Red Beet Potato Provolone Gnocchi in Green Pea Veloute

Because Costco stopped selling Tellicherry Peppercorns and now only sell the flat tasting black peppercorns I had to find them on the internet or take a long drive to the spice store and pay double. So when I found the best price for my Tellicherry Peppercorns on the internet (www.MySpiceSage.com) I also picked out Beet Powder because I was thinking about making beet gnocchi. When you make gnocchi  you want the lightest pillow of pasta possible. The secret is to use as little flour as possible. Too much flour makes a tough gnocchi. If the extra ingredients are moist like pureed beets then more flour will be added. Powdered beets works well with gnocchi dough. I thought I’d do something different and add sharp provolone to the dough because often strong cheeses like gorgonzola gets paired with beets. The rest just sort of popped in my head. The boiling water from the potatoes comes out amazing when you throw a banana pepper in the boiling water…..It’s just like magic….even if you don’t like heat in your food the banana pepper makes food delicious…..So a sauce needed to be made with that delicious flavorful well seasoned water and I came out with Green Pea Veloute. It’s just the potato water and you make a little roux, cook onions, add the peas, then add potato water and blend it up.

Ingredients for about 6 servings

1 lb brown skin potatoes (about two large) – peeled – cut in thirds – in pot covered with cold water

1 1/2 Tablespoons sea salt – to boil potatoes

1 banana pepper – cut in half diagonal – to boil with potatoes (I don’t think any other pepper will give the same flavor or that just right heat. I find these peppers at Asiana Market in Deer Valley. If you can’t find these peppers I suggest a vegetable stock but you might have to adjust seasonings a bit.

1 cup sharp provolone shredded (about 3 ounces)

1 egg – slightly beaten

2 Tablespoons beet powder

3/4 cup flour (your results may differ………you might need slightly more or less….when you are done making dough it’s important to do one tester gnocchi so you can adjust if needed)

2 teaspoons course sea salt

1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper

few grates fresh nutmeg

About 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil to sprinkle on gnocchi as they get done to prevent sticking.

2 oz unsalted butter

2 Tablespoons flour

3 oz sweet onions minced or grated

3 cups frozen sweet green peas

4 cups potato stock (if you substitute vegetable stock the salt and pepper might need adjustments)

Directions

Boil the potatoes with salt and banana pepper till tender on a medium boil till tender. (about 15 minutes)

When the potatoes are done discard the banana pepper. Remove the potatoes with a slotted spoon to a large bowl and keep the potato water off to the side.

Mash the potatoes (only if you have a really good masher where you can get lump free potatoes) or rice the potatoes. Add egg mash egg into potatoes. Mash cheese, beet powder

salt white pepper nutmeg and flour. You might have some trouble mashing all the flour into the potato mixture….DON’T WORRY…..you will get it all in….just take your time. The dough gets wetter. Then let the dough sit to the side while you make the veloute.

Melt butter with flour in a pan on medium heat till it bubbles. Add onions mix well and cook a few minutes and add peas. Cook a few minutes and add potato stock. Blend it up with a stick blender. Let it cook a few minutes and then take off the heat. ( you should do a taste test and adjust season if necessary)

Put a pot of water on to a medium boil with a tablespoon of sea salt. Put a string on the handle ********BUT BE CAREFUL NOT TO LET THE STRING CATCH ON FIRE!!!!!! The string is for cutting the gnocchi dough.

Insert a star tip into a disposable pastry bag and fold down the top of the bag. Add about 1/3 of the dough mixture and twist the end of bag to hold dough in.

When the water is boiling apply pressure to the end of the twisted bag and skirt out a gnocchi.

Cut with string over the boiling water.

Keep squirting out the gnocchi until you are done with dough in bag.

Gnocchi will float when they are done. I let them float about a minute or two. Then scoop them out with a slotted spoon into a large bowl. Drizzle the gnocchi with about a tablespoon of olive oil. Repeat till you are done with all the gnocchi dough.

Serve gnocchi over the veloute.

You might want to serve with grated provolone or Italian hard cheese and some fresh basil.

Red Beet Potato Provolone Gnocchi in Green Pea Veloute

Something different and also delicious you might want to try!

The Forking Truth

Lightened Up Gratin Style Butternut Squash with Poblano Casserole

I made a Gratin Style Casserole but I cut a few corners by not adding all the fat a gratin really needs. By slicing the squash and onions thin there is no need for vegetables to be sautéed in butter so I cut out butter….I also cut out adding heavy cream and just used one egg to thicken just enough. I used enough cheese for flavor and enough for a thin crispy tasty crust. I wish I could give you a taste right now! This is so light and flavorful. it’s a little spicy and flavorful from the poblano peppers and spices but the butternut squash is sweet and that mellows everything. The cheese is there but it’s not heavy….This is a delicious lighter way to eat butternut squash. I think most people would enjoy this. This recipe makes about 9 generous servings.

Ingredients for about 9 servings

1 medium butternut squash (about a 1 lb squash) – peeled and sliced thin on mandolin

1 medium sweet onion (about 10 oz.) – peeled – sliced thin on mandolin and then chopped

2 garlic cloves – microplane or ground to paste

5 oz extra sharp cheddar cheese – shredded

4 oz pepper jack cheese – shredded

2 poblano peppers – roasted – seeds, stem and skin removed – then rough chopped (***note if very spicy you might want to use only one or one with some other mild pepper…mine were on the mild side)

3/4 cup vegetable stock

1 egg – lightly beaten

2 teaspoons course sea salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin

non stick spray

1 cup grated parmesan cheese (for topping)

1 cup panko bread crumbs (for topping)

Directions

Set oven to 350 degree F.

Spray casserole dish (or a pan) with non stick baking spray. Set the pan to the side.

In a Large mixing bowl combine the butternut squash, onion, garlic, cheddar and pepper jack cheeses, poblanos, sea salt, black pepper, chili powder and cumin and mix well.

in a small bowl add the vegetable stock and the egg and mix well.

Put about 1/2 the mixture into the pan. Pour about 1/2 of the vegetable stock egg mixture over the butternut squash mixture. Add the remaining butternut squash mixture to the pan…..pour the vegetable stock/egg mixture over the butternut squash mixture.

In a small bowl combine the panko with the parmesan cheese and pour it evenly over the butternut squash mixture.

Cover the pan and put in the 350 degree F oven for an hour.

After an hour remove the cover and let it brown for 10 – 15 minutes.

Let it set till warm and then serve.

Lightened Up Gratin Style Butternut Squash with Poblano Casserole

It came out delicious!

The Forking Truth

Fancy Schmancy Deviled Eggs

I had this idea that Deviled Eggs would seem more special if the egg middles were roses. The very middle of the rose is a fancy Peruvian Sweet Drop Pepper…..It adds a delicious pop of Sweet Pepper flavor and an absolutely perfect acidity that makes the Deviled Egg more Delicious and POP! Then instead on mayo we make a seasoned aioli and use the finest Blue Persian Salt and one of the Greatest Peppers Piment d’ Espelette. The other difference between these Fancy Schmancy and most other regular deviled eggs is that the whites get seasoned on both sides before you fill them because they taste better that way. Even the celery leaf adds another flavor to finish with. I note that the recipe for the seasoned aioli makes about twice as much as you need for the deviled eggs….so either make double batch or do like I did and use the other half for a potato salad. The extra seasoned aioli also can be used as a sandwich spread or can be made into salad dressing. You also will be left with 4 extra egg white halves that you save for a snack or add to a salad or sandwich. After I made these deviled eggs I did get to try Amora dijon mustard from France……..I’m thinking next time I make deviled eggs Amora is the mustard I will use…….It’s complex, more silky feeling in the mouth, it full of flavors but not over-powering. The recipe will need slight adjustments if Amora Dijon is used. This recipe makes 12 half eggs that will go fast.

Ingredients for about 6 servings

1 egg yolk (aioli)

3 Tablespoons dijon mustard (aioli)

pinch course sea salt (aioli)

4 Tablespoons canola oil (aioli)

2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar (aioli)

dash Worcestershire sauce (aioli)

1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (aioli)

pinch Hungarian Sweet Pepper (aioli)

pinch ground white pepper (aioli)

4 Tablespoons canola oil  (not a mistake you add this at end) (aioli)

8 eggs (I used large)

4 Tablespoons of the aioli you just made

1/4 teaspoon Piment d’ Espelette

1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon dried mustard

1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

dash Worcestershire sauce

12 sweety drop peppers (these are specialty peppers from Peru and are the center of the rose)

fresh ground Blue Persian Salt (preferably or substitute fresh ground sea salt) – to taste (for seasoning the egg white)

Piment d’ Espelette – to taste (for seasoning the egg white)

Directions

Put a pot of water on to boil. When water is boiling add the eggs and let them boil about seven minutes.

While the eggs are boiling make the aioli.

Blend egg yolk, 3 Tablespoons dijon, pinch salt, 4 Tablespoons canola oil….Blend till thick and emulsified. Now add vinegar, dash Worcestershire, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, pinch paprika, pinch ground white pepper …..blend till thick and emulsified.  Add 4 Tablespoons canola oil and blend again till thick and emulsified. Now set the seasoned aioli to the side.

Remove eggs from boiling water when they are done and pour cold water on them and also add a little ice and let the eggs cool off. When cool enough to handle peel the eggs. Cut the half the eggs (long ways will work better here) pop the yolks into a medium bowl and the egg whites into another medium bowl. Keep going till all the yolks and eggs are done.

Either with a really good masher, ricer or blender mash up the egg yolks and blend 4 Tablespoons aioli, 1/4 teaspoon Piment d’ Espelette, dijon mustard, white pepper, cayenne, Worcestershire and mix till blended well. If too dry add a tad …..but just a tad…..more aioli but keep in mind too moist won’t work here….you need the egg yolk mixture stiff enough to pipe.

To the bowl of egg whites season them to taste with fresh ground Blue Persian Salt (or sea salt) and Piment d’ Espelette and set to the side.

Get out a rose tip, disposable pastry bag and flower nail. Trim end of bag and insert rose tip. add yolk mixture to bag twist end to hold in mixture and squeeze a small amount of egg mixture on the nail.

Add a Sweety Drop Pepper.

Pipe a few petals around the Sweety Drop pepper.

Pipe more petals till it looks like a rose and remove with either a small spatula, butter knife and place on to the egg white.

Finish with a light dusting of Piment d’ Espelette or Cayenne or a combination of cayenne and paprika.

Showed this one off on Facebook.

Fancy Schmancy Deviled Eggs

Here’s some Forking Fancy Schmancy Deviled Eggs!

The Forking Truth

Forking Tastiest Crisp Battered Cauliflower Ever

Just about every restaurant has or had a fried cauliflower on the menu….so we’ve had fried cauliflower at a number of places. This cauliflower might be the best I’ve tried and can also be dressed a number of ways so it can fit into any flavor profile because chickpea  is used in Italian,  Indian, French and Mediterranean Dishes. This cauliflower has a super thin but shattering crisp batter. The cauliflower inside is soft, sweet and buttery. It’s so FORKING GREAT that it is delicious plain. Not only is this recipe great it is also FORKING EASY! Usually when I cook I wing things. I started frying up the cauliflower and it was coming out great……and then I stuck my thermometer in the oil…..I had no idea that the temp was so low……..OMG the secret to really great cauliflower is to fry at a low temperature……who knew? My temperature only read at 275 degrees F…..I think that is the secret…..Even roasted cauliflower comes out better and sweeter cooked for longer at a lower temperature (350 F) The fried cauliflower came out with a super thin really crisp shattering batter with a delicious taste. The cauliflower inside was soft, buttery and sweet….It all seemed free of oil too. I ran some into my husband to try….he couldn’t believe how delicious, light and crispy they were with soft cauliflower inside. He ran in the kitchen to sample more and more. I made a Cilantro mint chutney to go with the cauliflower….but really almost any dip you like would be great here.

Ingredients for about 4 servings

1 small – medium cauliflower cut into bit size florets

1/2 cup corn starch

1/2 cup chickpea flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons course sea salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 cup cold water

1/2 cup white vinegar

canola oil for frying

Directions

All the cauliflower must be prepped first.

You can fry the cauliflower in a fryer, sauce pot or large fry pan…Get the oil to 275 degrees F.

Get two large bowls put 1/2 of these ingredients in both bowls. You need to split the bowls because the batter will deflate. HALF the liquid goes in your first bowl and when you are ready for your second bowl THEN you add the liquid to your second bowl when you are ready. You want foamy batter.

Split into two large bowls- corn starch, chickpea flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cayenne,

When you are ready to fry then add half the water and half the vinegar to one bowl.

Use tongs to pick up a floret one at a time and dip into batter….Shake off extra batter and place floret in oil.

Don’t crowd pan and fry about 5 minutes on each side.

Use a pan lined with paper towels to catch any extra oil.

Repeat till done.

Forking Tastiest Crispy Battered Cauliflower Ever

Forking Tastiest Crisp Battered Cauliflower Ever

Every Forking person in the world would love this Cauliflower!

The Forking Truth

Forking Amazing Hot and Spicy Fried Chicken

I was thinking about how hot chicken is prepared and came up with a different style of preparing hot chicken….This is not Nashville Style but does have that similar mainly cayenne flavor. I recently came up with a batter that was super delicious for frying cauliflower so I spiked that recipe up for the chicken and I also marinated the chicken because hot chicken is suppose to be marinated….Well this is BOMBSHELL FORKING Delicious! It’s FULL of Flavors and it is spicy too but just enough and not too painful. I did this with skinless boneless breast and it was so moist my husband thought I cooked the chicken in a SousVide water oven. I can’t wait to do this with chicken thighs! I do note that this chicken was only crisp first time around and the two pieces we ate the next day didn’t crisp up but were still Forking Amazing in flavors. I do have a few ideas I want to try out to get the batter to stay crisper longer….but that is yet to come.

Ingredients for about 4 servings

1 lb chicken breast – in four pieces (I used boneless and skinless but you can use whatever…..BUT I NOTE the marinade and cooking times will differ)

4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil – (marinade)

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar – (marinade)

1 teaspoon kosher salt – (marinade)

2 large garlic cloves – ground to paste – (marinade)

1 teaspoon sugar – (marinade)

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper – (marinade)

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme – (marinade)

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika – (marinade)

pinch celery seeds – (marinade)

1/4 cup corn starch – (batter)

1/4 cup chickpea flour – (batter)

1/4 teaspoon baking powder – (batter)

1/4 teaspoon baking soda – (batter)

1/2 teaspoon course sea salt – (batter)

1 Tablespoon cayenne pepper – (batter)

2 teaspoons dark brown sugar – (batter)

1 teaspoon paprika – (batter)

1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic – (batter)

1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper – (batter)

1/4 cup cold water – (batter)

1/4 cup white vinegar – (batter)

canola oil for frying

Directions

First step is to make the marinade and marinate the chicken. If you are using boneless breast the proper time is four hours to marinate.  I NOTE I didn’t do this recipe yet with bone in chicken yet or with skin on……..So all timings of marinating and cooking will differ…….Put the chicken in a quart size ziplock bag and set to the side. In a medium mixing bowl combine the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, kosher salt, ground garlic, white sugar, black pepper, thyme, smoked paprika and celery seeds. Mix well pour into chicken bag and place in the refrigerator for four hours.

Pull the chicken out about 30 minutes before frying.

Either use a deep fryer or a fry pan like I did. Give the pan about an inch and a half of oil and get the temperature about 325 degrees F because when you add the chicken the oil heats up real fast to 350 degrees F.

Take the chicken out of the marinade. Throw the marinade away. Blot off the chicken till it feels dry. Set to the side.

In a large bowl combine cornstarch, chickpea flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, cayenne, dark brown sugar, paprika, granulated garlic and white pepper.

********IMPORTANT********Don’t add the water and vinegar till you are ready to fry because the batter will deflate.

Add the water and vinegar when you are ready to fry. Dip and coat the chicken with the batter.

Use tongs to work with chicken. Place in oil about 5 minutes on each side or until chicken is an internal degree of at least 165 degrees F. (****minimal temperature for breast is 165 F but thighs you are going for at least 175 F I go for at least 180 F on thighs)

Forking Amazing Hot and Spicy Fried Chicken

WOO HOO! You are going to make people really happy with this!

I don’t mean to brag…but I have too….This truly is one of the Forking BEST Hot Fried Chickens I’ve ever tasted!

It’s FORKING AMAZING Moist Delicious Hot and Spicy Fried Chicken!

The Forking Truth