Roasted
Cod with Escarole Tomato Ragout
Serves 6
- Cod with Escarole Tomato Ragout
- 1 head escarole, trimmed, outer leaves discarded
- 3 tbsp. olive oil
- 4 cloves sliced garlic
- 2 tomatoes, cored, peeled and seeded
- 2 cans (14 ½oz.) chicken broth
- Salt and pepper
- Red pepper flakes to taste
- 1 can White Cannelini Beans (Goya)
- ¾-1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp. canola oil
- 2 ¼ pounds cod fillets, cut into 6 ounces each
Cut escarole into 2-inch pieces and rinse several
times. Put a pot on medium high heat and add escarole still wet.
Cover and cook for 5-8 minutes until tender. In a large skillet
add oil and garlic. Cook until barely colored. Add tomatoes and
cook 1 minute. Add escarole, broth, pepper flakes, salt and pepper.
Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Add beans and cheese. Toss gently
to heat beans and cheese. Salt and pepper fillets. Heat oil in
a 12-inch non-stick skillet. Cook fish 3 minutes per side.
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Sicilian
Baked Pasta Gratin
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Serves 6-8
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3 tbsp. olive oil
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2 peppers, red and yellow cut into ¼
inch strips
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1 onion, sliced
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2 cloves, minced garlic
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Red pepper flakes to taste
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1-2 lb. can whole plum tomatoes, drained
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12 Calamata olives, pitted
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¼ cup capers, rinsed
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¼ cup fresh basil
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3 tbsp. olive oil
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Salt and black pepper
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1 lb. thin spaghetti
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1 cup grated pecorino cheese
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Preheat oven to 400°
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In a 12-inch sauté pan heat oil. Add
peppers and onions and cook till tender. Add garlic and pepper
flakes. Cook for a few minutes more.
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Bring a pot of boiling salted water to boil.
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Put tomatoes, olives, capers and basil in
a food processor and pulse coarsely. Add tomato mixture to
the skillet and mix and reheat. Adjust seasonings.
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Cook pasta until al dente, drain and add to
sauce mixing in cheese. Turn into a lightly oiled casserole
and bake for 30 minutes.
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Note: You can assembly the dish and refrigerate
up to two days ahead.
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Serves 8-10
2 pounds eggplant, peeled & sliced ¼ inch
x 1 inch
½ cup olive oil
Salt & pepper
Tomato Sauce (recipe follows)
2 cups Béchamel Sauce (recipe follows)
Recipe for 3 egg fresh pasta
1 pound Gruyere cheese, grated
2 tbsp. Butter
Preheat oven to 425°. In a bowl combine sliced
eggplant, oil, salt and pepper. Arrange on two baking sheets in
a single layer and cook for 15 minutes. Turn eggplant over and
cook for 5 minutes more. Set aside. Lower oven to 400°.
Cook pasta in boiling salted water for 30 seconds.
Dry on cotton towels.
Butter a 13x9 baking dish. Spread a layer of béchamel
on the bottom of the dish. Make a layer of lasagna noodles. Add
a layer of tomato sauce and eggplant, béchamel sauce and
grated cheese. Continue until you have four layers of pasta. The
final layer of pasta is covered with tomato sauce, béchamel
and grated cheese. Dot with butter. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
Let lasagna rest for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Tomato
Sauce:
- 3 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 1 can Italian plum tomatoes, 1 lb.12oz.
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt & pepper
- 1 tsp. sugar
- ½ cup fresh basil, chopped
Cook onions with oil in a saucepan for 8 minutes.
Break tomatoes up and add to the pan along with bay leaf, sugar,
salt and pepper. Cook for 15 minutes. Cool and add chopped basil.
Béchamel
Sauce:
- 4 tbsp. sweet butter
- 3 tbsp. flour
- 2 cups hot milk
- Salt and white pepper
Melt butter over low heat. Add flour, stirring with
a wooden spoon. Cook for 3 minutes. Off heat add milk stirring
constantly. Add salt and white pepper to taste.. Turn heat to
medium and whisk until mixture comes to a boil. Cook at a simmer
for 5 minutes.
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Warm
Potato Salad
- 2 lbs. small white or red potatoes, peeled
- Chicken broth to cover
- Salt and black pepper
- 6 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 2-tbsp. parsley chopped
- 1 shallot chopped
Add potatoes to a saucepan with broth and place
over high heat. Cook about 15 minutes.
In a bowl combine oil, garlic, parsley and shallots
and mix well. Slice potatoes ¼ inch thick. Reserve broth.
Add potatoes and toss with ½ cup reserved liquid. Season
generously with salt and pepper. Keep warm. Add more cooking liquid
if desired.
To serve, spoon potatoes in a bowl top with escarole
mixture and its broth. Set a piece of fish on top.
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Wonton
Lasagna with Salmon and Wild Mushroom Sauce
Serves 8
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 2 tbsp. shallots, chopped
- 1 lb. mixed sliced mushrooms, shitake, crimini, and button
- ¼ cup white wine
- ½ cup heavy cream
- Salt and pepper
- ½ lb. mascarpone
- ¼ cup Inglehoffer Thick-n-Creamy Horseradish
- 3 scallions green and white chopped
- 1 tbsp. chives, chopped
- 1½ lbs. salmon filet
- Canola oil for sautéing
- ½ stick butter, melted, seasoned with salt and pepper
- 24 thin wontons, 3½ x 3½ inches square
- 2 scallions cut into thin rounds for garnish
- Preheat oven to 425°.
- Heat butter in a skillet over medium heat and sauté
shallots until softened. Raise the heat to high and add all
the mushrooms, season generously and cook for 5 minutes. Add
wine and cook until evaporated. Pour in cream and heat through.
Set aside.
- In a large bowl mix together mascarpone, horseradish, scallions,
chives and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Brush seasoned melted
butter on the paper and brush butter on both sides of the
wontons. Place on the parchment paper and bake for 3-5 minutes
or until golden brown.
- Slice salmon on an angle into thin pieces, about ¼
inch thick, cutting them into 3 x 3-inch pieces. Season with
salt and pepper on both sides. In a large non-stick skillet
heat 2-3 tablespoons of oil over high heat. Cook salmon for
about 1 minute on each side and set aside on a plate. Reheat
mushroom mixture.
- To assembly lasagna: Place a crisp wonton centered on a
heatproof dish, next a piece of salmon on top with a tablespoon
of mascarpone mixture and a tablespoon of mushroom mixture.
Repeat again and then top off with the wonton, salmon, mascarpone
and some chopped scallions on top. Decorate the dish with
mushrooms and cream. Keep warm in the oven before serving.
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Linguini
with Swordfish Sauce
Linguine with Swordfish Sauce, Sicilian
Style Serves 6
Tomato and Swordfish Sauce:
- 1 - two pound can San Marzano tomatoes
I small onion, finely chopped I tbsp. minced garlic 2 tbsp.
olive oil
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes I sprig parsley
I sprig basil I bay leaf
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper I
cup Perfect Addition fish stock
- I pound swordfish, cut into small cubes
Finishing the Dish:
- 1 pound of linguini
- 2 tbsp. extra virgin 1/2 dry breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup parsley, basil, chives &
lemon thyme, chopped
Puree the tomatoes in a blender.
In a saucepan over medium heat, saut6 the onion and garlic with
olive oil until soft. Add the white wine,, tomatoes, red pepper
flakes, herbs, bay leaf and seasonings. Cook over low heat for
15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the fish stock and bring the
sauce to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and add the swordfish.
Cook for 2 minutes and turn off the heat. Preheat broiler. Cook
the pasta in boiling salted water and drain.
In an ovenproof bowl, add the pasta
and toss with the extra virgin olive oil. Spoon the tomato sauce
with the swordfish over the pasta. Combine the breadcrumbs and
herbs and sprinkle over the pasta. Place the pasta under the broiler
and brown the breadcrumbs for several minutes.
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Grilled
Shrimp in Lemon/Herb Aioli Sauce
Serves 4-6
- Marinade for Shrimp
- 1½ lbs. large shrimp, 16-20 count, peeled, deveined
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- ½ cup mixed herbs, chopped
- Crushed red pepper flakes to taste
- Juice of 2 lemons
- ¼ cup olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 8-10 wooden skewers soaked in water for a few hours or
overnight
With a small knife butterfly the shrimp by making
a deep cut lengthwise down the back of each shrimp. In a bowl
combine garlic, herbs, pepper flakes, lemon juice, oil and salt
and pepper. Coat the shrimp with the marinade. Marinate for 1
hour.
Preheat broiler or grill. Weave 4 shrimp on each
skewer and grill about 2-3 minutes per side.
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Lemon
Herb Aioli Sauce
- 6-8 anchovies
- 2 cloves garlic
- Juice of 2 lemons
- 1 egg
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh mixed herbs, finely chopped
In a food processor, combine anchovies, garlic,
lemon juice and egg. Blend. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Add
the chopped herbs in by hand. Transfer to a serving bowl and set
aside.
Serve shrimp warm on a platter with aioli sauce.
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Grilled
Stuffed Eggplant Slices
Serves 8
2 eggplants, 1¼ lbs. each
¾ cup olive oil, seasoned with salt and pepper
1 medium onion, chopped
One-14½ oz. can Del Monte Fresh Cut Tomatoes
Pinch of sugar
1 sprig of fresh basil
¼ cup imported Parmesan cheese, grated
1 egg yolk, beaten lightly
1 tbsp. wine vinegar
Basil leaves and Parmesan shavings for garnish
Trim eggplant and slice into ¾ to 1-inch rounds. You should have
20-22 slices. Preheat outdoor grill to medium heat or indoor grill
pan to medium heat. Brush eggplant rounds with seasoned olive
oil and cook for 10 minutes on each side. While the eggplant is
cooking start the tomato mixture.
Heat 3 tablespoons of seasoned oil
on medium heat in a saucepan. Add chopped onions and sauté for
6-7 minutes. Add tomatoes, pinch of sugar and sprig of basil.
Cook for 20 minutes or until mixture is thick and pulpy. Remove
basil and set aside to cool. As the eggplant is cooked, place
on a lightly oiled sheet pan. Preheat oven to 400° Combine grated
cheese, egg yolk and vinegar to tomatoes. Top half of the eggplants
with tomato mixture and place remaining eggplant slices on top.
Heat through in oven for 10 minutes.
Garnish with Parmesan shavings and
basil.
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Sun-Dried
Tomato & Basil Risotto Fritters
Makes approx. 50 hors d'oeuvres
1 cup arborio rice
1 tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
½ pound mascarpone, room temperature
3 tbsp. sour cream ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
2 cups all purpose flour, seasoned with salt and pepper for dredging
3-4 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 ½ -3 cups fresh white breadcrumbs, * made in the food processor
2-3 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped fine
Salt and black pepper
Canola oil for frying
Prepare risotto following directions
on the package. When cooked spread on a sheetpan to cool.
Transfer to a bowl and mix in basil,
mascarpone, sour cream, Parmesan, sun-dried tomatoes and season
with salt and pepper. Shape mixture into 1-inch balls.
At this point you can refrigerate
balls for three days or freeze for 1 month.
Set up 3 shallow dishes, one with
seasoned flour, second with beaten eggs and third with breadcrumbs
mixed with parsley. Lightly dredge fritters in flour, then eggs
and breadcrumbs.
Refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight.
Heat a deep fryer or pot with oil,
about 3 inches deep. Fry fritters for 3 minutes or until golden
brown all over. Transfer to a sheet pan with a rack. Serve warm
or make ahead and reheat in preheated 350° oven for 5 minutes.
*Use Portuguese Rolls or substitute
Panko breadcrumbs which can be bought in an Asian store.
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