How To - Festive Cranberry Centerpiece

Happy Holidays to all, and for those who celebrate, Merry Christmas! Chances are, you're spending this weekend like we are - decking the halls and prepping for your holiday feast.

My Mom-in-Law's Beautiful Cranberry Centerpiece, Photo: NK 

If you are being hosted rather than hosting, check out this winning no-cook hors d'oeuvre idea that comes together quickly HERE. As you know by now, we'll be hosting our annual multi-course Italian Feast of the 7 Fishes. It's looking like we are actually going to make only 6, to be sure our small group of guests has room for dessert. Good luck with all your prepping, and we wish you and yours a joyous holiday and happy New Year! Tune in next time for the full report from our Christmas Eve Feast - including wine pairings and prep tips.  I'll leave you today with an ingenious and easy idea if you're looking for some last minute festive decor that won' t break the bank. All you need to make our beautiful Holiday Centerpiece is:

1-2 packages fresh Cranberries

Water

Candles

A decorative Bowl

To Assemble: 

Simply place your Candles in the Bowl, and arrange Cranberries to your desired height around them. Place the Bowl where you would like it to be displayed, and fill with Water slowly, using a watering can. 

Special thanks to my mom-in-law for this great idea! 

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Christmas Eve Prep, Italian Style - 2 of 7 Fishes

Dobby stays COOL during the holidays, Photo: NK

Ohhhh, by gosh, by golly. 
The Holidays.
A time for joy, a time for family, and if you're not careful, a time for PANIC! 

With gifts to wrap, parties to attend, and dinners to plan, it is all too easy to lose your cool during a season meant for anything but. 

First, a little meditation; let's remember that holidays are supposed to be a reminder of what's important - family, friends, and helping others. Everything else is just window dressing. My advice is ground yourself in the knowledge that you are doing your best! 

For me, serving a great meal is like putting my love on a plate. And truth be told, I try to get it as close to perfect as possible. What's the key? Some advanced planning and careful thought - both of which I am happy to share with you.This year's challenge, as last year, is Christmas Eve Dinner - my most favorite holiday meal. Now you may have noticed that I am Italian, so naturally, we'll be serving Fish. Italians often serve the Traditional Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve, but this year, we are shooting for six - perhaps working our way up to seven soon. This reminds me of another tip I follow; set realistic goals for yourself this season, and always take baby steps! 

To learn more about the traditional Italian Christmas Eve meal and check out last year's post click HERE. This year my strategy is no different- Plan, Plan, Plan. To get you started, we're sharing two dishes to add to your own fish feast that can be (largely) prepared and prepped in advance of your guests arrival.  We hope you enjoy our Chilled Calamari, Tomato and Caper Salad, and our favorite Shrimp Arrabiata Over Pasta. They are both tried, tested, and utterly tasty. 
Tune in in the next few weeks for the full results of our Christmas Eve Feast!

Calamari, Tomato, and Caper Salad 
Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis
Serves 6 as an appetizer  
Make Ahead ~You can prepare this the evening before and let it sit in the fridge overnight.  

Salad Ingredients: 

4 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil 
6 Cloves of minced Garlic
10 whole, peeled Tomatoes from can, chopped, sauce & seeds rinsed away in colander
1 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes 
Sea Salt and freshly Ground Pepper to taste
2 pounds Calamari (mostly tubes and some tentacles), cleaned, and sliced into 1/4 to 1/2 inch slices

Caper and Lemon Dressing Ingredients, Photo: NK 

Dressing Ingredients:
5 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
4 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 Tablespoons Capers, rinsed and drained
2 whole Lemons, zested
Sea Salt and freshly Ground Pepper
5-6 Tablespoons chopped Italian Parsley
2 Tablespoon White Wine (optional) 

Method:
In a very large skillet, warm the 4 Tablespoons of Olive Oil over medium-high heat. Add the Garlic and saute until fragrant, about a minute. 

Next, add the chopped Tomatoes and Red Pepper Flakes and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Sauteing the Tomatoes, Photo: NK

Season the Calamari liberally with Salt and Pepper, then add to the skillet. 

Cook, stirring frequently, until cooked through, about 3-4 minutes. 

Drain the mixture into a colander and discard juices.

To prepare the dressing, combine Lemon Juice, Lemon Zest, Oil, Capers and optional Wine. Season with Salt and Pepper to taste. 

Place the Calamari into the a bowl and pour the dressing over it. Toss gently until all is incorporated. 

Chill Mixture for at least an hour. Allow to rest outside fridge for a minutes prior to serving in case the oils have solidified. The salad should be slightly chilled. 

When ready to serve, garnish with Parsley. Mangia! 

Calamari, Tomato, and Caper Salad, Photo: NK

Shrimp Arrabiata Over Linguine 
Adapted from Martha Stewart and Mario Batali 
Serves 6 as an Appetizer
Make Ahead ~You can prepare the Arrabiata sauce up to 3 days in advance but leave out the Shrimp. To serve, bring sauce to a boil over medium high heat, lower to medium, and toss in the uncooked Shrimp and allow to cook until opaque and firm. This should take 4-5 minutes.

Dried Chile De Arbol, Photo: NK

Sauce Ingredients: 
1.5 Cups (12 oz) Basic Tomato Sauce -see recipe below* or use a quality jarred Marinara

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
5 Garlic Cloves, thinly sliced and then roughly chopped

5 Dried Chiles, finely minced and seeds reserved. (or 1/25 teaspoons Red Pepper Flakes)

48 Ounces (or 1.5 28 ounce cans) of Whole Peeled Tomatoes in Juice, cut into chunks

Chopped Dried Chilis and Lots of Garlic! Photo: NK

3/4 Cup Dry White Wine

Pasta Ingredients: 
1 Lb Shrimp, cleaned, deveined, tail off
1 Lb Dry Linguine
Salt

Optional Garnishes: 
Basil chiffonade 
(Get the How To HERE) 
or 
Chopped Italian Parsley  
 
Method:
Bring a large pasta pot of salted water to a boil.

In a very large skillet, warm oil over medium high heat. 

Add Garlic and dried Chiles. 

Cook, stirring occasionally, until Garlic becomes fragrant and slightly browning - about 1 minute.     

Next, add the Tomatoes with their Juice, the Basic Tomato Sauce, and Wine. 
Allow to simmer over medium heat, stirring periodically, until mixture thickens, about 8 to 10 minutes.  Taste for seasoning and add Salt if needed or extra Crushed Red Pepper. I also like to finish it with a bit of Black Pepper.
Turn off heat.

Prepare Pasta according to package directions. When it is just a few minutes away from being done, bring the Sauce back to a gentle boil and toss in the Shrimp. Lower the heat to Medium and continue to cook several minutes (about 4 to 5), stirring occasionally,until the Shrimp are opaque and firm. 


When ready to plate, portion out your Pasta in each bowl, spoon Sauce over each, and pluck out several Shrimp to arrange on top. Optionally garnish with Basil or chopped Italian Parsley. 

*Mario Batali's Basic Tomato Sauce
Yield - 4 Cups
Make Ahead ~This will keep up to a week in the fridge and 6 months in the freezer. 
Cook's Note - when I make this I omit the carrot and add a pinch of sugar instead

Ingredients:
1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil  
1 Yellow Onion cut into a small dice
4 Garlic Cloves, peeled and sliced thinly 
3 Tablespoons chopped fresh Thyme, or 1 Tablespoon dried Thyme
1/2 a medium Carrot, peeled and finely grated

Photo: NK 

2 - 28 oz cans Peeled Whole Tomatoes from the can (San Marzano preferred), crushed by hand and juices reserved. 
Salt 

Method: 
In a large saucepan heat the Olive Oil over medium heat. Add the Onion and Garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until they become a light golden brown. This should take about 8 to 10 minutes.  

Add Thyme and Carrot and continue to cook roughly 5 minutes more. Carrot should become quite soft. 

Now, add the juice of the Tomatoes and the Tomatoes. 
Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. 

Lower heat to a simmer and allow the mixture to thicken significantly. This should take about 30 minutes. Season with Salt to taste and serve or store. 

Enjoy! 

Shrimp Arrabiata Over Linguine, Photo: NK

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In the Kitchen With Moni - Kung Pao Shrimp Makeover

I'm so happy to share cooking inspiration from one of my dear friends, Monica (also known as Mo or Moni, as we affectionately call her). Monica is my healthy food muse. She knows how to eat sensibly and is also great at remaking diet-busting recipes into healthy yet super tasty dishes. Today, I'll be sharing one of Monica's best recipe makeovers - a guiltless version of Kung Pao Shrimp with an amazing and easy side dish of Sichuan Asparagus. 

Lighter Kung Pao Shimp with Sichuan Asparagus and Brown Rice, Photo: NK 

Looks great, right? Trust me, you won't miss the extra fat, salt, or starch. This dish proves that you need not lose your joie de vivre to stay slim! While I made some minor tweaks to her recipe because I was missing one or two of the ingredients, you can find the original recipe and many other great dishes here on Moni's blog: Meals From Mo's Kitchen.

Before we start, here's how to time this meal:

Preheat the Oven to 400

Clean the Shrimp

Cut up the Lemons and put the Asparagus in the Oven.

Chop all the Shrimp and Sichuan Sauce Ingredients, and pull out all the bottles you'll need. 

Cook the Kung Pao Shrimp, preparing the Sichuan Sauce during inactive time. 

~Everything should be done around the same time this way. 

Healthy Baked Asparagus, Photo: NK

Let's start with the Asparagus Side Dish. I have to say, this recipe is really amazing. I love baking Asparagus but I refrain from doing so often because I don't like having to slather it in oil. Covering the Asparagus with Lemon Slices, as Monica does, solves this problem. The juices of the Lemon basically steam the stalks, cooking them perfectly without using excess oil and fat. Smart! And who knew making a Sichuan Sauce could be so easy? This sauce would be delicious on many veggies, so feel free to be creative. 

Mo's Sichuan Asparagus 

Serves 2-3

Sichuan Sauce Ingredients: 

3 Tablespoons Chicken Broth

1 Tablespoon Tomato Paste

2 teaspoons Chinkiang Vinegar (learn about it HERE.) or 2 teaspoons Balsamic Vinegar

1 teaspoon Soy Sauce

Sichuan Sauce Coming Together, Photo: NK

1/2 teaspoon Sugar

1/2 teaspoon Sesame Oil

1/4 teaspoon Cornstarch 

1/4 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper, or more to taste

Additional Ingredients:

2 Lemons, sliced into rounds

1 Bunch of Asparagus 

1 pinch of Oil, for pan

Optional - 1 package Uncle Ben's Ready Rice - Brown Rice that microwaves in only 90 seconds. 

Method:  

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

Lightly oil a pan and place the Asparagus in a row. 

Lay Lemon Slices over the Asparagus until completely covered.

Bake for approximately 20 minutes. 

To prepare Sichuan Sauce, whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl. 

Warm the Sichuan Sauce in a pan. 

Once the Asparagus is done add it to the pan and toss together with the Sichuan Sauce. The Sichuan Sauce is on the sweet side so you may want to add it slowly, adjusting the amount to your tastes. 

If you are preparing the rice, place it in the microwave now. 

Serve with Brown Rice on the side. 

Mo's Lighter Kung Pao Shrimp 

Serves 2  

Ingredients: 

1 teaspoon Canola Oil

5-8 Dried Chili Peppers - I used 8, because Sam likes her Kung Pao spicy...

1 Tablespoon Dry Sherry, Cooking Sherry, or Shaoxing Wine

1/2 teaspoon Cornstarch

2 Cloves Garlic, minced

1 teaspoon Minced Ginger or 1 teaspoon Ginger Powder

1 Lb Peeled Raw Shrimp, tail on, deveined

1/2 teaspoon Sugar

2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce

1 Chopped Scallion (we didn't have Scallion so I used Celery and it was just fine)

1 Tablespoon Chopped Peanuts

Method:

In a bowl, combine Sherry, Cornstarch, Garlic, Ginger, and Shrimp together.

In a wok or large skillet, heat the Canola Oil over medium heat.

Add Dried Chili Peppers and stir. Cook until slightly blackened. 

Next, add the contents of the Shrimp Bowl to the wok. 

Cook about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Reduce the heat to low. 

Add Sugar and Soy Sauce. 

Cook, stirring occasionally, another 5 minutes.

Remove the wok from the heat.

Stir in Sesame Oil, Scallion, and Peanuts.

Enjoy!! 

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In Season: Persimmons - Persimmon Carpaccio with Prosciutto & Manchego

Pear and Prosciutto Carpaccio,  Photo: Martha Stewart.com

Let me let you in on a little secret: when I am serving a multi-course company dinner, my first course is almost always raw or totally make-ahead. Adopting this method for stress free entertaining pays off because it allows you to be calm, cool, and collected as you greet your guests and help them settle in to party mode. Maybe you've prepared to a cold Seafood Cocktail, or perhaps a make-ahead soup. Or maybe you've made my ultimate favorite: Carpaccio. 

I am wild for Carpaccio. I order it everywhere and I love to make it. Carpaccio is a traditional Italian dish featuring thinly sliced raw beef with a dash of oil, lemon, and capers, but in the present day, Carpaccio has come to mean a lot of things. It can be thinly sliced raw fish, cured meat, or even a vegetable, as evidenced by in NK's Tomato Carpaccio. Recipe HERE. One my favorite done-in- a-jiffy versions is Martha's Pear and Prosciutto Carpaccio. Recipe HERE


Carpaccio fits right in with my personal mantra for dinner party hosting: 
Make it easy, make it beautiful, make it special, and make it from the best products you can afford. 

Today's Carpaccio inspiration comes from the food blog I admire most in the world:
Zen Can Cook - click HERE to check it out.

Trust me, Zen really can cook. He's a real-life chef. And a fancy chef at that. Many of his recipes have a high level of difficulty and are replete with exotic, sometimes hard to find ingredients. Additionally, Zen's plating and culinary aesthetic are some of the best in the blogosphere. That said, his blog, at times, runs a bit counter to what we try to do here on Neurotic Kitchen - food that's easy, elegant, accessible and fast. But that doesn't mean we can't adapt some of his simpler dishes, and in this case, I've chosen a Zen recipe that features a novel, in-season ingredient, but one that is not so exotic as to be very hard to find - The Fuyu Persimmon.  

Our slight adaptation of Zen's recipe is, like the original, delicious and super easy. Wait for it........... Fuyu Persimmon Carpaccio with San Daniele Prosciutto, Shaved Manchego, Walnuts, and Pear Balsamic Reduction. Sound good? Oh. Yes.

Before we begin, let's learn a bit about Persimmons and the two major varieties that are available:

All info just below is courtesy of About.com

"Hachiya Persimmons are mouth-puckeringly tart unless absolutely, supremely ripe. Ripe hachiyas are unbelievably soft - and are often almost liquified into a silky smooth pulp inside. They are elongated and oval shaped. They will ripen once picked, so you can let them soften on the kitchen counter until ready to use. Hachiyas are thought of as "baking" persimmons and are commonly peeled and pureed into a pulp to add to baked goods. They add stable moisture and a mild, pumpkin-like flavor to cakes, puddings, and other treats."

Fuyu Persimmon, Photo: NK 

"Fuyu Persimmons are distinguished by their 'flat' bottoms and squat shape. Fuyus should be more orange then yellow and are at their best when just barely a teensy bit soft. They will ripen after picked, so buying rock-hard fuyus and allowing them to ripen at home can be a good strategy. Fuyus are commonly eaten raw, often sliced and peeled and salads. They can also be roasted to great effect. They have a mild, pumpkin-like flavor. Prepare Fuyus by hulling them (cutting out their top and its attached flesh), slicing, and peeling them. 
Remove and discard the large black
seeds as you encounter them." 

Got all that? 
Good! 
Now away we go:

Persimmon Carpaccio with Prosciutto and Manchego
Adapted from Zen Can Cook

Thinly Sliced Fuyu Persimmon, Photo: NK

Serves 4 

Ingredients:
2 Ripe Fuyu Persimmons, peeled
5 Ounces Frisee and Arugula Mix

1/4 Lb Imported Prosciutto

Aged Manchego, shaved (if you buy 1/4 Lb slab it will be more than enough)

1/4 Cup Walnuts, toasted
Juice of 1/2 a Lemon
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil + extra for brushing
Sea Salt
Black Pepper
1/2 Cup Pear Balsamic Vinegar (regular is fine too)

Method:
Toast Walnuts briefly if you have not already. 

Set a pot over low to medium heat and pour in Pear Balsamic Vinegar. Keep an eye on it and bring Vinegar to a boil in a small saucepan. Cook, stirring often, until the liquid is reduced and syrupy. Turn off heat. 

Meanwhile, peel the Persimmons and thinly slice them. You can use a mandoline for this but a sharp knife works well too, especially if the Persimmon is super ripe.

Set 4 to 6 slices of Persimmon on each serving plate, overlapping slightly in a clover shape (see photo above). Brush with a bit of Olive Oil and sprinkle with Salt.

Combine the Lettuce Mix with the Olive Oil and Lemon Juice and season with a bit of Salt and Black Pepper. 

To assemble, place one slice of Prosciutto (folded or flat) over the Persimmon. Sprinkle with Manchego and Walnuts. Place another slice of Prosciutto atop that, and again, sprinkle with Manchego and Walnuts. Finally, place mixed Salad on top of it all and sprinkle with Balsamic Reduction. If not serving immediately, leave off the Balsamic Reduction until ready to serve. 
Enjoy! 

Persimmon Carpaccio, Prosciutto San Daniele, Manchego, Walnuts & Pear Balsamic Reduction, Photo: NK

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