To be honest, I actually had planned the following menu before seeing the movie:
Herb and Parmigiano Crusted Tilapia with Quick Tomato Sauce
Sauteed Broccoli Raab with Chili, Garlic, and Lemon
Great Garlic Knots
What I hadn’t planned for until after the movie gave me that little boost of extra motivation, however, was dessert. Gianduia Mousse. I always need something sweet after Italian food. Here is how the day/night rolled out.
I had taken the day off because we are in an economic crisis and are supposed to take days off when there is nothing to do. Well, lately there hasn’t been a single day that fit that description, but Friday was going to be the closest thing. Or maybe I just made it seem that way in my head so I felt justified in taking the day off to cook. First step was grocery shopping and between all the different grocery stores, all the ingredients were found with the exception of broccoli raab. The produce guy at Gelson’s said they do carry it but were currently out and were expecting a shipment the next day. The next day didn’t work for me, so Sauteed Broccoli Raab with Chili, Garlic, and Lemon became Sauteed Broccolini with Chili, Garlic, and Lemon.
The first thing I made was the dessert, which I picked because it actually seemed pretty easy. Let me tell ya, skinning hazelnuts is not easy. I followed all the instructions and about 1/3 of the skins came off. But to get the rest… that is an hour of my life I won’t get back. The end result was decent, but not worth ever doing it all again. Just too sweet for my taste. The whipped topping, however, will probably be used again. Two ingredients, only minutes of work with an outcome that is light and fluffy.
And something else that isn’t easy… tying dough into knots. I couldn’t find refrigerated breadstick dough anywhere so I went with refrigerated pizza dough instead, which a few reviewers said was the better way to go anyway. I decided to make garlic knots because I thought there would be a lot of sauce leftover from the main dish and we would need something to dip in it. Turns out we had zero sauce left over, which is unfortunate because they really needed to be dipped in something. I chose the healthiest garlic knot recipe, so of course it was probably the least flavorful. They were nothing compared to the little pieces of heaven at C&O Trattoria in Marina del Rey, but they are worth making again as long as next time there is something delicious to dip them in.
I chose tilapia because my boyfriend said he wanted to try fish again and my mom ha told me before tilapia was a good fish for people who don’t like seafood because it doesn’t really have a taste of its own and just takes on that of which it is served with. So cooking tilapia and smothering with tomato sauce sounded like a great idea. And boy was it! Honestly, we had know idea we were eating fish, it just tasted like flakey goodness. One lesson I learned is don’t use tongs to turnover and serve fish because it will fall apart. But yes, it was delicious and he ate every bite unlike my last attempt at fish, a salmon dish I had to finish for him. He particularly loved the tomato sauce, which is great news since it was super easy. The tilapia was easy too, except for chopping all the herbs. Not a fan of prep work, as you know.
I may have started cooking the broccolini a little late in the game and therefore was rushing so it probably was not as good as it could have been. I bought a lemon zester for the occasion, but when it came down to game time I realized I didn’t know how to use it. So I squeezed in some lemon burst instead. And then at the end I forgot to squeeze the lemon juice over it. Oh well, I don’t care for veggies that have too strong of a lemon flavor anyway. The scant 1/4 tsp of crushed red pepper flakes definitely added a kick though. May try the recipe again if I ever get my hands on some broccoli raab.
So all in all, not a remarkable meal, but I am still pretty proud of myself. I made a lot of food and all of it was edible and we stuffed ourselves full. The main course, at least, has definitely earned a spot in regular recipe rotation.
Herb and Parmigiano Crusted Tilapia with Quick Tomato Sauce
serves four
2 large cloves garlic, minced (about 1 Tbs.)
6 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes
Pinch granulated sugar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs
3/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/2 cup chopped mixed fresh herbs, such as thyme, parsley, chives, or oregano
Four 6-oz. skinless tilapia fillets
1 large egg
In a small (1- to 2-quart), heavy saucepan, cook the garlic in 2 Tbs. of the oil over medium heat until it begins to color, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juices, sugar, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally and breaking up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, on a large plate, toss the breadcrumbs, Parmigiano, herbs, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper.
Season the fish with salt and pepper. Beat the egg in a wide, shallow dish. Dip each fillet in the egg and then the breadcrumb mixture, pressing it on to help it adhere.
In a 12-inch heavy-duty nonstick skillet, heat the remaining 4 Tbs. olive oil over medium-high heat. Add two of the fillets and cook until the coating is nicely browned and the flesh is opaque and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Use a slotted spatula to move the fish. Repeat with the remaining fillets. Serve the tilapia with a spoonful of the sauce.
Sauteed Broccoli Raab with Chili, Garlic, and Lemon
serves four
3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbs. minced garlic (2 to 3 large cloves)
Scant 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
Finely grated zest of half a lemon; plus fresh lemon juice to taste
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lb. broccoli raab, rinsed, trimmed, and blanched
Put the oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes in a 10- to 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat. Cook until the garlic is fragrant and starts to sizzle slightly, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low if the garlic starts to brown. Stir in the lemon zest, 1/4 tsp. salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Raise the heat to medium high and add the broccoli raab, turning to thoroughly coat in the oil and spices. Turn frequently, until it is heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off the heat, sprinkle lemon juice over the broccoli raab, toss again, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Gianduia Mousse
serves six
For the mousse:
6 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
2/3 cup Hazelnut Butter, at room temperature
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
For the garnish:
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 Tbs. finely ground toasted hazelnuts (see the Hazelnut Butter recipe for toasting directions; grind the toasted nuts in a food processor)
To make the mousse: In a 2-qt. metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, melt the chocolate, stirring with a rubber spatula until the chocolate is completely smooth. In a separate small saucepan, heat 1/2 cup of the cream over medium heat to just below the boiling point. Remove the bowl of chocolate from the pan of water and wipe the bottom and sides dry. Pour the hot cream into the melted chocolate and stir together with the spatula until well blended. Add the hazelnut butter and stir until well combined. Stir in the 2 tsp. vanilla.
In a chilled mixing bowl, using chilled beaters, beat the remaining 1 cup cream until it holds soft peaks. With a rubber spatula, fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture in four batches, blending thoroughly after each addition. Pour the mousse into a 1-1/2 qt. soufflé dish or serving bowl, or into individual serving bowls or glasses. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours (or 1 hour if using it to fill profiteroles).
To make the garnish: In a chilled mixing bowl with chilled beaters, beat the 1/2 cup cream until frothy. Add the 1/2 tsp. vanilla and continue beating until the cream holds soft peaks. Pipe or spoon the whipped cream on top of the mousse. Sprinkle the chopped hazlenuts over the whipped cream and serve.
Hazelnut Butter
yields about 1 cup
8 oz. (1-2/3 cups) hazelnuts
1/4 cup vegetable oil, such as canola or sunflower
To prepare the hazelnuts: Heat the oven to 350°F. Spread the hazelnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast in the heated oven until the skins are mostly split and the nuts are light golden brown and quite fragrant, 15 to 18 min. Don’t overcook the nuts or they’ll become bitter.
Put the warm hazelnuts in a clean dishtowel. Fold the towel around the hazelnuts and let them steam for at least 5 min. Then rub the nuts in the towel to remove most of the skins (try to get at least 50% of the skins off). Let the hazelnuts sit for another 10 to 15 min. to cool completely. Toasted, peeled hazelnuts can be cooled and frozen in a sealed plastic container for up to three months.
To make the hazelnut butter: Put the nuts in a food processor; add the oil and pulse a few times. Then process, checking the consistency every few seconds, until the texture resembles that of natural, unhomogenized peanut butter or wet sand, 1 to 2 min.
first night in LA… prep work in my kitchen
last day in LA… prep work in Project Angel Food’s kitchen
RECIPE COURTESY OF FINECOOKING.COM
