Risotto with Leeks and a Melange of Mushrooms

My mother-in-law's birthday falls over the holidays break each year... this year she requested that for her birthday dinner she would like everyone to plan a menu, prepare dinner and then clean up afterwards. Cooking for a large group can be challenging so we decided to go an Italian dish that everyone loves... risotto! This one is from the September 2007 issue of Bon Appetit and was so easy to prepare. I actually made the dish a bit healthier by substituting 1% milk in the leek mixture rather than heavy whipping cream and no one was the wiser! We had 10 adults and 3 children in attendance for the party and so I doubled the recipe as it said it would make 6-8 side dishes. Doubling the recipe was actually not necessary and you could feed 10 adults with the recipe below as long as you serve it with a side salad and perhaps some bread. Finally, we did not have any truffle oil readily available but the dish was wonderful without this pricey addition. Unfortunately I did not get a photo of this meal so instead I included a photo of D train watching in awe as Mr. E's mom opened her RED kitchenaid mixer!

Risotto with Leeks and a Melange of Mushrooms
Leeks:

* 2 large leeks (white and pale green parts only), halved, thinly sliced crosswise (about 2 cups)
* 3/4 cup whipping cream (sub 1% milk for a healthier version)

Mushrooms:

* 1 pound shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, cut into 1/4- to 1/3-inch-thick slices (or a mix of different mushrooms)
* 1 large onion, halved, thinly sliced lengthwise
* 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
* 1 tablespoon white truffle oil
* 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves

Risotto:

* 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, divided
* 1 large onion, chopped
* 1 1/2 cups arborio rice or medium-grain white rice
* 1/2 cup dry white wine
* 5 cups (or more) hot vegetable broth
* 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
* 2 teaspoons shaved or chopped black truffle (optional)
* Chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

For leeks:
Bring leeks and cream to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until leeks are tender and cream is thick, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm before continuing.

For mushrooms:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss all ingredients on rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until mushrooms are tender and light brown around edges, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.

For risotto:
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add rice; stir 1 minute. Add wine and stir until almost all liquid is absorbed, about 1 minute. Add 1 cup hot broth. Simmer until broth is almost absorbed, stirring often, about 4 minutes. Add more broth, 1 cup at a time, allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding next and stirring often, until rice is tender and mixture is creamy, about 20 minutes longer. Stir in leek mixture, mushroom mixture, remaining 2 tablespoons butter, cheese, and truffle. Transfer to large bowl, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.

Market Tip White truffle oil is sold at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores and Italian markets. Black truffles are available at specialty foods stores and from igourmet.com. A flavorful substitute for the shaved truffles is the Truffle Gatherers Sauce ($19), which can be ordered from fungusamongus.com.

Holidays with the Family

My mom and I made dinner together a few times over the holidays... I wanted to test out one of the recipes from my new cookbook that replicated a meal that I was served on one of the final nights of my honeymoon in Spain when we stayed in a castle.. luckily, we did not have a room on the floor that was supposedly haunted. This dish can be served as an entree but we served it as a side dish--It was wonderful and tasted just like the meal I had in Catalonia...

Migas with Roasted Red Peppers
Serves 6

3 red bell peppers
3 T EVOO

Rub the peppers all over with the oil. Grill or broil, turning often until the skin is blackened all over, about 10 minutes. Let cool, then peel the peppers, rubbing the skin gently to remove all the charred bits. Cut in half and remove the stems and seeds. Set aside for the finished Migas.

Migas
Serves 6 as a side dish or tapas

6 cups dried bread crumbs
1/3 EVOO
6 garlic cloves, not peeled
1/2 pound Spanish chorizo, casings removed and cut into 1/2 inch dice. 1/2 pound pancetta in one piece, cut into 1/2 inch dice
A large bunch of grapes
Roasted Red Peppers

Put the bread crumbs in bowl, sprinkle with just enough water to moisten and cover with damp paper towels. Set aside for 2 hours or until the bread is evenly moistened. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and stir until lightly browned and fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Add the chorizo and the pancetta and cook, stirring until the meat is lightly browed and starting to render its fat, about 8 minutes. Add the bread crumbs, mix thoroughly and cook, stirring until the crumbs are lightly browned. Serve with the grapes and roasted peppers (peel the garlic cloves if you like, or let your guests do it.) The recipe also suggests that this is very good served with eggs fried in olive oil.

Lunch with the family...

We arrived at my parents house for the holidays and my mom and I immediately sat down to plan out a few menus for the coming days. My mom came across this recipe from the September 2008 Bon Appetit magazine and it was an easy and delicious lunch that she quickly whipped up while I rode the exercise bike.

Smoked Turkey, Blue Cheese, and Red Onion Sandwiches

active time: 20 minutes

total time: 20 minutes
To take the sandwiches on a picnic, use ciabatta rolls—they will stay firm despite the mayo.

Ingredients

* 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
* 2 8- to 10-ounce red onions, cut into 1/3-inch-thick rounds
* 3 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
* 6 cups trimmed large arugula leaves (about 4 ounces), divided
* 3/4 cup mayonnaise
* 8 1/3-inch-thick slices seeded wheat bread (such as La Brea Bakery) or four ciabatta rolls, cut horizontally in half
* 12 ounces thinly sliced smoked turkey
* 3/4 cup coarsely crumbled blue cheese (such as Maytag; about 3 ounces)

Preparation

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté until soft and lightly browned, breaking up onion rings, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in vinegar and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Chop enough arugula to measure 1 cup; place in medium bowl. Mix in mayonnaise. Season with salt and pepper. Spread about 11/2 tablespoons arugula mayonnaise over each cut side of bread. Divide turkey slices among 4 bread slices. Top with crumbled blue cheese, dividing equally. Top with red onions, then whole arugula leaves and bread.

Recipe from Bon Appetit, September 2008

Christmas at the E's

Mr. E. and I have had a tradition for the last 5 years where he makes a spectacular dinner for the two of us for our own Christmas celebration. This is followed by the opening of presents and perhaps a holiday movie. When we lived closer to the ocean this meal usually involved scallops and bacon but now that we reside in the midwest, Mr. E is more taken with steaks and such so he whipped up filet mignon from our local organic farm with blue cheese and two sides from one of my new cookbooks--"Spain, A Culinary Road Trip" .


Spinach Catalan-style

2 T EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
3 T pine nuts
3 T dried currants
1 large bunch spinach, washed and spun mostly dry (leave enough water to help cook the spinach)
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat the EVOO in a large skillet over medium-high heat or over a hot grill fire. Add the nuts and the currants and stir for a minute or two, until the nuts start to brown. Add the spinach, in batches if necessary and stir and cook until the spinach is properly wilted, 3-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve.


Mushrooms with egg yolk

Serves 4
1/4 c. plus 1 T EVOO
1 pound porcini or mixed wild mushrooms, cut into 1/8 inch thick slices
1 large garlic clove, minced
4 large eggs
2 T finely chopped Italian parsley or 2 tsp. dried
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat 1/4 cup of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and saute for about 5 minutes or until they begin to soften. Add the garlic and cook for 3-5 minutes or until the mushrooms are nicely browned and softened. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.

Fry the eggs sunny-side up in the remaining 1 T oil in a large nonstick skillet until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny. Transfer to a cutting board and cut away the whites from the yolks (discard the whites). Spoon the mushrooms onto four plates and sprinkle with parsley, salt and pepper. Make a little space in the center of each portion of mushrooms and nestle the yolks in the mushrooms. As you eat, mix the yolk with the hot mushrooms to create a rich, silky sauce. Yum!

Recipe from " Spain, a Culinary Road Trip; Mario Batali with Gwyneth Paltrow" by Mario Batali and Gwyneth Paltrow, 2008.

Devil's Food Layer Cake with Peppermint Frosting

This evening we are having our office holiday party at the home of one of my colleagues. Everyone had to sign up to bring a dish to pass at the party. Obviously I love the sweet treats and I have been dying to make this cake since it landed on the cover of Bon Appetit in my mailbox about a month ago. However... it made way too much cake for just Mr. E. and I so I have been waiting for just the right occasion to dive into this project...

Based on the feedback from others who have made the same cake, I decided to only have one layer in the center of the cake in order to avoid the cracking and collapse that seems to have plagued so many others who attempted this cake...As you can see from my photos I did not have as much success with "the appearance" of the cake (see top photo--cover of magazine and what the cake is to look like... in reality the final picture showcases my masterpiece. However, as the master chef I did have the pleasure of sticking my finger in the bowl after the cake was made and the ganache (white and dark...) was heavenly... perhaps others at the party will avoid my cake like the plaque because of its appearance and there will be more for Mr. E. and I to take home to enjoy this weekend...

INGREDIENTS
Cake

* 2 2/3 cups all purpose flour
* 1 tablespoon baking powder
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 2 1/4 cups sugar
* 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
* 3 large eggs
* 1 large egg yolk
* 1 1/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
* 2 cups ice water

Dark chocolate ganache

* 1 1/3 cups heavy whipping cream
* 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
* 14 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped

white chocolate cream

* 12 oz high-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina), finely chopped
* 3 cups chilled heavy whipping cream, divided
* 1 1/2 teaspoons pure peppermint extract

peppermint frosting

* 2 1/4 cups sugar
* 1/2 cup water
* 3 large egg whites
* 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
* 1/2 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
* Bittersweet chocolate curls

PREPARATION
cake

*
Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°F. Butter two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Dust pans with flour; tap out excess. Whisk first 4 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until well blended. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in yolk. Add cocoa and beat until well blended. Add flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with ice water in 2 additions, beginning and ending with flour mixture and beating until just blended and smooth after each addition. Divide batter between prepared pans; smooth tops.
*
Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 15 minutes. Invert cakes onto racks and cool completely. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap in foil; store at room temperature.

Dark chocolate ganache

*
Bring cream and corn syrup to simmer in medium saucepan. Remove from heat; add chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Transfer to small bowl. Chill until firm enough to spread, about 1 hour. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Before using, let stand at room temperature until soft enough to spread, about 30 minutes.

white chocolate cream

*
Place white chocolate in large heatproof bowl. Bring 1 cup cream to simmer in saucepan. Pour hot cream over white chocolate. Let stand 1 minute; whisk until smooth. Whisk in extract. Cover; chill until mixture thickens and is cold, at least 4 hours. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill.
*
Add 2 cups chilled cream to white chocolate cream and beat until smooth and peaks form. DO AHEAD Can be made 3 hours ahead. Cover and chill. Rewhisk to thicken, if necessary, before using.
*
Using long serrated knife, cut each cake horizontally in half. Place 1 cake layer on platter, cut side up. Spread 1/3 of dark chocolate ganache over cake. Spoon 2 cups white chocolate cream in dollops over cake; spread evenly to edges. Top with second cake layer, cut side down; spread 1/3 of ganache over, then 2 cups white chocolate cream. Repeat with third cake layer, cut side up, remaining ganache, and remaining cream. Cover with fourth cake layer, cut side down. Chill while preparing frosting.

peppermint frosting

*
Combine sugar, 1/2 cup water, egg whites, and corn syrup in large bowl of heavy-duty stand mixer. Whisk by hand to blend well. Set bowl with mixture over saucepan of gently simmering water; whisk constantly with hand whisk until mixture resembles marshmallow creme and ribbons form when whisk is lifted, 8 to 9 minutes. Whisk in peppermint extract. Remove bowl from over water and attach bowl to heavy-duty stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until mixture is barely warm to touch and very thick, 7 to 8 minutes.
*
Using offset spatula and working quickly, spread frosting over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle chocolate curls over top and sides. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome; chill.

Recipe from Bon Appetit, December 2008.

Marty's World Famous Granola

My mother-in-law served this for breakfast last year over the Christmas holiday and I fell in love... The commercial granola that can be found in grocery stores and even health food stores is very high in calories and fat. Marty has created a recipe that is extremely healthy, not overly sweet and low fat. Oatmeal is also very good for lowering cholesterol... every time I eat oatmeal or this granola, I imagine these little pipe cleaners swimming through my ateries and sucking up all of the LDL cholesterol. I love to make this granola... especially with variations and sometimes I mail some out as a small gift... who doesn't like opening their mailbox and being hit with the smell of cinnamon?

Oven: 300 degrees

Mix in large bowl:
3 cups whole oats or 2 cups oats and 1 cup rye (better vitamin content)
1 cup chopped pecans (or other nut)
1/2 cup sunflower seed
1/4 c. flax seeds (good for Omega Threes)
OPT. 1/2 c. raisins or dried cranberries (do not add dried fruit until AFTER the granola comes out of the oven.

Add (in this order):
3 tsp. cinnamon
3 Tbl. canola oil
3 Tbl. pure maple syrup (may use honey, but maple syrup is easier to mix.)

Spread in thin layer in large pan. Bake 30-45 minutes

Southern Christmas cake aka Cream Cheese-Coconut-Bourbon-Pecan Pound Cake

My office has close to 80 student works on staff and I supervise 9 of the most active employees and so we decided to throw them a winter appreciation party (aka PC version of a holiday party) and the theme was home baked goods. I asked my colleagues to back something sweet and yummy to be served at our winter open house. I decided to make something festive from the December double issue of Southern Living. It was so pretty in the magazine that I just could not resist...

INGREDIENTS
* 1 1/2 cups butter, softened
* 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
* 3 cups sugar
* 6 large eggs
* 3 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 cup bourbon (or equal parts milk)
* 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted (1.5 cups if you add the bourbon)
* 1/2 cup shredded coconut
* Powdered Sugar Glaze (optional)--see below
* Sugared Rosemary (optional)--see below
* Sugared Cranberries (optional)--see below

PREPARATION

Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until the yellow yolk disappears.

Sift together flour and salt; add to butter mixture alternately with bourbon, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat batter at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla, pecans, and coconut. Pour batter into a greased and floured 12-cup tube pan.

Bake at 325° for 1 hour and 30 minutes to 1 hour and 35 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely on wire rack.


POWDERED SUGAR GLAZE

Yield: Makes about 1 cup

PREPARATION

Stir together 2 cups powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons milk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth, adding another 1 tablespoon milk, if necessary, for desired consistency.


SUGARED ROSEMARY

INGREDIENTS
* 1/2 cup corn syrup
* 12 rosemary sprigs
* granulated sugar

PREPARATION

Microwave 1/2 cup corn syrup at HIGH for 10 seconds or until warm. Brush 10 to 12 rosemary sprigs lightly with corn syrup; sprinkle evenly with granulated sugar. Arrange in a single layer on wax paper. Use immediately, or let stand at room temperature, uncovered, for up to 24 hours.
Southern Living


SUGARED CRANBERRIES

PREPARATION

Bring 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup water, and 1 cup fresh cranberries to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring often, over medium-high heat. (Do not overcook; cranberries should swell and just begin to pop.) Remove from heat, and drain, reserving liquid for another use. Toss cranberries with 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and arrange in a single layer on wax paper. Use immediately, or let stand at room temperature, uncovered, for up to 24 hours.

Recipe from Southern Living Magazine, December 2008.