"Rescue Chef" Goes Italian

Food Network's Danny Boome Makes Perfect Marinara, Eggplant Lasagna, Chocolate Cannolis

(CBS)  We all have our problems when it comes to cooking. Getting that steak done medium well, getting the souffle to rise, drying out pot roast.

If these problems sound familiar, then the man you need to call is chef Danny Boone. The aptly named "Rescue Chef" helps Food Network viewers each week with their questions and, on The Early Show Wednesday, he went authentic Italian all the way.

Uou think marinara is boring? Try his perfect sauce. Tired of serving eggplant parmesan? Try eggplant lasagna. And to top it off? A sinfully simple and delicious dessert: store-bought cannoli shells with homemade chocolate filling.

Nona's Marinara Sauce

1 large onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons tomato paste
5 cloves garlic
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoon freshly picked oregano leaves
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Peel 5 cloves garlic and place them in a square of foil. Sprinkle the cloves with salt and pepper and drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Wrap up the foil and place it directly on the oven rack. (Be sure that the foil packet is secure so no oil will leak out.) Roast the garlic until it's brown and tender, about 25 minutes. Allow to cool enough to touch and squeeze the garlic from the skins. Set aside.

Saute onions and carrots with the oil in a medium saucepan. Add tomato paste and stir well. This will cook off the tomato paste and give a nice orangy color. Cook for about 10 minutes. When vegetables are softened add the roasted garlic, salt, pepper, basil, oregano and stir together until incorporated. Pour the tomatoes into the saucepan and fill the empty can with water and add it to the pan. Bring to a boil then lower the heat to a simmer. Simmer for an hour, uncovered. Stir occasionally. Once sauce is ready carefully pour it into the food processor and pure tomato sauce until smooth.

Tips:

Pour into ice cube trays and freeze for future use. By putting them in ice cube trays then popping them out into a resealable bag you can control how much you want to use each time - easier to manage.

Since tomatoes can be very acidic using carrots and roasted garlic brings a sweetness to the marinara.

Yields: 3 cups
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hr 20 min
Ease of Preparation: Easy

Eggplant Lasagna

2 large eggplants, sliced lengthwise 3/4-inch thick (8 slices)
5 tablespoons olive oil, divided plus more for baking dish
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon freshly chopped thyme leaves
1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
3 large eggs
1 cup Parmesan, divided
2 tablespoons freshly chopped oregano leaves
2 cups Nona's Marinara Sauce, recipe to follow

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Arrange sliced eggplant in a single layer on 2 sheet pans. Brush on both sides using 3 tablespoons of oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast the eggplant until it is soft and golden. Turn slices halfway through. Cook for 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium skillet add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and the sliced mushrooms. Saute until soft for about 7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and chopped thyme. Cook for another 2 minutes. Once mushrooms are cooked remove and set aside to cool.

In a large bowl add the ricotta, eggs, 1/2 cup Parmesan, chopped oregano, mushrooms, 2 teaspoons of salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Mix well. Brush an 8-inch baking dish with oil.

Spread half of the marinara sauce on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Lay 4 slices on top followed by the ricotta mixture. Lay another 4 slices of eggplant and finish with marinara sauce. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan. Bake until golden brown, at 350 degrees, for 30 minutes.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour
Ease of Preparation: Easy

Cannoli with Chocolate Drizzle

6 large cannoli shells, premade
1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
4 ounces goat cheese
1 orange, zested
1 vanilla bean
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate

In a food processor add ricotta, sugar, goat cheese, orange zest and vanilla. Pulse until incorporated, do not over mix. Place filling into a re-sealable plastic bag and cut the tip off to create a piping bag. Fill each shell with the cannoli filling and drizzle with melted chocolate.

Serves: 6
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time:
Ease of Preparation: Easy

[mikecorriga1]

I found myself watching your "Early Show" this morning (9/3/08). It has been a long time since I have watched any TV morning shows and especially news casts from the TV. Over the years I have seen steady declines in the quality and scope of reports. I realize that profits motivate the programming and you have to sell ad space, but you have sacrifised professionalism. The current trend in news casts seems to be "anything goes". Reporters mumbling and stuttering through reports (so much for script rehersal), people on the sets trying to out do each other with quirky remarks and the ever popular "witty banter". On one late night news show we actually get to hear people yelling things from off camera. It is all *** and has played a large part in my descision to stop watching TV.
Back to the show from this morning. I watched the short segment on the Store vs. Name Brand clip and thought that was a good clip. And then I watch Harry Smith take the challenge. What is his problem ? He proceeded to make negative , critical remarks at each testing station. Additionaly during the segment on the "Rescue Chef" his off the cuff he manages to insult the entire state of Minnesota (You may have heard of us. We are currently hosting an event that some people in the US and around the world are interested in.) by stating we don''t have good marinara sauce.
Are we all that stupid that we can''t cook anything but lutefisk?