Bellarturo's What's Cooking ?: Italian Antipasto Dip

Bellarturo's What's Cooking ?: Italian Antipasto Dip: There are two ways to serve this. First you can layer, chill and serve with bread. Another option is to layer on top of the bread and bak...

Italian Antipasto Dip

There are two ways to serve this. First you can layer, chill and serve with bread.

Another option is to layer on top of the bread and bake it for 15-20 minutes until heated through. When we serve this in Autumn/Winter , we also add some shredded mozzarella or mixed Italian shreds on top ! Delicious and can be made ahead and covered in the fridge; nice with a plain salad of dark greens, red onion , and mild small cucumbers. We like Arugula and Spinach. Keep everything refrigerated until serving time.

Ingredients: Chop and assemble all ingredients before beginning

White Beans

½ Pepperoni, coarsely processed

½ lb Ham, small dice

½ lb Genoa salami, small dice

½ lb Provolone chunk , shredded

1 5-7 oz jar prepared roasted peppers; or 3 large fresh roasted, minced

10 Artichoke hearts, sliced into slivers

1 cup diced plum tomatoes mixed with 1 teaspoon of dried basil, or 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh oregano and 1 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar

½ cup thinly sliced celery

¼ Italian or Greek olives, chopped

Optional: capers and anchovies

Basil

Italian Bread or Pita, plain or garlic bread

Olive oil as needed

For the bean layer

2 cups cannellini beans, fresh or canned, rinsed and drained

¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

½ teaspoon of Oregano

3 cloves of pressed garlic

Coarsely ground black pepper

1 teaspoon of lemon juice

¼ teaspoon of fresh lemon zest

Olive oil

Puree the beans. Stir in celery, garlic, parsley, pepper, lemon juice, and zest. Add enough olive oil to create a nice creamy dip consistency.

Spread beans on large serving platter.

Scatter ½ of the pepperoni on top

Follow with ½ of the cheese

Then ½ of the roasted peppers

Add ½ of the ham

Add ½ of the artichoke hearts

Add ½ of the salami

Repeat layers : pepperoni, cheese, peppers, ham, artichoke, salami

Top with tomatoes, olives, spreading to cover the top

Add optional ingredients, if using

Garnish with additional chopped fresh basil and parsley for an eye popping color contrast

Chill until serving

Small slices of bread can be lightly toasted, plain or with garlic and oil

If serving hot, cover the top with mozzarella before heating

Best Roasted Tomato Jam

This is a great condiment, sandwich spread and good anywhere you want rich tomato flavor. And, it's so easy to make! When Autumn rolls around , make all you can and freeze it in small batches. You will never regret putting Summer in your freezer and making an anchovy pizza with Summer tomatoes on Christmas Eve for an elegant appetizer! It enhances other flavors as well. One of our favorite add ins : caramelized onions. It adapts to many uses and variations. The main thing is this: you must use extremely over ripe fruit that is too soft to slice. They must be slow roasted in an open shallow pan to encourage the evaporation of water and the caramelization of tomato juices. You must stir them a few times during roasting to stir up the sugars clinging to the pan , not allowing those sugars to burn. If you have to constantly monitor the pan, then your heat is up too high. About 300 is best, depending on your oven.

You can use any tomato variety you wish, but high sugar varieties are best. We love to mix cherry tomatoes and plum . The end product is thick and sweet.

Wash tomatoes and drain well. Cut them in quarters; cherry types are left whole. Oil a cookie sheet or pizza pan well with olive oil and heat. Add tomatoes and salt lightly. Add a few tablespoons of olive oil and mix. Add them to the prepared pan and roast slowly until thickened and dry. Cool and mash lightly , leaving it a bit chunky. Taste for salt and add a little oil if it is too dry. A few drops of good balsamic vinegar is great too. Store in the fridge in a glass jar. We use this a lot on pizza and in BLT’s

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Mixed Grain Salad With White Beans And Roasted Pumpkin

We have been successful with all types of grain and salad greens. It is your personal choice which determines what kind of grain mix to use . We usually use brown rice, Israeli Cous Cous, Japonica black rice, hulled whole barley, whole wheat, red and black quinoa, Amaranth. The greens, because of the moisture level of this salad , require a firm leaf to hold up well. We generally use a mix of Romaine, Iceberg, Escarole hearts and Kale leaves. We have also used just Romaine and the results were excellent.This is for approximately 4 servings. As always , these are ideas, methods and combinations for you to make your own. FYI: On lazy days we have used leftover grains prepared from this recipe in a really good vegetable stew. Check it out in our next blog. Terrific and delicious way to utilize leftovers and small amounts of food just waiting to jump into your kitchen creations. Remember: you don't need a strict recipe. You need ideas and good combinations to create healthy gourmet taste treats.

1 small pumpkin
1 cup of mixed whole grain; make extra for another recipe, if desired.
1 tablespoon of fresh pressed garlic
3 bay leaves
2 cups of cooked beans, your choice
Olive oil as needed
salad greens; firm variety is best for this salad, sliced , (plastic knife), or torn into bites
Red onion chopped into small dice
1/4 cup sliced olives
1/2 cup sliced celery
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1 carrot shredded
1/2 cup roasted peppers snipped ;can substitute chopped raw bell pepper
1/2 cup of prepared Greek or Italian salad dressing , or your own homemade oil and balsamic
1/4 cup of fresh chopped parsley and basil; you can substitute mint or other herb if you desire
Optional toppings: 3-4 tablespoons of chia
3-4 tablespoons of toasted pumkin seeds, pistachios, or walnuts
Coarse black pepper
Salt , if desired

Soak the grains in 2 cups of water overnight. Drain, add fresh water and bay leaves and simmer just until cooked chewy. Drain well, remove bay. Add salad dressing, 1/2 of the onion, garlic and beans . Chill.
Roast the pumpkin only until soft enough to peel, and cube. Toss with olive oil and salt. Place on cookie sheet and finish roasting until light brown.
Place lettuce in a large salad bowl , add tomatoes, 1/2 of the onion, olives and roasted peppers.
Layer on cubed pumpkin and then top with chilled grain mixture .Sprinkle on chopped herbs, and optional toppings
Serve with extra dressing on the size.

Grilled Lemony Chicken Salad With Baby Kale and Spinach

 2 Boneless skinless chicken breast or thigh, cut into bite sized chunks
1 medium red or Vidalia onion
1 carrot 1 pickling or Persian type cucumber
 1/2 cup cherry or grape tomatoes
1 red or green pepper
2 medium hard boiled eggs
 8 pitted black olives
1 avocado, cubed
1 bag of prewashed baby spinach/kale mix, or greens of your choice
lemon juice yogurt garlic olive oil Rosemary or Oregano, your choice

Chicken Marinade
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of yogurt
2 pressed cloves of garlic
1/2 teaspoon of coarse black pepper
1 teaspoon of snipped rosemary
We process all the ingredients, because it's easier and also makes a better marinade; but you can mince and press and snip,if you prefer. Place chicken in a bowl or plastic bag Marinate for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator .

Veggie Prep
Dice the pepper
Dice the cuke
Shred the carrots
Slice the onion
Dice the avocado and eggs as close to serving time as possible
Slice the olives
Keep everything chilled until you are ready to assemble.

Make Dressing
Equal parts olive oil and yogurt, greek style is best
Black pepper
I tablespoon of lemon juice
Hefty pinch of lemon zest
1 tablespoon of grated Italian cheese or a 2 tablespoons of mild Feta

Chill until serving ,
Drain the chicken and discard the marinade. Prepare the grill by brushing with oil, we use an Italian stove top pan. Heat the pan until it's almost at the smoking point. Lower the flame and toss the drained chicken into the pan. Cook until done with nicely browned grill marks .

Assembly 

Begin layering the salad. Place the greens on individual plates or in large shallow past bowls Top with green pepper and then cukes Add the onion and top with chicken Arrange avocado, olive slices and chopped egg all around the edges of the plate Stir the dressing and serve at the table Get yourself a nice seeded loaf or some grilled Flatbread and enjoy