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Mascarpone & Chocolate Parfait
Ingredients:
1 cup crushed Meringue cookies
1 container Mascarpone cheese
1 cup Cocoa Hazelnut spread (Nutella-type spread)
1 cup Morello cherries (or your favorite type)
¼ cup Heavy Cream – lightly whipped
1 cup finely crushed Roasted Hazelnuts(optional)
Instructions:
Blend ½ teaspoon of hazelnut spread with heavy cream. Whip lightly until it thickens.
In a parfait glass, add about one inch layers of cookies, mascarpone cheese and cherries. Add a two-inch layer of Hazelnut
cream mixture. Drizzle a little cherry syrup on top and serve with a dusting of crushed halzenuts. Garnish with one cherry
and a mint leaf. Serve lightly chilled.
Mache Salad With Asiago Cheese and Fruit
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Number of servings: 4 people
Ingredients:
4 cups mache salad greens (washed very well )
1 1/2 cup diced cantaloupe or honeydew melon
1 cup prosciutto ( beef or pork )
1 cup grated or shaved asiago cheese or any hard cheese of your choice
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon honey or brown sugar ( optional )
Fresh mint or fresh basil for garnish
Instructions:
For the vinaigrette:
Mix vinegar, sugar and mustard until combined well. Add oil very slowly until it starts to get thick. Season with salt and
pepper to taste. Mix all the other ingredients and toss very well with the vinaigrette. Garnish with mint or basil.
Great summer salad choice with all the different flavors and textures.
Beef with Chanterelle Sauce
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Number of servings: 4
INGREDIENTS
1 pound beef stew meat
2 tablespoons chopped onions or shallots
1 teaspoon fresh crushed garlic
1/4 cup red wine
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 jar chanterelle mushrooms
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter ( optional )
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh chives or parsley
INSTRUCTIONS:
In a large skillet bring oil to a high heat. Sauté meat for about 7 minutes. Do not overcook or it will be too tough. Remove
beef from the skillet. Reserve it. In the same skillet add a little more oil and sauté onions until tender. Add garlic and
sauté for about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and 1/4 cup of red wine and chicken stock and simmer for 3 minutes.
Return meat to the skillet just to warm up. Add chives before serving. Season to taste before serving. If you want add a little
bit of real butter in the sauce and whisk until melted. This recipe can be done with chicken. Instead of red wine use white
wine.
Stuffed Sweet Baby Bell Peppers
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Number of servings: 3
INGREDIENTS:
1 package baby bell peppers
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Goat cheese or any other cheese of your choice (enough to stuff bell peppers)
Fresh chopped chives, parsley or basil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Instructions:
Make a small slit or cut in the peppers. Wash and clean peppers inside. They don’t have many seeds. Mix goat cheese,
salt and pepper with fresh chopped herbs.
Stuff each one with a small amount of cheese mixture.
Drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar on top of each one.
Bake in 450 degree oven until peppers are soft and cheese is melted (about 15 to 20 minutes).
Serve as a side dish or just as appetizers.
Delicious and healthy.
You can fix this dish 2 days ahead and keep in the refrigerator until serving. To warm up, just place in the microwave for
about 2 minutes.
Mache Salad with Chive Vinaigrette
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Number of servings: 4
Ingredients
1 bunch fresh chives
1 cup cream fraiche
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 package mache greens (available at Trader Joe’s or specialty/gourmet markets)
1 cup pear tomatoes cut into halves
1 cup sliced English cucumbers
Shaved Asiago Cheese or any hard cheese (Garnish)
Instructions:
In a food processor mix chives, cream fraiche, vinegar and blend until combined well. Add oil very slowly to emulsify the
mixture. Season with salt and pepper. If vinaigrette is too thick add a little bit of water. Finish the dressing with a couple
drops of lemon juice to prevent it from getting dark.
To serve: Toss Mache with chive dressing. Place a small amount of greens on each salad plate, add sliced cucumber and pear
tomatoes around the greens. Add shaved cheese on top of the salad and drizzle a little bit of vinaigrette on top. This is
a delicious salad. Mache lettuce is one of the heartiest, longest lasting of the better greens.
Crab Salad with Shallot Vinaigrette
Preparation time:25 minutes
Number of servings:4
Ingredients:
For the salad:
4 cups greens (any greens of your choice)
1 cup crab fresh crab or a good very good quality canned crab like Byrd's Brand at Trader Joe's.
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup orange wedges
For the vinaigrette:
3 large finely chopped shallots
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup canola oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh herbs ( thyme, tarragon or parsley )
Instructions:
In a medium bowl, combine shallots, dijon mustard, brown sugar and rice vinegar. Whisk until combined very well. Add in oil
very slowly, whisking constantly until you get a creamy consistency. Add salt and pepper and herbs. Cover and refrigerate
until serving time.
Grilled Vegetable Salad with Chicken
Preparation Time: 30-35 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
2 sliced zucchinis
1 small sliced eggplant
2 medium red bell pepper
2 corn on the cob
1 medium sliced red onion
1 large portobello mushroom
2 whole heads of garlic
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
3 good size chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
Instructions:
Heat the grill and coat with olive oil using a small brush or a piece of a clean cloth.
Place all the sliced vegetables, corn on the cob and mushroom into a very large bowl or pyrex pan. Brush every vegetable with
olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Add salt and pepper. Rub very well to coat all the veggies in the same way. Place all the
vegetables on the grill (a few at a time) and grill until they are charred but not burned.
Remove from the heat and cut all the vegetables into a small pieces. For the corn just remove all the kernels from the cob.
Use a knife and carefully cut the kernels vertically off the ear. Season with salt and pepper and add fresh basil for garnish.
Add a little more olive oil and balsamic vinegar if necessary.
To grill the chicken:
Season chicken with salt and pepper. You can use a little lemon juice for a nice change in taste. Using the same grill cook
the chicken until golden brown, about 8-10 minutes on each side. To make sure the chicken is ready make a small hole with
a fork or knife in the meaty part of the chicken. If a clear liquid (like water) comes out it is not ready. Do not overcook
your chicken or it will be very dry. Chicken should be seared and cooked over high heat to seal in the juices. Cut into nice
slices or cube the breasts if you prefer. Add to salad and voilà.
Portobello Mushroom with Tomatoes and Fresh Mozzarela
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
4 medium size Portobella mushrooms
1 medium size red onion
1 large vine ripe tomatoe
8 fresh basil leaves
1 large fresh buffalo mozzarela. 4 medium slices if is large or 8 slices if is small.
Salt and pepper
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon crushed fresh garlic
Instructions:
Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Place mushrooms on a large tray. Season with olive oil, salt, pepper and crushed garlic.
Bake for about 15 minutes or until mushrooms are tender.
To assemble:
Place mushroom in a center of a plate, add sliced tomatoes, one slice of fresh mozzarela and fresh basil leaves. Drizzle with
olive oil and balsamic glaze and serve right away. It is a wonderful appetizer or a nice side dish with chicken or filet mignon.
You can find Balsamic Glaze at Trader Joe's store or in another specialty or gourmet store.
Homemade Balsamic Glaze:
Place a large bottle of balsamic vinegar into a large pan. Do not use nonreactive (untreated aluminum or cast iron) pans.
Let simmer for about 30 minutes on very low heat. The vinegar will evaporate and will turn into a nice, thick syrupy glaze.
Be careful no to burn it because balsamic has a lot of sugar content and will burn very fast.
You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.
You can use Balsamic Glaze over red meats, grilled chicken, fish or vegetables and in many other recipes. It is delicious
and versatile.
Cilantro Chicken Salad with Apples and Mangos
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
3 grilled chicken breasts
1 sliced firm apple
1 firm but ripe mango sliced into strips
1 cup toasted sunflowers seeds or pepitas
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
4 cups chopped romaine hearts
1 large firm avocado
1/2 cup raw fresh kernel of corn
Salt and pepper
1/3 cup cilantro dressing (available at Trader Joe's or specialty stores) or you can make your own.
Grilling the chicken:
Season with salt and pepper. Cook the chicken until golden brown, about 8-10 minutes on each side. To make sure the chicken
is ready make a small hole with a fork or knife in the meaty part of the chicken. If a clear liquid (like water) comes out
it is not ready. Do not overcook it or it will be very dry. Chicken should be seared and cooked over high heat to seal in
the juices.
Place all the ingredients into a large bowl. Add chicken strips and cilantro dressing. Add sliced avocado and serve right
away.
Cilantro Dressing:
1 cup fresh chopped cilantro (stem included).
1/2 cup fresh soy mayonnaise(you can change for plain yogurt)
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic
Pinch red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper
Place all the ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth. Add a little water if it is too thick. Adjust seasonings
to taste.
For a nice avocado salad dressing or salsa just add avocado into the cilantro dressing and puree just before serving.
Delicous......
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