsp. onion powder
  • 1 Tbsp. hot pepper flakes
  • 1 Tbsp. cayenne pepper
  • 10 shakes of Tabasco Sauce
  • 2 large cans of crushed tomatoes
  • 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
  • 2 cans of dark red kidney beans
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Marinate the python for 24 hours in the acidic sauce. This will start the process of tenderizing the meat
  2. After marinating for 24 hours, bring chicken stock to a boil and add the Python meat. Boil the Python for about an hour or until you can pierce the meat somewhat easily with a fork. Dice into small and manageable pieces

    Cooked Python Meat---Kind of reminds me of overcooked pork

  3. Roughly chop the alligator meat and add it to a large stock pot with the olive oil and bacon
  4. After cooking for 3-5 minutes, add the ground beef and sausage. Cook for 5 more minutes while breaking up the ground meat with a fork
  5. Once the sausage and beef are no longer pink, drain any excess fat
  6. Add all of the remaining ingredients including the Python. Feel free to approximate with the spices. With chili, I just tend to dump a bunch in and hope for the best
  7. Cook low and slow for 1-2 hours
  8. Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream and anything else that suits your fancy

The Verdict

I was SHOCKED!!!! It was actually pretty good. I know. I know. You’re probably saying to yourself that it’s pretty hard to screw up chili. Any half decent cook can make it without a problem. Yet I feel that I must remind you here that I used Python and Alligator meat, not just your run of the mill ground beef. I fully expected it to be pretty gross and to spit it out after the first bite. I even had a back up dinner plan of beef tenderloin steaks (nice consolation prize, huh?) for when I had to toss away my pot of exotic nastiness. I could not have been happier when it turned out to be a dish that was not only edible, but tasty. I was even able to foist some off on that friend of mine who challenged me to this little exercise. Turns out that he had quite a bit of faith in my cooking ability and may have liked it even more than I did. Who would have guessed? Now don’t get me wrong. Python and Alligator won’t be a part of my everyday repertoire. But for an occasional treat and a shocking party dish? Oh yeah!

So I must admit that I am pretty proud of myself with this one. It was an absolute blast to make and entirely in keeping with my self imposed mission of keeping things risky in the kitchen. The best part of it though? I ATE MY PHOBIA!!!!

God . . . I LOVE saying that.

 

 

 

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Wild Mushroom Pasta

Posted on January 15, 2012 by Sally Kemball-Cook

Wild Mushroom Pasta

Are you familiar with the phrase, “It’s either a blessing or a curse?” That is the one thought that comes to mind whenever I eat, or even think about, one particular dish at my favorite restaurant, Enzo. This dish is so freakin’ good, it deserves it’s own space . . . for worship.  So please read below. I stole it directly from Enzo’s website.

Mandilli con salsa marinara e ricotta / Free form lasagna – house-made pasta handkerchiefs layered with house-made ricotta & roasted tomato sauce

Now, you probably read that and thought to yourself, “It’s lasagna. What’s so special about that?” What’s so special???? For me it is, without a doubt, the house-made pasta handkerchiefs. I promise you that you will never taste pasta as light, flavorful and perfect as this. Once I finish a bowl of the stuff, I have to restrain myself from ordering another. It’s THAT good.

So that brings me to the blessing and curse part. Like many American cooks, I can be pretty lazy in the kitchen. I work full time and tell myself that “I don’t have time to…” every night when I get home and make dinner. I mean, let’s be honest here. I’m single and only responsible for myself and my dog. I have plenty of time. Even so, most nights I just don’t feel like doing something as ambitious as making fresh, home-made pasta. So, like most people, I buy the dried stuff at the grocery store. I even buy the healthy, whole wheat, good-for-you kind. I almost had myself believing that I liked its chewy, cardboard-like texture when I first tried that darn lasagna from Enzo. In an instant, the self delusion was over and I had to face the facts. The dried pasta from the grocery store is gross and I just couldn’t stomach it anymore. I would have to make fresh . . . or go without. That delicious, wonderful, perfect pasta from Enzo was a blessing . . . and a curse.

So, when asked what I wanted for Christmas this year, I said, “A pasta maker.” My folks were kind enough to get one for me and, at that point, all bets were off. I’d have to try making my own pasta . . . something I’d never done before. Turns out, it’s not so hard.

Wild Mushroom Pasta

Ingredients

Pappardelle Pasta

  • 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 4 extra large eggs

Wild Mushroom Sauce

*Please note that you can use any mushroom varieties that suit your fancy. I used what I could find at my grocery store. If you can find wild mushrooms, lucky you and please tell me where you got them.

  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 1 small container Oyster Mushrooms
  • 1 small container Shitaki Mushrooms
  • 1 small container Bunapi Mushrooms
  • 1 small container Crimini Mushrooms

    The Mushrooms

  • 4 cloves minced garlic
  • 2 minced shallots
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 tsp. marjarom
  • 1/2 cup or so of heavy cream
  • Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese (as little or as much as you like)
  • 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Pasta

  1. On a clean surface, make a mound with the flour and create a “well” in the center
  2. Crack the eggs into the well in the center of the flour

    The Well

  3. With a fork, gradually start beating the eggs and slowly incorporating the flour into them
  4. Once all the flour is incorporated and the mixture has become a dough ball, knead the ball for about 3 minutes until smooth
  5. Wrap the kneaded ball in plastic wrap and let rest for 20-30 minutes
  6. Once rested, knead the dough again for a few minutes (don’t forget to lightly flour your surface or you’ll be sorry) and cut it into manageable sections. (Now would be a good point to freeze some of it for later if you don’t plan to use it right away)
  7. Set your pasta maker on the widest setting (on mine it is the highest number) and gradually feed a section of pasta through

    The Pasta Machine

  8. Put your pasta maker on the next lowest setting (making the pasta a bit thinner) and feed the pasta through. Repeat this step each time until your pasta can’t be made any thinner. Mine was translucent it became so thin
  9. If your pasta maker doesn’t have a setting for cutting pasta into Pappardelle, cut it by hand yourself. You can really make the pasta any shape you want. I just happen to love Pappardelle
  10. Bring a large pot of salted water up to a boil

    I should have used A LOT more water when boiling it. Pasta hates to be crowded when cooking. Oh well! It still turned out well.

  11. Boil pasta for 2-3 minutes until cooked (that time is actually correct and not a typo. Fresh pasta doesn’t take nearly as long to cook as dried)

Mushroom Sauce

  1. Gently wipe any dirt off your mushrooms with a dry towel. Remove the stems and slice the mushrooms (I left the Bunapi whole as they were so small)
  2. Bring your chicken stock up to a boil and add the mushroom stems only
  3. Simmer the chicken/mushroom stock until it is reduced by half
  4. Add olive oil, garlic and shallots to a sauté pan and cook for 2-3 minutes on medium
  5. Add the mushrooms and marjoram and cook until the mushrooms release their natural liquid into the pan. This takes about 4-5 minutes
  6. Add the mushroom stock and cook for another 2 minutes
  7. Add the cream, butter, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper and cook until the cream has reduced and thickened

    This sauce tastes incredibly light in spite of the butter and cream. Who cares! Splurge a little.

  8. Add the pasta to the pan and sprinkle in the chopped parsley
  9. Serve immediately with a little more Parmesan on top

The Verdict

 

Soooo Good!

If there is a God dedicated to pasta making, he had a hand in this dish. It was one of the best pasta dishes I have ever tasted. Now normally, I am not one to toot my own horn, but it is worth tooting loudly here. It was absolutely incredible. The pasta was light and flavorful just like the pasta at Enzo. The mushroom sauce was wonderfully seasoned and light, light, light. My friend Erica liked it so much she even said, “Watch out Enzo.” I literally went back for fourths it was so good. My friend Nancy joined us later for the leftovers and her face said it all. Gastronomic ecstacy! If there is one dish I’ve ever written about that is worth the trouble of making yourself, it is this one. It was un-freakin-believeable!!!!!

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