Tag Archives: parmesan recipes

Chilled Zucchini Soup with Mint

Zucchini – one of the favorite staples of the summer harvest is showing up in farmer’s markets and grocery stores. If you are lucky like me it shows up at your door courtesy of a generous neighbor with a fabulous vegetable garden. No matter how you get that zucchini into your kitchen you must try this recipe for chilled zucchini soup. Super simple to make this is a refreshing treat to enjoy for lunch or dinner. Try drinking this cup of summer freshness!

From by the bay, wishing you chill food memories!

Maryann

 

Chilled Zucchini Soup with Mint

Serves 6

  • 4-5 medium zucchini sliced in rounds approximately 2 pounds
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 small white onion, chopped
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 cup parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts, plus extra for garnish
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • ½ cup fresh mint chopped
  • 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • additional coarse sea salt to finishing

Directions

In a large pot heat olive oil and sauté the white onion until softened about 5 minutes. Add the zucchini, salt and pepper stirring occasionally until the zucchini is softened, about 5 more minutes. Add the broth to the pot, bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer until the zucchini is tender, about 5 more minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Using a food processor puree the zucchini mixture along with the parmesan cheese, pine nuts, mint and lemon juice. Pour into a bowl adding the buttermilk and blend. Cover and place in the refrigerator to cool for at least 3 hours. Adjust seasoning with coarse sea salt. Serve chilled and garnish with toasted pine nuts and a drizzle of olive oil.

Sweet Pea Pesto Crostini

To continue the spring vegetable celebration, find some young green peas and make this vibrantly bright green sweet pea pesto. Young peas are the taste of spring. Crunchy, peppery, sweet. Young peas are not starchy, they are crisp, fresh and slightly sweet. I’m using this sweet pea pesto as an appetizer, but you can also make a wonderful salad with leafy greens including young pea shoot leaves , toss with your favorite vinaigrette, then add a few dollops of fresh ricotta cheese and sweet pea pesto. It’s the perfect spring salad.

From by the bay , wishing you bright spring green food memories!

Maryann

Sweet Pea Pesto Crostini

8 ounces fresh shelled sweet peas or defrosted frozen peas

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

To serve: grilled country bread, shaved parmesan cheese, young pea shoot greens, Maldon Salt

Directions

Boil salted water in a medium saute pan. Blanche the peas in boiling water until the peas start to turn bright green, 10 to 20 seconds. Place in cold water to cool. Remove from water and pat dry. Place peas in food processor. Add cheese, lemon juice, salt, pepper and process until well combined, you want the peas to have some texture. Slowly pour olive oil to combine. Place in a covered glass jar. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use. Serve at room temperature. To assemble the crostini – take the grilled bread, top with shaved parmesan, sprinkle with Maldon Sea Salt and finally top with a sprig of young pea shoots.

Savory Rosemary Parmesan Biscotti

Rosemary is one of my favorite herbs. I love the taste, aroma and look of rosemary. This is my must have herb that I use over and over again while cooking. It’s especially nice that rosemary also offers some health benefits as well. This recipe is a delicious change up on the traditional biscotti. It’s a savory version prepared with rosemary, parmesan cheese , walnuts, cracked black pepper and fennel seeds. This biscotti is perfect served with a runny cheese and a glass of wine for cocktails or on the side of a green salad , soup or omelette. You’ll love the taste!

From by the bay, wishing you rosemary flavored food memories!

Maryann

 

rose-mar-y

noun

  1. an evergreen shrub, Rosmarinus officinalis, part of the mint family, which is native to the Mediterranean region, having thick, narrow leaves and pale-blue, bell-shaped flowers, used in cooking to flavor foods, as well as used in perfumery and medicine. Rosemary is a traditional symbol of remembrance.

Rosemary has several health benefits. Some of the benefits are reducing anxiety, elevating mood, boosting memory, offering brain protection, pain relief, headache relief and anti-inflammatory.

Savory Rosemary Parmesan Biscotti

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for kneading
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
  • 2 teaspoons fennel seed
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1 1/2 sticks unsalted softened butter, 12 tablespoons
  • 1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
  • 4 eggs
  • coarse sea salt such as Maldon for topping

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the peppercorns and fennel in a spice grinder and pulse until coarsely ground. In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, fine sea salt, rosemary, fennel and pepper. In a separate bowl, using a mixer, beat the butter until light and fluffy. Add three of the eggs one at a time, mixing well between each addition. Add the cheese and nuts and mix well, then add the dry ingredients until the mixture just comes together. Divide the dough into two equal pieces and with floured hands roll into logs to a length of about 12 inches and width of 1 1/2 inches. Whisk the remaining egg and brush it over the dough. Place logs side by side on the baking sheet. Sprinkle the logs with the coarse sea salt, and bake for about 30 minutes or until the logs are light brown and firm to touch. Remove from the oven and allow to cool 20 minutes on a rack. Using a serrated knife, cut the logs into 1/2 inch slices and arrange the slices cut side down on the baking sheet. Return to the 350 degrees F oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Turn, and bake another 5 minutes or until firm to the touch. Cool completely before storing.

 

Award Winning Party Foods

and the winners are these delicious appetizers that will make your party Oscar worthy!!

From by the bay wishing you Award winning food memories!

Maryann

blog clam dip

Caramelized Onion Dip

Ingredients

  • 1 large sweet onion, sliced thinly
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon sriracha hot chili sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1/4 cup good quality mayonnaise

Directions

In a large skillet, melt the butter. Add the onions and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 25 minutes. Let the onions cool slightly, about 15 minutes.
In a food processor add  1/2 the onions and the remaining ingredients and blend. Stir in the onions and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Serve at room temperature.

blog chili parm crackers

Chili Parmesan Crisps

Ingredients

  • 5 ounces shredded parmesan cheese
  • 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degree F. On a parchment lined baking sheet , take half the shredded parmesan and form a rectangle approximately 8″ by 12″. Sprinkle half the chili flakes and all the salt uniformly over the cheese. Layer the remaining cheese lightly pressing down. Sprinkle the remaining chili flakes over the cheese. Bake in the oven until golden brown, approximately 10 minutes. Cool and break into piece. Store in an air tight container until ready to serve.

Options: substitute 1 teaspoon of red chili flakes with one of the following:

minced rosemary, minced thyme, crushed black pepper or fennel seeds

 

blog olives 1

Marinated Olives with Orange and Cranberries

Ingredients

1/2 pound green pitted olives, such as manzanilla
1 shallot, minced
1/4 fresh orange cut into 1 inch pieces, with rind
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 teaspoon rosemary leaves
Directions

Bring 1 cup water to boil in small sauce pan. Remove from heat and add cranberries. Let sit 15 minutes and drain and cool in mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

blog peanut cup

Mini Peanut Butter Cups
Makes 12 mini cups
Ingredients
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
6 tablespoons ground graham crackers
2 tablespoons granulated white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 ounces milk chocolate
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1 tablespoons light corn syrup
Coarse Sea Salt , such as Maldon
Baking Spray
Directions
Take a non stick mini muffin tin and spray with your baking spray or line each cup with a paper liner. In a bowl add the sugar, cinnamon and graham cracker crumbs, mix and set aside. Use a glass bowl to microwave peanut butter and butter in 30 second intervals, stirring between each interval until mixture is smooth. Usually, doing this twice will work. Add this mixture to your graham cracker mixture and stir to combine. Use a teaspoon to place mixture into the bottom of each muffin tin. Place filled muffin tin into the refrigerator to set. Now add the chocolate to the microwave and melt using 30 second intervals to stir the melting chocolate 2-3 times should do it. Once the chocolate is melted add the cream and corn syrup. Stir until smooth. Take the peanut butter filled muffin tin and fill with melted chocolate. Sprinkle coarse sea salt on the top. Place back into the refrigerator and let set for another 30 minutes before serving. You can remove the peanut butter cups from the tin and store in a plastic container in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Variations: to the ground graham crackers , cinnamon and sugar mixture you can omit the cinnamon and add 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder to have a chocolate peanut butter bottom, or you can use bittersweet chocolate instead of milk chocolate and omit the light corn syrup to top your peanut butter cups.

blog star cookies

Sugar Cookies

From the Food Network, Alton Brown

Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon milk
Powdered sugar, for rolling out dough
Directions
Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Place butter and sugar in large bowl of electric stand mixer and beat until light in color. Add egg and milk and beat to combine. Put mixer on low speed, gradually add flour, and beat until mixture pulls away from the side of the bowl. Divide the dough in half, wrap in waxed paper, and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Sprinkle surface where you will roll out dough with powdered sugar. Remove 1 wrapped pack of dough from refrigerator at a time, sprinkle rolling pin with powdered sugar, and roll out dough to 1/4-inch thick. Move the dough around and check underneath frequently to make sure it is not sticking. If dough has warmed during rolling, place cold cookie sheet on top for 10 minutes to chill. Cut into desired shape, place at least 1-inch apart on greased baking sheet, parchment, or silicone baking mat. Sprinkle with colored sanding sugar and bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until cookies are just beginning to turn brown around the edges, rotating cookie sheet halfway through baking time. Let sit on baking sheet for 2 minutes after removal from oven and then move to complete cooling on wire rack. Serve as is. Store in airtight container for up to 1 week.

Recipe courtesy of Alton BrownS

Corn in a Cup

Last weekend was the first country music festival in New York City!  I’m a big fan of country music and there were many great musicians who made it to the big apple to partake in the festivities held on Randall’s Island – from up and coming artists such as the fantastic Striking Matches and Dallas Smith to big name artists such as Dierks Bentley, Brad Paisley and Luke Bryan. Three days of great music and some really good food. One of the things that I tried at the festival was corn in a cup. What a yummy treat. Corn in a cup is a traditional Mexican street food, which is made with Queso Fresco crumbled cheese. The version I tasted at the festival used parmesan cheese which was delicious and cheese I always have on hand in my home. I made these little cups in advance and heated in the microwave for 1 minute before serving. I’m planning on serving corn in the cup this holiday weekend!

From by the bay wishing you creamy corn food memories!

Maryann

 

blog corn cups

Corn in a Cup

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 ears sweet corn, husked and silks removed
8 teaspoons Mexican sour cream
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
8 teaspoons grated parmesan cheese
Fine sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
optional: chopped chives to garnish

Directions

Using a knife remove all the kernels from the husk and place in a bowl.  Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the corn kernels and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Strain corn. In a bowl add the butter and top with the strained hot corn. Mix until butter is melted, salt and pepper to taste. Take for glass cups fill each half way with corn, add 1 teaspoon of sour cream and 1 teaspoon grated parmesan cheese. Top with corn and add another teaspoon each of sour cream and parmesan cheese. Garnish with chopped chives. Serve immediately or don’t add chives cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator until ready to serve. Microwave for 1 minute , garnish with chives and serve.

farm

Chili Parmesan Crisps

The perfect cocktail or wine companion are these chili parmesan crisps. Easy to make and delicious to eat, you’ll discover a new food addiction! If you don’t like chili, you can replace the red chili flakes with one of these options such as crushed black pepper, fennel seeds, minced rosemary or thyme. These crisps also make a great snack for on the go. Try them out this weekend!

From by the bay wishing you, crispy food memories.

Maryann

blog chili parm crackers

Chili Parmesan Crisps

Ingredients

  • 5 ounces shredded parmesan cheese
  • 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degree F. On a parchment lined baking sheet , take half the shredded parmesan and form a rectangle approximately 8″ by 12″. Sprinkle half the chili flakes and all the salt uniformly over the cheese. Layer the remaining cheese lightly pressing down. Sprinkle the remaining chili flakes over the cheese. Bake in the oven until golden brown, approximately 10 minutes. Cool and break into piece. Store in an air tight container until ready to serve.

Options: substitute 1 teaspoon of red chili flakes with one of the following:

minced rosemary, minced thyme, crushed black pepper or fennel seeds

blog parm crisps tray

Brussel Sprout Salad with Walnuts, Dried Cranberries and Parmesan Cheese

Moving past Thanksgiving weekend, here is a wonderful brussel sprout salad to enjoy! Not only is it healthy, it’s a feast for the eyes. You can make it a light main course, or serve through out the season as a perfect holiday side for dinners and parties. It’s easy to make especially if you have a food processor. It’s definitely a crowd pleaser for parties and it’s one of those dishes you can prepare in advance , and it tastes better as the brussel sprouts marinate in the dressing. Add it to one of your holiday menus this season!

From by the bay, wishing you green food memories!

Maryann

blog brussel sprout salad

Brussel Sprout Salad with Walnuts, Dried Cranberries and Parmesan Cheese

Serves 4
Ingredients
1 pound brussel sprouts
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
2 tablespoons dried cranberries
2 tablespoons coarsely grated parmesan cheese
fresh ground black pepper and fine sea salt to taste
Directions
Cut off the ends of the sprouts  and clean. Using a food processsor fitted with a slicing blade coarsely shred the brussel sprouts. Place into a large bowl.  Add the remaining ingredients. Toss gently. Add fine sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste and serve.

Brazilian Cheese Puffs

Last month , I was headed into another early morning meeting at work. I had the good fortune to be meeting with someone who is very thoughtful. That morning , she welcomed me with a delightful treat, two delicious brazilian cheese puffs. This was my first time tasting this yummy, light and airy bread. They are crispy on the outside and soft and cheesy on the inside. When I arrived home by the bay that weekend, my sister Nancy welcomed me with the same little treat. Amazing to spend your whole life unaware of something so good and then you experience it twice in one week . I knew then, i needed to figure out to make these little breads myself. So this is the recipe and technique that worked best for me. It’s a hybrid of  several recipes I tried. You can make these in a large size and serve for breakfast ( do adjust the baking time if you do that) or make them in a small bite size as an appetizer to serve along with your favorite wine or cocktail. These are pretty easy to make and definitely worth the time and effort. 

From by the bay, wishing you cheesy food memories!

Maryann

blog cheese puff 1

Brazilian Cheese Puffs
Ingredients

2 cups tapioca flour*
1 cup milk
1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1 stick
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
* Tapioca Flour can be found at specialty markets such as Whole Foods or Asian markets and is also called manioc starch or tapioca starch.
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced

Directions

 

 Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium sauce pan, bring the milk, salt, and butter to a boil, stirring occasionally. Once  the mixture starts to boil remove from heat. Slowly add tapioca flour, stirring constantly until thoroughly mixed.  The dough will be somewhat gummy at this point. Transfer the dough to a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachement. Beat the dough for a few minutes until it smooths out.  Whisk the eggs in a small bowl and add into the dough 1/2 at a time . Make sure the egg is incorporated into the dough before adding the rest of the egg. With the mixer on medium, beat in the cheese and rosemary until incorporated. Round out the dough onto the parchment lined baking sheet into little mounds spaced apart about 2 inches. Approximately 10 per tray. Place in the oven and immediately turn down the heat to 350 degrees F. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. They will puff, look dry on the outside and start to turn color. Cool slightly and eat warm.Cooked puffs can be stored, in the fridge as long as it’s kept covered and then reheat in the microwave.
note: I like to mixed my parmesan cheese 1/2 grated and 1/2 shredded for a little more texture. You can also use thyme in place of rosemary or add some mixed garlic in place of the herbs. If you like things spicy, substitute the parmesan cheese for cheddar and replace the rosemary with minced fresh jalapeno.
blog cheese puffs 2

 

Cooking with Rosemary

 blog rosemary

As the weather cools and my herb garden fades, I  still know that my favorite herb will still be available in my garden. My little rosemary bush is the  first to planted in the spring and is the last to leave me in early winter. I have it planted near my kitchen door so that I can just dash outside with my scissor to grab a few sprigs while cooking. Towards late afternoon on the weekends, I like to prepare for guests a little snack to go along with a great glass of wine and watch the sunset over the water.  So this time of year, when I am planning these snacks, I tend to use rosemary since it’s still available in the garden. I love the scent and taste of rosemary it evokes a combination of both the forest and the sea, much like the surroundings of my house. Fresh rosemary, which is my preference , looks similar to pine needles and when you chop the needles, the fragrance that is released is intoxicating! For the snacks start by getting some store bought olives, add rosemary, a squeeze of lemon juice and some small wedges of cut lemon, last drizzle with a little olive oil and the olives become much more special!  The other snacks I’ve made with rosemary are each delicious and quite different, one is roasted almonds, the next is a crostini using crushed cannelini beans on toasts and the last is a savory cracker. Each is a perfect compliment to wine.  Let’s raise a glass together to cheer for rosemary!

From by the bay, wishing you rosemary scented food memories!

Maryann

 

blog rosemary almonds
Roasted Rosemary Almonds

 

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

¾ teaspoon fine sea salt

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 cups raw whole blanched almonds

Additional coarse sea salt to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line baking sheet with aluminum foil. Heat olive oil in sauté pan add rosemary, salt, cayenne pepper and cook until fragrant – approximately 1 min.

Add almonds and coat and keep in the pan for another minute or two. Remove from heat and place on baking sheet in one layer. Bake for 10-12 minutes, stirring once. Remove from oven, sprinkle with additional coarse sea salt. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Variation:  Roasted Pecans

This will taste completely different but just as delicious. Using blanched almonds as they roast the almonds will fry in the oil.

Replace 2 cups almonds with 2 cups raw whole pecans.

 

blog rosemary crostini

 

Rosemary Mashed Beans on Chili Toast

Serves 4

1 15.5 oz can cannellini beans, rinsed

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon rosemary, chopped

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

Coarse sea salt and freshly ground pepper

4 tablespoons grated pecorino cheese

Directions

In small pan heat 1 tablespoon olive oil, add the rosemary when fragrant approximately 30 seconds, add cannellini beans and sauté for approximately 5-6 minutes, mashing beans with the bottom of a wood spoon. Combine beans with red wine vinegar, grated pecorino cheese and remaining olive oil to loosen mixture slightly. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place bean mixture on top of toast. Serve.

Chili Toast

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ teaspoon chili flakes

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

4 slices ciabiatta bread

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place bread on nonstick baking sheet, brush with olive oil and sprinkle the chili flakes and salt over the bread. Bake until golden brown approximately 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.

 

blog rosemary cheese coins

Rosemary Pecan and Parmesan Cheese Coins

 

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup pecan flour

4 ounces unsalted butter  (1/2 stick), softened

1 tablespoon creme fraiche

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon fine grey sea salt

1 tablespoon rosemary, minced

1 to 2 tablespoons water

 

Directions

Pulse all ingredients except water in a food processor. Transfer to a bowl and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of water. 

Form dough by squeezing with hands, adding more water if necessary.  Form dough into two logs approximately 1 inch in diameter. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut dough into 1/8 inch slices and place on baking sheets unlined. Place baking sheets in oven one on top rack and one on bottom shelf. Bake for 20 minutes in total until golden brown. Half way through switch baking sheets in the oven. Remove from oven and cool. Serve with wine or cocktails.