Chef Frank Bonanno is the man behind the brand new Osteria Marca and the established Mizuna and Luca D'Italia.  He has these three simple recipes to warm up the holiday season.  And lower in this article are many more recipes he shared with us in October with ingredients fresh from the market.

Featured on 9News at Noon, December 11th, 2007.

Nutella Hot Chocolate

• 1 quart heavy cream
• 1 container Nutella
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:
1. Slowly heat cream until hot, but not boiling.
2. Whisk in Nutella, cinnamon, & nutmeg.
3. Cook over low heat for 3 minutes, and serve with whipped cream.


Mizuna Rich & Warming Mushroom Soup
Serves four

5 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
10 sage leaves
1 sprig rosemary
2 shallots
4 tablespoons butter
1 pound crimini mushrooms
1 pound tree oysters
1 pound chantrelles (may substitute all mushrooms for a 3 pound mix of "wild mushrooms")
1 cup dry sherry
4 cups mushroom stock (or vegetable stock)
2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons crème fraiche
¼ cup sherry vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
4 tablespoons chopped chives
1 fresh truffle (may substitute for canned in a pinch)

Tools: Cheese cloth; paring knife; stock pot; wooden spoon; 2-4 inches twine; blender; truffle shaver (cheese slicer will work here); 4 serving bowls
1. Wrap herbs in cheese cloth to make a sachet. Tie twine around the top and set aside.
2. Thinly slice shallots.
3. In large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Toss in shallots and cook two minutes. Add mushrooms; cook for ten minutes more, stirring constantly. Mix in sherry; cook another two minutes. Add mushroom stock and drop in the herb sachet. Cook until reduced by half.
4. Once reduced, add heavy cream and cook over low heat.
5. While soup cooks for this last ten minutes, finely chop the chives and shave four nice slices off the truffle. Set aside.
6. Remove soup from heat; puree in blender with crème fraiche, vinegar, salt and pepper until velvety smooth.
7. Pour into serving bowls; top with shaved truffle and dust with chives.

Notes: This soup is most flavorful prepared without chicken or beef stocks. Let the earthy notes of the mushrooms speak for themselves. While I personally prefer the woody flavor criminis and chantrelles, any mushroom will work for this recipe–even the standard button.

Crispy Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus
Serves 12 – 15 ppl as an appetizer

Ingredients:
• 6 sheets Phyllo dough
• ½ cup melted butter
• 30 pencil asparagus blanched (thin asparagus)
• ¾ cup parmesan cheese
• 12 slices Parma Prosciutto

Tools:
Pastry brush
Non-stick sauté

Process:
1. On work surface, layout 3 pieces of Phyllo dough and brush liberally with butter and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
2. Cut the sheet into thirds.
3. Place 2 pieces of Prosciutto on a cutting board side by side and lay 5 asparagus spears on top and roll up. Repeat until you have all the asparagus rolled with Prosciutto.
4. Place a Prosciutto and asparagus roll onto one of the pieces of Phyllo that has been cut and roll it up tightly. Brush with butter and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Repeat with all the remaining asparagus.
5. Place a non-stick sauté pan over medium heat and add 1 tbsp of melted butter. Place 3 rolls into the pan and cook until golden.
6. Remove from pan and cut rolls into 4 pieces each. Serve warm.


All October, on 9News at Noon, we made the most of the last month of harvest. 

Here are his selections for a three course meal that make the best use of your trip to the market.  For more ideas, visit www.mizunadenver.com.

Featured on 9News at Noon, Oct. 18th, 2007

Wild Mushroom Bruschetta
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 loaf crispy baguette
8 oz Crimini mushrooms, cut into quarters
8 oz Shitake mushrooms, with stems removed and sliced
8 oz Oyster mushrooms
4 cloves garlic
6 oz EVOO
1 4 oz piece of Pecorino cheese for shaving
1 tsp white truffle oil
Salt & Pepper

Directions:
1. Heat large sauté pan on high heat. Add 3 oz EVOO, mushrooms, and 2 cloves of garlic.
2. Sauté until golden brown. Season with salt and pepper and let cool.
3. While the mushrooms are cooling, slice the bread about ¼ inches thick. Brush liberally with EVOO and season with salt and pepper. Grill until crispy.
4. Remove the bread. Rub the crust with a garlic clove.
5. Place the bread in the center of the plate and distribute mushrooms on top. Drizzle with truffle oil, and grate pecorino on top to finish. Serve.

Seared Scallops
Butternut Squash Puree, Caper Brie Butter
Serves 4

Ingredients:
16 large diver scallops
1 butternut squash
8 oz butter
2 tbs capers
1 bunch beet greens
1 tsp lemon juice
3 tbs EVOO
Salt & pepper

For butternut squash puree:
1. Cut the squash in half and remove the seeds. Season with salt and pepper, and drizzle with EVOO.
2. Place squash on a cookie sheet, cut side down. Bake at 400 until tender, or about 35 minutes.
3. Remove the pulp and place in a blender. Puree with 4 tbs butter and salt & pepper until smooth.
4. Remove and hold warm.

For the greens:
1. In large sauté pan, add EVOO over high heat. Mix in the greens and sauté for 2 minutes, until wilted. Add 1 oz of butter and hold warm.

For brown butter:
1. Place small sauté pan over high heat, and add butter. Cook until golden brown.
2. Add lemon juice and capers, and hold warm.

For scallops:
1. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Warm sauté pan until it is very hot, and add EVOO. Sear the scallops on one side until crispy. Flip and cook for one minute.
3. Remove and place on a paper towel to drain.

To assemble and plate:
1. Place 2 spoonfuls of butternut squash puree in the center of the plate. Add beet greens on top, then scallops. Drizzle with capers and brown butter. Serve.

Chocolate Bacci
Serves 4

Ingredients:
21 oz bitter chocolate
21 oz butter
12 whole eggs
12 egg yolks
6 cups cake flour
15 oz powdered sugar

Directions:
1. Melt butter into the bitter chocolate and stir.
2. Whip eggs with egg yolks until they double in size.
3. Add chocolate and butter to eggs and fold in the cake flour.
4. Place batter in plastic lined ramekins, and bake for 12-15 minutes or until set.
5. Remove from ramekins and serve.

Featured on 9News at Noon, Oct. 11th, 2007

Roasted Colorado Beet Salad
With Oranges, Shaved Pecorino, Hazelnuts, Parsley & Mint

Serves 4

Ingredients:
3 large organic beets
2 oranges, segmented
¼ cup toasted hazelnuts 
¼ cup EVOO and 1 tbs EVOO for the beets
2 tbs red wine vinegar
3 ounce piece of pecorino cheese
1 tbs Chiffonade mint
2 tbs parsley leaves
Salt & pepper

To Roast Beets:
1. Preheat oven to 400°
2. Place the beets in foil and season with salt & pepper and 1 tbs EVOO. Close the foil into a package and bake for 1 hour until tender.
3. Let cool. Peel the beets, then cut into wedges and refrigerate.

To Assemble:
1. Place beets in a medium bowl. Add oranges, hazelnuts, mint and parsley.
2. Mix the EVOO and vinegar in a bowl. Whisk lightly and pour over the beets. Toss lightly.
3. Divide the salad between the four plates. Using a peeler, slice a few pieces of the cheese on top. Serve.

Rotisserie Chicken Panini
With Tomato and Parmesan Fonduta

Serves 4

Ingredients:
2 large Heirloom Tomatoes, sliced
1 large 18'' loaf ciabatta Bread
1 whole roasted organic chicken (all meat pulled and chopped)
6 cups arugula
¼ cup EVOO
2 tbs lemon juice
Salt & pepper
1 recipe of the parmesan & tomato fonduta

For the Fonduta:
¼ cup white wine
¼ cup white wine vinegar
1 cup heavy cream
1 ½ cup parmesan cheese
1 shallot chopped
2 tbs butter

Directions:
1. Heat medium pot over low heat. Add butter & shallot and stir for 5 minutes
2. Add vinegar and white wine. Cook until reduced by 2/3 (10 minutes)
3. Add cream & tomatoes and reduce by ¾ (about 10 minutes)
4. Pour the reduced mixture into a blender. Add parmesan cheese and blend until smooth. Remove and let cool.

To build the sandwich:
1. Cut the ciabatta into 4 pieces
2. Divide the chicken between the four pieces of bread and spread 2 tbs of the fonduta on top of each piece. Layer tomatoes slices on top of the chicken.
3. Place in a Panini press and cook until fonduta is moist and crust is crispy.

To plate:
1. While the Panini is cooking, plate the arugula in a bowl and toss with EVOO, lemon juice, and salt and pepper.
2. Place the arugula in the center of the plate. Cut Panini in half and place around the salad.

Peach Crostada

Serves 4

Ingredients:
4 peaches pealed and chopped
¼ cup Amaretti cookie crumbs
2 tbs sugar
½ tsp. cinnamon
1 ½ tsp. nutmeg

Directions:
1) In a small bowl, mix sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg
2) Roll crostada dough into 7'' circles
3) Sprinkle center with cookie crumbs
4) Top with peaches
5) Sprinkle sugar mix on top of peaches
6) Then fold the side up around forming 5 sides
7) Bake at 350 degrees until golden

For dough
Ingredients:
2 ½ cup flour
½ tsp. salt
¾ tsp. baking powder
Pinch of cinnamon
6 ounces butter, cubed
2 eggs
1 tbs. milk

Directions:
1) Put the flour in a food processor and start processing
2) fold in butter then eggs then milk until it becomes a ball and comes together. Refrigerate for one hour
3) roll the dough out to about 1/8 inch and cut cicles about7 inches in circumference .


Featured on 9News at Noon, Oct. 4th, 2007

Heirloom Tomato Salad
French Feta Cheese, Pickled Red Onions & Frisee
Serves 4

Ingredients:
3 medium heirloom tomatoes, sliced into 4 pieces each
1 small red onion, sliced thin
1 cup red wine vinegar
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
1 cup Frisee
8 ounces French feta (regular feta will work)
Sea salt and cracked pepper

Tools: Small saucepan, medium glass bowl, small bowl, 4 serving plates

Process:
1. Pickle the red onions.
2. Place onions in a bowl, set aside.
3. In small pot, bring vinegar to a boil.
4. Pour the vinegar over the onions; let steep for one hour. Refrigerate.
5. In small mixing bowl, toss Frisee, 1/3 pickled onions, olive oil, vinegar and salt to taste. Set out your plates.
6. Assemble. Put a little pile of Frisee in the center of each plate, surround with 3 slices of tomato. Sprinkle tomatoes with sea salt and crumbled feta.

Roasted Halibut
Pancetta Braised Local Beans with Potato Fonduta
Serves 4

Ingredients:
Four 6 ounce halibut filets
2 organic Yukon Gold potatoes
4 tbsp butter
¾ cup heavy cream
½ cup diced pancetta (or bacon, if pancetta is unavailable)
8 ounces green beans
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus 3 additional tablespoons for fish
Salt and cracked pepper
Half a lemon (for squeezing)

Tools: Potato peeler, paring knife, 2 quart sauce pan, colander, KitchenAid (or food processor or electric beater), stock pit, medium sauté pan, large sauté pan, tongs, paper towel-lined colander, 4 serving plates

1. Prepare the fonduta.
2. Peel potatoes and dice into 1 inch cubes. Place in pot with salted cold water and bring to a simmer. Continue cooking until tender (about 20 minutes). Drain.
3. Puree potatoes into cream and 3 tbsp of butter until smooth and creamy (about the consistency of very soft polenta). Salt and pepper to taste. Hold warm.
4. Prepare the green beans by first beginning to bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
5. While waiting for pot to boil, sauté pan 1 tablespoon of the olive oil with the pancetta. Cook over medium heat until the pork turns crispy (about 8 minutes)
6. Toss green beans into boiling water; cook for 4-5 minutes, or until tender
7. Use tongs to transfer green beans from water to sauté pan with pancetta.
8. Season with salt and pepper. Hold warm.
9. Cook the halibut. First, season filets liberally with salt and pepper.
10. Heat large sauté pan over high flame. Add 3 tbsp olive oil, then filets. Cooking until fish flesh is golden brown–turn, cook other side for another 4 minutes..
11. Remove filets from heat to paper towels. Squeeze lemon over filets
12. Assemble by setting 2 tbsp potato fonduta in center of each plate. Spoon 2 tbsp of pancetta and green beans in the center of the fonduta. Arrange halibut on top. Serve.


Vanilla Panna Cotta
Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:
4 cups heavy cream
2 cups milk 
1 cup sugar
1 vanilla bean
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 gelatin sheets

Tools: Small bowl, sauté pan, wooden spoon, sieve (or colander lined with cheese cloth), medium bowl, 8 6-ounce ramekins,

Process:
1. Bloom the gelatin in cold water for 8-10 minutes.
2. Combine remaining in saucepan; bring to a simmer.
3. Remove from heat. Stir in gelatin until thoroughly dissolved.
4. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve; divide into ramekins
5. Refrigerate for 6 hours and serve.