Zucchini Orzo Pie - Baked with Pure Love

It may have taken me a year of promising you this "pie" mentioned in my About page, but finally here is the recipe that was the genesis of my 'something from nothing' style.  It was hatched oh so long ago when my sister, Jill, needed help using up a boat load of zucchini that was given to her.  When I use the term boat load, I don't feel it to be an exaggeration.  The fact that we made zucchini bread, muffins, fried zucchini, you name it, yet when all was said and done we STILL had zucchini spilling over. Thus began the search for what else can we toss together to cook the zucchs up before they went belly up.  I started rummaging through her refrigerator and cupboards in hopes to find inspiration.  Mind you, my sis did not use fresh herbs or have an abundance of fresh items from which to select.  My search turned up the following:
A box of orzo, canned chicken stock, grape tomatoes,  frozen pie crust and mozzarella, plus the usual suspects, salt, pepper, garlic, dried oregano and oil. (Thank goodness for the oregano!)

Ingredients

1/2 box Orzo  (6 oz)
1 deep dish Frozen pie crust
1.5 c grape, cherry or your favorite tomatoes  
1 - 1.5 c Mozzarella, shredded
2-3 cloves, garlic, finely chopped
3 qts Chicken or Vegetable stock, you can also use water
salt, pepper to taste
1/2 t dried oregano
pinch red pepper flakes, optional
Olive oil
and of course, ZUCCHINI (2-3 medium, cubed)

Sure, I could have just made a pasta salad I guess, but I was feeling creative, adventurous and let's face it the universe was providing me with a golden nugget that would materialize 20 years later. 

Instructions

In a 350 degree oven, blind bake the crust, dotting with a fork the sides and bottom so it doesn't bubble up. Cut up the zucchini and tomatoes and grate the cheese and set them aside.

Sauté the zucchini in garlic and olive oil. Add salt, pepper, dried oregano and cook until tender. That's right, dried oregano because that was the only kind of herb my sister had in her house.  

Once the zucchini is cooked add the chicken or vegetable stock and the orzo. Cooking it together like this really help the flavors to cozy up and get to know one another nicely. Once all the liquid is absorbed and the orzo is tender, spoon it into the pie crust.  

 

Cooking the zucchini first then adding the stock and orzo let all the flavors meld together.

Fill 'em up.

Top with the chopped tomatoes and the shredded mozzarella.  

Top each pie with tomatoes and cheese.

Bake in a 350 degree until the cheese is nice and bubbly.  Let cool slightly before slicing it up.

I will admit to you that after that "experimental" day years back, I never made that pie again.  Not because it wasn't good, but it was created to solve the problem of the moment;  too much zucchini. Since that problem didn't arise again, plus add the fact I could never eat an entire pie on my own, I thought the recipe was a one off.  Jokes on me, since much to my surprise, my sister Jill, recently told that she has been making it regularly ever since. Her girls LOVE it and they make it together all the time.  And since her husband loves this too she has to make two at time since they disappear so quickly.  Even her girls' friends have come to love the 'zucchini pie'.

So in honor of our first making of this pie, my sister and I embarked on making it together again for the photos on this post.  What a joy to recreate this with her and two of her daughters.  And full disclosure.  Since I haven't made this pie in YEARS, I had to rely on Jill for measurements and instructions.  This gives her a good giggle since the tables were completely turned with me asking HER for info.  That said, I am tickled pink that she still makes it but the icing on this pie is that it is a hit with her family and has become a tradition.  

Please remember, this is a rustic pie but one that can fill up your family in a pinch.  Serve it up for a lunch or dinner with salad or veggies on the side.  As with most of my recipes, swap out for what you have.  Here are some ideas.

Orzo = Israeli couscous, Pastina, Arborio rice
Zucchini = summer squash, spinach, escarole, eggplant... well any vegetable really
Mozzarella = Fontina, goat cheese, feta, 
The possibilities are abundant, so enjoy your rustic pie anyway you like.

Recipe Printable Version

Luscious Butternut Cream Crostini with Roasted Walnuts & Honey

Let's state the obvious. We throw a lot of parties.  Entertaining fools;  we love to do it. (Alright maybe me a tad more than JC).  Whether the scale is big or an intimate gathering, you always need good nibbles. And the small bites you offer should be tasty and as exciting to you as they are to your guests. Which is why I'm constantly toying around with ideas in the ongoing quest for a tasty appetizer. 

I'm like everyone else, I have some fan favorites,  and will admit that I recycle them for certain events.  Heck, why not?  If something works then play that tune again and again. But I have flavor curiosity syndrome. so I am forever surfing my brain, and my palate for new bites.  Throw in the fact that I just like to experiment and thus the parade of apps.  (By the way, I am trying to get that syndrome classified as an official disorder. I think there might be some benefits to that.)

Usually when I come up with an idea, I don't pre-test.  I just take the plunge and serve it up to our guests before ever trying it myself.  Bold and brazen, that would be me. Yet on the occasions when I have an idea but don't have a planned party I become impatient and make a batch to test on friends and family.  So the irony didn't escape me when this particular recipe idea popped into my head at the exact same time that we had 5 weeks of revolving door guests in our home. That's right, captive prisoners, yet our sightseeing schedules left us with no time for food experimentation.  Much like a lyric from Alanis Morisette's song Ironic, "It's like ten thousand spoons when all you need is a knife".  A perfectly good crop of guinea pigs gone to waste. So, I cooked up a different plan for testing this recipe.  

Because no parties were in the sight, the next soonest taste tester opportunity was our plans to meet up with family at a restaurant in the Bronx.  My plot: bring little samples in tupperware and hand them out prior to entering the restaurant. This is my interpretation of an amuse bouche.  Appetizer BEFORE the appetizer.  (The real meaning of amuse bouche is a bit of food served before the meal to stimulate the appetite.  To amuse your mouth. I think mine did just that.)

First off, Juan Carlos thought I was nuts, (as he often does), and I thought my idea would be met with surprised faces and thoughts of, “who brings appetizers to a restaurant and requests that they be gobbled up like contraband in a dark alley?”  However, as I passed out my little samples, they were happy to oblige. I just love these people!  Once they popped these fluffy bites into their mouths, they didn’t care where they were eating them. 

Tom, one of my biggest fans, ready for his part.

Therese testing the pear, gluten free version. Thanks!

Aunt Rosie, being a good sport

Although this experiment went well, I have enhanced the original idea.  Plus I highly recommend serving them at home on a proper platter to your guests.  (Clandestinely handing them out from a plastic container on a Bronx street corner should be your last resort.)
 

Ingredients

1.5 c butternut squash, roasted
1/2 cup ricotta
1/3 c walnuts, roasted
1/3 c pumpkin seeds, roasted
1/8 tsp nutmeg
3 good pinches red pepper flakes
1.5 t salt
1/8 tsp pepper
Parmesan shards
honey, to drizzle
French baguette, sliced
Pear (I used a Red Anjou)
 

Instructions

Place the two halves of butternut squash on a roasting pan and season with salt, pepper and olive oil.  Roast at 375 degrees until fork tender (about 45 min).  Let cool.

Then scoop out the soft squash and put into a food processor.  Add the salt, pepper, red pepper, nutmeg and blend until smooth.  Add the ricotta cheese and blend until combined.

Roasted and ready for becoming a rich creamy delight.

In a saucepan on the stovetop or in a baking sheet the oven, lightly toast the walnuts and the pumpkin seeds to release their oils and fragrance.  Roughly chop them, keeping them separate.

Place the bread slices on a sheet pan and lightly toast one side, then turn and place the parmesan shards on the other side and toast until slightly melted.

Meanwhile, stir the pumpkin seeds into the butternut/ricotta mixture.  Once the crostini are ready, spoon on the butternut cream mixture, sprinkle the chopped walnuts and drizzle with honey. Serve on your prettiest plate.

If you recall, I don't eat bread.  Neither does my cousin, Therese, who was among the original taste testers. So I needed to come up with delivery vehicle that we both could consume and not feel cheated.  I hate feeling cheated.  Enter the pear for a gluten free version of this app.

Use a nice, thick slice.  We both loved the crisp, freshness of the pear against the creamy, sweetness of the butternut squash, ricotta and honey.  Not only did we not feel cheated, but we felt we had the better version. Shh!

I was really happy with how this ultimately turned out. The folks who had the crostini version liked the crunch of the bread against the creaminess of the butternut squash/ricotta mixture.  Therese and I loved how the pear worked with these flavors.   True confessions, and in authentic something from nothing style, I don't always know all the ingredients up front that will end up in a recipe.  Case in point here, as there was no red pepper in the set up photo. The addition of red pepper flakes came upon tasting it and realizing that the squash and ricotta are quite mild and were desperately calling out for a punch.  AND when I needed to bring an appetizer to a dinner party this past week I decided to make this.  In recreating it I added the pumpkin seeds for addition texture and parmesan for additional saltiness. Neither of which was in the original version. See how it works, my friends. You keep creating, improving and stirring it with more love each time.  

As I suggested earlier, instead of serving this in a back alley, bringing it to a friend's dinner party and serving it on a proper platter, well... It goes without saying that this was an infinitely much better locale!

Recipe Printable Version

Sherry Stirred Mushrooms

Love or Loathe?
Enter the Mushroom.  Most people are clearly either on one side or the other.  I'm one of those people who loves some of them and loathes others.  Sorry Mr. Portobello.  

I would venture to guess one of the reasons why there is such a strong affinity one way or the other is the intensity of a mushroom.  Robust, earthy, with a flavor depth that is undeniable, mushrooms stand up for who they are and make no excuses.  For those in favor, raise your hands in proclaiming that those are some of mushrooms' greatest attributes.   For those who say, hell no, I don't want that mush in my room, it might just be the texture. And the culprit to that is H2O.  Mushrooms are made up of 92% water.  If they don't get cooked correctly or they are salted too soon, all that 92% comes running out like Niagara Falls.  And what do you get? Mushy, soggy, spongy is what you can expect. That's actually my beef with the portobello, a big sponge that fancies itself a "burger".  I guess that's my biggest beef with Señor Portobello.  Another thing, let's not forget they are a fungus.  So that isn't too appealing either. Crap, what am I doing?  I'm supposed to get you to make these mushrooms, not give you reasons not to.  Let me take another swig of sherry and start again.

Mushrooms are in a class by themselves.  Here is a little mushroom humor.  They are neither a meat nor a vegetable.  Yet meat eaters believe them to be a vegetable and vegetarians convince themselves they are meat. Go figure.  These earthy fungi stand alone in the field, literally,  and are mineral and nutrient packed wonders.   I could list all of them but that would be boring.  Trust that they are good, AND  low in calories, fat-free, cholesterol-free, gluten-free, and very low in sodium.  Cropping up from the earth with varieties beyond your imagination and sometimes with price points that exceed the imagination, the ways to serve them are just as varied.  

Now down to brass tacks.  Hopefully I didn't scare you off of eating mushrooms or trying this recipe.   Mushrooms are a good thing and they have talents for being cooked up; they can be stuffed or used in stuffing.  They can be baked, sauteéd or raw. The can be a side dish or a topping. They can be a sauce or sauced.  They can... quite frankly do a lot.  My reason for using them recently came by way of  appetizer platter dilemma.  Our guests regularly get their fill of cured meats and cheeses, so I desperately needed to think out of the box.  A stroll through the produce aisle produced an idea for deep, dark earthiness. Enter the Mushroom: LOVE   

Ingredients

4 c mushrooms, small chopped  (you can use any kind you like. I used cremini.)
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1/3 c shallots, fine dice
1/3 c onions, fine dice
2 T scallions
1 T fresh thyme
1/4 t pepper
1/2 t salt
3/4 c sherry wine
lemon zest
squeeze of lemon juice
Olive oil

Instructions

Mise en place, French for 'everything in its place, is the best way to cook.  It allows you to have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go.  So cut up your ingredients as described above.

Sweat the shallots and onions in oil and then add the mushrooms.  Do not season with salt yet, remember their enormous water content.  If you salt them at this point, they will release all their liquid making them MUSHrooms. You want them to get a nice sear on them.  Another tip is to not stir them. Let them cook and get caramelized before you give them whirl.

Patience is more than a virtue. Let the mushrooms sit there. I know it's tempting but do not stir them around. Let them get a good sear.

Once they are beautifully browned add the salt, pepper, thyme and garlic and sauté a few minutes more.   Add the scallions and sherry wine and let the mixture reduce down absorbing up the liquor. Remove from the heat, squeeze some lemon juice and finish with the zest.  You can also drizzle a good olive oil over top. Place in your favorite serving bowl.  You can even top this with some chopped parsley and more scallions.

See the sear. And NO mush anywhere in sight.

Here is how I completed my appetizer platter.  I made bacon jam.  Uh ha, another earthy, jammy wonder to cozy up alongside my 'shrooms.  Since it wasn't my recipe, not going to dedicate a post to it, but my guests loved it so that I wanted to share it. (Click on the highlighted link above for the recipe.)  Then I whipped up some feta cream to spread on grilled bread to be topped with the aforementioned earthy yummies, added some olives, Taleggio cheese, mortadella and roasted peppers.  

Something a little different and perfect for a cold Sunday afternoon.

Let there be fungus among us, sauteéd with sherry, of course.

Recipe Printable Version

Hail to the Kale, Caesar

Kale Caesar Salad

Kale is so very popular that you just want to say, 'Really, do you need to hog the whole stage from other leafy greens?  How much attention does one vegetable need?'  Apparently ALL.  You'd think it was the long lost Kardashian sister, Khail. That said, it is a nice little leaf that does offer what it promises.  As do I. Which is why I am posting this salad.  A few of you asked me to recreate the Kale Caesar Salad that was shown in my review post of Copper 29 Bar.  I, much like kale, like to deliver.  

But before we get down to the nuts and bolts of ingredients and instructions, let's examine the deeper qualities of this bold veg from the cabbage family and see why kale has gained so much fame of late.  First, it is the most nutrient dense leafy gem of all.  Packing Vitamins A, K, C, B6, B1, B2, B3, Manganese, Calcium, Copper, Potassium, Magnesium, Iron and Phosphorus plus it contains powerful antioxidants. It makes a ton of other boostful claims like lowering your cholesterol and fighting cancer. Well, who doesn't love that?!  It's low in calories, low in carbs and good on protein. Gosh damn, what a show off. I guess I can stop being critical and admit it has every right to hog the stage.  Can't say that about many others these days.

Few but mighty ingredients

In the past I have used kale in a few different dishes.  I've made kale chips. I've sautéed it. I've made soup with it. I've added it raw to my Spicy Crunch Slaw.  I even experimented with it many years ago before Kale was all the rage.  I'll post that recipe shortly but for now we will concentrate on hailing to Caesar featuring Kale.  In the version from Copper 29, they added radicchio. Alas, my market didn't have any that looked nice enough to grace this salad, so no go on the radicchio. I used romaine instead. (Not because I thought that was an equal substitute but because I had extra in the house.  Use what you got.)  Their version also used a true Caesar dressing, and you can too.  But I don't eat eggs and wanted to come up with a creamy version that eliminated the raw egg.  I think I hit the mark on creaminess and then some.  

Ingredients

(Makes 6-8 side servings or 4 main)

3 c red kale, finely chopped
3 c green kale, finely chopped
5 c romaine lettuce, chopped
2 T shallots, fine dice
2 T pumpkin seeds, roasted
2 T sunflower seeds
Shards of parm (the amount you desire)
Pear, optional

Instructions

First things first, remove the ribs from the kale leaves.  These are way too hard to eat raw.   Then chop the kale leaves and lettuce in small pieces.  I feel that this is an important step when using hearty kale.  If you leave the pieces too large, they can be a bit rough and tough and slightly unmanageable to deal with... Much like a Kardashian.  So take the time and chop them fine.  Small dice the shallots and shave the Parmesan cheese, setting it aside.  Put all your greens and shallots in your bowl our choice, as it awaits its creamy coating.

Get rid of the ribs.

See, nice small and manageable pieces.

Now it's time to make the dressing.  Remember, if you like traditional Caesar dressing, by all means, knock yourself out.  Below is my interpretation for those who also want to eliminate the raw egg.

The line up for my version of a creamy 'faux Caesar' dressing. (The chives aren't pictured here because I decided to add them after I took the photo. That is truly how the something from nothing style of cooking works. Add as you go.

Dressing

2/3 c Buttermilk
1/2 c Greek yogurt
1 T chives
1 T parsley, chopped
1/2 heaping tsp garlic, crushed  
1/2 t Mustard
2-3 T Parmesan cheese, grated
/2 t lemon zest
1 T lemon juice
1/2 full tsp salt
1/4 t pepper

Then combine all the above ingredients, whisking until smooth.  Easy, peasy.

Don't forget to add the grated parm. This harkens back to the Caesar taste.

Usually, I don't dress my salad until right before serving.  However, due to the heartiness of the leaf, I consider this salad to be more like a slaw which really demands time to let the dressing soak in.  Lovingly pour it over the salad a 1/2 hour before serving, but hold off on adding the shards of parm until right before serving.  Try not to eat too many while you wait.  If you do, just shave some more.

Now here's the part that rockets this recipe to the stars.  Copper 29 served their salad with croutons that were more like heavenly toasts.  Here's my version of those bad boys. 

Ingredients

4-6 thick slices of good crusty bread
3 T butter, room temp softened
1 T Bourbon
1 t Crushed garlic
Sea salt

In a bowl, mash together garlic, butter and bourbon.  Slather the mixture on both sides of the bread slices.

 Sprinkle with sea salt and grill both sides til beautifully browned.  I use a cast iron pan which does the trick.

Oh the sheer crispy, crustiness soaked with warm bourbon butter. Hello, can you say 3 slices is not enough!

Sure this bread has butter AND bourbon, but given Kale's super power properties I think it negates any adverse effects from this mighty 'crouton'. 

So enjoy it all, down to the last crumb, as did my guests.  All in all, I was pleased with how this salad turned out.  I think you will enjoy it too.  Thank goodness we can all Hail the Kale without there being a social media scandal.

Recipe Printable Version

Balsamic Bathed Carrots Wrapped with Zucchini

Crudité cranked up. This is not your ordinary raw carrot appetizer.  It's not a big hunk of veg that is hard and hard to bite into.  And no dipping in some ranch dressing either.  This is amped up, vamped up crudité.  Now, admittedly I can't take full credit for this recipe.  But imitation is the best form of admiration and also serves to inspire, which is what Giada De Laurentiis did.  In her version, she used prosciutto to wrap these bathed shredded carrots.  

I have made it her way many a time, often using Serrano ham instead.  Each time I placed this salty and sweet combo out, they were gobbled up, leaving but spotted remnants of basil and a shred of carrot as evidence of their existence.  I highly recommend trying it that way.  They make the cutest little bundles and provide some vegetables to the meat lovers.  

Bathing the carrots in balsamic and basil is brilliant and elevates the simple carrot to its kicked up crudité status.  Shredding the carrots is also genius as it does two things. It maintains the crisp rawness of the carrot but makes them more manageable to eat.  You definitely won't feel like you'll crack a tooth biting into one of these. Second, the strands lend themselves to be wrapped, creating a more elegant bite. And it's a this point that I began to alter the recipe, coming up with other outer coat wrappings.  During the summer months, I used a long slice of English cucumber.  Served alongside oil doused fennel, this created a very refreshing bite indeed.   I've also tweaked the original recipe not only by what I cloak them with but the dressing as well.

So when a recent gathering required another appetizer, I pulled from my "appetizer archives" and was reminded of these shredded carrots.  Certainly I could have rolled them with Prosciutto or Serrano but I had plenty of meat offerings already.  Just how much do the carnivores need?  I say there needs to be balance on a table. Balance is key.  You want some warm options, room temp ones, meat, and even fresh, raw options from which your guests can pick and choose.  I always try to provide a variety, and given that some of my guests, including myself, are veg/pescatarians, offering up vegetarian options is mandatory. For this shindig, I needed the addition of a refreshing, easy to pick up vegetable plate. Cranked up crudité to the rescue.  Being wintertime I didn't feel the cool cucumber coat would be appropriate. Hmm, what is long, vegetarian and can roll?  No, not a yogini.  Enter the ubiquitous zucchini to the stage. 

INGREDIENTS

3-4 Zucchini, thinly sliced
2-3 large Carrots, shredded
1 T shallot, minced
3 T basil, ribboned
3 T Balsamic vinegar
1/2 T lemon juice
1/3 c olive oil
salt, pepper

 

 

 

Instructions

Using a vegetable shredder on your carrot, create fine julienne ribbons.  I like mine to be about 3-4" in length. Using a mandolin, cut the zucchini into long strips.  

Season the zucchini and grill them lightly and quickly to soften them up so they are not raw and can easily be rolled.

In a bowl, mix together the vinegar, salt, pepper, shallots, basil and oil.  Then toss the carrots so they are all coated with this tangy basil mixture. 

Take a zucchini strip, grab a mound of carrots and begin to roll it up.  Arrange on a platter.  

Make these a head of time while you enjoy a crisp glass of wine, then cover with plastic wrap to keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve.  I would recommend taking them out at least 1/2 hour prior to serving to allow them to kick off the icy chill.  You can also serve these warm.  If you opt for this route, I would prep everything ahead of time right up to the rolling part. Then put the zucchini in the oven to warm, roll up and serve immediately. Anyway you wrap these; cured ham, cucumber, zucchini, cold, warm... well, you get the picture, they will be your new favorite app. Delightful for any party.   Hey, you could also serve a couple of these atop a salad as a first course.  Gosh, I just love when a simple little root veg goes showing off its multitalented uses.  Bravo, Carrot!

As you can see, you don't need to roll these up.  You can also cradle them in a basinet of endive.

Post note:  Two weekends ago we were invited to our friends' house last minute and I was asked to bring some appetizers.  I didn't have much in the house and it was snowing.  This is the best time to employ the something from nothing style.  Open the fridge to find, some carrots, chives and baby bok choy.  You guessed it.  I replaced the basil with chives and the zucchini with baby bok choy.  The flavors were subtle but still made an impression. Open your fridge and turn on your inner something from nothing genius to wrap up some balsamic bathed carrots.