Spinach Salad with sweet and sour dressing

Dressing

1/2C olive oil

1/4C powdered sugar

2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

1-1/2 tsp. lemon juice

¾ tsp. dry mustard

¾ tsp. paprika

¼ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. ground ginger

two bags baby spinach

1/4C golden raisins

2 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds

1 jar grilled artichoke hearts, sliced

8 oz. mushrooms, thinly sliced

4 slices thick sliced bacon, cooked, crumbled

1/4C toasted pecans

Whisk dressing ingredients together and set aside.  Place spinach leaves in a large bowl.  Add the remaining ingredients and toss to combine.  Add dressing to coat.

MAKES:  6 servings

Cheese Roulade filled with mushrooms

1-3/4C shredded Gruyere cheese

2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

7-1/2 Tbsp. unsalted butter (6 Tbsp., 1-1/2 Tbsp.)

4-1/2 Tbsp. flour

1-1/2C whole milk, heated

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

pinch spice rub of choice

6 yolks

6 whites, beaten until almost stiff peaks

mushroom filling

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1-1/2 lb. cremini mushrooms, sliced

1/3C cream

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4C Italian parsley leaves, coarsely chopped

1/2C Gruyere cheese

For the mushroom filling:  Heat the butter in a large sauté pan until hot, add the mushrooms and sauté until crisp – about 10 minutes.  Add the cream and bring to a boil.  Cook until the sauce it thick.  Season with salt and pepper and fold in the parsley leaves. 

For the roulade:  butter a 12 x 16-inch jelly roll pan and line with parchment paper.  Butter again.  Preheat oven to 350F.  Melt 6 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat, add the flour and cook until smooth.  Gradually add the milk, ½ cup at a time, whisking in and letting it cook before adding more.  Season with salt, pepper and spice rub to taste.  Cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens.  Add the remaining butter off the heat.  Let cool slightly before adding the yolks, one by one, stirring well after each addition.  Add the Gruyere cheese.  Gently fold in the whites.

Turn the mixture into the prepared pan and spread evenly.  Bake

for 10 – 15 minutes or until puffy and lightly golden.  Let cool 5 minutes on a rack.  Loosen the sides of the pan and turn the roulade out onto a towel.  Remove the parchment and spread with mushroom filling.  Sprinkle with cheese and roll up, using the towel to apply uniform pressure along the rolling edge.  Transfer roulade onto a cookie sheet and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. 

Return the roulade to the oven to heat until the filling is hot and a light crust has formed on the top.  Let cool slightly.  Cut into slices and serve.

MAKES:  8 servings

Risotto with sautéed mushrooms

1 oz. dried mushrooms, soaked in beef stock for 30 minutes,

  drained, rinsed, stock reserved

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1 Tbsp. olive oil

8 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

½ medium onion, peeled and thinly sliced

1-1/2C Arborio rice

1/2C white wine

1C reserved mushroom liquid

5 – 6C chicken stock

1/3C cream (see Note)

1/2C Parmesan cheese, grated and 1/2C shaved

2 Tbsp. fresh basil leaves, cut in julienne strips

Heat 2 tablespoons of butter and olive oil in a sauté pan, add the dried and cremini mushrooms, salt and pepper to taste, and sauté on high heat until golden.  Transfer to a dish and reserve.  Add the additional butter to the sauté pan and heat, add the onion and sauté until tender.  Add the rice and additional butter as needed and sauté until the rice is coated with the onions and butter.  Add the white wine and bring to a boil.  Reduce until almost all the wine has been absorbed.  Begin adding first the mushroom stock and then the stock, ½ cup at a time.  Let the stock almost become absorbed by the rice before adding additional stock. 

Once the rice is tender stir r in the mushrooms and basil.  Turn off the heat and stir in grated Parmesan cheese.  Divide the risotto among plates and sprinkle with shaved parmesan cheese.

MAKES:  6 – 8 servings

Note:  If you prefer a very creamy risotto add 1/3C cream to the risotto before adding the mushrooms and cheese.

Wild Mushroom Tart

Crust

1-1/4C flour

1 tsp. sugar

½ tsp. salt

1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

2 – 3 Tbsp. cold water (as needed)

Filling

1 oz. dried porcini mushrooms

1C water

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1/4C shallots, peeled and minced

2 Tbsp. Brandy or cognac

½ lb. domestic mushrooms, sliced

½ lb. cremini mushrooms, sliced

1/4C fresh herbs, coarsely chopped

2/3C grated Gruyere (or cheese of choice)

3/4C cream

2 yolks

1 egg

For the crust:  Place the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse to combine.  Pulse in the butter until coarse crumbs form.  Gently pulse in 2 tablespoons of the water and more as needed to form a dough – do not over process.  Flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and chill 30 minutes.

Roll out the dough to fit into a 9 x 12-inch rectangular tart pan with removable bottom.  Chill 30 minutes.  Preheat oven to 375F.  Line the crust with foil and pie weights and bake until golden on the edges – 10 – 12 minutes.  Remove the foil and pie weight, prick the bottom with a fork and return to the oven to bake 5 minutes more.  Cool.

For the filling:  Bring the dried mushrooms to a boil with one cup of water, cover and let stand 30 minutes.  Spoon porcini from the liquid and chop.  Reserve ½ cup of the liquid.

Melt the butter in a sauté pan; add the mushrooms, salt and pepper and sauté until golden.  Add the shallots and sauté 2 minutes.  Add the brandy and boil away.  Add the stock and boil until all the liquid has been absorbed.  Fold in the herbs.  Cool completely.

Sprinkle 1/3 cup of the cheese in the crust, cover with the mushroom mixture, spreading it evenly.  Whisk the cream, yolks, eggs, salt and pepper together and pour over the mushrooms.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake until the filling is set and the top is golden – about 35 minutes.  Cool on a rack 10 minutes and remove the tart from the tart pan.  Slice and serve.

MAKES:  8 servings

Pork Tenderloins with corn and mushroom sauce

2 - 3 pork tenderloins, trimmed, cut in half

salt and freshly ground pepper

2 - 3 Tbsp. olive oil

2 – 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1 – 1-1/2 lb. assorted wild mushrooms, cut into thick pieces

3 – 4 ears fresh corn, kernels removed

1 small yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced

1C chicken stock

1/2C fresh cream

1 Tbsp. fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400F.  Heat a sauté pan over high heat; add one tablespoon butter and one tablespoon olive oil and heat.  Add the wild mushrooms and cook on high heat until somewhat crisp.  Turn off the heat.

In another larger sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoon olive oil until hot.  Salt and pepper the pork and add to the pan.  Sauté 3 – 4 minutes until all sides are golden.  Transfer to a glass dish, cover lightly with foil and place in the preheated oven until almost cooked through – about 10 – 15 minutes depending upon the thickness of the pork.  Meanwhile, add 2 tablespoons butter to the sauté pan and heat.  Add the onions and sauté until soft; add the corn and basil and sauté until tender.  Add the chicken stock and reduce to ¼ cup, add the cream and cook until thickened.  Stir the mushrooms into the corn mixture.  Cut the pork halves into smaller pieces and add to the mixture, cover with foil and cook 5 minutes on low heat until the pork is cooked through.  Serve.

MAKES:  6 servings

Spinach Salad with Tapenade Toasts

3 Tbsp. olive oil
4 - 6 baby Portobello mushrooms, sliced
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
juice of 1 lemon mixed
¾ lb. baby spinach
1 small red onion, thinly sliced (about 1/2C slices)
4 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and quartered
4 oz. feta cheese
3 Tbsp. heavy cream
12 thin baguette slices, toasted
1/2C olive tapenade

Vinaigrette

Heat 3 Tablespoons olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat; add
the mushrooms and sauté until golden. Add the garlic and sauté for 2
minutes more. Season with salt and pepper. Add the lemon juice and
remove from the heat. Toss the red onions slices with one tablespoon
of the vinaigrette and set aside.

Place spinach in a large bowl, add the red onion and eggs and toss
together gently. In a small bowl, mix together the feta, cream and
several turns of fresh black pepper. Spread a little of the mixture
one side of each of the toasted baguette slices and top with a little
tapenade. Set aside.

Return the sauté pan with the mushroom mixture to medium-low heat,
add 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette and stir into the mushrooms. Pour
the mixture over the salad and toss quickly, adding more vinaigrette
as necessary. Gently divide salad among individual plates. Add two
tapenade toasts to each portion and serve immediately.
MAKES: 6 servings

Vinaigrette

3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. raspberry vinegar
2 tsp. honey mustard
4-1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Place all vinaigrette ingredients in a jar and shake well. Set aside