Delish Your Dish

“Polenta Stack(house)”- Pan-Fried Polenta Layered with Sauteed Arugala, Crimini Mushrooms and Goat Cheese with Balsamic Roasted Tomatoes

Ok, guilty as charged!  I’ve been watching way too much True Blood!  Between going to see the midnight showing of Twlight’s Breaking Dawn and my nightly date with True Blood, I think I’ve bumped up in nerdiness quite a bit.  But, nevertheless, you are all still here reading my recipes.  Thank you for not judging me…too much.

Over the past few months, I’ve lost track of what was really important to me…cooking and recipe developing.  It’s rare if I cook, let alone even sit for an entire meal. I’m constantly racing and at the same time, forgetting about what makes me happy.  So, it’s time to pull back the reigns and slow things down and get back to business.  The business of getting back in the kitchen and bringing you all some recipes!

What You Need:

For the Saute:

2 Cups Arugala

 1/2 Cup Crimini Mushrooms, sliced

1 Shallot, sliced 

 1 Clove Garlic, finely minced

 1/4 Cup Sherry Wine

Salt/Pepper, to taste

For the Tomatoes:

2 Cups Mixed Cherry Tomatoes, halved

3 Tbs. Balsamic Vinegar, plus 3 Tbs. to finish dish

2 Tbs. Olive Oil

1 Clove Garlic, finely minced

Salt/Pepper, to taste

For the Polenta Stack:

1 Tube Polenta, sliced 1/2” thick

1/4 Cup Goat Cheese

1/4 Cup Shaved Parmesan

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

1. In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, 3 Tbs. of balsamic, olive oil, salt and pepper.  Toss the tomatoes to coat.  Then, spread them evenly on a greased baking sheet and place into heated oven.  Roast tomatoes for about 20-25 minutes.  Remove from oven and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, heat about 2 Tbs. of Olive oil over medium heat.  Saute shallots until translucent.  Add in mushrooms.  Saute until the mushrooms begin to release liquid.  Add in garlic.  Saute until garlic is fragrant, stirring constantly.  Deglaze pan with Sherry.  Allow Sherry to cook off and toss in the arugala.  As arugala begins to wilt, season with salt and pepper.  Set aside.

3. In the same pan, lightly coat the pan with olive oil and set over medium heat. Pan fry the polenta slices until golden brown on both sides. Set aside.

4. In the same pan, lightly coat the bottom with olive oil, keeping over low heat, add in the clove of minced garlic.  Stir until fragrant and add 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar and roasted cherry tomatoes.  Allow the liquid to slowly reduce until they glaze the tomatoes.

5. While tomatoes are glazing in the pan, begin to create your stacks.  Place a polenta circle on a tray, and begin to layer the soft goat cheese, arugala saute and shaved parmesan cheese.  Layer the ingredients in any order you like.  Once stacks are built, place tray in oven to reheat.  Place the stacks and spoon the glazed tomatoes on the plate to surround the stack.

*I also added a Gardein Vegan Chick’n Scallopini to the dish for some protein.

“Mid Indian Summer Nights Dream”- Indian Spiced Roasted Butternut Squash, Goat Cheese and Black Bean Quesadillas with Coconut Curry Dipping Sauce

Over the weekend, while sleeping quite soundly, I was abruptly woken up from my slumber.  Was it from a nightmare? No.  Was it from the buzzing streets of West Hollywood? No.  It was from none other than a recipe idea that popped into my head.  I sat up in my bed, flipped on the night table lamp, and wrote frantically about the recipe.  The dream of this spectacular dish flowed from my head and into my notebook, and I was determined to create it by the close of the weekend.

So, last night, instead of going to the movies with a friend (btw- sorry!), I put on my apron and got to work.  Within a solid 30ish minutes, my dream had become a reality.  And, boy did it taste good!

What You Need:

For the squash filling:

1 Medium Butternut Squash, peeled and cubed

2 Tbs. Olive Oil

1 1/2 Tbs. Chaat Masala seasoning

1 tsp. Cinnamon

1 Cup Steamed Spinach, drained

1/4 Cup Goat Cheese

1/3 Cup Black Beans

1/4 Cup Corn

1/4 Cup Green Peas

Corn Tortillas

For the Coconut Curry Sauce:

1 Cup Greek Yogurt

 3 Tbs. Coconut Milk

1/2 tsp. Tumeric

2 tsp. Curry Powder

1 tsp. Ground Cumin

1 tsp. Unsweetened Shredded Coconut

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

1. Toss the cubed butternut squash in a medium bowl with the olive oil, chaat masala and cinnamon.  Once coated, pour the squash onto a greased sheet tray and place in oven.  Roast the squash for about 20 minutes.

2. Remove roasted squash from oven and place back in medium bowl.  Use a potato masher to mash the squash until it reaches your desired texture.  Then, fold in the black beans, corn and peas.  Taste and adjust seasonings.

3. Heat a greased grill pan over medium heat.  While heating, spread goat cheese on to a corn tortilla, top with the squash filling and steam spinach.  Place the other tortilla on top and place the quesadilla onto the heated pan.  Cook on both sides until they show beautiful grill marks.

4. While quesadillas are grilling, combine the coconut curry dipping sauce ingredients into a small bowl.  Adjust seasonings to your desired taste.  Serve with grilled quesadillas.

“What Up, Cuz”- Sweet and Spicy Humitas with Goat Cheese

Hola mis amigos!! I’m back from a fabulous vacation to Argentina!  For two weeks I traveled all over and in every climate. From the frozen tundra of Patagonia to the dry dessert in Purmamarca, I experienced all the amazing sights, food and culture Argentina had to offer.

Now, as a vegetarian, I can’t exactly say I had the easiest time finding food to eat throughout my trip. There’s only so much dulce de leche one can eat before becoming absolutely turned off by such a delicious treat.

You see, in Argentina, they have an extensive meat selection on their menus and unless you specify, they consider ham, pepperoni and other meats to be vegetarian (unfortunately, I know first hand). So after a few days of eating pasta and pizza, I finally stumbled upon a few incredible vegetarian, Argentine dishes.

Today’s recipe, Humitas, I first tasted while I was in Purmamarca. They are what I like to consider a cousin to the tamale. Yet, instead of using corn flour masa, you prepare the humita by grinding fresh corn off the cob and combine it with sauteed onions, sugar, spices, herbs and possibly cheese.

While most of the Humitas I ate throughout Argentina were sweet, my version adds a little bite to it with some sauteed jalapenos and cayenne pepper. The combination of sweet and spicy and a hint of creamy goat cheese makes this one delicioso dish!

What you Need:

3 Ears of Corn (husks gently removed and reserved)

2 Tbs. Sugar, or more to taste

1/2 Large Jalapeno, diced

1/2 Large Onion, diced

2 Garlic Cloves, minced

1/2 tsp. Cayenne Pepper, or to taste

1/4 Cup Fresh Basil

1/4 Cup Corn Meal (this is not in the authentic recipe, but I added as an experiment)

Salt/Pepper, to taste

1/4 Cup Goat Cheese

What to do:

1. Using a corn zipper, or sharp knife, zip the corn off the cob and into a food processor. Set aside.

2. Meanwhile, heat a lightly greased medium sized pan on medium.  Add in the onions and jalapenos.  Saute until the onions begin to cook through, then add in garlic.  Saute for another 2 minutes, then add the mixture to the food processor.

3. Next, add in the sugar, spices, cornmeal and basil.  Puree the mixture until smooth.

4. Then, Pour the mixture into a large, fine-mesh strainer and set over a medium bowl.  Place plastic wrap on top of the mixture and set in fridge to cool.

5. While the mixture cools, start prepping your husks.  Set aside your largest corn husks and wipe away any corn silk or dirt.  With the smaller husks, tear off thin strips to make the ties for the humitas.  If need be, tie two strips together to make long ties.

6. After about 20 minutes, remove mixture from fridge and strain as much excess liquid from the mixture as you can.  Then, take two of the large husks and lay one on top of another to create a cross.  Spoon about 2 tbsp. of the filling into the center of the cross and pat down with a spoon.  Add a small amount of goat cheese then top with more filling.  Next, wrap the humita in the husk as if you were closing up a box.  Secure the humita with the husk ties you made earlier.  Set aside, and continue.

7. Meanwhile, place about an inch or two of water to a medium sized pot and place in a steamer basket.  Bring the water to a boil and place the humitas in the steamer basket.  Place the lid on the pot and steam humitas for about 15-20 minutes.  Then serve hot!

Steaming the Humitas:

Humita open and ready to eat!:

“Pine for You”- Pineapple Fried Rice with Gardein Beefless Tips

This weekend I had the pleasure of cooking up this delish dish at the Hollywood Farmer’s Market as part of Vegetarian Times Farmer’s Market Tour!  Serving over 250 hungry farmer’s marketers was the perfect way to spend my Sunday morning!  I had a blast creating the recipe and using some amazing ingredients from Gardein, Lundberg and Oreganol!  I hope you enjoy the recipe as much as the lovely people at the Hollywood Farmer’s Market!

What You Need:

6 Tbs. canola oil (divided)

1 cup diced onion

3 cups leftover cooked Lunberg Short Grain Brown Rice

3/4 cup diced carrots

1 stalk sliced celery

1 8 oz can sliced water chestnuts

1 cup sliced snap peas

1 cup broccoli florets, chopped

2 cloves minced garlic

2 Tbs. soy sauce

1 Tbs. mirin

1 Tbs. pineapple juice

2 eggs

2 diced scallions

1 package, Gardein Beefless Tips (thawed to room temperature)

¾ cup fresh diced pineapple

Crushed red pepper, to taste

Garlic Powder, to taste

Roasted sesame seeds, optional

Sauce for rice

3 Tbs. soy sauce

1 Tbs. mirin

1 Tbs. pineapple juice

2 tsp. of Sherry

1 tsp. Chinese 5-spice powder 

2 tsp. North American Herb and Spice PureOmega Oil

1. Heat wok over high heat.  Add 3 Tbs. oil, onions, carrots and celery.  Saute for 3 to 4 minutes, or until onions are translucent.  Add garlic, snap peas, broccoli, water chestnuts, 2 Tbs. soy sauce, 1 Tbs. mirin and 1 Tbs. pineapple juice.  Saute until vegetables are slightly tender, about 2 minutes.  Remove vegetables from wok and set aside.
2. Wipe wok clean and add additional 3 Tbs. of Canola oil.  Heat wok over high heat and add 2 eggs.  Scramble the eggs in the pan and cook for about 1 minute.  Add cooked rice.  Stir to combine.  Add in vegetables, diced pineapple and Gardein Beefless Tips, sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. 
3. Wisk together sauce ingredients in a small bowl.  Just before serving, pour  the sauce over the rice.  Stir to combine.  Garnish with diced scallions, roasted sesame seeds and crushed red pepper flakes

“Stick that in your Cannelloni and Eat it”- Grilled Zucchini Cannellonis Stuffed with Truffled Goat Cheese and Ricotta served on top of a Grilled Roma Tomato and a Truffled Sweet Corn Sauce

Yes, shame on me for being away for so long.  I considered it, a hiatus.  I mean, I am located in the entertainment capitol of the world right?  So, a hiatus can apply to me too!

After last weeks crazy Pride weekend in LA, I decided to take it a little easier this weekend.  A low-key and relaxing weekend was just what I needed!  So, to kick the weekend off right, I cooked myself a dinner that was one for the books. 

What You Need:

For the Cannellonis:

3 Medium Zucchini (thinly sliced lengthwise, seasoned with salt and pepper)

1 Cup Ricotta

2 Roma Tomatoes (sliced into 1/2” rounds)

1/4 Cup Goat Cheese

Truffle Salt and Pepper (to taste)

Garlic Powder (to taste)

1. Set greased grill pan over medium-high heat.  Grill all zucchini slices on both sides and set aside.  Also, grill your roma tomato at this time and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, combine the cheeses and seasonings in a small bowl, use a spoon combine.  Taste and adjust seasonings.

3. Next, lay grilled zucchini onto a flat surface or cutting board.  If your zucchini is small in width, you may need to overlap a few slices of zucchini to help construct your canneloni.  Then, place a dollop of cheese mixture on one end of the zucchini and roll into a log.  Set aside and continue to create cannelonis until you have used up all the zucchini or cheese filling.

For the Sauce:

1/2 Tbs. Earth Balance Butter

2 Cups Super Sweet Yellow Corn Kernals (frozen is ok)

1/2 Red Onion (minced)

1/4 Cup Sherry

Truffle Salt (to taste)

Black Pepper (to taste)

Vegetable Stock or Water (to thin out sauce)

1. Set a saute pan over medium heat.  Add butter and onion.  Saute onions for about 2-3 minutes.  Add corn and stir to combine.  Next, add sherry and allow mixture to simmer in the liquid until the sherry has cooked out. 

2. Next, pour sauce ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth (or use an immersion blender.)  Pour contents back into pan to heat and adjust seasonings.  Thin sauce with stock or water to reach desired consistency.

*Re-heat cannellonis in pan before serving, or keep warm in oven until ready to serve with sauce. 

**Add a little crushed red pepper for a little kick!

“In Seitan We…Encrust”- Panko and Rosemary Encrusted Homemade Seitan with Mushroom Sauce and Truffled Mashed Potatoes

This weekend I had a great one-on-one cooking class with a client!  Yes- you heard right, Delish Your Dish does private, in-home cooking classes!  We had a blast cooking up a storm in her kitchen and indulging in our creations.  The menu consisted of; Butternut Squash Soup with Croutons and Creme Fraiche, Truffled Mashed Potatoes, Panko and Rosemary Encrusted Homemade Seitan, and Wine Poached Pears with Vanilla Bean Creme Anglaise.  Let’s just say, it was a delicious time!

Want to learn how to cook? Vegetarian? Vegan? A little Macro? Send me an email!

What You Need (Serves 2):

For the Seitan Medallions:

1 lb Seitan (sliced into medallions)

1 ½ Cups Panko Breadcrumbs

2 Tbs. Chopped Rosemary Leaves

Oil, for frying

1.       In a small bowl, combine the panko crumbs and rosemary.  Pour mixture into a shallow pie pan or plate.  Next, if you have Seitan broth, dip the cutlet into the broth (allowing excess to drip off) and then dredge the cutlet in the panko mixture.  Set cutlet aside until all have been encrusted.

2.       Pour about ½“ oil into a sauté pan and set over medium heat.  Once the oil is up to temp, carefully place the cutlets into the hot oil.  Allow the Seitan to fry until golden brown on both sides.  Remove from oil and place on paper towels to absorb excess oil.

For Marsala Sauce:

2 Portabello Mushroom Caps, diced

2 Shallots, minced

3/4 Cup Sherry Wine

2 Tbs. Butter

1 Cup Vegetable Stock

2 Tbs. Olive Oil

1 Tbs. Cornstarch + 2 Tbs. Water (to create slurry) *Note: can use Arrowroot or Kuzu too

Salt and Pepper, to taste

1.       Heat a medium sauté pan over medium heat.  Add in butter and olive oil.  Once the butter begins to melt and bubble, toss in shallots and mushrooms.

2.       Saute the mushrooms and shallots until they begin to brown.  Deglaze the pan with the Sherry wine and vegetable stock.  Scrape up and brown bits from the bottom of the pot.

3.       Allow sauce to simmer about 10 minutes.  If sauce needs to thicken, then add in the cornstarch slurry a little at a time, stirring all the while.  Once sauce has thickened, remove from heat and serve with medallions. (We did not end up needed the slurry, because we just let the sauce reduce until all liquid was gone).

For the Potatoes:

2 lb Potatoes, peeled and chopped

2 Tbs. Butter

1 Cup Milk

Truffle Salt, to taste

Truffle Oil, to taste

Directions:

1.       Place diced potatoes into a pot of cold, well-salted water.  Bring pot to a boil and cook potatoes until knife tip tender.  Drain and place into a bowl and cover.

2.       In a small saucepan, heat butter and milk over low-heat until butter melts.

3.       While the milk and butter warm, process potatoes through food mill, potato ricer or masher.

4.       Slowly blend the milk and butter into the potatoes.  Season to taste with truffle salt and oil.

“Van Winkle “- Homemade Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

I’m a creature of habit and tend to make the same thing for breakfast almost every morning.  Egg whites and a bowl of some sort of hot cereal.  Now you may ask, what do you do with the egg yolks?  Well folks, those egg yolks never go to waste.  This week I decided to put my yolks to good use by making a fresh batch of vanilla bean ice cream.

This was my first attempt at making homemade ice cream without a ice cream maker and it was quite successful.  I had the time and patience to act as my own ice cream machine, so it worked out perfectly.  I’m pretty sure I’ll never go back to buying store-bought ice cream ever again.

Now, all I need are new flavor suggestions!

What You Need (Makes 1 pint):

2 Cups Half & Half

 1 Tbsp. Vanilla Bean Paste (I buy mine from Sur La Table)

2/3 Cup Sugar

5 Egg Yolks

Cinnamon (to garnish)

1. In a small bowl combine the egg yolks and sugar.  Whisk until well blended and a pale yellow color.  Set aside.

2. Meanwhile, pour the half & half into a sauce pan over medium heat.  Just as you start to see little bubbles around the edges, remove the milk from the heat.

3. Now, temper the eggs and milk.  Do this by pour a little milk into the egg mixture, whisking all the while.  Continue to do this until about half of the milk is blended into the egg mixture.  Once you have reached this point, pour the egg mixture back into the rest of the milk.  Continue to stir with a rubber spatula.

4.  Place the pot back on the heat and lower the flame to low-medium.  Continue to stir the mixture, removing from heat every now and then, until the mixture reaches the nappe stage.  You will know when it reaches this stage when you take the some of the custard mixture on the rubber spatula.  Run your finger down the middle of the spatula and the mixture leaves a clear crevice, without the mixture running back together, the custard is ready.  It may take about 15 minutes to reach this stage. (REMEMBER TO KEEP STIRRING THE ENTIRE TIME- or you’ll end up with sweet scrambled eggs)

5. Strain the mixture and pour into a shallow dish.  Stir in the vanilla bean paste.  Cover the dish and place in the freezer.  Every 30 minutes, go back and stir the ice cream very well.  Should take about 2-3 hours for the ice cream to be ready. 

*The ice cream will be very creamy the first day and will taste the best.  But, if you need to leave it in the freezer, just make sure you thaw it just a bit before serving.

**This is a basic flavor, you can add anything you want to make your own ice cream creations!

“Rock the Boat”- Creamy Roasted Tomato and Garlic Soup with Pesto Grilled Cheese Boats

Early Sunday morning I had a lovely stroll through the Hollywood Farmer’s Market.  The cool weather, great people watching and gorgeous produce made it a perfect “farming” day. 

After the market, I got a huge craving for grilled cheese and tomato soup.  This combo is a huge favorite amongst folks and is the kind of meal that makes you feel like a kid again.  As for this kid, I decided my grilled cheese and tomato soup needed to grow up a bit. 

What You Need (Serves 2):

For the Soup:

4 Large Tomatoes (quartered)

4 Large Garlic Cloves (smashed)

1 Small Onion (quartered)

Olive Oil

Salt/Pepper

1/4 Cup Fresh Basil or 1/2 tsp. Dried Basil

2 tsp. Balsamic Vinegar.

Heat oven to 400 degrees (on convection if you have it)

1. Combine tomatoes, garlic and onions in medium bowl.  Drizzle olive oil over the vegetables to coat.  Season with salt and pepper.  Pour the veggies onto baking sheet or casserole dish and place in heated oven.

2. Roast vegetables for 25 minutes.

3. Next, add the roasted vegetables, balsamic and basil into a blender and puree until it reaches your desired consistency.  Adjust seasonings to your liking.

For the grilled cheese boats:

2 Slices of Bread (I used Sprouted Rye)

2 Tbsp. Pesto (I used pesto I bought from the Farmer’s Market)

2 Slices of Cheese (I used Jarlsberg- but would suggest using Goat Cheese and Mozzarella)

1. Cut off the crusts of the bread then spread the pesto onto the slices and top with cheese.  Put the sandwich together and grill the sandwich in a greased pan or panini maker.

2. Slice the sandwich into quarters to form 4 mini grilled cheeses.  Place the mini sandwiches onto the portioned soup right before serving.