Mushroom Quiche

Serves Four

1 pie shell

2 strips diced bacon

1 tbsp diced onion

1 1/4 cup sliced and diced mushroom

1/2 cup diced smoked Gouda cheese

1/2 cup diced Gruyere cheese

1/2 cup diced Mozzarella cheese

10 oz light cream

2 eggs

Pepper to taste

1/2 tsp Parisian spice blend

1/2 tsp Raz El Hanout seasoning or quiche seasoning

Sauté bacon in a non stick fry pan until slightly golden.

Add onion and sauté two minutes.

Add mushrooms and continue to sauté until mushroom liquid is evaporated, about 4-5 minutes.

Evenly add half the cheese to the pie shell.

Then add the mushroom mix, followed by the remaining cheese.

In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, spice blends and cream until all is blended well. 

Pour the egg mixture over the pie shell and bake in a 375 degree oven for about 30 minutes.

To test if the quiche is done, stick a clean knife into the center of the pie and remove. If the knife removes with no egg mixture sticking to the knife, the quiche is done.

If not, cook for another five minutes and test again.

To reduce some saturated fat from the recipe, substitute the cream with regular milk.

Just add one additional egg white to the egg mixture. You can also use a low fat Mozzarella cheese for further fat reduction.

Salt is not necessary in the recipe as the bacon and cheese have enough.

Soup Noodles

Quick and Easy Noodles from Dry Pasta

Take any straight pasta noodle and lay it side by side in a clean cloth towel. Spaghetti, Linguini, Fettucini or Angel Hair work best.

Roll the towel tightly, holding each end of the towel firmly on the edge of a counter or table.

Pressing down, pull the cloth over the corner of the counter. You will hear little pops as the pasta breaks into little pieces.

Open the towel to assure all the pasta is broken. 

If not, repeat the process one more time.

Place the pieces of noodles in your simmering soup and cook until tender.

Baked Stuffed Artichoke

Serves One

1 artichoke

3/8 cup seasoned breadcrumbs

2 tbsp olive oil

1 hard boiled egg

1 tsp grated Romano cheese

1 tsp chopped parsley

1/2 tsp chopped garlic

1/2 lemon

Pepper to taste

Cut bottom stem off of artichoke so it can sit straight up in the roasting pan.

Trim off the top 1/2 inch to remove any thorns.

Remove any bruised outside leaves and trim the remaining tips off each leaf.

Open the artichoke by spreading the center open, followed by opening each circular section until the artichoke is about twice its normal size.

Rub the outside leaves and cut leaves with half of a fresh lemon to prevent browning. (Save the lemon for later). 

Place all ingredients (breadcrumbs, oil, egg, cheese, parsley, pepper) in a bowl and mix well, breaking the hard cooked egg into small pearl-like pieces.

Starting from the center of the artichoke, spoon the stuffing into the artichoke, followed by stuffing each leaf until the entire choke is stuffed.

Place in a baking dish with a 1/2 inch of white wine or a mix of wine and water and the lemon half from earlier.

Cover with foil and bake in a 375 degree oven for about one hour.

Remove foil and spoon any liquid over the top of the choke.

You are now ready to serve.

Imperial Silver Corn Fizz

Hurricane Sandy put my blog back a few weeks. I wasn’t in the mood to prepare any special recipes or try new cocktails. The stress and physical work from the storm just left me down.

I found this cocktail recipe in the Whiskey Advocate, thanks to a NY bartender and his chef. I adjusted the recipe for home use versus having a bar size batch sitting in your refrigerator.

To make one Imperial Silver Corn Fizz:

Put one can of whole kernel corn and two cups of water in a blender; blend, strain and refrigerate.

In a cocktail shaker, combine:

1 1/2 oz Tennessee whiskey

1 oz strained corn water

1/2 oz honey syrup (Stir two parts of honey and one part of hot water until smooth)

1 egg white

Add ice and shake very long and very hard. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Top with 1 oz of chilled champagne. 

To save the corn water for future use, pour the leftovers into ice cube trays and freeze. Depending on the size of your ice cube tray, 2-3 cubes should equal one ounce of corn water.

Veal or Pork Schnitzel

Each cutlet should be 3 to 4 ounces. Ask your butcher to pound each cutlet into very thin slices.

Using a standard breading process, (flour, whisked eggs and plain bread crumbs), pat the cutlet into the flour, dip in the egg mix and follow by dipping into the breadcrumbs. 

You want to fully coat the cutlet with the bread crumbs, patting them firmly into the meat.

These cutlets cook quickly, so there is no need to cook in advance. Ten minutes before service, place in a hot fry pan with vegetable oil. Sauté until golden on both sides.

Remove from the pan and place on a paper towel to absorb any excess oil.

Serve on a platter with a lemon slice garnish.

I love this dish with a Hollandaise Sauce flavored with a white Bordeaux reduction and a hint of lemon juice. (See previous post for Hollandaise sauce.)

Roasted Fall Gourds

Serves Four

The fall season has a variety of colorful gourds, pumpkins and squash (acorn, butternut) available that are tasty, simple to cook and add an interesting touch to your plate.

2 gourds

2 tbsp olive oil or melted margarine

Ground pepper to taste

Ground rosemary

1/2 tsp Hungarian paprika

Cut gourds in half lengthwise and remove the seeds.

Using a pastry brush paint the outside and inside of the gourd with a mixture of seasoned olive oil.

Place the halves on a small baking dish and place in a 375 degree oven for 25 minutes.

Finish under the broiler until golden.

Lemon Cucumbers

Below are two pictures showing lemon cucumbers I grew this summer.
If anyone would like some seeds, please send me a self addressed envelope and I will gladly send you enough to grow three mounds of three plants each next season.

Donald Sheen CEC
142 Highland Ave.
Rowayton Ct. 06853