Cooking for Two-Recipe of the Week
Posted by emptynesta on October 16, 2009
RECIPE TO FOLLOW___ Cooking has always been a huge part of my daily family routine. I love to cook, and good nutrition and great flavor along with strict adherence to a family dinner hour have been priorities that have served us all well. But my adjustment to the empty nest (and the lethargy and apathy that can go along with it) has dampened my “kitchen spirits” a bit. Don even predicted that I would go into a “food funk” following the departure of Austin. He’s been pretty tolerant of such dinner fare as microwave Kettlecorn, tortilla chips and Chocolate Reisen’s and microwave pizza, but I notice he’s looking a bit thin and, (so NOT fair) that I’m appearing more dough-y. In his honor and in an effort not to lose my passion for what I love, I’ve strung on the ol’ apron again.
I’m finding that cooking for two can be a challenge, but it can also be fun. I’m no longer feeding a perfectly tuned, calorie-burning teen-aged machine and can customize our menus not just based on our preferences but on our lower caloric needs. And best of all, IT’S FALL!! In the Northwest, that means farmer’s markets bulging with fall crops. I’m blessed to live two blocks from an orchard/vineyard/winery that hosts its own market. Today, I couldn’t resist the fat, juicy Heirloom tomatoes still warm from the Sun, and I also grabbed a bunch of basil and a just-baked sourdough baguette. A local creamery’s award-winning cheeses are also featured at the winery, so I snagged a ball of fresh mozzarella and rounded it all out with razor thin slices of prosciutto.
BIG bonus of being an empty nester…My meal tonight is one my son has never enjoyed, but with Austin gone we can have it whenever we like. Bon appetit, to us and to any of you who give it a try.
Heirloom Tomato, Mozzarella and Proscuito Stack w/Balsamic Vinaigrette
Ingredients:
2 Heirloom Tomatoes (i like to mix yellow and red for color) ** 1 Ball fresh mozzarella**1 bunch basil ** 4 ozs thinly-sliced proscuitto ** 1 baguette (Sourdough, French or your favorite) ** One clove of garlic, halved ** Nesta’s Favorite Balsamic Vinaigrette (recipe below)
Nesta’s Favorite Balsamic Vinaigrette
2 tablespoons aged Balsamic vinegar ** 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil ** 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard ** 1 teaspoon (packed) brown sugar.
Combine vinegar, mustard and brown sugar; stir to blend. Slowly add olive oil, one tablespoon at a time, while constantly whisking (or slap it all in a jar and shake like crazy to blend). Set aside
Thick-slice washed tomatoes; salt and pepper to taste. Slice the mozzarella, approximately 1/2 inch thick per slice. Cut the basil into ribbons. Cut baguette into rounds (1/2 inch to 1 inch thick) and lightly toast them under broiler. Rub surface of each slice with the garlic immediately after removal.
To assemble, place one slice of bread on a plate and alternately stack tomatoes, cheese, proscuitto and basil and drizzle a thin amoount of vinaigrette over each layer. If desired, you can stack slices of bread intermittently as well. We like to hold most of the bread on the side and use it to dip into the extra vinaigrette. Salt and pepper the completely stack as desired, drizzle a bit more vinaigrette over the top and serve.
It’s beautiful, simple and surprisingly filling. If you can’t find Heirlooms, any beefy tomato variety will do. We like to have this with a cold bottle of Pinot Noir (our local vineyard makes a good one) or Chardonnay.
Give it a try over the weekend and let me know what you think.
