Showing posts with label Dinner. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dinner. Show all posts

Sunday, April 14, 2013

Kale & Quinoa Scramble

 Photo Courtesy of Yummy Supper.

Okay the original recipe from this great blog actually calles these "Patties."  However, I was unable to flip them properly and turned them into Scramble!  I made sure I had plenty of crispy on top though because that gives it a great texture.
  • 1-2 cups quinoa cooked
  • 4 eggs, whisked
  • 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
  • 4 spring onions, sliced thin
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 cup steamed kale, chopped
  • 1 cup breadcrums
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  •  
  • optional toppings: avocado, cilantro, lemon juice, salsa verde, garlic oil
We added fresh lemon juice, cilantro and Arbequina Olive Oil.  

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Mac n' Cheese

Martha Stewart and Smitten Kitchen pulled through for this one. My kids needed to have REAL Mac n' Cheese. This was a hit.

Serves 12

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for casserole
6 slices white bread, crusts removed, torn into 1/4- to l/2-inch pieces
5 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 1/2 cups (about 18 ounces) grated sharp white cheddar cheese
2 cups (about 8 ounces) grated Gruyère or 1 1/4 cups (about 5 ounces) grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1 pound elbow macaroni

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter a 3-quart casserole dish; set aside. Place the bread in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Pour the melted butter into the bowl with the bread, and toss. Set the breadcrumbs aside.

2. Warm the milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Melt the remaining 6 tablespoons butter in a high-sided skillet over medium heat. When the butter bubbles, add the flour. Cook, stirring, 1 minute.

3. While whisking, slowly pour in the hot milk a little at a time to keep mixture smooth. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick, 8 to 12 minutes.

4. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in salt, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, 3 cups cheddar cheese, and 1 1/2 cups Gruyère (or 1 cup Pecorino Romano); set the cheese sauce aside.

5. Cover a large pot of salted water, and bring to a boil. Cook the macaroni until the outside of pasta is cooked and the inside is underdone, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the macaroni to a colander, rinse under cold running water, and drain well. Stir the macaroni into the reserved cheese sauce.

6. Pour the mixture into the prepared dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup Gruyère (or 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano), and the breadcrumbs over the top. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes (though we needed a bit more time to get it brown, but your oven may vary). Transfer the dish to a wire rack for 5 minutes; serve.

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Tasty Sweet Pork Loin

I had a pork loin that needed some love. This recipe hit the spot perfectly. It was very sweet and I actually used half the sugar it asked for. But it was so tender and wonderful.


The Best Pork Loin Recipe Ever

Ingredients:

Paste: (Marinade)

  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 2 tsp finely chopped garlic
  • 2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp kosher salt

Pork Loin:

  • 2 tbsp Season All
  • 2 tbsp minced shallot
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 tbsp minced fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 tsp minced fresh oregano leaves
  • 1 tsp minced fresh parley leaves (I didn't have any in my garden and used Sage instead)
  • 1 pork loin

Method:

In a small bowl, combine shallots, garlic, thyme, oregano, Season All and parsley. Rub the mixture all over pork, pressing firmly, and refrigerate overnight. (Or a few hours like I did)

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Place pork loins in a roasting pan that just fits it. That way it keeps the juices surrounding it and keeps it super moist. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove pork from the oven.

Spread the paste all over the loin. Return to oven and cook until it has developed a good crust on the outside and is cooked to your desired doneness. About 25 minutes. (Place a cookie sheet under your roasting pan if it’s shallow, the brown sugar will foam after about 20 minutes in the oven, and could spill over in a shallow roasting pan.)

Remove pork from pan and let rest for 15 minutes. cut into slices, drizzle with pan juices and garnish with a sprig of thyme.

Serve immediately.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Good Goat Burritos

Mmmmm mmmm. A crowd pleaser. Thank you Nadia. She gave this great cookbook years ago when I was first trying to think of dinner without meat for every meal. I have so under utilized this cookbook. I am repenting of my ways. The few recipes that I have tried from Vegetarian Planet have been wonderful.

By the way, if you're like my family (not me and my daughter) then you might call these Good Cow Burritos and use chedder cheese instead of goat cheese. My family ... soooo uncultured. But they did lick their plates clean. =)

Good Goat Burritos
3 cups of chopped scallions
1 Tbs olive oil
5 cloves of garlic
2 cans of tomatoes
3 cups of cooked rice
1 can of Trader Joe's Refried Black Beans
1 can of Black beans
3 Tbs cumin (or more if you're like me)
salt and pepper to taste

Goat Cheese (or the other stuff if you must)
cilantro
tortillas

Saute the scallions for 5-10 minutes until you feel their done. Add the garlic and saute for the last minute or two. Then add the remaining 6 ingredients and cook until warm.

Get the BIG tortillas. They are so much easier to wrap a burrito correctly. Sprinkle the tortilla with water and cook on a skillet until slightly browned. Spread a thin layer of goat cheese on the tortilla. Add the rice/bean mixture and top with cilantro, sour cream or whatever else you like. Sit on your comfy couch and enjoy the Olympics while eating.

Monday, February 22, 2010

Salsa Chicken

Again, another Trader Joe's sample. I think I just go there when I'm hungry so everything tastes good. This was too easy. And I used the leftovers the next day in quesadillas. Mmm..

1 jar of Trader Joe's Salsa Autentica
Fontina Cheese
Chicken

Easy as that. Brown the chicken in your skillet. When cooked, remove it and then add the jar of salsa. Cut the cheese into small pieces and mix into the salsa. Once the cheese has melted add the chicken to reheat. And voila! C'est tres magnifique!

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Porcini-Crusted Tenderloin with Chocolate-Port Sauce

Another great find from our cooking class at Sur La Table.

TENDERLOIN
6 beef tenderloin steaks cut into 1 1/4 inch thickness
2 Tbsp dried porcini mushrooms
1/2 Tbs peppercorns
1/2 Tbs butter
1/2 Tbs olive oil
Salt to taste

CHOCOLATE PORT SAUCE
2 cups of port
2 cups beef sauce
1 1/2 oz bittersweet chocolate
2 Tbs butter cut in pieces
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425. Grind porcini mushrooms and peppercorn to a fine powder. Pat the beef tenderloin dry with a paper towel. Season both sides of the beef with salt. Sprinkle each side of the tenderloin with the porcini dust.

Add oil and butter to a large oven-proof skillet and place over high heat. Allow the skillet and oil to get hot but not smoking - about 1 minute.

Place the beef tenderloin into the skillet and allow it to cook for about 3 minutes on one side or until a deep dark caramelized crust is achieved. Flip and place the skillet into the oven for about 4-6 minutes to cook meat to medium rare. Remove from heat and let rest. Use the skillet for the sauce.

SAUCE
Deglaze saute pan with port. Reduce by half. Add beef stock and reduce by half. turn heat to low and add chocolate whisking constantly until chocolate is melted. Whisk in butter. Season with salt and pepper.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Sweet Potato Gnocchi

Cafe Johnsonia has recently taken a break for her blog and decided to spend more time with her family. I commend her. She is a wise women for choosing family. I love her recipes. This as a great recipe.

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Sage, Walnuts, and Brown Butter
Cafe Johnsonia

Serves 6-8

Active time:1 1/4 hr
Start to finish:2 1/4 hr

1 1/4 lb russet (baking potatoes)
1 (3/4-lb) sweet potato
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano plus more for serving
1 1/2 to 2 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup sage leaves (from 1 bunch)
1/2 to 3/4 cup whole walnuts
4 tablespoons unsalted butter

Make gnocchi:

Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in middle.

Pierce russet and sweet potatoes in several places with a fork, then bake in a 4-sided sheet pan until just tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Cool potatoes slightly, then peel and force through ricer into sheet pan, spreading in an even layer. Cool potatoes completely.

Lightly flour 2 or 3 large baking sheets or line with parchment paper. Beat together egg, nutmeg, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper in a small bowl. Gather potatoes into a mound in sheet pan, using a pastry scraper if you have one, and form a well in center.


Pour egg mixture into well, then knead into potatoes. (Or just crack the egg into the center, sprinkle the salt, pepper, and nutmeg over the top, and use a fork to break it up and mix in the riced potatoes.)

Knead in cheese and 1 1/2 cups flour, then knead, adding more flour as necessary, until mixture forms a smooth but slightly sticky dough. Dust top lightly with some of flour.

Cut dough into 6 pieces. Form 1 piece of dough into a 1/2-inch-thick rope on a lightly floured surface. Cut rope into 1/2-inch pieces. Gently roll each piece into a ball and lightly dust with flour.

Repeat with remaining 5 pieces of dough.

Turn a fork over and hold at a 45-degree angle, with tips of tines touching work surface. Working with 1 at a time, roll gnocchi down fork tines, pressing with your thumb, to make ridges on 1 side. Transfer gnocchi as formed to baking sheets. (Kind of flick them off the fork and let them fall to the baking sheet. Once you get going, it goes quickly. Dust your fingers with flour and wipe off the fork tines if the gnocchi are sticking.)

Fry sage leaves and walnuts:

Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Fry sage leaves in 3 batches, stirring, until they turn just a shade lighter and crisp (they will continue to crisp as they cool), about 30 seconds per batch. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Season lightly with salt.

Fry the walnuts in the remaining oil until toasted and golden. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Season lightly with salt. Pour off the remaining oil and wipe out the skillet.

Make sauce:

Add butter to skillet and cook until golden-brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Cook gnocchi:

Add some of the gnocchi to a pasta pot of well-salted boiling water and stir. Cook until they float to surface, about 3 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a large serving bowl. Cook remaining gnocchi in same manner, transferring to the bowl.

When all of the gnocchi have been cooked, drizzle with brown butter and gently stir to coat them. Sprinkle with fried sage, walnuts and grated cheese.

Cooks’ notes:

* Uncooked gnocchi can be frozen (first in 1 layer on a baking sheet, then transferred to a sealable bag) up to 1 month. Do not thaw before cooking. Chestnuts can be sliced 1 day ahead and kept in an airtight container at cool room temperature.
* Sauce and topping can be halved; make full recipe of gnocchi and freeze half of it.

Saturday, October 31, 2009

Chinese Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Mmmmm. Something about PF Chang's Lettuce Wraps that gets my mouth watering. So I figured it was time to make them at home. These are wonderful and too easy. Thank you RecipeZaar.

Ingredients
* 3 Tbs oil
* 2 chicken breasts
* 1 cup water chestnuts
* 2/3 cup mushrooms
* 3 Tbs chopped onions
* 1 tsp minced garlic
* 4-5 leaves of Boston lettuce

Special Sauce
* 1/4 cup sugar
* 1/4 cup water
* 2 Tbs soy sauce
* 2 Tbs rice wine vinegar
* 1 Tbs lemon juice
* 1/8 tsp sesame oil
* 1 Tbs hot mustard
* 2 tsp water
* 1-2 tsp garlic & red chili paste

Stir Fry Sauce
* 4 Tbs soy sauce
* 4 Tbs brown sugar
* 1 tsp rice wine vinegar

Special Sauce
* Dissolve the sugar and water in a small bowl
* Add soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ketchup, lemon juice and sesame oil.
* Mix well and refrigerate this sauce until you're ready to serve
* Combine hot water with hot mustard and set aside as well. Eventually add your desired measurement of mustard and garlic chili sauce to the special sauce mixture to pour over the wraps.

Bring oil to high heat in a wok or large frying pan. Saute chicken breasts for 4 to 5 minutes per side or done. Remove chicken from the pan and cool. Keep oil in the pan, keep hot. As chicken cools mince water chestnuts and mushrooms to about the size of small peas.

Stir Fry Sauce
* Mix the soy sauce, brown sugar, and rice vinegar together in a small bowl. When chicken is cool, mince it as the mushrooms and water chestnuts are. With the pan still on high heat, add another Tbsp of vegetable oil. Add chicken, garlic, onions, water chestnuts & mushrooms to pan. Add the stir fry sauce to the pan and saute the mixture for a couple minutes. You may want to double or triple the sauce. Then serve it in the lettuce"cups".

Top with"Special Sauce".

Monday, October 12, 2009

Since when do you make Pot Roast?


Um ... since never. Remember I gave our wedding crockpot away to my brother who got more use out of it working on his boat than I ever did. Everything I made in it tasted like cardboard. But I'm determined to change that.

Recently my husband spent the night at my parents and he came home raving about this Pot Roast my mom made. What? Since when does she make pot roasts? (Like mother, like daughter.) So after about the 5th time hearing him say I needed to get this recipe I finally did. He was right, an excellent twist on pot roast. Who knew you could put olives in a Sunday Roast?

Thank you Alton Brown from Food Network. I'm hopeful my crockpot and I will be friends again.

Ingredients

  • 1 (2-pound) blade cut chuck roast
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • Vegetable oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 5 to 6 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 1 cup tomato juice
  • 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1 cup cocktail olives, drained and broken
  • 1/2 cup dark raisins

Directions

Preheat the oven to 190-200 degrees F. Place a wide, heavy skillet or fry pan over high heat for 2 minutes. Meanwhile, rub both sides of meat with the salt and cumin. When the pan is hot (really hot) brown meat on both sides and remove from pan. Add just enough vegetable oil to cover the bottom of the pan then add the onion and garlic. Stir constantly until onion is softened.

Add the tomato juice, vinegar, olives, and raisins. Bring to a boil and reduce the liquid by half. Create a pouch with wide, heavy duty aluminum foil. Place half the reduced liquid/chunk mixture on the foil, add the roast, and then top with the remaining mixture. Close the pouch, and wrap tightly in another complete layer of foil. Cook for 3 to 3 1/2 hours or until a fork pushes easily into the meat. Remove from oven and rest (still wrapped) for at least 1/2 hour. Snip off 1 corner of the foil pouch and drain the liquid into a bowl or measuring cup. Add some of the "chunkies" and puree with an immersion blender. Slice meat thinly, or pull apart with a fork. Serve with sauce.

Or ... do what I did, cook the onions until soft ... and then add the other stuff to the crockpot and walk away. Then blend a few of the chunkies and voila!

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Southwestern Burger

Found this from Self.com It looked interesting and it did not disappoint. It may be awhile before I go back to my old burger.

I did embellish my beef a bit more with good ol' Worchestershire sauce and garlic salt and what not. I also sauteed the onions, garlic and peppers. The kids were hesitant about eating it b/c of course it's new, but as Ian said himself, "This. is. out. of. Controoool!" In other words, they loved it too.

Ingredients

  • Vegetable cooking oil
  • 1 pound ground sirloin
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and grated
  • 1 egg white
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
  • 1/2 cup fresh corn kernels
  • 1 cup diced tomato
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • 4 whole-wheat burger buns

Preparation

Coat grill with cooking spray; heat on high. Mix sirloin, bell pepper, egg white, 1/2 teaspoon salt and hot sauce in a bowl. Form into four 4-inch patties. Set aside. Cook corn with 1 tablespoon water in microwave 30 seconds; mix with tomato, cilantro, juice and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in another bowl. Grill burgers 12 minutes, turning halfway through, until no longer red in the center. Place on buns and top with salsa.

Monday, March 9, 2009

Lemon Pepper Pasta with Capers

I adapted this recipe from The Kitchn just a little. Delicious.


Lemon Pepper Pasta with Capers

3 large garlic cloves, minced

Zest of 1 lemon

1 bunch of scallions
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1/4 cup cream
1/4 cup capers
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 8-ounce package Trader Joe's Lemon Pepper Pappardelle Pasta

Slowly cook the garlic, scallions and lemon zest in the butter and oil, in a heavy sauté pan over medium heat. Stir frequently to keep the garlic from browning. When the garlic is soft, add the broth and turn the heat to high. Simmer until reduced by at least one half, and add the cream and capers. Turn the heat back to medium and simmer until thick and syrupy. Taste and season.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to directions (2 quarts of salted water, 8-10 minutes). Drain and toss with a dribble of olive oil. Pour the cream sauce over and toss. Serve immediately.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

French Dip Panini

I think I have a new favorite Panini Site ... Panini Happy. I just had a DECLICIOUS French Dip tonight. Served it with some apples and some bubbly. MMmmm MMM.


French Dip Panini


INGREDIENTS:

1 sweet yellow onion, sliced into 1/4″ rings
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper
French bread, thick slices
Mayonnaise or roasted garlic aioli (here’s an easy recipe on Art & Aioli - thanks, Nicole!)
Roast beef, thinly sliced
Gruyère cheese, grated

Au jus (see recipe on For the Love of Cooking)

  • 1/2 tsp olive oil
  • 1 small shallot, sliced thinly
  • 1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 3 -4 cups of beef broth
  • 3 tsp bouillon crystals
  • 1/2 tsp thyme
  • Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Season onions with salt and pepper and sauté in the olive oil for 15-20 minutes until caramelized.

Preheat panini grill to medium-high heat (375 degrees).

Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise or roasted garlic aioli on a slice of bread. Top with roast beef, onions and cheese. Close the sandwich with another slice of bread. Grill 7-8 minutes until cheese is melted and grill marks appear. Serve immediately with au jus and enjoy!

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Carne Asada


LOVE this recipe. When we moved to Rochester, NY there were no Mexican restaurants to be found. We were heartbroken. So I learned how to make Carne Asada. Tasty. Thank you Tyler Florence.

Ingredients
  • 2 pounds flank or skirt steak, trimmed of excess fat
  • 1 recipe Mojo, recipe follows
  • Olive oil, for coating the grill
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 16 (7-inch) corn tortillas
  • Shredded romaine or iceberg lettuce, for serving
  • Chopped white onion, for serving
  • Shredded Jack cheese, for serving
  • 1/2 cup Pico de Gallo, recipe follows
  • 2 limes, cut in wedges for serving

Directions

Lay the flank steak in a large baking dish and pour the mojo over it. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 8 hours, so the flavors can sink into the meat. Don't marinate the steak for more than 8 hours though, or the fibers break down too much and the meat gets mushy.

Preheat an outdoor grill or a ridged grill pan over medium-high flame (you can also use a broiler). Brush the grates with a little oil to prevent the meat from sticking. Pull the steak out of the mojo marinade and season the steak on both sides with salt and pepper. Grill (or broil) the steak for 7 to 10 minutes per side, turning once, until medium-rare. Remove the steak to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes to allow the juices to settle. Thinly slice the steak across the grain on a diagonal.

Warm the tortillas for 30 seconds on each side in a dry skillet or on the grill, until toasty and pliable.

To make the tacos, stack up 2 of the warm tortillas, lay about 4 ounces of beef down the center, and sprinkle with some lettuce, onion, and cheese. Top each taco with a spoonful of the Pico de Gallo salsa and garnish with lime wedges. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.

Mojo:

  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 jalapeno, minced
  • 1 large handful fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 limes, juiced
  • 1 orange, juiced
  • 2 tablespoons white vinegar
  • 1/2 cup olive oil

In a mortar and pestle or bowl, mash together the garlic, jalapeno, cilantro, salt, and pepper to make a paste. Put the paste in a glass jar or plastic container. Add the lime juice, orange juice, vinegar, and oil. Shake it up really well to combine. Use as a marinade for chicken or beef or as a table condiment.

Yield: approximately 1 1/4 cups

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Easy Chili

Very VERY easy chili and tasty. I got this from my friend Becca years ago when I was eager to find a new quick and easy crock pot recipe. It's been looooved many times since. And I change a little bit every time too.

The Base that never changes ...

1 packet of ranch dressing mix
1 packet of taco seasoning mix

I use a variety of canned this or that...

1 can of kidney beans
1 can of black beans
2 cans of chopped tomatoes
1 ca if corn

I saute lots of these

onions chopped fine
garlic chopped fine (never enough garlic)

Think I'll enter the Ward Chili Cook-off in two weeks with this one.

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Zucchini Strand Spaghetti

Do you have Zucchini-haters in your family too? My husband obviously was never served Zucchini the right way. But since we've been married, it has been my quest to fit zucchini in wherever I can. And this is one of our favorite family meals. Yes, even my 3 and 4 year olds eat this.

The secret ... DON'T OVER COOK IT. It takes little time to cook and you want it a little bit crisp. So make it the last thing you cook.

This recipe is adapted from Smitten Kitchen.

Zucchini Strand Spaghetti (or Penne in this case)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 pound whole-wheat dried spaghettini
3/4 pound zucchini
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus a small piece

I also decided last minute to add ...

1 bell pepper
2 shallots
1 bunch of green onions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes.

While the water comes to a boil and the pasta cooks, cut the zucchini with the fine French-fry cutter on a mandoline or a good old cheese grater. I have made this before and just cut thin strips. The thinner cut your zucchini, the less it needs to be cooked. I usually saute my onions and garlic for a bit and then add the zucchini just to warm it up.

Heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the garlic and saute briefly until light brown. Turn on the exhaust fan and add the red pepper flakes. Quickly mix in the basil and remove from the heat. When the pasta is al dente, drain through a colander, reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.

Pour the pasta into a warm serving bowl; add the zucchini, basil oil (optional, recipe below), the garlic mixture, and 1/2 cup of the cheese. Toss well, adding cooking water as needed to make a smooth sauce. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper, as needed. Grate about 2 tablespoons Parmesan over the top and serve at once.


If I'm too lazy to make the basil oil, I just mix it all in with the onions and garlic together. But and herb oil ALWAYS tastes better.

Basil Oil (or any other herb-flavored olive oil)

Makes 1 1/3 cups

For soft herbs, such as basil, parsley, cilantro or tarragon: Use 4 cups packed leaves to 2 cups pure olive oil.

For woody herbs, such as rosemary, sage, thyme, oregano or lemon verbena: Use 1 cup packed leaves to 2 cups pure olive oil.

In a blender, puree the herbs and oil until completely smooth. Put the mixture in a saucepan and bring it to a simmer over moderate heat. Simmer for 45 seconds, then pour through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl. Don't press on the mixture, but you can tap the strainer against your hand to get the oil to drip through faster.

[Chirello has steps here to strain again through a coffee filter and let it settle for a few hours but I skipped all this and still had a gorgeous, delicious, unbelievably potent basil oil.]

Note: Fresh herb oils are better to toss into pasta at the end rather than cook with, so the oil keeps its fresh, uncooked taste.


Thanks Smitten Kitchen for another great recipe.