Arugula Pesto

It's pesto season with all the basil and arugula all ready and in season! Arugula pesto has a bit of a bite to it, and has a great fresh taste. It is great on numerous things, such as pizza, pasta, paninis, sandwiches! The possibilities are endless for this condiment. We keep a jar in our freezer for whenever we need a more exciting pizza topping or are making paninis.

This recipe is made time and time again and we find different uses every single time!

The chickpeas don't have much taste, but give it the thicker texture that holds it together more like pesto.

After adding all of the cheese then you process it again and then it is done!

Arugula Pesto

1/3 cup (or more) of your favorite olive oil

1/2 ounce garlic (about 3 smallish cloves), peeled and sliced [I poached these in olive oil]

6 ounces dry arugula (about 3 cups), preferably very young leaves [if you pick these in hot weather, might need to blanch to mellow flavors]

3 ounces freshly grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese (about 1 cup)

1 cup canned organic garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed (about 5½ ounces)

Freshly squeezed lemon juice to taste (optional)
Salt to taste

If desired, first cook the garlic:

Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic to the hot oil and cook for 1 to 3 minutes until barely golden, turning the slices once.

Combine the arugula, pecorino romano, garbanzo beans, and garlic (spoon it out of the olive oil if you cooked it) in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth. 

Slowly add the olive oil in a steady stream with the motor running. This will help the pesto emulsify. Add salt to taste and more olive oil and/or freshly squeezed lemon juice if desired.

Arugula pesto will last for at least a week in the refrigerator or awhile in the freezer. After the first day in the fridge, it will become a less appealing green but it still tastes just as good!

Ideas for using pesto include pizza, panini, sandwiches, pasta/pasta salad, and many more. Enjoy the pesto!

Onion Gravy

Check out my video on how to make onion gravy! I made this onion gravy to go with the Basic Biscuits and it turned out pretty well, although it was a little thicker than I was expecting, but that can be altered depending on how long you cook the gravy. It is nice to have a gravy that doesn't require drippings so that you can make it in advance.

Onion Gravy

Serves: 1.5 cups

Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons butter

1 medium onion

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup broth, any type (I used chicken)

1 tablespoon cream/milk

Salt to taste

In a large saucepan, melt the butter. Then, cook the onion until lightly browned, about 5-8 minutes. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the broth and cook uncovered until thickened, roughly 5 minutes. Whisk in the milk/cream and season with salt to taste. Enjoy!

Rich Chocolate Gelato

It is the end of June, but I think that I am finally ready to resume with more ideas than ever! All over the West Coast there are heat warnings so the first thing that comes to mind is ice cream. Now some people might just check their freezers, but sometimes its fun to make your own from scratch. To make a gelato different from an ice cream, it has a custard base. Homemade gelato's normally taste better after the original night, and maintain a better consistency, but it all depends on the recipe.

This chocolate gelato tastes amazing right after it is taken out of the ice cream maker, but it is a little melty. When making gelato, it is important to always remember to leave scooping time if you want it to not be melty. Otherwise, if you really cannot wait, just enjoy it fresh from the machine.

First, whisk the egg yolks until combined.

Next add in the sugar. Try to keep the sugar somewhat contained and in the bowl.

After that bring the milk to a boil, and make sure to keep whisking it so that it doesn't burn. As soon as it boils, take it off of the heat and slowly incorporate it into the egg yolk mixture, and be careful that the egg yolks don't curdle. Add the milk in a steady stream and continue mixing the egg yolk mixture very quickly with the other hand.

Melt the chocolate on the stove until smooth and satiny, adding a little cream or milk if necessary. The better quality chocolate that you use, the better the final product will taste. Then, mix the melted chocolate into the custard mixture until fully combined. Add the cocoa powder and mix well. Place into medium sized sauce pan over medium heat and stir. Do not let it come to a boil!

You will know it is done, when the consistency has thickened, and the custard coats the back of a wooden spoon (or in this case a spatula).

Next comes the part that can be intimidating, but it really isn't. Make a caramel in a separate small saucepan using a little sugar and a little water. The caramel should be a dark brown. Be very careful not to burn the caramel, and take it off a few seconds before it seems like it is done, because it will continue cooking in the pan. Incorporate the caramel into the custard. A quick note that will make your life much easier: caramel is sticky business so put it right in the sink after you have removed the caramel.

Place it in a separate clean bowl and refrigerate for half an hour. Follow the instructions for your ice cream maker and...

It is done! Unless you want to freeze it for awhile longer... but who can wait that long anyway!

Rich Chocolate Gelato

Serves: 6

Time: 2.5 hours (or more depending on desired consistency)

Ingredients:

4 egg yolks

2/3 cup sugar

2 cups milk

3.5 ounces bittersweet chocolate

2 Tablespoons cream (optional)

1.5 ounces cocoa powder

2 Tablespoons granulated sugar

In a bowl, beat together the egg yolks and gradually add in the sugar and continue to whisk until the mixture is pale yellow and fluffy. In a saucepan, bring milk to a boil. Remove from heat and add to egg yolk mixture, whisking quickly so that the eggs don't curdle.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler until smooth (I added a little cream here to achieve the correct consistency). Pour into the custard mixture and blend thoroughly. Add the cocoa powder and mix well. Pour into a medium sized saucepan and place over medium heat. Do not let it come to a boil. Stir until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon.

Next make the caramel. Heat two tablespoons of sugar with two teaspoons of water in a small saucepan until a darkly colored caramel is formed. Be careful not to burn it. Blend the caramel into the custard and place it all in a clean bowl.

 Refrigerate it for half an hour. Place in an ice cream maker and follow the manufacturers instructions. If it doesn't get to your desired consistency, try putting it in the freezer for a few hours. The final consistency should be smooth without lumps and not too firm, yet not too soft. Enjoy!

A little break

I have been so busy and unable to post recently which is a huge disappointment. I have been and will be busy for a couple months, but starting in June, I will begin to post consistently. Until then I will be working on writing and finding recipes and creating posts for you all. Until then, see you in June!