The End of an Era - Vincenzo's Restaurant Closes

OLD FASHION SWEET POTATO PIE

Ingredients

500 gr sweet potato
125 gr soft butter
250 gr white sugar
125 ml milk
2 large eggs
3 ml. ground nutmeg
3 ml. ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
Few drops of vanilla
1 nine inch unbaked pie crust

Method

Boil sweet potato whole in skin for about 1 hour until done.
Run cold water over the potato and remove the skin. Break apart
potato into a bowl. Add butter, and mix well with mixer. Stir in
sugar, milk, eggs, spices and vanilla. Beat at a medium speed
until smooth. Pour the filling into the unbaked pie shell. Bake
at 175 C or (350 F) for about 1 hour, or until knife inserted in
the center comes out clean. Pie will puff like a soufflé and then
it will shrink down as it cools. Garnish with whipping cream.

Chicken – Vegetable Soup with Quinoa and bacon

Ingredients

4 bacon slices
300 ml. chopped onion
300 ml. diced butternut squash
200 ml chopped carrot
1 teaspoon salt

6 garlic cloves, minced

2 chicken breast skinless, boneless cut into small cubes

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper,

1 ½ lt Chicken Stock

2 bay leaves
200 ml. uncooked quinoa, rinsed

6 cups uncooked chopped kale
150 ml. corn fresh or frozen

2 teaspoons thyme leaves 

Herbed Croutons

Method

1. Cook the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan, reserving 1 tablespoon of drippings. Crumble the bacon and set aside.

2. Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the onion, butternut squash, carrot, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to the drippings in the pan; sauté 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Remove the mixture from pan.

3. Add the chicken to the pan; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Sauté 5 to 6 minutes or until the chicken is browned and done. Stir in the vegetable mixture, add chicken Stock bay leaves, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper; bring to a boil.

 

Stuffed Potato Skins with Crab Salad

Ingredients

3 Yukon gold potatoes

600 ml crab chunks

70 ml mayonnaise

6 ml. Dijon mustard

2 green onions, finely chopped

60 ml. fresh chives, finely chopped

Salt and pepper

Oil for frying

Method

1. Preheat oven to 190 C.

2. Bake the potatoes until soft,

About 40 minutes depending on the size.

 3. Heat the oil in a deep fryer to 190C.

 4. Remove the potatoes from the

Oven. Cut in half and scoop out the flesh (THE FLESH OFPOTAOES CAN BE USED AS MASH).

 5. Put the potato skins into the fryer until they become brown and crispy. Remove, place on paper towel, season with salt and

Pepper and let cool to room temperature.

 6. Mix the crab with mayonnaise, Dijon, green onions and chive. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon the mixture into the potato skins.

7. Maybe serve with tartar sauce

Pork loin Roast

 This full-flavuored pork loin roast is seasoned with a savory herb and bread crumb mixture, and then it’s roasted to perfection with potatoes. This appetizing meal makes a fabulous holiday meal or Sunday dinner.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

Pork loin roast, bone in, about 2 .5 kg

75 ml. finely chopped fresh herbs, mixture, such as rosemary, thyme, sage, marjoram, savory

5 ml. crushed garlic

75 ml fine dry bread crumbs

3 ml. teaspoon salt

3 ml.  Freshly ground black pepper

 Potatoes

1.5 kg russet potatoes cut in chunks

50 ml. olive oil

5 ml. Crushed garlic

2 ml. salt

1 ml. freshly ground black pepper

Method

Heat oven to 200 c. Combine the herbs, garlic, bread crumbs, salt, and pepper. Put everything in the food processor to chop finely and save time.

Put the roast in a lightly oiled roasting pan. Pat the herb and bread crumb mixture all over the roast. Roast for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 190 c. and roast for another 45 minutes.

Toss the potatoes with oil, the garlic, salt, and pepper. Arrange the potatoes around the pork and continue roasting until the pork is cooked. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

French Canadian Tourtiere

(22 x 4 or 23 x 4 cm pie plate)

Ingredients

350 gr lean ground pork
350 gr lean ground beef
1 medium onion small diced
2 garlic cloves minced
150 ml. water
8 ml. salt
3 ml. thyme
2 ml. sage
2 ml. ground black pepper
1 ml. ground cloves
Pie crust recipe to follow

Method

1. Preheat oven to 220 C.
2. In a saucepan, combine pork, beef, garlic, water, salt, thyme, sage, black pepper and    cloves.
3. Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil, stirring occasionally.
4. Reduce heat to a low simmer until meat is cooked 5 minutes or so.
5. Spoon the meat into the pie crust. Place top crust on top and pinch the edges to seal. Cut top crust so steam can escape.
6. For better result cover top of pie with aluminum foil for about 10 minutes then remove foil and finish cooking for about 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown... When cooked let stand for about 10 minutes before serving. Serve with rich brown sauce Gravy

Short crust Pastry 

Ingredients

600 ml. all-purpose flour
2 ml. salt
150  ml. butter cubed
150  ml. lard  cubed
80 to 100 ml cold water
1 lemon juice
Method
1. In a food processor, combine the flour and salt .Add the  butter and lard and pulse for a few seconds at a time until mixture is the size of peas.
2.Add the  90 % of the water ,lemon juice and pulse again until the dough is right to form add more water if need be  or until ready to form .Remove the dough from the food processor and rest for about 10 to 15 minutes
3. Form 2 discs one for top and one for bottom of pie

PASTICCIATA

I am sharing my  family recipe for Pasticciata, my mother’s favorite on special occasions An Abruzzi ( Italy) province specialty, Pasticciata is made from the eye of beef round, marinated overnight in wine and garlic, then slow cooked with garden vegetables until it melts in your mouth.

Ingredients

750 ml Dry red wine

250 ml. olive oil

5 cloves of garlic minced

3 whole cloves

5 kg. eye of round roast

500 ml.beef stock

2 stalks celery, sliced

1 white onion, sliced

1 carrot, sliced

3 canned whole plum tomatoes

  black peppercorns

  Salt

  hot, just cooked pasta

Method

Combine wine, garlic, and cloves in stainless steel or glass pan. Add roast. Cover with plastic wrap, refrigerate 24 hours, turning once after 12 hours. Place roast and marinade in roasting pan with tight fitting lid. Add broth, celery, onion, carrot, tomatoes, peppercorns, and salt to taste. Cover; roast at 170 C. F for 6 to 8 hours (turn over every couple hours) or until cooked through and tender. Remove from oven; let rest 1 hour. Strain and reserve juices. Serve 6 to 8 ounce portion over a bed of pasta. Pour 60 ml. reserved juice over top of meat and serve. Makes about 20 servings

Fresh Cranberry Turkey Stuffing

Ingredients

225 gr butter

3 medium celery stalks chopped

1 large opinion chopped

12 slices of soft bread cubed

250 gr of fresh cranberry or 150 gr or dry

3 tbsp of fresh chopped sage or (2 tbsp dry)

2 tbsp of fresh thyme or (1 tbsp dry)

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

 In a medium sauce pan melt butter over medium heat .Cook celery and onions stirring often until onions are tender add cranberries .Stir about half of the cubed bread .Place in a large bowl and add the rest of the ingredient .

When thoroughly mixed stuff the turkey

If cooking the stuffing separately

Place in a grease roasting pan or casserole dish 13x9x2 in the over for about 30 minutes cover and 15 minutes uncovered

Don’t forget a glass of vine for you while you’re cooking

Smile and  be sweet: 

The best way to win a friend is to listen and smile it only take a minute

Simple Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients

75 gr olive oil

1 medium size onion finely chopped

2 small leeks white only finely chopped

2 garlic gloves crushed

15 ml. of each coriander-cumin-nutmeg

1 kg.of peeled diced pumpkin

2 small potatoes peeled and diced

1 liter of vegetable stock (chicken)

100 ml. thick cream

Fresh parsley

Method

Heat oil in a large saucepan over low heat, add onions and leeks and cook for a few minutes until soft not brown.

Add garlic and species and cook and stir for a for one minutes

Add pumpkin and potato and stock bring to a boil. Turn heat down and let simmer for about 30 minutes

Allow to cool for a few minutes add cream and adjust seasoning maybe more nutmeg

Sprinkle with fresh parsley just before service

Sausage and Broccoli rabe (Rapini) Frittata (6 serving)

Ingredients

12 large eggs 
125 ml. whole milk
175 ml. grated sharp cheddar cheese
Salt and coarsely ground pepper to taste
30 ml. Vegetable oil
1 small onion chopped
300 gr. Medium Italian Sausage casing removed
500 gr. broccoli rabe coarsely chopped

Method

1. Pre-heat broiler. Whisk eggs and milk in a medium bowl. Mix in ½ of cheddar cheese with salt and pepper and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat .Add onions and Sausages and stirring occasionally, until onions are softened and sausage are brown 6 to 8 minutes. Add the broccoli rabe and season with salt and pepper and cook until tender 6 to 8 minutes.
3. Reduce heat to low and pour reserved egg mixture over vegetables. Cook shaking the pan occasionally until edges are just set 10 minutes or so.
4 Top frittata with remaining cheese broil until top is golden brown and center set 5 minutes or longer.
5. Frittata can be made a few hours ahead.

Everything About Cooking with Chef Otto Episode 1

In this episode, Chef Otto show us how to use knives properly and safely.