Restaurant Italiano

Friday, Top Chef campers opened Restaurant Italiano. They served a three course meal complete with specialty beverage to a team of food critics. Check out the photos below!

Italian Desserts!

Today we made a variety of classic Italian desserts (some of them with our own spin on things). The campers also chose a name for their Italian restaurant and we had a job fair. We can't wait to see the opening of their new business on Friday. In the mean time, enjoy the recipes and photos!

Cannoli

For the Filling

2 3/4 cups (22 ounces) mascarpone cheese

3/4 cup confectioners' sugar

3 tablespoons mini semisweet chocolate chips

3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3/4 teaspoon finely grated orange zest

1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

For the Cannoli Shell

½ cup whole wheat flour

½ cup almonds, finely chopped in food processor

½ cup oats, finely chopped in food processor

½ cup maple syrup

½ cup brown sugar

¼ cup butter

¼ cup oil

1 tsp. vanilla extract

To Garnish

4 ounces semisweet chocolate (preferably 61 percent cacao)

1/2 cup shelled unsalted pistachios, finely chopped

Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Preheat oven to 350F.

With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat mascarpone and confectioners' sugar until fluffy. Beat in chocolate chips, vanilla, zest, and lemon juice. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate.

Combine all the cannoli shell ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper and cooking spray or use a silpat mat. Portion out 1 tsp. batter onto the mat, leaving at least 4-5 inches between each cookie. Bake 8-10 minutes or until cookie has spread out and is golden brown.

Allow cookies to cool slightly (no more than 1 minute). Very gently, lift the cookies from the baking sheet and wrap around cannoli molds or the round end of a whisk to form a shell.

Transfer filling to a pastry bag fitted with a tip. Pipe filling into one end of a shell to the center, then into other end. Repeat with remaining shells and filling. Dust with confectioners' sugar, roll edges in pistachios and serve immediately. 

Cornmeal Cake with Rosemary Syrup and Fresh Berries

For the Cake

1 stick butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 cup yellow cornmeal

¾ cup flour

1 tsp. baking powder

¾ tsp. salt

2 eggs

1 egg yolk

2/3 cup milk.

For the Rosemary Syrup

2 cups water

½ cup sugar

4 sprigs rosemary

To Serve

2 cups whipped cream

2 cups mixed berries

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray an 8x 2in round cake pan with cooking spray.

Combine all the ingredients for the cake in a mixing bowl and beat 3 minutes until pale yellow in color.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in the middle of the oven 40 minutes or until a toothpick, inserted into the middle of the cake, comes out clean.

While cake is baking, combine ingredients for the syrup in a saucepan. Simmer for five minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to steep for 10 minutes

Remove cake from baking tin. While it is still warm, brush 1/3 cup syrup over the cake. Reserve extra syrup and use as needed.

Cut cake and serve with whipped cream, blackberries and remaining rosemary syrup.

Gnocchi, Polenta & Risotto

Today in Top Chef, we made a variety of different vegetarian entrees with an emphasis on garden fresh produce. The campers really out did themselves. The dishes look like they came out of a professional restaurant kitchen!

Creamy Polenta with Roasted Garlic Greens

For the Polenta

2 cups vegetable broth

2 cups 2 percent reduced-fat milk

1 cup polenta or yellow stone-ground cornmeal

1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

For the Greens

½ cup Roasted Garlic

1 pound kale, whole

1/2 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

To prepare polenta, place broth and milk in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add polenta, whisking to prevent clumping. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring constantly, until liquid is absorbed and polenta is creamy and thoroughly cooked, 5 to 10 minutes.

Add cheese, butter and salt, stirring gently until incorporated.

To prepare the greens, using a slotted spoon, scoop one cup of roasted garlic into a very large skillet over medium-high heat, add greens and sauté 2 minutes. Add salt and pepper. Serve over polenta.

Rosemary & Summer Corn Risotto

5-6 cups Vegetable Broth

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

¼ red onion, finely chopped

1 1/2 cups Arborio rice

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3/4 cup fresh corn or frozen, thawed

1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup freshly grated or shredded Parmesan cheese

½ tsp. chopped thyme

½ tsp. chopped rosemary

½ tsp. chopped chives

¼ tsp. paprika

Heat the vegetable broth in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat until hot, reduce the heat to low, and keep the stock at a low simmer.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Cook the onions, stirring, just until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the rice, stirring slowly and continuously with a wooden spoon until the grains are opaque and coated in the oil, 1 to 2 minutes. Add a1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper and pour in ½ cup stock. Cook and stir until all the liquid has evaporated, about 3 minutes. Don't let the rice brown.

Ladle in about 1 cup of the warm stock and stir with a wooden spoon until the rice has absorbed all the liquid, about 6 minutes. When almost all the liquid is gone, ladle in another 1/2 cup stock. Keep stirring and adding the stock, 1/2 cup at a time, allowing the rice to absorb the liquid before adding more. After the rice has absorbed 2 1/2 cups stock, taste it. The rice should be firm to the bite but creamy. If it is hard, continue to add stock, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly, until the rice tastes perfect to you. (You may not need all of the stock.)

Stir in the corn and reduce the heat to very low so the risotto stops simmering. Stir in the butter, cheese, paprika and herbs. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.