Artichokes with Hollandaise Sauce

April is Artichoke season so I wanted to do at least one recipe with these veggies. Inspired by Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking, I wanted to make an appetizer that makes the artichoke the center of attention. In my mind, this dish resembles a volcano with the artichoke being the base and the sauce being the lava. Or maybe it makes you think of artichoke leaves hanging out in a hot tub of hollandaise sauce. Either way I hope you enjoy this fun, french-inspired dish!  

Ingredients:

Artichokes (Medium Sized)--- 1

For the Hollandaise: Makes enough to fill 1 Artichoke

Egg Yolks--- 3 (Large)
Butter (chilled)--- 2 TBSP
Butter (melted)--- 5 OZ (1 1/4 Sticks)
Lemon Juice--- 1 TBSP
Salt and Pepper--- To taste

Step By Step:

• In a mixing bowl, whisk eggs yolks rapidly for 1 minute. Bring a pot a water to a rolling boil.

• Add 1 TBSP chilled butter to egg yolks. Hold mixing bowl over boiling pot and whisk butter and eggs until they combine into a creamy texture. Be sure to not heat mixture too much as they will turn to scrambled eggs. If mixture is becoming too thick remove from heat and add a TBSP of cold water. 

• Repeat this step by adding another 1 TBSP of chilled butter. Mixture should be thick but still able to easily run off of a spoon

• Steadily whisk in a few drops of melted butter to the sauce. Repeat this step by slowly incorporating the liquid butter into the sauce. Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice.
• Once sauce is smooth and creamy, remove from heat.  If you're making this ahead of time, you can refrigerate this Hollandaise for later use  

• Remove stem & top and trim leaves of the artichoke. 

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add trimmed artichokes and reduce heat. Simmer artichokes for 25-30 minutes until leaves are tender enough to be easily pierced with a fork.

• Strain artichokes from water and flip upside down to remove excess water. Once artichokes are cool enough to handle, open up the leaves so the heart (core) is exposed. (You can opt to remove the heart or leave it in) Pour hollandaise into the center of the artichoke so you have a natural dipping bowl

Enjoy!

Tzatziki Sauce

 

 

With summer right around the corner, and stockpile of cucumbers, I decided to make a sauce that is cool and refreshing. I would describe tzatziki sauce as simple yet versatile. It takes just minutes to make but it adds a boost of flavor to your dish. I tested the sauce on a filet of seared salmon and assorted veggies and it was great! I can guarantee you this is a great veggie dip for your next party or picnic!!     

Ingredients: Makes about 1.5 Cups of Sauce

Cucumber--- 1 (Good sized)
Greek Yogurt--- 1 CUP
Garlic (minced)---  1 Clove
Lemon Juice--- 1 TBSP
Olive Oil--- 1 TSP
Dill (chopped)--- To Taste
Salt and Pepper--- To Taste

Step By Step:

• Grate cucumber into small, thin strips. Pat graded cucs with a paper towel to remove excess water.

• Add yogurt, garlic, lemon juice and oil. Mix evenly. Season by stirring in salt, pepper and dill

• Your tzatizki is ready to be served however, this sauce gets better if it is refrigerated for a few hours.   

Enjoy!

Two-Day Dill Pickles

What to do with an empty pickle jar and a fridge full of cucumbers? Make pickles of course! Here's short cut to have fresh pickles in only two days- no fancy canning equipment required. In my opinion, pickles go good with anything- even a good side to go with your breakfast. Although it takes two days for the pickles to really absorb the brine, it only takes about 5 minutes to prep this recipe. This is another recipe using substantially grown, hydroponic cucumbers from Penn State. So be sure to save your empty pickle jars and start planting those cucumber seeds for this summer! 

Ingredients:

Cucumbers (Sliced in Quarters)--- 2
Sweet Onion (chopped)--- 1/4 CUP
Water--- 3/4 CUP
White Vinegar--- 1/4 CUP
Fresh Dill--- 2 TSP
Salt and Pepper--- To taste

Step by Step:

• Slice cucumbers into desired shapes

• Place in a 16 OZ jar and fill with water and vinegar. Season with onion, salt, pepper and dill. Seal the lid and give the jar a good shake

• Place in the refrigerator for two days to allow the cucumbers to absorb the brine.

Enjoy!!

Cucumber Rolls

Penn State's Hydroponic class seems to have more cucumbers than they know what to do with (which isn't a bad thing at all!) Last week, I made cucumber salad and this week I made a sushi-inspired cucumber and avocado roll. These rolls make for a quick appetizer that will surely be remembered by your guests!

Ingredients: Yields 10 rolls

Cucumber--- 1 (Large)
Avocado (mashed)--- 1
Carrots (jullienne cut)--- 1/2 CUP
Smoked Salmon--- about 4oz
Salt & Pepper--- To taste

Optional:

Soy sauce
Wasabi

Step by Step:

• Peel cucumber and pat dry with a paper towel. Using a peeler or sharp knife, cut long, thin strips of cucumber. Should be thin enough to roll up.

• Mash avocado and season with salt and pepper. Cut carrots to be about the size of a matchstick.

• To assemble Rolls, spread a thin layer of avocado on one side of the cucumber. Next, layer with smoked salmon and a few carrots per roll.

• Finally, roll up cucumbers and stick toothpicks through the rolls to keep them intact

To give the rolls another kick of flavor, serve with wasabi and soy sauce!  

Chili-Lime Tuna Steaks

Today it's going to be a high of 71 in State College and with the Spring Football game, grilling season has officially begun! These meaty steaks have the perfect balance of spice from the chili and sour from the lime. And because this tuna is so firm, it is a great fish to use in sandwiches! Much like a cut of beef, you can cook these steaks to your preferred temperature. My family likes them rare so once the grill is hot, we cook our tuna in no-time. 

Enjoy the weather and I hope you spend a part of your weekend with family and friends!  

Ingredients: Serves 5

Tuna Steaks (1" Thick)--- 5
Garlic (halved)--- 2 Cloves
Lime Juice--- 3 TBSP
Chili Powder--- 1 TBSP
Old Bay Seasoning--- 2 TSP
Apple Cider Vinegar--- 2 TBSP
Salt & Pepper--- To taste

STEP BY STEP:

• In a large mixing bowl, made a marinade by combining lime juice, vinegar, chili powder, Old Bay and Garlic

• Season Tuna with salt and pepper and place in the marinade for at least 30 minutes

• Once grill is hot, sear tuna (For rare/medium rare steaks sear for 1-2 min per side. For medium/well steaks sear for 3-4 min per side)

• Remove from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes (this locks in the juices)

Enjoy!!

Ricotta Cheese Cookies

This is my Mom's go-to cookie recipe- whether it be for a holiday party or for those "just-because-I-felt-like-making-cookies" kinds of days. Aside from them being light and delicious they are also one of the fastest cookies to make. From start to finish it takes less than 30 minutes to make these Italian treats!

Ingredients:

For Cookies:  Yields about 5 Dozen

Butter (softened)--- 1 CUP
Granulated Sugar--- 2 CUP
Ricotta Cheese--- 15oz Tub
Vanilla Extract--- 3 TSP
Salt--- 1 TSP
Baking Powder--- 1 TSP
All Purpose Flour--- 4 CUP
Eggs (whisked)--- 3 (Large)

For Glaze:

Powdered Sugar--- 1 CUP
Milk--- About 3 TSPs

STEP BY STEP:

• Preheat Oven to 350F

• In an electric mixer, combine all ingredients together until a sticky, dough ball forms

• Scoop 1 TBSP dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

(You can also bake cookies like mini cupcakes!)

• Bake for 10 minutes until bottoms are light brown

• Transfer cookies to wire rack and let cool

• Make glaze (combine powdered sugar and milk) and spread over cookies. Top with sprinkles and enjoy! 

Seared Scallops with Microgreens

Another week, another harvest from Penn State's hydroponic's class! This week, I'm cooking with microgreens which accompany scallops nicely. These greens are essentially the first leaves of a plant to break through the soil. Swiss chard, radish and cabbage are typical types of greens harvested and each bring a unique flavor. Some are peppery, some are lemony and all of these mini leaves add a dash of flavor to any dish.

The variety of greens harvested had a lemony flavor which immediately made me think of pairing with seafood. The citrus bite of the lemon juice and microgreens cut into the salty, taste of the scallops. Combined with these greens, the peas soak up extra flavors given off by the shellfish.
Overall, this dish makes for a great appetizer or entree!

Ingredients:

Scallops--- 1/2 LB
Microgreens--- 1 CUP
Peas--- 1/2 CUP
Bell Pepper (chopped)--- 1/2 CUP
Onion (chopped)--- 1/2 CUP
Lemon (sliced)
Salt & Pepper--- Pinch
Olive Oil (for sauteing)--- 2 TBSP

STEP BY STEP:

• Cut and saute pepper and onion in a large pan. Remove from pan once tender and let cool

• Add more olive oil to pan set to Medium-High heat. Season scallops with salt and pepper. Add to pot pan and sear each side until light brown (about 2-3 minutes per side). Drizzle lemon juice over scallops. Once seared, let scallops rest on a paper towel to absorb excess oil

• Mix peas and microgreens with sauteed onion and pepper. (Be sure onion and pepper are cool so they won't wilt the greens)

• Plate scallops on top of the microgreen salad. Serve with slice of lemon

Enjoy!

Piroshki (пиріжки)

I fell in love with Piroshki at one of my favorite restaurants in New York City- Korchma Taras Bulba. Piroshki, not to confused with Pierogi, are bread rolls stuffed with meat, veggies, fruit and other sweets. My roommate called them "Ukrainian Hot-Pockets" which isn't all that bad of a description. This dish seems to be more popular in Ukraine and Russia, so being Slovak I didn't grow up eating piroshki. 

All in all it takes about an hour and a half to make with an one hour being devoted just to letting the dough rise. Overall this is a really simple dish, with not too many ingredients, that makes a great dinner!    

Ingredients: Makes around 12 Piroshki

For the Dough:

All Purpose Flour--- 4 CUPS
Milk--- 1.5 CUPS
Instant Yeast--- 1 Packet
Vegetable Oil--- 1/4 CUP
Egg--- 1
Sugar--- 2 TBSP
Salt--- Pinch

For Beef Filling:

Ground Beef--- 1 LB
Onion (chopped)--- 1/2 CUP
Garlic (minced)--- 1 clove
Oregano--- 1 TSP
Salt and Pepper--- Pinch
Olive Oil--- 2 TBSP (for sauteing)

For Cabbage and Potato Filling:

Potato (diced)--- 1 (Large)
Sauerkraut--- 1/2 CUP
Sour Cream--- 1/4 CUP
Salt and Pepper--- Pinch

Egg (for egg wash)--- 1

STEP BY STEP:

• Combine Flour, yeast and salt in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl whisk egg and sugar then add oil. Microwave milk for about 3 minutes until scalded.

• Combine heated milk with dry ingredients. Add the egg mixture to the bowl and knead dough until it cleanly comes off your hands

• Cover dough place on heating pad (should be Medium/High heat) and let rise for 1 hour

• For the Beef Filling, saute onion and garlic a frying pan until tender. Add beef and let cook through. Season with salt, pepper and oregano.  

• For the Cabbage and Potato Filling, peel and cut potato. Place in a small pot and cover with water. Bring pot to a boil then reduce to a simmer for about 15 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender. Strain cooked potatoes and mix with sauerkraut, sour cream, salt and pepper.

• Preheat oven to 350F

• Once risen, tear off golf-ball sized pieces of dough. Flour a work surface and roll pieces of dough into about 4" wide circles. Dough should be about 1/8" in thickness.

• Scoop 2 TBSP of filling onto the middle of the circle. Fold dough in half (like a pierogi) and seal edges. 

(This piroshok is about the size of my fist)

• Place piroshok seam side down, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush with eggwash. 

• Bake piroshki at 350F for 20 to 25 minutes (depending on their size)