Shrimp & Sausage Jambalaya

June 18, 2014 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking with the Contessa

Ina Garten, aka The Barefoot Contessa, and her cookbooks are already a source of guidance for basic recipes but her show serves as my inspiration for more adventurous culinary efforts. I’ll follow along with an episode of the Barefoot Contessa and choose a recipe to try in my tiny New York kitchen. We’ll see if I can keep up with the Contessa!

Episode: “Cooking with Rice”

The Set-up: Ina knows a metric ton about rice and how to cook it.

The Menu: Shrimp and Sausage Jambalaya, Maple Pecan Rice Pudding

0:34 – We start with Ina and her friend Amelia Durand in the kitchen to learn a Durand family recipe for Shrimp and Sausage Jambalaya. I loooove jambalaya; this should be good…

1:06 – Apparently Amelia is originally from Louisiana (yay, authentic!) and it sounds like her family may own/operate the entire small town she grew up in. Very My Cousin Vinny.

2:17 – Amelia explains that this recipe has a ton of chopping involved, first Andouille sausage and smoked ham, then comes ‘The Trilogy,’ aka the basis of Louisiana cooking: onions, celery, and bell peppers. Ina is in full sous-chef mode.

3:44 – Fun facts from Louisiana Cooking 101 – the jambalaya they’re making today is Creole-style and typical of the cuisine in New Orleans (tomato based, derived from Spanish paella). Cajun-style is more meat based and tends to be found inland.

5:26 – As the other vegetables sauté the chopping continues with tomatoes, garlic, and fresh jalapeño. Amelia says traditionally cayenne pepper is used, but she likes the flavor of fresh jalapeño. I have to side with tradition on this one, jalapeño isn’t really my bag.

6:09 – Ina says we’ll need a really big pot for this recipe and I can see why – they’ve put piles of chopped veggies in and we still have to add the rice, shrimp and cooked meats.

10:58 – Time to add more spice in the form of Tabasco sauce – Ina pretends to be apprehensive about the heat, but then promptly loses count of how many dashes she’s added. This could be dangerous, folks.

11:23 – At 24 items the ingredient list for this recipe is really long – “everything but the kitchen sink” – but sometimes I actually like doing a lot of prep. Something about the sense of accomplishment? I know, weird.

12:34 – The rice is done, now time for a little lemon juice, some fresh herbs, and the raw shrimp. This is brilliant: the steam cooks the shrimp perfectly so everything is ready together.

14:19 – Mmmm. Y’all, this looks awesome – shrimp, rice, sausage, all the brightly colored vegetables. I bet the flavor is a-mazing.

18:11 – Next, we take a little trip to the grocery store with Ina where she explains that there are different kinds of rice (Arborio, brown, sushi) and the importance of using the right kind for each recipe. At no point does she mention Minute Rice, so I’m guessing that’s always a no-go?

19:30 – Since we’re all friends here I feel safe telling you that I have a deep-seated dread of all things ‘porridge’ related. Cream of wheat, oatmeal, bread pudding it all gives me the chills, so Maple Pecan Rice Pudding is going to be a tough one to watch.

20:02 – Here goes. I’m being brave. Ina must know I need a little fortification because she’s soaking the raisins in Bourbon (Maker’s Mark, FYI).

21:35 – I can tell that she’s really trying to help me out because the shots of rice cooking in half and half are kept to a minimum. For rice pudding eaters that probably sounds delicious, for me not so much.

22:54 – How do I know I’m hardened against rice pudding? Even the addition of maple syrup, bourbon, vanilla, and toasted pea-cans (pronounced like a proper Yankee) can’t tempt me. Ina, you’re on your own.

25:13 – Whew, made it through that in one piece. Now it’s Ask Ina time. Question #1: How to cook fluffy white rice? Ina suggests this ratio: 1 cup basmati rice, 1 ¾ cups of water, and a tablespoon of butter. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered for 15 minutes. Off the heat, covered to finish steaming for 5 minutes. Seems pretty straightforward.

26:19 – Question #2: How to jazz up plain white or brown rice? This is a fairly silly question, but Ina manages to be kind. She advises using chicken stock in place of water or stirring in sautéed onions or fresh herbs.

27:21 – Question #3: Why does brown rice turn out so wet? I didn’t know this, but Ina says that brown rice is always wetter that white. Who knew?

28:09 – Question #4: The required how to cook Risotto Question. Risotto should cook in 25-30 minutes, no more no less! Add hot stock a ladle full at a time and stir until it absorbs. At the end, mix in lots of grated Parmesan cheese. Cheese makes everything better.

29:22 - Question #5: Do you have a recipe for rice pilaf? She does: Wild Rice Pilaf! Wow, that was a lot of questions. The moral of the story: rice can be used in lots of different savory and sweet dishes. Enjoy!

Final Thoughts:

The influences on Cajun/Creole cuisine make it so complex – French, Spanish, Southern – amazing.

Rice is actually a much more complex topic than I realized; clearly this needs more study.

I’d love to see more guests share some of their regional or family specialties – such a cool look into a different kind of cooking.

Lessons Learned:

Jambalaya is one of my favorite things to order in Southern restaurants, but I’ve never tried to make it myself. So, naturally I had to try the Shrimp and Sausage Jambalaya – the combination of flavors and ingredients sounded amazing. The list of ingredients is rather long, but 99% (with perhaps the exception of Andouille sausage) are definitely in every grocery store.

Overall this isn’t a particularly difficult recipe, assuming you have time to do the chopping. I made this on a Saturday afternoon when there was plenty of time for prep and I didn’t feel rushed through the process. I normally cut Ina’s recipes in half since it’s usually just Mike and I, but I knew leftovers from this dish would re-heat well. The full portion definitely feeds 6-8 people generously.

One important note – since different rice brands cook differently; check the package directions on the long-grain, white rice you use to be sure the liquid/rice ratio is correct. I used American Basmati, which called for 1 cup of dry rice to 1 ¾ cups of stock, so I had to reduce the liquid a little.

Small Kitchen Friendly?

Actually, yes. This is a one pot meal and the kitchen tools needed to make it are minimal. I used a 5 qt dutch oven, a medium sized cutting board, and two small prep bowls to hold the chopped vegetables.

I also used a chef’s knife (onions, peppers, etc.), a serrated knife (sausage, tomatoes, etc.), a large slotted spoon, a wooden spatula, and measuring cups & measuring spoons.

The Verdict:

Mike and I loved the Shrimp and Sausage Jambalaya. There’s conflicting wisdom about eating spicy food in hot weather, personally I’d be happy to have a bowl of steaming jambalaya on a warm June day or in the middle of winter. I thought the spice was hot, but not overwhelming (Mike added sriracha because he’s nuts) and we both liked the depth of flavor that the combination of sausage, shrimp, and vegetables create. Definitely make this when you have a big group to feed, or want lots of ‘seconds.’

Peach & Blueberry Crumble

June 11, 2014 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking with the Contessa

Episode: “Keep It Sweet”

The Set-up: Ina is sharing her favorite dessert ideas and schooling her business partner, Frank Newbold, on how it’s done.

The Menu: Peach and Blueberry Crumble, Lime Meringue Tart, Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

0:47 – We start with Ina preparing the Peach and Blueberry Crumble while Frank perches at the end of the counter like an attentive school boy; spiral notepad in hand.

1:17 – Frank and Ina laugh over the fact that the first ingredient is butter and the pounds and pounds of butter they used at Barefoot Contessa. Butter is no laughing matter.

2:01 – It’s been approximately 2 minutes since the cooking lesson began and Frank has asked like 4 questions about the brown sugar, cinnamon, crumble depth. Dude, you know this class is pass/fail right?

3:32 – The crumble part of the crumble is done and now we get a quick tutorial on the fruit filling. Pro Tip #1: to get the skins off the peaches poach in boiling water for 1 minute, then plunge into ice water for a minute and they slip right off. Magic!

4:14 – Now Frank as audience-participation-ringer asks what other crumbles we could make? Well, Frank I’m glad you asked! Over a cup of coffee Ina makes some suggestions interspersed with scenes from shows past: apple with Eli Zabar, apple & pear with Jeffrey; apple, pear & cranberry for the barn warming; peach & raspberry for card night all without Frank….hmm.

5:17 – Frank realizes that his non-card playing reputation has interfered with his access to crumble-related dinners. (Cue feverish memorization of bridge strategy…) Ina soothes him with his own little crumble a la mode and the promise of Lime Meringue Tart once he finishes his homework. Crisis averted.

9:25 – Lime Meringue Tart time. Ina explains that when she wants to revisit a classic recipe she’ll just replace an ingredient (limes for lemons in this case) and see how good it is.

10:59 – Lime curd is pretty disturbing before it’s cooked - I’m glad she warned us that it would look like something went wrong! Citrus acid + eggs = oh dear.

11:32 – Ina is also disturbed by the idea of a “skin” from forming on the cooked lime curd while it chills – her expression is classic. Pro Tip #2: pressing a piece of plastic wrap right on to the surface will prevent that from happening.

12:19 – Ina’s quick tutorial on sweet pastry for the tart shell can be summarized in one Pro Tip #3 (a tip for the ages): to get crisp flaky pastry keep everything freezing cold. Flour, butter, Crisco, water. You’ve been warned.

14:45 – Next we get a lesson on rolling out the dough, prepping it in the tart pan, and blind baking. I learned about 70 things in 90 seconds - where are Frank and his notepad when I need them?

15:07 – This is a lot to take in, but here’s a quick run down of the Pro Tips I picked up: #4 when rolling out dough shift it periodically to make sure it isn’t sticking to the counter. #5: fold the dough over the rolling pin to help move it into the pan. #6: never stretch the dough; just settle it into the edges of the pan. #7: dried beans make great pie weights.

19:43 – Now for the meringue part and Ina has some great recommendations. (I think this is a new record) Pro Tip #8: Room temperature eggs are necessary to get the volume you want in meringue.

20:13 – After dropping some serious pastry knowledge Ina tries to comfort us that each step in the process can be done individually, so it doesn’t feel daunting. Perhaps I’d feel better if some of those limes were added to a margarita….

22:21 – Tart is assembled (baked shell + chilled lime curd) and next it’s time to pipe the meringue. Hmm, which pattern to use? Shell? Swirl? I swear she’s messing with me.

23:02 – The tart is out of the oven and it looks awesome. New life goal: learn to pipe meringue from a pastry bag.

26:11 – Next, Chocolate Dipped Strawberries which Ina claims is her back up dessert when she has a ‘disaster.’ I’d love to have some stories of recipes gone awry…

27:28 – Mmm. Melted chocolate with orange zest and orange liqueur stirred in – forget the strawberries, just a spoon would do nicely.

29:06 – Frank is back for the required taste test. Dessert and he secures an invitation to the next party? This man is so lucky.

Final Thoughts:

Ina’s approach to riffing on classic recipes by changing one ingredient is really smart. Clever girl.

Who knew that temperatures were so critical to baking success – cold butter, room temperature eggs, etc?

Lord, I love dessert. It really is the most important, err memorable, part of a meal.

Lessons Learned:

The fruit in the produce section has been calling my name and since both peaches and blueberries are in season right now I just had to make the Peach and Blueberry Crumble. This really is a fairly simple recipe with essentially two components – the fruit filling and the crumble topping, neither of which requires much other than measuring and mixing a little – and prep time is relatively short.

Poaching the peaches is a little bit of an ‘extra step’ but once the water is boiling it only takes about 2 minutes total and the skins really do come right off. One note – I never realized how slippery a naked peach could be, so take your time with the slicing. Sharp knife + peach juice = danger. I do recommend the parchment lined sheet tray step too – my little ramekins definitely bubbled over a little and it was nice not to have to clean up a mess in the oven.

Small Kitchen Friendly?

Sorta. You will need a large pot, three bowls (ice water bath, fruit filling, and crumble mixture), plus 4-6 ramekins, and a sheet pan. I also used a slotted spoon, spatula, pastry cutter, measuring cups and spoons, and a bird beak paring knife to cut the peaches. (I like that knife best for cutting sections out of stone fruit, but a regular paring knife would work too.)

That’s a fair amount of ‘stuff’ but neither the pot or the ice water bowl need to be washed afterward, so there’s that.

The Verdict:

I made the Peach and Blueberry Crumble for Mike and I on a moody, rainy day this week and it was awesome. Excellent flavors (don’t skip the lemon!) and a ramekin-sized portion with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream is the perfect amount. Sweet, but tangy, warm fruit and cold ice cream. Make this for a summer barbeque or for a little treat on a grumpy weather day – you won’t be sorry!

Spanish Pea Soup with Crispy Ham

June 04, 2014 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking with the Contessa

Episode: “Food Adventures”

The Set-up: Ina and Jeffrey are on vacation in Napa (jealous) and Ina’s exploring the local food scene while Jeffrey works on his book. I think Jeffrey got the short end of that deal…

The Menu: Deconstructed Lobster Salad, Spanish Pea Soup with Crispy Ham, Viennese Coffee

0:48 – We start off in the kitchen of the Garten’s Napa rental house with Deconstructed Lobster Salad, an idea she got while visiting Swan Oyster Depot in San Francisco. Tyler Florence recommended it and when T.F. tells you to try something, you try it!

1:10 – We get some great scenes of the restaurant in action, but my favorite is a shot of a guy wearing shorts embroidered with lobsters and white athletic socks pulled waaay up. When in Rome?

2:03 – Ina is making the sauce for the Deconstructed Lobster Salad. As she zests the lemon she remarks how fortunate it is that the rental house had a rasp. First, let’s be fair, this place could easily be the West Coast outpost of her own gorgeous kitchen. Second, show of hands: who thinks Ina totally travels with a tiny microplane grater?

3:10 – The sauce is comprised of mayo, lemon zest, capers and fresh dill. Is anyone else obsessed with dill lately? Just me? Okay, cool.

4:30 – Time to plate. Two halved lobsters are arranged on a bed of ice, the sauce goes in a small bowl and celery stalks go in a glass. Slice up a little sourdough bread from Boudin Bakery and she’s done.

5:11 – Now to test it on Jeffrey.... Spoiler alert: he loves it. #supportive. It does look pretty cool, but how far you could take this ‘deconstructed’ thing before people called you out? Like, ‘here are some peanuts, purple grapes, and bread – it’s deconstructed PB&J sandwich! Obviously.’

9:17 – After lunch Ina presents Jeffrey with the most decadent, eleven-layer Torte Au Chocolate she made with Paul Lemieux, Executive Pastry Chef at the Auberge Du Soleil hotel.

10:13 – We flash over to the hotel to see how it’s done. Chef Paul walks us very quickly through making meringue discs. I can’t even find a recipe for this cake online, so I’m definitely not making this at home… sorry friends.

11:49 – Ina and Chef Paul bond over their mutual love of chocolate and hazelnut, and I learn a new Italian word for the combination: gianduja.

13:15 – We get another lighting round ‘how to’ from Chef Paul for a layer he calls ‘chocolate decadence’ (hello!) So far the layers seem to be: meringue, chocolate ganache, hazelnut spread, and chocolate decadence. Two words: face plant.

14:01 – More chefyness ensues with the use of a cocoa powder spray gun to get that matte bakery effect. Ina’s finishes spraying with a flourish – blowing the “smoke” off the end like an old-timey gun fighter. Ina is bad a** y’all.

15:18 – Chef Paul releases the cake from the ring form with a BLOWTORCH (for reals!) and puts on a final edging of ground hazelnuts and a little chocolate plaque with the Auberge logo on top. This cake really looks amazing.

19:22 – Next, Ina is at a food truck market called Off the Grid. Someone who lives in San Francisco please visit this for me!

20:10 – While she’s checking out amazing street food Jeffrey’s at home with a bowl of Spanish Pea Soup with Crispy Ham she made for him. This does not seem like a fair trade, but she’s planning to bring him dessert, so that’s something.

21:18 – She says this is one of the easiest recipes she makes and I believe it – it all happens in one pot and seems to take about 10 total minutes of cooking. That dessert better be good, young lady.

22:44 – Like any smart food truck patron she makes a lap before committing. Side Note: I would be so, so psyched if I spotted Ina Garten at a food festival. First up she tries Pepper Jack Mac & Cheese and then checks out an empanada truck. Before she even orders I know she’ll get the Parisienne – aka: Gruyere and ham - aaaand I’m right. Two points for Gryffindor!

23:09 – Back at the rental house Jeffrey is having his dinner. Ina left the most hilarious instructions for him. This is almost verbatim: reheat soup, put ham on top, drizzle with olive oil, love my soup. Ahahahaha. With Jeffrey it’s best to leave nothing to chance.

27:23 – Ina is back from her food truck adventure, and since she feels guilty for heartlessly abandoning her husband to a dish of pea soup she decides to make Viennese Coffee as a special treat to go with the salted caramel cupcakes she brought home.

28:34 – This concoction A. looks amazing. B. appears to be a hybrid of an ice cream float and affogato. C. kinda makes up for that spousal abandonment earlier.

29:44 – Out on the porch for a little dessert with Jeffrey. Ina, you’re forgiven!

Final Thoughts:

Food tourism seems like a fantastic way to organize a vacation – remind me of that when it’s time to plan our next trip!

I love food trucks and festivals, but choosing what to eat is tricky. I wonder how Ina decided?

I’d like to ‘turn up the volume’ on Ina’s Viennese Coffee and make it with coffee ice cream instead of vanilla. Hello, caffeine buzz.

Lessons Learned:

Since the eleven layer cake required advanced pastry techniques (well out of my league) and the other dishes didn’t involve a ton of cooking I decided to make the Spanish Pea Soup with Crispy Ham. We need to eat more vegetables and this recipe really is incredibly simple with a very, very short ingredient list.

One note on seasoning - keep an eye on the salt. I served the soup with crispy pancetta and then added a sprinkle of parmesan cheese for interest, but the combination pushed the flavor over the edge into “too salty” territory. Easily remedied with a little more chicken stock or some more unseasoned peas, but something to watch for.

Small Kitchen Friendly?

Absolutely. I used an enameled dutch oven, a blender, a medium bowl, and one small cutting board. Ina uses an immersion blender in the episode, but I only have a regular one so I needed to puree in batches, hence the bowl. For utensils I used a chef’s knife, wooden spoon, rubber spatula, large ladle, a liquid measuring cup and measuring spoons.

The Verdict:

Mike and I had the Spanish Pea Soup with Crispy Ham for dinner earlier this week on what turned out to be a pretty warm night. It’s actually a heartier soup than you might imagine. I think adding a few fresh herbs (mint maybe?), a squeeze of lemon, or possibly even serving it chilled would make it a better summer dish. I’m planning to make it again when it’s cooler and stir some cubes of fresh mozzarella into each bowl – yum.

Herbed Ricotta Bruschetta

May 28, 2014 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking with the Contessa

Episode: “Jeffrey Dinner”

The Set-up: It’s Friday night Jeffrey’s on the way home and Ina is refusing to cook their traditional chicken! This can only mean the collapse of civilization. Or steak throwdown.

The Menu: Herbed Ricotta Bruschetta, Grilled Filet Steak with Arugula vs, Steakhouse Steaks (method only), Watermelon Mojitos

0:42 – Ina begins by sharing a dark secret: she’s been cooking Jeffrey chicken on Friday nights for 42 years, and she’s “sick of it.” Talk about shaking my worldview.

1:13 – Instead she’s going to surprise him with a steak throwdown (a la Bobby Flay perhaps?)

1:22 – First things first, Ina’s making Herbed Ricotta Bruschetta including the ricotta itself. Now this I have to see…

2:51 – She heats a mixture of heavy cream and whole milk to a boil before adding a few tablespoons of white wine vinegar which causes the milk to separate into “curds and whey” an immediately turns us into nursery rhyme characters.

3:03 – This looks pretty disturbing – Ina calls it a “bowl of mess.” True statement. Let’s hope she knows what she’s doing!

3:45 – Cut to Jeffrey driving home. He’s says last time they grilled there were “a few problems and a few critiques.” The significant glance we get at the end of that statement is priceless as are the shots of him shopping for charcoal. “I hope this is right…” 42 years people!

5:05 – Ina’s telling us a story as she chops herbs about the time a friend asked her for a cooking lesson as a birthday present (very clever girl) and this was the recipe they made together. I would have requested an Ina classic like roast chicken or chocolate cake. You know, in case I ever get the chance to cook with Ina.

6:11 – The ricotta is done straining and Ina has stirred in scallions, dill, and chives – it actually looks really good.

9:07 – Watermelon Mojito time! Ina’s inside whipping up a batch while Jeffrey lights the grill. He has a charcoal chimney – so someone’s looking out for him. We had one in Texas and literally anyone who you’d trust with a match can get charcoal started with this thing – it’s amazing.

10:13 – I like Ina’s ratios for these cocktails – 1.5 cups of light rum : 2 cups of watermelon puree and a little lime juice and simple syrup for flavor. Boozy.

12:30 – Back outside to Jeffrey who is hilariously narrating the final stages of grill set-up: “I pour out my coals with the greatest finesse…evenly spread…put the grill down. How easy is that?” He sticks the landing.

13:16 – Out to the terrace to grill the bread for the bruschetta and deliver a mojito to Jeffrey. Jeffrey shoots one more significant look at the camera – he’s really hamming it up – as Ina inspects the grill.

13:32 – Talk turns to the powers of a cocktail to render the taste of anything irrelevant and its effect on ‘The Griller’s’ cooking abilities. Jeffrey thinks he might be barbecuing himself. Unclear whether this is literal or figurative barbecuing.

14:01 – Ina lays out the rules of the Grilled Filet Steak with Arugula Throwdown. She’ll cook one steak on the stove Steakhouse Steaks style, Jeffrey will cook one on the grill and they’ll see which is better. (Much cackling ensues) He immediately sees the imbalance in the set up but basically tells her ‘you’re on.’

19:11 – Ina offers Jeffrey some tips (5 min per side, test with a thermometer – 125 degrees is the goal for medium rare) He’s suspicious that sabotage is involved… I would be too; she looks pretty cutthroat.

20:17 – Inside Ina shows us her method – cast iron skillet for the win! – 2 minutes each side and along the edges for a total of 10 minutes. At this point she realizes she ‘forgot’ to tell Jeffrey about putting butter and wonders oh, so innocently if that’s ‘cheating?’ He was right to be suspicious!

21:09 – Jeffrey’s finished with his grilling – the steak is wrapped in foil and is resting while he sips his mojito and waits “to win.”

23:18 – Time for the big reveal – Ina seems shocked that Jeffrey’s steak looks so good and tries to throw him off his game one last time by offering a butter knife to carve. Wicked until the end! She serves the steaks over arugula with shavings of parmesan.

24:21 – Jeffrey goes first and proclaims himself the winner. Not so fast, my friend. Ina goes next and her steak is definitely juicier (ahem, butter.) She fesses up about the butter and Jeffrey claims her steak as the penalty of cheating. Seems fair.

28:15 – Ask Ina time and it’s all grilling questions. Question 1: Why does Ina use a charcoal grill instead of gas? She says it’s because she likes the flavor charcoal imparts to the food. Amen, sister – charcoal all the way.

28:57 – Question 2: How do you keep from over or under cooking meat when grilling? Ina gives two options here – either very low heat charcoal so the meat doesn’t burn before it cooks through, or start roasting the meat in the oven and then finish it on a very hot grill to get the sear and charcoal flavor.

29:01 – Question 3: What method to you use to cook tuna steaks? Ina says brush the tuna with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and on really hot grill or a cast iron pan cook on each side for 2 – 2½ minutes. This gives a good sear to the outside, but leaves the center raw. Happy grilling!

Final Thoughts:

I really can’t stress enough that Ina’s restaurant-style steak method is the BEST – yes, bold, all caps, and italic worthy. Definitely try this next time you have steaks.

I wish we still had a grill – one of the drawbacks of living in a 12th floor apartment in Manhattan…

Jeffrey and Ina’a teasing and jokes during the ‘Grilled Steak Throwdown’ kill me. Obviously, 50% of the game is mental.

Lessons Learned:

Full disclosure: I thought about making steak using Ina’s method, but it wouldn’t actually have been a test since this is how we always make filets in the Messersmith household. I can’t recommend it enough – no more burned, dried out meat. Salt & Pepper + a good sear = great flavor, and with a little adjustment in the oven cooking time everyone gets their steak cooked the way they like it. Mike prefers more medium/ medium-rare (hot red) so his comes out first, where as I’m a solid medium-well (hot pink) kind of girl so we give mine an extra few minutes.

So, in the interest of trying something new I made the Herbed Ricotta Bruschetta including the homemade ricotta step. It actually is as easy as Ina makes it look and she’s right about the science experiment part. When the milk/cream/vinegar mixture has curdled it looks like something gone horribly wrong, but trust the process. Since we don’t have a grill I did the bruschetta in the oven (400 degrees, 5 minutes per side) and it came out nicely browned.

One important note: the milk/cream mixture goes from quietly simmering along to nearly boiling over in about 10 seconds, so watch carefully when you’re heating it! Luckily, I was paying attention turned off the flame before I had a stovetop mess on my hands. You’ve been warned!

Small Kitchen Friendly?

Definitely. I used one medium sauce pan, one sieve, a piece of cheese cloth, a medium bowl (washed in between draining and mixing), one small cutting board and a baking sheet. For utensils I used a chef’s knife, bread knife a wooden spoon, pastry brush, and a liquid measuring cup and measuring spoons.

The Verdict:

Mike and I had the Herbed Ricotta Bruschetta as a little afternoon snack and were both really happy with the flavors. The homemade ricotta is delicious even before the herbs are added and the flavor combination is fresh and summery, plus contrast of cool spread/warm bread is perfect. This is an easy one to size up or size down (I halved the recipe since it was just the two of us) and simple to make ahead if you have guests. I’d definitely make this as an appetizer or for a cocktail party snack.