Breaking in the Panini Press

A panini press is something I'd avoided buying for years. Why? I have no idea. Perhaps because it was just one more gadget to store in my cabinets. Or, perhaps because I figured it would go the way of the other small appliances I use only once or twice a year--relegated to the basement.

I'd written articles on indoor grilling and always included a section on contact grills (the less fancy name for a panini press), but yet I didn't own one. It seems as if everyone loves them---and George Forman has made a fortune selling them---but I never took the plunge. Then, a few months ago I was in Boston visiting college friends and saw a panini press on the counter. "I'd use it for every meal, if I could," my friend said. She was flabbergasted when I told her I didn't have one. "I can't believe you, of all people, do not own one!"

I thought about it on the drive back to Connecticut, and thought that maybe I should finally join the happy panini-making masses and pony up for one. I could even develop some panini making classes (Aha! A business expense!). So off I went to do my homework.

I ended up purchasing a Cuisinart Griddler....which works as a panini press and indoor contact grill, but when you swap out the ridged grill plates for the flat plates, you can open the grill flat and use it as a griddle to make pancakes, french toast, the works. The best part? The grill/griddle plates are dishwasher safe.

So far I haven't even found a spot in the cabinet for my panini press, since it has been on my counter getting daily use (I know, first flames). I've made a variety of panini (prosciutto/mozzarella, dessert panini, PB&J panini for my kids), I've grilled chicken breasts, and today I made a recipe for Whole Wheat Vanilla Pancakes I read over at the Cooking with Amy blog (by the way, they were delicious).

Fresh strawberries are coming into season, so try using them in a panini for a delicious dessert or snack. My Panini Dolci (dolce is Italian for "sweet") combine sweet berries with chocolate, making them a treat for the whole family!

Panini Dolci

Serves 4

4 slices country bread

butter, at room temperature
4-6 medium strawberries, hulled and sliced

1/4 cup chocolate chips (semi-sweet are my favorite)

Preheat your panini press to medium-high heat.
Butter one side of each slice of bread, and put two slices butter-side down on the bottom plate of your press.

Arrange a layer of sliced strawberries on each piece of bread, and sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly on top of the fruit.

Cover with the other slices of bread (butter side UP), and close the press. Grill for approximately 3-5 minutes, until bread is toasted (grill marks should be apparent) and the chocolate chips are melted.
Cut each sandwich in half and serve warm.

From the Farm: Radishes

Lexi was back again this week with a half share of this week's harvest from the Gazy Brothers Farm. It included a big bunch of crunchy bok choy (which I plan to use in tonight's stir fry), more green garlic, and some absolutely gorgeous radishes. Pretty as they are, radishes were never one of my favorite things. My husband, on the other hand, loves them. His family always had a garden, and because radishes grow relatively quickly, it was the first veggie he learned to plant as a child. After sampling the fresh bunch in this week's bag, now I know why he loves them----fresh from the garden radishes are DELICIOUS! To me, they were entirely different than the ones I've found in the grocery store. Somehow more mild in flavor, and crunchier. Even my kids loved them (this is my 5 year old's hand grabbing them just as I shot this photo). Before I could even think of what to use them for, half the bunch were gone as my family happily crunched away.

With what was remaining, I chopped up a little Asian-inspired salad. The idea came from a similar salad I used to enjoy when we lived in New York City, at my favorite neighborhood Thai restaurant. A simple, crunchy combination of cucumbers, carrots, and in this case, radishes. A perfect accompaniment to any Asian flavored dinner, or even great on its own for a light lunch.

Crunch away!

Asian Salad with Radishes

Serves 2

1 bunch fresh radishes, sliced into half-moon shaped pieces

1/2 English cucumber, sliced into half-moon shaped pieces

2 medium carrots, sliced into half-moon shaped pieces

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons canola oil

salt/pepper

pinch of sugar

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Place the radishes, cucumbers, and carrots in a bowl.

In a smaller bowl, whisk together the vinegar, oil, salt, pepper, sugar and cilantro.

Toss with vegetables and serve chilled or at room temperature.

From the Farm: Greens

The phone rang, and it was Lexi Gazy "from the farm", as she said. That would be Gazy Brothers Farm in Oxford, CT, where I recently joined the CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). For those of you who aren't familiar with CSAs, they are programs where you agree to purchase a “share” of the farm, and in return, you receive weekly harvests of whatever is in season at the time. For creative cooks and adventurous eaters alike, this is a wonderful way to have a variety of interesting, fresh produce each week, and the opportunity to support local farmers. Shareholders pay the farmers upfront, guaranteeing them a market for their crops, which in turn provides stability in the sometimes unpredictable world of farming. Gazy Brothers Farm in Oxford is in their fourth year of the CSA program.

I'd missed the deadline to join the spring CSA, so a friend and I went in on one share of veggies and one share of fruit for the summer growing season. Lexi had a few bags of this week's harvest left over and said she could swing by if I was interested. Naturally, I was. She pulled up and opened the hatch of her car to reveal a half dozen or so white bags of produce. Given the time of year, the bags were full of a variety of greens, ranging from the familiar, to those lesser known. I immediately recognized a gorgeous bunch of cilantro, some green leaf lettuce, and arugula. I also saw what looked like monster scallions, but were instead green garlic. I guessed correctly on the beet greens, which gave themselves away by their vibrant red stems, but didn't recognize the remaining two bunches. They turned out to be kohlrabi greens and turnip greens.

After thanking Lexi for thinking of me, I rushed inside to wrap everything correctly to insure they stayed fresh. Then sat down to figure out what I was going to do with all these greens. Since there was no way I could possible eat everything in the next few days, I decided to focus on longer-term storage.

This process was old hat to me, as I had grown accustomed to harvesting my abundant indoor basil plant every several days. Unless I needed basil for whatever I was making for dinner that night, I would pull out my food processor and whip up a batch of basil puree or pesto. I would then scrape the contents of my work bowl into a plastic ziplock bag, squeeze out the air, and freeze for later use. I figured this was probably the best bet for many of the greens I'd just received. I started with the green garlic. Into the work bowl they went with some salt and olive oil, and the result was a wonderfully bright, pungent puree. I figured the garlicky goodness would be fantastic slathered over grilled fish or chicken. I didn't have any lemons on hand, but I will likely squeeze some fresh lemon juice into the mixture when I'm ready to use it, making it a totally fresh lemon-garlic seasoning.

For my second batch of puree, I didn't even bother to clean out the work bowl of my food processor, since I figured the remnants of my green garlic puree would be a fantastic addition to my arugula pesto. I whirred the peppery greens (also know as "rocket") together with salt, pepper, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil to make a beautiful sauce for pasta. I saved some for the night's dinner, and froze the rest for another day.

Lastly, I made cilantro pesto, which I often use with shrimp. It is great brushed on grilled shrimp skewers, or even as an alternative dipping sauce for chilled shrimp. To cut the strong flavor a bit, I added the last of my fresh parsley from my indoor garden, and also added a pinch of sugar and a squeeze of lime juice, which gives it a bit of a southwestern flair. Like the others, into the freezer it went, filling my shelves with great solutions for fast weeknight meals.

I can't wait to see what is in my farm bag the next time!

Contact info for Gazy Brothers Farm:

391 Chestnut Tree Hill Road, Oxford, CT 06478

203-723-8885

http://gazybrothersfarm.net/

Email: gazybrothersfarm@sbcglobal.net

To find a CSA in your area, go to http://www.localharvest.org/.

RECIPES

Linguine with Arugula Pesto

Serves 4

1 large bunch fresh arugula (rocket) greens

1 large green garlic stem, cut into 1 inch pieces (or 2 small garlic cloves)

2 tablespoons pine nuts

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

olive oil

salt/pepper

Place the arugula and green garlic in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Pulse until finely chopped.

Add pine nuts and Parmesan cheese, pulse to combine.
With the blades still running, slowly add olive oil through the feed tube until a puree is formed (everything should whirr around the work bowl like a sauce).
Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with linguine and more grated cheese.

NOTE: To make a creamier sauce, add 1/2 cup of ricotta cheese to the pesto.

Cilantro Pesto

1 large bunch cilantro, thoroughly washed and thick stems removed

1 large stalk green garlic, cut into 1 inch pieces (or 2 small garlic cloves)

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon sugar

olive oil

salt/pepper

Place the cilantro and green garlic in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Pulse until finely chopped.

Add lime juice and sugar, pulse to combine.With the blades still running, slowly add olive oil through the feed tube until a puree is formed (everything should whirr around the work bowl like a sauce).
Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve as a dipping sauce for chilled shrimp, or brush on shrimp skewers before grilling. Also good for chicken, fish, or grilled veggies.

Food Fun: Entrees Made Easy, Fairfield, CT

***Please note that Entrees Made Easy is now closed.

A couple years back, someone said to me, "you should open one of those places where you assemble meals to keep in your freezer!" The suggestion wasn't particularly far fetched, given my love of cooking. I thought that this concept was an excellent idea for someone else to pursue---someone who didn't love teaching cooking as much as I do.

"Someone", in the form of seven local entrepreneurial women*, also saw the potential for this type of business, and in March 2008, opened Entrees Made Easy on Black Rock Turnpike in Fairfield. Nestled behind Billy's Bakery, EME is a place where you can go to "assemble" meals which will be later cooked at home. The idea is that you can have a home-cooked meal, which you do actually cook, but didn't have to think of, shop for, or prepare (up to the cooking stage). No cleaning the veggies, no cutting up raw meat, and no mile-high stack of cutting boards and prep bowls to wash afterward. The busy work is all done for you at EME. Simply walk around to each entree station, place all the pre-washed, pre-chopped ingredients in the provided container, and bring it home to cook later (don't worry, each station is equipped with easy-to-follow instructional recipes). In about 30 minutes, you could put together enough meals for an entire week.

For people who actually love to cook, it is easy to think "I could do this exact same thing at home for less money." At first I thought the same thing. But once there, I have to admit that there really was something fun about putting together an entire dish in literally a few minutes. Besides, as they say in the business world, "time is money", and the time you save on planning, shopping, and prepping is substantial. Fast as it may be, do not mistake this for traditional fast food. Everything is extremely fresh (brought in and prepped every single day---no leftovers here), and in its original form (no processed junk).

At the ribbon cutting celebration, I had the opportunity to taste four of the menu items. While I think the concept for this store is fabulous, I wasn't sure what to expect of the food. I figured it would be on the bland-side, in order to appeal to the largest common denominator. Not true---- each dish I tasted was really very good. The Apricot Glazed Pork tasted vaguely of a sweet and sour pork dish, and included tender medallions of pork tenderloin. The Cassoulet was my favorite. The French-style stew used veggies, white beans, pork and sausage in a herb-infused tomato sauce. The Pasta Pomodoro was a light and flavorful combination of broccoli, oven roasted tomatoes and Parmesan tossed with pasta. I also assembled a meal to take home; I selected the Brandywine Chicken--boneless chicken breasts marinated in an apricot-brandy/Dijon mustard/ fresh herb mixture. Instead of putting it in the freezer, I actually made it the next night on my grill pan (the directions suggested an outdoor grill, but it was raining!). It was a hit with my entire family----and it even came with a fresh bag of green beans and carrots, which I cooked in my microwave for a super-speedy, no-fuss meal.

Entrees Made Easy is a much needed service in this area, which is loaded with busy families who want a home-cooked meal on the table each night. Whether you work, stay home with little ones, or simply want to liven up your dinner options, you'll definitely love this concept!

Still not sure what to make of it all? Head over this Saturday, April 5th, from 11 am to 2 pm, for a free tasting event, where you can sample selections from April's menu.

SPECIAL FOR SECRET INGREDIENT BLOG READERS: Now through April 15th, Entrees Made Easy is offering a special to my blog readers---"buy 3 full or half sized entrees, get a 4th from our freezer, FREE" . When registering, just choose "Secret Ingredient" as your referral and give the promotion code "SECRET" when prompted on the "create an order" page to receive your free entree. Read on for how to get started---it's very simple:

1. Go to the Entrees Made Easy website and register (under "Referred by" choose "Secret Ingredient" to be eligible for the special). Be sure to check out the monthly menu.
   
2. Create an order online, and schedule a session to assemble your meals. (go alone, with a pal, or with a group of friends--it's a great idea for a "girls night" outing). Walk-ins are welcome too!
   
3. Once you arrive, proceed to a meal prep station to begin assembling your meals (meals are available in two sizes---2-3 portions or 4-6 portions). There are staff members there to help newcomers navigate through the process.
   
4. Label everything with the pre-printed stickers (which include cooking instructions).
5. Check out at the desk, and they'll give you all the appropriate side dishes (included in the meal price, such as veggies, potatoes, bread, etc).
   

GREAT TIP: Don't have time to assemble? Pre-assembled entrees are also available from the EME freezer for pick-up too!
* Owners are Nina Boynton, Michelle Larkins, Ginny Longley, Melissa Trumbore, Elizabeth Barnes, Janice Feher, and Roxanne Harrrison.

Entrees Made Easy
1879 Black Rock Turnpike (Behind Billy's Bakery---enter parking lot on Katona Drive)
Fairfield, CT 06825
203-572-0140
fairfield@entreesmadeeasy.com


For more information on Entrees Made Easy, private parties, and more, go to http://www.entreesmadeeasy.com/

Saint Joseph's Macaroni

March 19th is Saint Joseph's Day, and my Italian-American family always celebrated with a special dish. It is a holiday most often celebrated in southern Italy, and in many villages, altars made of bread were constructed to honor St. Joseph, who was a carpenter by trade. Also typical of the day are Sfingi (sweet ricotta filled pastries) and special meatless dishes (since the day typically falls during the Lenten season). Some families eat Pasta con Sarde (pasta with sardines), but my family always made a pasta dish with beans. We called it simply "Saint Joseph's Macaroni."

In the cooking classes I teach, I always tout the practicality of using canned beans, but in this case, I start from scratch with dried beans, just as my grandmother did. The upside of dried beans is that they are extremely inexpensive, last for ages in your pantry, and believed by many to be tastier than their canned cousins. The downside is that you need to plan far in advance, as most dried beans require at least 8 hours of soaking time and an additional 2-3 hours of cooking time. My mother once made a version with canned beans which was very good, but since I had all the dried beans on hand, I decided to stick with my grandmother's recipe again this year.

Saint Joseph's Macaroni uses three types of beans (red kidney, lentils, and split green peas) and three types of pasta (broken spaghetti, ditalini, and elbows). It also includes onions, fennel and spinach and results in a hearty, earthy dish that satisfies even the heartiest of appetites. Salt and olive oil ("2 ladles full", according to my grandmother's recipe) are added at the end, and are essential to the flavor of the dish. I've adjusted a few things here and there, but otherwise, the recipe is pretty close to the one I remember eating each year March 19th in honor of Saint Joseph.

Saint Joseph's Macaroni

Serves 8

1/4 lb dried red kidney beans

1/4 lb split green peas
1/4 lb dried lentils

2 onions, chopped

1/2 bulb fresh fennel, plus the green fronds, chopped

1/2 lb pasta (combination of elbows, ditallini and broken spaghetti)

6 oz fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped

Olive oil
salt

Sort through the beans, checking for stones, and then rinse thoroughly under cold water.

Place the kidney beans and split peas in a large bowl and cover with water by about 3 inches. Soak for 8 hours or overnight.

Drain beans in a collander and add to a large soup pot together with the lentils, chopped onions and chopped fennel.
Add 2 quarts of water and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
Simmer for 2-3 hours, or until beans are softened.

Add the pasta and return to a boil. Continue cooking until pasta is al dente.

Add the spinach and stir to combine until it is wilted

Season liberally with salt and drizzle about 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil into the dish.
Stir again, and serve hot.

Chocolate Chip Cookies---Revisited

I recently took a career education course at the Institute for Culinary Education in New York City entitled "Recipe Testing and Development". Taught by Food Network recipe developer and blogger, Sarah Copeland, the course delved into the way recipes are conceived, created, written, and tested.

To drive home the importance of testing, retesting, and testing a recipe again, we did an exercise using all-American Nestle Toll House Cookies. Sarah chose a baking experiment to illustrate her point, as baking is more scientific and precise than savory cooking. When baking, one small change to a recipe often yields a sigificantly different result.

She asked us each to change one ingredient in the Toll House recipe, keeping everything else constant (other ingredients, baking time, etc). I chose to substitute whole wheat flour for all-purpose flour. Others opted to use other dry ingredients, like oat flour, whole oats, cornmeal, and buckwheat. Some changed the type of fat used (butter is the standard), and others examined alternative wet ingredients (such as all egg whites or all egg yolks). In all, there were seventeen different types Toll House cookies made, and what we discovered were seventeen very different cookies.

My whole wheat flour cookie (pictured above, on left) turned out very nicely, and while a little darker than the traditional Toll House variety, it was equally attractive. The whole wheat flour rendered it "toothsome", and gave it a bit of a nuttier taste. Overall, it was a good substitution and a successful result.

Much to my surprise, one of my favorite modifcations was the substitution of canola oil for butter (pictured above, on left). I wondered if that particular cookie would taste of the oil, but instead, the absence of the buttery flavor helped the chocolate and nuts stand out even more. Another cookie I particularly liked was the one using only egg whites instead of whole eggs. The cookies were light and delicious, but could be dangerous. Unlike my heavier whole wheat flour version, you could easily eat a half dozen of the egg white version without even realizing it.

Perhaps the most interesting modification was that replacing the all-purpose flour with oat flour. Since oat flour does not have any gluten, the cookies were completely flat, and resembled a Florentine cookie. While not something a kid would particularly like, for adults, they were a delicious and more sophisticated version of an American classic.

Try substituting different ingredients in your favorite recipe, sweet or savory, and see how the results vary. As they say on American Idol, "make it your own!"

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies (a variation on the classic Nestle Toll House cookie)

Yield: 30 cookies (note--this is a half recipe)
3/4 cups whole wheat flour

1/4 cup plus 2 T all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick butter, softened
1/4 cup plus 2T granulated sugar
1/4 cup plus 2T cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 cup (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Directions:
PREHEAT oven to 375° F.

COMBINE flours, baking soda and salt in small bowl.

Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add egg and beat well.

Gradually beat in flour mixture.

Stir in morsels and nuts.

Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.
BAKE for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Butter-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies (a variation on the classic Nestle Toll House cookie)
Yield: 30 cookies (note--this is a half recipe)

1 cup plus 2 T all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt 1

1/2 cup canola oil

1/4 cup plus 2T granulated sugar
1/4 cup plus 2T cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg

1 cup (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels

1/2 cup chopped nuts

Directions:
PREHEAT oven to 375° F.
COMBINE flours, baking soda and salt in small bowl.
Combine oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large bowl. Add egg and stir well.
Gradually stir in flour mixture.
Stir in morsels and nuts.
Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.
BAKE for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.