It's Chocolate Day! (Wait! Isn't It Every Day?)

I wanted to do a day with three of some of my all-time favorite chocolate recipes.  I know chocolate makes me happy.  When I eat it, it's like sharing time with a friend.  And I know I can say with total confidence, it makes most every creature on the planet happy too.  It's CHOCOLATE!!  Pick your poison.  Cookies?  Candy?  Cake?  Yes. Yes. Yes.  Hot Cocoa?  Ice Cream?  Truffles?  Of course - YES!  To all of the above and more.  Think of the involuntary reaction most of us have to chocolate.  Closed eyes. Weak knees.  Slight moaning.  Ummm, I guess it's like sharing time with more than a friend.

But when something is that universally wonderful, let's smile and find a way to get our hands on some soon.  In the movie Chocolat, candy shop owner Vianne knew that everyone loved chocolate and that each of us has an irresistible favorite way to eat it.  She also knew that eating and enjoying chocolate brings people together, while avoiding it tears us apart.  You can't argue with that kind of great logic.  Idle hands are the devil's keeper.  Get in the kitchen and make something with chocolate.  Have friends over.  Share.  You never know...you will have maybe saved a couple of relationships and prevented some real disasters.  That's power, my friend.  That's what chocolate can do.

Oh, and this will definitely not be the last of my chocolate posts and chocolate recipes.  Hardly. This is just the beginning.  I didn't just discover the stuff last week, you know.

Fennel and Orange Salad (Sicily At Its Finest)

This is a refreshing salad that would almost be better served after your main course.  It has a way of lightening up the entire meal.  A Sicilian classic.  Pairing the sweet navel oranges with the licorice flavor of the fresh fennel and then a drizzle of the finest olive oil transports you right over to the Mediterranean and all of a sudden, you're on vacation.  (I go on a lot of vacations, just by closing my eyes.)

This is also as easy as it gets.  I hope you'll be enjoying it soon.


Salad with Fresh Fennel, Oranges & Scallions
Insalata di Arance

Serves 4


4 oranges, peeled and segments cut out
2 fennel bulbs, end trimmed, cut into 1 1/2" slices
1 scallion or green onion, thinly sliced
4 Tbsp. good quality extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients.  Let it rest for half an hour.  Divide among plates and serve.  Afterward, go dip your toes in the water.

Ricotta Tart (Easter Sunday Anyone?)

A dessert that completely satisfies after a big meal, without any regrets.  It has a touch of lemon that's refreshing and a creaminess that always reminds you of why you love desserts.  It really could be the nicest ending to your Easter dinner.  It's got springtime written all over it.  If you're serving it for company, do what you have to do to save a piece for yourself for the next morning.  A perfectly acceptable breakfast in my world.

Ricotta Cheese Tart
Crostata di Ricotta

Dough:

7 oz. (200 grams) flour
3 oz. (100 grams) butter
1 egg
2 oz. (50 grams) sugar
pinch of salt
zest of one lemon

Filling:

1 lb. fresh ricotta cheese, drained
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup heavy cream
Zest of one lemon
2 Tbsp. brandy
pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit

In the bowl of a food processor, put the flour and sugar, lemon zest and pinch of salt.  Mix for a few seconds.  Add the butter and egg and pulse until dough comes together in a ball.  Remove and wrap in plastic.  Put in the fridge for about 45 minutes.  On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough and transfer to a 8" or 9" tart pan with removable bottom.  (A pie pan can also be used.)  Cover dough with aluminum foil and place dried bean or pie weights.  Bake for 10 minutes.  Remove from oven, lift out foil and beans.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix the ricotta cheese and the remaining ingredients.  Line a baking sheet with either aluminum foil or parchment paper.  Fill the partially cooked pastry dough with the ricotta mixture and put on baking sheet.  Put back in the oven and cook for approximately 40-45 minutes, or until firm.  The oven temperature may need to be reduced if the ricotta mixture turns brown too quickly.  Removed from oven and let cool completely.  Serve warm or cold.

Eggplant Caponata

Another true Italian recipe, learned at my wonderful school, the Scuola di Arte Culinaria in Florence. This eggplant can be served several ways.  It's a great side dish to...well, anything.  And it's perfect served on some lightly toasted baguette slices as an appetizer.  Basically, it's just nice to have it around and ready to go.  But it also is one of those dishes that really should be made in advance.  Those flavors just keep improving.  If possible, a day ahead would be great.  I wouldn't adjust the amounts too much on this one.  It shouldn't be too tomato saucy or vinegary.  There's a definite balance of yumminess going on here that you want to get right. 

EGGPLANT CAPONATA

2 medium sized eggplants, peeled & cut into 1" dice

kosher salt

olive oil for frying

2 small celery sticks, finely chopped

1/4 cup red onion, chopped

1 cup tomato sauce (a good quality canned sauce is fine, but if you happen to have some of your own homemade sauce nearby - wow! - even better)

1 Tbsp. capers, drained

2 Tbsp. green olives, chopped

1 tsp. sugar

2 Tbsp. red wine or balsamic vinegar

Salt & pepper

Salt eggplant very well, place in colander, let sit for 1 hour.  Rinse well and pat dry.

In a large saute pan, heat about 1/4-1/3 cup olive oil over medium-high heat until very hot and cook eggplant in batches until brown.  Make sure to get some color on the eggplant without burning.  Stir rather often.  (If oil gets too dark, change as necessary.)  Transfer eggplant to baking sheet or platter lined with paper towels to drain.  Let cool.  Wipe pan clean.  Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil over medium heat.  Cook celery and onion until soft, about 10 minutes.  Add the tomato sauce and cook slowly on low heat for another 10 minutes.  Add the capers, green olives, sugar, vinegar & salt and pepper.  Stir for a couple of minutes.  Add the eggplant and cook slowly for about 15-20 minutes to incorporate all the ingredients.  Transfer to a large bowl and let cool.  Put in the fridge and go chill out until the next day.  It's done!  Just bring it to room temperature about an hour before you're ready to serve.

Roasted Asparagus - So Simple, Yet So, So...

Wonderful.  I'm including this recipe for those people who love asparagus and have possibly never tried roasting it.  It really does give it a whole new flavor.  Spring is THE season for asparagus too.  Go buy yourself a bundle and enjoy how you're eating something in its prime.  Asparagus is also amazing when you put it on the grill.  So if you're not like me and don't have snow on the ground and are using your grill these days, try grilling.  But if you are like me, looking at your yard, staying optimistic that it will be warm someday, hang in there - your oven is just fine.

Roasted Asparagus with Olive Oil and Citrus

1 bunch of asparagus, ends trimmed (*TIP* - hold an asparagus spear in your hands and snap the tough end off.  This is exactly where they should be trimmed.)
2-3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Salt & pepper
Juice of 1 lemon, 1 lime or a little freshly squeezed OJ

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Lay out trimmed asparagus spears on a baking sheet.  Toss with the olive oil and salt and pepper.  Place in the oven and roast for approximately 8-10 minutes.  It should be slightly bendy, but still crisp.  You want a little roasted color on them, but don't overdo it.  Remove from the oven and sprinkle with citrus of your choice.  Serve immediately or wait til later.  It's perfectly fine at room temperature.

Orzo with Chicken, Broccoli, Lemon and Mascarpone

If I wrote a cookbook (and I might), this could be the first recipe on the first page.  It's a dish that covers so many bases and takes care of so many needs.  You may end up adopting it as one of your all-time favorite recipes.  I don't say these things lightly.  This is DELICIOUS!  Look at what's going on here.  Orzo (the easiest pasta in the world to keep on your fork), chicken breasts, broccoli, creamy mascarpone, lemon - you see what's going on don't you?  This is food that sings!!!  Our main goal!  I came up with this recipe for my husband and I when I thought there really wasn't anything in the house.  I was this close to ordering sushi.  But I looked at the few ingredients I had and this is what I made.  I've made it about three thousand times since.  Give or take.

Orzo Pasta with Chicken, Broccoli, Lemon and Mascarpone

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, fully cooked, then diced into 2" pieces (Only cook the chicken until it's done.  Be careful not to overcook, as it gets dry and tough)
1 or 2 bunches of broccoli, cut into 1" size florets, (about 2 cups), steamed for 2-3 minutes (max!)
1/4-1/3 cup cup extra virgin olive oil
Zest of 1 lemon and juice of 1/2 a lemon
3/4 cup mascarpone (An Italian cream cheese.  One of my favorite ingredients.  Usually available in the nicer cheese section of the grocery store.)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
Salt & Pepper
1 lb. orzo

In a large bowl, put the diced chicken, cooked broccoli florets, mascarpone and parmesan.  In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the orzo according to the package instructions.  Drain the pasta and immediately put it in the bowl with the chicken, broccoli and cheeses.  Pour olive oil over and add the lemon zest and juice.  Season with salt and pepper.  (Do not under-season or over-season.  Taste it.  Make sure you are getting all the flavors.)  Stir or fold gently several times until the mascarpone has completely melted and fully coats the orzo.

Now sit down and do nothing for about an hour.  Take your time with your food.  Breathe between bites and just love every mouthful.  A nice, chilled & crispy Sauvignon Blanc will help add to the magic.

Why We Cook

It's a question that fascinates me.  Mostly because the reasons vary so much and so often that it's impossible to truly nail down.  Is it for necessity and survival or the instinctive desire to conquer the unknown?  Is it the hope to uncover the secrets on how to make a dish delicious or just to get something on the table and be done with it?  I do know that there are obstacles in cooking that keep us from doing many of the things we'd like to do.  Time, food costs, fussy eaters, lack of the tools and equipment.  But still.  Think about why you cook.  Or don't cook!  And think about if you could cook or bake more often, what would make it easier? 

I hope that as you think of things you wish there was an answer to, you will ask me.  This is a place to just ask.  I would love to help you figure out some answers.  I'm pretty sure I probably had the same questions myself at some point and had to go digging for help.  Please know that I want this blog to be about a discussion.  About what's on your mind, as well as mine.  Post your thoughts, frustrations, questions.  Let me know about your successes and your celebrations.  We can share in all of the best and the worst of being in the kitchen.  Sometimes it's about closing your eyes and savoring the flavors and other times, it's okay to just dump it, order take-out and start over tomorrow.  

Cheers to cooking, eating and laughing!  Let's do it together!