The Parmelet – Turning the Late-Night Omelet Inside Out

The Parmelet – Turning the Late-Night Omelet Inside Out

Breakfast Cheese Eggs

Like most late night, post-saloon culinary experiments, I wasn’t expecting too much as I attempted this crispy, inside-out parmesan omelet, so I was fairly thrilled with how it turned out. The caramelized cheese had formed a thin, but protective layer, and since the eggs had never directly touched the pan, they were moist and tender. It might have been the cocktails talking, but I started to think I had stumbled on to some sort of omelet hack, which improves both the texture of the surface, and diminishes the chance of dry, bitter, overcooked eggs. 

I also tried this with cheddar, and it works pretty much the same. There is one catch, in that you need a nonstick pan for this to work, but other than that, not much can go wrong, and so much can go right. Like what to stuff in the middle. As long as you heat it first, a reasonable amount of any classic omelet filling would shine.

This will also work whether you use one or three eggs, depending on the texture you’re going for. Using a single egg is kind of a cool trick, since the cheese layer is almost as thick, and you can really appreciate the crispness even more. I hope you give this great new omelet technique a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for one Parmelet:

8-inch non-stick pan

1 teaspoon olive oil

25 grams (just shy of 1-ounce) finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1,2, or 3 large eggs, beaten

1/8 teaspoon water per egg

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

pinch of cayenne

Ditulis soni agus Pada 20.38 Komentar

Basil Ricotta Gnocchi – The Other (Better?) Gnocchi

Basil Ricotta Gnocchi – The Other (Better?) Gnocchi

Cheese Italian Cuisine Pasta

One of these days, I’ll do a proper potato-based gnocchi video, but it’s hard for me, since I enjoy this style so much more. Sure, once in a while, with the help of perfectly cooked potatoes, and trusty ricer, you’ll nail the classic technique, and achieve beautifully light, tender dumplings; but, that’s how these come out every time. Besides, I’m pretty sure since these don’t use potato, or as much flour, we get to call these “low-carb,” which is nice. 

Anyway, the point is these are easy to pull off, and great for a dinner party, since you can shape/boil your gnocchi ahead of time, and then simply brown them up in some butter when you’re ready to serve.

I tend to keep the plating fairly basic for these, but any of your favorite pasta sauces should work. They're great as a main course, especially if you accessorize with some seasonal vegetables, but "as is," they also make for a stellar side dish, or first course. I really hope you give this basil ricotta gnocchi recipe a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 Portions Basil Ricotta Gnocchi:

12-ounce container whole milk ricotta cheese (1 1/2 cups), *drained well

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup packed fresh basil leaves, blanched in boiling water

1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste

1 1/2 ounces freshly grated Parmesan (about 1 not-packed cup)

pinch of cayenne pepper

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

 unsalted butter for optional browning

Note: Cook a test piece of dough in salted water, and check for seasoning. Add more salt if needed

*My fancy basket ricotta tends to be low-moisture, so if you’re using the much wetter supermarket brands, be sure to drain in a strainer in the fridge for a few

hours to allow the excess water to drip out.

Ditulis soni agus Pada 13.26 Komentar

“Gazpacho Verde” with Burrata Cheese – Swampy, in a Good Way

“Gazpacho Verde” with Burrata Cheese – Swampy, in a Good Way

Cheese Soups

I’m not crazy about the name for this recipe, but I honestly didn’t know what else to call it, and I blame Twitter for that. Allow me to explain. I saw a photo on there of what I thought was a burrata sitting in a pool of green gazpacho soup, but after a closer look, it turned out to be salsa verde.

That does sound pretty good, but due to the mistaken identity, I was now fixated on the idea of serving this fresh, extra-creamy mozzarella in a bowl of ice cold, cucumber and herb-based gazpacho.

Except, I wanted the cheese to be the star of the dish, with the soup acting almost as a sauce. I thought of calling it something like, “Burrata in a Swamp,” but that didn’t pass the wife test, so long story short, I went with the search engine friendly name you see at the top of the post.

I really wanted a thin, light texture to play off the gooey cheese, so I didn’t add any bread, and also strained it through a fine sieve. The gazpacho seems colder, and more intense this way, and in my opinion works better than a thicker version would. So, whether you’re going to do this with the cheese or not, I really hope you give it a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredient for 4 portions “Gazpacho Verde” with Burrata:

8 ounces burrata cheese (1/4 cup per serving)

3 cups sliced English cucumber (about one large)

2 cloves garlic, sliced

2 tablespoons picked fresh oregano leaves

1 cup packed picked basil leaves

1/4 to 1/3 cup seasoned *rice vinegar, to taste

1/4 cup olive oil

pinch cayenne pepper

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/2 cup water, plus more as needed

*If using regular rice vinegar, season to taste with salt and sugar. You can also use white wine or sherry vinegar, and do the same.

Ditulis soni agus Pada 21.19 Komentar

New & Improved Chicken Parmesan – This is No April Fools Joke!

New & Improved Chicken Parmesan – This is No April Fools Joke!

Cheese Chicken Italian Cuisine

On those rare occasions I find myself dining in one of America’s casual restaurant chains, chicken parm is one of my go-to meals. I love chicken parm, especially when it’s made with fresh mozzarella, which it almost never is. 

It usually features the same bland, rubbery stuff you find on cheap pizza, and even though I know this going in, I’ll order it anyway.That’s how much I love chicken parm. Of course, at home we can use the real stuff, which is much more flavorful, and significantly less rubbery, but it can be pricey, and not everyone has access, so I decided to try something new. Instead of mozzarella, I made a cheese spread using ricotta, fortified with sharp cheddar.

The creamy ricotta made a great base into which you could add any melting cheese. I really enjoyed the cheddar, but I’d like to try this with other options, such as provolone, fontina, or even gruyere. And of course, if you prefer the tender meat of baby cows, this technique will work just the same with veal.

So, if you love chicken parm as much as I do, but aren’t crazy about the typical bland-but-bouncy mozzeralla topping, I really do hope you give this a try soon. Also, this is my last video, as I’m retiring at the end of the day. Thanks for everything, and as always, enjoy!

For 2 portions New & Improved Chicken Parmesan:

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/2 cup flour

1 beaten egg

3/4 cup plain bread crumbs

olive oil for frying

For the cheese spread:

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

1/2 cup shredded sharp white cheddar

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

pinch of cayenne

1/2 teaspoon olive oil

2 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano for the top

- Serve with hot marinara sauce, and chopped Italian parsley.

Ditulis soni agus Pada 10.18 Komentar

Tartiflette – French Potato, Bacon, and Illegal Cheese Casserole

Tartiflette – French Potato, Bacon, and Illegal Cheese Casserole

Cheese French Cuisine Potato Side Dish

There’s nothing I like more than getting a food wish for something I didn’t know existed, and thanks to a Mr. Patrick Ryan, I now know that tartiflette exists. This striking looking dish is basically a potato, onion, and bacon casserole, topped with Reblochon cheese.

If you haven’t heard of Reblochon, don’t feel bad. It’s illegal here. Since it’s made with raw milk, which apparently is dangerous, even though people have been eating it for centuries, it’s not allowed to be imported into the country. However, while you can’t get the real stuff, without smuggling at least, you can get a wonderful substitute, called “Dancing Fern,” from Sequatchie Cove Creamery.

If you’re wondering what it’s like, this is their description: “…soft and supple texture and barnyardy aroma, along with notes of cultured butter, shiitake mushroom, and walnuts.” You can find it at your finer cheese shops, or from several online sources, and while very expensive, it really was a magnificent cheese.

If you can’t swing faux-reblochon, I’ve read about some people using half gruyere and half brie. After tasting the finished product, I can see how that combo could create a somewhat similar flavor profile. Of course, since we’re talking about potatoes and bacon, just about any melting cheese should work beautifully. I really hope you give this amazing casserole a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 8 portions:

butter for greasing casserole dish

3 pounds russet potatoes, cooked with skins on, in salted water

12 ounces thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

2 large onions, sliced thin

salt, freshly ground black pepper, and cayenne to taste

1⁄2 cup drinkable white wine

3/4 cup crème fraiche

1 pound Reblochon cheese, or something similar like Dancing Fern

- 375F. for 45 minutes, or until potatoes are very tender

Ditulis soni agus Pada 18.16 Komentar