Parmesan-Reggiano could become your new favorite cheese to pair with the holidays. The nutty flavor adds a depth and aroma that will make these recipes hits this season.
Russet Potato CUps
Recipes by Tammy Algood
Food styling by Cynthia Kent
Photography by Robin Conover
This is the time of year when families start negotiating times and places for holiday gatherings. Friends start hoping for party invitations. We all start thinking about our best savory treats and holiday dinner favorites. But what if this year there’s a tasty plot twist? Let Parmesan take center stage and watch old holiday standards turn into new holiday hits.
- 4 cups milk
- 4 cups water
- 1 heaping teaspoon salt
- 2 cups uncooked grits
- 1 cup grated Parmesan-Reggiano cheese
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- In a large saucepan over high heat, stir together the milk and water. Bring to a boil and add the salt. Slowly whisk in the grits, then reduce the heat to low and simmer 25 minutes. Whisk every 7 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and add the Parmesan-Reggiano, butter and pepper, stirring until blended. Serve warm.
- 1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
- 1 cup coarsely grated Parmesan-Reggiano cheese
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- 1½ cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 medium russet potatoes, peeled and sliced ½ inch thick, then cut in wedges
- 5 slices sandwich bread (crusts removed), torn into pieces
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease a 2-quart shallow baking dish and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the Gruyere and Parmesan-Reggiano. Set aside.
- In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, combine the cream, stock, garlic, butter, thyme, salt, nutmeg and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and carefully stir in the potatoes.
- Transfer half of the potato mixture into the prepared dish and sprinkle with half of the cheese mixture. Add the remaining potatoes and press firmly with a rubber spatula.
- You can proceed to baking, or at this point, you can cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours. When ready to bake, allow to come to room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Press the bread pieces firmly on top. Bake 40 minutes, then remove from the oven and sprinkle with the remaining cheese mixture. Bake another 25 minutes until golden-brown and bubbly. Allow to rest 15 minutes before serving warm.
- 1½ pounds large fresh mushrooms, rinsed and dried
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- ¼ cup caramelized or finely chopped sweet onions
- 1 large garlic clove, peeled and minced
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- ¼ cup soft breadcrumbs
- 1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and finely chopped
- ½ cup grated Parmesan-Reggiano
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 heaping tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- ¼ teaspoon garlic salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Remove the stems from the mushrooms and finely chop. Place the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushroom stems, chopped onions (if using instead of caramelized) and garlic. Saute 5 minutes.
- Add the wine (and the caramelized onions if using instead of fresh) and cook 2 minutes. Stir in the breadcrumbs, remove from the heat and allow to cool for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a wire rack and place in a roasting pan. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, stir together the artichokes, Parmesan-Reggiano, mayonnaise, parsley, salt and pepper. Add the onion mixture when cooled. Using a small spoon, stuff a teaspoonful of the mixture into each mushroom cap. Place on the wire rack.
- Bake 13 to 15 minutes or until golden-brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup fine breadcrumbs
- 2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled
- ¼ cup half-and-half
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon black pepper
- 1½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- ⅔ cup grated Parmesan-Reggiano
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Evenly grease each cup of a nonstick 12-cup muffin tin with butter. Press the breadcrumbs on the bottoms and up the sides. Set aside.
- Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise, cut each half into 3 wedges and cut each wedge into ¼-inch slices. Place the potatoes, half-and-half, salt and pepper in a large glass bowl. Cover, microwave for 6 minutes and stir. Microwave another 6 to 8 minutes or until the potatoes are tender when tested with a toothpick or cake tester.
- Meanwhile, in a separate bowl mix together the cheddar, Parmesan-Reggiano and cornstarch. Reserve ½ cup and set aside. Stir the cheese mixture into the potatoes, mixing gently until smooth.
- Divide the potato mixture evenly among the muffin cups. Sprinkle each top with the reserved cheese mixture. Cover with aluminum foil that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake on the bottom rack for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and uncover. Return to the oven and bake 13 to 14 minutes or until golden-brown.
- Remove from the oven and immediately run a knife around the edge of each muffin cup. Allow to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Place a baking sheet over the muffin pan and invert the potato cups, tapping the bottoms of the cups if necessary to fully release. Invert again onto the wire rack to cool another 5 minutes before serving warm.
- 2 (10-ounce) packages frozen spinach, thawed and pressed to remove excess moisture
- 1 sweet onion, peeled and finely chopped
- 3 cups herb stuffing/dressing mix
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 4 eggs
- ½ cup grated Parmesan-Reggiano
- 1½ teaspoons dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside. In a mixing bowl, stir together the spinach, onions, stuffing/dressing mix, butter, eggs, Parmesan-Reggiano, thyme, salt and pepper.
- With your hands, roll into inch-sized balls and place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes or until golden-brown, turning halfway through the cooking time. Serve warm or at room temperature.
- Note: If necessary, these can be cooked and frozen for later use. Cool completely on the baking sheet. Place in the freezer until firm. Transfer to a freezer bag, label and freeze. Use within 1 month. Thaw in the refrigerator, then reheat at 300 degrees for 10 minutes before serving.
- 2 pounds London broil, cut 1 inch thick (sometimes labeled top round)
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, divided
- ½ teaspoon onion salt, divided
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan-Reggiano, divided
- Olive oil cooking spray
- Preheat the grill to high heat. Place the meat on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle the top with half of the Italian seasoning and half of the onion salt. Press in with your fingers. Flip over and repeat with the remaining Italian seasoning and onion salt. Allow to rest at room temperature for 10 minutes.
- Sprinkle one side with 1 tablespoon of the Parmesan-Reggiano. Spray with the cooking spray and press the cheese into the meat with your fingers. Repeat with the other side of the meat.
- Transfer to the grill and sear for 2 minutes then flip and sear for 2 minutes on the other side. Decrease the heat to medium and cook to the desired doneness when tested with an instantread thermometer.
- As a guide, it should be no more than 10 minutes for medium rare and no more than 15 minutes for medium.
Tips and tricks
Parmesan-Reggiano is dry and hard, which makes it perfect for grating. It is made from skimmed cow’s milk, and the best ones are aged at least two years.
Please skip the grated and shredded canned/jarred/tubbed items labeled as Parmesan. They simply can’t even be compared to grating or shredding it yourself from a wedge. Flavor from the can is completely different from the distinctly nutty, fresh taste of Parmesan-Reggiano.
The shelf life of a Parmesan-Reggiano wedge is remarkably long if you store it correctly. Wrap it in waxed paper before placing in a plastic zip-top bag, and keep it refrigerated.
There are multiple brands of hand graters on the market, but Zyliss is my favorite.
ASK Chef Tammy
Email your cooking questions to Tammy Algood: [email protected].
Davy writes: I have a recipe that calls for “crème de noyaux,” and upon shopping, I found it is rather expensive. Is there a more easily found and less expensive alternative?
Davy, crème de noyaux is a rather sweet liqueur that is flavored with the pits of different fruits, usually apricots, peaches and cherries. It has a distinctive almond taste, so any almond flavored liqueur can be substituted. Look for Disaronno or a small bottle of Frangelico.
Marianne asks: Can you tell me the temperature for cooking a candy mixture to the hard ball stage? I seem to have thermometers with different ranges listed.
Marianne, the hard ball stage produces a firm but still slightly pliable ball when the syrup is dropped in cold water. On a thermometer, that should be between 250 degrees (not lower) and 265 degrees (not higher.)
Tammy Algood develops recipes for The Tennessee Magazine that feature farm-fresh Tennessee food. Those fresh, local ingredients will always add cleaner, more flavorful foods to your table. We recommend visiting local farms and farmers markets to find the freshest seasonal produce.
