Pesto Pasta with Green Peas and Chicken

August 04, 2014 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking

When the mid-summer heat and humidity hit (at least the way they do here in New York) my appetite wanes and little and the thought of eating a hot meal is the furthest thing from my mind. While I want something light and fresh with the flavors of summer I also don’t necessarily want to eat salad 24/7 either.

For me this cold pasta dish hits that sweet spot: a happy medium between the clean bright taste of veggies and the substance of a meal that doesn’t feel like I’m missing something. And, as an extra bonus it uses all that great basil that’s growing like crazy at this time of year!

My starting point (surprise!) was an Ina Garten recipe that I then tinkered with a little bit to lighten it up and add a bit more protein. I’m tempted to call the final product something poetic like ‘Viridian Pasta’ because of its varying shades and multiple green ingredients, but in the interest of being direct I decided to go with this more umm, specific title. I’m open to feedback, though…

Pesto Pasta with Green Peas and Chicken (serves 6-8 generously)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 pounds cellentani pasta (like Barilla)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups pesto (purchased, or see recipe below)
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 (5.3 oz.) container lemon Greek yogurt (like Chobani)
1/4 cup mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 (14 oz.) package frozen baby peas
1/3 cup pine nuts (aka pignoli)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 chicken breasts, bone-in, skin-on

Pesto:

1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup pine nuts (aka pignoli)
3 tablespoons chopped garlic (9 cloves)
5 cups fresh basil leaves, packed (1 large bunch)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups good olive oil
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the chicken breasts on a baking sheet skin side up and rub with a light coating of olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and black pepper. Roast in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until cooked through according to a meat thermometer. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then remove the meat from the bones and discard the skin. Cut the chicken into small, ¼ inch dice which should yield 2 to 3 cups of cubed chicken. Side aside and continue to cool.

Meanwhile, cook the cellentani in a large pot of boiling salted water according to the package directions (about 10 to 11 minutes) until the pasta is al dente. In the last minute of cooking toss the frozen peas into the pot to defrost and cook. Drain and toss into a bowl with the olive oil. Cool to room temperature.

While the pasta is cooking, make the pesto according to the directions below.

Next, in the bowl of the food processor, puree the pesto, spinach, and lemon juice. Add the lemon Greek yogurt and mascarpone cheese and puree.

To finish toss the cooled pasta and peas with the pesto sauce, then add the diced chicken, grated Parmesan, pignoli, salt, and pepper. Stir until the ingredients are evenly coated with sauce, season to taste, and serve chilled or at room temperature.

Pesto: (yield: 4 cups)

Place the walnuts, pine nuts, and chopped garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process for 15 seconds. Add the fresh basil leaves, salt, and pepper. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil into the bowl through the feed tube and process until the pesto is thoroughly pureed. Add the Parmesan and puree for a minute.

Important storage note: This will make more pesto than needed for the recipe and exposure to air will turn it an unappetizing brown. So plan to use the extra right away or store the pesto in the refrigerator or freezer in an airtight container with a thin film of olive oil or plastic wrap pressed directly on top to remove air pockets.

Small Kitchen Friendly:

Yes, assuming you have access to a medium-sized food processor. Ours is a 7 cup and it was just right for this recipe, too much smaller and I would have had trouble getting everything to fit. SInce I made the pesto and the sauce one right after the other I didn't even bother to wash the bowl in between steps. I also used one baking sheet, one large bowl (for the cooled pasta & peas and final mixing), one medium bowl (for the diced chicken), a large pot and a colander. Measuring cups, measuring spoons, a chef’s knife, a rubber spatula and one medium cutting board finished the job.

The Verdict:

Mike and I both loved this dinner – the pesto sauce is flavorful without being overpowering and the ‘sneaky’ vegetables and lean proteins make this a recipe that is on the virtuous side but didn’t leave us feel deprived and wishing for a bedtime snack a few hours later. We had this as a main (and only course) but it could easily be a part of a backyard cookout buffet as a side dish too. It makes a ton, so be prepared for leftovers or to halve the quantities.

Minty Fresh Scouting: Ample Hills Creamery

August 01, 2014 by Laura Messersmith in Scouting

Brooklyn Bridge | Image: Laura Messersmith — **Brooklyn Bridge** | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

Everyone needs a summer project; a goal to work toward over the hottest months of the year; a plan that will give meaning to an otherwise lazy series of days. I considered this question carefully and arrived at the most obvious answer: visit as many ice cream shops as possible in search of the best Mint Chocolate Chip Ice cream.

Why Mint Chocolate Chip? Mainly, because it’s my all-time favorite flavor, but also it seems like most shops offer an option that combines mint and chocolate. I’m willing to consider gelato, novelties and sorbet, but ice cream is really what I’m after. If you have recommendations on places I should try I’d love to hear them!

Ample Hills Creamery | Image: Laura Messersmith — **Ample Hills Creamery** | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

My fourth stop in my quest for the best minty-cool cone in the land was a little closer to home than my last spot but still required a little bit of an adventure to the remote and untamed borough of BROOKLYN…. Just kidding, I’m kind of in love with Brooklyn and have all sorts of schemes to go back ASAP especially if the ice cream is as good as Ample Hills Creamery’s Mint Chocolate Flake (quite a promising name….)

Here’s the scoop (I’m so sorry) on Ample Hills Creamery summarized from their website:

“…Ample Hills was the first to pasteurize on site in New York City – which makes us a registered dairy plant – and are one of the few places that make ice cream this way. We handcraft our ice cream from start-to-finish in small batches, using fresh, local, all-natural milk, cream, and eggs. Instead of relying solely on extracts, we steep source ingredients in our homemade mix, slowly drawing flavors out of vanilla beans, cinnamon sticks, peanuts and coffee beans [ed. note: and presumably the mint leaves too.]”

The Scientific Part:

The five criteria are Flavor and then the four “Cs” - Color, Creaminess, Chips, and Charm.

I like a dash of kitsch with my high-quality ingredients, so my preference is for pale green ice cream with intense mint flavor and deep dark chocolate shavings. Yes, I realize that this doesn’t make them ‘chips’ per se, but then they’re more smoothly incorporated with the ice cream. I’m giving extra points for a whimsical setting or special experience.

Mint Chocolate Flake by Ample Hills Creamery | Image: Laura Messersmith — **Mint Chocolate Flake by Ample Hills Creamery** | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

Ample Hills Creamery’s Score:

Flavor – deliciously minty and cool (5 of 5)

Color – a peppermint pattie white, sigh (1 of 5)

Creaminess – lovely and creamy (5 of 5)

Chips – shavings of dark chocolate, see I wasn’t making it up! (5 of 5)

Charm – the waterfront location, just a short walk from the Brooklyn Bridge is pretty hard to beat (4 of 5)

Total Score: 20/25

Current Rankings:

For folks following these adventures at home, here are the current rankings of the ice creams and shops I’ve visited so far. Those top three spots are pretty hotly contested!

1. The Lands at Hillside Farms: 22/25

2. Ample Hills Creamery: 20/25

3. Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream: 18/25

4. Sundaes and Cones: 11/25

Baked Ricotta Blintzes with Blueberry Sauce

July 30, 2014 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking with the Contessa

Baked Blintzes with Blueberry Sauce | Image: Laura Messersmith — **Baked Blintzes with Blueberry Sauce** | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

As inspiration for more adventurous culinary efforts I’m following along with Ina Garten, aka The Barefoot Contessa, in my tiny New York kitchen. Let’s see if I can keep up with the Contessa!

Episode: “Brunch Bunch”

The Set-up: Ina has enlisted her BFFs Miguel and Michael to create a Pinterest-perfect brunch spread. I will indubitably be jealous.

The Menu: Roasted Hazelnut Granola, Baked Blintzes with Blueberry Sauce, Apricot Butter, Fruit Platter

0:36 – We begin with Ina chopping hazelnuts for Roasted Hazelnut Granola and waxing poetic on the charms of day-time entertaining. Highlights: loves the food, people are full of energy, and (she says this more nicely) then they get the heck out so she can take a nap! That last bit is close reading on my part…

1:10 – Granola time! Pro Tip #1: Starting with roasted nuts (hazelnuts, cashews, almonds) gives the granola a deeper flavor.

3:22 – Split screen time with Miguel and Michael working on their tasks (table setting and flowers, respectively). Ina selected the theme of blue & white but now their on their own. No pressure!

3:30 – Michael selects blue muscari (aka grape hyacinth) since they’re “blue, low, and not too formal, which is perfect for brunch.” So far so good, although a second later he seems to be plotting something involving eggs?

3:45 – Now over to Miguel. He’s using the blue and white tablecloths Ina gave him and large, bowl-sized tea cups in a blue chinoiserie pattern for a “touch of whimsy.” You officially have my attention, Miguel; tell me more about this whimsy….

5:04 – Granola is in the oven looking very much like one of those deliciously sticky Nature Valley bars and now it’s back to Miguel pouring OJ and grapefruit juices into pitchers and delighting us all by saying ‘teacups’ one more time.

9:16 – We’re back with Ina for instructions on making the best Fruit Platter. Pro Tip #2: Smell the pineapple before buying to see if it’s ripe (it should smell like pineapple.)

10:23 – Fruit Platter 101: line the platter with large leaves (fig, hydrangea, lemon) for a touch of green. Make large blocks of color by staggering the slices of melon and pineapple together. Scatter a ‘stream’ of blueberries over the top and then another of strawberries and raspberries, again keeping the colors uniform.

10:52 – I can’t believe she put together a picture perfect platter in about 30 seconds. Apologies to future guests if I practice this on you…

11:07 – Croissant time and Ina (again) blows my mind with her perfect technique for lining a breadbasket with a napkin. Hard to describe, but essentially fold in the middle one direction and then again in the other. Confused? Is there anything she can’t do?

12:28 – Pro Tip #3: Leave the croissant baking to the professionals, but heat them up in the oven for a few minutes and serve them warm with Apricot Butter.

13:01 – Ina talks us through how to make it, but the true takeaway is that anything can be mixed into butter.

13:49 – We check in with Michael who has really committed to his egg idea by turning them into little vases for the grape hyacinth and placing them in porcelain egg cups. Never underestimate a florist.

14:56 – On to the Baked Blintzes with Blueberry Sauce, which Ina explains are basically like a large pancake with ricotta filling. Sounds good to me!

19:24 – The filling (ricotta, mascarpone, eggs, lemon) seems like it would please both people who prefer sweet breakfast and people who prefer savory. Good news for me since Mike and I are a house divided on that subject.

21:18 – Miguel is stealth – he snuck a peek and discovered the Apricot Butter, so he chose apricot colored napkins to finish the table and honestly the contrast of the soft blues and whites with the bright orange and salmon colors is gorgeous. Miguel definitely knows what’s up with table setting.

22:03 – The first layer of the Baked Blintzes is done and Ina has spread the ricotta filling evenly before adding the top layer of ‘pancake’ mix. Pro Tip #4: Pouring the batter into a spoon, rather than directly onto the filling, will keep the layers from mixing. (Think: bartender making a ‘float.’)

26:31 – Blueberry sauce time and it looks amazing – like liquid blueberry pie. Yum.

28:19 – Blintzes are done, flowers are on the table, fruit platter and croissants have been set out. Seriously, this is magazine perfect – not that I had any doubts with Ina, Michael and Miguel on the case.

29:42 – Ina and Michael are more patient than I would be as Miguel snaps away (we get some of his shots interspersed with compliments from Ina on their work) and then everyone dives in!

Final Thoughts:

I’m excited to have a brunch idea that A.) requires one dish and B.) should be a crowd-pleaser for both savory & sweet.

I adore the blue/white/apricot color scheme of this brunch – gorgeous.

The hunt is on for ‘whimsical’ over-sized teacups. I will keep you posted.

Lessons Learned:

I’ve never made blintzes before and the steps of the Baked Blintzes with Blueberry Sauce recipe worked well for me through the ricotta cheese and top layer stages. That’s where I ran into some issues….

First things first, I used a blender to mix the pancake batter, which I think added a lot of air to the mixture. See how fluffy the blintz is - it puffed up like a soufflé! A food processor or just a spoon is probably a better option.

Second, the consistency of the ricotta mixture was a little thinner than ideal - something closer to the thickness you'd use in lasagna would be better - in the future I’d add a little more mascarpone to thicken it up. The combination of these two factors made it really tricky to keep the layers from mixing together, even using the spoon-pouring method Ina demonstrated and I wasn't totally successful.

The final factor is the baking vessel. I cut the recipe in half and baked it in a medium oval casserole dish, but I think this made the layers too thick and really increased the baking time. Next time I’d use a larger dish so that the layers are spread over a larger area and bake more evenly.

Small Kitchen Friendly?

Yes, definitely. I used a blender (recommend: food processor), medium bowl, small sauce pan, and a baking dish in addition to a rubber spatula, microplane grater, wire whisk, small paring knife, along with the usual measuring cups (liquid and dry) and spoons.

The Verdict:

Mike and I were one week into a two week busy-spell of travel, work, and evening plans, so I wanted to slow down over Sunday brunch and have Baked Blintzes with Blueberry Sauce. I like a ‘sweet’ breakfast, especially waffles, while Mike would rather have something like an omelet. So, this seemed like a great compromise that we’d both like.

While the flavors are good and we thought the blueberry sauce was awesome (excellent over warm croissants, btw.) this dish didn’t really check the box for either of us. Not quite eggs, not quite a waffle. However, the next morning I had a piece still chilled from the refrigerator and actually like it a lot better cold. Bizarre, I know. Final decision: I will probably save this recipe for times when we have guests for brunch and will be making more than one dish to choose from.

Roasted Beet Salad with Arugula, Goat Cheese & Hazelnuts

July 28, 2014 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking

Roasted Beet Salad with Arugula, Goat Cheese and Hazelnuts | Image: Laura Messersmith — **Roasted Beet Salad with Arugula, Goat Cheese and Hazelnuts** | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

If I had to think carefully about when I was converted to beets I’d probably trace the moment back to a beet salad I had at a little bistro on Greenville Ave in Dallas. I wouldn’t have normally ordered it, but there was a snafu with my entrée and it seemed like a good option. Since then I’ve been ordering beet salads like they’re going out of style.

I don’t know why it didn’t occur to me to try making one until we were sitting in a new restaurant in our neighborhood and once again the salad called out to me from the top of the menu. Inspiration struck and I realized that I could probably recreate some of the flavors at home.

I consulted Ina (of course), but also a few other sources and my trusty Flavor Bible (that’s really what it’s called) until I figured out the best process to achieve what I wanted. The end result: cool beets, a vinaigrette with bright acidity and a little cheese to round it all out.

Beet Salad with Arugula, Goat Cheese and Hazelnuts (serves 4 generously)

Ingredients:

2 medium red beets, tops removed and scrubbed
2 medium golden beets, tops removed and scrubbed
¼ cup hazelnuts, toasted
4 cups baby arugula greens, washed and dried
2 ounces goat cheese
2 tablespoons raspberry vinegar
2 tablespoon champagne or white wine vinegar
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for roasting
1 ½ teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, minced
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Special Tools:

Rubber gloves (optional)
Aluminum foil
Paper towels

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the beets on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and toss with the olive oil. Fold the edges of the foil together to form a packet. Roast for 60 – 75 minutes or until a knife inserted into the largest beet meets no resistance.

Allow beets to cool enough to handle and then remove the skins by rubbing gently with a paper towel. (The beets will stain your hands, so gloves are a good idea for this step!)

Cut the beets in ½ inch chunks and place them in a large bowl. Toss with 2-3 tablespoons of the vinaigrette and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour until cold.

Meanwhile, toast the hazelnuts in a dry sauté pan until golden. Allow to cool; then coarsely chop. In a separate bowl, toss the arugula greens with the remaining vinaigrette.

Arrange the dressed greens and beets on a plate and top with the toasted hazelnuts, and crumbled goat cheese.

Vinaigrette:

Whisk together the raspberry vinegar, champagne vinegar, chopped thyme leaves, salt & pepper. Whisk in olive oil until emulsified.

Small Kitchen Friendly:

Yes, especially since it was conceived in a small kitchen! I used one baking sheet, one large bowl, one medium bowl, and a small sauté pan. I also used a liquid measuring cup, measuring spoons, a chef’s knife, a whisk, and one medium cutting board.

The Verdict:

Mike and I both loved the intense sharpness of the vinaigrette balanced against the creaminess of the goat cheese, and the dense flavor of the roasted beets pairs so nicely with the toasted hazelnuts. I recommend serving with a few pieces of toasted baguette for an additional crunch. I’d love to try new versions of this salad combining different types of cheese – perhaps homemade ricotta, or gorgonzola? – and some alternate toasted nuts like pistachios or walnuts.