Mario Batali's Roasted Pumpkin With Fontina Fonduta 11.14.11

OK, today's recipe I actually made exactly as shown in the episode.  I was able to track down the specialty cheese suggested.  A bit pricey, but you only needed 4 ounces.

I did toast the pumpkin seeds.  On the show Mario suggested some heat spices... I used Cayenne!

You can view the recipe on The Chew website (Click HERE).

You can also view the video of Mario making the dish on the same site (Click HERE for the video).  It's not terribly difficult, but the video is broken down to 2 parts (Click HERE for the 2nd part).

The sauteed pumpkin cubes were exactly as Mario said they would be.  A crunchy bite on the outside, as well as a soft chewy center.

The spices were delicious.  My wife actually thought that I had made a sweet potato recipe.  The color was perfect and the cheese; the creamy goodness expected!

I simply loved it.

A brand new side dish, sure to delight!

Mario Batali's Eggs in Hell 10.21.11

Hmmmm... I've seen this before.  In fact, I've made this.  But I made mine as a Turkish dish, called Kefta.  My version has meatballs (Mario's just uses the eggs).

I did just a bit of research and this is actually one of those international dishes that has lots of names, lots of origins.  But the basics...

Eggs basted in a spiced tomato sauce.

And that's it.  As with all dishes, easy enough to personalize.  Add some Cajun spices for a New Orleans treat.  Add the spiced meatballs for a trip to Turkey.  Change it just a bit and you have a French, British, Mexican or Chinese dish.

Mario posted a very easy to replicate dish.  I followed his recipe exact (except for adding the meatballs).  You can see his version by clicking HERE.

The technique is all you need to know.

I am lucky enough to have a domed lidded stove top dish that this works perfect in.  You can see the cooking process.

Basically, saute some onions and jalapenos.

 Add the tomato sauce.

It has been a very good season for my tomatoes.  I happen to have made some fresh marinara sauce just a couple of days ago, so I had a 2 cup container ready to go.  I did add a cup of the Tomato Soup I blogged about a few days ago.  This was spiced with sriracha sauce, so it added plenty of heat to my dish!  Just the way I like it.

Get the sauce simmering.  I added my pre-browned meatballs in a pattern leaving enough room to drop the eggs in between the sausage.

It takes only about 5-6 minutes for the eggs to cook.  They are being basted in the sauce, so they get that lovely milky creamy look.

The yolks are also cooked PERFECT!  Just cooked through, but still nicely runny on the inside.

And this makes a GREAT breakfast.  Fast to assemble (even faster if you don't do the meatballs).  Delicious with the onions as a base, the spicy tang of the tomato sauce and just easily perfectly cooked poached eggs!

And again, so easy.  I am planning a few visitors in the near future and for the holidays.  This is an ideal dish for Thanksgiving morning (or the day after when you can add some turkey in place of the meatballs).  Like I said, I knew the dish already, and it was on my list.  BUT, thanks to the kick up the list from Mario's recipe, it's now moved up to be made again... and often!

And again, click HERE for the recipe!

Mario Batali's Beef Braciole With Potato Salad 10.12.11

I was drawn to this recipe from the glowing review of the potato salad.  Served warm with a dijon mustard vinaigrette, with raw red onions and scallions and seasoned with fennel seeds.  I was intrigued by the idea of the onions being softened by the warm potatoes.  No cooking of the onions.  As Mario explained, they retained their snap, with just enough wilt to take the raw onion taste out of the finished dish.

And what a winner!  This is a terrific cold weather potato salad.  Served warm, as you can see in the photos, the onions did soften up.

And what a beautiful salad.  The red of the potato skins, the complimentary red of the onions and the contrasting green of the scallions makes this just about the prettiest potato salad I have ever seen.  And with the white of the potatoes, the colors of the Italian flag will make this a saved recipe for my next Columbus day party (any excuse)!

I followed the recipe from the website exactly.  You can see that by clicking HERE.

I did take some liberties with the beef braciole recipe.  No good reason other than economics and that mario gave permission to experiment while he was making the recipe on the show.

An American braciole is a rolled meat dish.  I love rolled meat dishes.  The stuffing inside the meat acts as a marinade from the inside that seasons and flavors the dish while it cooks.  Always the best tasting meat, so filled with flavors!

Mario uses eye of round steak.  I had a couple of 6 ounce KC Strips (also called just strip steaks, NY Strips, Club steaks).  I used a meat mallet to smash them flat.  You only want the meat to be about 1/2 inch thick.

Mario uses sage leaves.  I did not have any, but I did have a few Basil leaves, so basil it is!

Mario also uses pecorino Romano cheese.  I had some feta left over.  Feta is a cheese I love, but do not keep in stock.  Once I had opened the package for a recipe, I was looking for a use for the rest before it goes bad.  This completely changed the taste of the braciole completely.  Not bad, just different.

There are some tips that Mario covers on the episode.  You can see clips, including this segment, on The Chew website for that episode (Click HERE).  Mario grilled his on the stove top... I grilled mine in my grill.

You can read Mario's recipe on The Chew website by clicking HERE.  But as Mario points out on the show, a braciole is a great way to use up leftovers.  Just a little bit goes a long way to making a steak into something special!

Mario Batali's Son Leo Sloppy Joes 10.6.11

No more canned sloppy Joe mix again!

This was a wonderful segment.  Mario had received a gift from his boys of the "Batali Brothers Cookbook:, a one of a kind published book (easily done via Kodak, Lulu or even if you just go to a Walgreen's store), made by the boys (with Mom's help) of family recipes the kids actually make.  What a great idea and I do hope when it gets a little closer to Christmas this idea is explored a bit more.

Today on the show (click HERE to view the episode), it was "All American Day".  My choices were beer brats, Spaghetti Carbonara and this.  I enjoyed all the segments.  The audience participation during one of the Jonas Brothers segment was perfect.  Great way to get them to stop squealing and have a bit of fun.  The beer brats segment was also terrific.

BUT, I was drawn to this idea.  By weight, more vegetables than beef.  And using ground Sirloin instead of a higher fat percentage ground beef, this is almost healthy and certainly healthier.

I did have three concerns... First, the sirloin in place of the ground beef.  Well, once all the juices from the raw tomatoes have broken down, this was plenty wet, moist and flavorful.  No concerns.

The second, while there is jalapenos in the recipe, that is the only hot spicy item.  When I taste tested the dish, it just did not have enough kick for me.  Just prior to serving, I added a TBS of Chili powder and a TBS of Taco Seasoning that I had laying about.  This extra kick added a LOT.

But, seeing that this was made by kids, I can understand the more mild flavorings.  For me, I like the pop!

And finally, sugar???  WHY???  You break down the raw tomatoes with a 45 minute simmer.  Plenty of time for the natural sugars in the tomatoes to infuse sweetness.  There is just no need so I skipped it.  Surprisingly enough, when my wife tried these she commented that they had a sweet taste.

For a almost healthy and certainly healthier dish, I was surprised to see this and lived very well without the sugar.  But that's just me and who am I to argue with Mario or his son.

I let my wife know what I had planned for dinner.  She volunteered to buy the chips, which is a rare treat for us.

To see the recipe, click HERE to see "Mario Batali's Son Leo Sloppy Joes".  You will never open that can again!

Mario Batali's Spaghettinni with Pesto, Green Beans and Potatoes 9.27.11

Day two of the new daytime experiment.  I read over a lot of the reviews, can not argue with any.  I do love the concept, but I think there are just too many cooks in the pot.  It's early in the show and I am sure adjustments will be made soon.  Rome wasn't built in a day and a high concept show like this will need time to shake out.

My one suggestion would be to highlight a cook each day.  Give them 20 minutes to actually COOK.  If all we are going to get is 5 minute recipes and so little time for commentary from the cook (again, 5 people commenting means the master of the dish does not get enough time to explain).

And, while I am making suggestions...  Did the person printing out the recipe for the official The Chew Website even watch the episode???  You can click HERE to see the "official Recipe".  If you compare the recipe to what was shown on the show (click HERE to see the video clip as it aired (you need to scroll down and pick this recipe from the different clip options))), you will notice a BIG change.  And a little change that was in the video of the show, but not printed in the recipe.

OK, this is a Mario Batali recipe (from his book Molto Mario).

First, the pesto.  Mario got it right!  unless you make your own, you are very likely to get a big oily wet pasta instead of the desired chunky moist spoon-able but not pour-able pesto.  He did mention a change I almost always do.  That is, walnuts in place of pine nuts.  I can get 5 times as much walnuts (by weight) as the same amount of pine nuts for the same cost.  For me, no brainer.  Pine nuts make home made pesto cost INeffective.  Also, be sure to use fresh Basil leaves and resist the temptation to by the much less flavorful dried herbs.  I have a big batch that grows outside during the summer and early fall, as well as three pots that grow in my kitchen.  Again, only way to make this cost effective.

OK, the big change... Mario showed us a one dish meal (excluding the pesto).  The printed version has a separate pan for the Potatoes, separate pan for the pasta, separate pan for the Beans.  I was attracted to the simplicity of the dish.  The pesto can be whipped up in a matter of minutes.  The same pot can start the potatoes, half way through the process, add the pasta, halfway through that (OK, 3/4 of the way), add the beans and you have a one dish meal.

And the change in the show that did not get printed in the recipe, add a bit of potato water to thin out the pesto.  You can see Mario doing this and he does mention it towards the end.  BUT, no mention in the printed recipe.

I did serve this as a side dish with a Chicken Rollatini, stuffed with Cheesy Zucchini.  It made a wonderful side dish.  I can certainly see using this as a main course for a weeknight meal.  It was absolutely delicious.  The creaminess of the Parmesan pesto, the extra nutty flavor of the walnuts coating each ingredient makes this a winner!

Like I said, excellent recipe, MUCH easier than the printed version as mine (and Mario's) is a one dish meal. Best of all, it makes a wonderful change to standard side dishes.

Will be making again!