Balsamic Glazed Fruit Michael Chiarello Food

MARINATED PAZZO BERRIES WITH BALSAMIC VINEGAR

Steps:

• Place the strawberries in a bowl.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Let stand for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to completely dissolve the sugar.
• Pour the marinade over the berries and gently toss to coat.
• Divide the biscotti pieces into 4 bowls. Spoon the berries and some of the marinade over each and top with a dollop of marscarpone. Serve immediately.

GRILLED HONEY BALSAMIC-GLAZED FRUIT

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine vinegar, honey and salt; cook and stir over low heat until blended, 2-3 minutes. Reserve 1/3 cup mixture for brushing peaches., Bring remaining mixture to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir just until mixture begins to thicken slightly (do not overcook), 4-6 minutes. Remove from heat., Brush peaches with some of the reserved balsamic mixture. Grill, covered, on an oiled rack over medium heat until caramelized, brushing occasionally with remaining reserved balsamic mixture, 6-8 minutes on each side. Serve with glaze and, if desired, ice cream.

BALSAMIC GLAZE

Steps:

• Mix the vinegar and sugar in a small pan over a low heat and simmer for 4-6 mins until thickened and glossy. Leave to cool (it will thicken as it cools), then transfer to an airtight jar. Will keep for up to 2 weeks. Drizzle over a caprese or green salad.

WALNUT AND RICOTTA PESTO - MICHAEL CHIARELLO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Ready a baking sheet and spread the walnuts on in a single layer, then place in the oven and toast until fragrant and lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
• Remove from oven and let cool, then chop coarsely.
• In a small skillet over medium high temperature, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil then add the garlic and sauté until lightly golden.
• Transfer the garlic into a food processor or mortar and add the basil leaves and toasted walnuts, then process or grind until minced well.
• Add the ricotta, the remaining oil (3 tablespoons), and lemon zest and process until well blended.
• Transfer mixture to a bowl, stir in the pecorino cheese, and season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
• Serve over 1 1/2 pounds cooked pasta or use as a dip.

BALSAMIC GLAZED FRUITS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
• Measure 2 tablespoons lemon juice into a large non-reactive bowl. Add the fruit to the bowl and toss to coat.
• Melt the butter over medium heat in a non-reactive roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet. Cook until it stops foaming and turns light brown. Add the rosemary, bay leaves, vinegar, remaining lemon juice, and brown sugar. Bring to a boil, stir well until the sugar has melted, and simmer until slightly reduced.
• Season the cut fruit with a pinch of salt and pepper and pour into the roasting pan. Stir well until evenly coated.
• Spread the fruit into a single layer and place in the oven. Let cook slowly about 6 hours, turning the pieces over every hour for at least the first 3 hours. To test whether the fruit is ready, remove a piece after 2 hours and let cool for a few minutes. Taste to see if the flavor is intense enough for your palate. Do not let the fruit get as dry as a fruit leather. It should still be moist and flexible. Remove any pieces that are done before the rest. Remove from the oven, let cool completely, and store in a tightly sealed container.
• Refrigerate, if not consumed within 2 days. Let come to room temperature or warm gently before serving, if refrigerated. The fruit will keep a week or more in the refrigerator.
• Cook's Note: Oven-drying is a technique for intensifying flavor. If the fruit is watery, it may take up to 8 hours to dry. If the fruit is at its peak, ripe, and firm, it may take far less time.

STRAWBERRY PAZZO CAKE WITH HERBED CRèME FRAîCHE

Steps:

• For the Crème Fraîche: Stir together the crème fraîche and the herbs. Refrigerate and let sit for 30 minutes or overnight.
• For the Cake: Butter a 9-inch cast-iron skillet or 8-by-8-inch enameled cast-iron baking pan (if cooking in the grill) or standard 8-by-8-inch baking pan (if baking in your oven). (Don't put a standard baking pan inside your grill or over a fire.) Ignite the coals, turn a gas grill to high, or preheat an oven to 350°F.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or with an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars on medium speed until the mixture looks creamy, about 3 minutes. Slowly add the egg, milk, and vanilla and mix just until combined. Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing just until smooth with a creamy texture.
• Pour the batter into the buttered pan. Arrange the strawberry halves, cut-side down, on top of the cake batter. Don't overlap the berries; use just enough strawberries for one layer and set aside the rest to use as garnish.
• TO BAKE IN A GRILL: When the grill reaches 350°F, slide in the cake, resting the pan on the grill rack, close the grill's lid and let it bake for at least 20 minutes with the grill lid closed. Test the cake: It's done when a skewer inserted into the center (but not in a strawberry) comes out clean and the cake is golden brown on top.
• TO BAKE IN AN OVEN: Bake for 10 minutes and then decrease the heat to 325°F and bake for an additional 45 to 50 minutes. The cake is done when a skewer inserted into the center (but not in a strawberry) comes out clean and the cake is golden brown on top.
• For the Glaze: While the cake is baking, in a small pan combine the balsamic vinegar, sugar, and black pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat and remove from the heat right away. Set it aside until the cake has baked. It should be the consistency of maple syrup; if it thickens too much before the cake comes out of the oven, stir in a few more spoonfuls of vinegar. As soon as the cake comes off the heat, drizzle the top with about three-fourths of the balsamic glaze.
• When the cake has cooled, cut it into wedges if baked in a skillet; if baked in a standard baking pan, cut it into squares. To garnish simply, top with a light dusting of confectioners' sugar. To dress up the cake, spoon several tablespoons of the Roasted Strawberries onto one side of each plate; on the other side of the plate drizzle a small pool of the balsamic glaze, and smear it lightly with the back of a spoon. Drizzle more balsamic glaze over the cake if you like. Set a cake slice on top the strawberry syrup, and top the cake with a spoonful of Herbed Crème Fraîche. Spoon any remaining crème fraîche into a bowl and set on a platter with leftover halved strawberries to pass so guests can add extra if they like.

FRESH FRUIT WITH BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the first seven ingredients; shake well. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Line a platter with lettuce. Arrange fruit over lettuce; drizzle with dressing. Serve immediately.

BALSAMIC GLAZED FRUIT (MICHAEL CHIARELLO)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
• Peel and core apples and pears, cut each into 8 wedges. Place in large bowl and toss with 2 T. lemon juice.
• Melt butter over medium heat in skillet until it stops foaming and is slightly brown.
• Add rosemary, bay leaves, remaining 3 T. lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, and brown sugar.
• Heat to boiling and reduce slightly.
• Pour over fruit and toss to coat.
• Pour into roasting pan or onto a cookie sheet WITH SIDES.
• Bake for 3-8 hours, turning each hour.
• Fruit should be slightly dried, but not dried to the extent of fruit leather.
• Store tightly covered in refrigerator for up to one week.

BALSAMIC GLAZE

Steps:

• Mix balsamic vinegar with brown sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until sugar has dissolved. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer until glaze is reduced by half, about 20 minutes. Glaze should coat the back of a spoon. Let cool and pour into a jar with a lid; store in refrigerator.

BALSAMIC VINEGAR GLAZE

Steps:

• Put all the ingredients in a saucepan.
• Slowly simmer until it reaches the thickness of a glaze. Stir frequently to keep from burning.
• When you achieve the glaze consistency, let it cool down.
• Use to decorate and give a sweet and sour tinge to salads and other Mediterranean food