Lasagna with Sausage Ragu Redux

Ingredients

2 tbsp, olive oil divided
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1 pound turkey Italian sausage, casing removed
1 t salt
1 cup low fat milk (1 %)
1/2 cup dry white wine, (chardonnay)
1 can (28 oz) whole tomatoes, including liquid, finely chopped or crushed with your hands
1 cup tomato juice
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 1/2 cups low fat cottage cheese
1 large egg
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
12 oz lasagna noodles

The Details . . . .

1. In a large, heavy saucepan, heat 1 tbsp oil over medium heat. Add onion; saute until golden, 5 minutes. Stir in celery and carrot; cook 5 more minutes. Add sausage and 1/2 tsp. salt, breaking up meat with a spoon, and cook until it loses its raw color.

2. Add milk and cook over medium heat, stirring, until completely evaporated, 10 - 12 minutes. (The mixture will appear quite curdled at this point.) Add wine and cook until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and juice, bring to a boil, lower heat and gently simmer uncovered. Cook ragu until liquid reduces by a third, about 30 minutes. Season with 1/4 tsp. pepper and remaining 1/2 tsp salt.

3. In a food processor, whirl cottage cheese, egg, 1/4 cup parmesan, remaining 1/4 tsp. pepper and the nutmeg until smooth. (can be done by had as well)

4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook lasagna noodles according to the package directions; don't over cook. Drain noodles and lay flat on kitchen towels without overlapping. Oil a 9 x 13 inch baking dish and spread with 1/2 cup ragu. Add a single layer of noodles. Spread with a third of the ragu, then top with another layer of noodles, half of the cheese mixture and another layer of noodles. Repeat layering, giving you 2 alternating layers of sauce and cheese. Cover with remaining third of ragu and sprinkle evenly with remaining parmesan.

5. Cover lasagna with oiled foil and bake until hot, 30 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

[recipe featured in Sunset Magazine, Janaury 2010. Photo by Annabelle Breakey, styling by Randy Mon for Sunset Magazine ]

Mike's Rib-Eyes with Award Winning Rub

RUB

4 t coarse kosher salt

1 T coarsely ground black pepper

1 t dried oregano

1 t dried thyme

1 t paprika

1 t minced garlic

6 boneless rib-eye steaks, about 12 ounces each, and 1 1-1/4 inches thick, trim excess fat

Vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS

1.  (If using a charcoal grill), prepare a two zone fire for high heat using enough charcoal so that all 6 steaks can cook over direct heat.

2.  In a small bowl, mix the rub ingredients.  Lightly coat the steaks with oil.  Massage the rub into both sides of each steak.  Let the steaks sit at room temperature for 20 -30 minutes before grilling.

3.  Brush the cooking grates clean.  Grill the steaks over direct high heat, with the lid closed as much as possible until cooked to your desired doneness, 8-10 minutes for medium rare, rotating each steak 90 degrees halfway through each side and swapping their positions as needed for even cooking.   If flare-ups occur, more the steaks, temporarily over indirect heat.  Remove from the grill and loosely tent with foil, let rest for 3-5 minutes.  Serve Warm

[ as seen in "Weber Charcoal Grilling, the art of cooking with live fire" by Jamie Purviance, recipe  by Mike McGrath ]

The Mesa Grill Burger with Double Cheddar Cheese, Grilled Vidalia Onion, and Horseradish Mustard

1/4 c Dijon Mustard
1 T prepared Horseradish, drained
1 large Vidalia onion, sliced crosswise into 1/2 slices
2 T Canola Oil
Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
2 lbs ground Chuck
8 slices Cheddar Cheese (preferably a mix of white & yellow)
4 slices beefsteak tomato
4 lettuce leaves

1. Whisk together the mustard and horseradish in a small bowl; set aside.
2. Preheat a grill to high or a grill pan over high heat.
3. Brush the onion slices with the oil on both sides and season with salt and pepper.
4. Grill the onion slices for 3-4 minutes on each side, until lightly golden brown.
5. While the onion is grilling, form the meat into 4 burgers.
6. Season the burgers on both sides with salt and pepper.
7. Grill for 3 to 4 minutes on each side for medium.
8. Add 2 slices of the cheese to the top of each burger, cover the grill and let melt about 1 minute.
9. Place the burgers on the buns sandwiched with onion, tomato, lettuce and a dollop of horseradish mustard.

[ as seen in "BOBBY FLAY'S MESA GRILL COOKBOOK, explosive flavors from the southwestern kitchen" by Bobby Flay, Stephanie Banyas and Sally Jackson ]

Pan-Fried Fish with Lemon Potato Salad

FISH

olive oil, for greasing pan
4 - 7 oz portions of a firm white fish, (snapper, skin removed), talapia, halibut
salt & pepper
lemon wedges
mint leaves

1. Heat a little oil in a large non-stick frying pan over med to high heat until hot.
2. Season with coarse black pepper.
3. Add fish and cook for 3 minutes.
4. Turn and cook on the other side for 2-3 minutes, or until and the fish is opaque and just cooked.
5. Garnish with mint leaves and serve with lemon wedges and the lemon potato salad.

LEMON POTATO SALAD

1 lb, 10 oz wazy potatoes, peeled & sliced
1 t sea salt
1/3 c extra virgin olive oil
1/2 c lemon juice
1 t sumac, optional
sea salt, extra
freshly ground black pepper
1 small green capiscum pepper, finely diced
2 large red chilies, seeded and finely diced
1/4 c chopped mint
1/2 c Italian flat leaf parsely leaves
6 scallions, finely chopped

1. Bring a large pot of water to the boil over high heat.
2. Add the potatoes and salt, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about 8 - 10 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
3. Remember to undercook the potatoes a little, because they continue cooking when removed from the water.
4. Place the olive oil, lemon juice and sumac in a bowl and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Pour half the dressing over the hot potatoes and stir gently. Leave to cook.
6. Add the capisicum, chili, mint, parsley, spring onion and remaining dressing.
7. Stir gently.

[ as seen in "Bills Open Kitchen", by Bill Granger ]

Super Bowl Recipes

Michael Chiarello's

Babyback Ribs

with Espresso Barbecue Sauce

(as featured at foodnetwork.com)

~ 2  racks baby back ribs (4-6 per person)

~  grey salt

~ freshly ground pepper

~ Espresso Sauce, recipe follows

~ (coarse sea salt will work as a substitute for the grey salt)

1.     Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

2.     Cut each rack of ribs in half along the bone so they can be easily stacked.  Lay them out on the parchment paper in which they were wrapped for easy cleanup.

3.  Salt and pepper liberally on both sides and pat spices into the meat.  Make sure to over season the ribs, because part of the rub will inevitably come off in the pan.  On a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil, stack the ribs close together, about 3 layers high.  Place in the oven for 2 hours, shifting the bottom layer of the ribs to the top every 30 minutes until they are tender and almost falling off the bone.

4.  One half hour before serving, transfer ribs to a preheated grill.  Brush ribs with Espresso Sauce and close the grill.  Contine to turn and brush with the ribs with sauce every 10 minutes, about 3 more times.

Espresso Barbecue Sauce;

~ 4 T   mashed, minced garlic

~ 4 T   extra virgin olive oil

~ 1 c cider vinegar

~ 1/2 c soy sauce

~ 2 cups ketchup

~ 2 cups honey

~ grey salt

~ 2 demi tasse cups espresso (or about 1/2 cup of strong coffee or instant espresso)

~ freshly ground pepper

1.   Mash garlic with the side of a knife and then mince finely to release the oils.

2.  Add olive oil to a preheated saute pan.  Add the garlic and saute until it gets light brown, about 1 minute.  Add cider vinegar, soy sauce, ketchup and honey and stir well.  Add a pinch of grey salt, then which in the coffee.  Add freshly ground black pepper, to taste.  Bring to a simmer and simmer for 10 minutes.

3.   Let cool and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.