Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (if you don't have an oven available you can turn the flame down to low and let it braise).
Peel the shallots and garlic and slice the shallot in half.
Trim the tops and roots off of the leeks and cut in half vertically, wash any dirt or sand out.
Lightly coat a saute pan with canola or vegetable oil on medium heat until smoking, lightly oil and salt leeks and shallot. Place flat side down in the hot pan, be careful of any oil splashes and lay all veggies facing away from yourself.
Once they start to caramelize on the bottom pour in your white wine and let reduce about half or until all the alcohol has burned out.
Pour in the vegetable stock and butter and bring to a simmer.
Place an oven safe lid (or cover with foil) and place in the oven for 40 minutes.
Once done remove the leeks and save the liquid– it can be reduced into a concentrate for the filling or to save for the next braise.
Once leeks, garlic, and shallots are all cool, blend together using either a food processor or blender.
Let cool for up to 1 hour before use.
Three Cheese
½cup ricotta
½cup mascarpone
½cup parmigiano reggiano
salt to taste
black pepper(optional)
Three cheese filling has many variations and most Italian cheeses work for the filling; the only factors you need to keep and eye on are the hydration and the salinity. Ricotta and/or mascarpone are a great base for your mix.
Most other cheeses can be used. Mozzarella, gorgonzola, pecorino, goat cheese, and taleggio are great flavor boosters for the filling.
I always start with equal parts and build from there. I also like to add lemon zest for some brightness.
Blend all cheeses in a food processor, start with the most hydrated cheeses and work up to the hard cheese (make sure all hard cheeses are grated).
Add salt, pepper, and lemon zest to taste.
Let refrigerate for at least 1 hour before use.
Smoked Mozzarella and Italian Sausage
1 yellow onion
2lb boneless pork butt
6 clv garlic
2 tbsp paprika
½ bunch fresh rosemary(chopped)
½ bunch fresh thyme (chopped)
½ tsp fennel seed
¾ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
½ tsp red pepper flakes
1½ tsp kosher salt
1 ball smoked mozzarella
If you do not have a meat grinder you can buy Italian sausage at the store.
Start a medium size saute pan on low heat, place fennel seeds in the pan and constantly agitate until seeds are toasted evenly. Dice yellow onion and add it to the pan with a light drizzle of olive oil, sweat the onions just before they become translucent then add in thyme and rosemary. Cook the mixture for 2-3 minutes and let cool.
Dice pork butt into medium pieces and mix together in a bowl with onions, and spices.
Place through the meat grinder and let cool in the fridge.
Grate smoked mozzarella and mix with the desired amount of sausage.
Butternut Squash with Browned Butter
1 butternut squash
1lb unsalted butter
½ bunch sage
salt to taste
nutmeg (optional)
Set oven to 425 degrees F.
Slice squash in half and remove seeds.
Lightly oil and salt the insides of either half and place them face down on a lined baking sheet tray. Place in the oven for 1½ - 2 hours or until soft.
Take butter and place it in a pot on medium high heat. Constantly stir mixture until it begins to lightly brown; avoid letting the milk solids stay on the bottom of the pot. Continue to mix until the mixture begins to foam. Turn the heat low and place sage in the butter. Continue to cook until it browns to the desired point and place into a cooled metal container submerged in an ice bath.
Continue to mix until it begins to solidify and cools completely. Let temper slightly before whipping the butter in a stand mixer or hand mixer.
Once butter is whipped and your squash is mixed, fold in the whipped brown butter, lightly zest nutmeg and let cool in the fridge.
Chicken and Pancetta
6 strips pancetta (or bacon)
1 skinless chicken breast
1 egg
1 tbsp fresh chopped thyme
1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
½ tbsp fresh chopped sage
¼ cup bread crumbs
½ cup parmigiano reggiano
1 cup chicken stock
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
In a skillet on medium heat, render out the strips of pancetta (or bacon). Once done, drain on a paper towel or perforated pan.
Slice chicken into strips and sear on high heat.
Deglaze with chicken stock and add chopped herbs. Let simmer until chicken is fully cooked and liquid is reduced by half, then set aside.
Once chicken and stock are cooled, place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Let cool for at least 1 hour before use.
Mortadella and Ricotta
1 cup mortadella diced
¼ cup grated parmigiano
1½ cup ricotta
¼ cup whey/water
salt to taste
Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. If you prefer a more textured filling you can place the mortadella chunks through a meat grinder and mix with the ricotta.
Refrigerate up to 1 hour before use.
Poached Prawns
6 21/25 size prawns (diced)
6 white peppercorns
2 bay leaf
¼ cup diced onion
¼ cup diced celery
½ cup white wine
3 cups cold water
3 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp lemon zest
Fill a pot full of all ingredients except the prawns and bring to a high simmer.
Place prawns in the water and cook for 30 seconds -1 minute.
Pull all ingredients out of water. Set aside peppercorns and bay leaves. Let veggies and prawns chill.
Place cooked prawns, lemon zest, and veggies in a food processor and blend. Let cool for at least 1 hour before use.
Potato Mint
3 russet or kennebec potatoes
½ cup fresh mint leaves
salt to taste
Peel and dice potatoes. Place in a pot and cover with cold water,
bring to a boil and cook until tender.
Once cooled, place in a food processor with mint and salt and blend until smooth.
Let chill for at least 1 hour before use.
Mixed Mushroom
4 cup rough chopped mixed mushrooms
2 shallots (fine diced)
5 clove garlic
1 bunch fresh thyme (picked leaves)
salt to taste
Clean and chop mushrooms, salt and let drain in a cauldron.
Most mushrooms in stores such as creminis, white buttons, pioppini, or oyster mushrooms work great. Usually local specialty food stores or co-ops will have a wider selection. I personally prefer a mix of cremini, mai take, and oyster mushrooms. I
n a large saute pan, coat the bottom with a mix of neutral oil and butter and turn to medium high heat.
Place the mushrooms in and saute on medium high heat for 2-3 minutes, then place garlic, shallots, and thyme and cook for another 20-25 minutes or until almost no moisture is left, stirring occasionally.
Once cool, blend in a food processor and let chill for 1 hour before use. (If the mixture is slightly thick you can thin it with some of the salted mushroom water.)
Sweet Peas and Ricotta
2 cup snap peas/english peas
1 cup low moisture ricotta
¼ cup grated parmigiano reggiano
salt to taste
preserved lemon (optional)
ice bath for peas
Clean your peas from the pod and wash in cool water.
Bring a pot to a rolling boil and salt the water until it tastes like the ocean.
Once the water comes back up to a boil add your peas and stir lightly for 30-45 seconds.
Remove peas from the water and place in an ice bath until cool.
Blend all ingredients in a food processor until smooth and refrigerate up to 1 hour before use.
Caramelized Onions and Shallots
2 yellow Onions
4 shallots
4 cloves garlic
2 tsp kosher salt
¼ lb unsalted butter
½ cup sherry vinegar
mascarpone (optional)
olive oil
Peel and slice your onions, shallots, and garlic. Place butter (olive oil optional), onions, shallots, and garlic in with salt and stir until all vegetables are evenly coated.
Cook on low medium heat for 2 ½ hours. Add sherry vinegar and further cook for 1 hour. Remove onions from any leftover liquid or fat and save the liquid.
Once onions are cooled, blend in a food processor and use leftover vinegar butter mix as needed.
If the filling becomes too wet you can add a small amount of mascarpone cheese.
Let cool for 1 hour before use.
Braised Pork Cheek
2-3 pork cheeks
4 clove garlic
½ cup medium dice onions
½ cup medium dice carrots
½ cup medium dice celery
3 cup chicken/beef broth
½ cup red wine
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 bunch sage
1 bunch thyme
1 bunch rosemary
Bring oven to 400 F
Trim/clean pork cheeks. Salt both sides and let sit out to temper.
Take a medium size braising pot or saute pan and coat the bottom with neutral cooking oil. Bring to a smoke point at medium high heat and place pork cheeks in. Sear both sides and remove from the pot.
Place vegetables in and saute on medium high heat until they begin to caramelize. Place tomato paste in and further cook until browned. Deglaze with red wine and reduce until alcohol is gone.
Add stock, herbs, and any additional seasoning and braise for 2- 2 ½ hours or until tender.
Once cooled, blend the cheeks in the food processor and add sauce as needed to thin out the mixture (1 part sauce to 3 parts meat).
Cool at least 1 hour before use.
Sweet Potato
2 sweet potatoes
1 shallot
2 tbsp brown sugar
salt to taste
Bring oven to 375 F
Take sweet potatoes and half them. Score the insides of the sweet potato and lightly coat with oil. Spread brown sugar inside the scores and season with salt. Leave shallot unpeeled and half it. Lightly coat in oil, season and place face down on a lined baking tray along with the potato.
Place in the oven and let bake until fork tender.
Cool sweet potatoes and shallots, once cooled, blend in a food processor and further season to taste. Nutmeg is also a great addition to this filling.
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