Category: Recipes

PESTO

This is a basic pesto recipe but keep in mind that pesto is basically a pureed sauce of leafy greens, olive oil, grated cheese, nuts, garlic and salt and pepper to taste.

Given all that….

Consider replacing the basil with spinach, arugula, watercress, kale (add a squeeze of lemon juice) etc. pine nuts can be replaced with almonds, cashews, walnuts etc. and the cheese can be replaced with another version of a dry grate-able cheese like Romano, Provolone, Ricotta Salata, Asiago etc.

Ingredients

3 c basil, cleaned and trimmed

1 clove of garlic

2 T pine nuts, toasted

1/2 c olive oil

1/4 c Parmesan cheese, grated

Method

In a food processor, combine the basil, garlic, cheese and pine nuts – process.

Drizzle the olive oil while continuing to process.

Transfer the pesto to a bowl, sprinkle with additional cheese and fold to combine.

MUSHROOM CREAM SAUCE

Ingredients

2 lb. mixed mushrooms, chopped 

if using dried mushrooms rehydrate before adding to pan

4 T butter, unsalted

2 leeks, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 t thyme leaves

1/4 c red wine or sherry

salt and pepper, to taste

1/4 c half and half

1/4 c Romano OR Parmesan cheese, grated/shaved

Method

In large saute pan over medium heat melt 2 T butter.

Saute leeks cooking 5 minutes.

Add garlic and thyme, cook 1 minute.

Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer leek mixture to a bowl and hold.

Deglaze pan with wine or sherry and simmer until liquid begins to evaporate

Stir in 2 T butter and mushrooms continuing to saute until mushrooms become dry and golden.

Hold mushrooms to prepare starch.

Prepare pasta, rice, quinoa, or polenta as usual and hold.

Return the mushroom mixture to the stovetop over medium heat 1 minute.

Add the leeks mixture back to the mushrooms

Add the cream to the mixture and heat to warm.

Add 2 T cheese to the sauce and combine.

Combine the sauce with the chosen starch

Garnish with grated/shaved cheese.

Serve.

LEMON CURD/CITRUS CURD

This basic lemon curd recipe can be modified to create other citrus curds including cranberries, blood oranges, limes, oranges, grapefruit etc.

Ingredients

2 – 3 lemons, zested and juiced
1/2 c lemon juice
1 c sugar
4 whole eggs plus 1- 2 egg yolks
1/2 c butter, room temperature

1/8 t kosher salt.

Method

DO NOT USE AN ALUMINUM PAN.

Combine lemon juice and zest.

Beat eggs and sugar in a heavy stainless steel saucepan.

Add lemon juice and zest to the eggs and sugar in the pan, while cooking over medium heat, stirring constantly.

As mixture heats up, add butter, in one-inch cubes, stirring until butter is melted.

Add the salt.

Cook, stirring constantly until the lemon curd thickens

Do not overheat or burn. 

Strain immediately in a bowl resting in an ice bath .

Refrigerate.

Cool and use as needed.

APPLE, WALNUT, MAPLE BREADS/MUFFINS

Ingredients

1 1/2 c multipurpose flour blend

1/2 c walnuts, ground (other nut meals may be used)
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1/2 c brown sugar

1/4 c maple syrup
1/2 c melted butter or vegetable oil
1/3 c milk or buttermilk or alternative milk
1 c chunky apple sauce

1 apple, chopped small
1 egg
1 1/2 t vanilla extract

Maple Glaze Finish

1/4 c maple syrup

1/2 to 3/4 c confectioner’s sugar

Combine syrup and confectioner’s sugar to smooth, set aside.

1/2 c nuts, toasted and chopped small (use same nut as meal used above)

Method

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Line muffin tins or bread pan with paper liners or butter and set aside

In large bowl, whisk together flour, nut meal, salt, and baking soda and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together brown sugar, maple syrup, milk, butter, eggs, and vanilla extract.

Whisk until smooth and combined.

To the wet mixture, add applesauce and combine.

Slowly fold the wet mixture into the flour mixture.

Fold until ingredients are combined.

Add the chopped apple and fold them in to the batter.

Fill muffin cups or bread pan with batter about 3/4 full.

Bake for 12 – 15 minutes for muffins or 30 – 35 minutes for breads; until a toothpick comes out clean.

Remove pans from oven and transfer muffins to cooling rack; cool 10 minutes

Drizzle with maple glaze and top with chopped nuts.

Best served fresh or stored in freezer and reheated.                         

Yield:  36 – 48 mini muffins or three small bread loaf pans

BUTTERMILK SAUSAGE-CHEESE BISCUITS

Ingredients

2 c gf all-purpose flour

Plus 1/2 c extra flour for dough and for rolling dough

2 t baking powder                                                                

1/2 t baking soda

1/4 t salt                                             

8 T cold, unsalted – infused butter* – cubed

1 c cold, well shaken buttermilk – use additional as needed        

1 – ½ c breakfast sausage, cooked and crumbled

1 c fontina or cheddar or gouda or gruyere cheese, grated

Method

Preheat oven to 475 degrees

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Use a pastry blender to work the butter into the dry mixture to create pea sized lumps

Stir the buttermilk into the flour / butter mixture until the dry mix is moistened

Use additional buttermilk as needed adding 1 T at a time

Do not overmix!  Dough will be sticky!

Prepare work surface with a couple tablespoons of rolling flour

Arrange a layer of the sausage and cheese on the floured work surface

Transfer the dough, placing the dough directly over the sausage and cheese

Gently press the dough into the sausage and cheese and begin to fold the dough over the surface working the sausage and cheese into the dough

Dust lightly with flour as needed

Roll the dough to about an inch and half thickness

Cut with biscuit cutter, pressing down and lifting up – avoid turning the cutter.

Brush the biscuits with melted butter or additional buttermilk

Bake on parchment lined sheet for 12 – 15 minutes.

Remove to cooling rack.

Serve warm

Yield:  18 biscuits