Tag: comfort food

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Smoky Portobello Risotto

I get very excited to got to Costco and see what’s new and this week they had… beautiful portobellos! I love love love mushrooms so it was an exciting find. We saw a recipe for a smoky mushroom risotto and loosely based this off of it, tweaking it with what we had. We added these mini peppers for a little flavor contrast and color.

{serves 4}

  •  1 1/2 cups arborio rice
  • 2 shallots
  • 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1 pat butter
  • 3 small portobellos
  • 1/2 cup sweet mini peppers (optional)
  • pinch smoked sea salt
  • pinch black pepper
  • 3 cups low sodium bone broth (or chicken broth)
  • 1/2 tbsp coconut aminos

to garnish:

  • basil
  • red pepper flakes
  • parmesan
  1. heat butter and 1 tsp olive oil over low heat, slice shallots thinly and cook them slowly to caramelize them
  2. in a big pot over medium heat, heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil and coat the uncooked rice in the oil to lightly toast it
  3. add one cup of broth stirring continuously
  4. add additional cups as the liquid gets absorbed
  5. cook risotto for 40 minutes, stirring often
  6. meanwhile season mushrooms with a drizzle of olive oil, a drizzle of coconut aminos and a bit of smoked sea salt
  7. grill (or bake on a sheet) them until well done, dice them once they cool
  8. when the risotto is done, season to taste with smoked salt and pepper
  9. add the sweet mini peppers and mushrooms
  10. garnish with sliced basil, parmesan and red pepper flakes

© 2018, domenicadreamsofcalamari. All rights reserved.

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Savory Spring Oatmeal

IMG_4215

This savory oatmeal is super simple and so tasty. It’s also kind of healthy comfort food (!)

[serves 1]

  • 1/2 cup oats (dry)
  • a couple of ounces of smoked salmon
  • 5 asparagus
  • salt/pepper
  • 2 tbsp capers
  • 2 spoons yogurt sauce
  1. preheat oven to 350º F
  2. drizzle asparagus with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast until they’re starting to brown
  3. cook oatmeal according to direction
  4. top with asparagus, salmon, yogurt sauce and capers

© 2016, domenicadreamsofcalamari. All rights reserved.

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Seafood Stew

IMG_3432

Seafood Stew is one of those impressive restaurant meals that is actually quite affordable and not too tricky to make at home. Luckily I had a chef on hand to dispel any anxieties I had about cooking shellfish but I assure you, you can do it too.

serves 2

  • 2 1/2 tbsp butter
  • 1/2 yellow onion
  • 3 small smoked dried roasted tomatoes*
  • 1 fennel bulb
  • 1 shallot
  • 1 tomato (fresh)
  • 1 can tomato sauce (from concentrate)
  • 6 large shrimp (cleaned)
  • 1 handful mussels
  • 1/2 lb cod or any white fish
  • 1 1/2 cups dry white wine
  • 1 tbsp capers
  • bread to soak (baguette recommended)
  • 8 leaves homegrown basil
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 1/2 tbsp chopped cilantro (w/ stalks)
  • 1/2 lemon

*if you don’t have dried smoked tomatoes on hand, you should probably get some, but if you can’t find any, a tsp smoked paprika would be a good sub

  1. chop onion and dried tomatoes, dice fennel bulb
  2. in a saute pan melt butter over medium high heat, then add onion, dried tomatoes and fennel
  3. chop and drain capers, dice fresh tomato and add that along with tomato sauce (in batches) to the pan, stirring occasionally
  4. slice basil and add to sauce along with salt and pepper (to taste)
  5. clean any barnacle-y type stuff off of mussels and add to pan, then add shrimp
  6. once mussels start opening, turn heat down to low
  7. in a separate small pan heat olive oil and slice fish filet into 4 pieces and cook over medium heat until it’s browned on the outside and cooked through
  8. dice cilantro and add to the tomato sauce
  9. squeeze juice of lemon over fish and tomato sauce
  10. brush bread with olive oil and toast
  11. plate tomato mixture with fish on top

© 2015, domenicadreamsofcalamari. All rights reserved.

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Icelandic Lamb Loin Chop Roast

 

IMG_3395I love lamb. And you should too even if you don’t eat meat. According to the butcher at WFs , Icelandic lamb is “where it’s at” and is only offered for one month a year, so get to it.

serves 4

  • 3 heads garlic
  • 1 big shallot
  • 1 carrot (peeled)
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 2 cups red wine
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 quart chicken stock
  • 4 lamb loin chops
  • 1 sprig rosemary
  • 1 sprig sage
  • 1 portobello mushroom
  • 2 delicata squash
  1. slice shallot, onion and carrot and mince garlic
  2. in a large pot heat olive oil then add shallot, onion, garlic and carrot
  3. heat oven to 350° F and slice squash in half
  4. scoop seeds out and brush with olive oil, then line a baking sheet with parchment paper and put squash face up
  5. when oven is pre-heated cook for 20 minutes or until soft
  6. when onions and shallots are starting to turn opaque, add the red wine
  7. add chicken stock, rosemary and sage and slowly simmer for as long as possible
  8. in a medium sized saute pan, brown lamb in butter then add to the saucy mixture and cook over low heat until fully cooked through
  9. cut squash in half and serve the lamb mixture over the top

© 2015 – 2016, domenicadreamsofcalamari. All rights reserved.

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The Cheesiest Mac n Cheese

This is arguably one of the most decadent dishes I’ve ever made but sometimes baked mac n cheese just hits the spot and we happened to have 10 kinds of cheese in the fridge so I thought what the heck, might as well just throw them all in. You can never have enough cheese.

  • 1 pack of pasta to feed 8 (preferably something with some texture to capture the creamy sauce)
  • 1 head cauliflower
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth plus 2 tbsp
  • 1 leek
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • a handful of cherry tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp mustard
  • 1/2 tbsp chili flakes
  • 1 tbsp brie
  • 2 tbsp bleu cheese
  • 1/4 cup goat cheese
  • 1/4 cup grated asiago
  1. cook cauliflower in pot of boiling water until tender
  2. cut cauliflower into bite size pieces and blend in a food processor or in a pot with an immersion blender
  3. mince garlic; slice leek thinly, removing rough outer layers
  4. heat olive oil and add garlic and leek, add the 2 tbsp chicken broth and tomatoes, cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, until fragrant
  5. place cauliflower in pot over medium-high heat and add butter and brie, stirring occasionally until butter and brie are melted
  6. while this is working it’s magic, boil water and cook the pasta in another pot
  7. pre-heat oven to 350°F
  8. add chicken broth, milk and heavy cream, mustard and chili flakes to the cheesy cauliflower sauce
  9. crumble the bleu cheese and goat cheese into the mix
  10. once pasta is done, drain and return to the pasta cooking pot, drizzle with olive oil and pour cheese sauce over it
  11. mix well, then spread into an oven-proof pan and bake until starting to brown, about 10 minutes
  12. sprinkle asiago on top and put it under the broiler for 3 more minutes until asiago is completely melted
  13. serve warm…also good cold as leftovers. if you wanna get really crazy, slice a piece off the next day, put more cheese on it and put it back in its’ rightful place under the broiler.

© 2014 – 2015, domenicadreamsofcalamari. All rights reserved.

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Cornbread

      • 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
      • 2 tbsp brown sugar
      • 1 tsp baking soda
      • 2 tsp baking powder
      • 1 cup cornmeal or polenta
      • 1 tsp salt
      • 6 oz buttermilk or whey water (if you happen to have some leftover from cheese-making)
      • 8 oz (1/2 pint) cottage cheese
      • 2 lg eggs
      • 2 tbsp nutmeg
      1. pre-heat over to 350°F
      2. mix dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl
      3. add buttermilk, cottage cheese and eggs and mix well
      4. pour into a lined baking pan and bake for 40 minutes or until golden and toothpick comes out clean

 

© 2014 – 2015, domenicadreamsofcalamari. All rights reserved.

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Celery, White Bean Soup

  • 1 bunch celery
  • 1/2 large white onion
  • 1 can cannellini/white beans
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 sprigs each rosemary and thyme
  • pepper and salt
  1. mince garlic and add it to a large pot with olive oil
  2. dice onion and add to pan with 1/2 cup of the chicken broth and the herbs
  3. drain the beans and slice the celery
  4. add them to the pot along with the rest of the chicken broth
  5. add pepper and salt to taste
  6. great with some grainy bread

© 2014 – 2015, domenicadreamsofcalamari. All rights reserved.

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