Parsnip-Cauliflower Soup & Sopressata Flatbread Twists

Episode Three! Wheeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Parsnip Cauliflower Soup and Sopressata Flatbread Twists from Ross Cauvel on Vimeo.

INGREDIENTS

For the soup:

2 T. butter
1 T. olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
6-8 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks
1 head cauliflower, cut into chunks
salt and pepper
1 box low-sodium chicken broth
juice of half a lemon
2 cups lowfat milk
fresh chopped parsley

For the Twists:

1 ball pizza dough (mine was homemade, from Emeril's by-hand recipe), rolled out and sliced into 1-inch wide strips
1 egg beaten with 1 T. milk
5-6 slices sopressata (or other salami-like deli meat), in 1-inch wide slices
shredded Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

STEP 1:

Heat butter and oil in a Dutch oven or large pot on medium-high heat. Add carrots and onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook until onions begin to brown at the edges a little. Add parsnips and cook for a few more minutes.

STEP 2:

Add cauliflower, lemon juice and chicken broth. Cover and cook on high heat for about 30 minutes, until parsnips and cauliflower are very tender.

STEP 3:

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lay pizza dough strips out flat on a pizza stone or baking sheet. Brush each strip with a little egg wash. Cover each strip with strips of sopressata. Twist into twisty shapes. Sprinkle Parmesan over the top along with a little salt and pepper. Bake until golden brown, broiling for a few minutes at the end if needed for extra crispness.

STEP 4:

Use an immersion blender to puree the soup (or puree it in a regular blender or food processor). Reduce heat and stir in milk. Taste and adjust seasoning. Keep warm till ready to serve. Ladle into bowls, top with parsley, and serve with twists. Enjoy!

Pear & Caramelized Onion Flatbread

Let's have a brief moment of silence in appreciation for the perfection that is cheese.

*SILENCE*


Now that that's out of the way, we can jump into what is a delicious, easy, and
not-made-out-of-a-zillion-ingredients meal. I called this flatbread, but it's more like sauceless pizza. Tomato, tom-ah-to, right?


This is crisp, chewy pizza dough topped with sweet caramelized onions and perfectly ripe fall fruit - all smothered in melty cheese. In the immortal words of Ina Garten: how bad could that be? The answer: not bad at all.


In fact, this was so good, I just might make it again. And as we all know, I do not make recipes twice. How might one tweak this recipe, you're wondering? One might add hot Italian sausage; sub apples for pears, leave the fruit out altogether and use sun-dried tomatoes or artichokes or olives or all of the above; use mozzarella cheese, or all cheddar, or all Gruyere; I could go on. A sauceless pizza is just like a sauced pizza: a blank canvas on which to paint by numbers using the fan brush of innumerable ingredie–OK, OK, I'll stop with the stupid art metaphor.


Misguided metaphors aside, MAKE THIS! You'll thank me later. (You're welcome.)

INGREDIENTS

One ball fresh pizza dough
olive oil
cornmeal
1 pear (not too too ripe), cut into thin slices
3 small onions, halved and sliced thinly
butter and oil for caramelizing
3/4 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
3/4 cup shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
salt and pepper
red pepper flakes

STEP 1:

Caramelize the onions: heat a little butter and olive oil in a pan and cook the onions over medium heat, seasoning with salt and pepper, until brown and lovely. Set aside.

STEP 2:

Preheat the oven to 450. Sprinkle some cornmeal on a pizza stone or baking sheet. Shape the dough into a round-ish, thin crust. Rub all over with a little olive oil.

STEP 3:

Spread the onions all over the dough, then top with the pear slices. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper over all that. Sprinkle cheese evenly over everything. Top with red pepper flakes if you want. Bake at 450 until cheese is melty and crust is getting golden brown. Switch oven to broil and cook for 2-4 more minutes, until many brown spots appear on cheese and crust. Remove from oven, cut into slices, serve and enjoy!

Mushroom Ravioli with Creamy Kale Sauce

EEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!! Squeals of joy abound! My first video post! I hope you love it :-)

The Fearless Cook - Mushroom Ravioli from Ross Cauvel on Vimeo.

INGREDIENTS

2 T. butter
1 T. olive oil
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch kale, tough stems trimmed, cut into ribbons
~3/4 c. chicken broth OR white wine
~1/3 c. heavy cream or half and half
salt and pepper and red pepper flakes
fresh chopped parsley
1 lb. frozen good quality mushroom ravioli

STEP 1:

In a large Dutch oven over medium high heat, melt the butter and oil. Add the onions and cook for a few minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper. Add the kale and garlic and red pepper flakes and let wilt for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken broth, cover, and cook for 8-10 minutes.

STEP 2:

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the ravioli according to package directions. Drain and place in serving dish.

STEP 3:

Uncover kale, turn down heat, and stir in cream. Cook for a few minutes, until sauce is thickened and reduced a bit. Taste and adjust seasonings. Ladle sauce over ravioli, top with parsley, serve, and enjoy!