Hungry? Eat Some pillows.

“Behold! I am Cashios, god of cash back!  Can you tell me where to find gnocchi?”, he asks of the grocery store employee stocking shelves.  Alright, this may just be another, let’s dumb down viewers’ minds, commercial, but still, how many know what food item he is looking for?  I do, I do!

We are talking about Gnocchi (nok-ki); light, small dumplings made from semolina or wheat flour, potatoes or ricotta cheese.  Tracing back their history to ancient Roman times (no wonder the commercial actor was dressed as a Roman), gnocchi is a popular dish, not only in Italy, but in coastal Croatia as well. The making of it is similar to pasta making; simple ingredients of a "flour", whether a ground grain or potatoes, egg and salt. Some recipes can be quite inventive, inducing cheese, sweet potatoes, or a vegetable such as spinach into the mix.

If you are pasta making challenged like myself, there are many brands of gnocchi available on the market such as DaVinci, Colavita and Don Peppe. Sold in one-pound packets, prices can vary from $4 to $8 dollars, depending on the type of market purchased from.

Interested in the attempt to make your own, here is how.

 

 Gnocchi

 Ingredients:

2 lbs. potatoes (not baking potatoes)

1 and ½ cups flour plus additional for rolling

1 egg

1 tsp. salt

Preparation:

Boil the potatoes in hot salted water until fork tender. Let cool before removing skins; put through a ricer or grater into a large mixing bowl. Add 1 and ½ cups flour, egg and salt; knead together until a ball forms.

On a floured board, cut dough into 6 portions; roll out each portion to a ¾ inch diameter. Cut the rolls into one-inch pieces; use a fork to roll each piece.

The best way to prepare gnocchi is by finishing them off directly in the sauce being served with them. They will pick up all the flavors of the sauce, so you will not be overwhelmed with just a flour or potato flavor for the entire dish.

 

Wanting to make a fancy meal to impress your hunny, for Valentine’s Day, a birthday or anniversary?  How about gnocchi in a sauce of browned butter, white wine and shallots. Shallots are basically "onion candy"; a delicate scent and sweet taste that will make you smile with delight, not cry your eyes out in pain.

Browned Butter Sauce with White Wine and Shallots

Ingredients:

 

4 Tbsp. salted butter

2 large shallots, diced

¼ cup white wine

Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

In a large skillet, melt butter on medium heat; add shallots and stir occasionally to make sure butter and shallots are not sticking or burning. At same time, bring a large pot of water with salt to boil.

Remove skillet from stovetop and add wine; set skillet back on stove. Add gnocchi to boiling water; gnocchi will be ready when they float to the top; about 3-4 minutes. At the same time, the alcohol from the wine will burn off and the butter will begin turning brown. Strain the gnocchi well (water will dilute the sauce) and add directly to the skillet; let cook for 3 minutes, turning the gnocchi once in the sauce.

 

Plate and top with freshly ground black pepper.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Another sauce that is easy to make, and one to impress is one of my favorites, Tomato Vodka Cream Sauce.  I tweaked the original recipe by adding in four types of Italian cheese.  Again, this is a sauce that will be done by the time your pasta or gnocchi are cooked and ready to eat.

Creamy Four Cheese Tomato Vodka Sauce

Ingredients:

4 cups (32 oz.) tomato puree

1 and 1/4 cups heavy cream

½ cup vodka

¼ cup each grated Asiago, Romano and Parmesan cheeses

½ cup ricotta cheese

1 tsp. each garlic and onion powders

1 tsp. Italian herb mixture, dried and crushed

1 lb. hot, cooked pasta or gnocchi

Preparation:

In a large pan, on medium-high heat, mix puree, cream and vodka together; let cook until small bubbles begin to form around rim. Whisk in and continuing whisking until smooth, the four cheeses. Whisk in the powders and herb mixture; serve over hot pasta or gnocchi.

Makes 4 servings.

This sauce is lovely over lobster, or shrimp, ravioli, so if available, make sure to purchase a package, and experiment for yourself.  My taste buds, and my hubby’s were definitely very, very happy.  

Mary Cokenour

Simply Bake Fish is Simply Yum!

Gorton's Simply Bake Fish

I am a fan of the Gorton's brand of seafood products, so trying out their new Simply Bake items was a given.  The version I sampled was the Tilapia in Signature Seasoning. 

Even the cooking instructions are easy; preheat the oven to 350F; place sealed foil packet (window side up) onto baking sheet; 25 to 30 minutes and eat!  The sauce that cooks with the fish is plentiful; enough to go over a portion of rice or steamed vegetables to give them a boost of flavor.  The packet does puff up during the baking process, so be careful when opening it as very hot steam is released.

So how did it taste?  The fish was moist, tender, flaky...simply, perfectly cooked; it took a lot of will power not to put the other one (two come in the box) in the oven, bake it and eat that too!  The sauce had a mild kick to it, but the overall flavor was simply delicious with the herbs; not too runny, not too thick, just right in texture.  Gorton's named this product correctly with "Simply Bake"; and when buying fresh fish is near to impossible where I live, this product is perfect for a fish lover like myself.

This must be one of the shortest product reviews I've done yet, but all I can truly say is, if you enjoy seafood as a meal, buy Gorton's Simply Bake.

Mary Cokenour

Doing Indian in Native American Lands.

Now before anyone gets their knickers in a twist, let me ease your minds by stating that my title is not even close to being politically incorrect. I live in Utah which is most definitely Native American lands (primarily Ute and Navajo), but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy Indian (and that's from India) cuisine. Fooled you good, didn't I? We're here to enjoy cooking, so lets leave politics to others, shall we?

Now if you're familiar with Indian cuisine, you've probably heard of or tried curry, tandoori and masala.  Curry is a basic term for dishes originating not just in India or Pakistan, but Thailand, Japan and most Asian cultures. It is a collection of spices, herbs, dried and/or fresh chile peppers which gives a dish its particular taste and heat. Often the curry plant will be confused as the main ingredient for curry, but this is not so. The plant resembles lavender in structure, but smells and tastes similar to sage. I highly recommend it for jazzing up chicken salad.

Tandoori is actually a method of cooking using a clay, cylindrical oven called a tandoor. A most popular dish is Tandoori Chicken, an Indian and Pakistani dish consisting of roasted chicken prepared with yogurt and spices.

Masala is a combination of ground spices; garam refers to the intensity of the spices, not to the heat of the chile peppers. It is usually added last in the cooking process to keep it from getting bitter if cooked too long. Don't confuse Masala with Marsala which is a wine, or you'll be in for a big surprise if you do not enjoy spicy food.

Today's blog post will be dealing with Masala; now while you can go online and purchase packaged Masala, you can also make your own at home.  If stored in an airtight container, the powder can last up to four months. While you can use a mortar and pestle or a blender to ground up the spices, I recommend a typical electric coffee grinder. I have two, one for grinding up my coffee beans and one for grinding up herbs and spices. I labeled the latter one, so my coffee doesn't accidentally taste like my herbal pantry. To make Masala, you are using whole seeds and pods which will be toasted before grinding; the toasting will intensify the flavors.

Basic Garam Masala

Ingredients:

2 cinnamon sticks, broken into small pieces
4 bay leaves
1/2 cup cumin seeds
2/3 cup coriander seeds
2 Tbsp whole black peppercorns
1 Tbsp whole cloves
2 small dried chile peppers (stems removed, but not the seeds)
1/2 tsp whole nutmeg, broken into small pieces
1/4 tsp ground mace

Preparation:

In a medium skillet, over medium-high heat, add all the ingredients except the nutmeg and mace; stir often until the cumin seeds darken to a deep brown. Do not worry if the ingredients crackle or smoke a little; it's all part of the toasting process.

Remove to a bowl to let cool before grinding. Once cool, add the nutmeg and mace to the bowl; work in batches to add the ingredients to the grinder and grind to a fine powder.  Store in an airtight container for up to 4 months.   Makes 1 1/2 cups.

 

The above is a photo of Chicken Tikka Masala; it's basically a two part process where you would make Chicken Tikka, then make a sauce using the Masala mixture. Feeling scared? Just think of it as making a basic meal, for example Chicken Fried Steak and then making the gravy for it. Same idea, just another country's cuisine.

Chicken Tikka

Ingredients:

1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/2 tsp minced fresh garlic
1/2 tsp minced fresh ginger
1 tsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp canola oil
1/2 tsp chili powder (ancho or cayenne)
1 tsp each ground turmeric, cardamon and fennel
1/4 tsp Garam Masala
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into cubes
2 Tbsp butter, melted

Preparation:

Mix all ingredients, except chicken and butter in a medium bowl and transfer to large plastic sealable bag.  Add the chicken and make sure to coat completely; seal the bag and refrigerate 8 to 12 hours; the longer the better.

Preheat broiler; line a large jelly roll pan with parchment paper and brush the paper with the melted butter.  Remove the chicken from the bag and discard any excess marinade; spread the chicken out on the buttered paper.  Place under the broiler for 4 minutes; turn chicken, broil again; remove to platter.

Makes 4 servings.

Note: this dish can be served with jasmine or basmati rice as is.

Chicken Tikka Masala

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp canola oil
1 medium red onion, diced
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1/2 tsp Garam Masala
3/4 cup heavy cream

Preparation:

In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, saute onion until softened and edges begin to brown; add the tomatoes and cook for 6 minutes.  Add in garam masala and heavy cream; cook for 2 minutes before adding in the prepared Chicken Tikka.  Coat all chicken in sauce, let cook additional 3 minutes.  Serve over rice.

There you have it, Indian cuisine that will give you the bravery to explore more.

Mary Cokenour

Fungus Fun

A mushroom is the spore baring body of a fungus which grows in damp, dank soil in shaded areas.  You could cultivate your own mushroom crop by setting up an area in your basement which is kept dark and soil is moist.  I like mushrooms in salads and recipes, but growing them myself is just a hobby I don't need to get involved in.  Depending on how populated an area you live in, the local markets will carry the typical white button mushroom, but they will also carry other varieties (cremini, portobello, enoki, chanterelle, oyster, etc).  Not all mushrooms are the same as they each have their own flavor, texture, even scent and experimenting with the varieties is basically how you'll find out what works with the recipe you are trying to create.  For example, portobello mushrooms have a firm texture and beefy taste; a large grilled portobello can take the place of a beef hamburger for vegetarians. A good source for information about the varieties is <a href="http://www.foodsubs.com/Mushroom.html">Cook's Thesaurus</a> which has photos and descriptions.

When having grilled foods, sauteed mushrooms and/or onions is a perfect accompaniment; providing not just added flavor, but moisture and texture. One way we enjoy steak, roast or London broil is with a sauce made with mushrooms, but not just a "cream of mushroom" sauce. First I marinade the meat overnight in a mixture of (1/4 cup)olive oil,(1 tsp each of)salt, ground black pepper and garlic powder. The next day I place the meat on a jelly roll pan, sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, and place it under the broiler(7 minutes per side). Then I finish cooking off the meat in a 375F oven until the meat thermometer reads medium rare. While the meat is finishing off, I begin working on the mushroom ragu; a simple side dish of salad and warm rolls or crusty bread is the perfect finish for this simple meal.

So jump into an adventure with mushroom varieties, but if you feel the urge to hunt for wild mushrooms, BE CAREFUL, as there are many poisonous varieties. Study up on them and if in doubt, leave them out...of your gathering basket.

Mushroom Ragu

Ingredients:

¼ cup olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 lb mushroom mix (cremini, oyster, enoki), roughly chopped
1/8 tsp salt and pepper
½ cup port
2 cups beef broth**
½ cup heavy cream
1 tsp dry Italian herbal mix

Preparation:

In a large skillet, medium heat, saute’ onion till soft; add garlic and saute’ for 2 additional minutes. Add mushroom mix, salt, pepper; mix thoroughly. Increase heat to high, remove pan from stove, add port and return to heat; let alcohol burn off. Add broth and let simmer until liquid is reduced by half; stir occasionally to keep from sticking. Add heavy cream, herbal mix; mix thoroughly and spoon mixture over steak, roasted beef or pork.

**Note: if serving over chicken or other poultry, use chicken broth instead.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Mary Cokenour
September 22, 2008

Bambi does it Italian style.

Thought this was going to be a porn video, didn't you?  Shame on you, but since I now have your attention, lets talk about deer meat, or, as it's also called, venison.  In our area we have a type of deer called Mule deer, simply because their ears have a shape similiar to those on a mule.  They are a larger sized deer where the bucks can get up to 300 lbs, and the does to 175 lbs.

Anyway, a little while ago, the hunter I know, Charlie, gave me some deer meat, and it can basically be cooked in the same manner as the elk I had made before.  Now I had only cooked deer meat once before, and it was a total disaster....very gamey and so tough, even the dogs wouldn't eat it.  So, of course, I was a bit concerned about messing this up again; but I didn't want to be boring either and cook it the same as the elk.  Remember, this blog is about food adventures; not doing the same old, same old.

Since the main cuisine I make is Italian based, I allowed myself some room for playing.  This time I was going to make sure I tenderized the deer meat.  I used balsamic vinegar to give the meat a more robust flavor, so the gaminess was gone, and it tasted as if wine had been infused into the meat; and alcohol wasn't even used.

...and here's the complete recipe, so try it, and enjoy!

Venison Ragu’

Ingredients:

1 ½ lbs deer steak, cut into ¼” slices, no more than 2” long

2 Tbsp olive oil

3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 Tbsp minced garlic

1 medium onion, slivered

1 (28 oz) can tomato puree

1 (14.5 oz) can petite diced tomatoes

1 (6 oz) can tomato paste

2 Tbsp dried Italian seasoning mix

5 cups uncooked rigatoni

shredded Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

In a medium bowl, combine the deer with oil, vinegar and garlic; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours.

Remove meat from marinade.  In a large skillet, medium-high heat, brown the meat 5 minutes on first side, turn over and spread the onion over top; cook for 5 minutes.  Reduce heat to low and mix in puree, diced tomatoes, paste and seasoning; cover and cook for two hours, stirring occasionally.

After two hours, prepare rigatoni according to package directions, drain and add to skillet; mix and let cook for 5 minutes.  Turn off heat and serve with Parmesan cheese sprinkled over top.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Mary Cokenour

Negative Energy Recreation.

Interesting title? Does it mean to create, or bring back, negative energy? Nope, just the opposite. It means to take negative energy and change it into something positive.

So, yesterday I was having a rather stressful day, and I had a few choices on how to handle it. Wallow in it? Been there, done that; don't like it much. Clear my mind and meditate? Fat chance of that happening, since my brain refuses to shut up. Destroy something? That accomplishes nothing, and only causes more stress. Be creative? Eureka!!! Been there, done that, and it works. Whether it is through my poetry, photography or cooking; transforming negative energy into something creative and positive brings comfort,and reduces the stress.

A food that is high on the comfort food scale is pasta, and I had ravioli in the freezer. Ho hum, regular pasta sauce; just not in the mood for making it fresh, or defrosting a container from the freezer. Alfredo sauce wasn't going to give me the zing I needed to get out of my funk. Hmmm, always wanted to try and make homemade tomato vodka cream sauce. I have tried the jarred variety (ok, get over the shock now and move it along), and it was ok, but it still had that processed after taste.

Do you know how many recipes you can find on the internet for this sauce...hundreds! Printed a couple out, compared ingredients and cooking styles, raided the pantry, gave it my own twist and style; and my creation became alive, alive I tell you!!!

Ok, enough of the drama, and here's the recipe:

Tomato Vodka Cream Sauce

A light cream sauce which can be served over any type of tubular pasta (penne, ziti, rigatoni); long, flat pasta (fettuccine, linguine); or cheese filled pasta (ravioli, tortellini, tortelloni).

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp butter

¼ cup diced onion

1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes

1 cup heavy cream

¼ cup vodka

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

½ cup grated parmesan cheese

¼ cup grated romano cheese

1 lb hot, cooked pasta

minced fresh parsley for garnish

Preparation:

In a large skillet, medium-high heat, melt butter and sauté onion until translucent.  Add tomatoes and cook until liquid reduces by half; stir frequently to keep from sticking or burning.

Add cream, vodka and pepper flakes; bring to a boil; reduce heat to low; add in cheeses and let cook 10 minutes to let sauce thicken.  Add in cooked pasta, toss to coat.  Serve and garnish with minced parsley.

Makes 4 servings.

Note:  a half lb. of medium shrimp can be added the last 5 minutes of the sauce being on low; or a ½ lb of grilled chicken slices.

Mary Cokenour