Cooking Club Meeting 9/23/05

After a long hiatus our cooking club is back! This months theme was Italian food and the best part was that only the men cooked. All of them did an excellent job and they all deserve two snaps and a diva spank! Our Italian fare included: a savory bruschetta made by none other than Mr. Chad; a scruptuous salad and homemade vinaigrette that Mr. Scott put together; excellent meaty meatballs and homemade pasta sauce that Mr. Blaha whipped up; and a delectable tiramisu that Mr. Leo made. Not only did we have fabulous Italian food, we also drank some very good wines. They included:

• 2001 Toasted Head Meritage
• 2003 Menage a Trois California Red Table Wine
• 2003 Masi Valpolicella
• 2004 Da Vinci Chianti
• 2003 Witch Creek Petite Syrah
• 1991 Judd Hill Cabernet Sauvignon

Tom, Nathalie and Leo kickin' it...

Chad, wine connoisseur and Max lover.

The fare...mangia!

Perhaps we had a bit too much absinthe? Nat, Armida and Tom.

A matching couple? How cute! Bill and Amy.

The giggly bunch. Lindsey, Michelle, Vonda & Ana.

Scott's Caprese Salad

Salad Ingredients: spring mix greens roma tomatoes buffalo mozzarela, cubed or sliced salame, sliced basil parmesan cheese black olives, sliced Vinaigrette Ingredients: white balsamic vinegar regular balsamic vinegar olive oil honey mint salt & pepper For the salad just wash the ingredients really well, cut in cubes, and mixed them together. For the dressing: place the same amount of both balsamic vinegars, some olive oil, chopped mint, a few splashs of honey, and a few dashs of salt and pepper. If tastes good, you got it.

Leo's Chocolate Tiramisu

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis, Everyday Italian 6 ounces container mascarpone cheese 2/3 cup whipping cream 1/2 cup sugar Chocolate Zabaglione, recipe follows 2 1/2 cups espresso coffee, warmed 24 crisp ladyfinger cookies (recommended: Savoiardi) Unsweetened cocoa powder, for garnish Dark chocolate shavings, for garnish Place the mascarpone cheese in a large bowl and set aside. With an electric mixer, beat the cream and 1/4 cup of the sugar in a medium bowl until soft peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone. Then fold in the chilled Chocolate Zabaglione. Cover and refrigerate. Whisk the warmed espresso and the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar in another medium bowl until blended. Line a 9 1/4 by 5 by 2 3/4-inch metal loaf pan with plastic wrap, allowing the plastic to extend over the sides. Working with 1 cookie at a time, dip 8 cookies into the espresso, and arrange in a single layer side by side over the bottom of the prepared pan. Spoon 1/3 of the mascarpone mixture over the cookies to cover. Repeat dipping 8 of the cookies in the espresso and layering the cookies and remaining mascarpone mixture 2 more times. Dip the remaining 8 cookies in the espresso and arrange side by side atop the tiramisu. Press lightly to compact slightly (the last layer will extend above the pan sides). Cover the tiramisu with plastic and refrigerate at least 6 hours. Unwrap the plastic from atop the tiramisu. Invert the tiramisu onto a platter. Remove the plastic. Sift the cocoa over the tiramisu, and with a vegetable peeler or sharp knife, make dark chocolate shavings and sprinkle over top. Chocolate Zabaglione: 2 tablespoons whipping cream, or heavy cream 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips 4 large egg yolks 1/3 cup sugar 1/4 cup dry Marsala Pinch salt Add cream and chocolate to a heavy small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the chocolate chips are melted and smooth. Set aside and keep warm. Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, Marsala, and salt in a large glass bowl until blended. Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, but do not allow the bottom of the bowl to touch the water. Whisk the egg mixture over the simmering water until it is thick and creamy, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat. Using a large rubber spatula, fold the melted chocolate mixture into the egg mixture. Cover and refrigerate to chill completely.

Chad's Amazing Bruschetta

Recipe courtesy of AllRecipes.com INGREDIENTS: 2 large tomatoes, coarsely chopped 1/2 sweet onion, chopped 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano 1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley 1/2 (1 pound) loaf Italian bread, cut into 1 inch slices 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). In a medium bowl, combine tomatoes, onion, olive oil, oregano, basil and parsley. Place bread on a baking sheet, and top with tomato mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until bottom of bread is browned. Allow to cool 5 minutes before serving.

Matthew's Spaghetti and Meatballs

The trick to this recipe, as in most Italian cooking, is to use the best ingredients you can find. We found that Pomi is one brand that is now available in grocery stores, and is particularly tasty and good Italian boxed tomatoes. The choice of meat is up to you, but it is good to add a piece of sparerib or beef to the sauce. For The Sauce:

• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 Cloves of Garlic, Minced
• 1 Small Onion, finely chooped
• 1 Stalk of Celery, finely Chopped
• 2 or 3 Small Pieces of Meat (Pork, Beef, or Chicken)
• Salt & Pepper
• 1/4 Cup Chopped Basil
• 1/2 Tablespoon Dried Oregano
• 1/2 Tablespoon Dried Thyme
• 1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Parsley
• Dash of Red Pepper Flakes (Optional)
• 2 (6oz) Cans Tomato Paste
• 1 Large Can Pureed Tomatoes ( I use 1 (26oz) box Pomi Tomatoes)
• About 5 Cups water
• 3 Tablespoons Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1 Pound Of Spaghetti or Pasta of Choice

Brown the meat pieces in the oil until well browned. Add the garlic, onion, and celery and sauté until tender. Add the paste, tomatoes, water and herbs, and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper to your own personal taste. Turn mixture down to a simmer, then drop the prepared meatballs into the sauce. Do not stir for the first 15 minutes or so until the meatballs begin to firm up. Continue to cook for 2 hours, stirring occasionally, and adding extra water as needed if the sauce becomes too thick. This sauce, with or without the meatballs can now be used over your pasta of choice. Serve over pasta cooked al dente, and offer a little more parmesan cheese at the table. With the addition of a nice mixed salad and some crusty Italian bread, this pasta dish would easily make a complete meal. I would choose a robust Chianti wine to accompany this meal. Meatballs:

• 1 lb. Ground Beef
• 1/2 lb. Ground sausage meat
• Salt & Pepper
• 1 or 2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
• 2 Tablespoons Fresh Chopped Parsley
• 2 Tablespoons Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1 Egg
• 1 Cup Soft Bread Crumbs
• 1/4 cup water

Add the bread crumbs to the water to moisten. Mix all the ingredients together with the bread crumb mixture. Shape into golf ball sized balls, and sear them on all sides on a skillet. Place the meatballs in a 350 oven for 15 minutes. Gently drop the meatballs into the simmering sauce.