Kamut Soup with Pumpkin and Saffron

January 22, 2012 · by · 1 Comment
Kamut Soup with Pumpkin and Saffron (Parve)

Kamut Soup with Pumpkin and Saffron (Parve)

Have you ever tried KAMUT? It’s a long grain with a brown cover – it looks similar to brown rice, but it’s related to wheat and has a velvety, nutty flavor. It’s richer in protein than wheat, and contains several vitamins and minerals. Perfect for a winter soup!

The other main ingredient of this “minestra” is saffron, the star ingredient in Italy’s favorite risotto Milanese, and in many festive Sephardic dishes. Saffron, one of the most highly prized spices since antiquity, and a native of the Southern Mediterranean, is now cultivated in many countries. However, some the best in the world is said to be produced in the Abruzzi region of Italy, a couple of hours east of Rome – a legend says that it was first smuggled here by a dominican monk in the 13th century, and the production has been thriving ever since. In order to maintain the intense aroma of their saffron, the locals uproot the bulbs yearly, and select them for size. The perfect soil and climate conditions do the rest, and every fall the flowers are harvested.

About 80,000 crocus flowers are needed to produce a meager pound of saffron – in case you wondered what makes it the most expensive spice in the world! To justify the extravagant expense, remember that saffron has been used as a medicinal botanical on many continents throughout history, and some recent research has demonstrated that one of its components shows promise as an anti-cancer agent.

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Kamut Soup with Pumpkin and Saffron (Parve)

Ingredients

  • ½ pound kamut, soaked overnight (or at least for 3 hours) and rinsed
  • 1 quart vegetable stock
  • 15 to 25 saffron stigms
  • 1 small carrot
  • 1 celery stick
  • 1 cup cubed pumpkin or butternut squash
  • ½ a medium onion
  • 1 quart vegetable stock
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper

Directions

Brew the saffron in a few spoonfuls of hot water.

Chop the onion, celery and carrot finely (we call this mix “soffritto”).

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and cook this vegetable mix in the oil for 5 to 10 minutes.

Add the cubed pumpkin, a little salt, and cook for 3 or 4 more minutes, Add the kamut, cover with the vegetable stock, and bring to a boil;

Cover and allow to simmer on low heat for 30 minutes.

Add the saffron and allow to cook for about 10-15 more minutes, or until the kamut is cooked “al dente”.

Drizzle with a little more olive oil, add a dash of pepper and some minced parsley, and serve.

http://dinnerinvenice.com/2012/01/22/kamut-soup-with-pumpkin-and-saffron-parve/

Filed Under: First course, Light/Diet, Non-Dairy, Soup, Special Diet, Vegetarian · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,

Ricotta and Pumpkin Sformatini

November 6, 2011 · by · Leave a Comment
Ricotta and Pumpkin Sformatini (Dairy)

Ricotta and Pumpkin Sformatini (Dairy)

The verb “sformare” in Italian means “to turn out, to remove from the mold”. A Sformato is a kind of savory custard that is thick enough to retain its shape when turned out on a platter, thus making a crust unnecessary. Traditional Sformati are made with béchamel sauce (read: lots of butter!), but you can obtain similar results without wracking your diet if you use ricotta. As filling and creamy as a quiche, at a fraction of the calories, this is basically a savory variant of the Jewish Roman Cassola which I posted in December (I also wrote about it in The Forward) . Ricotta is not technically a cheese, but a by-product of cheese-making: that’s why whole milk ricotta is naturally very low-fat, containing only 5% fat (as opposed to 90% in cream cheese!): no need to go with the low-fat or fat-free varieties, which contain additives and taste bad. Pumpkin is also very interesting from a nutritional point of view, because it’s filling and sweet but very low in calories and sugar, and fat-free. It also contains high quantities of carotene, calcium and phosphorus. Enjoy!
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Ricotta and Pumpkin Sformatini (Dairy)

Ingredients

  • 1 pound pumpkin or butternut squash, cubed
  • 1 pound fresh spinach (optional)
  • 1 pound fresh whole milk ricotta
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated parmigiano or grana cheese
  • 4 tablespoons e.v. olive oil
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg, if liked
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • oven-proof parchment; flour or breadcrumbs to dust the ramekins
  • optional: 1 cup boiled or steamed rice

Directions

Serves 4-6

Cook the pumpkin until soft (the quickest way is in the microwave, covered with plastic wrap leaving just a small opening for the steam, it takes about 10 minutes. Or you can bake it in the oven, covered with foil, it will take almost one hour).

If using the spinach, blanch for two minutes in boiling water (or steam it), drain it, squeeze most of the water out, and dry with paper towel.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a pan and add the garlic.

Once the garlic is brown, discard it and add the pumpkin.

Cook for about 10 minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper.

Mash the pumpkin with a potato masher, allow it to cool down a little.

Place the pumpkin in the bowl of your food processor (or you can also do this by hand, in a bowl); add the ricotta (well drained of any liquid), the spinach and/or rice if using, the eggs, the parmigiano cheese, the nutmeg, and process briefly.

Line some small ramekins (or a large baking pan) with well-greased parchment paper (grease the paper well ,or they will stick.

You can also dust with some breadcrumbs or flour as an extra precaution, but the sformatini will look less pretty).

Bake in a “bain-marie” (in a lower pan filled with hot water) in a preheated 375 F oven.

When I feel lazy, I just bake them normally without the bain-marie,and they still come out great.

It takes about 20 minutes using small individual ramekins, and 30 minutes in one larger baking pan.

Turn off the oven and allow to set for about 15 minutes with the oven door open.

Turn out on a serving platter, remove the parchment, and serve hot or warm.

http://dinnerinvenice.com/2011/11/06/ricotta-and-pumpkin-sformatini-dairy/
Filed Under: Appetizer, Dairy, Gluten Free, Light/Diet, Special Diet · Tagged: , , , , , , ,

Chestnut and Spelt Soup

November 1, 2011 · by · Leave a Comment
Chestnut and Spelt Soup (Parve)

Chestnut and Spelt Soup (Parve)

After last Saturday’s early snowfall, it’s time to put our summer clothes in storage and welcome the cold season (at least in New York)!  Don’t be sad – there are plenty of fun things about fall and winter. One example: hearty soups like this one, which incorporates two  ingredients with a distinguished history, staple foods for thousands of years in some areas of Europe.

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Chestnut and Spelt Soup (Parve)

Ingredients

  • 2/3 pound dried chestnuts
  • 1 cup Spelt
  • 1 medium onion
  • 1 tablespoon minced parsley
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

Serves 6-8

Wash the spelt well, place it in a pot, cover with water and soak overnight.

The next day, boil the chestnuts in salted water with the bay leaf for 40 minutes.

In a second pot heat 1 tablespoon oilive oil, add the minced onion and garlic, and cook for 5 minutes; add the chestnuts with their water and the spelt (rinsed and drained well), and about 1 qt or more salted water.

Simmer for about one hour, covered, until the spelt is cooked.

Adjust the salt, sprinkle with pepper, drizzle with olive oil and serve hot with toasted bread slices. You can also add a little rosemary.

http://dinnerinvenice.com/2011/11/01/chestnut-and-spelt-soup-parve/

Filed Under: Appetizer, Comfort food, First course, Light and Healthy, Light/Diet, Soup, Special Diet, Sustainable, Vegetarian · Tagged: , , , , , , ,

Baked Apple with Hazelnuts, Honey and Yogurt

October 31, 2011 · by · Leave a Comment
Baked Apple with Hazelnuts, Honey and Yogurt (Dairy)

Baked Apple with Hazelnuts, Honey and Yogurt (Dairy)

Before the advent of industrial baking products, many of the treats that our grandmothers served during the week included fruit. Compotes and baked fruit are a delicious way to indulge our sweet tooth without overdoing the sugar and the calories, and actually adding nutrients to our diet. Baked fruit, in particular, is easy to make and very comforting in the frosty fall and winter days. 

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Baked Apple with Hazelnuts, Honey and Yogurt (Dairy)

Ingredients

  • 4 apples, all more or less the same size
  • 1 heaped tablespoon brown sugar
  • 10 ounces (about 1 and 1/4 cup) plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup coarsely ground hazelnuts
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • juice of 1/2 a lemon

Directions

Cut off the tops from the apples and set them aside, sprinkling the inside with lemon juice.

Core the apples from the top down, using an apple corer or melon baller, taking care not to pierce the bottom (leave about 1/2? pulp on the bottom and sides).

Place the apples in a baking pan just large enough to hold them.

Dice the pulp you extracted from the apples (discarding the hard cores and seeds), and place it in a bowl with little lemon juice, the hazelnuts, the honey and the yogurt, combining well.

Sprinkle the inside of the cored apples with brown sugar, and stuff them with the yogurt/apple/hazelnut mix.

Cover them with the tops that you had set aside, and bake at 375 F for 30 minutes (more if you like very soft apples).

Serve warm.

For a more fragrant recipe, you can stick a couple of cloves into the peel of each apple before baking.

http://dinnerinvenice.com/2011/10/31/baked-apple-with-hazelnuts-honey-and-yogurt-dairy/

Filed Under: Dairy, Desserts, Gluten Free, Light/Diet, Special Diet · Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,

Tilapia Roll-Ups

October 23, 2011 · by · Leave a Comment
Tilapia Roll-Ups

Tilapia Roll-Ups

Often we forget to eat healthy foods just because we are so busy. On top of that, fish can be quite intimidating to people who have never learned how to cook it. This recipe, however, is easy to prepare, looks very pretty, and it tastes great. Tilapia and sole are light, flaky, white-fleshed fish – a perfect low-calorie source of lean protein for those of you who are watching their waistlines or at risk of cardiovascular disease. The extra burst of flavor comes from anchovies, herrings’ “little cousins”: just like their larger relatives they are chock-full of nutrients (for example, they are a rich source of protein, niacin, calcium, selenium, and an extremely high concentration of omega-3 fatty acids), and one of the most beloved ingredients in Italian cuisine.

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Tilapia Roll-Ups

serves 4

Ingredients

  • 6 to 8 small tilapia or sole fillets, depending on the size
  • 4 or 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 slices of bread, crust removed, diced
  • 1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley
  • 1 tablespoon capers
  • 4 anchovies, chopped (salt- or oil-packed, drained and rinsed well, and pat dry)
  • grated zest of one organic lemon
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • flour
  • salt
  • ground pepper to taste

Directions

Soak the diced bread in 4 tablespoons of cold vegetable broth or water for a few minutes; drain well squeezing the liquid out. Combine in a food processor with one tablespoon oil, parsley, capers, anchovies, lemon zest (you can also mix everything together with a fork).

Season the fillets with salt and pepper, dredge in flour shaking off the excess. Put some of the filling on the center of each fillet, roll the fillet around the filling and secure with a toothpick or tie with string (for an ever prettier effect, blanch some chives in boiling water and use them as strings). Repeat with all the fillets.

Heat the remaining oil in a pan and add the fillet, seam down. Cook for about 5 minutes, turn carefully with a spatula; cook the other side for a couple more minutes, and add the wine. Turn up the heat to allow the wine to evaporate, and voila'!

*** if you are really watching your waistline and need to decrease the quantity of the oil, you can just bake these in a parchment-lined pan, brushing the top with a mix of 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon lemon. You can also steam them and drizzle them with little oil and lemon at the end. In both cases, skip the flour.

http://dinnerinvenice.com/2011/10/23/tilapia-roll-ups/

Filed Under: Appetizer, Fish, Light and Healthy, Light/Diet, Main Dish, Non-Dairy, Quick/Easy, Special Diet, Sustainable · Tagged: , , , , , , , ,

Fall salad with Grapes and Apples

October 11, 2011 · by · Leave a Comment
Fall salad with Grapes and Apples GF

Fall salad with Grapes and Apples

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Fall salad with Grapes and Apples GF

Ingredients

  • 4 cups green lettuce (oak leaf lettuce, mache’ or any other type of fresh green lettuce)
  • 1 small cluster red grapes
  • 1 green apple
  • 10 ounces firm cheese (if using Italian cheese, a montasio or asiago; if using a local cheese, a medium cheddar would work).
  • 1 small container plain yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgine olive oil
  • salt to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon green peppercorns

Directions

Serves 4

Clean and wash the salad and grapes; wash and core the apple, and cut it into very thin slices.

Cut the cheese into small cubes. Peel the garlic, mash it and combine it with the yogurt; add the oil, salt and green peppercorns.

Arrange the lettuce in a large bowl or platter with the cheese, apple and grapes on top, and serve with the yogurt sauce.

http://dinnerinvenice.com/2011/10/11/fall-salad-with-grapes-and-apples-gf/

Filed Under: Gluten Free, Light/Diet, salad, Side Dish, Special Diet · Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,

Macedonia (Italian Fruit Salad)

July 6, 2011 · by · Leave a Comment
Macedonia (Italian Fruit Salad)

Macedonia (Italian Fruit Salad)

I’m going to let you in on an Italian secret: while gelatois delicious, we don’t eat it every night after dinner! Our sweet treat after a meal is usually just fresh fruit, especially if the main courses are rich. 
When we have guests we often serve Macedonia, a simple salad made with a variety of fruit cut into small pieces, so that when you put a spoonful into your mouth you can taste a combination of different flavors.  Macedonia is dressed very simply with fresh sugar and lemon juice…. or Prosecco if no children are present! I know that someone is going to ask me if they can substitute Splenda: of course you can (but do you need to? What’s a spoonful of sugar compared to a large slice of cake?).

This is just a sample recipe, but the possibilities are endless – just pick your favorite fruit! Make sure you sprinkle with fresh lemon juice right after slicing, or bananas and pears will oxidize quickly.
I prefer not to use apples, because their texture is much crunchier than most other fruit.

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Macedonia (Italian Fruit Salad)

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 bananas
  • 1 yellow peach
  • 1 pear
  • 1 or 2 slices pineapple
  • 1/2 basket raspberries
  • 1/2 basket strawberries
  • 1 kiwi
  • 1 orange (peel and cut each slice)
  • 1 Tbsp. golden raisins, plumped up in warm water (optional)
  • 2 Tbsp. lemon juice, or to taste
  • 2 Tbsp. sugar, or to taste

Directions

Serves 4-6

Cut all the fruit into small pieces (the smaller, the better!) and mix well with the lemon and raisins.

Add the sugar and mix in.

Refrigerate before serving.

* Remember that this is just an example, you can use any fruit you like!

http://dinnerinvenice.com/2011/07/06/macedonia-italian-fruit-salad/


Filed Under: Desserts, Gluten Free, Light and Healthy, Light/Diet, Non-Dairy, salad, Special Diet · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,

Spinach and Blueberry Salad

July 4, 2011 · by · 1 Comment
Spinach and Blueberry Salad
Spinach and Blueberry Salad

Spinach and Blueberry Salad

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Spinach and Blueberry Salad

Ingredients

  • 1/2 pound baby spinach
  • 2/3 cup blueberries
  • 5 ounces hard cheese (Montasio or Asiago; or a local artisanal kosher cheese)
  • 1/3 cup shelled walnuts
  • 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Serves 4

Wash and dry the spinach.

Place the spinach in a bowl and add the blackberries, the coarsely ground walnuts, and the cheese (sliced thin and then and then cut into small pieces. If using a harder cheese, you can also shave it).

In a small bowl, make the dressing: combine the honey with the mustard, add the vinegar, oil, salt and pepper and whisk together.

Pour the dressing over the salad and toss.

http://dinnerinvenice.com/2011/07/04/spinach-and-blueberry-salad/

Filed Under: Appetizer, Light/Diet, salad, Side Dish, Special Diet · Tagged: , , , , , , , ,
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