Felicia's Cooking Corner
Cooks Up a Traditional Italiano for
Cooks Up a Traditional Italiano for
A Cold Snowy Day!!
Escarole and Beans with Panna Cotta!!
Escarole and Beans with Panna Cotta!!
By: Felicia Mastroianni Apuzzo
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| Ralph Apuzzo, Felicia's Husband with Felicia Mastroianni Apuzzo In Felicia's Cooking Corner |
How about giving you a few tips - and a great recipe for it!
*One of my tips for making this occasionally - I will see Escarole on Sale and grab a few heads of it, take it apart, cut it into maybe 2 in pieces, then soak it a few times drain. Make sure its cleaned out - than boil for a bit, drain again, and put in freezer bags.
By doing this - the next time you decide to make a delicious dish like this, you can just take out of freezer - making it so much easier to just throw it all in - cleaned and cooked!!
2 or 3 heads of Escarole
1/2 head of garlic slivered nice and thin
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 can Cannellini Beans (Progresso my favorite brand)
1 stick pepperoni sliced thin
4 or 5 Boneless Pork Chops (thick) or 1 package of Boneless Country Style Ribs (either way all cut up in pieces not too small take away any excess fat on them)
2 Cans Chicken Broth
5 or 6 cups of water - use your discretion on this part.
If your escarole is pre-cooked; and you have taken out of the freezer ahead of time; you are all set. If not, take the Escarole, chop it, clean it in the sink or soak it in a pan. Drain a few times to make sure it is clean, then boil and drain it out. Leave standing while you are preparing other parts of the meal.Saute the garlic with olive oil for a few minutes on medium heat. Be sure not to burn! Then put in your pepperoni and your pork. Let that cook in with olive oil and garlic - when you will smell it - that's when it's starting to blend flavors together, just in time to put in your cannellini beans to cook for a bit. Following you can put in your chicken broth in and let simmer. Add your water - depending on how soupy you want it compared to thickness.
After letting everything else simmer and cook for a while, you can put in your escarole that has been draining.
* Tip - Some people use the escarole water they cooked in and put that in their Escarole Beans also.
Let all of it cook together. You will smell the aroma of the garlic,meat and escarole.... yummy!!
*Tip - A great addition to your meal is Fresh Italian Bread - or whatever you prefer with it.
For leftovers of Escarole and Beans: you can take some day old Italian Bread, cut it up in pieces with a brush of olive oil, sprinkle garlic powder or chopped garlic on it.
Place it on a cookie sheet, bake it for a while (until warm), then take this dish out of oven. Use your left-over Escarole and Beans by placing it in a saute pan.
Bring your bread that you baked in the oven - Walla! - You just made your Panna Cotta, a dish that will all fold in together in a perfect combination.
*Tip - If you want that extra crispy Panna Cotta - you can put it in oven on broil for a few minutes. Jazz up your taste buds by putting a little melted mozzarella on it!!Buon appetito!! Mangia!!!
~ Felicia
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