Salmon Mozzarella Canapes

It's five o’clock and time for a martini, or at the very least, some sort of cocktail. It’s been one of those days where errands have dominated my entire day. As I reflect back over my day I realize the only thing I have eaten is ....nothing. So what can I prepare to offer my two neighbors, who are already ringing my doorbell?

I frantically search through my refrigerator hoping for a sign, or something that will jump out in the form of an hors d’oeuvre. What I see is smoked salmon, and mozzarella cheese. Now, I have been known on occasion, to do the impossible with nothing, but today I am void of any creativity. Luckily, I bought a loaf of pumpernickel at the market today. I also have an herb garden and the basil is in full bloom. So here I am, with smoked salmon, mozzarella, pumpernickel, and fresh basil. What to do? These salmon canapes are quick and easy, and require little effort or time. Great to make ‘on the go’ or for even the most elegant of cocktail parties.

Salmon Mozzarella Canapes Recipe

Ingredients:

16 pumpernickel toast pieces (in desired shape)

4 tablespoons of butter, softened

1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon garlic paste

1 teaspoon chopped basil

sliced smoked salmon

sliced mozzarella cheese

basil, julienned for garnish

Preparation:

Combine the butter, mustard, garlic paste and chopped basil. Spread on one side of the toast pieces. Put a piece of salmon on each and top with a piece of cheese. Arrange on a baking pan and bake in 375 degree oven for 10 minutes, or until cheese melts. Garnish with basil.

Best Cookie Ever

When we were kids, my mother had a good friend from Poland who gave her a family cookie recipe. The cookies were called Kolacky's (also spelled Kolache). They became a staple in our house because they were so easy to make, even an eight year old (me) could make them. These were the cookies we would leave out for Santa on Christmas Eve. We grew up, left home and somewhere along the way my Mother lost the recipe. Last week I was in Florida and met a group of ladies from Chicago. I chanced asking them if they had ever heard of these cookies. To my amazement each of them had not only heard of Kolacky’s, but they all had recipes that they were only too eager to share with me.

Both the Czech and Polish cultures claim the Kolacky as their invention. A sweet flaky pastry usually made with a cream cheese and butter dough, has several traditional fillings, including poppy seed, cream cheese, jam, nuts, and berries or other chopped fresh fruit. This is absolutely the best cookie I have ever eaten. And you will see that they are the easiest cookies you will ever make. The only thing easier, would be buying them ready-made at the supermarket. But good luck finding them. Traditional Kolacky’s are made with just five ingredients, start to finish, with no sugar - except that which is in the filling used. That should make you Mom’s out there very happy.

Kolacky's

Ingredients:

2 cups unsalted butter, softened

6 ounces cream cheese, softened

3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

jam, jelly or preserves of choice

confectioner’s sugar

Preparation:

1. Beat butter and cream cheese in large bowl of electric mixer until light. Beat in flour and cream until well mixed. Divide dough into 4 portions. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

2. Heat oven to 350℉. Have ungreased baking sheets ready.

3. Sprinkle the work surface and the rolling pin generously with confectioners' sugar. Roll out 1 dough portion at a time to about ¼-inch thickness. Use a small (2-inch diameter) round cutter or glass to cut out cookies. Transfer to ungreased baking sheets, leaving 1 or 2 inches between each cookie. Make a small depression in the center of the cookies with your fingertip or back of a teaspoon. Fill dough with approximately 1/4 teaspoon of jam, jelly, preserves, cheese or nut filling. (If you use too much filling it will run out onto the baking sheet.)

4. Bake until bottoms are lightly browned, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool on wire racks. Sprinkle generously with confectioners' sugar while still warm.

A New Take on an Old Wing

You've been there...among your friends you have a reputation for making a certain dish; and every time your friends throw a party, they expect you to bring that same old dish over and over and over again. Well, I've decided to take the buffalo by the horns. If I am doomed to making hot wings for the rest of my life, I am going to spin it into something a little bit more deserving of the two years I spent in culinary school. So instead of the customary chicken wings or drummies, I use cut up pieces of boneless, skinless breast. And I have combined the other 'usual suspects' into a blue cheese slaw. The same tastes with a new twist...

Ingredients:

2 pounds chicken breast, boneless and skinless

Sriracha chili sauce

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

canola oil, for frying

1/2 cup butter

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 cup Frank's hot sauce

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut chicken in 1-1/2 chunks. Marinate in srirachi chili sauce for 4 hours to overnight.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, salt and cayenne pepper. Pour the oil into a large heavy-bottom skillet - to about 2 inches. Do not overfill. Place over medium heat and heat until the oil registers 375 degrees on a deep frying thermometer. (This process can be made easier if you have a deep fryer.) Working in three batches, dredge the chicken in the flour mixture and fry until lightly browned, about 3-4 minutes per batch. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper-towel lined plate of cookie sheet. Make sure the oil temperature before frying each batch.

In a large bowl, combine the butter, hot sauce and lemon juice. Toss the fried chicken chunks in the hot sauce mixture. Transfer to a large foil-lined baking sheet, or 2 small ones, and bake until they have absorbed most of the sauce, about 20 minutes. Turn the chicken halfway through the cooking process.

Blue Cheese Slaw

Ingredients:

2-1/2 ounces blue cheese

2 stalks celery, thinly sliced

2 sticks carrots, thinly sliced

1/4 cup buttermilk

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

salt and freshly ground black pepper

blue cheese, crumbled for garnish

Preparation:

In a small bowl, mash blue cheese and buttermilk together with a fork until mixture resembles large-curd cottage cheese. Stir in mayonnaise, vinegar and garlic powder until well blended. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix with celery and carrots. Garnish with crumbled blue cheese.

The Pressures of Pressure Cooking

Several years ago I lived in New York City. One of the things I still crave, from my time spent there, is a good corned beef sandwich. If you live there, or if you are an occasional visitor, you know I’m talking about the kind of corned beef sandwiches they serve at Katz's Delicatessen on the lower east side. But let’s face it, who has time to pull out the slow cooker and wait 8 hours just to eat a sandwich? When I want it, my craving demands immediate satisfaction. That is why I finally decided to invest in a pressure cooker.

Corned beef brisket has been my only success to date using my new toy. So far, I have made three mistakes. Mistake number one, buying the pressure cooker and letting it sit on a shelf for several months before using it. I guess I was a bit intimidated. I still have flashbacks, from my childhood, of the older models ‘malfunctioning.’ Mistake number two, not thoroughly reading the instructions that came with the unit - especially the part about reducing the cooktop temperature once the cooker reaches the desired “pressure level.” This mistake resulted in a very burned beef stew. And mistake number three, believing everything I did take the time to read - like I could cook a cheesecake in it. Big mistake!!! These things aside, my pressure cooker seems to be the perfect addition to my cache of culinary equipment. That is once I get all of the “pressure cooking stars” aligned.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Corned Beef Brisket - a la Pressure Cooker

Ingredients:

Corned beef brisket with seasoning packet

20 black peppercorns

10 whole cloves

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 bay leaves

2 garlic cloves, smashed

1 bottle beer (Guinness Stout, Bass Ale or your choice)

Beef broth, enough to cover brisket

Preparation:

Thoroughly rinse brisket until free of brine. Place in bottom of cooker, fat side up.

Add all remaining ingredients.

Add lid, lock and bring to pressure - 15 psi - over high heat.

*Reduce to low heat and cook for 1 hour.

*Remove from heat and use natural release method to open - approximately 10-15 minutes.

Check for doneness - should be at least 160 degrees and fork tender.

Let rest 15 minutes before slicing.

*Check individual manufacturers recommendations.

Creme de Violette

I love martinis! I am always in search of the perfect martini. Whenever I visit a new restaurant, the first thing I order is the ‘house signature martini.’ Whatever happened to the martini bars that appeared and suddenly disappeared shortly after Y2K? Am I the only one out here drinking martinis? Well now I’m excited again. I’ve discovered a liqueur that has actually been around for a long time, but a well-kept secret. It is Creme de Violette and it makes what just might be the martini I’ve been searching for all of my (adult) life.

The name says it all. This violet-colored liqueur, produced in Austria, is made from the Queen Charlotte and March violets found only in the Alps. In the region where it is produced, the primary customers are the cake and chocolate artisans. Back by request of bar specialists and sommeliers for classic cocktails such the Aviation and Blue Moon, this delicate liqueur is sure to spark your interest in cocktails, especially the martini, all over again. Cheers!

Creme de Violette Martini - My Way

2 ounces Grey Goose vodka

1 ounce Creme de Violette

1/2 ounce lemon juice

"Shaken, not stirred"

Finish with a splash of champagne

Beignets - A New Orleans Tradition

It’s Mardi Gras time in New Orleans. Bourbon Street will be “center stage” as thousand of visitors crowd into the small area to celebrate. I lived in New Orleans for two years - that is where I met my husband - and my fondest memory is five days spent in “The Quarter” during Mardi Gras. I can not tell you everything that happened - after all, what happens in New Orleans stays in New Orleans - but I can tell you that it was one of the most fun times I have ever had! In fact, I don’t think I can even remember most of what happened. Too many daiquiris can have that effect. However, one thing I do remember is the morning after Fat Tuesday, going to Cafe du Monde for beignets (French, meaning doughnut or fritter) and lots of hot coffee. How apropos! Cafe du Monde, located near Jackson Square in The Quarter, is famous for its' little doughnut-like treats that are served dripping with powdered sugar. No one makes them better. But if you can not be there in person to sample them, then do yourself a favor and learn how to make them at home. It is well worth the effort.

Beignets

Ingredients:

½ cup water, lukewarm

½ cup milk, lukewarm

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 large egg

½ teaspoon buttery sweet dough flavor, optional

¼ cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

4 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons instant yeast

canola oil

powdered sugar

Preparation:

Combine all of the ingredients, and mix and knead them together—by hand, mixer or bread machine—till you've made a soft, smooth dough. Allow the dough to rise, covered, for 1 hour, or until it's puffy (though not necessarily doubled in bulk). Gently deflate the dough, and place it in a greased bowl or greased plastic bag, choosing a bowl or bag that’ll allow the dough to expand. Cover and refrigerate overnight, or for up to 2 days.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator, and place it on a lightly greased or floured work surface. Roll it into a 14" x 10" rectangle, and cut the dough into 2" squares.

Pour canola oil into a heavy-bottomed 10" frying pan set over a burner. Heat the oil to medium heat and drop 5 or 6 squares of dough into the hot oil. They’ll sink to the bottom, then after about 5 seconds or so, rise to the top. Fry the beignets for 1 minute, then turn them over. Fry for another minute, until puffed and golden brown all over. Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels. When the beignets are cool, sprinkle them heavily with confectioners’ sugar. For a real New Orleans experience, serve with strong coffee.
Yield: about 30 beignets.

Mautone's Italian Fish

On the gulf coast of Florida, between Sarasota and Venice, is a quaint little town named Nokomis. If you like boats, beaches and good seafood, this is your unexploited paradise.

While visiting a friend in Nokomis last week, I met and had the pleasure of cooking with fellow foodie Neil Mautone. I watched and played sous chef as he prepared one of his specialties - Italian fish - a treasured recipe handed down from his mother. At one point he took great pleasure in schooling me on how to shop for fish, why to choose one tomato sauce over another and his reason for using caramelized onions as a substitute for salt. I was a willing and very interested student. We swapped recipes and techniques (on the preparation of Italian cooking) and I drank lots of Italian wine in the process. What a delightful, fun time we had.

Thanks Neil for a very memorable evening!

Mautone's Italian Fish

(Recipe by Neil Mautone)

Ingredients:

4 Flounder Fillets

Olive oil (extra virgin) preferably from Italy

1/2 large onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, chopped

2 15 ounce cans Contadina Tomato Sauce

1 teaspoon Oregano

1 teaspoon Basil

Red & black pepper

1 cup white wine (Chardonnay)

1/2 stick butter, softened

shredded mozzarella

Preparation:

In a large saute pan, cover bottom with olive oil and saute onions on low heat until caramelized. Add garlic and brown lightly. Add 2 cans of tomato sauce, wine, oregano, basil and dash of red pepper. Let cook on low heat 15-20 minutes.

Wash and pat dry fish and coat with softened butter and black pepper. Lay fish in red sauce and cook over low heat 15-20 minutes or until fish is pure white. Do not turn over. Add shredded mozzarella to entire top. Cover and cook until cheese melts.

Cook 1 pound of linguini and drain. Divide into four portions and top each with one fish fillet and sauce. Serve with salad and garlic bread.