ricotta — Cooking for Baby & Me

CHILDREN’S RECIPE: Ricotta and Mushroom Chips
Mushroom Puree:
Ingredients:
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 cup Onion, chopped
1 clove Garlic, smashed
6 Mushrooms; Button or Shiitake, destemmed, sliced
2 cups Water
½ tbsp Thyme
2 tbsp Salt

Method of Preparation:
In a hot pot, sauté the onions and garlic until opaque, the eventual caramelization will give your puree a buttery flavor. Then add the mushrooms. Add the water, thyme and salt. Let simmer for 10 minutes, puree.

Mushroom Chips:
Ingredients:
6 Mushrooms; Button or Shiitake, destemmed, sliced thin
3 cups Olive Oil
2 cups Mushroom Puree
1 cup Ricotta Cheese

Method of Preparation:
Bring the olive oil up to 350F and fry mushroom slices until they are crispy. TIP: Save the mushroom oil to top pasta for a delicious meal another day.

Mix the Mushroom Puree and ricotta to make dip. Place the dip in a bowl and serve with mushroom chips.

FAMILY RECIPE: Salmon with Mushroom Sauce and Pickled Mushrooms
Ingredients:
2 cups Sugar
2 cups White Wine Vinegar
2 cups Water
4 tbsp Caraway Seeds
4 tbsp Cumin Seed
4 tbsp Fennel Seed
4 tbsp Coriander
1 tbsp Red Pepper Flakes
2 tbsp Salt
3 Mushrooms; Button or Shiitake, sliced
2 fillets Salmon, 6 oz each
2 tbsp Olive Oil
2 cups Baby Lettuce; any variety

Method of Preparation:
Put the sugar in a sauce pan and caramelize to a deep amber brown. Add the vinegar, all spices, salt and the water. Let it steep for 15 minutes. Add mushrooms and refrigerate overnight. Sauté all sides of salmon in olive oil. Dress lettuce with pickling liquid, top with mushrooms and serve with salmon.

CHILDREN'S RECIPE: Pear Butter Grilled Cheese Bites
Pear Butter:
Ingredients:
10 Pears, cored, cubed and skin on
2 Lemons, juice of
½ tsp Allspice
1 Cinnamon Stick
½ cup Sugar

Method of Preparation:
Place cut pears into a pot and cover with water. Add lemon juice and bring to a boil. Boil for 20 minutes or until pears are soft. Strain liquid and discard. Place pears in a food mill and rice into another shallow pot. Season with allspice, cinnamon stick and sugar. Place pot with the pear mixture back onto the stove and cook on low for about 2 hours stirring every 5-10 minutes. The mix starts out with an applesauce consistency. Cooking on low should reduce all the liquid in the pears and start to caramelize while reducing. Chill and serve when finished.

Grilled Cheese Bites:
Ingredients:
2 slices Brioche, ¼” each
1½ tbsp Pear Butter
1 slice Fontina Cheese, 2-3oz
1oz Butter

Method of Preparation:
Spread Pear Butter onto one side of brioche, and then top with sliced fontina. Toast in a pan with melted butter until golden brown; flip and bake at 350F for 1-2 minutes to melt cheese. Cut crust off, slice into four equal squares and serve.

FAMILY RECIPE: Pear & Ricotta Toast
2 slices Sourdough Bread, ½” each
2 tbsp Olive Oil
2 tbsp Pear Butter, from children’s recipe
1 cup Whole Milk Ricotta, whipped
1 Pear, cored and julienned
2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
½ Lemon, juice of
Salt, Pepper to taste
8 Pecans, candied and chopped
1 tbsp Honey
Micro Herbs to garnish

Method of Preparation:
Drizzle olive oil on sourdough and season with salt and pepper. Toast the bread on a grill or panini press until golden brown. Spread Pear Butter to one side of toast and top with ricotta. Toss pears in extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Add seasoned pear to top of toast garnish with pecans, honey drizzle and micro herbs.