A Taste Of Italy
Asparagus Risotto With Crispy Prosciutto
This simple recipe is packed full of flavor and the texture is divine! Definitely my favorite Risotto recipe.
Servings 4
Ingredients
- 4 thin slices Prosciutto
- 3 Cups chicken stock
- 12 Spears asparagus cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter divided
- 1 shallot minced
- ¾ Cup Arborio rice
- ¾ Cup Champagne or other sparkling white wine
- ¼ Cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
- ¼ Tsp Kosher salt or to taste
- ¼ Tsp freshly ground black pepper or to taste
Instructions
Prosciutto Garnish
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.Place the slices of prosciutto on a sheet of parchment paper and bake until the prosciutto slices are almost completely crisp, about 8 minutes. They will continue to crisp up as they cool. Reserve for garnish
Risotto
- In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and blanch the asparagus in the chicken stock for 2 minutes. Remove the asparagus with a slotted spoon and set aside in a bowl to add to risotto later. Keep the chicken stock at a low simmer.
- Place 1 tablespoon of butter into medium sized skillet over medium high heat. Add the shallot and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the Arborio rice and stir to coat in the butter. Continue toasting the rice, stirring constantly for about 3 minutes more. Add the Champagne and simmer, until the liquid has almost evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the simmering stock and stir until almost completely absorbed, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking the rice, adding the stock 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition of the stock to absorb before adding the next, until the rice is tender but still firm to the bite and the mixture is creamy, about 20 minutes total.
- Remove from the heat. Gently stir in the asparagus, remaining butter, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.Spoon the risotto into serving dishes and garnish by breaking the crisp prosciutto into smaller pieces over the top of the risotto.Serve immediately.
Crostini with Sun-Dried Tomato Jam
This is another one of my "go to recipes" that I adapted from Giada De Laurentiis' recipe. It is always a big winner with our guests!
Ingredients
- 1 8-oz jar sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil drained and chopped, oil reserved
- ½ onion thinly sliced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup organic chicken stock for vegetarian version, substitute veg broth
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves chopped
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp finely ground black pepper
Crostini
- 1 baguette sliced into ¾-inch diagonal slices
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Goat Cheese Topping
- 5 ounces Chevre room temperature (see note below)
- 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves chopped
Instructions
Sun-Dried Tomato Jam
- Place a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped sundried tomatoes, 1 tablespoon of the reserved sun-dried tomato oil, olive oil, onion, and garlic. Stir and cook until the onions are soft and beginning to brown at the edges, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the sugar, vinegar, water, chicken stock, thyme, salt and pepper. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove the cover and continue simmering until most of the liquid is reduced and the mixture is the consistency of jam, about 5 to 10 more minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Crostini
- Preheat oven to 400° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paperPlace the baguette slices on the baking sheet. Using a pastry brush, lightly coat the baguette slices with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until lightly toasted, about 8 minutes.
Goat Cheese Topping
- Place the soft goat cheese in a small bowl and stir in the thyme.
To Assemble
- Spread the crostini with Sun-Dried Tomato Jam and top with the goat cheese and herb mixture. Transfer to a serving plate and serve.
Notes
Chèvre (pronounced "SHEV-ruh" or sometimes simply "SHEV") is the French word for a female goat, but in the culinary arts, it refers to cheese made from goat's milk. While goat cheese is produced and eaten around the world, some varieties of chèvre carry a protected designation of origin (PDO) label, verifying French origin under strict production standards. Since goat's milk contains less lactic acid than cow's milk, people who are lactose intolerant often find they can enjoy chèvre without symptoms. --The Spruce Eats
Smoked Mozzarella and Sun-Dried Tomato Cigars
These are fun and fabulous! They were a great appetizer to start out our progressive dinner.
Ingredients
- 6 sheets phyllo dough
- 4 tbsp butter melted
- 8 oz smoked mozzarella sliced ¼-inch thick
- 8 oz sun-dried tomatoes drained
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F
- Lay a sheet of phyllo dough on a clean dry work surface. Use a pastry brush to brush the phyllo sheet with melted butter. Fold the phyllo sheet in half lengthwise, resulting in a 12 by 8-inch rectangle. Brush the top of the phyllo with melted butter.
- Place a few slices of smoked mozzarella at a narrow end of the phyllo rectangle, leaving 1-inch on each side. Top the cheese with a few pieces of sun-dried tomatoes.
- Carefully roll up the phyllo dough into a cigar shape starting with the cheese and tomato end. About half way through the rolling, tuck in the 1-inch ends of the phyllo dough and continue rolling.
- Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, seam side down, and brush the top with butter. Continue rolling the 5 remaining cigars.
- Bake until golden, about 25 to 30 minutes.
Olive Garden Salad Dressing
Ingredients
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ⅓ cup white vinegar
- 1 tsp vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp light corn syrup
- 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp Romano cheese
- ¼ tsp garlic salt
- ½ tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp parsley flakes
- 1 tbsp lemon juice freshly squeezed
Instructions
- Whisk all ingredients together and serve.
Garlic Toast
This is another one of those things that works well for entertaining because you can put it all together a head of time and then place under the broiler just before you are ready to serve.
Ingredients
- 1 loaf of French Bread
Garlic Butter Spread
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter softened
- 3 clove garlic minced
- ½ tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ tbsp reserved sun-dried tomato olive oil
- ⅓ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano ground or shredded
- 1 tsp crushed red chili flakes
- 1 tsp Italian herbs
- 1 tbsp parsley finely chopped
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Mix the garlic butter spread ingredients together.
- Slice loaf of French bread lengthwise and place both sides, cut side up, on a parchment lined cookie sheet.Spread the garlic butter evenly over cut sides of bread and place under the broiler until browned and slightly crips.Slice into 2" pieces and serve.
Lisa's Lasagna
This is a wonderful and simple dish to make, especially when you are expecting guests because you can put it all together a head of time and store in the refrigerator until an hour and a half before you want to serve it.
Ingredients
Meat Sauce
- 1½ lbs hamburger
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp dried basil
- 1½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 can San Marzano canned tomatoes broken up with your hands
- 2 6 oz cans tomato paste
- 10 oz flat lasagna noodles cooked al dente
Filling
- 2 ex-large eggs beaten
- 3 cups small curd cottage cheese
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese grated or ground
- 2 tbsp dried parsley flakes
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 lbs mozzarella cheese thinly sliced
Instructions
- In a large skillet, brown hamburger with garlic and salt. Add tomatoes, basil and tomato paste and cook at a low simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Filling
- Mix eggs, cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese, parsley flakes and pepper together and set aside.
To assemble
- Spread about ½ cup meat sauce in the bottom of a large, rectangular baking dish.Lay half the lasagna noodles in an even layer.Place half the filling in an even layer on top of the noodles.Lay half of the mozzarella cheese evenly on top of the filling.Pour an even layer of the sauce on top of the mozzarella cheese.Repeat the layers Bake at 350° F for 1 hour
Notes
NOTE: If you are cooking this after storing it in the refrigerator, add 20-30 minutes to the cooking time. Be sure to allow it to sit for about 15-20 minutes before you serve it to allow everything to 'set up'.
Chicken Saltimbocca with Lemon Sauce
In Italian, saltimbocca means “to jump in the mouth,” which is supposed to be a reference to the fact that the dish is so good that it literally jumps into your mouth. This recipe lives up to it's name.
Servings 4
Equipment
- Sous Vide (optional)
Ingredients
- 4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
- 8 large fresh sage leaves
- 8 thin prosciutto slices about 3 ounces
- ½ cup all-purpose flour plus 1 tablespoon
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1½ tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp dry white wine
- ¾ cup chicken stock
- 3 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
- kosher salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place chicken between 2 sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap and pound to ⅓" thickness, using a mallet. Season with salt and pepper. Place 2 sage leaves on each breast and top with 2 prosciutto slices, pressing to adhere.
- **If using a sous vide; Place each breast, (individually), into a vacuum sealing bag, (such as FoodSaver) and seal. Set each bag into a 155°F water bath and cook for 90 minutes to 3 hours. Remove chicken from cooking bags, pat dry and dip in flour to lightly coat both sides.
- Melt butter with oil in large nonstick skillet over high heat.If no cooking with a sous vide circulator, dip chicken breasts into flour to lightly coat both sides and place in skillet, prosciutto side down. Cook until brown on each side and internal temperature of the meat is 155°F on an instant read thermometer.**For sous vide cooked chicken, cook until brown--about 1-2 minutes on each side.
- Transfer chicken breasts to a platter and cover to keep warm; reserve skillet.Whisk wine with remaining tablespoon flour in small bowl. Add broth and lemon juice to same skillet; bring to boil.Add wine mixture; whisk until sauce thickens slightly, about 30 seconds.Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Notes
I like it saucy so I double the sauce recipe.
The Perfect Caesar Dressing
This dressing is creamy and not too strong. It goes together easily and will last in the refrigerator for more than a week.
Equipment
- small food processor (optional)
Ingredients
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp anchovy paste
- 2 tbsp lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup good quality mayonnaise
- ½ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano freshly grated
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Place garlic, anchovy paste, lemon juice, Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce into a medium bowl or small bowl of a food processor and whisk or process to combine. Stir in mayonnaise, Parmigiano-Reggiano, salt and pepper until well incorporated. Adjust seasoning as desired and serve with lemon wedges.
Lisa's Spicy and Spectacular Minestrone
I came up with this recipe 25+ years ago. My 'secret ingredient' is SPICY V-8 juice. It absolutely takes a good soup to greatness! Every time I have made this over the years, people would ask me for the recipe, so it has been 'out there' for quite a long time. In fact, one of my colleagues published it in her church cookbook, (with my blessing). 😉 One last thing--you can use whatever pastas and vegetables you have on hand.
Ingredients
- 1 large onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2-3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb Italian sausage, cooked and drained I use half sweet and half hot Italian sausage
- 2 cans beef consommé may substitute vegetable, chicken or beef broth
- 1 large bottle Spicy V-8 juice this is the SECRET ingredient!
- 1 can garbonzo, small white, kidney or black beans
- 1 can diced tomatoes with juices
- 3 stalks celery chopped
- 2 carrots sliced or diced
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- zucchini, yellow squash, cauliflower, potatoes cut into bite size pieces
- black olives optional
- cheese tortillini, broken lasagna noodles, penne, etc. Cooked and reserved
- Parmesan cheese freshly grated
- Fresh basil leaves torn
Instructions
- Brown Italian Sausage with olive oil in heavy pan over medium high heat.Add and sauté onion until soft. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute.Add beef consommé, (or broth), V-8 juice, tomatoes, celery, carrots, potatoes and seasonings and cook for about 20 minutes. Add squash, (if using), black olives, (if using), and beans to warm through.Place cooked pasta in serving bowls, ladle the soup over the pasta and top with freshly torn basil leaves and parmesan cheese. Serve with warm, crusty bread.
Spicy Shrimp Scampi
This can be a little spicy, but you can tame it down by backing off on the red pepper flakes and garlic.
Ingredients
- 1 lb thin spaghetti or other long pasta
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3-5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 lb medium to large shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1 cup dry white wine
- juice of two lemons and zest of one lemon
- ½-1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes to taste
- 2 tbsp good extra-virgin olive oil see note below
- 1 tbsp capers drained, may substitute green olives
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- fresh parsley
- grated Parmesan Reggiano
Instructions
- Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water. (Water should taste salty as the ocean). Undercook the pasta so that it is still slightly chewy. Drain and put pasta in a bowl, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.
- While the pasta is cooking, melt butter in a large skillet, add garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
- Add shrimp, lemon juice, lemon zest, wine, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Cook until shrimp are pink, approximately 3 minutes."Fish out" the shrimp from the skillet and set aside.Add ½ cup of reserved pasta water to the skillet and reduce until the sauce begins to thicken slightly, adding additional pasta water as needed to achieve a silky consistency.Add spaghetti to the skillet and cook until the pasta is al dente.Add shrimp to the spaghetti to warm through. Transfer to the serving bowl, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with fresh parsley, capers and Parmesan Reggiano.
Notes
Add another layer of flavor by using lemon, rosemary or chili infused olive oil.
Pan-Seared Chicken Breast With Artichokes and Pasta
This is delicious and quick to make. Perfect for weeknight dinners and spectacular when company is coming.
Ingredients
- 2 large chicken breasts boneless, skinless
- 1 16 oz jar marinated artichoke heart quarters undrained
- ½ cup sliced green onions both white and green parts
- ½ cup Kalamata olives chopped (more for garnish)
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 4 cups hot cooked cavatappi or fusilli pasta not quite cooked to al denté
- 1 14.5 oz canned diced tomatoes with juices reserve ½ cup pasta water
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Drain artichokes in a colander, over a bowl, reserving marinade
- Sear the chicken in butter with salt and pepper in a large skillet over med-high heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté for about a minute. Stir in artichoke marinade and wine and stir to loosen brown bits. Bring to boil, reduce heat, add tomatoes, artichokes, olives and pasta and some of the pasta water. Cook until heated through and sauce has a silky consistency.Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and more Kalamata olives. Serve with a fresh salad and warm garlic bread.
Notes
Pasta will finish cooking in the sauce so be sure to drain it while it is still a little chewy.
Carrot Orzo
This is a wonderful, light and satisfying side dish. It is also a sneaky way to slide some vegetables into your menu if you have picky eaters.
Ingredients
- 6 ounces peeled baby carrots about 1¼ cups from 16-oz package
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter ¼ stick
- 1 cup orzo uncooked
- 1½ cups water
- 1¼ cups chicken stock
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese grated
- 2 tbsp green onions chopped
- 1 tsp fresh rosemary minced
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place carrots in a food processor and finely chop, using on/off turns.Melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat.Add orzo and carrots and sauté until orzo is golden, about 5 minutes.Add water, chicken stock and garlic; cook uncovered over medium heat until all liquid is absorbed, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes.Stir in cheese, green onions and rosemary.Season to taste with salt and pepper.Serve
Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Huckleberry Glaze
This is a perfect dessert in my opinion; light, creamy, flavorful and not too sweet. Panna Cotta means "cooked cream" in Italian, but it isn't cooked much at all. The huckleberry glaze is a spectacular visual and tastes even more amazing. I first made up the glaze recipe many moons ago when I lived in Columbia Falls, Montana-(front door to Glacier National Park and LOTS of huckleberries), and made it as a topping for cheesecake--I have found that it is wonderful on just about everything.
Servings 6
Ingredients
- 1 envelope unflavored gelatin ¼ ounce
- 3 tbsp cold water
- 1½ cup whole milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup vanilla sugar
- 3 strips lemon zest 1" by 3"
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- ⅛ tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup whole buttermilk
- 1 tbsp lemon juice freshly squeezed
Huckleberry Glaze
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp corn starch
- ¼ cup cold water
- 1 cup huckleberries divided
- 2 tsp lemon juice (freshly squeezed) or to taste
Instructions
- "Bloom" gelatin by sprinkle it over cold water--stir and allow to sit for 5 minutesPour milk and cream into a medium sized saucepan and whisk in the sugar. Place over medium heat and bring to barely a simmer, stirring frequently. Add lemon zest and remove from heat when bubbles are forming around the edge.
- Add salt, vanilla and bloomed gelatin and whisk until gelatin has melted into the milk/cream mixture. Allow to cool to room temperature and then add the buttermilk and lemon juice while whisking to blend.
- Strain through a fine mesh strainer to remove the zest and and any lumps. Pour into serving dishes and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate a minimum of 4 hours or over night.
Huckleberry Glaze
- In a small saucepan, mix sugar and corn starch together. Add cold water and ¼ cup huckleberries and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring constantly, until it is clear and thickened. Remove from heat and add ¾ cup huckleberries and lemon juice.
Easy and Exceptionally Wonderful Alfredo Sauce
Velvety and delightfully decadent, this Alfredo sauce recipe will be one you will come back to, time and again. It is so simple to make and requires only a few ingredients. Serve it on any sort of pasta you like, but be sure to keep the sauce a little loose and add slightly undercooked pasta to it with a little of the pasta water. The pasta will finish cooking in the sauce. Add fresh herbs just before serving. ENJOY!
Ingredients
- 1 cube salted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, (or 1 very large clove) minced
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1½ cups Parmesan (the best you can find) grated or ground
- ¼ tsp black pepper freshly ground
Instructions
- Melt butter and sauté garlic for 2-3 minutes. Add heavy cream and bring to a boil.Add Parmesan and continue to boil for a few minutes.Add pepper, pasta and a small amount of pasta water, stir (keep it saucy)Add fresh herbs--I like to use basil and/or parsley
