Parmesan Cheese – Let's Cook Together

Traditional Pizza

Denis Martel — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 14:49:50 +0000

Try baking the pizza on the BBQ. Place one baking sheet on the opposite side of the burner you have turned on (fairly low heat). Turn the sheet from time to time to make sure the pizza bakes evenly.

Ingredients:

2 pizza dough
500 to 750 ml of salsa, medium hot
5 or 6 garlic cloves (yes, I love garlic. If it is not your case, you can always diminish the quantity!)
One green pepper thinly sliced
One dozen sliced mushrooms
A few sliced green olives
A few marinated hot peppers
One sliced onion
20 slices of Mexican salami (if you like spicy food. If not, use Genovese regular salami)
600 gr mozzarella shredded
100 ml parmesan cheese

Method:

Roll and spread the dough on two pizza baking sheets
Spread the salsa on top of the dough
Sprinkle the garlic
Add the mushrooms, green peppers, olives, hot peppers and onion
Sprinkle the two cheeses
Add the cold cuts
Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes at 350⁰ F. After 15 minutes, switch the pizza from the top grill to the bottom and vice versa

Italian Mussels

Denis Martel — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 14:32:53 +0000

When I lived in Montreal, instead of using olives in a jar, I used to go to the Atwater Market to buy spicy olives at one of the cheese shops. They were prepared on the premise and were very fresh. I have bought spicy olives at other shops but they were not as good as those at the Atwater Market. If you have a chance to go there, don’t forget to buy some olives. Your mussels will taste even better.

One kilo serves about one to two people for a meal, three for an appetizer.

Ingredients:

1 kg mussels, washed and brushed
60 ml olive oil
250 ml finely chopped onion
3 or 4 chopped garlic cloves
125 ml chopped green peppers
750 ml chopped fresh or can tomatoes
125 ml white wine
60 ml green olives (you can use black one if you prefer)
5 ml thym
1 ml cayenne pepper
1 ml black pepper
1 ml sugar
80 ml fresh chopped parsley
60 ml fresh chopped basil
125 ml parmesan cheese

Method:

Heat the oil in a large casserole
Add onion, garlic and green pepper and sauté 5 minutes
Add wine, tomatoes, olives, thyme, cayenne and black pepper
Bring to a boil and let simmer 6 to 8 minutes
Add sugar and mussels and mix well
Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until the mussels open
Discard unopened mussels
Add parsley and basil and sprinkle the parmesan
Serve in a large soup bowl

Spaghettini with Cherry Tomatoes

Denis Martel — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 14:23:07 +0000

If you have a cherry tomato plant, this recipe will help you make good use of all those fruits when they ripen all at the same time!

Ingredients:

450 gr spaghettini
750 ml cherry tomatoes
Olive oil
2 chopped cayenne or jalapeno peppers
8 chopped garlic cloves
200 ml parmesan cheese
5 ml salt
30 ml balsamic vinegar
Fresh oregano and basil to taste (let’s say 25 ml of each)

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 450⁰ F while cooking the pasta
Place tomatoes on a well oiled cookie sheet and rub them with the oil
Cook in the oven for 10 minutes
During this time, sauté the peppers and garlic in a bit of oil
Add cooked tomatoes and mix well
Drain the pasta and add to the tomatoes
Add vinegar, cheese, salt and herbs and mix well
Serve and top with more parmesan cheese on top

Stuffed Bell Peppers

Denis Martel — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 18:20:10 +0000

You will not regret on a cold Winter night having spent the time the previous October making these stuffed sweet peppers. I personally like to take one out on a Friday night and eat as an appetizer so I can wait for my late dinner when my wife comes home.

Donz’t cook them completely if you want to freeze them. They will continue to cook when your will warm them up.

Ingredients:

8 red banana peppers
10 medium potatoes
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
300 ml chopped fresh basil
1 egg yolk
25 ml melted butter
50 ml olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
75 gr grated parmesan cheese
Mozzarella

Method:

Peel and cook the potatoes in salted boiling water
Slice the pepper lengthwise, making sure to keep the tip
Carefully remove the seeds and wash the inside of the peppers
Blanch the pepper in boiling water for about 4 to 5 minutes, until they become tender
Cool off the pepper in cold water then dry them
Drain the potatoes, then
Mash the potatoes using a potato masher so they are still lumpy
Mix garlic, basil, egg yolk butter and oil with the potatoes. Add more oil/butter, if required
Add salt and pepper
Add parmesan cheese
Lightly salt the inside of the red peppers and stuff with the potato mixture, using your fingers
Add some Mozzarella on top and put them on a cookie sheet
Bake at 400⁰F for about 30 minutes.

Pesto

Denis Martel — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 18:14:50 +0000

I usually put my pesto in small containers (about 125 ml) and freeze. I use it when I am serving pasta (egg noodles) as a side dish instead of rice or potatoes. When the pasta is cooked, I drain them, put them back in the pot and add the pesto. Make sure you use enough salt if not, it will be very bland.

Ingredients:

At least 500 ml fresh basil
250 ml nuts (I use a blend of Pine nuts and Pecan but the usual recipe calls Walnuts, its is up to you)
3 garlic cloves
250 ml good olive oil
125 ml parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper

Method:

In a food processor, chop the basil, nuts and garlic
While the food processor is still running, add the olive oil slowly
Add parmesan, salt and pepper and mix well