Polenta Party! March 19, 2014.
...in honor of a visit from Diva A's cousin (who's just enough older to have learned all the amazing Italian recipes from their grandmother).
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Rossinis
(Recipe courtesy of Ina Garten)
1 pint (2 cups) ripe strawberries, hulled
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar syrup
1 teaspoon Grand Marnier liqueur
6 orange zest strips, for garnish
1 (750-ml) bottle Prosecco, chilled
Place the strawberries in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and puree until completely smooth. Pour the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve and press to make a seedless puree. Discard the seeds. Add the sugar syrup and Grand Marnier to the puree and refrigerate until very cold.
When ready to serve, rub the rim of each glass with the orange zest. Pour the cold Prosecco into the Champagne glasses until they're each three-quarters full. Carefully stir 2 tablespoons of the puree into each glass and serve very cold.
(Recipe courtesy of Ina Garten)
1 pint (2 cups) ripe strawberries, hulled
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar syrup
1 teaspoon Grand Marnier liqueur
6 orange zest strips, for garnish
1 (750-ml) bottle Prosecco, chilled
Place the strawberries in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and puree until completely smooth. Pour the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve and press to make a seedless puree. Discard the seeds. Add the sugar syrup and Grand Marnier to the puree and refrigerate until very cold.
When ready to serve, rub the rim of each glass with the orange zest. Pour the cold Prosecco into the Champagne glasses until they're each three-quarters full. Carefully stir 2 tablespoons of the puree into each glass and serve very cold.
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Creamy Polenta
4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup polenta or yellow cornmeal
cheese (optional, I used about 4 oz of marscarpone and a handful of parmesan)
1-3 tablespoons butter (optional)
Bring the water to a boil. Bring the water to a brisk boil over medium-high heat. Add the salt.
Pour the polenta into the boiling water. While whisking gently, pour the polenta into the boiling water in a steady stream.
Continue whisking until polenta is thickened. Turn down the heat to low and continue whisking until the polenta has thickened enough that it doesn't settle back on the bottom of the pan when you stop stirring.
Cook the polenta 30-40 minutes. Cover the polenta and continue cooking. Stir vigorously every 10 minutes or so, making sure to scrape the sides, bottom, and corners of the pan. Cook 30 minutes for softer porridge-like polenta or 40 minutes for thicker polenta.
Stir in cheese and butter, if using. Stir the cheese and butter into the polenta, if using. Serve immediately, or cover the pan and let it sit at the back of the stove for up to 15 minutes before serving
Leftover Polenta: Polenta will solidify into the shape of the container in which you store it. Leftover polenta can be sliced or cubed before being roasted, grilled, or deep-fried. To make it creamy again, warm it with a little broth, milk, or water, and stir vigorously. It won't be quite as creamy as it was originally, but it should still be pourable.
(from The Kitchn)
Spicy Pork Meatballs with Spicy Meat Sauce
Pork Meatballs:
Spicy Meat Sauce:
4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup polenta or yellow cornmeal
cheese (optional, I used about 4 oz of marscarpone and a handful of parmesan)
1-3 tablespoons butter (optional)
Bring the water to a boil. Bring the water to a brisk boil over medium-high heat. Add the salt.
Pour the polenta into the boiling water. While whisking gently, pour the polenta into the boiling water in a steady stream.
Continue whisking until polenta is thickened. Turn down the heat to low and continue whisking until the polenta has thickened enough that it doesn't settle back on the bottom of the pan when you stop stirring.
Cook the polenta 30-40 minutes. Cover the polenta and continue cooking. Stir vigorously every 10 minutes or so, making sure to scrape the sides, bottom, and corners of the pan. Cook 30 minutes for softer porridge-like polenta or 40 minutes for thicker polenta.
Stir in cheese and butter, if using. Stir the cheese and butter into the polenta, if using. Serve immediately, or cover the pan and let it sit at the back of the stove for up to 15 minutes before serving
Leftover Polenta: Polenta will solidify into the shape of the container in which you store it. Leftover polenta can be sliced or cubed before being roasted, grilled, or deep-fried. To make it creamy again, warm it with a little broth, milk, or water, and stir vigorously. It won't be quite as creamy as it was originally, but it should still be pourable.
(from The Kitchn)
Spicy Pork Meatballs with Spicy Meat Sauce
Pork Meatballs:
- 2 pounds ground pork shoulder
- 4 slices white bread, minced in a food processor (about 3 1/2 cups)
- 3 eggs
- 4 pickled hot cherry peppers, minced
- 1/4 cup hot cherry pepper pickling liquid
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Spicy Meat Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound ground pork shoulder
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 2 teaspoons chile flakes
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 (28-ounce) cans chopped tomatoes (preferably San Marzano)
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Blackberry Panna Cotta
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Make Ahead: The panna cottas can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/cranberry-panna-cotta
- ACTIVE: 15 MIN
- TOTAL TIME: 30 MIN PLUS 2 HR CHILLING
- SERVINGS: 8
Ingredients:
- 1 cup blackberries
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 3 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon unflavored powdered gelatin
Instructions:
- In a small saucepan, combine the blackberries with the sugar and water and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the blackberries soften, about 5 minutes. Mash the blackberries with the back of a spoon to make a thick sauce.
- Transfer the sauce to a large bowl and refrigerate, stirring often, until cool, about 15 minutes. Stir 3 cups of the buttermilk into the cooled blackberry sauce.
- In a small saucepan, sprinkle the gelatin over the remaining 1/2 cup of buttermilk. Let stand until the gelatin has dissolved, about 5 minutes. Heat the mixture over low heat, stirring a few times with a rubber spatula, until the buttermilk is just warm and the gelatin is melted, about 1 1/2 minutes; fold into the cranberry mixture.
- Pour the panna cotta into 8 glasses. Cover and refrigerate for about 2 hours, until they are set. Top each with a small dollop of yogurt or whipped cream and candied fruit.
Make Ahead: The panna cottas can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/cranberry-panna-cotta
I cheated. For all of the cheeses and meats and other things, I went to Trader Joe's. It is an amazing place where all of your needs can be met. http://www.traderjoes.com/
In my defense, I was packing a condo to move, but also I just love this kind of food. Who doesn't want some deliciousness in the form of salami, cheeses, bread sticks.
Best,
Diva K
In my defense, I was packing a condo to move, but also I just love this kind of food. Who doesn't want some deliciousness in the form of salami, cheeses, bread sticks.
Best,
Diva K