Rippin Another Blog: Parmesan Roasted Fennel with Mozzarella di Bufala and Reduced Balsamico

Good morning sugar loves!

It's my opinion that food is something that unites us all. Without getting all humanistic and homogenizing (because I learned in my Women's Studies classes that's a bad thing), we all need food. We all eat food (hopefully). We all want food (except those with eating disorders). And we all love food. Who doesn't enjoy eating?? (again, see above).

While what we eat differs from country to country, region to region, home to home, person to person - we do all eat.

And thank God for that. She must love food too.

That's why for the month of February I selected a Swedish blog to rip a recipe from. Min ugn är min tv. We might not speak or type the same language but with photos as fantastic as this Mattias', how can we not connect? The best part was looking at the food and trying to figure out what dishes were. And when it came to actually making one of his dishes, as Haydn mentioned yesterday, Google translator is a handy-dandy-translating magic machine! 

Fennel gets an incredibly tender flavor when it's cooked, losing most of it's aniseed punch, while the creaminess of the mozzzarella paired with the crunchiness of the cheese is unreal.

Small note: Buy the best ingredients for this that you can afford. They key to simple dishes like this is getting the good shit. Your mouth will thank you. Twice.

tack så mycket, Mattias... and Google Translator.

Roasted Parmean w Fresh Buffalo Mozzarella
(printable recipe) - serves 2.

Ingredients:

2 Large Bulbs of Fennel.
2 Fresh Buffalo Mozzarella
Real Parmesan Cheese, finely grated.
Good Quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Coarse Sea Salt and Fresh Cracked Black Pepper. 
1 Batch Balsamic Reduction.

What to Do:
 
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 

As it heats, chop the woody and fuzzy tops off the fennel and slice in half. Place on a baking pan and drizzle generously with oil, salt and pepper. Place in the hot oven and bake for 30-45 minutes or until it starts to brown nicely. 

Remove from the oven. Sprinkle with a good helping of Parmesan cheese. Place back in the oven and continue to cook until the cheese has a juicy golden color (approx 15 minutes). 

As your fennel bakes, remove the fresh buffalo mozza from the package and in a sieve to drain well.

Once the fennel is done, pile it all up on a big plate, drizzle with a good helping of balsamic reduction and olive oil, garnish with some fennel tops and serve with a loaf of crusty bread.

Eat.

Nuts in My Mouth (keepin' it sweet & spicy!)

Holy Christmas batman!

...oh, and hello!...

I've been catching up with all my blog reading and blog writing and photography editing and pinterest ogling and everything else that keeps my computer turned on and running 12 hours a day and I am floored by all the Christmas that has infiltrated my computer already!

It's only the first real week of November and already it's like Christmas has puked all over my computer. Luckily, Christmas is puke that I welcome with open arms. And an open mouth!

That's right. I love me some Christmas. And I hold no shame when I say I am pleased as a pickle in punch at a party to put my tree up the day after Halloween. 

It isn't about the gifts - though there is nothing better than sitting in the dark with the glow of the tree lights radiating off beautifully wrapped presents. It isn't about the Jesus - I'm no Christian, swear to god. And it's definitely not about the fruit cake - blech! It's about the feeling that comes with the season.

The warm sparkle that flurries inside me and pours out of the shops and garland and cookies and crafts and music. It's about warm fires, glitter and Garfield's Christmas Special. 

BTW - I haven't been able to catch that particular show the past couple of years - if anyone has a copy I'd kill for it. Or at the very least send you a brilliant thank you card. 

Yes. I love me some Christmas.

Which is why I'm throwing a holiday recipe at you at the beginning of November. Because while John won't let me put the tree up until December, I can still make holiday friendly food. 

Sweet & Spicy Nuts

(printable recipe) - serves 6.

Ingredients:

2 C Mixed Nuts - I like cashews, hazelnuts, almonds, pecans and walnuts.

1/2 C Brown Sugar.

1 Tbsp Cayenne Pepper.

1 Tbsp Ground Cinnamon.

1 Tsp Salt.

1 Tsp Pure Vanilla Extract.

1 Egg White.

1 Tbsp Water.

What to Do:

Pre-heat your oven to 300 degrees F.

As your oven heats, gently beat the egg, water and vanilla together until lightly frothy.

In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients, save for the nuts.

Dump the nuts into the egg wash and then add the dry stuff. Mix well.

Pour onto a baking sheet and spread out so the nuts are one layer.

Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir. 

Allow to cool completely - stirring every once in a while to ensure even coating of the sugar/spice mixture.

 Eat.

Do you love Christmas? Loathe it? What about it? 

 Is it too early to start celebrating?

Thirsty much? Watermelon Salad = Good

Happy Thursday morning to you darling readers!

When you think of Summer, what comes to mind?...

Lazy days on the beach? Coronas* on a patio? Music festivals up the ying yang? (if there was a music festival up my ying yang I'd have one thing to say, and one thing only... "ouch").

Aside from the above, along with tomatoes, flip flops, and camping, Summer to me means watermelon!

I think it stems from my childhood. I distinctly remember sitting at picnic tables as a young'n with the sun smiling down at us, giant slice of watermelon in one hand, way messed up napkin in the other, spitting seeds directly out onto the grass beneath our feet. Those were the days. The days of Summer when the biggest responsibility you had was making sure the dishes you had to dry after dinner weren't still sopping wet when you put them away in the camper. Oh yeah, and watermelons still had seeds! 

I know it wasn't the classiest of endeavors - eating a watermelon. Bite, chew, spit. But it was fun. And the watermelons weren't franken-fucking-scary engineered products of some group of men hidden away in Monsanto's windowless labs. That being said, I still eat me some tasty watermelon from time to time and after the experience I referred to in this post, this dish just had to be done.

Watermelon Salad with Fresh Mozzarella & Marcona Almonds

(printable recipe) - Serves 4.

Ingredients:

4 C Chopped Watermelon, 1" pieces, refrigerated & cold.

1 Ball Fresh Buffalo Mozzarella (If you can get your hands on Burrata, sub that), drained & roughly torn.

Small Handful of Marcona Almonds, lightly toasted.

Small Handful Fresh Basil.

1 C Creme Fraiche.

4 Tbsp Local Organic Honey.

Coarse Sea Salt.

What to Do:

First, toss the watermelon with a good pinch of salt and place back in the fridge until ready to use.

Next, mix the creme fraiche and the honey together in a bowl until well blended. Adjust to taste. You want it fresh yet slightly sweet.

Lastly, drizzle or spoon the dressing onto a plate, topping with the rest of the ingredients, finishing with the torn mozzarella (or beautiful burrata) and basil.

And that's it!

Eat.

When you think of Summer, what comes to mind?

*I am well aware that Corona is a terrible beer and not original at all. That being said, I can hardly think of anything I'd rather have whilst camping, laying on a beach, or hiding in the back of my shoe closet** - the only place in my house that really feels cool when it's 35 degrees outside.

**I wish I had a shoe closet. What I really have is a shelf very much in need of a good dusting that has been kind enough to begrudgingly allow me to wedge it in between my collection of under-used hand bags and a skateboard that hasn't been ridden in 4 years. I don't actually sit in there.

This post is linked up with Cast Party Wednesday; Whole Foods Wednesday; Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways; The Wednesday Fresh Foods Blog Hop; Tastetastic Thursday; Full Plate Thursday; Showcase Your Talent Thursday; Keep it Real Thursdays; Foodie Friday; Fight Back Friday; Fresh Bites Friday; Wellness Weekend.

RPI: Bodacious Beet & Barley Burgers

The Lowdown:

Oh beets. All purple and stuff. I promised myself that I wouldn't make any corny beet jokes. However, in light of MCA, I will supply a flute loop beat to read this beet post to (song here). This post, is our fourth episode of RPI. By now, hopefully everyone knows what RPI is. If not, the RPI subheading can be found on the homepage. I must admit, the two of us were a little more... how do you say it. We made a boo-boo and forgot that this week was RPI so we skipped the battle-royale and chose beets. So ladies and gentlemen, put away your white bell bottom pants (or am I the only person that has a pair?), because this is about to get messy. Not cute messy either. You're kitchen will most likely resemble a scene from Stephen King's Carrie when you're done. So obviously exercise caution when handling these babies... and don't make me beat it into you.

Although the recipe says burgers, I lied. Oh did I ever. You're plans were foiled again! Muaha! Muahahahahaha! My evil plan is coming to fruition! They were in fact sliders! The evil minions of the burger world. The devious imps set out to take over burger joints all around the world (as lightning crashes in the background). And just when you though you were safe to go out at night, the slider strikes again! Now rise my little purple minions! Rise and take over the burger world once again!

I know they aren't stylish anymore, but I don't understand why you would want one larger burger (that is static), when you can have 3 versatile little bad-ass burgers. It's true, sliders are bad-ass - just doin' what they want... all the time. They may even be a sure shot way to please your dinner guests (song here).

If you have A.D.D taste buds you'll understand my love for sliders. When constructing a slider, I always feel like the ninja turtles and their whacky pizza creations. Really, if you make slider that is less bad-ass than it should be - it just isn't like, like bodacious and stuff - it doesn't matter. It literally is three bites and you're on to the next constructed masterpiece - that's like so tubular dudes. No need for the typical two all beef patties, special sauce, sesame seed bun (I can't remember the song, but you get the picture). No need for the usual suspects is what I was getting at. So put away the French's mustard and Heinz ketchup. They are sliders and they demand fun! They even fight for their right to party (song here).

All of the beats were provided by the Beastie Boys, so I hope you enjoy their beats while preparing your beets. Without further ado, ch-check, check it out!

The Playlist:

4 local Beets, shredded

1 cup Barley, over cooked

1 Egg

1/2 cup Fine bread crumbs**

1 small Red onion, finely chopped

3 cloves Garlic, minced

2 tsp Red mustard seed, ground

1 tsp Hungarian smoked paprika

1 tsp Coriander, ground

1 tbsp Apple cider vinegar

2 tbsp Olive oil

1/4 cup Parsley, finely chopped
3 Morita peppers, finely chopped (optional)*

Salt & Pepper, to taste

*I like the smoky taste of morita peppers, but you could replace them with any hot pepper if you'd like. Or don't add a hot pepper at all, you're an adult.

**If you'd like to avoid gluten then you can substitute this for chick pea flour.

The Skinny:

1. On medium heat, heat oil and cook onions and garlic until onions become translucent then add beets and cook for another 20 minutes (or until beets become soft).
2. Add apple cider vinegar to deglaze pan and cook for 2 minutes, then add remaining ingredients (except for the egg and bread crumbs). Mix until everything congeals then remove from heat. Once the mixture has cooled down, add the egg and bread crumbs and mix thoroughly.
3. Form into patties and bake for 25 minutes at 375*. Once baked broil them on high to get them charred (about 5 minutes).
4. The beet burgers go exceptionally well with fresh basil leaves, goat cheese, and sliced tart apples.
5. If you have left over beets, you can turn them into "fries." Simply put non-stick spray on a baking sheet and cook the beet fries on 425* for 30 minutes, then broil them to crisp them up. I put crushed anise seed (not star anise, but the seeds within the star) and kosher salt on mine and they taste wonderful. 

Featured in: Spain in Iowa, Food Renegade, Chef in Training, 33 Shades of Green, Premeditated Leftovers,  Lady Behind the Curtain
Amee's Savory Dish

Stay Rad - h

Ya need a date, stud?

That's right. I went there.

I'm entirely willing to pimp myself out for a date. And I'm not ashamed of it.

I'll give it all up. For one date. Only have an hour? No problem! I'll Give. It. Up.

....As long as it's wrapped in bacon.

I know, it's been done before. 

But I just couldn't help myself.

Bacon wrapped dates. Who doesn't love bacon? Who doesn't love dates? Who doesn't love bacon and dates together? There's a reason it's been done before.

Even when I was a vegetarian I still loved bacon. I craved it. I needed it. I didn't eat it.

But I do now. And I will continue to do so now. Why you ask? Let me make this clear: Because I love bacon.

I know all bacon = good. But seriously, get yourself some good bacon. Something thick cut, smoky, salty, and local. Stage makes incredible bacon - if you live on Vancouver Island you can pick it up at the restaurant or at The Market on Yates. Just get yourself some good bacon. A few pitted dates. And the best blue cheese your local cheese maker can put together. And then hold on to your butt. Because you are about to go on the best date of your life...Ow! Ow!

Bacon Wrapped Dates

(printable recipe)

Ingredients:

10 Strips of Bacon, cut in half.
20 Medjool Dates, pitted.
20 Marcona Almonds (if unavailable, sub whole blanched).
4 Oz Blue Cheese, crumbled.
1 Batch Balsamic Reduction.

What to Do:

Easy peasy lemon squeezy! Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees F & line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. If you like, you can lightly spray with non-stick spray.

Carefully slide 1 or 2 almonds inside the center of the dates.

Wrap each date in a piece of bacon and secure with a toothpick. Place on prepared baking sheet. Place in oven and cook 15-20 minutes, or until bacon is crispy.

Remove from the oven, plate, sprinkle with cheese & top with a drizzle or two of balsamic reduction.

Die of exquisite bacon goodness.

Eat.

This post is linked up with Whole Foods Wednesday; Cast Party Wednesday; Tastetastic Thursday; Full Plate Thursday; Simple Lives Thursday; Fight Back Friday; Fresh Bites Friday; Seasonal Celebration Sunday;  The Hearth & Soul Blog Hop via The 21st Century Housewife; Tasty Tuesdays; Slightly Indulgent Tuesday; Tuesday Talent Show;

RPI: Mission Fava Beans - Habas Con Jamon & seared ahi tuna

 Imagine.....

....the smell of hot, humid pavement, salty ocean air, and the waft of fresh baked bread and simmering kitchens...

....hear the rustling of trees high up above the old world buildings, scooters honking, and the gentle klinking of spoons in coffee cups....

...look at the rows and rows of patio canopies, tiny winding cobble stone streets, little old men with bottles of wine for breakfast with their little pastries...

...feel those cobble stones and bricks beneath your feet, the warmth from the Summer sun, beads of perspiration tickling down your back, the breeze coming off the Mediterranean, and the hunger in your belly because your internal time clock is all fucked up...

...now taste all of it...

That was how I first experienced fava beans. In a dish called Habas con Jamon (Spanish for broad beans* with Jamon**). And that's how I'm presenting it to you. 

While in Barcelona we stumbled into a cafe for lunch one day and I found myself in absolute awe of a brilliant green dish that was placed in front of me. No where had I ever tasted anything so rich, so fresh, so buttery, and so perfect. Hello, fava beans. 

I've been in love with them ever since and while they're only available briefly in the Spring here on Vancouver Island - and they're a bitch to prepare - I definitely get my fill. You can find them at The Market on Yates right now, or make a trip to your local farmer's market (i.e. The Moss Street Market). You won't be sorry.

* You will need many more beans than you think. Once the casings are gone, there is significantly less volume than when you bought them. I recommend 1 and a half to 2 Lb per person with casings on. 

** Jamon is a very special cured meat from Spain made from Iberian pigs which is carefully produced with very stringent guidelines. If you can't find it you could substitute prosciutto but as I've discovered, it won't have the same flavor as the good stuff. Try your local artisan meat shop or Italian deli. You can get it in Victoria at Ottavio's Italian Bakery and Delicatessen.

Habas con Jamon 

(with seared ahi tuna)

(printable recipe)

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp Butter.

1 Brown Onion, diced.

175 g Jamon or Prosciutto, roughly chopped.

2 Garlic Cloves, minced.

4 Lb Fresh Broad (Fava) Beans.

2/3 C Dry White Wine.

3/4 C Chicken Stock. 

2 Yellowfin Ahi Tuna "Steaks" - for more information on the right tuna to buy click here.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Kosher Salt & Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.

What to Do:

First, prepare the fava beans. This does take a bit of time but it's very easy. Snap off the top end of the bean and gently peel off the seam (like peas). Then gently wiggle your fingers inside to open the pod. Pop out the beans and discard the shells to the compost.

Now here's the time consuming part: the beans are tricky and have a second shell. You'll need to bring a large pot of water to a boil, dump the beans in, boil for about 30 seconds to loosen the second casing and then immediately drain and run cold water over the beans to stop the cooking process and maintain the brilliant green color. Now you can carefully made a tear in the outer coating near the "bum" of the bean (when you see them you'll know what I mean) and just gently pinch the bean out of it's casing. Tada! Bright green broad beans! Again, discard the shell.

Once shelled you can begin the cooking process (much faster than shelling):

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat and add the onion, Jamon and garlic. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until onion softens.

Add the broad beans and wine and cook over high heat until the liquid is reduced by half.

Add the stock, reduce heat to low-medium, cover and cook for 10 minutes.

Uncover and cook for another 10, or until the beans are tender, and most of the liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally, season well with black pepper.

Meanwhile, heat a pan over high heat. Add a touch of olive oil once hot, place very cold, sushi-grade, line caught, ahi yellow fin tuna into the pan. Sear for about 20 seconds on both sides. Remove from the pan. Slice into 1/4" slices. And sprinkle lightly with salt.

Serve beans hot, top with the tuna and saddle up with some crusty bread.

Eat.

What's your fondest (or least fondest) food memory?

This post is linked up with the Hearth & Soul Blog Hop via The 21st Century Housewife; Tasty Tuesdays; Slightly Indulgent Tuesday;

Leek Crisps w/ Lemongrass Chili Reduction

The Lowdown:

What do you do when you've been playing video games all day instead of cooking dinner for your guests? Well, if this is a problem for you, then I have the answer. I'm not going to lie, it happens more often than I'd like to admit. The answer is simple. Pray. Or on the other hand, you could rip through your kitchen and see what you have. When push comes to shove -- improvise. By improvise I mean to make something up that nobody has heard of so it sounds exotic.

I've been thinking that leeks are the perfect shape to be used as a cracker for a while now. Okay, that too is a lie. It happened earlier in the day. Anyway, it was go time and I had no plan or no idea if I had the ingredients for my  non-existent plan. While hunting and foraging in my fridge I notice I had leeks and a mango that was bought for something else that didn't materialize. Perfect! The sweet and pine-like flavour of the mango would help tame the onionesque flavour of the leek.

As for the sauce, well that was another story. I really wanted to incorporate lemongrass, which meant that ginger was a perfect secondary flavour. With those two things simmering in the frying pan I decided that spice would go well with this -- thus, a chili pepper. Now that all these ingredients were already started I may as well stick with the South East Asian theme. Really, I had no choice. It seemed like my only option remaining, considering people were coming over in 30 minutes. One day I will plan ahead. One day. Not today. Not tomorrow. Although it is ironic that I'm planning on not planning.

I fed these to two very picky people (ugh the worst!), both of which didn't know what a leek was. Therefore, I feel like they were a good sample (guinea pig I mean) to test this creation out on. Fortunately for me they loved them. Unfortunately for me, they ate them all while I was preparing the main course. I guess you have to choose your battles, and hungry women are not the battles I'll be choosing anytime soon.

The Playlist:

(Printable Recipe)

1 Leek, stalk only sliced into 1/4 inch circular disks.

1 Mango, cubed (1 inch).

1/8 cup Cabbage, julienne.

1/8 cup flour.

1 cup chicken stock.

Pepper to taste.

Lemongrass Chili Reduction

1 Chili pepper, minced.

3 inches Lemongrass, soft inner part minced.

2 tsp Ginger, minced.

1 tsp Chili powder (Thai if you can find it).

1 tsp Corriander, ground.

2 tsp sugar (or honey).

2 tbsp Olive oil.

3 tbsp Rice wine vinegar.
3 tbsp Red wine vinegar.

5 tbsp Chicken stock.

2 tbsp Fish sauce. 

The Skinny:

1.  Place the leek disks into a shallow bowl and cover with chicken stock. Allow to sit, as the chicken stock will mellow out the leek's onion flavour.
2. On medium heat add oil, chili pepper, lemongrass, and ginger. Stir constantly until lemongrass becomes fragrant (about 5 minutes). Then add the remainder of the reduction's ingredients except for the chicken stock. Cover and allow to simmer on low for 20 - 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Put flour and pepper into a shallow bowl (or bag) and coat the leek disks. Heat oil in a large pan on medium heat. Add the leeks and cover the pan. Fry the leeks for 2-3 minutes per side.
4. While leeks are cooking remove the lid from the reduction. Add the chicken stock and turn onto high heat. Reduce the liquid by the desired amount. If you are pressed for time add 1/4 tsp of corn starch to form a paste (although its not quite as good this way).
5. Place a piece of mango on each leek disk and drizzle lemongrass chili reduction. Garnish with the cabbage.
6. The left over reduction (or a new batch) goes well as a dressing for a cabbage, sesame seed, and dried cranberry coleslaw.

Featured in: 33 Shades of Green, Mandy's Recipe Box, Chef in Training

Braising Greens & Caramelized Onion Tacos

Anyone who spends any time perusing food blogs or magazines or sometimes even friend's recipe boxes has a list.

You know what I'm talking about.

A collection of an absurd amount of recipes that our eyes spot and our taste buds dare us to make. And then eat. Regardless of fat content, complexity, or time intensiveness. We want those dishes. 

Some of them get made. Others lay quietly in wait. I currently have over 300 bookmarked, heaps pinned, and even more dog-eared. Well, dear taste buds...

...Challenge accepted!

I've been meaning to make this recipe for a while now, especially with the amount of braising greens we're getting from our CSA (community supported agriculture) box. A girl can only cook them this way so many times. 

If you read my other blog, you've heard of Sam @ Cooking My Way Through My CSA before. I heart her. She's a kindred for sure. Only on the opposite side of the continent. Back in September she made Chard & Caramelized Onion Tacos. Pitter-patter went my little heart soul! And so now - 5 months later - I'm making them!

I did have to modify her recipe a touch. My braising greens were mostly kale with flecks of chard. Instead of salsa - which I've never been much of a fan of unless there's corona & lime involved - I substituted a balsamic reduction for acidity. I also chucked in some butternut squash I had on hand as well as some white beans for protein. 

The result? Savory West coast Winter tacos that were fun to assemble, a flavor punch in the face (in a good way), and a new staple dish that I'll be making again. Sam, you ARE a genius. 

Braising Greens & Caramelized Onion Tacos

(printable recipe)

Ingredients:

1 Package Organic Corn Tortillas.

1 Large Onion, peeled & thinly sliced.

3-4 Large Handfuls of Braising Greens, cleaned.

2 Garlic Cloves, peeled & finely chopped.

1 Lemon for juice & zest.

1 C White Beans, cooked (canned beans would work in a pinch if necessary, drain well).

1/2 Medium - Large Butternut Squash, peeled & chopped into 1" pieces.

2-4 oz. Queso Fresco or Feta Cheese, crumbled.

1 Tsp Crushed Pepper Flakes (optional).

1 Batch Balsamic Reduction.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Kosher Salt & Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.

What to Do:

Pre-heat your oven to 475 degrees F.

In a shallow baking pan, throw in the squash with a couple glugs of olive oil and a nice helping of salt and pepper. Arrange as a single layer in the pan. Roast uncovered for 20-30 minutes or until just fork tender but still holding it's shape and generously colored on the down side. You may want to mix/shake the pan half way through cooking.

Meanwhile, heat a couple Tbsp of oil in a large non-stick pan over medium-low heat. Once hot, add the onions with a sprinkle of salt. Mix well. Allow to caramelize slowly, stirring occasionally to ensure even browning. This should go on for about 20 minutes or so until the onions are deep brown and sticky. Set aside.

In that same pan, carefully add about 1/4 C of water and the braising greens. Cover. Allow to steam for about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the lid and toss in the garlic, half the lemon juice, and chilies if using. Cook for about 1 minute, remove from the heat and set aside. 

In a bowl, combine beans, lemon zest, the rest of the juice, and a good helping of salt and pepper. Mix well. Taste.

Heat tortillas according to package directions.

Assemble! Throw everything on a hot tortilla and top with a little cheese and a drizzle of balsamic reduction. About 2-3 tacos per person should fill people with a side salad.

Eat.

This post is linked up with Tasty Tuesdays; Slightly Indulgent Tuesday; Tuesday Talent Show; This Chick Cooks; Cast Party Wednesday; Simple Lives Thursday; Full Plate Thursday; Tasteastic Thursday; Fresh Bites Friday; Fight Back Friday; Seasonal Inspiration Saturday; Seasonal Celebration Sunday

RPI: Mission Endive

Haydn's full of crap. I won this addition of RPI fair and square! He tried to accuse me of cheating earlier in the week but he was dead wrong.

See, these past 2 weeks have been horrendously busy for both of us. School is kicking our asses. So when we were unable to get together to hash out a good 'ole game of rock, paper, scissors (which is how we decide who gets to choose the feature ingredient for RPI), we chose to do it over the phone. That. Was. A. Process.

As Haydn mentioned in this first post of RPI, decide your rules for rock, paper, scissors in advance. You never know when lack of visual cues may spur a heated but loving debate over when the final throwdown should occur.

Moreover, how can you tell if the person is cheating or not?? There's no visual evidence to suggest what they say over the phone is what they've actually drawn or not drawn. Not that I thought anyone would cheat. But Haydn did by assuming he couldn't trust me over the phone. You know Haydn, cheaters are always the first to accuse...

When I justly won - which by the way, I revealed my hand movement before Haydn revealed his so if anyone was going to cheat it was going to be him - I selected, endive. 

What exactly is endive you ask? Endive is a bitter lettuce green. It comes in various shapes and sizes, some of which include Belgian endive, radicchio, frisee (if anyone knows where in town I might find some of this illusive and delicious green, please let me know) and escarole.

I came up with this recipe after having a discussion with Haydn about the redundancy of Belgian endive. Everyone stuffs them and uses them like cups or sticks em in a salad. I get it, it's been done. But the reason it's been done is because the flavours are so magical. Big bold cheeses, nuts, fruit, etc... So what did I do? I took those flavours and stuck em in cheesy carbohydrated goodness. Oh yeah.

I'll be honest here, and I know food bloggers say this shit all the time but seriously: one of the best things i've ever made. Hands down. No question. Period - and I mean that full stop. It's a bit of a long recipe but if you make the risotto a day ahead of time, it's a cinch to pull together.

My advice to you? Make this. Or don't - and instead, hire me to cater your next dinner party, luncheon, or brunch-fest.

Endive "Cup" Risotto Balls with "Cup" Salad
(printable recipe)

Ingredients for Your Balls (hehe):

2 Shallots, thinly sliced.
2 Garlic Cloves, thinly sliced.
2 Tbsp Butter, unsalted.
1.5 Cups Arborio Rice.
3/4 Cup Dry White Wine.
5-6 Cups Chicken or Veggie Stock, heated.
Kosher Salt and Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.
  Approx 1 Cup Asiago or Parmesan or Grana Padano Cheese, grated + 4 Tbsp, grated.

Small Handful Dried Cranberries.

Small Handful Toasted Walnuts, roughly chopped.

Small Handful Gorgonzola, crumbled.

1 Belgian Endive, cut in half and sliced.

1/2 Lb. Bacon, cooked, drained & roughly chopped.

1 C White All-Purpose Flour.

4 Eggs, gently beaten.

2 C Panko Crumbs.

Canola or Peanut Oil for frying.

Ingredients for the Salad + Dressing:

1 Belgian Endive, cut in half and sliced.

1 Head Radicchio, leaves separated.

1 D'Anjou Pear, cored & diced.

3-4 Slices of Bacon, cooked, drained & roughly chopped.

1 Handful Toasted Walnuts, roughly chopped.

1 Small Handful Dried Cranberries.

Handful of Gorgonzola.

1 C Creme Fraiche.

Juice of Half a Lemon.
Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.

What to Do:

On a low heat, melt butter in large pan and add shallots and garlic, covering with lid. Allow 5-10 mins to become translucent.

Add rice, stirring until grains become slightly clear and golden on the outside, approximately 2 mins.

Pour in the wine and allow the alcohol to evaporate - this should take about a minute or so.

Next ladle in enough stock to just cover the rice mixture and allow for a low simmer, stirring fairly regularly to avoid burning. Continue adding further ladles of broth as it gets absorbed, again only as much as is needed to cover the rice.

This will continue for roughly 30mins, or until rice mixture is creamy and has reached the desired texture. You want it to be soft but still hold it's texture and not be mushy.

At this point, remove from heat and fold the cup of grated cheese into the finished dish along with the dried cranberries, walnuts, endive, gorgonzola, and bacon. 

Eat some of it tonight if you like but save at least half and refrigerate until cold (i.e. a couple hours or over night). If you don't eat any of the risotto you should end up with approx 18-20 balls. Haha....

Once cold, remove from the fridge and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

Gather a palmful of the mixture. Shape into 2" wide balls. Gently push the center of the ball toward the center of your hand, creating a little divot in the middle. Place a small cube of gorgonzola in there and cover with the surrounding rice to reshape the ball. Set on the parchment paper. Continue until you have enough balls (that's what she said!) or run out of risotto. Cover and place back in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

In 3 separate bowls, place the flour, the whisked eggs, and the panko crumbs + a little salt, mix. 

As you dredge, you'll want to heat your oil. So in a large wok filled to no more than 1/2 - 2/3rds full of oil, heat over medium heat. The oil will be ready when a piece of white bread is dropped into the oil and browns in 30 seconds. If it browns too quickly, turn down your heat. If not quickly enough, wait longer. BE VERY CAREFUL when deep frying! DO NOT BURN YOURSELF or START THE HOUSE ON FIRE! A good site that tells you how to deep fry safely can be found here.

Pre-heat your oven to 200 degrees F.

As the oil heats, remove your balls from the fridge (hehe) and dredge each one in the flour, then the eggs, then the panko/salt mixture. Place back on the parchment. Once oil is hot, gently and carefully, using a slotted spoon, place your balls (about 5-6 at a time) in the oil. After a minute or so, gently turn them so as to ensure even browning. When golden and crisp, remove from the oil onto some paper towels to drain and place in a pan and put in the oven to keep warm.

Once finished, turn off the oil, remove it from the element and serve your delicious balls (tehe) with a little grated cheese on top and a side of the following:

It's time to make your salad! Toss all the ingredients into a bowl save for the creme fraiche, gorgonzola and lemon juice. 

In a small sauce pan, gently melt the cheese and soften the gorgonzola over medium-low heat. Once combined, remove from the heat and add the lemon juice. Throw it all in the bowl with the fruit/veg/nut mixture, stir well, and spoon into the radicchio leaves.

Serve on the side of your balls (last time...hahaha) and...

Eat!

This post is linked up with The Hearth & Soul Blog Hop via The 21st Century Housewife; Tasty Tuesday; Slightly Indulgent Tuesday; Tuesday Talent Show; This Chick Cooks; Cast Party Wednesday; Simple Lives Thursday; Full Plate Thursday; Tastetastic Thursday; Fresh Bites Friday; Fight Back Friday; Seasonal Inspiration Saturday