EMERIL’S MAC AND CHEESE
Foodnetwork.com
(one of our favorites. This is the original recipe, but I have found changes are easily made to use different cheeses, make it creamier, etc)
Ingredients
4 tablespoons butter, plus 2 tablespoons, plus 1 tablespoon
4 tablespoons flour
2 cups half and half
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/4 teaspoon Emeril's Red Hot Sauce
8 1/2 ounces grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, or other good-quality parmesan cheese (about 2 cups)
1 pound elbow macaroni
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
4 ounces grated cheddar cheese
4 ounces grated fontina cheese
4 ounces grated gruyere cheese
1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon Essence or Creole Seasoning
Directions
In a heavy, medium saucepan melt 4 tablespoons of the butter over low heat. Add the flour and stir to combine. Cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Increase the heat to medium and whisk in the half and half little by little. Cook until thickened, about 4 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat, season with the salt, pepper, hot sauce and 4 ounces of the grated parmesan. Stir until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth. Cover and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add salt to taste and, while stirring, add the macaroni. Return to a boil, reduce the heat to a low boil and cook for about 5 minutes, or until macaroni is very al dente (slightly undercooked). Drain in a colander and return the macaroni to the pot. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter and the garlic and stir to combine. Add the bechamel sauce and stir until well combined. Set aside.
Using the remaining tablespoon of butter, grease a 3-quart baking dish or casserole and set aside.
In a large bowl combine 4 ounces of the remaining parmesan cheese, cheddar, fontina and gruyere cheeses. Toss to combine.
Place one-third of the macaroni in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Top with one-third of the mixed cheeses. Top with another third of the macaroni and another third of the cheese mixture. Repeat with the remaining macaroni and cheese mixture. In a small bowl combine the bread crumbs, remaining 1/2 ounce of grated parmesan, and the Essence and toss to combine. Sprinkle this over the top of the macaroni and cheese.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the macaroni and cheese is bubbly and hot and the top is golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving.
For filling
1/2 cup pine nuts (about 3 ounces)
1 medium onion
1/3 cup olive oil
two 10-ounce packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup crumbled feta (about 3 ounces)
1 tablespoon fine dry bread crumbs
seven 17- by 12-inch phyllo sheets
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Make filling:
In a shallow baking pan toast pine nuts in middle of oven until golden, about 4 minutes, and cool. Finely chop onion and in a large heavy skillet cook in oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened. Squeeze spinach to remove as much liquid as possible and stir with salt into onion. Cook spinach mixture over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until any liquid is evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes, and cool slightly. In a large bowl whisk eggs until combined and stir in spinach mixture, pine nuts, feta, and bread crumbs until combined well. Filling may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring filling to room temperature before proceeding.
Stack phyllo sheets and cover with 2 overlapping sheets plastic wrap and then a dampened kitchen towel. In a small saucepan melt butter and cool slightly. Lightly brush a 10 1/2- by 7 1/2- by 1-inch rectangular tart pan with a removable fluted rim with butter.
On a work surface lightly brush 1 phyllo sheet with butter. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon Parmesan evenly over buttered phyllo and repeat layering with 5 more phyllo sheets, butter, and 5 tablespoons Parmesan. Arrange last phyllo sheet on stack and lightly brush with butter. Transfer phyllo to tart pan, letting excess hang over edge, and spoon filling onto phyllo, spreading evenly. Fold edges of pastry over filling, leaving center uncovered , and lightly brush top of phyllo with butter. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan over exposed filling and bake tart in middle of oven until golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve tart warm or at room temperature.
Gourmet
November 1998
TURKEY ROULADE WITH APPLE CIDER GRAVY
Ellie Krieger, 2007
(note: this is a great recipe to play around with! I use chicken instead of turkey, and stuff with couscous, raisins and pine nuts with a dash of curry, or make a spinach and feta stuffing with fennel seeds. Adjust the gravy accordingly to create the flavors you want to compliment you stuffing!)
EGGPLANT PARMESAN
(sorry, no measurements for this one! This is "cook by your heart" food!)
1 or 2 or 3 eggplants. Skin on or off, I prefer off. Sliced to desired thickness: I like them thin!
Italian Bread Crumbs
Flour seasoned with salt and pepper
2-4 eggs beaten
good red wine
lots of crushed garlic
tomato paste (this will determine the amount of sauce you have)
1 or 2 cups favorite spaghetti sauce
oregano
basil
grated Parmesan
mozzarella
Dredge sliced eggplant in flour, then beaten egg, then coat with the bread crumbs.
place on cookie sheets and bake at 350, turning once, until golden brown and soft.
In a bowl combine, tomato paste, tomato sauce, a splash of red wine, garlic, some dried oregano and dried basil, salt and pepper if desired. Mix well. Thick is ok.
In a baking dish, add a couple of spoonfuls of sauce to the bottom of the pan. Add a layer of eggplant, add a dollop of sauce on top of each slice, add shredded mozzarella, continue layering.
When finished, pour remaining sauce on top, more mozzarella and a dusting of parm.
Bake 350 until golden and bubbly.
BEST TURKEY BURGER
Martha Stewart
Directions
MUGHLAI CHICKEN
Recipe: Nigella Lawson
Ingredients
1 (1-inch) piece ginger, peeled
4 cloves garlic, peeled
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon dried chili flakes
4 tablespoons ground almonds
1/2 cup water
5 cardamom pods, bruised
1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
2 bay leaves
4 cloves
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 pounds boned chicken thighs, each cut into 2
2 onions, finely chopped
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sultanas (golden raisins)
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup flaked almonds, toasted, to garnish
Directions
Put the ginger, garlic, cumin, coriander, and chili into a food processor, or into a mortar and pestle, and blend to a paste. Add the ground almonds and water and then blend again, set aside.
Heat the oil in a large pan and add the chicken pieces - in batches so they fry rather than stew - and cook them just long enough to seal on both sides, then remove to a dish.
Add the spices and turn them in the oil. Add the onions and cook them until softened and lightly browned, but keep the heat gentle and stir frequently, to avoid sticking. Pour in the blended paste, and cook everything until it begins to colour. Add the yogurt, half a cup at a time stirring it in to make a sauce, then stir in the stock, cream, and sultanas.
Put the browned chicken back into the pan, along with any juices that have collected under them, and sprinkle over the garam masala, sugar, and salt. Cover and cook on a gentle heat for 20 minutes, testing to make sure the meat is cooked through.
It's at this stage, that I like to take the pan off the heat and leave it to cool before reheating the next day.
So either now, or when you've reheated it, pour into a serving dish and scatter with the toasted flaked almonds.
SPINACH, FETA and PINE NUT PHYLLO TART
For filling
1/2 cup pine nuts (about 3 ounces)
1 medium onion
1/3 cup olive oil
two 10-ounce packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup crumbled feta (about 3 ounces)
1 tablespoon fine dry bread crumbs
seven 17- by 12-inch phyllo sheets
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Make filling:
In a shallow baking pan toast pine nuts in middle of oven until golden, about 4 minutes, and cool. Finely chop onion and in a large heavy skillet cook in oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened. Squeeze spinach to remove as much liquid as possible and stir with salt into onion. Cook spinach mixture over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until any liquid is evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes, and cool slightly. In a large bowl whisk eggs until combined and stir in spinach mixture, pine nuts, feta, and bread crumbs until combined well. Filling may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring filling to room temperature before proceeding.
Stack phyllo sheets and cover with 2 overlapping sheets plastic wrap and then a dampened kitchen towel. In a small saucepan melt butter and cool slightly. Lightly brush a 10 1/2- by 7 1/2- by 1-inch rectangular tart pan with a removable fluted rim with butter.
On a work surface lightly brush 1 phyllo sheet with butter. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon Parmesan evenly over buttered phyllo and repeat layering with 5 more phyllo sheets, butter, and 5 tablespoons Parmesan. Arrange last phyllo sheet on stack and lightly brush with butter. Transfer phyllo to tart pan, letting excess hang over edge, and spoon filling onto phyllo, spreading evenly. Fold edges of pastry over filling, leaving center uncovered , and lightly brush top of phyllo with butter. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan over exposed filling and bake tart in middle of oven until golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve tart warm or at room temperature.
Gourmet
November 1998
TURKEY ROULADE WITH APPLE CIDER GRAVY
Ellie Krieger, 2007
(note: this is a great recipe to play around with! I use chicken instead of turkey, and stuff with couscous, raisins and pine nuts with a dash of curry, or make a spinach and feta stuffing with fennel seeds. Adjust the gravy accordingly to create the flavors you want to compliment you stuffing!)
Ingredients
1 (2 1/2-pound) skinless turkey breast, butterflied
1/2 cup dried cranberries
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
1/2 large onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups), plus 1 cup sliced onion
2 large garlic cloves, minced
5 slices day-old whole-wheat bread, crusts removed, cubed (about 2 1/2 cups)
1/3 cup lightly toasted chopped pecans
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons fresh crumbled sage or 3 teaspoons dried, divided
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup apple cider
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon cold water
Directions
Special equipment: kitchen twine
Place the turkey breast between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound lightly with a meat mallet to an even thickness of about 3/4-inch. Set aside while stuffing is prepared.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Place the cranberries in a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, cook for 1 minute, then remove from heat, drain and reserve. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onions and cook, stirring, until onions are golden but not charred, about 12 to 15 minutes. Add the garlic and cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Add bread, cranberries, pecans, 2 tablespoons fresh or 2 teaspoons dried sage and 1/2 to 3/4-cup chicken stock, depending upon consistency of stuffing; (you want the mixture to be moistened, but not too wet, since the turkey will release moisture when cooked). Cook over low heat for about 2 to 3 minutes, remove from heat.
Salt and pepper the inside and outside of the turkey breast. Spread the stuffing on the turkey, leaving about 1 1/2 to 2-inches uncovered on all sides. Roll up and secure tightly with kitchen twine, trying to keep all stuffing intact.
Heat 1 tablespoon of canola oil in a large Dutch oven or medium-sized roasting pan until hot. Sear stuffed turkey breast on all sides until lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Add sliced onion and 1 1/2 cups chicken stock, cover tightly and roast in the oven until turkey reaches 160 degrees F when an instant-read thermometer is inserted into inner layer of meat, about 60 to 65 minutes. Remove the turkey breast from oven and transfer to a cutting board to rest.
Make the gravy: Add apple cider, 1/2 cup chicken stock, vinegar and remaining sage to the onions, chicken stock and juices in the roasting pan, bring to a boil and cook for approximately 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced by 1/3. Slowly add the cornstarch mixture, stirring constantly, and cook for 3 minutes more. The gravy should not be thick, just slightly thicker than a jus. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Makes 1 1/2 cups gravy.
Remove twine from turkey breast and slice into 1 1/2-inch thick pieces. Serve with gravyEGGPLANT PARMESAN
(sorry, no measurements for this one! This is "cook by your heart" food!)
1 or 2 or 3 eggplants. Skin on or off, I prefer off. Sliced to desired thickness: I like them thin!
Italian Bread Crumbs
Flour seasoned with salt and pepper
2-4 eggs beaten
good red wine
lots of crushed garlic
tomato paste (this will determine the amount of sauce you have)
1 or 2 cups favorite spaghetti sauce
oregano
basil
grated Parmesan
mozzarella
Dredge sliced eggplant in flour, then beaten egg, then coat with the bread crumbs.
place on cookie sheets and bake at 350, turning once, until golden brown and soft.
In a bowl combine, tomato paste, tomato sauce, a splash of red wine, garlic, some dried oregano and dried basil, salt and pepper if desired. Mix well. Thick is ok.
In a baking dish, add a couple of spoonfuls of sauce to the bottom of the pan. Add a layer of eggplant, add a dollop of sauce on top of each slice, add shredded mozzarella, continue layering.
When finished, pour remaining sauce on top, more mozzarella and a dusting of parm.
Bake 350 until golden and bubbly.
BEST TURKEY BURGER
Martha Stewart
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds ground turkey (93 percent lean)
- 1/2 cup finely grated Gruyere cheese
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup dried breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- Coarse salt and ground pepper
For Grates
- Oil
Directions
- Heat grill to high. In a medium bowl, use a fork to gently combine ground turkey with Gruyere, scallions, breadcrumbs, mustard, and garlic; season generously with salt and pepper. Gently form mixture into four 1-inch-thick patties.
- Lightly oil grill. Place patties on hottest part of grill; sear until browned, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Move patties to cooler part of grill; continue grilling until cooked through, 5 to 10 minutes per side.
PICADILLO
Aaron Sanchez
Serve over rice or maybe in a puff pastry shell, or? Don't let the olives fool you, they are absolutely delicious and necessary. Ground turkey is an easy substitute for the beef!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1/2 cup chopped white onion chopped
- 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
- 1/2 cup diced yellow bell pepper
- 1/2 tablespoon chopped garlic
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon toasted ground cumin
- 1/4 cup sliced green olives
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
- 1/4 cup golden raisins
- 3/4 cup tomato paste
- 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
- Salt and pepper
Directions
Begin by heating a medium Dutch oven over high heat. Add a tablespoon of olive oil and the ground beef; be sure to distribute it evenly throughout the pan. Allow to brown on the bottom without moving it for 5 minutes. As the meat begins to loose its red tint start mixing in onion, peppers, garlic, bay leaves and cumin. Let it cook for 7 minutes until the vegetables become translucent. Then add olives, almonds, raisins, tomato paste and parsley. Make sure to mix it thoroughly with a spoon so that the tomato paste is well incorporated. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
