1 lb. Mild Italian Sausage, casings removed
2-1/2 lb. ground chuck
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cups diced red onion
2 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 cup diced red or yellow bell pepper
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1/2 cup diced celery
2 Tbsp. tomato paste (I used sun-dried tomato paste in the tube)
2 (15 oz.) cans tomato puree (I used Hunt's)
1 (28 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes (I used Cento crushed tomatoes)
4 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
1/2 cup Cabernet Sauvignon or your favorite red wine
3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. dark brown sugar
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
For serving:
Ciabatta Bread or Hoagie Rolls
Sliced Provolone
Sliced Pepperocini
Brown sausage and beef in large pan over medium heat, breaking up any large chunks. Drain well.
Add olive oil to pan. Add onions, peppers, carrots, celery, tomato paste and garlic. Saute 10 minutes.
Stir in tomatoes, tomato puree, balsamic vinegar, wine, brown sugar, seasonings and browned/drained meat.
Bring to boil. Reduce to simmer and cook for 30 minutes.
Heat
Ciabatta bread in microwave for 15 seconds. Split. Or, split &
lightly toast ciabatta bread. Topping each side with a slice of
provolone. Top one side with
hot Italian Joe mixture and spoonful of deli sliced peperoncini. Place ciabatta top on and serve. ENJOY
******************
Cuban sandwiches
Mojo Sauce: juice
of one Naval orange, juice of 1 lemon, heaping tsp. Of minced garlic,
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt, 1 tsp. Fresh ground pepper & 1/2 tsp. Cumin.
Whisk together & whisk in 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil.
Sandwiches:
Pork Carnitas
Sliced ham
Swiss cheese
Dill pickles
Yellow mustard
Pressed on Hoagie roll
I
usually use Arnold's Italian hoagie rolls as I can't find Cuban bread
here. Open roll & toast lightly in panini or in cast iron skillet
using 2nd skillet as a press. Spread each sandwich with yellow mustard,
add 3-4 dill pickle slices, sliced Swiss cheese, sliced Deli ham &
carnitas meat. Place closed sandwich in panini press or between 2
skillets until heated through & cheese is melted. Serve with a side
of Mojo sauce for dipping sandwich.
CARNITAS:
3 lb. pork roast
1-1/2 onions, quartered
1 tsp. Mexican oregano
1-2 tsp. Fresh ground cumin seed
1 tsp. Minced garlic
1 tsp. Smoked paprika
1 jalapeño
1 naval orange, quartered
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Fresh ground pepper
Place
roast in slow cooker, sprinkle with oregano, cumin, garlic, paprika,
salt & pepper. Add peeled, quartered onion, whole jalapeño. Squeeze
juice from orange over and add orange pieces to pot. Cook on low for 8
hours. Remove roast & shred meat.
****************
Tomato & Arugula Spinach Pasta
2 Tbsp. Butter
2 Tbsp. Olive oil
1/2 red onion, cut in strips
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 pint grape tomatoes, quartered
1/2 tsp. Roasted garlic & Chipotle seasoning
1/2 tsp. Dried basil
8 Oz. Thin spaghetti cooked al dente in salted water
4 cups arugula & baby spinach
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan, more for garnish
Pasta water
Prepare pot for cooking pasta, cook while making sauce.
In
large skillet, melt butter with olive oil over medium heat. Add onion
& cook 5 minutes. Add garlic, cook an additional minute. Add
tomatoes, cook about 5 minutes.
Add pasta & about 1/4 cup
pasta water. Add the arugula/spinach, toss & cook an additional
minute or two. Garnish with parsley & shredded Parmesan.
Serve & garnish with additional Parmesan.
Course: Sweet Baking
Calories: 562 kcal
Author: Nagi
Base:
- 225 g / 8 oz plain sweet biscuits, about 2 cups (packed) crushed (Arnott’s Marie Crackers, Graham Crackers, Note 1 for Digestives)
- 150 g / 5 oz unsalted butter , melted (Note 1 for Digestives)***I used Lorna Doone Shortbread Cookies
Caramel:
- 100 g / 7 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 cup / 200g (packed) brown sugar
- 2 cans sweetened condensed milk (395g / 14oz each)
- 1 3/4 tsp salt (2 ½ - 3 tsp salt flakes)
Chocolate Ganache Topping:
- 1/3 cup heavy/thickened cream
- 150 g / 5 oz dark chocolate melts / chips
- Sea salt flakes, for topping
Preheat
oven to 160C/320F. Grease and line the base only of a 23cm / 9" tart
tin with a loose base. (Or a springform pan of a similar size)
Roughly
break up biscuits and place in a food processor, then whizz until fine
crumbs form. Or do this step with a ziplock bag and rolling pin.
Pour
crumbs into a bowl, add melted butter, mix until it looks like wet sand
and no dry crumbs remain. Pour into tin, then press firmly into base
and sides – use something flat like a cup to assist (refer to video).
Transfer to tray (safe handling), place in oven and bake for 10 minutes, then remove and cool slightly (5 minutes in fridge).
Caramel:
Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add sugar and whisk to combine – butter may not incorporate fully.
Once
it starts bubbling and the sugar is completely melted, pour in the
condensed milk, whisking as you go. Whisk constantly until you see steam
coming off the caramel (~ 4 minutes), then remove from heat.
Add salt (adjust to taste), then pour the caramel into the tart base.
Bake
for 15 minutes or until the edges of the caramel surface is golden and
the surface has a “skin” on it, but the caramel is still soft and the
centre jiggles slightly (see video for demo.)
Cool on counter while you make the chocolate.
Chocolate Ganache:
Place cream and chocolate in a heat proof bowl. Microwave in 2 x 30 second bursts, stirring in between, until smooth.
Set
aside for 10 minutes to thicken slightly, then pour over the base.
Smooth top or make swirls like I did (just wait until the chocolate
thickens slightly). Sprinkle with sea salt flakes.
Refrigerate
for 1 ½ hours to allow chocolate to set. Then remove and bring to room
temperature before slicing to serve. Handle carefully when sliding the
tart off the base - or just leave it on to be safe and just remove the
sides.
1.
STORAGE - This tart keeps SO WELL! It will keep in an airtight
container for a week and still taste like it was made yesterday albeit
the crust on the edge does soften a bit, but most people wouldn't even
notice (I don't think). If it's super hot where you are i.e. the
chocolate becomes melty, keep it in the fridge but always bring to room
temperature before serving otherwise the caramel won't be creamy. It
also freezes great - again, bring to room temp before serving. I've only
frozen it for a couple of weeks but see no reason why it wouldn't keep
for several months.
3.
This is a VERY rich tart. I find that when cut into 12 (so quarters,
then each quarter into 3), a slice is too much for me. So I have said
that this serves 14 to 16.
