Food & Wine Chickie Insider

Mushroom Filling:

• 1 tbs. oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 ½ cups mushrooms
• ½ cup portobello mushrooms
• 1 tsp. thyme
• 3 ounces cream cheese, softened

Phyllo Crust:

• 2 phyllo sheets, thawed and cut in half crosswise
• ¼ cup butter, melted
• ½ cup fresh bread crumbs

Filling:

Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat.  Add garlic and onions and sauté 3 minutes or until soft.  Add the mushrooms and thyme; cook about 8 minutes or until dry.  Strain.  Mix with cream cheese.

Crust:

Preheat oven to 375 F.  Grease a baking sheet.

Working with half the dough at a time, place flat on work surface.  Brush one side with melted butter and sprinkle with 1 tbs. crumbs.  Fold in half, bringing short ends together.  Brush with butter and sprinkle with another 1 tbs. crumbs.  Place 2 tbs. filling in center of folded sheet.  Bring  edges of phyllo sheet up and around filling.  Gather and twist open edges of phyllo sheet to seal filling inside.  Place on baking sheet; do not crowd.  Repeat with remaining filling and phyllo sheets.

Bake on lower shelf of oven 15-20 minutes or until golden.

Makes 4 pastries.

• 1 pound ground veal
• 1 pound ground pork (on the lean side)
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon each, salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons flour
• Water 1-2 cups
• 4 ounces butter or margarine

Combine the veal and pork in a large bowl.  Add the chopped onions.  Make a well in the meat, break in the egg and mix to blend.  Add the flour, salt and pepper.  Start combining the mixture then slowly add the water, making certain that it is well incorporated before adding more water.  Form the mixture into golf ball-sized oblong meatballs.

Heat a large frying pan on medium heat.  Add butter or margarine.  Once the butter begins to brown, add enough meatballs to cover the bottom of the pan without crowding.  Rotate meatballs until all sides are browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes, adding butter as needed and working in batches if needed.

10 Servings (appetizer size)

• 1-10 ounce package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted
• 4 canned artichoke hearts, well drained
• 5 tbsp. butter
• ¼ cup minced onions
• 2 tsp. minced shallots
• 1 tsp. minced garlic
• ¼ tsp. nutmeg
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. pepper
• 1 tbsp. flour
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 4 ounces ( 1 cup ) shredded mozzarella
• 6 ounces ( 2 cups ) shredded Parmesan

Drain, then squeeze as much moisture out of the spinach as possible.  Break up the clumped spinach and place in a large bowl.

Chop the artichoke coarsely, and combine with spinach.

In a heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.  Add the onions and sauté 3 minutes.  Stir in the shallots, garlic, nutmeg, salt, pepper, and continue cooking 2 minutes.

Sprinkle the flour evenly over the sautéed mixture.  Lower the heat to medium-low and cook 2 minutes.  Slowly add the cream, stirring constantly all the while, until slightly thickened, then let simmer 5 minutes.

Add mozzarella, a little at a time, stirring until thoroughly melted.  Add the Parmesan the same way. Simmer gently another 5 minutes, stirring often to avoid burning.  Remove from heat and let cool, 10 minutes.

Stir the sauce into spinach mixture, mixing well.  Pour into ovenproof dish. Serve.

6 Servings.

• 2 ripe avocados
• 1/4 cup diced tomatoes
• 2 Tbs. diced red onion
• 1 Tbs. chopped jalapenos
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 Tbs. lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp. fresh lime juice
• 1/4 tsp. Tabasco sauce
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• salt and pepper

Slice avocados in half and remove the pit and the skin.  Mash avocados with a fork until there are only small lumps.  Stir in remaining ingredients; mix well.  Cover tightly and chill for 2-4 hours. Serve with tortillas.

6 Servings

• 2 cups cooked fresh lobster meat, cut into ½-inch pieces
• ¼ cup (1/2 stick) butter
• 1 shallot, minced
• 3 tbs. flour
• 2 tbs. dry sherry
• 2 tbs. dry white wine
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2/3 cup Parmesan
• 2 tbs. minced parsley
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• salt & pepper to taste
• 2 tbs. sliced black olives

Melt butter in a nonreactive skillet over medium heat.  Add shallots and sauté 1 minute.  Whisk in flour.  Add sherry, white wine, and chicken broth.  Cook 4 minutes, stirring constantly.  Stir in lobster meat, 1/3-cup cheese, parsley, cream, and mustard.  Cook 2 minutes, stirring often.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Pour lobster mixture in a shallow baking dish.  Sprinkle remaining cheese over dip and place under broiler for 1 minute or until cheese is melted.  Garnish with olives.

4 servings.