Risotto ai Funghi (Mushroom Risotto)

June 5, 2013

Alice @ Nom Nom Cat Small Noms, Side Noms, Main Noms , , , , , , 4 Comments

Risotto ai Funghi, Italian for mushroom risotto, is traditionally made with porcini mushrooms. However, with porcini mushrooms hard to come by aside from the foragers at local farmer’s markets, I whipped up this risotto with good ol’ cremini (baby portabello) mushrooms and it’s still a comforting, hearty meal for a cold night. You really could use any mushrooms or blend of mushrooms of your choosing, although I would not recommend using only white button mushrooms – those little guys are a bit plain in flavor.

Risotto ai Funghi

Risotto ai Funghi

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Potato Gratin (and Bonus – Homemade Potato Chips)

March 26, 2013

Alice @ Nom Nom Cat Side Noms, Small Noms , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

“What’s a potato gratin?” “It’s like the mac & cheese of the potato world.” “Really?” “Yeah, seriously.”

Yup – I totally had that conversation last week. But layered with cheese, simmered in milk, and beautifully browned with a crunchy crust, the classic potato gratin really does bear resemblance to a baked macaroni and cheese dish. The fork-tender slices of potato glued by savory Gruyère and a golden crust worth fighting over both make this dish a winner!

Voilà - potatoes gratiné!

Voilà – potatoes gratiné!

Read on for the gratin recipe and a bonus!

Roasted Bone Marrow

March 11, 2013

Alice @ Nom Nom Cat Side Noms, Small Noms , , , , , , , 6 Comments

Roasted bone marrow has to be one of my all-time favorite comforting meat-treats. One Sunday as Martin and I were strolling through our local Mar Vista Farmer’s Market, we stumbled upon Dey Dey Farms, now our go-to vendor for grass-fed beef and pasture-raised chickens. The vendor stall lists their many products on a whiteboard and two words caught my eye — marrow bones. “DIY marrow?” I asked Martin. He was game (haha – no pun intended) and we selected a pound, approximately 4 cross-sections of the cow’s femur. The man behind the table told us that marrow is best consumed raw to really take advantage of its nutritional content, but I just could not resist the thought of gelatinous, rich marrow spread over toast.

Roasted Bone Marrow

Roasted Bone Marrow

Do-it-yourself roasted bone marrow is actually quite easy, and I wish I had learned that sooner. To me, this is the perfect hearty dish for a cold winter’s night. “Recipe” below!

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Fresh Baked Focaccia – Quick and Easy

April 1, 2012

Martin Side Noms, Small Noms , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

While wasting time on Facebook I came upon an amazing image of freshly baked focaccia from my friend Tru. She was generous enough to share her recipe with us and we replicated with some minor changes. Best if eaten the same day with some olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Tastes amazing with Global Garden’s Meyer Lemon Olive Oil and Peach Cinnamon Balsamic Vinegar that we picked up during our olive oil tasting.

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Fresh Baked Focaccia – 1.5 hour prep, 40 min bake.

Get the Focaccia Recipe!