Entree Recipes

Butternut Squash and Mascarpone Ravioli with
Hazelnut Brown Butter

Ingredients:

• 1 2-lb butternut squash
• 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 1/2 tbsp fresh sage leaves, minced
• 4 oz mascarpone
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 4 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp chicken stock
• 1/4 cup chopped hazelnuts
• Parmigiano-Reggiano, optional

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut squash in half, remove seeds, and drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil. Place flesh side down on baking sheet, and bake until very soft, about 40 minutes.
   
2. In a dry pan over medium heat, lightly toast chopped hazelnuts. Set aside. In the same pan, add remaining tablespoon of olive oil, and cook onion with sage until soft and golden. Scoop flesh from cooked squash, and add to onion mixture and mash together. Allow to cool slightly, then add mascarpone and combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
   
3. Drop teaspoonfuls of squash mixture about an inch apart the length of a sheet of pasta. Fold pasta over filling, and use dampened fingers to seal the entire length. Press pasta down around all sides of filling to seal. Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut the pasta into squares of equal size, each with a dollop of filling in the center. Fold the cut edges under, around all four sides of ravioli. Use a fork to crimp and seal. Repeat with remaining pasta sheet. Drop ravioli into a pot of gently boiling water and cook until they are tender, and rise to the surface (about 7 minutes).
   
4. Heat butter and hazelnuts in a pan over medium heat until butter browns. Add broth, and remove from heat. Drizzle brown butter sauce over ravioli on plate, and top with *shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano, if desired.

*A vegetable peeler works great to make shavings and curls.

Fresh Pasta - from Williams-Sonoma

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour,
• plus more as needed
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• Flour for dusting

  Place the 2 1/4 cups flour in a mound on a work surface. Make a well in the center large enough to hold the beaten eggs and pour the eggs into the well. Using a fork, begin gradually incorporating some of the flour from the sides, taking care not to break the flour wall. When the eggs are no longer runny, you can stop worrying about the wall. Continue working in more flour until the dough is no longer wet.

  Begin kneading the dough by hand, adding as much additional all-purpose flour as needed until the dough is smooth and no longer sticky, 3 to 5 minutes.

  Dust baking sheets with flour. Divide the dough in half. Keep one half on the work surface, covered with a kitchen towel to prevent it from drying. Set up your pasta machine alongside another work surface. Lightly flour the work surface with some of the reserved sieved flour. Using a rolling pin, flatten the other dough half into a rectangle thin enough to go through the rollers at the widest setting. Pass the dough through the rollers once, then lay the resulting ribbon down on the work surface and flour it lightly. Fold into thirds lengthwise to make a rectangle and flour both sides lightly. Flatten the dough with the rolling pin until it is thin enough to go through the rollers again. With one of the two open edges going first, pass the dough through the rollers nine more times at the widest setting; after each time, flour, fold and flatten the dough as described. After 10 trips through the wide rollers, the dough should be completely smooth and supple.

  Now you are ready to thin the dough. Starting at the second-to-widest setting, pass the dough through the rollers repeatedly, setting the rollers one notch narrower each time. When the pasta ribbon gets unwieldy, cut it in half and continue rolling one part at a time until the dough reaches the desired thinness.

  Arrange the finished pasta sheets on the prepared baking sheets and cover with kitchen towels to prevent drying. Repeat the entire process with the second half of dough.

  http://www.foodess.com

Spring Green Risotto

Ingredients
• 1 1/2 tablespoons good olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts (2 leeks)
• 1 cup chopped fennel
• 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
• 2/3 cup dry white wine
• 4 to 5 cups simmering chicken stock, preferably homemade
• 1 pound thin asparagus
• 10 ounces frozen peas, defrosted, or 1 1/2 cups shelled fresh peas
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/3 cup mascarpone cheese, preferably Italian
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh chives, plus extra for serving

Directions
Heat the olive oil and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks and fennel and saute for 5 to 7 minutes, until tender. Add the rice and stir for a minute to coat with the vegetables, oil, and butter. Add the white wine and simmer over low heat, stirring constantly, until most of the wine has been absorbed. Add the chicken stock, 2 ladles at a time, stirring almost constantly and waiting for the stock to be absorbed before adding more. This process should take 25 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut the asparagus diagonally in 1 1/2-inch lengths and discard the tough ends. Blanch in boiling salted water for 4 to 5 minutes, until al dente. Drain and cool immediately in ice water. (If using fresh peas, blanch them in boiling water for a few minutes until the starchiness is gone.)

When the risotto has been cooking for 15 minutes, drain the asparagus and add it to the risotto with the peas, lemon zest, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Continue cooking and adding stock, stirring almost constantly, until the rice is tender but still firm.

Whisk the lemon juice and mascarpone together in a small bowl. When the risotto is done, turn off the heat and stir in the mascarpone mixture plus the Parmesan cheese and chives. Set aside, off the heat, for a few minutes, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve hot with a sprinkling of chives and more Parmesan cheese.

Maple Glazed Sausage Apricot Kebobs

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 3 to 10 minutes
Grilling Time: 8 minutes
Servings: 6 (1 kabob per serving)
Ingredients:
• 8 breakfast, bratwurst or German sausages (about 1 lb/500 g)
• 1/4 cup (50 mL) pure Ontario Maple Syrup
• 2 tbsp (25 mL) coarse-grained mustard
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) soy sauce
• 2 tsp (10 mL) finely chopped fresh Ontario Rosemary (or 1 tsp/5 mL crushed dried rosemary leaves)
• 2 dashes hot pepper sauce
• 3 Ontario Green Onions, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) slices
• 4 Ontario Apricots, cut into quarters
• 1 Ontario Sweet Red Pepper, seeded and cut into chunks

Preparation:
In large frying pan, cover sausages with water; simmer for about 3 minutes (if using bratwurst or German, simmer for 10 minutes). Remove from pan and let cool; cut into 2-inch (5 cm) lengths. Stir together maple syrup, mustard, soy sauce, rosemary and hot pepper sauce; set aside.

Preheat barbecue to medium and grease grill. Alternately, skewer sausages, green onions, apricots and red pepper onto six 8-inch (20 cm) skewers. Barbecue, turning frequently for 6 minutes or until sausages are no longer pink inside. Brush all over, with glaze; cook turning frequently and continually brushing with glaze, for 1 to 3 more minutes or until vegetables are tender and sausages are nicely glazed.

Spiced Pork Tenderloin with Ginger Strawberry Sauce

Preparation Time: 12 Minutes
Cooking Time: Not Available
Grilling Time: 25 Minutes
Standing Time: 10 Minutes
Servings: 4 to 6

Ingredients:
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) vegetable oil
• 1-1/2 tsp (7 ml) each of ground cumin coriander
• 1/2 tsp (2 ml) ground cinnamon
• A Pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1-1/2 lb (750 g) Ontario Pork tenderloin

Ginger Strawberry Sauce:
• 3/4 cup (175 ml) apple jelly
• 2 tbsp (25 ml) lemon juice
• 1-1/2 tsp (7 ML) grated fresh gingerroot (or 1/2 tsp/2 ml ground ginger)
• 2 cups (500 ml) sliced hulled Ontario Strawberries

Preparation:
In small bowl, mix together oil, cumin, coriander, cinnamon and cayenne; brush all over pork tenderloin. Let stand for 20 minutes.

Place on grill over medium heat; close lid and cook for 18 to 25 minutes or until just a hint of pink remains, turning halfway through. Remove to cutting board; let stand tented with foil for 10 to 15 minutes before diagonally slicing into 1/2-inch (1 cm) thick slices.

Ginger Strawberry Sauce:
Meanwhile, in medium saucepan, heat jelly, lemon juice and ginger; stirring to melt jelly. Turn off heat; stir in strawberries. Spoon some sauce onto plates; arrange meat slices over top. Drizzle remaining sauce over meat.

TIP: Cook meat to 160°F (70°C) on a meat thermometer.

Creamy Asparagus and Mushroom Risotto

Preparation Time: 15 Minutes
Cooking Time: 20 to 25 Minutes
Servings: 4 Servings (about 8 cups/2 L)

Ingredients:
• 1 lb (500 g) Ontario Asparagus
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil
• 1 Ontario Onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 LB (250 g) Ontario Mushrooms, sliced (about 4 cups/1 L)
• 1 cup (250 ml) arborio rice (short-grain rice)
• 2 cups (500 ml) chicken stock
• 1/2 tsp (2 ml) each of dried tarragon and basil
• 1 can (385 ml) 2% evaporated milk
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup (50 ml) chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 tsp (1 ml) black pepper

Preparation:
Break off and discard tough ends from asparagus; cut into 1-1/2-inch (4 cm) diagonal pieces. In large pot of boiling water, cook asparagus, uncovered for 3 to 5 minutes or until tender-crisp. Drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside.

In heavy saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic and mushrooms; cover and cook for about 5 minutes or until onions are softened. Stir in rice, chicken stock, tarragon, basil and milk; cook, stirring, until mixture boils. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Uncover, and cook, stirring, for 5 to 10 minutes longer or until thick and creamy. Stir in Parmesan cheese, parsley, pepper and reserved asparagus. Serve immediately.

Garlic Roasted Vea

Ingredients
• 1 (4-1/2 lb.) rack of veal
• 6-8 each garlic cloves, cut into eighths
• 1/4 C. fresh rosemary leaves
• 1/4 C. fresh thyme leaves
• 1/4 C. fresh basil leaves
• 1 zest of 1 orange, grated
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1/2 C. olive oil

Directions
• Place veal on a platter and puncture holes all over it, about 1" apart, by pushing a paring knife into the fat and twisting it. Insert a garlic sliver into each hole.

• Place the remaining garlic, rosemary, thyme, basil, orange zest, salt and pepper in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add olive oil and process until the mixture forms a chunky paste.

• Rub the mixture all over the veal. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees or prepare the grill.
• Roast or grill the veal, uncovered, for about 25 minutes.
• Let the meat rest for 15 to 20 minutes. Carve one bone per person

Beef Tenderloin with Red Wine Sauce

Ingredients:
3 lb Beef tenderloin
2 tb Cornstarch
Vegetable cooking spray

Marinade
2 c Cabernet
Sauvignon or other
dry red wine
2 ts Dried marjoram
1 ts Salt
8 Crushed black peppercorns <br>
6 Whole
cloves
4 Cloves garlic; halved
1 pt Beef broth

Preparation:

Trim fat from tenderloin, fold under 3" of small end and tie with string at
2" intervals.

Combine marinade ingredients in a ziploc bag and marinate tenderloin in refrigerator 2 hours, turning bag occasionally.

Cook tenderloin in sprayed Dutch oven until browned on all sides. Transfer to sprayed rack in
roasting pan and roast at 400° until a meat thermometer registers 140° for rare or 160° for medium.

Place meat on serving plate and cover with foil for 10 minutes. Remove strings before slicing.

Combine 1/4 cup marinade and cornstarch; set aside.

Bring remaining marinade to boil in Dutch oven; cook 2 minutes. Add cornstarch mixture, bring to a boil and cook, stirring, until slightly thickened.

Serve with tenderloin.

Lobster Rolls

Ingredients:
1 lb of lobster meat, diced.
8 eggroll skins.
¼ cup of bamboo shoots, chopped.
¼ cup of water chestnuts, chopped.
2 tablespoons of flour.
½ teaspoon of garlic powder.
½ teaspoon of salt.
Oil, for deep-frying.

Preparation: Combine the lobster meat, the chopped bamboo shoots, chopped water chestnuts, garlic powder and salt.

Roll the mixture into the eggroll skins, then fold the ends toward the center and continue rolling.

Mix the flour with water to form a paste in a small bowl.

Seal the edges of the lobster rolls using the paste.

Heat the oil until almost smoking in a deep pan or a work. Deep-fry the rolls until they turn a golden brown colour (takes about 3 minutes).

Drain and serve hot.

Chilled Shrimp Fettuccine

Ingredients
8 oz of uncooked fettuccine.
8 oz of frozen peeled and deveined cooked medium shrimp, thawed and drained.
1 tablespoon of lemon juice.
3/4 cup of fat-free mayonnaise or salad dressing.
1/4 cup of chopped fresh parsley.
1/4 cup of finely chopped red onion (about 1 small onion).
1/4 cup of fat-free Italian dressing
1 teaspoon of Creole or Cajun seasoning.
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper.

Preparations
Cook and drain the fettuccine as directed on its packaging.

Toss the cooked shrimp and lemon juice in a large bowl.

Mix all of the remaining ingredients.

Add the mayonnaise mixture and fettuccine to the shrimp; toss.

Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour and 30 minutes to blend flavors.

Lamb Shanks in Lemon Sauce

Ingredients:
4 lamb shanks (about 3lb).
1 cup of water and ¼ cup of water.
1 tablespoon of lemon juice.
1 tablespoon of potato starch.
1 teaspoon of salt.
1 bay leaf.
1 large onion, finely chopped.
1 clove of garlic, minced.

Preparations:
In a heavy casserole dish, brown the lamb shanks, then push the lamb to one side of the dish.

Add the chopped onion and minced garlic; saute until soft.

Stir in 1 cup of water, lemon juice, bay leaf and salt.

Cover and allow to simmer for 3 hours or until tender.

Remove the meat and keep hot.

Blend the potato starch with ¼ cup of water. Stir into the pan liquid.

Cook, stirring constantly, until the gravy thickens and boils for 60 seconds.

Remove the bay leaf and serve.

Grilled Lamb Chops

Ingredients:
Rack of lamb.
1 cup of redcurrant jelly.
1 cup of poupon mustard.
1 cup of white wine.
½ cup of butter.
½ cup of minced shallots.
2 teaspoons of crushed rosemary.

Preparations:
Mix the redcurrant jelly and poupon mustard in a suitably sized saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes to melt the jelly.

Remove the lamb chops from rack and French cut.

Allow the sauce to completely cool. Submerge the chops in sauce and allow to marinade overnight in refrigerator.

Grill over coals for 5 minutes, basting with sauce as it cooks. Turn once halfway through.

Prepare garnish sauce by browning shallots in butter and stirring in the wine and the crushed rosemary.

Serve the lamb with garnish sauce.

Baked Ziti with Sausage

Ingredients:
For tomato sauce:(makes 6 cups)
2 cups minced onions
1 small carrot
1/2 stalk celery,sliced thin
salt and pepper
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup dry white wine
two 2-pound-3oz. cans plum tomatoes,drained,2 cups of the juice reserved
a 6 oz. can tomato paste
1 cup beef broth (your own or canned)
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 Tbsp. sugar 1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried basil
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. fennel seeds (optional)
4 cloves (optional)
6 sprigs parsley
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, pricked all over
1 pound Ziti
1 pound ricotta1 large egg
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan

Preparations
Make the sauce:In a large saucepan cook the onion,carrot and celery with salt and pepper in the butter and oil over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened. Add the wine, and cook over high heat for 1 minute. Add the remaining ingredients, bring the liquid to a boil, then simmer the mixture, covered, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. Discard the bay leaf and force the mixture through the medium disk of a food mill into a bowl.
In a lightly oiled baking pan bake the sausages in a preheated 400*F. oven, turning them and discarding the fat, for 30 minutes, or until browned. Transfer the sausages to a cutting board, let cool 15 minutes, and cut them into 1/8 inch slices.
Cook the Ziti in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and refresh under cold water. Drain again thoroughly.

In a bowl combine the ricotta, egg and parsley.

Coat the bottom of a baking dish, 15 by 10 1/2 by 2 1/2, with 2 cups of the tomato sauce. On the sauce layer half of the Ziti, half the ricotta mixture, half the sausages, half the mozzarella, and half the Parmesan, and cover the mixture with 2 more cups of the the sauce. Layer the remaining Ziti, ricotta, sausage, amd mozzarella. Cover the mixture with the remaining sauce, and sprinkle it with the remaining 3/4 cup Parmesan. Bake the mixture in a preheated 325*F. oven for 1 1/4 hours, or until bubbling. Serves 8

Penne Arlecchino
(Serves 4)

Ingredients:
About 1lb. or 400 gr. Penne pasta
2 oz. or 60 ml. olive oil
½ medium red onion
1 clove garlic, crushed
½ red pepper, diced
½ yellow pepper, diced
3 oz. or 85 gr. frozen peas
1 medium tomato, diced
10 black olives
10 green olives
2 cups or 500 ml. tomato sauce
2 tsp. or 10 ml. parsley, finely chopped

Method:
1. In a skillet, add the oil and sauté the onion, garlic. Add the peppers, peas, tomato and olives for about 5 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and continue to cook for another 5 minutes. Add the parsley at the end.
2. Boil the pasta in a large pot with salted water until al dente. Toss the sauce with the penne.