Recipes from the cooking demonstration on June 13, 2012 with Barbara Wright

Last night we hosted the first (but certainly not the last!) cooking demonstration with our monastery chef, Barbara Wright. We gathered in the kitchen at 6:00 pm and watched Barbara prepare a meal for 18 people, telling stories and giving out tips on where to shop for food and where to buy knives. Below are the recipes for the dishes that Barbara shared with us last night (click here to download a PDF file of these recipes).

We hope to do more of these, perhaps as soon as this summer! To learn more about cooking demonstrations at Holy Wisdom Monastery, please contact Mike at 608-836-1631, x124.

Vegetable Sauté

Here are good combinations:

• Carrots, onions, green and red peppers, celery and garlic with tomato sauce. Melt in spinach. Top with plain yogurt mixed with herbs and garlic.
• Red and green peppers, canned artichoke hearts, garlic, white wine, heavy cream. Great with chicken or shrimp.
• Bacon and chicken, red and green peppers, onions, garlic, green olives, top with sharp cheese.
• If you wish to add meat or seafood, cut it into small pieces and cook it first in the butter or oil before you add the vegetables.
• Harder vegetables must be precooked so they are tender.

Cooking Directions:

• In a small amount of clarified butter sauté harder vegetables first, until they begin to tenderize.
• Add flavor factors. Add softer vegetables. Add sauce and seasoning. Reduce sauce and remove from heat when all vegetables are tender.
• Always add herbs last.

Basil Chicken

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. clarified butter or olive oil
• 1 lb. boneless chicken breasts, cut in small chunks
• 1 red ripe tomato
• 1 small onion, diced or garlic scapes if available
• 1 clove garlic, crushed, omit if using snapes
• 1 tbsp. fresh basil in olive oil
• 1 cup other vegetable, yellow squash, zucchini, mushrooms, red or green pepper, etc.
• ¼ cup blue cheese or other strong cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Directions:

• Heat oil or butter in sauté pan.
• Sauté chicken until it turns white.
• Add garlic and onion, or scapes. Sauté until fragrant.
• Add tomato and other vegetable.
• Sauté a minute and add basil oil.
• Sauté until vegetables are crisp and tender.
• Season to taste.
• Top with cheese and serve.
• Great with white rice or noodles.

Basil oil

• Put basil leaves in food processor.
• Pour in small amount of high quality olive oil until a loose paste forms.
• Store in refrigerator until needed.
• Lasts one month.

 

Escarole Soup (Zuppa Di Scarola)

Ingredients:

• 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, prosciutto ends, sopressato, or pepperoni
• 4 quarts chicken stock
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 small red peppers diced
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound dry white beans, washed and drained
• 2 heads escarole, roughly chopped 1-inch pieces, (up to 4 cups)
• 1/4 teaspoon oregano
• 3-4 leaves fresh basil
• pinch red pepper flakes
• 1 bay leaf (optional)
• salt
• freshly grated Romano cheese

Cooking Directions:

• Brown the sausage or meat in a large soup pot.
• Remove and slice into rounds or cubes and set aside.
• Add the stock, garlic and several grindings of pepper to the soup pot.
• Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, scraping all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
• Add the beans, herbs, and cook, covered, for 30 minutes, then add the meat. Simmer on lowest heat, until beans are tender.
• Add the escarole and cook until escarole is soft.
• Taste and adjust seasonings.

 

Bun Noodle Salad

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 2 cups loose pack salad green, arugula, romaine, Bibb, butter etc.
• ½ cup diced herbs, basil, mint, cilantro etc.
• 3 oz cellophane noodles or rice noodles
• 1 1/4 c crunchy peanut butter
• ½ cup sesame oil
• ¼ to ½ tsp. Thai chili paste
• ¼ cup honey
• ½ cup soy sauce
• 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
• 2 cups fine cut soft vegetable, summer squash, zucchini, onion, red pepper etc.

Cooking Directions:

• Wash and shred greens and herbs. Place in large salad bowl.
• Chill in refrigerator.
• Cook noodles until tender. Drain well and place on greens in salad bowl. Chill in refrigerator.
• In sauté pan mix next 7 ingredients and cook over low heat until incorporated. Remove and set to one side.
• Sauté vegetable in sauté pan till half cooked. Add sauce and sauté until tender.
• Just before serving pour sauté on salad.
• Garnish with basil leaves and chopped peanuts if desired.

 

Nohutlu Ispanak

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 3 tsp. clarified butter or oil
• 1 medium onion
• Large garlic clove crushed
• ¾ cup of carrots, julienne
• ½ celery, thinly sliced
• 1 ½ cup tomatoes, crushed
• 1 cup water
• pinch oregano
• pinch cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper
• 2 cups spinach leaves
• 1 cup garbanzos, drained and rinsed.

Cooking Directions:

• Sauté onions and garlic in oil until fragrant.
• Add carrots, celery, tomatoes, and water. Simmer till vegetables are almost tender.
• Add garbanzos and seasonings.
• Five minutes before serving melt in spinach.
• Serve topped with yogurt sauce.

Yogurt Sauce

• 8 ounces plain yogurt
• 1 tbs. fresh dill
• ½ tsp crushed garlic
• ¼ cup of water.