Chef Chuck's Puff Pastry with Mushrooms and Asiago

Sfoglia al Funghi e Asiago


A flaky buttery puff pastry baked to golden brown, filled with baby bella mushrooms and creamy Asiago cheese. Any soft cheese would work with this recipe but I love the combination of Asiago and mushrooms. The added touch of thyme gives this dish an earthy taste. A wonderful side dish or a great appetizer.


Puff Pastry with Mushrooms and Asiago


1 box puff pastry
olive oil
1 onion, diced
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
5 ounces Asiago cheese, sliced
salt and pepper
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
1 egg white


Thaw pastry and place on a baking sheet. Saute onions and mushrooms in olive oil, season with salt and pepper add thyme. Place sliced cheese on pastry, add onion mixture and top with pastry. Seal edges with fingers or by using the end of a fork. Brush with egg whites and bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.

Chef Chuck's Creamy Mushroom Soup

Zuppa di Funghi


Creamy mushroom soup has such a concentrated earthy flavor. A healthy recipe with just a few ingredients, blended to a smooth consistency. This funghi delight soup is sure to satisfy.

Creamy Mushroom Soup
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, whole
2 shallots, diced
2 cups baby bell mushrooms, chopped
1 cup white or porcini mushrooms,chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon thyme, chopped fine
4 cups organic beef or mushroom broth
1/3 cup heavy cream
4 slices of rustic bread

Wipe mushrooms clean with a cloth or paper towel, do not wash, chop. In a pot heat butter and olive oil add garlic clove and saute for one minute, remove and discard. Add shallots and mushrooms with salt and pepper for about 12-15 minutes, with the lid on. Add thyme and warm broth, bring to a boil then simmer for 15 more minutes. Stir in heavy cream and blend to a creamy consistency either in the blender or with a hand blender. Place a slice of bread in bowl pour in soup top with black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.
Serves 4.

Chef Chuck's Mushroom Bruschetta

Bruschetta ai Funghi


Mushroom bruschetta, is an appetizer made with crusty Italian bread, meaty flavored portobello mushrooms, caramelized sweet onions, creamy mozzarella and thyme. Nubian garlic from Sicily rubbed on the toasted bread just melts in the nooks and crannies. Finger food is very festive for the New Years parties, this bruschetta is the perfect choice.


Mushroom Bruschetta
4 thick slices of crusty bread
3 large portobello mushrooms, sliced
1 large onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves
4 slices mozzarella
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
1 tablespoon butter
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup water


In a pan over medium heat, saute butter and olive oil add onions, salt, pepper and a 1/4 cup of water, cook 5 minutes with lid on. Remove lid and continue cooking for an additional 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, till there are a deep golden brown. In a separate pan heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil, add sliced mushrooms and cook on medium heat, don't stir, flip, add thyme and cook on other side till golden edges appear. Cut bread in thick slices either broil or grill over charcoal till a hard crust appears. Remove and rub garlic clove on bread, top each bread slice with mozzarella. Return to oven or grill to melt cheese. Add onions, mushrooms and a drizzle of olive oil, enjoy.

Chef Chuck's Beef Tenderloin with Mushrooms

Filetti di Manzo al Funghi


Beef tenderloin is a hearty and satisfying meal, accompanied with rice or potatoes and a salad makes a complete meal. I sear the steak in a heavy pan only turning once, this insures a tender and moist steak.


Beef Tenderloin with Mushrooms
2 beef tenderloins, 1 inch thick
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 tablespoon butter
3 large portabella mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup beef broth
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
salt and pepper to taste


Wash and pat dry steaks, bring to room temperature. Using a large heavy pan on high heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1/2 tablespoon butter, salt and pepper both sides of steaks place in pan and do not move. For a medium rare steak, sear each side for 6 minutes, remove and cover with tin foil allowing to rest for 10 to 15 minutes. In same pan heat 2 tablespoons olive oil add mushrooms and broth, cover and cook for 3 minutes. Then add garlic, parsley, salt and pepper cover and simmer for 2 minutes. Slice steak and pour gravy over top and serve with mushrooms.

Chef Chuck's Baked Potatoes and Mushrooms

Funghi e Patate al Forno

This potato and mushroom dish is first steamed then baked with fresh herbs, white wine and parmigiano cheese. The combination of fresh herbs from the greenhouse gave my recipe an earthy flavor. Use your favorite mushrooms, I used baby portabellas. The aroma of white wine filled the kitchen, inviting me back for more.


Baked Potatoes and Mushrooms
4 large organic potatoes, sliced thin
8 ounces organic mushrooms, sliced thin
1 tablespoon butter plus
butter for coating dish
2 tablespoons extra
virgin olive oil
1 onion, sliced thin
1 cup parmigiano cheese, grated
1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh marjoram, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 cup white wine
salt and pepper to taste


In a large pan heat butter and olive oil add onion, mushrooms, potatoes, salt and pepper cover and on medium heat steam for 10 minutes. Butter a baking dish and layer potatoes, then onions, mushrooms, herbs and a little cheese. Last layer arrange potatoes, pour wine over top and sprinkle grated parmigiano cheese. Bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes, serve hot.

Chef Chuck's Pane di Fontina

Pane e Fontina

A sure sign that the weekend has arrived, the oven is on 500 degrees, and the stone
is hot. It's time to make the pane ( bread ). Fontina is one of my favorite cheeses,
and it melts so well. The pungent flavor of the San Marzano sun dried tomatoes from
last years garden add texture and color. The artichokes and mushrooms are an added
surprise!

Pane and Fontina
2 cups warm water

1 tablespoon dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
4-5 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon salt
Makes 2 loaves

Filling for 1

Fontina, sliced
mushrooms, sliced
artichoke hearts
San Marzano sun dried tomatoes, chopped

Add 1 tablespoon of yeast to warm water and sugar, stir. Let sit for 7 minutes (until foamy). Pour into mixer bowl, set to a medium speed, add olive oil. Mix in one cup of flour at a time with salt until it forms into a ball of dough. Dust a cutting board with flour and knead dough for 3 minutes. Lightly coat a large bowl with olive oil, transfer dough and cover with plastic wrap and layer towel on top. Let rise in a warm area for 1 hour 30 minutes - 2 hours. When dough becomes 2-3 times it's original size, take out and divide in two. Spread one piece onto a flour dusted cutting board and form into a rectangle shape about 1/4 inch thick. Layer fontina, mushrooms, artichoke hearts and tomatoes on dough. Roll dough and form a ring place on a baking sheet or directly onto heated stone. Brush egg whites on dough. Place in a 500 degree oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Chef Chuck's Risotto

Risotto ai funghi

Risotto, is a rice dish from Italy. It is made from Arborio, Carnaroli or Vialone Nano these are the best to use. I use Arborio because it is available in my area. Arborio is a pearly white rice it has a short grain and is high in starch. The slow cooking method gives my rice dish a smooth and creamy texture. The rice has an al dente taste meaning it is tender on the outside and firm in the center. This is my favorite risotto recipe but there are countless ways to prepare risotto with many different ingredients you can use.

Mushroom Risotto

1 cup aborio rice

4 cups hot mushroom broth,
chicken or vegetable
6 ounces mushrooms quartered
1/2 onion diced

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup parmigiano cheese grated

pepper to taste
1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped

In a large skillet over medium high heat, add olive oil and saute' onions for 2 minutes. Then add mushrooms and cook an additional 3 minutes. Lower heat and pour in rice and cook 2 minutes to coat each grain, stirring occasionally. Slowly add about 3 ounces of hot broth and gently stir till absorbed. Then continue to add a little more broth at a time and wait until each addition of broth is absorbed before adding more. This process takes about 20 minutes, so I pull up a chair, you can not rush risotto. After all broth has been added stir in pepper, cheese and parsley. Serve as a main dish or side dish best when eaten right away!

Buon Appetito

Chef Chuck's Farfalle with Mushroom Gravy

Funghi Friendly!


Farfalle means butterfly, in Italian, due to this pasta shape. Some people refer to this pasta as bow ties. Tonight I just wanted a quick pasta dish that was easy to prepare. I had these lovely baby bella mushrooms waiting to be sauted. So I combined vegetable broth a small amount of heavy cream and parmigiano cheese to make a creamy light gravy. To add color and texture I added sweet green peas and fresh picked parsley. The combination of all these flavors had a mellow fresh taste yet quite satisfying.

Chef Chucks Farfalle with Mushroom Gravy

1/2 pound farfalle pasta
1/2 pound bella mushrooms sliced
3 tablespoons parmigiano cheese grated
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup peas
2 garlic cloves minced
1 tablespoon parsley chopped
salt and pepper


In a large fry pan on medium high, heat butter and olive oil add mushrooms cook for 3 minutes each side. Remove mushrooms and set aside de glaze pan with vegetable broth then add heavy cream and garlic reduce to a 1/3. Add 2 tablespoons parmigiano, peas, salt and pepper. In a separate pot cook pasta till al dente and add to sauce mix all ingredients and top with parsley and 1 tablespoon parmigiano cheese.

Italian Stuffed Mushrooms

Fantastic Funghi!


Here is a great appetizer that seems to please everyone that samples one. These mushrooms are a palate teaser. So many flavors in one little package, to make vegetarian leave out the sausage and use vegetable broth instead. This recipe is dedicated to Toni, in celebration of her life, she was a great cook, who shared this recipe with me.

Italian Stuffed Mushrooms
3 dozen medium mushrooms
1 1/2 pounds ground sausage hot or sweet
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon parsley or
2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
4 tablespoons butter
2 cups beef broth
1 cup Italian breadcrumbs
3/4 cup of hot water
1 egg
1 onion, finely chopped
4 celery stalks, finely chopped
juice of 1 lemon

Saute onion and celery in pan with 2 tablespoon soil. Add sausage in small chunks until brown. Mix bread crumbs, egg and water together and add to sausage. Then in a separate pan saute butter and garlic for 1 minute add beef broth, parsley and lemon, stir together. Pour sauce over mushrooms when ready to bake.
Assembling:
Hollow out mushrooms with a small spoon add sausage mixture and mound it up. Put in baking pan and pour over broth. Bake 350 for 25 minutes.