Sincerely Brigitte

The tomatoes pictured here are yellow, but you can use red, maroon, or any variety you find at the farmers’ market. The recipe calls for Parmesan, but you could also use a blend of other cheeses like Les Petites Fermieres Fontina, which melts well, or the Roasted Garlic and Chive from Sugar River for a savory kick. Arugula gives a bitterness and a lovely color and luscious flavor.  

Ingredients:
 1 pound heirloom tomatoes or mixed tomatoes, such as beefsteak, grape and cherry
1 bunch arugula, about 6 to 8 oz. washed well and dried
1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese to garnish
Chopped parsley to garnish – optional

 For the dressing we used pesto sauce from the store, but it’s easy to make if you have extra few minutes.
You can use a wonderful recipe from Martha Stewart:
1/4 cup pine nuts or walnuts
4 cups fresh basil or parsley leaves loosely packed
1/2 cup finely grated cheese Parmesan cheese
1 garlic clove
 Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

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 1 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the pine nuts or walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast in the oven until golden and fragrant, tossing occasionally, 5-8 minutes. Let cool completely.

2 In a food processor, combine the toasted nuts, basil or parsley leaves, Parmesan, and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Process until finely chopped. With the machine running, pour the olive oil in a steady stream through the feed tube. Process until smooth. Makes 1 1/4 cups.

Enjoy!

Sincerely, Brigitte

Straight from Italy comes a delicious kosher cheese recipe called Timballo di Funghi e Patate (Potato and Mushroom Timbale.) I had the pleasure of meeting the creator of this recipe, Alessandra Rovati, in person at Kosherfest 2011. She is an expert in Italian kosher cooking and has a website, www.dinnerinvenice.com. We had the chance to chat and share some of our love for European cuisine. I am French and Alessandra, Italian. We are both Jewish and love good food. I am thrilled to share Alessandra’s recipe with our fans.  

Enjoy,
Sincerely Brigitte

This recipe calls for Italian kosher cheeses, but you can substitute with other artisanal cheeses.

Potato and Mushroom Timballo (Dairy)

Welcome the cold season with a warming, decadent dish that elevates a simple food like potatoes to new culinary heights! Potatoes were introduced to Italy only at the end of the 16th century by the Spanish, who encountered them in the Americas: the Italian climate was perfect for their cultivation, and they quickly became a star ingredient (who doesn’t love Gnocchi?). Potatoes and mushrooms are a classic pairing, and one of the reasons why I love fall

Ingredients (serves 6-8)

2 pounds potatoes (I use Yukon Gold)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 pound fresh mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
(optional) 1/3 cup dried porcini mushrooms
1/3 cup dry white wine
4 ounces fresh Italian* cheese (Montasio, Asiago, or Fontina) , chopped finely
1 1/2 cups heavy cream (if you worry about saturated fats, skip and just add 4-5 tablespoons of milk)
 2 eggs
1/3 cup Grana Padano or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated
1 tablespoon chopped thyme
 Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400°.
Place the dried mushrooms (if using) in a small bowl and cover them with boiling water. Set aside for 30 minutes.
Parboil the potatoes for 6 minutes. Peel the potatoes and slice them thinly, using a mandoline. Place them in a bowl filled with cold water until use.

In a skillet, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil and garlic clove (slightly pressed). Add the fresh mushrooms and the dried mushrooms (revived in hot water and well drained), add ¼ cup dry white wine and cook for about 5 to 10 minutes until tender and the liquid has evaporated. Season with the rhyme, salt and pepper.

In a bowl, combine the cheeses and eggs with the cream until smooth, and add salt and pepper to taste.

Grease a baking pan and line it with parchment paper. Dust the bottom with some grated parmigiano cheese, then line the pan with potato slices, both the bottom and sides. Layer about half the mushrooms over the potatoes, then layer cream cheese mixture, more potatoes, mushrooms, cheese, and end with the remaining potato.

 Bake for about 50 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Unmold and serve hot (you can also serve in the baking pan: in this case, skip the parchment).

* If you can’t find Kosher Italian cheeses in your area, you can make this recipe with local artisanal cheeses. Choose something as natural as possible, flavorful and that melts easily.

Cheery orange cheddar adds warmtho to this salad.

Beautiful pears and grapes are in season. What a great combination for a very light lunch or a side dish alongside pasta or fish. This salad is full of flavor and offers tons of variation; it is not every day that you see grapes in a salad! It also calls for a sharp cheddar which is a natural match for pears. We suggest the Les Petites Fermières cheddar, aged more than six months.  

Ingredients:
1 head of Boston or Bibb lettuce (about 5 cups)
1- 2 Bosc pears, diced
2 cup of snow pea shoots. You can substitute with arugula leaves, rinsed and dried.
1/2 cup of sharp Les Petites Fermières cheddar cheese, aged more than six months
Roasted pumpkin seeds to garnish
Red grapes—Concord grapes preferred

Voilà! A salad that is both beautiful and healthy!

Dressing:
4 Tbs of olive oil
2 Tbs of fresh squeezed lemon
Salt to taste

 In a bowl mix all the salad ingredients. Add the dressing and garnish with the pumpkin seeds.

Natural and Kosher is very much “farm to table.” We saw some amazing greens at the farmer’s market that have inspired us for new salads with our cheeses. Butter lettuce or Boston Bibb lettuce is a cultivar of lettuce called Butterhead. It is so named because it has a sweet buttery flavor–and it goes great with cheese!

Apples are everywhere! Here is a great way to savor the flavors of fall with a simple recipe that calls for few ingredients and ready-made puff pastry from your local super market.

We suggest Gouda and thyme in the recipe, but feel free to substitute Muenster, Cheddar, or Fontina and add your favorite spice. You can also use our Sugar River Tomato Basil or Chipotle Cheddar.  If you use a flavored cheese, you don’t need extra spices since the ones in the cheese are enough.

Ingredients:
1-2 Granny Smith apples or Golden Delicious apples peeled, cored, and diced
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
Frozen all-butter puff pastry – 2 sheets, each about 9 inches square, thawed according to the package instructions
Gouda cheese, 1 cup shredded or cut into small cubes
1 Tbsp of chopped fresh thyme

 Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. On a lightly floured board, roll each sheet of frozen puff pastry (thawed) into 10 by 12 inches. Cut each sheet of pastry into 12 almost-square pieces. 

 Top each piece with 1/2 teaspoon of the cheese,1 teaspoon of the apples, and small amount of thyme. Brush the edges of the pastry pieces with water. Then fold each piece in half diagonally to form a triangle. Press the edges together to seal. Place the turnovers on a baking sheet. Brush the outside of the turnovers with the butter. Sprinkle with sugar if desired. Bake the turnovers until they are puffed and golden, about 15-20 minutes. Using a spatula, transfer the turnovers to a cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.