I’ve grown to really appreciate a slow braise. Braising seems particularly well-suited for a cold winter’s day (okay, technically not winter anymore, but it still can get cold around here). The kind of day in which you have no plans to leave your house, but rather to curl up with a good book or binge watch/catch up on your favorite television series while your home is filled with the most enticing aromas. An excuse to take it easy. To stay in your pjs all day. That’s how I spent a recent peaceful Sunday.

The best cuts of meat for braising are typically those that are less tender. Such cuts tend to be less expensive than their more tender counterparts. A perfect braising meat, as oxtail is bony and gelatin-rich.

Braising Process

No matter the cut of meat you intend to use, the braising process is essentially the same:

• Pan-sear the meat until nicely browned on all sides.
• Add the aromatics (i.e., onion, celery, carrot) and fresh herbs.
• Add some braising liquid (e.g. wine, beer, vinegar, and/or stock).
• Cover and cook in the oven at a low temperature for several hours, until fall-off-the-bone tender.
• Lastly, use the delicious pan gravy to create a flavorful sauce to drizzle over your finished dish.

I took the oxtail one step further with a homemade agnolotti, a type of pasta from the Piedmont region of Italy.

On its own, braised oxtail is hearty and rich. As a filling for pasta, the oxtail is somehow transformed into something more light and delicate. Little pillows of rich goodness, bathed in a beef broth (from the braising liquid). Finished simply with thinly sliced parsley, lemon zest, and freshly grated Parmesan.

How to Make Braised Oxtail Ravioli Filling

1. In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until they turn a deep brown, which should take about 12 minutes.
2. Stir in garlic, sugar, and vinegar. Cook for another 2 minutes, stirring continuously.
3. Add the chopped braised oxtail and half a cup of chicken stock. Let it simmer until the mixture reduces and becomes sticky.
4. Pour in the remaining chicken stock and continue cooking until the mixture thickens.
5. Off the heat, stir in bone marrow (if using), parsley, and salt. Once the marrow melts into the mixture, transfer it to a food processor.
6. While hot, puree the oxtail mixture until smooth. Incorporate the Parmigiano cheese and adjust seasoning if necessary.
7. Allow the filling to cool to room temperature, then transfer to a piping bag.

How to Make Ravioli Dough

1. On a clean work surface, combine flour and salt, forming a mound with a well in the center.
2. In the well, gradually add the eggs, yolks, and olive oil. Gently whisk the eggs without breaking the walls of the flour.
3. Incorporate the flour gradually, eventually kneading with your hands to form a stiff dough. Spritz with water if too dry.
4. Knead the dough for about 10-15 minutes until it’s smooth and elastic. Wrap in plastic and let it rest for 30 minutes.

How to Form Agnolotti

1. Prepare Your Workspace:

• Clear a large flat surface for rolling out the dough.
• Lightly dust the surface with flour to prevent sticking.
• Have a sharp knife, pasta wheel, or pastry cutter ready.
• Ensure the oxtail filling in the piping bag is nearby.

2. Roll Out the Pasta Dough:

• Take the rested ravioli dough and divide it if it’s too large to manage.
• Roll out the dough using a rolling pin or pasta machine. Aim for a very thin sheet, almost translucent. If using a pasta machine, roll the dough until the second-to-last setting.

3. Piping the Filling:

• Cut the rolled dough in half, creating two long strips approximately three inches wide.
• Starting at one end of a pasta strip, pipe the filling in small, evenly spaced mounds along the entire length. Ensure there’s roughly a 1/2-inch gap between each mound.

4. Folding and Sealing the Pasta:

• Mist the edges of the pasta strip lightly with water using a spray bottle; this helps create a seal.
• Carefully fold the dough over the piped filling. Press down gently around each mound to push out any trapped air. This prevents the agnolotti from bursting during cooking.
• Make sure to firmly press and seal the long edge of the pasta strip.

5. Cutting the Agnolotti:

• Use the pasta wheel or a sharp knife to trim the folded and sealed long edge of the pasta strip, ensuring a clean, straight line.
• Cut individual agnolotti by running the pasta wheel between each mound of filling in a swift motion. Each piece should look like a small, sealed pocket of filling.

6. Storing or Cooking:

• • Place the formed agnolotti on a floured or parchment-lined tray, ensuring they aren’t touching to prevent sticking.
  • If not cooking immediately, they can be frozen on the tray and then transferred to a freezer bag once solid. Remember to cook from frozen; do not thaw.

Homemade Oxtail Agnolotti

---

★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Linda Schneider
• Total Time: 5 hours 5 minutes
• Yield: 4-6 portions

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

Turn rich braised oxtail into light pillows of agnolotti, a type of pasta from the Piedmont region of Italy.

---

Ingredients

Units USM

Braised Oxtail

• *3 1/2 pounds oxtail
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 onion (chopped or 3 medium shallots, thinly sliced length-wise)
• 2 medium carrots (peeled and chopped into ~1″ pieces)
• 2 celery stalks (chopped into 1-inch pieces)
• 3–4 cloves of garlic (minced)
• 2 cups red wine
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• few sprigs of parsley
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 2 bay leaves

Agnolotti Filling (Adapted from Scott Conant’s Scarpetta Cookbook)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 white onion (chopped)
• 2 cloves of garlic (minced)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 3 cups chopped braised oxtail (see above)
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 ounces *bone marrow optional
• 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
• salt
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Ravioli (Rav) Dough

• 2 cups 360 grams 00 flour
• 1 teaspoon 5 grams kosher salt
• 2 large eggs (100 grams)
• 5 to 6 egg yolks (90 grams)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

For the Braised Oxtail:

1. Preheat oven to 300°F.
2. In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Season the oxtail with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the oxtail to the pot and sear until browned on all sides. This may require two batches depending on the size of your pot.
3. Once browned, remove the oxtails and set aside. In the same pot, add carrots, celery, onions, and garlic. Add additional olive oil if necessary. Sauté until the vegetables are browned.
4. Pour in the red wine and deglaze the pot, scraping up the caramelized bits from the bottom.
5. Once the wine has reduced by a third, add the beef broth, tomato paste, parsley, rosemary, and bay leaves.
6. Return the oxtail to the pot and bring the mixture to a boil. Cover the pot and transfer it to the oven. Braise for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, rotating the oxtail occasionally. The meat should be tender and almost falling off the bones.
7. Remove the pot from the oven and transfer the oxtail to a dish. Strain the braising liquid and return it to the pot. Reduce on medium heat until slightly thickened.

For the Agnolotti Filling:

1. In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until they turn a deep brown, which should take about 12 minutes.
2. Stir in garlic, sugar, and vinegar. Cook for another 2 minutes, stirring continuously.
3. Add the chopped braised oxtail and half a cup of chicken stock. Let it simmer until the mixture reduces and becomes sticky.
4. Pour in the remaining chicken stock and continue cooking until the mixture thickens.
5. Off the heat, stir in bone marrow (if using), parsley, and salt. Once the marrow melts into the mixture, transfer it to a food processor.
6. While hot, puree the oxtail mixture until smooth. Incorporate the Parmigiano cheese and adjust seasoning if necessary.
7. Allow the filling to cool to room temperature, then transfer to a piping bag.

For the Ravioli Dough:

1. On a clean work surface, combine flour and salt, forming a mound with a well in the center.
2. In the well, gradually add the eggs, yolks, and olive oil. Gently whisk the eggs without breaking the walls of the flour.
3. Incorporate the flour gradually, eventually kneading with your hands to form a stiff dough. Spritz with water if too dry.
4. Knead the dough for about 10-15 minutes until it’s smooth and elastic. Wrap in plastic and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Forming the Agnolotti:

1. Roll out the rested dough thinly.
2. On a floured surface, cut the dough into two long strips (around 3 inches wide). Pipe the oxtail filling along one strip, leaving a small space between each portion.
3. Mist the edges with water and fold the dough over the filling, pressing out air bubbles and sealing the edges.
4. Using a pasta wheel, trim the long edge for a neat finish and then cut between each filling to create individual agnolotti.

Cooking the Agnolotti:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Gently drop the agnolotti into the boiling water.
2. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until they rise to the surface and are al dente.
3. Drain and serve with your preferred sauce or simply drizzled with some olive oil and a sprinkle of Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Notes

*Note: 3 1/2 pounds of oxtail was enough for ~3 cups of shredded meat (enough for one recipe of agnolotti).
*Heat the marrow bones in the oven just long enough to loosen the marrow such that you can scoop it out

• Prep Time: 75 min
• Cook Time: 230 min
• Category: Main, Pasta, Primi
• Method: Braising
• Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 10 agnolotti
• Calories: 550
• Sugar: 4g
• Sodium: 620mg
• Fat: 26g
• Saturated Fat: 9g
• Unsaturated Fat: 13g
• Trans Fat: 0.2g
• Carbohydrates: 48g
• Fiber: 2g
• Protein: 26g
• Cholesterol: 230mg

Keywords: Braised Oxtail Agnolotti, Homemade Pasta, Italian Cuisine, Oxtail Filling, Agnolotti Recipe, Ravioli Dough, Bone Marrow Pasta, Scott Conant's Scarpetta, Gourmet Italian Dish, Wine-infused Pasta, Pasta from Scratch, Traditional Agnolotti, Meat-filled Pasta, Specialty Italian Recipes, Fresh Agnolotti Pasta

The post Homemade Oxtail Agnolotti appeared first on Honest Cooking.

Lamb neck is a cut that is often overlooked, but it’s truly a hidden gem. It’s one of the most flavorful parts of the lamb, thanks to its marbling of fat and connective tissue. When cooked properly, the meat from a lamb’s neck is incredibly tender, moist, and packed with a deep, rich flavor that’s unlike any other part of the animal.

Braising is an ideal cooking method for lamb neck. This technique involves slow-cooking the meat in a small amount of liquid in a covered dish over low heat. The long, slow cooking process allows the connective tissue to break down, resulting in meat that’s exceptionally tender and flavorful. The fat in the neck also helps to keep the meat moist during the long cooking time, and it adds a rich flavor to the finished dish.

Another reason why lamb neck is great for braising is that it’s a very forgiving cut. It’s almost impossible to overcook, and the longer it cooks, the more the meat falls off the bone and the flavors develop. This makes it perfect for dishes like stews, curries, or the braised lamb neck with Fregola Sarda recipe you’re preparing.

So, while lamb neck might not be the first cut of meat you think of when you’re planning a meal, it’s certainly worth considering, especially for slow-cooked dishes. The end result is a dish with a depth of flavor that’s hard to match.

In this recipe, we go with what we would do for any long braise — sear the meat, add the aromatics, red wine, and stock, and let it cook slowly, until fall-off-the-bone tender.

We cooked the lamb neck for a good two hours in the oven. It created a deeply flavorful sauce, which we then reduced and drizzled over the meat, and served the lamb neck over Fregola Sarda.

Fregola Sarda, also known as fregula, is a type of pasta from Sardinia, an island in Italy. It’s made from semolina dough, which is rolled into tiny balls and then toasted in an oven. The toasting process gives it a distinct nutty flavor and a pleasingly firm texture that holds up well in soups, salads, and various other dishes.

Fregola Sarda is similar to couscous and can often be used interchangeably in recipes. However, it’s larger in size (about the size of a peppercorn) and has a deeper, more complex flavor due to the toasting process. It’s often used in Italian and Mediterranean cuisines, and it pairs well with robust sauces, meat, and seafood.

Like other types of pasta, Fregola Sarda is usually boiled until it’s al dente before it’s added to a dish. It’s an excellent choice for dishes like the braised lamb neck recipe here, as it will absorb the rich flavors of the braising liquid and pair well with the tender lamb.

Added thinly sliced preserved lemons, which added a really nice brightness to the dish. Garnish with chopped mint or parsley if you like.

STEP BY STEP GUIDE

Lamb Preparation:

Start by preheating your oven to 325°F to ensure it’s at the right temperature when you’re ready to start the slow cooking process.

Season the lamb neck slices with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. This helps to build the flavor foundation of your dish.

Heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a deep, heavy-based Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the lamb neck slices in a single layer and sear on both sides until well browned. This searing process enhances the meat’s flavor and gives it a beautiful, appetizing color.

Vegetable Saute:

After searing the lamb, remove it from the pot, and wipe the pot clean. Add more oil to coat the bottom of the pot. Add the diced carrot, celery, onion, and coarsely chopped garlic, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until nicely browned – about 6 to 8 minutes. These aromatic vegetables add depth to your dish.

Creating the Braising Liquid:

Now, pour in the red wine and vinegar, and cook, stirring and scraping any bits stuck to the bottom of the pot until the liquid is reduced by half. This step is called deglazing, and it pulls all the flavorful bits from the bottom of the pot into your sauce.

Next, add the canned chopped tomatoes, chicken stock, thyme, and rosemary to the pot.

Braising the Lamb:

Return the browned lamb neck to the pot and bring the liquid to a boil. Once boiling, cover the pot and transfer it to the preheated oven. Allow it to cook, turning the lamb once, until the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender, about 2 hours.
Preparing the Fregola:

While the lamb is in the oven, cook the fregola sarda according to the instructions on its package. Once cooked, drain and set aside.

Finishing the Dish:

After the lamb has finished cooking, remove it from the cooking liquid. Strain the liquid and add it to a pot. Skim off any fat and cook over medium-high heat until somewhat reduced, becoming thicker and more flavorful.

To serve, place a portion of the cooked fregola sarda on each plate. Top with 2 slices of the braised lamb neck. Drizzle over some of the reduced sauce. Garnish with slices of preserved lemon and a sprinkle of fresh mint or parsley.

Braised Lamb Neck with Italian Fregola

---

★★★★★

4.9 from 7 reviews

• Author: Linda Schneider
• Total Time: 49 minute
• Yield: 2 servings

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

Slow cooked lamb doused in a deeply flavorful reduced sauce, served over fregola sarda to soak up the flavors and brightened with lemon slices.

---

Ingredients

Units USM

• 2 pounds of lamb neck (4 slices)
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup carrot, medium dice
• 1/2 cup celery, medium dice
• 1/2 cup white onion, medium dice
• 5 cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 8 ounces canned chopped tomatoes
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1 cup Fregola sarda
• Preserved lemon peel, thinly sliced, for garnish (if you don’t have preserved lemon peel – a nice squeeze of lemon before serving will work)
• Chopped mint or parsley for garnish

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325F.
2. Season the lamb with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a deep, heavy-based Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. Add the lamb neck in a single layer and sear on both sides until well browned.
3. Remove the lamb neck, wipe the pan, and add more oil to coat. Add the carrot, celery, onion, and garlic, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until nicely browned 6 to 8 minutes.
4. Add the red wine and vinegar, and cook, stirring and scraping any bits stuck to the bottom of the pot until the liquid is reduced by half. Add the tomatoes, chicken stock, thyme and rosemary. Return the lamb neck to the pot, bring the liquid to a boil, cover, and transfer to the oven. Cook, turning the lamb once, until fall-off-the-bone fork tender, about 2 hours.
5. Remove the lamb from the cooking liquid. Strain the liquid and add to a pot. Skim off any fat (my lamb neck had very little fat). Cook over medium-high heat until somewhat reduced and becoming thicker and more flavorful.
6. Serve the lamb (2 slices per plate) over fregola sarda. Drizzle with the reduced sauce. Garnish with preserved lemon. Sprinkle with fresh mint or parsley.

• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 2.5hrs
• Category: Main
• Method: Braising
• Cuisine: Italian

Keywords: Slow cooked, slow cooking, italian food, italian recipes, comfort food, sardinia, fregola, pasta, stew, braised

The post Slow-Braised Lamb with Italian Fregola Sarda appeared first on Honest Cooking.

Roman-style pan pizza, or ‘pizza al taglio’ as it’s known in Italy, is a quintessential part of Roman food culture that traces its roots back to the bustling pizzerias of post-World War II Rome. During a time when resources were scarce and convenience was key, innovative bakers created a pizza that could be baked in large rectangular trays, cut into easily manageable squares, and sold by weight. The result was a thick yet airy crust, crispy on the outside and fluffy within, providing a satisfying bite with each piece.

As time passed, this style of pizza evolved from being a symbol of a city recovering from the ravages of war to a culinary masterpiece representative of the laid-back and inclusive dining culture of the Eternal City. From simple cheese and tomato to gourmet combinations like ham and truffle oil, the variety of toppings mirrors the diversity and vibrancy of Roman life itself.

Roman-style pan pizza is more than just a meal. It’s a communal experience shared between friends, family, and strangers, an edible emblem of Rome’s enduring spirit. Unlike its thin-crust sibling, which is often eaten on the go, this heartier version invites you to sit down, slow down, and savor the moment. It’s a testament to Rome’s resilient past, its dynamic present, and its promising future, all wrapped up in one delightfully flavorful package.

Baking a Roman-style pan pizza at home is an adventure in culinary artistry that rewards your patience with incredibly tasty bites of pizza. Here are some tips to ensure success:

Choose Quality Ingredients:

Start with top-tier tipo 00 flour, like Mulino Marino from Eataly, and use high-quality dried or instant yeast. The Pelati tomatoes, with their vibrant taste, bring a unique touch of Italy to your dish. Extra virgin olive oil and sea salt are key for flavor.

Mixing and Kneading:

Your dough mixture will be wet, but don’t fret. The hydration leads to a perfectly crispy yet airy crust. When folding on your floured work surface, treat the dough delicately to preserve air bubbles which contribute to the desirable texture.

Rest and Fold:

The dough needs time to rest and develop gluten strength, so remember to give it those 15-minute breaks between folds. It’s a gentle process of tending to your dough which will become less sticky and more springy with each pass.

Fridge Time:

Allow your dough to rest in the refrigerator for 24 hours. This slow fermentation develops a deeper flavor, creating a more complex and tasty pizza.

Preparation:

Let the dough come to room temperature before working with it. This will make it easier to shape. Preheat your oven to a blazing 500°F to mimic the powerful ovens found in Roman pizzerias.

Shaping the Dough:

Gently press down the dough, starting from the edges moving to the center. This method helps to maintain the air bubbles within. Then, flipping and massaging the dough further helps distribute it evenly.

Pan Time:

The dough’s final home is your oiled baking sheet. Stretch it gently toward the edges of the pan, being careful not to deflate the dough. Add your crushed, seasoned tomatoes evenly across the top, drizzling with olive oil for an extra flavor boost.

Bake:

For the first 5 minutes, place your pan on the bottom floor of the oven. This blast of heat kickstarts the crust’s crunch. Then move it to the bottom-middle rack for an additional 15 minutes to ensure even cooking.

Topping and Serving:

Once removed from the oven, top your pizza with mozzarella and fresh basil. A final drizzle of olive oil gives a glossy, flavorful finish. Cut into squares, and savor each bite of your homemade Roman-style pan pizza, a slice of Italian history right in your kitchen.

How to Make Roman Style Pan Pizza

---

★★★★★

5 from 1 review

• Author: Linda Schneider
• Total Time: 39 minute
• Yield: 1 large pizza

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

Uncover the secrets of creating an authentic Roman-style pan pizza at home, mastering the art of crafting its signature thick, airy crust and vibrant toppings.

---

Ingredients

Units USM

• 1 pound tipo 00 flour (used Mulino Marino flour purchased from Eataly, NYC)
• 1 1/4 teaspoons dried or instant yeast (I like this brand)
• 1 1/2 cups to 2 cups water (used closer to 2 cups)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tablespoon sea salt
• 1 14– ounce can Pelati (peeled, whole tomatoes, crushed and seasoned with sea salt)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Mix the flour, yeast, and water in a large bowl with a spoon. When most of the lumps are gone, add the olive oil and salt. It will be wet. The wetter the better.
2. Flip onto a floured work surface and gently fold the dough in half, over itself, toward you. Grab the dough by the corners facing you, pick it up like an envelope and turn 90 degrees and place back on the floured surface. Gently fold and turn. Repeat a few more times.
3. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rest 15 minutes. Then repeat the folding and turning action as above. By the third pass, the dough will be springy and less sticky.
4. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
5. The next day, take the dough out of the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature, about 1 hour. While the dough is coming to room temperature, preheat the oven to 500°F.
6. Lightly oil a 9″x 13″ baking sheet.
7. Lightly flour your work surface. Place the dough on the work surface. Start with the edges of the dough and press down gently and then go to the center and press down. After the first pass, flip the far end over, so the top becomes the bottom. Make sure your flour is evenly distributed under the dough and continue to gently massage the dough, so the balls of air remain intact. Flip again and repeat until the dough is evenly distributed.
8. Pull the dough over your arm and then pull the other side over your other arm (as pictured above) with your palms facing down. Transfer the dough to the baking pan and distribute the dough toward the edges of the pan. Press down, distributing the dough evenly, but gently.
9. Add the pelati tomatoes. Distribute evenly over the dough. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.
10. Place the pan on the bottom floor of your oven for the first 5 minutes. Then transfer to the bottom-middle rack of your oven and cook another 15 minutes. Remove the pizza from the oven.
11. Add mozzarella cheese and basil. I like to finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

• Prep Time: 1.5 hour
• Resting Time: 24 hours
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Category: Primi
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Italian

Keywords: Pizza, italian american, italian, rome, roman, flat pizza, pan pizza, tomatoes, mozzarella

The post How to Make Roman Style Pan Pizza appeared first on Honest Cooking.

Woke up feeling ambitious today. Ambitious enough to try my hand at making sushi. Made some rice in the rice cooker, julienned an assortment of vegetables, picked up some sushi-grade tuna at the farmers’ market…and went to work.

And, that’s when I quickly remembered (despite my temporary memory loss) why I leave the art of making sushi to the professionals. Ugh, it never quite turns out like I envision. They make it look so easy, yet there is truly an art and a science to making sushi that this novice has clearly not mastered.

Yet, I didn’t want all my hard work (and $$$) to go to waste. So, plan B it was. Simply turned the prepped ingredients into a sushi bowl. That works too and is much easier to pull together.

As with other grain bowls you’ve seen on the blogosphere, you’ll need:
A grain, check.
Veggies, check.
A protein, check.
A dressing, check.
“Sprinkles,” such as nuts, seeds, herbs or sprouts, check.

I went with sushi rice (as I was planning on making sushi), but short grain brown rice or black rice would be nice as well. Added a bit of furikake seasoning (sesame seed, nori and bonito mixture, read more here) to the rice that I had on hand from another cooking adventure.

I also had this idea of making tempura crunchies by deep-frying all-purpose flour mixed with sparkling water until golden brown and crunchy (not the healthiest by any means, but does add a nice crunch to the bowl).

As for the rest, lots of julienned vegetables — watermelon radish, Persian cucumbers, carrots (sautéed quickly and then finished with a splash of sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds), avocado, thinly sliced jalapeño and cilantro leaves — dressed with a drizzle of spicy mayo (mayo + sriracha).

I am obsessed with watermelon radish. I want to put them in/on everything…

I don’t normally buy tuna (I usually stick to the smaller, oily fish) save for sushi-grade tuna when I’m cooking for company, so a bit of a splurge today. It’s local and super fresh, caught off the South Jersey coast. It’s like “butter”…

Click HERE and scroll down for my tried and true sushi rice recipe.

Sushi Rice Bowl

---

★ 5 Stars ☆ ★ 4 Stars ☆ ★ 3 Stars ☆ ★ 2 Stars ☆ ★ 1 Star ☆

No reviews

• Author: Linda Schneider
• Yield: 2 bowls

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Ingredients

• Grain: sushi rice (short grain brown rice and/or black rice, enough for two bowls. Click the link above for my sushi rice recipe.)
• Protein: 1/2 pound sushi-grade tuna (cut into slices)

Vegetables:

• Julienned watermelon radish
• Julienned Persian cucumbers
• Julienned carrots (sautéed in olive oil briefly (1-2 minutes until crisp-tender, finished with a splash of toasted sesame oil, toasted sesame seeds, sea salt)
• Thinly sliced avocado
• Thinly sliced jalapeño peppers
• Cilantro leaves

Other toppings:

• Furikake (you can find the recipe here or nori cut into thin strips)
• Toasted sesame seeds
• Spicy mayo (mayo + sriracha, thinned with a little water)
• Tempura crunchies

For the tempura crunchies:

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup seltzer/sparkling water
• Oil for deep frying

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

For the tempura crunchies:

1. Combine the flour and water in a bowl. Whisk to combine.
2. Fill a pot with oil. When the oil reaches 350-375F, pour some of the batter (be careful, the oil will bubble up a bit), with a spoon or measuring cup into the hot oil. After a few minutes, when golden brown and crispy, remove the batter from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Repeat with the rest of the batter.

Assembly

1. Divide rice between bowls and top with vegetables, toppings and tuna.

• Category: Main

The post Sushi Rice Bowl appeared first on Honest Cooking.

I love spicy. Crave spicy. Every few weeks I whip up a batch of chile oil and drizzle it on just about everything and anything.

Sometimes, I simply heat up some oil and then pour the hot, sizzling, bubbly oil over a bowl of chile flakes. The hot oil gives the chile flakes a pleasing toasty flavor and, after a while, turns the oil a vibrant shade of red. Capsaicin, of course, a potent antioxidant found in chiles is responsible for its heat, red color, as well as many of chile’s health promoting properties.

Other times, my preparation of chile oil is a bit more elaborate, perhaps a few spices (a cinnamon stick, star anise, Sichuan peppercorns), cloves of garlic and ginger infused in the oil before it’s poured over the chile flakes. Regardless, it’s easy to prepare and highly addictive.

Given my love for heat, it’s not surprising that I have an assortment of chile flakes and powders on hand — milder Turkish Kirmizi chile pepper flakes; smoky, earthy Urfa Biber chile flakes; medium spicy roasted Burmese chile pepper flakes; fruity, minimally spicy Calabrian chile flakes; Korean chile flakes (Gochugaru, what you would use to make kimchi), to name a few. Typically we just think of chile flakes as, well, chile flakes, without considering that many types of chile peppers can be dried and made into flakes. I like a mild-to-moderate spicy chile for the oil. Something that imparts a bit of heat, but won’t scorch your tastebuds.

When it comes to Sichuan peppercorn, there are several types. There’s Chinese red and green Sichuan peppercorns. Also, Sansho Japanese prickly ash, which has a more pronounced citrus flavor than Chinese Sichuan peppercorns. All produce a mild cooling sensation that gives way to an effervescent, electric, tingling/numbing sensation due to the presence of a molecule known as hydroxy-alpha sanshoo. I purchased the Sichuan peppercorns from Kalusyan’s, NYC. Personally I like the green Sichuan peppercorns, which have a nice citrusy flavor, with a bit more of that mouth numbing zing. On a side note, ground Sichuan peppercorn mixed with salt makes for a nice all-purpose seasoning and alternative to black peppercorns.

As for today’s dish, the noodles are a vegetarian take on a Sichuan classic, dan dan noodles. But instead of the traditional pork topping, I was in the mood for a vegetarian version — a combination of maitake and tofu, seared in a skillet (or wok) with ginger, garlic, soy and rice wine.

Regarding the the sauce for these noodles, I combined some chile oil with toasted and ground Sichuan green peppercorns, tamari, tahini/sesame seed paste (this brand) and Chinese black vinegar. Black vinegar is one of those unique ingredients that really doesn’t have a substitute. It’s a bit malty, caramel-y, and maple syrup-y with just a hint of acidity. You can find it on amazon or at most Asian grocery stores. Like anything else, they vary in quality. Look for black vinegar free from additives, preservatives or colorings.

Took a trip to Philadelphia’s Chinatown neighborhood but couldn’t find fresh noodles, so I decided to whip up a batch of rye ramen-style noodles. I used this recipe from Food & Wine and cut the noodles on an Italian chitarra like this.

Click HERE for the Sichuan Chile Oil recipe.

Tofu Sichuan Noodles

---

★ 5 Stars ☆ ★ 4 Stars ☆ ★ 3 Stars ☆ ★ 2 Stars ☆ ★ 1 Star ☆

No reviews

• Author: Linda Schneider
• Yield: 0 about 2 servings

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Ingredients

Sichuan Chile Oil

• Click the link above for the recipe.

For the noodles

• 8–10 ounces dried or fresh ramen noodles (such as Sun Noodles)

For the Tofu-Mushroom

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 4 ounces firm tofu (finely chopped)
• 4 ounces mushrooms (I used maitke, any variety, chopped)
• 2 to 3 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 inch of ginger minced
• 1 teaspoon Shaoxing rice wine (Saki or dry Sherry)
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce or tamari
• Salt to taste

For the Sauce

• 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns
• 4 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
• 2 teaspoons Chinese black vinegar
• 2 to 4 tablespoons Sichuan chile oil plus some flakes (depending on desired heat level (recipe below))
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• Splash of pasta cooking water

Toppings

• Thinly sliced scallions
• Roasted (chopped peanuts)
• Ground Sichuan peppercorns

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

Sichuan Chile Oil

1. Click the link above for the recipe.

Cook the noodles

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a bowl. Drop in the pasta and cook until just al dente. Drop into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain.

For the Tofu-Mushroom

1. Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tofu and mushrooms and sauté until nicely browned. Add the garlic and ginger, and a little more oil if needed, and sauté another minute. Add the rice wine and soy and stir to combine. Salt to taste.

For the Sauce

1. Combine the Sichuan peppercorns, soy sauce, black vinegar, Sichuan chile oil and tahini in a bowl. Whisk to combine. Add a tablespoon or two of pasta cooking water, just to loosen up the sauce a bit.

To Assemble

1. Spoon a few tablespoons of sauce in the bottom of each bowl. Layer half of the noodles on top. Spoon the tofu-mushroom mixture on top. Add thinly sliced scallions, chopped roasted peanuts and a pinch of Sichuan peppercorns. Add a little more sauce on top. Enjoy!

• Category: Main

The post Tofu Sichuan Noodles appeared first on Honest Cooking.

While pide can be layered with various toppings, ground beef or lamb is often common. However, I was in the mood for something on the lighter side, so went a slightly different route — vegetarian Turkish pide — with a combination of canned tomatoes, eggplant, bell pepper, garlic, feta, and chile. There’s noting worse than undercooked spongy eggplant, so you’ll want to get your pan nice and hot and cook the eggplant until tender and caramelized (in batches, preferably). The rest of the vegetables are then added and sautéed until they are thick and reduced and absolutely delicious with a ‘meaty’ taste and texture, albeit without actual meat.

I made the dough the day before and let it rest in the refrigerator for a slow rise overnight. In a pinch, you could easily use store-bought pizza dough. I’m also curious to try this with sourdough, as I really like its fermented tang. From there, it’s just a matter of rolling out the dough into a long oval, layering on the toppings, folding over the long edges and pinching the ends to form its classic boat-like shape.

A baking steel or stone will enable you to get a really nice crispy browned crust. Just make sure to heat your steel/stone for at least one hour. With a pizza peel, slide the pide onto the hot steel/stone and bake for 10-15 minutes, until nicely browned and crispy.

There is enough dough to make six pide. I made three and devoured the rest of the filling on its own. The pide were delicious; really wish I had made a larger amount of the eggplant filling so I could make some more of these delicious flatbreads. Guess I need to make another trip to the grocery store.

Decided to crack an egg on top of one of them. I gave the pide a few minutes head start in the oven and then cracked an egg on top — and allowed the pide to continue baking until the egg white was just set and the yolk still runny.

Click HERE for the dough recipe.

Turkish Flatbread: Vegetarian Pide

---

★ 5 Stars ☆ ★ 4 Stars ☆ ★ 3 Stars ☆ ★ 2 Stars ☆ ★ 1 Star ☆

No reviews

• Author: Linda Schneider

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Ingredients

Eggplant Topping

• 1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes
• Olive oil
• 1 large eggplant (about 1 pound, 1/2-inch dice)
• Salt and pepper
• 1 large red bell pepper (1/2-inch dice)
• 5–6 cloves of garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon hot smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon red chile flakes (more or less to taste)
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 6 ounces crumbled feta

Dough

• Click the link above for the recipe.

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

Eggplant Topping

1. Pulse the tomatoes in a food process. Alternatively, crush by hand.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pan. When hot, add half of the eggplant, season with salt and pepper and cook until soft and nicely browned, about 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add the rest of the eggplant and bell pepper and a tablespoon or two of olive oil and repeat with the second batch. Add the garlic and cook another minute or two. Add the paprika and chile flakes, and sauté an minute. Season with salt and pepper. Add the reserved eggplant back to the pan, along with the tomatoes. Simmer until thick and reduced, about 10 minutes. Stir in the chopped parsley. Remove from the heat and set aside. When cool, fold in the crumbled feta.

Dough

1. Click the link above for the recipe.

Forming the Pide

1. Place a baking steel or stone in the oven (if using). Preheat the oven to 550F. Heat the stone for at least one hour. Meanwhile, take the dough out of the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature.
2. Cut the dough into six pieces. Keep the rest covered to prevent drying out. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out one piece of dough into a large oval, approximately 14- by 5 1/2-inches. If the dough won’t stretch, let it rest a few minutes to relax the gluten. Place on parchment to make it easier to transfer to the oven.
3. Lightly brush the dough with olive oil. Spread the eggplant filling, about 1/2 cup, over the surface of the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border on the sides. Fold the long edges of the dough over and pinch the edges to form a canoe-shape. Brush the outed edges of the dough with olive oil. Repeat with the rest of the dough.
4. Slide the pide on the parchment onto a pizza peel and transfer to the hot stone (you should be able to fit two pide at a time on the hot stone). Bake until golden brown, about 10-15 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley. Slice and devour.

• Category: Bread

The post Turkish Flatbread: Vegetarian Pide appeared first on Honest Cooking.

This duck had been taking up space in my freezer for some time, but haven’t gotten around to it until now. I had a day off from work, so planned a relaxing day of cooking. That’s what normal people do, right? Cook on their day off?

I’ve wanted to try smoking a whole duck for some time. I’ve done a leg of lamb, salmon, trout, nuts (almonds), chile peppers (red jalapeño and Espelette, a pepper from the Basque region of France) and a whole chicken in the smoker. All with good success. I should mention I have an electric smoker, which is by no means hardcore, but definitely like for its ease of use.

Smoking is all about low and slow; low heat for several hours. The great thing I’ve found about the smoker is that the meat comes out incredibly moist, with little work involved, other than an investment in time. The duck was in the smoker for four hours, but you can certainly multi-task while it’s smoking away, just stay close by and give it a check from time to time.

Prior to going in the smoker, I gave the duck a ‘bath’ for a couple days, in a combination of — soy sauce, sesame oil, pure maple syrup, ginger, garlic, and spices — which gave the bird a nice sweet, salty flavor, in addition to the smokiness it picks up in the smoker, of course.

I decided to make a whole meal of the smoked duck with some homemade plum sauce, whole wheat tortillas, thinly sliced scallions, and a side of sautéed greens to serve. It was all rather tasty, if I do say so myself. We picked the carcass clean. And on that note, will be using the carcass to make some really tasty duck stock, yum!

Low and slow, 4 hours at 200F…

I also added some almonds to the smoker for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, tossed in a little olive oil, spices, and salt.

Click here for my sweet and spicy plum sauce that goes perfectly with smoked duck.

Smoked Duck with Homemade Plum Sauce

---

★ 5 Stars ☆ ★ 4 Stars ☆ ★ 3 Stars ☆ ★ 2 Stars ☆ ★ 1 Star ☆

No reviews

• Author: Linda Schneider

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 5-pound or so whole duck
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup (plus extra for brushing the duck)
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• Click the link above for the plum sauce recipe.

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Pat duck dry. With a fork, pierce all over the skin. Combine the soy, maple syrup, sesame oil, Chinese five-spice, garlic and ginger in a bowl. Whisk to combine. Place the duck in a large bowl or bag. Add the marinade and rub all over. Let marinate for 1 to 2 days, turning the duck from time to time to make sure all sides are coated.
2. Heat an outdoor smoker to 200F. Smoke the duck with your choice of wood (apple, cherry, oak, pecan, etc.) for 4 hours. Brush with a little more maple syrup after 3 hours. Remove from the smoker. Let rest at least 10 minutes. Serve.
3. Click the link above for the plum sauce recipe.

• Category: Main

The post How to Make Smoked Duck appeared first on Honest Cooking.

A bit of a Middle Eastern feast today…

Once I tried Michael Solomonov’s hummus (Israeli-Philadelphia based chef of Zahav), I’ve realized that not all hummus is created equal. His hummus is so light, fluffy, and ultra smooth. Ever since, I’ve been on a quest to produce the creamiest hummus possible. I’ve tried several brands of dried chickpeas, removing the chickpea skins after cooking (a bit of a chore), but I think what it may all come down to is the quality of the tahini. I’ve noticed that some tahini is thick and grainy, while others are ethereal smooth. Also, running the food processor for several minutes and adding ice-cold water, until light and fluffy is key. My quest continues.

Then there’s sumac. Native to the Middle East and Mediterranean, sumac is the fruit of the shrub (Rhus coriaria). It produces deep red-dark purple berries, which are dried and ground into a coarse powder. Ground sumac is a versatile spice with a tangy lemony flavor, although less tart than lemon juice.

Sumac is used in spice rubs, marinades and dressings, and is also served as a condiment. Along with sesame seeds and dried thyme, it’s one of the main ingredients in the spice mix za’atar, which is used to flavour meat and vegetables, or mixed with oil to make a paste that’s spread on bread before baking. It pairs well with chicken, fish and seafood, lamb, vegetables, legumes chickpeas (including hummus) and lentils. For a delicious marinade or dressing, mix it with yoghurt and other herbs and spices such as chile, coriander, cumin, paprika and parsley.

I came across this preparation for sumac-spiced lamb shoulder from Maureen Abood (Rose Water & Orange Blossoms). It’s quick and easy and delicious. The lamb, cubed and marinated in lemon, olive oil, garlic and sumac, and then quickly cooked in a pan until nicely browned on the outside and tender. It makes a tasty topping over creamy whipped hummus. Served with a simple salad of tomato, cucumber, radish, fresh herbs, a drizzle of olive oil, salt and sumac, spicy zhoug (a spicy, green, herb sauce), crispy-spiced chickpeas, and pita.

Click here for the perfect whipped hummus recipe.

Hummus with Sumac-Spiced Spring Lamb

---

★★★★

4 from 2 reviews

• Author: Linda Schneider

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless lamb shoulder
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt (or more as needed)
• 2 tablespoons ground sumac (plus extra for garnish)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (plus more for serving)
• 1 tablespoon salted butter
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 1/2 cups Whipped Hummus (recipe link above)
• A few sprigs flat-leaf parsley (coarsely chopped)
• Fresh mint (sliced into thin ribbons)
• Pita for serving

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Cut the meat into bite-size pieces, trimming off and discarding any excess fat.
2. Combine the lemon juice, garlic, salt, 1 tablespoon of the sumac and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large mixing bowl. Add the lamb and toss to coat evenly. Marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature.
3. Drain the meat, discarding the marinade, then pat it lightly with paper towels.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat.
5. Once the butter has melted and become foamy, add the marinated lamb and stir to coat.
6. Increase the heat to high; cook about 10 minutes, stirring often, until the meat is well browned on all sides, with crisped edges, and cooked through. Season with 1 tablespoon of the sumac and cinnamon. Taste, and adjust the seasoning as needed. Remove from the heat.
7. When ready to serve, divide the hummus among individual salad-size plates, using the back of a spoon to spread each portion into a 4-inch round, turning the plate as you go. Create a well at the center of each portion, then fill it with a big spoonful of the lamb. Garnish each serving with parsley, a generous drizzle of oil and a sprinkle of sumac. Serve right away with pita for scooping.

• Category: Main

The post Sumac-Spiced Lamb and Hummus appeared first on Honest Cooking.

Labor Day is a day of rest and relaxation. It’s also an invitation to celebrate those fleeting final days of summer. What better way than to gather with friends and family for a backyard barbecue. Good food, good friends, and good wine. What more do we need?

A perfect wine pairing for your summer grilling is a light, fresh, and slightly effervescent Vinho Verde. Vinho Verde is not a grape varietal, but rather a protected designation of origin (DOC) or denominação de origem controladaof northwest Portugal. The DOC is comprised of nine sub-regions named after rivers or towns — Monção, Melgaço, Lima, Basto, Cávado, Ave, Amarante, Baião, Sousa, and Paiva — in the Douro Valley, starting just below the Portuguese-Spanish border and extending all the way to the Atlantic Ocean, where it meets with the city of Port (where, by the way, most Port wine is made). Vinho Verde is typically a blend of white grape varietals, though you can also find single varietal and rose Vinho Verdes. They’re approachable, easy drinking, fresh and young, and pair exceptionally well with any number of foods.

Inspired by my travels to Portugal, I decided that barbecue piri piri chicken would be a perfect complement for Vinho Verde. Piri piri chicken is a spicy dish with roots in Africa and Portugal. The dish was created in Angola and Mozambique, where Portuguese settlers arrived with chile peppers known as piri-piri (in Swahili). Piri piri are small red chiles, nicknamed African Red Devils for their fiery heat, hitting 175,000 Scoville units.

My piri piri sauce also includes onion, garlic, lemon, vinegar, whiskey (the alcohol in the whiskey cooks off as it simmers), and a touch of honey to balance out the heat. It also has a nice dose of olive oil, which contributes a luscious texture.I included a couple of long red cayenne chiles, 30,000 to 50,000 Scoville units, which contribute to the sauce’s bright orange-y hue. Either red jalapenos (2,500 to 8,000 Scoville) or Fresno chiles (around 5,000 Scoville) would be good a substitute for red cayenne chiles. The fruitiness of Vinho Verde stands up well to the spiciness of the chicken. I also grilled up an assortment of summer vegetables – eggplant, zucchini, squash, peppers, and even broccoli – to make it a complete and festive meal to be enjoyed by all.

Be sure to reserve some of the piri piri sauce for serving, with both the grilled chicken and vegetables, for an extra pop of flavor and heat.

Piri Piri Chicken and Vinho Verde Wine

---

★ 5 Stars ☆ ★ 4 Stars ☆ ★ 3 Stars ☆ ★ 2 Stars ☆ ★ 1 Star ☆

No reviews

• Author: Linda Schneider

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Ingredients

Piri Piri Chicken

• 4 pounds bone-in chicken (thighs and legs)
• 1 recipe piri piri sauce (recipe below+)
• Assortment of sliced vegetables for grilling (such as eggplant, summer squash, zucchini, bell peppers, broccoli)
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Piri Piri Sauce

• 1 medium head of garlic (cloves removed from skins)
• 1 medium yellow onion (finely chopped)
• 16 red bird’s eye chiles (a few less depending on desired heat level)
• 4 red long chiles (such as red jalapeño, cayenne, or Fresno, roughly chopped)
• 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 medium lemon juice and zest
• 1 cup whiskey
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

Piri Piri Chicken

1. Liberally salt and then lightly coat the chicken with some of the piri piri sauce, reserving the rest for serving. Allow the chicken to marinate for 30 minutes or so as you prepare the grill. Once the grill is hot, create a hot zone (direct heat) and a cooler zone (indirect heat) on the grill for cooking the chicken. Place chicken on the grill on the cooler zone, just bordering the hot zone, close/cover the grill (vents open, if applicable), and cook for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, flip chicken pieces, close grill, and cook for another 10 minutes or so until completely cooked through.
2. Toss the vegetables with the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Grill the vegetables in an even layer, flip, and continue to grill until nicely browned.

Piri Piri Sauce

1. Combine all ingredients in a pot. Simmer over low heat for 45 to 60 minutes. Cool. Blend in a food processor until smooth.

• Category: Main

The post Piri Piri Chicken and Vinho Verde Wine appeared first on Honest Cooking.

Calling all tahini lovers…

I often have a jar of tahini on hand. It’s an essential ingredient for hummus and great for drizzling over roasted vegetables, though I had never really thought of using it in a sweet preparation. Somewhere along the way, I came across a recipe for tahini mousse. I had jotted down the idea in one of my many recipe notebooks. Books and books full of recipes just waiting to be tested (if only I had the time).

At first, I was on the fence about this tahini mousse. But the more I tried it, the more I liked it, to the point where I couldn’t get enough of it. I found myself walking past the refrigerator, spoon in hand, savoring a spoonful here and there.

Just three ingredients (tahini, date syrup, and cream), though the mousse has a lot going on from a taste standpoint. It has a strong tahini flavor and a creamy, luscious texture.

I should point out that not all tahini is created equal. Really good tahini is mild, nutty, and rich with a smooth, creamy texture. Lower quality tahini, on the other hand, is bitter, astringent, dry, and/or chalky. It might require a bit of trial and error and some taste testing to find good tahini.

This tahini mousse is sweetened with date syrup, also known as silan, a thick, dark brown syrup made from, you guessed it, dates. I suspect you can substitute with other sweeteners (although, I haven’t tried), but date syrup has a distinct fruity flavor to it.

To prepare, simply mix the tahini and date syrup together. Then, fold in the whipped cream. Chill and serve.

The pomegranate seeds and sprigs of mint add an extra pop of flavor and texture.

Sweet Tahini Mousse

---

★ 5 Stars ☆ ★ 4 Stars ☆ ★ 3 Stars ☆ ★ 2 Stars ☆ ★ 1 Star ☆

No reviews

• Author: Linda Schneider

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Ingredients

• 16 ounces cream
• 1 cup tahini
• 3/4 cup date syrup (silan, plus extra for serving)
• pomegranate seeds
• sprigs of mint

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Whip the cream until it forms medium to stiff peaks. Combine the tahini and date syrup in a bowl. Stir to combine. Fold in the whipped cream, reserving a small amount for topping.
2. Divide the mousse into four small serving dishes. Chill at least 1 hour or longer. When ready to serve, spoon some cream on top, drizzle with date syrup, and top with pomegranate seeds and a sprig of mint.

• Category: Dessert

The post Sweet Tahini Mousse appeared first on Honest Cooking.

This is a recipe from way back that I’ve decided to revisit.

Any bread pudding fans out there?

The great thing about bread pudding is that it’s a way to prevent food waste, by utilizing leftover bread that might otherwise get tossed. Plus, it’s easy to prepare and delicious.

At a minimum, all you need to make bread pudding is some form of day-old bread (of course), eggs, sweetener of your choice, and a liquid for soaking the bread, typically, milk or cream. Bread pudding starts with a custard, that is, eggs whisked with milk or cream and thickened over low heat. Some recipes call for brioche, challah, pannetone, ordinary sandwich bread, and even croissants; some for sliced bread, others for cubed bread. Regardless of which bread you use or how you cut it, make sure you start with stale or fairly dry bread to allow for maximum absorption of the custard.

From there you can get as creative as you like.

I swapped out some of the heavy cream with a favorite Imperial Porter, cold-steeped with coffee and vanilla in bourbon and rye whiskey oak casks. I used two-day old sourdough bread for its tanginess (crust included, for added texture). I went with brown sugar for its complex, molasses notes; and a good amount of fruity, dark chocolate (70% cacao).

When the bread pudding comes out of the oven, the top layer is nice and golden and crispy, but underneath it’s smooth and custardy. I like it served warm, with a dollop of freshly whipped cream on top. Yum!

Porter, Coffee and Chocolate Bread Pudding

---

★ 5 Stars ☆ ★ 4 Stars ☆ ★ 3 Stars ☆ ★ 2 Stars ☆ ★ 1 Star ☆

No reviews

• Author: Linda Schneider

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Ingredients

• butter (for greasing baking pan)
• 1 12 ounce bottle coffee porter or stout
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 cup brown sugar plus 1 tablespoon for sprinkling over top
• 1 1/4 cups dark chocolate (chopped (70%))
• 6 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• pinch of sea salt
• 6 cups white sourdough bread into roughly 1-inch cubes
• Whipped cream (for serving)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Butter a baking dish large enough to accommodate the bread.
2. Bring the porter/stout, cream, and ¾ cup sugar to a simmer in a medium saucepan, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat. Add ¾ cup chopped chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Set aside to cool.
3. Whisk the eggs, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Gradually whisk in the cooled chocolate mixture. Place the bread cubes in a large bowl and pour the custard on top. Let sit 30 minutes to allow bread to absorb the custard.
4. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup chopped chocolate in the bottom of the baking dish. Transfer the bread mixture into the baking dish. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar on top.
5. Bake until the custard thickens and the center is just set, about 40 minutes. Serve warm with whipped cream.

• Category: Baking, Chocolate, Dessert

The post Porter, Coffee and Chocolate Bread Pudding appeared first on Honest Cooking.

In the Sicilian hilltop town of Ragusa, among the Baroque buildings, churches, and other UNESCO World Heritage landmarks, one of the highlights of any visit is a ubiquitous street food known as scaccia.

Scaccia is perhaps best described as a cross between a calzone and lasagna—a stuffed bread full of thin layers of dough. When scaccia emerges from the oven, the outermost layer is completely crispy, nicely browned, and charred in spots, yet the inner layers have a tender, noodle-like texture to them from the absorption of moisture from the tomato sauce and cheese. So, you get the best of both worlds, the crispy (and, according to some, the best) parts of lasagna and the al dente-ness of properly cooked pasta (hence the term “lasagna bread”).

The noodle-like consistency comes as the result of the combination of durum semolina and water. I’ve come across recipes for scaccia that substitute 00 flour, a type of soft wheat with a high protein/gluten content, for some of the semolina.

As with many Italian dishes and many street foods, scaccia has an inherent rusticity to it. The beauty of this is that when you’re rolling out the dough, you don’t have to be overly concerned if it’s not the perfect shape or size. You want the layers fairly thin, and from there it’s just a matter of layering the fillings, folding, and repeating.

When choosing a filling, your options are endless. Typical fillings range from a straightforward combination of tomato sauce, garlic, basil, and cheese to fresh ricotta with onions, sausage, tomatoes. My favorite (so far) is pan-fried eggplant with fresh ricotta, grated Parmesan, and basil. The flavors remind me of an eggplant Parmesan, but instead of breaded eggplant, the eggplant is encased in layers of “noodles.”

As for baking, a pizza/baking stone is ideal, as it retains heat and, to an extent, mimics a wood-burning oven. A stone absorbs and radiates intense heat to create a flavorful, crispy crust.

No matter how it looks when it comes out of the oven, your Lasagna Bread will be a delicious carb fest. It’s best eaten hot out of the oven.

I like my Lasagna Bread on the saucy side, so I scaled up the amount of sauce. Any leftover sauce is ideal for dunking the scaccia. I divided the dough in half and made one version with tomato, basil and cheese, and a second version with tomato, pan-fried eggplant, fresh ricotta, grated Parmesan, and basil. Use this as a guide, but definitely feel free to swap in your favorite fillings.

Click here for the tomato sauce recipe.

Lasagna Bread: Scaccia Ragusana

---

★★★★★

4.7 from 6 reviews

• Author: Linda Schneider

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Ingredients

Dough

• 3 cups 500 grams durum semolina flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons of olive oi (plus extra for brushing the top of the scaccia)
• 1 cup water

For the tomato sauce:

• Click the link above.

Filling #1:

• 1/2 bunch fresh basil
• about 1/2 pound thinly sliced caciocavallo or pecorino cheese

Filling #2:

• 1/2 bunch fresh basil
• 1 small eggplant (sliced, pan-fried in olive oil)
• About 1 cup fresh ricotta cheese
• Grated Parmesan

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Place the semolina flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the olive oil. Slowly add the water, mixing until completely combined. Remove from the bowl and knead 5 to 7 minutes, until smooth. Cover with plastic and let rest 30 minutes.
2. For the sauce, click the link above.
3. With a baking stone in it, preheat your oven to its maximum temperature for at least 1 hour. You want the stone to be piping hot.
4. Once the stone is heated, divide the dough in two. Keep one piece wrapped in plastic. Lightly dust your work surface with semolina. Roll out the dough, very thin, into a rectangle (for ease of transfer, I like to roll the dough on parchment paper). Spread a thin layer of sauce. Lay cheese on top. Add a few torn basil leaves.
5. Lengthwise, fold the right and left sides in so they meet in the middle. Spoon another thin layer of sauce, cheese, and basil. Widthwise, fold the top and bottom ends in so they meet in the middle. Repeat with another thin layer of sauce, cheese, and basil. Fold the dough in half like a book. Brush the top lightly with olive oil.
6. Repeat with the second piece of dough, layering and folding.
7. With a pizza peel, slide the scaccia (on its parchment) on to the hot stone and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 400F and continue baking until the top is crispy and well-browned, about 60 to 70 minutes.

• Cuisine: Italian

The post Lasagna Bread: Scaccia Ragusana appeared first on Honest Cooking.