APRIL FUN

WELCOME BACK.  I HAVE NOT POSTED ANYTHING IN A WHILE BUT I THINK THIS POST  MAKES UP FOR IT. THERE IS A LOT GOING ON SO TRY NOT TO DROOL TOO QUICKLY. 

IN THIS POST WE HAVE SOME CHEESE AND MEAT PLATES, A FEW DINNERS AND BREAKFAST...YES, BREAKFAST.

 I FELT I NEEDED SOME SWEET AND SAVORY DISHES WITH ALL THE PIZZAS I MAKE. I DECIDED TO MAKE A FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE AND CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES AS WELL AS HOMEMADE PLANTAIN CHIPS... ENJOY!

BUFALO BLUE CHEESE, ROBIOLA BOSINA, GRANA PADANO, BOSCHETTO TARTUFO,  PROSCIUTTO DI PARMA, SPECK, WILD BOAR SALAMI AND ARTICHOKE HEARTS. THE GRANA PADANO IS DRIZZLED WITH BALSAMIC GLAZE AND THERE IS A SWEET AND SPICY RED PEPPERONI SALSA. 

CAULIFLOWER SOUP WITH BLACK TRUFFLE AND BASIL-LEMON OLIVE OIL

ROASTED BROCCOLI WITH SHAVED RED ONIONS AND PARMIGIANO REGGIANO 

CHICKEN PARM.

PARTY PIE TOPPED WITH PESTO AND CIPPOLLINI ONIONS ON A JALAPANO CRUST

STRIP STRAK WITH ASPARAGUS AND ROASTED POTATOES AND PARSNIPS

CRUSHED RED PEPPER PIE WITH PROSCIUTTO, ARTICHOKE HEARTS AND CIPPOLINI ONIONS. 

CHIPOLTE BASIL PIE WITH ARTICHOKE HEARTS, PESTO AND MUSHROOMS

HOMEMADE PLANTAIN CHIPS

CHIPOLTE BASIL CRUST WITH PESTO AND OVEN ROASTED TOMATOES

GARLIC AND HERB CRUST WITH PESTO AND CIPPOLINI BALSAMIC ONIONS

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES ROLLED IN PRETZELS; WHITE CHOCOLATE; WHITE CHOCOLATE AND LAVENDER; AND HEATH BAR

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE AND TRUFFLES

CHIPOLTE BASIL CRUST WITH ARTICHOKE HEARTS AND BBQ CHICKEN 

OMELETTE WITH BALSAMIC CIPPOLINI ONIONS, OVEN ROASTED TOMATOES AND AGED GOUDA

FLIP!!!

OMELETTE SERVED WITH PEPPERED BACON AND MATZAH

PIZZA, EATALY & DINNER

WELCOME BACK. THIS POST IS FROM THIS PAST WEEK WITH SOME EXCITING NEW TREATS. AS USUAL, I HAVE SOME PIZZA BUT ALSO WENT TO EATALY LAST SUNDAY. FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW, EATALY IS AN ITALIAN SPECIALTY SUPERMARKET LOCATED RIGHT OUTSIDE MADISON SQUARE PARK IN NEW YORK CITY. I GOT SOME OF THE BARE ESSENTIALS, WHICH ARE ALL IMPORTED FROM ITALY. THIS PAST MONDAY I WENT TO WHOLE FOODS AND COOKED A SCALLOP APPY ACCOMPANIED BY A TUNA ENTREE. ENJOY. I KNOW WE DID.

CHIPOLTE BASIL PIE TOPPED WITH PROSCIUTTO ,CIPPOLINI ONIONS, FRESH BASIL FINISHED WITH TRUFFLE SEA SALT & BALSAMIC GLAZE

ITALIAN BEER, ROBIOLA BOSINA AND WILD BOAR SALAMI.

CHEESE AND MEATS PLATE:
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: ROBIOLA BOSINA, SLICED PROSCIUTTO 18 MONTHS ,BUFALO BLUE GRANA PADANO AND WILD BOAR SALAMI

SPICY ITALIAN HERB PIE TOPPED WITH PROSCIUTTO, BASIL CIPOLLINI ONIONS AND BALSAMIC GLAZE

SEARED SCALLOP WITH FRESH CIPPOLINI ONIONS, ORANGE BELL PEPPER, ROSEMARY & WHITE WINE FINISHED WITH A CHIMICHURRI JELLY

SESAME SEARED TUNA WITH  SOY GINGER SAUCE, ROASTED FINGERLING POTATOES  & CHIPOLTE LENTILS WITH GRANA PADANO CHEESE

SECOND PLATE VARIATION

BBQ BRISKET

KALAMATA OLIVES, PROSCIUTTO, & PESTO FINISHED WITH BALSAMIC GLAZE

PROSCIUTTO & PESTO WITH TRUFFLE COARSE SEA SALT

DINNER

SHAVED BRUSSEL SPROUTS WITH FARRO, GOLDEN RAISINS TOSS WITH A FIG VINEGAR

BQQ BRISKET BEFORE SLICING

SLICED WITH SOME EXTRA BBQ SAUCE

SHELLS MAC & CHEESE WITH AGED GOUDA 

FAMILY STYLE

SPICY ITALIAN HERB TOPPED WITH  SWEET CIPPOLINI ONIONS AND BASIL

VERMONT WEEKEND

I DID SOME COOKING THIS PAST WEEKEND WHILE I WAS UP IN VERMONT. SATURDAY WE PLANNED ON GRILLING OUTSIDE TO MAKE SOME BBQ CHICKEN, SPICEY VERMONT SAUSAGE AND SOME VEGGIES. WEATHER DID NOT PERMIT. 

TRI-COLOR FARFALLE WITH SPICEY VERMONT SAUSAGE, OVEN ROASTED HEIRLOOM TOMATOES AND PARMIGIANO- REGGIANO 

ROSEMARY BBQ CHICKEN

PESTO PIE WITH PROSCIUTTO,  BASIL & BALSAMIC GLAZE

CHIPOLTE-BASIL WITH PROSCIUTTO, BASIL & BALSAMIC GLAZE

PROSCIUTTO & BASIL WITH BALSAMIC GLAZE

MORE PIZZA'S & DINNER

I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR ALL OF THE GENEROUS COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS RECENTLY AND I AM GLAD I CAN MAKE YOU HUNGRY.

 AS YOU ALL CAN SEE AND MOST OF YOU KNOW,  I'VE BEEN CRANKING OUT PIZZAS AND HAVE NOT REALLY COOKED IN A WHILE.  I FINALLY HAD SOME TIME ON THIS RAINY DAY TO GET A SOUP GOING.

 I ATTEMPTED ONE OF THE CLASSIC SOUPS I LEARNED IN ESSENTIALS OF ITALIAN, ZUPPO DI FARRO WHICH IS IN AN EARLIER POST.

 ENJOY. 

 ZUPPA DI FARRO

ZUPPO DI FARRO WITH LEMON & GINGER OLIVE OIL AND  PIAVE AND BASIL CRISP

ZUPPO DI FARRO WITH THE PIAVE CRIPS MELTING INTO THE SOUP.

 FOR THE MAIN COURSE I ROLLED CHICKEN BREASTS WITH FIG GOAT CHEESE AND SOPPRESSATA. THERE ARE THREE PLATE VARIATIONS FOR EACH DINERS REQUEST.   EVERY PLATE WAS FINISHED WITH A FIG VINEGAR. THIS ADDED A DIFFERENT NOTE OF FIG ALONGSIDE THE CHEESE. 

HUGE BUBBLE 

CIPOLLINI ONIONS & SOPRESSATA WITH SOME BALSAMIC GLAZE