parmesan

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter D

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Sunshine Eats: Daikon Radish Cheese Dip! Meet your new friend, the daikon radish. High in Vitamin C, eaten raw like a carrot, the daikon radish gives the benefit of the crunch you crave when scooping up a warm, cheesy dip. Basically, it’s a large white radish-more tubular than round-with a slightly sweet flavor. Forego the high carb chips and indulge away. 
DAIKON RADISH CHEESE DIP
Ingredients:

2 tablespoons black truffle olive oil

1 sweet onion, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/8 teaspoon Mrs. Dash garlic and herb seasoning

1 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

1 cup asiago cheese, shredded

8 ounce package Neufchâtel cheese, room temperature 1/2 cup Greek yogurt

1/2 cup mayonnaise 

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1 cup shiitake mushrooms, chopped

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

2-3 drops liquid smoke

1-2 medium Daikon radishes, peeled and sliced

Crumbled Bacon for garnish

Green Onion Curls for garnish
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400°. In a large skillet over medium heat, add black truffle olive oil. Add sliced onions, seasoned salt, and Mrs. Dash garlic and herb seasoning. Cook until onions begin to soften, about 8-10 minutes. Reduce heat to low and cook 20 minutes longer. Meanwhile, combine Parmesan cheese, asiago cheese, Neufchâtel cheese, Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, and garlic powder. Mix until thoroughly combined. Set aside. After the onions have cooked 20 minutes, add chopped shiitake mushrooms, Worcestershire sauce, and liquid smoke. Cook 5-7 minutes longer. Combine onion/mushroom mixture with cheese mixture. Stir well. Transfer to a shallow casserole dish that has been sprayed with nonstick oil. Spread evenly. Bake 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Garnish with bacon crumbles and green onion curls. Serve in a bowl surrounded by daikon radish slices. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter E

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Eggplant Parmesan! This incredible dish is the perfect substitute for lasagna. It is hearty and filling without all the pasta. If you’ve never cooked with eggplant before, pay attention to a little hint. This healthy vegetable can absorb moisture and oil like a sponge, so it requires advance preparation before baking. Slice the raw eggplant (skin on), place on several layers of paper towels, and salt it. The salt will draw moisture out. This takes about 2 hours. First problem solved. The second, instead of frying it in oil, bake the slices in a single layer before assembling into a casserole. 
EGGPLANT PARMESAN 
Ingredients:

1 Eggplant

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 pound Fresh Mozzarella 

1/4 cup shaved Parmesan Cheese
Breading:

3/4 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs

1 teaspoon Herbs de Provence

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/3 cup flour

2 eggs, beaten

1 tablespoon milk
Sauce:

1 tablespoon Olive Oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1 28 oz. whole peeled tomatoes, diced and reserve juices

1 teaspoon sugar (optional)

1/2 teaspoon oregano 

1/2 teaspoon marjoram 

1/4 cup fresh basil
Instructions:

While eggplant is “resting”, make the sauce. Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil on medium heat. Add the minced garlic and gently cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and their juices, sugar, marjoram, and oregano. Increase heat to simmer for 15 minutes, uncovered. Add the minced basil and remove from heat. 
Combine the breading dry ingredients. Set aside. In a shallow bowl, mix the beaten eggs and milk. Preheat the oven to 400°. Spray the bottom of a rimmed baking sheet pan with non-stick oil. Pat dry each eggplant slice. Dip in egg mixture, then dredge in breadcrumb mixture. Place on prepared sheet pan, single layer. Drizzle a little olive oil over the top of each eggplant round. Place the breaded eggplant slices in oven. Bake 10 minutes per side. They should be lightly browned. Let cool slightly. Remove from oven and reduce oven temperature to 350°. In a casserole dish spread 1/2 the tomato sauce over the bottom. Divide the eggplant in order to layer the rounds with mozzarella on top of each layer. Top with remaining sauce and shaved Parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered for 35 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before cutting to serve. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter R

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Timeless Classics: Rosemary Parmesan Popovers! For a light and airy alternative to reaching for the bread basket, try an herb and cheese popover instead. Rosemary provides a nice earthy pine taste which compliments the saltiness of Parmesan cheese. It’s a match made in heaven, like bread and butter. No pun intended. 
ROSEMARY PARMESAN POPOVERS 
Ingredients:

6 large eggs

2 cups light cream

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 teaspoon sea salt

3 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped plus more for garnish

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

2 cups flour
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400°. Move the oven rack one setting below the middle row. Grease a 12-count bouchon pan. In a food processor, combine eggs, light cream, butter, sea salt, sugar, rosemary, cheese, and flour. Blend until no large lumps remain and batter is light yellow and frothy, approximately one minute. Fill each bouchon cup 2/3 full. Do not overfill. Sprinkle tops with rosemary leaves. (Refrigerate leftover batter until ready to make the next batch. At that time, use a whisk to vigorously stir the batter.) Place bouchon pan in the oven; bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Do not open the oven door during baking or the popovers will deflate. When golden brown, remove from the oven. After 2 minutes in the pan, remove and transfer popovers to a wire rack. Do not allow them to cool in the pan or they may turn soggy. Serve warm as is or with a dollop of French butter. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter E

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen?  Eggplant Parmesan!  This incredible dish is the perfect substitute for lasagna.  It is hearty and filling without all the pasta.  If you’ve never cooked with eggplant before, pay attention to a little hint. This healthy vegetable can absorb moisture and oil like a sponge, so it requires advance preparation before baking. Slice the raw eggplant (skin on), place on several layers of paper towels, and salt it. The salt will draw moisture out. This takes about 2 hours. First problem solved. The second, instead of frying it in oil, bake the slices in a single layer before assembling into a casserole. 

Ingredients:
1 Eggplant
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 pound Fresh Mozzarella 
1/4 cup shaved Parmesan Cheese
Breading:
3/4 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon Herbs de Provence
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup flour
2 eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon milk
Sauce:
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 28 oz. whole peeled tomatoes, diced and reserve juices
1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
1/2 teaspoon oregano 
1/2 teaspoon marjoram 
1/4 cup fresh basil
Instructions:
While eggplant is “resting”, make the sauce. Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil on medium heat. Add the minced garlic and gently cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and their juices, sugar, marjoram, and oregano. Increase heat to simmer for 15 minutes, uncovered. Add the minced basil and remove from heat. 
Combine the breading dry ingredients. Set aside. In a shallow bowl, mix the beaten eggs and milk.  Preheat the oven to 400°. Spray the bottom of a rimmed baking sheet pan with non-stick oil. Pat dry each eggplant slice. Dip in egg mixture, then dredge in breadcrumb mixture. Place on prepared sheet pan, single layer. Drizzle a little olive oil over the top of each eggplant round. Place the breaded eggplant slices in oven. Bake 10 minutes per side. They should be lightly browned. Let cool slightly. Remove from oven and reduce oven temperature to 350°. In a casserole dish spread 1/2 the tomato sauce over the bottom. Divide the eggplant in order to layer the rounds with mozzarella on top of each layer.  Top with remaining sauce and shaved Parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered for 35 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before cutting to serve.