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| June
2000 |
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 Light
Vegetarian Dishes Burst With Summer Flavor
Mediterranean
cuisine is designed for warm summer days. Popular light
dishes such as Greek Salad and Insalada Caprese simply
burst with summer flavor using such ingredients as vine-ripened
tomatoes, basil leaves and great cheeses, perfect for
summertime weather. The following recipes provided by
the California Milk Advisory Board include a few "American"
twists for updated versions of these classic dishes, including
using California cheeses that have a fresh milk flavor.
Click
here for a list of past recipes from Dairy Cuisine
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Check
Out These Other Great Cheese Recipes:
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 Baked
Havarti Egg
Makes 1 serving
Prep Time:
5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
1
teaspoon butter
1 tablespoon half-and-half
1 large egg
1 heaping tablespoon Havarti cheese, grated
1/8 teaspoon dried dill
Preheat
oven to 400° F. Melt
the butter in a custard cup.
Add the half-and-half.
Crack the egg into the cup and cover with Havarti.
Sprinkle with dill.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until set.
 For
more delicious cheese recipes, ideas and information,
check out the American Dairy Association Web Site http://www.ilovecheese.com.
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 Grilled
Vegetable and Mozzarella Panini
Makes 8 sandwiches
Prep/cook
time: 20 minutes
1 sweet red pepper, halved,
seeded, cut into six strips
1 medium zucchini (about 6 ounces), cut into long strips,
about 1/4-inch thick*
1 Asian eggplant (about 6 ounces), cut into long strips,
about 1/4-inch thick*
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 thin ficelle or French baguette, about 22-inches long
3 cups (12 ounces) fresh domestic mozzarella cheese, sliced
into thin, even slices**
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
basil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Optional: 1 tablespoon fresh
chopped herbs to garnish
Sea salt to taste
Brush the vegetables lightly
with some of the olive oil, season with salt and pepper,
and grill over medium high heat, 4-5 minutes on each side.
Remove vegetables from the grill and cool for several
minutes.
Slice the bread open lenghwise
and brush both insides lightly with olive oil. Lightly
grill the insides of the bread, about 1 minute to remove.
Assemble the still warm sandwich
by alternating layers of vegetables, mozzarella cheese
and basil. Sprinkle with remaining oil, a few drops of
vinegar, optional desired herbs and sea salt. Tightly
slice widthwise into eight sections.
*Asian eggplants are long,
slender and light purple in color. If unavailable, substitute
one small baby eggplant.
**Regular mozzarella can be substituted if fresh is not
available.
For
more delicious cheese recipes, ideas and information,
check out the American Dairy Association Web Site http://www.ilovecheese.com.
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Tortellini,
Cheese & Shrimp Salad
Makes 4 servings
1/2 package (9-ounce size) cheese tortellini (cooked)
12 ounces shrimp (cooked, peeled, de-veined)
1 cup each quartered cherry tomatoes & cooked broccoli
florets
6 ounces Colby-Jack cheese (cubed)
1/2 cup bottled fat-free Italian salad dressing
Combine tortellini, shrimp, tomatoes, broccoli and cheese
in bowl. Pour dressing over and toss.
For
more delicious cheese recipes, ideas and information,
check out the American Dairy Association Web Site http://www.ilovecheese.com.
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 Poached
Peaches Filled with Whipped Mascarpone and Crumbled Gingersnap
Cookies
Makes
4-8 servings
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cooling time: 30 minutes
Chill time: overnight
4 fresh ripe (or 8 canned
halves) peaches or nectarines
1 1/2 cups (about 12 ounces) peach or pear nectar
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 6-inch cinnamon stick
1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
4 quarter-sized slices of fresh, peeled ginger
1/3 cup (4 ounces) heavy cream
2/3 cup (6 ounces) mascarpone cheese
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar or to taste
6 gingersnap cookies, crumbled
Drop peaches in boiling water
for 1 minute. Remove from heat and cool in cold water.
Peel off skin with small paring knife; cut peaches in
half and remove pit. Place peach or pear nectar, vinegar,
cinnamon, cloves and ginger in medium saucepan. Simmer
for 5 minutes. Add peach halves and continue to simmer
15 minutes or until peaches are tender but still holding
their shape. Remove from heat and cool in poaching liquid.
Remove spices and transfer peaches and ligquid to covered
container and refrigerate overnight.
While peaches are simmering,
whip heavy cream, mascarpone and sugar to soft peaks.
Chill until serving time.
For
more delicious cheese recipes, ideas and information,
check out the American Dairy Association Web Site http://www.ilovecheese.com.
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 Mediterranean
Pasta Salad With California Ricotta
and Feta
Serves
8
The dressing:
1/2 large red onion, (about 5 ounces), finely chopped
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh oregano leaves (or, use 1
tablespoon dried oregano)
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill, (or, use 2 teaspoons
dried dill)
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra-virgin
olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
The salad:
1 pound fusilli (corkscrew) or penne pasta
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes (about 40 tomatoes), halved
1 English cucumber (about 12 ounces) quartered lengthwise,
then sliced crosswise ¼ inch thick (alternatively,
use 2 medium cucumbers, peel and seed them, cut as directed)
1 cup kalamata olives, (about 4 ounces) pitted and halved
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes (optional)
3/4 cup (6 ounces) California Ricotta cheese
3/4 cup (4 ounces) crumbled California cows milk Feta
cheese
1
ounce crumbled Feta cheese, for garnish
To
make the dressing:
Combine all ingredients except for the oil, salt and
pepper. Slowly whisk in the oil until it is thoroughly
combined with the other ingredients. Season with salt
and pepper. Let stand for at least 30 minutes. (Can be
made the day before and refrigerated.)
To make the salad:
Bring
3 quarts of water and 1 tablespoon of kosher salt to a
boil. Add the pasta and cook for 10 minutes, or until
the pasta is tender but still slightly firm to the bite.
Drain (do not rinse) and let cool to room temperature,
mixing occasionally. When cool, place in a large bowl
and add the dressing. Using a wooden spoon, gently mix
until the dressing is well distributed.
Add the remaining ingredients except salt and pepper
and 1 ounce of Feta for garnish. Let stand for ½ hour.
Mix well and season with salt and pepper. Top with remaining
crumbled Feta and serve.
Recipe provided courtesy
of the California
Milk Advisory Board.
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California
Pasta “Caprese” With Mozzarella
Serves
4
1/2 pound
orzo pasta
1/2 cup purchased (or homemade) basil pesto
8 ounces Mozzarella cheese (low moisture, part-skim),
cut in ¼-inch cubes (see note below)
4 roma tomatoes, (also called plum), ¾ pound, seeded and
coarsely chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/4 cup (1 ounce), finely grated Dry Jack (or use domestic
Parmesan)
Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
You will
need a medium-size bowl for mixing pasta. In a medium
saucepan, bring 1 quart of salted water to a boil. Add
the orzo and cook until it is cooked but still firm to
the bite, about 6 minutes. Drain in a strainer (the holes
in a colander may be too large and will allow the orzo
to slip through), until most of the water is gone.
Immediately
pour the pasta into the bowl and add the pesto. Mix thoroughly
to coat the orzo. Let cool to room temperature.
Add the Mozzarella cheese and most of the tomatoes,
reserving a few for the garnish. Season with salt and
pepper.
Place on
a serving platter. Sprinkle with Dry Jack and garnish
with remaining tomatoes and basil leaves, and serve. If
preparing in advance, refrigerate the salad until needed.
Then bring to room temperature and add the cheese, tomatoes,
and basil leaves just before serving.
Note:
Water-packed Mozzarella also works nicely in this recipe.
If using, you will need to add more salt to the dish since
fresh Mozzarella tends to have less salt. Also, make sure
to drain the cheese well before cutting into cubes.
Recipe provided courtesy
of the California
Milk Advisory Board.
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