Bruschetta Diabla

It’s my 100th post on Rosemary Renaissance!

When I first started this blog I never expected it would be anything more than an idle side project, but seeing readership rise steadily and hearing from you all about the recipes I put up here is what has pushed me to be a more adventurous chef. So whether this is the first post you’ve seen or you’ve been following my (mis)adventures in the kitchen since my first post back in 2011, I’d like to thank you all so much for reading.

Since good cooking should always be a labor of love, it’s fitting that my 100th post is one of the dishes that I made as part of a four-course Valentine’s Day dinner for my wonderful girlfriend, Maggie. It’s the second year I’ve cooked on Valentine’s Day and she hasn’t complained yet, so I must be doing something right!

The Bruschetta Diabla is a twist on the classic tomato-and-basil Italian appetizer. The tomatoes are burst using direct heat and then reduced into a sweet, tangy and spicy compote with garlic and red pepper flakes. They are paired with buttery, meaty mushrooms and aromatic basil atop crunchy baguette slices for a compact burst of flavor.

Whether you’re looking for an appetizer for a fancy dinner or want to host a swanky cocktail party, these little bite are the perfect fit!

Wild Mushroom and Spinach Gnocchi

Happy 2014 everyone! In the spirit of new year’s resolutions and self improvement, this recipe is the story of a culinary challenge that I finally overcame last year.

Ever since I started cooking, homemade gnocchi has been my Everest. I looked at countless recipes and tried multiple times to make it, but I could never get it quite right. It was always wound up a sloppy mess or an over-floured taste-dud.

This Christmas though, I finally figured it out.

The trick, at least for me, was to give up on the idea that the dough should feel like pasta dough. With pasta, the dough tends to be pretty tough and not sticky at all. But if you try to get gnocchi dough to that consistency you’ll wind up adding so much flour that it ruins the flavor. Instead, the trick is to flour the outside of the dough just enough to roll it out. It’ll still be a little sticky and hard to work with, but the result is delicious.

And this recipe is the perfect way to dress a well-made gnocchi! All the ingredients are delicate and inviting, and together they form a rich yet sublime palette of flavors. The leeks impart a subtle onion flavor, while the mushrooms and parmesan provide notes of umami. And while you may be tempted to skip the sherry in this recipe, you shouldn’t. It adds a fantastic extra dimension to the already wonderful thyme-cream sauce.

Best wishes (and dishes) for the new year!

Harissa Cauliflower Mushrooms with Romesco

I know it’s been a while since I posted a new blog, but I’ve just been too darn busy enjoying the awesome coverage my Asian Steak Tartare got in the Bitten Word’s Cover to Cover Challenge.

But seriously, I was actually on vacation down in San Diego helping my sister (and occasional dessert recipe contributor) get moved into graduate school. It was a lovely break, but I feel bad for leaving you all hanging without any new dishes to try. So to make it up to you, I have a post adorned with tons of scrumptious looking pictures!

These Harissa Caulifower Mushrooms with Romesco Sauce were part of a big tapas night I did a few weeks back, and they were positively delicious! The union of classic Spanish ingredients with zesty Moroccan flavors is a great flavor combination. The filling is spicy, tangy, and salty while the mushrooms themselves provide a real meaty feel to the dish.

These stuffed mushrooms are great as an appetizer or alongside a few other tapas for dinner. If you wanted to make this dish more substantive, perhaps to serve as an entree, you could add or substitute Spanish chorizo to the stuffing. Either way, it’s going to be delicious!

Greens, Eggs and Ham

The shift from summer to fall is one of the most beautiful times to be outside, but it can also be a tricky time if you’re cooking in the Pacific Northwest. Here’s what the weather looks like on any given day: It’s sunny! It’s hot! It’s not hot! It’s overcast! Light showers! Thunder! Lightning! Sun’s back!

What do you cook when you can’t match the mood to the warmth of summer or the cool call of autumn?

The long answer is something that walks the line between “light and refreshing” and “warms your stomach as well as your heart.” The short answer is this Dr. Seuss inspired recipe!

The flavors of crunchy, pan-seared Brussels sprouts and asparagus pair perfectly with the rich, earthy mushrooms. The ham adds notes of meat and salt, while the poached eggs provides body and creaminess to the dish. Served with a slice of fresh bread to sop up all the leftover goodness? Perfection.

To top it all off, this recipe actually rates reasonably high on the healthiness scale too. It’s the perfect between-season brunch!

“The Pizza”

It’s been months since I first made this pizza (I’ve made it several times since since then too), but I’ve held off on posting it for two simple reasons: it is too damn good to describe and too delicious to name.

I just can’t wait any longer to share this little miracle with you all though, so I’m simply going to refer to it as The Pizza.

How does it taste, you ask? Let me paint you a word picture.

Every ingredient, every part, every bite in The Pizza is positively bursting with delicious flavor. The sauce alone is something to marvel at; with some bread, it would be a noteworthy appetizer in its own right. It’s full of finely diced sauteed mushrooms that melt into the tomato sauce as it simmers, creating a whole new meaty depth of flavor. The shallots and sun-dried tomatoes add another layer of zest and complexity.

But The Pizza hardly ends at the sauce. The cheese trifecta of mozzarella, parmesan and mascarpone brings creamy, sharp, and nutty notes together over each slice. That richness is punctuated by earthy fresh basil, spicy arugula and tart balsamic vinegar. And there’s extra sliced mushrooms as well – because why not?

So the next time you have a free evening go ahead and dim the lights, light some candles, crank up the smooth jazz and make yourself The Pizza. It’s a culinary imperative.

Green Pea and Mushroom Risotto with Sun-Dried Tomato and Basil

I’m generally of the mind that when it comes to cooking, form follows function. Substance over style. The bite is more important than the bark. You get the idea.

Sometimes, though, it’s fun to cook something that just looks awesome.

This dish gives your the opportunity to do just that. The sticky, adhesive risotto can be made into a variety of shapes using everyday kitchen items. Further, the bold flavors are mirrored by bold colors that make for great presentation options.

This recipe is delicious in its own right – blending together a number of classic Italian flavors – but it’s also a great opportunity to practice your plating skills or impress a special someone with a bit of dramatic flair.

Italian Broccoli Fritter Stack

Every once in a while I cook something really, truly, supremely delicious.

It happens about once a year. In 2011 it was the Benedicto Italiano, which to this day is still probably the best thing I’ve ever made. In 2012, it’s this Broccoli Fritter Stack.

I have to give credit where it is due. This dish was inspired by the innovative broccoli fritter recipe over at rock star food blog Smitten Kitchen. Typical fritters are chalk-full of starchy goodness (potatoes, flour, rice, etc.) but these ones are made almost entirely of broccoli, with just enough parmesan and flour to hold them together. It’s the essence of broccoli, with just the right amount of frill.

The ensemble cast is just as important for this recipe, however. The portabello mushroom is simple – seasoned with just a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper – but flavorful, filling and tender. The sausage-infused sauce is slightly sweet, spicy and, most importantly, ruggedly filling. All you really need is something to sop up all the leftover goodies. Ciabatta? Done.

Presentation is always a secondary concern – substance before style – but this dish knocks it out of the park on that count as well. Each layer is vibrant and unique, with basil ribbons on top sealing the deal.

Cook this. Now. You won’t be disappointed.

Italian Broccoli Fritter Stack

• 1/2 lb Italian sausage (I prefer spicy, but mild is fine)
• 16 oz marinara sauce

• 4 portabello mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon pepper
• 4 Broccoli Parmesan Fritters
• 2 ciabatta rolls
• 3-4 large basil leaves

1. Heat a large non-stick skillet to medium high. Saute the Italian sausage until crispy and lightly browned, approximately 7-10 minutes. Add the marinara and reduce heat to low. Continue to stir periodically.
2. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove the stems from the portabello mushrooms. Divide the olive oil, salt and pepper evenly and apply to the mushrooms. Place the mushrooms in the oven and cook until lightly tender, approximately 12-15 minutes.
3. Prepare the broccoli parmesan fritters per Smitten Kitchen instructions.
4. Cut the ciabatta rolls in half and toast lightly in the oven. Lay down a ciabatta roll, portabello mushroom, broccoli fritter and a dollop of sausage-marinara sauce. Top with a handful of basil ribbons and serve.

Yam, Mushroom and Eggs Tacos

When it 59 and rainy in the end of July, what on earth are you supposed to cook?

I don’t know about the rest of you in Seattle (for readers out of Seattle, I assume you’re subsisting on shaved ice in this heat wave) but my cooking has been having a bit of an identity crisis. Food should be light, spicy and grilled in the summer, but if it’s overcast or drizzling you want something warm, starchy and roasted.

Luckily, this dish was the perfect remedy for my culinary schizophrenia.

The answer is a dish that walks the line between comfort and The yams form the backbone of the dish with their earthy and vaguely sweet flavor, and the seared mushrooms are lightly crisped on the outside but rich in flavor. On the flip side, the eggs are light and fluffy and the taquera sauce adds that summer spice. A dash of salty cotija completes the profile of this dish.

I forgot to grab it, but a sprinkle of cilantro would be a welcomed addition as well. Either way, these tacos are perfect for our dysfunctional weather!

Yam, Mushroom and Egg Tacos

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/3 cup yam, diced
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 tablespoons black pepper
• 2 tablespoons cumin
• 4 crimini mushrooms, cut into 1/8 inch slices
• 1/4 cup taquera sauce (chipotle adobo can be used as a substitute)
• 2 eggs, whisked
• 3 small corn tortillas
• 1/4 cup cotija cheese
• 2-3 lime wedges (optional)

 

1. Heat the olive oil to medium-high in a large nonstick skillet. Season the yams with the salt, pepper and cumin and add them to the skillet. Continue to cook, tossing intermittently, until crispy on all sides, approximately ten minutes.
2. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the mushrooms and continue cooking for 4-6 minutes, or until the they begin to get tender.
3. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the taquera sauce and simmer for five minutes. Empty the contents onto a spare plate, but leave the leftover sauce.
4. Combine the eggs with the sauce remaining in the pan. Lightly scramble and set aside with the other ingredients.
5. Heat the corn tortillas in a clean skillet until lightly pliable, about 2 minutes. To serve, divide the egg, yam and mushroom into thirds and stuff each tortilla. Top each with cotija and serve with lime wedges.

Eggs Benedict with Mushroom and Brussels Sprout

You have been mislead your entire life. Brussels sprouts are delicious.

Don’t boil them, don’t leave the ends on. Chop them up, season them with a little salt and pepper, and saute them in a little butter and you will be astonished at how delicious they are.

And they’re particularly delicious in this recipe. They develop a faint caramelization that melds hints of sweetness with the natural flavors of roughage. When paired with the umami notes of seared mushrooms, the two form an alliance of earthy flavor. Combined with rich hollandaise, a runny poached egg and an English muffin to clean your plate of all the leftover goodness, you can’t go wrong.

This recipe is vegetarian, but if you’re feeling carnivorous it would be perfectly suited to the addition of nice, crispy bacon. Serve it up with some hash browns or country friend potatoes and bask in scrumptious glory.

Eggs Benedict with Mushroom and Brussels Sprouts

• 7 eggs
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 pinch of cayenne
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons pepper
• 6 crimini mushrooms, sliced
• 7 Brussels sprouts, finely chopped
• 2 English muffins
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• pepper, to taste

 

1. Fill a pot with water and bring to a steady simmer. Take three eggs and separate the yolks from the whites. Combine the yolks, lemon juice and cayenne in a stainless steel bowl and whisk together until thickened.
2. Place the stainless steel bowl on top of the pot, making sure the bottom doesn’t touch the water. Slowly drizzle in the melted butter and continue to whisk until the the volume has increased by half. Remove from the heat.
3. Heat a skillet to medium-high heat. Add the butter and allow it to cook until it just begins to brown. Sprinkle the salt and pepper over the mushrooms and add them to the skillet, tossing until evenly coated with butter. Cook until one side of the mushrooms are seared, approximately 3 minutes, then toss and repeat for the other side. Reduce the heat to medium, add the Brussels sprouts and saute for another 4-5 minutes.
4. Add enough water to fill the pot, add the vinegar and bring it to a soft boil. Poach the four remaining eggs so the yolks are still slightly runny.
5. Lightly toast the English muffin. To serve, dish the mushroom and Brussels sprout saute over each English muffin half followed by a poached egg. Top with a couple spoonfuls of hollandaise sauce and garnish with a sprinkle of pepper.

Champiñones con Patatas Bravas y Romesco

I could never be a vegetarian. I certainly wouldn’t want to either. But every once in a while I make something that makes me think I could. A dish that makes me want to want to be a vegetarian.

This is one of those dishes.

The Champiñones con Patatas Bravas y Romesco (mushrooms with spicy potatoes and romesco) is a combination of two robust Spanish sauces, Romesco and Brava, along with two filling , mushrooms and potatoes, that create a vibrant, zesty, tangy and hearty dish.

Portabello mushrooms – all mushrooms, to some extent – are a classic vegetarian substitute for meat because of their flavor and texture. The real trick to the illusion though is to not fully cook the portabello. Doing so will prevent the mushrooms from turning rubbery and losing much of their delicious flavor. The fiery brava sauce in this recipe is a simplified version that uses readily available household ingredients (a full, authentic Spanish recipe can be found here). It pairs perfectly with the earthy, complex romesco sauce and quietly refreshing parsley.

These stuffed mushrooms are perfect served alongside crudités or a green salad. They’re a delicious vegetarian entrée that won’t leave you hungry!

Champiñones con Patatas Bravas y Romesco

• 3 portabello mushrooms, cleaned and de-stemmed
• 2 potatoes, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
• 3 tablespoons black pepper
• 3 tablespoons salt
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2/3 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise or olive oil
• 3 tablespoons cayenne pepper
• 3 tablespoons smoked paprika
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons onion powder
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 cup Romesco sauce
• 1/4 cup parsley, chopped

 

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the mushrooms on a baking tray covered with aluminum foil and bake for 12-15 minutes. They should still be quite firm to the touch.
2. Season the potatoes with the salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a pan to medium-high. Saute the potatoes until golden brown and crispy on the outside and cooked through all the way.
3. To create the brava sauce combine the ketchup, mayonnaise, cayenne pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and vinegar. Mix thoroughly.
4. Switch the oven to a high broil. On the baking sheet, assemble the mushroom stacks by placing a mushroom cap upside down, then a layer of brava sauce, a pile of potatoes, and finally a generous helping of romesco sauce. Place the baking sheet in the oven for 5-7 minutes.
5. To serve, plate and sprinkle with parsley.