Pesto with a Little Twist

As you probably know already pesto is typically made with basil and pine nuts. The first time I made pesto I was still in college and trying to be frugal so I opted out of buying a $10 bag of pine nuts and used walnuts as a cheaper substitute. I also didn't have quite enough basil so I ended up using half arugula and half basil which gave the pesto a really nice peppery taste.

Arugula and Basil Pesto
Yields: 4 cups

Ingredients:
1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup pine nuts (you can use all pine nuts or all walnuts if you prefer, I like to use a little of both)
8 cloves of chopped garlic
2 1/2 cups fresh basil leaves
2 1/2 cups arugula
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
To toast the pine nuts and walnuts place them in a skillet over medium heat and toast until fragrant. Place the pine nuts, walnuts, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor and process for 15 seconds.  Place the basil, arugula, salt and pepper in the food processor. While the processor is running, slowly pour in the olive oil through the feed tube and process until the pesto is thoroughly pureed. Add the Parmesan and puree for a minute. Use right away or store in the refrigerator with a thin film of olive on top (this keeps the air from spoiling the pesto).

Note: The pesto is obviously great for pasta or gnocchi dishes, but I also like to use it on flank steaks. You can thin out the pesto with a little bit of white wine vinegar and warm water to make a nice sauce for the steak.

Enjoy!

Ginger Halibut over Wilted Greens

This is a recipe that is actually fairly new to me, but by far one of the easiest and most delicious meals I’ve made in a while.  The first time I used Halibut and this last time I used Cod, both were superb.  I would recommend just going to your grocery store the day of and pick out whatever white fish looks best to you.  The recipe is originally from Giada’s Italian Fusion dishes, but she uses lime juice and basil and I wasn’t too sure about that so I changed it up a bit. 

Ginger Halibut over Wilted Greens

Yields: 2 servings

Ingredients

3 cups Fresh Baby Spinach (or arugula if you prefer)

2 Halibut (or any white fish) fillets

2 tsp peeled and minced fresh ginger

1 tsp minced garlic

¼ cup dry Marsala wine

4 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

Preheat oven to 400° F.  Cut 2 (12 inch square pieces) of aluminum foil. 

Place each piece of foil on your work surface.  Place 1 ½ cups spinach in the center of each foil sheet (you can use more spinach if you wish because it does wilt down a lot).  Place 1 Halibut fillet on top of the spinach.  Sprinkle with 1 tsp ginger, ½ tsp garlic then drizzle 2 Tbs Marsala wine, 2 tsp soy sauce and ½ tsp sesame oil.   

(This picture is just one Cod fillet that was cut in half...cook each fillet separately)

Gather together the foil edges and pinch together tightly to seal.  Place the foil packages on a baking sheet and cook for 10 minutes until the spinach wilts and the fish is flakey. 

I serve this dish over brown rice because there will be extra sauce and the rice is a nice sponge for it.  

Enjoy!

A Guilty Pleasure That I Indulge in Far Too Often…RISOTTO!

Risotto is by far one of my favorite things to cook and eat, which is funny because about 2 years ago I could hardly stand the texture.  I’m always looking for new risotto recipes, but since I’m just starting off this blog I’ll give you my standard recipe that I make at least once a week, Mushroom Risotto.  Keep in mind that the secret to a great risotto is TLC.  The dish takes about 40 minutes to make and you’ll be spending most of that time constantly stirring, but the end result is totally worth it. 

Mushroom Risotto

Serves 4 Entrée dishes

Ingredients

1 can (49 ounces) low-sodium chicken broth

4 Tbs (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

6 ounces crimini mushrooms, stems removed and caps cut into narrow strips

1 yellow onion finely chopped

2 cups Arborio rice

½ cup dry white wine

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In a saucepan, bring the broth to a simmer over medium heat.  Reduce the heat to low to keep the broth hot.

In a deep wide saucepan over medium heat, melt 3 Tbs of the butter.  Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, about 3 minutes.  Add the finely chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 3 more minutes.  Add the rice and stir until the kernels are covered with the butter and the rice feels heavy in the spoon, about 2 minutes. Make sure not to toast the rice.  Add the wine and cook, stirring constantly, until the wine has almost evaporated. 

Add ½ cup of the hot broth to the rice and cook, stirring frequently until the rice has almost completely absorbed the liquid.  Lower the heat to medium-low to keep the risotto at a steady simmer.  Continue adding the broth ½ cup at a time, stirring until the broth is almost completely absorbed before adding the next addition.  After about 16-18 minutes the rice grains will be creamy, plump, and cooked through, but still slightly chewy.  I usually start taste testing at about 14 minutes, because one ladleful too many can ruin the risotto and you want to make sure the rice is al dente.  When the rice is to your liking, fold in the last tablespoon of butter and Parmesan cheese.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Serve immediately.

Bon Appetit!

One of my favorites...Herb Crusted Salmon

I figured that for my first recipe I should pick one of my all time favorites and one that I have yet to see go unfinished. If you're looking to impress someone with a fairly simple yet elegant meal then this is the recipe for you. This recipe serves 6 but if you're only cooking for 2 then just halve the ingredients for the herb crust and you're set. Also make sure to use fresh herbs for this recipe, dried herbs cannot be substituted in this case.

Ingredients
Herb Crust
4 green onions, white and light green parts only, minced
1/4 cup firmly packed chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup firmly packed chopped fresh basil
1 Tbs packed chopped fresh oregano
1 Tbs packed chopped fresh thyme
3 cloves garlic minced
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

6 salmon fillets (about 6oz each)
Salt and pepper
2 Tbs Dijon mustard

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with tin foil.
To make the herb crust, combine the green onions, herbs, and garlic together in a small bowl. Drizzle in the oil and stir to moisten. Set aside.
Season the salmon with salt and pepper. Most salmon filets will come with the skin still on so place the filets skin side down on the foil lined baking sheet, the foil will stick to the skin when cooking allowing you to easily separate the filets from the skin when they are finished. Using the back of a spoon or spatula, evenly spread 1 tsp of the Dijon over the exposed surface of each filet. Using a rubber spatula evenly spread about 2 Tbs of the herb crust over the mustard coating on each filet.
Roast the salmon for 10 minutes. Run a thin spatula between the filet and the skin of the salmon and the filet should easily separate. Transfer to dinner plates and serve immediately.

A little bit about me...

...I am a recent graduate from UC Berkeley and the truth is I have no idea where my life is going to take me next. The one thing I do know is that I have a passion for cooking and I have decided to start this blog to fuel that passion. Up until about two years ago I didn't even know I could cook. I knew how to boil spaghetti and that was about it. In the spring of 2010 I studied abroad in Rome, Italy and that's when I discovered I actually had some skill in the kitchen. Before Rome I lived in a sorority, in dorms, and before that, home...meaning I never had to cook for myself. Although I ate out a LOT in Italy, I realized that if I wanted to have any sort of a figure or savings when I returned home I was going to have to start cooking for myself. I have always appreciated good food, I just never thought I could create it. Well I was pleasantly surprised by my first few dishes and from there my love for cooking blossomed. This blog is going to be about my culinary journey and I would love to share it with you. Most of the blog will be devoted to sharing my favorite recipes, so if you enjoy eating well, then stay tuned!
Bon appetit!
Katie