Chocolate Chip Cookies

During this Covid-19 pandemic, I've found myself in the kitchen a little more with my kids around.  Don't get me wrong, I am always in the kitchen and love being there, but my kids usually show up to eat.  My daughter Bianca has been wanting to make chocolate chip cookies from scratch.  Not going to lie, typically she and my wife will make Betty Crocker Chocolate Chip Cookie mix, but today Bianca and I made these from scratch.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup soften butter (Leave it out at room temp for a couple of hours)
• 1 Cup granulated white sugar
• 1 Cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 Tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 Large eggs
• 3 Cups all purpose flour
• 1 Tsp baking soda
• 1/2 Tsp baking powder
• 1 Tsp sea salt
• 2 Cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (Add more, these are chocolate chip cookies)

In a bowl, mix your dry ingredients and set aside: (don't skip this step)

• Flour
• Baking Soda
• Baking Powder
• Sea Salt

In a separate bowl (Stand mixer if you have it), cream together and mix your wet ingredients until it looks smooth:

• Butter
• White Sugar
• Light Brown Sugar

With the mixer going, beat in 1 egg at a time and add the vanilla until the mixture looks fluffy.

Slowly add the dry mixture of flour and combine.  I do mean slowly add, do not dump the whole thing.  Once combined, add your chocolate chips and mix well.

On a parchment lined baking sheet, use an ice cream scooper (you decide how big or small you like them) to form balls and place them on the baking sheet.  Make sure you leave enough space between the cookies. 

Bake 10-12 minutes on 350 or until the edges are browned.  The larger the cookie, the more time in the oven.

Lobster Ravioli

Last weekend, we were craving lobster.  I wanted to get the family out of the house and although not an exciting trip, I figured we'd take a quick ride up to Gloucester to get fresh lobsters.  My cousin Joey is a fisherman out of Gloucester, MA so I called him asking for a recommendation.  He suggested Cape Ann Lobstermen on E. Main St.  I grabbed 17 lobsters and headed home.

The Sauce:

The Sauce is a two part process for a really good and flavorful finish.  Part 1 is making the actual lobster flavored sauce utilizing the some of our lobsters.

• Chopped Onion
• Smashed Garlic
• 2 Can Chunky Style Tomato ( I use Pastene)
• Salt
• Pepper
• Parsley
• 1/4 Cup White Wine
• 4 Lobsters

In a pot, saute` onion, garlic and olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper and cook until it turns translucent.  Add the two cans of sauce, salt, pepper, parsley and white wine.  When sauce starts bubbling, add your lobsters.  Bring back to a boil and turn to low and simmer for 2 hours.

While Part 1 of our sauce is cooking, let's get our filling ready.  

Ravioli Filling:

• 32 Ounces of Ricotta 
• 2 Eggs
• 1/4 Cup Grated Pecorino Romano
• Salt
• Pepper
• Chopped Parsley
• Saute' Lobster Meat
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Minced Garlic
• Salt
• Pepper
• White Wine (Thumb over the top and a couple of swirls around the pan)
• Parsley

Now keep in mind, we don't want to cook the lobster all the way through, but enough to absorb our flavors as it will finish cooking once stuffed.  In a saute' pan, add olive oil and garlic and saute`.  Add your lobster tails, salt, pepper and parsley.  Cook for 3 minutes shell side down.  Flip the tails meat side down and add your white wine and cook for 3 minutes.  Remove from heat.

Once the lobster has cooled enough to handle, pull the meat away from the shell and chop it up on a cutting board.  Add it to the ricotta mix and blend together.

Ravioli Pasta:

• 3 1/2 Cups Tipo "00" Flour (You can use all purpose flour)
• 2 Eggs
• Warm Water as needed
• Drop of Olive Oil

**Note:  You can do 3 cups of flour and 1/2 cup of Semolina.  I've done it both ways.

In a stand mixer with a dough blade, add the flour, eggs, olive oil and mix.  Slowly add water as needed as the dough forms.  Once it forms, set on your pasta making surface and cover with a damp towel for 10 minutes.

Cut a small piece of dough:
- Pass it through your pasta machine at largest numbered setting
- Fold dough and pass it again
- Reduce number and pass dough until you get to #3 on your dial
- Lay the pasta sheet flat and put some lobster ricotta filling, spacing it out to be able to cut.
- Add a sheet on top by folding over the other end of your pasta sheet and cut into individual raviolis

    Add your filling                                                                                                    Cut your ravioli

Cook the Raviolis

In a large pot, boil water and add plenty of salt.  Once you have a rolling boil, drop your raviolis and cook about 7-10 minutes, or until raviolis are floating at the top.


Make Part 2 of the Sauce

• Lobster Sauce from above
• 1/4 cup or more of heavy cream
• 1/4 cup of Vodka
• 1/4 cup of grated pecorino romano cheese

While the raviolis are cooking, take 6-8 scoops of sauce and heat up in a Vodka (I use Tito's) and let cook off about 3-6 minutes.  Add heavy cream and whisk until you get the color you are looking for.  Add your grated cheese and mix thoroughly.  Add your lobster and mix generously.
pan.

Chocolate Lava Cake

So this kid turned 17 today and his request was to have Chocolate Lava Cake, so we got to the kitchen and whipped up 6.

• 2 tbls butter melted
• 2 tbls cocoa powder
• 15 ounces of chocolate baking bars
• 1 1/2 sticks of butter
• 1/2 cup of whipping cream
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/4 cups egg substitute (Don't use eggs, won't come out the same)
• 2/3 cups of all purpose flour
• Confectionary sugar

Melt 2 tbls butter and generously brush the baking pan to coat.  Sprinkle the cocoa powder over the pan and place it into the fridge to chill.

In a medium sauce pan, heat the remaining 1 1/2 sticks butter and chocolate and stir occasionally to keep it from sticking.  Once melted, whisk in the whipping cream until it is all blend

 ←Add the whipping cream

                                         Whisk to blend →

In a medium bowl blend the granulated sugar and egg substitute and beat for 5-8 minutes as it thickens up.  Once thickened up, add your chocolate mixture, and flour and mix until incorporated. 

Fill your baking pan 3/4 full and place in the fridge for 1 hour.  You can store this up to 24 hours.







Ready to bake?  Heat the oven to 450 degrees.  Once preheated, place your pan on the middle rack and bake 8-10 minutes.  Usually closer to the 10 minutes.  I will usually flip my lava cakes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Dust with confectionary sugar

Lobster Bisque

One of my favorite things to eat is Lobster Bisque.  The best I ever had was at Anthony's Pier 4 in Boston,  but, that was long ago and Anthony's is no longer there.  Today I decided to drive up to Gloucester to visit Cape Anne Lobstermen and grab some fresh lobsters and made Lobster Bisque.  Hadn't made it in a few years, but, glad I had it tucked away and broke it out.  My cousins Rosalinda and Silvana from Michigan asked me for the recipe so I'm sharing below.

First thing to do is make the lobster stock.

Ingredients needed:

• 3 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 Medium yellow onions
• 3 celery stalks chopped
• 3 carrots chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 medium-size lemon, halved
• 4 quarts water (enough to cover your lobsters
• 4 pound and a half Lobsters (Tails, Claws and Legs separated) 
• Tails reserved for bisque
• 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 5 sprigs fresh thyme
• 3-4 bay leaves
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled

Make Your Lobster Stock:

In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil. Add the onions, celery, salt, and black pepper. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Squeeze the lemon halves over the pot and add the lemon shells. Add the water, lobster legs, peppercorns, thyme, bay leaves, and garlic and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour.   Stir occasionally.  Remove from the heat and strain through a fine-mesh sieve, reserving the stock. Set aside.

Ingredients needed for the bisque:

• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 Medium yellow onions chopped
• 2 Celery stalks chopped
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano leaves (Can substitute dry)
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves (optional)
• 2 bay leaves (Can substitute dry)
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup brandy
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 4 Lobster Tails split and cleaned
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature for Beurre Manié
• 1/4 cup bleached all-purpose flour for Beurre Manié

Make The Bisque:

In a large, heavy Dutch oven or pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, celery, salt & pepper to season, and 1/4 teaspoon of the cayenne. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables are soft, about 6 minutes. Add the herbs, tomato paste, and brandy and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the lobster stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 30 minutes.

Make the Beurre Manié:

Combine the softened butter and flour in a small bowl and kneading it with a fork until you have a smooth paste. Add the mixture a tablespoon at a time to the pot, whisking after each addition. Cook for 5 minutes, then slowly pour in the cream, whisking constantly. Add the split lobster tails and stir to mix. Bring to a gentle boil and cook for 15 minutes.

Remove from the heat and ladle into soup bowls to serve.