Author Archives: Andy

POLENTA

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Make polenta according to directions.  Spread hot polenta on cookie sheet and when
cool, cut into squares or triangles.
Toast until crisp under broiler or fry in butter on stove top.  Top with the following sauce:

  • 8 medium Portobello mushrooms (about 1 #)

  • ¼ cup olive oil

  • 4 cloves of garlic minced

  • 1 t. minced fresh rosemary leaves

  • 1 t. salt

  • ¼ t. pepper

  • 1 cup coarsely chopped, drained, tomatoes

  • ½ cup red wine

Sauté chopped mushrooms in olive oil.  Add garlic. Add seasonings.  Finish with
tomatoes and red wine.  Let cook down until thick.  Spoon over polenta pieces.

PICKELED BEETS

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  • ½ cup cider vinegar

  • ½ cup liquid from a #2 can of baby beets

  • 2 T. sugar

  • 2 cloves

  • ½ t. salt

  • 3 peppercorns

  • ¼ bay leaf

  • 1 T. pickling spices (a little more actually)

Bring to a boil and pour over beets.  Use two cans of beets
for this amount of liquid.

PESTO SPREAD (Kathy Lalley)

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  • 2  8 oz packages cream cheese

  • 1 # unsalted butter

  • ¼ cup pine nuts

  • 2 cloves garlic crushed

  • 1 cup fresh spinach leaves tightly packed

  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves tightly packed

  • ½ cup fresh parsley

  • ½ t. salt

  • ½ cup olive oil

  • ¾ cup parmesan cheese

  • 3 T. butter

Mix cheese and butter.  Set aside.  In processor mix all
remaining ingredients except olive oil. Let live oil drizzle through chute slowly.  Line small mixing bowl with cheese cloth.  Pat in 1/3 of cheese mixture.  Spread ½ pesto mix.  Pat in another 1/3 cheese mixture.  Spread remaining half of pesto.  Top with last 1/3 cheese mixture.  Refrigerate.
Turn out on plate and serve with Carr’s water crackers.

PECAN SANDIES

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  • 1 cup butter

  • 1/3 cup sugar

  • 2 t. water

  • 2 t. vanilla

  • 2 cups flour

  • 1 cup chopped pecans

Mix butter and sugar. Add water and vanilla.  Add flour
and pecans.  Chill dough for 3-4 hours.  Roll into balls on ungreased
cookie sheet.  Bake 20 minutes at 325 degrees.  Cool slightly, and then roll in
powdered sugar.

SPRITZ

  • 1 cup butter

  • 2/3 cup sugar

  • 3 egg yolks

  • ¾ t. almond extract

  • 2 cups flour

 Cream butter. Add sugar and cream more.  Beat in egg yolks and extract.  Add flour.  Press onto cookie sheet.

PECAN PIE

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  • 3 eggs

  • ½ cup sugar

  • ¼ t. salt

  • 1 cup dark Karo syrup

  • ½ t. vanilla

  • 1 cup pecans

Beat eggs slightly. Add other ingredients.  Mix well.  Put in pie shell.  Bake at 325 degrees for 50 minutes.

PECAN DIAMONDS

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  • 1 stick of butter

  • 1 ½ cups flour

  • ¼ cup ice water

  • 1 ½ cups brown sugar

  • 1 cup butter

  • ½ cup honey

  • 1/3 cup sugar

  • 1 lb chopped pecans

  • ¼ cup whipping cream unwhipped

Cut butter into flour. Add ice water and chill for one hour.
Roll out to 10 x 14 rectangle and place in 9 x 13 Pyrex pan with sides
and bottom covered.  Place remaining ingredients, except for pecans and cream, in sauce pan and bring to boil.  Boil 4 minutes.  Add pecans and cream.  Pour into crust.  Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

PAPPARDELLE WITH RICH MEAT SAUCE

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  • 2 ounces dried porcini mushrooms
  • 1 ½ cups hot water
  • 2 T. unsalted butter
  • 2 T. olive oil
  • 1 ½ cups finely chopped yellow or red onion
  • 2/3 cup peeled and finely chopped carrot
  • ½ cup finely chopped celery
  • 1 pound ground beef (or half beef, half pork)
  • 1 cup white wine       
  • 3 T. tomato paste
  • 1 t. salt
  • 1 t. ground pepper
  • ½ t. ground nutmeg
  • 4 cups beef broth heated
  • 1-2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 pound fresh pappardelle
  • 4 T. unsalted butter
  • ¼ cup grated parmesan (always use parmesan reggiano)

Place dried porcini in a bowl, add hot water to cover and let soak until softened (about an hour).  Remove porcini, squeezing out excess water and chop finely.  Line a small sieve with cheesecloth, place over bowl, and pour soaking liquid through it.  Set the mushrooms and liquid aside.  In a large sauté pan, melt butter with oil.  Add onion, carrot and celery and sauté until lightly colored, about 15 minutes.  Add meat and cook, stirring often until browned – about 10 minutes.  Add wine and cook until evaporated, 8-10 minutes.  Stir in tomato paste, then add salt, pepper, nutmeg, broth and porcini and strained soaking liquid.  Bring to boil, cover partially, reduce heat to low and simmer gently, stirring from time to time, until flavors are blended – about 2 hours.  Add cream pouring slowly until sauce has a pleasant richness.  Toss with cooked pasta, pass cheese for topping.

RABBIT RAGU FOR PASTA

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  • 2 ½ #  rabbit cut into pieces

  • 2 T. flour1/4 cup olive oil

  • 1 cup chopped yellow onions

  • ¼ cup chopped celery

  • ¼ chopped carrots1 T. minced garlic

  • ½ t. salt

  • ¼ t. ground pepper

  • ¼ t. red pepper flakes

  • 2 t. tomato paste

  • 1 cup chopped seeded tomatoes

  • 2 bay leaves

  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme

  • 1 cup dry red wine

  • 2 cups veal stock

  • 8 oz. wild mushrooms, wipe clean, trim stems, and slice tops

  • 3 T. chopped fresh parsley

  • 2 T. chopped fresh basil

  • 2 t. unsalted butter

  • 12 oz. pappardelle or fettuccini

Season rabbit on all sides with salt and pepper, then lightly dust with flour, shaking to remove excess.  In large pot heat oil, add rabbit, and brown on all sides.  Transfer to plate.  In fat remaining, add onions, celery and carrots, cooking until soft (3 minutes).  Add garlic, salt, peppers and cook for 1 minute.  Add red wine and veal stock and cook deglazing the pan.  Add mushrooms, parsley, basil and rabbit.  Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until meat is cooked through and falls from the bones.  About 2 hours.  Remove pan from heat.  Remove thyme springs and bay leaves.  Remove rabbit.  Cool and remove meat from bones, shred meat, and return to simmer in pot about 10-15 minutes.  Add butter and stir until incorporated. 

PASTA, PESTO, AND PEAS

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  • ¾ pound of fusilli pasta

  • ¾ pound bow ties pasta

  • ¼ cup olive oil

  • 1 ½ cups homemade pesto

  • 1  10 oz. package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry

  • 3 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice

  • 1 ¼ cups good mayo

  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

  • 1 ½ cup frozen peas defrosted

  • 1/3 cup pine nuts toasted

  • ¾ t. kosher salt

  • ¾ t. ground black pepper

Cook pasta separately, drain and toss with olive oil.  In a bowl of processor, puree the pesto, spinach and lemon juice.  Add mayo and continue to puree.  Add pesto mixture to cooled pasta, and then add cheese, peas, nuts, salt and pepper