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Carbonara

2/28/2016

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What you missed in class today... PASTA!!!

Pasta alla Carbonara

1lb pasta
8 oz pancetta, diced
1 TBS butter
4 eggs
2 TBS heavy cream (if you're cheating ;))
1 heaping tsp freshly ground black pepper
Juice of 1-2 lemons
Pinch of salt
1 c parm
1 c pecorino
2 TBS freshly minced parsley

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Render the pancetta in a large skillet.
Whisk together the eggs, cream, lemon juice and pepper, with a pinch of salt.
Cook the pasta until al dente.
Once the pancetta is crispy, add the pasta to the pan reserving the pasta water. Add the butter to the pan and stir to coat the pasta with the fat.
With tongs, constantly stir and toss the pasta over medium heat, then add the egg mixture. Pull the egg mixture through with 1-2 cups of pasta water. Once slightly thickened add in cheese. Turn off, stir until the sauce has thickened. Platter, then garnish with parsley and additional cheese if desired.
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HAPPY GAME DAY!!!  The best damn wings!!!

1/24/2016

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Here's what we made today during our tech ii, sunday funday!!!

A twist on the classic buffalo hot wing - I use some thai chili spice to compliment the typical cayenne/vinegar hot sauce. Delicious!!!
THE BEST DAMN HOT WINGS

Ingredients
2 doz wings, drumsticks, thighs, etc
1 c Franks red hot or other hot sauce
3 TBS sambel olek
4 cloves garlic, pasted
​1 1/2 TBS sriracha 
1 1/2 TBS honey
1 TBS dijon
1 TBS brandy
1 TBS lemon
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp freshly finely ground black pepper

Directions
1.)  Pat the wings dry and preheat oil (to 375 in fryer) or grill (to high).  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2.)  Make sauce, whisking together remaining ingredients.
3.)  Deep fry or grill wings until crispy.
4.)  Toss in sauce and space evenly, spread out on a parchment-lined baking sheet pan.           [Do not throw away excess hot sauce mixture!!!]
5.)  Place in oven and cook 15 minutes or until browned.  Remove and re-coat with the hot sauce.  Place back on sheet and put into the oven, until super crispy and done in the middle. 
Serve and enjoy!!!!!



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Happy Halloween!!! (Belated) and Simple Butternut Squash Soup

11/6/2015

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It was so good - it's all gone!!!

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  Come Fall, I love a really good butternut Squash soup!  
It doesn't have to be butternut, feel free to play around with different kinds of winter squash and root vegetables to come up with your favorite mix.  
​puree, or don't.  it's all good!

Roast Butternut Squash Soup
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Simple, delicious, healthy and easy!  Feel free to swap out different ingredients or add in extras - extremely versatile for whatever you have on hand.  If you want to puree, an immersion (stick) blender is best, if you're using a traditional blender remember to only fill 1/2 full with hot liquids and/or vent properly so that you won't have an explosion of burning hot liquid!  If you don't feel like roasting the vegetables you can sweat the out in the pot after the onions.  The roasting speeds up the cooking time and adds some depth of flavor from the caramelization.

Ingredients
2-3 TBS coconut oil, butter and/or olive oil
3 cups onions, diced or leeks, half-mooned
2 cups carrots, finely chopped (can use parsnips as well, in addition!)
2 stalks celery, or 1 cup celeriac, finely chopped
Optional: 2 TBS garlic, minced; 1 TBS curry powder, 5-spice or garam masala
1 apple, diced
1 cup zucchini, diced
1 butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and 1" cubed
1 1/2 cups white wine or cider
3-6 cups stock (can use chicken or vegetable depending on preference)
salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste

Directions
1.)  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Prep all ingredients.  
2.)  Place carrots, parsnips, celeriac and butternut squash (all of the root vegetables) on a parchment lined baking pan.  Drizzle with a little oil, salt and pepper.  If you want to add a spice, now is the time to do so.  Make sure they are spread evenly, with enough room so that they will brown a little.  
3.)  Heat up a your soup or braising pot.  Once hot, add enough fat to coat the bottom of the pan.
4.)  Add onions or leeks, and sweat out (medium-low heat) until translucent.  Remember you may need to adjust the heat under the pan, we're not looking for browned bits, a little is okay, but we're just looking to soften and cook the onions until they are super tender.  If using celery, add in and again, cook until tender.  Add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
5.)  Increase the heat slightly - stir in the apple and zuke.  These don't need to cook for long, just until the rawness is taken out and slightly tender, roughly 5 minutes.
6.)  Deglaze with the white wine.  Check the roasted vegetables, should be done!  Add them into the pot.  Pour the stock over.  Let everything cook together for 10-15 minutes.  Check for doneness, you want the butternut squash to just start to break down around the edges and be very fork tender.
7.)  Puree if desired, season and serve!

Note: for garnish I like to use micro greens, a bit of cilantro sprigs, roasted mushrooms or swirled greek yogurt!
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​Hope you all had a wonderful, happy halloween!!!
Love, the frozen/regan sisters

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From My Knife Skills Class to You

11/3/2015

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Ever wonder what happens in my knife skills class?

Here's the cliff-notes version!

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On to how to sharpen and hone knives:
​


​i love fennel...  
Here's a great introduction - cute and informational!  
​see below for delicious recipes from the class.

Oven Fries!!!
Super Vegetable Marinara!!!
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PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS

9/9/2015

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Believe me, I'm not excited for the end of summer...  I'm in no ways looking forward to the cold weather or the snow that follows.  Fall also marks James' return to work - booo.  I guess my favorite part of fall are the crisp evenings, better sleeping weather, delicious harvest meals, warming comfort foods, apples, cider and of course, Halloween.
In gearing up for this Fall I've been working on some Fall Favorites.  I created this one over the summer for one of the girls in my Techniques of Baking - Summer Series, who adores pumpkin.  We loved the recipe!  Everyone wanted to recreate the masterpiece, so here goes...
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just in time to get excited for fall...

   I came up with this recipe earlier this summer during our teen Summer Series at The Cambridge School of Culinary Arts, and it was just so good I had to share!
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients
1 cup sugar (can do 1/2 c light brown sugar + 1/2 c granulated sugar)
4 eggs
4 oz butter, room temperature
1 TBS cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves 
1/4 tsp salt
1 TBS vanilla
2 TBS baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1 can (15 oz) pure pumpkin puree (fresh, strained will work as well)
2 1/2 cups flour
1 heaping cup of bittersweet chocolate chips


Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
In the bowl of a stand-up mixer, using a whisk attachment, cream together the sugar and eggs on high for ~7-10 minutes.  They should be almost white in color, fluffy and double in volume.  While waiting, measure out the rest of the ingredients.
Line a muffin tin or grease well.
Add the softened butter to the egg mixture and whisk on high for another minute.
Add the cinnamon, cloves, salt, vanilla and baking powder on low speed.  Whisk to combine.  
Then pour in the milk and the pumpkin puree.  Mix until well combined.
Sift in the flour, while gently mixing until totally combined.
Fold in the chocolate chips and spoon into the muffin tin.
If desired, you can top with sanding sugar, light brown/granulated sugar and/or cinnamon.
Place in oven.  Cook for 12-20 minutes, depending on the size of the muffins, or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Enjoy!
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Watermelon Gaspacho

9/7/2015

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I have been asked for this recipe A LOT recently... 

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  Starting with one of my favorite people, my sister (my sister-in-law) and her boyfriend, earlier this summer.  They like to make a big batch and take it for lunch with chorizo or sausage in it!  

  Maybe it's the heat, maybe it's the overabundance of farmer's market produce, maybe it's just a great recipe!  In any case here it is for you to enjoy.

 (Note: It is a great and really simple recipe for a hot summer's night.  A wonderful place to throw in some extra veggies!)

                 let's get cookin!

Watermelon Gaspacho

Ingredients
1+ TBS toasted, ground cumin
1+ TBS toasted, ground coriander
4 cloves garlic, pasted
1 shallot, chopped
6 medium tomatoes, vine ripe or fresh from the garden is best
1 English cucumber
1 red pepper
1 jalapeno
1/2 bunch cilantro or parsley
2 cups chopped watermelon
dash rice wine vinegar
lemon or lime juice to taste (juice of about 1 lemon or 2 limes), can add some zest as well
S&P to taste
good tasting olive oil to drizzle before serving

Directions


Prepare all of the ingredients:
To toast the cumin and coriander place in a pan or skillet over medium heat, gently moving the seeds about until they are slightly darker in color and are fragrant.  Paste the garlic, as demonstrated, using salt and the edge of your knife until no chunks remain.  

To combine, you can place all of the ingredients in a blender, food processor or finely chop and mix together.  Season to taste.

Chill until serving, taste and season again.  Garnish with a nice drizzle of good olive oil.  

(Also pictured here, topped with avocado crema.)
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Braising Class Notes

7/11/2015

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Happy Saturday!!!!

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Tuscan Whole Wheat Bread

6/18/2015

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  If you've ever taken my Techniques - Soups Class or my Italian Couples Cooking Class, you've enjoyed this bread along side the Pappa al Pomodoro.  Here it is in all of it's glory, as a mini bread bowl for this simply delicious Italian Tomato Soup.  If you don't feel like bread bowls, make a large boule and serve it alongside or grill large slices.  (This is also the BEST sandwich bread!!!)  I know this isn't gluten free, this is basking in bread day!
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Tuscan Bread

2 TBS active dry yeast
2 cups warm water
pinch of sugar
3 TBS olive oil
3 ½ cups AP flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 TBS salt
Optional: ¼ cup finely chopped herbs, such as rosemary, thyme, parsley

Preheat oven to 410 degrees F.

Activate the yeast in a liquid measuring cup with the warm water and pinch of sugar. 

Pour the olive oil into the bottom of a Kitchenaid stand mixer bowl, with a dough hook attached.  Add the flours, salt and herbs, if desired.  Mix on medium to combine.

On low speed, add the yeast/water mixture.  Once all of the flour is incorporated, turn the mixer speed up to work the dough.  Let this go on medium-high for ~3 minutes.  Make sure that you don’t leave the mixer unattended, as they like to “walk” off of the counter.  If high is too aggressive, then turn the mixer down in speed.   The dough should be in a large ball, not sticking to the sides.  As we go over in class, if it’s sticking it needs more flour – tablespoon by tablespoon until it’s no longer tacky to touch.

Shape into a ball, place in an oiled bowl with a damp rag over the top and let it rise in a warm place.  Once it doubles in size, should take 30 min to 1 hour, punch it down.  Shape it, and let it rise again on parchment lined pans. 

For the mini bread bowls, use 2 ounces of dough; for the boule use all of the dough.  Work it together to create the round.  Score the top, as desired.  You can use an oil and egg wash for the top.  Let it rise again for an additional 20-30 minutes and place in oven.

Bake for 45-65 minutes (the minis may take less time!).  You should be able to “knock” the outside and it should sound hollow when it is done.  If you prefer: use a thermometer, the internal temperature should read atleast 190 degrees F.

Let them cool and enjoy!!!!  Happy cooking and eating!

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Tapas - Patatas Bravas

6/16/2015

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The first of my tapas series - Patatas Bravas.

Happy summer everyone!  It's finally here!  And with that I'm bringing you my summer series - recipes from my classes all winter long that you've been anticipating on the blog.  Shout out if there's anything you'd like to see!!!


This one comes from one of my favorite classes - Tapas!  This is the first class I ever taught at The Cambridge School of Culinary Arts, and holds a very special place in my heart, even after teaching it 100+ times..!  A great dish to serve as a tapas or a perfect brunch accompaniment as well!  Traditionally this is fried, however I prefer the roasted version, tossed in this fiery red sauce and drizzled with my favorite lemon basil aioli.  Quite a delicious bite!  Hope you enjoy!



Patatas Bravas

6-8 potatoes, in bite-sized pieces
olive oil
S&P

1 onion, diced
4-6 cloves of garlic, pasted
2 TBS smoked paprika
1 tsp red pepper flakes
2 TBS sherry
1.5 c white wine
8 oz tomato sauce
zest and juice of 1 lemon
optional: couple dashes of tabasco

Prepare potatoes, cut to size and dress with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Place on a large parchment-lined baking sheet pan.  Roast in 400-425 degree oven until browned and crispy on the outside, roughly 20-30 minutes.

While waiting for the potatoes to roast, put the sauce together:
In a medium sized saucepan, heat up the oil.  Add the diced onions, cook until translucent, add the garlic, cook until tender (fragrant).  Add in the paprika, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper and brown slightly.  Deglaze with the wines.  Stir in the tomato sauce, lemon zest and juice.  Simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Season to taste.  Toss hot potatoes in the fiery sauce right before serving.  May need to reheat potatoes before tossing if preparing this ahead of time.  Delicious served with the lemon aioli.
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Healthy Cooking Series Starting next Monday!!!!

6/8/2015

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Come join me at the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts for a three week series on healthy cooking, menu planning, getting dinner on the table in minutes, etc!!! Starts next Monday night, space is limited - hope to see you there!!!

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