Recipe Wednesday: Pesto Alla Genovese

Today's recipe comes from our Summer Italian class with Denise Backstrom.

PESTO ALLA GENOVESE

2/3 c pine nuts

¼ c olive oil

2 garlic cloves, peeled & minced
2/3 c extra virgin olive oil
3 c fresh basil leaves, firmly packed
¼ c grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp salt, or to taste
1 lb. Pasta or gnocci

Toast nuts in 350 degree oven, about 5 min. Place nuts, garlic, ¼ c olive oil, & basil leaves in food processor or blender; process until evenly pureed, about 15 sec. Transfer mixture to a bowl. Slowly stir in cheese, salt, & 2/3 c extra virgin olive oil. Mix with hot pasta or gnocci. If pesto is to be heated, heat very gently. Makes 1 ½ c pesto, enough for lb. Pasta, cooked & drained.

Recipe Wednesday: Bananas Foster Cheesecake



Buy online.

Today's Recipe Wednesday comes from our Tupelo Country Club Invitational Ladies Cooking Class with Chef James Allen, Executive Chef of the Tupelo Country Club. We held the class last August.

Bananas Foster Cheesecake

The idea behind this dessert is to make a topping that will complement the cheesecake and save you time and effort in the process. The cheesecake is store bought but that is nothing to turn your nose up at. There are plenty of companies that make millions of dollars each year by selling pre-made cheesecake and if they weren’t good, they wouldn’t be selling any. If you have a cheesecake recipe that you love go ahead and make it then top it with Bananas Foster sauté.

For the Bananas Foster:
2-4 Bananas, depending on your love, sliced
2 TB Butter
½ cup Brown Sugar
Zest from one orange, one lemon, and one lime
Juice from the zested orange, lemon and lime
¼ cup Banana Liqueur
¼ cup Spiced Rum

In a skillet melt the butter and then add the bananas. Cook until the bananas begin to fall apart and add the brown sugar, the zests and the juice. Once the juices begin to evaporate, add the flammables and back up. If you are cooking on a gas burner a flame will rise. If you are hesitant about fire remove the pan from the heat before adding the alcohol and pour it in off the heat. Let the pan rest off the heat a little while so the alcohol can evaporate then return the pan the heat and continue cooking a for a couple minutes. If you are not hesitant and do not like your eyebrows, or your guests eyebrows, then flame on. I would recommend having a towel in your hand just in case there is a flare-up or spillage. Pour the mixture on top of the cheesecake slice and enjoy!

Cutting Boards: A Kitchen Must Have

Cutting boards protect knives and provide sturdy surfaces for cutting. Consider having two or three cutting boards in your kitchen to cut down on the possibility of cross contamination. Some cooks color code using one color board exclusively for meat and another for vegetables and breads.


Check out our selection
of cutting boards in stock and online.



When choosing the type of board, wooden, plastic or glass, that you want to use, think about how you will use the board. While wooden boards are easier on knives and limit the cutting sound, they also are harder to clean, can not be put in the dishwasher and may harbor bacteria. Consider using a wooden board only for vegetables and breads.

Glass boards look beautiful but are harder on knives and make loud cutting noises. Plus you have an increased risk of the board breaking if it's dropped.

Plastic boards can be cleaned easily in the dishwasher and are a great board for cutting meats and other foods. But throw them away if they develop cracks where bacteria can hide.

Regardless of the board you use, make sure to clean and dry completely before you place back in your cabinet.

Recipe Wednesday: Seared Tuna Block (Sushi)

Spice up your week with this Seared Tuna Block from Chef Joshua Simpson's Simply Sushi class.

Seared Tuna Block

Need a sushi block mold? Order online!

7 oz fresh tuna block
2 cups sushi rice
8 fresh chives
Pickled ginger
Wasabi paste

Tuna Seasoning:
1 T black sesame seeds
1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp smoked sea salt
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp dry parsley
1 tsp oregano
Mix all of the above together.

Cut the tuna to the desired shape, roll in the seasoning. In a smoking hot skillet sear each side of the tuna. (Rare is the best temp to truly enjoy the flavors)

In a small stock pot blanch 8 pieces of chive (about 20 seconds)

In a block mold (or a round mold) press a small amount of rice in the bottom, place a piece of ginger and smear Wasabi paste. Pace the tuna in top and slice the mold off. Garnish with a chive.

Something new: Flavored Salts

Come by the store and check out our new line of flavored salts. Sprinkle a little on your meats and veggies for an extra kick. Or use them in place of dipping sauces to add flavor to fried foods without weighing them down with heavy sauces. Check out Lime Fresco (great for margaritas!), Vintage Merlot, Spanish Rosemary, Habanero Heat, Sun Ripened Tomato and Black Truffle.

What is Blind Baking?

Our recipe this week calls for "blind baking" the pie crust, so we thought we'd offer a few tips to help your crust (and quiche) turn out great.

First off, blind baking means partially or fully pre-baking a pie crust. This prevents the crust from becoming soggy from the main pie (or quiche) ingredients and helps it to hold it's shape.

Second, you'll want to either "dock" the crust by pricking it multiple times with a fork or fill it with a pastry weight. You don't need to do both, but without doing either your crust will likely bubble up and lose it's shape.

If you opt not to dock, you should line your crust with parchment paper and then fill with dried beans, lentils, or peas or with ceramic or metal "baking beans". Place your weight in a bag so you can easily pull it out to re-fill with the real pie filling.

Recipe Wednesday: Mixed Vegetable Quiche with Cheddar and Parmesan

Today's recipe comes from our Learning at Lunch Quiche with Jody Lehman from April of 2009.

Mixed Vegetable Quiche with Cheddar and Parmesan

• (9-inch) refrigerated pie crust
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 1 cup cooked stir-fried vegetables
• 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 3/4 cup grated Cheddar
• 1/4 cup low fat milk
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Press pie crust into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch, removable-bottom tart pan (or 9-inch pie pan). Blind bake for 5 to 7 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine spinach, stir-fried vegetables and place on top of crust. In another bowl combine ricotta, cheddar, milk, eggs, Dijon, thyme, salt, and black pepper. Mix well. Spoon cheese mixture on top of vegetable mixture in prepared pie crust and top with Parmesan.
Bake 20 minutes, until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean and crust is golden brown.

Cookie Sheet vs Jelly Roll Pan

This week's recipe Wednesday calls for a "jelly roll pan". So what exactly is a "jelly roll pan" and how is it different from a "cookie sheet"? Many people mistakenly refer to a "jelly roll pan" as a "cookie sheet". But there are a couple of differences.

Most "jelly roll pans" have 1" sides all the way around to hold in juices when you are cooking. A "cookie sheet" has only one or two raised sides, mostly to help with handling of the pan. The design of this "cookie sheet" allows air to move around your cookies better. While you can use a "jelly roll pan" for baking cookies, it's not always a good idea to substitute a "cookie sheet" for recipes calling for a "jelly roll pan" because it may allow the juices to run off into your oven.

Recipe Wednesday: Straw & Hay Alfredo with Roasted Asparagus

Today's recipe comes from a Cooking Light class Jody Lehman led in March 2009.

Straw & Hay Alfredo with Roasted Asparagus

Ingredients

Need a Jelly-Roll Pan?
Buy online or in the store.

2 cups 1% low-fat milk
1/3 cup 1/3 less fat cream cheese
2 T. All-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2” pieces
Cooking Spray
8 oz uncooked whole wheat spaghetti
8 oz uncooked spaghetti
2 T. Truffle oil
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Combine the first four ingredients in a blender; process until smooth. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Add milk mixture to pan; cook 3 minutes or until mixture simmers, stirring constantly. Cook 2 minutes or until thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in cheese. Cover.

Place asparagus on jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes or until browned, stirring once. Cook both pastas according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain well.

Place pastas and asparagus in a large bowl. Add cheese mixture, tossing well. Add truffle oil and pepper; toss gently. Serve immediately.