Caponata

Recently I watched an episode of Around the World in 80 plates, where they were cooking in Modena, Italy. One of the restaurant owners said:"The beauty of Italy is the fact that it is this individuality that is so Italian. You go down this street and you get into five restaurants and all 5 of them will make a different tortellini filling. And every one of them is a real authentic one. Everyone has an authority on Italian food but there is no definitive benchmark so it is very interpretive." I am in no way a professional on food and my opinion comes from experience of a consumer/home cook: when it comes to Italian food, it is not so much about technicalities and recipes, but about great quality freshest ingredients and the feel of the dish. Sometimes you come to the restaurant that specializes in Italian food and you are served something that is based on authentic Italian recipe but taste wise and feel wise is very far from what real Italian food is. And sometimes you create a dish in the house, using the freshest veggies, following nothing but your gut and come up with such a treat, that when you serve it, you hear:"Honey, this is something I would order in an Italian restaurant!":)

Serve it as a salad or an appetizer or have it as a side dish to a steak or fish.

Ingredients:

4 Italian eggplants, cut in 1/2" slices

regular salt

1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz)

1 medium onion, sliced

1 bell pepper, chopped

1/4 cup pine nuts

1 tbsp sugar

a little less than 1/2 cup white vinegar

basil

1.5 tbsp olive oil + 4 tbsp (+) for cooking eggplants

Place the eggplant slices in a dish and cover them with a couple of tablespoons of salt. Put something heavy on top and leave for 1 hour. This procedure is going to take out excess moisture and they are going to absorb less oil when you fry them. Afterwards wash them with cold water and dry on a paper towel.

Heat 1.5 tbsp of olive oil in a pan over medium low and cook the onion for 3-4 minutes. Change the heat setting to low and add tomatoes, bell pepper and pine nuts. Cook for 15 minutes stirring occasionally.

In another pan heat 4 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat. Cook eggplant slices in batches until golden brown on both sides. Add more oil if needed. Move eggplants to the pan with onion-tomato mixture and cook for 10 minutes on medium low stirring occasionally. Season with salt and add sugar. Cook for 10 more minutes. Pour in vinegar and cook until it evaporates - 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle with basil before serving. 
Can be served cold as well.

Enjoy!

Manicotti Stuffed With Ricotta Cheese And Meats

Stuffed manicotti has to be one of my favorites from the Italian cuisine. A fantastic meaty pasta dish, its richness making it an instant comfort food. The filling for manicotti is an incredible combination of flavors - hearty soft pork and beef mixture, subtle creamy ricotta, salty and little bit nutty flavor of Parmesan and a unique taste of prosciutto. To me this all sounds like an epitome of Italian cuisine! The filling is also extremely multipurpose as you can stuff manicotti, cannelloni, ravioli, pasta shells with it and even use it in lasagne.  

The sauce used in this dish, Bechamel (Besciamella), is actually a creation of French cuisine, but is quite popular in Italian cooking.  Although it might appear simple at first glance, it plays an important role in bringing the dish together. When added to the sauce, white pepper and nutmeg enhance the taste and give the dish that authentic Italian flavor.  

Try it next time you are cooking a small intimate dinner or hosting friends, this dish would be a conversation starter! 

Ingredients:

8 manicotti shells

2 tsp cooking oil

1/4 cup onion, minced

1/2 cup ground pork

1/2 cup ground beef

1/4 cup (approx. 1 slice) prosciutto, cubed

1 lb ricotta cheese

3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

white pepper

ground nutmeg

salt

White sauce:

1/4 cup butter

1/3 cup plain flour

3 cups milk

salt

white pepper

nutmeg

Parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top

Making the filling:

Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes stirring occasionally. Add more oil if needed and stir in ground pork and ground beef. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a colander to drain.

Combine the cooled mixture with prosciutto, ricotta cheese and Parmesan cheese. Season with salt, white pepper and nutmeg and mix well.

Preparing pasta: 

Prepare according to package instructions, as some types of pasta need to be boiled beforehand, while other get stuffed uncooked.

Making the sauce:

Place the butter in a cooking pot and melt it over low heat. Add flour and whisk until well blended. Heat the milk in a microwave or on a stove until almost boiling. Gradually add the milk to butter and flour whisking constantly. Keep the pot on a lowest heat setting and whisk constantly for 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the stove and season with salt, white pepper and nutmeg.

Preheat the oven to 400°F/ 200°C.

Spread 1 cup of white sauce over the bottom of the baking dish. Fill each manicotti with the prepared mixture and place them in the dish. Handle the pasta tubes carefully not to break them. Spread the rest of the sauce over manicotti and sprinkle them with the desired amount of Parmesan cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Then take the cover off and bake for additional 10 minutes to brown the top.

Makes 8 manicotti or twice as many cannelloni or pasta shells.

Enjoy!

Easy Herb Pork Roast

Every cook has their own kitchen horror stories. Mine happened on the first Thanksgiving dinner I was hosting. I decided to make chicken instead of turkey because I couldn't find a turkey small enough for my toaster oven. So the guests are at the table waiting for the main course. I take it out of the oven and it looks great and I proudly carry it to the table. My Man starts carving it. It looks all perfect until he hits the bones. And here it comes - the bones look a liiittle bloody... My guests being great friends and supporters didn't make a big deal out of it (maybe they didn't even see the blood, I will never know:). But that was my horror story and for the longest time since then, I refrained from cooking any type of roasts. Then at some point I realized I was missing out because any roast looks impressive on the dinner table and is ideal for big events. I will never master cooking them if I don't try. Now I can tell it all comes with experience and a small, but very helpful device called a meat thermometer. That and a great piece of meat is all you need for a perfect roast.

There are numerous ways to make a roast. Many recipes call for some kind of stuffing, or veggies on the side, or you have to babysit the meat, brushing it with juices every so often. When I don't have time to give this amount of attention to the roast, I go for this recipe. I call it no mess-no fuss dish:)

I usually buy pork tenderloin or sirloin tip in stores like Smart and Final or Costco. I find that they always have a good deal on these types of cut. If I am not planning to make it right away, I just throw it in the freezer. I move it to the fridge the day before I intend to cook it so it can thaw. The next day I do everything by the recipe an hour and a half before the guests arrive and it's ready to be served as soon as they step inside.

Ingredients:

3 lb pork tenderloin

½ tsp sage

½ tsp dried oregano

1 ¼ tbsp paprika

½ tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

¾ tsp ground black pepper
½ - 1 tbsp kosher salt

2 tbsp olive oil

Mix all the spices and olive oil and let the mixture sit for 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 350°F/ 175°C. Line a baking dish with aluminum foil. Put the loin in the dish and rub the spice mixture all over it. Place it in the oven and cook for 1 hour.

Take the dish out and allow it to sit about 15 minutes. Slice and serve with the side dish of your choice. Top with the meat juices from the pan if desired.

Enjoy!

Mediterranean Style Meatballs

Many of the dishes I make are in one way or another inspired by different places my Man and I go to. I got the inspiration for these meatballs from a hookah lounge we frequent at. They serve amazing Mediterranean dishes - different kinds of meat with veggies and warm soft pita bread and lots of mouth-watering sauces. At that place, for many people, smoking hookah comes first to eating, for me the food is the priority:)

To create these flavorful meatballs I added cauliflower to a mix of pork and beef. The flavors of carrot, parsley and garlic give them the Mediterranean twist that I crave.

These kinds of dishes are also a great way to incorporate vegetables like cauliflower or broccoli into the diets of people who otherwise don't like them. I think we all have at least one of those picky eaters in every family:) This way they still get all nutrients from the vegetable without even knowing it.

Ingredients:

½ lb ground beef

½ lb ground pork

a little less than a cup crumbled cauliflower (thoroughly blended until resembles breadcrumbs)

1 medium carrot, grated

2 cloves garlic, minced

parsley, finely chopped

cooking oil

salt

pepper

 

In a bowl combine beef, pork, cauliflower, carrot, garlic and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly with your hands. Add 1-2 tablespoons of water so the mixture is more pliable. Cover the bowl and put in the fridge for 30 minutes (or overnight if necessary). 

Form into 6-7 ovals.

Heat the oil in a frying pan on a medium setting and place the meatballs in the pan. Cook them turning frequently until light brown from all sides.

Preheat the oven to 375°F/ 190°C. Place the meatballs in a baking dish and cook them in the oven for 20-30 minutes. When the meatballs are ready, serve them with a side dish of your choice.

Mediterranean Style Meatballs served with couscous salad

Tips:

• Serve meatballs with yogurt-cucumber sauce (tzatziki) or tomato sauce

Enjoy!

Stuffed White Fish Rolls

Since my Man rekindled his love for fishing, we started eating a lot more white fish - before we ate it once a month at best. After I tasted the fish that he catches, I realized that the best fish is a fresh wild-caught fish. Second best fish is the one that you caught and froze by yourself the same day. And then goes anything else, meaning whatever you can find in your local store. Of course, my rambling shouldn't stop you from buying fish in the store - not everybody has the opportunity to go fishing or gets excited about spending all day on a boat or a pier, juggling fishing poles and dealing with the stinky, slimy bait. Besides this hobby also requires a lot of patience which I don't have. But I still feel a part of the fishing team, because I am the one who cooks the catch. Usually I stick to a simple egg wash with some flour or breadcrumbs for coating the fillets, but sometimes I feel more adventurous. One day I plan to make this particular dish with the catch that my Man brings. The fish turns out moist with a piquant combination of veggies and shrimp inside and authentic Indian flavors outside.

I experimented with different kinds of white fish for this dish (e.g. sole, pacific basa), and I can tell you that any type goes as long as it is a fillet with no bones. If you choose bigger fish (like pacific basa), go for a smaller fillet, because it's going to be tough to roll up, and the roll is going to be too thick. 
This dish is perfect for a family dinner or as one of the main courses at a big event.

Ingredients:

Rolls

6 fillets white fish

½ cup shrimp, cooked

½ medium bell pepper, cubed

½ cup zucchini, cubed

¼ cup white parts of spring onions, chopped

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

salt
pepper

Brushing paste 

2 tbsp lemon juice

1/8 cup tandoori paste

½ tbsp thyme

1 rosemary sprig

Preheat the oven to 400°F/ 200°C. 

Wash the fillets and pat dry with a paper towel. Season the fish with salt on both sides. Mix together shrimp, bell pepper, zucchini, spring onions and Worcestershire sauce. Add salt and pepper. Spoon the filling on the end of each fillet and roll it up. Secure the fillets with toothpicks or thread, if necessary. Put the rolls in a baking dish seam side down.

For your brushing paste, mix together lemon juice, tandoori paste and thyme. Brush the top and sides of each roll with the mixture. Put a sprig of rosemary on top of the rolls and cover the dish with aluminum foil. Bake it in the oven for 30 minutes. Your rolls are ready to be served.  To give the fillets a nice golden hue and a thin crust, remove the foil and place them back to cook for another 10-15 minutes.

Serve hot with mashed potatoes, rice or salad.

Enjoy!

P.S.

I was writing this post sitting on a beautiful Goleta beach in Santa Barbara, while my Man was fishing from the pier. I just wanted to share some relaxing and exciting moments of the trip with you:)

The guy fishing next to us caught a shark! This was the first time I've ever seen a shark so close!

You are probably thinking:"Ok, a picture of the ocean, nothing special". But if you look closely, you'll see something in the middle....  and this something is a Whale!:)

Homestyle Chicken Enchiladas

The story behind this recipe is kind of amusing:) One day I was talking to my mother-in-law:

I: I have all this chicken meat left from the soup. I don’t know what to make with it.

She: Just make enchiladas.

I: I’ve never made them in my life!

She: Oh it’s so simple – you just cut the chicken, mix in the beans, little bit of sour cream, little bit of sauce, cilantro. Roll it up in a tortilla and that’s it. Oh and don’t forget a lot of cheese! Very easy!

It didn’t sound easy to me at all – where are the measurements?:-) But I just went with it and through experimenting with quantities I came to this recipe that both my Man and I love. These enchiladas have a chewy shell and a creamy filling inside with soft chunks of chicken and beans. Try making them and let me know what you think!

Ingredients:

1 half of chicken breast or 200-300 gr of any chicken meat, cooked

1 can (30oz) of refried beans 

¾ cup of shredded cheese (I make a mix of Monterey Jack, Mild Cheddar and Mozzarella) + some on top

29 oz green or red enchilada sauce (I use SunVista brand)

sour cream

cilantro, finely chopped

flour or corn tortillas

a pinch of salt

a pinch of pepper 

  

Preheat the oven to 350°F/ 180°C.

Cut the chicken meat in small pieces or shred it using 2 forks. In a large bowl mix chicken, cheese, refried beans, cilantro, 2 tbsp of sour cream and ½ cup of sauce. Add salt and pepper. Place tortillas in the microwave for 15 seconds to soften them up. Spoon the filling on one end or the center of the tortilla and roll it up. Pour approximately ½-1 cup of the sauce in the baking dish to cover the bottom evenly. Place the enchilada in the dish. Fill and roll the remaining tortillas and place them in a single layer in the dish. Pour the remaining sauce over them. Sprinkle evenly with cheese. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Take the cover off and leave for another 10 minutes. Serve with sour cream on the side.

Makes 8-10 flour enchiladas and twice as many corn enchiladas.

Enjoy!

Pasta and Shrimp Dish

We all are constantly looking for simple dinner meal recipes that can be prepared in 30 minutes or less. We want to come home and make a nutritious meal for our loved ones that will look and taste amazing, and the cooking process will not sap the last drops of energy we have left at the end of a busy day.

Whether you are making dinner for your family or you have guests coming, this pasta dish would be a great choice. It is quick to prepare and sure to please everyone. When the weather is nice, bring it out on the patio and enjoy with a glass of your favorite wine!

Ingredients:

½ lb pasta any kind

1 lb (20/25 count) fresh/frozen shrimp

1 can (28 oz) of diced tomatoes

2 tsp olive oil

2 garlic cloves, crushed

parsley/cilantro, finely or roughly chopped

salt

pepper

If you are using fresh shrimp, peel and devein it. Season with salt and pepper. Heat the oil over medium to high heat. Add shrimp and cook until lightly browned on both sides. Do not overcook it because it will have a rubbery texture and lose a lot of its natural flavor. Remove the shrimp from the pan. Put the heat to a medium setting and add tomatoes and garlic to the pan, stirring occasionally until the sauce thickens (12-15 minutes). Meanwhile cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente.

Add the shrimp and strained pasta to the sauce and mix. The dish is ready to be served. Garnish with parsley or cilantro, if desired.

Makes 4 servings.

Tips:

• Add red pepper flakes to spice up the dish

Enjoy!

Chicken Rolls

I love chicken! It is like a perfect pair of shoes: you can dress it up - make a fancy appetizer for a festive dinner, or you can dress it down – make an effortless escalope with vegetables on the side for a quick lunch. It is perfect for any occasion imaginable. This is why it makes sense to buy chicken in bulk - you can make chicken soup from drumsticks, honey glazed thighs, spicy chicken wings and rolls with a filling from chicken breast.

These particular chicken rolls were inspired by warm and sunny Southern California weather:) They have just the right amount of cheese inside to make the chicken moist and not heavy. As for the sauce, it is quite simple and brings richness to the dish. 

Serve the rolls as a main course with a side of vegetables or pasta or make an easy and tasty appetizer for a party.

Ingredients:

Chicken Rolls:

1 chicken breast

2 slices of semi-soft cheese (e.g. Havarti, Gouda)

parsley, finely chopped

1 cup water/chicken stock

1 tbsp butter

2 tbsp cooking oil

salt

pepper

Sauce:

2 tbsp sour cream

1 tbsp all-purpose flour

salt

pepper

Wash the chicken breast and pat dry with a paper towel. Cut the breast in half and cut each half in 3 pieces. Cover the pieces with a plastic wrap and pound them with a flat side of a meat mallet until they are evenly thin. Season with salt and pepper.

Break each cheese slice in 6 pieces. Put 2-3 cheese pieces and a teaspoon of parsley on one side of a chicken breast and roll it up, so that the filling is inside. Secure the rolls with toothpicks or thread.

Heat the oil and the butter in a nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Cook the rolls, turning them occasionally, until browned from all sides.

Pour water/chicken stock in a different frying pan (or clean the same one) and place the rolls in it. As soon as the liquid starts boiling, put the heat to a low and cover the pan. Let them simmer for 15 minutes.

Making the sauce:

Take ½ cup of liquid from the pan and add flour and sour cream. Blend the ingredients well. Add salt and pepper. Pour the mixture back into the pan and stir for a couple of minutes, until the sauce is thickened. Take the rolls out from the pan and remove the toothpicks/thread.

Top the rolls with a sauce from the pan and serve.

  

Tips:

• Parsley can be substituted for basil for a bolder flavor

• Try experimenting with different sauces for these chicken rolls 

Enjoy!

Pan - Fried Turkey Burgers

Many of you can relate that it is not easy to make a flavorful dish out of ground turkey. So I was experimenting and came up with this recipe for pan-fried turkey burgers. They turn out real juicy and fluffy.  In fact, my Man bit his tongue eating them - they were so good! You can serve them solo, with a tomato sauce, with white mushroom sauce, or just slide them into buns. 


Ingredients:

1 lb ground turkey

1 egg

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp black pepper

5 tbsp butter at room temperature

¼ cup breadcrumbs + for coating

2 tbsp oil

                            

In a large bowl mix turkey, egg, salt, pepper and 3 tablespoons of butter with a basic hand mixer. Add breadcrumbs and heavy whipping cream and continue mixing until all the ingredients are well blended. The longer you mix, the fluffier the burgers are going to be. Divide the mixture into 4-5 equal portions and shape into ovals. Coat each patty with breadcrumbs.

Heat the oil and the rest of the butter in a frying pan over low-medium heat. Cook the burgers until golden brown, 3-4 minutes per side. Put the heat to the lowest setting and cover the pan. Let them simmer for approximately 10 minutes and take them out. If you are not sure if the burgers are ready, insert the instant thermometer into the side of the burger - it should be 165 °F.  Lay out the patties on a plate with a sheet of a paper towel so it can absorb the excess oil. Your burgers are ready to be served.

Enjoy!