Ribollita (Tuscan Vegetable Soup)

Ribollita literally means "re-boiled." It usually consists of leftovers that are reheated with the addition of beans. In Tuscany, olive oil is served as a condiment to be poured into the soup at the table.

1/2 cup dried cannellini beans
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 leek, chopped
3 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic
2 cups diced zucchini
1/4 pound green beans, topped, tailed
    and cut into short pieces
6 slices white bread
1 pound green cabbage, sliced
Olive oil
Water
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste

Begin preparation the day before you plan to serve the soup. Put dried beans in a pan with 1 1/2 pints of cold water and bring to boil. Turn off heat and leave beans to soak for 1 hour. Heat some olive oil in a large pan and add garlic, onion, carrot, celery and leek and saut? gently for 5 minutes. Add drained beans, tomatoes and 3 pints cold water. Simmer gently for 1 hour or until beans are tender. Halfway through cooking beans, add zucchini and green beans. Refrigerate the soup overnight.

The next day cook cabbage in boiling water and reheat soup. Put a slice of bread in the bottom of individual, warmed soup dishes. Drain cabbage and pile onto the bread. Adjust seasoning of the soup to taste and ladle into soup dishes.

Serve with a jug of olive oil so that each person can pour some into their soup.

ribollita (tuscan vegetable soup)

Categories:
soups
vegetable soup

Meli Pita (Honey Pie)

This is a traditional Greek Easter dessert, which is said to have originated on the island of Siphnos. The original pie combined delicious local honey with a special soft cheese made from sheep’s milk.

Crust
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup softened butter
4 tablespoons cold water

Filling
1 pound ricotta cheese
1/2 cup honey
4 eggs
Grated rind of 1 lemon
Cinnamon

To make the pie crust, sift the flour. Add the butter with a pastry cutter or fork. The mixture will be crumbly. Gradually add 4 tablespoons of cold water, stirring until the dough is smooth. Roll out on a floured board with a rolling pin. Lift the dough carefully into a 9-inch pie plate. Pat into place and trim the edges. Set aside.

To make the filling, beat the ricotta cheese and honey together. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Grate the lemon rind and stir it into the cheese mixture. Pour the mixture into the pie crust. Bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Cool. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Chill in the refrigerator.

Serves 6 to 8.

meli pita (honey pie)

Categories:
pies

Dark Chocolate Mousse

1 pound soft tofu
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup carob powder
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 cup soy milk

Combine all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and pur?e until creamy. Pour the mousse into six individual dessert bowls and chill.

dark chocolate mousse

Categories:
desserts
pudding

Honey Pumpkin Pie

2 large eggs
1/4 cup honey
1 cup evaporated skim milk
1 cup cooked pumpkin
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons orange juice concentrate

With electric mixer, beat eggs until foamy (1 minute). Add honey, milk, pumpkin, spice, salt and orange juice. Beat until well blended. Pour pumpkin mixture into uncooked pie shell. Bake at 375 degrees F for 60 to 65 minutes or until knife inserted off center comes out clean.

honey pumpkin pie

Categories:
pies

Easy Fish Bisque

1 can Cheddar cheese soup
1/2 teaspoon dill
1/4 cup dry sherry
2 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 can tomato bisque soup
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup cooked white boneless fish, shrimp or lobster

Combine soup and dill in saucepan. Gradually add milk, sherry and fish. Simmer and stir until hot. Garnish with Parmesan cheese.

easy fish bisque

Categories:
soups
bisque

Goatfeathers Hurricane Pasta

Posted by GayleL at recipegoldmine.com 7/17/01 5:12:15 pm

Source: The Birmingham News

8 ounces tri-colored rotini pasta
6 medium shrimp
6 medium scallops
3 ounces red bell pepper, finely julienned
8 ounces white wine
4 ounces tomato, seeded and chopped
2 cups heavy cream, reduced in half
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1/2 white onion or 1 shallot, finely chopped
1 cup Parmesan cheese
2 cups chicken broth
2 balls fresh mozzarella cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Drop rotini pasta into boiling water and cook al dente (approximately 10 minutes).

While pasta is cooking, in a saut? pan, heat a vegetable/oil (80/20 blend, if available), and when it begins to smoke lightly, toss in shrimp, scallops, red and yellow bell peppers. (Hint: This will work best if you use a nonstick pan.)

Once this is partially cooked, deglaze shrimp, scallops, red and yellow peppers with the white wine.

Let cook 4 to 5 minutes over low heat, then add the 4 ounces seeded and diced tomato. Saut? white onion and chopped garlic until opaque.

Add 2 cups chicken broth. Let chicken broth reduce by one-third, then add 1/2 cup Parmesan.

Cook and stir 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Toss rotini pasta in mixture.

For an au gratin color, place two balls of fresh mozzarella cheese (thinly sliced) across top of pasta. Place in oven on broil. Serve immediately.

Servings: 2

goatfeathers hurricane pasta

Categories:
restaurant

Buckshot Beans

Yield: 6 servings

2 cups dried pinto beans, washed
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
1/2 pound smoked ham, chopped
2 cups diced canned tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon oregano

Cover beans with water and let soak overnight.

Drain beans, discarding soaking water. In crockpot, cover beans with fresh water and add remaining ingredients. Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours, until beans are tender.

Taste beans, adding salt if necessary (don’t add salt at the beginning of cooking time as it will make the beans tough).

buckshot beans

Categories:
vegetables
crock pot vegetable

Rose Pistola Terrorized Steak

Source: Reed Hearon, chef/owner of Rose Pistola - San Francisco, California

Steak
1 cup fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh marjoram
1/2 cup garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/3 cup dried red pepper flakes
1/4 cup salt
1/4 cup ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups olive oil
6 New York steaks

Accompaniment
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 tablespoons Compound Butter (recipe follows)
1 to 2 bunches watercress (enough for 6 small salads)
6 lemon wedges for garnishing

Combine the rosemary, marjoram, garlic, dried red pepper, salt and 1/4 cup pepper in a medium bowl. Stir in olive oil. Place steaks in a pan large enough to hold them in a single layer and pour over marinade, turning several times so steaks are well coated. Marinate in refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Whisk lemon juice and salt together in a small bowl to dissolve. Gradually whisk in olive oil. Set aside.

Preheat grill over hot coals. Rub off excess marinade from steaks. Season lightly with fresh pepper. Cook until almost to desired doneness, about 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer to a platter and let stand for 10 to 20 minutes.

Return steaks to grill and finish cooking, about 1 to 2 minutes more. (Alternatively, steaks can be cooked indoors on a grill pan, skillet or broiler using same resting time.) Transfer steaks to plates. Top each with a pat of Compound Butter. Drizzle dressing over watercress; toss to coat. Place salad alongside the steaks. Serve with lemon wedges. Serves 6.

Compound Butter

Leftover butter can be stored in the freezer and used tossed on hot noodles, as a topping on grilled or saut?ed meats, or spread on bread before toasting in the oven or grilling.

3 canned anchovy fillets, drained
2 small garlic cloves
Zest of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature
1/2 bunch chives, minced

Use a mortar and pestle to pound together the anchovy, garlic, lemon zest, salt and pepper. When smooth, transfer to a small bowl and stir in the softened butter and chives. Form into a log and refrigerate or freeze until firm.

Yields 1/2 cup.

rose pistola terrorized steak

Categories:
restaurant

Strawberry-Jalapeno Barbecue Ribs

1/4 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup catsup
1/2 cup strawberry preserves or strawberry jam
1/4 cup cider vinegar or beer
1 or 2 jalape?o peppers, seeded and finely chopped
1 tablespoon bottled steak sauce
1 teaspoon chili powder
4 pounds pork loin back ribs
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

Sauce: In a small saucepan cook the onion and garlic in hot oil until tender. Stir in the catsup, strawberry preserves or jam, vinegar or beer, jalape?o peppers, steak sauce and chili powder. Bring just to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, about 10 minutes or until mixture thickens slightly, stirring occasionally. Set aside.

Trim fat from ribs.

In a small mixing bowl stir together the cumin garlic salt, and red pepper. Sprinkle cumin mixture evenly over both sides of ribs; rub into surface.

Cut ribs into serving-size pieces.

In a grill with a cover arrange preheated coals around a drip pan. Test for medium heat above the pan. If desired, place ribs in a rib rack. Place ribs on the grill rack directly over the drip pan. Cover and grill for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours or until the ribs are tender. Add more coals as needed. Brush ribs with the sauce occasionally during the last 10 minutes of grilling. Heat the remaining sauce until bubbly; serve with the ribs.

Makes 6 servings.

Strawberry-Jalapeno Barbecue Ribs

Categories:
grilled pork

Rhubarb Custard Bars

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup cold butter or margarine

In a bowl combine the flour and sugar; cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press into a greased 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare Filling.

Filling
2 cups granulated sugar
7 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup whipping cream
3 eggs, beaten
5 cups finely chopped fresh or frozen
    rhubarb, thawed and drained

Combine sugar and flour in a bowl. Whisk in cream and eggs. Stir in the rhubarb. Pour over crust. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 to 45 minutes or until custard is set. Cool.

Topping
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup whipping cream, whipped

Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla extract until smooth; fold in whipped cream. Spread over top. Cover and chill. Cut into bars. Store in the refrigerator.

Yields 3 dozen.

Rhubarb Custard Bars

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bar cookie