Morel Mushroom Challenge



Me in my Derby Outfit.
 I love any excuse to cook
something amazing in a
oversized fancy hat!



Okay, first and foremost, allow me to apologize for my lack of posting over the past couple months.  It has been absolute craziness (about to be starting new career-teaching, quitting my old job, and am actually working a second partime job as a server at new, and awesome, Leader Bar in Irving Park area).  No worries though, this is the start of me posting at least a couple times of month.  So look forward to deliciously simple and tasty recipes.

The real point of said post is to try my hand at winning 2lbs of morel mushrooms from Marx Foods.  In order to do so, I was sent a sampler pack of dried Morel mushrooms for which I was supposed to come up with an original hors d' oevre recipe.  So I wracked my brain for culinary genius and came up with Morel Mushroom and Goat Cheese Fried Raviolis.  I decided to cook for my wonderful boyfriend (and cooking muse) Joe, and our two best friends Danielle and Adam sort of in celebration of the Kentucky Derby.  Though really I just love any excuse to wear an oversized, fancy hat!  I am happy to report that their response to my, hopefully award winning, appetizer was a resounding "mmm, mmm, good".  In fact the quote of the evening was from Joe who said that "this appetizer is so good that I have to make up a word to describe it-----SCRUMPTULESCENT".  Oh Joe, thankfully he makes me laugh so hard, that I burn off all those extra calories from the delish foods we make and eat together! For the entree for the evening I accompanied the dish of the night, with Herb and Lemon Roasted Chicken Quarters and Rosemary Olive Oil Broasted Red Potatoes.  But now without further ado:

Morel Mushroom and Goat Cheese Fried Raviolis

with Arugala, Truffle Oil, and Fresh Lemon Juice

INGREDIENTS

• 8 oz goat cheese
• 1/3 cup whole milk Ricotta cheese
• 8-16 oz of Morel Mushrooms (roughly chopped), depends on how mushroomy you want it
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 4 medium cloves of garlic minced
• 24 Won Ton Wrappers
• 2-3 handfulls of Baby Arugala
• 2-3oz Shaved Asiago Cheese or Pecarino
• Half a Lemon
• White Truffle Oil
• cracked pepper
• sea salt or Truffle Salt
• Canola Oil or Peanut Oil for frying
• small bowl of water (for wonton wrappers)

1. Bring goat cheese to room temperature in order for easy mixing.
2. Combine goat cheese, ricotta, mushrooms, lemon zest, garlic, dash of salt, and dash of pepper.  Mix thoroughly.
3. Take a wonton wrapper, and place about a teaspoon full in middle of wonton.
4. Using your finger, dip in water and trace the inner edge of the wonton with the water in order to more securely seal shut.
5. Fold wonton in half in order to form a triangle.  You should have a little bit extra wrapper around the edge, fold in on itself, and seal using a fork.
6. Place to the side, and continue until all of your filling is gone.  This should make approximately 24 raviolis.
7. In the mean time, bring oil up to frying temperature.  Once this is achieved start frying up the raviolis in batches.  Using a metal slotted spoon make sure there is even browning on both sides.
8. Once browned, place on paper towel lined platter.
9. After all raviolis are fried place on platter.  Take baby arugala and spread a handful or two over top of raviolis.
10. Drizzle truffle oil evenly over the top, and squeeze the half of lemon over arugala.
11. Sprinkle shaved asiago over the top, and salt and pepper to taste.
12. ENJOY!!!!!



Herb Roasted Chicken Quarters
Rosemary and Olive Oil Broasted Potatoes