South Haven
DACHA
Retreat
Italian Menu
Minestrone Soup
Serve 6-8
Ingredients
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1 Sweet onion
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3-4 garlic cloves
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1 jalapenos pepper
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1 big or 2 medium size carrot
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2 stick celery
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3-4 plum tomatoes or use jar crushed or diced tomatoes
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0,5 cup dry white beans
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1 cup of basil leaves
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1 lemon
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¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes or more
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3 tsp of Vegeta Nautre seasoning or 1½ tsp. kosher salt, plus more
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2 Tbsp. plus ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
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¼ cup finely chopped parsley for serving
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shaved Pecorino romano for serving
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Recipe Preparation
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Soak beans overnight and cook them for and hour or until done. If you don't want to bother with cooking beans from scratch, use 1 can of northern or cannellini beans.
Saute onion, garlic, 1 jalapenos pepper without seeds (all cut small) in olive oil till onion is translucent. Add shredded carrot, diced stick of celery, tomatoes - cook few more minutes.
Add beans with their bean water, basil, 3 tsp of Vegeta nature, or salt to taste, or if you are using a can - pure 1 liter of boiling water over and cook on small fire till beans are very soft (30-40 min)
Add aromatics: red pepper flakes, zest and juice of 1 lemon - taste it and add spices as needed
Serve with parsley, basil and cheese.
Enjoy!
Roasted Chicken
Ingredients
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2 lb chicken thighs and wings
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2 tbsp or more of olive oil
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2 tbsp or more garlic powder
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1 tsp of kosher salt
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1 tsp of dry rosemary
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¼ teaspoon black pepper
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Recipe Preparation
Roasted Chicken thighs, wings etc.
Preheat oven to 425° F
Place parchment paper on a flat roasting pan for easy clean up, place pieces of chicken on it. In a medium size bowl mix 2 tbsp or more of olive oil, garlic powder, 1 tsp of kosher salt, dash of black pepper and 1 tsp of dry rosemarine, mix well - it should be thick, rub all over the chicken with you clean hands and put pan inside the oven for 50-60 min, keep an eye on it, depending on your oven it can be faster or longer, but chicken should get all golden and crispy by the end.
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Roasted Calliflower, Broccoli with onion and garlic
I like to roast my veggies on high temperature of 425° or 450° - it's help them to caramelize and make them irresistible.
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Ingredients
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2 medium size calliflower heads
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1 broccoli head
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1 sweet onion
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1 head of garlic, cloves separated
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1 tsp. ground black pepper
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2 Tbsp. + extra-virgin olive oil
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1½ tsp. kosher salt, plus more
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Thyme
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Recipe Preparation
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Cut broccoli and calliflower into florets, cut sweet onion in a big slices, separate head of garlic, do not remove skins - place it all on a big roasting pan (I always cover pan with parchment paper for easy clean up)
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Salt, pepper, spread thyme all over and splash with olive oil - roast for an hour or until it's caramelized and become golden color.
Baked Spaghetti Squash and Cheese
This cheesy baked spaghetti squash is a healthier take on mac and cheese! It’s cheesy, loaded with vegetables and feels like comfort food, without the calories and carbs.
Ingredients
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5 1/2 cups cooked spaghetti squash (from about 2 small) see directions below:
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1 tbsp butter
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1 tbsp olive oil
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1/4 cup minced onion
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1/4 cup flour (use ap gluten-free flour for GF)
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2 cups milk
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1 cup chicken broth (vegetable broth for vegetarian)
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2 cups (8 oz) mild cheddar
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salt and pepper, to taste
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4 cups (about 4 oz) baby spinach
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1/8 cup grated parmesan
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Recipe Preparation
Total Time:1 hour 45 minutes
Prep Time:10 minutes
Cook Time:1 hour 35 minutes
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Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
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Cut the squash in half lengthwise; remove and discard seeds. Place squash on a baking sheet cut side down. Bake until tender, about 1 hour.
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Separate the strands of squash with a fork and place in a medium bowl; discard shells. Squeeze out any excess liquid from the squash if watery.
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Maintain the oven temperature.
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Heat butter and oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and cook about 2 minutes.
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Stir in flour. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring continually 3 – 4 minutes.
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Add milk and chicken broth and continue whisking, raising heat to medium-high until it comes to a boil and becomes smooth and thick, about 2 minutes stirring; season with salt and pepper.
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Once it becomes thick, remove from heat, add cheddar cheese and mix well until cheese is melted.
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Adjust salt and pepper to taste, add cooked spaghetti squash and baby spinach, pour into a baking dish and sprinkle parmesan cheese on top.
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Bake until bubbly and golden 25 to 30 minutes or longer.
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Baked Polenta with Mushrooms & Blue Cheese
For vegetarian version replace chicken stock with vegetable stock
Ingredients
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6 large portobello mushrooms (about 1 1/2 pounds), stems discarded
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3 tablespoons good olive oil
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1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
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Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
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2 1/2 cups good chicken stock, preferably homemade
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2 cups half-and-half
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3/4 cup fine cornmeal
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1/4 cup imported Italian mascarpone cheese
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4 ounces Gorgonzola piccante, crumbled
Recipe Preparation
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
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Brush the mushroom caps gently with a clean cloth to wipe away any dirt. Arrange them, underside up, on a sheet pan, drizzle with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar, then sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Bake for 20 minutes, until tender. Set aside. Lower the oven to 375 degrees.
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Meanwhile, make the polenta. Pour the stock and half-and-half into a large saucepan and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat and, while whisking constantly, slowly sprinkle the cornmeal into the boiling liquid. Simmer for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring almost constantly with a wooden spoon, until the polenta is thick and smooth. Off the heat, stir in the mascarpone, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Pour into an 8 x 11 x 2-inch baking dish.
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Arrange the mushrooms, underside up, in one layer over the polenta. Sprinkle on the Gorgonzola and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the polenta is bubbly and the cheese is melted. Sprinkle with salt and serve hot.
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