Creamy Butternut Lasagna
Something about a little chill in the air makes me want to eat comfort food like its going out of style. Soups, casseroles, hearty meats and veggies - I have been making it all. Traditional lasagna was always a Thanksgiving staple for my family every year, so I thought why not throw a whole lot of fall into it with a butternut squash sauce?! There's nothing more comforting than the combo!
Grocery list:
1 large butternut squash - peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3 tbsp olive oil
Kosher salt
Pepper
1 small onion - finely chopped
1 garlic clove - minced
2 tsp sage leaves - minced
1 tsp all spice
1/2 tsp red pepper flake
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 1/2 cups half and half
15 oz ricotta cheese
4 oz goat cheese
1 egg
1/4 tsp nutmeg
Butter for greasing pan
2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Store bought or Homemade lazagna noodles (recipe follows), boiled about one minute or until al dente
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 425. On a large baking sheet, toss butternut squash pieces with 2 tbsp of the olive oil and a generous amount of salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes or until soft. While the squash is roasting, heat the other tbsp of olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and a dash of salt and pepper and cook until caramelized - about 15 minutes. Add the garlic, sage, all spice, and red pepper and cook for one more minute. Transfer the mixture to a blender, along with the cooked squash, maple syrup, and half and half. Blend until smooth.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, goat cheese, nutmeg, and a dash of salt and pepper until smooth.
3. Turn oven temperature down to 400. Butter the bottom and sides of a large casserole dish. Ladle a layer of the butternut squash sauce into the bottom of the dish, covering the bottom. Layer noodles, butternut squash sauce, ricotta mixture, and Parmesan cheese in that order. Repeat three times. Finally, top with about 1/2 cup of the remaining Parmesan cheese. Drizzle olive oil over the cheese. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden and bubbly.
Homemade Lasagna Noodles:
Grocery list:
1 cup cake flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
2 large eggs
2 tbsp olive oil
Directions:
1. Pile the cake flour and all-purpose flour onto a clean work surface. Sprinkle salt over the top and make a hole in the center of the flour mixture with your hands. Add the eggs and olive oil to the center and beat together with a fork.
2. Slowly, begin incorporating the flour from the sides into the egg mixture. Add a tbsp of water at a time, continuing to mix with the fork until the dough starts to come together. It will take approximately 1/4 to 1/3 cup of water to come together.
3. When dough roughly comes together, begin kneading with your hands for 8 to 10 minutes. Add more flour if it's too wet, more water if it's too dry. The dough consistency will be smooth and elastic when it's ready.
4. Cut into four pieces. Working with one piece at a time, flatten the dough out and run through a pasta machine about five times or until thin, about 1/8 inch. Cut each thinned piece in half, the shape of traditional lasagna noodles or to fit the casserole dish you are using. For this recipe, you'll have one of the four pieces of pasta dough leftover. Save and make another pasta dish.
CHEERS TO HAPPY EATING!!!
Everything Candy Bar Milkshake
As a kid I remember having so much leftover candy after Halloween. If your trick or treating was as good as mine used to be, I bet you have plenty of leftover candy. If you're not sure what to do with it, make a milkshake out of it!
Grocery list (4-6 servings):
1 quart vanilla ice cream
1 1/2 cups milk (or more for thinner milkshakes)
1-2 cups leftover candy bars - roughly chopped
Directions:
Put the ice cream, milk, and candy bar pieces in a blender. Close the lid and blend on high until smooth. Serve in tall glasses with a straw.
Slawesome Deviled Eggs
I was introduced to Slawsa over a year ago, and it has become a staple in my kitchen. From grilling, to sandwiches, to mixing it up in traditional recipes, Slawsa is a condiment I have no idea how people can live without! I've never been a big mayo, mustard, ketchup condiment person, but I put Slawsa on just about everything. And then I tried them in deviled eggs... and I'm telling yall... Wow!!! Best and easiest deviled eggs ever! They have only 3 ingredients and no chopping is required!!! If you live in Memphis, look for Slawsa in Kroger stores in the relish section. If you try this, you'll never make deviled eggs the same again... They'll always have Slawsa in them!! Recipe from: http://www.slawsa.com
Grocery list:
12 hard-boiled eggs, sliced in half lengthwise, yolks removed and set aside
3/4 cup Slawsa Spicy
1/4 cup mayonnaise
Directions:
1. Mash together yolks in a bowl first, then throughly mix in Slawsa & mayo.
2. Spoon generously into egg whites and garnish with paprika and/or parsley.
Tip: For perfectly cooked and easy peel-able hard-boiled eggs, put 12 eggs in a saucepan. Cover 1 inch over eggs with water. Add 2 tsp of baking soda to water. Turn heat to high and bring eggs to a rolling boil for one minute, the cover, remove from the heat and let sit for 12 minutes. Remove eggs and place in ice bath to quickly cool before using. In addition to the baking soda trick, using older eggs also will make them easier to peel.
CHEERS TO HAPPY EATING!!!
Andrea's Cooktales - Series 2, Episode 2 - Truffle Deviled Eggs with Candy Bacon
Halloween Chili
Everyone knows Halloween is my favorite holiday of all! The week of Halloween, I always make my famous Halloween chili and we have friends over to watch scary movies. This chili has been a Halloween specialty since I can remember!
SEE THE VIDEO HERE!!!
Grocery list (8-10 people):
1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground bison
1 lb ground chorizo
4 slices of bacon
2 tbsp butter
2 onions – chopped
2 Poblano peppers – seeded and chopped
1 Anaheim pepper – seeded and chopped
1 jalapeno pepper – seeded and chopped
1 green bell pepper - seeded and chopped
1 red bell pepper - seeded and chopped
6 cloves garlic – minced
¼ cup brown sugar
4 tbsp chili powder
2 tbsp Kosher salt – plus more to taste
1 tbsp oregano
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp cumin
2 tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp cayenne
2 chilis in adobo sauce - chopped, plus two tbsp. of the sauce
2 32 oz cans whole San Marzano tomatoes – broken up
1 can Rotel
½ can tomato paste (3 oz)
½ bottle chili sauce
2 cans kidney beans
2 cans mild chili beans
32 oz of chicken stock, plus more for thinner chili
Directions:
1. In a large skillet, cook and drain the ground beef, ground bison, and chorizo. You can do these one at a time. Set all the cooked meat aside. Wipe the pan out and fry the bacon. Set bacon aside. Heat half of the bacon grease and 2 tbsp of butter over medium high heat. Add the chopped onions with a dash of salt and sauté for about 5 minutes or until they start to brown. Add the Poblano peppers, Anaheim pepper, jalapeno pepper, green bell pepper, and red bell pepper with a dash of salt and sauté until peppers are soft. Add the chopped garlic and sauté one more minute, stirring everything together well.
2. Transfer the veggie mixture and the meat to a very large soup pot over medium heat. Add the brown sugar, chili powder, Kosher salt, oregano, garlic powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and cayenne to the pot. Stir spices together well with the meat and veggies and let cook together for about 3-4 minutes.
3. Finally, add the chopped chilis and adobo sauce, San Marzano tomatoes (continuing to break the whole tomatoes up into pieces), Rotel, tomato paste, chili sauce, kidney beans, chili beans, and chicken stock. Stir together and let come to a slight bubble. Lower the heat and let simmer on the stove. Finally, add the chopped bacon bits and give it one final stir. Serve with cooked noodle shells, tortilla chips, sour cream, cheese, avocado, chopped onions, and whatever your heart desires!
CHEERS TO A HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!
Andrea's Cooktales - Series 2, Episode 15 -Halloween Chili
Smoky Pimento Grilled Cheesies
Growing up in Knoxville, Tres was destined to be a Tennessee fan. He received his Undergrad and MBA degrees from there, and hasn’t stopped rooting for them since! When we started dating, I had no choice but to jump on the Vols bandwagon. We try to attend at least one game a year together, but if we aren’t in Knoxville, you can find us surrounded by friends at home watching the game. Usually it’s everyone in front of the TV and me cooking… exactly how I like it! I love little bite size snacks that go good with cold beers, and this smoky grilled cheese is such a winner!
SEE THE VIDEO HERE!
Makes: 10 mini sandwiches
10 slices of pancetta (Italian style bacon)
3 oz cream cheese – room temperature
4 oz smoked cheddar cheese – freshly grated
4 oz Monterey Jack cheese – freshly grated
2 oz pimentos – drained and chopped small
2 tsp pickle relish
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tap smoked paprika
1/8 tap cayenne
Kosher Salt
3 tbsp mayonnaise – plus extra if needed
20 slices of white bread
Butter – room temperature
In a sauté pan over medium heat, fry the pancetta until extra crispy and set aside.
In a stand mixer or using a hand-held mixer and a bowl, add the cream cheese, smoked cheddar, Monterey Jack, pimentos, pickle relish, garlic powder, smoked paprika, cayenne, and a dash of kosher salt. Beat together on low until the mixture starts to come together. Then increase the speed to high and slowly add the mayo until it is the consistency you desire.
Heat a large sauté pan to medium-high. Using large biscuit cutters, cut out one round from each slice of bread. Build the sandwiches by adding a large spoonful of the pimento cheese mixture to 10 slices of the cut out bread. Top each with one slice of pancetta then close the sandwiches with the remaining 10 pieces of cut out bread.
Butter each side of the sandwiches and put into the sauté pan. Lightly smash the sandwiches down with a spatula as they cook. Flip after about 2-3 minutes or when the bread is light brown, toasty, and the cheese starts to melt. Cook on the other side for another 2-3 minutes. Put on a platter and serve!
Cheers to happy eating!!!
Andrea's Cooktales - Series 2, Episode 14 -Smoky Pimento Grilled Cheesies
Perfect Lobster Rolls
The fall of our first anniversary, Tres and I visited New England, and I was introduced to what is now one of my favorite foods on earth: an authentic lobster roll! I'm a "when in Rome" kind of traveler, so whatever I'm supposed to eat, drink, or do in a city, I do it! We visited Portland, Cape Cod, Salem, Plymouth, and Boston. Between those five cities, I may have had 20 lobster rolls.. No joke! So I had to recreate it, and I tried to make it as authentic as possible!
SEE THE VIDEO HERE!!
Ingredients (makes 8 rolls)–
Homemade Mayo:
2 large egg yolks
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
Dash of salt
Dash of sugar
1-1 ½ cups vegetable oil (or any oil neutral in flavor)
Rolls:
3 large lobsters – meat removed from tails and claws and chopped into large pieces
1/3 cup homemade mayo
2 stalks celery – diced small
2 tbsp fresh chives – minced, plus extra for garnish
1 tbsp fresh dill – minced
½ tsp salt (to taste)
8 hot dog buns
½ cup butter - melted
Directions:
1. Make the mayo. In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, whisk together the eggs yolks, lemon juice, vinegar, Dijon, salt and sugar until thoroughly mixed. ON high speed, slowly drip the oil into the mixture, drop by drop. Once it starts to come together and become light in color, stream the rest of the oil in slowly. This does take a good bit of time, but it’s worth it in the end. When the mayo comes together and is light in color, spoon it into a container or jar and set aside on the counter. (Homemade mayo makes all the difference in this recipe)
2. In a large bowl, combine the lobster meat, homemade mayo, celery, chives, dill, and salt. Stir to combine. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if needed. (Cook’s note: I like to use live lobster for this recipe. You don’t have to but if your food is alive hours before you eat it, I promise it will taste better.)
3. Heat a grill pan to high heat. Brush the inside of the hot dog buns generously with the melted butter. Place on the grill cut side down for about 1-2 minutes or until charred. Fill each bun with the lobster mixture. Top with extra chives.
Andrea's Cooktales - Series 2, Episode 13 -Perfect Lobster Rolls
Classic College Gameday Recipes
It's finally here... The season we long for all summer. Fall, yes of course, but I'm also talking about college football season! Whether you're an avid fan or viewer on the weekends, you have to admit, there's nothing like the atmosphere, social scene, food, drinks, and weather that surround college football season! So I thought, why not do something special for the season that gets everyone so excited? I've taken several team's classic tailgate recipes and recreated them. Every college has their go-to tailgate and game watching menus, so I'm picking the most classic food and giving those recipes a little updated Cooktales twist! I bet you'll even want to make a rival team's favorite tailgate treat for your own party!
COOKTALES FOOTBALL FRIDAY RECIPES:
University of Texas - BBQ Brisket Flatbread
Texas Christian University - Bacon Wrapped Quail with Apple Butter Glaze
University of Memphis - Local Brew Cocktails
University of Cincinnati - Baked Skyline Chili
University of Alabama - Drummies w/ White BBQ Sauce
Copycat Petro's Chili & Chips - University of Tennessee
Unless you've been to a Tennessee game, you probably have no idea that Petro's Chili and Chips are a gameday staple at Neyland Stadium. Being wife of a Tennessee alumni and a gal who never misses chili-covered anything, I get down with this classic treat every time I attend a UT game. Petro's, founded in Knoxville and remaining a local favorite, is known for their chili and chips, and at every home game you'll literally see every other person you pass with one of these famous bowls in their hands. If you ever make it to Knoxville for a game, I suggest you get one. But until then, make your own!
Grocery list:
1 lb ground beef
1/2 lb chorizo
1 large white onion - chopped
4 cloves garlic - minced
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp cumin
2 (15 oz) cans fire roasted tomatoes
1 (4 oz) can green chiles
2 (15 oz cans) chili beans in chili sauce
Kosher salt
Pepper
2 bags Fritos corn chips
Cheddar cheese - grated
Tomatoes - diced
Green onion - chopped
Sour cream
Directions:
1. Brown and drain the ground beef and chorizo in a soup pot or dutch oven. Add the onion to the beef and saute for 5 minutes or until soft, then add the garlic, chili powder, and cumin and cook one more minute. Add the fire roasted tomatoes, green peppers, chili beans, and 1/2 cup water. Stir together and add salt and pepper to taste.
2. In paper, plastic, or styrofoam cups, add about two inches of Fritos to cover the bottom. Top with a generous portion of the chili. Finally, top with the cheese, tomatoes, green onions, and sour cream - in that order. Stir all the ingredients together to eat.
** this recipe should make anywhere from 10 to 20 Petros depending on the cup size used.
CHEERS TO FOOTBALL SEASON!!!
Pumpkin Dumplings
It's not uncommon for me to cook while Tres is relaxing or watching football on the weekends. He's in the living room, and I'm in my happy place: the kitchen. A few Octobers ago, I hadn't been to the grocery store all week and we had nothing in the kitchen, but I felt like cooking. So I decided to just see what I could come up with... I had puff pastry, cream cheese, and canned pumpkin. About 30 minutes later, these dumplings were born!
Grocery List:
4 oz cream cheese - room temperature
1/4 cup pumpkin purée
3 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp powdered sugar
1/4 tsp, plus 1/8 tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 puff pastry sheets - thawed and lightly floured
1 egg - beaten
4 tbsp butter - melted
2 tbsp granulated sugar
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese, pumpkin purée, maple syrup, powdered sugar and 1/4 tsp of the pumpkin pie spice until smooth.
2. Roll out the puff pastry until it's thin and easy to work with. Using a 4" to 5" bowl, cut out circles from each puff pastry sheet. You should have 18-20 circles.
3. Working with one piece of dough at a time, drop a tsp of the pumpkin mixture into the center of the circle. Brush the sides of the dough with the beaten egg mixture. Fold the sides up like a dumpling, pinch the dough together at the top, closing it tightly. Do this for each piece of dough, place them all on a greased baking sheet, and brush the tops with more of the egg wash. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden.
4. In a small bowl, mix together the granulated sugar and 1/8 tsp of the pumpkin pie spice. Brush the dumplings with the melted butter and sprinkle the sugar mixture on top.
CHEERS TO A HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!
Baked Skyline Chili - University of Cincinnati
Oddly enough right here in Memphis, we have a group of friends from Cincinnati, and it just so happens they all went to UC! It's become a tradition for us to tailgate together and attend the Memphis vs. UC games every other year when the Bearcats come to town. So this year, we will be eating my Baked Skyline Chili. Thanks to these great friends, I was introduced to Skyline Chili a few years ago, and being a chili lover, I've been absolutely hooked ever since. So I thought I would try to replicate the recipe (I have to say it's pretty spot on), but I gave it a little makeover by baking it, casserole style. This makes it easy to transport and serve at tailgates and gameday. I promise, you don't have to be a Bearcat to fall in love with this dish!
Grocery list:
2 lbs ground beef (80/20)
1 tbsp olive oil
2 medium onions - finely chopped
3 garlic cloves - minced
4 cups beef stock
12 oz chili sauce
8 oz tomato sauce
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup chili powder
3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp all spice
2 bay leaves
1 lb spaghetti noodles
1 sweet onion- finely chopped
8 oz sharp cheddar - finely grated
Directions:
1. Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. One half pound at a time, finely ground the beef in a food processor or blender on low speed. When the meat is completely chopped, dump it into the sauté pan. Brown all meat and continue breaking up with a wooden spoon. Drain completely and set aside.
2. Heat the olive oil over medium in a soup pot. Add the onion and garlic and sautee for about 3 minutes until translucent. Add the drained beef, beef stock, chili sauce, tomato sauce, apple cider vinegar, Worschestershire, chili powder, cocoa powder, cinnamon, cumin, salt, cayenne, all spice, and bay leaves. Stir to combine. Bring to a heavy boil then let simmer for 2-3 hours until it thickens. The consistency should be nice and thick.
3. Boil the spaghetti noddles in a large pot of salted water for about 8 minutes or until al dente. Butter a large casserole dish and put the spaghetti in the bottom, top with the chili, the onions, and half the cheese. At this point, the dish can be refrigerated until ready to bake or baked immediately.
4. When ready to bake, heat the oven to 400 degrees. Bake the Skyline for 15-20 minutes. Top with extra cheese when it comes out.
CHEERS TO FOOTBALL SEASON!!!
Local Brew Cocktails
I know what you're thinking. Where's the BBQ?! I was really going to make this recipe a BBQ one but I already have a great one: my Pork Rind BBQ Nachos. Definitely give them a try - they're a Memphis staple with a healthy twist! BBQ will always be the first thing that comes to mind when it comes to Memphis (next to Elvis, of course), but any local Memphian will tell you we are also known for our local brews! Ghost River, High Cotton, Wiseacre, Memphis Made - these are all some of the best beers I've ever had in life, and Im not just saying that because I'm a local. I wanted to represent a Memphis tailgate in the best way, so I decided to go with something you're sure to see there - local beers everywhere! Of course, I had to throw my own little spin on these brews and turn them into cocktails! If you're not from Memphis and can't get these beers, never fret... I've given examples of what types of beer to use with each recipe!
Pumpkin Spice Shandy
Grocery List:
1 bottle Ghost River Golden Ale (or any golden ale or golden beer)
6 oz Pumpkin Spice sparkling soda or sparkling water (found at Fresh Market)
Directions:
Pour the golden ale into a large beer mug. Top it off with 6 oz of the soda or enough to fill the glass. Garnish with a straw.
Blonde Hibiscus
Grocery list:
1 tbsp hibiscus syrup (found in international markets or specialty stores)
High Cotton Hefeweizen or ESB (or any kind of blonde, hefeweizen, or ESB beer)
Hibiscus flower, for garnish (optional)
Directions:
Add hibiscus syrup to a champagne flute. Top it off with blonde beer, hefeweizen, or ESB. Garnish with a hibiscus flower.
The Beers Knees
Grocery list:
2 oz honey syrup (equal parts honey and water boiled and cooled)
1 oz gin
1 oz lemon juice
Memphis Made Kolsch (or any pale, golden, or German ale)
Directions:
In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, shake together the honey syrup, gin, and lemon juice. Pour into a glass filled with crushed ice and top with the ale. Garnish with a lemon wedge.
Stout Russian
Grocery list:
1 oz Khalua or coffee liquor
1 can Wiseacre Gotta Get Up To Get Down (or any coffee stout, coffee beer, or stout)
2 oz half and half
Directions:
Pour coffee liquor in a lowball glass filled with ice cubes. Slowly pour in the coffee stout. Top with half and half. Stir together to drink.
CHEERS TO FOOTBALL SEASON!!!
Andrea's Cooktales - Series 2, Episode 12 -Vanilla Berry Shortcake
Drummies w/ White BBQ Sauce
Grocery list:
20 drumettes
Kosher salt
Pepper
2 cups buttermilk
Vegetable oil - for frying
1 cup flour
1 tbsp garlic powder
2 tsp paprika
3/4 cup mayonnaise
3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 lemon - juiced
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp horseradish
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp liquid smoke (optional)
Directions:
1. Salt and pepper the drumettes on all sides. Put them in a large bowl and cover with the buttermilk. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
2. Pour about 2 inches of vegetable oil into a Dutch oven or cast iron skillet. Heat over medium until a thermometer reads 375 degrees. In a shallow bowl, whisk together the flour, garlic powder, and paprika. Remove the drumettes from the buttermilk and dredge in the flour mixture. Fry for about 7 minutes, 3-4 drumettes at a time, not overcrowding the pan. Let drain on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Sprinkle lightly with salt when they come out of the oil.
3. In a medium bowl, mix together the mayo, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, Dijion mustard, horseradish, sugar, a dash of salt, and liquid smoke (if using). Before serving the drummies, drizzle them with the white BBQ sauce.
CHEERS TO FOOTBALL SEASON!!
Muffaletta Crostini
Being so close to New Orleans, it's no surprise Muffalettas are a regular tailgate food at LSU games. When I travel to New Orleans, I always make sure to eat a Muffaletta at some point on the trip -- there's just nothing like a delicious olive salad stacked with some of the best meats that exist, squished in between two pieces of bread. I thought for gameday it may be fun to do Muffalettas with a twist. Small bites are great for tailgating and parties, so I took the well-known sandwich and turned it into bite sized crostinis!
Grocery list:
1 french loaf
Olive oil
1 cup pimento stuffed olives - chopped
3/4 cup kalamata olives - chopped
1/2 cup pepperoncini - chopped
1/2 carrot - peeled and minced
1/2 celery stick - minced
2 garlic cloves - minced
1 1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp pepper
15 salami deli slices
15 proscuitto deli slices
8 slices provolone cheese
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut french bread into about 30 slices and place on a baking sheet. Brush bread with olive oil and bake for about 6-8 minutes.
2. In a medium bowl, add the pimento stuffed olives, kalamata olives, pepperoncini, carrot, celery, garlic, oregano, olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper. Mix together well. Refrigerate until ready to use - at least one hour to get full flavor.
3. Cut the salami and proscuitto deli slices in half and cut the provolone slices into fourths - you should have 30 pieces of each. Take each crostini and top with the proscuitto, then the salami, then the provolone. Spoon some of the olive salad over the top and serve.
CHEERS TO FOOTBALL FOOD!!!
Roasted Red Snapper w/ White Balsamic Tomatoes
Every year Tres and I take a trip to Destin with friends. Because we all stay on the same condo, one night becomes a big cook-fest. I plan a menu of fresh gulf fish paired with delicious produce and have some girlfriends come over to help me cook. This year I made this snapper, and it was a huge hit!
Grocery list:
4 (4-6 oz) snapper filets
Kosher salt
Pepper
2 lbs plum tomatoes - chopped
2 cups basil - chopped, plus extra for garnish
1/4 cup white balsamic reduction
3 garlic cloves - minced
1/2 tsp red pepper flake
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place each snapper filet on a large piece of aluminum foil. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Fold the sides of the foil up to make a shallow bowl around each filet. Place on a baking sheet.
2. In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, basil, balsamic reduction, garlic, red pepper flake, 1 tsp salt, and ½ tsp pepper. Mix together, taste, and add extra salt and pepper if needed. Spoon the tomato mixture over each filet, completely covering the fish. Add about 2 tbsp of white wine and drizzle 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil to each filet. Fold the sides of the foil up to close, making a package but leaving a small opening in the top.
3. Roast fish for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through. Serve each filet on a plate with the tomato mixture and juices on top. Top each piece with extra basil and a drizzle of olive oil.
CHEERS TO HAPPY EATING!!!