Agnolotti Ricotta
Courtesy Chef Luciano del Signore,
Bacco Ristorante (www.baccoristorante.com), Southfield
Yields: Serves 6-8
In Chef Luciano del Signore’s home, the most classic Italian way to celebrate Christmas Eve is with a Feast of the Seven Fishes, complemented by no-meat side dishes including this pasta favorite.
Stuffing:
1½ pounds ricotta cheese
½ cup grated parmigiano
2 eggs
Salt & pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients together in a bowl.
Pasta:
1 pound semolina flour
5 whole eggs
Pinch of salt
Combine all ingredients in an electric mixer and run for 20 minutes on low with the dough hook. Roll out pasta into thin sheets and cut into 4-inch squares. Add 1 tablespoon of stuffing to each square. Brush edge of pasta with egg, fold corner to corner and pinch opposite corners together over the top.
Sauce:
¼ cup oil
Pinch of chili flakes
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 onion, chopped
10 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes (san marsano)
¼ cup chopped basil
Salt & pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese (if desired)
Sauté garlic, olive oil and chili on low heat till garlic is golden. Add onions and sauté on high heat till transparent. Add tomatoes and basil and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.
Boil the agnolotti in salted water for four minutes. Drain and toss pasta with sauce. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.
Seared Nantucket Bay Scallops with Maple Cream and Ohio Bacon
Courtesy Chef Eve Aronoff,
Frita Batidos (www.fritabatidos.com), Ann Arbor
Yields: 4 servings as appetizer
“I love the holiday season because it’s all about the hospitality and warm conviviality that comes from sharing wonderful food with family, friends and customers,” reflects Chef Eve Aronoff. She shares her distinct culinary approach in “Eve — Contemporary Cuisine MethodeTraditionelle” (Huron River Press) and a favorite New Year’s Eve dish, below.
8 large fresh Sea Scallops* or ¾ pound Nantucket Bay scallops in season, November-January)
½ pound Ohio thick cut bacon*, cut into a fine dice
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
½ cup heavy whipping cream
4 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons chives, thinly sliced
Stir together cream and maple syrup and set aside. Season scallops evenly with salt and pepper. Over medium heat sauté bacon until just cooked (just pink). Remove from pan and set aside, leaving bacon grease in pan. Add some olive oil, raise heat to high and sear scallops about 2-3 minutes per side.
If you have a broiler, spoon maple cream over scallops, sprinkle with bacon and place under broiler to finish for about 2 minutes until golden and bubbly. Remove from broiler and sprinkle with chives to finish. If you do not have a broiler, warm maple cream slightly and spoon over scallops, then sprinkle with bacon and chives to finish.
Scallops available at Monahan's Seafood at The Kerrytown Market. Bacon available at Sparrow Meat at The Kerrytown Market (www.kerrywtown.com). |
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Holiday Cranberry Cake
Courtesy Julee Rosso,
The Wickwood Inn (www.wickwoodinn.com), Saugatuck
Yields: 10 servings
During the Christmas season, sugary aromas emanate from the kitchen of exemplary hostess Julee Rosso, who proclaims the star of her menu is this sweet, tart cake. Serve it for breakfast or topped by a dollop of whipped cream for dessert.
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
1½ cups sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon cloves
Zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 cups fresh or frozen cranberries (keep frozen)
1½ cups cake flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
½ cup white sugar
½ cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
¾ cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 350F. Butter a 9-inch spring-form pan generously and wrap the bottom and sides with foil. Set aside. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add sugar, lemon juice and zest, cinnamon and cloves. Cook, stirring frequently, until sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes. Add cranberries and coat evenly with the sauce, but keep plump, 3-5 minutes. Set aside. Sift together flour, baking soda and salt onto waxed paper. Set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, cream butter for 1 minute. Add sugars and continue to cream until smooth and fluffy (1-2 minutes). Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. On low speed, add half of the flour mixture, mixing until combined. Add sour cream and vanilla, and mix until combined. Add remaining flour mixture; mix until smooth.
Transfer to spring-form pan, spreading evenly over top of cranberries. Bake 50-55 minutes in middle of oven until golden brown edges begin to pull away from the side of the pan and toothpick test comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run knife around edge to loosen cake. Invert onto serving plate, remove foil, spring form ring and pan bottom. Cut into wedges and serve immediately, or within four hours.
Flourless Chocolate Cake
Courtesy Executive Pastry Chef Scott Hunter,
Amway Grand Plaza Hotel (www.amwaygrand.com),
Grand Rapids
Yields: Two 8-inch cakes or one 10-inch cake
Executive Pastry Chef Scott Hunter draws his sweet inspirations from all places. Sometimes, even childhood memories spark new ideas. Was that divinity fudge that his grandmother used to make during the holidays the springboard for his own rich, flourless chocolate cake?
2 ½ cups dark chocolate (64%, good quality), chopped
1 ¾ cups butter
2 ¾ cups sugar
11 eggs, whole
Preheat oven to 350F. Melt butter in a pan over low heat. Remove from heat and add chopped chocolate. Mix until chocolate is melted. In a separate bowl, mix eggs and sugar until smooth. Add egg mixture to chocolate mixture and stir until combined.
Spray or butter two 8-inch cake pans and place a circle of parchment paper on the bottom of each. Divide the batter evenly. Place both cake pans in a roasting pan. Pour in hot tap water until it is halfway up sides of cake pan—do not get water into cake mixture. Bake approximately 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, until knife poked through the center comes out clean. Take pans out of oven and cool. Invert onto cake plate. For an easy quick finish dust with powdered sugar, then serve with whipped cream and berries. For a more finished look, cover with ganache recipe provided.
Chocolate Ganache Glaze:
2 ½ cups dark chocolate (64%, good quality) chopped
1 cup heavy cream
Chop chocolate into small pieces and put into a medium size bowl. Heat heavy cream to boiling and pour over the chocolate. Let sit for one minute and mix slowly with a spatula from the inside out until the mixture is combined. Pour mixture warm over the cooled cake and spin it slowly from the inside out with a spatula to create swirled design. Place chocolate sprinkles around edge of cake to finish. Refrigerate 1 hour before serving. |
