Swiss Chard and Ricotta Calzone

After making the Eggplant Parmesan Rolls, I had leftover filling, made of chopped Swiss chard and ricotta cheese, which I thought would make a tasty filling for a calzone. You can use store-bought pizza dough or make your own. I used the pizza dough recipe from this Barefoot Contessa recipe. You can always freeze any leftover dough and use later.

The best thing about pizzas and calzones is your own creativity. You can add other ingredients—like mushrooms, spinach, sausage, or anything else—to develop your favorite flavors.

Ingredients
Extra-virgin olive oil, for baking sheet and brushing
Swiss chard and ricotta cheese filling, from Eggplant Parmesan Rolls
4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese
All-purpose flour, for work surface
½ pound store-bought pizza dough or homemade dough, cut into 2 equal pieces
½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
8 ounces store-bought marinara sauce

Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll each piece of dough into a 10-inch round. Divide the filling among the bottom halves of the dough rounds, leaving a 1-inch border. Add 2 ounces of mozzarella and sprinkle ¼ teaspoon on top of the filling for each calzone. Fold top half of each round over filling and roll and pinch edges to seal. Carefully transfer calzones to baking sheet, and brush tops lightly with oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake until calzones are golden brown, 15-18 minutes.

While calzones are baking, warm marinara sauce in a small saucepan over medium heat. Serve with calzones.

Eggplant Parmesan Rolls

I love eggplant and enjoy finding new ways to prepare it. This recipe is a bit more involved—more for weekend cooking than during the work week—but it can be prepared ahead of time. The eggplant slices are roasted to make them flavorful and pliable, and a mixture of ricotta cheese and chopped Swiss chard becomes the filling for the rolls. Serve over pasta for a great dinner.

Source: Eggplant Parmesan Rolls with Swiss Chard and Fresh Mint, Bon Appetit, March 2010

Ingredients
2 medium eggplants (about 2 ¼ pounds total), trimmed, cut lengthwise into ¼-inch-thick slices
Coarse kosher salt
Extra-virgin olive oil
1-pound bunch Swiss chard, center ribs removed
2 large eggs
15-ounce container whole-milk ricotta cheese
¼ cups finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
15- to 16-ounce can tomato sauce
8-ounce ball fresh water-packed mozzarella, drained, thinly sliced

Directions
Cover bottom and sides of each of 2 large colanders with 1 layer of eggplant slices; sprinkle generously with coarse salt. Continue layering eggplant slices in each colander, sprinkling each layer with coarse salt, until all eggplant slices are used. Place each colander over large bowl; let stand at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour. Rinse eggplant slices to remove excess salt; dry thoroughly with paper towels.

Position oven rack 5 to 6 inches from heat source and preheat broiler. Line 3 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Arrange eggplant slices in single layer on prepared baking sheets. Brush both sides of eggplant slices with olive oil. Broil 1 sheet at a time until eggplant slices are tender and beginning to brown, watching closely and removing eggplant slices as needed if cooking too quickly, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove baking sheet from oven and cool eggplant while preparing filling.

Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Add chard to pot and boil just until tender, about 2 minutes. Drain; rinse with cold water. Squeeze chard very dry, then chop coarsely. Squeeze chard dry again between paper towels. Whisk eggs and pinch of coarse salt in medium bowl. Stir in chopped chard, ricotta cheese, 1 cup Parmesan, mint, and black pepper.

Lightly oil 15x10x2-inch glass baking dish. Spread half of tomato sauce evenly over bottom of dish. Divide chard-ricotta filling among eggplant slices, placing about 1 heaping tablespoon filling in center of each. Starting at 1 short end of each, loosely roll up eggplant slices, enclosing filling. Arrange rolls, seam side down, atop sauce in baking dish. Spoon remaining tomato sauce over. Place mozzarella slices in single layer over rolls. Sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup Parmesan cheese. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with foil and chill.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake eggplant Parmesan rolls, covered with foil, until heated through, about 30 minutes if freshly made or 40 minutes if refrigerated. Uncover and bake until brown in spots and sauce is bubbling, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve hot.

White Beans with Herbs and Tomatoes

This savory side dish is a beautiful combination of flavors—shallots, garlic, tomatoes, wine, and fresh herbs—against the backdrop of cannellini beans. So tasty, this dish goes well with fish. I served it with Flounder Fillets with Spinach-Parmesan Stuffing.

Source: Stonewall Kitchen Harvest

Ingredients
1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, very thinly sliced
1 large shallot or small onion, very thinly sliced
⅛ teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
Generous grinding of black pepper
One 19-ounce can white cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 ½ tablespoons very thinly sliced fresh basil
¼ cup dry white wine
1 large, ripe tomato, coarsely chopped (about ½ cup)

Directions
In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and shallot and cook, stirring frequently, for 8 minutes, until pale golden in color. Add the salt and pepper, the drained beans, rosemary, and basil and cook, stirring, for another 3 minutes. Raise the heat to medium and add the wine; simmer for 3 minutes. Add half the chopped tomato and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining tomato. Taste for seasoning. (The dish can be made several hours ahead of time; cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Reheat before serving.)

Flounder Fillets with Spinach-Parmesan Stuffing

I love fish, and these stuffed, rolled fillets are delicious. This recipe looks more complex than it is. But if you’re pressed for time, you can always take a shortcut and used chopped frozen spinach instead of wilting and chopping the fresh spinach. The fillets are easy to assemble and can even be made ahead of time.

Source: Stonewall Kitchen Harvest

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, very thinly sliced
¾ pound baby or regular spinach, thick stems removed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
8 fillets of flounder or sole (about 1 to 1 ½ pounds)
About ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ to ¾ cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
About ¼ cup breadcrumbs

Directions
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 10 seconds, stirring constantly. Add the spinach in batches and cook, stirring frequently, until it is just soft, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Place the spinach on a plate. Drain any excess water or liquid out of the spinach by taking another plate of the same size and pressing down on the spinach and discarding the liquid. Finely chop the drained spinach and set aside.

Lay out a fillet of fish on a clean surface and sprinkle very lightly with salt and pepper. Place 1 to 2 teaspoons of the cooked spinach mixture on the fish fillet, spreading it out evenly. Sprinkle about 1 ½ teaspoons of the cheese on top of the spinach. Roll up the fillet, working from the thinner end, and place in a broiler pan, roasting pan, or ovenproof skillet with the seam of the roll down. Repeat with the remaining fish, spinach, and cheese. (The dish can be made several hours ahead of time; cover and refrigerate until ready to cook the fish.)

Position a rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Pour ½ cup of the wine on top of the fish and bake for 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and preheat the broiler. If the pan is dry, add another ¼ cup wine to the bottom of the pan. Add the butter to the wine in the bottom of the pan and broil the fish for 2 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the fillets lightly with the breadcrumbs. Spoon a tablespoon of the liquid from the bottom of the pan on top of the fish to moisten the breadcrumbs, and broil for another 3 to 4 minutes.

Sautéed Shrimp with Arugula and Tomatoes

This dish was as super quick and easy to make as it was tasty, perfect for a weeknight dinner after work. Shrimp take only a few minutes to cook, plump and pink—seriously, any more than that and it’s overcooked and rubbery. This dish serves up well with rice or pasta.

Source: Sautéed Shrimp with Arugula and Tomatoes, Everyday Food magazine, June 2010

Ingredients
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes
1 garlic clove, minced
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
4 ounces wild or baby arugula (4 cups)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Directions
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring often, until they blister, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add shrimp and cook, stirring often, until almost opaque throughout, about 4 minutes. Add arugula, season with salt and pepper, and toss until wilted, 1 minute. Add lemon juice and toss to combine.

Grilled Herb Shrimp

Why, oh why have I never tried this recipe before? How in the world did this one slip past me? This recipe is right down my alley…with my long work commute, I’m always on the lookout for recipes that are healthy, tasty, and easy to prepare for weeknight cooking. To keep things light, I served this dish with a fresh salad of mixed baby greens (with toasted pinenuts, dried cranberries, crumbled goat cheese, and honey lime vinaigrette) and pearl couscous (made with sauteed onions, chopped parsley, and grape tomatoes).

So yummy! The only changes I would make next time is reducing the salt just a bit and maybe adding a drizzle of honey to the marinade. This recipe will become part of my regular repertoire. Excellent choice by Penny from Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen for this Barefoot Bloggers selection!

Source: Grilled Herb Shrimp, Barefoot Contessa Parties!

Ingredients
2 pounds large shrimp (16 to 20 per pound), peeled and deveined (with tails on)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium yellow onion, small-diced
¼ cup minced fresh parsley
¼ cup minced fresh basil
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup good olive oil
1 lemon, juiced

Directions
Combine all the ingredients and allow them to marinate for 1 hour at room temperature or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Skewer the shrimp. I use 3 or 4 shrimp on a 12-inch skewer for dinner. Heat a grill with coals and brush the grill with oil to prevent the shrimp from sticking. Grill the shrimp for only 1 ½ minutes on each side.

Spring Green Risotto

Risotto is one of my favorite dishes. It’s such a wonderful comfort food and so versatile for adding flavors. This Barefoot Bloggers recipe selection is my pick! I loved the idea of a risotto with spring green veggies like asparagus and peas. Risottos are not at all difficult to make but it does require attention in stirring the pot for the rice to develop its creaminess. The mascarpone cheese and lemon mixture in this recipe adds an additional creamy and tangy element. This was delicious!

Source: Spring Green Risotto, Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics

Ingredients
1 ½ tablespoons good olive oil
1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts (2 leeks)
1 cup chopped fennel
1 ½ cups Arborio rice
⅔ cup dry white wine
4 to 5 cups simmering chicken stock, preferably homemade
1 pound thin asparagus
10 ounces frozen peas, defrosted, or 1 ½ cups shelled fresh peas
1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
⅓ cup mascarpone cheese, preferably Italian
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving
3 tablespoons minced fresh chives, plus extra for serving

Directions
Heat the olive oil and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks and fennel and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, until tender. Add the rice and stir for a minute to coat with the vegetables, oil, and butter. Add the white wine and simmer over low heat, stirring constantly, until most of the wine has been absorbed. Add the chicken stock, 2 ladles at a time, stirring almost constantly and waiting for the stock to be absorbed before adding more. This process should take 25 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut the asparagus diagonally in 1 ½-inch lengths and discard the tough ends. Blanch in boiling salted water for 4 to 5 minutes, until al dente. Drain and cool immediately in ice water. (If using fresh peas, blanch them in boiling water for a few minutes until the starchiness is gone.)

When the risotto has been cooking for 15 minutes, drain the asparagus and add it to the risotto with the peas, lemon zest, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Continue cooking and adding stock, stirring almost constantly, until the rice is tender but still firm.

Whisk the lemon juice and mascarpone together in a small bowl. When the risotto is done, turn off the heat and stir in the mascarpone mixture plus the Parmesan cheese and chives. Set aside, off the heat, for a few minutes, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve hot with a sprinkling of chives and more Parmesan cheese.