Hamburger di agnello

Hamburger di agnello is a great twist for your next burger night! In our house we like to try different things to keep week night dinners interesting.  We often take a regular meal, like burger night, and make it fun using new ingredients.  This burger night was a nice change to turkey, chicken and beef burgers and I can't wait to make it again!

This is what I put in the burger mixture:

1 package of New Zealand lean ground lamb

1 tsp dijon mustard

1/2 grated onion

2 cloves of minced garlic

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp cayenne pepper

I made 4oz patties and fried them in butter to create a wonderful crispy exterior. About 3 minutes per side on medium high heat.


They smelled amazing!


Crispy and yummy!



 

I decided to make a sauce for the burgers that would complement the lamb without overpowering its flavour.

This is what I used:

1 cup of greek yogurt

10 fresh mint leaves

1/2 peeled cucumber

4 cloves of garlic

salt and pepper

splash of extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup of greek feta

I pureed the above ingredients in my food processor.

 I placed the buns faced down in the pan after removing the burgers and made the bread crispy and delicious. After the bread was crispy I built the burgers using fresh tomatoes, greens and my burger dressing.

I hope the next time you have a burger night that you give these wonderful burgers a try!

Buon Appetito!

Garlic Roasted Chicken

A few days ago I made a jar of roasted garlic and was determined to find a good use for it.
I felt like having comfort food for dinner, so I decided to make oven roasted chicken using the roasted garlic.

I washed out the chicken and dried it off using paper towel.  I trimmed the fat and tied the chicken to ensure it held its shape in the oven.  I now needed to decide what spices would go well with the roasted garlic.

This is what I ended up using:

• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1tsp paprika
• 1tsp mustard powder
• 1tsp rosemary
• 1tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp black pepper

I rubbed the chicken with some garlic olive oil (under the skin as well).
I filled the cavity with 10 cloves of the roasted garlic and I also injected the chicken with the roasted garlic.
I rubbed the chicken with the spice blend (under the skin as well), and placed it on a bed of chopped onions and potatoes in the oven. (350 degrees)
When the chicken was almost done I added more veggies to the pan.

This chicken was full of flavour and I can't wait to make it again!

Buon Appetito!



 

Pane Pomodoro

This simple snack has been made in my family for years.  The key to making this simple dish a spectacular treat is by using a good quality extra virgin olive oil, ripe roma tomatoes, and lots of oregano on a toasted baguette.  Don't forget to season with sea salt and black pepper.
I hope that you enjoy this simple snack as much as I do.

If you decide to roast the tomatoes instead of using them uncooked, bake them @ 250 degrees for 2 1/2 hours.  Make sure you drizzle them in olive oil and season with salt and  black pepper prior to baking.
Toast the baguette first and add the tomatoes after the bread is crispy.  Drizzle the final product with the olive oil and garnish with lots of oregano.


Buon Appetito!

Fragole e Insalata di Rucula

Today I felt like a fresh salad for lunch so I made one of my favourites!

The peppery arugula, with the sweet strawberries, and the savoury goats cheese makes this salad a real pleasure for the palate.  I decided to make my lemon tarragon dressing to bring it all together.  Although I love making pasta, a great salad filled with lots of fruit and vegetables is always a nice treat for the body.

Ingredients for the salad

Fresh arugula greens
Strawberries
Red onion
Cucumber
Toasted chopped pecans
Goat cheese ( I rolled the pecans in the goat cheese and than crumbled on top of the salad)

 Ingredients for the dressing- I made a jar of dressing to keep in the fridge

1 cup of red wine vinegar

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup of chopped fresh tarragon
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp dijon mustard
salt and pepper

In a bowl wisk together vinegar, oil and mustard

Add chopped fresh tarragon, lemon juice, salt , pepper, and sugar and continue mixing until well blended.

Drizzle over the top of your salad.

Buon Appetito!

Angela's Spaghetti Putanesca with Mussels

This evening I created my version of Spaghetti Putanesca and decided to make it with Mussels.  Initially, I was just going to make mussels, but once that fridge door opened I was swayed in a different direction by my ingredients.  I found myself standing in front of the refrigerator having images of spaghetti piled high using mussels, anchovies, capers, fresh tomato, and chillies.  It's almost as if my ingredients were talking to me and whispering “make a da pasta" with a strong Italian accent.  So, I made pasta for dinner and it was well worth it!

Ingredients
2 servings

•  Healthy splash of extra virgin olive oil                          
• 3 cloves of chopped roasted garlic
• 1 clove of chopped fresh garlic
• 1/4 cup capers
• 1/4 cup olives chopped
• 1 tsp anchovy paste
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh tomato
• 1/4 cup of chopped fresh parsley
• 1 lb mussels
• 1/4 cup of white wine
• 1/4 cup of clam juice or fish stock
• fresh chillies or flakes - as much as you like
• juice of 1 lemon
• 250 grams of spaghetti

Heat olive oil and saute fresh garlic, capers, chillies, anchovies, and olives for 2-3 minutes.
Add fresh tomato and roasted garlic and saute for 2 more minutes on high heat.
Add white wine and cook for another minute.
Add clam juice and mussels and cover for 2-3 minutes until mussels are open.

Toss in cooked spaghetti and parsley.

Garnish with fresh arugula and a lemon slice if you desire.

Buon Appetito!

Breakfast for Dinner - Chipollata with Eggs

Tonight I had a craving for my favourite breakfast meal that my Nonna used to make for me when I was a child. She called it "Cipollata ". Cipollata means 'a dish of onions'.  To be clear, onions are not the only ingredient in this meal.  Nonna would make this dish using green and red peppers, onions, tomato, mint and eggs.  Now I make this dish in honour of her and still LOVE IT!

This recipe may not be exact to how Nonna makes it, because in my family we don't usually write recipes down. We learn from watching, we use what we have on hand, and we cook from the heart.  This dish may vary from time to time but it is always amazing.  Maybe the next time I go home, Nonna will try my Chipollata to see if I have recreated this family favourite.

Ingredients

2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion
1 small green pepper
1 small red pepper
1 tomato chopped
chopped fresh mint - I use a 1 tbsp
salt and pepper
hot sauce - optional
2 large eggs

Saute onions and peppers together in olive oil for 5-6 minutes on medium high heat.
Add chopped tomato and cook another 3 minutes
Add salt, pepper, mint and hot sauce
Add eggs in the center of the pan and cover.
I like my yolks soft  but you can cook them however to your liking.
Serve with crusty bread for dipping.

Buon Appetito!

Snowed in and thrilled about it! - Grilled Cheese and homemade Tomato Soup

I always keep my homemade chicken stock in the freezer, to make nights like tonight a breeze in the kitchen.  I ended up making a tomato soup, (using my chicken stock as the base) and a grilled cheese sandwich that I filled with goat cheese, provolone, aged cheddar and truffle oil.  I needed some energy before I went outside to shovel the snow.  It was quick, easy, and so delicious!   



Grilled Cheese on Pumpernickel  and homemade Tomato Soup



Being snowed in to enjoy one of my oldest favourites is well worth it to me!

Chewy Fruit and Nut Oatmeal Cookies

Now that Christmas is over, it is time to find an escape from all of the chocolate still in the house.  I love chocolate, but not even I can indulge for longer than a month.  I decided that I would bring baked goods into work, utilizing the chocolate I have in the house, and letting others indulge a little more.  One of my favourite recipes of all time is for my Chewy Oatmeal Cookies, and tonight I have made them with Toblerone Fruit and Nut Chocolate.  I hope everyone at work loves them enough to Ciao Down!

Ingredients

Makes about 48 cookies

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 1/2 cups oats

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

Mix the above dry ingredients and set aside.

2 eggs

1/2 cup of granulated sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup unsalted butter

1 tbsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp honey

Beat butter and sugars until well blended.

Add eggs and mix until blended.

Add honey and vanilla.
Mix dry mixture in slowly until well incorporated.

1 cup of walnuts

1 cup of raisins
200 grams of Fruit and Nut Toblerone chopped.

Mix the last 3 ingredients by hand.

Roll cookies in the palm of your hand and slightly flatten on a cookie sheet.

Make sure you are rolling them all the same size.

Bake 8-10 min @ 350 Degrees

Buon Appetito!

Dinner for one: Mafaldine Pasta with Wild Mushrooms

Earlier this week I went to the Italian Market in Halifax as I normally do, for my weekly grocery needs.  I picked up a package of pasta that I have not yet tried called Mafaldine 81 by Divella.  It is a thick fettucine that has a decorative curly trim on either side of each noodle.  I was determined to find a good use to test out this pasta. 

Tonight I whipped up a pasta dish for myself using the Mafaldine 81 and lots of mushrooms.  I didn't follow a recipe I just took the ingedients I wanted out of the fridge and pantry, and that is when the magic began.

I really enjoyed this pasta dish, and can't wait to make it for my hubby and friends in the future.  This is one recipe that deserves an encore.

Ingredients

•  150 grams of pasta ( the pack was 500 grams)
• 1 cup of dried mushrooms of your choice (soak in hot water prior to use)
• 1 cup of fresh mushrooms ( I used oyster and gormet)
• 4 cloves of minced garlic
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup of chardonnay
• 1 tbsp blue brie cheese
• 1 tbsp grated romano cheese (use parmesan if you like it better)
• 1/2 cup of heavy cream
• Salt and pepper
• Garnish with fresh arugula greens or anything you really like.

Buon Appetito!

Rabbit with Papardelle

Our Christmas vacation in Toronto has come to an end and the countdown is already on for Christmas 2011.  We had an amazing time with our family, friends and food, and to conclude this year's traditional Christmas, Mamma is making her famous Rabbit with Papardelle.  This dish has become one of my hubby's favourite meals and I look forward to making with him in our home.  Hopefully, you'll love it as much as we do.

Ingredients

One whole rabbit, cut into pieces.
4 Cloves Garlic (crushed)
1 medium white onion (diced)
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
1 Cup White Wine (I used Chardonnay, but any white, or even a red wine will do)
1 cup Chicken Stock
Allspice
1 Bay leaf
Rosemary
2 cups Crushed & Strained / pureed tomatoes
Pasta noodles (I used Parpadalle)

Process

Season rabbit with Salt and Pepper and sear in a hot pan with olive oil until golden.  While it is searing, add allspice, black pepper, a bay leaf and rosemary.  Once the meat is golden, remove and set aside.  In the same saucepan, sautee onion, and once it begins to soften, add crushed garlic.  When soft, add wine.  Bring wine mixture to a boil, add meat back in.  Add chicken stock and tomatoes.  Simmer on low heat for 1 1/2 hours or until rabbit is tender and breaks off the bone with a fork.

Boil pasta in salted water.  When tender, strain and add sauce from rabbit.  Plate, serve and enjoy.

Happy New Year !