Ratatouille Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms with Goat Cheese

3 08 2011
Ratatouille is a celebration of summer harvest. So, I cooked this dish to celebrate my friend’s birthday.  It was a huge hit. Often ratatouille is just presented as a stew, but this presentation gives a bit more elegance to the meal. You can make it ahead and even stuff the mushrooms. Then all you have to do is crumble goat cheese over, reheat and serve.

1 onion, chopped

5 garlic, minced

2 tablespoons olive oil (preferably extra-virgin)

1 1-pound eggplant, trimmed, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

2 small zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch dice

1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch dice

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

Pinch of cayenne pepper

four 4-to-5 inch-diameter portobello mushrooms, stems removed

1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley

1 10-ounce package ready-to-use spinach leaves

1 8oz log of soft goat cheese or goat cheese crumble Read the rest of this entry »





Grilled Mahi Mahi with Slow Roasted Tomatoes and Lemon Oregano Oil

6 07 2011

These slow roasted tomatoes can be served with any grilled or roasted seafood or tossed with pasta or even used as a bruschetta topping along with a drizzle of the Lemon Oregano Oil. I think it is a perfect staple to make ahead and have in your refrigerator to spruce up any meal. Serve this fish with a light rice pilaf or some Israeli couscous or even quinoa.

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Spring Vegetable Pasta Risotto Style

6 07 2011

This was an interesting way of cooking pasta which I found in a Cook’s Illustrated magazine. Basically the pasta is cooked in the same fashion as risotto. I found it to be very flavorful and not too heavy. Try it with farfalle, penne, or campanelle.

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Lemon Thyme Risotto with Asparagus and Wild Mushroom Ragout

18 05 2011

3/4 oz. dried porcini mushrooms

8 oz. fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced

8 1/2 cups vegetable stock

2 cups boiling water

1 lb medium asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces on the diagonal

1/2 small onion, finely diced

2 tbsp olive oil

2 cups Arborio rice, rinsed

1/2 cup dry white wine

2/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

sea salt, to taste

freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 tbsp fresh thyme,  minced

zest of 1 lemon

1 stick unsalted butter

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup frozen baby peas

1 tbsp minced chives

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Grilled Ono (Wahoo) with Mango Salsa

5 04 2011
We have been enjoying a lot of fish on the barbecue this week. We started off with Mahi Mahi and moved onto Ono. Ono is also known as Wahoo and is very popular in Hawaii. It is a very dense fish and is perfect for grilling. I would say it more dense than any of the steaky fishes like swordfish or tuna. This pairs nicely with a tropical salsa or try it with the mango sauce I used on the Mahi Mahi.

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Grilled Mahi Mahi on Curried Quinoa with Mango Lime Sauce

5 04 2011

I have found the best fishmonger here in Florida, and I am getting to experiment with all kinds of fish. I think I like to grill fish best. So Mahi Mahi is a perfect fish for on the barbecue. I was inspired by a recipe I found for curried couscous but I think the quinoa is even better. We served this outside surrounded by tiki torches. I felt like I was at a Hawaiian Luau.

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Potato, Artichoke, Mushroom and Goat Cheese Gratin

28 01 2011
I was looking to make a hearty dish that I could make ahead of time and my family could reheat easily. I came up with this gratin filled with yummy portobellos, marinated artichoke hearts and lots of cheese. I was not around to eat it with them, but when I returned home, they had only left me a small amount because it was too good to pass up. I guess that is a positive sign. This is quite easy to put together and is delicious served with a green salad.

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Asian Shrimp Risotto

16 01 2011
This risotto is made with arborio rice using the same techniques as traditional Italian risotto. However, I used a lot of Asian ingredients to give it a nice flavor twist. You can add other seafood. I was hoping to add some smoked scallops which I think would add a fabulous dimension to this dish.

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Winter Squash Polenta with a Wild Mushroom Ragout

20 10 2010
My husband kept asking me to come up with some good polenta recipes. So I finally completed his request. This dish used up two winter squashes I had from my Mom’s garden. You can use Butternut, Acorn, Delicata or any other winter squash. Also, you can use any selection of wild mushrooms you like. This can be prepared ahead. Make the polenta and put in the baking dish and then refrigerate. Bake before serving. Saute the mushrooms ahead. Then add in the stock and cream before serving.

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Asian Style Tuna and Avocado Wraps with Fusion Salsa

13 10 2010
We made these for dinner tonight and they were super yummy. It is a complete meal with protein, vegetables and carbohydrate. They can be a little drippy so eat them carefully over your plate.
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