Spanakopita and Tiropetes with phyllo or puff pastry

These Greek spinach and cheese pies have a complex taste: sharp bite of feta, green spinach, explosion of herbs: mint, dill, oregano, basil, garlic, and green onion, wrapped in a crispy filo dough or buttery puff pastry. My recipe was inspired by my Greek-American friend Margret’s delicious version.

You can make these traditionally with flaky phyllo (filo) dough. I use olive oil spray on the phyllo instead of spreading oil or butter with a pastry brush, to cut down on the fat. I also make tiropetes, which are phyllo filled with feta and ricotta cheese. They are great for breakfast.

On the other end of the calorie range, I recently tried these at a Greek restaurant made from puff pastry. They were rich and delicious! So I made them at home. It’s much less fuss than phyllo, although it has quite a few more fat and calories from the buttery pastry.

Makes 3 logs (about 18 triangles) of phyllo wrapped spanakopita or 8 triangles of puff pastry spanakopita

3/4  package defrosted phyllo dough OR 1 package (2 sheets) puff pastry (defrost for only 10 minutes at room temperature)

Olive oil spray for phyllo dough

Spinach filling: You can make this a day ahead of time.

2 heads fresh spinach, well washed, stems removed and chopped (use a food processor to chop it) OR 1 lb bag of frozen chopped spinach – about 3 cups.

1 tsp olive oil

2 scallions

2 cloves garlic

¼ cup pine nuts

1 Tb finely chopped mint leaves OR 1 tsp dried mint

½ Tb finely chopped fresh dill weed OR ½ tsp dried dill weed

1 Tb finely chopped fresh oregano leaves OR 1 tsp dried oregano

1 Tb finely chopped fresh basil OR 1 tsp dried basil OR 1 cube frozen basil

Several grinds pepper (about ¼ tsp)

2 eggs (1 for filling and 1 for brushing on the pastry)

6 oz (about 1 cup) crumbled feta cheese

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375’ for filo, or 400’ for puff pastry

Microwave frozen or fresh spinach in a covered casserole bowl about 2 minutes (longer for frozen spinach) until soft. Drain in fine mesh sieve over a bowl.

I place a bowl with a few cans in it on top of the sieve while preparing the other ingredients. Afterward, press on the spinach with a tablespoon for several minutes to squeeze out the liquid. You should have 1 1/2  cups drained spinach.

While spinach is draining, finely mince white and green parts of scallions, garlic, and mint leaves and other fresh herbs, salt and pepper Sauté onion, garlic and pine nuts in olive oil in a heavy skillet. After a couple of minutes, stir in the herbs and heat for another minute.

Finish squeezing the last liquid from the spinach and discard the liquid. Stir the spinach into the onion and herbs.

Beat the first egg and add feta and Parmesan cheeses. Stir in the spinach mixture until well blended.

Tiropetes

1 cup feta cheese

3/4 cup ricotta cheese

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1 egg, beaten

2 Tb minced fresh parsley

Mix ingredients together. Spread on puff pastry or phyllo dough as below.

Assembling Puff Pastry (I used Trader Joe’s), cut both sheets in two. Beat the second egg. Using a pastry brush, paint the egg on each piece. Spoon filling o to fill exactly half the pastry, leaving about 1/2 inch border of dough on the edges. Fold the pastry over the filling, then seal the edges with the back of a teaspoon.

Place on a cookie sheet that you have sprayed with olive oil. Bake for 20 minutes at 400’ Let cool, then cut in half diagonally, to make triangles.

Phyllo Dough directions:

For phyllo dough pastries: spread one sheet of defrosted dough on a large wooden board or cutting board. Spray olive oil on top. Spread another sheet on top of it and spray and repeat for a 3^rd sheet. Spread a 2 inch line of spinach or cheese filling about 3 inches from the edge of the shorter side of the rectangle. Leave a one inch space between the filling and the sides of the phyllo.

Roll the dough up over the filling, then tuck in the sides, and continue rolling until the end. Spray a little of the oil on the edge to seal it. Place the roll seam side down on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Use a basting brush to cover the top and ends with a beaten egg.

Bake at 375’ for 35 minutes until golden brown.

Let cool, then slice the logs diagonally in alternate directions into triangles

Pozole Rojo

Oy vey! Nice Jewish girl learns to cook with pork products! My friend Jann made this hearty and delicious pozole with her Mexican husband, Luciano, for their  New Years Eve parties. She gave me her recipe using pork shoulder, but the second time I made it I used the leaner pork loin.

Now I make it with chicken breast, and cook it a total of 30, about 10-15 minutes for the raw chicken and 25 minutes for the hominy.

Cooked with chilies and hominy and topped with cabbage, oregano, radishes and cilantro, with either meat, it makes a rich and satisfying stew.

This recipe made 10 servings, including leftovers.

Ingredients:

1 gallon chicken broth. For the cross-cultural experience, use Roz’s Jewish Chicken Soup.

4 dried red chilies, such as ancho, guajillo or pasilla chili

2 fresh poblano chili peppers

1Tb olive oil

1 Tb chicken fat from soup

2 white onions

1 Tb dried oregano

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp ground comino (cumin)

1 Tb paprika (Spanish smoked paprika adds a nice smoky flavor)

Several grinds black pepper

4 large cloves garlic

2 tsp salt, divided

1/2 pound pork loin OR 2 pounds chicken breast

3 bay leaves

39- oz and 15-oz cans of white or purple hominy (maíz blanco o morado)

2 chayotes, peeled, seed area removed, and chopped (optional)

 

Condiments:

1 Tb dried oregano

Black pepper

1 small white onion, chopped fine

1 cup cilantro leaves

1 small green cabbage, shredded

A bunch of radishes, sliced thin

1 jalapeno, sliced thinly

4 limes, sliced into wedges

 

Chili Sauce:

Wearing disposable exam gloves, remove the stems and seed pods from the dried red chilies. Heat a heavy frying pan and toast them until they begin to brown slightly. Rinse them in cold water and tear into small pieces.  Place them in a shallow bowl with a 3/4 cup of boiling water to soften and cover with a plate.

Still wearing gloves, remove the stems and seed pods from the poblano peppers and slice. Toast them briefly until charred marks appear on them.

Pour a tablespoon of olive oil and the tablespoon of chicken fat to the frying pan and fry the poblanos and onions over medium heat until soft and the onions are translucent. Smash the garlic with a molcajete or mortar and pestle, chop it finely, and fry it with the onions for about 30 seconds, just until it turns golden. Stir in oregano, paprika, black pepper, cumin and thyme.

Heat 2 cups of the chicken broth and add to the pan, along with the soaked chilies and soaking liquid.  Simmer for 15 minutes and let cool to room temperature, and then pour into blender and blend on high until it’s smooth.

Heat up the frying pan and then add a tablespoon of olive oil. Pour the chili sauce into the frying pan and simmer covered for 15 minutes, until the chili sauce turns a darker red.

While sauce is simmering, heat the remaining broth in a large pot. Rinse the blender with broth several times to get all the chili sauce out and pour into the frying pan with the rest of the sauce. After the sauce has simmered, pour it into the broth and add the bay leaves.

PORK METHOD:

Cut the pork into large (about 3 x 3) chunks and trim extra fat. Pour another tablespoon of oil to a heavy  frying pan. Add the pork, sprinkling salt and dried oregano on each side. Brown pork on all sides then put in the stock. After pork is browned, add  2 ladles of hot broth to the frying pan to deglaze it. Using a metal spatula, loosen all the browned bits  into the broth and then pour it back into the pot.

Simmer the soup at low-medium heat for 1 ½ hours.

Pour the soup into a large container and refrigerate overnight. The next day, remove the congealed fat from the top of the soup and the meat, and heat to boiling.

While broth is heating, shred or chop the meat, discarding bones and fat, and then add the shredded meat to the broth.

CHICKEN BREAST METHOD:

Sprinkle the breasts with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

After you add the chili sauce to the broth, add the breasts and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the breasts are cooked through. Use tongs to remove the breasts from the broth, let it cool until you can shred the meat. Add the shredded meat to 3 cups of the broth.

FOR BOTH MEATS:

At this point, you may want to let the pozole sit overnight or a few days to let the flavors develop. You can even freeze it if you’re not planning to eat it soon.

About 30 minutes before serving, Add chopped chayotes and drained hominy to the broth.  Simmer for  25 minutes, until chayote is tender and the hominy blooms flower-like. Add the shredded chicken or pork. Adjust salt to taste.

Scoop hot pozole into bowls and top with condiments. Squeeze a bit of lime in, roll up a few warm corn tortillas to dip in the soup, y disfrútelo.

Roasted Chicken Breasts with Meyer Lemon and Italian Herbs

This is quick and easy. The chicken is fragrant and juicy. A good way to use those chicken breasts on sale. Use roasted bones and skin for Roz’s Jewish Chicken Soup  ; perfect to make broth for Minestrone Soup on a rainy day.

5 bone-in chicken breasts with skin attached

Olive oil, about 3 Tb

5  garlic cloves, chopped

2 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped

2 Tb fresh thyme, minced

About 1 Tb each dried oregano and thyme

About 1 tsp chili flakes

Sea salt and pepper

Fresh basil leaves

2 lemons: ½  sliced and 1 ½  juiced and zest grated

 

Preheat oven to 450′

Oil a large roasting pan

Salt underside of breasts. Place breasts in pan, skin side up

Stuff garlic, rosemary, fresh thyme and a lemon slice under each breast skin

Sprinkle dried herbs, chili flakes, salt and pepper over breasts

Sprinkle olive oil over breasts

Roast in 450’ oven for 50 minutes

Squeeze lemon juice over cooked chicken. Garnish with fresh basil and Meyer lemon zest.

Twice Cooked Fajitas

For Cinco de Mayo I am making fajitas: spicy from two kinds of chili,  fragrant with lime, and tipsy on beer.  This recipe was inspired by my late brother-in-law and Texas barbecue master, Larry Luna. The juicy and flavorful chicken is twice cooked, first on the grill, then braised in the oven with its marinade.  I made chicken fajitas  here, but you can also make them with skirt steak. Marinade the steak for at least 3 hours, grill it whole, then cut across the grain into strips before braising it in the marinade.

I made a shortcut version, if you don’t want to be working with whole chilies: Sprinkle chicken breasts with about 1/2 tsp each chipotle powder, ancho chili powder and chili del arbol powder (or any combination you choose) along with cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. Skip the blender part and you’re good to go.

Serves 4

¼ cup boiling water

3 dried chilies such as Chile California, stems removed

2 jalapeños

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp salt

1 cup light-colored beer such as Tecate

2 limes, juiced; zest peeled in long strips

1 whole boneless, skinless chicken breast fat trimmed and sliced,  or  2-3 lb skirt steak.

1 small onion, sliced

4 bell peppers (mix red and green), seeded and cut into strips

2 Tb olive oil

If using skirt steak, slice against the grain and cut into strips. Trim off the fat. Using a tenderizing mallet, pound each strip so that the tenderizing marks show. This is a good way to work out your frustrations and aggressions.

Add chilies to boiling water and let soak for at least 15 minutes. Peel lime zest with vegetable peeler into a long strip, then juice limes. Set lime zest aside.

Pour beer, 1 Tb olive oil, and lime juice in blender. Add chilies, jalapeños, soaking water and other seasonings to beer mixture. Whir in blender. Trim fat off of breast, cut into strips, and marinate for an hour or more.

Place chicken on grill, reserving marinade. Put bell peppers and onion in a grill wok and toss with a tablespoon of olive oil.  Grill over medium heat until chicken and onions and bell peppers begin to char. (You can also use a wok or heavy pan over the stove).

Heat oven to 300’ Pour marinade into a casserole or clay pot. Add cooked chicken, peppers and onions and lime zest. Bake for 20 minutes. Garnish with cilantro leaves and avocado slices. Serve with flour tortillas,

Frijoles pintos (Mexican pinto beans) and  Sonia’s guacamole.

Linguine with Prawns

My husband, Jesús, always orders this dish at Italian seafood restaurants. This is an easy Friday night dinner, especially if you use the jarred sun-dried tomatoes. Fill a couple of wine glasses and light some candles. Sip a bit of wine while you’re cooking to get in the mood.

serves 4

1/2   package linguine

1 Tb olive oil

6 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1 sprig  or about 1 tsp minced fresh rosemary

1 Tb dried oregano or 2 Tb fresh oregano

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes reconstituted in oil or water (see below)

1 pound large raw shrimp (26-30 shrimp per pound), (deveined unless you want a lot of work for yourself.)

1/2 cup white wine (chardonnay is nice) (or liquid from reconstituting sun-dried tomatoes)

pinch of salt, to taste

6 cups spinach leaves (1 bunch spinach), stems removed

¼ cup toasted pine nuts

6 leaves fresh basil, torn, about 2 Tb

1 lemon (Meyer is nice) juice and grated peel

You can buy jarred sun-dried tomatoes in oil (I got mine at Trader Joe’s) or reconstitute them yourself: Soak 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes in a mixture of  ¼ cup warmed white wine and 2 Tb boiling water for 30 minutes until soft and pliable. Cut into strips, reserving soaking liquid.

Heat a large pot  of salted water to cook linguine.

Defrost shrimp in a colander under cold running water for 7 minutes.

While shrimp is defrosting, mince garlic cloves, oregano, and rosemary needles and gather ingredients.

Cook linguine according to package directions. Drain, reserving about 1/4 cup water.

While linguine is cooking, heat 1 Tb olive oil  in wok or large heavy frying pan. Sauté garlic, red pepper flakes, rosemary and oregano for a minute, then add shrimp and sauté for 3 minutes.

Add salt, stemmed spinach leaves, basil,  sun-dried tomatoes, wine or soaking liquid from sun-dried tomatoes, and reserved water from cooking pasta. Squeeze a lemon and finely grate zest over shrimp. Cover pan and cook one more minute until shrimp turn bright orange and are opaque inside, and spinach is wilted, but still bright green. Toss with pine nuts and drained linguine. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Mardi Gras Red Beans

I made these  beans for our Mardi Gras potluck at work using Andouille (Ahn-DUE-we)  sausages, which add a spicy Cajun flavor. It’s traditionally a smoked pork sausage, brought to Louisiana by Acadian settlers. I didn’t want to eat too much pork, so bought two kinds: Niman Ranch Pork and Smoked Chicken from Open Nature (by Lucerne foods -Safeway). I liked the chicken links the best; they were spicy and not as greasy as the pork, and they were cheaper too. Trader Joe’s chicken Andouille is even better and spicier.

Fresh produce and herbs are best, but with winter prices so high for the fresh, I substituted frozen bell peppers and basil from Trader Joe’s. If using fresh basil, add it at the end of cooking.  My thyme and oregano plants are sending out new leaves, so I used them fresh.

2 Tb olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

4 minced garlic cloves

4 medium stalks celery, chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped, seeds, stem and membrane removed (or substitute 1 cup frozen)

2 jalapeño peppers, remove seeds, stem and membrane and finely dice

1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, minced

3 T fresh Italian parsley

1 Tb fresh basil, julienned, or  1 cube frozen basil

1 Tb fresh oregano, diced

6 Andouille sausages, quartered lengthwise, then sliced crosswise

2 bay leaves

½  tsp red pepper flakes

10 cups water or chicken broth

4 cups dried red kidney beans

¼ tsp fresh ground black pepper

salt to taste after beans are cooked

Bring water or chicken broth to a boil. If using water, use a teakettle (I had to fill the teakettle twice). Heat oil in a large heavy pot. Sauté onions, jalapeño, celery and bell pepper until soft, then add sausages and seasonings and sauté on medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring often. Add the hot water or chicken broth. Rinse beans well, removing broken beans and any stones, and add to water or chicken broth. Let boil for 15 minutes, stirring well to loosen any ingredients from the bottom. Pour into crock pot and let it cook all day or night, depending on whether you start it in the morning or in the evening.

When beans are tender, add 2 to 3 tsp salt to taste. Cook at least ½ hour more to let the beans and broth absorb the salt. Stir in fresh basil and parsley.

Serve over rice and with a piece of cornbread.

Nutritional Info

• Servings Per Recipe: 20
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 97.6
• Total Fat: 4.4 g
• Cholesterol: 8.6 mg
• Sodium: 677.1 mg
• Total Carbs: 10.1 g
• Dietary Fiber: 3.7 g
• Protein: 4.8 g

Chayote Salad

This spiny chayote reminds me of an old man who needs a shave! I bought the chayotes from an elderly Chinese woman selling them in her front yard on Fruitvale Avenue in East Oakland. They were so prickly that I had to use oven mitts to handle them at home and use a fork to steady it while I peeled it with a knife.

Chayote squash was grown by the Aztecs who named it chayotli in their Nahuatl language. I combined ingredients of Mexican and Spanish origin to make this salad. I drew inspiration for this recipe from Ensalada de chayote written by my friends and gourmet role models, Victor M. Valle and Mary Lau Valle, in their fascinating book, Recipe of Memory: Five Generations of Mexican Cuisine

Chayotes come in smooth skinned varieties as well, but Victor and I agree that the spiny ones are more flavorful. I suppose I could make some sort of analogy to life or raising kids who are hard to handle but, well I’ll let you finish that sentence.

Ingredients

1 large or 2 medium chayotes

about 10 Kalamata olives

15-oz  can drained garbanzo beans

1/2 tsp minced fresh oregano or 1/4 tsp dried oregano.

1 cucumber, peeled

1 small avocado

two radishes

¼ cup cilantro leaves

handful of fresh lettuce leaves for each bowl

Dressing:

2 Tb extra virgin olive oil

2 Tb fresh lime juice,

½ tsp salt

pinch of chipotle chili powder

Boil whole chayote with 2 cloves smashed garlic and a tsp salt for 30 minutes until tender. Let cool in refrigerator, then peel, remove pit, and slice. Add  kalamata olives, garbanzo beans, and oregano.

Dressing : Whisk 2 Tb garlic olive oil, 2 Tb lime juice, ½ tsp salt, with a pinch of chipotle powder. Pour over salad. Let sit for several hours.

Cut a peeled cucumber and a small avocado into bite sized chunks. Gently toss in salad with  two sliced and quartered radishes and ¼ cup sliced cilantro leaves.

Kale and Bean Soup

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s another rainy day soup. I just dreamed it up and made it. Luckily everyone in the family liked it on the first try. The rosemary, thyme, sage, oregano and garlic give it a lovely aroma.

I dice the kale, celery, leeks, and red bell pepper in the food processor for faster prep and cooking. Just discard the kale’s lower thick stems first.

I made this  using dried beans as well. I boiled them in chicken stock for 5 minutes, then transferred them to a crock pot and added the rest of the ingredients. I cooked it on “high” for 3-4 hours until beans and kale are tender. You can also heat the crock pot to high, then tun it to low and  let it cook  while you are at work, or overnight. This way you don’t have to worry about stirring the pot so the cheese won’t stick to the bottom! And homemade beans are so much better than canned ones!

In case there are leftovers, this soup is even better the next day, when flavors have developed even more..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

serves 8 bowls

Ingredients

½ gallon (8 cups) homemade chicken or vegetable stock Roz’s Jewish Chicken Soup (plus a vegan version) (you can use boxed stock, but it won’t be as good!)

1 rind Parmesan cheese

2 bay leaves

1 Tb extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced, or 3 frozen cubes garlic

1 large leek, white and pale green parts only (you can substitute defrosted frozen leeks)

3 ribs celery

1 seeded red bell pepper

1 large carrot, chopped

¼ tsp red pepper flakes for a spicy soup. If you don’t like the heat, use just a shake.

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp fresh rosemary needles, minced

1 teaspoon rubbed sage

1 tsp dried thyme plus 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves

several grinds black pepper

1 or 2 bunches kale, finely chopped. I chop the whole thing, leaves and ribs, excluding the thick ribs on the bottom. I’ve used Dinosaur and curly kale. You can substitute frozen chopped kale.

1 29-oz can Great Northern or cannellini (white kidney) beans OR 3 cups dry  beans

1 14-oz can artichoke hearts in water

2 to 3 teaspoons salt to taste (sea salt is nice).

2 Tb Parmesan cheese, freshly grated per bowl

Directions

Heat broth to boiling. If using dry beans, rinse in a sieve, then boil in broth for 5 minutes. Let beans soak in the hot broth while you prepare the herbs and vegetables. If using canned beans, pulse 1/2 of them in the food processor with a bit of broth to thicken the soup. (You can do the same with the dry beans when they are finished cooking.)

While broth is heating, chop  leek, onion, celery, and bell pepper in the food processor in batches, or chop finely by hand. Chop carrot by hand into sticks, then rounds..

Pour olive oil into a frying pan and heat until it shimmers. Add chopped onion and cook on low for 10 minutes until it softens. Add garlic, leeks, celery, bell pepper and carrots to the pan. Cook until the vegetables start to soften. Stir red and black pepper, oregano, sage, and rosemary into the onions and cook a few minutes more.

Discard the tough bottom stems, then chop the kale finely or pulse in food processor. Stir kale. bay leaves and Parmesan rind into soup. Stir in onion mixture. Let cook 20 minutes on medium, until kale is tender, or set in crock pot for several hours.

If using dry beans, simmer for 3-4 hours until beans and kale are tender. You can also heat the crock pot to high, then tun it to low and let it cook all the day or overnight.

Chop artichoke hearts and stir into soup.  Add salt to taste. Discard Parmesan rinds and bay leaves before serving.

Minestrone Soup

Fall in the Bay Area brings a few weeks of sunshine to ripen tomatoes, then rainy and chilly days, perfect Minestrone Soup weather. Pick those ripened tomatoes off the withering vines, combine them with broth and chopped veggies and herbs in a big pot. This is a pretty forgiving recipe, so if you want to clean out the veggie bin of your fridge, throw in what you’ve got. You could use frozen veggies  or canned tomatoes. There is a use for everything, even Parmesan cheese rinds! The rind lends a wonderful flavor to the soup. If it doesn’t break up, leave it in the pot when serving. Even better the next day when the flavors have a chance to meld.

Ingredients: 10 servings:

 

1 or more Parmesan rinds

1 large onion, diced

3 stalks celery, diced

1 bunch red Swiss chard, leaves torn off ribs and chopped fine, to make about 3 ½ cups, dice the ribs

1 large red bell pepper, diced to make 1 cup

1 large green bell pepper, diced to make 1 cup

1 small fennel bulb, chopped

1/2 pound crimini mushrooms

 

1 Tb salt (to taste)

½  tsp fresh minced rosemary

1 Tb fresh minced oregano

1 tsp dried basil

6 cloves garlic, minced

several grinds black pepper

One package (4 links) Aidells chicken sausages. either artichoke and garlic or sun-dried tomato with mozzarella cheese (optional)

1 bay leaf

several shakes red pepper flakes

10 cups (2 1/2 quarts) homemade chicken or vegetable stock Roz’s Jewish Chicken Soup or vegetable broth (you can use boxed stock, but it won’t be as good!)

2 Tb tomato paste

4 cups diced tomatoes (Roma is best)

OR 28 ounce can San Marzano peeled tomatoes to sub for tomatoes 

 

4 dried Porcini mushrooms

 

1/2 pound crimini mushrooms

 

1  cup peeled and diced carrots (2 large carrots)

2 peeled and diced large red potatoes

radish leaves, chopped (optional)

kale, torn from stem and chopped

4 small zucchini, diced to make 1 ½ cups

1/2 pound green beans, chopped

1 15-oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed or 1 cup dry beans, (soaked, cooked for 10 minutes in instant pot and natural release)

 

1 cup frozen or fresh corn kernels

1/2 cup frozen or fresh peas

1 small bunch Italian parsley, chopped.

1 Tb fresh minced basil (about 5 leaves)

2/3 cup dry small pasta (I used the tiny tubes called ditalini for my last batch, but I have also used salad macaroni) (optional)

fresh tortellini (optional)

 

Garnish:

a few pinches dried oregano to taste

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Heat stock, Parmesan rinds, tomato paste, tomatoes or canned tomatoes  in a large pot.

Grind dried Porcini mushrooms in a coffee grinder or small food processor and add to the stock. Add salt to taste.

Scrub mushrooms and rinse well. Dry in paper towel. and cut off woody ends from the stems. Place mushrooms on toaster oven tray and spray with olive oil spray. Broil for 10 minutes. When they cool, cut them in quarters and add to stock.

-fry onions, fennel bulb, red bell pepper, chard ribs, and celery, in  olive oil in a heavy skillet until translucent. Add garlic, and herbs and stir until fragrant. Add to stock.

Slice sausages in quarters lengthwise and then into half-coins. Stir fry in the same skillet as the onions were in for about 4 minutes, until browned. Add to soup, then ladle some soup into the frying pan and scrape the browned bits into the soup, then pour back into the pot.

Stir in carrots, chard leaves, radish leaves, kale, and potato and cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in pasta, canned or cooked beans, beans, zucchini, parsley, corn and peas. Cook 10 minutes on medium. Stir in fresh basil.

Sometimes I add fresh tortellini instead of dry pasta. Add it at the end and follow package directions.

Discard bay leaf and ladle into bowl. Stir in a pinch of dried oregano, fresh basil, and a few spoonfuls of grated Parmesan cheese. Enjoy with a slice of good bread such as Acme herb slab, foccacia, olive bread, or sourdough baguette for dipping into the hot soup. Manga!

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

These giant, meaty mushrooms make a flavorful bed for fresh herbs and tomatoes, crunchy with pine nuts, and topped with sizzling cheese. Nice on a bed of soft polenta accompanied by a dry white wine. And aren’t they beautiful!

Ingredients: Makes 2

2 Portobello mushrooms

3 crimini mushrooms

1 Tb extra virgin olive oil

Olive oil cooking spray

½ tsp minced fresh garlic

½ minced shallot

¼ tsp minced fresh rosemary

1 tsp fresh oregano and ¼ tsp dried oregano

1 tsp chopped fresh basil or 1/2 tsp dried basil

a pinch of ground sage

1 Tb pine nuts

1 medium plum tomato

a few shakes salt (to taste)

a shake red pepper flakes

several grinds black pepper

1 tsp dry sherry

1 Tb blue cheese dressing

3 Tb grated Parmesan cheese

1 tsp Panko breadcrumbs

Polenta

I like to make extra so I can have some for breakfast. Doubled amount is in parentheses.

Instant Pot Polenta:

olive oil nonstick spray.

1/2 (1) cup polenta

1/2 (1) tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground sage

2 (4) cups corn cob water or plain water plus 1/3 cup water

Making corn cob water: This is a delicious addition to polenta, giving it a sweet fresh corn taste. Boil corn cobs and then simmer covered for an hour. Scrape any remaining corn off the cob with a sharp knife. You can do this in advance.

Spray pot with olive oil spray. Bring corn cob water or plain water to boil using the saute function. Add polenta, salt, sage to 1/3 cup cool water and then whisk in the boiling water until it begins to thicken. Turn off, then put on keep warm setting and cover while making mushrooms. Whisk every few minutes until it is creamy.

Stove Top Polenta:

2 1/2 (5) cups corn cob water or plain water

1/2 (1) tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground sage

1/2 (1) cup polenta

Start the polenta first, so it will be ready when the mushrooms are done. It usually takes about 45 minutes to cook on the stove. Heat 2 1/2 cups water to boiling, add 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp butter and 1/4 tsp ground sage. Mix 1/2 cup polenta thoroughly with 1/3 cup cold water. Stir it into the boiling water until smooth. Cook for 45 minutes over low heat, stirring every 5 minutes or so. You can add a few tablespoons of grated Parmesan when it is done cooking.

Directions for Stuffed Portobellos

I make these in my toaster oven.

Rinse mushrooms and wipe with paper towel. Cut out the stems from the portobellos and discard. Spray olive oil on both sides of mushrooms and bake gill side up in 450’ oven (or toaster oven) for 10 minutes.

While mushrooms are baking, mince the garlic, shallot, and rosemary.  Sauté shallot in 1 Tb olive oil until cooked and beginning to crisp, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, pine nuts  and rosemary and saute another minute.

Let mushrooms cool, then pour the liquid from the cooked portobello mushroom into the pan. Chop the crimini mushrooms.

Stir the crimini mushrooms and tomato into the garlic and shallots. Add the oregano, basil, sage, dry sherry, salt and peppers.

Rinse baking tray and then smear with a with a bit of olive oil. Place mushrooms gill side up on it.

Mix the blue cheese dressing and 2 tablespoons of the grated Parmesan cheese into the filling mix.  Spoon into stem indentation and spread mixture over the top of the mushrooms. Mix 1 Tb Parmesan with 1 Tb Panko and sprinkle on top.  Broil about 5 minutes, until cheese is bubbly.