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Spanish Stuffed Mushrooms

Makes: about 2 dozen

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup raisins
8 large Spanish green olives, pitted
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 garlic cloves
1 pound Italian sausage, removed from casing
3/4 cup freshly grated pecorino cheese
Extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pinch red pepper flakes
1 cup Panko flakes
24 large white mushrooms, stems removed

PROCEDURE

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Put the raisins, olives, pine nuts, parsley, and garlic on a cutting board and chop everything; put into a mixing bowl. Add the sausage and 1/2 cup of the cheese. Drizzle the stuffing with about 1/4 cup of olive oil to moisten and season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes; mix well with your hands to combine. Put the bread crumbs in another bowl, drizzle with a bit of olive oil and add 1/4 cup of the pecorino; season with salt and pepper.

Oil the bottom and sides of an earthenware or casserole dish, which is large enough to hold all the mushrooms in a single layer. Arrange the mushrooms snugly in the pan, cap-side down; season the insides with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Stuff each mushroom with a generous spoonful of the sausage stuffing and sprinkle the bread crumbs on top; drizzle with even more oil. Bake for 20 minutes until the stuffing is browned and the mushrooms soft, rotating the dish periodically for even cooking.

Shrimp & Tuna Skewers  

Makes: 2 skewers per person = 4 skewers total

INGREDIENTS

4 wooden skewers
8 ounces yellowfin or ahi tuna
8 tiger shrimp, jumbo or larger
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried coriander
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground mustard seed
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 cup red vinegar
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/2 orange, juiced
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

PROCEDURE

Soak the skewers in water for at least 30 minutes so they don’t burn when grilling. Cut the tuna into 2-ounce portions, then peel and devein the shrimp. Place 1 shrimp on each skewer, and then place the skewer through a piece of tuna long-ways and “cap” off with 1 more shrimp. In a medium bowl, combine all of the dry herbs and the garlic. Next, add the vinegar and citrus. Finally, slowly whisk in the oil to create a “vinaigrette” consistency. In a deep dish, add the tuna/shrimp skewer and top with half of the marinade. Marinate for no more than 25 minutes, or else the acids will cook the fish. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Preheat a grill. Place the marinated skewers on the grill and cook to desired temperature (1 minute per side will cook the shrimp and make the tuna medium rare).

Bruschetta with Eggplant and Peppers

Makes: 4 pieces

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
2 small Japanese eggplants, cut into 1/4-inch thick rounds
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
8 basil leaves, chiffonade
Sea salt and pepper
4 large slices crusty Italian bread
2 whole garlic cloves
Extra virgin olive oil

PROCEDURE

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Heat oil in sauté pan over medium heat, until hot. Add onion and cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the eggplant. Stir regularly until soft. Add peppers and cook until soft. Add the vinegar. Remove from heat and cool. Add basil, and season with sea salt and pepper.

Rub bread with garlic cloves and olive oil. Toast bread on both sides in a preheated oven for about 10 to 15 minutes. Top with heap of eggplant mixture (for extra zip – top with a sprinkle of asiago or parmesan cheese and pop under the broiler for just a few seconds).

Garden Herb and Cheese Bread

Makes: 3 loaves

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons active dry yeast
3 cups warm water (110 degrees)
9 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup mixed fresh herbs
1 1/3 cups coarsely grated Asiago cheese
1 ½ tablespoons fine sea salt
2 teaspoons finely ground fresh black pepper
3 tablespoons coarse cornmeal
 1 large egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water

PROCEDURE

Place the yeast and water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and stir. Mix in 2 cups of the flour and let sit undisturbed until bubbly, about 15 minutes (this may be done in a large mixing bowl as well).

 Add 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, the herbs, cheese, salt and pepper and the remaining flour 1 cup at a time with the machine running. Continue adding flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl (depending on the humidity, more or less flour may be needed).

 Using a dough hook, or by hand, knead the bread for 4-5 minutes until the dough is satiny and smooth. Coat a clean, large bowl with the remaining olive oil and add the dough, turning to coat. Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 1-1 ½ hours. Punch down, knead briefly and form 3 loaves.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the loaves on a baking sheet lightly coated with corn meal. Cover lightly and let the dough rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Paint the top of the loaves with the egg wash and bake in the lower third of the oven 30-35 minutes or until the loaves are golden brown and the bottoms sound hollow when thumped. Remove from oven and place on cooling racks before slicing.

Knife Skills - The Finer “Points”

The importance of knives to a chef cannot be overstated. High-quality, well-made, well-maintained knives are fundamental kitchen tools that form the foundation of kitchen work. The best tools make it easier for the beginner to learn cutting skills properly, right from the start. It is well worth spending the time and money necessary to get a good knife and become comfortable with the skills involved in sharpening, steeling and using knives for a variety of cutting tasks.

WHAT IS IT MADE OF?

STAINLESS STEEL - stainless steel doesn’t stay sharp for very long because it needs a surface harder than the metal to sharpen it …

CARBON - high carbon content knives rust, pit and stain … it is a soft metal so it chips easily … it sharpens easily because it’s a soft metal but it looses its edge quickly … carbon is the complete opposite of stainless; carbon takes a keen edge and is razor sharp.

What’s the answer? A blend of metals that gives you the best of both worlds. High carbon stainless steel is produced by blending iron, carbon, chromium and other metals, such as molybdenum, in a specific ratio to form a blade that is stainless, resilient, and capable of receiving and holding a sharp edge.

FORGED VS. STAMPED?

Stamped knives are made by cutting blade-shaped pieces from sheets of metal of previously milled steel. In general, a stamped knife is inferior to a forged knife.

Forged blades are made by heating a rod of high-carbon stainless steel to around 1700 degrees. The heated metal is dropped into a mold, and then struck with a hammer to pound it to correct shape and thickness. One of the advantages of a forged blade is that its thickness tapers from the spine to the edge and from the heel to the tip, which gives it the correct balance. After the blade is shaped, it is tempered to improve its strength and durability. Forged blades are generally more durable, better balanced and of good quality.  Forged knives have bolsters (the “guard” pieces between the blade and the handle) … forged knives usually have a full tang (the piece of metal that is an extension of the blade the runs the whole length of the handle).

THE ANATOMY OF A KNIFE

In addition, to the blade and handle …

The bolster is the point where the blade meets the handle. The bolster gives the blade greater stability and strength. This is a sign of a well-made knife, one that will hold up for a long time. Some knives may have a collar that looks like a bolster but it is actually a separate piece attached to the knife (these knives tend to come apart easily and should be avoided).

The tang is part of the blade itself. It is the point at which the handle is attached to the knife. Tangs may be full or partial. A full tang extends the entire length of the handle, giving the knife a greater heft in the handle. Knives with a full tang are sturdy, well balanced and long lasting. A partial tang does not run the full length of the handle. Partial tang knives are not as durable as full tang knives.

SHARPENING AND HONING TOOLS

No knife kit can be considered complete without sharpening and honing tools because the key to the proper and efficient use of any knife is making sure it always stays sharp. Knife blades are given an edge on a sharpening stone or simply, sharpener, whereas knives are maintained between sharpenings by honing with a steel. Think of it this way: steels are used to realign the edge on your knife while sharpeners are used to put a new edge on your knife once it has dulled.

Tips on steels:

The easiest and safest length for a steel is at least 2 to 3 inches longer than the blade of your largest chef knife. Whenever you are using your knives, you should have a steel handy. Get into the habit of using a steel on your knives before you start cutting. Steels are NOT used to sharpen the edge; they are used to realign it, because with use the edge starts to roll over to one side. 

A word on electric knife sharpeners or “pull through” sharpeners … in general we do not endorse using either of these processes … because electric sharpeners operate at high speeds, there is a danger of over sharpening the blade. Even a short time can grind away too much of the blade, causing excessive wear and significantly shortening the knife’s useful life. “Pull through” sharpeners are sometimes not balanced properly and can put an uneven edge on your knife. The solution … taking care of your knives with a steel and a sharpener. If you care for your knives properly you will never need to take them to a “professional” to be sharpened.

CLEANING YOUR KNIVES

Hot soapy water and hand-dried - clean the entire knife including the handle. Knives are NEVER to go into the dishwasher - the high heat and harsh detergents can ruin your knives. In addition, there are too many opportunities for the knife to be jostled by the water pressure and either (a) damage the blade or (b) someone reaches into the dishwasher to empty it, doesn’t know where the knife is, reaches in and grabs the blade not the handle. NEVER IN DISHWASHERS!!

CUTTING SURFACES

Wood, only! Cutting directly on metal, glass, marble or plastic will dull and eventually damage the blade of your knife. Also, wood boards are self-healing - that is, small scratches close up enough to prevent bacteria from growing in them. Plastic boards retain bacteria (example: when chopping parsley or cilantro on your plastic boards you can never clean the big green splotch left by the herbs … now think of that as chicken juice … YUCK!!! - The fact is, once you make a cut into a plastic board you’ve effectively “gouged” the plastic and it never repairs and lots of scum and bacteria build up there … enough said?)

Tips on wood chopping blocks:

Wash them with hot soapy water with a bit of household bleach. Rinse with clean water and let air dry, standing up, so the air circulates around the board. Blocks do not go in the dishwasher. Treat the board with block oil every couple of months to keep the wood supple. Size … your board should be as large as the largest knife in your kitchen.