by Kathy Douglas | Jun 21, 2021 | Entrees
Garlic scapes are one of our seasonal favorites. Made into a Pesto, we tossed it with warm pasta, pan-seared shrimp, tomatoes, toasted pine nuts, and parmesan cheese.
Garlic Scape Pesto
1 cup garlic scapes, sliced into 1” pieces
1 cup toasted pine nuts, divided
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup Parmesan cheese
¾ cup basil leaves
Juice of one medium lemon
Salt to taste
Pasta, of choice
Grape tomatoes
Shredded parmesan cheese
Seared shrimp
1 pound large shrimp, peeled, and deveined
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoons coarse salt
pinch freshly ground pepper
Load in a high-speed blender the garlic scapes, ½ cup toasted pine nuts, olive oil, Parmesan cheese and basil leaves process until smooth. Add salt to taste. Scrape down the sides of the blender so everything is incorporated. Set aside.
Prepare the pasta according to package directions.
Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil, and heat until oil is hot. Arrange a single layer of shrimp in the pan, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Cook until underside is golden brown, 45 to 60 seconds. Turn over, and continue cooking until other side is golden brown and shrimp is cooked through, about 1 minute.
Combine the warm pasta with shrimp and pesto. Top with the remaining pine nuts, grape tomatoes, and shredded parmesan cheese.
by Kathy Douglas | May 31, 2021 | Entrees
Summer grilling is easy with this tasty Tomato Jam, Red Onion, and Speck Pizza! A fun treat to make, be sure to have all your toppings ready to go by the grill and this pizza will come together quickly when you make it grill-side.
INGREDIENTS
½ pound pizza dough, freshly made or store purchase
Flour for rolling the dough
Olive oil for the grates
½ cup Tomato Jam, jarred or homemade (recipe to follow)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
7-8 slices thinly sliced speck or Prosciutto ham
½ red onion, sliced thinly
2 teaspoons fresh oregano leaves
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat a grill to high heat. Roll or stretch the pizza dough out into a square or circle and place on the back side of a lightly flour sheet tray. Carefully brush the grill grates with olive oil. Slide the dough off the sheet tray and on to the oiled grates. Cook until the dough is lightly browned and well-marked with grill lines. Turn-over and cook the dough for just for 2-3 minutes more.
Remove and place on the back of the sheet tray with the well-marked side up.
Spread the tomato jam over the pizza, leaving a border. Top with the cheese, then slices of Speck, red onion and oregano staying inside the border. Slide off the sheet tray and back on the grill, close the lid and cook until the pizza bottom is lightly browned and the cheese is melted and bubbly. Cool for 5-10 minutes, place on a cutting board and serve.
Roasted Tomato Jam
INGREDIENTS
2 pounds Campari or any small sweet tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Over a bowl, cut the tomatoes in half; using a spoon or your fingers, remove the seeds into the bowl, reserving the tomato water and seeds. Try to remove as many seeds as possible. Place the tomato halves in another bowl and toss with the salt. Oil a sheet pan with 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Place the tomatoes, skin side down, on the baking sheet and then in the oven; roast for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Strain the tomato seeds and water through a fine mesh strainer; press hard on the seeds to remove as much water as possible. Reserve the tomato water and discard the seeds. You should have about ½ cup of tomato water.
Slide the skins off the roasted tomatoes and add the remaining tomato pulp to a large saucepan; discard the skins. Add the tomato water and the remaining ingredients. Bring the tomato mixture to a simmer and cook for 1 ½ hours until the jam is thick and sweet. Cool to room temperature. Store the jam in a tightly closed jar or container in the refrigerator. Makes about 1 -1 ½ cups of tomato jam.
by Kathy Douglas | May 10, 2021 | Entrees
It’s the perfect way to start grilling season – butter-glazed and grilled Wine Cap Mushrooms served over a yummy cheesy rice. It’s guaranteed to be your new favorite recipe.
To prepare the mushrooms
INGREDIENTS
4 tablespoons butter, melted
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 pound large fresh mushrooms, (we like Wine Cap)
INSTRUCTIONS
Prepare a grill to high heat. Whisk together the butter and the garlic powder. If the mushrooms are large, gently cut them in half. Brush the mushrooms with the butter mixture. Grill mushrooms, over medium-high heat, turning and brushing them until tender. Depending on their size, this could be about 4-7 minutes per side. Remove, cover and keep warm.
To prepare the rice
INGREDIENTS
4 tbsp of butter
3 medium cloves of minced garlic
1 cup uncooked jasmine rice
1 cup water
½ cup whole milk
½ cup cream
½ tsp salt
½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
¼ cup chopped parsley
INSTRUCTIONS
In a medium size saucepan over medium heat, sautè the garlic in the butter for about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the rice and sautè coating the rice with butter for about 2 minutes. Combine the water, cream and milk; stir together. Add to the rice with the salt and bring the mixture to a boil.
Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the rice is tender. Add the parmesan and half the parsley, stir until the parsley is combined and the cheese Is melted. Remove from heat, and keep warm.
To serve
Add the rice to a bowl and top with the mushrooms. Sprinkle the remaining parsley over and serve. Make 4 servings.
by Kathy Douglas | Mar 23, 2021 | Entrees
Perfect for March Madness Game Watching, these Shrimp Sliders are filled with fresh shrimp, lemon, panko bread crumbs, and Old Bay spice on slider brioche buns with Aioli sauce. We served them up with a side of oven-roasted duck fat potatoes.
INGREDIENTS
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 pound peeled and deveined raw large shrimp, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, divided
1 large egg
¾ cup panko bread crumbs
¼ cup finely chopped scallions
1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
½ teaspoon lemon zest,
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
½ cup Aioli Sauce (recipe follows)
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
12 Slider buns, split and toasted
12 small lettuce leaves
12 small Roma tomato slices
INSTRUCTIONS
Place 3 tablespoons butter in a small sauce pan and melt. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature. Add the melted butter, half of shrimp, and egg in bowl of a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped and mixture starts to clump together. Add to a large mixing bowl and gently stir into the shrimp mixture the panko, scallions, salt, Old Bay, lemon zest, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and remaining shrimp. Shape mixture into 12 slider patties. Transfer patties to a parchment paper–lined baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate until firm, about 45-60 minutes.
Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-low. Add shrimp patties, and cook until golden brown and cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Spread the aioli evenly on cut sides of the toasted buns. Top bottom bun halves evenly with shrimp patties, lettuce, tomato slices, then top with the bun halves.
Quick Aioli Sauce
INGREDIENTS
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
Mix the garlic and salt in a small bowl until a paste forms. Whisk in mayonnaise, oil, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Aioli can be made 1 day ahead. Keep covered and chilled.
by Kathy Douglas | Mar 15, 2021 | Entrees
Shepherd’s Pie is Irish comfort food at its best. Check out this recipe to make a batch for St.Patrick’s Day or any day you crave some comfort. This delicious recipe is filled with ground lamb, veggies, and herbs, all topped with buttery potatoes.
Ground lamb is the preferred meat, but you can substitute with ground beef. If you choose touse beef, be sure also to substitute beef stock for the chicken stock.
Shepherds Pie
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons grapeseed or canola oil
½ cup finely diced onion
¼ cup shredded carrot
Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 pound ground lamb or lean ground beef
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup chicken stock, or if using ground beef substitute with beef stock
1 tablespoon fresh mint, sliced thin
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
½ cup fresh spring peas or frozen, thawed
Mashed Potato Topping (see recipe following)
Butter to grease the baking dish
¼ cup melted Irish butter
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat one tablespoon of the oil in a 12” sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook, occasionally stirring, for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to soften. Stir in the tomato paste, cooking until combined, about 1 minute. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl and set aside.
Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in the same sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the meat and cook, stirring often, until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour, reduce the heat to medium, and cook for 30 seconds; stir constantly. Slowly add the stock, stirring to deglaze the pan. Return the vegetables to the sauté pan, add the mint, thyme, and peas Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the meat is tender about 20 minutes. Uncover the skillet and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes more. Taste and add any salt or pepper as needed.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Butter an 8” x 8” square baking dish then add the meat mixture. Completely cover with the mashed potato topping (below). Pour the Irish Butter over the top the potatoes and lightly sprinkle with salt. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the potatoes just start to brown. Makes six servings.
Mashed Potato Topping
INGREDIENTS
2 large Yukon gold potatoes (about 2 pounds)
½ cup cream
¼ cup Irish butter
Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
Peel the potatoes and cut into 2-inch cubes and place in a large pot. Add enough water to cover the potatoes. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook the potatoes until a small knife can easily pass through the largest potatoes, about 25-30 minutes. While the potatoes are cooking, in a small saucepan heat the cream and butter over low heat. When the potatoes are done, strain off all the water and return to the pan. Mash them while still hot and then add half the cream mixture. Continue to mash then add the remaining cream and mash until smooth but with a few small potato pieces here and there. Season the mashed potatoes with salt and pepper to taste.
by Kathy Douglas | Feb 15, 2021 | Entrees
Warm up from the snowy weather with this delicious pizza – layers of cheese, potatoes, and onions are topped with rosemary, and crushed red pepper. We baked the pizza to perfection before topping it with fresh parsley.
INGREDIENTS
Pizza Dough
2 packages dry yeast
1 tablespoon of honey
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra to oil the pan
3 cups of bread flour, plus extra if needed
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Pizza
3 cups grated monterey jack cheese
1 pound unpeeled small fingerling potatoes
6 garlic cloves
6 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt
2 small red onions, sliced very thin
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 ½ teaspoons dried crushed red pepper
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
INSTRUCTIONS
To make your own pizza dough – use a stand mixer with a dough hook and combine the 1¼ cups of warm water (must be between 100-110 degrees for the yeast to bloom), yeast, honey, and 3 tablespoons of olive oil in the mixer work bowl. Allow the yeast to dissolve and bloom for about 5 minutes. Then add 3 cups of bread flour topped with 2 teaspoons kosher salt, and mix on medium low until combined.
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