Guest Chef- Jenny B's Polenta Bites with Mushroom Ragu

Way back when my kids were still young seems like we always had a house full of other peoples' kids. Teenage girls with a flurry of clothes and makeup, teenage guys in the driveway showing off their cars and stereos. Jenny was one of my daughter's ever-present teenage friends that was always at our house, or the girls always at her house, yes always. They were pretty much inseparable. Goofy girls fussing over their hair, changing their outfits a million times, and worrying about those boys and cars. I had no idea this little smidge of a girl I had called Mini Jenny for so many years would become a cooking heavy hitter. 

As is life, the girls grew up, graduated from school and began their careers. I remember Jenny coming to my house as a brand new sales rep for Cutco and introducing me to what would become a huge obsession of mine- kitchen knives. Jenny moved on from selling Cutco, but the knives I acquired have become mainstays in my collection.

Jenny's submission to Perkin's Restaurant's contest- Open
Faced Steak Sandwich with Sauteed Spinach, Fried Egg and
Gorgonzola Sauce (photo by Jenny)

Jenny's heritage is Asian. If there is one thing I learned from my Asian friends it's that they are amazing cooks. Every occasion is a feast with tables laden with incredible ethnic dishes from meats to vegetables, noodles, rice and eggrolls. I tasted foods I never knew existed, and learned to overcome my hatred for cilantro as it was a huge part of so many of those Asian dishes. Of course Jenny grew up immersed in this culture and learned a few things along the way. Her style of cooking is eclectic and modern. A lot of fusion in her dishes. Techniques you'd never expect from such a young lady. And....... style. She just has so much style.

Beautiful Pancetta Wrapped Asparagus (photo by Jenny)

Thanks to the internet I have been able to watch Jenny's cooking blossom and grow. Her food always looks flawless. Her plating is inventive and beautiful. She just knows which plate to serve which food on and nothing ever seems mismatched. To top it all off, she has a keen eye with the camera and takes fantastic pictures of her culinary creations.  I have been wanting to do a feature with Jenny for some time but recently when she shared a pic of a fantastic appetizer on Instagram I knew this was the one I wanted to share (and make!!).

That fish is as big as Jenny!

It's no secret I am a sucker for delicious cocktail foods. I love making just a few appetizer type dishes, opening a bottle of wine, and having a nice quiet cocktail party for two. This recipe is perfect for that. It is insanely decadent with the polenta and Parmesan cheese, and those tender wine-braised mushrooms. Jenny used shiitake mushrooms for hers. I like to use a mix, so I used cremini, oyster, chanterelles and shiitakes. The chanterelles were dried and rehydrated before cooking. 

Polenta sounds like a very gourmet food, but it's actually quite simple. It's a fancy word for cornmeal mush. That's it! Super simple and easy. You don't need to splash out tons of cash for a package marked "polenta"- just buy yellow cornmeal. You want to cook it until the grains are soft and tender, so test often. I season with salt and pepper at the end of cooking and I go easy on the salt if I'm using Parmesan cheese, as it's quite salty on its own.

These days you can find Jenny cooking at The Des Moines Golf and Country Club in West Des Moines. 

Polenta Bites with Mushroom Ragu

1 cup yellow cornmeal

4 cups chicken broth

Parmesan cheese

salt 

ground white pepper

cooking spray

8 ounces fresh mushrooms*

1/2 red onion

2 garlic cloves

olive oil

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped

salt and pepper

1/2 cup Marsala wine

1 cup dry red wine

2 tablespoons butter

1 leek

cornstarch

oil for frying

*Jenny uses shiitake mushrooms. You can use whatever mushrooms you like. Shoot for about 2 cups of chopped mushrooms.

Spray a rimmed sheet pan with cooking spray and set aside.

In a medium saucepan bring the chicken broth to boil over medium high heat. Slowly whisk in the polenta, and continue whisking until thickened. Reduce heat to low. Cook until the polenta grains are tender, anywhere from 15 to 40 minutes. Stir every five minutes or so, to prevent sticking. Taste for salt- in case the chicken broth is fairly salty. Season with salt, if needed, and white pepper. Add Parmesan cheese to taste- I'm estimating about half a cup for my liking.

Remove from heat and pour into rimmed baking sheet. Spread out with an offset spatula so it's even in the pan, and about half an inch thick. Set aside and allow to cool at room temperature.

To make the mushroom ragu, clean and trim the mushrooms. Discard the stems of shiitake mushrooms. If using dehydrated mushrooms you will want to soak them in warm water for about 30 minutes to soften. Rinse and pat dry with paper towels. Chop the mushrooms into small dice. Chop the onion and garlic.

Heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet. Add the mushrooms, onions and garlic, and cook over medium heat until the mushrooms are browning and the onion is soft and translucent. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the thyme.

Add the wines to the skillet and allow to cook until reduced and glossy. Stir in the butter. If you need to thicken the sauce, use a small amount of roux or cornstarch slurry.

To make the fried leeks, slice the leek into quarter inch slices. Separate into rings into a bowl and sprinkle a little cornstarch over. In a small pan, heat a small amount of oil and fry the leek rings until browned and crispy. Watch closely- they brown quickly! Remove to a paper towel to drain.

To serve, cut the polenta into bite sized squares, or shapes using canape cutters if you really want fancy. I prefer the clean and contemporary look of the neat squares. Place on a serving platter and top with a bit of the ragu and a couple fried leek rings. Serve immediately. 

This is such a lovely cocktail party nibble. The wines in the ragu add a savory complexity to the mushrooms' earthiness and the butter brings it all together with such a creamy texture. The polenta- oh my gosh, so so good. So modern. So Italian. Everything here can be made ahead and refrigerated. Just let the polenta return to room temperature and reheat the mushroom ragu a little before assembling.

Guest Chef- Cookin' Italian with Joe Sciorrotta

Italians are serious about food.

There, I said it. You know it. I know it. What good Italian family doesn't gather around a table piled high with delicious food every chance they can? It might be a bit of a cliche, but it's absolutely true. 

Today we are going to get to know Joe Sciorrotta. I've known Joe for quite a few years. His wife Heather and I worked together in an office and he would stop in all the time and visit. I had no idea he was such an amazing cook! Joe likes to share pictures of his dishes online and recently launched a private chef/catering service- he prepares a fantastic meal for you to enjoy in your own home. It's a great niche market for busy people who want that home cooked experience, maybe a romantic dinner for two away from the crowded restaurant scene. Joe makes all kinds of homemade sauces and dressings as well, and has a lot of very happy customers.

Joe has been cooking literally elbow-to-elbow with his parents since he was about four years old. He says he would stand on a chair and chop garlic,  or stir sauces. He loves cooking old school Italian American dishes, the kinds of foods that simmer all day long. With all his experience he has his secrets to getting that slow-simmered taste into foods in a hurry but Joe really loves dishes that you put a lot of time, and love into.

I asked Joe about his role models, and who he feels inspires him in the kitchen. Again, he gives the nod to his parents, and his Nana, Congetta Sciorrotta, who he says was the most influential of all, always with a story to tell and a lesson to teach. He spent most of his time in the kitchen with her. Joe also talked about his grandfather Lyman Michael, who was a Navy cook. Like all big Italian families, he includes great aunts and cousins in the mix.

It's always fun to find out where the great cooks like to eat, so I asked Joe where he likes to eat around the Des Moines area. Tursi's Latin King, he says, is always great (and I have to agree- I have always enjoyed every meal there). Sonny's Bistro is what Joe calls "a diamond in the rough". He has eaten literally everything on the menu and enjoyed every one. Like me, Joe likes eating local, where there is almost always a tradition, a family, a story behind the restaurant, not some corporate entity.

Delicioso!!  Joe's son Gino is getting
a head start on his culinary career

Joe says for him, family, friends and food are life. Nothing brings a family together better than a great meal.

Joe is going to make some Italian Roasted Ped Peppers for us today. When you want to cook Italian, you need to have a solid foundation of the basics, and this is one of the most important basics. Roasted peppers are very versatile and can be part of a fantastic salad, they are delicious on sandwiches and when pureed, make an unbelievably wonderful sauce. 

Roasting brings out the natural sugars in the peppers and creates such intense flavor. When the skin is charred and blistered, it separates from the meat and is easily removed with a swipe of a paper towel. 

The char creates a slightly smoky flavor. Don't be afraid to let the skins really blacken.

Joe combines the roasted peppers with chopped garlic and onion, Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes. 

Italian Roasted Red Peppers

red bell peppers

extra virgin olive oil

fresh garlic

onion

Italian seasoning 

crushed red pepper flakes

Choose fresh, plump peppers that don't have wrinkled skin or soft spots. Wash and dry thoroughly. Arrange the peppers on a baking sheet. Heat the broiler to high. You can also blister the peppers on the grill if you like. 

Broil the peppers until the skins become blistered and charred. Turn them several times to char the entire skin.

Place the peppers in a large bowl and cover tightly to keep the steam in. This will loosen the charred skin from the meat.

When cool enough to handle, wipe the charred skin off. A paper towel makes this a snap.

Remove the stems, seeds and membranes and cut the peppers into good sized strips. Set aside on a plate.

Peel garlic cloves to taste. We like A LOT of garlic around here. Chop the garlic, it doesn't have to be a fine mince, just a rough chop is fine.

Trim, peel and cut up an onion. Chop or slice into thin wedges, whichever you prefer.

In a large skillet, heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and saute until softened. You can get a little color on the garlic but watch it carefully- you don't want burned garlic, which is bitter and can ruin the dish. 

Add the peppers to the skillet. 

Next goes in about a tablespoon of Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper flakes to taste.

Allow the peppers to simmer briefly to meld the flavors.

Our peppers are done, so now what? My friends, the possibilities are endless. These peppers are delicious piled onto a sandwich with stacks of Genoa salami, soppressata, provolone cheese. Chopped up with some olives and sprinkled with Balsamic they are a fantastic topping for bruschetta. Use the peppers to stuff pounded out chicken breasts, boneless pork chops or veal. Roll up and roast! Sprinkle strips onto a pizza. Buzz in the food processor and use instead of marinara sauce.

You don't even have to get too complicated here- layer with mozzarella on Italian bread for a grilled cheese sandwich unlike anything you ever had as a kid.

It will be summer here in Iowa before we know it, and I for one, cannot WAIT for all the beautiful fresh vegetables. I hope you will give Joe's roasted peppers a try, and experiment a little too- you can use this same roasting technique with Roma tomatoes for a roasted tomato sauce that is out of this world!

If you would like to contact Joe, you can reach him at Intimate Dining and Catering, 515-422-3026 or email joesciorrotta@ymail.com or click the Facebook link highlighted above.

In the Kitchen with Deb- Guest Chef Adventures in Vegas

You might remember our friend Deb Tedesco-Roberts from her culinary school interview she did with us a while back. Well.... Deb has been busy this summer! Traveling, enjoying the Vegas nightlife, gardening and COOKING up a storm, Deb has invited us into her kitchen to see what happens when you send men off to fish for trout, and they deliver the goods.

This girl belongs on Food Network!

Going fishing is a rite of passage for many men, and while the "Manly Fishing Trip" may not be as common as it once was, occasionally you do hear of a group of guys making the escape from the city to a secluded cabin or campsite and spending some time at one with nature, baiting hooks and hoping to snag something worth bragging about. Deb's guys loaded up the equipment and headed off to Panguich Lake in Utah for some trout fishing, and judging by the pictures, they have the perfect fishing spot.

Manly men doing manly stuff at the lake

Deb's hubby Kurt seems to have won the fish lottery

Oh yaaaaaa.

While I love fishing, I was more excited to see what sort of kitchen magic Deb would be working when she got a hold of those beautiful, freshly-caught fish, and I was not disappointed. Fresh herbs, lemon, olive oil, wine, all lined up on the counter top, ready to lend their flavors, and an unbelievable amount of beautiful, flawless trout sit waiting for their ultimate destination- the dinner plate.

Trout is one of my very favorite fish. It's so delicious and easy to prepare, and if you leave it whole and don't feel guilty with him looking at you while you're eating him, make a striking presentation. Deb was working with trout but you can use whatever fish you prefer.

Look at these perfect trout! Lemon and herbs are
waiting in the background for their turn

First things first- head on or head off? That's up to you really. I personally don't like my dinner looking at me while I'm eating, so I'm a heads-off gal and so was Deb. Second thing you have to deal with is the skin. Cooking a whole fish is so much easier and gives a moister finished dish when you leave the skin on, so make sure to thoroughly remove all scales from your fish if it's a scaled fish. Not all fish are!

Extra virgin olive oil and Sauvignon Blanc-
match made in heaven with fish

Seasoning your fish is a very important step. Of course you want salt and pepper, but you can add subtle flavors to fish by stuffing the cavity with thinly sliced lemon or other citrus, and lots of fresh herbs. Thyme, dill, Italian flat leaf parsley, fennel fronds all work well with fish.

Fish are stuffed with herbs and lemon

Adding a splash of a light wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil accent the fish perfectly while adding moisture.

Get all that good stuff in there!

Don't neglect the exterior of your fish either. A nice rub of olive oil and season with salt and pepper before you wrap up your foil packets will ensure a tasty fish skin, especially if you finish with a quick broil to crisp up the skin.

Wrapping up bundles of deliciousness

Wrap up the stuffed and drizzled fish in foil and seal tightly! Place on a baking sheet and pop into a preheated 350 degree oven and don't peek for 30 minutes or so (depending on the size of your fish). When ready to test, you can tell the fish is cooked when a fork inserted shows flaky meat. You can check with a thermometer as well- it should be 140 degrees.

Cooking show- right??

While your fish is cooking, get your sides in order- a mushroom rice pilaf is delicious with fresh fish, or a crispy fresh tossed green salad with a light vinaigrette- perfect!

Don't they look fantastic? 

Deb's delicious fish was served with garden-grown tomatoes
and rice drizzled with pan juices from the fish- simple and perfect

Freshly caught trout makes a beautiful dinner and is just as easy to prepare at the campsite- simply cook your foil packets over the campfire or on a grill.You can have lots of fun with this dish too- invite friends over for a stuff-your-own fish feast and get your guests in on the fun in the kitchen, open a bottle or two of wine and enjoy!

Guest Chef- Mad Science from The House on Vine

Ohhhh my goodness, I have been bugging my friend Mary for a guest post for AGES !! Mary has been my friend for quite a while and we share a love for cooking,  wine and cocktails and entertaining. She is quite the hostess too- very skilled at plating and garnishing and plans to write a cookbook soon. I will be the first to add that to my collection, you can bet.

Mary, the Mad Scientist

When Mary is busy working on a cooking project she dons the garb of the mad scientist and sets to work in (use your Bella Lugosi voice here) her "labouratory." 

You won't find a lack of color and texture in the dishes either. Fresh veggies add color, crunch and healthy goodness. Her pasta dishes look like restaurant creations. Her soups are legendary! And she has a great eye for food styling with a collection of colorful and interesting serving pieces and dishes that add so much style- well, you will just have to see for yourself!!

So, without further ado- here is Mary the Mad Scientist's Winter Crab Stir Fry

1 cup shredded carrot

1 1/2 cups halved brussels sprouts

8 oz. sliced fresh mushrooms

1 can sliced water chestnuts, drained

2 cloves fresh garlic, minced

2 cups fresh kale, chopped

1 red bell pepper, cut into strips

1 package imitation crab

olive oil

Heat olive oil in large skillet. Add garlic and saute for just a few minutes but don't allow it to brown. Add pepper, brussels sprouts, stir fry for a few minutes, then add carrots, water chestnuts. Cook and stir a few more minutes, then add mushrooms, crab and finally, the kale. Give a quick little toss then pile mixture into large bowl. Add sea salt and pepper to taste, toss with 4 tablespoons of butter for a creamy finish.

For easy and quick stir frying,make sure all your
veggies are prepped and cut up before you
start cooking.

How about that ?? Fresh and delish! And in the middle of January it looks like a happy plate full of summer to me. And like any stir fry dish, so versatile- switch out what you have and don't have, or don't like. If you like some heat, hit it with a big pinch of crushed red pepper. Have an unexpected guest or two? Add a scoop of rice or asian style noodles. Swap out the meat or go all veggie! The possibilities are endless!!

Jeremy's turn to rock the kitchen!

How about a different twist on things? Instead of the Chef or myself rockin' the kitchen, we are handing the cooking duties over to my nephew Jeremy, who is also a foodie and loves to get in the kitchen and show his stuff. He and I spent a day at the World Food Festival last year and have enjoyed a couple visits to Zombie Burger to sample the deadly delights, so when he was talking about the dinner he planned to cook, I couldn't help myself- I asked him to take pictures !!!!

Jeremy's dish is a man-sized load of meaty goodness, steak, bacon and a lot of delicious stuff inside. He made three different steak rolls, one is a take on Philly Cheesesteak with peppers, onion and cheese loaded inside. The other is a simpler vegetable filling. And another loaded with pepper jack and fresh jalapenos. Seasoning the meat is key and Jeremy has it down just right. I can't WAIT to get all the delicious details and share this with you.

So here we go.........

Bacon Swiss Steak Roll

flank steak, flat iron, or sirloin- you will need a large piece of meat you can roll
bacon
pepper jack cheese (or whatever cheese you like)
green pepper
onion
jalapeno pepper
seasonings as desired

Ok, here is how Jeremy made his meaty rolls of delish.

Start out but smoothing the meat out on your work surface. Depending on the cut of meat you may want to or need to use a meat tenderizer to pound it out to about 1/4 inch thickness.

Season the meat. Jeremy used seasoned salt, garlic powder and steak seasoning.

On top of the meat, lay out your ingredients- He made 3 separate rolls, on jalapeno and pepper jack cheese, one "Philly Cheese Steak" and one with just the veggies and no cheese.

Carefully roll the meat tightly and secure with baking twine. Place on rack in roasting pan and bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.

White the meat is roasting, make your bacon basket weave.

It's easy to do on a sheet of foil so you can roll it up easier.  Remove the meat from the oven, remove the twine and roll each roll in the bacon weave, wrapping tightly with foil, and return to oven for 35 minutes.

Remove from oven, unwrap meat and place back on rack.

Run under the broiler for several minutes to crisp up the bacon. Let the meat rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.

Jeremy has a large family so he made three rolls. This recipe is so easy to adjust up or down to your needs and tastes. You can stuff the rolls with any combination of cheese or no cheese, veggies of all kinds, there is no limit !!!!

Next weekend the World Food Festival is on again, and as is tradition, my nephew and I will be there, and later sharing the experience with you!