About these ads
Home

Stop! Don’t Tell Me the Ingredients!

April 27, 2013

The Ranting Chef Breakfast, Cheese, Eggs, Lunch, Pork , , , , , , , , , , , , , 9 Comments

I tend to engage in quite a few conversations about food. I’m sure I have passed beyond boring my friends, family and co-workers but I find it an endlessly fascinating topic.

In a recent conversation, someone I was speaking with mentioned they had seen a recipe online for Breakfast Lasagna. I instantly blurted “STOP!”

I loved the idea but didn’t want to hear how someone else did it. I felt the creative juices flowing and started putting together what I would want in such a dish. I knew I had to substitute items from standard lasagna to make it work.

  • The sauce: This was the first that came to mind. Out with the tomato based sauce and in would be sausage gravy. What sauce says breakfast more?
  • The meat: I knew the hamburger or Italian sausage would need to go but debated if I should use chorizo. In the end, I used crumbled breakfast sausage.
  • The cheese: I thought about cream cheese in place of the ricotta and mozzarella but wasn’t sure it would go with the rest, so I settled on shredded cheddar.
  • Filling: I decided to add some hash browns to add a bit more heft to the dish. I thought about adding onions and peppers and might in future iterations.
  • Noodles: Wow. This was a tough choice. Pasta was out. In its place was one of two options. The first was pancakes. I thought about making thin pancakes for the layers and almost went with this option all the way until the end. Pancakes would offer the structure but just didn’t seem to fit flavor wise. Option two, which I went with, was crepes. This added the egg portion of breakfast.

Photo Dec 31, 12 07 12 PM

This was awesome!

Photo Dec 31, 9 27 46 AM

I used two packages of gravy and the crepe recipe from Manicotti Crepes.

Photo Dec 31, 9 35 15 AM

Other than the sausage gravy, I cooked each item first (including making the crepes) and then like lasagna put it all together.

Photo Dec 31, 10 04 53 AM

I cooked the hash browns first.

Photo Dec 31, 10 08 10 AM

Frying up the sausage.

Photo Dec 31, 10 47 56 AM

I made the crepes thicker than I would normally and layered them together to help build structure.

Photo Dec 31, 11 02 31 AM

I layered first with gravy.

Photo Dec 31, 11 03 24 AM

Crepes.

Photo Dec 31, 11 04 22 AM

Hash browns.

Photo Dec 31, 11 05 11 AM

Sausage.

Photo Dec 31, 11 08 22 AM

Cheese.

Photo Dec 31, 11 53 09 AMRepeat, then top with more crepes, gravy and a layer of cheese. Bake at 350 for 12 minutes.

Photo Dec 31, 12 07 06 PM

This was an instant hit with the family and will definitely make the rotation. Next time I will add onions and peppers into the mix.

About these ads

Guest Post: White Sauce Spinach Lasagna

April 19, 2013

The Ranting Chef Cheese, Italian, Kosher, Pasta, Recipes, Vegetable, Vegetarian , , , , , , , , , , , , , 3 Comments

Today we have guest blogger Naomi back with us. She brings with her a great recipe for White Sauce Spinach Lasagna. I really like the variation she makes with matzo and think I may need to try it. Take a look…

One of my favorite dishes is my husband’s White Sauce Spinach Lasagna. In sync with our commitment to eat good food during the holiday of Passover, he did some experimenting and figured out how to make a delicious version of it kosher for Passover. He realized that there were only two steps that needed modification in order to be able to be eaten on Passover: 
 
(1) Matzo in place of Noodles: To make matzo lasagna, take your favorite lasagna recipe and substitute pieces of matzo for noodles. Spread ricotta cheese (or other lasagna fillings) on pieces of matzo with a knife and then layer them in the pan. I’ve included his heavenly white sauce spinach lasagna, but this works for any lasagna recipe.
 
(2) White Sauce: If a sauce call for flour, to make the recipe kosher for Passover, substitute 1/2 cup potato starch for each cup of flour.
photo5

White Sauce Spinach Lasagna

Ingredients:
15 lasagna noodles
oil
1 red pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
 2 cloves garlic, chopped or pressed
20 ounces frozen spinach, defrosted and drained
15 ounces ricotta cheese
1/2 cut Parmesan cheese, grated
3/4 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
 
White Sauce:
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour (or 1/8 cup potato starch)
2 cups milk
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
 
Topping:
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 1/4 cups mozzarella cheese, grated
 
Directions
Boil the lasagna noodles. (skip this step if making Matzo Lasagna)
photo
Saute the pepper, onion and garlic in oil. Mix with the defrosted spinach and cheeses.
 photo2
White Sauce: 
Melt the butter. Remove it from the heat. Mix in the flour (or potato starch) until you have a smooth paste. Put it back over a low heat and slowly add the milk, stirring continuously. Slowly add the Parmesan. Stir until thick.
 
Assemble the lasagna in a 9×13 inch pan:
The lasagna is made with two layers of white sauce, noodles (or matzo) and spinach mixture, in that sequence. Pour about 1/4 of the white sauce in the pan. Add a layer of about 1/3 of the noodles. Add about half the spinach mixture.
 
Repeat the sequence, using another quarter of the white sauce, a third of the noodles, and the remaining spinach mixture.
photo3 
Add another quarter of the white sauce, and the remaining noodles. Add the last of the white sauce and the remaining Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses.
 photo4
8 Servings
 
from Hoboken Cooks: Favorite Recipes from the Mile Square City (compiled by the United Synagogue of Hoboken), pp 209, 309
Naomi

Load Me Up With Hot or Mild

April 18, 2013

The Ranting Chef Cheese, Italian, Lunch, Pasta, Pork, Recipes , , , , , , , , , , , , , 9 Comments

I shop at a very regular kind of grocery store. It is a large place, so there is a wide variety of products, but I cannot say that anything about it is special. The produce is generally fresh and the cans are not dented, so it meets many of my basic requirements.

Like many grocery stores, they have a wide display of pre-cut meats. Beef, pork, chicken, turkey and seafood occupy quite a bit of refrigerated displays and generally you find just about any cut pre-wrapped in plastic sitting on a styrofoam tray. In addition to the sea of protein, the store has a butcher counter and unlike many stores, actually cut their own meat on site.

I find that I rarely go to the counter. Much of what is sitting in the counter display can easily be found in other cases and the prices seem to be identical. Why stand and wait for the butcher to serve me when I can just grab and go? Plus, since I usually shop for a whole week, the plastic-wrapped meat freezes better than the paper wrapped items I’d get at the counter. I have two common exceptions. The first is when I want a big ole brisket. For some weird reason, the only brisket out for the masses is pre-marinated to become corned beef.

The second reason is to get a quantity of bulk Italian sausage. I don’t need the links. I don’t need the patties. Just load me up with either hot or mild (or a mixture of both) and let me roll. I am a big fan of the hot while my kids prefer the mild, so I tend to mix the two in recipes.

As you would expect, this is a very flavorful dish.

The original recipe called for sausage links. While this would have given a different texture to the meal, I preferred the bulk sausage spreading throughout the entire dish.

I fried up the sausage and removed it from the pan.

The peppers went in next.

Putting it all back in the pan.

Adding the pasta.

I liked how this recipe took the next step and went for the jugular by adding melted cheese on top.

So beautiful looking.

Baked Ziti with Sausage and Peppers

Prep Time: 15 mins | Cook Time: 1 hr | Makes: 6 | Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 lbs hot or sweet Italian style pork sausage
  • 2 medium red bell peppers or 1 red and 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 (28 ounce ) can diced tomatoes
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • Salt
  • 3 ounces whole wheat ziti or low carb penne
  • 1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1) Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and cook, turning, until brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Prick sausage with a fork as it cooks to release juices. Remove sausage and let cool slightly; cut into 1/2 ” slices.

2) pour off all but 1 tbsp fat. Add peppers and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes. Return sausage to pan; add tomatoes and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low, and cook until thickened, 15-20 minutes. Season with salt to taste.

3) meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, then stir into sausage and pepper mixture. Heat oven to 375°.

4) Spread half of the sausage and pepper mixture in a 2 1/2  to 3 quart baking dish. Cover with half of the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Spread remaining sausage and peppers over cheeses. Cover with remaining cheeses. Bake until bubbly, about 15 minutes.

To freeze: if freezing, do not bake ahead. Assemble in baking dish as instructed in recipe. Cool completely. Wrap well with heavy duty foil.

T reheat: bake at 375° until bubbly, about 15 minutes. Slide under broiler for 2 minutes if a crunch top is desired. Or remove from freezer, unwrap, and bake in a 375° oven until hot and bubbly, 35 to 40 minutes.

Not Veal Marsala

March 24, 2013

The Ranting Chef Italian, Low Carb, Recipes, Veal, Wine , , , , , , , , , 19 Comments

I want to take a quick moment to mention The Ranting Wife’s mother passed away this past Thursday. She was a wonderful woman who was one of the first real fans of this blog. When it first started, she would comment on each recipe and would print it to add it to her recipe file. Once she realized that I wasn’t going to stop any time soon the printing stopped but the kind comments continued. One of her recipes, Grandma O’s Potato Salad, was posted just days before she became ill and to her nature, she downplayed her contribution to the recipe. I can think of no better honor than to make it all summer long so everyone can enjoy her great recipe and keep her in their hearts. Now on to the post…

 

When is Veal Marsala not Veal Marsala? When it is made with Sherry instead.

Photo Dec 21, 5 44 20 PM

I don’t cook a lot of veal. Maybe twice a year at the most. This was decent, but I missed the Marsala.

Photo Dec 21, 4 49 44 PM

In looking at my list of ingredients, I looked in my cupboard and swear I saw some Marsala in there. When I went to make it, it was nowhere to be found. I had to rely on some Sherry.

Photo Dec 21, 5 04 36 PM

Sauteing up the mushrooms.

Photo Dec 21, 5 18 18 PM

Veal is done.

Photo Dec 21, 5 18 21 PM

Making the sauce.

Photo Dec 21, 5 21 07 PM

Adding back the veal.

Photo Dec 21, 5 44 24 PM

Veal Scaloppine with Marsala

Prep Time: 10 mins | Cook Time: 25 min. | Makes: 2

Ingredients:

  • 1-1/2 cups fresh mushrooms, quartered, halved, or sliced
  • 1/4 cup sliced green onion
  • 4 teaspoons margarine or butter
  • 8 ounces veal leg round steak or sirloin steak or 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/3 cup dry Marsala or dry sherry
  • 1/4 cup chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon snipped fresh parsley

Directions:

1. In a 12-inch skillet cook mushrooms and green onion in 2 teaspoons of the hot margarine or butter for 4 to 5 minutes or until tender. Remove from skillet; set aside.

2. Meanwhile, cut veal into 2 serving-size pieces. Place one piece of veal or one chicken breast between 2 sheets of clear plastic wrap. Working from center to edges, pound lightly with the flat side of a meat mallet to about 1/8-inch thickness. Remove plastic wrap. Repeat with remaining veal or chicken.

3. Sprinkle meat with salt and pepper. In the same skillet cook veal or chicken in the remaining hot margarine or butter over medium-high heat about 1 minute on each side or until light brown. Transfer to warm dinner plates; keep warm.

4. Add Marsala or sherry and chicken broth to drippings in skillet. Bring to boiling; boil gently, uncovered, about 1 minute, scraping up any browned bits. Return mushroom mixture to skillet; add parsley. Heat through.

5. To serve, spoon the mushroom mixture over meat. Serve immediately. Makes 2 servings.

Note: Double this recipe to serve 4, but cook the meat half at a time.

Source: http://www.bhg.com/recipe/meat/veal-scaloppine-with-marsala/

Guest Blog: Pasta alla Puttanesca

March 16, 2013

The Ranting Chef Seafood, Kosher, Pasta, Italian , , , , , , , , , , , 7 Comments

Once again we have guest blogger Terri from Dear Martini. I love that she creates videos on certain cooking steps to help readers through. Take a look at the great recipe below and make sure you spend some time over at Dear Martini…

Pasta a la Puttanesca is literally named “pasta in the style of a whore.”  Why it’s called the pasta for puttanas, I’ll leave it up to your imagination; however, I choose to ignore its impolite connotations and keep all of the ingredients for this dish at my fingertips in my pantry at all times.  The important ingredients for this sauce are crushed tomatoes, olives, red pepper flakes, shallots or onions, garlic and olive oil.  For the piquant briny/salty notes, you can add anchovy paste or chopped capers (if you wish to make it vegetarian).

This recipe falls under my personal category:  PVD (“preparazione veloce e delicioza” or for our vernacular, Quick and Yummy!).  Quick, because if you’ve got decent knife skills, it can be ready in the time it takes to cook the pasta!  Yummy, because this sauce is savory, sweet, spicy and satisfying.  Add a side salad and a glass of wine, and it’s an excellent weeknight supper.

Just for you from Dear Martini:  I’ve added some helpful video links from our Dear Martini YouTube Channel.  We’ve got a nice library of cooking technique videos to help you along in the kitchen.  Please take a look and subscribe to our channel! Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter – we’d be glad to see you!

Pasta alla Puttanesca

IMG_0953

Serves 4

IMG_0275

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 shallot, minced

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

2 teaspoons anchovy paste or 2 teaspoons capers, chopped

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, to taste

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

½ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced in half

1 28-ounce can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes

½ pound linguine pasta

1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley, chopped

2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese, optional

IMG_0312

Set a large (2- gallon) stockpot filled with water over high flame and bring to a boil.  While the water is heating up, prepare your sauce ingredients.

making anchovy paste

Mince the shallots, thinly slice the garlic and make the anchovy paste by mashing three filets with a fork.

IMG_0787

Once the water boils, add ¼ cup of kosher salt to the water and cook the pasta to al dente, about 10 -11 minutes.  In the time it takes to cook the pasta, you can make the sauce!

IMG_0561

Set a medium-sized skillet or sauté pan over medium-high flame and add the olive oil, shallot, garlic, anchovy paste and red pepper flakes.  Allow the aromatics to infuse the oil as it heats up, about 2 minutes.  Add the olives and sauté until the olives are heated through, about 2 minutes.

IMG_0704

Pour the entire contents of the canned tomatoes into the pan and stir to combine with the oil.  Bring the entire sauce to a boil, then lower the heat to simmer, for the remaining time it takes to cook the pasta. Taste, and season the sauce with salt and pepper.  Drain the pasta and immediately toss together with the sauce in the same stockpot.  The residual heat from the stockpot will keep everything warm.

Divide the pasta and sauce among your serving bowls and garnish with the parsley and cheese.  Serve immediately.

terri

Chef Terri (www.chefterridien) is a chef instructor-startup entrepreneur based in the San Francisco Bay Area.  She is currently working on her own startup, Dear Martini (www.dearmartini.net) while also serving the role of Social Media Gal for the San Mateo County Event Center.  In between startup projects and event coverage, she also teaches cooking classes!  Dear Martini, a media and technology startup based in the San Francisco Bay Area focusing on changing the way people learn to cook by using simple, effective, bite-sized videos. Bootstrapped and supported by generous friends and family, Dear Martini is on its way to developing a web-based application tool to help home cooks synchronize their cooking/searching/learning experience.  Check out Dear Martini’s blog: dearmartini.wordpress.com

 

March 16th is National Artichoke Hearts Day

In honor of today’s food holiday, please revisit the following recipes that use or feature this ingredient:

Antipasta Salad, Lemon Butter Chicken

 

Older Entries

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 6,202 other followers