CooksPlus

Dulce de Leche

cooksplus — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 12:36:28 +0000

Dulce de leche, translated literally as “milk jam,” is a soft caramel confection enjoyed throughout Mexico, Central and South America. As a relative newcomer to the United States’ taste buds, it is quickly growing in popularity. Swirled into ice creams, gourmet yogurt blends and used as a filling in prepared frozen dessert items, dulce de leche is becoming a mainstay among America’s favorite dessert ingredients. Directions Place the milk, sugar and cinnamon stick in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar, while heating the milk to a gentle simmer. The milk will begin to form a foamy layer across the surface and around the perimeter of the pan. Stir the mixture gently to incorporate. Dissolve the baking soda in the water. Stir the baking soda mixture into the milk mixture. Reduce the heat to low and cook the mixture uncovered at a low simmer, just so the milk’s surface breaks with a gentle roll. Check the mixture periodically and gently stir without incorporating the foamy layer that forms across the surface. After the mixture has been simmering for 1 hour, remove the cinnamon stick. The milk mixture will begin to turn a light tan color. Continue simmering until the mixture reduces to the thickness of sweetened condensed milk, takes on a rich tan color and has reduced to about one cup, about 1 to 1-1/2 additional hours. The mixture will thicken further as it cools and under refrigeration. Strain the mixture immediately into a jar, using a fine mesh strainer. Cool completely. Refrigerate for up to 3 weeks. Nutrition information per ounce: 170 calories, 4 grams protein, 31 grams carbohydrate, 4 grams fat, 15 milligrams cholesterol, 140 milligrams sodium.

Ingredients:

Makes 1 cup one quart whole milk one cup sugar cinnamon stick, two-inch piece one-half teaspoon baking soda two tablespoons water

Chorizo Ravioli with Tomato-Basil Coulis

cooksplus — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 12:35:04 +0000

Pasta is a versatile food, whether it is served hot or cold, plain or flavored, flat or filled. A basic pasta dough recipe can create a myriad of dishes, from herb-infused linguine to seafood-filled tortellini. Handmade pasta, which is more tender than store bought, is best served with a light sauce such as The Culinary Institute of America’s sweet and tangy tomato-basil coulis. When paired with chorizo-stuffed ravioli, the result is an intriguing balance of robust flavors and textures

Directions

Chorizo Ravioli
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and jalapeno and sauté until aromatic, 1 minute. Add the chorizo, the chili powder, the ½-teaspoon oregano, and the cayenne and sauté until aromatic, about 2 minutes more. Transfer to a bowl to cool.

Roll out the dough into thin sheets. Cut the sheets into 32 two-inch circles and cover with plastic wrap until they are ready to be filled. Brush the edge of a pasta circle lightly with water. Place 2 teaspoons of chorizo filling in the center of the circle. Place another circle on top of the filling, keeping the edges of the dough lined up. Lightly press the edges of the dough together. Crimp the edges with the tines of a fork to seal them. Repeat with the remaining pasta circles.

Bring a large, wide pot of salted water to a boil. Reduce the heat, add the ravioli, and simmer until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain. Serve the ravioli over hot tomato sauce garnished with oregano.

Fresh Pasta Dough
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl and whisk to blend. Make a well in the center. Place the eggs, olive oil, and 1 tablespoon of water in the well. Working as rapidly as possible, gradually pull the flour from the edges of the well into the liquid ingredients with a fork and stir until a shaggy mass forms. As the dough is mixed, adjust the consistency with additional flour or water so that it is pliable but not sticky. (The dough can be mixed in a food processor. Add liquid until the dough just holds together when pressed; it should not form a ball on the blade.)

Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead until the texture becomes smooth and elastic, about 10 – 12 minutes. Gather and smooth the kneaded dough into a ball, cover, and let the dough relax at room temperature for at least 1 hour.

In batches, roll the pasta dough into thin sheets, let dry for 15-20 minutes, and cut into the desired shapes by hand or machine. The pasta is ready to cook now, or it can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 2 days.

Tomato-Basil Coulis
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, bring the sauce to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Add the basil and simmer for 5 minutes more. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Nutrition information per serving:
750 calories, 26 g protein, 73 g carbohydrate, 40 g fat, 1050 mg sodium, 195 mg cholesterol, 6 g fiber.

This recipe is among the 200 that can be found in Cooking at Home with The Culinary Institute of America, which is available for purchase at bookstores nationwide.

Ingredients:

Chorizo Ravioli
Makes 4 servings
two teaspoons vegetable oil
six cloves garlic, minced
one teaspoon minced jalapeno
six ounces chorizo sausage, coarsely chopped
one teaspoon chili powder
one-half teaspoon coarsely chopped fresh oregano, plus more for garnish
one-quarter teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
Salt
one pound fresh pasta dough, recipe follows
one and one-half cups warmed tomato coulis, recipe follows

Fresh Pasta Dough
(yield: 1 pound dough; 4 – 6 servings)
two cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
one-half teaspoon salt
three large eggs
one teaspoon olive oil

Tomato-Basil Coulis
three tablespoons olive oil
two yellow onions, finely diced
eight cloves garlic, minced
two and one-half pounds plum (Roma) tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
one tablespoon chopped fresh basil
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Mission Figs Stuffed with Spanish Blue Cheese

cooksplus — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 12:28:10 +0000

Sharp Spanish Blue cheeses, such as Cabrales or Picón, contrast wonderfully with the soft, subtle, sweet flesh of fresh, ripe figs in this distinct recipe. Enjoy these stuffed figs with a glass of sherry, another perfect partner for a fig. The cocoa nibs, pressed into the cheese, are a surprise ingredient that adds a little bitter depth and crunch to the mixture.

Directions

Cut the stem end of each fig about ¼ inch from the top using kitchen scissors. Cut the figs in half length-wise. Press the tip of a spoon into the opening to make a ½-inch-deep indentation for the cheese in the soft center of the fig.

Trim the outer rind off the wedge of cheese. Gently crumble with a fork in a medium bowl until the largest pieces are the size of a small marble. Do not overmix.

Press a level teaspoon of cheese into the center of each fig.

Press ¼ to ½ teaspoon of cocoa nibs into the cheese. Serve.

* Note: If fresh figs are unavailable, large dried, soft Calimyrna figs can be substituted. Simply slice the figs in half and place 1 teaspoon of cheese on each fig and ½ teaspoon of cocoa nibs on top.

Ingredients:

Makes 8 servings
12 large but firm fresh figs*
7½-ounce wedge of tangy Spanish blue-veined mixed milk cheese, such as Cabrales, Picón, or Valdeón
¼ cup cocoa nibs

Keep This in your Pantry – 10 Items That Will Keep your Recipes Fresh Culinary Ideas by CooksPlus

cooksplus — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 13:07:55 +0000

Variety, it is said, is the spice of life. This is doubly true for your home-cooked recipes. Gone (long gone, we hope) are the days of Pot roast night (Wednesday) chicken night (Monday) and pasta night (Sunday) each and every week. Today’s home culinary enthusiast enjoys, blending new cuisine twists with tried and true family recipes.

Your pantry is the source of those ingredients that not only have extended shelf lives, but offer you the diversity and unique feel that your recipes are known for. When you’re planning out your meals for the week, more than likely you take stock of the products on your pantry shelves, and we want you to know that there are ten items that every pantry should have to revitalize an old recipe, or open your family’s palette to a new cuisine and keep even the oldest family recipe new and exciting.

Dried Beans

Legumes area great source of meat-free protein that can turn any meal into a high-protein powerhouse. With the increases in vegan and vegetarian lifestyles, beans offer an alternative option that will feed any crowd. Keep at least one bag of dried beans in your pantry to add to soups, stews, and casseroles or to bake with other seasonings in a nice broth for a one-two punch of fiber and protein to add to any meal.

Canned Artichokes

Long shunned because of their “fatty” content, artichokes are a flavorful and nutritional addition to just about every kind of recipe. A good source of calcium and magnesium, not to mention B vitamins, artichokes can wake up the flavor of a sub or sandwich or a salad . Not a fan of red or white sauce on your pasta? Consider mincing some artichokes with some roasted walnuts and a little fresh basil to throw over your angel hair.

Stock

Available in vegetable, beef chicken or fish, stock is the perfect base for soups, stews, stir-frys, and even can liven up the flavor of your baked or roasted meats. Use stock in lieu of water when you make pasta, tofu or potatoes – they will suck up all the flavor of the stock and add natural flavor with less sodium.

Rice

Always have at least one kind of rice in your pantry. Brown rice has become the choice of late, and it can accompany just about any meat, with fewer calories and sugars that potatoes or pasta. Make homemade Chinese or Tai, add to soups and mix with vegetables to make a one-bowl meal that is yummy and satisfying.

Whole Grain Pasta

Following the whole grain trends for rice is whole grain pasta. Like any pasta , you can use it to make your favorite Italian dishes, or add to a story fry in lieu of rice. Dump into soups and stews instead of potatoes or mix with veggies for a great side dish.

Olives

With the dozens kinds of olives available with a multitude of flavors and textures, olives are a great option for snacks, to add to sandwiches ,salads and to mix into your pasta, but beyond these obvious options, they are also a great addition to your meat dishes. Add some diced olives to roast with chicken breast and fresh garlic, and then drizzle with balsamic vinegar for a healthy main dish. Add some Kalamata olives to your rice side dish and sprinkle a little fresh parmesan on top for extra zip.

Roasted Peppers

Bursting with flavor and color, roasted peppers are the go-to source for layering flavor to your recipes. Blend into soups or blacken and puree into a dip. Love to bake? Dice some red peppers into muffins or bread. Add to an omelet or blend with olive oil and white balsamic vinegar for a delicate dressing for your salads.

Canned Corn

Not only for toddlers, canned corn is for every meal of the day. Want cornbread with a little added something? Turn a can of corn into your recipe for great texture and added sweetness. Love salsa? Brighten the color of your favorite tomato and pepper concoction with some sweet corn. Corn pancakes with butter, liven up a chowder or soup or use as a layer for tacos.

Corn meal

If you love to bake, flour can become a little boring after a while. Corn meal offers a dough base that has a lot more color and a great texture for muffins, crusts, breads and the obvious tortillas.

Olive Oil

The mother of all oils, every pantry should stock two variations – light olive oil for sautéing and frying, and extra virgin olive oil for dressing and marinating. A fabulous source of omega three fatty acids that every body needs, olive oil is the base for intensely flavorful and heart-friendly cooking for every meal.

Perfecting the Art of Homemade Soups

cooksplus — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 13:03:22 +0000

Warm, savory, and satisfying – all ways to describe a steaming bowl of homemade soup. Oftentimes, even the most creative culinary enthusiast shies away from making soup. This may be due to a lack of experience or simply because they’re afraid that their chicken noodle or tomato bisque won’t turn out “exactly right.” Read on to learn the secrets to perfecting the art of homemade soup.

Use Real Ingredients

Notice “real”, not “fresh”. When making soup, one of the most important factors to hearty and flavorful results is forethought. Simply put, you need to take stock of your leftover meat and bones before you begin creating your soup. Toss a ham bone with some cooks chunks of meat on it into the freezer after you’re had supper for use later, or hold on to that chicken or turkey carcass as a way to flavor your noodle soup.

Another “real but not exactly fresh” ingredient that will make your soup wonderful? Homemade meat or vegetable stock can be made ahead of time and frozen for later use. Keep it on hand to heighten the richness and flavor of your soups, stews, potatoes and pasta, with less sodium than the store brands.

Add your stock to your pot along with your meat and bones first, to begin your soup. Bring to a simmer while you ready the next ingredients.

And Now Be Fresh

Fresh herbs, fruits and vegetables are the healthy way to add flavor and fiber to your soup. Chop your veggies and fruits and mince your herbs with a good chopping knife, for well-shaped pieces and even cooking times. Always use a separate carving board for your veggies and herbs so there is no concern of salmonella or other bacteria.

You can use whatever veggies and herbs you happen to have on hand, but some of the more common veggies and herbs for meat soups are celery, carrots, onions, fresh garlic, thyme, basil, oregano and dill.

Add Some Starch

To add a little more “hearty” to your soup, starches like noodles, rice or potatoes are a great way to finish off your soup ingredients. Add them once the soup is almost done cooking to avoid mushiness in the texture.

The Final Step

Salt and pepper your soup, to taste, at the end of the cooking process, and then take it off the heat. Cover and let sit for about 20 minutes to let the salt and pepper bring out the natural flavors of all your ingredients.

Chinese Long Bean Salad w/Tangerines & Shery-Mustard Vinaigrette

cooksplus — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 13:00:37 +0000

Cook with the right tools. For this healthy and tasty salad, use the All Clad 1/12 Stainless Steel Sauce Pan and strain your beans in the All Clad 3 Quart Colander.

Most health-conscious Americans are seeking lower-fat alternatives to make sauces and soups healthier while maintaining flavor, texture, and appearance. Vinaigrette, a classic cold sauce, can be modified by replacing two parts of the oil with a starch-thickened stock or juice, resulting in a lower fat sauce that actually coats food better than classic vinaigrette. If the stock or juice is full-flavored, the modified version can be even more flavorful than the original.

Directions

Trim beans, cut into one and one-half-inch lengths, and cook in boiling water until barely tender. Drain and cool.

Trim peels from tangerines. Working over a bowl to catch juices, cut segments away from membranes. Squeeze juice from leftover membranes and reserve for vinaigrette.

Combine beans, tangerine segments, onion, and sunflower seeds in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

To make vinaigrette, combine cornstarch with one teaspoon water to form a slurry. Bring vegetable stock to a boil. Add slurry and stir until stock thickens. Cool to room temperature.

Combine remaining vinaigrette ingredients and whisk into thicken stock.

Toss bean mixture with vinaigrette.

Nutrition information per serving:
120 calories, 3 grams protein, 11 grams carbohydrate, 9 grams fat, 0 milligrams cholesterol, 250 milligrams sodium.

Ingredients:

Serves 8
Three and one-quarter cups (approximately eight ounces) Chinese long beans
Four tangerines
One and one-half cups (approximately three ounces) Vidalia onion, thinly sliced
One-half cup plus two tablespoons (approximately three ounces) sunflower seeds, toasted
One-half teaspoon salt
One-quarter teaspoon ground black pepper

Sherry-Mustard Vinaigrette
One teaspoon cornstarch
One-half cup vegetable stock
Three tablespoons olive oil
Two tablespoons sherry vinegar
Two tablespoons tangerine juice
One tablespoon Dijon mustard
One tablespoon light brown sugar
Two teaspoons minced shallots
One teaspoon minced garlic
One-half teaspoon salt
One-quarter teaspoon ground black pepper

Corn and Squash Soup with Roasted Red Pepper Puree

cooksplus — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 13:10:19 +0000

This simple soup, based on a freshly made garlic and basil broth, is a wonderful way to take advantage of fresh summer produce. If you crave a taste of summer in the middle of winter, you can also make this soup with frozen corn.

Before you begin to build this flavorful soup, you need to have the most versatile vessel to transport it from the stovetop to the fridge or to your next get together.

Emile Henry is a very interesting line in that they have a flame line that offers some innovative features as related to new ceramic technology.

Emile Henrys new line of Flame Top ceramics works directly on a gas flame or an electric or halogen hob without a diffuser, without any fear of cracking or breaking.

Much lighter, (30%), than many types of comparable metal cookware products. Flame Top is also microwave and dishwasher safe, cleans up very easily, is extremely strong and durable, goes under the broiler, and can go directly from a freezer or a refrigerator to a hot oven to the table, where it will retain the cooking heat for a very long time.

Get your Emile Henry Flame Top Ceramics here.

Directions

Combine the water, basil, and garlic in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook, partially covered, for 30 minutes, skimming the surface if necessary. Strain the broth and reserve.

Heat the butter in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté, stirring frequently, until the onions are softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the squash and sauté, stirring frequently, until limp, another 5 minutes. Add the corn and broth and bring the soup to a simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Puree the soup and strain it through a fine sieve.

Return the soup to a simmer. Adjust the seasoning with more salt or pepper, if necessary. Ladle it into heated soup bowls and swirl some red pepper puree through each portion.

Roasted Red Pepper Puree

Puree the peppers in a food processor or blender. Add the broth and continue to puree until the sauce is quite smooth and thin enough to pour easily.

Strain the mixture into a mixing bowl; add the heavy cream, if using, and salt and pepper to taste.

The coulis either can be used immediately or stored in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 1 week.

Ingredients:

Makes 4 to 6 serving

6 cups water

3 basil sprigs

1 garlic head, halved horizontally

2 Tbsp. butter

1 cup diced onions

2 cups diced yellow squash

3 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels

Salt and pepper as needed

1/4 cup Roasted Red Pepper Puree (recipe follows)

Roasted Red Pepper Puree

Makes about 2 cups

4 red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded, and chopped

1/2 cup vegetable or chicken broth, or as needed

1/4 cup heavy cream, optional

Salt and pepper as needed

Holidays Leftovers? What to Make of those Lingering Bits and Pieces

As we all get back to the normal routine after the holiday season, an assessment of your fridge and freezer may leave you wondering exactly what you can do with all those portions and remainders of meals, sides and appetizers that you have left. Chunks of cheese, containers of raw veggies and hunks of ham or roast may line your fridge and freezer and they’re ripe for the taking with the following tips:

Leftover Soups: There’s nothing more satisfying than a hot bowl of homemade soup in the winter and thanks to your leftovers, you have all that you need to make a rich soup to store away for another day, or eat for supper tonight. Combine some of those leftover veggies like broccoli and carrots with some of your leftover cheeses including brie, cheddar or swiss to make a savory soup that will freeze and store well.
Leftover Stews: Want a meal that will feed your family for a few days? Grab up those hunks of ham, turkey or roast beef and throw them together with some of the leftover veggies and some potatoes for a hearty, warming stew.
- Leftover Casseroles: Do you have a Pot Luck dinner to attend sometime soon? Casseroles are an easy way to feed a crowd with less mess and effort than a lot of dishes. Combine some of your leftover meats or gravies with some egg noodles or rotini pasta for an easy and flavorful casserole.

Once you decide how you’re going to use those pesky leftovers taking up room in your fridge and freezer, you should be sure that you have the most versatile and durable ceramic casseroles to use for all your soups, stews and casseroles. Ceramic dishes are not only prettier than their metal cousins, but the Emile Henry line of Flame Top ceramics is truly the most durable, convenient and versatile answer for all your cooking needs.

The Emile Henry Flame Top line works directly works directly on a gas flame or an electric or halogen hob without a diffuser, without any fear of cracking or breaking. Much lighter, (30%), than many types of comparable metal cookware products. Flame Top is also microwave and dishwasher safe, cleans up very easily, is extremely strong and durable, goes under the broiler, and can go directly from a freezer or a refrigerator to a hot oven to the table, where it will retain the cooking heat for a very long time.

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