Pesto Genovese

When making their beloved pesto, Ligurians use sweet, delicate basil Genovese and remove any green sprouts from the center of the garlic cloves to avoid bitterness. The key to bright green color that stays: muddling the ingredients very finely in a marble mortar with a wooden pestle, since a blender’s blades can be too violent. When storing, top pesto with a thin layer of olive oil and refrigerate.

Ingredients:
2 tbsp pine nuts
1 tsp kosher salt
2 garlic cloves, preferably a delicate red-skinned variety, peeled
2 bunches sweet Italian basil, leaves picked, thick stems removed (2 packed cups)
6-8 tbsp olive oil
1⁄4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano
1⁄4 cup Pecorino Sardo

Preparation:
1.) In a large mortar, add the pine nuts, salt, and garlic cloves. Using a large pestle, pound and scrape the ingredients into a very smooth paste, 5–7 minutes.
2.) Add the basil in small amounts, working it into the mixture after each addition, until all the basil has been added and the mixture is smooth and creamy, 15–20 minutes.
3.) Slowly add the oil while stirring with the pestle until emulsified.
4.) Add both cheeses and stir with the pestle to incorporate.

Parisian Hot Dog

This Hot Dog is a long way from your ordinary American sausage and bun. It's the Parisian version and it's très chic. What do you think?

Ingredients:
2 hot dogs
2 red radishes
1 Paris mushroom
½ Granny Smith apple
1 lemon
1 shallot
1 tablespoon of chiseled parsley
1 tablespoon of mascarpone
1 tablespoon of mustard
1 tablespoon of honey
⅔ of baguette bread

Preparation:
1.) Preheat your oven to 200 °C.
2.) Wash and slice the radishes, cut the mushroom in thin slivers and the washed but unpeeled granny smith apple into thin sticks. Slightly sprinkle the apple sticks with lemon. Peel and chop up the shallot, chisel the parsley.
3.) In a small salad bowl, mix the mascarpone, mustard, shallot, parsley and honey. Halve the baguette lengthwise and heat for 5 minutes in the oven.
4.) Garnish the baguettes with sauce and the sausages (boilt in water), then top with mushroom slices, apple sticks and radishes.

Tiffany's Salad Dressing

Tiffany is head of a very large family. This dressing is guaranteed to be tasty and easy to make. She usually makes double this quantity and has it in the fridge all the time. Her kids eat pizza, salads, baked potatoes, spring rolls just about anything with it.

Ingredients:
125 vinegar
100 brown sugar
250 olive oil
1/3 fresh onion
loaded t-spoon of coarse mustard

Preparation:
1.) Whizz together and you are done.

Anglo-Italian Ragu

My Neapolitan mother-in-law starts cooking at 6am in the morning. Admittedly her ragu is unbeatable. I have a quick version of ragu but it does allow me to stay in bed a little longer.

Ingredients:
1/2 onion
1 stalk celery, cut into 4 pieces
1 small carrot, cut into 4 pieces
1 clove garlic
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound minced beef
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup whole milk

Preparation:
1.) Finely chop the onion, celery, carrot, garlic and rosemary.
2.) Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
3.) Add the chopped vegetables and cook, stirring, until softened and golden, 3 to 5 minutes.
4.) Add the beef, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 3 minutes.
5.) Add the tomatoes, milk, 1 cup water and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes.

Cranberry Sauce

Nothing beats homemade cranberry sauce. This is a simple and super-fast recipe. Just make sure the ingredients are good quality. It makes all the difference!

Ingredients:
1 pound fresh cranberries, approximately 4 cups
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/4 cup 100 percent cranberry juice, not cocktail
1 cup honey

Preparation:
Wash the cranberries and discard any that are soft or wrinkled.
Combine the orange juice, cranberry juice and honey in a 2 quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add the cranberries and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries burst and the mixture thickens. Do not cook for more than 15 minutes as the pectin will start to break down and the sauce will not set as well. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
Carefully spoon the cranberry sauce into a 3 cup mold. Place in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours and up to overnight.
To unmold and serve, immerse bottom of mold in hot water for 10 to 15 seconds and turn upside down on plate or serving dish. If necessary, carefully run a warm knife around the edge of the mold.

Roasted Turkey Gravy

This delicious turkey gravy is the perfect sauce to serve with my Thanksgiving maple-roasted turkey. Click here for recipe.

Ingredients:

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 large, smoked turkey wing or 2 small ones

1 medium onion, quartered

2 carrots, chopped

1 ribs celery, chopped

1 head garlic, split through the equator

4 stems fresh sage

4 sprigs fresh thyme

6 parsley stems

1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

6 cups chicken stock

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the wing, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and herbs, and cook for 5 minutes. Place in the oven and roast for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and place over medium heat. Remove the wing and set aside. Add the flour and let cook for about 1 minute. Add the stock and simmer until it has reduced by about 1/4, about 15 minutes. Strain the sauce and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.