Christmas Eve Calamari

It's a beautiful day in Austin and my spirits are high. Nic, Poin, Frank, and I began our day with a visit to La Boite for an amazing Pan au Chocolat and iced coffee. The pastry was probably the best I've tasted in a long time. Flaky, warm, with the perfect amount of chocolate. If you are in South Austin, you MUST visit this new addition to Austin's food trailer industry. South Lamar and Mary - do it.


As we were driving north to my place, I opened up Nic's "The Glorious Soups and Stews of Italy" cookbook. Offhandedly I mentioned to Poin that I really wanted to make the Calamari stew recipe. With three hours until our flight to Napa, we decided that lunch was in order, so why not? A quick adventure to Central Market yielded the necessary ingredients and we were off. I have to credit Nic & Poin with all the preparation of this meal. I pretty much just sat back and enjoyed :D

Calamari in Umido per la vigilia di Natal or "Christmas Eve Calamari"

Ingredients

2 lb cleaned calamari - tubes and tentacles (you can use frozen calamari according to the chef)
Olive Oil
1 white onion - thinly sliced
3 large garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Big pinch of red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon of chopped fresh oregano
1/4 cup dry white wine (or more? who knows)
1 can stewed tomatoes (we used Cento Italian style), chopped
1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
Slices bread for serving

Preparation

Chop up all your veggies and using kitchen sheers, cut the calamari tubes into 1/2 inch-wide rings and the tentacles into bite size pieces.

In a large saute pan (that has a lid), head up the olive oil on medium heat. Saute the onions until softened and translucent. Using a mortar and pestle, smash up the garlic with the salt into a paste. If you don't have a mortar and pestle, use a garlic press.

Add the garlic paste, red pepper and oregano to the cooked onions. Stir in the Calamari and saute for 2 minutes. Raise the heat to medium-high and add the wine. Let the mixture bubble for a few minutes and then add the tomatoes.

Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover partially, and let the stew cook for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, uncover and continue to cook for 15 minutes or until the sauce is thick. Stir in vinegar, raise the heat to high and cook for 2 more minutes. Taste and adjust with salt. Remove from heat and finish with the parsley.

Serve with crusty bread, toasted in the oven and brushed with olive oil.

Makes 4 servings

Homemade Gnocchi - Sweet potato & Original

The gnocchi at buenos aires cafe is my gold standard for all gnocchi. Perfect little clouds, tossed in a springy vinaigrette of balsamic, herbs, and magic. When you eat something as perfect as this dish, the task of recreation seems impossible. My dreams, however, are big. And so, during my domestic week in Dallas, I decided to embark upon a gnocchi journey... not once, but twice. Does that make the recipe twice as good? I sure hope so!



Gnocchi Dough

Gadgets: Parchment paper, potato ricer, dough blade (not necessary, but pretty important!)

Ingredients

Plain Gnocchi
2 medium russet potatoes
1 -1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (you may not use all of the flour)
salt
1 egg yolk

Sweet Potato Gnocchi
1 medium russet potato
1 medium sweet potato *note: I tried making this recipe using only sweet potatoes and the consistency was off*
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (again, you may not use it all)
1 egg yolk
Salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Preparation (same for both varieties)

Pierce the potatoes all over with a fork, then bake on 450 degrees for 45 mins - 1 hour. The potatoes should be tender when finished and the sweet potato may need more time because it has more moisture than it's starchy friend the russet.

Let the potatoes cool (you don't want to burn your hands) but make sure to work with them while they are still warm. Now, it's time for the potato ricer! I bought mine at Kohl's for $20.00 and it's an awesome addition to my kitchen gadgets. A potato ricer allows you to break up the potatoes into a thin mashed consistency.



You could probably mash the potatoes if you don't own a ricer, but you want a nice smooth texture.

Lightly flour your counter top. Also, cover two baking sheets with parchment paper. Lightly flour this as well.

In a large mixing bowl, mix together the potatoes, lightly beaten egg yolk, salt (and spices for the sweet potato gnocchi), and 1 cup of flour. This should form a sticky dough. Add more flour 1/4 cup at a time, until the dough is not too sticky but not too firm. Basically, you want to incorporate the least amount of flour into your dough to keep the gnocchi light. Too much flour and the consistency will be gummy. Ew. The sweet potato gnocchi will require more flour than the regular kind.

Cut the dough into 3 smaller sections using the dough blade. On a floured surface, roll the dough into a long snake. It's like playing with play dough! The snake should be about 1/2 inch thick. Using the dough blade, cut the snake into 1 inch pieces. Move these pieces to the floured parchment paper and continue with the rest of the dough.

Move the trays to the freezer if you do not plan on cooking immediately. After about 20 minutes in the freezer, you can put the gnocchi into a tupperware box. They will be good for up to 3 months. To cook, bring salted water to a boil and add frozen gnocchi.

The gnocchi will take approximately 2-3 minutes to cook. Using a slotted spoon, remove the gnocchi when they float to the surface. Serve with any sauce you like! I made a pancetta sage vinaigrette.

Good luck! Homemade gnocchi is much easier than you think. Make a large batch and freeze the leftovers for a cold day.

Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

As a child I would never really understand when my mom would say "I was an italian in my past life." Now that I have fallen in love with dough making, I believe I too was an Italian (please note, not a guidette). I image myself as a heavy-set matriarch with leathery, worn hand. I pick tomatoes off the vine and young kids from the neighborhood call me "Nonna." I make fresh bread and pastas everyday.

So, while I may not resemble "Nonna" in my current life, I am channeling my pseudo-Italian heritage into various dough experiments. My most recent dough undertaking was a whole wheat pizza crust. It's approximately a 1:1 ratio of whole grain flour to white flour, so I guess it's not as legit as other completely whole grain crusts... but, it's delicious and light. I'm very proud of my first pizza crust! I "knead" more practice, but I encourage you give this recipe a try.

Whole Wheat PIzza Crust

Adapted from localkitchen recipe

Ingredients

1 cup warm water
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons instant dry yeast
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 and 1/4 cups all purpose unbleached flour
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt

Preparation

In a 2-cup measuring cup, add yeast and sugar and 1 cup warm water. Stir and leave for 10 minutes to get foamy. After 10 minutes, add Tablespoon of olive oil

In a large mixing bowl, mix together the flour and the salt.

Sprinkle a little extra flour on your clean kitchen top, then pour the flour on to the counter. Make a well in the middle of the flour, and pour in the yeast mixture. Mix together in a circular motion until the dough forms. It will be a quite sticky.

When the dough comes together, fold it into thirds, like you would a business letter. Fold down the top and fold up the bottom, then the two sides until each side has been folded onto itself and the dough is roughly in the shape of a square. Cover this with a clean kitchen towel and let it sit for 20 minutes. This will help make the dough less sticky and it will be easier to knead. While the dough is resting, ready a bowl oiled with 1 Tablespoon of olive oil.

After 20 minutes, knead the dough until you can form a ball (5-10 minutes) Push the dough away from you, not directly down into the counter. Make sure you have enough flour on your hands and work surface to prevent sticking! When ready, place this ball into the oiled bowl and cover the ball with oil.

Now, turn on oven to 250 degrees and let it warm up for 1 minute. Turn the oven off and put the bowl of dough into the oven. It needs to rise in a warm place for approximately 45 minutes. It should be about 1.5 times its original size when ready.

After 45 minutes, punch down your puffy dough in the bowl (fun!) and fold it a couple of time to remove the air pockets. Form into another ball. Cover with the towel again and let it rise again for 25 minutes. This will help the texture!

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Put a baking sheet into the oven so it can warm up. You can also bake on 500, but be careful not to burn it! It will definitely come out crispier at a higher heat.

Once the dough rises a second time, it's ready to be used. Cut the ball into half with a dough scraper. Set one ball aside. Roll out dough with rolling pin and then stretch by hand to your desire thickness. This dough works well for both thick and thin crusts.

Line the baking sheet with parchment paper and SPRAY WITH COOKING SPRAY. (I forgot this step on the first pizza and we ate parchment paper pizza crust.... oops!). Also, trim away excess paper, because it will burn and make a mess. Believe me, I know.

Bake the dough separately for 3 minutes, then add sauce and toppings and bake for another 4-6 minutes.



If you don't want to use all your dough now, you can half-bake it, and then freeze. Bake the dough in the oven for 2-3 minutes in a 500 degree oven. Take it out and let it cool, then freeze. When you want to use it, just add toppings and pop straight into the oven.

This recipe makes enough dough for 2, 10-inch pizzas.

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

Easy & versatile - this green salsa can be used as an enchilada sauce, an accompaniment to chicken, a dipping sauce, or (my favorite) on top of scrambled eggs for chilaquiles!

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

Gadgets: Blender or food processor

Ingredients:

1 lb Tomatillos
3 Jalapeños (try serranos for added heat!)
1 while onion
6 cloves of garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin power
3 teaspoons of salt (approximately, so add 1 at a time and taste!)
Olive oil
Cilantro
Lime Juice

Preparation:

Set your oven to broil

Rinse tomatillos and peel off their sticky husks. Halve the tomatillos and jalapeños and put them into large baking dish with the garlic cloves and roughly chopped onions. Drizzle liberally with olive oil.

Broil for about 10 mins until the tomatillos are soft in the center and everything is starting to brown.

Transfer roasted veggies to the blender, add a little more olive oil and blend!

Now that you have the basis for the sauce, taste it! I think tasting is an important part of learning about ingredients and learning how to tailor your recipes.

Now, add the cumin, salt, and a handful of cilantro leaves (no stems please). Adjust the seasoning, add a squirt of lime juice, and garnish with more cilantro.

Makes approximately 5 cups

Healthy Oatmeal Cookies

I am a sucker for oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, so it's only appropriate that I learn to make a "healthy" version of my favorite treats. I use the term somewhat loosely, since I do not skimp on the amount of chocolate chips in the dough. However, the recipe does eliminate processed sugar and uses whole grain flour. Close enough... right? Because of the honey, these cookies are not overly sweet and, depending on how long you leave them in the oven, the consistency can range from soft and chewy to a little crunchy.

Before you put on your apron, beware- they never last longer than 2 days in my apartment. A friend of mine can devour a entire batch in a matter of hours. Don't say I didn't warn you....

Dark Chocolate Cherry Oatmeal Cookies

Adapted from a Whole Grains Gourmet recipe

Dry ingredients

1 cup whole wheat flour (I use whole wheat pastry flour from the bulk foods section of Central Market)
1 1/2 cups of large flake rolled oats
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Nutmeg (optional)

Wet ingredients

1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup olive ol
1/4 cup applesauce (unsweetened)
1 Tablespoon Maple syrup or Molasses
1 egg (beat with 1 Tbsp Water)
1 tsp Vanilla

Optional ingredients

1/2 cup dark choc chips
1/2 cup dried cranberries, cherries, or favorite nuts

Preparation:

In a large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together.

In a medium bowl, mix all the wet ingredients together. Note: Spray the measuring cup with a little pam to prevent your honey from sticking to slides.

Mix the wet stuff with the dry stuff. Add the choc chips/dried fruit. If the mixture seems too wet, add a bit of flour. This dough will seem a bit wetter than normal cookie dough and will be pretty grainy because of the oats. It's okay though!

Cool the mix for about 20 minutes in the fridge.

Preheat the oven to 335 degrees (honey burns more easily, so the temp needs to be lower).

Use a teaspoon to drop the dough on to a baking tray (spray with pam to prevent sticking!) Press down with a fork to ensure even cooking.

Bake for about 15 - 18 minutes or until golden on the bottom of the cookie. Makes approximately 20 cookies, depending on size.