JoeLeone

Fresh Pasta

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 12:00:00 GMT

Fresh Pasta

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

3 eggs

½ tsp salt

½ tsp olive oil

Method:

Put a mound of flour on a clean workspace, put a hole in the center (like a volcano), and add the eggs, salt, and olive oil inside the well.

Using a fork, gently beat the eggs, olive oil, and salt. Then, gradually begin incorporating the flour.

Once the dough has taken shape, use your hands to knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes. It will become smooth and elastic.

Either wrap the dough in cling film, or cover it with a moist towel. Allow the dough to rest for at least 20 minutes at room temperature. From here, you can either roll it out to your desired shape, and wrap it tightly and store it in the fridge for a day.

*If you store the pasta dough in the fridge, make sure to allow it to come to room temperature for at least an hour before rolling it out.

To roll fresh pasta dough, you can either do it by hand or using a pasta machine. Typically, it’s much easier to get paper-thin sheets using a pasta machine. This will also ensure the sheets are all uniform in thickness.

Rolling out dough with a pasta machine:

Flour your hands and work surface.

Cut the dough into segments. Working with one segment at a time, flatten the dough with your hands and feed it through the machine one dial at a time (each machine will have a dial, ranging in thickness). Start with the widest setting, dialing down as you reach the desired thickness.

Tip: While rolling out fresh dough, make sure whatever dough you are not currently working with is covered; this will prevent it from drying out and cracking when you roll it into thin sheets later on.

After all the pasta is rolled out, you can allow it to dry out for 10 to 15 minutes before cooking.

Fresh pasta only takes a fraction of the time to cook in comparison to the dried varieties, only 3 to 4 minutes cooking time!

Foodie Find: Visit Chef Lisa at her restaurant Pastaio (translated “pastamaker”), in Spring Lake for fresh pasta made daily. They also specialize in fresh gluten free pastas.

http://www.pastaiospringlake.com/

To make fresh spinach pasta, blanch the spinach first and then puree it. Add this mixture to the flour and mix together combine. Then, go ahead and add the eggs, olive oil, and salt.

Happy pasta making! : )

Springtime Salads

Sun, 14 Apr 2013 12:00:00 GMT

Today on What’s For Dinner?™:

Congrats to Joe Leone for being honored by Princeton University and also for earning a YAP award for his efforts in Hurricane Sandy relief!

Spring Salads

New Potato Salad with Asparagus, Tuna, and Fried Capers

Ingredients:

Champagne vinaigrette

Red new potatoes

Asparagus

Tuna, packed in oil, drained

Mixed green salad mix

Hard boiled eggs, quartered

Radishes, thinly sliced

Capers

Olive oil

Method:

If making your own champagne vinaigrette from scratch, combine freshly chopped chives, a small diced shallot, 1 tsp honey, 1/4 cup champagne vinegar, and a tsp of Dijon mustard together into a food processor. After it’s combined, slowly stream in 2/3 cups vegetable oil and 1/3 cup olive oil.

Cover the potatoes with water in pan; season the water liberally with salt. Bring them up to a boil and cook them until just tender. At this point, you can add the asparagus to the potatoes to blanch a few minutes as the potatoes finish cooking.

Drain the potatoes and asparagus.

Season the potatoes and asparagus with ¼ of a cup of the prepared vinaigrette.

Just before serving the salad, fry the capers in olive oil until crispy, about a minute. Drain them on paper towels.

Toss the mixed greens with the remaining vinaigrette, and top the salad off with the asparagus, potatoes, eggs, tuna, radishes, and fried capers.

Uncle Barry’s Tuna Salad – try adding water chestnuts and finely chopped gherkin pickles to your tuna salad for a good crunch and sweet flavor.

Farro, Radicchio, and Roasted Beet Salad

Ingredients:

Beets, peeled and cut into wedges

Farro

Olive oil

Red wine vinegar

1 garlic clove, pressed and minced

Radicchio, thinly sliced

Red onion, thinly sliced

Italian parsley, finely chopped

Feta cheese

Method:

Toss the beets with olive oil, salt, and pepper; roast them in a 350 degree oven until tender (about 30 to 40 minutes).

Cook the farro according to the package instructions. Immediately after you drain it, toss the farro with olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper, and the fresh parsley.

Once the faro has cooled, toss in the roasted beets, radicchio, and red onion. Top the salad off with feta cheese and serve.

Cooking tip: Whenever making a pasta dish with some sort of vegetable, blanch the vegetables in the same pot as the pasta to infuse the pasta water with the vegetable flavor. Just make sure you time accordingly so the pasta and vegetables finish cooking at the same time.

Next week, we’ll be talking about fresh pasta!

Springtime Dishes

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 12:00:00 GMT

Question from What’s For Dinner listener, Cathy, regarding Joe Leone’s Francese sauce:

Do you like to thicken your sauces with flour or cornstarch? I usually use cornstarch, but just don’t get the same restaurant quality in my sauces and gravies. Any suggestions?

We suggest using a roux, made of equal parts butter and flour. Melt room temperature butter over medium heat, and whisk in the flour. You can cook roux’s to different stages, varying from colors blonde to brown.

Although Joe wouldn’t use cornstarch for Francese sauce, he suggests using it to thicken pan juices from roasted meats to make delicious gravies.

CHICKEN FRANCESE

Ingredients:

Boneless chicken breast

Flour

Eggs

Parsley

Grated cheese

Salt and pepper

Oil

White wine

Fresh lemon juice

Chicken stock

Roux

Method:

Whisk together the eggs, parsley, grated cheese, salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken in flour and then the egg mixture.

Panfry the egg coated chicken cutlets in oil until golden brown on both sides, setting them aside on a plate as you go. They do not need to be fully cooked throughout yet.

Once all the chicken is browned, discard most of the oil from the pan. Deglaze the pan with white wine and lemon juice; bring it up to a boil. Next, add the chicken stock and bring it up to a boil again.

Slowly begin adding your roux, whisking as you go, until the sauce becomes the desired consistency.

Add the chicken cutlets back into the pan, allowing them to finish cooking in the sauce.

SPRING TIME DISHES

For a different spin on pesto, try replacing the pine nuts with pistachios. It’s perfect for topping off gnocchi.

GARDEN LINGUINI WITH RICOTTA CHEESE

Ingredients:

Fava beans

Peas, canned or frozen

Mint

String beans

Carrots, shredded

Linguini pasta

Onion, diced

Olive oil

Vegetable stock

Salt and pepper

Parmesan cheese

Ricotta cheese

Method:

Cook the linguini in salted, boiling water. Add the green beans to blanch in the same pot just before the linguini is finished cooking.

In a separate pan, sauté the diced onion in olive oil until it turns translucent. Add a splash of vegetable stock, fava beans, and peas.

Pour the hot vegetable stock and veggies into a stainless steal bowl over the cooked linguini and green beans. Finish the pasta off with fresh mint, a drizzle of olive oil, and grated Parmesan cheese.

Top each portion with a scoop of ricotta cheese, and serve.

SPRING VEGETABLES AND GOAT CHEESE DIP FROM BON APPETIT

Ingredients:

1 cup 3/4-inch pieces asparagus

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup chopped leeks (white and pale-green parts only)

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cups whole milk

1 cup grated mild white cheddar

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 14-ounce can chopped artichoke hearts in water, drained

1/4 cup fresh (or frozen, thawed) peas

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

4 ounces crumbled fresh goat cheese, divided

Method:

Preheat oven to 450°. Cook asparagus in a large pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Drain; let cool.

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add leeks and cook, stirring often, until soft, about 10 minutes. Whisk in flour; gradually whisk in milk. Bring to a simmer, whisking constantly. Cook, whisking occasionally, until thickened; remove from heat. Add cheddar; whisk until cheese is melted and mixture is smooth. Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Fold in asparagus (reserve tips), artichoke hearts, peas, chives, mint, flat-leaf parsley, zest and 2 oz. crumbled fresh goat cheese.

Transfer mixture to a 4–5-cup baking dish; arrange asparagus tips on top and dot with another 2 oz. goat cheese. Bake until golden brown and bubbling, 15–20 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

HERBED ZUCCHINI FRITTERS

Ingredients:

4 zucchini, shredded

2 eggs

Flour

Mint, freshly chopped

Parsley, freshly chopped

Salt and pepper

Method:

Mix the flour and eggs together, folding in the zucchini, salt, and pepper until a fritter batter has formed.

Drop the batter by the spoonful into hot, blended oil. Fry until golden on each side.

Try serving these along side some tzatziki sauce: Greek yogurt, fresh dill, shredded cucumber, salt, and pepper.

Easter Sunday

Sun, 31 Mar 2013 12:00:00 GMT

Happy Easter Sunday!

Roasted Leg of Lamb

Ingredients:

Bone in leg of lamb, 6-8 lbs with coating of skin and fat

Fresh rosemary

Garlic, thinly sliced

Salt and pepper

Fresh lemons

Olive oil

White wine

Corn starch

Method:

Score the lamb and insert the rosemary and thinly sliced garlic throughout the meat.

Season the lamb with salt and pepper; lay lemon slices on top and drizzle the entire leg with olive oil.

Put the leg of lamb on top of a rack inside a larger roasting pan. You can do all these steps the day before for a stronger flavor.

The next day, bring the lamb to room temperature. Roast the lamb at 325 degrees until the lamb reaches an internal temperature of 130 degrees.

Allow the meat to rest for at least 20 minutes before slicing; remove it from the pan and tent it with foil to keep warm.

In the meantime, use the drippings to make a gravy. Deglaze the lamb drippings with white wine, using a spatula to scrape the bits up off the bottom of the pan. Whisk in cornstarch diluted with water (also known as a slurry) to thicken the gravy. Bring it to a boil, and then season with salt and pepper.

*For a more flavorful gravy, try adding chopped celery or carrots to the bottom of the roasting pan before cooking the lamb. The flavors will infuse into the drippings.

For a simple side, try serving your roasted leg of lamb with roasted new baby potatoes and vegetables. Toss the potatoes (skin on) with olive oil; bake them in a 425 degree oven until just tender. Towards the end, throw fresh asparagus or string beans right on top of the potatoes, and season everything with salt, pepper, and more olive oil. Return the vegetables to the oven, and continue to bake for an additional 8 to 10 minutes. Last but not least, toss all the roasted vegetables with freshly prepared basil or arugula pesto.

Traditional Manicotti

Ingredients:

Fresh crepes

Ricotta, 3 lbs (low moisture for a tighter mixture)

1 egg

Parmesan cheese, grated

Parsley

Salt and pepper, to taste

¼ cup seltzer water

Sauce of your choice: meat, marinara, white, blush, etc.

Mozzarella cheese, shredded (not fresh due to its excess moisture)

Method:

Make your fresh crepes a little bit thicker than you normally would. You can make these in advance, and either freeze or refrigerate them after wrapping them tightly in cling film.

Whisk the egg with Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper. Combine this mixture with the ricotta cheese and seltzer water. The seltzer water will make the ricotta filling light and fluffy.

Put the ricotta filling in a pastry bag and pipe a line down each crepe; fold them over like burritos.

Place them seam side down and refrigerate them for a few hours or over night to set.

When you’re ready to bake the manicotti, top them with the sauce of your choice and mozzarella cheese. Bake them until they’re heated throughout, the sauce is bubbly, and the cheese is golden brown.

Tips and tricks for lasagna:

Use the same ricotta filling as the manicotti recipe above for lasagna.

Instead of making a big lasagna, boil your dried lasagna noodles until al dente. Cool them down and dry them off. Pipe the lasagna filling down the noodles and roll them up to form individual lasagna roll ups!

Don’t use hot sauce when assembling your lasagna. Everything should be cold.

It’s even better if you prepare your sauce a day or two ahead of time to allow the flavors to develop in the fridge.

Ever hear of breakfast lasagna? Layer cooked lasagna noodles with bacon, whisked eggs, and shredded cheddar cheese. Bake in a 425 degree oven until the eggs have set. Top the lasagna off with toast, another layer of egg, more lasagna noodles. Last but not least, top the last layer with crumbed sausage, bacon, and more shredded cheddar cheese and return it to the oven. You’ll end up with something similar to a quiche, except it will have pasta throughout the baked egg.

See you next Sunday!

Palm Sunday

Sun, 24 Mar 2013 04:00:00 GMT

Foodie Find: Local Urban Kitchen in Brielle serves up freshly squeezed vegetable and fruit juices!

Palm Sunday Recipes:

Breakfast Polenta with Figs and Mascarpone Cheese

Ingredients:
Polenta, quick cooking
Milk
Honey
Mascarpone cheese
Fresh figs, roughly chopped

Method:
Begin with the figs. In a small saucepan, bring the figs up to a simmer with a splash of water and honey (amount will depend on how ripe the figs are). Once they have cooked down to a syrup consistency, mash them slightly. Set aside.
Bring the milk up to a boil over medium heat; reduce the heat to low and whisk in the polenta until it becomes thick, smooth, and creamy.
Finish the polenta by whisking in a few tablespoons of butter and mascarpone cheese to make it even more rich and creamy. Lastly, sweeten it with a touch of honey and top it with the fig syrup.

Hot Cross Buns

Ingredients:
2 ounces fresh yeast
2 cups lukewarm milk
1/4 cup honey
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
3 eggs
4 1/2 cups high-gluten flour
Spice mix (cinnamon, cloves, ginger, & nutmeg)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup dark raisins
1/2 cup golden raisins
Glaze – 2 cups confectioners’ sugar & ¼ cup milk

Method:
Crumble the yeast into a large mixing bowl and add 1 cup of the warm milk; mix together.
Add the honey, butter, 2 eggs, flour, spice mix, salt, and raisins. Mix it gently while slowing adding the remaining cup of milk. The dough should come together as a soft ball after a few minutes of mixing. If it is too sticky, add more flour, or if it is too hard, add a splash of milk.
Transfer the dough onto a sheet tray and cover it with cling film; allow it to rise until it has at least doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
After it has risen, turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Cut the dough into about a dozen equal pieces. Shape the dough into balls and place on a sheet tray, leaving room between each one. Cover them with cling film and allow them to rise until they have doubled in size again.
Beat the remaining egg; brush this on each of the buns. With a sharp pairing knife, score a cross into each one.
Bake in for about 15 minutes or until browned. Let cool.
Make the glaze by combining the milk with the powdered sugar, pipe it into a piping bag, and decorate the buns as you wish!

What’s the difference between an orange and a tangerine?
Although they’re both in the citrus family, clementines are a variety of the mandarin orange. They’re easy to peel, sweet, and seedless. On the other hand, tangerines are more like small oranges, which are more sour than clementines and contain seeds.

Try baking your favorite smoked, bone-in ham with thinly sliced clementines, brown sugar, fresh sage leaves, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and butter for a festive Palm Sunday entrée.

Jen’s Deviled Eggs

Ingredients:
Eggs, hard boiled
Hellman’s mayo
Bacon, cooked and crumbled
Coleman’s dry mustard
Salt and pepper, to taste
Paprika

Method:
Cut eggs in a half, scooping the yolks into a bowl.
Add the mayo in small amounts to the yolks, mashing them together until you get the desired consistency. Fold in the crumbled bacon, and season the mixture with salt, pepper, and a dash of dry mustard (about 1/8th of a teaspoon).
Spoon the mixture back into egg whites, or you can use a pastry bag with a star tip for a fancier finish. Top the deviled eggs with paprika.

See you next Easter Sunday!

St. Patrick's Day

Sun, 17 Mar 2013 04:00:00 GMT

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Today we’re celebrating with Barbara’s husband, Mike. He’s written two books: This Is Your Brain On Shamrocks & the sequel: This Is Your Brain On Shamrocks 2 - Fifty Shades O’ Green. Check them out at www.thisisyourbreaksonshamrocks.com

Fun Fact: St. Patrick was actually Italian!

Mike’s Colcannon – A Traditional Side Dish for Irish Bacon or Ham

Ingredients:
1 lb cabbage, shredded
1 lb potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
1 cup milk
½ cup butter, melted
Leeks, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper, to taste.

Method:
Boil the cabbage and potatoes until tender. Just before they’re done, add the leeks to wilt (they will only take about three minutes).
Drain the water. Make a well in the middle of the potato mixture, and pour the melted butter and milk inside. Fold everything together, mashing the potatoes slightly, but also keeping them flakey. Season with salt and pepper, and enjoy!

Ryan’s St. Patty’s Day Breakfast Omelet

Ingredients:
Eggs, beaten
Corned beef hash
Irish Dubliner Cheese
Salt & pepper, to taste

Method:
Heat a greased skillet; pour in the eggs and allow them to set for a minute or two.
Use a spatula to pick up the edges of the omelet, tilt the pan, and allow any uncooked egg to flow underneath.
Once the eggs are totally set, you should be able to flip the omelet over easily. Fill the omelet with the Dubliner Cheese and corned beef hash. Once the cheese has melted, fold the omelet over and serve.

Dan’s Corned Beef Cabbage Rollatini

Ingredients:
Corned beef brisket, in brine
Mustard
Brown sugar
Carrots, chopped
Potatoes, chopped
Cabbage, leaves kept whole
Irish Bacon, roughly chopped

Method:
Season a pot of water with mustard and brown sugar. Cover the pot and simmer the corned beef until tender, about 2 ½ hours.
After 2 ½ hours, add the potatoes and carrots. Simmer for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
Cool the corned beef and veggies down completely, saving some of the cooking liquid for later.
In another pot, blanch the cabbage leaves. Stuff each leaf with a piece of corned beef, potato, and carrot. Roll the leaves up to form individual rolls. Place the rollatini on a sheet tray, adding a touch of the cooking liquid to keep the rolls moist.
Brown the Irish bacon, and pour it directly over the rollatini. Bake them into the oven to heat through.

Barbara’s Corned Beef & Cabbage

Ingredients:
Corned beef brisket
Cabbage, coarsely chopped
Carrots, peeled and chopped
Potatoes, peeled and chopped
Rye bread, for serving

Method:
Bring a big pot of water up to a boil. Add the corned beef, along with the included seeds and spices; boil until tender.
Once the beef is tender, add the vegetables and cook for an additional 20 to 30 minutes.
Serve with rye bread.

Mike’s Irish Soda Bread Muffins – Use your favorite Irish soda bread recipe, but instead of baking it into one loaf, divide the batter in greased muffin tins and bake for 35 minutes.
Try adding different dried fruits to your recipe: raisins, cranberries, cherries, blueberries, etc.
Serve warm with Kerrygold Irish Butter

Mike’s Guinness Stew

Ingredients:
Onion
Garlic
Olive oil
2 lbs cubed stew meat (beef)
1 bottle Guinness beer (draft)
Potatoes, some sliced, some chopped
Turnips
Carrots
Salt and pepper

Method:
Heat a pot with olive oil; brown the onions and garlic. Season them with salt and pepper.
Deglaze the pan with the beer. Then, add the beef, potatoes, carrots, and turnips.
Simmer the stew until the beef is tender.

Enjoy your St. Patty’s Day! Don’t forget about St. Joseph’s Day on March 19th!

The Feast of St. Joseph

Sun, 10 Mar 2013 02:00:00 GMT

The Feast of St. Joseph with special guest, Linda!

Come join Joe Leone in celebrating St. Joseph’s Feast on March 19^th. Tickets cost $30 for adults ($20 for children) and can be bought at either Joe Leone’s store locations until March 15^th. Ten dollars from each ticket sold will be given back to the St. Joseph’s fund; this year, the funds will be supporting local families affected by Hurricane Sandy. The feast begins at 5:30 PM and features a traditional, family-style Sicilian feast. Hope to see you there!

A little bit about St. Joseph:

St Joseph was the husband of Mary and a father figure to Jesus.

Although not much is known about St. Joseph, it is said he prevented a famine in Sicily during the middle ages.

In some countries, St. Joseph’s Day is also considered Father’s Day.

Traditional St. Joseph’s Feast Recipes

Pasta con Sarde – Pasta with Sardines

Ingredients:

Olive oil

Fennel, thinly sliced

Fresh sardines, cleaned

Flour

White wine

Raisins

Capers

Pine nuts

Bucatini pasta

Breadcrumbs, plain or toasted in butter

Method:

Heat a large pan with olive oil and begin by sautéing the fennel.

In the meantime, dredge the sardines in flour. Fry the sardines in the olive oil around the fennel.

Deglaze the pan with white wine, and finish it off with capers, pine nuts, and raisins; simmer.

Cook the bucatini pasta to al dente; transfer it directly into the sauce and toss to coat.

Top the pasta with breadcrumbs and serve.

*Breadcrumbs, which look similar to saw dust, are often used to resemble St. Joseph, as he was a carpenter.

For a red version of this sauce, swap red sauce for the white wine and omit the capers.

Pasta di Sabbia – Pasta in Sand

Ingredients:

Oil

Garlic, minced

Vidalia onion, thinly sliced

Bell peppers, thinly sliced

White wine

Parsley

Raisins

Pignoli nuts

Breadcrumbs

Pasta

Method:

Drop your pasta of choice into salted, boiling water.

In the meantime, sauté the garlic in olive oil. Add the onion and peppers, and continue sautéing until softened.

Deglaze the pan with white wine; then add the parsley, raisins, pignoli nuts, and breadcrumbs.

Transfer the pasta into the breadcrumb mixture, and toss to coat.

Blood Orange and Arugula Salad

Ingredients:

Blood Oranges, segmented

Arugula

Red Onion, thinly sliced

Oil cured black olives

Extra virgin olive oil

Black pepper

Method:

For the salad, toss the arugula, blood orange segments, red onion, and oil cured olives together.

Dress with extra virgin olive oil and freshly ground black pepper.

Eggplant Meatballs

Ingredients

Eggplants, peeled and soaked in salted water

Bread

Parsley

Grated Cheese

Onion

Flour

Egg

Italian seasoned breadcrumbs

Method:

Drain the eggplant from the salted water; boil it (and really, really boil it says Joe).

Pat the eggplant dry. In a large boil, mash the eggplant with the bread, and mix in the remaining ingredients. Roll the mixture into balls.

Dredge the eggplant meatballs in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs, then fry until golden brown.

Other traditional St. Joseph’s Day Feast foods:

Custard frittata with spinach

St. Joseph’s Day bread, which must be blessed by a priest the morning of!

Zeppole: Fried dough stuffed with ricotta cheese or cannoli cream, topped with a cherry and green sprinkles.

Beignet de San Giuseppe: Dough piped into a donut shape, fried, and then filled with custard and topped with a cherry.

For anyone out there that makes their own Pizza Rustica or Pizza Gain during the Easter season, ever wonder why they may come out inconsistent year to year?

That’s because of the cold cuts. Stick to a brand of cold cuts you like to ensure your favorite Pizza Rustica & Gain recipes come out perfect every time. Reason being, different cold cuts vary in flavor, salt, and oil content.

Email us your favorite Pizza Rustica & Gain recipes! We’ll be talking more about them on Palm Sunday.

See you next Sunday for St. Patty’s Day!

Q & A With Joe and Barbara: Part 2

Sun, 03 Mar 2013 05:00:00 GMT

What’s the difference between a boil, a rolling boil, and a simmer?
Simmer – The water is warm and little bubbles are forming around the sides of the pan.
Boil – The water is hot, and bubbles are forming throughout the entire pan.
Rolling boil – The water is really hot and the bubbles are rapid, almost boiling over the sides of the pan (this is the ideal stage to add your pasta for cooking).

What are good staples to always keep on hand for cooking?
Cooking oil, flour, salt, pepper, dried pasta, eggs, bread, and milk (and garlic if you’re Italian!).

Why does chicken breast dry out so easily?
For the most part, it depends on where and from whom you’re purchasing your chicken. Manufacturers process their chickens differently. After the chickens are heated (a process needed to remove their feathers), they’re either air cooled, or cooled in cold water to quickly bring their temperatures back down. As the birds were heated for feather removal, the pores of the chicken have opened up. If the chicken is then water cooled, the pores will expand and absorb excess water. As the chicken is sitting in its packaging, that water and moisture will leak out into the container (also known as the “diaper” in packaging), leaving you with a less juicy piece of meat before you even begin cooking. However, with air cooled chicken, the chicken breast only contains its natural, undiluted juices – enabling the chicken to better maintain those juices during packaging and cooking.
Other tips & tricks: brining your chicken over night, cooking it with the skin on and/or bone in, and coating the chicken it olive oil.

How long can you keep meat in the freezer?
Joe isn’t a fan of freezing meat due to the “purge” that occurs, which refers to the loss of blood and natural juices in the meat. However, if you want to keep meat on hand in your freezer, it’s best to get it straight from the butcher, and then put it directly into your freezer. Reason being, the longer it sits in the fridge before hand, the more blood and juice will be purged, leaving you with a less juicy and flavorful piece of meat than you originally purchased.
Never re-freeze previously thawed out meat.
0 degrees Fahrenheit is the best temperature for maintaining quality of frozen meat.
When thawing meat, always defrost it in the fridge (in a bowl to catch any drippings).
The bigger the cut of meat, the less time it should spend in the freezer.

What’s the rule with substituting dried herbs for fresh ones?
Dried herbs are much stronger in flavor compared to fresh herbs, meaning you need much less of them. Typically, dried herbs will be measured in teaspoons and tablespoons, while fresh will be measured in cup measurements. However, always use fresh herbs whenever possible.

Some pasta recipes call for reserving some of the pasta cooking water for the sauce; can I just use regular water?
No, the pasta cooking water contains the starch and flavor from the pasta. That starch will help thicken and flavor your sauce, as well as help it to better coat the pasta.
If your pasta recipe calls for veggies, you can cook those veggies right in the same pot as your pasta.

Does bone-in chicken breast taste better than boneless chicken breast?
Yes, bones provide the chicken with more flavor and moisture (as they do with any kind of meat). The bones themselves contain flavor, and absorb the heat while cooking, as opposed to the meat itself absorbing the heat and drying out.

Chicken Scarpariello

Ingredients:
Bone in chicken, cut into chunks with a meat cleaver
Flour seasoned with salt and pepper
Oil
Italian Sausage
Hot and sweet vinegar peppers
Sherry wine
Fried potatoes

Method:
Dredge the chicken pieces in the seasoned flour, and then sear them in hot oil.
Once seared, remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
Add the sausage and peppers; once cooked, deglaze the pan with sherry.
Return the chicken to the pan, and transfer it either underneath a broiler or into a hot oven. Allow the chicken to finish cooking until it reaches 170 degrees.
Finish the dish off by topping it with freshly fried potatoes.

How do I avoid meat sticking to the pan when trying to sear it?
First off, make sure your pan is hot enough. When searing, try to use a cast iron skillet that has been heated on medium heat for 5 to 8 minutes. Nonstick skillets are not recommended because the enamel coating used prevents them from getting hot enough.
After the pan is heated, add a small splash of oil, or use a paper towel to lightly coat the pan with oil.
Also, never overcrowd the pan when searing meat. If there’s not enough space in the pan, the temperature will drop and your meat will steam instead of sear.

Thanks for all your questions! If you have any more, or need clarification on past Q&A’s, don’t hesitate to email us! See you next Sunday!

Q & A With Joe and Barbara: Part 1

Sun, 24 Feb 2013 13:00:00 GMT

What does it mean to cut meat across the grain? And why is it important?
Cutting meat across the grain results in more tender slices of meat; they’re less chewy and easier to eat. To do this, look at the direction of the muscle fibers of the meat and cut against them – not with them. This is especially important with tougher cuts of meat like flank or skirt steak, but is also important with all types of meat, even poultry.

What kind of knife do you suggest for carving and slicing meat?
Although eclectic knives work well, Joe prefers a straight carving knife.

How do you use a steel rod knife sharpener? (The one that typically comes with your standard set of knives.)
First things first, be careful! Always be aware of where your hands are. Hold the rod out, and glide the knife towards you. You can glide it different ways (making the shape of a V) a few times to get your knife nice and sharp.

Why do you let meat rest before slicing it?
If you don’t allow the meat to rest before you cut into it, all the juices will run out onto your cutting board (also known as bleeding out), leaving you with a dry and less flavorful piece of meat. As the meat rests, those juices are able to evenly redistribute throughout, and stay inside the meat after you slice it. If you’re wondering how long an appropriate resting time is, it will depend on the kind and size of the meat you’ve prepared. As a general guideline, let the meat rest to room temperature before carving.

What’s the best way to judge a meat’s internal temperature, without using a thermometer?
Hold your hand out, place your pointer finger on your thumb. Take your pointer finger on your opposite hand, and feel the flabby flesh right underneath your thumb (AKA the thenar); that’s rare. Touch your middle finger to your thumb; that’s medium. Your ring finger to your thumb is well done, while your pinky finger to your thumb is very well done (or killed, whichever you’d like to call it).

How do you prevent your hardboiled eggs from getting that grey ring?
Heat the eggs gradually to maintain an even temperature between the egg yolk and white. To do this, carefully place your eggs in a pan and cover them with cold water (an inch or so over the eggs will do). Bring them to a boil over high heat; once the water is boiling, remove the pan from the heat, place a lid on top, and allow the eggs to sit for ten minutes. This allows the eggs to gently finish cooking, avoiding that grey ring. For easy peeling, run the eggs under cold water while you peel them. If you want to use the eggs right away, place them in an ice bath to cool for a few minutes.

How do you keep from crying while cutting onions?
The sharper the knife is, the less you’ll cry. Reason being, there’s a chemical reaction that occurs with your eyes when you cut through the cells of an onion, causing them to tear. A sharp knife will damage these cells less, causing you to cry less. You can also try freezing your onions first, cutting them under running cold water, or using goggles.

Did you know raw onions could help keep your family healthy?
Place halved onions (preferably on plates or in small bowls) around your house; they’ll turn black from absorbing harmful germs and bacteria. Just make sure to replace them daily!

Can you substitute baking soda and baking powder for one another?
Mostly no, but in some instances, yes. Although both are leavening agents, they’re two totally different products made of different things. When it comes down to it, baking is a science and if a recipe works, don’t change it. But if you’ve run out of one or the other, baking powder can replace baking soda, but it may affect the finished product slightly. However, you can only substitute baking soda for baking powder if you also add a pinch of cream of tartar.

How do you keep your cookies from spreading too thin?
This all depends on the temperature of your butter. Don’t melt the butter for your cookie recipes; instead, allow it to sit at room temperature for thirty minutes or so before you begin baking.

What’s the best way to measure dry ingredients?
Use a scale to weigh your ingredients; this will give you the most accurate reading. And just for a heads up, there is a difference between liquid and dry measuring! A scale is also a great way to weigh liquid ingredients.

Have a great week! See you next Sunday!

Lent Recipes

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 21:57:00 GMT

Lent Recipes

Low Fat Turkey Shepard’s Pie

Ingredients:

Ground turkey
Olive oil
Garlic
Mushrooms, coarsely chopped
Onions, diced
Carrots, diced
Celery, diced
Peas, fresh or frozen
Rosemary
Thyme
1 tbsp tomato paste
Worcestershire sauce, to taste
2 to 3 tbsp flour
Chicken stock
Mashed potatoes, prepared without butter (try mashing them with nonfat sour cream & low fat milk or chicken stock instead)

Method of preparation:

Heat the olive oil a large skillet, and sauté the onions, carrots, and celery. Once softened, add the garlic and mushrooms.
Add the ground turkey to the pan; season with salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce. Once browned, add the flour and stir to coat.
Slowly stir the chicken broth into the pan, and bring it up in a simmer to thicken.
Lastly, fold the peas in and transfer everything into a baking dish. Top it off with the mashed potatoes and transfer to a 350 degree oven for half an hour or until the casserole is bubbling and golden brown.

Joe Leone’s Las Vegas Foodie Find: Bartolotta Ristorante Di Mare located in the Wynn hotel. Chef Paul Bartolotta imports fresh fish from the Mediterranean daily, giving you a taste of Italy & surrounding countries.

Fish recipes for Lent

Pesce al Cartoccio

Ingredients:

Sea bass, whole - preferably from the Adriatic Sea
Parchment paper
Carrots, par boiled
Celery
Onion
Baby red potatoes, partially peeled & par boiled
Extra virgin olive oil
Fresh parsley
White wine

Method of preparation:
Toss the veggies with the olive oil and fresh parsley. Lay down a piece of parchment paper, place the sea bass on top, and surround the fish with the vegetables. Pour a splash or two of white wine over the fish.
Crimp another piece of parchment paper, cover the fish and veggies, and tuck the paper underneath to completely conceal everything. Transfer the pan to a 350-degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Allow the fish to sit for just a few minutes to continue steaming in the parchment paper before serving.
Other add-in options? Try adding basil, tomatoes, and/or olives to your Pesce al Cartoccio before baking.

Involtini Di Pesce Spada

Ingredients

Swordfish fillets, thinly sliced
Breadcrumbs
Garlic
Pine nuts
Capers
Parsley
Raisins
Olive oil
Lemon juice
Salt and pepper

Method:
Lay the swordfish fillets between 2 layers of cling film; lightly pound the fish to an even thickness.
Combine the breadcrumbs, garlic, pine nuts, capers, parsley, and raisins together to make a stuffing. Place a mound in the middle of each piece of swordfish. Tuck the sides of the swordfish in and roll it up so that none of the stuffing can escape while baking. Use fishing sting to lightly tie the fillets to ensure they don’t fall apart.
Combine the olive oil with the lemon juice and allow the fish to marinate for 10 minutes or so. Transfer to a hot grill and cook on both sides.
Allow the fish to cool slightly before removing the strings. Serve with fresh lemon slices.

Sicilian Swordfish Stew: Zuppa di Pesce Spada

Ingredients

Swordfish
Yellow onions
Garlic
Sundried tomatoes, soaked
Black oil cured olives, pit removed & chopped
Capers
White wine
Hot pepper flakes
Tomato juice or tomato sauce
Basil
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

Method of preparation
Using a wide skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Cook the onions and garlic until softened and translucent (about 3 to 5 minutes). Remove the pan from the heat. Add the sundried tomatoes, olives, capers, wine, and pinch of hot pepper flakes, making a sauce.
Transfer the sauce into a bowl and set aside.
Using the same pan, season the swordfish with salt and pepper, and sear the fillets in olive oil on both sides. Pour the reserved sauce on top.
Finish the dish with a splash of tomato juice, bring up to a simmer, and garnish with fresh basil.
You can also try this recipe with fresh tuna!

Genovese Style Tuna

Ingredients

Fresh tuna fillets
Flour
Salt and pepper
Dried porcini mushrooms, soaked in water prior, drained, & coarsely chopped (keep the soaking liquid)
Anchovies
Garlic
White wine
Lemon juice
Thyme
Butter
Parsley
Olive oil

Method
Dredge the tuna fillets in flour seasoned with salt and pepper. Sear the fillets in olive oil on both sides (about 1 minute per side).
Set the tuna aside on a plate. Add more olive oil to the pan and sauté the porcini mushrooms, garlic, and anchovy fillets. After a few minutes, add the white wine, lemon juice, and reserved porcini liquid. Bring the sauce up to a simmer, and season it with thyme, parsley, salt, and pepper. Add a pat of butter to the sauce, and return the tuna steaks to the pan just long enough to reheat. Serve with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Don’t forget to email your questions and/or recipes to Joe and Barbara! P.S. - a Pizza Rustica challenge is in the works; start working on your favorite Pizza Rustica recipe and send them in to us!