Cannellini Al Gratin Food

CANNELLONI AU GRATIN WITH SARDI SAUCE

Steps:

• Melt the butter over medium-low heat in an ovenproof saucepan. When the butter is hot but not sizzling, stir in the flour, blending well. Bake in oven for 15 minutes at 250 degrees. Set aside.
• Bring 3 cups chicken broth to a boil, and simmer for 20 minutes. Add 1/3 cup roux gradually, stirring constantly. Simmer for 20 more minutes. Skim any fat that accumulates on the surface. Strain the sauce and cool. (This sauce can be kept for 4 days in the refrigerator.)
• Beat the eggs in a bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of butter (reserving the rest for greasing crepe pan). Add salt, and beat in the flour. Add milk, and whisk thoroughly until smooth.
• Place a 6-inch nonstick pan over medium heat. Butter pan lightly with some of the reserved butter, then pour in about 1 1/2 tablespoons of batter. (These French-style crepes should be very thin.) Tilt pan quickly to distribute batter evenly. Cook until edges begin to brown; then, carefully flip with a nonstick spatula or your hands. Cook very briefly, about 30 seconds. Remove crepes to a warm plate. Repeat, rebuttering pan lightly each time, until all the batter is used. You should have 12 crepes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Then, in a saute pan over medium-low heat, combine the veal and sausage, and cook, stirring, until they change color but are not thoroughly cooked. (The meat will cook further inside the cannelloni.) Remove from heat and set aside.
• In a saucepan, combine the onion, oregano, garlic, celery, carrot and butter over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until the onion is translucent.
• In a bowl, combine the spinach, the cooked meats, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, cooked vegetables and 3/4 cup chicken broth. Place in a baking pan, cover and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, and place on the stove top over low heat. Cook for 20 minutes, uncovered, adding more chicken broth if it gets dry. Stir occasionally. Remove from stove, and cover with a kitchen towel.
• In a saucepan, combine one cup of the meat and vegetable mixture, one cup of the veloute sauce and 1/2 cup chicken broth. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat, and add the shredded cheese. Stir until melted. Add the warm cream and the sherry. Keep warm.
• Lay a crepe on a flat surface, and place three level tablespoons of the meat and vegetable mixture in the middle. Roll the crepe, and set aside. Repeat with remaining crepes. Place crepes in a baking dish.
• Distribute the cannelloni sauce over the crepes. Sprinkle with remaining 6 tablespoons grated Parmesan. Place crepes under a broiler until the cheese browns.

CANNELLONI

Steps:

• First make the stuffing. In a deep skillet cook the onion, celery and carrot in the olive oil over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes, or until softened. Add the garlic and cook the mixture, stirring, 1 minute. Add the veal, pork and beef and cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink. Add the wine, reduce for 1 minute and stir in the broth. Add the herbs, bay leaf and salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer, covered, 15 minutes. Uncover and reduce until almost dry. Discard bay leaf. Transfer mixture to a bowl and let cool. Mix in egg yolks until well combined. Meanwhile, in a saucepan set over moderately low heat melt the butter, add the flour and whisk the mixture for 2 minutes. Add the milk, nutmeg and salt and pepper and simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until thickened. Stir in 1/2 cup of the Parmesan and the parsley. In a bowl combine the meat mixture with the cheese and parsley sauce. Make the tomato sauce and stir in the heavy cream.
• Now, make the pasta. Cut the dough crosswise into 5-inch lengths. In a pot of boiling salted water cook the noodles, a few at a time, for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, or until they are al dente, transferring them as they are cooked to a bowl of cold water. Spread the noodles in one layer on paper towels to drain. Spoon 1/4 cup of the filling down the center of one noodle, roll the noodle to enclose the filing, and transfer the cannelloni, seam side down, to a well-buttered gratin dish.Continue to make cannelloni with the remaining noodles and filling in the same manner, arranging them in one layer. Ladle the sauce over the cannelloni and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan. Bake at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes or until bubbling. Run under the broiler about 4 inches from the heat, for 2 minutes, or until golden.

CANNELLINI AL GRATIN

Steps:

• Soak beans in a large bowl of cold water, overnight. Drain.
• Put beans in a 6 qt Dutch oven or pot and add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Tie together the thyme and parsley sprigs and add them to the pot. Add the 1/2 onion, fennel stalks and fronds, and 6 halved cloves garlic. Add a tbsp salt. Partially cover and bring to a boil. Uncover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 35-40 minutes or until beans are just tender. Drain beans, reserving the cooking liquid. Discard herb bundle, fennel fronds and stalks, onion, and garlic cloves. If using Dutch oven, clean it and wipe it out.
• Preheat oven to 400. Heat 1 tbsp oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add fennel and carrots and season with salt if desired. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add diced onion and cook, covered, for 6-8 minutes or until onion is soft and the bottom of pan is brown, stirring frequently. Add minced garlic for 1 minute. Remove pot from heat, stir in vinegar and use a spatula to scrape any browned bits from the bottom. Add the beans, chopped thyme, chopped parsley, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese and enough bean cooking liquid so that it reaches 1 1/2 inches below the top of the beans (for me this was 3/4 cup although VT recommends 1 1/2-2 cups). Stir well to combine.
• Combine the breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese. Drizzle remaining 1 tbsp olive oil into crumbs and combine to moisten breadcrumbs. Sprinkle over the top of the Dutch oven. Bake, uncovered, 40-45 minutes or until top is browned and juices have bubbled down below surface, leaving brown rim around edge of crust. Cool at least 20-25 minutes to allow beans to absorb moisture. Serve warm.

CAULIFLOWER CHEESE STEAK & CANNELLINI BEAN GRATIN WITH SAGE CRUMBS

Steps:

• Remove the leaves from the cauliflower, discarding any that are very thick-stemmed or damaged, and reserving any smaller ones. Cut the cauliflower into four to six steaks or wedges through the stem to help keep the florets attached. Cut any florets that fall off into even-sized pieces.
• Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, and cook the cauliflower steaks for 5-6 mins until just tender. Add the reserved leaves and loose florets for the final 2 mins of cooking time. Drain, then leave to steam-dry while you make the cheese sauce.
• To make the cheese sauce, melt the butter in the same pan over a medium heat, then sprinkle in the flour. Whisk until you have a thick paste, then gradually add the milk, a splash at a time, whisking until it's all incorporated. Add the bay leaves and cook for another 5-6 mins until thickened. Stir in the cheddar and mustard powder and season well.
• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Tip half the sage and all the beans into the sauce. Stir briefly. Fold in the loose cauliflower florets and leaves. Arrange the cauliflower steaks in a baking dish, then pour over the cheese sauce, making sure it coats the steaks well. Scatter with the mozzarella and bake for 20 mins.
• Meanwhile, stir the oil, garlic, breadcrumbs, lemon zest and the remaining sage together in a bowl.
• Remove the dish from the oven, and scatter over the breadcrumb mixture. Bake for 15 mins more until a cutlery knife goes through the cauliflower steaks easily, and the top is golden and bubbling. Leave to rest for 5 mins before serving.

CANNELLINI BEAN & FENNEL RAGU

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the onion, celery and fennel for 5 mins. Add the garlic and pancetta, and fry for 5 mins more.
• Stir in the beans, then add the tomatoes, tomato purée, stock and vinegar. Stir, bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 10 mins. Season to taste.
• For the gremolata, mix everything together in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Spoon the ragu into bowls and top with the gremolata. Scatter over some parmesan, if using, and serve with crusty bread, if you like.

BAKED AUBERGINES WITH CANNELLINI BEANS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Using the tip of a knife, score the cut side of the aubergines with a criss-cross pattern. Place in a snug roasting dish or tin. Rub with half the oil, season and bake for 30 mins or until tender.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a frying pan. Add the onion and garlic, and cook for about 8 mins until soft. Add the thyme leaves, tomatoes, beans and half a can of water. Simmer down for about 8 mins until thick, then season.
• Spoon the beans under and around the aubergine halves. Scatter with Parmesan and bake for 10 mins more until golden.

CANNELLINI BEAN AND SAUSAGE GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Lightly coat a 8 by 10 inch baking dish or gratin dish with oil.
• In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, crumble the sausages and cook, breaking up, until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Remove sausage from skillet and set aside.
• Add the fennel and onion to skillet and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in garlic and sage and cook 1 minute more.
• Add the Swiss chard, a handful at a time, stirring until slightly wilted.
• Stir in the broth, beans, sausage, salt and pepper.
• Spoon the mixture into the baking dish and set aside.
• In a small bowl stir together the bread crumbs and Parmesan with the remaining olive oil.
• Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture on top and bake until golden brown and bubbly, about 30 minutes.
• Serve warm.