Brussel Sprouts ala Bouchon

While traveling this past month my husband and I had the pleasure of eating at Buchon in Las Vegas. May I just say that it was simply fabulous?
From our appetizers to our deserts everything was prepared to perfection, and plated in a magical way that teased your taste buds before the food touched your lips! It was a magnificent meal served by a wait staff that was knowledgeable and very friendly. I would have eaten there every night if I had the opportunity! If you are ever in Las Vegas do yourself a huge favor and make a reservation. You'll be glad that you did!

Octopus and Fingerling Potatoes

Something that I love to do is try to recreate a dish that I've had while eating out. Sometimes I am very successful and other times it takes many misses to make it a hit.

I love brussel sprouts, and we had them at Buchon. They were made with a thick sliced bacon. They were amazing! I've been trying to make these at home.

The first time I made them, they came out just alright. Nothing special...the second time I made them I decided to incorporate my own likes into what I think I remembered eating.
I cut up two slices of thick bacon. The bacon was cooked to a nice crisp.  I added 4 sliced baby leeks to the bacon and bacon fat.

In a small pot, I steamed the brussel sprouts just until tender.  I cut them in half and added them to the bacon and leeks. I seasoned them with salt and pepper and added a tablespoon of butter.  I turned up the heat so the brussel sprouts would get a nice sear to them.

Unfortunately, we started eating them and I didn't take a picture of the finished brussel sprouts! My husband said they are still not Buchon's,  but I'm getting closer!  If left overs are any indication of how much they were enjoyed I have to tell you that there are none! They are gone!

Buon Appetito
xoxoxo
Lorraine

Pasta e fagioli

Here in New York we've had some very unusual weather for October! We had a snow storm that took us all by surprise.  With the snow coming so early, with trees still full of their leaves the weight of the snow created some havoc. Streets are closed with fallen limbs and some dancing live wires!
I am thankful that we are all safe and did not loose power.

Due to the storm and not being able to get around yesterday the cupboards were bare. I had to make do with what I had on hand.
Is there anything better than a hearty bowl of soup on a cold day? Because my supplies were limited I decided to make a nice big pot of Pasta e Fagioli. In an Italian kitchen there is always a bag of beans, pasta, and tomato sauce.
I started with an onion and a few cloves of garlic. I chopped them and added them to a large stock pot that was heating a tablespoon of olive oil.  I sliced 2 slices of thick cut bacon and added the bacon to the onions and garlic. I let everything cook together, making sure the bacon cooked.

Then I added the beans. I had soaked the beans in water over night to give them a head start. If you forgot to soak your beans it's ok, it will just take much longer to make your soup. If you didn't soak your beans plan on the soup cooking for a good 2 1/2 hours, maybe longer.  You can use a can of

Cannellini Beans if you want. I prefer not too,  but that is a personal choice.

After adding the beans I added 6 cups of water and a little tub of Knors Homestyle Chicken Stock. It added nice flavor! I added a bay leaf, salt and pepper to taste and a pinch of red pepper flakes. I brought  the broth to a boil and then covered the pot and let the beans simmer for 50 minutes.

I also like to add a piece of the "rind" from the grating cheese I use. I always save pieces of the "rind" or "skin" in my freezer and drop them into the dish that I am making.  After tasting the beans to make sure that they were tender I added a large can of crushed tomatoes. Bring the broth back to a boil and add your pasta. I like to use Ditalini for this dish.

I cooked the pasta for 8 minutes, and then turned off the heat.
Sprinkle the soup with a little fresh chopped parsley and some freshly grated parmesan cheese and you'll be enjoying a delicious tasting, hearty and satisfying soup.

Enjoy!
Buon Appetito
xoxoxo
Lorraine

Baked Skirt Steaks

If you love steak you probably love skirt steak.  There's just something about the cut of this meat with all the fat running through it that gives it the most delicious flavor. Did I forget to say how tender this cut of meat can be if prepared well?
I just had a manicure today so I didn't want to cook the steak under the broiler. We all know that cleaning that pan is the biggest pain in the butt! So tonight I baked the Skirt Steak. Trust me, it works...and the end result is a delicious steak that you and your family will love.
I marinated the steaks in a teriyaki style sauce. When rushed and don't have time to make my own I will reach for Yoshida's Special Sauce. It is an amazing soy based sauce that can adjust to any recipe. To the sauce I added 4 - 5 crushed cloves of garlic, 2 tablespoons of rosemary, and 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds. Mix it all together.
 I know some of you are thinking that you don't want the rosemary in this...that it's a weird combination, but you have to believe! Keep the faith!
In a baking pan I placed the skirt steaks so that they were in a single layer and then sliced a large onion and tossed it on top of the steak. Then I poured the marinade over the steak and onions.

Let the steak stand at room temperature in the marinade for one hour.
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.
Flip the steaks over in the pan and then cover it with aluminum foil. Bake for 20 minutes covered. Uncover and then bake for another 10 minutes.
Your steak should be a beautiful medium rare. It will be tender and absolutely delicious! I promise!
Enjoy!

Buon Appetitio
xoxoxo
Lorraine

Pork Chops and No Applesauce

Hello friends, it has been awhile since I last posted. Since leaving for Vegas life has been full. Some days I feel as if there aren't enough hours in the day.  I have been cooking, making meals for the family, and then while eating realize that I didn't take any pictures to show you what's been cooking.
Last night I did remember to take a few pictures.
The butcher had some lovely center cut pork chops and I asked him to cut them 1 1/2 " thick for me. I was debating on whether to stuff them or make them with some peppers and onions. I know my husband loves pork with peppers and onions. For that matter so do I. Throw in some artichoke hearts and make a reduction sauce with balsamic vinegar and you're all set to go.

Start by heating up your pan and then adding olive oil and a little butter just to coat the bottom. After seasoning the pork chops on each side with salt and pepper I browned the chops on each side.
After the chops had a nice sear I removed them from the pan and added the onions, peppers and some chopped garlic. I sautéed these until they had some nice color. Make sure you scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon, getting all the good stuff on the bottom.  I added Balsamic Vinegar and tossed in a can of artichoke hearts and put everything into a baking pan and then into the oven to finish it off. I also added some hot cherry peppers. I love the heat!

This is very easy to make and it's also a real crowd pleaser.

I have some lovely pictures to share with you from my trip to Vegas. I'll try to get them up and on the blog within a few days.

Buon Appetito
xoxoxo
Lorraine

Portabella's!

I love Portabella mushrooms. They are hearty and when cooked right can be as satisfying as a steak. Aren't they referred to as the Steak of Mushrooms?  I think I have heard that somewhere...anyway since I am still stuffing everything in sight I wanted to stuff these with lump crabmeat and serve them with a salad for a little bit of a lighter meal.
Making the stuffing for the mushrooms was easy.
I took the "button" of the mushroom out of the center and chopped it up.  Then I added a grated  stalk of celery, a diced onion and a clove of chopped garlic and sauteed it in a pan until the onions were clear. I also had leftover asparagus so I cut them up and added them to the mixture.  I added a little bit of mascapone cheese (maybe 2 tablespoons) mixed it up  and then added the lump crabmeat to the mixture in the pan and seasoned it with salt and pepper.
Put the crabmeat mixture into the mushroom caps and then drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 20 - 25 minutes.
The mushroom will wilt and be tender.
I served the mushroom on top of a tossed green salad.
It was a perfect dinner.

Buon Appetito
xoxoxo
Lorraine

I am on my way to Las Vegas and won't be posting for a few days. However, I will be returning with some fabulous pictures of wonderful food to share with you !  I'm going to be in Foodie Heaven!

Stuffed Artichokes, Nona Style

 I love the fall weather and the foods that get associated with the cooler weather. Meals become a little more hearty, filling us up and are just so satisfying. This is like Italian Soul Food! The flavors hit a spot that you just fall in love with, making your soul smile.
My mother would make these artichokes  all the time. She would serve them as a side dish, which was absolutely crazy. They are a meal! Serve them with a fresh green salad, a loaf of Italian Bread and you're done!
When my son John was in 5th grade they were having a discussion on food. His teacher mentioned that she loved artichokes. Some of the kids in the class didn't even know what an artichoke was. John, proudly raised his hand and told his teacher that I made them stuffed with sausage. Another student raised his hand and said his mother makes them and serves them with Russian dressing! HMPF! With a light in her eyes she turned to John  and said, "I would love to taste those!"  That was the start of lovely parent teacher conference's that would be held in my kitchen.
Joan didn't finish the whole artichoke, however she did ask to bring the rest of it home. I was more that willing to comply!

Would you like to make these? Here's what you will need.
Sweet Italian Sausage
Chop meat
onion - chopped fine
garlic - chopped fine
fresh chopped parsley
egg
salt and pepper to taste
grated Italian cheese ( use what you like)
a small handful of seasoned bread crumbs
water and or chicken stock

Make a mixture with all the above ingredients,  like you were making a meatloaf or a meatball mixture.

Clean your artichokes, I cut the pointy tops off and clean up the outer leaves.  I also cut the bottom of the artichoke to make sure that it will sit up. After I've cleaned up the artichokes I start to gently manipulate the leaves to get them ready to stuff.  I pack them with the meat mixture starting on the inside working my way out. Once they are all stuffed I like to braise them on the top of the stove. I add chicken stock to the pot, covering about an inch of the bottom of the artichoke, a bay leaf and half a lemon. Bring the liquid to a boil, lower the heat, cover and let simmer until the meat is cooked through and the artichokes are tender. I will just pull on an inner leaf and if it comes out easily it's done. I usually cook these for about an hour, checking on them during the cooking process to make sure all the liquid does not steam out. If you need to add more liquid, add a little bit of water.

When they are done they will look something like this!

Spoon some of the sauce that's in the pot over the artichoke and add some fresh chopped parsley to the top and enjoy!

Buon Appetito
xoxoxo
Lorraine

Ham Bone and Bean Soup

I am a soup lover. If I could, I would have soup every day of the week. Chicken soup, beef soup, fish soup, vegetable soup, clear broth, creamy broth, tomato based broth, it doesn't matter...I love them all!
While living in Florida, in my very lean days I could make a chicken go a very long way! One pot of soup would feed me for the week.

Every Monday night, Aunt Rose would put on a pot of soup! Anyone who wanted to come to her house was always welcome, and every Monday there was Soup and a crowd ! After a weekend of over indulging she felt that soup was good food, and it helped clean your body out from all the crap you ate over the weekend!
To this day, it is a very rare Monday in my house where there is not a pot of soup cooking. My family knows that if it's Monday, it's a soup day!
It's Monday, so today we're Food Crawling with Beans and a Ham Bone! Now that's what I'm talking about!

I start making the soup with a trinity of carrots, celery and onions!  I like my vegetables on the chunky side. In a large pot I'll add the chopped vegetables to a little bit of olive oil and saute them for just a little bit. Maybe a minute or two. Then I'll add the beans. Goya makes a great bag of beans that has something like 18 different beans in it. I absolutely love the mixture of beans.

 Once the beans are in I add the ham bone. When ever we have a ham I save the bone. I always leave lots of meat on the bone. I'll make a bigger ham just so there is plenty of meat left on the bone. Who wants a stingy ham and bean soup!? lol We like big chunks of ham!

 I add enough water to the pot to cover the ham bone, and season with salt and pepper, two bay leaves and a tablespoon of McCormick Caribbean Jerk Seasoning. It's sweet and spicy and adds a little bit of heat.  Bring the soup to a boil and then cover the pot and let the soup simmer for at least an hour, more like two. When the meat falls off the bone, and the beans are tender the soup is done.

It's a meal, with nice big chunks of ham and delicious tender beans and vegetables that melt in your mouth!

Buon Appetito
xoxoxo
Lorraine

Ricotta Cheesecake

This is not your normal ricotta cheesecake. It is so smooth you would think that you're actually eating a New York Style Cheesecake! I have no idea where this recipe came from. It was written on an index card in my own hand writing. It's definitely from my single days, I just have no idea from whom I got it.

Ricotta Cheesecake
3 pounds ricotta cheese
8 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
zest from one orange
zest from one lemon
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup of cornstarch

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Butter a 9 inch springform pan and then dust it with flour.  Using aluminum foil tightly mold the foil around the outside of the pan. Set aside.
In a blender puree the ricotta cheese, until very smooth. Do this in batches.  Add the eggs one at a time while the blender is going.
Take out mixture of ricotta and eggs and pour into a large bowl. Add the sugar, zests, vanilla, and cornstarch making sure all is mixed in well.
Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan.  Place the pan in a large roasting pan and carefully add hot water to the pan so that it comes to about one inch outside of the springform pan.
Bake for 1 1/2 hours until the top is golden. Insert a knife and if it comes out clean it is done.
Turn the oven off and prop open the door and let the cake rest in the oven for 30 minutes.
Remove from oven and let rest to room temperature.
You may serve this at room temperature or chilled.
I like to dust the top of the cake with some powdered sugar.

Enjoy!
Buon Appetito
xoxoxo
Lorraine

Stuffed Pork Chops

I am stuffing everything at the moment and having such a great time doing it. I don't know what it is about eating something that has been stuffed, it's so fulfilling!  Pardon the pun! Anytime I see something stuffed offered on a menu I know I'm usually in for a hearty meal.
There are so many different stuffings you can make depending on what you like to eat.  If you've been following me for a while you know that my family loves sausage. Let's get stuffing!
I started off with a rack of pork. Looks great, doesn't it? I cut the rack into individual chops.

In a pan I cooked the sausage, taken out of the casing with some garlic. After the sausage was cooked thoroughly it was pulsed in the food processor about 5 times.
I let the sausage cool and then added a pound of fresh chopped baby spinach leaves, and a handful of shredded mozzarella cheese. If you would like more cheese, go ahead and add it. I have big hands! LOL!

I added the stuffing to each of the chops and then seasoned the pork chops with salt and pepper.

I made an egg wash by beating a whole egg in a dish. I dipped the pork chops into the egg and then lightly dragged them through the flour, giving them a light dusting on each side. These went into a large frying pan that had a few tablespoons of olive oil and butter in it.  On high heat I seared each side of the pork chop to give it a lovely color.

After searing on both sides they went onto a parchment lined cookie sheet to finish in the oven.

They were baked in a preheated 375 degree oven for 15- 20 minutes on each side, for a total of 30 - 40 minutes. Don't over cook.
They were finished with a demi glaze porcini and mushroom sauce, and served! You can find my recipe for the sauce here.  Enjoy!  We did!

Buon Appetito
xoxoxo
Lorraine

I Wish It Were Me!

Just a really quick post tonight! Today was my son Stephen's first day at The French Culinary Institute in New York City! I'm so excited for him!
These are his text books!

I am so looking forward to his homework!

Have a great night everyone!

Buon Appetito
xoxoxo
Lorraine