Zabaglione with Nutella Whipped Cream

Last week I shared with you a video on how to easily separate an egg by using a plastic water bottle to remove the yolk without having it break apart. There was a method to my madness while making this video – I was preparing to make zabaglione (pronounced sah-bah-yone) for my wife and I. For those of you who are not familiar with zabaglione, it is an Italian custard-like dessert that is made up of three ingredients: egg yolks, sugar and Marsala wine. While the ingredients may be simple and basic, this delicate dessert follows the same strategic cooking methods that are needed for polenta and risotto. Lots of patience, lots of stirring and lots of attention, with the end result being a beautiful, classic and elegant dish that is to be savored with each spoonful. I also decided to make a home made nutella whipped cream to add as a decadent topping.

To make zabaglione, you will need to cook it in a bain-marie (water bath) also known as a double boiler, which is a cooking method used to gently heat without scorching. You don’t need any fancy equipment to do this, just a medium to large size pot with a bit of simmering water in it, and a smaller pot or stainless steel bowl that can sit on top of the pot but not come in contact with the water. You can click here for further instructions on how to prepare a bain-marie. You place the ingredients into the smaller pot, you sit the smaller pot onto the larger pot to let the heat of the simmering water warm the mixture, and you whisk…and whisk….aaannnddd whisk. You keep doing this until the egg mixture thickens and increases in volume. The trick to this is to not let the eggs get too warmed up, otherwise they will curdle and you will end up with scrambled eggs. The idea is to keep the batter in motion while it heats from the steam. To assure avoiding curdles, remove the smaller pot from the large pot occasionally, while continuing to stir. Once the batter is thick and warm – but not hot – you have zabaglione! Remember that patience makes perfect with this dish. It took me a few attempts to get the consistency right. Stick with it, and keep stirring, and you will be able to enjoy a true Italian classic.

Zabaglione with Nutella Whipped Cream
Serves 2

Zabaglione:
3 egg yolks
3 tbspn granulated sugar
3 tbspn Marsala wine

Prepare a double boiler by using a large pot filled about half way with water, and a smaller pot or stainless steel bowl that will sit in or on top of the pot. Bring large pot to a simmer. Place all ingredients into the smaller pot/bowl, and mix with a hand mixer until foamy. Place the smaller bowl over the simmering pot, making sure that the bottom of the smaller bowl does not come in direct contact with the simmering water. You want the steam to heat up the mixture. Continue to whisk the mixture until it thickens and increases in volume into a creamy pudding-like texture. This may take a few minutes. If the mixture feels like it is getting hot, or if it starts to curdle, remove the bowl from the heat, continuing to whisk. You want to keep the mixture warm and creamy. Once thickened, it is ready to be served. Top with Nutella Whipped Cream.

Nutella Whipped Cream:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tbspn granulated sugar
1/2 tspn vanilla extract
1-3 tspn Nutella

Chill the clean bowl of a stand mixer and the whisk attachment in the freezer for 10 minutes (you can also use a hand whisk and a large chilled bowl). Add the cream, sugar and vanilla to the bowl and whisk on high speed until medium peaks form – about 1 minute with a stand mixer, or about 2-3 minutes with a hand mixer. Fold in the Nutella, one teaspoon at a time. I find that two teaspoons is the perfect amount, but give it a taste after each teaspoon that you add, and adjust to your liking!

An Easy Trick to Separate an Egg!

Grilled Artichoke Hearts

Artichoke hearts are hands-down one of my all time favorite vegetables…and yes, they are considered a vegetable. Whether used in a salad, over pasta, with chicken or fish, or even served as a dip, this anti-oxident rich veggie adds the perfect amount of zesty tang and flavor. For this recipe that I’m sharing with you, the artichoke hearts are the one-man star of the show. This dish is actually so easy, that I feel guilty to refer to it as a recipe. But it does involve some cooking (a very minimal amount at that), it makes for a great side dish to just about any meal, and it went over really well when I made them for a recent family grill-out. So all bases are covered to consider this a great summer recipe. All you need is a jar of marinated artichoke hearts (the jar size solely depending on how many you would like to make), a grill heated to medium-high, a grilling basket, a large stirring spoon and about 5-10 minutes of your time.

Place your grilling basket over direct heat. Remove the desired amount of hearts from the jar and carefully place them into the basket. I stress the word carefully because the oil-soaked hearts will cause the flames to temporarily flare up. Be sure to not pour the hearts into the basket directly from the jar, because the extra oil may cause the flames to rise to a dangerous level. Once the flames die down, stir the hearts to make sure that they get even heat distribution. The hearts will retain their natural moisture (along with marinated coating), so they will not char or burn. Instead, they will pick up a nice, bold smoky flavor, while retaining their soft texture. Continue to stir for about 5-7 minutes. Remove from basket, serve and enjoy!

Grilled Garlic Parmesan Cauliflower

Cauliflower, in my opinion, is a vegetable that doesn’t get due respect. Not that cauliflower has a bad rap…it just simply seems to be ignored. Aside from a store-bought veggie tray, cauliflower doesn’t make many other appearances. Even when you do spot it on a party plate, it is usually overshadowed by the carrots, peppers, cucumbers and broccoli. As a vegetable lover, I find this to be a real shame. Cauliflower is one of the healthiest vegetables that you could enjoy. A cousin to cabbage, kale and broccoli, cauliflower is packed with nutrients and antioxidants, along with many anti-inflamitory, cardiovascular and digestive benefits.

Recently, I was introduced to a delicious cauliflower pizza, which was a white brick-oven pizza topped with sautéed cauliflower. The pizza itself was tremendous, but the cauliflower was definitely the shining star. Because I love grilling up veggies during these summer months, the pizza encouraged me to give cauliflower its due time on my grill. Many grilled cauliflower recipes that I found while doing my research had you slicing the cauliflower head into thick, steak-like wedges. While this sounded delicious, I wanted to take advantage of the softer, sautéed taste and texture. I was afraid that following the grilled wedge version would have given more of a charred taste. Enjoyable, no doubt…but again, not what I was aiming for.

What I decided to do was divide the head into individual florets, discarding the thicker stem portions. I then made a marinade by mixing some olive oil, parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and some salt and pepper (I love the taste of black pepper with cauliflower). I mixed the marinade with the cauliflower, making sure that the florets were evenly coated. I then wrapped the florets in an aluminum foil pouch and set it on my grill, over indirect heat. After about 35-40 minutes, the cauliflower was done, and cooked to my exact expectations. Perfect! The marinade made for the perfect flavor, and softened up the cauliflower just enough (cauliflower, in my opinion, is best when partially cooked, instead of fully cooked and mushy). The heat from the grill did brown the florets slightly, which gave a nice, yet subtle grilled taste. Because my grill top was already packed with other items, the only indirect area that I had available was my upper rack. Had there been more room on the grill, I would have found an area where I could have closed off one burner to avoid charring. But it’s nice to know that the upper rack serves a good purpose with this dish. No doubt, cauliflower will become a regular item on my grill!

Grilled Garlic Parmesan Cauliflower

1 cauliflower head, chopped into individual florets, discarding thick stems
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tspn parmesan cheese
1/2 tspn garlic powder
salt and pepper

Preheat your grill to medium-high heat (about 400˚). Designate an indirect heating area, where the flames will not come in direct contact with the cauliflower. An upper rack works well for this. Mix the oil, parmesan cheese and garlic powder. Place the chopped cauliflower in a bowl and add the oil mixture. Stir to evenly coat the florets, adding additional oil if needed. Add some salt and pepper, stir again. Tear off a piece of aluminum foil large enough to hold the florets. Pour the florets onto the foil, then carefully  fold and wrap the foil to make a loose pouch, open side on top. Place the pouch on your indirect heating area, close the lid and let cook for 35-40 minutes, checking occasionally. When the cauliflower starts to slightly char, carefully remove from grill. Let sit for a few minutes before opening the pouch. Carefully open the pouch, avoiding getting burned but the released steam. Plate it, serve it and enjoy!