Tuesday, December 16, 2008

LASAGNA

1 pound ground beef
6 ounces ground lean pork
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can (1 pound) tomatoes
1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
2 tablespoons sugar or honey
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon basil leaves
1 teaspoon oregano
3 cups (two 12-ounce cartons) creamed cottage cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon parsley flakes
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 package (8 ounces) lasagna noodles, cooked and well drained
3/4 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook and stir ground beef, ground pork, onion and garlic in large saucepan or Dutch oven until meat is brown and onion is tender. Drain off all fat.
Add tomatoes and break up with fork. Stir in tomato sauce, 2 tablespoons parsley flakes, the sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, basil and oregano. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 1 hour or until mixture is the consistency of spaghetti sauce.
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix cottage cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon parsley flakes, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Reserve 1/2 cup meat sauce for thin top layer.
In baking pan, 13x9x2 inches, layer 1/4 each of the noodles, remaining meat sauce, the mozzarella cheese and cottage cheese mixture; repeat 3 times. Spread reserved meat sauce over top; sprinkle with 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. (If desired, lasagna can be covered and refrigerated several hours at this point.)
Bake uncovered 45 minutes. (Allow and additional 10 to 15 minutes if lasagna has been refrigerated.) For easier cutting, let stand 15 minutes after removing from oven.
12 SERVINGS (3-inch square per serving).

TOP SECRET CHOCOLATE COOKIES

Cook Time: 25 min
Serves: 2 1/2 dozen

2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
White Sanding sugar, for garnish

In a large bowl, add the butter and sugar and cream together with a hand mixer. Add the eggs and vanilla extract to the creamed mixture and mix until combined. In a medium bowl, mix the cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, and salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients and continue mixing until incorporated.
Roll the dough into 2 logs that are about 2-inches high and 1-foot long. Wrap them in waxed paper and place in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Once thoroughly chilled, slice the cookies into 1/2-inch thick rounds and cover with sanding sugar. Place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes.
Remove to a wire rack to cool.

CRISPY TWICE COOKED NEW POTATOES WITH GARLIC AIOLI

Cook Time: 1 hr 0 min
Serves: 4 servings

20 to 30 small new potatoes
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying

Garlic aioli:
2 heads garlic
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 sprig thyme
1 tablespoon water
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
*1 jumbo egg yolk
1 lemon, juiced
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup sour cream

Chopped chives, for garnish
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Lay potatoes out in a single layer on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss the potatoes around so they are evenly coated and pop in the oven to roast for 35 to 40 minutes until tender.
Cut a heads of garlic through the middle, horizontally, and put in a foil pouch with olive oil, thyme, water, and salt and pepper. Seal the pouch around the edges and roast in the oven with the potatoes - this will be used for the aioli.
When the potatoes are done and warm enough to handle make an X cut on 1 side of the potato and then squeeze gently from the bottom to form a flower-like shape. Heat a pot of oil for deep frying to 350 degrees F and fry the potatoes until crispy and golden. Drain on paper towels and season with kosher salt.
Remove the garlic from the pouch and squeeze out the flesh. Add the roasted garlic, egg, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a blender and process. Pour in the olive oil in a slow, steady stream until the aioli emulsifies. Fold in sour cream and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Garnish with chives.

GREEN PEPPERCORN SAUCE

Cook Time: 20 min
Serves: 6 to 8 servings

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots, sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
1 cup brandy
1 box beef stock
2 cups cream
2 tablespoons grainy mustard
1/2 cup green peppercorns in brine, drained, brine reserved

Add olive oil to pan after removing beef. Add shallots, garlic, and thyme; saute for 1 to 2 minutes, then, off heat, add brandy and flambe using a long kitchen match. After flame dies down, return to the heat, add stock and reduce by about half. Strain out solids, then add 2 cups cream and mustard. Reduce by half again, then shut off heat and add green peppercorns.

ROASTED FINGERLING POTATOES WITH FRESH HERBS AND GARLIC

Cook Time: 20 min
Serves: 2 to 4 servings

2 pints fingerling potatoes
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 to 3 sprigs fresh sage
3 sprigs fresh thyme
6 cloves garlic, left unpeeled
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus for sheet pan
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F and place a baking sheet inside to heat.
Add potatoes, rosemary, sage, thyme, and garlic to a medium bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Remove sheet pan from oven, lightly coat with olive oil, and pour potatoes onto pan. Place potatoes in oven and reduce heat to 425 degrees F. Roast for 20 minutes, or until crispy on outside and tender on inside.

JEWEL ROASTED VEGETABLES

Cook Time: 1 hr 40 min
Serves: 6 servings (serving size 1 1/3 cups)

4 medium beets
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 1/2 pounds carrots
1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts
8 large garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon freshly chopped thyme leaves

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Put the beets into a small baking dish and rub them with 1 tablespoon of oil. Cover the dish with foil and put into the oven for 30 minutes.
In the meantime, peel and cut the carrots into 1-inch pieces, trim the Brussels sprouts and halve them lengthwise, and peel the garlic cloves. Put the carrots, Brussels sprouts and garlic cloves into a large baking dish and toss with the remainder of the oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
After the beets have been cooking for 30 minutes add the large pan of vegetables to the oven and cook everything for 1 hour more, stirring the vegetable mixture once or twice.
Remove the beets from the oven and transfer them to a cutting board to cool. Stir the thyme into the carrot and Brussels sprouts mixture and let it continue to cook for another 10 minutes while the beets are cooled and cut. When the beets are cool enough to handle, about 5 minutes, peel them and cut them into 1-inch pieces. Remove the other vegetables from the oven, toss with the beets, season with salt and pepper, to taste, and serve.