Pesto de Brócoli

Quería ver si podría comerme una cabeza de brócoli antes de que se me pusiera amarilla en mi nevera, como usualmente pasa. ¿Cómo podré comerme un montón de brócoli yo solita? He visto como los chefs del Food Network te hacen un pesto de cualquier cosa… porque los pestos son eso mismo “pastas” hechas de lo que sea,,, asi que por que no tratar hacerla con broccoli???

Esta receta es divina… es sencilla y no hay necesidad de pre-cocinar el brócoli. Yo si cocino algunos florets para darle un poquito de interés adicional al plato final, pero no es necesario. Puedes vivir sin ellas, particularmente si estas tratando de servir de una manera diferente a los no-amantes del brócoli.

Dale… ayuda a convertirlos con este plato. ¡Los reto a que nos digan que no les gusta el brócoli después de probar esto!!!

PESTO DE BROCOLI

½ cabeza de brócoli

2 oz de queso crema

¼ taza de almendras

½ cda de horseradish

¼ taza de quesos rallados

¼ taza de queso pecorino romano

2 dientes de ajo

¼ taza de heavy cream

Como ½ taza de aceite de oliva

Sal y Pimienta a gusto

½ paquete de pasta integral o pasta de arroz

1. En una olla grande, pon a hervir el agua para cocinar la pasta. Sala el agua libremente y cocina la pasta de acuerdo a las instrucciones del empaque, hasta que este al dente.
2. Reserva algunos pedacitos de los cogollitos del brócoli para incluirlos en el plato final.
3. Entretanto, añade al bowl de un procesador de alimentos el resto del brócoli, el queso crema, las almendras, el horseradish, los quesos rallados y el pecorino romano, los dientes de ajo y el heavy cream. Pulsa unas cuantas veces para que todo se mezcle. Añade un chorrito de aceite de oliva por el orificio de la tapa del procesador y procésalo todo hasta que se convierta en una salsa cremosa.
4. Cocinemos el brócoli que reservamos al principio y cocínalo en un sartén mediano a fuego mediano con un poquito de aceite de oliva, sal y pimienta. Ponlo a un lado…
5. Cuando la pasta esté lista, escúrrele el agua reservando como 1 taza y devuelve la pasta a la misma olla. Agrégale la mezcla cremosa de brócoli y mézclalo todo bien. Añádele unas cucharadas de la misma agua que reservaste para que la salsa se suelte de ser necesario. Añádele finalmente los pedacitos de brócoli que cocinaste para que le añada al plato final otra dimensión de sabor y textura.

Macaroni and Cheese de Trufas Blancas

Me encanta el macaroni and cheese… pero ahora que estoy grandecita, hay veces que quiero hacerme unos macarrones pero con un twist diferente que satisfaga el deseo por el queso y también que le guste a una audiencia un poco mas adulta.

Había visto como en episodios de Top Chef y de Barefoot Contessa usaban la mantequilla de trufas para impartirle mucho sabor exótico a trufas a los platos que confeccionaban sin el precio exótico de las trufas reales.  Pero no se equivoquen, todavía la mantequilla de trufas no es baratita, a $7 cada potecito, pero definitivamente no es tan costosa como comprar las trufas de verdad, verdad.  Que para serles honesta, no creo que ni se consigan para comprarlas así no más aquí en Puerto Rico.

El sabor de las trufas me ha intrigado desde que comí una vez un risotto de champiñones con un chorrito de aceite de trufas por encima en el Restaurante Pikayo y más recientemente en una visita a NYC cuando me disfrute un cassoulet de vegetales hecho en mantequilla de trufas.  El sabor de las trufas es difícil de explicar para mi… es una de esas cosas que es mejor experimentarlas que explicarlas o que se las expliquen a uno…  Me imagino que por eso es que tuvieron hasta que inventarse un nombre para este sabor, que muchos ahora llaman umami.

Así que desde antes de las Navidades llevaba adorando este potecito de mantequilla de trufas en la nevera.  Hasta le tenía advertido a la muchacha que me ayuda a limpiar que no lo tocara, porque a ella le encanta comer pan con mantequilla cuando viene a trabajar y yo con miedo que le fuera a meter mano a mi mantequillita adorada…  así que hace unas semanas me dije: YA!!  Tenemos que hacer algo con esta mantequilla de trufas y dejar de adorarla… y así invite a mis amistades más cercanas a una cena sencillita para expresarles mi amor en el fin de semana de San Valentín.

 

MACARONI AND CHEESE DE TRUFAS BLANCAS

Como 4 tazas de setas, rebanadas – usé una combinación de setas blancas y de setas cremini

Como 3 cdas de mantequilla regular

3 cdas de aceite de oliva

1 paquete de macarrones o penne, integral preferiblemente

1 paquetito de mantequilla de trufas blancas

Un poquito menos de ¼ de taza de harina pastry integral

1 cuartillo de leche

1 taza de queso gruyere, rallado

1 taza de una mezcla de quesos Italianos rallados

½ taza de queso Parmesano, rallado

 Sal marina y Pimienta molida

 

1. Primero cocinamos las setas…  en un sartén grande a fuego mediano calentamos la mantequilla regular y el aceite de oliva para evitar que la mantequilla se nos queme muy rápido.  Añade las setas picaditas y muévelas para que se cubran con la mantequilla y el aceite, pero después que estén cubiertas déjalas quietas y no las muevas mas hasta que se pongan doraditas por ambos lados.  Sazónalas con sal y pimienta y ponlas a un lado.  Hice esto en varias tiradas porque mi sartén no es muy grande.
2. En una olla grande pon a hervir agua, sazónala con abundante sal y cocina la pasta hasta que este cocida, pero no muy blandita como 6-7 minutos.
3. Entretanto, hacemos la salsa de queso del mac and cheese…  en una ollita mediana a fuego mediano añade la mantequilla de trufas… el olor te intoxicará, pero de buena manera!!!  Cuando la mantequilla se derrita, añade la harina de trigo y mexclala bien para evitar que se formen grumos.  Cocina la mezcla de mantequilla y harina hasta formar una pasta que debes cocinar unos cuantos minutos para que el sabor a harina cruda no permee la salsa de queso que haremos.
4. Después de cómo 3-4 minutos, añade la leche a temperatura ambiente.  Mézclalo bien para que la salsa no tenga grumitos.  Ponla a hervir un rato para que la salsa llegue a la consistencia cremosita que deseamos.
5. Quita la salsa del fuego y añade los quesos rallados… mézclalo todo bien para que los quesos derritan bien.
6. Cuando la salsa de queso este lista, escurre la pasta y devuélvela a la misma olla, añádele la salsa de queso y las setas que reservamos.  Mézclalo todo bien y transfiérelo a un molde 13” x 9” engrasado.  Anadele queso parmesano y gruyere raladito por encima.
7. Hornéalo  a 350F por 20 minutos aproximadamente hasta que el tope esté doradito.

Florentine Mac & Cheese

I’ve already shared with you my passion for Mac & Cheese.  It’s a paradox… because when someone is feeling down and out, people usually seek their comfort foods to make themselves feel better.  But here’s the thing… when I am feeling “under the weather” I crave cheese like there’s no tomorrow, but cheese and wheat products are the least I should have during that time…

So lately I have been trying my best to stay away from cheeses – trying to make other types of food…  rices, stews, etc.  But I could not hold-off any longer.  That tub of ricotta cheese was calling me every time I opened up the fridge…  so without further ado, here’s my version of a quick stove-top white mac and chesse with fresh baby spinach…

 

 

FLORENTINE MAC & CHEESE

¼ pack of whole-wheat macaroni pasta – although any short tubular pasta will do

1 tsp olive oil

1 tbs sofrito

1 cup half-and-half

½ cup ricotta cheese

¼ cup Parmesan

2 oz cream cheese

¼ cup vegetable stock

1 tbs cornstarch

Kosher Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

3 – 4 handfuls of fresh baby spinach – this would also work with about 1 cup of thawed and squeezed-dry frozen spinach

1. Bring to a boil a large pot of water, season liberally with salt.  Add macaroni and cook for about 10 minutes, until al dente.
2. Meanwhile, we make the sauce…   In a medium sauce pan, heat olive oil and sofrito and sauté for about 2-3 minutes.
3. Add the half and half and heat for a few minutes.   Add the ricotta, cream cheese and Parmesan.  Let the cheeses melt into the sauce.
4. Add the fresh spinach.  Stir every so often to wilt the spinach into the cheese mixture.  Cover for a few minutes so the steam helps in the wilting process.
5. In a small dish, mix together the vegetable stock and cornstarch to make a slurry.  Add to the cheese mixture to thicken.  Stir a few times to ensure everything is well incorporated.  The sauce will start to thicken as it comes to a soft boil.
6. When the sauce has reached your desired consistency, which to me is that it looks creamy enough to coat the macaroni, turn it off and keep covered.  The spinach will fully wilt with the remaining heat in the pot.
7. Drain the cooked macaroni and return to the hot pot.  Add the cheese mixture and combine well.  Let the macaroni with cheese sauce stand for 5-10 minutes… the sauce will thicken a bit upon standing.

 

Serve with a nice Tomato Salad on top… super comfort food in my book.

Vegetable Lo Mein for one

I am in a real international vibe these days…  now I am on an Asian kick.  My mom started it because she’s been craving a tofu stir-fry I make with snow peas and bean sprouts.  The thing is that we have not been able to get together to actually make it. You know how it is with busy schedules…

So, in the meantime, I made for lunch this clean-out-the-fridge stir fry.  It was a completely impromptu dish…  not even planning to share it with you just yet.  But the results were soooo good, I had to take a picture of it. 

This is really a method…  you can change it up as you prefer.  This is what I used this time…

 

 

VEGETABLE LO-MEIN for one

1/8 packet of dry whole grain pasta – spaghetti or bucatini would work well

½ onion, sliced

½ red bell pepper, sliced

1 garlic clove, grated

3-4 leaves of romaine lettuce, washed, dried and cut into thin strips and tough stems removed

Handful of bean sprouts, washed and dried

3 tbs teriyaki sauce

1 tbs olive oil

Squirt of honey

Freshly cracked pepper to taste

1 tbs toasted sesame seeds – for garnish

 

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil.  Once water is boiling, add plenty of salt and add the pasta.  Cook according to package directions, approximately 10 minutes.
2. While the pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet with olive oil over medium high heat.  Add the onions and peppers.  Stir to coat all the pieces with the olive oil.  Add the grated garlic over the onions and peppers.  Sauté for a few minutes.
3. When the onions start to get a cooked look, but are still crunchy, add the bean sprouts.  Sauté for a minute.  Add most of the lettuce pieces.  Sauté a few minutes more until the lettuce starts to wilt a bit.
4. Add the cooked noodles to the skillet and toss to combine thoroughly.  Add the teriyaki sauce and toss again.  Add any remaining lettuce.  The noodles will absorb some of the sauce.
5. Transfer to serving dish and garnish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds.

 

This was a very nice lunch indeed.  Filled with veggies, light, yet very satisfying.  You can definitely serve this for any weekday meal. 

Kamut Spaghetti with Simple Tomato Sauce

I am always on the lookout for simple delicious recipes.  And I am indeed a pasta lover.  Pasta dishes are usually simple, no?  I usually see the TV chefs creating their simple tomato sauces, which in my humble opinion are not that simple…  onions, garlic, celery , carrots.

I’ll be honest, I tried Giada DeLaurentiis recipe once, and I was not impressed by the flavor after the amount of chopping that went on.

I decided to take a stab at creating my very own simple version of tomato sauce.  I used something I am not very likely to have in my pantry, canned tomatoes.  I used a 28oz can of organic San Marzano tomatoes with the can lined with something white to prevent the tin metals to go into the acid tomato juice inside.  But I just have heard soooooo much about these San Marzano tomatoes I just had to give it a try.

I tried this sauce with a new kind of spaghetti I found at a specialty store – Kamut, a different type of grain, apparently available in Egypt since the time of the pharaohs.  I liked it a lot.  I read that Kamut is in the wheat family, very much like spelt, but better tolerated by people with wheat allergies.  I do not have those sensitivities usually, but there are times I want to experiment with other grains and give traditional wheat a rest.

 

 

 

Kamut Spaghetti with Simple Tomato Sauce

28oz can of organic San Marzano tomatoes, whole

2 tbs extra virgin olive oil

3-4 cloves of garlic, sliced

Basil – fresh preferably about 10-12 leaves, but I used dry – about 1 tbs – and worked great

Salt and Pepper to taste

¼ box of organic Kamut Spaghetti – I used DeCecco brand

 

1. In a large pot over medium heat, pour the olive oil and sauté the garlic slices and about 1 tsp of salt for about 2-3 minutes, until the garlic is taking some color.
2. When you open the tomato can, take kitchen shears and cut the tomatoes somewhat.  I have also seen Tyler Florence dumping them onto a bowl and smashing them with your own hands.  It sounds very appealing, but that’s another bowl to wash up.  When I have the kitchen staff Tyler has, I’ll do it his way.
3. Pour the tomatoes in the pot.   Add some more salt and pepper to taste.  Let the tomatoes simmer uncovered for about 15-20 minutes.
4. Check the seasoning.  Add more salt or pepper if needed.  Add the basil – dry or fresh.  Let it wilt a bit for a few minutes.
5. With an immersion blender, blend the tomatoes into a pureed sauce.  The color of the sauce will change, from an intense red to an orangey color.  Don’t be discouraged by that.  The garlicky flavor rocks!!!
6. I just let it simmer about 5 minutes more and turn off the heat.
7. Meanwhile, boil a large pot of water for the pasta.  Salt the water well before adding the pasta.  It takes about 12 minutes to cook al dente.

 

The sauce recipe makes way more sauce than for one serving of pasta… so I transferred most of the sauce to a container and transferred the cooked drained pasta to the pot with the remaining sauce.  Use the amount you deem necessary to dress your noodles.  

I dressed with a dollop of yogurt cheese instead of adding the traditional Parmesan cheese, given I am on a no-cheese-phase in my life right now… believe me, I did not miss the Parmesan and the tangy taste was a sure plus.

Buon Apetito!!!

 

Pink Mac & Cheese

A good friend of mine reminded me I always talked to him about my blog and my recipes, but that I had NEVER cooked for him.  So I immediately invited him to lunch and made this impromptu comforting pasta dish.

I love pink pasta sauces… I think they’re super tasty and combine the best of both worlds – cheese sauce and tomatoes. 

PINK MAC & CHEESE

1/4 pound whole wheat pasta – penne, rigatoni, macaroni would all work

2 tbs olive oil

2 tbs sofrito

8oz heavy cream

4 oz cottage cheese

3/4 cup shredded Italian cheese mix, divided

2 oz. Laughing Cow cheese or 1/3 less fat cream cheese

1/4 cup crushed tomatoes

5 or 6 sun dried tomatoes, chopped

10-12 basil leaves

Salt, Garlic salt and Pepper to taste

1. In a medium pot, boil water, season with salt liberally and cook pasta until al dente… approximately 10-12 minutes.  While pasta cooks, make the sauce. 
2. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.
3. In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil.  Add sofrito and saute for a few minutes.
4. Add cream cheese and whisk together with sofrito until it melts.  Add heavy cream, cottage cheese, cream cheese and 1/2 cup of the Italian cheese blend.  Whisk together until all cheeses are melted and well blended.
5.  Add crushed tomatoes and season with garlic salt and pepper to taste.
6. Add sun-dried tomatoes and basil leaves.
7. Drain cooked pasta and add to saucepan with sauce.
8. Transfer pasta and sauce to a baking dish.  Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup shredded cheese blend.
9. Bake in oven for about 20 minutes until the cheese on top is melted and creates a golden crust.

 

Not too light, but delicious and comforting… my friend is a convert and now he wants me to cook for him all the time.  I should have taken a photo of his amazed face. 

Baked Pasta with 4 Cheeses

This is my FAVORITE pasta dish of all time!!!!!!

 I did it last night as a Birthday present dinner for my friend Walter, who traveled with me to Spain this past Summer.  And whom I am trying to convince to apply with me to be in The Amazing Race.

If I have to ask for a Last Meal, this will be the dish I would request.  This is an adaptation from a Martha Stewart recipe, which is actually a recipe from a Providence, Rhode Island restaurant called Al Forno.  I’ve never been to Providence, but if I get to go, Al Forno is the only restuarant I need to go.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do…

 

BAKED PASTA WITH 4 CHEESES

1/2 pound whole-wheat pasta – shells, penne or rigatoni would all work well

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese – I sometimes use a pre-shredded cheese blend from the store

1/2 cup  freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese, divided in half – half for mixture, half for topping

1/4 cup freshly grated Fontina cheese

2 tablespoons ricotta cheese

1/2 cup pureed tomatoes

10 fresh basil leaves, torn with your hands

1/4 teaspoon salt

a few grinds of freshly cracked pepper

1. Heat oven to 500 degrees. 
2. Bring large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add pasta and cook until al dente.
3. 
4. While pasta cooks, place cream, cheeses, pureed tomatoes, salt, pepper and basil in a large bowl.
5. 
6. Drain pasta and toss together with cheese mixture in bowl.
7. Pour into a medium-sized baking dish.  Sprinkle with 1/4 cup remaining Pecorino Romano on top.
8. Bake until bubbly and brown on top for about 15 minutes.
9. Turn off oven and leave in there for a few minutes for the sauce to set a bit.
10. Serve immediately afterwards while still hot.

• It’s important to watch out the measurements of the cheeses.  The right amount will melt beautifully and create the most wonderful sauce.  When I started to eye-ball the amounts, sometimes the results were not as I expected. 

• I make this recipe right in my toaster oven…    

• And the recipe doesn’t reheat very well.  It will still be tasty, but the sauce becomes a bit oily…  just so you know.  This is one of those recipes to make and eat in the moment.  Every time I do it for company, people can’t believe that came out of a home kitchen.  It’s unbelievable!!!

I served this last night with my Cinammon Vanilla Plantains and my Super Easily Dressed Green Salad.  Oh, and I also did my Garlic Parsley Breadsticks.

Buen Provecho.

Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese

In the next few posts, I will share with you the Thanksgiving Menu I have chosen for this year.

For the main course, I will prepare a Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese.  This mac and cheese packs a lot of nutritional punch and color from the butternut squash in the cheese sauce.  You can substitute the squash for regular pumpkin.  I works just the same.

 

Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese

Steamed pumpkin or butternut squash – about 1 pound
1 pound whole-wheat elbow macaroni or other tubular pasta
2 cups 1 percent lowfat milk
4 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated (about 1 1/3 cups)
4 ounces Blend of melting cheeses – Mozzarella, Asiago, Fontina, etc.
1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Steam the butternut squash or pumpkin in a pot with just an inch of water.  Season with salt.  When it is cooked, puree in a food procesor.
3. Bring a large pot to a boil for the pasta.
4. Meanwhile, start building the cheese sauce.  In a pot under medium heat, mix together the milk, blend and melt the cheeses, mix the mustard, and pureed butternut squash.  Season with salt and pepper.  Make sure the pot is big enough to accomodate the sauce and the pasta when it’s cooked.
5. Add the macaroni to boling water seasoned with salt and cook until tender but firm.
6. Drain cooked pasta and transfer to the pot with the cheese sauce.  Mix well together.
7. Transfer to a buttered baking dish.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and some of the leftover Melting Cheese blend all over the top.
8.  Bake for 20 minutes, then broil for 3 minutes so the top is crisp and nicely browned.  Everything is already cooked, you’re just heating everything together and browining the cheese on top.

This recipe is delicious.  The mustard gives it a different and grown-up taste.   You can also roast the butternut squash, which gives it a more robust flavor.

 

I did this recipe a few weeks ago at our Yoga Center and my friend Kathleen reviewed it in her blog.

Hope you like it too.  Tell me all about it if you try it.