New Years Eve, Cotechino Con Lenticchie

In Italy, people welcome the New Year by tossing old things out of their windows to make room for the new and bring luck into their lives in the upcoming year. In regards to food traditions, Italians cook up a dish called Cotechino Con Lenticchie, pork sausage served over lentils. This dish is eaten during the New Year because of the presence of a rich and robust pork sausage with lentils in the dish. Cotechino sausage is a symbol of abundance because it is rich in fat; while the coin-shaped lentils symbolize money. 

I love it served with a steamy dish of gnocchi and sautéed garlicky greens, another symbol of prosperity. 

Cotechino Con Lenticchie: Pork Sausage Served over Lentils

by George Hirsch | Makes six servings

chefgeorgehirsch.com

If you can't find cotechino, a high quality fresh pork sausage flavored with nutmeg, and pepper a good hearty italian style sausage will suffice. 

1 pound cotechino, pork sausage
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic
1 large carrot, chopped
1 bay leaf
8 whole black peppercorns
1 sprig fresh thyme 
1 pound dry green lentils
4 cups chicken broth
1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped 

Pierce the cotechino with a fork in several places. 

Pre heat a large pot and add olive oil, chopped onion, garlic, carrot, 1 bay leaf, peppercorns and thyme. Simmer vegetables for two minutes and add cotechino, cook two minutes and add lentils, cover with 4 cups broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 45 to 50 minutes or until lentils are soft. Add additional water if necessary. 

Remove the bay leaf and discard. Spoon the lentils into a serving dish, drizzle with olive oil and slice rounds of the cotechino over the top. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and serve. 

Mini Sausage & Artichoke Calzone

Calzone is a very popular side or main dish, so I have adapted it for appetizer bite-sized portions. It's very flexible; you can dress it up or down. You can give the piggy in the blanket the night off this holiday.

Calzone comes from the Italian word meaning “trouser leg” (plural: calzoni) but it looks more like a turnover. Calzone is made from pizza dough and stuffed with many toppings you would use on a pizza. As one story goes, peasants found it messy to carry pizza into the fields for lunch, so some enterprising cook came up with the idea of folding the pizza in half and cooking it that way.

Mini Sausage & Artichoke Calzone

From George Hirsch Living it UP! TV series | chefgeorgehirsch.com

Makes four-six hors d'oeuvre servings

one recipe, George's Pizza Dough (or store bought), divided into two pieces
2 Tablespoons olive oil
8 ounces fresh mozzarella, shredded
8 ounces Italian sausage, cooked & chopped
1/4 cup artichoke hearts - canned or frozen, chopped
2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese
fresh ground black pepper

1 cup Tomato Sauce
Pre heat oven to 375 degrees.

Flatten out both pieces of dough into rectangle shapes.  Cut both pieces of dough into three to four pieces depending on how small you want to make your Calzone. A good rule to follow is to make them one bite size.  

Keeping filling off the edges, layer each piece of dough with a teaspoon of mozzarella, sausage, Parmesan cheese, artichokes, and black pepper. Brush inside edge of dough lightly with water.  Fold over the dough into a pocket and seal edges.  Pierce the dough with the point a small knife with three small holes to allow steam to escape.

Brush outside of Calzone with olive oil and place on a baking pan or pizza stone.  Calzones can also be baked on pre-heated bricks that are set in oven or on a medium temperature grill surface.  

The calzones will bake in about 10-12 minutes. 
To check doneness, the bottom of the calzone will have a hollow sound when tapped with your finger.

Serve tomato sauce on side.

Tip: Sausage and artichokes can be substituted with cooked spinach broccoli flowers, mushrooms, or ham and your imagination.

George’s Homemade kitchen Christmas Pick 5

inspirations are opportunities to try something new...

Taste-fully giving gifts and warming recipes for entertaining this holiday!

Enjoy my Bologna Inspired  Tortellini Basil Soup with warm Biscuits and a crisp Fennel & Green Bean Salad.

Charcoal and Cracker

That's right, charcoal and cracker, together. Hand baked and hand packed in the same English tradition from more than a half century ago by Artisan Biscuits, the sister company to The Fine Cheese Company; well know for their artisan traditional cheeses in the UK. 

Charcoal powder is a natural ingredient and is still used in making these delicious crackers today. Charcoal crackers or "biscuits" were created in the 1800s as a digestive biscuit. Today, these crackers with that hint of authentic charcoal flavor is considered a a bit of gourmet appetizer statement and complementary base with your favorite brie, goat cheese and fruit. Try something new. Available in the US, made in England.

Make & Bake Pizza

Everyone likes the thought of tossing pizza dough high up in the air. You must try it at least once. Today I have an easier method and you can still be creative while having fun tossing on your own toppings like grilled veggies, seafood, meats and nuts. The choices are endless, I encourage you to make your own designer pizza pie. 

Solution: When you just don't have the time for making a dough, Fabulous Flats makes an excellent substitution. Their Tandoori Naan and Stone-Baked Pizza Crusts are authentic and truly fabulous. The flatbreads are preservative-free and contain no hydrogenated oils and no trans fats. I really like making it with their whole wheat variety which has a made-from-scratch taste because of the hearth baked nutty flavor. I’ve mentioned before, I admit I'm a pizza snob who will travel 50 miles for a great pie, so I won't steer you wrong!

When the Gorgonzola melts, it becomes creamy and gives the pizza a nutty flavor. Top with pecans for additional nuttiness that is ideal with the creamy cheese. Ideal for luncheon entrée or dinner appetizer served a tossed green salad.

Grilled Three-Cheese Naan Pizza

(Adapted from Grilling with Chef George Hirsch with Marie Bianco)

Makes four appetizer servings
 

1 pre-baked Naan Bread Crust
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola
1/2 cup goat cheese or feta
6 fresh basil leaves, lightly torn
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Pre heat grill to medium or an oven to 400 degrees F.

Brush Naan on both sides with olive oil. Top Naan on one side with cheeses leaving a half-inch border around crust. Place Naan on grill top shelf or bake on a pizza pan for about five minutes until crust is crisp and cheese is melted. Remove top with fresh basil and pepper, serve immediately.

image, © Kristen Johansen | istock