GRILLED EGGPLANT WITH LEMON, YOGURT, POMEGRANATE AND MINT

Published
by
Tyler Florence
on November 4, 2009
in Main Dishes
. 1 Comment

11.04.09-GRILLED_EGGPLANT

8 small (4-inch-long) eggplants, trimmed, split in half, flesh scored
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons tahini or smooth peanut butter
juice of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons ground cumin
handful of fresh mint leaves
1 pomegranate, cracked open and seeds dug out
1 red Thai chile, sliced

Put a large grill pan on two burners over medium-high heat or pre-heat an outdoor gas or charcoal grill to medium. If you’re using an outdoor grill, take a few paper towels and fold them over several times to make a thick square.  Blot a small amount of oil on the paper towel, then carefully and quickly wipe the hot grates of the grill to make a non-stick surface.

Put the eggplant halves on a big platter or sheet pan.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle on both sides with salt and pepper.  Put the eggplant slices on the grill and cook until golden, 4-5 minutes.  Then turn and continue cooking 4-5 minutes more until nicely browned on both sides and soft and creamy.

Meanwhile, put the yogurt, tahini, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons olive oil, the cumin, and salt and pepper into a blender and puree until smooth.  Taste for salt and pepper.

To serve, spread the yogurt sauce over the bottom of a serving platter.  Shingle the eggplant halves on top and garnish with the mint, pomegranate seeds, and sliced chile.

BUTTERMILK PIE WITH WHIPPED HONEY CRÈME FRAICH

Published
by
Tyler Florence
on November 3, 2009
in Desserts
. 0 Comments

11.03.09-BUTTERMILK_PIE

Yield: 6-8 servings

Time: 2 hour 15 minutes

Pie Shell:

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

1 stick unsalted butter, cut into cubes

1/2 cup cold water

Pie Filling:

1 stick of unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 large eggs, separated

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups buttermilk

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Begin by making the pie shell.  Add flour, sugar and salt to a food processor and pulse until well combined.   Drop in cold butter cubes and shortening and continue to process until you have the texture of coarse breadcrumbs.  Add cold water and process until the dough comes together in a large ball.   Turn the dough out onto a floured, flat surface and gently knead a few times until the dough is smooth and consistent.  Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and set it in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to rest.

Once rested, roll the dough out into a circle slightly bigger than your 10-inch pie dish.  Roll disk of dough up around your rolling pin then unroll it out on top of your pie dish, gently pressing it in around the insides of the dish.  Trim any overhang and discard.  Cover with a piece of parchment and fill with pie weights.  Bake in the center of the oven for 20 minutes or until the pie crust is set and just firm.  Remove weights and cool.

Drop the temperature of the oven to 325 degrees F.

In a kitchen mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy and pale in color.  Add egg yolks, buttermilk, lemon juice and nutmeg and mix – scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula.  Add flour and continue to mix until just combined.  In a clean mixing bowl whisk egg whites until you get stiff peaks.  Gently fold egg whites into buttermilk mixture, half at a time then pour into pie shell.  Bake for 35-40 minutes until the pie is set – you don’t want any color.  Cool and serve with honey crème fraiche.

HONEY CRÈME FRAICHE:

16 oz crème fraiche

2 tablespoons honey

Whisk crème fraiche in a kitchen mixer on high for 45 seconds until it tightens up slightly.  Fold in honey with a spoon so it is just mixed but you can still see swirls of the honey.

SCALLOP SALTIMBOCCA WITH CRISPY FRIED SAGE

Published
by
Tyler Florence
on October 28, 2009
in Main Dishes
. 1 Comment

10.28.09-SCALLOP_SALTIMBOCCA


Yield: 4 servings
Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence

12 slices speck
12 large sea scallops
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 fresh sage leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and cut into wedges
1/2 lemon

Wrap a strip of speck around the perimeter of each scallop and squeeze gently so that speck sticks to itself and the scallops.

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sage leaves and fry until lightly browned and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Gently lift the leaves out of the pan and drain flat on paper towels. Season the scallops with salt and pepper. Add the scallops to the hot pan and cook 2 to 3 minutes on each side until well browned. Remove scallops from the pan and put them on a platter. Now add the apples to the pan and give them a quick sauté until wilted and caramelized, 4 to 5 minutes. Season with a squeeze of lemon juice and salt and pepper.

To serve, spoon a smear of potato purée on plates and set 3 scallops on top of the potatoes. Spoon the apples around the plate and garnish with sage leaves.

VEAL CHOPS and ROASTED POTATOES WITH BLUE CHEESE DRESSING AND MINT

Published
by
Tyler Florence
on October 26, 2009
in Main Dishes
. 2 Comments

10.26.09-chop

Recipe courtesy of Tyler Florence

Yield: 4 servings

2 pounds small Yukon Gold potatoes, split in half through the equator
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Dressing:
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 bunch of fresh chives, minced

4 thick veal or pork chops, about 3 pounds of total
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Leaves from 1 bunch  of fresh mint
Lemon wedges, for serving

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, toss the potatoes with 1/4 cup of oil and season generously with salt and pepper.  Spread the potatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet or in a roasting pan, cut side down, so the cut layer gets super crispy like a French fry.  Roast for 30 minutes, or until crispy.

Next, start on the dressing.  Put the cheese, buttermilk, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a small bowl and stir together with a fork, mashing a little to break up the cheese.  Season with the lemon juice, salt, pepper, and chives.

When the potatoes have cooked for 20 minutes, season the chops with salt and pepper.  Put a large saute pan over medium heat, add the olive oil, and heat until it begins to smoke.  Add the veal and saute until golden brown on the outside and just barely pink inside, 3 to 4 minutes on each side.

To serve, put a chop on each of 4 plates.  Put the potatoes in a bowl and drizzle with the dressing.  Add the arugula and mint and toss.  Set one portion of the potatoes on top of each chop.  Dust with black pepper and serve with lemon wedges.

CHOCOLATE BANANA BREAD

Published
by
Tyler Florence
on October 21, 2009
in Main Dishes
. 5 Comments

10.21.09-BANANA_BREAD

Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence
Makes 1 loaf

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for the pan
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted
2 large eggs
3 very ripe bananas
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Butter a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Mix together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In another bowl, cream the butter until lightened, then beat in the chocolate, eggs, bananas, and vanilla. Stir in the dry ingredients just until combined; do not overbeat.

Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake until a toothpick stuck into the center of the bread comes out almost clean, 50 to 60 minutes.  Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for at least 15 minutes before unmolding.

ROASTED ROOT VEGETABLES WITH HONEY, BALSAMIC & FRESH GOAT CHEESE

Published
by
Tyler Florence
on October 20, 2009
in Main Dishes
. 0 Comments

10.20.09-ROASTED_VEGETABLES
yield: serves 4
time: 50 minutes

1/2 pound medium carrots, peeled and left whole
1/2 pound medium beets, peeled and quartered
1/2 pound medium turnips, peeled and halved
1/2 pound medium parsnips, peeled and left whole
3 shallots, unpeeled, cut in half through the stem
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
4 ounces fresh goat cheese

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Toss the vegetables with olive oil and salt and pepper in a big bowl.  Dump them out onto a baking sheet in a single layer and roast for 25 minutes.  Whisk together the honey and vinegar in a small bowl.  Take the vegetables out of the oven, pour the vinegar-honey mixture over and toss.  Return the vegetables to the oven and cook until fork tender and caramelized, about 20 more minutes.  Top with pieces of goat cheese and that’s it.

THE ULTIMATE BAKED BEANS

Published
by
Tyler Florence
on October 19, 2009
in Main Dishes
. 0 Comments

10.19.09-BAKED-BEANS

Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes

1/2 cup molasses
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo
3 big (28 ounce) cans cannelloni beans
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 slices pancetta
6 fresh rosemary sprigs

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Put the molasses, ketchup, mustard, and chiles in a blender and puree.  Scrape that into a big bowl, add the beans, season with salt and black pepper, and gently toss so that the beans are coated with the molasses mixture.  Now dump that mixture into a 9×13 inch baking dish and level it.  Shingle the bacon strips over the top.  Throw the rosemary sprigs on top and bake until the bacon is browned and fat is rendered, about 25 minutes.

ALMOND SEMIFREDDO WITH DRIED FRUIT AND SPICED HONEY

Published
by
Tyler Florence
on October 16, 2009
in Main Dishes
. 0 Comments

10.16.09-ALMOND_SEMIFREDDO
Time:  Serves 8

2 1/2 cups milk
6 large egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon amaretto liqueur
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup chopped almonds

Spiced Honey:
6 figs, fresh or dried, cut into quarters
6 dates, pitted and chopped
1/2 cup honey
¼ cup water
Juice of 1 lemon
1 cinnamon stick
Amaretto cookies, for garnish

Pour the milk into a saucepan and bring just to a boil over medium-high heat.
In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and the sugar until the sugar starts to dissolve and the yolks turn light yellow, about 3 minutes. Gradually whisk in the hot milk, adding it in a thin stream at first so as not to cook the yolks, and then more quickly. Return the mixture to the sauce pan and cook over low heat, without boiling, until the mixture thickly coats the back of a spoon, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and amaretto. Refrigerate until cool (or chill in a water bath).

Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Spread the almonds on a baking sheet and toast until golden and fragrant, 7 to 10 minutes.

When the custard is cold, whip the cream to stiff peaks and fold into the custard along with the toasted almonds. Scrape the mixture into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan, cover and freeze.  Meanwhile, put the figs, dates, honey, water, lemon juice, and cinnamon stick in a small saucepan and set it over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes until the fruit is soft.  Let cool slightly, then remove the cinnamon stick.

To serve, dip the bottom of the loaf pan in a bowl of hot water for 5 seconds.  Put a platter on top and then invert quickly; lift off the loaf pan.  Cut the semifreddo into slices and put the slices on plates. Spoon the spiced honey and dried fruit over and crumble amaretto cookies over the top for crunch.

PENNE WITH SPICY ITALIAN SAUSAGE, CREAM, TOMATOES AND PEAS

Published
by
Tyler Florence
on October 15, 2009
in Main Dishes
. 1 Comment

10.15.09-pene

Yield: serves 4-6

Time: 55 minutes

4 links spicy Italian sausage

extra-virgin olive oil

1 lb penne

extra-virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic

1 medium onion, diced

1/4 cup torn fresh basil leaves

1 (28oz) can crushed San Marzano tomatoes

1 cup heavy cream

2 cups peas

1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano, plus more for top of plate

Fresh basil leaves for garnish

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Place the sausage links on a sheet tray and roast in the oven for 12-15 minutes until slightly golden and just cooked.  Cut on the angle into bite-size pieces.  Cook pasta in salted water until just tender but still has a bite to it – “al dente”.

Set a large, heavy-based pot over medium heat and add a 2-count of olive oil.  Add onion and garlic and sauté until translucent and fragrant – about 3 minutes.   Add San Marzano tomatoes, torn basil leaves and season with salt and pepper.  Simmer for 15 minutes then fold in cream and continue to simmer until rich and creamy.  Add blanched peas, sausage, and grated parmesan.  Fold together and cook for 2-3 minutes to allow the flavors to come together.  Serve topped with a shower of grated parmesan and fresh basil

ROASTED ZUCCHINI AND SUMMER SQUASH RISOTTO WITH CRISPY FRIED SAGE AND PARMESAN

Published
by
Tyler Florence
on October 9, 2009
in Side Dishes
. 6 Comments

Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence
10.09.09-zuccini

Yield: serves 4-6

Time: 50 minutes



4 summer squash

4 zucchini

6 paddy pans

1/4 bunch fresh thyme, leaves only

1 large onion

Extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Extra-virgin olive oil

1 bunch fresh sage

1 medium onion

2 cups Arborio rice

1/2 bottle dry white wine

2 quarts low-sodium vegetable stock

1/2 stick unsalted butter, cut into three

1 cup grated Parmigiano reggiano

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut squash, zucchini and paddy pans into circles and slice onion.  Set out on a roasting tray and scatter thyme leaves over the top.  Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes until golden brown and fragrant.

While the vegetables are roasting, start the risotto.  Set a large, heavy-based pot over medium heat.  Pour just enough olive oil in the pan and fry the sage leaves until they are crispy and crackly.  Drain on paper towels, and set aside.  Add onion to the pan and sauté until fragrant and slightly translucent.  Add rice and cook for 2-3 minutes as you stir with a wooden spoon.  Add vegetables stock, a little at a time, allowing the rice to absorb the stock each time before adding more.  Continue to do this until the rice is tender but still has a little bite – add water if necessary after you have used all the vegetable stock.  To finish, add butter and grated parmesan and stir in until melted.  Top with roasted vegetables and crispy sage leaves.