Monika's Quinoa Salad

2 cups quinoa

4 cups water

2 tsps salt

1/2 cup onion (diced red onion)

3/4 cup fresh tomato (diced)

3/4 cup carrots ( cooked, diced)

1/2 cup yellow or red bell pepper (diced)

1/2 cup of lima beans (cooked) optional

1/2 cup cucumber (diced)

2 tbsps fresh chopped parsley

2 tbsps olive oil

3 tsps fresh lemon juice

salt and pepper

 Combine water and salt in a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, rinse the quinoa. Add the quinoa and stir briefly. When it returns to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer gently until quinoa absorbs the liquid and grains are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.

When quinoa is ready, stir the tomato, cooked carrots and lima beans, bell pepper, cucumber, red onion and parsley until well combined.  Drizzle the olive oil & lemon over the salad; gently stir until evenly mixed. . Taste, adjust seasoning, as needed, and serve.

Sotto Sopra's Goat Ricotta Gnocchi with Tomato Sauce

Sotto Sopra’s Goat Ricotta Gnocchi with Tomato Sauce

Serves 2 to 3 as entree

INGREDIENTS

Gnocchi

1 lb goat ricotta

10 oz ‘00’ flour

1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

1 egg yolk from a large egg

Fine sea salt and fresh pepper

Leaves from 2 sprigs of fresh thyme

Leaves from 1 sprig of rosemary

4 leaves of fresh sage

Brown Butter

4 tablespoons of butter

2 fresh sage leaves

Tomato Sauce – yields about 50 ounces

1 small yellow onion, diced

Extra virgin olive oil

2 – 28 oz cans of peeled San Marzano Tomatoes

1 tablespoon of sugar

Fine sea salt

Bunch of basil, stemmed and rough chop

For finishing

Fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil

DIRECTIONS

Gnocchi directions

In a large mixing bowl add ricotta, 00 flour, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, egg yolk, sea salt and fresh ground pepper.  Chop the thyme leaves, rosemary leaves and sage leaves together and add to the bowl.Mix ingredients until they come together (mixer or by hand).  You don’t want to overwork the dough but you want it mixed well.

Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Roll a test piece of the gnocchi about ½ inch wide by inch long and add to the pot. If it sits on the bottom of the pot or falls apart you need to add more flour. It should float to the top of the pot in about 2 minutes.  It should have a soft mouth feel.  If it feels too dense than you have too much flour.  Once the gnocchi test properly you want to cut the dough in four sections and roll out on a floured surface to ½ inch round thickness (like a rope) and then cut each gnocchi 1 inch long.  As you are cutting the gnocchi you would want to put on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Cover with saran wrap and chill until you are ready to prepare. 

Tomato sauce directions

In a large pot, sauté the chopped onion in extra virgin olive oil until they become translucent.  Crush the whole tomatoes by hand breaking them up in small pieces and add them and the liquid from the can to the pot. Add sugar and salt. Bring to a simmer for 45 minutes and take off the heat.  Add fresh basil and let steep for 20 minutes. You can at this time pulse the sauce with an immersion blender or put in your food processor and pulse.

ASSEMBLY

           

1.    Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

2.    Create you brown butter by heating all the butter with sage leaves.  Let the butter foam and it is done.

3.    When water is at a boil drop in your gnocchi a handful at a time.  They will rise to the top of the pot in about 2 minutes when they are done. Use a spider spatula to drain and transfer to warm plates.

4.    Drizzle brown butter over the gnocchi. Top with ½ cup to 1 cup tomato sauce. Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, extra virgin olive oil and serve.

About that Stracotto: Slow cooked stew

Here is a delicious recipe created by Julia della Croce, an Italian food expert and prolific cookbook author.  We thought the slow cooked stew apropos for this time of year.  Here is an excerpt from her blog Forktales with a link to the whole story and her recipe.

After I finished off producer Piero Catalano’s bottle of Suavis, the aged vinegar from Sicily’s desert island (“The Other Face of Balsamic” [December 15 post]), a small flask of Modena aged balsamic vinegar took its place in my cupboard. Unlike the Suavis, a souvenir from my September in Trapani (I drank it as a cordial, an “amen” to the day, blissful thimbleful by thimbleful and it was gone by January), aged Modena balsamico can be more easily replaced. These days, it’s sold in most self-respecting food specialty shops that carry Italian imports. So a generous trickle could be spared for the stew.

Check out the full story and recipe HERE at Julia della Croce's Forktales.

Poached Salmon Salad

Poached Salmon Salad

Executive Chef Bill Crouse shares his recipe for Poached Salmon Salad, a nice light dish for the coming spring and summer months.

For the Poaching:
4 ounce Salmon Filet
1 Tbsp Fresh Dill
¼ C White wine
1 Tbsp. Lemon juice
1 C. Water
Salt and Pepper
1 Bay Leaf
1 Tbsp white onion
1 tsp. Peppercorns
1 Tbsp. Celery leaves

For the Salad:
Romaine Lettuce
Parmesan Cheese
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
Dill
Lemon wedges
Cherry tomatoes

Directions
For the Salmon:
1. Place all ingredients in a small pot and bring to a simmer, except salmon
2. Place Salmon in liquid and keep submerged by placing a small plate over fish just to weigh it down slightly
3. Let poach for two minutes then shut off liquid and let rest for two more minutes

For the Salad:
1. Oil greens and place on a hot grill, turning every thirty seconds till all sides are lightly charred
2. Place cherry tomatoes on grill till they blister, arrange tomatoes around greens on plate and top with a piece of fish
3. Sprinkle with remaining dill and a squeeze of lemon

Beet & Goat Cheese Casserole Recipe

BEET & GOAT CHEESE MOUSSE
Serves 6 to 8 people

This is Executive Chef Bill Crouse's recipe which makes an excellent dish for any holiday table.

Ingredients
4 pounds beets - trimmed
Oil
Salt & Pepper
2 pounds goat cheese-room temperature
4 ounces Mascarpone cheese
2 tablespoons chopped tarragon
2 oranges, rinsed, dried, zested and juiced - reserve
¼ cup heavy cream
1 lemon, rinsed dried zested & juiced - reserve
½ lb baby arugula
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups of orange segments (can use drained canned mandarin orange segments)
½ cup of pine nuts toasted (optional)

Equipment:
½ sheet pan
Mixer with paddle attachment
7 x 12 casserole dish
Piping bag

Coat beets with oil, salt, pepper and roast at 375 until tender. Cool at least 15 to 20 minutes. Peel and slice into ¼ in slices

In mixer bowl or large bowl add the goat cheese, mascarpone cheese, chopped tarragon, orange zest, orange juice, heavy cream, lemon zest and lemon juice. Use paddle attachment if you have a Kitchen Aide mixer or whip by hand.

Assemble
1 Line the bottom of the casserole dish tightly with the slices of beets to create one layer
2 Put the goat cheese mixture in piping bag and put one tablespoon of goat cheese one inch apart. With the back of a spoon or recessed spatula smooth out the goat cheese.
3 Repeat steps one and two - or until casserole dish is full. Chill until service.
4 Toss arugula with extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper, then top the casserole just before serving
5 Arrange the drained orange segments and optional toasted pine nuts on top of casserole.

Bucatini and Cauliflower Recipe

Bucatini and Cauliflower - serves 4 to 6

We are coming into cauliflower season and this is a great Sicilian vegetarian dish that all can enjoy.

¼ cup of raisins or currants
1 large head cauliflower broken down into bite-sized florets
1 pound bucatini*
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 to 2 anchovy fillets
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3 tablespoons lightly toasted pine nuts
1/3 cup finely chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley
Freshly ground black pepper and sea salt

Directions
1. Soak the raisins in warm water for 15 minutes to hydrate
2. Bring a very large pot of well salted water to a rolling boil-it should taste like the sea but not the dead sea. Boil the cauliflower florets for 5 to 6 minutes and remove with a slotted spoon. Return the water to a boil and cook the bucatini until al dente (approximately 10 minutes). Drain and reserve a scant ½ cup of the pasta water.
3. While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. The skillet should be able to accommodate the full pound of pasta when finished. Add onion and sauté until just beginning to brown, approximate 5 to 6 minutes. Add the anchovy fillets and break them up and then add the garlic. Saute for about a minute more.
4. Drain the raisins and stir raisins, cauliflower and pine nuts into sautéed onion and garlic mixture. Add the ½ cup of pasta cooking water and cook for 10 minutes to thicken. Gently stir parsley into cauliflower and season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Transfer drained pasta into a warmed serving bowl and dress with cauliflower sauce. Serve at once.

*Bucatini is a long pasta with a hole in the center. It can be found at Trader Joes and other specialty groceries

Roasted Fresh Figs with Gorgonzola

Roasted Fresh Figs with Gorgonzola

4 servings.

Ingredients
•12 ripe figs
•1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
•1/2 cup Gorgonzola
•1/3 cup good-quality honey
•4 pinches finely chopped fresh Thyme leaves
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Using a paring knife, carefully trim any tough portion of the stems from each fig. Rub each fig all over with extra-virgin olive oil, then slice down through the stem about 3/4-inch. Make a second cut perpendicular to the first cut, so that you have an X-shaped cut in the top of each fig. Gently pry the edges apart and stuff each fig with about 1 teaspoon of the Gorgonzola. Place the figs upright in a baking pan and top with honey and bake until the figs are plump, cheese has melted but have not burst, about 7 to 10 minutes.

Drizzle any excess honey from the pan on to the plate the 4 serving plates and place the figs on top of the honey. Sprinkle each plate with a pinch of the chopped thyme and some of the remaining Gorgonzola. Serve immediately.

Top Chef's Fabio does Mac & Cheese

Top Chef Masters winning recipe from Chef Hubert Keller is Mac and Cheese. The ever entertaining and charming Chef Fabio from Top Chef-Season 5 shows you how to make this.

Uova al Pomodoro - Tomato & Eggs

Uova al Pomodoro
Tomato Eggs

Here is another way to use late summer’s tomato bounty

2 Tablespoons Olive oil
2 each Very ripe tomatoes – cut in 8ths
Kosher or sea salt & pepper to taste
4 large Eggs

Heat a small frying pan (approximately 10 inches) over medium head and add the olive oil. Add the tomatoes, salt and pepper and cook for approximately 10 minutes. Break in the eggs into the pan, careful not to break the yolks. Add another pinch of salt and peppers. Keep over the heat until the whites have set. Serve hot.

Serves 2

Making Pasta for Two

How to Cook Branzino

This is an excellent video that shows you how to cook branzino in parchment. Enjoy.

Cold Herb Marinated Green Beans

Cold Herb Marinated Green Beans
Serves 6

2 Tb Fresh parsley
2 Tb Fresh chopped basil
1 ts Fresh oregano
5 Tb Red wine vinegar
2 Tb Finely chopped onion
2 Garlic cloves-peeled & crushed
1 lb Green beans
1/3 cup Extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste (Kosher or sea salt)
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Choose a large bowl enough to accommodate the green beans later and put In the parsley, basil, oregano and vinegar. Let steep for 10 minutes. Add the onion and garlic, mix and let steep for at least 30 minutes. Snap off the ends of the green beans, rinse them in cold water, and drop them into boiling salt water. Drain the string beans while still very firm. Add the warm green beans to the bowl and marinate for a minimum of 1 hour and as much as 5 or 6 hours. Mix thoroughly from time-to-time. Serve the beans at room
temperature, adding the olive oil and salt/pepper to taste before serving.

Suggestions:
You can serve on a bed of radicchio or with sliced summer tomatoes. In the spring substitute the green beans with asparagus

Initial recipe by Marcella Hazan recipe from Marcella's Kitchen

Lemon Basil Sorbetto

Sotto Sopra’s
Lemon Basil Sorbetto
by Executive Chef Bill Crouse

This sorbetto is amazingly refreshing and is great for an intermezzo between courses or on its own as a light dessert served with a simple sugar cookie.

2 cups Sugar
1 ½ cups Water
2 cups Lemon Juice
2-3 cups Fresh Basil Leaves

1. Combine the sugar and water in a pot and bring to a boil making sure the sugar is dissolved. This is called a simple syrup. Take off heat and let cool.
2. Combine the fresh lemon juice and basil leaves in a blender. Blend both items until the basil leaves are in small pieces.
3. Strain the lemon-basil mixture through a fine sieve – discarded the strained basil leaves and reserve the lemon juice in a large bowl.
4. Add the simple syrup (sugar/water) with the strained lemon juice and mix well.
5. Put the liquid in your ice cream machine and process. Transfer to a container when done and put in the freezer to firm up.

Recipe is from March 08 Sotto Sopra Cooking Class

How To Break Down A Chicken

Sotto Sopra's Executive Chef, Bill Crouse teaches high school culinary students how to break down a chicken in record time. Time is always of the essence in any restaurant kitchen.

Chef Crouse is working with the Carver Center for Arts and Technology culinary students developing recipes they will prepare for their Spring Fair Culinary Walk About. More to come in a future post. We hope you enjoy the video...it goes quickly.

Artichoke Pie Recipe

Chef Crouse's Lentil & Sausage Soup

I created this recipe for our January 08 Opera Night Dinner and also demonstrated in on Channel 45. I've put up the video that we took, as in all things related to batteries, they went dead before we finished...we still thought you might enjoy this. It was my first time on television - let me know what you think......Chef Bill Crouse

Sotto Sopra's Sausage and Lentil Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion -- chopped
2 cloves garlic -- chopped
1 large or two small carrots -- chopped
2 links Sweet Italian Sausage (meat or turkey) -removed from casings
1 quart chicken stock (homemade or canned low sodium)
fresh thyme
1 cup brown lentils -- rinsed
1 cup Swiss chard -- coarsely chopped
chopped tomato

Heat a large pot with the oil. Add the onion garlic and carrots and sweat them until the natural sugars come out.

Add the sausage and brown with the vegetables.

Add the chicken stock and fresh thyme and bring to a boil.

Add the lentils and reduce the soup to a simmer, covered and cook for 40 minutes.

Add the Swiss Chard or Spinach

Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper

Plate the soup and top with chopped tomato

Notes: Depending how thick or thin you want the soup to be you can add another pint of chicken stock. Never cook lentils with tomatoes, the acid will make the lentils tough.

Monika's New Favorite Biscotti Recipe

Here is a recipe that was given to Monika from our favorite public relations gal, Dara Bunjon. Dara has been making this recipe for years and loves the fact that there is no butter. She uses parchment paper on the cooking sheet so no fat is used other than what is natural to the pistachio.

Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti

Recipe By : Gourmet Magazine 1992 pg 162
Serving Size : 36


Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 1/3 cups Dried cranberries(approx 1/4 Lb)
2 1/2 cups Unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup Sugar
1/2 tsp Baking soda
1/2 tsp Double acting baking powder
1/2 tsp Salt
3 lg Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla
1 cup Shelled natural pistachio
Egg wash-beat 1 egg+1 ts water

In a bowl combine the cranberries with enough hot water to cover them and let them soak for 5 minutes. Drain the cranberries well and pat them dry with paper towels.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment blend the flour; the sugar, the baking soda, the baking powder, and the salt until the mixture is combined well, add the eggs and the vanilla, beating until a dough is just formed, and stir in the cranberries and the pistachios.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, knead it several times, and halve it. Working on a large buttered(you can eliminate the buttered pan by using parchment paper) and floured baking sheet, with floured hands form each piece of dough into a flattish log 13 inches long and 2 inches wide, arrange the logs at least 3 inches apart on the sheet and brush them with the egg wash.

Bake the logs in middle of preheated 325 degree oven for 30 minutes and let them cool on baking sheet on a rack for 10 minutes. On cutting board cut the logs crosswise on the diagonal in 3/4 inch slices(use a serrated bread knife). Bake for 7 minutes on each side. Store in airtight container.

Cooking Class at Sotto Sopra

SOLD OUT

Sunday, January 13, 2008
1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Demonstration Class

Sotto Sopra's Chef Bill Crouse will lead a class in Sotto Sopra's kitchen where he will show the preparation of 4 recipes. After class, all will sit down to sample the food and have bit of wine. We are still planning the menu but wanted to give you a heads up. We are limited to 15 students.

Cost per student: $60.00 (check or credit card) - Payment is due prior to the class

Cancellation Policy: We will accept cancellations up to 48 hours prior to the cooking class. If you need to cancel less than 48 hours you will have a credit in the amount of the class to be used at the restaurant within 30 days.

Snow policy: Should phase one of the snow emergency plan be in effect in Baltimore City one hour prior to the class it will be canceled and rescheduled.

For further information please reach out to us via e-mail
at ciao@sottosopra.us

Grilled Peaches with Arugula, Prosciutto and Parmigiano Reggiano

Okay, so I'm not cut out to be an Iron Chef but I thought you would like this cooking video-the recipe is simple and perfect for summer. If you can get white peaches they are sweeter than the yellow and a bit larger. You can do this outdoors or on a stove top grill. Just section the peach, sear it and the put it on a plate with Prosciutto di Parma, shaved Parmigiano Reggiano cheese topped with baby arugula or roll up the arugula in the prosciutto, top with the cheese surrounded by peaches. Make a quick dressing with some quality extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.

My public relations lady was playing with her little Kodak digital and was able to do this video, she needs practice. The photograph is her version of the salad.

Super Bowl Antipasto

Baked Stuffed Artichoke Hearts
Chef David Ritzo


Tomato Confit:
1 small container fresh grape or cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons plus 1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons white wine

2 ounces pancetta -- diced
2 - 14 ounce cans artichoke bottoms
kosher or sea salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

For the Tomato Confit: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Put the tomatoes in a bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, fresh thyme and white wine. Spread the contents of the bowl on a sheet pan and bake for 20 minutes. Let cool. Reduce the oven to 350 degree.

While the tomatoes roast saute the pancetta until crisp and drain on a paper towel.

Drain the artichoke bottoms from the liquid in the cans and rinse. Pat dry and place artichokes on a sheet pan. Drizzle approximately 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil over the artichokes. Sprinkle the salt, pepper, minced garlic and fresh basil over the artichoke hearts. Put a small amount of the grated Parmesan cheese on top of each heart.

To complete the assembly add tomato confit and pancetta to each artichoke heart. Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Yield: "10 artichoke hearts"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Serving Ideas : The tomato confit can be also be used on top of toasted bread

NOTES : Canned artichoke hearts can be found in your gourmet
supermarkets in the Italian section or in the aisle with
your jarred artichokes. Trader Joe's has a 2 ounce
package of diced pancetta in their refrigerated counter.

For easy clean-up: Line your baking sheets with parchment
paper or use a silpat.

The confit and pancetta can be done a day ahead to make
assembly quick and easy