Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Grana Padano Dipping Sauce

The two of us have had a slight fixation with cheese ever since we attended the Connecticut Cheese Festival a few weeks back. We have been meaning to tell you about that, and we promise we'll get to it, but for now, we want to share our latest cheese-inspired appetizer creation - Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Grana Padano Dipping Sauce.

When we learned about the Legends from Europe Market Basket Recipe Contest, we jumped at the chance to use one of these outstanding ingredients in a recipe. There are five "Legends from Europe," and they are Grana Padano, Parmigiano Reggiano, Montasio, Prosciutto di Parma and Prosciutto di San Daniele, all of which are part of a special campaign to celebrate the legendary quality, tradition and taste of these world-renowned products. We were told to email the contest administrators and we would be assigned one of these incredible cheeses or hams, then we were to create and post our recipe to our blog to be entered into the contest.

We were ecstatic to be assigned Grana Padano, one of the world's first hard cheeses, and one of Italy's most famous. It is named after its distinctively grainy texture (grana, Italian for "grain"),  and its region of origin, the Pianura Padana, or the Po Valley in Northern Italy. It is a hard cheese that is cooked and ripened slowly, it can last a long time without spoiling, and its DOP (protected designation of origin) status can be verified by the fire-branded trademark on the rind. It has a mildly nutty flavor, more subtle and less salty than its cousin, Parmigiano, which is actually a type of Grana, as that name refers specifically to the texture of the cheese.

We had in mind a beautiful head of cauliflower, simmered in a lemony-herb broth, then slow-roasted, with a creamy dip made from the Grana Padano. And we think we succeeded. The cauliflower tasted as wonderful as it looked, with the olive oil and butter from the broth clinging to it enough to facilitate the browning. And the cheese sauce was so scrumptious in its simplicity - milk, cream, plenty of grated Grana Padano, salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg - that we began to look around for other things to dip into what was left after we conquered the cauliflower (we found Italian bread and baby carrots worked nicely). We served the cauliflower whole on a cutting board with the dipping sauce nearby, and we all oohhed and aahhed over the flavor imparted by this special, legendary cheese.

Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Grana Padano Dipping Sauce

Ingredients:

1 whole head of cauliflower

6 cups water

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

1 large bay leaf

rind from one lemon

3/4 cup light cream

1 cup whole milk

pinch of ground nutmeg

2 cups grated Grana Padano cheese

kosher salt and white pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 475 degrees F. In a pot large enough to fit the cauliflower, bring to boil the water, olive oil, butter, bay leaf and lemon rind. Submerge the cauliflower top down into the pot, reduce heat, cover and allow to simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from pot and place on a baking sheet or roasting pan. Roast cauliflower for 30-45 minutes, until tender and nicely browned. In the meantime, make the dipping sauce by bringing to a boil the cream, milk and nutmeg. Remove cream mixture from heat and stir in the cheese until well incorporated. Add salt and white pepper to taste and serve alongside roasted cauliflower as the start to a wonderful meal.

You Can Fondue, Too!

A few weeks ago, Amy had a girls' night out at The Melting Pot in swanky Darien, CT. Since then, she has taken on a slight obsession with fondue, vowing to re-create the restaurant's traditional Swiss fondue recipe over and over until she gets it just right. This is the tale of the first try.

Inspired by that night at T.M.P. as well as the advice of Megan Draper (of Mad Men, in case you weren't clear ((Meg and Ame seem to go way back)) in the second part of the first episode of the current season titled "The Doorway, Part Two," which BTW means everyone is into fondue these days...): "So the secret is to rub the pot with the clove of garlic and then add twice the Kirschwasser." Sage wisdom, albeit from a fictional character.

Scene: Spring Vacation. 

The Players: A Couple in the Kitchen, relaxed and in love. 

Setting: A gorgeous spring day - bright, sunny and cool. 

Action: While Chris prepares the veggies, Amy infuses the cheese with love, garlic and twice the amount of Kirsch, as per Meg Draper.

Traditional Swiss Fondue (Take One!)

Fondue Ingredients:

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1/4 cup Pinot Grigio 

1/4 cup freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice

1/2 lb. Emmenthaler cheese, shredded

1/2 lb. Gruyere cheese, shredded

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 ounce Westford Hill Kirsch 

kosher salt and black pepper to taste

To dip (for two): 

1 Granny Smith and 1 Gala apple (sliced thinly)

1 Asian pear (sliced thinly)

2 raw carrots, cut into rounds

1 head broccoli, blanched 

2 each, white and purple potatoes, cooked

1 demi-baguette, cubed 

small bunch green grapes

Rub the crushed garlic all over the inside of the fondue pot (see Megan Draper's instructions above). Place over medium heat and add Pinot Grigio and lemon juice. Allow to simmer for one to two minutes. Sprinkle cheese with flour, then slowly add shredded cheese/flour to wine mixture, stirring to melt. When cheese is completely melted, add Kirsch and allow to cook another one to two minutes. Serve in that pretty fondue set you registered for but have only used once in eleven years, with jeweled dipping forks and plenty of (French, si vous plait) wine (you're on vacation!). 

Critics say: Well done! The texture was perfect and the flavor very good, but there was something missing. You just have to figure out what it is.

Bacon, Egg and Cheese Bread Pudding

We created this amazing brunch concoction over Christmas break, when we had lots of time to rest, relax and enjoy time in the kitchen. Its inspiration, in fact, was a Christmas gift from Amy's bestie Karen - a piece of  "Temp-tations" cookware. Isn't it gorgeous? Not only is it non-stick, but it can go straight from the  fridge to the oven to the table. We especially love the pretty glass trivet (also serves as a lid!) and the iron rack that come with it, making it so very table-ready. 

Since Karen is in New Orleans, we wanted to make something inspired by the Big Easy. After plenty of consideration and exchanging various ideas, the two of us finally came up with this: Bacon, Egg and Cheese Bread Pudding, a play on the ubiquitous sandwich. This savory bread pudding is fluffy and custardy, with salty and smoky bites of bacon and tangy cheese. Loved it, and it was perfect for our new cookware! Perhaps we'll make it again today, since we have a SNOW DAY! 

Bacon, Egg and Cheese Bread Pudding

Ingredients:

1 cup milk

1/2 cup heavy cream

3 large eggs

4 slices bacon

1 shallot, minced

5 cups cubed day-old French bread

4 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated

1 1/2 tablespoons dried parsley

kosher salt and ground white pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 and spray the baking dish with cooking spray. Whisk together milk, cream, eggs, salt and white pepper in a large bowl; set aside. Cook bacon until crisp, remove from pan and drain on paper towels, then chop into bite-sized pieces. Cook shallot in bacon fat over medium heat until golden, only about one minute. Add bacon, bread, cheese, cooked shallots and dried parsley into custard mixture so that all bread is covered; allow to soak for about 1/2 hour. Transfer mixture into baking dish and cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove foil and bake for additional 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Fried Egg Sandwich Nachos

School's out for summer! And we couldn't be happier or more relaxed already. Sure, we have a few school-related things to take care of still, but generally, we are on a well-deserved vacation, and we started it off right. On the first official day of our summer, Thursday morning, we made "Fried Egg Sandwich Nachos" for breakfast. This yummy dish has all the makings of a fried egg sandiwich (eggs, bacon, cheese), but is in nacho form, sort of like an American-style huevos rancheros.

We started by laying out some nacho chips on an aluminum-foil-covered baking pan. We then chopped and fryed a few slices of bacon and sprinkled the pieces over the nacho chips. Next came the eggs, fried in the bacon fat, sunny-side up because they will be finished under the broiler. We placed the eggs on top of the bacon, then laid strips of American cheese over the eggs and broiled the whole thing until the cheese was melty and the eggs were cooked to our liking (over medium).

Don't worry. We understand that this is not a dish to be eaten often. But it is a dish worthy of the first day of a long, lazy, summer vacation!

Fried Egg Sandwich Nachos

(this recipe makes one plate, enough for two to share)

Ingredients:

20-24 nacho chips

3 slices uncooked bacon, chopped

3 eggs

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

3 slices American cheese

Lay out the nacho chips onto an aluminum-foil-covered baking sheet. In a large skillet, cook the bacon pieces until crispy. Drain onto a paper towel, reserving the bacon fat in the skillet, then sprinkle over the chips. Return the skillet and bacon fat to high heat. Crack the eggs into the skillet, season with salt and pepper, and cook to your liking (we did them sunny-side-up because they will cook more under the broiler). Slide the eggs onto the nachos. Cut the cheese into strips and lay the strips over the nachos. Heat the broiler to high and broil the nachos until cheese is melted and eggs are cooked. Slide the nachos onto a plate and enjoy!

Wordless Weekender: Warm Honeyed Brie with Grapes and Crackers

Shady Glen, Manchester, CT

Every neighborhood needs its burger joint, you know, that place where you can have a good lunch real cheap.  We folks in Manchester are lucky enough to have ours, Shady Glen, in not one but two locations. We recently visited the original, which opened on the Manchester/Bolton line in 1934, and found several reasons why it is still in operation. 

 

First, as we enter, we must keep in mind the protocol for waiting: there are two lines, one of which forms to the left for those who wish to be seated at a booth, and one that forms to the right for the counter-sitters.  We almost always choose the left, as it leads tantalizingly past the fourteen-foot freezer full of perfect, round, handpacked half-gallons of homemade ice cream.  But we're getting ahead of ourselves.

The various menus consist of boards and signs on the walls and several are located around the perimeter, giving us something to think about while we are in line.  Offerings are of the basic lunch variety – soups, salads, sides and sandwiches.  Platter versions are available at a higher cost for they include “a buttered roll and choice of two sides: french fries, cole slaw, tomato and lettuce, or cottage cheese.” That says it all.

The atmosphere is reminiscent of earlier days, with waitresses in green dresses with frilly white aprons, and cooks dressed in white with maroon bowties, black belts and shoes, and white paper hats.  The service here is no-frills, but very friendly and efficient.  When we are seated at last, the waitress places Dixie-Cups of water in front of us; they boast the name of the restaurant and proprietors with a little drawing of a brown cow.  Since we've been staring at the menus on the wall for the last ten minutes or so, we are able to place our orders right away.

Shady Glen still makes their own sodas the old-fashioned way, with flavored syrups and soda water, and Amy decides on a vanilla cola.  It is sweet and bubbly, and way better than the version Coca-Cola puts out.  Chris gets his favorite, a chocolate malt shake, and it is thick and frothy. Then comes our plate of Shady Glen’s famous fried cheese.  Slices of American cheese are placed in a frying pan with a little pat of butter and cooked until the sides curl up and the cheese is melted in the middle while still slightly browned and crisp.  Four slices of this delicious cheese are served on a bed of lettuce with a pickle slice.  This is the same cheese that comes atop their cheeseburger - more on that later.

For Amy's meal, she gets a plain burger and fries, and Chris chooses the cheeseburger platter with fries and slaw. His is topped with that crispy cheese that looks like wings under the top bun but is at the same time gooey and melty where it hits the meat. The server also brings over a covered condiment tray with bowls filled with ketchup, mustard, relish and chopped onions.  We dress our burgers and take big bites.  They are juicy and taste like a good burger should, the toasty bun adding just the right touch.  The fries and onion rings are crisp and not greasy, with the perfect amount of salt. The slaw tastes fresh and creamy, with good crunch in the cabbage and carrots. Although this is definitely not the healthiest lunch we’ve eaten lately, it’s definitely the tastiest.

But the best is yet to come, as Shady Glen makes its own ice cream right there on the premises.  They offer classic flavors like chocolate, vanilla and lemon sherbet, alongside more unique ones such as banana chocolate chip, grape-nut and orange-pineapple.  There are also seasonal offerings, and since it's the holidays, they proffer cranberry sherbet, mince, egg nog and something called "Christmas Special" which Amy can't resist. Although it is pink, it has a light almond flavor and is filled with Dubonnet-soaked black, green and red cherries as well as chopped toasted almonds. Sooooo good.  

A neighborhood gem for breakfast, lunch and/or an ice cream outing for two, Shady Glen is also a great place for families.  It has been featured on Food Network's The Best Thing I Ever Ate and on Road Food, among others, making it a destination spot for those who aren't lucky enough to live around here. There are two locations in Manchester, at 840 Middle Turnpike East, (860) 649-4245, and at the Manchester Parkade, 360 Middle Turnpike West, (860) 643-0511.  Believe us, the cheese alone is worth the trip from wherever you are. Be sure to take cash, as they do not accept cards.