Monday, March 21, 2011

White Lasagna

Tara's Birthday Dinner
Without question, I am one of the luckiest men alive, I have two mother's in law :) one of whom is Italian and loves to cook. Her name is Mona and Tara's favorite recipe that she prepares is White Lasagna.  It  is truly rich, creamy and delicious.  You've got to love cheese and if you do, you will love this recipe as does our entire family.

White Lasagna


1 lb. Hot Italian Sausage
1 lb. Mild Italian Sausage
2 Eggs
32 oz. Ricotta Cheese
One Small Bunch Italian Parsley, coarsely chopped
1/4 lb. Grated Gruyere Cheese
1/4 lb. Grated Parmesan Cheese'
2 lbs. Grated Mozzarella
1 Cup half and half
3 Tbsp. Butter
2 Finely Chopped Shallots
4 Tbsp. Wondra Flour
2 Cups Chicken Broth
Fresh Parsley
1/8 tsp. Nutmeg
Kosher Salt 
Fresh Ground Pepper
1/4 Cup Madiera or Tawny Port
2 Boxes Lasagna Noodles


This is one of those recipes where the more prep work you do prior to starting to cook, the better off you'll be,  It's just fine to buy the cheeses already shredded but the best outcome will always be to buy the cheeses and grate them yourself.  Either way, you won't be disappointed with this dish.  One of the biggest things to remember about lasagna, like many baked dishes is that the recipe is sort of like the "Pirate Code."   More like a set of guidelines than a hard and fast set of rules.

Get all your ingredients out of the frig, grated, beaten and pre-measured and this whole event will go a lot more smoothly!


Brown sausage in a saute pan, drain oil and set set aside.  If you  have the right kind of crowd coming over and you want to kick the whole dish up a notch,  add a teaspoon or so of  crushed red pepper flakes during the saute process.



 Browned Sausage looking tasty.


Beat your eggs slightly and gently blend in to the Ricotta Cheese in a large mixing bowl until the entire mixture is smooth and creamy.  Season with salt, pepper and and add chopped parsley.

Boil a large pot of water and cook Lasagna Noodles about half way and turn the pot off and remove from heat.  Later on I will take the noodles out a few at a time with a pair of tongs and dry quickly on a paper towel prior to layering in the baking dish later.

Make The Bechamel Sauce


Melt 3 T Butter in heavy sauce pan over medium heat
Add 2  Shallots Finely Chopped and cook until translucent
Add 4 T. Wondra Flour and whisk until golden brown
Stir in 2 Cups Chicken Broth and cook until smooth
Add Nutmeg,  salt and pepper
Stir in a generous glug or two of Madeira and cook for 1-3 minutes
Slowly add 1 Cup half and half and adjust seasonings if needed


Rub two 9x11 baking pans with a bit of olive oil and lay  out cooked lasagna noodles overlapping slightly.
Spread 1/2 of ricotta mixture over noodles in a very thin layer using the back of a rubber spatula
Add half  shredded Gruyere
Add half  shredded Parmesan
Add half Mozzarella
Add half cooked Sausage
Pour half the Bechamel Sauce using a soup ladle
Repeat the entire process and cover with foil. I like to make sure to add a generous amount of mozzarella at the end to cover the entire dish.


Place in a preheated 350 degree oven and bake for 35-40 minutes.  
Remove foil and bake ten minutes longer until cheese is golden brown.
Remove from oven  and allow to rest for 4-8 minutes 









Murph's Easy and Quick Garlic Bread
2 Loaves Fresh French or Italian Bread sliced on the diagonal
1 Stick Butter
1/4   Cup Olive Oil
4-6 Cloves finely chopped garlic
1 T Italian Seasoning 
1 T Dried Basil
Finely Grated Parmesan


Preheat Broiler to 450 degrees


Melt butter, olive oil and saute garlic until tender.
Add Italian Seasoning and Basil, stir for one minute and turn the heat off.
With a pastry brush or a tablespoon lightly coat each piece of bread with the herb butter
Sprinkle shredded parmesan on top of each slice of bread and arrange evenly on a cookie sheet
Place in the preheated oven and commence watching like a hawk... with the added element of cheese these will burn super fast and take no longer than 3 minutes to cook.

Finished Products Side by Side for Serving.


Enjoy with a nice Orvietto Classico or, if you are a bit more adventurous, go find a bottle  of  Est! Est! Est! di Montefiascone  and have a great meal!! 

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Erin Go Bragh!

Today is my youngest daughter's birthday and St. Paddy's Day!  She is not a big fan of corned beef or cabbage so we will be preparing her favorite dinner on Sunday: White Lasagna.  I know what you are probably thinking, and  yes, it's another Italian dish from the Irish guy and you're right!  Stay tuned and I promise you won't be disappointed!

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Confessions of a Cookbook Junkie...

My Fav's

Let's face it, none of us has the best recipe for every dish and true chef's are always looking for fun new ways to spin an old recipe up to the next level.  I admit to gleaning bits and pieces from my favorite cookbooks into my own version of great new ways to prepare both old and new dishes.  Of course, there are the old stand by's like Julia Child and Martha Stewart both of whom helped shape my thinking about food.  I even loved Graham Kerr as a kid and watched the Galloping Gourmet constantly after school.  My first big dish was Kerr's version of Chicken Parmigiana that I made for the whole family when I was in the 6th grade!  Thanks to the Food Network, I have been exposed to more great chefs, more great recipes and more great techniques for preparing food than I ever dreamed imaginable.  To that end, I have decided to add a few of my favorite cookbooks old and new.

My current favorite is the Barefoot Contessa and we own all of her books. I take lots of Ina's recipes and put my own spin on them and they  usually turn out great.  In addition, if you prepare any one of her recipes according to her precise directions they will turn out great every time.   My current favorite is  Barefoot Contessa How Easy Is That?: Fabulous Recipes & Easy Tips

For incredible inspiration and simple techniques for preparing Italian dishes that will awe your friends and family I absolutely love PatriciaWells "Trattoria." Do not miss her goat cheese and garlic spread  which can be made in minutes and will draw a crowd around the appetizer tray every time.Patricia Wells' Trattoria: Simple and Robust Fare Inspired by the Small Family Restaurants of Italy.  Thanks to our dear friend Renee for bestowing this fine book on our family as a gift many years ago.

One of my all time favorites that I have relied upone since the 80's is Marlene Sorosky's year round cookbook.   If you get it her 4th of July chapter is a masterpiece.  It's out of print so go to your local bookstore and see if you can find a copy.  Marlene Sorosky's Year-Round Holiday Cookbook

For seafood and the like I have never found anything that compares to Jasper White's complete guide to shore food.  I grew up at the Jersey Shore but ironically enough my Mom was allergic to seafood so it was never served in my home.  Luckily, as Catholics we never ate meat on Fridays so I would sit at the counter of one of Jersey's many great diners and explore the realms of fried clams, fresh broiled flounder and the occasional lobster tail.  The depth of this book is not just in the recipes but in the cooking techniques.  So if you buy a live lobster for the first time, this book willl guide you step by step from prepation to sucking the meat out  of the feelers to making a perfect drawn butter.  If you don't have this one, run out and buy a copy before Summer!The Summer Shack Cookbook: The Complete Guide to Shore Food.

For everyday cooking I was heavily influenced by Martha's clear instructions, tasty recipes and the consistently simple and  delicious food she is known for.  Maybe it's because she is a Jersey Girl or maybe it's because she came from the investment business but either way her older books are among my favorites.The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook has been in my libray since it was published and I refer to it regularly.

Finally, it is time to pay homage to the Empress: Julia Child.  I grew up watching her show on PBS in New York.  She was a pioneer and she really cooked.  In that light it didn't always go as perfectly as many of the shows you may watch on the Food Network but the final product always looked delectable in every way.  If you  will only ever own one cookbook, this is the one.  We have a First Edition that is as well worn as your favorite Bible and it's got bits and pieces of the recipes we've prepared over the years stuck between the pages.Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Vol. 1 is a must and I always see older editions at estate sales and used book shops.  Don't be afraid to write in the margins and make modifications to any recipe you alter.  That way your kids will really have your recipes when you pass your collection on to them.

One day I will write my own cookbook but for now, these are Murph's Picks.

Monday, March 14, 2011

NY Steak with Murph's Rub

NY Steak with Murph’s Rub and Grilled Veggies

As you may have deduced from earlier blogs, Murph’s Kitchen serves a lot of beef and we love to grill.  Last night was one of the more impromptu evenings where the food was simply prepared and we drowned our sorrows in some mighty fine vino.  As Arizona Wildcat basketball fanatics we are still reeling from the one point overtime loss to the Huskies.  Hats off to Coach Miller and all the Cats for a great PAC 10 Season and best of luck in the NCAA Tourney!

We started off with a simple appetizer tray of olive medley, peppered soprasatta salami, sliced cucumbers, ahi tuna spread with brie and crackers and enjoyed a 2005 classic Chardonnay compliments of Johnny O.








NY Steaks
Lemon Pepper
Hot Hungarian Paprika

I began with some Prime NY Steaks, liberally coated on both sides with Lemon Pepper and then lightly dusted with Hungarian Hot Paprika.



I will post my Cajun Rub in another blog.  For unknown palettes that may not like their steaks as spicy as Murph and his clan, we just lightly dust with the Paprika to kick it up a notch.  The steaks should be seasoned several hours prior to serving and allowed to come to room temperature.  I hold them in a room temp oven to prevent the cats from their own version of a steak tasting.

Seasoned Veggies
Red, Yellow and Orange Bell Peppers
One Big Sweet Onion--- I prefer Walla Walla’s in season
Olive Oil
Kosher Salt
Fresh Ground Pepper
Garlic Salt

Quarter Bell Peppers and remove stem and seeds.  Peel the Onion and cut in half across the equator.  I prefer to skewer the onions with a long stainless steel skewers.  Place all veggies in a large mixing bowl and hang the onions on top.  Drench in  olive oil and get the veggies well coated on all sides.  I do a light dusting of the garlic salt and then sprinkle on a modest amount of kosher salt as well.  Finally, use lots of fresh ground black pepper and let the veggies sit out for at least an hour so they are room temp as well.


I always cook my veggies first and hold them in a warm over while I do the steaks.  Put the onions on firs over medium hot grill.  For those of you who may be using a Weber you might want to move them toward the outside of the hottest part of your grill.  Be careful as olive oil can really flame up.  Flame is your enemy with grilled veggies as it blackens them.  It may take you a time or two on your own grill to find the sweet spot that gets the veggies cooked but not blackened.  Turn the onions after about 3-5 minutes and move them to the top rack of your grill when you put on the Bell Peppers.  I tend to dip the veggies back into my mixing bowl rather than brushing with oil but either way will work.  It takes aobut 10-15 minutes depending on how many veggies you are grilling.  At this point grill them until almost done because they will soften up in the oven a bit and I don’t like my veggies mushy.  This same technique works with virtually any crisp veggie and we frequently do this with eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms etc.. 

NY Steaks

I like to cook steak on the hottest part of a very hot grill with the lid only partially down after the steaks go on. I bring them out to the grill on a cookie sheet and I’m a” turn so they have the restaurant diamonds on them sort of guy.”  Obviously, the more “well done” steaks go on first and the “rare” ones go on last.  Regardless of intended doneness make sure you sear them for at least two minutes on the first turn.  Flip ‘em at about two and give them two on the opposite side.  Now it’s up to you to use your grilling skills to create the perfect medium rare etc.  These steaks were full of marbling and took about 8 minutes for medium rare. 

We served the steaks with a nice salad, the grilled veggies and proceeded fill the void created by the Arizona loss with some great wine and had a great dinner on our patio.  Thanks to Johnny O and the Courtney’s for bringing fantastic wines.





As a side note, we attended the A to Z wine dinner the night before at Jannos Restaurant and I fell in love with their Pinot Noir.  I promptly cleaned AJ’s out of their remaining stock on Saturday morning.  I can’t tell you how great this Pinot was for under $20.  Run to your favorite wine shop and buy every bottle they have, you won’t regret it!



Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Where's the Beef?

AJ's Fine Foods ( http://www.ajsfinefoods.com/butchers-corner.asp ) our favorite gourmet grocer, has Prime and Choice Beef on sale through this Sunday for 1/2 off!

 Stand by for a little Grilling this week end. Our long time friend, Johnny O, a great chef in his own right and one of Murph's favorite enophile's will be in town. Last time Johnny O came for a visit, his steak ran away...well, sort of. So....if our dog Coco doesn't steal his steak, it will be worth a visit to Murph's Kitchen come Sunday Morning.

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Murph's Posole

Posole is our traditional Christmas Day dish and we enjoy it throughout the year.  It is fabulous left over so this version makes a generous amount.  Posole's pleasing aroma will fill the house and guests usually affirm their approval with a chorus of "...hmmm something smells really good."


Murph’s Posole

posole

3-4 Pound Pork Shoulder, cubed
3 Medium Brown Onions, chopped
4 Cloves Minced Crushed
2 Large Cans Hominy
1 Large Can Whole Green Chili’s
32 oz. Chicken Broth
8-10 Cups Water
3 Jalapeños, chopped
3 T Cumin
3 T Red Chili Powder
Salt and Pepper
2 Bay Leaves
1 T Oregano
3 T Olive Oil

For Garnish
Make your garnish items just prior to serving!
Shredded Cabbage
Radishes, Thinly Sliced
Chopped Sweet Onion
Avocado, roughly chopped
Cilantro, Chopped
Jalapeño Rings
Crushed Tortilla Chips
Shredded Mexican Cheese Blend
Limes Wedges



Remove Exterior Fat from pork shoulder and cut into bite size cubes.  It is a good idea to have a sharp knife to remove bits of fat from the pork as you trim it away from the bone. Don’t obsess, but well trimmed pork is never be chewy or fatty.

Heat 1 Tablespoon of  Olive Oil in your large Iron Pot. I always use a Le Creuset which is about an 8 qt.   Add trimmed pork over a medium high heat and brown lightly about 10-15 minutes.  Continually turn the meat to lightly brown all sides of all pieces.  Season with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.

While the meat is browning, peel and chop onions into large chunks.  Peel and mince the garlic at this point as well.  While the meat is still cooking, seed the jalapeños and chop into smaller pieces, retaining a few seeds for flavor and heat later in the cooking process.

When all the meat is lightly browned, add a tablespoon of cumin and a tablespoon of red chili powder, covering the meat fully and cook for 2 minutes longer to infuse the flavors that will jump out later!

Remove meat and juices from pot and set aside in a large mixing bowl.

Add 2 tablespoons of oil to pot and add onions and season liberally with salt and pepper.  Sauté 4-5 minutes and add garlic and 2 chopped jalapeños.  Stir continually for 3-5 minutes.  Once onions begin to brown add 2 T cumin and 2 T red chili powder. The aroma may knock you over but this is the essence of great Posole!  Coat thoroughly and stir constantly for 2-3 more minutes.

Add pork along with the juices, chicken broth and turn heat to medium high.  Add drained Hominy and half the water and bring to a boil. The remainder of the water may be added throughout the cooking process as needed.

While waiting for pot to boil, open green chili’s and pour half the juice from can into the stock.  Chop whole chilis into larger chunks and add to the boiling stock.  Add Oregano and bay leaves and fill pot to 1 ½ inches from top with remaining water and bring to a good boil for 10 minutes. 

Reduce heat to low and simmer for 2-3 hours.  Add as many of the remaining green chili’s to the stew as you would like based on your desired consistency and heat profile.  Murph and the family like it hot but guests often can’t handle our heat so retain some jalapeno rings for garnishing later on.

This dish requires frequent stirring and needs to be sampled about an hour prior to serving for seasoning and heat.  You can always kick it up a notch with a little more red chili powder or a few seeds from the jalapenos. 

Once the pork is tender and the stew is bursting with flavor serve with shredded cabbage, chopped fresh radishes, chopped cilantro, quartered limes and chopped avocados. Murph’s crew likes a little shredded cheese on the side along with crispy corn tortillas crumbled over the top and fresh, warm flour tortillas for dipping are great additions as well.  

Enjoy!

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Amazingly Easy Week Night Frittata

Veggie and Turkey Frittata

Okay, so we don't do the gourmet thing every day of the week but this is one of the easiest to prepare recipes that I make on a regular basis.  Frittata's are great for breakfast, lunch, brunch or dinner;  truly one of the simplest one pan dishes you will ever make.  A great aspect of this dish is  you don't really need to prepare in advance by searching out  "just the right" ingredients; they're already in your frig!
I just come home, decide  it's a Frittata  kind of night and begin pulling stuff  off the shelf and out of the refrigerator.  Even if you are a bit of a novice, trust me, it's nearly impossible to mess this up.

Ingredients

10 Large Eggs beaten
4 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Large  or 2 small Zucchini chopped
1 Medium Onion finely chopped
2 Stalks Celery finely chopped
2 Carrots, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 Yellow and 1/2 Red Bell Pepper chopped- any color will work
Two Medium Tomatoes roughly chopped
4 Slices Deli Turkey roughly chopped
5 Heaping Tbsp Low Fat Cottage Cheese
3/4 Cup Shredded Cheese ( I used Sargento Swiss and Gruyere)
Kosher Salt
Fresh Ground Pepper


Pre-Heat Broiler to 450 degrees


In a large mixing bowl beat eggs and add a big pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper
Add Cottage Cheese and whisk again for 30 seconds 
Set Aside and go to work on your veggies

Heat Oil over medium high heat in a 12 inch saute pan that is safe to place in the oven
Chop all the veggies and set aside on a large cutting board
Add the onion, celery and carrot to the hot oil and saute for 2-3 minutes stirring constantly
Add bell pepper, tomatoes, zucchinni and sliced turkey; saute for 3-5 more minutes stirring frequently
Make sure you season the pan with a bit of salt and pepper after each new set of ingredients is added



Your veggies should look something like this once the zucchini and tomatoes are added but remember, almost any veggie combo will work.

Pour in the egg mixture,  sprinkle the shredded cheese over the top, reduce heat to medium and cook for another 3-5 minutes stirring only occasionally.

Transfer your saute pan to the oven at least two rungs from the top and watch it like a hawk from this point forward. It won't take more than 3-5 minutes.

Once the top begins to brown slightly remove from the oven and let stand for 2-3 minutes.  Cut into pie sized slices and serve with a side salad.  Murph's crew likes warm flour tortillas and a good spicy salsa with this dish.  We are big fans of both Herdez and Pace Salsa in the medium heat variety.

This is a great one pan meal and the more you cook this one the more comfortable you become adding your own ingredients.  I have made this with everything from leftover ham to chicken with just about every veggie  and cheese combo imaginable.  Use your own imagination and enjoy!!



Your Veggie Frittata should be lightly browned and will come out of the oven looking delicious!.