Planning & Researching

What am I going to cook?

            Before we can get cooking, we need to decide what we are going to cook.   Let’s go Italian.  Let’s make minestrone.  If you do not know what this is, begin you research.  Find out what it is and then fine a recipe that sounds good.  If you do know, begin your search for a new recipe.  You can look for the familiar or search for the unique.

 

Researching

            Go online and fine a recipe for minestrone.  There are many different kinds of minestrone.  Each region has its own special ingredients.  Once you choose your recipe, research your ingredients.  You can go with the very best ingredients or you can go with what you have on hand. 

 

Planning a meal

            Plan a meal around the Minestrone.  Make sure you have the ingredients needed for the minestrone.  What would you serve with it?  What kind of wine or drink?  Then get cooking.  Make your minestrone.

 

Your challenge

            This week try making butter.  You need to research.  Gather your ingredients.  Make the butter.  Then use some of your butter on this week’s recipe below.

 

Tip this Week – Crostini

Crostini is toasted bread.  Usually slices of baguette, but other breads can be used.  Slice the bread ¼ to ½ inch thick.  It is important to make the slices as uniform as you can so they cook evenly.  Lightly brush the bread with melted butter, olive oil, or a mixture of the two.  Be careful not to saturate the bread.  The bread can be fried in a skillet or baked in the oven.  I prefer the baked method.

Golden Crostini

 

This Week in Punkin’s Kitchen:

 

Crostini with Pine Nut Encrusted Goat Cheese

 

1          Baguette, slice diagonally, ¼ inch thick
 

I used my homemade butter.

¼ C     Butter, melted                                            

4 oz.    Pine nuts, slightly toasted

7 oz.    Log of goat cheese (chevre)

            Thin slices of tomato

 

1.    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2.    Place the pine nuts in a shallow oven proof dish and spread thinly.  Slightly toast the pine nuts in the oven.  Set aside to cool.

Toasted pine nuts

3.    Melt the butter.



Try to make the slices the same thickness.  Baguette slices can be found at the grocery store and it saves a step.

4.    Slice the baguette and lightly brush both sides with the melted butter.  Place on a baking sheet so that the slices do not overlap.  Bake until crusty and golden about 15 -20 minutes.  Turn the slices and bake and addition 10-15 minutes, until golden.  The second side usually takes less time.  Watch the bread closely.  Set aside to slightly cool.

Both sides brushed with butter and ready for the oven.

5.    Thinly slice the tomato.

These are vine ripen, but I prefer heirloom tomatoes.

6.    Slice the log of goat cheese thinly.  Place a slice on the pine nuts and press to make the nuts stick to the cheese on one side.


I used Chevre.

The goat cheese may be crumbly, but just press it into shape.

 

 

The cutting board should have been cleaned.  Both sides can be encrusted, but I found one side was enough to give the right amount of pine nuts to the flavor.

 

 

7.    Assemble the crostini.  Take a toasted slice of baguette, top with a slice of tomato and the pine nut encrusted goat cheese.



Perfectly lightly golden on both sides.



Top with the tomato slice and the goat cheese.

8.    Serve at room temperature as an appetizer or snack.  They make a nice accompaniment to soup or salad.

There are many variations, so use your imagination. Try different cheeses, vegetables, nuts and garnishes.  Encrust the cheese with finely chopped herbs.  Dips and spread go very well with crostini.  I like them plain in soup.

 

Also This Week

            I took pasta making class and really built on what I know about making pasta.  I had trouble with the dough.  Problems solved and I was able to duplicate one of the recipes we made in class.  Pasta will be coming in a future post.

 

            Also I invested in a Le Creuset stockpot to use when making mozzarella and ricotta.  Of course I had to try it out with a batch of mozzarella.  It really made a difference in the taste and texture.  My Dad use to say, “Use the right tool for the job.” He was talking about home repairs, but it applies to cooking as well.  It is not necessary to have every gadget, but think about what you are doing and how you want to accomplish your desired result.  Sometimes you need to improvise, sometimes you will have stroke of genius, but often success comes with using the right tool for the job.

Happy cooking!