Mind in the Butter

Food for taste, buds, and family

Pasta & Grains

Shulamit’s Unreal Lasagna with Ground Beef and Spinach

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One of the many perks of having a new baby is people come to your home to shower you with love, gifts, and delicious food. Needless to say, I was beyond thrilled when my childhood babysitter Shulamit came over toting a huge pan of lasagna. After a lovely afternoon catching up, she wasn’t barely back to Jersey before I snarled down half the pan. I had to go sit in the living room with my hands under my butt to keep from eating the whole damn thing before Ray got home. Every day after that, I woke up each morning thinking about her lasagna so I knew I needed her recipe so I could move on with my life.

The lasagna recipe is extremely important but we need to talk about Shulamit. She’s this tall, gorgeous, Jewish amazon with dark hair and sparkling eyes (not relevant but still feels important to highlight). 

Best babysitter everrrrr + my little squid

Ok, actually wait…if you’re just hankering for the recipe just scroll straight to it. 

Now that those lasagna addicts have cleared out, she was THE BEST babysitter. The kind that would bring a bag of fun activities and crafts to our house each visit, the kind that was stern but fair, the kind you didn’t want to disappoint no matter how hard you reeeaalllyy wanted bend all your baby brother’s fingers back and put your thumbs in his eyeballs.

She taught us practical things like how to clean our room when it was paralyzingly messy (start from a corner and fan out), that a cup of Lipton tea should be 1 part tea, 1 part milk, and 1 part sugar (yummmm) and most importantly, she was one of the first people to expose me to food writing.

Ok, it was really rudimentary and my claim is a total stretch but, one of her babysitter bag activities was writing a “cookbook.” She had us staple pieces of paper together and decorate the cover.  I got as far as scribbling “Monkey balls” on the first page with no meaningful list of ingredients or thoughtful instruction, but I’ll give her credit for sparking my initial interest in food. Funnily enough, her mother is a phenomenal chef and her sister is an extremely successful food writer. 

So whether you’re a babysitter, an aunt, or a friend you never know the lasting impact you may have on a child. Such a beautiful thing!

Ok, at last, my take on Shulamit’s unreal lasagna.  It turns out she did a riff on this recipe here but kept it vegetarian, added a whack ton of scallions, and did a mix of Rao’s marinara and Pomi pureed tomatoes. So, since I can’t follow a recipe for my life I did a riff on her riff (so meta). I added the ground beef back in from the original (it’s honestly delicious without it but Ray is a carnivore), hit it with  some fresh spinach for some greenery, and a filthy amount of garlic (I got one of those huge bags of peeled garlic from Costco so you KNOW I went wild). But the real hero here is the no boil Barilla lasagna sheets. Man those things a game-changer. Make this tonight. Extra points if you make this for someone who just had a baby!

 

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Shulamit's Lasagna

Prep

Cook

Total

Yield 8-9 servings

adapted from this Genius recipe: Barilla No Boil Lasagna

Ingredients

  • 1 (9 ounce) Box barilla no-boil lasagna noodles
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 (15 ounce) Container ricotta. I suggest a high quality whole milk one
  • 5 Cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1⁄2 Cup parmesan cheese (optional but why wouldn't you add more cheese?)
  • 1 lb Ground beef or 1 lb sausage
  • 2 (24 ounce) Jars Rao's marinara OR 1 jar Rao's, 1 jar Pomi pureed tomatoes 
  • 6 Cups fresh spinach
  • 6-8 Cloves crushed garlic (don't judge me)
  • 3 T Italian seasoning
  • Bunch of scallions (about 6), thinly sliced

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375.
  2. In bowl, combine beaten eggs, ricotta cheese, 3 cups of the mozzarella cheese, parmesan, scallions, salt and pepper.
  3. Set aside.
  4. Brown the ground beef, add italian seasoning, crushed garlic, salt and pepper.
  5. Once browned add fresh spinach and wilt, cooking off any excess water.
  6. In a 13X9X3 pan, spread enough sauce to thinly cover bottom of pan.
  7. Layer in the order, 4 uncooked lasagna noodles (they will overlap), then 1/3 part of the ricotta cheese mixture, half the browned meat and 1 cup of marinara sauce.
  8. Next layer, 4 uncooked lasagna noodles, 1/3 part of the ricotta cheese mixture, and 1 1/2 Cups sauce.
  9. Next layer, 4 uncooked lasagna noodles, remaining ricotta mixture and remained meat, 1 cup of sauce.
  10. For top layer, 4 uncooked lasagna noodles, remaining sauce, and remaining mozzarella.
  11. Bake covered with foil for 50-60 minutes.
  12. Uncover and continue cooking until all the cheese is melted on the top (about 5 minutes).
  13. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Courses Dinner

Cuisine Italian

 

Best-ever 4 minute Instant Pot Rice

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If Ray could live off one food for the rest of his life, hands down it would be rice (Ok…and lamb). I was historically impartial to rice (I’m a mashed potatoes kind of girl), but I was forced to fall in love with it during my pregnancy once I started slowing down and had to pass the dinner-making reins to Ray. The important thing to know about him is he has 2 speeds in the kitchen:

1) a slow cooked simmered something that requires to be served over rice and;

2) the trifecta: protein on grill + sautéed greens + well…rice.

So it was safe to assume that from April to August, I ate rice for dinner. Therefore it’s also safe to assume that Sebastian is made of 50% rice…and conservatively 50% Ben & Jerry’s New York Super Fudge Chunk.

Ray is a man of simple pleasures and simple flavors so my best-ever 4 minute Instant Pot Rice is inspired by his with an Eva flare (read: just more spices). It’s a great base recipe with infinite ways to pump it up, so I have full confidence this will become a go-to dish in your house no matter what.

By the way, we’re those weirdos who are obsessed with their Instant Pot , who always want to sell everyone on the glory, the magic that is the Instant Pot. Like, you can’t come into my kitchen until you sit through my infomercial about this amazing appliance. So I’m telling you, this is a recipe for THE perfect, most flavorful, fragrant rice and the Instant Pot does all the heavy lifting. Also… if you DON’T own one of these or even worse, you own one and don’t use it every night (hi, Marina!) then you’re not living your best life. You’re just not and I can’t even argue with you about it, it’s just fact. OK?

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Fragrant 4-minute Instant Pot Rice

Prep

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Inactive

Total

Yield 4-6 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 cup thoroughly rinsed basmati or jasmine rice
  • 1 cup chicken stock (or any stock). 
  • 1 T olive oil
  • 4 cardamom pods, broken open
  • 2 tsp cumin seeds (ideally toasted but not required)
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 bay leaf

Instructions

  1. Place all ingredients in the Instant Pot and stir.
  2. Close lid and valve and set to "pressure cook" on high for 4 minutes.
  3. Once cooked, release pressure valve and let sit for additional 10 minutes. DO NOT take off lid until 10 minute resting period is done. Sip wine, set the table, call your mom while you wait.
  4. Fluff and serve.

Notes

If you don't have stock or broth on hand you can stir one heaping teaspoon of "Better Than Boullion" into warm water as a replacement.

Courses Dinner

 

Seared Scallops and Fennel Risotto

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Nothing feels more triumphant than expertly mastering a difficult dish. For me, it’s my seared scallops and fennel risotto. And I know I’m awesome at it because it’s hands down the most requested dish I make for special occasions. I’ve been making (and perfecting) it for almost ten years and I think I’ve finally got it down. As for the risotto, this one features fennel but you could easily do a butternut squash and sage one, a beet root one, a pesto one…the list goes on.

A note on the scallops, since you know, I’m like, THE expert. Searing scallops is not easy, it takes patience and a hot-ass pan. The trick is to not be afraid of the heat and to not be tempted to shake the pan or peek under the scallops before they are actually ready. The reward is crispy and tender scallops and a buttery, fragrant risotto. An important thing worth emphasizing: be sure to get “dry” or “diver” day boat scallops. Fishmongers often store scallops (and most seafood) in a salt solution to maintain freshness and make the appearance of the seafood more plump. Avoid this at all cost- and yes, day boat scallops are more expensive. If you don’t, that’s a one-way ticket to squishy, squeaky, wet scallops and you’ll get annoyed and curse me and never attempt these again.

Keep practicing with this one!

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Seared Scallops and Fennel Risotto

Prep

Cook

Total

Yield 2-4 servings

Ingredients

For the scallops

  • 1 pound (about 12- 15) dry day boat scallops
  • olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

For the risotto

  • 1 cup arborio (risotto) rice
  • 1 medium fennel bulb, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
  • 3-6 garlic gloves (per your preference)
  • 1 onion, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
  • 1 cup cheese from a block of good salty parmesan or pecorino
  • 1/2 cup good dry white wine
  • 6-8 cups chicken or vegetable stock
  • 3T ish olive oil
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

  1.  Line a cookie sheet or large platter with 2 layers of paper towel.
  2. Prepare the scallops by rinsing them thoroughly to remove sand and the muscle on the side of each scallop. This is a tough, fibrous piece that looks kind of like the tab on a soda can. Feed it to your cats or dog and make them happy.
  3. Place clean scallops on the paper towel-lined cookie sheet and dry as thoroughly as possible. They should be almost sticky they are so dry. Keep them on the paper towel and place in fridge.
  4. De-core and chop fennel into small 1/2 inch cubes. Fennel doesn't breakdown as much as an onion does when cooked so whatever size you chop it to, assume it will stay that size. Keep a few fronds for garnish at the end if you're feeling fancy.
  5. Chop onions; peel and slice or crush the garlic.
  6. In a dutch oven or large pot, heat a few tablespoons of olive oil. Once glistening, add the risotto rice and toast for about 3 minutes then add fennel, onion, salt, pepper and half your portion of garlic and sauté until onion and fennel are soft.
  7. In a separate saucepan, heat stock or broth and keep on low to simmer. More on this below.
  8. Take swig of wine, then deglaze pan with a good glug or 1/2 ish cup of it. Once wine has evaporated, ladle in one cup of warm broth into the risotto and continue to add a ladle at a time until each cup is absorbed by the rice.  Be patient with this step. It's kind of annoying but makes the risotto really creamy and tender without the cream! The risotto will tell you ultimately how many cups it needs so don't worry if you have a little broth left over in the small pot.
  9. Once risotto starts to soften (about 20 mins), add remaining garlic, a huge whack of good salty cheese, about 1/2 cup and check in on your salt and pepper levels.
  10. Start heating a large skillet (NOT a non stick one) for your scallops on high. Coat with 2 ish tablespoons of olive oil, depending on your skillet size. Pull scallops out of fridge and sprinkle one side with salt and pepper. Note: we waited to salt the scallops until the last second to avoid drawing water out of them. Goal is to keep them as dry as possible to get the best sear.
  11. Wet your finger under the faucet and flick water off your finger into the oil in the skillet. It should hiss, spit and pop when you do this. If it doesn't, wait and try again once pan is hotter.  Only when the skillet passes the water test, carefully place scallops seasoned side down into the pan.  Let sear for about 3-4 minutes and then flip. If the scallop is properly seared, it shouldn't stick to the pan and you should see the brown carmelization creeping up the side of the scallop. This takes practice. Finish second side for 2 mins and transfer scallops to a platter or just turn off the burner.
  12. Check on your risotto, adding any remaining stock to finish cooking the rice. If needed, add fresh crushed garlic, salt, pepper depending on what you think it needs. Garnish with some more cheese and the reserved fennel fronds.
  13. Spoon some creamy risotto onto a pretty plate with 4-6 scallops nestled on top and be sure to drizzle any scallop juice from the pan or plate onto the dish before serving.

End of the Heat Wave!: Asparagus Ravioli with Seared Scallops

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scallops and ravioli

We’ve just survived a brutal, swassy heat wave here in New York and  I swear, you couldn’t pay me to cook in my kitchen these days.  Luckily, protein bars and happy hours  have been sustaining me, but man, I’m really fiending some of my own food.

I started flicking through some of the dozens of unposted food photos I have on file and picked this homemade asparagus ravioli with lemon zest and mascarpone with seared scallops to share today. I made this earlier in spring time, at the beginning of asparagus season and cheated by using wonton papers which I’ve used for other recipes as well. (Link to that post here)  I’d love to try this with ramps or garlic scapes (maybe too late in the season??), or some other funky farmers market vegetable. I’ll definitely be trying this dish again.

Asparagus Ravioli with Lemon Zest and Mascarpone 

scallops and ravioli 2

  • zest of 1lemon
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 bunch asparagus
  • 1 small dish of mascarpone cheese (about
  • block of Pecorino or Parmesan
  • 1 bunch chives, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic (optional), smashed or rough chopped
  • S/P to taste
  • wonton papers

Rinse and pat dry the bunch of asparagus and cut each stalk just below the crown.  Set the crowns aside for garnish later*. Cut and discard the dried or discolored bottoms of the stalks. These are normally dry and tough and not tasty. Rough chop the remaining stalks and toss into a food processor.

To the food processor, also add: 2 cloves of rough chopped garlic, a handful of chopped chives (they are so mild I love using a lot), 1 teaspoon of lemon zest, 4 – 6 Ts of the mascarpone, 1/4 cup of pecorino, cracked pepper (hold on the salt until you taste the blended mixture). Pulse the mixture in the processor until mostly smooth and incorporated. Taste and adjust flavors accordingly. Salt, more garlic or more cheese might be necessary.  The consistency should be a bit stiff and asparagus-y; you don’t want the creaminess of the cheese to drown out that flavor, or for the filling to be too soggy.

Once the filling is a good consistency, prepare your station and start assembling your raviolis. For this, you need:

  • a big plastic cutting board
  • a drying rack (wipe with oil or spray it with Pam to keep the raviolis from sticking)
  • small ramekin of water

Lay out the wonton papers onto the cutting board and place a small dollop of filling in the middle. Dip your finger in the ramekin of water and wet the edges of the paper.  At this point you can either fold the wonton into a triangle, or place another wonton paper on top (recommended) to keep its square shape.  Make sure the edges are sealed fully and place on the drying rack.

Once all the raviolis are assembled and drying, boil water a shallow pot. Add salt and one layer of raviolis. Cook 2-4 minutes until the wonton paper is tight around the filling. Continue to cook the rest of the raviolis (or freeze the remainder). Use a slotted spoon to place on a pretty platter or on individual plates.

*In a saute pan,  heat a generous splash of olive oil and saute the reserved asparagus crowns with a few pinches of the chives for 2-3 minutes until al dente. Distribute evenly among the plated raviolis. 

Garnish the asparagus ravioli with lemon juice, lemon zest, chives, and pecorino. The pasta water, olive oil and lemon juice will naturally create the sauce for the dish. I served mine with seared scallops, but chicken or salmon would be awesome as well!

A serious bouche-amuser: Crispy Polenta and Garlic Shrimp

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foodmodel1

…because everyone has a food model handy.

In order to understand the above picture, you need to understand my family around Christmas time.  We’re Jewish, with a Catholic dad. This means– thankfully–we are not subjected to the Chinese Food + TBS movie on Christmas Eve cliché, but we’re not exactly celebrating Jesus’ birthday either. So, naturally, we do as any other family in a similar situation does… put on a series of elaborate Christmas dinners, where the five of us take an imaginary adventure to some other time/place in bizarre costumes and toast to each other with bad accents, acting in line with offensive and/or inaccurate stereotypes. (Some gems from years past are below).

This year, I was passed the baton and was charged with taking my family on a culinary journey on Christmas Eve. Equipped with a sous-chef (my little brother), I, Frau Lulu, countess of a small Swiss village, served my esteemed guests an elaborate four-course meal in my modest country home. First on the menu, presented above ever so elegantly by one of my guests, the internationally recognized singer-model  Ze Frau Emilie, was the amuse-bouche: polenta discs with garlic shrimp, marinara sauce and goat cheese.

Serves about 14 discs, 2-3 per person

  • 1 tube pre-cooked polenta (in the pasta aisle)
  • 12 shrimp, raw, de-shelled and de-veined
  • garlic
  • marinara sauce, preferably homemade
  • goat cheese
  • S/P
  • Italian seasoning

food11)  slice the polenta into about 12-14 even slices. Season them each with S/P and Italian seasoning

2) heat a large skillet with olive oil to medium-high heat and saute the polenta. About 10 mins

3) While polenta cooks, heat another skillet. Mix shrimp with 2 T olive oil and 3 crushed garlic cloves in a small bowl. Season with S/P and place gently into skillet.  Once the shrimp hit the pan, do not flip them for 2 minutes to ensure they get good color. Turn off heat once they are pink and seared.

4) Once the polenta are crispy, place them on a large ungreased cookie sheet. Place 1 shrimp on each polenta disc, then add 1 teaspoon of marinara. Crumble an ample amount of goat cheese on top of each disk.

5) place in the oven and broil for about 5 minutes.  Watch constantly to make sure nothing burns.

6) wait about 5 minutes before transferring to a pretty plate. Serve and enjoy!

Here are some of those gems mentioned above:

Disco Christmas

Disco Christmas 2010

"Arabian Nights"...yea, this happened too.

“Arabian Nights”…yea, this happened too. Christmas 2011

Homemade Butternut Squash Ravioli

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Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage-Infused Olive OIl

Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage-Infused Olive Oil

Christmas is coming and one of the nice things about this time of year is, of course,  gathering with family. There are several of my recipes that I reserve especially for these times, so I can take advantage of the extra man-power. Homemade butternut squash raviolis definitely fall into this category.  A simple but labor-intensive dish,  these raviolis are a great way to incorporate the whole family so everyone feels like they are part of the meal.

I adapted my recipe from Emril Lagasse’s and used wonton papers instead of fresh pasta dough. For my sauce, I used olive oil simmered with rosemary and sage, instead of the butter that Emril’s recipe calls for. One trick I use to finish this dish is to purposely allow the starchy pasta water to drip into the serving dish when I transfer the raviolis. This makes the sauce sauce-ier and more delicious.

Butternut squash and Parmigiano-Reggiano are the stars of this dish, but they could be easily substituted with different combos like crispy prosciutto and ricotta, goat cheese and mushrooms, salmon and chives (with a cream sauce instead). You could even do sweet raviolis with cinnamon-apples and mascarpone with a caramel sauce…mmm.

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Cubes of squash are simmered with chicken broth and herbs while onions are softened. Their powers combine in the Cuisinart to make the filling.

A little Ecuadorian princess delicately folds the wonton papers filled with sweet and savory squash

A little Ecuadorian princess delicately folds the wonton papers filled with sweet and savory squash into perfect raviolis