Still, I wanted to do something to give them a little more nutrition, so I dug deep into my bag of tricks and decided to throw ricotta cheese into the mix to give them a little more protein. When my wife was pregnant with him I used to make her these tasty, yet dense, ricotta pancakes from a recipe in a pregnancy cookbook I bought.

It’s been a while since I’ve made those and I really wanted to find a way to lighten them up a little. After doing a little research on the Internet I found the framework I was looking for in a recipe on Food and Wine’s website and went to work.

A lot of mixing, whisking, beating and flipping later I put a light, yet flavorful stack of whole wheat and oatmeal ricotta pancakes on our kitchen table and the family went to work on them. After her first bite my wife remarked that they were as light as air.

Upon further investigation she decided that I had just made the Krispy Kreme of pancakes. And, at the risk of sounding like a braggart, she was right. They practically melted into your mouth so much so that chewing was almost optional.

I’m not going to lie, that was one of my proudest moments as the family chef.

Whole Wheat and Oatmeal Ricotta Pancakes

adapted from a Food and Wine recipe

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¾ cup whole wheat flour
¾ cup oatmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons Kosher salt
3 large eggs, separated
1 ¾ cups milk
¾ cup part skim ricotta cheese
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon melted butter
fresh banana slices (optional)

Assemblage

• Combine whole wheat flour, oatmeal, baking powder and salt in a bowl, then set aside
• Whisk together the egg yolks, milk, ricotta cheese, sugar, vanilla extract and butter
• Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until smooth
• Using an electric mixer beat the egg whites until soft peaks form, then fold the egg whites into the rest of the batter until no streaks remain
• Ladle out a ¼ cup of batter onto a hot griddle or pan and cook until the bottom is golden brown and the top has just begun to set (1 to 2 minutes), then flip to finish

Variations on a Theme

When I was making the original ricotta cheese pancakes for my wife they were sweetened with orange marmalade rather than sugar. The hint of orange was nice and I think that the next time I make these I will use orange extract instead of vanilla and will grate in some orange zest to enhance things. You could also exchange the banana for any type of fresh fruit that you choose.

Over the past few years I’ve roasted, smoked and prepared an osso bucco style turkey to keep things interesting at Thanksgiving. This year I mixed up my menu yet again by preparing a braised stuffed turkey breast.

I was inspired to stuff a turkey breast after reading Chef Mario Batali‘s recipe for tacchino ripieno (stuffed turkey with prunes), however I decided to use my grandmother’s Italian stuffing recipe as the filling. To that I added a thin layer of pancetta, then rolled it up and braised it in wine and stock.

braised stuff turkey breast

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• 1 butterflied turkey breast
• 1 to 2 cups stuffing (use your family favorite)
• 1/4 pound thinly sliced pancetta
• 1 medium onion
• 2 medium carrots, roughly chopped
• 2 stalks celery, roughly chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup turkey or chicken stock
• 2 cups red or white wine
• salt and pepper to taste
• olive oil
• butchers twine

assemblage

• Using a meat tenderizer, pound the butterflied turkey breast down until the thickness is even
• Spread a thin layer of stuffing across the whole breast

• Then layer on the pancetta

• Roll it up and tie tightly with butchers twine in several places

• Rub it down with olive oil and sear on all sides, then remove from the pan or dutch oven
• Add the onions, celery, carrots and garlic and saute for five to six minutes, or until fragrant
• Return the turkey breast to the pan or dutch oven, then add the stock and the wine

• Bring the liquid to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer for 75 to 90 minutes
• Remove from braising liquid and allow to rest for a few minutes
• Cut the breast into slices, removing the twine as you go to help keep it together

presentation

I simply plated this up by putting two slices on a plate and saucing it with a pearl onion and cranberry sauce that I first discovered a few years ago in Charlotte magazine.

Earlier this year I caught an interesting recipe on Mark Bittman’s blog for Coconut Braised Beef. It was a rather simple recipe using coconut milk to braise some cubed chuck.

Not long after discovering it I made it for dinner one night and it was good, but not great. Personally I’m not as much of a fan of braised beef as I am pork. I think it is a textural thing.

Deciding that I needed to try it again with pork, I also decided to add a little more of my style to the dish. I added mango to the mix, as well as some lemongrass. Also, to make the presentation more appealing (my wife loves color) I diced some mango, scallions red bell pepper to make it look festive.

The results of this experiment were phenomenal and, according to my wife, this vaulted to the top of her favorite things that I make. After nearly six years together and a lot of kitchen adventures I felt that was a rather impressive accomplishment.

Personally, I’m not much of a fan of a lot of sauce on my dishes, but the braising liquid reduction with pureed mango was very silky and would taste good on a car bumper.

The residual heat from the chili powder and sriracha added a nice, light bite. If you prefer your food more spicy, then I would recommend at least doubling what I used.

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• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 4 garlic cloves, smashed
• 2 tablespoons ginger, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons sriracha sauce
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 limes, zested and juiced
• 1/2 cup peanuts, crushed, 1/4 cup reserved
• 2 pounds boneless country pork ribs, cubed*
• 2 cans coconut milk, 1 can reserved
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 stalks lemongrass, roughly chopped
• 4 sprigs fresh cilantro
• 2 mangoes, 1 1/2 roughly chopped, 1/2 finely diced
  1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup agave nectar (or 1/3 cup brown sugar)
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 bunch scallions, bias cut
• salt and pepper, to taste

assemblage

• In a medium size bowl combine the first eight ingredients to form a loose paste, then saute for two to three minutes on the stovetop
• Add the cubed pork and stir to combine until the meat is coated in the paste
• Pour the coconut milk and water into the pan and cook for two to three minutes before pouring the mixture into a slow cooker
• Add the lemongrass, cilantro sprigs and roughly chopped mango
• Cover and cook for about eight hours on low
• When the pork is finished, separate the solids from braising liquid, wrap the pork in aluminum foil and reserve the mango pieces
• Pour the strained braising liquid in a medium sauce pot and add the second can of coconut milk, orange juice, agave nectar (or brown sugar) and reduce by half
• Add the reserved mango pieces and hit it with the boat motor (immersion blender), or allow to cool then transfer to a regular blender
• If allowed to cool, return the reduction sauce back to the sauce pan and bring back to a simmer, otherwise, add braised pork into the reduction and stir to coat completely

presentation

I served this braised pork very simply with some brown and red basmati rice and a few garnishes. Plating it up consisted of putting the rice in the center of a shallow bowl, a serving of the pork, a healthy drizzle of the sauce, then topping it all off with the diced mango and red bell pepper, reserved crushed peanuts and scallions.

* I used bone in country ribs because I didn’t find any boneless that I cared for. You could also cube up a pork shoulder that you’ve trimmed of any excess fat.

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• 4 pound ribeye roast
• 4 cloves, garlic
• 3 tablespoon prepared horseradish
• 3 sprigs, rosemary
• 3 sprigs, thyme
• 1/4 cup flatleaf parsley
• 1/2 cup parmesan reggiano
• olive oil, as needed
• salt and pepper, to taste

assemblage

• Add the garlic through parmesan cheese into a food processor and pulse to combine
• Slowly drizzle olive oil while the food processor is running until a moist paste develops
• Using a spatula smear the paste all over the roast

• Put the roast on a roasting pan and cook in a 350 degree oven until it reaches the desired internal temperature.
• I pulled it at 145 degree and let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Slice and enjoy!

Braciole di Pollo from PJ Mullen on Vimeo.

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Braciole di Pollo

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved horizontally
1 cup bread crumbs
1 cup parmesan reggiano, grated
1/2 cup fontina cheese, grated
1 cup arugala, finely chopped
1/4 cup golden raisins, macerated in white wine (optional) and chopped
zest and juice of a lemon
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 eggs, beaten
1/4 pound proscuitto, sliced paper thin
butchers twine
Olive oil, salt and pepper to taste

Parmesan Herb Polenta

1 cup polenta
4 cups milk (or water, or chicken stock)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup parmesan reggiano cheese, grated
1/2 cup fontina cheese, grated
2 tablespoons basil, finely chopped
2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

Roasted Tomato Puree

6-8 tomatoes, cored (about 1 1/2 to 2 pounds) and roasted
1 head garlic, halved and roasted
2 tablespoons plus 1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup blanched and dry roasted almonds
1/4 cup blanched and dry roasted hazelnuts
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons dry red wine, if necessary
1 slice day old bread, if necessary

assemblage

Braciole di Pollo

• Cut the chicken breasts in half horizontally, then use a meat tenderizer to flatten into thin cutlets
• Combine the bread crumbs, cheeses, arugala, lemon zest and juice, golden raisins, garlic and eggs in a medium mixing bowl
• Spread a tablespoon or so of the bread crumb and cheese mixture over the chicken cutlet, lay a slice of proscuitto on top, then roll up
• Tie the chicken up with some butchers twine, then place it in a roasting pan or Pyrex dish
• Drizzle olive oil over the chicken, then season liberally with salt and pepper
• Roast in a 350 degree oven for 30 to 35 minutes, depending on your oven.

Parmesan Herb Polenta

• In a medium saucepan add the milk and polenta and bring to slow boil while stirring frequently, about 15 minutes
• Stir in the cheeses, butter, herbs, salt and pepper
• Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary
• If the polenta is too thick, add milk a little at a time until you achieve the consistency you desire

Roasted Tomato Puree

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees
• Drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil over the cored tomatoes and halved garlic head in a non reactive pan and roast for 45 to 60 minutes, then remove and allow to cool
• Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan over medium heat and toast the hazelnuts and almonds until golden brown (5 to 6 minutes) while shaking the pan frequently to avoid burning, then set aside to cool
• Add the cooled tomatoes, garlic, hazelnuts and almonds in a food processor and pulse until combined
• Slowly drizzle 1/3 of a cup olive oil in a steady stream, then add the vinegar, salt and pepper
• Continue to process until it comes together, but still retaining a coarse texture
• Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary
• If the sauce appears to be too thick add some of the red wine a little at a time, if too thin then add a little of the bread until it reaches the consistency you desire

presentation

I’ve plated this up two ways before, individually and family style. For both I lay down a foundation of polenta in the middle of a plate or serving platter, then ladle on the roasted tomato puree. For the individual plating place a whole braciole right on top, while for the family style I slice up the braciole and rest them on top. A nice finishing touch is some chiffenaded basil and some freshly grated hazelnut.

Since I could not find any recipes available on the Food Network website for any of the Iron Chef America episodes, I had to draw upon Chef Symon’s description of the dish and my experiences with braising. Obviously I did not make this in under an hour, but I also did not have any sous chefs or Alton Brown narrating my every move.

Despite my eagerness to attempt to replicate his dish, I was a little apprehensive about properly balancing chocolate and chili peppers in a savory dish. However, when it was all said and done I couldn’t have been happier with the results. The reduction sauce was amazing with the dark chocolate notes hitting you first as it finished with the heat from the chili peppers.

My only critiques would be I wish I had reduced the sauce a little more, as I felt it was a little thin for my tastes, and I could have added a touch more heat. The next time I do this I will probably try a more potent pepper, something in between a jalapeno and a habanero.

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5 pound pork shoulder, trimmed
olive oil
1 tablespoon brown sugar
4 tablespoons chili powder, 1 reserved
2 teaspoons ground cayenne pepper, 1/2 teaspoon reserved
salt and pepper, to taste
2 14.9 ounce cans Double Chocolate Stout, 1 reserved for chef
1 1/2 cups orange juice, reserve 3/4 cup
1 1/2 cups chicken stock, reserve 3/4 cup
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
4 medium carrots, 2 roughly chopped, 2 julienned
2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
6 to 8 garlic cloves, smashed
2 jalapeno peppers, roughly chopped
1 red bell pepper, julienned
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 ounce of 60% or greater chocolate, grated (about 4 squares of a Lindt bar)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

assemblage

• Wash, pat dry, trim any excess fat from and lightly coat the pork shoulder in olive oil
• Liberally apply salt and combine the brown sugar, chili powder and cayenne pepper before rubbing it on the meat
• Wrap in plastic wrap and, if possible, refrigerate overnight
• Remove meat from refrigerator, if necessary, and deposit it in a slow cooker
• Pour in the chocolate stout, orange juice and stock, then the onion, roughly chopped carrot, celery, garlic and jalapenos
• Cook on low for up to eight hours
• When finished cooking strain/separate the fat from the braising liquid and begin reducing in a medium sauce pan along with the reserved orange juice and stock
• Once the braising liquid has reduced by half whisk in the tomato paste, taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary
• Whisk in the grated dark chocolate, then finish the reduction sauce by whisking in the butter and remove from heat
• Shred the pork, add in the remaining chili and cayenne powder and toss together, then ladle in about a quarter of the reduction sauce to heat it up and keep it moist

presentation

Like most pasta dishes I make, I kept the plating simple. I piled up some of the pork on the chocolate pasta, which were cut like fettucine noodles, sauced the dish and topped it all off with some julienned and sauteed carrots and red bell pepper. For the finishing touch I used my zester to grate some 70% dark chocolate like it was cheese.

When I said that I was going to make dinner she wasn’t sure what to expect. She really enjoyed dinner, but would later tell me that she would have been happy if I had simply made tomato soup and grilled cheese.

It took me until my wife became pregnant with our son to finally get around to making her that grilled cheese and tomato soup in the form of creamy tomato bisque and paninis. It is a wonderfully comforting soup that is not only easy to make, but freezes well.

As for the paninis, they too are no more difficult than assembling a sandwich. I like to use ciabatta bread for my paninis, but focaccia would be a fine option as well.. A trick I’ve discovered is after you cut the bread invert it so that the soft inside is what ends up getting grilled, rather than the crustier exterior.

Then I layer up slices of tomato that I have first marinated in some balsamic vinegar, generous slices of fresh mozzarella, a pinch of some chiffonaded basil and proscuitto (for my wife) or sopressata (for me). Lastly, I lightly brush the outside of the sandwiches with some olive oil and grill them in a cast iron pan until they are golden brown and the cheese is melted.

As you can see it is very simple, but a nice way to jazz up a simple meal of soup and sandwiches.

Creamy Tomato Bisque

as adapted from Food Network Kitchens

hardware

Dutch oven or large pot
Measuring cups and spoons
Immersion blender or Blender and strainer

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2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 to 3 slices of bacon
1 medium yellow or sweet onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
5 tablespoons all purpose flour
4 cups chicken broth (low sodium if canned)
1 cup sherry or white wine
1 28 ounce can of whole tomatoes with liquid, roughly chopped
3 flat lead parsley sprigs
3 fresh thyme sprigs
3/4 cup heavy cream
6 oz mascarpone cheese (3/4 package)
salt and pepper to taste

assemblage

• Melt the butter in the oil over medium high heat in the dutch oven or pot
• Add the bacon and render down until crispy, then remove bacon
• Stir in the onion, carrot, celery, garlic and shallot, season with salt and pepper, then cook for 7 to 8 minutes, or until fragrant
• Add the flour, stirring to combine and cook for 2 to 3 minutes
• Deglaze the pan with the sherry or white wine, cook for 1 to 2 minutes
• Add the chicken broth and tomatoes, then bring to boil while stirring regularly
• Drop in the parsley and thyme (tied together with twine if you have to make it easier to retrieve), lower the heat to simmer for 30 minutes, then remove from heat and allow the base to cool
• Discard the herb bundle, then hit the soup with the immersion blender, or transfer in batches to a regular blender and strain before returning it to the pot.
• Turn the heat back on to medium
• Whisk together the mascarpone and heavy cream, then stir into the the soup, reserving 1/4 of it for garnish
• Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary

presentation

When my bisque is finished I like to serve it in a shallow bowl then swirl some of the remaining mascarpone/heavy cream mixture and top it off with some of the bacon crumbles. Combined with the paninis this bisque is the perfect cold weather comfort food.

Dipping the perfectly grilled paninis into the soup brings me back to my childhood when my mom would make tomato soup and grilled cheese after we had been playing out in the snow.

If you give this a try I’d love to hear about how it went, or what you might have done differently.

Deciding to use cola as my braising liquid, I trimmed the brisket and rubbed it with a mixture of chili powder, cocoa powder and ground cayenne pepper. Then I added some soy and Worcestershire sauce along with ginger, garlic and roughly chopped jalapenos to the braise.

This recipe has some nice background heat, as I’m not a fan of heavily spiced food, and, as with any braise I do, the reduction sauce was the key to success. If you like your dishes hotter, then I’d recommend increasing the proportions or upping the ante from jalapenos to habaneros.

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2 1/2 to 3 pound beef brisket
2 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups cola (not diet)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
4 cloves of garlic, smashed
2 tablespoons ginger, roughly chopped
2 jalapenos, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons brown sugar
salt and pepper, to taste

assemblage

• Trim the brisket of fat, the rub with mixture of chili powder, cocoa powder and cayenne pepper
• Sear the brisket in a pan on high heat on both sides, then deposit into slow cooker
• Pour the cola, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce in with the brisket
• Add the garlic, ginger and jalapeno peppers
• Cover and cook for six hours
• After the brisket is finished braising, remove and cover with foil to retain heat
• In a medium sauce pan add the braising liquid, after straining the fat, and reduce by half
• Whisk in the tomato paste and brown sugar
• Taste reduction sauce and adjust seasoning, if needed

presentation

When I originally thought about doing this I intended to slice the brisket on the bias and use the strips of meat as the basis for tacos. In order to let the delicately braised meat and reduction sauce to shine through I didn’t want to add to much to the tacos. I dressed some broccoli slaw with a sesame soy vinaigrette to provide a some contrast to the meat and some crunch.

Seriously, this stuff is so good it would taste good on a car bumper, as a certain celebrity chef might say.

I have no idea if calling this a duxelle is accurate, as most everything I’ve read about a duxelle involves mushrooms. Maybe it is better characterized as a roasted garlic jam. Still, since they are both essentially pastes designed to be fillings for Wellington type dishes, I’m sticking with it.

It definitely takes a bit of work to prepare, but it was totally worth it. Now that I know how good it is I am intrigued about its other potential applications.

hardware

• food processor
• skillet or frying pan
• knife and cutting board
• measuring cups and spoons

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3 heads of garlic
olive oil
1/4 # Pancetta, frozen and finely diced
1 tablespoons butter
1 large red onions, finely chopped
1 shallot, minced
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 cup parmesan reggiano
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
salt and pepper to taste

assemblage

• preheat oven to 350 degrees
• cut the heads of garlic in half, place in a roasting pan, then drizzle with olive oil and roast until golden brown (35 to 45 minutes)
• while the garlic is roasting, saute the pancetta until crispy
• add the butter, red onion and shallot to the pancetta and continue to saute for ive to seven minutes
• stir in the balsamic vinegar, then add the parsley, thyme and rosemary
• after two or three minutes add the heavy cream to finish, then remove from heat and allow to cool
• when both the garlic heads are able to be handled and the onion mixture has cooled, add to a food processor
• add the parmesan and pine nuts, then pulse six to eight times to combine

Some of my risotto’s were intended to be served primo (as an appetizer) or secondo (as an entree). This particular recipes, which also happens to be the fifth and final installment in the fall flavors recipe series, is one I came up with for Thanksgiving dinner the first time I did my turkey osso bucco style.

While it is certainly hearty enough to stand on its own as a secondo, you could serve it as a side dish to go with any number of things like turkey or even braised short ribs.

hardware

• large saucepan or saucier
• wooden spoon, knife & cutting board
• measuring cups and spoons

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• 1 cup roasted butternut squash (see link for recipe)
• Pancetta, diced
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 cup Arborio rice
• ½ cup white wine
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 cup milk
• Salt and pepper, to taste

assemblage

• In a saucepan render the pancetta until crispy, then add the shallot and butter
• Once the butter is melted and the shallots are translucent add the Arborio rice and toast to two to three minutes
• Deglaze the pan with the white wine and allow the rice to absorb the liquid
• Begin ladling in the chicken stock a little at a time, allowing the rice to cook and absorb
• When the rice is al dente add the roasted butternut squash and milk
• Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary

presentation

How you plate it all depends on how you intend to serve it. When I made this dish for this post I intended for it to be our entree and simply plated it up in a shallow bowl with some freshly grated parmegan reggiano cheese and a chiffonade of sage.