Menestra (Bean Stew)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 LB  Beans (dry, soaked overnight – kidney, black, etc.)
• 2 TB      Lucini Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/2 C    Red Onion (chopped small)
• 1/4 C    Garlic (fresh, minced)
• 1/2 C    Lucini Organic Peeled Tomatoes
• ½ tsp   Paprika  (or achiote)
• 1 tsp     Cumin (ground)
• 2 tsp     Chili Powder
• 4 C        Water
• 2 TB      Cilantro (chopped leaves)
• Salt
• Black Pepper (fresh, ground)

Preparation:

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large saucepan or pot.   Add the diced onions and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes, until you can smell the garlic.  Add the tomatoes, paprika,ground cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper.  Cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the water and bring to a boil.   Add the soaked beans (and enough to cover the beans) and simmer for about 2 hours, until all of the liquid has been reduced.   Mix in the chopped cilantro.

Wild Mushroom Quesadillas

Ingredients:

• 12       Tortillas (6-inch) flour
• 1/4 C  Lucini Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/4 C  Red Onion  (diced small)
• 2 TB    Garlic (diced small)
• 1 1/2 LB  Wild Mushrooms, such as cremini, shiitake, and portobello, chopped
• Salt (kosher is preferable)
• Black Pepper (fresh, ground)
• 1 1/2 C  Cheddar Cheese (I prefer sharp, but use your favorite, including Jack or Colby)
• 1/4 c Lucini Organic Stravecchio Parmigiano-Reggiano (cotilla or mexican farmer’s cheese is a substitution)
• 2 TB  Lucini Chili-Infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Preparation:

Preheat your oven to 425°F.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and cook until light brown, about 3-4 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.  Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and cook until golden brown and all of their liquid has evaporated, 8-10 minutes.

Divide the cheese mixture and mushrooms evenly among eight tortillas and season each with salt and pepper.  Stack the tortillas to make four double-layer tortillas and cover each with one of the remaining tortillas.  Brush the top of each quesadilla with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and sprinkle with the parmesan cheese.

Transfer to a baking sheet and bake until lightly golden brown and the cheese has melted, about 8-11 minutes, .

Top each quesadilla with the chili oil, cut into quarters and serve.

Guacamole

No Super Bowl bash is complete without Guacamole!!

Ingredients:

• 3       Avocados (ripe, peeled and chopped coarsely)
• Juice of 1 Lime
• 1/4 C  Red Onion (chopped fine)
• 1 TB  Lucini Chili-Infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 tsp Lucini Lemon-Infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 tsp Lucini Garlic-Infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt
• Black Pepper (fresh, ground)

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients in a bowl or food processor and mix well, leaving small chunks of avocado.  Season, to taste, with salt, pepper, and lime juice.

Simple Enchilada Sauce

This recipe makes the sauce for the Enchilada recipe above.  It is a great way to expand your Lucini sauce recipe repertoire beyond Italian cuisine.  I toast whole cumin seeds and then grind them, but pre-ground cumin works in a pinch.  Pre-ground spices tend to lose their potency quickly and often include fillers, so I highly recommend using fresh or whole spices whenever possible.

Ingredients:

• 1 TB         Lucini Premium Select Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  

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• 1               Red Onion, minced
• 1/2 tsp    Salt
• 1/2 tsp    ground Pepper
• 3 TB        Chili Powder
• 3 cloves  Garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp        Cumin, ground
• 1 tsp        Oregano (fresh, minced or dried, crushed)
• 2 C           Lucini Spicy Tuscan Tomato Sauce
• 1/4 C      Water

Procedure

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat until shimmering.  Add the onion and salt and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the chili powder, garlic, cumin, and oregano.  Cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds.  Stir in the tomato sauce and water.  Bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Simple Enchiladas

This picture is making me hungry!

This recipe is a breeze and makes a simple and tasty food treat.   Cooking the enchilada sauce yourself takes a bit more time, but the payoff in flavor makes it worthwhile.  I have included that recipe below.  If you prefer spicy enchiladas, use fresh jalapenos or habaneros (including seeds for extra spicy) as your green chiles. Any cooked filing will work here – mixed vegetables, chicken, turkey or duck, shredded beef, beans, beans and rice, etc. – so this is a great way to use any leftovers in your refrigerator. The first dish I remember making for a group (other than a Jello flag of Spain) is Enchiladas, which I brought for a Cinco de Mayo party held by my 11th grade Spanish teacher, so i’ve been working on this recipe for a long time!!

Ingredients:

• 3 C         cooked Chicken (shredded, cooked black or kidney beans and cooked turkey work as well)
• 2 C         Cheese (shredded, I use sharp or extra sharp cheddar, but jack and queso fresco or another Mexican cheese will also work)
• 1 1/2 C  Enchilada Sauce (canned or homemade, see other recipe below)
• 1/2 C     Green Chile Peppers (chopped – fresh, seeded or canned, drained)
• 1/2 C     Cilantro (fresh, chopped fine)
• 2 tsp      Chili Powder
• 1 tsp      Oregano (fresh, chopped fine or dried, crushed)
• 1/2 tsp  Turmeric (optional)
• 1 tsp       Salt
• 1/2 tsp  Pepper
• 12           Corn Tortillas (6 inch tortillas)

Preparation:

Heat the oven to 400°F with a rack in the middle position. Combine the chicken (or other cooked filing), 1 cup of the cheese, 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce, the chiles, and cilantro. Season with chili powder, oregano, turmeric, salt and pepper to taste.

Stack the tortillas on a plate and microwave until warm and pliable, 40-60 seconds.

Lightly coat a 9×13 inch baking dish with olive oil. Spread 1/3 cup filling evenly down the center of each tortilla. Tightly roll the tortilla around the filling and lay seam-side down in the baking dish.

Pour the remaining 1 cup of enchilada sauce all over the enchiladas so that they are thoroughly coated. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup cheese over all. Cover the dish with foil and bake until the enchiladas are heated through, 20-25 minutes.

Remove the foil and bake until the cheddar browns, about 5 minutes more.