• If you haven’t soaked the beans, do a power soak: Place beans in a large pot, cover with water by 1″, and bring to a boil over high heat. As soon as the water comes to a boil, remove pot from heat, stir in a palmful of salt, cover pot, and let beans sit 1 hour.

• Pulse carrots, leek, and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped. Heat ⅓ cup oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium. Add chopped vegetables, season generously with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring often, until vegetables start to sweat out some of their liquid, about 4 minutes. The goal at this stage is to slow cook the soffritto until the vegetables are very soft but have not taken on any color. Therefore, reduce heat to medium-low, cover pot, and cook, stirring every 5 minutes or so and reducing heat if mixture starts to brown, until vegetables are softened and juicy, about 15 minutes. Add ham hock and cook, uncovered, stirring and scraping bottom of pot every 5 minutes, until soffritto is starting to brown in places and has lost at least half of its volume, about 10 minutes more.

   

Cheese Cake Factory

 Your Favorite Restaurant Dishes

Cheesecake Brownies                               

•                                   INGREDIENTS

  For the brownie layer

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter cut into cubes
  • 1 3/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips divided use, do not use Nestle
  • Add one and a half cups granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • cooking spray

  For the cheesecake layer

  • 8 ounces cream cheese softened
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • One egg
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla

  INSTRUCTIONS

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8 or 9 inch square pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang of parchment on both sides. Coat the parchment lined pan with cooking spray.
  • For the brownies: Place the butter and 1 1/3 cups of chocolate chips into a large bowl. Microwave in 30 second increments until just melted. Stir until smooth.
  • Let the chocolate mixture cool for 5 minutes. Whisk in the sugar, then whisk in the eggs, one by one. Finally, whisk in the vanilla extract.
  • Add the flour, cocoa powder and salt to the bowl. Stir gently until just combined. 
  • Reserve 1/4 of of the brownie batter in a separate bowl. 
  • Fold the remaining chocolate chips into the larger amount of the brownie batter.
  • Spread the larger amount of batter evenly into the prepared pan.
  • For the cheesecake filling: Place the cream cheese and sugar in a bowl. Beat with a mixer for 2-3 minutes or until smooth and creamy. Add the egg and vanilla extract, then beat until smooth.
  • Pour the cheesecake mixture over the brownie batter in the pan.

     

    • Add 1 tablespoon of very hot water to the reserved brownie batter. Stir until smooth.
    • Dollop the brownie batter over the cheesecake. Use a skewer or knife to swirl the two batters together.
    • Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached.
    • Cool the brownies completely.
    • Use the parchment overhang to lift the brownies out of the pan. Cut into squares, then serve.

     

  TGI Friday

   Your Favorite Restaurant Dishes