Rocco Gets Real Recipes

Rocco Gets Real - Tuna Burgers with Pepperoncini and Basil)

Season tuna mixture with salt and pepper and divide into 2 "burgers". Dredge each burger in flour and then dip in egg. Finally coat well with panko breadcrumbs.

Rocco Gets Real - Shrimp Paella with Chorizo, Chicken and Mussels)

Rocco Gets Real - Veggie Marinara)

Heat oil in a dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic and onions and saute for about 3 minutes. Add diced onion, carrot and Swiss Chard and season with salt and pepper.

Rocco Get's Real - Spinach and Boursin Ravioli with Vodka Sauce)

Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Add spinach and onion to the pot and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove spinach and onions from the pot with a slotted skimmer. Squeeze vegetables in a dish towel to remove excess water.

Serves 4 

Rocco Gets Real - Low-Cal Brownies)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray an 8×8-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray.

Combine the beans, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and egg substitute in the bowl of a food processor. Process until the mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping down the bowl halfway through.

Add the chocolate syrup, sour cream, butter, Truvia, and vanilla. Process until all of the ingredients are combined, about 1 minute.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish, and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 28 to 30 minutes, turning the dish halfway through the baking time. A toothpick inserted in the center will come out with soft batter clinging to it.

Rocco Gets Real - Quick Crème Brulee)

Empty contents of vanilla pudding cups into a medium bowl. Meanwhile, microwave the vanilla bean for about 5 seconds, or until warm. Split bean in half and scraped vanilla seeds into the bowl. Whisk well to evenly distribute vanilla. Divide pudding between two 5 inch crème brulee ramekins and smooth tops with offset spatula. Chill for 30 minutes, if desired.

Rocco Gets Real - Cornmeal Fried Monkfish with Spicy Mayo)

Heat oil in a large pot to 375 degrees. Meanwhile, coat monkfish in egg whites. Drain and dredge in cornmeal. Add to oil, and stir with a slotted skimmer to prevent sticking and clumping. Fry for about 3 minutes, or until golden brown and just cooked through. Drain on paper towels and season with salt and pepper.

Rocco Gets Real - Beef Wellington)

Lay one sheet of puff pastry on a working surface. Spread the center of the pastry with about ½ of the pate. Place beef on top of pate and spread beef with remaining pate. Brush edges of puff pastry surrounding the beef lightly with egg wash.

Rocco Gets Real - Spicy Tuna Rolls and Mushroom Asparagus Rolls)

For Spicy Tuna mixture: combine tuna with remaining ingredients and mix well. Season to taste. 
For Mushroom Asparagus mixture: heat sesame oil in a large saute pan over high heat. Add garlic, ginger and scallions and stir fry until very fragrant, about 1 minute. Next, add mushrooms and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and mirin to the mixture and turn off heat. Stir in lime juice and zest. Allow to cool. 

Rocco Gets Real - Stuffed Artichokes)

Artichokes were always reserved for special occasions in my family. We ate them stuffed on holidays. This is one of my mother's specialties. At the restaurant, we added a slice of pancetta, chopped, to the filling, which is a great variation. Serve these one per person. Pull off the leaves and scrape the meaty part of each one with your two front teeth. When you get through all the leaves, the heart is, many people believe, the best part.