Chef Carl Heinrich of Richmond Station has teamed up with Kids Cook to Care. Carl will cook alongside child volunteers and serve up an Italian meal for people at the Toronto Centre for Young Mothers.
Kids Cook to Care is a Toronto initiative that invites children 6-16 years old to prepare a much needed meal for those in need while teaching them about basic cooking skills,
For this week’s Recipe, Carl sent us a meal that he will be making with the kids on January 27th. Try making it at home with your family!
To learn more about Kids Cook to Care, or to sign your family up, visit their website at http://www.kidscooktocare.com.
My Mom’s Bolognese, Hand Made Orecchiette, Mushroom Caesar Salad & Garlic Bread and Citrus Panna for dessert.
Cotta with Poached Pears.- Feeds 10
My Mom’s Bolognese
450 g lean ground beef
30 ml olive oil
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 white onion, peeled and diced
125 ml tomato paste
3 L organic, crushed tomatoes
2 stalks celery, sliced
10 cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 small green pepper, diced, no seeds
10ml dried oregano
1 bay leaf
salt to taste
-In a large, stainless steel, heavy bottom pot, lightly brown the ground beef in the oil on high heat. Add the garlic and onion and cook for 2 minutes on medium-high heat. Add the tomato paste and stir until combined. Add the crushed tomatoes, celery, mushrooms and green pepper. Add the oregano by rubbing between your hands over the pot. Add the bay leaf and stir well. Simmer for 2 hours on low heat, uncovered (the sauce should barely bubble).
Hand Made Orecchiette
-1 L fine durum semolina flour
-2 L all purpose flour
-1 L water
-1 pinch salt
-additional 50/50 semolina/AP flour mixture for dusting
-1 small block cheddar cheese
-In a large bowl, mix both flours and the salt. Slowly add in the water while mixing with your fingers. When the dough has come together, place mixture on a clean surface and kneed with your hands for 7 minutes. Wrap tightly in plastic and let rest for 1 hour.
-Prepare a large pot of boiling, salted water.
-Cut the dough into pieces approximately the size of your fist and roll into long strings ½ inch thick. Cut those into ¼ inch pieces and toss in additional flour mixture. Using your thumbs, press the pieces into little ear shapes. Let the pressed pasta rest for at least ½ hour. Any excess pasta at this point can be frozen on trays and kept frozen in an air-tight container until needed.
-Cook the pasta in boiling water until tender, about 5 minutes.
-Strain the pasta. Do not rinse or toss with oil. Place back in the pot and add enough sauce to your liking. Stir until combined. Spoon into bowls and generously grate cheddar cheese over top.
Mushroom Caesar Salad
Dressing:
-750 ml vegetable oil
-250 ml extra virgin olive oil
-50 g Dijon mustard
-5 egg yolks
-4 g black pepper, ground
-125 ml red wine vinegar
-15 ml Worcestershire sauce
-10 g garlic, peeled, crushed
-75 g parmesan, grated
-7 g salt
-In a food processor, blitz garlic, vinegar, salt, Dijon, Worcestershire and egg yolks. Combine oils and slowly drizzle in while running the food processor until all the oil is added and the mixture is thick and emulsified. (This should take 1 minute.) Add the pepper and cheese and blitz again until incorporated. This dressing will last up to 2 weeks in an air-tight container in the fridge.
450 g button mushrooms, sliced
½ head napa cabbage, cored, rinsed, dried, sliced thinly
-Mix together the cabbage and mushrooms and add in enough dressing until well coated.
Garlic Bread
-1 loaf sourdough bread, sliced
-60 ml extra virgin olive oil
-2 cloves garlic, peeled, cut in half
-Brush the slices of sourdough with the oil and grill or griddle until caramelized and crispy on one side. Rub the grilled side generously with the garlic and serve immediately.
Citrus Panna Cotta with Poached Pears – Feeds 10
-6 sheets gelatin
-800 ml ½ and ½ cream
-250 ml sugar
-zest of 1 orange
-zest of 1 lemon
-400 ml greek yogurt
-Soak the gelatin sheets in cold water for a few minutes while you prepare everything else.
-Gently bring the cream to a scald on medium heat with the zests. Remove from the heat. Place the yogurt into a bowl. Squeeze the water from the gelatin and whisk into the warm cream. Whisk the cream into the yogurt, stirring constantly.
-Pour into desired containers and let sit in the fridge overnight. The shape of the container will be the shape of the pudding on the plate.
-5 medium-hard Bartlett pears, peeled, cut in half, cored with a small spoon
-2 L water
-1 L sugar
-30 ml brandy (optional)
-juice of 1 lemon
-2 sticks cinnamon
-10 allspice berries
-2 star anise
-Bring water, sugar, brandy, lemon juice and spices to a simmer on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Add the pears and cover with parchement. Simmer gently until soft and you can just squeeze through the flesh with your fingers (depending on the ripess of the pears 20-40 minutes). Keep the pears in the liquid and store in the fridge overnight.
To serve, scoop the panna cotta out into a shallow bowl and top with a ½ pear.
