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Mushroom Crostata Is a Scrumptious Starter

partysugar — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 14:00:07 -0800

Looking for the perfect appetizer to serve at Thanksgiving dinner? Look no further than this delicious mushroom and pancetta crostata. A crostata is an Italian free-form tart that's similar to a savory pie. The dough is simple to make and requires 20 minutes of chill time. The filling, a mixture of mushrooms, pancetta, thyme, and cheese is rich and luxurious.

It makes an elegant start to a party when sliced into individual portions and served with a glass of sparkling wine. If you dislike mushrooms, get creative with the crostata technique. Figs and goat cheese, grapes and ricotta, and pears and blue cheese are combinations that would make great fillings. To learn how I made it, read more.

Crostata With Mushrooms and Pancetta
From Giada's Kitchen

Ingredients

For pastry crust:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons ice water
For mushroom filling:
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 ounces diced pancetta
2 shallots, minced
1 pound assorted mushrooms, such as cremini, shiitake, and button
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup (1 ounce) grated smoked mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup ( 1 ounce) grated fontina cheese
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Directions

For the crust: In a food processor combine the flour and salt, and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the butter is finely chopped and the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the mascarpone and lemon juice and pulse a few times. Add the ice water and run the machine just until the mixture is moist and crumbly, but do not form a ball.

Turn the dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap and press into a disk. Wrap the dough tightly and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
For the mushroom filling: Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook until crisp and golden, about four minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked pancetta to a small bowl.
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan. Add the shallots and cook for 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, until all of the moisture has evaporated, about 12 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cooked pancetta along with fresh thyme, salt, and pepper. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.

Place an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F.
Unwrap the chilled dough and place it on a sheet of parchment paper. Roll the dough into an 11-inch circle, about 1/4 inch thick. Lift the parchment paper and transfer it and the dough to the baking sheet.
Stir the mozzarella and fontina into the cooled mushroom filling and spread in the center of the dough circle, leaving a 2-inch border.

Sprinkle the filling with Parmesan.
Fold the dough border up over the filling to form an 8-inch round, pleating the edge of the pastry. Brush the crust with beaten egg. Bake the crostata until the crust is golden about 25 minutes. Slice and serve.

Serves 4.

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Must-Read: Giada's Kitchen

partysugar — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 12:30:08 -0700

Last week Giada De Laurentiis fourth cookbook, Giada's Kitchen ($32) hit bookshelves. The book release coincided with the relaunch of her website, Giadadelaurentiis.com. I was lucky enough to get my hands on a copy of the glossy hardback with Tiffany-blue interior. Yesterday I spent some time reading the book - which is full of pretty pictures and delicious-sounding recipes - to see what I thought of it, read more.

Pros:

The book is loaded with clear, tantalizing pictures. Most recipes include a picture.
At the back of the book, there's a section devoted to menu ideas. There's a bunch of different themes (Aprés-Ski, Italian Picnic, Elegant Vegetarian Dinner, etc.) with dishes from the book. The menus are carefully thought out and make me want to host one of the parties.
This is the first book where De Laurentiis devotes a chapter to (not) just-for-kids food. Many of the recipes look scrumptious!

Cons:

The recipes are written in paragraph form, without any steps, making them harder to follow. It seems more like a showy book you would read, rather than actually cook with.
The aforementioned menus section does not include page numbers. So if you want to make the Tuscan Mushrooms for a Game Day viewing party, you have to look in the index to find out what page the recipe is on.
Many of the recipes have appeared on Giada's Food Network series, so a lot of them - like this orange ricotta pound cake or this chocolate and brie panini - can be found on the Internet.

Recipes: The recipes are classic Giada with the most delicious-sounding ones being her California-Italian-style dishes. The recipes listed below are on my must-make list:

Appetizers and Cocktails - pecorino crackers, apple and thyme martini, crostata with mushrooms and pancetta
Salads and Vegetables - parmesan potato pancake, artichoke gratinata
Meat - chicken scallopini with saffron cream sauce
Desserts - hazelnut crunch cake with mascarpone and chocolate

Imagery: The pictures are beautiful. The double page snapshots of Giada performing several steps of a certain recipe are especially helpful because they demonstrate the recipe's techniques.

Overall Rating: Mixed. While I'm a huge fan of Giada and I love her recipes, the fact that many can be found online makes me wonder what is the point of a cookbook? If you collect cookbooks, I suggest you get your hands on a copy. But if you can't afford the splurge, check out Giada's recipes on FoodNetwork.com.

Have you checked out Giada's Kitchen? What did you think?

Giada Loves Cooking With Her Family

partysugar — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 10:15:03 -0700

Although her demonstration at the Food & Wine Classic was first thing on Saturday morning, Giada de Laurentiis was full of bubbly energy. In front of a huge audience she cooked three dishes - fregola salad with citrus and red onion, prosciutto lamb burgers, and a ricotta cappuccino dessert - while answering questions from the crowd. Now that she's a mother, it's very clear that Giada is all about her family. Her husband, aunt Raffi, sister, and nephew sat in the front row cheering her on, and she even invited them up on the stage! To learn how Giada set an example for mothers everywhere, read more.

Giada's young nephew, Julian, was eager to get in the kitchen. She promptly found him a stool, and although he couldn't have been 5 years old, she put him to work. "This is how I learned to cook, by being in the kitchen with my mom and grandfather."
The best way to teach kids to cook is by letting them do things hands-on. When Raffi was making the lamb burgers, Julian started to roll small pieces of prosciutto into the shape of a burger. Giada cooked Julian's tiny burgers next to the normal ones.
Don't get mad at children if they don't understand how to cook. Julian started to throw chopped parsley into her dessert and Giada calmly replied, "Thanks Julian. Parsley will be just lovely in that." It was touching to see her not care that the dish was practically ruined.
By adding a lot of fresh flavors, Giada attempts to cut out fat. She advises taking baby steps (like removing the buns from a burger) to obtain a better diet.
Her show shoots 20 episodes per season. She films the cooking segments together, then shoots the party segments and introductions later. It takes two 14-hour days to film one episode.
Like Tom Colicchio and Michael Symon, she uses regular olive oil most of the time and reserves the extra-virgin stuff for finishing dishes and vinaigrettes. Her favorite brand of olive oil is Lucini.

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What's Cooking at Slashfood

YumSugar — Thu, 28 May 2009 05:50:40 -0700

We love Slashfood so much that every Thursday we round up their most delicious stories. Here are this week's finds:

Is Giada De Laurentiis embroiled in a feud with Rachael Ray?
Pickled beet dip pays homage to the dinner table of the 1970s.
Nashville's hot chicken will put buffalo wings to shame.
Should measuring spoons be grouped together or used apart?
Two of Gourmet's test kitchen titans face off in an avocado cooking battle.
Does a cheese's shape have any effect on its flavor?

Source

Should TV Chefs Be Responsible For Promoting Eco-Friendly Cooking?

YumSugar — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 15:00:26 -0700

When we recently disagreed with the assertion that cooking shows are too unrealistic, many of you seemed to share our opinion that food TV can actually be rather inspiring. Well, here's another question for you to ponder: Should TV chefs serve as role models?

In a Huffington Post article titled "Nasty Habits of Food Network Celebrities," columnist Isabel Cowles criticizes Food Network chefs like Giada De Laurentiis, Sandra Lee, and Guy Fieri for "encouraging wasteful, unhealthy behavior."Cowles derides De Laurentiis for using (and not recycling) nearly 1,000 square inches of aluminum foil on an episode of Everyday Italian. She frowns on Sandra Lee's use of packaged foods that come in more bags, bottles, and packaging. She doesn't approve of a chili recipe by Guy Fieri that calls for four pounds of meat from three animals, which, she maintains, encourages the reckless consumption of big-agriculture meat. Cowles argues:

The image these chefs are creating of our country's food ethos and practices wreaks of wastefulness, over-indulgence, and laziness. The Food Network and its celebrity chefs should inspire Americans to savor quality food and the entire process of making a meal . . . It's a shame that these chefs don't use their popularity to truly help improve how Americans cook and eat.

I'm curious to hear what you think. Are television chefs being wasteful? Is it their responsibility to serve as an example for the rest of us? Should cooking shows lead the way in encouraging America to reduce its kitchen carbon footprint - or is society expecting a little too much?

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For Female Chefs, the Kitchen Still Feels Like a Man's World

YumSugar — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 05:30:12 -0800

With female personalities like Padma Lakshmi, Giada De Laurentiis, and Cat Cora in the media spotlight, one would think that sexism in the kitchen is a non-issue. However, a provocative article in Time Out magazine argues that even if sex discrimination isn't overt, it's still prevalent. While "Mad Men-style ass-pinching" is no longer de rigueur, Rebecca Flint Marx points out that sex discrimination is clear when you notice (or don't) the amount of recognition that women chefs receive in comparison to their male counterparts.

Only 10 percent of the nation's executive chefs are female, and men vastly outnumber women when it comes to receiving accolades, such as a nomination for Food & Wine's Best New Chef, or a James Beard Foundation Award.

Donatella Arpaia attributes the disparity in the kitchen to women not getting enough publicity. Others blame it on the fact that women tend to work for smaller restaurant groups. Prominent female chefs have certainly complained of getting "passed over and not let into the club."

Yet, many in the industry remain hopeful: In recent years, women have gained ground in sommelier and maître d' positions and resources such as the New York Women's Culinary Alliance and Women Chefs and Restaurateurs exist to promote the advancement of women in the food industry.

Are you surprised to learn that women are still hitting a glass ceiling in a place as merit-based as the kitchen?

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Celebrity Chef Barbie: Love It or Hate It?

partysugar — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 04:00:19 -0700

Little girls who look up to Giada De Laurentiis and Rachael Ray can now play kitchen with the I Can Be TV Chef Playset Barbie ($44.90). Barbie is the star of her own cooking show, complete with a state-of-the-art kitchen and workstation. She shows that even while cooking, one should look stylish and fashionable. While I'm sure I would have loved this doll when I was young, I can't help but wonder if the celebrity chef phenomenon has gotten a little out of control. What do you think?

Yummy Links: From Balsamic Vinegar to Food Waste

partysugar — Tue, 20 May 2008 09:00:23 -0700

Learn everything you need to know about balsamic vinegar. - Start Cooking
California wine legend Robert Mondavi has died. - Tasting Room
The rising cost of popcorn may cause movie ticket prices to increase by 30 percent later this year. - Serious Eats
The 2008 Spirit Award nominations have been announced. - Martini Groove
Food Network is rebranding their "In the Kitchen" daytime lineup. Paula, Giada, and Ina are all getting new shows with different concepts. - Broadcasting and Cable
If you are hosting an alfresco event this weekend, be sure to check out these outdoor entertaining tips. - The Kitchn
Has anyone tried Flipsides, the new pretzel crackers by Keebler? - Slashfood
Change your grilling habits to be more healthful and eco-friendly. - Forecast Earth
This image of how much food Americans waste is disturbingly shocking. - New York Times

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It's Getting Haute In The Kitchen

partysugar — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 12:03:51 -0700

Who knew aprons could be so utterly gorgeous?? With her collection of high end aprons, event planner extraordinare Elizabeth Scokin has taken culinary chic to a whole new level. With Haute Hostess Aprons, the kitchen becomes center stage for a female who is sexy, sassy, and oh-so fabulous. It's available in three different styles: the ruffled Glam It Up (my personal favorite and pictured at left), the chic Chanel-inspired Glam It Up Lux and the super girlie Give Me Sugar (modeled by Elizabeth below).

I was lucky enough to speak with Elizabeth whose Southern belle charm is warmly contagious. Rather than protect against splattering grease and flying flour, her apron was created to be a chic accessory - the little black dress of the kitchen if you will - and the design is an exact replica of her grandmother's dated version.

Elizabeth believes everyone should have a special occasion apron that reminds them of past parties and she guarantees that guests will be delightfully surprised when you answer the door dressed in one of her aprons.

I'm not the only one who is a fan of the lush collection, according to Elizabeth, Giada De Laurentiis, Tory Burch, and Colin Cowie all have their own custom made versions.

Announcing the First Golden Clog Award Nominees

YumSugar — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 09:13:31 -0800

You may know the James Beard Awards, and you might also know the Food Network Awards, but have you heard of the Golden Clog Awards?

Food author Michael Ruhlman - you may remember him from The Next Iron Chef - and bad boy Anthony Bourdain have put their heads together and have created the Golden Clog Awards. They said it's born out of "too many beers and late night yakatori," and I think it's just downright fun. The categories are hysterical, and their reasons even more so. Bourdain has actually managed to nominate himself for an award even! The actual awards will take place this Friday, but if you're curious to see the categories - including "The Alton" and "The Douchebag" - and nominees, read more.

The Fergus:For greatest achievement in pork, and/or guts
Martin Picard of Montreal's "Au Pied de Cochon"; David Chang of New York's "Momofuku Noodle Bar and Momofuku Ssam and ..."; Chris Cosentino of San Francisco's "Incanto"
The Alton: For being on Food Network and yet, somehow managing to Not Suck

Duff Goldman for Ace of Cakes--and for his relative low visibility and seeming lack of cooperation in the usual knuckleheaded FN Holiday co-branded clusterfucks; Ina Garten for actually cooking just about everything impeccably--and for (like Duff) being nearly invisible elsewhere on the Network; Giada de Laurentiis for doing everything (but the food) wrong and yet... still cooking consistently better than she has to.

The Mario: For the chef/restaurateur who best multi-tasked, multi-platformed, merchandised, whored himself, or opened multi-units (either while impaired--or not) and yet STILL managed to protect the quality of the mothership--while continuing to make valuable contributions to the restaurant landscape

Tom Collichio, Thomas Keller, Mario Batali

The Rocco: For worst career move

Gordon Ramsay for the cruel and pointless freak show that is Hell's Kitchen; David Burke for the "Hooters in a Hula skirt" non-charms of Hawaiian Tropic Zone in Times Square; Tyler Florence for Applebees, Applebees, Applebees

The Chef's Chef Award: Also known as The What's a Publicist? Award for the chef who continues to make the kind of food other chefs like, while flying largely under the national radar

Scott Bryan for Veritas and now -- some place in Virginia; Mark Vetri for Osteria and Vetri in Philly; Paul Kahan for Blackbird and Avec in Chicago

The Cat Cora Award: For most fame based on least actual culinary achievement

Guy Fieri for..."Tex Wasabi?"; Tony Bourdain--"One fucking book. Did this asshole ever work anyplace GOOD?"; Robert Irvine--"Sir Robert? Uh....Maybe not. Prince Charles' wedding cake?...uh...no. White House? Hmmm..not according to Walter Scheib....Five Stars? Who IS this guy? Really?"

Looking for Love in all the Wrong Places Award:

MJ Adams at the Corn Exchange in Rapid City SD; Andrew Meek at Sage in Windsor Heights, Iowa; Jim Kyndberg at the Bayport Cookery, Bayport MN; Stuart Tracey of the Pirogue Grill in Bismark, North Dakota

The Steingarten: For the writer or blogger who actually GETS it

Bill Buford for Heat; Pim for Chez Pim; Mike Nagrant for Hungrymag.com

The Douchebag: For the best example of twisted, repressed, or compromised "I'd rather be making lemon bundt cake with My Cat, Mr. Mufflesworth" journalist who actually HATES food and hates the people who make food even more

Alan Richman for taking a big Dump on New Orleans at the worst possible time. And for his totally disingenuous piece on celebrity chefs not being behind the stove when Alan chooses to dine; John Mariani for continuing to be John Mariani and do what he does so well. Which is--apparently--get free stuff; Bob Lape--"Do I have to pay for that?": Regina Schrambling for her deranged, embittered--yet fascinating--gastropoda.com, where she raves and rags on her former employers--(and Mario Batali) like an ex-lover-turned-bag lady.

The Swollen Liver Award: For the chef/or food person who has most consistently resisted the cruel attentions of PETA and the Food Police

Laurent Manrique, Michael Romano, Chris Cosentino, Ariane Daguin

The Crazy Bastard Special Achievement Award: For the chef/operator who did the most insanely wonderful or heroic fucking thing in recent memory

Chef Donald Link of Cochon in New Orleans.

The Supreme Order of Clogness Award: For the chef or restaurateur or food writer or food producer or food "personality" who simply did it best--or made the most significant thing, moved things forward, or changed the landscape of food in wonderful NEW ways

Winner to be announced.

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