Happy Easter to all the foodies all over the world! Although today is Catholic Easter, we still have one week until Ukrainian (Orthodox) Easter, which also called Pascha, and that means the whole week to decide what to cook for this great holiday. In my family, like in many Ukrainian families, we have a tradition to cook a lot for Easter: crepes, salad, veggies, fish, poultry, meat and of course Kulich (or Paska) for dessert, we have all these goodies in one day. Mostly because historically our religious ancestors had a very strict Lent eight weeks before the holiday, which ended only on Resurrection Sunday. For 56 days, they lived with total abstention from meat, fats, eggs and dairy products. Instead they used cereals, veggies and another type of food devoid of fats, almost like vegans. However, not a lot of modern people can endure such a strict Lent, and honestly they don’t want to do that anymore. Even though Ukrainian refused to fast, they continued to feast on Easter.

Usually, for our festive Sunday we start cooking a couple days in advance, just because the number of dishes is always crazy, and we need to spend a lot of extra time in the kitchen. Every family has their own signature dishes. Ours are Beer Roasted Pork Knuckle with Honey Glaze and my signature Kulich, which is similar to Italian Panettone. This year I decided to make Kulich a little bit more interesting. Instead of traditional white topping I used shiny apricot glaze and dried fruits and nuts, in my opinion because of this Kulich became much more sophisticated. I will gladly share the recipe of this wonderful Easter dessert with you, hope you will enjoy it as much as my family and friends do.

Easter Kulich (Paska)

By voloshyna, April 5, 2015

• Total Time: 03h 10min
• Prep Time: 02h 30min
• Cook time: 40-45 minutes

Ingredients:

• For the dough: -
• active dry yeast - 4 tsps
• whole milk - 1/2 cup
• heavy cream - 1 cup
• saffron threads - 1 pinch
• sifted all-purpose flour - 6 cups, or more if needed
• sugar - 1 1/4 cup
• big organic eggs - 5
• butter - 1/2 stick, melted
• salt - 1/2 teaspoon
• candied fruits - 3/4 cup, cubbed
• rum - 1/2 cup
• vanilla extract - 1 teaspoon
• For decoration: -
• apricot jam - 1/2 cup
• water - 1/4 cup
• dried fruit and nut mix - 2 cups

Instructions:

Dissolve the yeast in 1/2 cup of lukewarm milk. Add 2 tablespoons of flour and 1 tablespoon of sugar; mix well. Let this mixture stand until it is frothy, for about 20 minutes. Yeast need this time to start working. Heat the heavy cream in a saucepan over medium-low heat until very warm but not simmering. Stir in saffron threads and remove from heat, and let the cream mixture stand until lukewarm. Transfer yeast mixture into a large mixing bowl. Beat egg yolks with remaining sugar until light. Add melted butter to yeast mixture, and then egg yolks with sugar. Stir in saffron heavy cream. Gradually add the remaining flour. The dough will be soft, elastic, and should not stick to hands. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and allow to rise in a warm place for 2 hour or longer. Place candied fruits into a bowl, drizzle with rum, and allow them to soften for 1-2 hours. Then drain the fruits and place them on a paper towel to dry just a little bit. After the dough has risen and doubled in size, you need to punch it for a few times to release the air. Then add softened candied fruits, vanilla extract and knead the dough until smooth, for about 5-10 minutes.  Place the dough in greased and floured kulich tins or paper molds. Be sure not to fill the tin or can more than 1/2 full. Allow the Kulich to rise another hour. Bake for about 40-45 minutes at 325 F until puffed and golden. Let cool to room temp or just warm. Once they are at room temperature, get your glaze ready. In a medium saucepan mix water and apricot jam. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat and let the mixture boil for a few minutes until it became slightly syrupy. Remove from the heat and let to cool. Cover each Kulich with a thin layer of the apricot glaze. Then top with the dried fruits and nuts. Gradually cover with the remaining glaze. Let them stand undisturbed until the glaze is set.

If you are looking for a dish to surprise your guests, you have found the right one. I can bet that most of them have never tried chicken that was roasted in milk. But believe me they will love it! This chicken is incredibly juicy and tender, and the meat is falling off the bones. Serve it with potatoes roasted with herb butter to develop a complex main course.
The recipe was adapted from Jamie Oliver

Chicken Cooked in Milk

By voloshyna, September 29, 2014

• Total Time: 01h 45min
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook time: 01h 30min

Ingredients:

• whole chicken - 3-4 lb.
• kosher salt - 1 tablespoon
• freshly ground black pepper - 1 teaspoon
• butter - 1 tablespoon
• olive oil - 1 tablespoons
• cinnamon stick - 1/2
• fresh sage leaves - 10
• garlic cloves - 8, skin left
• lemon zest - 2 tablespoons
• milk - 2 1/4 cups

Instructions:

Season the chicken all over with the salt and pepper. Melt the butter and oil in a heavy bottomed pan and brown the chicken on all sides, about 4 minutes per side. Place the browned chicken into an oven proof pot, breast side up. Add the remaining ingredients to the pot, cover and roast for 1 1/2 hours, removing the lid for the last half an hour if you like to brown the top a bit more. To serve, pull the meat off the bones and drizzle with sauce.

This wonderful pasta has rich, well balanced and delicate taste that mushroom lovers will definitely appreciate. For the sauce you can buy any exotic mushroom blend, a combination of shiitake, cremini, and oyster mushrooms or other mushrooms, is sold in eight-ounce packages. If it is unavailable, you can use regular cremini mushrooms and the dish will be still fantastic.

Farfalle with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

By voloshyna, September 23, 2014

• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

• farfalle (bow tie) pasta - 1 lb., fresh or dry
• butter - 1 tablespoon
• olive oil - 1 tablespoon
• shallot - 1/2 cup, chopped
• mushroom blend - 12 oz, thinly sliced
• dry white wine - 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon
• whipping cream - 2/3 cup
• kosher salt or porcini salt - to taste
• freshly ground black pepper - 1/4 teaspoon or to taste
• thyme - 1 teaspoon
• freshly grated Parmesan - to taste
• chopped fresh parsley - 2 tablespoons

Instructions:

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and shallot. Cook 5-6 minutes or until soft and transparent, stirring occasionally. Add mushrooms and sauté for 8 more minutes. Meanwhile cook the pasta in a boiling salted water until al dente. Add the wine to the mushrooms and deglaze the pan, then pour the cream and thyme, bring to a boil. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to, cook for another 2 minutes or until liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Add the cooked pasta, cheese, and 2 tablespoons parsley, tossing gently to coat. Serve immediately.

Banoffee Pie is one of the easiest dessert you can make. To cook this heavenly delicious treat you will  need to sacrifice only 25 minutes of your time. I think it’s a pretty good deal for a dessert, that nobody can resist.

Banoffee Pie

By voloshyna, March 18, 2014

• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• For the base: -
• melted butter - 4 oz
• graham cracker crumbs - 1 1/2 cups
• For the caramel: -
• butter - 4 oz
• dark brown sugar - 1/2 cup
• sweetened condensed milk - 1 can (14 oz)
• For the filling: -
• big ripe bananas - 2, sliced
• heavy whipping cream - 2 cups
• vanilla extract - 1 teaspoon
• confectioners sugar - 3 tablespoons, or to taste
• dark chocolate - 1/3 cup, grated

Instructions:

Mix graham cracker and melted butter until well blended . Press mixture into a 9 inch pie plate. Cool in refrigerator.  Melt the butter and sugar into a non-stick saucepan over a low heat, stirring all the time until the sugar has dissolved. Add the condensed milk and bring to a rapid boil for about a minute, stirring all the time for a thick golden . Spread the caramel over the base, cool and then chill for about 1-2 hours. Meanwhile whip the heavy cream with the vanilla extract and confectioners sugar, until soft peaks. Place sliced bananas over toffee. Topped with a whipped cream. Finish with the grated chocolate. Refrigerate before serving.

Scallops are one of the my favorite sea creatures, mainly because they are crazy delicious and so easy to cook. I love them for delicate taste and incredible tenderness, and they are always look elegant on the plate.

I could not miss the opportunity to cook them with my favorite black truffles. Fresh black truffle is not a frequent guest on my kitchen, I mainly use oil, salt and butter infused with this wonderful mushroom. But my beloved husband knows how much I love truffles, so he took me to Napa Valley on Truffle Festival where we bought hole bunch of stuff infused with truffles and of course amazingly fragrant fresh black truffle. I barely could wait till the next day to cook something with it, so I used a chance to combine two of my favorite ingredients in one plain, but elegant, dish that I really loved.

Seared Scallops with Truffles over Creamy Leek

By voloshyna, February 20, 2014

• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• sea scallops - 8
• butter - 3 tablespoons
• kosher salt - to taste
• freshly ground black pepper - to taste
• leek - 2 cups, thinly sliced
• dry white wine - 1/4 cup
• frozen peas - 1/4 cup, defrosted
• heavy cream - 1/3 cup
• black truffles - thinly shaved

Instructions:

Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet on medium high heat. Pat the scallops dry with a paper towel and season with salt and black pepper. Sear the scallops on the first side until golden brown, approximately 2 minutes. Turn on the other side and cook for 1-2 minutes. Until nice and brown. Be careful and not overcook them. When scallops are seared, transfer them to a plate and keep warm. Meanwhile, in a small sauté pan melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter, add leek and sauté for a couple minutes. Pour in white wine and cook until leek is tender. Add peas and heavy cream, bring to a boil. Season to taste and remove from the heat. Transfer leek garnish to a platter and top with scallops and shaved truffles.

Christmas is coming, and that means you all need to taste new cookie recipes. This year I decided to bake a lot of different cookies, pack them in a lovely boxes and give to my friends as a small holiday gifts. This recipe is just a first try, but I’m already crazy about these delicate sugar balls, because they have all I like so much: cocoa powder, nuts, dried cranberries and pinch of love! That’s why they are so delicious.

You can replace pecans with any of your favorite nuts. Walnuts, hazelnuts or peanuts would be super good too.

I will try to do my best and post at least one new holiday cookie recipe every week. Please, share with me your favorite cookie recipes, I need some inspiration. Cookie marathon officially begun!

Cranberry sugar nut balls

By voloshyna, December 3, 2013

Ingredients:

• butter - 2 sticks, room temperature
• confectioners sugar - 3/4 cup, + more for dusting the cookies
• unsweetened cocoa powder - 2 tablespoons
• egg yolks - 2
• vanilla extract - 1 teaspoon
• flour - 2 1/4 cup
• salt - 1/2 teaspoon
• toasted pecans - 1 cup
• dried cranberries - 1/2 cup

Instructions:

Using a stand or hand mixer, cream the butter, sugar and cocoa powder until light and fluffy, 4-5 minutes. Scrape down the bowl with a spatula. Beat in the yolks and vanilla extract, until smooth. In a food processor, process nuts and cranberries, until you'll get some sort of paste. In a medium bowl mix flour and salt, combine with the butter mixture, until just incorporate. Follow the nut mixture, mix well. Form the dough into a disk, wrap in a plastic and transfer into refrigerator for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 F. Lay cookie sheet with a parchment paper. Form 1 tablespoon of dough into a small balls; place on a cookie sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough. Let to chill in a fridge for 15 minutes. Bake 20 minutes, or until cookies are firm. When the cookies are cool enough to handle, roll in remaining confectioners sugar and transfer to a platter.

It’s Fennel Friday Again! Here is my quick and easy recipe of a Roasted Fennel. My little tip for you – add a little bit of Big Devil spice from Pollen Ranch, every time you want to make your roasted veggies piquant and even more delicious!

Roasted Fennel with Parmesan sauce

By voloshyna, October 25, 2013

• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Prep Time: 15-20 minutes
• Cook time: 30-35 minutes

Ingredients:

• Fennel - 1, quartered
• butter - 1 tablespoon
• all-purpose flour - 1 tablespoon
• milk - 1 cup
• grated Parmesan - 3/4 cup
• salt - to taste
• freshly ground black pepper - to taste
• garlic - 1 clove, minced
• Big Devil Spice - 1/2 teaspoon (optional)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 F. In a small sauce pan melt butter over medium-low heat. Add the flour and stir until smooth. Reduce heat to medium; cook stirring until the mixture turns a slightly golden. Meanwhile, heat the milk in a separate pan until just about to boil. Slowly add milk to a butter mixture, whisking continuously until very smooth. Bring to a boil. Cook for about 5-6 minutes, then add the grated Parmesan cheese and minced garlic. Season to taste with salt, pepper and Big Devil spice. Remove from the heat. Place fennel into a small baking dish, pour Parmesan sauce. Bake for a 30-35 minutes, or until fennel is tender.

One more nice autumn recipe for Chinet Baking Series. This Mushroom Lasagna is a perfect example of my favorite comfort food for a cold weather – hot, creamy and incredibly delicious. The perfect dish to celebrate autumn and a Veggie lifestyle.

Super Creamy Mushroom Lasagna

By voloshyna, October 23, 2013

• Total Time: 01h 25min
• Prep Time: 60 minutes
• Cook time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

• For the filling: -
• portobello mushrooms - 1 lb, sliced crosswise ¼-inch thick
• fresh mushroom mix (like Mysopia - 1/2 lb, sliced
• medium red onion - 1, finely chopped
• extra virgin olive oil - 4 tablespoons, divided
• cream cheese - 1/2 cup
• kosher salt - to taste
• freshly ground black pepper - to taste
• dry Italian herbs - 2 teaspoons, divided
• For Béchamel sauce: -
• butter - 3 tablespoon
• all-purpose flour - 2 tablespoons
• milk - 2 cups
• salt - 1 teaspoon, or to taste
• freshly ground nutmeg - 1/4 teaspoon
• For the layers: -
• lasagna noodles - 12
• shredded mozzarella - 1 1/2 cup
• grated Parmesan - 3/4 cup

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425 F. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally until softened and lightly browned 10-15 min. Season to taste with salt, peppers and Italian herbs. Stir in cream chees. Cook until cheese is completely melted, remove from the heat. Now it's time for a Béchamel sauce. In a medium, heavy bottom sauce pan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the flour and stir until smooth. Over medium heat, cook until the mixture turns a slightly golden color, about 7-8 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the milk in a separate pan until just about to boil. Slowly add milk to a butter mixture, whisking continuously until very smooth. Bring to a boil. Cook 10 minutes, stirring constantly, then remove from heat. Season with salt and ground nutmeg. Set aside. Cook the lasagna noodles in a salt boiling water, as described on the box. Drain and place in a single layer on dry paper towel sheets. Toss together the shredded Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses in a small bowl. Cover the bottom of 7x11x2 Chinet baking pan with a 1/2 cup of Béchamel sauce. Arrange 4 noodles in a single layer on top of the sauce. Spread 1/2 cup of the sauce evenly over the noodles, then sprinkle with a half of the mushroom mixture and ¾ cup of the cheese mixture. Repeat the layering of noodles, sauce, mushroom mixture, and cheese one more times. For the final layer, arrange the remaining 4 noodles on top and cover completely with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and 1 teaspoon of Italian herbs. Drizzle with an olive oil. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.

That’s what I call The Perfect Autumn Dinner. This recipe I’ve created special for the Chinet Baking Series, using Chinet Bakeware® Small Oval Pan 7.25 x 9.25 x 2 . I love this dish because it’s creamy, crunchy and very easy to customize. There are also no strict list of ingredients, you can use any mushrooms you like, add pancetta, vegetables or herbs to your taste. Don’t limit yourself and be creative.

By the way, I need to test three more Chinet Bakeware Pans, so expect three more delicious and simple recipes from me!

Mac & Cheese with mushrooms and truffle butter

By voloshyna, September 10, 2013

• Total Time: 60 minutes
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

• mix of mushrooms - 12 oz (any mushrooms you like), roughly chopped
• medium shallot - 1, finely chopped
• butter - 2 tablespoons
• salt - to taste
• freshly ground black pepper - to taste
• For the topping: -
• bread crumbs, lightly toasted - 1 1/2 cups, I used the whole wheat crumbs
• dry garlic - 1 teaspoon
• chili powder - 1teaspoon
• grated Parmigiano-Reggiano - 2 tablespoons
• unsalted butter - 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons, melted
• truffle butter - 1-2 teaspoons, melted
• For the cheese sauce: -
• unsalted butter - 3 tablespoons
• all-purpose flour - 3 tablespoons
• whole milk - 2 cups
• mascarpone - 1/4 cup
• gouda, finally grated - 3 cups
• salt - to taste
• To cook the pasta: -
• elbows - 3/4 lb
• water -
• salt - to taste

Instructions:

In a large skillet, saute mushrooms and onion in butter until tender about 7-9 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, cook 1 minute longer and set aside. For the topping, put the breadcrumbs into a medium bowl, mix with dry garlic, chili powder and grated Parmegiano. Drizzle with melted butter and toss well to combine. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350 F. Bring large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente (according to package direction). Meanwhile make the cheese sauce. Melt the butter in a heavy-duty saucepan. Whisk in the flour and continue to whisk over medium-low heat, until the the butter and flour become golden-brown. Slowly add the milk, while whisking constantly. Whisk until the sauce is smooth and has consistency of heavy cream, about 5-6 min. Bring to a simmer and lower the heat. Cook for another 8-10 minutes, whisking occasionally. Gently whisk in the cheese, season to taste with salt. Add the sauce and sautéed mushrooms to the drained pasta and gently stir to combine. Transfer the pasta mixture to a baking dish and evenly scatter the breadcrumbs topping. Bake at 350 F about 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

The fancy name for this recipe is Gnocchi alla Sorrentina. This dish contains everything I love about Italian cuisine: delicious mozzarella cheese, light tomato sauce and my favourite fresh basil (which, by the way, I grow on my balcony). Such simple ingredients make this dish just incredible! Believe me, you can never go wrong with this recipe.

Gnocchi with tomatoes and mozzarella

By voloshyna, May 3, 2013

Ingredients:

• cherry tomatoes - 1 lb
• extra virgin olive oil - 5 tbsp
• garlic - 2 cloves, thinly sliced
• basil leaves - 1 cup, packed
• coarse sea salt - to taste
• freshly ground black pepper - to taste
• sugar - 1/2 tsp
• potato gnocchi - 1 lb
• butter - 2 tbsp
• baby mozzarella - 8-10 balls
• grated parmesan - for serving

Instructions:

Remove stem ends from tomatoes and chop them into 1/4-inch cubes, reserving all juices. In a medium saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds until light brown. Add tomatoes and juices and cook 2 minutes. Add chopped basil, season to taste with sugar, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and then remove from the heat.  In another sauce pan, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the gnocchi and put shake the pan to make one even layer. Season with salt and pepper and let them cook until caramelized. Toss them until golden brown on all sides. To finish add the gnocchi to the pan with the sauce, add 1-2 tablespoons of water. Carefully toss on medium heat. Add mozzarella and then pour onto a large platter. Serve with a chopped basil leaves.

This could be your ideal beginning of the day. Healthy and light breakfast with a glass of orange juice, exactly what you need in the morning!

Fried eggs with tofu, spinach and shiitake mushrooms

By voloshyna, April 10, 2013

• Total Time: 50 minutes
• Prep Time: 30-35 minutes
• Cook time: 20-25 minutes

Ingredients:

• tofu - 1/2 block
• butter - 1 tbsp
• shiitake mushrooms - 1 cup, thinly sliced
• blanched spinach - 2 cups
• porcini salt or kosher salt - to taste
• freshly ground black pepper - to taste
• eggs - 4
• chili powder - 1/2 tsp

Instructions:

At first you need to press the tofu to remove excess water. After this procedure tofu becomes firmer, holds its shape, and browns better when cooked. Lay cut tofu flat on a baking sheet lined with a double layer of paper towel. Place couple more paper towels on top and add another baking sheet or a cutting board. Weight with something heavy; let sit 20 to 30 minutes. Then cut tofu on a 1 inch cubes. Combine butter and garlic in a medium skillet. Heat until butter is melted and garlic starts to sizzle, about 30 seconds. Do not let garlic brown. Add mushrooms and saute 3 to 4 minutes, turning until lightly browned.  Season to taste. Transfer tofu into a skillet with a mushrooms and cook all together for about 4 more minutes. Add blanched spinach and cook another 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Make 4 wells in greens. Crack 1 egg into each well. Season with salt and chilli powder. Cook undisturbed  4 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand until whites are set but yolks are still runny, about 4 minutes.

Risotto is one of the dishes that require some patience to cook. It will cost you some efforts, but you will not regret. As soon as you will put hot and creamy, perfectly cooked homemade risotto on your plate, you will become an absolutely happy person! A small tip – if you want to add a piquant taste to your risotto, use a little bit of truffle butter or truffle oil at the end of the cooking.

Mushroom risotto

By voloshyna, April 3, 2013

• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• medium yellow onion - 1, finely chopped
• celery stalk - 2, finely chopped
• extra virgin olive oil - 7 tbsp
• arborio rice - 2 cups
• salt - to taste
• dry white wine - 3/4 cup
• chicken or vegetable stock - 7-8 cups
• butter - 3 tbsp
• truffle butter - 1 tsp (optional)
• freshly grated Parmesan - 1 cup
• mushrooms - 2-3 cups, cliched
• portobello mushrooms or truffle salt - to taste (optional)
• fresh thyme - 2 tbsp
• freshly ground black pepper - to taste

Instructions:

In a small skillet melt 1 tablespoon of butter, saute mushrooms until tender. Add fresh thyme and season to taste, set aside. In a medium saucepan preheat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add finely chopped onion and celery and cook until soft, about 10 min. Then add the rice. Stir until the rice is well-coated with olive oil and it begins to turn a brighter white (2-3 min). Pour the wine and continue stirring until the wine is mostly absorbed. Then add 1 cup of stock every 1 minute, you have to stir your risotto pretty often. Cook for 15-17 minutes until al dente, add 2 tablespoons of butter and 1 teaspoon of truffle butter (optional). Add grated Parmesan and stir. Remove sauce pan from the heat and cover with a lid. Let to stand for 2-3 min. Combine your risotto and the mushrooms, serve immediately.

This is my very first risotto. Recently I watched one episode of Jamie Oliver show, about his traveling to Venice and I decided that risotto is my next must-try dish! I absolutely happy with this recipe and I recommend you to try it as soon as possible!

So creamy and incredibly delicious!

Creamy risotto with tomatoes and basil

By voloshyna, March 18, 2013

• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• medium yellow onion - 1, finely chopped
• celery stalks - 2, finely chopped
• extra virgin olive oil - 7 tbsp
• arborio rice - 2 cups
• salt - to taste
• dry white wine - 3/4 cup
• chicken or vegetable stock - 7-8 cups
• butter - 2 tbsp
• grated Parmesan - 1 cup
• chopped garlic - 2 cloves
• cherry tomatoes - 3 cups
• basil leaves - 1 1/2 cups
• freshly ground black pepper - to taste
• salt to taste - to taste

Instructions:

In a medium saucepan preheat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add finely chopped onion and celery and cook until soft, about 10 min. Then add the rice. Stir until the rice is well-coated with olive oil and it begins to turn a brighter white (2-3 min). Pour the wine and continue stirring until the wine is mostly absorbed. Then add 1 cup of stock every 1 minute, you have to stir your risotto pretty often. Cook for 15-17 minutes until al dente, add butter. Add grated Parmesan and stir. Remove sauce pan from the heat and cover with a lid. Let to stand for 2-3 min. In another sauce pan preheat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add minced garlic and fry for a 15 seconds. Add tomatoes and basil; cook until tomatoes are very tender, season to taste. Combine tomatoes and risotto in one pot and mix well. Serve hot, topped with the fresh basil leaves, Parmesan and drizzle with the remaining olive oil.

Learn how to cook restaurant quality dish at home. Nothing complicated at all!

I always prefer to cook fish in parchment paper, in my opinion this way it stays more juicier and tender.

Salmon baked in parchment paper on a green beans pillow

By voloshyna, March 4, 2013

Ingredients:

• skinless salmon fillet - 1
• For the marinade: -
• extra virgin olive oil - 1 tbsp
• white balsamic vinegar (or white wine vinegar) - 1 ts
• capers - 1 tbsp
• salt - to taste
• freshly ground black pepper - to taste
• For the garnish: -
• green beans - 1/4 lb
• butter - 1 tbsp
• minced garlic - 1 clove
• ground walnuts - 1-2 tbsp
• red wine vinegar - 1/2 tsp
• salt - to taste
• freshly ground black pepper - to taste

Instructions:

In a bowl mix together all the ingredients for the marinade, put there salmon filet and toss. Leave to marinade for at least 1 hour or better overnight. Preheat oven to 350 F. Wrap filet in a parchment paper, using a toothpick staple the edges of parchment together. Bake on a bakingsheet for 20 min. While the salmon is baking, cook the garnish. Blanch green beans in a large stock pot of well salted boiling water until bright green in color and tender crisp, roughly 2 minutes. Drain and shock in a bowl of ice water to stop from cooking and save the color. In a skillet melt the butter, add minced garlic and cooked beans, toss well. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Season with vinegar, salt and pepper to taste, sprinkle with chopped nuts and mix. Transfer on a plate, put baked salmon on top. Serve immediately.