Strawberry and Cheese Skewers

I had this Dubliner cheese sitting around in the fridge for a couple of weeks. It was a part of a "doggy bag" from a family get together. I have never tried it before and I didn't know what to do with it. It is not the kind of cheese you put on a toast. The best description I can think of is that if Parmesan cheese and Swiss cheese had a baby, it would be Dubliner cheese.

When I don't know how to incorporate something into my cooking, I start thinking what I can pair it with on a skewer. I guess you can call it my comfort zone. I think my blog could have been called Life in Chocolate or Food on Skewers:) So as strawberries are in season right now and I have plenty of them, that pretty much made them an obvious choice to experiment with on these skewers. I added walnuts to compliment the nutty side of the cheese and honey to emphasize the tiny bit of sweetness the Dubliner has. I find that these skewers make great appetizers, and you can quickly transform them into a dessert by simply adding more strawberries.

Ingredients:

strawberries, cut in half

Dubliner cheese (mine is Kerrygold brand), cut in small cubes or triangles

raw walnut halves

honey

Pour some honey into a small bowl and keep a brush in it. Thread a walnut on a toothpick, follow by a strawberry and finish with a cheese piece. The walnut part is the trickiest and takes some practice because walnuts tend to break. Find the thinnest part of it and thread it using a screwing motion. Brush all the ingredients lightly with honey.

To use this dish as a dessert, add a second strawberry half after the cheese piece.

 Enjoy!

Watermelon Salad

Who doesn't enjoy indulging in a watermelon, cold, straight from the fridge on a hot summer day? I always have. As a child I could not wait till watermelons were in season. Where I lived, it was from mid August till the end of October. I also come from a city with an efficient public transportation system and where not every family owns a car. My family didn't own one and a watermelon was a really big and heavy thing to carry home on foot. When I got older, my mom confessed that she was doing her best to avoid buying watermelons:) From the mid August I would start saying: "Mom, watermelons are here, let's buy one." Mom:” No it’s too early, let's wait a little bit till the ripe ones get here”. Beginning of September:"Mom, what about watermelons?" Mom:” No, it's too early” This would go on till the beginning of November when it would be already too late. I still got a taste of wonderful regional watermelons at my grandparents or friends, but the story with my mom was the same every year:) 

A watermelon is an outstanding thing on its own, but if you were looking for a great combination for a salad, feta cheese would be your choice. It is a classic combination - the saltiness of feta cheese brings out the sweetness of the watermelon and vice versa. This particular salad is light and refreshing and is great for lunch or a snack. Usually I like my salad without a dressing, but if you want to add some acidity to yours, I recommend this simple dressing below.

Ingredients:

2 cups arugula

1/4 cup red onion, sliced

2 cups watermelon, cut into small chunks

1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Dressing:

1/2 tbsp white wine vinegar

1/2 tbsp olive oil

salt

pepper

In a large bowl combine arugula and onion. In a small bowl mix together dressing ingredients and add to the large bowl. Top the salad with watermelon and feta cheese and serve immediately. 
Serves 2 

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!