Weave a Thousand Flavors

Bucatini with Dill & Sardines, from Palermo

The thing traveling to places far and wide is that you carry in your heart a little part of everywhere you’ve ever been.

And just like that, you can relive a moment, a memory, a taste and at that moment you’re back there, transported as you were.

And for our family, Ferro Di Cavallo will always be favorite restaurant in Palermo. It doesn’t matter that it’s a pokey little place, where service is snail pace, once the food arrives that’s it – all vexations melt away.

Even now, a few years later, we often reminisce about the flavors of the Involtini di melanzane (because If you’ve spent any time in Sicily you know how much eggplant is loved) and the sardine meatballs and of course Bucatini with dill & sardines.

Quite simply there’s nothing quite like such a meal. It stays with you. So back home, in our little urban dwelling, it’s nice to recreate as best as I can, some of the dishes based purely on a memory of flavor and texture.

The bucatini with fresh dill and sardines is a celebration of everything I love about Sicilian cuisine. The purity and simplicity of flavors. The feeling that each bites tastes of the terra from which it was born.

This is the way pasta was meant to be eaten – 4 ingredients and no fuss. I admit, for me to get fresh sardines in the market is a rare thing. So I buy the best wide caught, sustainably harvested canned sardines in olive oil I can find in the supermarket. And it works fine.

All this recipes needs is bucatini from Italy made with semolina flour, some good quality olive oil with oomph, a nice bunch of fresh dill, some onions, garlic and of course the sardines.

And dinner comes together in 30 minutes. Rustic, real, delicious resplendent with the magical flavors that are created when fresh aromatic dill meets oily, creamy sardines.

So if you’re a fan of these ingredients and getting on a plain to Palermo doesn’t seem to be on the agenda in the near future, then treat yourself to the next best thing. A taste of Ferro Di Cavallo in your home.

The next best thing, to the real deal!

 

Authentic Greek Spanakopita ~ Greens & Feta Pie from the Land of Plato

So here's why you pay me the big bucks.

Riiight!

It's to bring all those itty bitty techniques in making a dish that takes from the realm of ouchie to easy.

We're talking Phyllo here.

Ask anyone who is non-Greek and they'll tell you just how scary it is working with Phyllo because the sheets tear or because they can't get it all smooth and perfect. On the whole, the idea of working with Phyllo is a nerve wrecking affair. Enter Xanax.

And then talk to a Greek person (one who cooks that is) and they'll tell you just how little time they spend worrying about the Phyllo.

Hardly any actually!

        The top sheets out of the packet are sticking together?

        So what? Just peel them apart gently.

        Sheets tearing in the process?

        No worries! Hide those at the bottom! As long as your top 3 sheets are pretty, it's all good.

        In short, stop worrying about the Phyllo!

Plus, I have a technique that makes it even easier. And that's 'stacking'. Stop fooling around with one sheet at a time. It's inefficient and takes twice as long. Instead stack the sheets, plonk them all together onto your dish and you'll be done in no time.

Without the Xanax.

For details on all that, you'll just have to read along, scroll down, look at pics and follow what you see.

Meanwhile, lets talk filling for a minute.

I love the filling that goes into this. Sauteed onions of at least 3 varieties is my favorite; green, yellow & red. To which is added, loads of spinach and chopped parsley. And a touch of nutmeg to keep it real. And finally, lovely creamy feta with a bit of cottage cheese but never ricotta.

When I speak of feta, I'm talking about the stuff that comes in big blocks from the Middle Eastern store of Turkish or Greek variety. None of that dried up crumbled stuff from your regular grocery store, folks.

Considering that you should buy your phyllo from such store to begin with - #4 phyllo, Athena or Apollo brands please, it's worth the trip to buy both.

Needless to say, when layers of Phyllo, smothered in your love and butter come together, nestle that delicious filling, few things in life are more delicious or more comfort food.

Truth be told, I could eat this every single day and never be tired of it. Warm or room temperature no matter.

If only my hiney and expanding waistline would heed, I'd be so good.

But never mind me. The more important thing here is that I took a batch into work and my very Greek boss who is the Queen of Spanakopita gave it her nod of approval saying it's just the way to she makes it.

 

Quick, Easy & Delicious ~ Egg & Bacon Pie from New Zealand

How often in life do you get to say that the food of my broke student days is the same I cook even now?

Not very, I should think.

But in this case, it's spot on.

Bacon and Egg Pie from New Zealand is one of those magical creations that has everything a kid in me loves - puff pastry, eggs, bacon. Way back when, we never bothered with tomatoes and fresh herbs.

Get real! We were graduate students with long days ahead with nights that were even longer and fresh green things didn't have a long prosperous life in our refrigerator! More like a black, moldy life!

So we'd just sprinkle a bit of tomato ketchup stirred around in a bowl with Worcestershire sauce and spoon little droplets all over the eggs. Puff pastry on and we'd be good to go.

Now when I make this, like I will tomorrow as part of Easter brunch spread, I'll spruce it up and make it all grown up gourmet with tomatoes and herbs. And that's crucial because the tomato and herbs, lightens up what should in fact be a heavy, sit in your tummy kind of pie and makes it quite light and refreshing.

Trust me, you really really have to give this one a go!

You'll even forget it's origins lie with the sheep shearers in the country and be convinced its from hoity toity urban restaurant where they'll charge you 15 bucks a slice. Truly!

British Food! Raised Pork & Ham Pie, for Meat Lovers everywhere

 

Spring has sprung! Easter is next week and this is the perfect time to an old time favorite that will earn you a nod even from Mrs. Patmore.

If you have to ask, then don't worry about it and keep reading.

Think of the this raised pie as the ultra sophisticated meat-loaf wrapped up in a die-to crust. The meat uses all kinds of ground meat and after several trial and errors perfecting the recipe, I felt that the ground pork belly fat is key. It adds moisture to the slab of meat in a way only animal fat can.

The flavors in the meat are wonderful - what with fresh herbs & freshly ground spices you just can;t go wrong.

And then comes the piece de resistance - the boiled water and lard crust. What an invention! I taught this last Saturday in class and most of the folks have been making French pie crusts with me for ages felt that this one was much easier to work with than traditional pie crust. And sturdier.

Of course it would have to be. To bear the weight and encase all that meat. And it is so very forgiving. Even if you muck it up, and your pie crust has more patchwork than a quilt, it still comes out looking and tasting just fabulous.

Best of all the whole thing is best prepared a day head and will serve a crowd. And just in case you didn't hear me before, it just happens to be delicious.

Just in time for Easter next week. Ya'll hear?!

For all those Spring Brunches! Bacon, Leek & Gruyere Quiche

Did you hear what I said?

Bacon and quiche in the same sentence. What's not to love!

And all of this only gets better with a buttery flaky wonderful crust. My version though a slight adaption from a Julia Child encompases some otehr things I swear by when I make pie crust - using a combination of butter and lard or shortening and using an egg - yolk for flavor and egg white forall that protein that also gives the crust some structural strength.

In short, you've got what it takes to never fail at pie crust...ever..again!

The rest is just wonderful full on flavor ingredients, cream, Gruyere cheese, bacon and leeks sauteed and added in, some fresh thyme.

A band wagon of yumminess all around! I love serving my quiches with a spinach strawberry salad but y'all can serve fresh fruits is you like.

Tuscan Ribollita ~ A delicious soup with a bounty of Beans, Vegetables & Bread

Tuscan Ribollita begins looking marvelous even before you start the cooking and ingredients are simply piled high in a disarray on the counter top.

All that Swiss chard, green mounds of savoy cabbage, Tuscan Kale, carrots, cannellini beans and I’m feeling healthful long before a single spoon has touched my lips. And I have no doubt this is totally psychosomatic, but I swear I can feel my waist shrink just a tad.

And no matter how you make yours, which variation you something’s when you make Ribollita are gospel;

• the Tuscan kale, I’ve been lucky lately and found them in bags near the regular kale but in a pinch you can use swiss chard – I find the texture of regular Kale a bit coarse for this soup,
• then comes one of the most important ingredients – rind (thick skin) of the Parmigiano Reggiano beaucse it infuses the soup such a wonderful chees scent and lightly flavors the soup without turning this into a cheese soup.
• next the cannellini beans – I think the canned beans works just fine and from trying both versions using dried beans and canned ones, I honestly don’t believe the effort behind using the dried ones is justified by the flavor.
• And lastly 1 day stale artisan bread torn up into large chucks – let’s face it, this is Tuscan and if one think the Tuscans do in their recipes is find ingenious ways of using leftover bread from the village baker.

Now here’s the controversial bit, traditionally pancetta is never used in Ribollita but let’s face it, everything is a little bit better with it so ‘gasp’, I’m using it! You don’t have to and I’ll accept the flak from Tuscans on this one. And I also cheat a little by using Herbes de Provence for seasonings because it has everything I need with a touch of lavender..yummy!

Either way, I doubt you’ll be able to get enough of this soup and every time you make this, with every tweak, it just seems to get better.

Delicious Italian Wedding Soup with Chicken & Meatballs

When an epic storm hailed the storm of the century is about to descend upon you dumping 24-30 inches of snow and wind gusts up to 55 miles an hour, what's a girl to do but make soup! And here’s the quintessential Italian-American classic that’s just what cold fingers and toes need to warm up!

The term itself is a misrepresentation the Italian soup that meant the ‘marriage of ingredients i.e. meat and veggies’ v/s it being served at a wedding!

Traditionally, it also includes some form of slightly bitter leafy green like escarole and egg is also added to create lacey ribbons within the soup. No matter which recipe you follow succulent meatballs are a staple though traditionally it was much heavier on meat unlike the American-Italian version where we just do with the meatballs.

I never make mine with leafy green btw. My youngest whose pallete is still developing doesn’t do too well with bitter flavors.

But couple of things are key: a great stock at its foundation where we simmer a whole chicken to create flavorful stock. And then what best to do with the chicken than shred it up and throw it back in the soup.

Next I add a bit of Parmigiano Reggiano and Italian sausage in my meatballs because the pork keeps the polpette succulent as opposed to if you just used ground beef. Instead of big old elbow pasta that takes over everything, Acini de pepe is my fave – those little pasta pearls that look like Israeli couscous doesn’t swell up to take over the whole soup (though the more it sits in the soup, the more it’ll drink up the stock…nature of starches my friends!)

Just a little bit of diced tomatoes, succulent meat balls, the pasta and at its foundation a robust stock and you’ve got the making of one fabulous comfort one-dish-meal soup. And why just a little bit of diced tomatoes you ask? Because all Italian soups don't have to end up like Minestrone!

Hope you get this soup on your winter rotation for a meal that kids and grown-ups will love alike!

 

{Tom Kha Gai} Thai Chicken Coconut Soup

Few things come close to the incensed flavors of Thai Chicken soup on a cold day.

Using a few tricks like using carton chicken stock and fusing it with the aromatic flavors of galangal and lemon grass, this soup puts together in less than 30 minutes but serves as though you've been slaving at the stove for hours.

I kid you not, this is my go to soup when I'm having  busy week night or having returned from the gym have no clue what to throw together with the kids mantra, I'm hungry, I'm hungry ringing in my ears.

I keep lemon grass on stand by and if you don't want to make a store run for galangal, no worries! Substitute with ginger.

The creaminess of the coconut milk with its natural sweetness pairs so beautifully with the umami from the fish sauce, lime juice and spiciness of the sambal olek.  And the fresh flavors of basil refreshes the palette with each slurp.

You really ought to give this a go and I hope you'll tell me how it turned out!

Bounty of Small Plates ~ Spanish Style Clams in Cerveza with Chorizo

 

Sooner or later this day was to arrive. The day I shake the dust off my keyboard and hunker down to write my first post of 2016. 

I hope the New Year is off to a robust start for y'all & will bring you loads of joy, prosperity and fabulous eats!

This year marks the 6th year, I have been putting fingers to keyboard writing this website. I continue to chug along and I am ever so grateful to all of you for showing up, whenever you need a recipe, want a quick read to see how I'm faring or simply for no reason at all.

So without further ado, I'm kicking off with food talk. And what's better than briny clams with spicy smoked Spanish chorizo?

Not much peeps!

Rich, smoky and unbelievably delicious when the gravy is mopped up with crusty bread.

Did I happen to mention the clams are brewed in beer?

Oh yeah, that's how we roll!

 So give it a go and I promise I'll sound a bit more coherent as the year progresses.

Could be that all the gluttony, bourbon and beer over the holidays has turned my brain-box funny.  Oh the holidays!

Spicy & Tantalizing, Goan Style Shrimp Curry

I'm writing this post, post Thanksgiving for a very good reason. If your home is anything like ours, 3 days after Thanksgiving, leftovers are dwindling and basically  we're all sick of the leftovers and ready to move onto anything that doesn't have turkey in it - or cranberries - or pumpkins!

So I'm going all out the other way of the culinary spectrum this week - hot, spicy & tantalizing. Which naturally means in India you're of to Goa!

As is quite typical with Goan cuisine, the masala paste is the very foundation on this curry. Hot spicy, hint of sour and very tantalizing.

In fact I am convinced that if I ate this regularly, you’d have to take down the front door to let me in because I’d have no portion control. That’s how tantalizing these flavors are.

I love how quickly this converts into vegetarian – just omit the shrimp but I would not omit those gorgeous raw mango slices. You’ll be surprised just how good they taste.

Fact of the matter is growing up, I know plenty of Goans (mums of friends I went to school with) would freeze the masala paste so it was always at hand to make a quick curry for dinner at hand with a side of fried fish and rice.

That’s all it take to make a lovely meal – a combination of great ingredients and spices, tamarind, coconut, coriander seeds, red chillies, mustard that gives this curry a great foundation of flavors and then you build on it with the coconut milk, the sour of raw mangoes and of course the slow simmer that melds all these great flavors together.

The shrimp is the crowning jewel but easily turns into a vegetarian just by omission.

Give it a go and let me know if you liked it as much as I love it!

A Bounty of Small Plates ~ Roasted Cauliflower & Prosciutto Crostini

I can't believe it's Thanksgiving next week! Whaaattt?

I know I'm not alone feeling this way because so many of us have talked about how it really does feel like the end of the year crept up on us so suddenly.

I confess I just finalized my grocery list sitting in front of the TV last night & this year instead of having a girl's night out trying to catch up, my gal pal Beth & I are going to meet up at the grocery store and shop together for Thanksgiving!

If you're not a foodie, this would be totally weird but if you are, you'd get this...it's culinary girl bonding at it's very best!

Peet's coffee to top it off is always a good idea too!

So, I meant to get this incredible crostini recipe out to you well in advance but a late night Saturday is just going to have to do. Hopefully some of you are still trolling the web for amazing appetizers. This one channels everything I love about Sicilian cuisine - roasted cauliflower which is celebrated with the sweetness of raisins, parsley and is just wonderful.

I created it for my small plates class and was so loved! I must say if you try searching the web for cauliflower crostinis most of them have you boiling the cauliflower (yuck) and turning into goop (uber yuck!) - who want's baby food on their appetizer! But then again, maybe that's just me.

Give this a go, and turn it into vegetarian by just skipping the proscuitto or serve it on the side and folks can dig in as they want.

A Bounty of Small Plates ~ {Garbanzo con Chorizo} Chick Peas with Spanish Chorizo

It's probably a good sign when my fingers are poised on the keyboard with eager anticipation of writing about this dish - one of my favorite ways of eating chick peas. Come to think of it, I simply love it for the sake of.

This recipe hails from Spain and the variations are staggering from Valencia to San Sebastian. Just about every Pintxos or tapas bar serves this dish. It exemplifies the  simplicity & the wonderful flavors that are the hallmark of Spanish cuisine.

And once again the quality of ingredients are key. Begin with dried chickpeas not canned ones. Soak overnight and cook until tender flavoring the water with cinnamon, cloves and bay leaves.

Onions are sauteed to which imported dry cured Spanish chorizo, resplendent in its gorgeous red color from the smoked Spanish pimenton are added. Then comes the chickpeas  just to warm through. Fresh parsley for garnish and its ready to serve with crusty bread and some wine.

What's wonderful about this dish is it can be made in the morning and set on the table, ready to be served for dinner.

I seem to be doing that a lot lately, serving small plates to make a meal. What fun!

Not only do dishes like these make a far from mundane meals, it is wonderful for entertaining or  simple weeknight meal reminiscing with the family on European holidays 4700 miles away!

Inspired by Julia Child ~ Cold Poached Salmon with Cucumber Sauce

As summer draws towards a close, I must admit this dish is one of my desperate attempts to have a lovely cold supper that makes summer evening entertaining so deliciously simple. Fortunately the 90 deg F continue to reign and so does my effort to keep things summery and cool.

So last weekend, when we had our friends over and it seemed liked the perfect opportunity for a lovely laid back cold supper without all the fuss and bustle that usually preludes a dinner party. It also helps when you’ve known folks a long time and they’re more like comfortable flannels than uptight ‘spanx’!

The menu was very simple, cold poached salmon with a lovely cucumber topping which is just the perfect combination. A side of green beans salad with a tarragon vinaigrette that I’ll be posting next and is a total must have for your menu rotation, gratin dauphinoise and plum clafoutis for dessert. Voilà!

A great bottle of wine and a flow of nice conversation and the evening was near perfect.

But I digress, and back to the salmon. Inspired by Julia Child, I worked the recipe a little differently to poach the salmon in a court bouillon rather than plain water. The stock is best made the night before or morning off to cool off before use.

I found using my poaching method yielded perfect results, where I begin with a room temperature stock poured over the salmon fillets, allowing the temperature to slowly rise for the next 15 minutes or so to a bubble and then 4-5 minutes at a simmer and it’s done.

Julia Child has the right of it when she proclaims, the poached fish should be springy when touched, if it flakes, too bad!

Not forgetting that the internal temp continues to rise as the fish sits at room temp and then finally chilled in the fridge on a ready to serve platter hours ahead, it really since simple elegance at its best.

Which brings us to the cucumber sauce. You really ought to resist the urge to turn the sauce into Tzaziki which I love, but Julia’s chopped up cucumbers in sour cream with red wine vinegar is simply divine and need no gussying up.

So by all means, do resist!

 I hope you’re inspired to cook up this lovely meal as summer is fast running out the front door and but for the heat, it's nearly fall!

Pollo a la Cerveza ~ Spanish Style Chicken in Beer

I've been a bit absent lately but I figured that if you've been doing this as long as I've been, you as my readers know I'm going to surface sooner or later.

The problem has been, that summer has been passing before my eyes at warp speed.

It's a bit scary when in your minds eye, you've already gone through summer and are already in Fall because of all the things that you've got lined up between now and then.

I am only just surfacing after the two week marathon teaching my wonderful middle and high school kids at the culinary summer camps.

Wonderful as it has been, the next day, I could barely haul myself out of bed and napped for 6 hours after a good night's sleep.

And the next day. And then it was Sunday!

But there are places to go and things to do so there is no time stand still for busy moms like me. We just keep on, going on.

So If we haven't been doing takeaway, I hate to admit, we've been throwing things on the grill or fixing one-dish meals like this one.

Turns out its pretty much what the Spanish are doing on week nights as well, while they're as busy as we are...well they probably have a more balanced perspective to life with their 3 hours lunches and what not....but never the less, this dish comes out of home grown comfort food for busy nights.

Takes nearly no active preparation, requiring overnight marinating..which is super easy unless you're watching your chicken marinate, and minimal active time on the stove, a bit of oven time & it's as easy as it gets on busy week nights.

And did I mention beer? Chicken marinated in spices and beer. How can you ever go wrong with that one?

As always, its crusty bread and salad for busy night to go with. But if you've got a bit of free time, the patatas alo pobre that we fixed a few weeks ago would go marvelously well.

Enjoy!

PS: Turns out, blogging done in a daze results in pics missing, the realization of which hits AFTER the dish is gobbled up. Oopsy!

 

Recipe for

Pollo a la Cerveza

Shopping list - Serves 4

1 qty 3-4 lb chicken cut up at the joints (ask the butcher to do this)

1 medium yellow onion

1 green bell pepper

1 qty 15 oz can diced tomatoes

3 garlic cloves, peeled

¼ cup olive oil

Overnight Marinade:

1 qty 12 oz bottle Imported Cerveza (Spanish or Mexican beer such as Dos Esquis)

1 tbs Dijon mustard

1 tsp smoked dulce (sweet) Spanish Paprika

1 medium yellow onion

4 cloves garlic, peeled

2 tsp salt

Preparation: For the marinade only:

Chicken: Wash and wipe to dry completely with paper towels or kitchen towels

Onion: Peel the onions and discard the ends. Dice into ½” pieces and add to a large mixing bowl

Garlic: Crush and roughly chop.

In the large mixing bowl, add the chicken, mustard, paprika, salt, onions and garlic. Rub all over the chicken. Pour the beer and combine. Remove to a zip-loc bag and store in the refrigerator overnight until ready to cook.

The next day: Preheat the oven to 375 deg F.

Onion: Peel the onions and discard the ends. Dice into ½” pieces and add to a large mixing bowl

Garlic: Crush and roughly chop.

Bell pepper: Cut off the woody top and discard membranes and seeds. Dice and set aside.

Method:

Heat the olive oil on medium heat in a heavy bottom sauté pan or chicken fryer at least 3” deep.

Sauté the onions, peppers and garlic with ½ tsp salt for 7-10 minutes until soft. 

Add the chicken, marinade, 1 tsp salt and tomatoes and stir to combine.

Cover with a tight fitting lid and bake for about 45-60 minutes until the chicken is tender and cooked.

Return to stove and evaporate some of the liquid if a thicken gravy is desired. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve with crusty bread. Enjoy!

Tuscan Roasted Pork Tenderloin & Herb Pesto Sandwich

What a week it' s been! Thoroughly satisfying and completely exhausting!

This last week I just completed teaching a Beginners Culinary Summer Camp for middle and high schoolers and can I just say we had a blast!

We cooked up everything from the creamiest ricotta scrambled eggs, orange-maple french toast, Udon noodles with peppes, crostinis with roasted red peppers and Balsamico, biscotti & crumb cake just to name a few.

We worked on knife skills, talked about the science behind the foods and the importance of high quality ingredients and the stories behind these artisinal foods.

Fun! Fun! Fun!

And so incredibly satisfying and meaningful.

I love teaching my adult classes at ACE but I think it is so important for me to take a hiatus from that and do this with the kids every summer.

These children are like sponges, taking it all in & retaining everything. I love the stories that inspire and despite their nonchalant attitude as they stroll into the cooking lab, I can see their eyes sparkle when they find something interesting.

Such good kids! And it gives me such hope spending time with them, sharing what I love most about food and cooking with this eager audience.

As the week drew to a close, it was lovely having the parents come into the classroom and eat some of the foods cooked by the kids and talk over a cup of coffee.

It was heartening to hear how much their children enjoyed the class and that they can't wait to return next year. Yea!

Monday, we kick-off the Advanced culinary camp and I can hardly wait! Needless to say, dinners at our home have taken second place and most nights it's been throwing steaks on the grill, roasting veggies and fixing frittatas.

This wonderful sandwich recipe that is in line with 'throwing things together for dinner', is inspired by one summer spent in Tuscany which I kid you not, has some of greatest butchers in Italy. Dario Cecchini anyone?!

The sage-rosemary rub alone is awe-inspiring and I promise you'll put it on every thing from chicken to steak.

So lets just say this recipe is a starting point for many great things to come.

A little like me spending a fortnight with these incredibly talented and inspiring kids...

For your Summer BBQ: Homemade Peruvian Roast Chicken with Spicy Green Dipping Sauce

This recipe is long long overdue.

And the fact is, if it weren't for Amazon.com, it is unlikely it would've seen the light of day.

Before you go off on me, no I do not own any stock in Amazon & I have no doubt some watch dog group somewhere will have a lot to educate me about their perceptive on unfair business practices etc. I await with baited breath. not.

All that aside, I am humbly referring to the fact that that I can now finally buy the ever essential black mint Huacatay online on amazon.com. Hence, here and now of all times comes this incredibly flavorful chicken.

And of course as with most flavorful moist meats & smoky chile pastes, the marinade and overnight marinating in citrus etc is key...all that food chemistry going to work, hammering away at the proteins as it sits.

The good news at the end of the 24 hours, you now have 3 options on how to cook the chook!

a) If you have a rotisserie spit, more power to you 'coz it's the way to go.

b) Broil (and yes only broil) it in the oven which is how I've done it for this pic.

c) Throw it on the grill. It is da bomb! Mr. Hubby threw it on the grill last night and oh boy!

So there! You have all these options and with the yummy dipping sauce with cilantro, jalapenos and what not, you can't go wrong. Ask the peeps, in my Saturday cooking class - they're still raving!

Spanish Style Bacalao {salted cod} with Roasted Red Peppers & Tomatoes

I love bacalao, salted cod. The texture & meaty flavor is quite unique and different to using just regular fresh cod fish.

Versions of this ‘tapas’ are served all over Spain but it’s the easy blend of ingredients that come together perfectly that makes this just so nice for dinner as an appetizer or even a light meal with a fresh green salad or veggies.

Now I know that whole salted cod looks sexy as hell hanging in the stalls of Bouqueria Marcato in Barcelona but if you’ve ever tried cleaning these, skin, bones and all it can be a nightmare! Go for cleaned up versions available in little balsa wood boxes in higher end super markets. These are a breeze to get at Wegmans for about 10 bucks a box which is enough to feed about 4-6 people.

As with all salted cod, you’ll need to soak and change the water at least 4 times in 24 hours to get rid of excess salt – no short cuts here, dearie!

In a pinch, use pre-roasted red peppers from the deli section and skip roasting your own, though they’re a breeze to roast but don’t skimp on imported Spanish smoked Paprika.

Salted cod, onions, tomatoes, smoked paprika and parsley all stewed together and served with crust bread. Yummy tapas, made easy!

Spanish Style Iberico Chorizo en Sidra ~ Dry Cured Chorizo in Hard Cider

Now what a thing of beauty this is!

Jamón ibérico a.k.a Pata negra which means black hoofed is singularly one of the most expensives pieces of cured meat I have ever purchased.

Turns out, the Spanish are as crazy about their Jamón ibérico as the Sicilians are about their Nebrodi pig. Not the same thing mind you since the Nebrodi pig when done in a spectacular fashion like Cuccio Sultano does in Ristorante Duomo Ragusa, is slow cooked & fresh.

But I digress.

Spanish cured chorizo is fabulous when sliced and sauteed with onions, the smoky flavor of ever so slightly toasted paprika and of course hard cider.

The rich flavor of the sausage is nothing like fresh Mexican Chorizo and sensational. Like a sublime piece of meat on bread. And the oils and juices in the pan can only e enjoyed mopping up, family style!

Good to know! I found my coveted imported Spanish sausage in the Mexican grocery store for about $11.00 for 7 ounces. It's not the same thing as the gigantic sausages (2" dia) sold in delis that have the word salami in fine print just below Spanish chorizo.

Tuscan Summer Salad with Mint Vinaigrette

 

Some nights of the week, this does the trick.

A lovely, refreshing salad while you're cooking some lovely marinated meat on the grill. And it's dinner done!

Especially true when you (that's me) has been teaching culinary classes nearly every weekend and out of town guests are about to descend upon the household in a matter of days. Yikes!

Time for complicated 4-course dinners this week? Not quite, but certainly enough time to rustle some delicious healthful dinner in about 30 minutes. Oh yes indeed!

This gorgeous salad has all the lovely flavors and refreshing ingredients, that will carry you to a gorgeous Tuscan countryside like a summer breeze - greens, crisp & succulent green beans, cannellini beans, juicy tomatoes, olives and of course Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese with none of that fake stuff coming out of a jar that looks like God knows what!

The mint vinaigrette comes together quickly after a bit of blanching with the mint leaves and minty flavors infuses the salad once again when fresh leaves are torn into the salad.

So good, that when we made it in class a few weeks ago, every one proclaimed that they love it just as is - no side of meat required!

Enjoy!

 

Weeknight Special ~ Scrumptious Crab & Corn Fritters

Here's what I call a fun fun meal.

Lovely flavors with crab meat and corn coming together and then some with herbs and spices.

The result is deliciously scrumptious. You don't want to omit the buttermilk and substitute with milk and what not because acidic content is key to the fluffiness of these fritters - the buttermilk acts as a catalyst with the baking soda.

Chemistry rocks, peeps!

I tend to make these and variations of the same, on weeknights when I need a quick dinner fix and all I need is a simple salad to pair.

Once you've got the batter together, you'll need to fry these in batches on the pan. Best served hot, but warm works just as well. Just be sure to begin making these about 30 minutes ahead of dinner time.

Did I mention, sure to please big kids, little kids and kids not so much all the same!

Make Ahead tips: These fritters are best eaten immediately off the hot stove. They do fine in for lunch box meals the next day & though they don't look half as fluffy, taste just fine.

Spring has Sprung! Creamy Shrimp & Asparagus Risotto with Lemon Zest

I must admit, 9 times out of 10 I'm feeling pretty good about the way a photo turns out. I'm not saying there aren't thousands of peeps out there with far better food photography skills because there truly are, but I'm okay with that.

This isn't one of those times. I'm looking at my pic as I write this and feel like my risotto deserves a full blown apology from me. Poor risotto!

The truth of the matter is that if you take away my sub par photography skills for just a moment, you'll be left with just the dish. And as dishes go, this one is marvelous. But there are some tricks to getting a risotto just right. And I mean any risotto.

First, forget Arborio rice! Whhhhaaaaatttt!

Trust me, I just finished teaching a few sessions of risotto classes and everyone agreed hands down, Vialone Nano riso from Veneto wins hands down! You'll be able to get that lovely creamy risotto texture that we all aspire for as well as the flavors reaching into the very core of the rice.

Step 2, toast the rice. And that involves, sauteing with onions, shallots whatever.

Step 3, adding liquids - some vino and then ladle after ladle of stock which involves stirring.

Yes, there is stirring involved, I cannot lie but that's it. If you can stir and spend about 40 minutes from start to finish, you can make awesome risotto. So yes, you'll have to step away from House of Cards for a bit but so what!

Did I mention, risotto with shrimp and asparagus?

And if that itself is not mouthwatering & 'springy' enough for you, think lovely lemon zest and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese for an elegant finish.

So don't let Spring get away from you and make this gorgeous risotto while succulent asparagus spears beckon!

Ragu with {Melt-in-your-mouth Meatballs} Polpette & Italian sausage

 

In life there are meatballs and then there are meatballs.

Everyone from the neighbor and his dog has their nonna’s recipes that they swear by. I’m not being snarky, I promise…I’m guilty of the same. In fact doing it right now!

So let me tell you, I’m sure your family recipe meatballs are fabulous but have you ever had a meatballs that’s so soft and succulent that you literally have to stamp HANDLE WITH CARE over each of them.

In fact I’m taking my old recipe and shelving it.

If it weren’t for this recipe that I came across during my trip to Sicily this October, where my friend Silvia and I were casually chatting about recipes kneading up some focaccia for dinner that evening, where she casually mentioned adding ricotta to the meatballs, all would have been lost.

Hope I have your attention now!

Pork, veal and ricotta comes together with chopped up onions, parsley, Parmigiano Reggiano, fresh bread crumbs and red pepper flakes are gently mound together to form meatballs that are then seared in the pan. Fried up next are Italian sausages.

The whole lot’s dunked in a rich red wine tomato ragu. Can I just say, it’s meatballs taken up oh so many notches! What pasta you decide to serve it with is entirely up to you. I doubt you’ll stop swooning on the meatballs to ever get past.

I emphatically urge you to drop everything and make these for your next Sunday sauce.

Truly, sincerely, thank you very much!

Devaki

One Incredible NOLA Sandwich ~ The Muffuletta, Inspired by Central Grocery & Market

Think of the Muffuletta as just a sandwich with a pile of cold cuts and cheese thrown on and you'd be so wrong!

In my humble opinion, here's a sandwich by which all others should be judged, a bastion in the world of sandwiches if you will.

And when it comes to the Muffuletta, you'd be hard pressed to find one that come close to the one found right here in New Orleans - The Central Grocery & Market on Decatur street. 

To make a great Muffaletta, you have to have (1) a nice robust olive salad, then (2) comes the bread - traditionally a 10-inch round with sesame seeds on top, just a light crust an soft interior and last (3) a great selection of meats (go for the imports people!)

So the way I figure it, I've got (1) and (3) covered and my bread ain't bad either. But I can't imagine sharing this with you folks and expecting you to pull out the yeast everytime you want a Muffuletta. So that calls for a compromise.

I went to my artisan neighbourhood bakery and pressed down every circular bread I could find so I get one that has a nice crust but is also somewhat soft (you know there's only so much soft you'll get with an Italian bread....but oh! well)

I was pretty happy with a nice Italian round about 8" in dia. that I picked up. And with my olive salad ready to go, so am I. In my humble opinion, this right here is a wicked  Muffuletta, but I'm not so arrogant as to proclaim it's in the league of Central Grocery.

I do think that unless you are a hop, skip and jump away from NOLA, you'll find this recipe deeply satisfying.

But before you run off, don't forget to get the recipe for the amazing olive salad with is key, right here!

 

Italiano Spicy Clams with Creamy Polenta

First off let me begin by saying we are HUGE clam fans.

Not only are we all crazy about their briny flavor but they cook in 10 minutes and present like a million bucks!

These Italiano clams are my favorite because they have a great spicy undertone with the red pepper flakes. The base is my 'go-to tomato sauce' which only takes 20 mins to throw together (Molto Mario!) and I use it for everything from dishes like this to my briny olives.

I also love the fact that all you need is just a few ingredients – some garlic, the basic tomato sauce and wine. Easy peasy!

So once you’ve got the polenta going – follow the instructions to a T, it never fails and you'll end up with gorgeous creamy polenta, begin on the clams and in 30 minutes with 2 burners going on the same time, it’s dinner done!

But your guests will never know – certainly not by the flavors. Molto bene!

These really would be fabulous for a dinner party but I make it just on regular week nights after work when I don’t want to be slaving over a hot stove.

And my kids have fun too pulling the meat out and piling the shells in a large pot on the table. Playing with your food taken to the next level here!

Bucatini all’Amatriciana

 

Sometimes I can’t believe how long it takes me get down to writing about some of my favorites.

Amitriciana is a really nice easy peasy pasta and that is wonderful as a weeknight special just because it doesn’t have loads of prep work nor does it have loads of ingredients. The recipe originated in Amatrice in but is quite popular today and easily found in restaurant menus all over Rome.

With one change – in Rome, Bucatini is used instead of Spaghetti.

AT the heart of the sauce is guanciale – cured pork cheeks. I find it terribly difficulty to find in the market so its cousin the pancetta is my quick, go to cured meat of choice. So the base of the sauce is the meat sautéed with onions and stewed for a bit with red pepper flakes.

Depending on the version of the sauce and the region of Italy cooking it, anchovies are added. I love mine with anchovies so it’s a YES for me and so are sliced black olives that comes from no region in Italy but for the fact I love them in the sauce. Hey! At least I’m honest!

Finally it is topped with loads of grated Pecorino – not Parmigiano Reggiano, just plain and simple Pecorino.

Here’s a factoid for a bit of a chuckle, this pasta seems quite similar to its vegetarian cousin – Pasta alla Puttanesca which basically translates to Pasta of the whores because turns out the ladies of the night would entice ‘clients’ with bowl of this steaming lovely (only in Italy peeps!)

But hang on! Shouldn’t the one with the pork be the Putanesca then and the vegetarian version be  Amitriciana considering the implication of the trade and all? Confused much?!

Either way, make the pasta, tell the story among friends at the dinner table sans children of course & Enjoy!