Class: Cooking Italian Style by Chef Janet of the www.satisfiedsoul.com

Back to Loyalist Winter 2006 Menu

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Fennel, Orange Salad

1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
¼ cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 cups shredded fennel bulb (about 1 large)
12 Romaine lettuce leaves
1 red onion, peeled and sliced
12 kalamata olives, pitted
2 medium peeled oranges, each cut into 6 slices,
Zest and juice from 1 orange

Combine oil, lemon juice, orange juice, zest and pepper; stir well with a wire whisk.. Pour dressing onto red onion
Spoon 1/2 cup fennel on each of 6 lettuce-lined ,marinated onions, 2 olives, and 2 orange slices around fennel. Drizzle dressing evenly over salads.

Yield: 6 servings

Arugula, Fennel, Avocado Salad

The spicy Arugula is complemented by refreshing fennel and creamy avocado.

6 cups trimmed arugula (about 4 ounces)
4 cups thinly sliced fennel bulb (about 2 small bulbs)
1 3/4 cups sliced peeled avocado (about 1 small)
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Combine all ingredients except the cheese; toss gently to coat.
Divide the salad among 8 salad plates. Sprinkle the cheese evenly among salads.

Risotto with fresh Tomatoes and Basil

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
4 1/2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 cup onions, chopped
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice or other medium-grain rice
1/3 cup dry white wine(white vermouth)

1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup halved grape tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Shaved Parmesan

Place vinegar in a small, heavy saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook until slightly syrupy and reduced to 1 tablespoon (about 4 minutes). Set aside.

Bring the broth to a simmer in a medium saucepan (do not boil). Keep warm.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add leek; sauté 3 minutes or until tender. Add rice; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in wine, and cook 1 minute or until the liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Stir in 1 cup broth; cook 5 minutes or until the liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly.

Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of broth is absorbed before adding the next (about 25 minutes total). Stir in half-and-half, salt, and pepper; cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in tomatoes, basil, and cheese. Place about 1 cup risotto evenly into 6 shallow serving bowls, and drizzle each with 1/2 teaspoon balsamic syrup and 1/2 teaspoon olive oil.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)

Pork Loin with Leeks

4 large leeks (about 2 1/4 pounds)
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon butter, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
1 (2-pound) boneless pork loin, trimmed
1/2 cup dry white wine
Chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Remove roots and tough upper leaves from leeks. Cut each leek in half lengthwise. Cut each half crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices (you should have about 6 cups). Soak in cold water to loosen dirt; rinse and drain.
Heat the sliced leek, 1/2 cup water, 1 teaspoon butter, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large Dutch oven or deep saute pan over medium-high heat. Cook for 10 minutes or until the leek has wilted. Pour into a bowl.

Heat 2 teaspoons butter in pan over medium-high heat. Add pork; cook 5 minutes, browning on all sides. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and wine; cook 15 seconds, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Return leek mixture to pan. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 2 hours or until pork is tender. Remove pork from pan; increase heat to reduce leek sauce if it's too watery. Cut pork into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Serve with leek mixture; garnish with parsley, if desired.

Almond Biscotti

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup slivered almonds, chopped and toasted
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 eggs
1 egg white
Vegetable cooking spray

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Combine vanilla and next 3 ingredients; add to flour mixture, stirring until well-blended (dough will be dry).

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead lightly 7 or 8 times. Shape dough into a 16-inch-long roll. Place roll on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray, and flatten roll to 1-inch thickness.

Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Remove roll from baking sheet to a wire rack, and let cool 10 minutes. Cut roll diagonally into 30 (1/2-inch) slices, and place, cut sides down, on baking sheet. Reduce oven temperature to 325°, and bake 10 minutes. Turn cookies over, and bake an additional 10 minutes (cookies will be slightly soft in center but will harden as they cool). Remove from baking sheet; let cool completely on wire rack.

Yield: 2 1/2 dozen (serving size: 1 cookie)