Recipes

 

 

Caponata

serves 12

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 large eggplant, cut into ½ in. cubes

1 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1-14.5 oz. can fire-roasted tomatoes

1/3 cup red wine

1 ½ Tbsp. capers

2 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground allspice

1 tsp. white sugar

1 bay leaf

     Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat; sauté eggplant, onion, and garlic until lightly browned, 5-7 minutes.

Add tomatoes, red wine, and capers and simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes.

Mix oregano, cinnamon, allspice, cocoa powder, sugar, and bay leaf into eggplant mixture; simmer until thickened, about 30 minutes.

Add a few tablespoons water if mixture becomes too thick. Remove bay leaf before serving.

Crostini

serves 12

 

8-10 oz. baguette

½ cup olive oil

pinch ground pepper

     Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice baguette into ¼ in. thick slices and arrange on baking sheets.

Brush both sides with oil, and season with pepper. Bake until golden , 15-20 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through.

Let cool on baking sheets. Top crostini with warm caponata, and serve.

 

 

Balsamic Glazed Pork Chop

serves 4

1 Tbsp. olive oil

½ tsp. Italian seasoning

¼ tsp. garlic powder

1/3 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. black pepper

1 lb. boneless pork chop

Sauce

 

2 tsp. olive oil

2 Tbsp. yellow onion, finely diced

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

1 Tbsp. light brown sugar

1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

2 tsp. garlic, minced

     In a 9x13 casserole dish, add the olive oil, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix together with a fork. Place the pork chops in the casserole dish and toss to evenly coat the pork chops with the seasonings and olive oil. Place the casserole dish in the refrigerator. Allow to marinate for 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

     In a small sauce pan, add the olive oil and diced onion. Over a medium heat, sauté for 3 minutes or until onion is translucent. Add the balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, and garlic to the sauce pan. Bring to a simmer for 5-7 minutes or until slightly thickened. Pour the sauce over the pork chops and bake for 30-40 minutes or until no longer pink in the middle.

 

 

Farro Salad

serves 6

4 cups water

10 oz. dry farro

1 lb. tomatoes, seeded and chopped

½ sweet onion, chopped

½ cup basil, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

Black pepper, to taste

¼ cup olive oil

     Combine the water and farro in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the farro is tender, about 30 minutes. Drain well, and then transfer to a large bowl to cool. Add the tomatoes, onion, and basil to the farro, and toss to combine. In a medium bowl, whisk together the garlic, vinegar, pepper, and olive oil. Add the vinaigrette to the salad and toss to coat.

 

 

Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan

serves 4

 

1 lb. asparagus

1/8 cup Parmesan cheese

¼ tsp. garlic powder

     Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray the inside of a 9x13 casserole dish with olive oil cooking spray.

Place asparagus in the dish and lightly spray spears with cooking spray. Sprinkle asparagus with Parmesan cheese

and garlic powder. Roast in preheated oven until fork easily punctures thickest part of stem, about 12 minutes.

 

 

Lemon Sorbet

serves 4

 

¾ cup light agave nectar

1 cup water

¾ cup lemon juice

3 Tbsp. lemon peel, grated

     In a small saucepan over medium heat, cook and stir the agave nectar and water until mixture comes to a boil.

Reduce heat and leave uncovered for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

Stir in lemon juice and lemon peel. Cover and freeze for 4 hours. Remove from freezer and let sit 15 minutes before scooping.

 

 

Mocha-Walnut Layer Cake

serves 10

Cake

Fine dry bread crumbs, for dusting

2 cups walnut halves

¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

½ cup cake flour

1 tsp. instant espresso powder

8 large eggs, separated

1 cup sugar

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

¼ tsp. salt

     Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.

Butter the parchment and dust with bread crumbs, tapping out any excess. In a food processor, pulse the walnuts until

finely chopped. Add the cocoa powder, cake flour, and espresso powder and pulse until the walnuts are finely ground. Transfer to a bowl.

     In a different large bowl using an electric mixer, beat the yolks at medium speed until thick and pale, about 3 minutes. Beat in 2/3 cup of the sugar; increase the speed to high and beat until thick, about 5 minutes. Beat in the vanilla. In a separate medium bowl, using clean beaters, beat the egg whites and salt at medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining 1/3 cup of sugar and beat at high speed until the whites are stiff and glossy. Fold the egg whites and ground walnuts into the yolk mixture in 3 batches; fold just until no streaks remain. Divide the batter between the prepared pans; smooth the tops. Bake for about 20 minutes, until the cakes are golden and springy. Transfer to a rack for 10 minutes, then invert the cakes and cool completely. Peel off the parchment; turn the cakes right side up.

Filling

 

6 large egg yolks

½ cup sugar

Pinch salt

2 Tbsp. instant espresso powder, dissolved into ½ cup hot water

1 lb. unsalted butter, softened

3 Tbsp. Coffee Liqueur

1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract

1 ½ cups walnuts, finely chopped, plus halves for garnishing

     Fill a medium bowl with ice water. In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk the yolks, sugar, and salt.

Gradually whisk in the dissolved espresso. Place the bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water and cook,

stirring with a spatula, untilthe yolks are thick enough to coat the spatula and an instant-read thermometer inserted

into the mixture registers at 175 degrees, about 10 minutes. Set the bowl in the ice bath and cool, stirring occasionally.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter at medium speed until smooth. Beat in the yolk mixture

in 4 batches, beating well between additions. Beat in liqueur and vanilla.

   

  Using a serrated knife, split each cake in half horizontally. Set a top layer, cut side up, on a cake plate;

spread with ½ cup of the filling. Top with a bottom cake layer, and spread with another ½ cup of the filling. Repeat with the

remaining top cake layer, ending with the bottom layer, cut side down. Spread the sides of the cake with a thin layer of filling. Spread the remaining filling on the top. Press the chopped walnuts around the side of the cake.

     Refrigerated the cake for at least 4 hours or overnight. Let the cake stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.