Shiitake and Goat Cheese Flatbread

Big things have been happening around here: Christmas is coming, Nash is finally potty trained, Justin bought me this amazing new iPad, and I moved from The Bistro to The Atlantic Bar and Grill at work. What has any of this news to do with this amazing recipe? There are flatbreads on the menu at The Atlantic Bar and Grill! And of course it is what inspired me to make this for lunch today.

My flatbread has shiitake mushrooms, caramelized onions, goat cheese, tomatoes, and wild arugula (aka rocket). But of course you can put whatever your heart desires on your flatbread. And, in case you couldn't think of a spectacular hors d'oeuvre for your family Christmas party, go ahead and whip up a couple of these, cut them into two bite pieces and voila! You are a holiday hero.


Flatbread with Vegetables and Goat Cheese
Yield: 1 flatbread

1 Naan Flatbread, found in the deli aisle near the pita
1 oz Goat Cheese, softened
1 small Bunch of Arugula
1/2 Roma Tomato, diced
1/4 White Onion, julienned
5 Shiitake Mushrooms, caps only, julienned
2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

 

1. In a heavy bottomed pan, heat one half of the oil. Once very hot, almost smoking, add the julienned shiitakes. Allow to cook until browned and crispy, about 5 minutes.

2. Remove the mushrooms and wipe out the pan.

3. Heat the remaining oil in the pan. Once hot, add the onions.

4. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until golden and soft, about 15 minutes. Remove from the pan.

5. On the Naan, spread the goat cheese in a thin layer.

6. Top with the Arugula.

 

7. Next, layer on the onions, followed by the mushrooms and then the tomatoes.

8. Place in a 350 degree oven and bake until the cheese is melted and the naan is warm.

 

9. Cut into pieces and enjoy!

 

Posted with Blogsy

Ratatouille Over an Open Fire

Kelsey, Nick and I joined up with our grandparents this past weekend at The Little Orleans Campground for a little R&R by the campfire. Although it was a little chilly, we still had a great time. I finally got a tour of the area and even went to Point Lookout.

The View from Point Lookout

Kelsey and I

And, of course, what is a mini vacation without some seriously good eats? And the coolest part. I got to cook over a campfire again. (Missed it the first time? Check out the post here!)

Our Camping Menu

Lunch
BBQ Bacon Burgers with Pasta Salad

Dinner
Ricotta, Spinach and Sun Dried Tomato Stuffed Chicken Breast with Parmesan Orzo and Ratatouille

Breakfast
Cannoli Stuffed French Toast and Peppered Bacon

 

Ratatouille is a great Spring time dish. It combines squashes, peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes and fresh herbs to create a side dish that is to die for. And lucky for me it is really easy to do over an open fire. 

Ratatouille

Yields: Enough for dinner and then some to share

1ea Large Eggplant, medium dice

2 ea Zucchini, medium dice

2 ea Yellow Squash, medium dice

1# Mushrooms, quartered

1/2 ea Onion, small dice 

2 ea Bell Pepper, any color, medium dice

1 Tbsp Garlic, minced 

10 ea Basil Leaves, torn

3 sprigs, Oregano, leaves removed from stems

1/2 c Chicken Stock 

2# Tomatoes, blanched, peeled, medium dice

Salt 

Pepper 

Oil 

1. Heat a small amount of oil in a pot. 
2. Sweat the garlic. Add the onions and peppers. Sweat for 5 minutes. 
3. Add the mushrooms. Cook for an additional 5 minutes. 
4. Add the squashes and eggplant. Cook for 5 more minutes.
5. Add the stock.
6. Add the tomatoes. Lower the heat and simmer until the vegetables become tender but not mushy, about 15 minutes. Add the basil and oregano during the final minutes of cooking. Season with salt and pepper. Enjoy!

A Very Foodie Weekend

Sticking with the inevitably foodie weekend theme, Sunday, Krissy, Stephanie, Cameron and I went to the town of Rhinebeck for the weekly farmers market.

There were tables and tables full of fruits, vegetables, cheeses, wines, baked goods, and even local meats. After perusing the entire selection I opted, first, for some rocket arugula and a small bunch of frisee.

Rocket arugula, a salad green, is a version or arugula more suited on the west coast than the east coast. Originally planted by colonists, this green has flip flopped between food and medicine for nearly two hundred years. What medical purpose could our balsamic vinaigrette coated greens have? In biblical times it was said that Oroth (biblical term for rocket arugula) could be used to treat eye infections, as a deodorant, and a digestive aid. Who knew one little peppery plant could do all of that?

Rocket arugula is a tender, slender, peppery green, perfect in salads, on crustades, or sprinkled on a pizza. It is sharper and more pungent than that of the traditional arugula. "Rocket arugula" used to refer to simply wild arugula but, the term now has become to identify a whole new species altogether. Was my arugula wild or a a separate plant? I don't know, but it was very tasty.

I also purchased some baby ginger. At first I didn't know what this thing was, but I decided I needed it. It was a lumpy pinkish white bulb with a large green shoot coming out of the top. As I was paying for it, the man gave me some useful advice as to what to do with it. I learned that the shoot can be used to make a tea and the bulb does not need to be peeled before use. It is milder in flavor than that of adult ginger and can be eaten raw. I julienned a small piece of mine and tossed it with my mixed greens, some goat cheese, a julienne of the ginger shoot, some sliced pears and a few wedges of beets that were cooked in a ginger infused syrup. Delicious.

How would you spend your weekend if you were in the Hudson Valley?

"There are Bold Eaters and Old Eaters, But There are No Bold, Old Eaters."

Happy Fall everyone!

This lovely fall morning was the annual CIA mushroom forage, lead by mushroom expert  Bill Bakaitis.

Early this morning, about  forty of us, met up in a local, yet secret, location to begin our forage.

"It is safe to pick mushrooms here today, but never again can you come to these woods with the intention of finding mushrooms. Its called trespassing."

So off we went into the woods, stopping to go over a few interesting finds, including Winter Berries and a Sassafras Tree. Once cross the railroad tracks, the woods were ours to rummage through and scour for mushrooms.

At first they were few and far in between, but once our eyes adjusted to what it actually was we were looking for along the woodland floor, all sorts of things started to appear.

From Amaranth to Zucchini, You're Covered.

If mountaineers need field guides, then any chef, no matter how seasoned, needs this reference book.

Vegetables from Amaranth to Zucchini: The Essential Reference by Elizabeth Schneider is the go to resource for everyone owning a frying pan.

After stumbling upon it at a library in Alabama, it was love at first page. This book covers common, and not so common, vegetables from around the world; there are entries for Chinese market finds and Turkish delights. Each vegetable has pictures, history, common uses, cooking techniques, when to find it and even a selection of recipes. The book is organized alphabetically, making it a snap to locate what you have in your midst. It's a great find for those of us adventurous enough to buy a new item at a farmers market and take it home before asking yourself "What the hell am I going to do with it?".

Although this book doesn't contain every single vegetable, despite its six pounds of paper, it is one of my favorite go to books. And besides, so what if Lemon Cucumber isn't in the index, create your own entry. Discovery is half the adventure.