Mushroom & Gorgonzola Tartiflette

    

Mushroom & Gorgonzola Tartiflette

A twist on the French classic. Add a zingy salad and pickles on the side to balance out all that cheesy richness.  Serves 4

5out of 5 stars

Ingredients:

3 pounds Baby Dutch Potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1 1/4"    chunks
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 cup large flat mushrooms, cut into 3/4" chunks
2 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 leeks, finely sliced
3/4 cup white wine
7/8 cup crème fraîche
2 tablespoons Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
7/8 cup Gorgonzola dolce
Directions: Put the potatoes in a large pan of cold water with a pinch of salt. Set a large pan of water over a medium heat and bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are easily pierced with a knife. Drain and leave to steam dry.
Meanwhile, put a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, then the mushrooms. Cook for 4-5 minutes until browned, then tip onto a plate and set aside. Wipe the pan clean with kitchen paper, then set back over a medium heat. Add the butter and, once melted, add the leeks and cook gently for 8-10 minutes until softened. Add the wine, turn up the heat and bubble until reduced by ½. Remove from the heat, stir through the crème fraîche and Parmigiano Reggiano, then season with salt.
Heat the oven to 200ºC, gas mark 6. Drain any liquid off the mushrooms, then add them to the leeks with the potatoes and ½ the Gorgonzola. Tip into a 30x20cm ovenproof dish and dot over the remaining Gorgonzola, then bake for 20 minutes until golden and bubbling. Enjoy with a green salad and pickles, if liked.

Chicken Caesar Toast

Chicken Caesar Toast

Creamy Caesar Salad makes a brilliant toast topper, ideal for summer dining.  The bonus is a recipe written specifically for one.

Ingredients:

1 romain lettuce

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 cup chicken pieces

1 salad onion, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons reduced fat Caesar dressing

1 tablespoon finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano

1/4 lemon juice

2 slices sourdough bread, toasted

Directions;

Preheat the grill to high.  Cut the lettuce in 1/2 inch lengthwise and drizzle with oil.  Put the cut side down on a baking tray and grill for 3 to 5 minutes turning halfway until charred on both sides.  Set aside until cool enough to handle.

Meanwhile in a large bowl, mix together the chicken and salad onion, and drizzle  over the dressing and sprinkle with most of the cheese.  Trim the bases of the charred lettuce bases and separate the leaves.  Add to the bowl and with the lemon juice, season and toss together.  Toast the bread under the grill until golden on both sides (keep a close eye).  Pile the salad onto the warm toast and sprinkle over the remaining cheese to serve.

 

American Meatloaf

American Meatloaf

Meatloaf one would think is very American, its origins actually in a German colonial dish of minced pork mixed with cornmeal. Italians cook it a lot as well and in this rendition the cultures blend deliciously with the addition of a pestata to an American classic. Not only does it taste delicious but it is foolproof, moist every time. The leftovers reheat as if just cooked and Italians love to serve it with roasted potato wedges.

Ingredients
2 cups country crusty bread cubes
1 cup milk
2 medium carrots, cut in cubes
2 medium celery, cut in chunks
1 medium onion, cut in chunks
1 ½ pounds ground beef
1 ½  pounds ground pork
1 bunch scallions, cut in slices
1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Granna or Grana Padano
1 cup marinara sauce or pureed canned tomatoes
½ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon dry oregano
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Put bread cubes in a medium bowl and pour the milk over. Let soak until bread is soft. Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine the carrot, celery and onion and pulse to make a fine-textured paste or pestata.

When the bread is soft, squeeze out excess milk and put bread in a large mixing bowl. Add pestata, ground meats, scallions, grated cheese, marinara sauce, parsley, salt and oregano. Mix well with your hands to evenly distribute all of the ingredients. Oil a 10-by-15 Pyrex (or other) baking dish with the olive oil. Form meat mixture into a loaf in the oiled pan.

Baked until browned and cooked through (the center of the meatloaf should read 165 degrees F in an instant read thermometer), about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing.