Tag Archives: Cooking

May 12, 2013 · 6:00 PM

Stracciatella with kale.

On Saturday mornings at Rebus Works there is The Saturday Market which brings together local farmers and sometimes crafters near Downtown Raleigh. I stopped by there Saturday morning and picked up some kale along with a few other things. They also have a large urban vegetable garden and chickens. I always love checking those out, too!

Stracciatella with kale

If you love egg drop soup you will love Stracciatella with kale. Stracciatella is an Italian or Roman-style Egg Drop Soup. My recipe has a strong flavor which is given by the kale. If you want a milder flavor you may use a milder green. You may also reduce the water/stock ratio to equal amounts to reduce the chicken flavor. Vegans/Vegetarians may substitute vegetable stock.

Ingredients:

4 cup chicken stock (one box)
1 cup water
1/3 cup shredded cheese
4 cups Greens that have been torn into ribbons
Two eggs
Salt
Pepper

1) Bring the water and broth to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and add the greens.

2) After about 8 minutes the greens should be tender. Add the shredded cheese and stir to incorporate as the cheese melts.

3) Bring the soup back to a boil. Beat two eggs in a measuring cup. Quickly stir the soup to get it spinning in the pot. Drizzle the eggs into the soup in a thin ribbon.

4) Remove from heat and keep stirring to break the eggs up. The eggs will cook as soon as they hit the hot soup.

5) Salt and pepper to taste. Serve with an Italian loaf!

You may add nutmeg or ground chipotle for a bit of a ZING! A small chili would work, too! Hmm, even a squirt of Sriracha would be nice, as well.

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March 9, 2013 · 10:17 AM

Cumin flatbread

The mornings are still chilly and I don’t want to go straight in to the garden yet! I need something warm in my tummy first.

A quick morning Moroccan bread is just what’s in order!

Cumin Flatbread

1 1/3 cups warm water (105F to 115F)
1 (1/4 ounce) envelope dry yeast
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced lemon peel (yellow part only)
2 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
2 teaspoons ground cumin
3 cups bread flour
1 tablespoon cumin seed
1 tablespoon sesame seed

1. Place warm water in bowl of heavy-duty mixer. Sprinkle yeast over and stir to
combine.

Let stand 10 minutes. This is proofing the yeast. If it doesn’t smell yeasty and become cloudy and foamy your yeast may be old and dead.

Add oil, lemon peel, salt and ground cumin.

Using dough hook attachment, gradually beat in flour. Continue beating 5 minutes.

Turn out dough onto lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth dough forms,
about 2 minutes (dough will be very soft).

2. Lightly oil a large bowl. Add dough; turn to coat. Cover with a dish towel or plastic and let rise
in a warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

3. Preheat the oven to 400°F Line 12×18-inch baking sheet with heavy-duty foil. Brush foil with oil. Place dough in pan. Using fingertips, press out dough, covering pan completely (dough will be very thin). Sprinkle with cumin seeds and sesame seeds. Bake until golden, about 30 minutes. Loosen bread from foil. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Gus says; “Do I smell food?”

Adapted from Bon Appetit “Taste of the World”, Conde Nast Publications, 2008

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August 10, 2012 · 11:05 AM

Homemade pizza with homemade pizza dough.

On a day off from work, where I worked all morning in the garden, and now it’s too hot and humid to be out-of-doors I decided to make pizza from scratch this afternoon for dinner.

The recipe for the dough I used is a Basic Grilled Pizza Dough from Martha Stewart’s website. The link is below. I roasted tomatoes from the garden. The remainder of the ingredients are caramelized onions and pepper-jack and parmesan cheese with a prepaired tomato sauce.

Roasted tomato and caramelized onion pizza.

Preheat the over to 500f.

1) Make the dough and allow it to rest and rise. I used Martha Stewart’s Basic Grilled Pizza Dough.

2) While the dough is rising, cook the onions and tomatoes.

Cut the cherry tomatoes and place them cut side up on aluminum foil to speed the roasting and dehydration. Sprinkle with salt. Roast for about 30 to 45 minutes at 375f.

Heat oil in a wide pan on a medium stove. You may add butter if you wish. Prepair the onion by removing the root and top of the onion and remove the skin. Save them for your compost bin. Cut the onion in half. Lay the flat side down and cut the onions with the blade parallel to the top and bottom of the onion to make long strips. It’s important to have them the same size so they cook evenly. Pull the onions apart and then add them to the hot oil. Stir to coat with oil. Stir them often to brown evenly and to prevent them from burning. When they have browned on all sides turn down the heat and cover the pan with a lid. Cook for about 20 minutes to a golden brown.

3) Remove the dough from the bowl and knead flat helping it to become a square with the edges raised to fit in your sheet pan.

4) Use a spoon to spread the sauce up to the raised edge. I am using a tomato sauce but you may use an Alfredo sauce or any other sauce of your choice.

5) Spread a layer of cheese evenly to create a base for your items.