Proud Italian Cook

Stuffed Tomahawk Pork Chop

February 28, 2012 by Marie 21 Comments

There’s a new market that opened up in my area and I’ve been like a kid in a candy store trying out some of their different products and produce, cuts of meat, fish and fabulous bakery, I could go on and on about this place and I will at a later date as I’ve been invited to a private tour in a few weeks from now.

The first time I went I couldn’t resist the tomahawk pork chops that were sitting in the meat case, these things are huge, think Flintstone style, and resemble a small axe, hence the name tomahawk!
Berkshire pork is prized for it’s juiciness, flavor and tenderness, it’s the prime rib of the pork loin and weighs in at around 1pound!
I never cooked one before but the minute I saw it I knew I was going to stuff it so I asked the butcher to cut me a nice deep pocket, which he happily did!

My stuffing consisted of crumbled feta cheese, sliced sun dried tomatoes packed in oil, grated lemon peel and chopped fresh spinach. I used my indoor grill pan to brown it first before I stuffed it then seasoned it with salt, pepper and a sprig of rosemary. I secured the opening with 3 wooden skewers then finished baking it in the same grill pan at 375 in the oven until meat thermometer reached 145.

This is very impressive and easily feeds 2 hungry people, and the flavor? Well all I can say is that it’s out of this world! Go try and hunt one down!

Buon Appetito!

Roasted Salmon with Pan Seared Gnocchi

February 22, 2012 by Marie 23 Comments

This is not so much a recipe, but by placing these components together you create a fabulous meal! If you read my blog regularly you know I love my roasted tomatoes, I make them simply by placing foil on a rimmed lined baking sheet then adding shaved garlic and a very generous amount of olive oil, salt and pepper over my sweet cherry, grape or Campari tomatoes, roasting them in a 400-425 degree oven. The tin foil holds all that juicy, tomatoey, oily goodness that comes out, for fear any would burn off!
For added flavor in this dish, capers and olives were tossed into the juice.
I always roast my salmon at 450 for 15 minutes, take it out and let it rest.

Have you tried pan seared gnocchi yet? I urge you to try it! I had leftover ricotta gnocchi in my freezer and right from the frozen state you saute it in a pan with melted butter and a drizzle of olive oil, the outside gets golden and crispy and the middle is soft. I learned this technique from watching Chef Jonathan Waxman in a live demo. It was the perfect companion for my salmon along with some sauteed spinach.

Don’t waste the tomatoes! Toss them in fresh green beans with roasted cipollini onions, a delicious side!

Buon Appetito!

23 Comments Filed Under: Fish Tagged: cipollini onions, pan seared gnocchi, ricotta gnocchi, roasted salmon, roasted tomatoes

Roasted Veggie Pasta for a Crowd

February 15, 2012 by Marie 22 Comments

This is a nice choice for a buffet, a colorful combination of roasted veggies tossed with hearty rigatoni, pasta. The best thing is everything can be prepped the day before including the pasta, and assembled the day of your party.
Bring everything to room temperature, mix it all together and warm it slightly in a low oven, it doesn’t have to be pipping hot at all!

The more colors the better, and the more the merrier with the veggies! I used red, yellow and orange peppers, cauliflower, eggplant, artichokes, green beans, onions, peas, cherry tomatoes and sliced garlic all roasted separately, according to their kind on baking sheets in a 425 degree oven drizzled with generous amounts of olive oil, salt and pepper.
I like to roast my cherry tomatoes along with sliced garlic and plenty of olive oil on top of foil so the juicy oil gathers together and doesn’t burn off on the baking sheet, that way you can toss that wonderful juice all in the mix as well.
Of course you’ll want to add handfuls of grated romano cheese, more olive oil, fresh basil and parsley to finish it off, tasting along the way to get the flavors just right!