the ingredients:
1 15 oz. can of ceci beans (rinsed and drained)
1 15 oz. can of cannellini beans (rinsed and drained)
1 large zucchini
1 12 oz. bag of tiny potatoes (halved or quartered)
1 large yellow squash
12-16 oz of kale (cut into smallish pieces)
6 cups of low sodium chicken broth
1 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes (preferably san marzano)
fennel seeds
dried thyme
dried parsley
red pepper flakes
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
freshly grated parmesan cheese
the method:
the ingredients:
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 oz. white truffle butter
1 lb. cavatelli (or any comparable dried pasta)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
5 ounces grated parmigianno regianno
the method:
add 1 tablespoon of salt to a large pot of water, and bring it to a boil.
meanwhile, in a large (12-inch) saute pan, heat the cream over medium heat until it comes to a simmer. add the truffle butter, one teaspoon salt, and half teaspoon pepper, lower the heat to very low, and swirl the butter until it melts. keep warm over very low heat.
add the pasta to the boiling water, and cook according to the package instructions. when the pasta is cooked, reserve a half cup of the cooking water, and then drain the pasta. add the drained pasta to the saute pan, and toss it with the truffle-cream mixture. As the pasta absorbs the sauce, add as much of the reserved cooking water as necessary to keep the pasta very creamy. turn off the heat, and add a half cup of the parmesan. stir into the pasta until the cheese is combined.
transfer the pasta to a serving bowl, and garnish with a generous sprinkling of grated parmesan and chives.
courtesy of the barefoot contessa.
i did this as an hors d’oeuvres for christmas eve, and people loved it. there’s something about puff pastry that makes a dish seem fancier, but this was uncomplicated to prepare.
the ingredients:
1 package (2 sheets) of puff pastry
1 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 leeks (sliced)
1 large zucchini (sliced)
1 large yellow squash (sliced)
1 package of pepperidge farm puff pastry (thawed)
1 15. oz container of ricotta cheese
1 lemon (zested)
3 tbsp. fresh thyme (chopped)
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
the method:
make sure your puff pastry is defrosted at this point. if it’s been in the freezer, allow it to defrost in the fridge overnight the day before you’re going to prepare this.
preheat the oven to 400.
wash and prepare the vegetables. make sure the leek is cleaned thoroughly as it can be a sandy vegetable.
in a large, non-stick skillet, heat the butter and olive oil. once they’re hot, add the vegetables, season with salt and pepper, and saute until they begin to soften and brown ever so slightly (these will continue to cook in the oven, so don’t overcook them here). turn off the heat, and let rest.
in the meantime, in a medium bowl, add the ricotta and lemon zest, and season with salt and pepper, to taste. spread the mixture onto both sheets of puff pastry. you should have enough for both sheets. then, place the squash and zucchini in a single layer, and add the leeks on top. bake for 15-17 minutes, or until the crust begins to brown.
garnish with the fresh thyme, and serve.
2 to 2 1/2 pounds large red tomatoes
3 tablespoons good olive oil
Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup store-bought pesto (yes–i cheated.)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
preheat the oven to 425 .
slice the tomatoes across (not through the stem) in 1/2 inch-thick slices. arrange the slices in a single layer on a sheet pan. drizzle the tomatoes with the olive oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and the pepper.
bake the tomatoes for ten minutes. remove them from the oven, spread each slice with pesto, and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. return the tomatoes to the oven, and continue baking for seven to ten minutes, until the parm is melted and begins to brown. using a flat metal spatula, put the tomatoes on a serving platter, sprinkle with extra salt, and serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.
courtesy of the barefoot contessa.
this is perfect for a winter dinner party with lots of hungry bellies.
the ingredients:
4 lbs. roast beef
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp. fresh rosemary (chopped)
2 tbsp. fresh thyme (chopped)
2 tbsp. fresh parsley (chopped)
2 tbsp. whole grain mustard (the course-looking kind)
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
the method:
generously season the roast on all sides with salt and pepper. then, combine all of the above ingredients (minus the first two) in a food processor, and pulse to combine. this should be a textured marinade, not a puree, so do not over pulse. pour the marinade into a large ziploc that will house the meat. place the meat in the bag, sealing it, and move the bag around so that the marinade coats all parts of the roast. i left mine in the fridge for almost 18 hours.
when you’re ready to roast, preheat the oven to 350. the meat should be at room temperature before cooking, so remove it from the fridge 20-30 minutes before cooking.
in a dutch oven or large skillet, sear the roast on all sides, and then place it in the oven (preferably in a roasting pan).*
for medium rare, a cooking thermometer should register at 145. keep in mind, the roast will continue to cook out of the oven as the meat rests, so it’s better to air on the side of caution. once removed from the oven, cover with a foil tent, and allow the meat to rest for ten minutes. this can be served warm or at room temperature. slice it when you’re ready to serve it. after you plate the meat, top with the juices from the pan.
*if you’re serving this at a dinner party, you can sear the meat in advance, and put it in the oven later. i highly recommend buying a disposable roasting pan. i got one at whole foods, and it saved me the hassle of an overflowing sink and one more pan to scrub the next morning.
a friend of mine suggested doing a red and green vegetable for a christmas occasion, and i ate it up (literally). the tomatoes are quite simple. and quite delicious. as for the broccoli? for those of you know who know city bakery, they do an amazing roasted broccoli. i don’t know exactly what’s in it (though there can’t be more than a few ingredients), but it’s absolutely delicious. alas, the goal of the broccoli was for it to taste as close to city bakery’s as possible. after all, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
the ingredients:
3 pints of grape tomatoes
2 heads of broccoli (washed, de-stalked, and rustically chopped)
extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
red pepper flakes
unsalted butter
the method:
preheat the oven to 400.
on a rimmed baking sheet (or two), toss the tomatoes with the olive oil, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes (as few or as many as you’d like). roast for 15-20 minutes. then, transfer the tomatoes to one half of a serving platter; they’ll be sharing.
meanwhile, in a large, non-stick pan, cook the broccoli. unless you’re working with an industrial-sized skillet, i would do this in two batches (one per head). heat two tablespoons of olive oil over high heat until you can see steam rising from the pan.
add the broccoli, and cover immediately with a lid. cook for two minutes with no peeking. remove the lid, season the broccoli with salt, pepper, and more red pepper flakes. shake the broccoli around a little bit, add a tablespoon of the butter, and then return the pot to the flame, covered, for two to three more minutes. at this point, you can test the broccoli and see if it’s seasoned and cooked to your liking. cook for another couple of minutes if you prefer softer broccoli. it will be browned in spots and a vibrant green in others.
add the broccoli to the other half of the serving platter. this can be served warm, or if you want to make it ahead of time, at room temperature.
thanks to the wednesday chef for help on the broccoli.
this was supposed to be served as a cake. however, i didn’t think it looked substantial enough for a robustly decorated christmas table, so i transferred it to a white, ceramic dish and drizzled the glaze on top. i actually liked the way it looked this way even more.
the ingredients:
1/2 cup ricotta cheese (4 ounces)
1/2 cup cream cheese (4 ounces)
1/4 cup goat cheese (2 ounces)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 egg
Pinch kosher salt
1/2 cup thin strips roasted red peppers
1/4 cup apricot jam
1 to 2 teaspoons hot water
*special equipment: 1 (4 1/2-inch diameter) springform (cheesecake) pan
method:
preheat the oven to 350.
wrap the outside of the cheesecake pan with two layers of heavy-duty foil. place the ricotta, cream cheese, and goat cheese in a food processor. pulse to mix. add the sugar, egg, and salt and pulse a few times until well mixed. stir in the red pepper strips.
pour the cheese mixture into the cheesecake pan. place the cheesecake pan in a roasting pan. pour enough hot water in the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the cheesecake pan. bake until the cheesecake is golden at the edges and the center of the cake moves slightly when the pan is gently shaken, about 45 minutes (the cake will become firm when it is cold.)
transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool for an hour. refrigerate until the cheesecake is cold, at least three hours and up to two days.
to serve, combine the jam and the water in a small bowl and stir until the jam is liquefied. remove the cheesecake from the springform pan. place on a serving plate. drizzle the jam mixture over the top of the cheesecake.
courtesy of giada de laurentis.
this is a great dinner party hors d’oeuvres that looks fancy but, in actuality, doesn’t require much work and can be made ahead of time. i would recommend using pepperidge farms puff pastry sheets for this, unless you have a pastry sheet attachment. you could make this with pizza dough as well. i just liked the formal dimension that the puff pastry added.
the ingredients:
1 package (2 sheets) of puff pastry
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1/4 pound pepperoni (thinly sliced)
1/2 pound mozzarella cheese (shredded)
2 tbsp. parmesan cheese
1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
the method:
preheat the oven to 450.
place a piece of parchment paper on a sheet pan.lay 1 sheet of puff pastry on a floured board and carefully roll it out to 10 by 12 inches. place it on a sheet pan and brush the center with the mustard, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge. place a layer first of ham and then cheese, also leaving a 1-inch border. brush the border with the egg wash.
place the second sheet of puff pastry on the floured board and roll it out to 10 by 12inches. place the second sheet on top of the filled pastry, lining up the edges. cut the edges straight with a small, sharp knife and press together lightly. brush the top with egg wash and cut a few slits in the top to allow steam to escape.
bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until puffed and golden brown. allow to cool for a few minutes before cutting into diagonal pieces, and serve immediately.
adapted from a barefoot contessa recipe.
these cookies are one of my favorites. you can make them with orange or lemon instead of the grapefruit, depending on your mood or preference. they’re pillowy and delicious.
the ingredients:
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 cups whole-milk ricotta
3 tablespoons fresh grapefruit juice
1 tablespoon grapefruit zest
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
the method:
preheat oven to 375.
line two baking sheets with parchment paper. sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar, and lemon zest on medium speed until light and fluffy. add eggs, and mix until combined. add the lemon juice and vanilla; mix until combined. add the ricotta, a few spoonfuls at a time, and beat to combine. gradually add the dry ingredients on low speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl. mix until combined.
use a small, releasable ice cream scoop to drop balls of the batter evenly onto the baking sheets, about 12 per sheet. bake until the edges are slightly golden, about 14-15 minutes. let them cool completely on a rack. repeat until the batter is finito.
adapted from a gastronomer’s guide recipe.
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