Showing posts with label summer cooking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label summer cooking. Show all posts

Friday, August 5, 2016

Ricotta Gnocchi

Ricotta Gnocchi!

Enjoy a lite and delicious Gnocchi this summer with sweet corn, arugula, and truffle oil!
Take the pride in serving something you completely made from scratch and rolled out by hand. You can make the Gnocchi up to 3 days in advance or even freeze it until ready to use. And then the cooking process is very quick and easy, and well simply beautiful.

Ingredients for Ricotta Gnocchi

Yields: 4-6 entree
  • 2 cups Ricotta (1 pound)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups grated Parmigiano
  • Pinch Cayenne pepper
  • Pinch salt
  • 1 tsp grated nutmeg
  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup all - purpose flour to roll out and coat dough
    • NOTE: If using fresh Ricotta - this might be dryer than store bought. Add ¼ cup milk to mixture. See image below to see if necessary.
*Make it extra special and follow my easy recipe for your own homemade Ricotta!

Ingredients for Dinner

  • ½ stick unsalted butter
  • 2 cups Sweet Corn kernels - Cooked. (canned or frozen is just fine.)
  • 4 cups Arugula
  • 1 cup shaved Parmesan (plus more for garnish)
  • Salt & Pepper to taste
  • Black (or white) Truffle Oil for finishing. (flavored olive oil is fine.)
  • Parsley for garnish

For the Gnocchi

This is a two part process. First you boil the rolled out dough, then you finish cooking in a pan. You can make in advance and freeze, or hold in refrigerator for 3 days after the boil process.

  1. Start with mixing all ingredients together until completely incorporated forming a Wet Dough. (Get your hands dirty!)
  1. Coat cutting board with flour. Coat hands.
  1. Work dough in small batches. Start with a ball, coat in flour so it’s dry enough to roll out into ropes. -Using hands for whole process. Keep covered in flour.
  1. Cut to desired size - no more than 1 inch because these will swell and get larger rather than smaller when cooked. Use knife or bench scraper to keep clean edges.
  1. Boil large pot of water with Tons of salt - salty like the sea.
  2. Drop in batches, swirl at first so they won’t stick, then leave them be for a couple of minutes. The timing is different on sizes, basically the dumplings are going to float when finished, let float for no longer than 30 seconds.
You can bite into it, and will be soft and delicious.
  1. Use a slotted spoon to pull out as ready, set aside in refrigerator until ready to use.

For the Dish

For this dish you can cook in batches. But don’t worry - it goes very quick, so you can still serve all at the same time. The trick is to build as you go, and have all your plates, and mise en place.
  1. Take a large frying pan and melt butter over High heat. Turn down to Medium once the butter starts to foam and brown - Noisette: when the milk produce separates and browns.
  1. Put in Gnocchi - don’t over crowd pan but enough to brown all sides of Gnocchi. -Great time to practice your pan flipping skills. Make sure the brown butter bits coat Gnocchi & Do Not Over Cook- gently pan sear.
  1. Add cheese. Toss
  1. Add Corn Toss - Do not let this pop and turn into popcorn! Just enough to reheat the corn.
  2. Salt, Pepper, and handful of Arugula - Toss and turn off heat instantly. You do not want to wilt the lettuce.
  1. Plate: pouring excess butter as dressing. Drizzle truffle oil, cheese, and parsley - serve immediately.
#Ricotta #RicottaGnocchi #Gnocchi #SummerCooking #SummerCorn #SummerGnocchi #FoodPorn #Foodie #FoodStylist #FoodPhotography #DIYGourmet #ItalianCuisine #FromScratchCooking #HomemadeGnocchi #ChefCaylena

Thursday, July 28, 2016

Reviving the Carrot Cake

Reviving the Carrot Cake

w/ Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting.

Cake season is here! Here’s a go-to elegant cake perfect enough to celebrate - Everything. Light enough to enjoy all summer long.  


This classic is revitalized with fresh Ginger and Carrot juices - this puts it a head above all the others you’ve tasted. Spiced just right, though feel free to make additions such as raisins or nuts.  


Preheat Oven 350*F
Makes: 1 large cake, 3 dozen mini -or- 1 dozen over sized cupcakes

Ingredients: Grouped by sequence.

    MIX TOGETHER
1 cup Buttermilk - room temperature.
1 1/2 bag baby carrots (1 1/2 lbs) -Juiced
9 oz fresh ginger shredded fine


    DRY: Mix together

2 1/2 C AP flour
2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg & more for garnish
3 tsp Ground Ginger if not using fresh
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • WET:
4 room temp eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup tightly packed  brown sugar
1 Tbsp Vanilla extract (bourbon vanilla if have)
  • OTHER
3/4 Cup Veg oil

  • FROSTING:
2 packages Cream Cheese - room temperature
1 box Powdered Sugar
1 Tbsp Vanilla extract
1 1/2 sticks Unsalted Butter -room temperature
1/2 tsp Kosher Salt


PROCEDURE:


  1. Juice Carrots. Set ½ cup juice aside. (Shred if don’t have juicer.) discard rest.
  2. Mix carrot remains, shredded ginger, and buttermilk together. Set aside.


  1. Mix Dry ingredients together - set aside.
  2. In Mixer over high, mix Wet Ingredients.
  3. Pour in ½ Dry ingredients - Mix
  4. Pour in Vegetable Oil
2.gif
  1. Pour in ½ remaining Dry ingredients
  2. Pour in Carrot Juice
  3. Pour remaining dry ingredients.
    1. This might look wetter than used to because of juice - this will keep your cake moist and fluffy.
20160719_150626_001-ANIMATION.gif
  1. Pour in carrot mix.

  1. Coat pan with Oil. Pour in cake mix.
    1. If using Cake sheet - pour mixture in.
    2. Cupcakes: line with paper holders.
      1. To make pouring easier for cupcakes, pour into a Ziplock bag, cut a hole in corner and pour as though as if pastry bag.


Cooking:

  • Bake large cupcakes: 15 minutes, rotate pan, bake another 15 min.
  • Small cupcakes: 8 minutes, rotate, another 7-8 minutes
  • Large cake: 35-45 minutes total.


Check doneness by using a toothpick - poke in center - when it comes out clean - you’re finished.
Let rest & cool at least 20 minutes. - *note if hot - will melt frosting.


Frosting: Mix all ingredients together until nice and fluffy.
Don’t over mix or it will turn grainy.



  • Once ready use knife to spread on cakes, or put in a plastic zip lock and cut corner - using like a pastry bag.


  • Make sure frosting is Very cold - putting in and out of fridge if need be or it will make a goopy mess.
Sprinkle with Nutmeg

Refrigerate until ready to eat! ENJOY!


#ChefCaylena #CarrotCake #SummerCooking #Baking #KidEats #KidsCook #CreamCheeseFrosting









Wednesday, July 27, 2016

Homemade Lemon Zest Fettuccine

Homemade

Lemon Zest Fettuccine

There truly is nothing better than homemade pasta, or the experience making it with others! Grab your girlfriends, your partner, and/or kids, and get in the kitchen this! Turn this into a party, a date, or just another cherishable moment!  
This splendid pasta pairs wonderfully with seafood and fresh herbs in the warmer weather due to it’s super bright flavor from the Lemon Zest.

with Farmers Market Summer Tomato Sauce
Servings 6- 8  Yields 1lb. of Dough Difficulty: Moderate/Easy

Ingredients

  • 1 cup packed  00 Flour
  • 1 cup  packed Semolina Flour
    • 1 cup Semolina Flour for rolling, cutting,& setting
  • 4 whole Eggs
  • Zest of 1 full large Meyer Lemon (very thin zest.)
  • ½ tsp Kosher Salt
  • Pinch Cayenne Pepper
You can make this recipe by hand entirely - easily enough, with a hand fed pasta maker, or, the KitchenAid Mixer with Pasta attachment, which I’m using here. I will walk you through both ways.
Tools
  • Rolling Pin
  • Plastic wrap
  • Some form of electric mixer -OR- large wire whisk.
  • Pasta drying rack -OR- sheet pan.
Mix eggs, salt, pepper, lemon zest, then ½ flour. Once incorporated, add rest of flour a little bit at a time.  Keep mixing until dough forms a ball and is no longer sticky.
  • If using a stand - use dough hook and mix at a Medium speed.
  • If using hand mixer - stop once thickens, and finish mixing by hand.
Cover working surface (cutting board, counter top, table - best not to use marble) with flour for working.
Take all the dough to the flour surface, knead by hand for 3-5 minutes, until dough is smooth and elastic. (Don’t worry about the pieces of zest.)
Use the flour on the board to keep the dough dry. When finished your hands will be dry and dough firm - though not dried out and crumbling. (*If it is, add a drop of olive oil until right texture.)
Cut dough in half. Form into ball and coat with flour from board. Wrap in plastic.
Put in refrigerator for 30 minute. Don’t start to clean up yet… you’re not done with the mess yet.
More flour! On board and coat rolling pin. Use as much as you need. Roll out dough
  • With pasta machine - use widest setting - roll through 2x, fold dough, then again on 2-3 more times, dusting with flour all the while.
  • If by hand follow the same but obviously you’re using the rolling pin.  

If doing by hand:
  • cut pasta into strips.  
  • Lay pasta flat, fold over 4” of the corner. Then take that corner and again, until you have a nicely folded 4” layered dough.
  • Using a knife - cut thin layer to thickness of fettuccine.

Meanwhile - Those using machine:
  • Change attachment on mixer - or if using hand operated.
  • Run pasta through machine - using one hand to catch, and one to feed machine. Although if you have this attachment you probably know how to use it.
Hang pasta to try on rack if have. If not - coat sheet tray with more flour and drape noodles. Leave out at room temperature to air dry for 1 - 3 hours, refrigerating if not cooking. (*Dry - if humid put in refrigerator.)
Raw noodle can be covered in airtight container for no more than 2 days.   
*Boil in heavily salted water for 3-4 minutes, stirring the entire first minute to keep from sticking. Toss in favorite sauce and enjoy!
Here paired with my Simple Summer Tomato Sauce, fresh Basil.
Above with Farmers Market Summer Tomato Sauce, and clams.


#KitchenAidMixer #KitchenAidPasta #HomemadePasta #Fettuccine #KidFriendly #CheapEats #KidsCook #FreshEggPasta #LemonZestPasta #DIY #HostingAndEntertaining #FamilyCooking #ItalianCooking #ItalianCuisine #DIYItalianFood #SummerCooking, #ChefCaylena