parmesan cheese

Not Ferret Fritters... Farro Fritters!

25 Jan 2012
Farro Fritters

I am pretty proud of today's Farro & Sun-Dried Tomato Fritters though I admit they don't really look like much. That's one of the problems facing food bloggers these days. If you want to reach a wide audience (and who doesn't) your food has to look extra special scrumptious, be super colorful, get wrapped in bacon, or at least have a peanut butter swirl. These foods may look pretty (especially when they are tied up in a bow), but they don't always ignite the imaginations of the more mature palates amongst us. It is kind of a Catch 22. Because the very sites (FoodGawker, TasteSpotting and more and more Pinterest) that have brought food bloggers together as a powerful community have also played a part in limiting what defines good food on the web. Leaving really delicious or super sophisticated food cast aside as un-loved and un-clicked.

That's why I feel so sad for these fritters. Sure they look like hard brown hockey pucks. But they're not, I promise you. Farro is delicious. It's got a nutty taste and a terrific texture. Farro contains a starch similar to that found in Arborio rice. It releases a creamy, binding liquid when cooked. But it retains its tender, distinct bite, much better than rice. Making it a perfect choice for fritters. But I have a feeling none of that matters. In fact I may as well have titled this recipe Ferret Fritters, at least I'd get the friends of ferrets society up in arms. Hmmm... just how big an audience are ferret lovers any way? GREG

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Farro & Sun-Dried Tomato Fritters

Farro & Sun-Dried Tomato Fritters
By jgreghenry Published January 24, 2012
Prep time: 30
Yield:1 (Servings)

Ingredients:

  • 5 T olive oil
  • 1 c farro
  • 0.5 small onion, minced
  • 2 c vegetable broth
  • 1 c parmesan cheese
  • 2 T oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, minced
  • 2 T flat leaf parsley, minced
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 pn each kosher salt & black pepper
  • 2 c or more vegetable oil, as needed for frying

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Add the farro and cook, stirring occasionally until the grains are coated and you begin to hear a popping sound sound. Stir in the onion and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the liquid is absorbed and the farro is cooked through but al dente, about 12 more minutes.

Transfer the farro to a bowl let it cool about 5 minutes. Add the Parmesan cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, parsley and the eggs. Mix well and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile heat about 1/4-inch vegetable oil in a large non-stick or cast iron skillet set over medium-high heat until quite hot, but not yet smoking. Using a large spoon, drop batter in 2-tablespoonful mounds into oil. With a small spatula or butter knife, gently flatten each mound and fry until golden, about 4 minutes per side, carefully flipping once (adjust heat if browning too quickly). Drain on paper towels. Season with more salt and serve warm.

Sage Pesto with Walnuts

Walnut Sage Pesto on Gnocchi
By jgreghenry Published October 16, 2011
Prep time: 5
Yield:1 (Servings)

Ingredients:

  • 1 c walnut halves or pieces
  • 0.5 c pine nuts
  • 2 clv garlic, peeled
  • 1 pn salt, to taste
  • 0.5 c flat leafed parsley, minced
  • 4 T fresh sage leaves, chopped
  • 0.5 c extra-virgin olive oil
  • 0.5 c parmesan cheese, grated

Directions

Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Toss in walnuts and toast for approximately 4 minutes,  stirring occasionally. They should color slightly and become fragrant. Remove from heat and place them in a bowl.

Toss the pine nuts into the same skillet and repeat the process, though they will take about 2 minutes. When they are done place them in bowl with walnuts.

Add the whole garlic cloves to the same skillet, while it is still hot but off the heat. Let the garlic sit in the pan until cool. This will remove the slight bitter edge but keep the bold "raw" flavor of garlic.

Place garlic cloves in a food processor or blender with a pinch of salt, pulse about 4 or 5 times to roughly chop. Add parsley and sage, then process until smooth. Add nuts and pulse 4 or 5 times until chopped. Then drizzle in the olive oil with the machine running the whole time, until a desired consistency is achieved. You may not need all the oil.

The pesto may be covered and refrigerated up to three days, but is best used immediately.

Source: Adapted from Martha Sewart Living

A Seasonal Meal to Chew On While We Consider Google Panda

25 Apr 2011
Spring onion linguine with olives, lemon & rosemary

A seasonal meal: That’s my hook today. Well that and something else I hope you’ll chew on…

First the seasonal meal: I baked sweet spring onions with lemon slices, kalamata olives & rosemary. It became rich and fragrant. I could have eaten it with a spoon straight from the oven. It would also have made a fantastic topping for crostini. But I tossed it with linguine and called it default pasta. Default past with no faults! Get the recipe for Spring Onion Linguine with Lemon Slices Kalamata & Rosemary here.

It’s a terrific pasta recipe. But spring is green. So, here is a recipe for a cold crisp plate of steamed asparagus with goat cheese and arugula sauce. At the last minute I decided maybe this dish was a little too green and threw some radishes on the plate. I felt the presentation needed something surprising. It turns out radishes and goat cheese are perfect partners (kinda like radishes and butter, only better). I am going to get them hooked up again very soon.

Of course a seasonal meal would be lacking without something a bit sweet. So if you CLICK here I have a Norwegian Orange Cake recipe for you. I took the recipe from the LA Times this past Thursday. Sure it’s sweet and highly seasonal, especially in Norway. But I chose this cake for it’s coincidental timing in my life. You see I found out on Wednesday that this June I will be participating in a Culinary Travel Tour to of all places– Norway! The timing of this Norwegian cake in my life was just too eerie. I had to make it immediately.

You may have noticed that I presented a full meal here. I don’t usually do that. But you see I am trying to keep you interested because I have something else I really want to discuss.

Google Panda.

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Spring Onion Linguine with Lemon Slices Kalamata & Rosemary

Onion Pasta with Olives, Lemon & Rosemary
By jgreghenry Published April 25, 2011
Prep time: 120
Yield:1 (Servings)

Ingredients:

  • 2 lb sweet onions, peeled and thinly sliced into rounds
  • 0.5 c extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1.5 t sea salt
  • 6 clv garlic, peeled & minced
  • 1 c kalamata olives, pitted & halved lengthwise (i use lindsay)
  • 1 T rosemary leaves, minced
  • 1 lemon, thinly sliced into rounds ends discarded
  • 1 lb dried linguine, or other ribbon style pasta
  • 0 lemon wedges, to taste
  • 0 grated parmesan cheese, to taste

Directions

Toss the onions with the olive oil and sea salt. Add the garlic, olives, rosemary and lemon slices, followed by the white wine. Set aside to let the onions soften and “weep” their moisture about 1/2 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the juicy onion mixture about 1 1/2 inches deep in a large, flameproof baking dish (such as a 10- by 14-inch lasagna pan). The liquid should be about 1/2 inch deep; if not, add a little water. Cover tightly with a lid or a layer of foil. Bake about 1 1/2 hours, Stirring the mixture about halfway through and then recovering the dish. Pull the onions from the oven and set aside covered while you boil the pasta in salted water according to package instructions. Drain the pasta and return it to the same pot it was boiled in. Add the onions and all of its liquid. If necessary add a scant 1/2 cup of pasta water if necessary. Turn the pasta out onto a serving platter garnished with lemon wedges and parmesan cheese to taste.

Notes:

serves 4