Thursday

6

November 2014

0

COMMENTS

How to Make Pesto – Part 2 – Kale Pesto

Written by Rachel, Posted in Cheese, Condiments, Fruit, Gluten Free, How To, Quick and Easy, Sauces, Vegetables, Vegetarian

Kale is one of my favorite greens. No offense to spinach, chard, and collards. I just extra love kale. I love that it’s sturdy enough to be turned into chips, but that it’s softness can be brought out in a Massaged Kale Salad.

Plus, it’s an awesome shade of green. I love green.

This pesto comes together so quickly. I changed things up a bit from the Basil Pesto in part one of the pesto series. But, if you wanted to, you could just sub the kale for the basil in that recipe.

The main difference with the Kale Pesto is I omitted the nuts. Nothing wrong with nuts, just wanted to try something different. I also added some lemon (zest and juice) and some spices.

Other than those changes, the rest is the same. Lots of garlic, some parmesan, and olive oil.

I like to use my awesome KitchenAid hand blender, but a food processor or regular blender would work just fine.

It made enough to overflow this little jar, so I used a few scoops on the Spicy Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes that I’d made the same day.

Do this. Today.

You’re welcome.

Other ways to use your pesto could be:

Roasted Chicken and some Crispy Potatoes (or hello, with the Spicy Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes!).

Cheddar and Pesto Grilled Cheese Sandwich and dip it into some Roasted Tomato Soup. (Shoot! I’ve already eaten lunch! Why didn’t I make this?!)

Kidney Bean and Kale Chili (with plenty of spicy chile peppers) – serve with a dollop of Greek yogurt, a spoonful of pesto, and a slice of lemon for squeezing over the top.

Sauté mushrooms and onions and top with pesto once cooked.

Roasted Pesto Topped Potatoes (new potatoes, or larger potatoes cut into bigger chunks, tossed with olive oil, salt, pepper, cayenne, and chili powder, roasted until crispy outside, tender inside – 350F, 25-40 minutes, depending on the size of the chunks, serve topped with pesto).

Happy Eating!

Kale Pesto

Ingredients

1 bunch kale, washed well and stripped from stems (save stems for stock)
2 cloves garlic
1/4 C olive oil
to taste salt
1/4 C parmesan cheese
dash cayenne or red pepper flakes
pinch lemon zest
pinch ginger
1 lemon, juiced

Instructions

Place all ingredients in a blending apparatus. Blend for at least 60 seconds, stopping and scraping down the sides if needed.
Taste and adjust seasoning if desired.

http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/how-to-make-pesto-part-2-kale-pesto/

Thursday

23

October 2014

0

COMMENTS

How to Deseed Pomegranates

Written by Rachel, Posted in Fruit, How To

Beautiful pomegranates are in season right now. Ruby red jewels inside tough skin. We could go deep and get philosophical about how that’s how so many people are… Tough on the outside, but when you get to know them, deep down, past the sometimes brittle skin, there are jewels to be found.

As there are many ways to get to the center of who a person is, there are different ways to deseed a pomegranate (like that segue?). But, in trying a few different ways, I found one that was far superior.

The first way is how I used to eat them as a kid. I didn’t care about the mess, so just cutting it in half and kinda scraping them out and pulling the peel down worked alright.

You can also whack the pomegranate with a wooden spoon, over a bowl or holding your hand underneath. This didn’t work very well for me. It splattered juice everywhere and the seeds didn’t really come loose.

Here’s the way that did work. It wasn’t messy and didn’t take long.

Quarter each pomegranate.

Place them in a bowl.

Cover with plenty of water.

Using both hands (or one if you’re photographing the experiment and don’t want to hold the camera with your shoulder and risk dropping it into the pome-water), peel the skin back, keeping it under the water. Once the peel is free from the seeds, discard.

Grab a handful of seeds and rub them around, under the water, getting the pith (or membrane) to separate from the seeds.

The pith will float to the surface and you can skim it off, leaving you with a bowlful of seeds.

Drain the seeds (save the water for your garden).

Transfer the seeds to a storage container.

Now that they’ve been harvested with minimal mess, let’s talk about how to serve them.

First of all, you can just eat them the way they are (yes, even the white part of the seed that’s inside). You could freeze them for a hot day, or just stand at the counter eating them out of the bag that you’d intended to freeze…

You could make them into a salad dressing, or use them as part of a salad.

To indulge your sweet tooth, add them to a crisp or a crumble, or you could dip them in white chocolate.

They’d be lovely tossed with lemon juice, chopped avocado, chile peppers, and cucumber, for a spicy and refreshing salad. Or with some apples as salsa.

You might roast some beets and top them with cool pomegranate seeds and a drizzle of olive oil and lemon juice.

Pomegranates pair well with meats like chicken, fish, and lamb. Serve a salad with fresh pomegranates, almonds, and orange slices alongside one of these meats that has been roasted.

Thursday

9

October 2014

0

COMMENTS

How to Create the Perfect Pasta Dish

Written by Rachel, Posted in How To, Menu Planning, Pasta, Storage/Prep

Joy to the… pasta.

I’m practicing Christmas songs for a concert in December. Mostly I have a really high screechy “eeee” sound in my head. Along with a medley of the other seven or eight songs that we’re going to be singing.

So far the dog has yet to look at me with that alert, head tilted, ears perked up look… So far.

And then there was pasta. What I meant to tell you about, but Christmas is bouncing around my brain instead. Also banana bread. Because that’s what I’m eating.

Are you still there?

For the three of you still reading, what I really want to talk about is ~~what I want for Christmas~~ pasta and how to successfully make a great pasta dish.

You’re thinking that it doesn’t take much. Right? Ok, maybe it doesn’t take much to make a pasta dish. But, let’s talk about making it a fabulous dish. Also, Erh mah gawsh! I just finished my last bite of banana bread that was topped with some salted butter and I’m having a hard time not just shoving the entire loaf into my face.

I digress.

You can start with any category and build from there. Maybe you’ve got some ground beef and tomatoes that you want to use. From there, you can add some other veggies, figure out the sauce, and choose the best noodles. You might have some jars of Tomato Sauce in the freezer and need to make space for something else. Then you’ll figure out maybe some chicken, zucchini, parmesan, and wide, flat noodles to go with it. Or, you might just be craving pasta. Any kind of pasta. Elbow macaroni sounds good, and you could add heaps of cheese to a bechamel.

I usually start with what’s going in to the pasta. The veggies and if there’s meat, that too. Then I figure out the sauce, the noodles, and then the toppings. I use The Flavor Bible all the time. It’s a great helper for figuring out what foods pair well together. But, if you don’t have this book, listen to your taste buds. Think about foods that you enjoy eating together.

Here are some suggestions for how to put your perfect pasta dish together:

The Additions

1. Broccoli + Cauliflower + Garlic + Thyme

2. Carrots + Spinach + Chicken

3. Pumpkin

4. Tomatoes + Zucchini + Onions + Mozzarella + Ricotta + Chicken

5. Eggplant + Garlic + Onion + Thyme + Red Pepper Flakes

6. Dried Tomatoes + Bell Peppers + Garlic

7. Ground Beef + Onions + Garlic + Celery + Capers

8. Beets + Parmesan + Shallots + Garlic

9. Radish + Cabbage + Kale + Meatballs

10. Roasted Fennel + Salmon + Garlic + Zucchini

11. Lentils + Carrots + Celery + Bacon

The Sauce

1. Broccoli + Cauliflower + Garlic + Thyme + Brown Butter Sauce + Salt + Pepper

2. Carrots + Spinach + Chicken + Salt + Pepper + Cream Sauce

3. Pumpkin + Salt + Pepper + Cheddar + Parmesan + All Spice + Red Pepper Flakes

4. Tomatoes + Zucchini + Onions + Mozzarella + Ricotta + Chicken + Salt + Pepper + Pesto

5. Eggplant + Garlic + Onion + Thyme + Red Pepper Flakes + Salt + Pepper + Olive Oil

6. Dried Tomatoes + Bell Peppers + Garlic + Salt + Pepper + Olive Oil + Lemon Juice + Balsamic Vinegar

7. Ground Beef + Onions + Garlic + Celery + Capers + Butter Sauce + Salt + Pepper

8. Beets + Parmesan + Shallots + Garlic + Balsamic Vinegar + Salt + Pepper

9. Radish + Cabbage + Kale + Meatballs + Tomato Sauce + Salt + Pepper + Italian Seasonings

10. Roasted Fennel + Salmon + Garlic + Zucchini + Cream Sauce + Salt + Pepper

11. Lentils + Carrots + Celery + Bacon + Salt + Pepper + Tomato Sauce

The Noodles

1. Broccoli + Cauliflower + Garlic + Thyme + Brown Butter + Salt + Pepper + Linguini

2. Carrots + Spinach + Chicken + Salt + Pepper + Cream Sauce + Penne + Parsley + Dill + Fusilli

3. Pumpkin + Salt + Pepper + Cheddar + Parmesan + All Spice + Red Pepper Flakes + Elbow Macaroni

4. Tomatoes + Zucchini + Onions + Mozzarella + Ricotta + Chicken + Salt + Pepper + Pesto + Lasagna

5. Eggplant + Garlic + Onion + Thyme + Red Pepper Flakes + Salt + Pepper + Olive Oil + Egg Noodles

6. Dried Tomatoes + Bell Peppers + Garlic + Salt + Pepper + Olive Oil + Lemon Juice + Balsamic Vinegar + Orzo

7. Ground Beef + Onions + Garlic + Celery + Capers + Butter Sauce + Salt + Pepper + Ziti

8. Beets + Parmesan + Shallots + Garlic + Balsamic Vinegar + Salt + Pepper + Penne

9. Radish + Cabbage + Kale + Meatballs + Tomato Sauce + Salt + Pepper + Italian Seasonings + Spaghetti

10. Roasted Fennel + Salmon + Garlic + Zucchini + Cream Sauce + Salt + Pepper + Farfalle

11. Lentils + Carrots + Celery + Bacon + Salt + Pepper + Tomato Sauce + Orecchiette

The Toppings

1. Broccoli + Cauliflower + Garlic + Thyme + Brown Butter + Salt + Pepper + Linguini + Gruyère = Winter Veggie Linguini with Brown Butter

2. Carrots + Spinach + Chicken + Salt + Pepper + Cream Sauce + Penne + Parsley + Dill + Basil = Baked Fusilli with Carrots and Spinach in a Creamy Sauce

3. Pumpkin + Salt + Pepper + Cheddar + Parmesan + All Spice + Red Pepper Flakes + Elbow Macaroni + Homemade Croutons + Caramelized Onions + Parmesan + Bacon = Pumpkin Pasta

4. Tomatoes + Zucchini + Onions + Mozzarella + Ricotta + Chicken + Salt + Pepper + Pesto + Lasagna + Fresh Basil + Parmesan Cheese = Presto Pesto Lasagna

5. Eggplant + Garlic + Onion + Thyme + Red Pepper Flakes + Salt + Pepper + Olive Oil + Egg Noodles + Basil + Lemon = Melanzane with Pasta

6. Dried Tomatoes + Bell Peppers + Garlic + Salt + Pepper + Olive Oil + Lemon Juice + Balsamic Vinegar + Orzo + Parmesan = Orzo with Dried Tomatoes and Garlic

7. Ground Beef + Onions + Garlic + Celery + Capers + Butter Sauce + Salt + Pepper + Ziti + Fresh Tomatoes = Beef and Capers Stuffed Ziti

8. Beets + Parmesan + Shallots + Garlic + Balsamic Vinegar + Salt + Pepper + Penne + Parmesan + Lemon = Beet and Parmesan Penne

9. Radish + Cabbage + Kale + Meatballs + Tomato Sauce + Salt + Pepper + Italian Seasonings + Spaghetti + Parmesan + Basil = Spaghetti and Meatballs

10. Roasted Fennel + Salmon + Garlic + Zucchini + Cream Sauce + Salt + Pepper + Farfalle + Lemon + Chives + Parsley = Farfalle with Roasted Fennel and Salmon

11. Lentils + Carrots + Celery + Bacon + Salt + Pepper + Tomato Sauce + Orecchiette + Parsley + Fresh Tomatoes = Orcchiette with Lentils and Bacon

The Banana Bread

Right, I’m still thinking about banana bread. I think I’ll go get another slice, and then make Mac and Cheese for dinner… Except that we’re out of cheese. Wah wah.

Happy Eating!

Thursday

25

September 2014

0

COMMENTS

How to Make Pesto – Part 1 – Basil Pesto

Written by Rachel, Posted in Appetizers, Cheese, Condiments, Gluten Free, Herbs, How To, Nuts, Quick and Easy, Snacks, Storage/Prep, Vegetables, Vegetarian

This is gonna be one of the simplest things you’ve never made. At least that’s what I thought when I made it for the first time about a month ago.

I don’t know why I’d waited this long.

I was missing out.

It literally takes about 10 minutes.

It takes nuts (I had almonds).

It’s great with cheese (I used parmesan).

Garlic is essential (as it is to most things).

Olive oil holds it together.

And something green rounds it all out.

In this case, the green is basil.

We will get into other types of pesto on another day.

For today, let’s stick to the basics.

It’s important to use good olive oil… always, not just for pesto. I know the people at Bari. They’re awesome. I’ve gone in to their mill and seen them in action. I’ve tasted oil that was olives that same morning. This is seriously spectacular stuff.

You can use whatever blending device you prefer. I have a great KitchenAid hand blender that is perfect for pesto. It came with this cute little food processor attachment, which works well for this task.

Now, here’s a little trick I’ve tried.

Two tricks actually.

The first one is: To get the parchment paper to lay flat, scrunch it into a ball, wrinkle it all up, then smooth it out. No more curling up and rolling away.

Second: By portioning out the pesto in advance, there’s no need to wait for the whole container to thaw to use it. Just pop off a layer and leave it in the fridge overnight (in a sealed container), or on the counter for a little while, to bring it to room temperature.

You could stand there eating it out of the bowl (your significant other may ask you if you’ve been eating salami, because of the garlic breath… no big deal… yes, this has happened at our house before). Raw garlic is good for your immune system, so go ahead! Or, ahem, get some good bread and slather it with pesto. I mean, c’mon. That’s dinner right there.

If you want a little more than just pesto and bread for dinner, how about a twist on a Caprese Salad to start with? Layer some sliced tomatoes with fresh mozzarella and top with pesto. Or, on the salad note, you could add it to a Panzanella if you’d like – mix it in with the dressing. You could follow that with some Chicken Parmesan topped with Pesto alongside some Roasted Bell Peppers and Squash.

If you want a vegetarian dinner, Eggplant Parmesan would be great topped with pesto. Serve it with some Roasted Zucchini and Crusty Bread for mopping up.

I could eat pizza most days. You could go simple and do mozzarella and pesto. You could add some chicken to the mozz and pesto. You could keep it vegetarian and add tomatoes or zucchini.

Basil always works in soups. You could top a Roasted Eggplant Soup with pesto. Add it to a Minestrone Soup. Serve it on toast alongside (and be sure to save a few bites to mop up any last drops of soup).

You could mix it in to some wild rice. Serve that alongside the Chicken or Eggplant Parmesan for a nice meal.

And finally, for breakfast, you could poach some eggs and drizzle them with pesto. Serve with your favorite toast.

Happy Eating!

Basil Pesto

Recipe Type: Condiment, Sauce, Topping, Basil, Gluten-Free

Author: Rachel Oberg – De Ma Cuisine

Prep time: 10 mins

Total time: 10 mins

Ingredients

1/2 C almonds or pine nuts
2 C packed down (about 1 bunch) fresh basil
2-3 cloves garlic
1/4 to 1/2 C olive oil
to taste salt
2 T to 1/4 C parmesan cheese

Instructions

Place all ingredients in a blending apparatus (food processor, hand blender, blender) and blend, adding more olive oil and scraping down the sides as needed.
Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Divide into 4 and spread on four pieces of parchment paper, which can be stacked in a freezer safe container.

Thursday

18

September 2014

0

COMMENTS

How to Make Tomato Sauce

Written by Rachel, Posted in Dairy-Free, Dinner, Fruit, Gluten Free, Herbs, How To, Kid-Friendly, Sauces, Storage/Prep, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

Tomatoes are one of the best things about summer.

Actually, all the fruits and veggies that we’ve been getting are the best.

They’re all favorites.

I want them to last all year long. I know that in a month or two, when it finally starts to cool down, I will be thankful for the heartier root veggies, apples, and pears that will be coming. But, for now, let’s keep talking about summer. ‘Cause I’m not quite ready to be done with it yet.

One of the ways to prolong summer is by preserving its fruits and veggies. So, like I’ve done a few times before, let’s talk about saving summer. In the form of a special tomato sauce.

It starts with a bunch of Roma tomatoes. They’re my favorite for sauce. They have less seeds and goopy bits, and I find them a little less watery… Hooooowever, use what you have! Use what you have! Use what you have!!!

I quartered mine, sliced off the hard bit at the end, and then roughly chopped them. They’re going to be blended later, so precision isn’t necessary. You may have noticed that I didn’t peel them. Later you will notice that I don’t strain them. You can if you want, but a little tomato peel and seeds don’t bother me.

They cook up for a few minutes, then are mashed up with a potato masher. This just speeds things along a bit, breaking down-wise.

If you want to have just a plan tomato sauce, blend it up here and cook for an hour and a half or two.

I know how I like my tomato sauce, so I thought I’d get ahead of the game a little, and add some onions, garlic, herbs, and a few other things to the mix before blending.

It’s up to you.

Choose your own adventure.

My adventure has a whole head of garlic in it. Just the way I like it.

Oh mah goodness the smell in our kitchen was just fantastic. A whole head of garlic is just like heaven to me.

I have basil, parsley, and oregano growing in my garden right now. I added those summer favorites, along with some dried thyme and rosemary. Plus a glug of balsamic vinegar and a drizzle of honey.

Then I cooked it all up until the water had mostly evaporated and the sauce was thick.

Quick blend with the hand blender (or the regular blender).

Taste. Add more salt if you want, but remember that you will probably be using this along with other things, so under-salting is ok here.

And only here.

I had some jars sterilized and ready. I will store these in the freezer, since I don’t want to process them in a water bath for 35 minutes. Is it just me, or does anyone else get nervous about the jars breaking and losing their precious sauce? I don’t have a canning set, and I’m definitely not risking jars in a large pot of boiling water bumping in to each other.

The next thing to do is to figure out how to use this amazing sauce.

Easy.

You can pair it with things like pasta, meats, and breads. It will go great with veggies too.

Specifically, you could make Eggplant or Squash Parmesan, Spaghetti and Meatballs, Deconstructed Lasagne, Meat and Cheese Lasagna, and Summer Pizza.

And oh my gosh you totally should use it to make Meatball Subs. Like right now. I’m serious.

Or, if you just can’t wait, grab some crusty bread and dip it in to the sauce. Good idea right?!

Happy Eating!

Tomato Sauce

Recipe Type: Condiment, Fruit, Vegetable, Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free

Cuisine: Italian

Author: Rachel Oberg – De Ma Cuisine

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 140 mins

Total time: 2 hours 40 mins

Ingredients

5 pounds Roma tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 t salt
Extras: 2 T olive oil
2 onions, roughly chopped
1 head (about 12 cloves) garlic, roughly chopped
pinch pepper
1/4 fresh basil, roughly chopped
2 T fresh parsley, roughly chopped
2 T fresh oregano, roughly chopped
1 t dried rosemary, crushed
1 t dried thyme
2 T balsamic vinegar
1 T honey

Instructions

Combine tomatoes and salt in a large pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes. Mash with a potato masher and cook for 10 minutes more.
(If you don’t want to add anything else, skip to step 5.)
Add olive oil to a hot pan. Add onions (bell pepper, zucchini) and cook over medium heat with a pinch of salt for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes more.
Add onion mixture, herbs, vinegar, and honey to the tomatoes. Use a spatula to get all the garlic infused oil from the pan. Stir once to combine.
Blend with a hand blender, or in batches in a regular blender – removing the plug from the lid and covering with a clean towel.
Bring back to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 1.5 – 2 hours, or until sauce has thickened, stirring occasionally.
Sterilize your canning jars, bands, and lids in a pot of boiling water for at least 10 minutes at a rolling boil (or in the dishwasher).
Pour sauce in to jars, leaving an inch or so (or a bit less) at the top for expansion.
Store in the freezer once they have cooled completely.*

3.2.1311

(Yields about 2.5 pints or 5 C sauce.)

*To process jars in a water bath Ball suggests that you add 1 T lemon juice to each jar before filling and process in a water bath for 35 minutes. Do this if you want to store at room temperature – only store at room temperature if they have sealed properly).

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How To Archive

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How to Make Pesto – Part 2 – Kale Pesto

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How to Deseed Pomegranates

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How to Create the Perfect Pasta Dish

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How to Make Pesto – Part 1 – Basil Pesto

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How to Make Tomato Sauce

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