Spinach Gnocchi

The very best thing to do with left over mash potatoes or baked potatoes. 

Two packages frozen spinach, thawed

1 cup flour

1 cup left over mash potatoes

2 eggs

Salt and pepper to taste

¼ cup fresh chives

2 tablespoons good extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon truffle oil (optional)

½ cup Parmesan

Thaw the spinach in a kitchen towel and squeeze out as much water as you can. Put the dry spinach in the food processor and pulse. Add in the ¾ a cup of the flour, eggs, mash potatoes, salt, pepper, and chives. Pulse in food processor until combined and the mixture starts to create a ball similar to making pie dough, (do not over processes the dough or it will become gummy). You may have to add more flour depending on the moisture content of the other ingredients. Form the dough into 1 inch fat logs lightly coat in flour and cut into half-inch pieces. Set the gnocchi on a baking sheet dusted in flour and freeze for storage. One they are fully frozen on the baking sheet transfer to a bag or container for long term storage. 

When you are ready to eat, boil salted water and drop the frozen gnocchi into boiling water. When the gnocchi dumplings float to the surface or after about 2-4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and place in saucepan with both types of oil. Toss the gnocchi until they are coated and slightly crisp on the outside Transfer to a serving dish, top with the cheese, and serve warm.

Scotch Bonnet Butter

If you look back to the scotch bonnet oil recipe there are always left over whole scotch bonnet peppers after making the oil. I have been sneaking these peppers into salads, corn bread, and pasta but here is my new favorite way to make use of these peppers. Using the stewed peppers alleviates some of the intense heat and lets the peachy flavor of the pepper come through.

1/2 cup leftover cooked scotch bonnet peppers
8 tablespoons salted good butter
3 tablespoons raw honey

Make sure the butter is at room temperature. Remove the stems and seeds form the peppers. Place all three ingredients in the food processor. Pure until smooth and all the ingredients are combined. Store in small containers or in plastic wrap. Serving on warm cornbread is my favorite way to enjoy this butter but it is great on a baguette or even to finish a nice piece of meat.

Mushroom and Spinach Lasagna

Lasagna is only as good as each layer; so using the best ingredients and making each layer packed with flavor makes this lasagna addictive.

 

1 box of dry lasagna pasta sheets

3 cups homemade tomato sauce

2 cups ricotta cheese

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

2 boxes of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

1 Vidalia onion, sliced

2 cups mushrooms, thinly sliced

6 cloves garlic, chopped

2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large pan, sauté the onion on medium heat until golden and translucent. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté an additional few minutes. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. In a separate pan sauté the mushrooms until most of the water cooks out, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and toss with the onions and garlic. Grease a 14 X 9 inch pan and lay one layer of pasta sheets down. Make sure the spinach is thoroughly drained of all the water.  Add the first layer of sauce on top of the pasta sheets. Then layer half of the onion and mushroom mixture. Top with half of the ricotta cheese. On top of the cheese add a layer of spinach. Lay down another layer of pasta on top of the spinach. Top the pasta with more sauce. Repeat by layering onions and mushrooms, spinach, and cheese. Finish the top with a layer of pasta topped with the reaming sauce. Top this with all the parmesan cheese. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes at 350 degrees F. Take the lasagna out of the oven and let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes so the moisture redistributes. Serves about 4.

Chocolate Hazelnut Tart

Hazelnut tart shell

½ cup toasted Hazelnuts

1-cup flour (spelt or all purpose)

3 Tbs Sugar

 ½ tsp salt

4 Tbs butter

1 large egg

1tsp vanilla extract

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Pulse hazelnuts in a food processor with the flour, sugar, and salt until it becomes the consistency of sand. Add the egg and vanilla and pulse until dough forms a ball. Press the dough into a tart pan and chill for 10 minutes in the fridge covered with foil and weighted down with dry beans or rice. Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees F. Remove the foil and weights and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Let the tart shell cool before adding the filling.

Chocolate tart filling

½ cup heavy cream

1 cup milk

6 oz bittersweet chocolate chips

6 oz semi sweet chocolate chips

¼ tsp salt

2 large eggs at room temp

Pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees F. Heat the cream and milk in a sauce pan over medium low heat until it simmers (small bubbles around the edge of the pot). Pour the warm milk over the chocolate to melt and whisk the two together until smooth. Add the salt and eggs and beat gently with a fork until combined. Pour the mixture into the cooled tart shell and bake for 20 minutes or until the filling has set (no giggle). Top with toasted hazelnuts or shaved chocolate and serve at room temperature. 

Note: If there is any left over tart filling poor it into a ramekin and bake in a water bath for an extra treat; or, if you wanted to skip the shell all together and make individual servings. Anyway you chose to make this recipe it is amazing.

Turkey Chili

1 bone in turkey breast               1 ½ teaspoons cayenne powder

3 tablespoons butter                  1 teaspoon coriander powder

3 medium leeks halved,                1 teaspoon cumin
sliced and rinsed                     2 tablespoons salt         

1 cup red onion, chopped              Fresh black pepper            

1 cup celery, chopped                 5 cups chicken broth          

2 carrots, chopped                    1 cup black beans               2 pablano peppers,                     3 1/2  cups corn
seeded and chopped                               

1 bell pepper, 
seeded and chopped                                   

4 cloves garlic, minced

¼ cup flour

Roast the turkey breast on a roasting rack at 350 degrees F for about an hour or until it reaches the internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Set aside to cool. Pull the meat of the bone and shred into bite size pieces. In a large pot sauté the leeks, onions, celery, carrots, peppers, and garlic in the butter. Cook the vegetables for about ten minutes or until soft. Reduce the heat to low and add flour and spices. Cook for about 2 minutes and add 3 cups of the broth. Bring to a simmer and add the black beans and 1 1/5 cups of corn. In a blender puree the rest of the corn and broth until smooth. Add the puree to the pot to thicken. Cook for about 20 minutes and serve.

Udon and Mushroom Stir Fry

2 tablespoons oil  
¼ cup dark sesame oil

2 carrots, julienned     ¼ cup chili oil

1 cup onion, thinly sliced   
¼ cup soy sauce

2 cups enokitake mushrooms   
1 teaspoon fish sauce

1 cup shimeji mushrooms

2 cups broccoli, julienned

4 cloves garlic, sliced

1 cup shelled edamame

1 package udon noodles

4 tablespoons roasted, crushed peanuts 

Sauté the onions and carrots on high heat in the cooking oil for about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms, broccoli, and garlic and cook until all the vegetable are tender, about 5-10 minutes. Add the edamame, chili oil, sesame oil, soy sauce, and fish sauce to the vegetable and turn off the heat. Cook the udon noodles in boil water, according to the package instructions. Drain well and add to the vegetables. Turn the heat back up to medium high and toss well for about five minutes to allow the noodles to soak up some of the liquid. Serve hot with crushed peanuts on top.

Hot Pepper Jelly Baked Brie

1-1/2 cups white vinegar

1 medium sweet red pepper, 
cut into wedges

2/3 cup chopped habanero peppers

6 cups sugar, divided

6 ounces liquid fruit pectin

In a blender puree the vinegar and peppers. Add 2 cups of the sugar and blend well. Pour into a saucepan and stir in the remaining sugar and bring to a boil. Stir in pectin. Return to a rolling boil over high heat. Boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and skim off foam. Carefully ladle hot mixture into hot sterilized half-jars, leaving 1/4-in. headspace. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims and adjust lids. Seal and store in the fridge once cooled.

Now that you have hot pepper jelly...

1 wheel brie

1 sheet puff pastry

½ cup hot pepper jelly

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. On a cookie sheet lay down the puff pastry. Place the cold wheel of brie in the center. Put the pepper jelly on top of the brie. Fold up the edges of the puff pastry to seal at the top without squishing the cheese and jelly. Prick a few air vents in the top and bake according to the puff pastry box instructions or until golden brown. Serve hot with crackers and apples.