IN TAVOLA - ON THE TABLE

31 gennaio 2012

Peanut Brittle - MLLA # 43

la ricetta in italiano qui

Claire from  Chez Cayenne is hosting MLLA#43, a monthly showcase of legumes' world, recipes and tips about cooking these versatile, healthy and economic vegetables.
Lovely Susan of The Well-Seasoned Cook debuted with the first event in 2008, since then so many different hostesses have been carrying on the legume affair with enthusiasm and large participation (hosting line-up is signed up through 2012!). Just have a look at the Round up Archives and you'll know what I mean.
I get involved too sometime, though I am not used to cook with legumes so often, except traditional soups (and that was also my first recipe in 2009) , sometimes with special flavours or brilliant fresh Spring color. But I have tried to do my best with Falafel, Potato hedgehogs and Cecina, and give a different touch to seasonal salads.  Recently I made also nice Chickpea & Rosemary Grissini for Bread baking Day, but don't know why I didn't sent the recipe to MLLA too.
And the most important thing is that I always have something to learn when reading the recaps and most recipes. 
One of the first thing I learned (and I must confess was a real surprise! :-) was about unknown legumes to me such as peanuts, tamarind, carob and fenugreek.
So this is my different recipe this month,  a classical festive treat, easy and quick to make, but more delicious and intriguing for the delicate contrast salty peanuts release, it's irresistible!
Keep caramel a little blonder than mine, I was distracted by the telephone :-)


croccante alle arachidi-peanut brittle

You need:

190 g caster sugar
45 g glucose 
 125 g water
a pinch of salt
150 g salted peanuts
15 g soft butter *
a pinch of baking soda

* use peanut butter to enhance the flavor

 croccante alle arachidi-peanut brittle

In a small saucepan over medium heat melt water, salt, sugar and glucose, stirring only until sugar is dissolved, then simmer until the caramel is ready, has to be a beautiful amber color (neither too bright nor too dark, otherwise it will have a bitter taste), about 10/125 minutes.
Immediately remove from heat, pour in butter and baking soda, mix well and then add peanuts.
Mix well quickly, just enough to caramelize all peanuts and pour on a marble surface lightly greased (a piece of oiled kitchen paper scratched on will be all right) or parchment paper (always lightly oiled) and level to the thickness you prefer. I prefer to lay over another sheet of parchment paper and smooth off well with a rolling pin, while the mixture is still hot.
Wait a few hours to cool and then break down with hands.
If you won't eat everything at once (and I promise you, it will be really hard to resist!) you can store the brittle in an airtight box, even a tin box, making sure to put some parchment paper between the layers of brittle so they won't stich each other.

 croccante alle arachidi-peanut brittle
  

 
 This recipe goes to Claire who is hosting MLLA # 43
Thanks to Susan, our lovely and charming founder

30 gennaio 2012

Weekend Herb Blogging # 318 Round up

January is almost over and according to popular belief the last three days of this month have always been considered the coldest of the year (in Italian they are named i giorni della merla, blackbird days) , a good omen for a beautiful early Spring.
A common and popular legend tells the story of a blackbird (a whitebird in origin :-), which sought refuge with her ​​chicks in a chimney to the cold of those days. It came out just the first day of February, but with its beautiful white plumage turned into black by the sootThat is why from that day on all blackbirds were black.
But an exceptional freezing cold air from Siberia is blowing across Europe down to the Southest Italian regions, temperatures will drop dramatically many degrees below zero and it is announced to be the coldest period of the last thirty years ... shall we have then the most pleasant Spring of the last thirty years? :-)

No matter whatever is weatherly happening outside our kitchens, just lay your table, pour the wine in your glass, take your seat and enjoy a little bit of every single lovely colored seasonal dish our nice guests like to share!

Welcome to WHB # 318!

  

 
Janet from The Taste Space - Canada

 
Johanna from Green Gourmet Giraffe Blog - Australia

 
Kris from Tutto a occhio - Italy
Hema from Hema's Vantagadi - India

 and 
Stash from The Spamwise Chronicles - Usa

Haalo from Cook Almost Anything - Australia

my personal entry
Hope you had a nice time, should I have ever missed someone in this recap, please let me know and I will promptly fix it.

Next week our hostess will be Chris from Mele Cotte, please send your entry to  melecotte AT gmail DOT com attaching a 600pxl wide photo. WHB Rules.

If you'd like to host then send an email to weekend.herb.blogging AT gmail DOT com including your blog name and url, your preferred email address and photo requirements.

See you @ Chris' and Happy Herb Blogging!

29 gennaio 2012

Croccante alle arachidi salate - Peanut Brittle - WHB # 318


English recipe here

Ho due muse ispiratrici a cui sono molto legata, delle quali mi piace molto leggere le ricette (e quando posso anche provarle, con successo :-), conosciute anni fa quando ancora frequentavamo attivamente il forum di Cookaround. Con entrambe c'è stato subito feeling, prima cuciniero, poi anche amichevole. 
In comune hanno la città natale e la voglia di cucinare con passione e fantasia.
Indovina indovinello, chi si cela dietro al fornello?
Con lei è nato proprio un bel rapporto amichevole, ci siamo conosciute e piaciute in più occasioni, abbiamo trascorso anche delle piacevoli vacanze insieme, e non vedo l'ora di avere l'occasione giusta per poterla riabbracciare presto e coccolare la Gioia più grande che la sta tenendo momentaneamente lontana dal suo blog.
Con lei, invece, essendo momentaneamente espatriata in luoghi assolati e orientaleggianti, per il momento l'amicizia è ancora solo virtuale, in attesa che in qualche prossima e non troppo futura vacanza romana possa succedere di incontrarsi davvero ... nel frattempo leggo le sue spassose avventure in terre lontane e misteriose, annoto le sue prelibatezze, prendo spunti, imparo e qualche volta imito :-)
E' il caso di questo croccante che, a differenza di quello classico che faccio sempre, è più sfizioso per quel contrasto salato che le arachidi rilasciano. L'ho già fatto e rifatto parecchie volte, ed ogni volta è sempre irresistibile, tanto da non essere mai riuscita a fotografarlo in tempo :-)
Questa volta che mi sono ben organizzata (nascondendolo prima che finisse ancora tutto nelle fauci delle mie bestioline e ne restassi senza per l'ennesima volta :-) mi si è ambrato leggermente di più, ma è comunque degnamente apprezzabile!

croccante alle arachidi-peanut brittle-whb 318



Ingredienti:

190 g di zucchero semolato
45 g di glucosio
 125 g di acqua
un pizzico di sale
150 g circa di arachidi salate
15 g di burro morbido *
un pizzico di bicarbonato

* volendo accentuare i sapori si può usare il burro di arachidi

croccante alle arachidi-peanut brittle


In un pentolino e a fuoco medio far sciogliere l'acqua, il sale, lo zucchero ed il glucosio, mescolando solo finchè lo zucchero è sciolto, poi lasciar sobbollire finchè il caramello è pronto, di un bel color ambrato (nè troppo chiaro, nè troppo scuro, altrimenti tende ad assumere un gusto amaro), ci vorranno 10/15 minuti al massimo.
Togliere immediatamente dal fuoco, versarci dentro il burro e il bicarbonato, mescolare e poi unire anche le arachidi intere.
Amalgamare bene velocemente, giusto il tempo di caramellare tutte le noccioline e versare su un piano di marmo leggermente unto (un po' di olio di semi su un pezzo di scottex passatato sul piano andrà benone) o su carta forno (sempre leggermente unta) e livellare nello spessore preferito. Io preferisco adagiare sopra un altro foglio di carta forno e livellare bene col matterello, sempre finchè il composto è caldo.
Attendere qualche ora che raffreddi bene poi rompere con le mani.
Se non lo finite tutto subito (e vi assicuro che sarà davvero difficile resistergli) si conserva abbastanza a lungo in una scatola ermetica, anche di latta, con l'accortezza di mettere della carta forno tra uno strato e l'altro. Farà la sua bella figura impacchettato in un foglio di carta trasparente con un bel fiocco, ottimo regalo quando si è invitati da amici!

 croccante alle arachidi-peanut brittle




Questa ricetta è la mia partecipazione al WHB # 318
ospitato in edizione italiana da Kri di Tutto a occhio.
     Thanks again to Haalo who manages greatfully all events,
and to Bri for the Italian edition.
Thanks again to Kalyn for her successfull idea!

Artichoke & Mortadella Mousse with Parmesan Waffles - WHB # 318


 la ricetta in italiano qui

This recipe was the last one I blogged about in Italian at the end of the year just passed away, and it was a very delicate treat on our festive table.
Two simple mousse, even nicer if served with tasty parmesan waffles very easy to make and store.
A lovely performing dish suitable for an aperitif, as hors d'oeuvres, as delicious finger food on a buffet. 
And, most important when planning a dinner or a party, all can be prepared in advance :-) 

Serving 8/10 people:


millefoglie mousse mortadella e carciofi con cialde grana



Mortadella Mousse 

200 g mortadella without pistachios
2 tablespoons milk or cream
125 g mascarpone cheese *
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

* can be substituted by cottage cheese or cream cheese

Blend together all ingredients until smooth and creamy, if necessary sift through a sieve (I didn' do) and add a few tablespoons of milk or cream. Transfer into a sac-à-poche (pastry bag) and keep in the fridge (can be comfortably made a day ahead).



Artichoke Mousse

4 fresh artichokes *
30 g grated pecorino cheese
white wine
salt/pepper
125 g mascarpone cheese **
20 g finely chopped shallots
extravirgin olive oil

* if you have to make a large amount of mousse you can use frozen artichoke hearts
** can be replaced by ricotta cheese or cream cheese

Sauté the shallot in a little oil, add the artichokes (peeled and finely sliced), give a mix and a little fry then sprinkle with a little wine. Season with salt and pepper and cook (covered with a sheet of wet and wrung out parchment paper, so
the artichokes won't oxidize) maintaining the mixture dry.  Allow to cool.
Then blend together mascarpone, artichokes and pecorino and transfer the mixture
into a sac-à-poche (pastry bag) and keep in the fridge (can be easily made a day ahead).


Parmesan Waffles

cialde grana 

200 g grated parmesan cheese
 
Line a plate with parchment paper. Evenly distribute 2 or 3 tablespoons of parmesan on the paper, should be a light coat. Go to the microwave at high power for a couple of minutes, checking after just a minute and a half, then giving 30 more seconds anywhen necessary. Must be a nice golden waffle. Allow to cool and then break up with hands.
If you want to be more precise, the waffles can be shape with the help of a round biscuit cutter (or any shape you like, heart/star/flower).
In traditional oven: bake at 200° (always on parchment paper) until the cheese begins to melt and remove baked waffles with a spatula.
As long as they are hot you can also model a little like a cannolo, wrapping each waffle on a rolling pin.
Let them cool completely in the air for a couple of hours, then they can be stored crispy for more than a week in an airtight box.



  mousse mortadella e carciofi con cialde grana



Serve the mousse in a jar/bowl with a couple of waffles, or make some sort of layer mini cake alternating the two mousses, or just offer single waffles with a mousse or both.
For my birthday party I put the parmesan waffles in a couple of bread paper bags and let the two mousses in two separate pastry on a tray, leaving guests free to use at thair pleasure ... also because I would not have had that time to make treats for 90 people :-)




This recipe is my personal entry to WHB # 318
I am hosting in English.
     Thanks again to Haalo who manages greatfully all events,
and to Bri for the Italian edition.
Thanks again to Kalyn for her successfull idea!