My Kitchen My Table

GOOP, Tomato Sauce and Eggplant

When did Gwyneth Paltrow become a lifestyle guru with her website GOOP? And more importantly, what compelled me to sign up for the news letter? Of that I still can’t explain other than sheer curiosity. A few weeks ago, an email appeared in my box that had recipes for Gwnnie’s favorite tomato sauce, Eggplant Parmesan and Penne Arrabiata inspired by Giancarlo Giametti, Valentino’s longtime partner who is apparently a dear and longtime friend.

I’ll admit that reading the recipes left my mouth watering and inspired me to make my own batch of tomato sauce and Eggplant Parmesan. It just so happened that there was a can of whole tomatoes in the cupboard and everything else necessary to make my adaptation of the sauce. While it was simmering I went to the store and picked up the ingredients for the eggplant. Here is my version of tomato sauce and eggplant parmesan inspired by Gwennie who was inspired by GG… is it a stretch for me to call myself a friend?

First, make the sauce. Making your own sauce using canned tomatoes gives you the control to season it exactly to your taste. So much better than pre-made sauce from a bottle.

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
Red pepper flakes to taste
2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1-28 oz can whole tomatoes
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil and cook the garlic and red pepper flakes for 3-4 minutes until it smells really good. Add the basil and stir until it is coated with olive oil. Add the tomatoes and juice and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper and reduce heat so that the sauce simmers at a low level for 45-60 minutes.

Then, make the Eggplant Parmesan

3 eggplants
1 cup flour
Extra virgin olive oil
tomato sauce from above recipe
2 ½ oz fresh mozzarella, sliced into cubes
2 oz smoked mozzarella, sliced into cubes
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
2 oz grated Parmagiano-Reggiano cheese
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper

Pre-heat oven to 350°F

Slice the eggplant into rounds 1/3-1/2 inch wide. Thoroughly sprinkle each side with salt and place in a single layer between two kitchen towels. Place a cookie sheet on top and weigh it down with something heavy so the water is squeezed out of the eggplant. This should take 20-30 minutes.
Put the flour on a flat dish and lightly dredge the eggplant slices on both sides. Heat 1/4″ of olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. When the skillet is hot, add the eggplant in a single layer, turn the heat to medium-high, and cook for about one and a half minutes on each side or until golden brown. Place the eggplant on paper towels to drain and repeat the process until all eggplant is cooked adding olive oil to the skillet as necessary.

In a 13″ x 9″ baking dish, arrange as many slices of eggplant as can fit snugly in a single layer. Drizzle 1/2 of the tomato sauce over the eggplant until it is covered. Sprinkle 1/2 of the mozzarella and smoked mozzarella over the top then sprinkle half of the basil leaves. Season with a little salt and pepper then add a second layer the same way as the first using remaining ingredients.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the cheese is melting, tomato sauce bubbling, and the top begins to brown. Serve with crusty Italian bread to mop up excess sauce and a crisp green salad.

Little Lemon Miracles

Two cooks showed up at the table having made these “little miracles”. They were little pillows of lemony goodness with sweet, fresh strawberries and mint garnish. The presentation spectacular!

Feedback on the recipe is that it made 2 more servings than indicated and of course, strawberries were substituted for raspberries. I think that blueberries would be delicious with this too… or a mixed berry combo….

Little Lemon Cakes with Soft Cream

These little lemon miracles ( I mean cakes) create two layers of completely different textures when they bake. On the bottom: a spongy, soufflé-like cake layer. On the top: tart lemon curd. A dollop of softly whipped cream adds just the right sweetness and richness, while the raspberries add a gorgeous punch of color. I promise you will love these fun little cakes. A big hug to my best chef friend, Gary Dnako for inspiring this.

Melted Butter, as needed, for brushing
Granulated sugar, as needed, for dusting
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 tablespoons plus ¾ cup granulated sugar
5 large eggs, separated
Granted zest of 2 lemons
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 ¼ cups whole milk
2/3 cup lemon juice, at room temperature
1 cup heavy cream, for topping
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract, for topping
Raspberries, for garnish (optional)

Brush 8 ramekins, 5 ounces each, with butter. Dust the inside of each of the ramekins with granulated sugar and tap out the excess. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 325°F.

Cream the butter and the 6 tablespoons granulated sugar until light in color and texture, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the lemon zest and flour. Add the milk and lemon juice and mix thoroughly. In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites to soft peaks form. Add the remaining ¾ cup sugar. Continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Fold into the lemon mixture. Evenly divide the mixture among the prepared ramekins. Place the ramekins in a large baking pan and pour in boiling water to reach 1 inch up the sides. Bake until set, light brown, and skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 minutes. Cool completely.

Whip the cream to soft peaks and add 1 tablespoon of the confectioners’ sugar and the vanilla.

To serve, unmold the individual cakes onto dessert plates. Top with the cream and dust with the remaining confectioners’ sugar. Garnish with raspberries and serve immediately.

Serves 8

TO DRINK: Late-harvest Riesling

Recipe by Joanne Weir, from Wine Country Cooking

Risotto with Lemon Shrimp

The tip that Joanne shares is true, both people who made the risotto used her technique and it was oh so creamy! This is the perfect spring dish. Enjoy with a little gem salad and crusty baguette!

Risotto with Lemon Shrimp

A dish of lemon, shrimp, and rice is an ancient food combination in a multitude of world cuisines, probably because it tastes so good. Making good risotto requires a little time and patience, and a bit of muscle. Making great risotto requires a little trick I’d love to share: Just when the risotto goes beyond the chalky stage, remove the pan from the heat, and in this case, add a ladleful of broth, a bit of butter, the cooked shrimp, lemon zest, lemon juice, and the Parmagiano, and let it sit, tightly covered, off the heat for 5 minutes. Give it a stir and you have the creamiest risotto. Perfetto!

1 ½ pounds medium-size shrimp, peeled, deveined, and shells removed
2 cups bottled clam juice
3 cups water
1 ¼ cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium size onion, chopped
2 cups Arborio, Vialone Nano, or Carnaroli rice
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
¾ cup grated Parmagiano-Reggiano cheese
1 ½ teaspoons grated lemon zest
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Whole leaves of fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Place the shrimp shells, clam juice, water and ½ cup of the wine in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Decrease the heat to low, cover, and simmer slowly for 15 minutes. Strain the shrimp stock and place in a saucepan on the back burner of the stove, adjusting the heat to maintain just below a simmer.

In a large heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, warm 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the shrimp and cook until they curl slightly, about 2 minutes. Add ¼ cup of the wine and reduce by half. Remove the mixture from the pan and reserve.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to the pan. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 7 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat the grains with oil, about 3 minutes. Add the remaining ½ cup of wine and 1 ½ tablespoons of the lemon juice and cook, stirring, until the liquid evaporates, about 1 minute. Add about 1 cup of warm shrimp stock, stirring the rice constantly. When most of the liquid has been absorbed, add another ladleful of stock and continue to cook until the rice is just beyond the chalky stage, 18 to 22 minutes. If you run out of stock, use hot water.

Remove the pan from the heat, add the shrimp, a ladleful of stock, the butter, half the Parmagiano, lemon zest and the remaining 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Remove the cover and stir. Place in serving bowls, sprinkle with the remaining Parmagiano, garnish with parsley, and serve immediately.

Serves 6

To Drink: White Burgundy or Chablis

recipe from Joanne Weir Wine Country Cooking

Crostini With Fennel Sausage

In the book, it says that this is the easiest recipe in the book and uses the fewest ingredients. It was also one of the best recipes in the book and was the first recipe we tried on the night we met. What a way to start! It took longer to cook than the recipe said and in the end, we ended up turning the broiler on to top it off. We also found it interesting that the sausage isn’t cooked before assembling. We decided that was a good thing as the fats and juices absorbed into the bread to make it even more flavorful. This recipe is going to be a staple in our appetizer repertoire!

1/2 pound hot Italian sausage, casings removed
5 ounces grated fontina or crumbled Robiola or Taleggio cheese
1 teaspoon fennel seed, coarsely ground
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Salt
12 slices rustic coarse-textured bread, cut into 2-3 inch serving pieces

Preheat oven to 350F

Crumble sausage into a bowl. Add the cheese, fennel seed, parsley, and salt to taste. Spread onto the bread, distributing evenly. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven until golden and crispy, 15 minutes.

Serves 6

To drink: Sangiovese

Tapas: Sensational Small Plates from Spain

On the front burner of the MKMT cookbook club is Tapas Sensational Small Plates from Spain by Joyce Goldstein. Joyce is the first repeat author we have invited to the table. Last year, we cooked from Mediterranean Fresh and there has been no looking back. So, when her new book was released in April we thought we’d go Spanish for the night! Her son, master sommelier, Evan Goldstein has selected Spanish wines to pair with each recipe.

Here is a summary of qué cocina en la cocina…

An expert in Mediterranean cuisine, Joyce Goldstein brings the warmth of Spain across the Atlantic with this delightful array of tapas recipes. These treats are small, savory, and perfect for an evening in with friends. Whether reliving a delicious trip to a tapas bar in Spain or discovering these small-plate delights for the first time, readers will find Goldstein’s 60 recipes authentic, easy to make, and pleasing to the palate. Nothing could be a better accompaniment to a lingering glass of Catalonian wine than a few bites each of Fried Marcona Almonds, Chorizo Sausages Sautéed in Cider, and thin slices of Serrano Ham. With a short history detailing the origins of Spanish cooking, Tapas will have crowds of fans asking for más.

Viva las tapas!!

Join us by posting your recipes and comments. Buy Tapas from Chronicle Books

Strawberry Sorbet

I love strawberries and since they are abundant this time of year it is hard to resist buying a flat at the farmer’s market to feed my habit. This week I had a craving for strawberry ice cream but there was no milk in the house and I wasn’t going to the store so sorbet was made instead! It is so easy, just needs to be planned in advance. To dress up and serve for guests drizzle a little reduced aged balsimico over the top and garnish with a lime wedge, strawberry slice, and shortbread cookie on the side.

1 cup sugar
1 cup water

4 cups strawberries
¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice

Combine the sugar and water in a sauce pan and bring to a boil until sugar dissolves, then simmer for 5 minutes. Pour into a bowl and place in the refrigerator to cool completely.

Puree the strawberries and add lime juice. Combine with the simple syrup and blend until thoroughly mixed.

Pour into an ice cream maker and follow manufacturer’s instructions. Freeze for at least 4 hours before serving.

Wine Country Cooking Cookbook Review

Everyone was excited to cook from Wine Country Cooking. As people started buying their books I began receiving emails with a common theme of “it all looks so good I’m going to have a hard time deciding what to make”. This is truly a cookbook for all seasons, and how lucky are we to live close to the wine country and have so many amazing ingredients readily available.

During the time we were cooking from the book, several serendipitous things happened around Joanne Weir. The first was an invitation from a friend to attend a dinner at the Left Bank in Larkspur. Joanne had provided a menu that Chef Sean Canavan and his crew expertly prepared. All recipes were from Wine Country Cooking and ironically, I had prepared the entrée for dinner with the parents the week before. It would be interesting to compare. The rest of the menu included:

Amuse Bouche ~ Asparagus Cheese Puffs (p.79)
First Course ~ Asparagus Soup with Lemon Crème Fraîche ( p.15)
Entrée ~ Pork Tenderloin with Onion, Orange Marmalade (p. 155) and Grain Pilaf with Nuts and Dried Fruit (p. 178)
Dessert ~ Warm Chocolate-Walnut Tart (p.195)

It was all quite delicious with the stand out dish being the Asparagus Soup. It was the most brilliant shade of green, (Chef Canavan shared his trick for that with the group who ate up every word), But it was really the addition of lemon to the crème fraîche that gave everyone pause after putting the first spoonful in their mouths. The lemon was so subtle but noticeable and turned the soup from good to “wow, that’s really delicious”.

The second came from a friend who I like sharing recipes with. She sent me a couple that she had been making lately and really enjoyed. Guess whose they were; yep, Joanne Weir.

As for the cookbook, the net was that while all of the recipes looked great, there were several that had liquid ingredients that were off, instructions that were unclear or cooking times that were off. We decided that the recipes were better used as guidelines and that if the book had been gifted to a novice who didn’t have the intuition of someone who cooks a lot, there would be trouble in the kitchen. Some of us also found that certain recipes required a lot of active time.

It made me wonder… at the dinner, Joanne said that she writes recipes on her computer without actually making them. She is clearly a professional and has been cooking for decades with her PBS show, teaching classes and running tours near and abroad so of course, she naturally knows what she’s doing in a kitchen, it just seemed that something got lost in translation or perhaps only some of the recipes were tested in the kitchen.

Two things I learned from meeting her – she has a hell of a devoted following of people who watch her on television and attend her classes. In fact, she knew or recognized most of the guests and the man sitting next to me had almost all seventeen of her cookbooks and could actually recall which recipes were in which book and he even threw out a few page numbers as well. I was more frightened than impressed by this knowledge. The second is that Joanne Weir is a shameless self-promoter. I think that every sentence she spoke had a mention of her PBS show, her upcoming culinary tour in Provence, one of her seventeen cookbooks, or the weekend cooking classes she teaches in her house in SF. I wonder how she has a permit for those weekend classes? But I digress and must go back to the book and our cookbook club.

The quote of the night from the table “Damn Joanne, it would have been nice to have better instructions”. We all would have liked more pictures and a couple of us had issues with the cover coming unglued.

Here is a partial list of some of the dishes we made and comments:

Asparagus, Blood Orange, and Proscuitto Salad p.33 ~ it was labor intensive to segment and peel the oranges and what does “curl the proscuitto like a ribbon” mean? It would have been nice to have a picture. The depth of flavor was good.
Risotto with Lemon Shrimp p.129 ~ a huge hit, although one person ran out of stock before the rice was “chalky” it was really creamy and flavorful.
Little Lemon Cakes p.197 ~ both people who made these said the yield was 10 servings vs. 8 as stated in the book ~ at least the yield wasn’t less! Both cooks also stated it took longer to cook than what the recipe said.
Olive Oil and Orange Essence Cake p.196 ~ orange essence can be difficult to find. It was also unclear when to take the parchment paper off, and as a result, the top of the cake stuck to the parchment and came off in pieces. This was a problem for presentation.
Wine Country Flatbread with Grapes and Walnuts p.98 ~ Easy to make, delicious, and the house smelled great.
Fennel Gratin p.171 ~ Just make sure your guests like fennel!
Gratin of Tomatoes, Zucchini, and Eggplant p.172 ~ The cook said “This is a disaster as far as I’m concerned, there was way too much liquid”.
Roasted Cauliflower Soup p.17 ~ it’s good with a little cheese on top.
White Bean and Ham Soup p.23 ~ Yum!
Polenta with Mushrooms p.88
Citrus Salad with Mint and Red Onions p.44
Gorgonzola and Tomato Pizza p.144 ~ easy and straightforward recipe.
Crostini with Fennel Sausage p.63 ~ (Joann said this is one of her favorite recipes in the book) – and it was delicious but required more cooking time than in the recipe. Definitely a good idea to double the recipe and have on hand.
Italian Mac & Cheese p.124 ~ this needed more time in the oven but what’s not to love about penne + 3 cheeses in a béchamel sauce with toasted breadcrumbs?!
Pineapple Sorbet with Olive Oil & Fleur de Sel p.209 ~ another recipe that Joanne said was a favorite. I guarantee your guests have never had this before. Be sure to use a good olive oil and with a sprinkle of salt your guests are in for a big surprise!
Goat Cheese and Green Onion Galette p.82 ~ Easy to make and yummy
Cool Mint Chocolate Cookies p.202 ~ substituted orange extract for the mint. I think they may be some of the best chocolate cookies I have ever made.

One thing that we all noticed and would have liked to make but lacked the time was the Lemoncello on the last page. It requires a minimum of 80 days of advance timing. If I make some now it will be ready for a hot August night – and how refreshing to sip some Lemoncello on ice! I won’t mention the big typo in the head note – Amalti Coast?!? That’s pretty bad.

In the end, we were all glad that we had cooked from the book and are likely to return to its recipes as the seasons change. Now we know to consider the recipes as guidelines and use our best judgment and intuition when cooking.

Apple-Buttermilk Sherbet

This is the second part of a recipe for Apple Crisp with Apple-Buttermilk Sherbet from Home Cooking with Charlie Trotter. I decided to forgo the crisp and make the sherbet. It stood up on its own and stole the show for dessert. Serve with a nip of Calvados or drizzle some caramel over the top to make extra decadent. I made my own simple syrup and got fresh pressed cider from Apple Farm at the farmer’s market.

¾ cup buttermilk
1 cup apple juice
½ cup simple syrup
1 ½ tablespoons corn syrup

Combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl and refrigerate until chilled. Follow the directions on your ice cream maker and serve.

Making Simple Syrup is simple. Simply combine 1 cup of water with 1 cup of sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and cool. Keep the extra that you don’t use for this recipe in the refrigerator and use it for something else.

Vegetable "Lasagne" with Roasted Garlic Broth

Vegetable “Lasagna” with Roasted Garlic Broth

For the first time ever, three people made the same thing to bring to the Home Cooking with Charlie Trotter cookbook club. It wasn’t a surprise that each one was different and that none looked like the picture in the book. They were all good in their own way and made for satisfying leftovers the following week.

This was one example of a recipe that required significant prep time – especially if you don’t have a mandoline and advance time if you roast your own red and yellow peppers, make the chicken stock and roast the garlic (both of which have separate recipes in the book). We also found that the baking time was off and the lasagna yielded significant fluid while cooking. One of the three was watery and another took almost twice the amount of baking time before the potatoes were tender. This can be attributed to thick potato slices or an oven temperature that’s off. Whatever the case, this is not a simple, for the everyday home cook recipe.

Lasagna
2 large potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced lengthwise
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
4 roasted red bell peppers, roasted and cut into wide strips
2 yellow squash, cut lengthwise into ¼ inch thick slices
4 roasted yellow bell peppers, roasted and cut into wide strips
4 ounces mozzarella cheese

Broth
1 bulb roasted garlic with the cooking oil (see below)
3 cups chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon finely minced chives

To prepare the lasagna: Preheat the oven to 350°. Generously butter an 8-inch square baking pan. Using one-third of the potatoes, form a layer in the pan. Season lightly with salt and pepper and sprinkle with some of the Parmesan cheese (how much is some?). Using half of he red bell peppers, form a layer on the potatoes, followed by layers of half the yellow squash, yellow bell pepper, and zucchini, in that order. Top with one-third of the potatoes and layer all of the remaining vegetables in the same order as before. Top with a final layer of potatoes and the mozzarella cheese. Bake uncovered for 1 hour, or until the cheese is golden brown. Remove from the oven and let stand for 15 minutes. Cut 4 3-inch squares from the center of the pan; reserve the edges for another use. (Who knows what this means… for leftovers? to feed to the dog?)

To prepare the broth: Squeeze the garlic from the garlic bulb and purée with the reserved garlic oil until smooth. Slowly add the stock and purée until smooth. Pour he broth into a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes or until warm. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Place a piece of lasagna in the center of each bowl and ladle in the broth. Top with freshly ground black pepper and drizzle extra virgin olive oil around the dish. Finish with a spray of minced chives.

Serves 4 as an entrée.

Roasted Garlic
4 bulbs garlic, tops cut off
3 cups milk
1/2 olive oil

Preheat oven to 350°. Place the garlic in a small saucepan, cover with milk, and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Drain the milk and discard, place the garlic bulbs bottom side down in an ovenproof pan, add the olive oil, and cover. Bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until the bulbs are soft. Cool the garlic in the oil and then squeeze the soft garlic cloves out of the skins. Use immediately, or refrigerate in the oil for up to 3 days.

Grilled Beef Tenderloin and Blue Cheese Salad

Recently there have been recurring themes and coincidences in my life. When I look back, it seems that they began when the cooking group was cooking from the Charlie Trotter cookbook. The title is definitely deceiving; while this might be Charlie’s dumbed down recipes for the home cook, unless one has a lot of time on one’s hands and is a seasoned home cook, this is the wrong book. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed cooking from it and the group whipped up some wonderful dishes, I just wouldn’t exactly call it “home cooking”.

On the flap the book proclaims that the recipes have been “streamlined” and are “straight forward”. I found myself wondering what they were like before the streamlining. Several recipes required significant prep time, chopping, make ahead, active time and cooking time. Clearly I didn’t make the Crispy Chicken Wontons that supposedly “go from kitchen to table in a mere half hour”. I have doubts about that claim and will need to investigate further.

Despite my griping for the most part we liked the book and I for one continue cooking from it…. It’s just that now I know to make these recipes when I have time to spend in the kitchen.

One of the recipes I made was the Grilled Beef Tenderloin and Blue Cheese Salad. Wow was it tasty. I just love the flavor combinations of Blue Cheese, good balsamic vinegar and juicy filet. The weekend after I made the one for the cookbook club I was in Carmel and ordered one for dinner. The presentation was gorgeous and what a nice touch and texture the onion rings added. Clearly there is lots of room for improvisation with this salad. Here is the recipe from the cookbook. I’d encourage you to make it and let your imagination run wild.

Vinaigrette
1 shallot, minced
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon chopped Italian Parsley
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

12 ounces beef tenderloin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 cups baby spinach leaves
1 1/3 cups crumbled blue cheese

To prepare the vinaigrette: Place the shallot, lemon juice, chives, and parsley in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper.

To prepare the beef: Prepare a medium-hot grill (I used my grill pan). Season with salt and pepper and grill for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, or until cooked to desired doneness. Cool completely and dice into ½ inch pieces. Toss with 3 tablespoons of the vinaigrette and season to taste with salt and pepper.

To prepare the salad: Toss the spinach with half of the remaining vinaigrette and half of the blue cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Place some of the spinach in the center of each plate. Arrange the beef and the remaining blue cheese on the salad and drizzle the remaining vinaigrette around the plates. Top with freshly ground black pepper.

Serves 4

For a richer, more flavored vinaigrette, substitute balsamic vinegar for lemon juice and omit the parsley.