Rachael Ray's Big Orange Book (65 page)

While the mushrooms bake, prepare the béchamel: In a skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute, then add the wine, stock, and milk. Whisk and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until thickened. Season the sauce with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

Top the mushrooms with a bit of béchamel sauce and sprinkle with grated Parm. Slide under the broiler for a minute to brown the sauce. Serve hot.

These taste like egg rolls; if you like these, check out the Thai-flavored version that follows.

MAKES 24 PIECES

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Brush each wonton wrapper with a little vegetable oil, then nestle each one into one of the cups of a 24-cup nonstick mini muffin tin. Bake the wonton cups until golden brown and crisp, about 6 minutes.

While the cups are baking, put together the filling: Place a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat with the 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Add the chopped shrimp and cook for 1 minute, then add the cabbage, ginger, garlic, and scallions. Cook for another minute, stirring constantly. Stir in the cilantro and eggs and cook for another minute. Add the lime juice, tamari, and sesame seeds to the mixture and stir to combine. Heat through, about a minute, and remove the mixture from the heat.

Transfer the wonton cups to a serving platter. Fill each cup with 1 to 2 table-spoons of the shrimp and cabbage mixture, and serve.

MAKES 24 PIECES

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Brush each wonton wrapper with a little vegetable oil, then nestle each one down into one of the cups of a 24-cup nonstick mini muffin tin. Bake the wonton cups until golden brown and crisp, about 6 minutes.

While the wontons are baking put together the filling: Heat the 2 tablespoons of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cabbage, ginger, and garlic and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until slightly wilted. Add the shrimp and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes or until cooked through. Add the lemon zest and juice and the vinegar, and cook for another minute. Add the basil, mint, and scallions to the mixture and give a quick stir to combine.

Transfer the browned wonton cups to a serving platter. Fill each cup with 1 to 2 tablespoons of the shrimp and cabbage mixture, sprinkle with the toasted almonds, and serve.

Pasta alla Norma is a fave of mine: eggplant, basil, tomato, and ricotta salata over pasta. Here's a snackable version.

MAKES 14 TO 16 CROSTINI

Preheat an outdoor grill or grill pan to medium-high heat and preheat the broiler.

Square off the eggplant by cutting a long strip off each side so it sits flat. Cut the eggplant lengthwise into ½-inch-thick slices. Season the sliced eggplant with salt and pepper, and brush with ¼ cup of the EVOO. Place on the hot grill and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side or until completely cooked. Transfer the grilled eggplant to a platter to cool, then cut the slices into ½-inch dice.

While the eggplant is cooling, paste the garlic by mashing it with some salt with the side of your chef's knife. Scrape the paste into a mixing bowl and stir in a generous drizzle of EVOO. Toss the tomatoes and basil with the garlic oil, then add the chopped eggplant.

To slice the bread, hold your serrated knife at a 45-degree angle and slice ½ inch thick—you'll get larger rounds. Arrange the bread slices on a baking sheet (you should have 14 to 16 pieces) and toast on both sides under the broiler, a minute or two per side. Drizzle the toasts with EVOO and season with salt and pepper. Top with the eggplant and tomato mixture and with a bit of ricotta salata and serve.

MAKES 12 POPPERS

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Working lengthwise, slice off the top quarter of each jalapeño. Using a small spoon or paring knife, scrape the seeds and ribs out of each jalapeño, making little jalapeño canoes. Finely chop the tops and place in a mixing bowl. Add the cream cheese, manchego, green olives, parsley, and salt and pepper to the mixing bowl with the chopped jalapeños. Use a small spoon to fill the peppers or transfer the mixture to a plastic bag, squeeze the mixture to one of the bottom corners of the bag, then trim the corner off and squeeze the mixture into the hull of your jalapeño canoes. Arrange the filled canoes on a baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes. Serve hot.

MAKES 6 CIGARS

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat with the EVOO. Once it is hot, add the onions and garlic and cook until soft, 6 to 7 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, scrape the onions and garlic into a medium-size mixing bowl, and let cool. Once the mixture is cool, add the chicken to the bowl along with the sun-dried tomatoes, basil, oregano, fennel, red pepper flakes, cheese, and salt and pepper. Combine well.

Place a piece of phyllo on a nonstick baking sheet and brush with the melted butter. Top with a second sheet of phyllo and brush with butter again. Divide the chicken mixture in half and form one portion into a 1-inch-thick log the length of the long side of the phyllo dough. Place the filling log along one long edge of the dough and wrap it tightly in the phyllo. Cut the chicken-filled phyllo into 3 “cigars” and brush with more butter. Repeat with the remaining 2 sheets of phyllo and the rest of the chicken mixture to make a total of 6 chicken and phyllo cigars. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown and the filling is cooked through.

This is my mom's recipe and I've made it for years without making a single adjustment—it's that good, just the way she makes it. Serve the livers warm or chill and serve at room temperature.

SERVES 6 TO 8

Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. When it has melted, add the onions and bay leaf and season with a little salt and pepper. Cook the onions for 20 to 25 minutes, until caramelized and sweet. Scoot the onions off to one side of the pan and raise the heat to medium-high. Add the livers and season with the thyme. Cook until firm and cooked through; cut one of the chicken livers open to be sure it's no longer pink inside. Remove and discard the bay leaf, then transfer the contents of the skillet to a food processor. Process the livers and onions into a spread as coarse or as smooth as you like; taste to check the seasonings. Serve the liver mixture smeared on a slice of bread and topped with finely chopped shallots, a dab of mustard, and halved cornichons.