Beef Braciole with Pappardelle

Beef Braciole does not require any introduction.  If you’ve had it, you love it; and if you haven’t, you will!  In preparing, most would agree on the expected outcome of these thin slices of beef - stuffed, rolled, pan fried and finished in tomato sauce.  It is the preparation itself that triggers the confusion.  

Many use flank steak, but the purists among us choose prime, lean beef.  (My butchers sells wafer beef steaks - cut from the sirloin tip - that are perfect for this application.)  The purists prefer to layer the stuffing ingredients onto the beef slices; others mix the ingredients in the food pro’ and gently spread them.  Some add raisins, some omit the bread crumbs.  Traditionally it calls for parsley; I use basil.  Use tomato sauce out of the jar; or take the time to make your own.  It’s your choice - made enough times, you will discover your own preferences!  However you make it, it only goes from being good to being better!

Beef Braciole Recipe

Ingredients:

6 thin beef slices

kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

6 slices prosciutto

1/4 cup pine nuts

1 cup grated mozzarella

1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

olive oil, for frying

1/2 cup red wine

1 quart tomato sauce

pappardelle noodles, cooked

grated parmesan cheese

whole basil leaves

Preparation:

Prepare tomato sauce in a dutch oven or deep pot.

Place beef slices between two pieces of plastic wrap; and pound meat with a mallet to about 1/4-inch thick. (If you don’t have a mallet, use a flat-bottom cast iron skillet.)  Season both sides with salt and pepper.  Cover each slice with a slice of prosciutto, and evenly divided portions of pine nuts, mozzarella, bread crumbs, and parsley.  Roll up beef slices and secure with butchers twine, every inch-and-a-half.  Put about two tablespoons olive oil into a large skillet; brown beef rolls on all sides, about eight minutes.  Add more olive oil if needed. 

Add beef rolls to tomato sauce.  Add red wine to the skillet and scrape down sides and bottom. Reduce by half and add to the pot with the Braciole.  Cover and simmer for 1-1/2 hours. (You can also bake in a 350 degree oven.)  Uncover and cook and additional 1/2 hour.

Serve over pasta with fresh grated parmesan cheese and fresh torn basil.  Remove strings before serving.

Double Peach Whammy!! Peach Pecan Scones with Peach Marmalade

The wonderful thing about living in the middle of peach country is having an abundance of "just picked" goodness.  And the combination of that fresh taste with homemade scones and marmalade is an anytime of the day treat that is sure to delight. Just ask my beta "tasters" - my neighbors - who left my house last week with happy tummies, smiling faces and goodie bags! 
Do not let a lack of canning experience stop you from attempting to make this marmalade.  You do not need the full kit of canning equipment; and the jars are easily sterilized in the oven.

Peach Pecan Scones Recipe 
Ingredients:
2-3/4 cups bread flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
zest of one lemon
2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cup into pieces
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 medium peaches, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
1/4 cup milk, or heavy cream
2 tablespoons sugar, for sprinkling on top
Glaze:
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 cup confectioner's sugar, sifted


Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
Using two knives or a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal.
Combine cream, egg, lemon zest and vanilla.  Stir into flour mixture with peaches and nuts until just combined. Pat dough into a 3/4" thick rectangle, about 6-7 inches wide.  Cut in half lengthwise; then cut each half into 6 wedges.
Place on a baking sheet.  Brush with milk and sprinkle with sugar.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
Mix the lemon juice and confectioner's sugar together in a bowl, stirring until sugar dissolves. Drizzle on warm scones. Makes one dozen scones.


Peach Marmalade Recipe
Ingredients:
4 pounds firm, ripe peaches (about 5 large peaches)
1 orange, thinly sliced, seeds removed
4 cups sugar

Preparation:

Drop peaches into boiling water to loosen skins - about 3-4 minutes; then into cold water. Gently peel off skins. Halve and pit the peaches and coarsely chop enough to yield 4 cups. Wash the orange; cut off ends and thinly slice and quarter. Discard seeds.

Combine peaches, orange, and sugar in a large saucepan; stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat and cook rapidly until clear and thick, stirring frequently to prevent sticking - about 40 minutes. (Cooking time will vary with degree of ripeness and type of peach.)

Meanwhile, put five half-pint (8 ounce) jars in a 300 degree oven for 20 minutes, to sterilize.  Put lids in a pot of boiling water for 10 minutes; leave in water until ready to cap jars.

Remove marmalade from heat and skim off any foam. Immediately fill the hot sterilized jars and seal. 

Make sure to stir up the marmalade as you go so that the fruit remains evenly distributed. Leave a 1/2 inch headspace in the jars; wipe clean the rims, and apply the lids.

Process for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath and then remove.  Leave jars undisturbed for at least 12 hours before checking the seals.  Wipe clean the jars and lids, and store for up to one year. Yields 5 half-pint (8 ounces) jars.

Crab-Stuffed Shrimp with Bucatini Alfredo

My favorite pasta was just plain spaghetti - that is until I was introduced to bucatini.  Like spaghetti, only with a hole running through the center of it.  A spaghetti straw, it doesn't get any better than this! Unable to find it in my neck of the woods, my husband and I drove all the way to Baltimore, only to find it at Three Brothers Italian Market near my in-laws. With the car loaded up with bags of bucatini, along with panettone, amaretti cookies, biscotti and ladyfingers, I did not complain about the ten and a half hour drive...both ways!

Crab-Stuffed Shrimp Recipe
Ingredients:
1 pound jumbo or colossol shrimp
1 teaspoon grains of paradise
1/2 pound lump crabmeat, optional
4 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup white wine
2 cups fresh breadcrumbs *
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated
1-1/2 teaspoons parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
lemon juice
1 pound Bucatini, or pasta of choice, cooked
Alfredo Sauce (see below)


Preparation:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Peel and devein the shrimp, leaving the tail intact. To butterfly them, make a slit along the back side, taking care not to slice all the way through the body. Sprinkle shrimp with the grains of paradise. Line a baking pan with aluminum foil, spray with nonstick spray and arrange the shrimp in a single layer.
Melt the butter over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, soft and just beginning to turn golden - do not brown. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, parsley, oregano, crushed red pepper, salt and black pepper. Mix well.   If adding crabmeat, allow sauteed vegetables to cool before adding to the crabmeat.

Spoon even portions of the breadcrumb mixture over each of the butterflied shrimp. Using your fingers, gently mold each portion of stuffing around the shrimp. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the shrimp turn pink and opaque. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with lemon juice and serve immediately with the pasta.

* If using dry, processed breadcrumbs, you will need to increase the amount of butter and wine


Alfredo Sauce Recipe:
Ingredients:
1 pint heavy cream
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
white pepper
kosher salt
parsley or basil, chopped


Preparation:
Heat cream over medium-low heat in a heavy saucepan.
Add butter and whisk to melt. Add cheese and stir. Cook approximately five minutes until slightly thickened.  Season with salt and pepper.
Add pasta and toss to coat the noodles in the Alfredo sauce.  Transfer to a warm serving bowl and top with more grated cheese and chopped parsley.  Serve immediately with the stuffed shrimp.

The (not so) Secret Life of Bees....and Honey-Molasses Bread

When I recently discovered that one of my neighbors is a beekeeper, my first reaction was to run get the EpiPen.  But Laura Linn, owner of Star Bee Honey, was only too happy to give me a quick insight into the art of beekeeping.  What started out as a hobby has turned into a business, with Laura nurturing tens of thousands of bees in six hives. While totally fascinating - and let's not overlook the bravery involved - being the foodie that I am, I was more interested in the final results of her labor. The honey!!
With my complimentary jar, I made red chile honey, using cayenne peppers from my vegetable garden. Laura shares her bread machine recipe for honey-molasses bread.  (You bread-baking aficionados will know how to convert this for oven-baking.) And, when she is not busy as a bee, she finds time to enjoy the honey in yogurt as a veggie dip, or mixed with peanut butter for dipping pretzels and also making honey butter. Thanks Laura!

Honey-Molasses Bread Recipe (one loaf):
1 cup water
5 tablespoons molasses
2-2/3 tablespoons honey
1-1/3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1-1/3 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons oats
3-1/3 cup bread flour
2-1/2 teaspoons yeast


Contact Laura at: Star Bee Honey, 803.663.1052

A queen bee with her drones

One of the six hives

Bees, bees and mo' bees....at work!

My red chile honey

Potato Samosas

Samosas are small fried turnovers, made with a savory dough and filled with spicy vegetables.  A popular snack in India, they are also enjoyed throughout Asia, the Mediterranean and North and South Africa.  
Last weekend I had the opportunity to prepare this appetizer for my gourmet dinner club.  Though not difficult to make, for a first-timer they were time-consuming.  At least, for me!  But I can tell you it was well worth the effort.  Served with yogurt and assorted chutneys, I could have made a meal out of these alone.  Avoid the temptation to purchase ready-made dough - this dough is actually the easiest part of the recipe.  A great vegetarian alternative.


Potato Samosas Recipe 
Ingredients
Dough:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• Filling:
• 2 pounds potatoes,  peeled and diced into 1/4 inch cubes
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 bunch green onions (white and green parts), chopped
• 2 fresh green chiles, such as jalapeños, seeded and minced 
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon cardamom
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 - 4 cups canola oil
• plain yogurt
• chutney

Preparation

In medium bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Add 2 tablespoons oil and, using fingertips, blend until mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Add 3/4 cup warm water and mix with fork until dough just comes together. Transfer to lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Lightly oil medium bowl, form dough into ball, and place in bowl. Cover with towel and set aside to rest for 30 to 40 minutes.

In large pot with a steamer basket, steam potatoes about 20 minutes until done but not mushy.  Let cool.

In a large skillet heat oil and saute green onions, chiles until transparent.  Add cilantro, ground cumin, garam masala, cardamom, salt and potatoes.  Cook an additional 2-3 minutes and set aside.

Divide dough into 12 equal portions. Roll portions into balls. On floured surface using floured rolling pin, roll out 1 ball into 6-inch circle. Cut circle in half. Fold 1 corner of semicircle up and over middle. Fold second corner over to make triangle, and pinch corners of triangle to seal (leave rounded side open). Hold triangle in your hand with open rounded side facing up and let dough fall open to make cone. Fill cone with approximately 2 tablespoons potato mixture, then pinch along rounded side to seal. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.

In heavy, deep skillet over moderate heat, heat 2 inches oil until thermometer registers 360°F. Working in batches (return oil to 360°F between batches), fry samosas until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels. Serve warm with yogurt and chutneys.  Can also be served room temperature.

Spicy Fried Green Tomato Bites

Time to get rid of those mundane cheese trays and soggy chips and dips.  There’s a new appetizer in town this summer!  Right about now, your tomato plants are falling over with green tomatoes.  If you are like most of us, you’ve planted more tomatoes than you will be able to consume.  Don’t wait for your Roma’s to turn red and fall off the bush.  Think outside the salad....and the marinara sauce.     Soaked in buttermilk and chiles; fried and sprinkled with parmesan cheese; and served with herb mustard.  Mmmm.  A light-hearted appetizer, these bite-sized fried tomatoes are great paired with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Gris.

Spicy Fried Roma Tomato Bites Recipe
Ingredients:

10 large green Roma tomatoes, 1/2-inch slices

1 large jalapeno or other chile pepper, sliced

1-1/2 cups buttermilk

1 cup bread crumbs

salt 

cayenne pepper (for additional heat, if desired)

canola oil

parmesan cheese, grated
herb mustard

jalapeno pepper, sliced diagonally for garnish

Preparation:

Slice tomatoes into 1/2-inch slices and jalapenos into 1/4-inch slices.  Put into a medium-sized flat bowl.  Add buttermilk, and refrigerate overnight.

In another bowl, mix bread crumbs, salt and pepper.  Heat canola oil in a medium skillet.  Drain tomatoes and toss in bread crumb mixture.  Fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side.  Drain on a paper towel.  Arrange on a serving dish and dust with grated parmesan cheese and herb mustard.  Garnish with sliced jalapenos.

Salade Niçoise - The Rite of Summer

No matter how much I “love” to cook, some days it is just too hot to turn on the oven.  With 98 degree days a regular occurrence, especially in the late afternoon, the last thing I want to do is sweat for my supper!  So when the weather turns hot, I turn to salads.  One of my two favorite summer salads is Niçoise.

Salade Niçoise - tomatoes, potatoes, onions, green beans, tuna and olives arranged  on a bed of lettuce -  originated in Nice, France on the Cote d’Azur of southern France.  Like most dishes it has evolved over the years.  In the area of Nice, the vegetables in this salad are never cooked. The potatoes are substituted with artichoke hearts, and red peppers and shallots are used.  Even the use of lettuce, or not, varies according to region.  Any way you make it, this salad is filling but not heavy!  The option of adding anchovies and capers only enhances the flavor.  The perfect choice on a hot day.

I am proud to say that most of the ingredients for my salad - potatoes, tomatoes, red onions, green beans and bibb lettuce - came from my vegetable garden.  By the way, in case you were wondering, my other favorite summer salad is the Cobb Salad - but that’s another post....

Salade Niçoise Recipe

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

bibb lettuce

1/2 pound new potatoes, boiled and quartered

1/3 pound green beans, trimmed and blanched

1/2 red onions, thinly sliced

1/2 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

1/4 cup niçoise olives, pitted

2 hard-boiled eggs, quartered

1 (6-ounce) can tuna

3 anchovy fillets, optional

1 tablespoon capers, optional

1/2 cup vinaigrette

Preparation:

Arrange lettuce on a large platter or shallow bowl.  Mound remaining ingredients on lettuce and finish with vinaigrette.  Garnish with capers and anchovies, if desired.