Beef Carpaccio w/ Lemon Mustard Remoulade

Oh the glorious day has come. We bought another tenderloin. And I butchered it myself (which I'm getting really good at) and then resesrved a piece of the tenderloin to make carpaccio (raw meat or fish that is pounded out paper thin and served as an appetizer.) Originating in Venice, Italy, it's raw filet mignon, pounded into flat discs. From there you can serve it with a small salad on top, with oil and vinegar, shaved parmesan, etc. I decided to make mine with a homemade lemon mustard remoulade (remoulade being french for "stuff you mix in with mayonnaise".) It's really expensive at restaurants and it seemed so simple to make that it was only a matter of time before I tried it in my own kitchen. Here are the basics of what I did:

• beef tenderloin (suggestedly from the tip end of the roast, but I just used a tenderloin steak I'd already butchered earlier this week.
• mayonnaise (I used olive oil mayo.)
• mustard (preferrably dijon, but I didn't have it so I used yellow and it turned out fine.)
• lemon juice
• sea salt & freshly ground black peper

Ok, so the best way to get your meat to slice really really thin is to freeze it first for at least two hours. Once it's good and frozen, move it out of the freezer, remove bag or whatever plastic you used to seal it in the freezer.

thinly slice the beef into approximately into 1/8 to 1/4-inch pieces.

Don't worry about being exact, just cut it as thinly as you can.

Lay out a piece of plastic wrap on your cutting board, and put the meat on the wrap. Then add a 2nd layer of plastic wrap on top.

Here's the fun part - pound the meat with a mallet until it is paper-thin.
Once all of the meat is sliced and pounded, divide the meat evenly among your plates (however many you're using).

From here you have several options. You can serve with greens tossed with vinaigrette, salt, pepper and/or Parmesan.

I opted to make the remoulade. You just mix the mayo, mustard and lemon juice until you get the right consistency and flavor. Drizzle it over the carpaccio.

Sprinkle salt & pepper over the top and maybe add a few more drops of lemon juice.

These days you'll find carpaccio of all kinds on restaurant menus, not just meat and fish, but also fruits and veggies. Still, beef carpaccio will always reign supreme.

Beka's Unconventional Risotto (using no cheese, and stock from christmas turkey)

I received arborio (risotto) rice as a Christmas gift from a close friend of my mother's (thanks, Val!) and was dying to make a lovely creamy winter risotto. I have no fancy parmesan cheese. And instead of using chicken stock, I was interested in using the leftover stock I'd made from our Christmas turkey. So this was definitely a creative adventure. The result? The best risotto I've ever made (according to me as well as my husband). It was creamy, comforting and filling just like a risotto should be, but it was lighter without the cheese. And the homemade turkey stock created a lovely post-holidays flavor that just overwhelmed us. It was fantastic! So the next time you roast a turkey, make that stock and save it for a risotto. It's delicious. And hey, who needs to spend $6-8 on fancy cheese when it's so good without it? Leaving out the cheese made it understated enough for a side dish. Not nearly as heavy. Anyway, here's what I did:

• about 6 cups turkey stock (leftover from holiday turkey, in my case), but you can always use chicken stock, even from a can, I won't hold it against you
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1 onion, very finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, very finely minced
• 2 cups arborio rice
• 2/3 cup dry white wine (room temperature)
• sea salt & freshly ground pepper

Put the turkey stock in a saucepan and keep at a gentle simmer. Melt half the butter in a large, heavy saucepan and add the onion. Cook gently for 10 minutes until soft, golden and translucent, but not browned. Add garlic and saute for additional 3-5 minutes.

Add the rice and stir until well coated with butter and heated through.

Pour in the wine, boil hard until it has reduced and almost disappeared. This will remove that raw alcohol taste.

Begin adding the turkey stock, a large ladle at a time, stirring gently until each ladle has been almost absorbed into the rice. The risotto should be kept at a bare simmer throughout cooking, so don't let the rice dry out - add more broth as necessary. Continue until the rice is tender and creamy, but the grains are still firm. This should take about 20 minutes, depending on the type of rice used (check package instructions).

Taste and season well with salt and pepper and beat in the remaining butter.

Turn off the heat and let risotto rest for a few minutes to finish absorbing the rest of the liquid and to set up. Serve immediately after. I hit it with a generous amount of salt and pepper before serving. If it's a bit sticky, add a little extra hot broth at the end to get the right texture.

Tuscan Carbonara

Carbonara is a little tricky to make because you're dealing with egg yolks and you don't want them to solidify, but remain part of the sauce. Might take a little practice - just cook it really gently.

• 1lb spaghetti
• 1/2lb pancetta or bacon
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 5 large egg yolks
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese (dude, you can use regular or even dried parmesan but don't expect it to be the same. Geez, stop trying to cut corners.)
• salt
• ground black pepper
• I think people put peas in this, too. So feel free. I hate them.

Cook the spaghetti til al dente (done, but not mushy).

Meanwhile, fry the pancetta & onion over medium heat in a large, straight sided skillet until the pancetta is crispy and the onion has softened. Turn the heat off.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together yolks, cream & grated cheese.

When the spaghetti is ready, drain & toss it into the skillet w/ the pancetta & onion.

Quickly pour the egg mixture over the spaghetti, & toss everything together to combine.

So I stole the image from the BBC. Mine looked like this. Mostly.

Panettone French Toast

When I tried this recipe I didn't really think it would be that good. In fact, I just made it because I was bored one night, but it turns out - this is good stuff. Especially during the holidays.

• 1 panettone


• 6 eggs


• 2 cups milk (I used whole)


• grated zest of 1 orange (I used 2 clementines)


• 1 cup fresh orange juice


• 2 tbsp Cointreau or other liqueur (I actually used D'Saronno)


• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract


• 6 tbsp granulated sugar


• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon


• freshly grated nutmeg (to taste)


• 4-6 tsp butter, unsalted


• 4-6 tsp canola oil


• confectioner's sugar (for dusting)

Cut the panettone into 1-inch vertical slices, then cut in half. In a bowl, whisk the eggs until just blended, then whisk in the milk, orange zest, juice, liqueur, extract, sugar, cinnamon & nutmeg. Pour into a large shallow dish & place the bread slices in the mixture. Soak for 5 minutes per side (take them out before they get too mushy).

In each of 2 large saute pans over medium heat, melt 1 tsp of butter with 1 tsp of the oil. When the butter foams, add some of the soaked bread slices, taking care not to crowd them. Cook, turning once, until lightly browned, 3-5 minutes per side. Turn the slices over again & cook them for a few minutes more per side until browned to your taste. Turn off the heat.

Using a slotted spoon or spatula, transfer the french toast to serving plates, place them in the oven & turn the oven to 200 degrees. Repeat to cook the remaining slices.

Dust the french toast with confectioner's sugar & serve immediately.

**can be served with maple syrup, yogurt, lemon wedges, or alone**

Panettone is a holiday fruit cake/bread common in many european and south american countries.

Basic Crostini

This is a great garnish, goes good in creamy soups and on its own.

• italian rustic bread
• olive oil
• sea salt

Heat broiler. Slice an italian rustic bread (I used french) on the diagonal 1/2 inch thick, then cut slices in half. Place bread on a rimmed baking sheet. Brush with olive oil & season with sea salt. Broil until lightly browned around the edges - this happens fast so check it every 30 seconds!

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Zucchini Soup w/ Pasta

Guys, I'm serious about soup. This is my 20th soup recipe on this blog. What can I say? I love comfort food. This one came out tasting a little bit like Campbell's, which is weird. But at least you're getting your veggies.

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 onion, minced
• 1 qt. chicken stock
• 2 large zucchini
• 1/2 cup tiny pasta
• juice of 1/2 a lemon
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1.5 tbsp dried chervil (parsley will do, too)
• salt & pepper

Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onions, and saute till translucent. Stir in garlic and saute an additional minute or two.

Add the stock to the pan and bring the mixture to a boil.

Meanwhile, grate the zucchini and stir into the boiling stock with the pasta. Lower the heat, cover the pan, and simmer for 15 minutes until the pasta is tender.

Add chervil, lemon juice and season to taste with salt & pepper.

Variations - I read that you can also use cucumber but I can't really picture it. Also, consider stirring in a little sour cream.

Slammin' Spaghetti Sauce

I didn't realize a little lemon zest makes such a difference but it really adds something!

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 10 garlic cloves, minced
• two 14oz cans of tomatoes, w/ juices
• pinch or two of red pepper flakes
• 1 tbsp grated lemon peel
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (or basil, I've done both) + more for garnish
• coarse salt
• freshly grated black pepper

In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat.

Add the onion & cook until soft & light golden brown, about 7 minutes.

Add the garlic & cook another minute.

Add the tomatoes & juices & bring to a boil, stirring frequently.

Add the red pepper flakes & lemon peel, then lower the heat & simmer for about 20 minutes, taking time to smash the tomato pieces so the sauce is more pulpy than chunky.

Stir in the chopped parsley.

Check for flavor and salt & pepper to taste.

Sauce will keep one week in a tightly sealed container in the fridge. Just heat it when you want it and pour it over pasta.

*you can also add about 1/2 lb of ground beef to make a meat sauce

Truffled Lobster Risotto

Another day, another risotto recipe. I didn't cook tonight as our dear friends Mark & Jen took us to dinner. But this recipe is the next one in my old notebook so here it is:

• two 8-oz uncooked lobster tails
• 3.5 cups canned low salt chicken broth
• 3 tbsp truffle oil (white or black)
• 3/4 cup carrots, chopped and peeled
• 1/4 cup shallots, chopped
• 1 cup arborio rice
• 1/4 cup brandy
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/3 cup fresh chives, chopped

Preheat oven to 425.

Cook lobster in a large pot of simmering salted water until cooked through, about 10 minutes.

Transfer to bowl of cold water to cool. Drain lobster. Remove meat from shells, reserve shells.

Cut lobster meat into 1/2 inch peices.

Break shells into large pieces. Place on baking sheet; bake 15 minutes.

Blend shells with 1 cup chicken broth in a blender until finely chopped. Strain through a very fine sieve. Reserve lobster broth; discard shells.

Bring 2.5 cups chicken broth to simmer; keep hot.

Heat 1 tbsp truffle oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat.

Add carrots and shallots; saute 2 minutes.

Add rice; stir 2 minutes.

Add brandy; reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until brandy is absorbed, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes.

Add lobster broth and 3/4 cup chicken broth.

Simmer until rice is just tender and mixture is creamy, adding remaining broth by 1/4 cupfuls as needed and stirring often - about 20 minutes.

Add lobster and cream, stir until heated through.

Remove from heat. Stir in 2 tbsp truffle oil and chives. Season with salt and pepper.

Lemon Risotto

Anyone who knows me knows that making a risotto is one of my favorite things. And lemon is absolutely one of my favorite flavors. I love this recipe. You probably will too.

• 6 cups chicken broth (or more)
• 4 tbsp butter
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 cups arborio rice
• 2 cups freshly grated parmesan cheese ( used more!)
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• lemon juice & zest
• salt & pepper
• 1 cup white wine

Bring chicken broth to a slow boil in a medium sized saucepan & set aside.

Melt 4 tbsp of butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.

Add onion & saute until translucent. Add rice & stir to coat for 3 minutes.

Add 1/2 cup hot broth. Stir while cooking until rice absorbs the liquid.

When the liquid is absorbed, it's time to add more broth. Keep adding it 1/2 cup at a time, stirring very frequently, until all is used. Never drown the rice. Risotto is done when the rice is still tender.

Stir in wine, parmesan, butter, lemon juice, zest & parsley. Season with salt pepper.

Cover & let stand for a few minutes before serving.

Vegetarian Minestrone

Made this tonight for family potluck. Healthy, easy and inexpensive. Vegetarian (as long as you use water instead of stock) and actually vegan if you leave out the cheese.

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 3 cups water (or chicken broth if you're not trying to keep it veg)
• 2 cups diced zucchini
• 1.5 cups cannellini beans (canned works fine)
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 3/4 cup diced celery
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground pepper
• 2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes (with juice)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup of the smallest pasta you can find
• 1/2 cup frozen white corn
• 2 bay leaves
• grated parmesan cheese

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.

Add chopped onion & saute for 4 minutes or until just lightly browned.

Add water(or stock), zucchini, carrots, beans, celery, basil, bay leaf, oregano, salt, pepper, tomatoes, garlic & corn.

Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover & simmer on med-low for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add macaroni, cover & cook 10 more minutes.

Serve hot, topped with grated parmesan. Look how great it turned out!

Strawberry-Buttermilk Gelato

Friends, spring is coming. The weather today is proof of that fact. So why not hang on to this recipe for when you take the kids to the strawberry patch in a couple months! PS - I made this a few years ago and was told "it's not really gelato". You tell me.

• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups water
• 5 cups quartered strawberries (about 4 pints)
• 2 cups low-fat buttermilk

Combine sugar and water in a large saucepan, bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Pour into a large bowl & cool completely.

Place strawberries in a blender and process until smooth. add strawberry puree and buttermilk to sugar syrup; stir to combine.

You guessed it: pour it into your handy ice cream maker for about 20-25 minutes.

Pssst - only 134 calories per half cup and almost 2g of fiber for those of you who count such things. I kind of don't.

Chicken Piccata

I haven't made this lately but it's delicious and easy. Lots to it, though.

• 2 large lemons
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, rinsed & trimmed
• freshly ground salt & pepper
• 1/2 cup flour
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 small shallot, minced (about 2 tbsp)
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 tbsp drained small capers
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley (dried works too)

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position, set large heat-proof plate on rack, and heat oven to 200.

Halve one lemon, pole to pole. Trim ends from one half and cut crosswise into slices 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick & set aside. Juice remaining half and whole lemon to obtain 1/4 cup juice; reserve.

Remove the tenderloin from the chicken cutlets. Place each cutlet smooth-side up on a cutting board. Holding one hand on top of the cutlet, carefully slice the cutlet in half horizontally to yield two pieces, each between 3/8 and 1/2 inch thick. Sprinkle both sides of cutlets generously with salt and pepper. Measure flour into pie tin or shallow baking dish. Working one cutlet at a time, coat with flour, and shake to remove excess.

Heat heavy-bottomed 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until hot, about 2 minutes; add 2 tbsp oil & swirl pan to coat. Lay half of chicken pieces in skillet. Saute cutlets, without moving them, until lightly browned on first side - 2 to 2.5 minutes. Turn cutlets and cook until second side is lightly browned (another 2 to 2.5 minutes). Remove pan from heat and transfer cutlets to plate in the oven. Add remaining 2 tbsp oil to now-empty skillet and heat until simmering. Add remaining chicken pieces and repeat.

Add shallot to empty skillet and return to medium heat. Saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add stock and lemon slices, increase heat to high, and scrape skillet bottom with a wooden spoon or spatula to loosen browned bits & deglaze. Simmer until liquid reduces to about 1/3 cup (about 4 minutes). Add lemon juice and capers and simmer until sauce reduces again to 1/3 cup, about 1 minute. Remove pan from heat and swirl in butter until it belts. Swirl in parsley. Spoon sauce over the chicken & prepare for happy time.

Risotto with Prosciutto & White Truffle Oil

Ok I just tried making this last night so I'm updating it today (2.12.09) with some pictures! Here are two of my great loves - truffle salt, and truffle oil, not to mention risotto & proscuitto...

• Olive Oil
• 2-3oz sliced prosciutto, cut into strips or chunks
• 3 tbsp butter
• 2 shallots (or 1 small onion), minced
• 2 cups arborio rice
• 6-8 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• white truffle oil
• truffle salt (optional)
• 1 cup white wine (I also tossed in a splash or two of sherry)

Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a skillet.

Add small slices of prosciutto & cook until it begins to turn dark in color & slightly crispy.

Remove from the skillet with a slotted spoon & set aside on a paper towel-lined plate, to maintain the crispness of the prosciutto.

Heat 3 tbsp of butter in a large pot over medium-high heat.

Add minced shallots & cook until soft.

In a separate pot, simmer 6 cups of chicken stock over medium heat (add more if necessary).

In the pot with the butter & shallots, stir in 2 cups of arborio rice. Stir until the rice is completely coated in the butter.

Allow the rice to simmer until it starts to turn golden, but be careful not to let the rice stick to the pot.

Add the chicken stock 1 cup at a time. Simmer & stir. Simmer and stir some more. You want to keep doing this continually until it's all absorbed. The rice should be creamy but not stiff. Once the last of the stock has been added, slowly stir in the wine.

Once you have the consistency that you want, stir in 1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese & pepper to taste.

Finish by sprinkling with truffle salt & drizzling with truffle oil.

Top with prosciutto.

Risotto Milanese (that means with saffron)

Again, risotto is expensive and time consuming, but it's great for special occasions and just sooo lovely. As long as you're willing to stand over it. Just pour yourself a glass of wine and have a friend to keep you company. It's fun, I swear!

• 1/4cup extra virgin olive oil (I won't say EVOO because I hate Rachel Ray. There I said it)
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 tsp saffron threads
• 3 1/2 cups chicken stock (usually more), HOT
• 2 cups arborio rice
• 1/2 cup white wine (more, more!)
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for sprinkling

In a 12-14 inch skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion & cook until softened & translucent but not browned, 8-10min.

Meanwhile, heat the stock & add saffron to the stock - stirring to infuse. Once the onions are translucent, add the rice & stir with a wooden spoon until toasted & opaque, 3-4 minutes.

Add the wine to the toasting rice, and then add a 4-6oz ladle of the saffron-infused stock and cook, stirring, until it is absorbed. Continually adding the stock a ladle at a time, waiting until the liquid is absorbed before adding more.

Cook until the rice is tender and creamy and yet still a little al dente, about 15 minutes.

Stir in the butter and cheese until well mixed. Garnish with extra cheese.

Butternut Squash Risotto

I made this for family Thanksgiving in '05. It takes a lot of work and time, and it's also not cheap to make. Don't make this unless you know you're cooking for foodies. When your cousin looks up at you like "why couldn't you just bring mashed potatoes?" you'll wish you had. However, this is a fantastic dish and has been a true hit with people who aren't my cousin.

• 1 small butternut squash (about 1 1/2 lbs)
• 1 3/4 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 small onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 large garlic clove, sliced thin
• 1 1/4 tsp fresh ginger, minced
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup arborio rice
• 1/4 cup dry white wine (but why stop there?)
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh chives

Preheat oven to 450.

Halve squash lengthwise and discard seeds. Peel one half and cut into 1/4 inch cubes. Put remaining half, cut side down, in an oiled shallow baking pan with diced squash & season with salt & pepper. Bake squash in the middle of the oven, stirring diced squash occasionally, until tender and browned lightly; 15-20 minutes.

Holding halved squash in a kitchen towel (here comes the pain-in-the-ass part...), scoop out flesh & chop coarse.

In a saucepan, bring both broth and water to a simmer & keep at a bare simmer.

In another saucepan, cook onion, garlic and ginger in butter over moderately low heat, stirring until softened.

Stir in rice & cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. Add wine, and cook, stirring until absorbed.

Stir in 1/4 cup broth and cook, stirring constantly, and keeping at a simmer throughout, until absorbed. Continue simmering & adding broth, about 1/4 cup at a time, stirring constantly and letting each addition be absorbed before adding the next, until about half of the broth has been added.

Stir in diced and chopped squash and continue simmering & adding broth until rice is tender and creamy looking, but still al dente, about 18 minutes. Stir in chives and salt & pepper to taste.

Garnish with chopped fresh chives and shaved parmesano-reggiano cheese. A drizzle of truffle oil and a bit of proscuitto is never a bad thing, either.