Cheesy Mozzarella Stuffed Rice Balls over Baby Arugula

Simply putting a fork through the crispy crunchy-coating of these gooey rice balls will make your mouth water. They are SO good! Too good almost. You may or may not want to share them with anyone else, so think wisely before you invite guests over. This decadent dish came after making a basic cheese risotto last night that I topped with sauteed broccolini. All I could think about today was the leftovers sitting in my fridge and needing to  make these delicious rice balls. Imagine that, being excited for leftovers! While the risotto itself is a bit of a labor of love, making the rice balls themselves is quite simple, especially if you do most of the work a day ahead. First, you form the leftover risotto into balls, stuff them with a cube of fresh mozzarella cheese, give them a quick dip in egg wash, and roll in Panko and Italian seasoned breadcrumbs to meet their final destination in a bath of sizzling oil. They are more than delicious and because they are a bit decadent, I paired them with a baby arugula salad not only because the contrast in flavor and texture is amazing, but also because it makes you feel like your eating a salad topped with a rice ball instead of a rice ball with a bit of greens. There’s a difference, don’t you think!?

Cheesy Mozzarella Stuffed Rice Balls over Arugula

Ingredients: Serves 2 entree portions or 4 small appetizer portions

for the risotto

• 1 medium onion, diced
  
• 1 cup Arborio rice
  
• 3/4 cup white wine, such as Pinot Grigio
  
• 1 quart (32 oz) chicken or vegetable broth
  
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
  
• 3 tbsp freshly grated Pecorino
  
• 3 tbsp freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
  
• 1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
  

for the rice balls

• 1 to 2 cups leftover Cheesy Risotto
  
• 1 tbsp grated Gruyere cheese, optional
  
• 1/4 cup fresh mozzarella, cubed
  
• 1 egg, beaten
  
• 1/2 cup plain Panko
  
• 1/4 cup seasoned Italian breadcrumbs
  
• about 1/2 cup olive oil, for frying
  

for the salad

• baby arugula
  
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  
• squeeze of lemon juice
  
• kosher salt and pepper
  

 Heat the chicken broth in a saucepan over medium heat. Finely chop an onion and heat a large, heavy bottomed pan/pot over medium heat. Heat about 2 to 3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil and saute onions until softened and translucent.

  Add the rice and stir with onions for about 3 minutes, making sure to toast the rice a bit.

Add the wine and stir well, every few minutes, until the wine has evaporated.

 Next, begin adding the broth in stages, about one to two ladles at a time. Each time, stir well, every few minutes until the liquid has evaporated and the rice has thickened. Continue to add the remaining broth in stages until the rice is just tender, about 20 minutes.

When all the broth has evaporated, gently stir in the unsalted butter, and grated cheeses. Taste to adjust seasonings and add a generous sprinkling of fresh cracked pepper and salt if needed. Plate the risotto and top with fresh parsley.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees to later keep the rice balls warm. Take out the leftover risotto and cheeses: gruyere, mozzarella & parmigiano; whatever you have on hand!

 Mix in a little more cheese if you please. I added a bit of gruyere since I had a small wedge leftover.

 Form the risotto into a ball and use your thumb to create a well in the center. Place a cube of mozzarella cheese inside and cover well to close the ball.

 Prepare your breading station. Beat one egg and a tablespoon of water together in one ball. Combine 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs with 1/4 cup of Italian seasoned breadcrumbs in another. One by one, give each riceball a quick dunk in the egg wash and coat well with the breadcrumbs, making sure to coat all sides.

 Heat a deep saute pan or pot over medium heat. Add enough oil to meet about half way up the sides of riceballs. When the oil is hot, carefully add no more than two rice balls at a time, making sure to constantly turn for an even brown on all sides.

 Using a slotted spoon, carefully transfer the rice balls to a paper towel to catch any excess oil. Right away, transfer them to a baking sheet and place in the preheated oven to keep warm while you cook the others. When ready to serve, immediately top with a little fresh grated Parmigiano cheese after you take them out of the oven. *My first rice ball wasn’t warmed all the way through because my oil was a little too hot, so be sure to check one out before you serve- you want them to be melty in the middle. Of course, you can always pop the rice ball in the microwave for a few seconds as well.

 Mix a handful of baby arugula with a drizzle of fruity extra virgin olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and set on top of a plate. Gently place the rice ball on top and get ready to drool. Alternately, you can always serve the rice balls with a side of your favorite tomato sauce for dipping!

Mmm, mmm!

Kicked-Up BLT with Sriracha Mayonnaise

Looking to kick up a classic BLT and make it even more delicious!? I bet you didn’t think that was possible, but trust me, it is! Add mashed avocado and spice your mayo up with Sriracha, a spicy hot sauce and you will have a welcomed twist on a classic sandwich. Toast white or wheat bread, spread the sriracha mayo, layer lettuce, sliced tomato seasoned with salt and pepper, bacon, and avocado! Accompany this tasty sandwich with a fresh deli pickle and chips!

Mix a couple drops of Sriracha with some mayonnaise, to taste of course.

Assemble your ingredients!

Don’t forget to season your tomatoes with salt and pepper as you assemble the sandwich.

 Add your bacon and avocado (chopped or mashed and spread over the mayo)

 Oh. Baby.

Look at that crunchy pickle! Enjoy this delicious sandwich.

Angry Clams with Blistered Cherry Tomatoes over Linguine

Last night, we had a real hit in my kitchen! My boyfriend and I had been discussing what to eat for dinner when he suggested clams and pasta. While I usually make linguine and clams in a white wine sauce, I wanted to have a burst of color and added flavor to switch things up, so I decided to go with a popular dish commonly referred to as Angry Clams. If you’re a fan of a little (or a lot) of heat,  this dish is for you! We picked up clams and a couple of New Zealand cockles from our local seafood shop, which are a smaller variety of clams that have distinctive beautiful ridges- they are SO good! If you have a large cast-iron skillet, I would highly suggest using it since its heat helped blister the cherry tomatoes. If not, a pot or deep pan will work just fine. This is a delicious dish designed with an extra amount of yummy sauce to dunk your favorite bread in. Don’t skip out on the spiciness of this dish; it’s one of our new favorites!

As a beginning cook, I was always so concerned about caring for and cleaning seafood. Here are some tips I’ve learned along the way!

• Remove fresh clams and mussels from any plastic bags; netted bags are OK since the shellfish have access to oxygen.
  
• Store the fresh seafood in a bowl over crushed ice in your refrigerator until needed.
  
• About 30 minutes before cooking, transfer the shellfish to a colander and with a brush or your hands, scrub the outside of the shell to remove any excess sand or grit. Transfer the cleaned shellfish to a bowl of cold water. Let the shellfish sit for about 10-15 and carefully transfer the shellfish into a colander and separately, rinse the bowl clean. Be careful here not to pour the shellfish and the water directly into the colander, you want to keep any loose sand and grit at the bottom of the bowl. Repeat this process once more, this time about 5-10 minutes and your shellfish should be ready to go!
  

Angry Clams with Blistered Cherry Tomatoes over Linguine

Ingredients: Serves 2-3

*Note: you can increase to a pound of pasta, but you may also want to increase the amount of white wine for an adequate sauce to pasta ratio

• 1/2 pound linguine
  
• 1 dozen clams
  
• 1/2 pound New Zealand Cockles
• 1/4 to 1/3 cups extra virgin olive oil, use a decent brand here!
  
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
  
• 1/2 tbsp red pepper flakes, or to taste- this is angry you know!
  
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
  
• 1 cup white wine
  
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  
• 1 to 2 tbsp fresh basil, in a chiffonade
  
• 1 to 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
  
• 1 to 2 tbsp fresh Parmigiano, grated
  
• salt and pepper, to taste
  

First, prep your seafood. Next, bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil for your pasta. While it boils, gather your ingredients by prepping 4 chopped garlic cloves, 1/2 tbsp red pepper flakes, parsley, basil, cherry tomatoes, wine, and not pictured: extra virgin olive oil, 2 tbsp unsalted butter and Parmigiano cheese.

 Drop your linguine into boiling water and cook, until just al dente. Heat a large/deep saute pan or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add 1/4 to 1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil. When heated, add the garlic and red pepper flakes.

 Immediately add the cherry tomatoes to the hot pan. Season the tomatoes with a generous pinch of salt and let the ingredients saute, making sure not to burn the garlic.

 When the garlic just begins to golden, add the wine and bring to a simmer.

 If using both clams and cockles, add the clams first and let them cook about 5 minutes before adding the cockles since they take only a few minutes to cook!

 As soon as the shellfish is added, cover the pan with a tight fitting lid and let the clams steam, making sure to gently shake the pot/pan a bit to help the clams. (If using a shallow pan like this one, be gentle while shaking the pan, you don’t want the wine to spill out, the wine is still flammable until the alcohol cooks out!) At this point, check your pasta- drain when al dente and reserve a tablespoon or two of the starchy cooking liquid.

After 5 to 7 minutes, the clams should begin opening. Transfer the cooked clams to a bowl and set aside. Larger clams may take a few minutes longer to cook, so cover the pan again and wait another 3 to 5 minutes if needed. Any unopened shells at this point should be discarded.

 When all the clams have been removed, pierce the blistered tomatoes with a pairing knife to release the juices of the cooked tomatoes. Add 2 tbsp of butter and let the liquid cook a few more minutes, adding a pinch of salt and pepper to flavor the sauce.

 Add the cooked pasta to the pan along with a tablespoon or two of the salted cooking liquid. Add the fresh parsley and basil, and using tongs, mix the pasta into the sauce.

 Add the clams and their juices back into the pan. Top with freshly grated Parmigiano cheese.

 Serve right away while still hot!

Gruyere Grilled Cheese with Cinnamon & Chipotle Pear Jam

Looking for a new twist on a classic grilled cheese? Try this delicious combination of Gruyere and your favorite pear jam. Don’t have pear jam? Gruyere cheese pairs perfectly with fig jam too if you have it on hand! For this particular sandwich, I used Anarchy in a Jar’s Hot Fireman’s Pear Jam with Cinnamon and Chipotle. It was so good, especially paired with cheese! Try one out for yourself today.

Gruyere Grilled Cheese with Cinnamon & Chipotle Pear Jam

Ingredients:

• fresh Italian bread, sliced
  
• 1 tbsp butter
  
• 1/4 cup Gruyere cheese, shredded
  
• 1 to 2 tbsp pear jam
  

Simply butter two slices of bread on one side each and heat a griddle or saute pan over medium heat. Before adding to the pan, line the inside of the bread with the pear jam. Next, add the shredded cheese  and place the other slice on top. Transfer the buttered-side of the bread in the hot pan and cook until lightly browned. Carefully turn the sandwich over and brown, again 3 to 4 minutes. Serve while hot and gooey!

Homemade English Pea & Ricotta Ravioli tossed with Extra Virgin Olive Oil & Fresh Herbs

Peas are in season! I have been seeing peas in all of my favorite food magazines and cookbooks lately. Being a beautiful bright Spring vegetable, peas can be used in many different recipes. I have to admit though that I never ate peas as a child, my mom despised peas (probably scarred from microwaved canned peas from her childhood), and so we never ate peas growing up. It actually wasn’t until I was in high school that I discovered peas were delicious, of course, if cooked properly! My sister Jen learned to cook peas and onions, a very classic pea dish and I was hooked. I decided I wanted to create my own recipe with peas and after way too many hours thinking about it, I went with my favorite vessel for showcasing vegetables- pasta! I truly enjoy making pasta from scratch; there is so much satisfaction in watching just a few simple ingredients transform into a beautiful handmade dish. You can choose to make pasta by hand or you can use a Kitchen Aid Mixer if you have one- it does all the hard work for you! If you’re a fan of weekend cooking projects with friends or family, I strongly encourage you to try this dish, starting from scratch with the pasta! If you aren’t interested in purchasing a pasta machine that you will probably only use once in your life, that’s okay too! You can easily use store-bought wontons, found in the produce section of your local supermarket! They work beautifully here and require a half the work; just fill like you would the ravioli!

I filled my ravioli with a homemade pea puree made of shallots, fresh peas, lemon zest, fresh mint and ricotta cheese. After stuffing the ravioli with the delicious filling, I treated myself to a nice snack of pea puree crostini! I kid you not, you can just make this puree as an appetizer and spread it over crunchy toasted bread, but beware- you may or may not be tempted to eat a whole loaf. I decided to freeze my ravioli and cook it the day after, which is the great thing about fresh pasta! After work, I brought the ravioli to a boil, blanched some peas and tossed the warm ravioli in my best, fruity extra virgin olive oil, lemon zest, Parmigiano cheese, and fresh herbs. For this dish, I wanted to highlight the flavors of the pea puree so I went with parsley, chives, and just a hint of fresh mint! Season with salt and pepper, a gentle squeeze of lemon and a shower of grated cheese, and you have a gorgeous dish full of bright Spring flavors. This is a recipe you don’t want to miss!

Homemade English Pea & Ricotta Ravioli tossed with Extra Virgin Olive Oil & Herbs

Ingredients: Serves 4

for the fresh pasta:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
  
• 3 large eggs
  
• 1 tsp kosher salt
  
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more for chilling the dough
  

for the filling:

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  
• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
  
• 1 small shallot, chopped
  
• 1 garlic clove, minced
  
• 1/2 cup fresh English peas
  
• 1/2 tsp lemon zest
• 3 to 5 mint leaves
  
• 1/2 tsp salt, to taste
  
• fresh cracked pepper, to taste
  
• 3 tbsp Parmigiano
  
• 1/2 cup Ricotta cheese
  

to assemble the dish:

• ravioli
  
• 1/4 cup fresh English peas
  
• 3 tbsp fruity extra virgin olive oil
  
• 1 tsp fresh chives, chopped
  
• 2 tsp fresh parsley, chopped
  
• 1/2 tsp fresh mint, chopped
  
• 1 lemon, zest only, plus 1 tsp lemon juice
  
• kosher salt, about 1/4 tsp or more to taste
  
• fresh cracked pepper
  
• Parmigiano cheese, freshly grated, to finish
  

For the fresh pasta process, check out my Homemade Lasagna with Butternut Squash for a detailed look at making homemade pasta!

 Combine 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 3 large eggs, 1 tsp kosher salt and 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil into the mixing bowl.

 Turn the electric mixer onto low and gradually increase the speed to medium-high until the dough begins to form large clumps.

 Gather the dough into a ball and transfer to a clean surface.

 Begin kneading the dough together like so, to form a cohesive ball.

Place the dough onto plastic wrap and drizzle with a touch of extra-virgin olive oil. Wrap completely and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

 Fresh English Peas are pretty!

 Chop the shallot and garlic.

 Heat a saute pan over medium heat and melt the butter and olive oil until hot. Add the shallots, season with a pinch of salt and saute until softened, about 5 minutes.

 Add the chopped garlic and peas. Continue to saute until the peas are just heated through, another 5 minutes or so.

 Remove from the heat and add the 1/2 tsp of lemon zest.

 Transfer the ingredients to a food processor and add 1/2 tsp salt, fresh pepper, and a few mint leaves. I got this great small chopper with my immersion blender!

 Blend the ingredients for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the lid and scrap the sides so that all the peas get pureed. Blend again until smooth. Taste the mixture to adjust your seasoning.

 Transfer the puree to a mixing bowl.

 Add 1/2 cup ricotta cheese.

 Mix and and all 2-3 tbsp of Parmigiano. For convenience, place the puree into a Ziplock back or piping bag. If using a Ziploc bag, be sure to release any air and cut a small piece of the corner off to pipe the puree.

Cut the chilled dough into fourths, flour the surface of the dough and run each piece, starting with the widest setting to the 2nd the last setting until you have a flat, rectangular sheet of dough.

Lay the dough on a well-floured surface and pipe about a tablespoon of the puree onto the sheet, particularly towards the bottom of the sheet, unlike what you see here!!! I had the move the puree down some to fold the dough over!

 Brush all around the puree with water, I actually just used my fingers instead of this brush most of the time.

 Carefully fold the top of the sheet over the filling. Using your fingers and hands, trace the shape of the filling to seal the dough and release any air pockets.

 Using a ravioli stamp, cookie cutter, or pairing knife, cut out the shape of the ravioli.

 Peel away the excess dough.

 Carefully pick up each ravioli and use your fingers to completely seal the edges. Be sure your surface is floured generously or it may be a little tricky picking up the ravs!

 Place on a baking sheet lined with a tea towel. Cover with a lightly dampened tea towel while you continue making the remainder of the ravioli and place in the freezer to maintain the shape of the ravioli when ready to boil.

 Chop the chives, parsley, mint and zest about 1 tsp of the lemon.

Add the herbs, lemon zest and 3 tbsp of your best extra virgin olive oil to a bowl or jar. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

 Boil the ravioli just until they float and drain. Quickly blanch 1/4 cup of peas in the boiling water. When just cooked, about 2 minutes, rinse with cold water to keep the bright green color.

 Toss the pasta and peas with the extra virgin olive oil and herb mixture. Top the pasta with additional grated cheese, a squeeze of lemon, and fresh pepper.

Serve immediately, while still warm!

 Serve the leftover puree with toasted, crunchy bread for a delicious crostini!