Gifts for the Gourmet on Your List

Every year we hear people complaining that it is almost impossible to buy Holiday gifts for friends and family. I believe that shopping for your favorite gourmet can be easy!  Here is just a smattering of what I have found and suggest this year.   Beware, these are gifts that could make anyone interested in food and cooking – and that’s a gift unto itself.

Nespresso CitiZ Espresso and Cappuccino Maker (www.nespresso.com)   This espresso maker is totally automatic and the coffee has the perfect crema.  The Aerocino device makes topping your cappuccino with steamed milk as simple as can be, just push a button.  A delicious selection of coffee capsules can be purchased the Nespresso Club on line or at a Nespresso boutique.  Mine is bright red, like a Ferrari and makes me very happy every morning.  It also makes my guests happy!

Fusion Brands Products (www.fusionbrands.com) Everyday tasks are made brighter, simpler and more convenient with the silicone tools designed by Fusion Brands.  You can stuff and tie a roast or chicken breast with thefoodloop, replace pounding meat with the TenderPress, hard cook eggs without them cracking with the boil/blanche/steam foodpod, poach a perfect egg with the poachpod and much, much more.  All these kitchen helpers are dishwasher safe to boot!  I have also wrapped thefoodloop around my favorite bottle of wine to bring to friends as a hostess gift.

Gift baskets from DiPalo Selects (www.dipaloselects.com).  An Italian Food & Wine lovers dream come true – DiPalo Fine Foods in NY now ships!  For the finest Italian cheeses, meats, pasta, olive oils, balsamic vinegars and more visit their website.  If you are in NY you can visit their store and Enoteca for fine wines on Grand Street in Little Italy.  Lou DiPalo is a regular guest on my show Stress Free Cooking and he is a wealth of information whether on Stress Free Cooking or in the store.

Fruit or Vegetable Gifts from Melissa’s World Variety Produce (www.melissas.com) There really is a Melissa at Melissa’s.  In fact she is daughter of the founders of the company.  Melissa’s sources and sells the finest exotic produce.  Check here for over 800 items including Black Garlic, Dragon Fruit, Mandarins, Pomegranates, Baby Vegetables, seasonings and their fabulous cookbook, Melissa’s Great Book of Produce. 

Lodge Cookware (www.lodgemfg.com) This enamel on cast iron cookware has become one of my absolute favorites.  The covered casserole is suitable for most dishes.  The cookware conducts heat evenly and cleans easily while still looking beautiful as it goes from stovetop to tabletop.  The red is my favorite.  It is great for braising, for sauces, and recipes like the following.  The following recipes not only work very well in this pan:

Chicken Stuffed with Asiago, Speck & Fig

 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, approximately 4 ounces each

Asiago Pressato DOP, Speck & Fig Stuffing: 

          2 Tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil

          1 small onion, finely chopped, approximately ½ cup

          10 ounce package Cremini mushrooms, half the package chopped and          half the package sliced

          2 large garlic cloves, finely minced

         2 ounces Speck Alto Adige IGP, finely minced

          6 ounce package baby spinach leaves, rinsed

          1 cup dried Figlets, cut in half

          Pinch of fine sea salt

          2-3 grindings of freshly ground black pepper

          ½ cup grated Asiago Pressato DOP 

½ – 1 cup dry white wine such as Orvieto, Pinot Grigio or White Vermouth     

Equipment:

Thefoodloop

Lodge covered casserole pan with lid

 In a large skillet, combine olive oil and onion.  Cook over medium high heat approximately 3-4 minutes until onion begins to soften and becomes translucent. 

Add the chopped mushrooms and garlic and cook another 3 minutes until mushrooms soften and start to exude liquid.  

Stir in Speck, spinach and figs.  Cook until spinach is almost all wilted, about 1 minute. 

Add a few grinds of fresh black pepper.  Remove from heat.  Cool.

Add Asiago Pressato DOP (can be made a day or a few hours ahead at this point). 

Cut a pocket in the chicken breast.  Insert a long thin boning or slicing knife into the thickest side of the breast and cut a pocket.  Place the stuffing into the pocket and secure with thefoodloop. 

Wipe out stuffing pan and add a small amount of olive oil.  Place chicken breast shiny side (where the skin was) down first.  Brown on first side and carefully turn so you don’t lose the stuffing.  When browning second side, scatter sliced mushrooms on the pan surface.  Brown the mushrooms with the chicken and then pour in the wine.  Cover and cook 10 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160.  

To serve:  slice chicken and place on dinner plate in fan pattern.  Spoon mushroom wine sauce over and serve.  

Cook’s Tip:  Can be served with Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Tre Colore Salad.  

ãBarbara Seelig Brown

 Shrimp with Pancetta, Toasted Garlic, Broccoli and Tomato

 Pancetta is an Italian “Bacon” of sorts, except that it is not smoked and is very lean.  You can purchase it sliced or in chunks.  If it is sliced, just cut it into small pieces, if it is in a whole piece, you can dice it. 

Serve this dish with a crusty whole grain bread, pasta, rice, cous cous, or polenta.

Serves 4-6 

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

4-6 cloves garlic, peeled thinly and sliced lengthwise

4 ounces Pancetta, diced

1 head broccoli, cut into florets, approximately 2 ½ cups

½ cup chicken stock

½ cup dry white wine such as Orvieto or Pinot Grigio

1 pound large shrimp, peeled & deveined, tails removed

1 cup diced fresh Roma tomatoes, approximately 3 large tomatoes or sliced cherry tomatoes

¼ teaspoon Fine sea salt

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Crushed Red Pepper, optional

Place olive oil in pan.  Add sliced garlic and bring pan and oil up to temp.  Watch carefully until garlic turns golden brown.  Remove garlic and reserve for garnishing the finished dish. 

Add broccoli and pancetta and sauté 2-3 minutes.  Add chicken stock, wine, shrimp, tomatoes, salt & pepper.  Sauté approximately 5 minutes until shrimp turn pink and are opaque inside.  Taste for salt & pepper and adjust as you desire.  Garnish with toasted garlic and optional crushed red pepper. 

Cook’s Tip:  Cooking time will vary depending on the size of your shrimp. 

ãBarbara Seelig Brown 

My new cookbook, The Diabetes Seafood Cookbook.  I am trilled to announce that this book just received the Gourmand World Cookbook Award for the USA for Fish & Seafood.  The recipes in this book were developed with the thought that you could interchange cooking methods, sauces, marinades and side dishes and satisfy the entire family, not just the person with diabetes.  With endless varieties of fish to choose from, seafood meals will never be boring.  Some recipes make fabulous one dish meals and the book includes a chapter called Rounding out the Meal, which even includes a dessert. The book also contains lots of cooking tips, calorie counts and diabetic exchanges at the end of each quick, delicious recipe.  Here is a sample recipe that will come in handy over the holidays.  The book is available at www.diabetes.org or your favorite bookseller and will come in handy after the holidays when we are all trying to get back in shape.

Grilled Tuna over Baby Greens with Oranges & Pomegranate Vinaigrette

Pomegranates are full of antioxidants and the pomegranate syrup also adds a nice hint of tart-sweetness to this dish.

 Serves 4

Pomegranate Vinaigrette: 

Yield: 3 / 4 cup Vinaigrette-Note: Leftover vinaigrette can be stored for several days at room temperature. 

1 / 4 cup white balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons Pomegranate Syrup

¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 / 2 cup extra virgin olive oil 

Equipment:  wire whisk, medium sized mixing bowl 

Place vinegar, Pomegranate syrup, salt and pepper in bowl.  Start whisking and slowly stream in the olive oil. Set aside.  

Grilled Tuna:

16 ounces tuna steak, cut into 4 portions

1 1/2 Tablespoons Pomegranate Vinaigrette

8 cups mixed greens (5 oz. package)

11 ounce can Mandarin Orange Slices, drained (about ¾ cup) 

Equipment:

Grill Pan 

Marinate tuna in 1 Tablespoon Pomegranate Vinaigrette for about 20 minutes.  

Heat grill pan.  Drain tuna.  Place on grill pan and grill first side about 4 minutes.  Turn and grill second side to desired doneness.  

To serve: Toss greens with 3 Tablespoons Vinaigrette.  Divide among 4 dinner plates.  Top with grilled tuna and garnish with mandarin orange slices.  

ãBarbara Seelig Brown   

Visit my website at http://www.stressfreecooking.com for more great food & wine info and details about my cooking show Stress Free Cooking.  Happy Cooking & Happy Holidays!

Herb Roasted Turkey Breast for Spring

Happy Spring to all my cooking friends!  You can click on this video to see how to prepare an herb stuffed turkey breast or you can read on for the print version.

http://www.stressfreecooking.com/Images/NJ%20Herald%203-18-09CookVidSM.swf 

Turkey for Spring

Spring brings us not only an assortment of holidays like Easter, Passover, First Communions, Confirmations, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, but the anticipation of many wonderful spring foods.  I am eagerly awaiting spring’s asparagus, artichokes, fresh arugula and more.  Not only will they taste fresher, but the prices will come down.  This week asparagus is down to $1.49 per pound.

 

In this blog, I am offering a spring menu for entertaining that also can provide some leftovers for lunches or dinners during the week.  One of the great things about cooking a big meal is the leftovers!  Recipe suggestions are provided for using the leftovers.  I suggest roasting a boneless, skinless turkey breast with fresh herbs and serving it with Asparagus with a Warm Shallot Vinaigrette and Candied Orange, a do ahead Potato Leek Gratin with Pancetta and for dessert, a Parfait made from Fresh Ricotta and Fresh Berries.  The turkey breast is so easy, no one believe you put it together in minutes before popping it in the oven.  I found a new tool (I prefer to call them toys), called a FoodLoop, it really makes quick work of something that would otherwise be tied with kitchen twine.  No fancy knots here – just wrap and snap.  The parfaits are a dessert you can feel guilt free about because they are made with Ricotta Cheese which provides calcium, not the usual sugar and fat of dessert, and fresh berries are a “Superfood”, full of antioxidants.

 

Put on your bunny slippers, pour a glass of wine, and cook.

 

Turkey Breast Stuffed with Fresh Herbs & Garlic

 

This turkey breast is wonderful on its own and the leftovers can be used in so many other dishes that it really is Stress Free.  You can ask your butcher to de-bone the turkey breast for you.

 

1 Turkey Breast, about 7 pounds, boned with skin on

1 ½ cups of your favorite roughly chopped fresh herbs such as basil, parsley, rosemary, & thyme (chop and then measure)

4 cloves garlic, minced

½ teaspoon Fine Sea Salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Additional salt & pepper

 

Equipment:

FoodLoop or kitchen twine

Parchment lined baking sheet or roasting pan (without cover)

Meat thermometer

 

Preheat oven to 375° – use the convection setting if you have it.

 

Lay turkey breast skin side down on a cutting board.  Pound or cut into the flesh to make it as even a thickness as possible.  It won’t be perfectly flat but you want to make it as even a thickness as possible.

 

Sprinkle with herbs, garlic, salt & pepper.  Roll turkey breast and tie with twine or FoodLoop. 

 

Rub the outside with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle lightly with additional salt & pepper. 

 

Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and roast for 50-60 minutes or until meat thermometer registers 155-160°.  Remove from oven and let rest for 10-15 minutes.  This will yield easier slicing and juicier slices.

 

©Barbara Seelig-Brown

 

 

Asparagus with Warm Shallot Vinaigrette & Candied Orange Peel

 

Equipment:

Saucepan for vinaigrette

Small saucepan for candied orange peel

Saucepan with Steamer insert for asparagus

 

Candied Orange Peel:

1 medium/large orange

 

Remove peel from medium to large thin skinned orange.  Cut into thin strips.  Cover with cold water, bring to boil and cook 10 minutes.  Drain.

 

Place maple syrup in small saucepan and reduce to consistency that will coat the back of a spoon.  Coat orange strips.  Let cool and then use as garnish on asparagus.

 

Warm Shallot Vinaigrette:

 

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

2 teaspoons honey

1 chopped shallot

 

Heat olive oil; add white wine vinegar, honey and shallot.  Mix well and keep warm for drizzling over asparagus.

 

1-2 lb. fresh asparagus, lightly steamed, approx. 4 minutes.

 

To assemble:

 

Lay asparagus on oval platter, drizzle with shallot vinaigrette and garnish with orange peel.

 

Serve at room temperature.

 

©Barbara Seelig Brown

 

 

Gratin of Potato, Leek and Pancetta

 

Serves 6

 

3 large leeks or spring onions, white and pale green parts of leek, well washed, chopped
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups half-and-half, scalded
1/4 cup grated Parmesan plus 2 tablespoons
1/4 cup grated Gruyere plus 2 tablespoons
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds (about 3 medium-large) russet (baking) potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes

4ounces Pancetta, sliced and chopped for topping.

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a saucepan, cook the leeks in 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat, stirring, until they are softened. Add the flour and cook the mixture over low heat, stirring for 3 minutes. Add the half-and-half, bring the liquid to a boil, and simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup each of the Parmesan and Gruyere, mustard, nutmeg, and salt and pepper, to taste.

In a separate saucepan combine the potatoes with enough water and salt to cover them by 2-inches, bring the water to a boil, and simmer the potatoes for 1 minute. Drain the potatoes.

Transfer the potatoes to a buttered 1 1/2-quart baking dish. Spoon the leek mixture over the potatoes, sprinkle it with the remaining cheeses, and dot the top with the remaining butter. Sprinkle with pancetta. 

Bake the gratin for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and the top is golden brown.

ãBarbara Seelig Brown

 

Roasted Turkey Sandwich with Arugula, Sun-Dried Tomatoes & Balsamic Vinaigrette

 

Yield: 4 servings

 

4 Slices Leftover Roasted Turkey Breast (or equivalent to fill 4 rolls)

4 Portuguese rolls

1 / 2 Cup sun-dried tomatoes, not in oil

1 bunch or 1 bag fresh Arugula

1 / 4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 clove roasted garlic – see recipe for Roasted Garlic

1 / 4 – 1 / 2  cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Fine sea salt

Freshly ground pepper

 

Equipment:

 

Salad Spinner

Chef’s knife, Serrated knife

Baking Sheet

Grill Pan

Medium bowl

 

Pour 1 / 4  cup balsamic vinegar into medium size bowl.  Add a pinch of sea salt and garlic.  Add 1 / 4 – 1 / 2 cup olive oil, a little bit at a time to ensure a good emulsion.  Taste after 1 / 4  cup and adjust to your taste. 

 

Wash and spin Arugula.  Lay on paper towels to continue drying.

 

Slice Portuguese rolls through center vertically so that you have 2 larger, thinner flat pieces.

 

Place bottom of roll on baking sheet.  Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette.  Layer turkey, Arugula and sun dried tomatoes.   Season with freshly ground black pepper.  Spread roasted garlic on top half of roll.  Drizzle with additional balsamic vinaigrette.  Place on top of turkey and press down. 

 

You can serve immediately or wrapped tightly and held for several hours tightly wrapped.      

 

ãBarbara Seelig Brown

 

Roasted Garlic

 

4 large heads of garlic

Extra Virgin Olive oil

Fine sea salt

Freshly ground pepper

 

Equipment:

Heavy duty aluminum foil

Ceramic basking dish

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

 

Using chef’s knife, slice a thin piece off the top or stem end of the garlic to expose most of the cloves. 

 

Place heads on large sheet of aluminum foil and drizzle with just enough olive oil to moisten the garlic, approximately 1 /2 teaspoon per head.  This will vary depending on the size of the garlic.

 

Sprinkle with a dash of sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

 

Wrap up tightly and place in ceramic dish.  Bake approximately 45 minutes or until very soft to the touch and a spreadable consistency. 

 

Suggested uses:

 

Mash to a puree consistency and add to marinades, salad dressings or sandwich spread.

 

Variations:

 

Break cloves apart, drizzle with oil, season with salt and pepper and roast in foil 20-30 minutes.

Peel garlic cloves, drizzle with oil, season with salt and pepper and roast in foil 20 minutes.

 

ãBarbara Seelig Brown

 

Chinese “Turkey” Salad

 

Use the leftover turkey from your Roasted Turkey Breast with Fresh Herbs.

 

2 cups cubed roasted turkey

 

Salad:

1 medium head Napa Cabbage, julienne, reserve a couple of large leaves for serving

1 small Heart of Romaine, julienne

A handful of snow peas, julienne

1 cup toasted Pignoli nuts

 

Mix salad ingredients together. 

 

Dressing:

2 teaspoons dry mustard

¼ cup rice wine vinegar

1 teaspoon peanut butter

1 teaspoon soy sauce

2 Tablespoons sesame oil

2-3 tablespoons canola oil

Salt to taste

Few turns’ fresh black pepper

 

Whisk dressing ingredients together.

 

Toss salad greens and dressing together.  Add turkey.

 

Serve on large Napa cabbage leaves.

 

© Barbara Seelig Brown

 

Ricotta and Fresh Fruit Parfait

 

A refreshing light finish to any filling and satisfying meal.

 

Serves 4

 

15 ounces part-skim ricotta cheese

1 / 4 cup honey

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 pints fresh berries

Fresh mint leaves for garnish

 

Equipment: food processor with steel blade or a blender

 

Mix cheese, honey and vanilla in food processor until smooth.

 

Spoon into individual stemmed glasses and top with fresh fruit.

 

Serving Suggestions: Drizzle with melted chocolate.

Garnish with fresh mint leaf.

Can be layered in a sundae type dish or trifle bowl.

 

ãBarbara Seelig Brown

 

Find my Stress Free Cooking page on Facebook or visit my website www.stressfreecooking.com.