Food, food and food ...

Thứ Bảy, 16 tháng 4, 2011

Braised Spring Artichokes

One of the first things I planned to do once we returned to Umbria this spring was to hit the local markets and buy fresh artichokes, so on Monday, although still recovering from jet lag, we got up bright and early drove to the Marsciano market and bought a dozen fresh spring chokes. I love artichokes just about any way you could possibly prepare them, but my favorite method is to simply braise them until they are meltingly tender. I love to serve artichokes this way on an antipasto platter with other vegetables, or simply on their own as a first course followed by a pasta dish for a casual family dinner at home.

My artichokes were fairly small and very fresh so I did not cut them in half and remove the inner spiny choke. If yours are larger, or you are not certain of their freshness, simply cut in half and scoop out the choke. Read How To Clean An Artichoke and Mysteries Of The Artichoke Unveiled for more information and instruction.

Serves 4

by Deborah Mele

4 Tablespoons Extra-virgin Olive Oil

4 Garlic Cloves, Thinly Sliced

4 Medium Artichokes, Trimmed

1 1/4 Cups Dry White Wine

Sea Salt & Cracked Black Pepper

Juice Of 1/2 Lemon

4 Tablespoons Fresh Chopped Parsley or Mint

Heat the olive oil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, and then

add the garlic and sauté, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute. Next add the artichokes and stir to coat in the oil. Add the wine, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook until the chokes are fork tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. Add the fresh chopped parsley or mint and toss. Transfer the artichokes to a serving platter. Bring the remaining liquid to a boil and reduce by half. Drizzle over the chokes and sprinkle with the lemon juice. Allow to cool to room temperature and serve.

My Fresh Artichokes Ready For Cleaning!

Ode To The Perfect Artichoke

Pecorino Roasted Pepper Rolls

When you are making a number of appetizers for a party, family get-together, or a wine tasting as we do weekly, you need a few that are easy to assemble, can be prepared a head of time, and that still taste great. I think just about anything that is rolled inside a sweet roasted pepper probably tastes pretty darn good, but I like to roll peppers around marinated pecorino cheese cubes. I can cut the cubes of medium aged pecorino in the morning and then marinate them in spices and olive oil all day. I can also roast and peel my peppers early in the day, and then assemble the rolls an hour or two before serving. All you need are basic toothpicks to secure them and you are set to go. Because they are so colorful, I generally nestle a bowl of these tidbits onto a platter with another appetizer for added interest on the table. I choose a medium aged pecorino which isn't too hard or strong tasting, but you could choose any medium firm cheese you prefer such as an asiago.

Serves 8 to 10

by Deborah Mele

1 Block Of Medium Firm Pecorino Cheese (1/3 Pound)

1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Teaspoon Chopped Capers

1 Teaspoon Dried Oregano

1/2 Teaspoon Red Hot Chili Flakes

Salt & Pepper

4 Large Red Peppers

To Assemble:

Toothpicks

Preheat your broiler. Wash and dry the peppers. Cut off the tops, and cut in half, removing seeds and membranes. Place on a baking sheet and put under the broiler until the skin is blackened and blistered. Place them in a plastic bag and let sit for 10 minutes. Remove the skin (it should slip right off at this point), and cut into strips 1 inch wide. Set aside until needed.

Cut the cheese into 3/4 inch cubes and place into a bowl. Add the olive oil, oregano, red pepper flakes, capers, salt & pepper. Toss to mix, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. An hour or two before serving, simply wrap each cheese cube with a strip of roasted pepper and secure with a toothpick. Place in a bowl and once all are assembled, pour the remaining marinade on top. To serve arrange in a bowl or platter with toothpick handle up, and serve at room temperature.

Pecorino Pepper Rolls On A Platter Of Mini Quiche

Roasted Pepper Rolls Look Pretty On Any Table!

Cherry Tomatoes Stuffed With Fava Bean Puree

Tuesday, 06 July 2010 07:18

Fresh fava beans are available every spring and are a very versatile and healthy vegetable that can be used in an unlimited number of ways. This fava puree can be used as a topping for bruschetta, as a spread for a panini, or even as a topping for pasta. I also love to stuff cherry tomatoes with it to use on antipasti platters. When lava beans are in season, I often make the puree from the recipe below and freeze it in small containers so I can use it for many uses over the next couple of months.

If you have never prepared fava beans before, you might find the task a bit daunting, but once you get some practice they can be prepared pretty quickly. First you must remove the beans from the thick, rubbery pods. Next cook in boiling water for 4 to 5 minutes and then drop into an ice water bath. Finally, the beans need to be removed from their rubbery skins. I find this can be accomplished very quickly by cutting a small slit into the side of each bean, and then by squeezing the tender bean out of the shell. Since fava beans are spring vegetables, when they are out of season you can often find them frozen and I find the frozen ones to work very well in this recipe and are often small enough that they do not require peeling. The puree recipe below will probably make more than you need, so you can store the extra and use it to spread on grilled bruschetta. These tasty tomato tidbits are best served at room temperature, and should be assembled shortly before serving.

Makes 36 Stuffed Tomatoes

Deborah Mele

36 Ripe Firm Cherry Tomatoes

Salt & Pepper

Olive Oil

Grated Pecorino Cheese

Wash the tomatoes and remove the stems. Take a very sharp knife and cut off the top of the stem end. Put the tip off the knife into the tomato and run it around the inside of the tomato between the the pulp and outer shell, preserving the outer shell. Take a small spoon and scoop out the inside pulp and seeds of the tomato. Layer a few sheets of paper towels and place the tomatoes cut side down to drain. Continue to prepare all of the tomatoes in the same manner. Leave to drain 10 minutes.

To assemble the tomatoes, first cut a small piece off the bottom of the tomato to allow it to stand upright. Place the tomatoes cut side up and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place some of the lava bean puree into a pastry bag and add a fluted tip. Start to fill the tomatoes by placing the tip inside the tomatoes and squeezing some of the puree to fill the inside, and then leave a small point on top. Continue to fill all of the tomatoes in the same manner. Drizzle the top with a little of the olive oil, then sprinkle with some of the grated pecorino cheese.

Fava Bean Puree Recipe

2 Cups Cooked, Peeled Fava Beans

3 Garlic Cloves Cooked With The Beans

Juice Of 1 Lemon

1/3 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/3 Cup Grated Pecorino Cheese

1 Teaspoon Basil Pesto

Salt & Pepper To Taste

Dash Of Red Pepper Flakes

Using a fork, mash all of the ingredients together. To fill the tomatoes, the it is best to puree everything smoothly, but leave puree fairly thick so it can be piped into the tomatoes.

Note: To serve as a bruschetta topping, grill or broil slices of crusty bread until lightly browned on both sides. Brush lightly with olive oil on one side, and then spoon on the fava bean topping. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and garnish with shaved pecorino cheese.

Mini Quiche Appetizers

These little tender bites of quiche are perfect for a breakfast brunch, or on an antipasti platter. I simply use a basic, medium sized muffin tin which creates delicious two bite treats. I use a mix of a couple of different cheeses in my quiche, depending on what I have on hand, although that always includes a soft melting cheese such as Fontina or Asiago that I cut into small dice, as well as a dried grated cheese like Pecorino or Parmesan. For color, I chop and scatter fresh parsley and basil into the quiche before baking, although you could also use chopped spinach as well. You could also add either diced, browned pancetta to the mini quiche, or finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes.

Depending on my mood or what I have on hand, I may use a shortcrust pastry dough (recipe below), or a store bought puff pastry to line my muffin tins. Both work equally well and create a tender, delicious mini quiche.

Makes About 12

by Deborah Mele

1 Package Frozen Puff Pastry or Shortcut Pastry (See Recipe Below)

1 1/2 Cup Diced Soft Melting Cheese (Fontina or Asiago)

1 Cup Grated Parmesan Or Pecorino Cheese

1/2 Cup Finely Chopped Parsley (Or Mix Of Basil And Parsley)

Salt & Pepper

1 Cup Heavy Cream

1/2 Cup Milk

4 Medium Eggs

If using frozen puff pastry, allow it to thaw, then cut into circles to fit into the muffin tins. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface. Cut into circles to fit into the bottom and sides of your muffin tin. Bake 5 minutes. Cool.

If using the shortcut pastry, take the dough from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature. Cut into circles to cover the sides and bottom of your muffin tin. Prick the bottom of the tins with a fork and bake for 10 minutes. Cool.

Distribute the chopped herbs and diced and grated cheese between each of the pastry lined quiche bottoms. Beat together the eggs, cream, milk, and salt and pepper until frothy. Pour the egg mixture filling to just over half full. Bake until the egg mixture is set and lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Cool to room temperature before serving.

Recipe For Shortcut Pastry

200 Grams All-purpose Flour

125 Grams Chilled & Diced Butter

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

2 Medium Egg Yolks

2 Tablespoons Ice Water

Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Rub in the chilled butter until dispersed throughout. Add the egg yolks and the cold water to the flour mixture and mix gently. Dump mixture onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently until smooth. Form into a disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 30 minutes to an hour.

Grilled Gorgonzola Figs With Honey, Balsamic Dressing

We have a huge fig tree behind our property here in Umbria that has been abandoned and ignored that I pick fresh figs from every fall. I went out last week and picked the last figs of the season with mixed feelings. Although I was sad to realize I'd have no more fresh figs this year, I was very grateful for all the baskets of figs that I was gifted so far this year that were turned into Spiced Fig Jam, Onion & Fig Relish, and our favorite Fig & Apple Pie. I decided though to do something extra special with these last few figs of the season and this recipe was created.

The natural sweetness of figs works really well with gorgonzola cheese, so I stuffed the figs with balls of gorgonzola rolled in chopped toasted walnuts, grilled them, then served them on crisp greens dizzled with a delicious honey balsamic glaze. Your choice of gorgonzola will depend on how strong you prefer this variety of cheese. You can buy gorgonzola dolce, which is creamy with a milder flavor, or gorgonzola piquante which is drier, and has a much stronger flavor. I find mixing the two cheese works best for me but either will work fine in this recipe. This dish is elegant and easy, and if you are fortunate to have access to fresh figs is a perfect option for entertaining.

Serves 4

by Deborah Mele

8 Fresh Ripe Figs

About 2 Ounces Gorgonzola Cheese (See Note Above)

1/3 Cup Toasted, Finely Chopped Walnuts

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

To Serve:

Fresh Dressed Greens

2 Tablespoons Full Flavored Honey (I Used Chestnut Honey)

1/4 Cup Olive Oil

2 to 3 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar

Trim off the stem end of the figs, and using a sharp knife cut an X into the top of the fig 3/4 of the way down leaving the bottom of the fig attached. Roll some of the gorgonzola into small balls about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch in size, then roll the balls into the walnuts gently pressing the walnuts into the cheese balls. Place the figs on a baking sheet, then place a cheese ball into each fig. Gently squeeze the fig to enclose the cheese inside. Brush the figs lightly with a little olive oil and place the figs under a preheated broiler. Broil until the figs are heated through and the cheese is just beginning to melt.

While the figs are grilling, divide the greens on top of each of four plates. Mix together the honey, balsamic, and olive oil. Place the figs on top of the greens and drizzle the figs with a little of the honey, balsamic dressing. Serve immediately.

Northern Italian Regional Food and Wine

First-time travelers to Italy may be surprised on finding such a diversity of regional food. Unlike your typical Italian restaurant in the States, Italian food has much more variety than spaghetti and meatballs or Eggplant Parmesan. Even though you can find Italian specialties like pizza and tortellini all over Italy, it is well worth sampling the local dishes for a bit of authenticity. When eating foods grown or raised in the surrounding countryside and complemented with the local wine, both your Traveling and eating experiences are taken to a whole new level. The pride that Italians have in their locally grown produce, regional specialties and exceptional wine is something you cannot find in a supermarket.

Blog ~ Easter Celebration

Easter in Italy is a Christian based holiday, and the celebrations actually begin the week before Easter, called Holy week, which start on Palm Sunday and culminates the following week on Easter Sunday. Although all of Holy Week is important, it is Easter Sunday when the real festivities begin to celebrate the resurrection of Christ. Easter is celebrated in many diverse ways across Italy, reflecting regional differences, and originating from religion, peasant lore and even pagan influences. Easter Sunday often begins with morning mass, and then much of the day is spent by feasting with family and friends. After a long somber Lenten period which consists of 40 days of fasting and prayers, everyone looks forward to the traditional holiday dishes enjoyed Easter Sunday. Although the fasting is not observed as strictly as it once was, some effort during Lent is often made to cut down on meats, eggs, cheese and sweets. Because of this, the feasting Easter Sunday commonly involves rich foods that had been eliminated during the Lenten period.

I have always known that Easter was a "moveable feast", and that its date changed each year but I was very interested in learning how the date each year was chosen. It turned out to be quite complicated, and you can learn more about it here if you are interested. Basically, the short answer is that Easter Sunday is the date of the annual celebration of Christ's resurrection. The aim of the Easter Dating Method is to maintain for each Easter Sunday, the same season of the year and the same relationship to the preceding astronomical full moon that occurred at the time of his resurrection in 30 A.D. Easter Sunday, from 326 A.D. is always one of the 35 dates March 22 to April 25. I won't go into the exact method used to do this as it would take much too long, but the whole system which has been used since 325 A.D.is still used today.

Although the Easter table may vary greatly from region to region across Italy, there are some basic elements that are commonly found everywhere. Eggs are considered a symbol or renewal and life, and feature prominently in the day's dishes, in both soups such as Brodetto Pasquale, a broth-based Easter soup thickened with eggs, and in many breads, both sweet and savory. Lamb is the symbol of birth and the shepherd, and both lamb and kid are commonly found on Easter menus, usually roasted or grilled on a spit. Other symbols that may be brought into the Easter feast are the cross which symbolizes resurrection which some breads are shaped into, and the dove symbolizing peace which the famous Easter sweet bread the Columba Pasquale is shaped as. Many other dishes commonly found on Italian tables each Easter are seasonal specialties that highlights the season's finest fresh produce such as artichokes, asparagus, baby peas and fava beans which overflow local market stands in all their glory.

Every region seems to have its own particular version of Easter pie, made with eggs, which reflect fertility, and cheese, and my version of Torta Pasqualina is similar to what you would find in Liguria. Another recipe, Torta Rustica, is more typical of central Italy. Nonna's Torta della Pasqualina, is another rich pie that contains ricotta cheese, eggs, and a selections of cold meats and cheeses. In Campania, the specialty is called Pizza Rustica, and in Umbria, Torta di Pasqua. These pies or tortas often contain greens as well as ricotta and other vegetables. Most Italian families will also make a number of traditional sweets each Easter season, including the very popular sweet breads found across Italy each year. Some of these breads include Pupi con L'uova which are doll shaped breads made for children, and the Columba, a dove shaped sweet bread similar to Panettone.

Although chocolate bunnies are not typical, across Italy storefronts are packed with beautifully wrapped chocolate eggs that are given as gifts each Easter. They can range in size from very small, to huge and heavy, but typically they all contain a little gift or surprise in them. Desserts for Easter can vary from region to region as well, but often contain ricotta cheese as well, like the famous La Pastiera Napoletana. This sweet cheese pie is made with cooked grain, and is flavored with lemon or orange. Other rich, sweet ricotta based cheesecakes or pies are popular in many regions.

Easter Monday, is known as Pasquetta, or Little Easter, and is also a holiday celebrated with family which brings the Easter season to an end. Often Easter leftovers are enjoyed in a more informal setting, or everyone heads outside to enjoy the spring warmth and picnics with family and friends.

This Easter, why not add a little bit of Italy to your Easter table by trying a few traditional Italian favorite recipes for Easter listed below?

Appetizers

Fave Beans With Pecorino Cheese

Arancini

Cured Salmon

Breads

Ciambellone

Prosciutto Cheese Bread

Soups & Salads

Milanese Minestrone

Tortellini Soup

Fennel Citrus Salad