Sacramento & Co – Home and Lifestyle Entertainment

Chef Rima Barkett prepares Arancini for Sac & Co viewers.

Cook, Eat, Laugh…Claudia

Salad Ingredients:

6  cups mixed greens, about 5 ounces, rinsed and dried

1 Anjou Pear, sliced thin

1/2 cup Mandarin orange segments

1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

Garnish:
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds

1/2 cup candied walnut halves

Dressing:
1/4 cup pomegranate juice

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2  teaspoon sea salt

dash freshly ground pepper

1/2  cup extra virgin olive oil

To Prepare Dressing
Pour juice and vinegar into a small bowl. Stir in salt and pepper. Whisking continuously, slowly add the olive oil until it is thoroughly blended.

To Prepare Salad
Place salad greens in a large bowl. Add pears, Mandarin segments and cheese. Toss with one third of the dressing. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper. Add more dressing as needed. Plate and garnish with pomegranate seeds and walnut halves. Serve immediately.

Sacramento & Co – Home and Lifestyle Entertainment

Chef Claudia Pruett prepares a

Pear and Gorgonzola Salad with Pomegranate Balsamic Dressing

find recipe here

Sacramento & Co – Home and Lifestyle Entertainment

Chef Rima Barkett prepares

Butternut Squash Risotto

A couple of weeks ago I did this recipe for the TV show Sacramento and Company. It was a great hit! 

Follow this link to see it: http://www.news10.net/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=158661 

Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto

3 lb butternut squash

6 cups chicken broth

1 medium onion, chopped finely

4 tablespoon butter

1 pound Vialone Nano or Arborio rice 

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 

1 teaspoon salt

3 leaves sage (optional)

Roast squash:
Preheat oven to 375°F.

Halve squash lengthwise and seed. In a baking pan pour a cup of water, place squash cut side down, and roast about 1 hour or until tender.

With a spoon carve squash pulp and discard skin.

Prepare rice:

In a medium saucepan heat broth over low heat. Keep it simmering.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté 2 to 3 minutes.

Add rice and sauté until each grain is coated with butter, stirring. After 2 minutes, add wine and stir until liquid has evaporated.

Add squash pulp, stir, add salt then add broth to rice a couple of ladleful at time – stirring after each addition. Allow liquid to evaporate then add another ladleful (about 1 cup) of broth. Repeat.

When rice is tender, but before it becomes mushy, about 18 to 20 minutes, remove from heat and stir in remaining 2 tablespoons butter and the Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately with additional Parmesan cheese if needed.

Suggestion: for a more flavorful risotto add the sage leaves half way through the rice cooking process.

Cook with your heart.

Rima

Serve warm with a generous scoop of Vanilla or Caramel Pecan ice cream.

Apple Pie Crumble
1 pie crust -

6          large apples, rinsed, peeled and sliced thin.
1/4       cup Port wine
3          tablespoons sugar
1          teaspoon cinnamon

Topping:

1/2    cup all-purpose flour
1/2    cup rolled oats
1/2    cup brown sugar, packed
1         teaspoon cinnamon
1/2    teaspoon sea salt
1/4    cup butter, cut into fourths

Preheat oven to 350*F.

Line a round 9-inch baking pan with the pie crust. Prick with a fork. Bake it empty for 8 minutes.  KITCHEN TIP: The tart dough on page 43 of our Cooking Dinner Cookbook makes a great crust.  You just need 1/2 the batch.

Place sliced apples in a large bowl. Sprinkle with port, sugar and cinnamon and toss to mix. Layer slices in the bottom of the crust.

Stir together flour, whole wheat pastry flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. Add butter and “cut in” with 2 knives or a pastry blender until it is crumbly and the butter pieces are the size of peas. (Alternatively, use a food processor fitted with a steel blade.)

Spread topping evenly over apples. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until top is light brown and the apples are tender when pricked with a fork.

I soaked them overnight, drained and rinsed them, boiled them for 2 hours, then sautéed them in olive oil with chopped onions, carrots, celery, garlic and a bay leaf. I know it is easier to open a can of beans…trust me I buy my carrots, onions and celery already chopped haha….but these Heirloom beans taste so good, they are worth the time!  Add sea salt to taste and mix equal parts with cooked brown, Basmati rice. In celebration of my eldest daughter’s mission trip to Tanzania and her daily meal of beans and rice, I seasoned the mixture with ground cloves, cardamom and nutmeg.

Cook, Eat, Laugh…Claudia

from Brooke Reynolds blog:
inchmark

Paolo de Croce, President of Slow Food International recently addressed members of Central Valley Slow Food.  He brought to our attention the importance of considering what you are eating, how much does it cost and who is preparing your food!

In the mood for that satisfying salty taste sensation?   It takes two minutes to wash and cut some fingerling potatoes. Place on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and sea salt and pepper.  Then roast for about an hour turning occasionally.  For the complete recipe look at page 189 from Cooking Dinner: Simple Italian Family Recipes Everyone Can Make!

Cook, Eat, Laugh…Claudia