GREYSTONE ONION SOUP WITH MONTASIO SOUFFLĖ Yield: 6 Portions Onion Soup Base (see note) 4 Tbsp. Onions, peeled and thinly sliced 4 ea. White wine ½ cup Homemade roasted chicken stock, 8 cups or good-quality, low sodium commercial chicken broth Bay leaf 1 ea. Thyme leaves, chopped 1 ½ tsp. Sugar Lemon, juice of Croutons Soft, white bread, thinly sliced Montasio Soufflé Batter Butter All-purpose flour Milk (whole or part-skim) Montasio cheese, grated Cayenne White wine Lemon, juice of Final preparation Egg whites, room temperature Montasio cheese, thinly sliced 6 ea. ¼ cup ¼ cup 3 cups 2 cups ¼ tsp. ¼ cup 1 tsp. 8 ea. 6 ea. 1. For the soup base: Warm olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add onions and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until well-caramelized, about 10 minutes. 2. Turn heat to high and deglaze pan with white wine, scraping up any caramelized onion bits. Let onions and white wine boil for 1 minute.
3. Add chicken stock, bay leaf, thyme, salt, pepper, sugar, and lemon juice. Bring liquid to a boil, and reduce heat so that the liquid is at a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes. Taste the stock and correct if needed. 4. Remove soup from heat, cool to room temperature and refrigerate if using at a later point. 5. For the croutons: Preheat oven to 350ºF. Trim bread to fit inside of individual (heatproof) onion soup bowls. Place trimmed bread slices on a baking sheet, place in oven, and toast until lightly golden, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven, cool, and place in Ziploc bag if using later. 6. For the Montasio soufflé batter: In a large saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add flour and whisk continuously, until roux is well blended and beginning to bubble, 1-2 minutes. 7. Pour 1 cup of milk into the roux, whisking continuously, until milk is completely blended and there are no lumps. Repeat with remaining milk. Raise heat just high enough so that mixture is gently bubbling. Continue to whisk until sauce is smooth, shiny and thickened, about 6 minutes. 8. Add the Montasio cheese and stir until completely melted into sauce. Add cayenne, wine, lemon juice and salt. Stir to combine. Remove from heat. Cool and refrigerate if using at a later point. 9. For the final soup preparation: Preheat oven to 400 F. 10. About 45 minutes before assembling onion soup, reheat soufflé batter to lukewarm. Remove from heat and set aside. 11. Gently reheat onion soup base. 12. Beat egg whites to a medium peak. 13. Pour Montasio soufflé batter into a large mixing bowl. With a rubber spatula, gently fold in 1/3 of egg whites. Repeat with remaining egg whites. 14. Ladle onion soup bowls ¾ full of onion soup. Top with 1 crouton and then a slice of Montasio cheese, pour 1 cup of soufflé batter on top of soup. 15. Carefully place soup bowls onto a baking sheet and place in oven. Bake until the Montasio soufflé is well-risen and golden brown, 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and serve immediately. Note: Almost every step of this unique onion soup recipe can be made a day in advance of serving. Relatively simple for its dramatic presentation and soul-satisfying effect.
ROASTED SQUASH AND TOMATO SALAD WITH ARUGULA AND PROSCUITTO DI SAN DANIELE Yield: 8 Portions Roasted squash Acorn squash, or other winter squash Thyme, chopped Roasted tomatoes Roma tomatoes, firm and ripe Peeled, seeded and cut into ¼ s Garlic cloves Thyme branches Vinaigrette Whole grain mustard Shallot, minced Vinegar, red wine, flavorful Assembly Arugula, tender Parsley, chopped Prosciutto di San Daniele, sliced thin Grana Padano 1 ea. ¼ C 8 ea. 8 ea. 8 ea. 8 ea. ¼ C 1 ea. ¼ C 1/3 C 8 oz. 8 oz. 1 oz. 1. For the squash: Heat the oven to 375 F. Peel and seed the squash and cut it into 1 x 2 wedges. Coat the squash with olive oil, season it with salt and pepper and sprinkle it with the thyme and place it onto a baking sheet. Place the squash into the preheated oven and roast until tender and golden; about 30 to 40 minutes. Reserve. 2. For the tomatoes: Heat the oven to 200 F. Arrange the tomatoes cut side up in a nonreactive baking dish. Season generously with salt and pepper. Slice the garlic into thin chips and scatter them over the tomatoes. Scatter the thyme branches over the tomatoes. Drizzle on the oil.
3. Bake the tomatoes uncovered until soft, jammy and sizzling; about 2 hours. The tomatoes should not brown; if they do, turn the oven down. Discard the thyme branches and reserve the tomatoes in the oil. These may be done ahead as they keep well for a few days in the refrigerator. 4. For the vinaigrette: Mix the mustard and the shallots in a small mixing bowl and whisk while adding first the vinegar and then the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. 5. For final assembly: Heat the squash, briefly in the oven, until warm. Toss the tomatoes with the arugula and vinaigrette and then add the warm squash. Toss briefly until the greens are barely wilted and then serve immediately with the the thin sliced Prosciutto di San Daniele tented over the warm salad and a liberal dusting of Grana Padano.
GRILLED PIZZA WITH BURRATA, PROSCUITTO DI SAN DANIELE, HERB SALAD AND OLIVE SOIL Yield: 1-12 pizza Olive soil Black oil cured olives Herb Salad Celery leaves Sage leaves, torn Parsley, plucked Frisee Chives, cut into 1 pieces Marjoram or oregano leaves Basil leaves, torn (or micro basil leaves) Thyme leaves Nasturtiums or other edible flowers Garlic, finely minced Lemon, juice of Final Preparation Pizza Dough Burrata Herb salad Proscuitto di San Daniele Olive Soil Extra-virgin olive oil 2 C 1 Tbsp 4 ea ½ tsp. 1 tsp. 5 oz. 4 oz. ¾ C 6 slices 3 Tbsp. 1-1. For the olive soil: Blot the olives dry and place them on a cookie sheet in a 150 F oven. Bake until they are dry and crispy without burning, a process that may take two hours. You can also leave the olives overnight in an oven at 100 F, or even with just the oven light on. Once the olives are dry, chop them fine, but not into a powder. Store airtight until needed. 2. For the Herb Salad: Gather all the various herbs and soak them briefly in iced water to crisp. Drain them and blot dry, and then dress with garlic, oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. The salad will hold well for 5 minutes or so. 3. For the final preparation: Preheat the grill to high. Roll the dough out to a round that is about 1/8 thick on a floured board. Lay the dough onto the hot, clean grill without any oil. Within a minute you will see blistering and bubbling begin to take place.
Check the underside for grill marks and turn it 90 F to encourage a cross hatched design. The dough should begin to char slightly. Turn the dough and cook the second side. The total cooking time will be about 2 minutes. 4. Remove the dough to a plate and spread the burrata onto the hot pizza crust. Sprinkle a portion of the herb salad onto the dough and then tent the Proscuitto di San Daniele over the top. Add the remaining salad and dust the pizza with Olive Soil. Drizzle the pizza with good quality extra virgin olive oil and serve immediately while hot and fresh.
SAVORY GRANA PADANO UMAMI SEASONING Yield: 8 Portions Browned butter solids (from 2 lbs. butter, clarified) Grana Padano, grated fine Porcini powder Turmeric Old Bay Seasoning Juniper berries, ground ¼ cup ¾ cup 3 Tbsp. ¾ Tsp. 1 tsp. 1. Clarify 2 pounds of butter, reserving the butter solids. Continue to cook the solids until they turn a deep golden brown and they have developed a nutty aroma. Drain any excess butter from the browned butter solids. 2. Add the remaining ingredients to the solids and stir together. Spread onto a cookie sheet and bake in a 300 F oven for 1-2 minutes to help the flavors blend. Allow this mixture to cool completely and then grind it fine in a spice grinder. 3. Sprinkle this Grana Padano Umami Seasoning onto freshly fried gaufrette potatoes, or pop corn for a savory treat.
ASIAN PEAR, DAIKON SPROUTS AND PROSCUITTO DI PARMA ROULADE WITH WASABI AIOLI Yield: 16 Portions Sauce Mayonaisse Soy sauce Yuzu or lemon juice Dijon mustard Wasabi paste Garlic cloves, blanched and minced Final Preparation Asian Pear, cut into batonet 1.25 long Daikon, julienne 1.25 long Carrot, julienne 1.25 long, blanched Daikon Sprouts 2 long Proscuitto di Parma, thin slices ½ cup 3 ea. 1 ea. ½ cup 1/3 cup ½ cup 8 ea. 1. For the Sauce: Combine all the sauce ingredients and allow the flavors to marry for 30 minutes under refrigeration while preparing the remainder of the recipe. 2. For the final preparation: Lay a slice of the Proscuitto di Parma on the cutting board that has been cut in half lengthwise. Top the Proscuitto di Parma at one end with the Asian pear, and vegetables and lay on the daikon sprouts so the greens spill over the edge of the ham. Roll the filling tightly in the ham so that the greens show out the top. When fully rolled, cut the bottom opposite the greens so that it is flat and even. 3. Put a small ½ teaspoon dollop of the sauce on a serving plate and stand the Proscuitto di Parma roulade up on end in the sauce, or serve the sauce on the side and the roulades arranged neatly on an attractive serving plate. Note: Any excess sauce will keep well in your refrigerator for a week or more and it makes a great spead for sandwiches, burgers and even as an impromptu sauce for grilled meats or thinned as a salad dressing.
TOGARASHI FLAT BREAD WITH GRANA PADANO THREE WAYS AND SOY GRILLED VEGETABLES Yield: two flat breads Grana Padano Custard Whole milk Bay leaf Cornstarch Egg Egg yolk Grana Padano, grated fine Pepper Nutmeg Soy Grilled Vegetables Soy sauce Rice vinegar Sugar Worchestershire sauce Garlic cloves, minced Asapragus Portabello mushrooms, gills removed Grana Padano Crisps Grana Padano, grated Final Preparation Pizza dough, 4 oz pieces Sea salt Soy Grilled Vegetables Grana Padano Shavings Togarashi, coarse grind Grana Padano Crisps 2.5 cup 1 ea. 1.5 oz. 1 ea. 2 ea 2 cups 1 tsp. ½ tsp. 1/4 tsp. 4 Tbsp. 2 ea. 1 bu. 3 ea. ¼ cup 2 ea. 1 oz. 1.5 oz. 1/ 1. For the Grana Padano Custard: In a medium sauce pan, heat the milk to a simmer with the bay leaf. In a separate mixing bowl, mix the egg and yolks with the cornstarch until smooth. Temper the egg mixture by stirring a cup of the hot milk liquid into the eggs breaking up any lumps as they form. Add the remainder of the hot liquid while stirring. Once the liquid has all been added, return the mixture to the sauce pan and cook until it boils and is thickened and smooth about 3 minutes. Turn the heat off,
stir in the Grana Padano and season the custard with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Remove the bay leaf, cover tightly to prevent a skin from forming and allow to cool. This custard will be enough for 12 flatbreads total. 2. For the soy grilled vegetables: Heat the soy sauce in a small sauce pan and reduce it by half. Stir in the rice vinegar, sugar, Worcestershire, and garlic. Toss the mushrooms and the trimmed asparagus in this mixture and allow to marinate while the grill preheats. Preheat the grill to high and grill the vegetables until tender and lightly charred. Baste often with any excess marinade to encourage a glaze to form. Reserve the vegetables at room temperature for later use. 3. For the Grana Padano Crisps: In a non-stick pan over a moderate heat, sprinkle the grated Grana Padano into a thin even layer and cook to a light golden color. With a thin spatula, turn the Grana Padano and cook the second side until golden as well. Remove the crisp from the pan and allow it to cool and drain on an absorbent towel. Once cool and crisp, crumble the crisp into small pieces and reserve in an airtight container for later use. 4. For the final preparation: Preheat the oven to 450F. Roll each piece of dough into an oval of about 1/8 inch thick. Brush the dough with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, dock with a fork and bake until golden brown about 10 minutes. Spread each pizza with about ¼ cup of the Grana Padano custard, leaving the edges free. Arrange the asparagus and sliced grilled mushrooms attractively over the custard. Tuck shavings of Grana Padano among the vegetables and sprinkle all with togarashi and the Grana Padano crisps. Serve warm. Notes: if you make ahead, heat the pre-baked breads with Grana Padano custard and grilled vegetables. Once hot, garnish the bread as outlined above in step 4. Use a light hand with the togarashi while it makes a distinctive and attractive garniture it can make things too spicy.
CHILLED SOBA NOODLE SALAD WITH SESAME ROASTED MUSHROOMS, CRISPY PROSCUITTO DI PARMA, EDAMAME, AND HIJIKI SEAWEED Yield: 4 Portions Dressing and Marinade Soy sauce Rice vinegar Sesame oil Mirin Sugar Ginger, minced ¼ C 2 Tbsp 1 tsp. Shitake mushrooms, stems removed 5 oz. Soba noodles, dry 4 oz Proscuitto di Parma, sliced 8 slices 1 C Final Preparation Hijiki seaweed, dry and steeped in boiling water for 10 minutes 3 Tbsp. Carrot, julienne, blanched 1/3 C Scallions, thinnly cut on the bias 3 ea. Edamame 1/3 C Dressing Sesame seeds, toasted Proscuitto di Parma, sliced 8 slices 1. For dressing: Combine all the ingredients for the dressing in a small bowl and stir together. 2. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Toss the shitakes with 2 tablespoons of the dressing and roast until lightly browned and tender, about 15 minutes, turning once during the cooking. Allow the mishroooms to cool and then slice into ¼ slices. 3. Cook the noodles according to the package directions, and reserve. 4. Fry the sliced Proscuitto di Parma in hot olive oil until crispy. Drain any excess oil, and chop coarsley once cooled. Set aside. 5. For the final preparation: Toss the noodles with the mushrooms, hijiki, carrots, scallions and edamame. Add the remaining dressing and toss the salad. Allow to marinate for 5 minutes. 6. Drain the salad of any excess dressing and plate at room temperature. Top each plate with the crispy Proscuitto di Parma, and sprinkle with sesame seeds (or Furitake, if
preferred). Place the fresh slices of Proscuitto di Parma shaped into rosettes around the plate.
BEEF TATAKI WITH CRISPY SHALLOTS, CITRUS AND SOY SERVED ON A MONTASIO BLACK SESAME FRICO Yield: 12 Portions Dressing and Marinade Soy Sauce Mirin Rice Vinegar Lemon Juice Bonita Flakes Water Ginger, finely minced Beef Tataki Beef filet trimmed well Black ground pepper 1/3 cup 1/4 cup 2 Tbsps. 1 tsp. 8 oz. Fried Shallots and Garlic Shallots, sliced thin 3 ea. Garlic cloves, sliced thin lengthwise 6 ea. 1 Cup Montasio Black Sesame Frico Montasio cheese, grated Flour Black pepper White sesame, toasted, coarsely ground Black sesame, toasted Final Preparation Beef Tataki Crispy Shallots Crispy Garlic Scallions, sliced fine Micro Peppercress Radish, julienne Montasio Black Sesame Frico 6 oz. ¼ tsp. 1 tsp. 2 ea. 8 ea.
1. For the dressing/marinade: Combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a small sauce pan and heat to a simmer. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Strain out the bonita flakes and discard. Reserve the sauce. 2. For the Tataki: Season the beef with salt and pepper and then sear quickly in olive oil on all sides over high heat in a heavy pan cast iron works well. While browned on the outside, the beef should still be raw. Transfer the beef to a plasitc bag and add about half the dressing to the bag. Place the bag in a bowl of iced water to cool quickly. Turn and massage the bag periodically to coat the meat with the sauce as it cools. Once cold, slice and then dice the beef into ¼-inch pieces. Keep this meat cold and season with the remaining sauce just before serving. 3. For the fried shallots and garlic: Heat the olive oil until shimmering. Fry the shallots until light golden brown and remove, setting on a paper towl. Next fry the garlic until light golden brown and set asied on a paper towel. 4. For the Montasio Black Sesame frico: Mix the Montasio, flour and black pepper together in a bowl. Heat a non stick pan and when moderately hot brush the surface with olive oil. Sprinkle 1 ½ - 2 tablespoons of the Montasio cheese mixture for each frico and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of the black and white toasted sesame seeds. Allow the frico to cook over moderate heat and when golden around the edges turn with a spatula. The frico should separate from the pan easily and the color should be a light golden. Cook on the second side for an additional 2 minutes or until golden as well. Allow to cool on an absorbent towel. Take care that the frico not get too dark lest they become bitter. The Montasio frico can be held air tight for a few days. 5. On each of the Montasio black sesame frico, spoon on a mound of the beef tataki. I use a ring mold for a neater appearance. Build a small salad with the garlic, shallots, scallions, peppercress and radishes, and spoon on a small amount of sauce as a dressing. Mount this salad carefully on top of the tataki and serve immediately while all remains fresh and bright.