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Author: Michele Carbone Page 8 of 9

Risotto with Fresh Mushrooms

By

On April 20, 2021

In Risotto

Risotto with Fresh Mushrooms

If you have some good fresh mushrooms, you can make a fantastic risotto using a variation of the recipe for the funghi porcini.  My friend Arty brought over some Chanterelle mushrooms, which provide a nutty, bright taste.  I combined them with a few dried porcini mushrooms to intensify the flavor.

Risotto With Chanterelle Mushrooms 1

Risotto with fresh Chanterelle Mushrooms

Many supermarkets now carry packages of “gourmet” or “chef’s choice” mushrooms, which provide exotic combinations of fresh mushrooms. They are all good in a risotto – the only mushroom you should consider carefully is the Shiitake mushroom, because its flavor is a little too strong for a risotto.

Ingredients for 4-6 people – depending on how much you eat!

  • A couple of handfuls of sliced fresh mushrooms (2-3 handfuls, depending on the number of people you are serving. 2 handfuls is enough for 4-6 people).
  • ¼ cup of dried porcini mushrooms, soaked in tepid broth for about 20 minutes (optional)
  • 1⁄3 cup of extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 1 handful of minced Italian flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 spicy pepper, such as an Italian pepperoncino from Calabria or a Thai pepper
  • Salt and freshly grated black pepper to taste
  • 1 cup of freshly grated Parmigiano cheese
  • Optional: 50 g or so of butter (if you find truffle butter at your local market, and your guests all like the flavor of truffles,  use truffle butter instead of regular butter)
  • 3 ½ cups of risotto, Carnaroli preferred (1 box of 450 grams)
  • About 1 and half liter of chicken broth, brought to a low boil in a medium sized saucepan (this is incorporated in the risotto).

Preparation

  1. If you are also adding dried porcini mushrooms to the recipe, soak the dried funghi porcini in tepid/warm chicken broth for about 30 minutes.
  2. Slice the fresh mushrooms.
  3. Heat the chicken broth to a low boil in a pot. Keep the broth on a low boil or simmer throughout the recipe; the broth is incorporated into the rice one cup at a time: must be very hot when it is added.
  4. In a large heavy pan, add 1⁄3 cup olive oil and 2 cloves of smashed garlic. Sauté the garlic cloves gently until they take on a golden color.
    1. While the garlic is being sautéed, squeeze the broth from the mushrooms that have been soaking and chop them. Reserve the broth so that you can incorporate it into the risotto later.
  5. Discard the garlic and add the finely-chopped parsley and spicy pepper (chopped very fine). Allow the flavors to combine for 30 seconds to a minute on low heat. Reserve a little bit of the chopped parsley for a garnish when you serve the risotto.
  6. Add the risotto, bringing the heat to high. Toast the risotto in the pan for 1 and half minutes, stirring so that each grain of rice is coated in the oil.
  7. Add the chopped mushrooms and the chopped, reconstituted funghi porcini to the pot and continue stir continuously for about 2 and half minutes.
  8. Add 1 cup of white wine, and continue to stir until the wine has been incorporated and the alcohol evaporates (30 seconds or so).
  9. If you soaked the optional dried porcini mushrooms, add the broth they soaked in to the pan.  Stir the mushrooms and risotto until the broth is incorporated.
  10. Now start adding the heated broth, using a scoop or ladle to add it to the pan with the rice, 1 cup at a time. Keep stirring the risotto as it incorporates the broth.  You stir to make sure that each grain of rice is exposed to the broth and heats as it cooks.
  11. Continue adding broth, 1 cup at a time, until the risotto is ready. This usually takes about 20 – 25 minutes.  The risotto should be slightly firm – you don’t want it to get mushy. remember that it will continue to cook for a little bit after you turn the fire off, so turn off the heat 2 minutes before you think the risotto is ready.
  12. When the heat is off, add ½ cup of the grated Parmigiano and you may stir in the optional truffle butter.
  13. Sprinkle with the reserved chopped parsley. Put the rest of the grated Parmigiano in a small bowl so that you can serve at the table, allowing your guests to add more to their risotto if they like.  (Americans tend to use more Parmigiano on their pastas and risottos than Italians).

Wines: Barbaresco or Barolo, or other wine made with Nebbiolo grapes

Italiano

Italiano

Il risotto ai porcini o altri funghi freschi richiede brodo di pollo fatto in casa, porcini veri, tanto amore e poco o niente burro.

  1. Soffriggere aglio in olio (80 ml di olio) rimuovere aglio aggiungere prezzemolo e peperoncino, 30 secondi, aggiungere -450 grammi di riso carnaroli per 4 – 7 persone- cuocere a fuoco medio/alto 2 minuti, aggiungere i porcini freschi
  2. Fuoco forte 1 minuto.
  3. Aggiungere 1 bicchiere di vino bianco, fuoco forte, 1 minuto massimo, poi aggiungere il resto dell’acqua in cui avere rinvenuto i porcini –sarà circa “1 cup”, e poi abbassando un po’ il fuoco a medio/alto un po’ per volta brodo di pollo finché il risotto è quasi pronto.

Spegnere il fuoco 1 – 2 minuti prima che è pronto–il risotto continuerà a cuocere un po’, aggiungere parmigiano, pepe nero e se vi piace

 

Ceviche

By

On April 20, 2021

In Antipasti, Entrees, Fish

You do not need to go to Mexico to eat a great ceviche.  Actually, it’s very easy to make!  My ceviche of course is outstanding.  It is a great dish, always, but especially if you are on a diet, it is the right thing to eat: low in calories, yet you feel good after eating it and do not go to bed dreaming of food.

Ceviche

Ceviche with scallops, pear tomatoes, cilantro, and avocado.

Ceviche can be served as an entree or as appetizer in a formal dinner.

Here the food is cooked with acid rather than fire, but practically speaking is still fully cooked food.

 

 

So this is how you make it.

Ingredients (for 4 to six appetizer portions)

  • 2 pounds of lemons or limes
  • 1 pound of sea scallops, or mixed fish. You can use any fish you want: swordfish, tuna, clams, shrimp, etc. The only thing is, if you use fish other than scallops, double the time you marinate the fish in lemon/lime.
  • 1 bunch of fresh cilantro, minced
  • 8 oz of pear tomatoes, sliced in halves. A mix of yellow, orange, and red pear tomatoes makes the dish more colorful.
  • 3 ripe avocados, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces.
  • 1 TB. extra-virgin olive oil
  • ½ cup of tomatillo sauce (homemade or from a store – I use the tomatillo sauce from Frontera Grill that contains Jalapeño )
  • 1 Jalapeño pepper, minced –only if you are not already using a tomatillo sauce that contains it
  • Salt to taste (I like to use black salt, which looks better when it’s served)

Preparation

  1. Squeeze the lemons or limes into a glass bowl
  2. If you are using scallops, slice them perpendicularly, about 4 slices per scallop. If you are using other fish, cut into bite-sized pieces no more ½ cm thick, not more or it will take a long time to cook.  Put in the glass bowl and be sure there is enough lemon juice to cover the fish entirely.
  3. Gently mix and cover with plastic. Put in the fridge for about 30 minutes for scallops, and up to 2 hours for other fish –the thicker you cut the fish the longer it takes to cook in lemon. Do not  “overcook” the fish as it marinades in the lemon/lime juice. Drain the lemon and either use or keep covered in the refrigerator until you need it, so you can prepare in the morning and eat the evening for example.
  4. Separately, mince the cilantro, cut the pear tomatoes into 2 or 4 pieces (depending on size), and peel and cut avocado in slices 1 inches long, 3 – 4 mm thick.
  5. Put in a separate bowl, add ½ cup of tomatillo sauce, and 1 or more minced jalapeño peppers.
  6. Mix these ingredients together just before you are ready to eat.
  7. Put the scallops/fish in a bowl, add the reserved tomato/cilantro/avocado/tomatillo mixture; add 1 TB. olive oil and black salt to taste, and gently mix the ingredients together.
  8. Serve individual portions in a nice cup or bowl over a piece of lettuce as garnish, as the picture below demonstrates.Ceviche In Bowls

 

 

 

Italiano: Ceviche

Non è necessario andare in Messico per mangiare una ottima ceviche. In realtà, è molto facile da realizzare! La mia ceviche ovviamente è eccezionale. È un ottimo piatto, sempre, ma soprattutto se sei a dieta, povero di calorie, eppure ti senti bene dopo averlo mangiato e non vai a letto sognando spaghetti e bistecche.

La ceviche può essere servita come antipasto o come primo o come secondo, va sempre bene.

Il pesce e1 cotto, solo che e cotto nell’acido anziché nel fuoco, ma pesce cotto, non crudo!

Ingredienti (per 4-6 porzioni per antipasto)

  • 1 kilo di limoni o lime (dipende però da quanto sugo hanno).
  • 1/2 kg di capesante (muscoli) di mare o pesce misto. Puoi usare qualsiasi pesce: pesce spada, tonno, vongole, gamberi, ecc. L’unica cosa è che, se usi pesce invece che capesante, raddoppia o triplica il tempo di marinatura  del pesce nel limone/lime.
  • 1 mazzetto di coriandolo fresco, tritato
  • Circa 225 grammi di pomodori a pera, tagliati a metà. Un mix di pomodori pera gialli, arancioni e rossi rende il piatto più colorato e bello.
  • 3 avocadi maturi, sbucciati e tagliati a pezzetti.
  • 1 cucchiaio olio extravergine d’oliva
  • ½ tazza di salsa tomatillo (fatta in casa o da un negozio – io uso la salsa tomatillo di Frontera Grill che però già contiene il Jalapeño)
  • 1 peperone Jalapeño, tritato (se non usi una salsa tomatillo che lo ha già)
  • Sale qb (meglio il sale nero Hawaiiano che rende il piatto più bello)

Preparazione

  1. Spremi i limoni o lime –è la stessa cosa! – in una ciotola di vetro.
  2. Se usi le capesante, affettale perpendicolarmente, circa 4 fette per capasanta. Se usi altro pesce, taglialo a pezzetti di meno mezzo cm di spessore –più è spesso più lungo deve cuocere nel limone).
  3. Immergi nel limone. Le capesante o altro pesce a fettine deve essere interamente sommerse nel limone/lime. Mescola delicatamente e copri con della plastica. Metti in frigo per mezz’ora e fino a 2 ore se è pesce. Attenzione a non “cuocere troppo” il pesce nel succo di limone / lime. Quando è cotto puoi mangiarlo subito, o scoli il limone e lo tieni in frigo fino a ora di cena.
  4. A parte, tritare il coriandolo, tagliare i pomodori a pera in 2 o 4 pezzi (a seconda delle dimensioni) e sbucciare e poi tagliare l’avocado a cubetti di circa 2 cm.
  5. Mettere in una ciotola, aggiungere ½ tazza di salsa tomatillo e 1 Jalapeño tritato.
  6. Aggiungere 1 cucchiaio di olio d’oliva e sale nero.
  7. Scolare le capesante / pesce in uno scolapasta, mettere le capesante / pesce in una ciotola, aggiungere la miscela riservata di pomodoro/coriandolo/avocado/tomatillo e mescolare.
  8. Servire ogni porzione in una bella coppa di vetro su una foglia di lettuga, vedi foto.

 

Spaghetti with Nduja (for 4)

By

On April 19, 2021

In Pasta Dishes

Nduja - Delizie di Calabria

Nduja – Delizie di Calabria

Nduja is a spreadable sausage made in Calabria mixed with Calabrian hot peppers.  It used to be impossible to get except in Calabria, but now you can easily buy it on the Internet, even in the US.  If you like spicy flavors, and you want to try something really good and unique, buy some Nduja, and do as I say since I grew up eating it.

In short, Nduja has all it needs, do not add anything to it!

Ingredients

  • 1 box (500 grams) of spaghetti
  • Approximately 200 grams of Nduja
  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil
  • That is all you need to make 5 people very happy.

Preparation

Preparation

  1. Fill a pot with a little less water than you usually use for boiling pasta and turn the heat to high. The reason you do not want too much water is that you will use some of it, and you want the water to have enough starch.
  2. When the water boils, add the pasta and stir it to make sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot. Add salt once the water comes to a boil.
  3. In the meantime, put a skillet on the stovetop. Add the Nduja, and bring the heat to low/simmer. Using a wooden spoon, break up the Nduja to release the fat.
  4. When the pasta is very “al dente” (about 2 minutes less than the cooking time specified on the package), remove 1 cup of the water it has been cooking in and set aside. Drain the pasta, then pour it into the skillet containing the Nduja, keeping the heat on low.
  5. Mix the pasta with the Nduja and add ½ cup of the reserved boiling water, stirring gently for 2-3 minutes. If necessary, add some more of the reserved water.  Don’t add any cheese!
  6. Enjoy!

Italiano: Spaghetti con la Nduja (4 persone)

Tipico piatto calabrese, spesso rovinato da preparazioni complicate.  Questo è un piatto semplice e cosi va mangiato.

Ingredienti

  • 400 grammi di spaghetti
  • 200 grammi di Nduja
  • 1 cucchiaio d’olio d’oliva buono

Preparazione

  1. Calate gli spaghetti in una pentola con non troppa acqua.
  2. Allo stesso tempo mettete in una padella un cucchiaio d’olio e l’Nduja, fuoco al minimo e con un cucchiaio di legno aiutate l’Nduja a sciogliersi.
  3. Quando gli spaghetti sono molto al dente, rimuovete 1 tazza di acqua dalla pentola con la pasta, scolate la pasta e mischiatela con l’Nduja e ½ tazza dell’acqua dalla pentola.
  4. Girate bene 2-3 minuti, aggiungendo acqua se vi pare secca.
  5. Niente altro per favore.
  6. Buon appetito!

 

Erbazzone, a savory pie made with bitter greens

By

On April 17, 2021

In Antipasti

Erbazzone

Savory kale pie

This is one of Betti’s favorite recipes, and she makes it once a week.  Betti’s version is based on Lynne Rossetto Kasper’s recipe in The Splendid Table, a collection of fabulous recipes from the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy.

The erbazzone is basically a shepard’s pie made with a simple crust and filled with bitter greens, parmigiano and pancetta, seasoned with a touch of spicy red pepper.  If you want to make a vegetarian version of the recipe, you can omit the pancetta, substituting chunks of a chopped, cooked potato in place of the pancetta in the filling (Michele calls this a “sad erbazzone”).   It’s a terrific appetizer for a crowd of hungry people, but it’s also a good meal on its own.  It even tastes good with a mug of coffee in the morning.

Ingredients:

Crust

  • 2 and ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 5 Tablespoons of cold vegetable shortening – I think the best is the hard shortening that you can buy from Whole Foods. If you don’t have that on hand, refrigerate 5 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 1/3 to ½ cup of ice water

Filling

  • 2-3 bunches of fresh kale, or 1 and ½ bags of frozen, chopped kale or other bitter greens (for example, collard greens are also good)
  • 8 ounces of chopped pancetta (you can buy the packets at Whole Foods)
    • Reserve about 2 ounces of the chopped pancetta, mincing it and placing in a saucer until later.
  • ½ sweet onion (Maui onion is best), chopped finely
  • 1 Thai pepper, finely chopped (or, if you can’t get a good pepper, use a pinch of red pepper flakes)
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1 cup of parmigiano cheese, grated
  • 2 cloves of garlic, sliced
  • ¼ cup of extra-virgin olive oil

How to make this recipe

  1. You need to prepare the dough in advance. This recipe is called “crazy dough,” an old recipe that requires just a small amount of oil, plus flour, water and salt.  The process involves refrigerating the dough for an hour, then rolling it out and re-refrigerating it for at least another hour.
  2. Put the flour into a food processor. Add a pinch of salt and then blend the ingredients for a second or two.
  3. Add the olive oil and then add ¼ cup of water. Turn on the processor to blend.
  4. Now, slowly drizzle in more of the water as the processer combines the ingredients. The flour needs to form a sort of clump that sticks together loosely. You don’t want the flour to be too “wet” – instead, it should be a sort of sticky ball.  Blend only for a few seconds (maybe 20-30 seconds)
  5. Take the flour out of the food processor and form into a ball. Put it on a large cutting board which has been lightly dusted with flour. Knead the flour for just a minute, re-form it into a ball, and wrap it in plastic.  Refrigerate it for at least 1 hour.
  6. Remove the dough ball from the refrigerator. Cut it into half. Refrigerate one-half while you roll out the other dough into either a rectangle or a round.  I usually roll it into a rectangular shape so that it is just about an inch longer and wider than my 9 x 12 baking dish.  The dough should be firm and slightly elastic.
  7. Put a small amount of olive oil in the baking dish or pie pan, then place the rolled-out dough in the pan. The edges should come up slightly.  Cover with a dish cloth and put the dish into the refrigerator.
  8. Remove the other half of the dough ball, and roll it out to the same size and shape as the first half. Once you’ve rolled it out, put it onto a lightly-oiled sheet of aluminum foil.  Cover with another sheet of foil and place in the refrigerator.
  9. The dough needs to stay in the refrigerator at least 20 minutes. In the meantime, you can prepare the filling and pre-heat the oven to 400o

Making the Filling

  1. In a large skillet, combine ¼ cup of olive oil with 2 cloves of sliced garlic. On low heat, simmer the garlic cloves until they take on a golden color.  Remove and discard the garlic.  Add the diced onion to the pan, continuing to cook on low heat until the onion is translucent.
  2. Add ¾ of the pancetta and all of the optional red pepper, cooking them with the onion for a couple of minutes.
  3. Add the chopped greens, turn the heat to high, and stir until the kale is cooked.
  4. Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature. Using your hands, squeeze out some (but not all) of the excess moisture from the kale, putting it back into the pan.
  5. Once you have squeezed out some of the extra liquid, stir in the 2 beaten eggs. Add 1 cup of grated parmigiano and mix well.
  6. Remove the pan with the crust from the refrigerator and pour the kale mixture into the pan and spread it evenly.
  7. Remove the second part of the crust from the aluminum foil and cover the “pie.” Fold up the edges from the bottom crust over the top and then tamp down with a fork or spoon.  Prick holes in the crust with a fork.
  8. Put the pan into the center rack of the pre-heated oven. Cook for 20 minutes, then remove from the oven.  Sprinkle the remaining 2 ounces of finely-chopped pancetta pieces over the top of the crust.
  9. Put back into the oven and cook for another 20 minutes.
  10. Buon appetito!

Italiano: Torta di Verdure al Forno

Erbazzone, cioè, Torta di Verdure al Forno (Torta di Betti).  Ottima ricetta milleusi, fa da se un pasto, o in fette fa da antipasto quando avete tanti amici a cena.  Preparazione semplice, si mantiene per una settimana, ed è buonissimo.

  • Crosta
    • 530 gm di farina, cinque cucchiai di olio ‘d’oliva (buono) -cioè una tazzina di caffè, e 120 ml acqua fredda.
  • Ripieno:
    • Ripieno: 2-3 mazzi di bieta e/o altre verdure amara (cime di rapa). Lavarla, asciugarla bene.  Tagliarla a pezzetti.
    • 120 grammi di pancetta (100 per il ripieno e 20 per la crosta) tagliata a pezzetti piccoli
    • 1 cipolla dolce (tropea meglio)
    • 2 uova battute intere
    • Un peperoncino rosso piccante
    • 340 gm di Parmigiano grattugiato fresco
    • Sale e pepe

Preparazione:

Forno a 200 Celsius.

  1. Mettere la farina nel robot da cucina (food processor), un pizzico di sale, mischiare 2 secondi.
  2. Aggiungere l’olio d’oliva e 120 ml d’acqua. Mischiare 20 secondi con robot da cucina. Se necessario aggiungere un po’ d’acqua mischiare per qualche altro secondo finché diventa una palla appiccicosa.  Rimuovere “la palla” e impastarla con le mani per qualche secondo su un tagliere spolverato con farina così non si appiccica.  Avvolgere la palla in plastica (Saran Wrap o simile) e metterla per 2 ore in frigo.
  3. Tagliate la palla a metà, impastate una metà in una forma rettangolare (l’altra mettetela in frigo). Spalmate una teglia da forno circa 25 x 30 cm e metteteci dentro la pasta rettangolare.  I margini dovrebbero uscire un po’ fuori (sopra) la pentola.  Coprite e mettete in frigo.
  4. Preparate l’altra metà-quella che avevate lasciato in frigo nella stessa maniera (cioè fatene un rettangolo piatto). Mettetela fra due fogli di carta da forno con un po’ d’olio e mettetela in frigo per almeno 20 minuti.  Accendete il forno a 200C (400F).
  5. In una padella, soffriggete aglio e olio, togliete aglio, aggiungete la cipolla dolce a pezzetti, 100 g. di pancetta e peperoncino (se vi piace), cuocere finché la cipolla è translucida, aggiungere la bieta e cuocere fuoco forte circa 5-7 minuti (finché cotta). Lasciare raffreddare.
  6. Scolare se per caso c’è acqua in pentola (succede se usate vegetali surgelati). Poi mischiate 2 uova battute e 340 g. di Parmigiano grattato.
  7. Prendere la pentola con la pasta dal frigo e versarci dentro le verdure, poi prendere l’altra metà della crosta dal frigo e coprire la torta. Combaciare i margini in maniera che diventi una torta.  Poi con una forchetta fare un po’ di buchi attraverso la torta.
  8. Infornare 20 minuti.
  9. Togliere dal forno e metterci sopra i rimanenti 20 grammi di pancetta cruda a pezzetti.
  10. Rimettere in forno e cuocere 20 minuti.
  11. Buon appetito!

 

 

Michele Carbone fried potatoes 2

The Best Fried Potatoes in the World

By

On April 1, 2021

In Side Dishes

This recipe, like most of my recipes, is based on having a good extra-virgin olive oil, and fresh ingredients.  Another thing many of my recipes have in common is that they don’t feature too many ingredients.  This one, for example, just has the following ingredients:

  • Extra-virgin olive oil – You will need enough oil in the pan to cover the potatoes
  • Yukon potatoes, scrubbed and with the skin on: about 1 – 2 potatoes per person
  • A sprig or two of fresh rosemary
  • Sea salt

We grow our rosemary in pots so that we can clip off springs whenever we need them.  But, if you need to buy the herb packets from your supermarket, keep in mind that you can freeze whatever you don’t use.  The color may get a little dark if the sprig has been in the freezer for a while, but it retains its fresh flavor when you use it later.

You need a pan that can handle a lot of heat, and depth which allows the potato slices to stay under the oil in a single layer when cooking.  We love using the old-fashioned cast-iron skillets for this, but you can also use any pan designed for high heat which distributes heat evenly.

This recipe is fun to cook when your guests are keeping you company in the kitchen.  Because I’m Italian, I like serving this dish as an appetizer because it’s best when the potatoes have come right out of the skillet.  But, you can also serve it at the same time you dish up an entree, such as lamb chops or steak.

Preparation:

  1. Slice the potatoes into thick strips, each one about 1 cm thick.
  2. Pour enough olive oil into your skillet/pan to cover the potatoes.  This means you may use close to a bottle of olive oil, but don’t worry — you can save the oil to re-use for this recipe another time.
  3. Heat the oil moderately high, but not enough to bubble or fry.
  4. When the oil has gotten moderately hot, carefully place the potato slices and rosemary sprigs into the skillet.  There should be enough oil to cover the slices.
  5. Cook the potatoes at moderate heat for 15 minutes, moving them gently in the skillet.
  6. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, remove the potatoes from the skillet and place them on a layer of paper towels.
  7. While the potatoes drain and cool off on the paper towels for 2-3 minutes, bring the heat up in the skillet to high.
  8. Carefully add the potatoes back into the now very hot oil.  Allow them to cook for another 8-10 minutes, moving them gently to make sure they don’t stick to the bottom.
  9. After 8-10 minutes, the potatoes should be a dark golden color.  Take one out and let it cool enough to taste it.  If you judge that it’s ready, remove the rest of the potatoes with your slotted spoon (or tong) and put them on a serving plate that has been lined with paper towels.
  10. Sprinkle the potatoes with sea salt to taste.  We’ve been using Hawaiian black sea salt to finish dishes, and we love the color and flavor, but any salt will do.  Serve immediately.

 

Italiano: Le migliori patate fritte del mondo

Questa ricetta, come la maggior parte delle mie ricette, si basa sull’avere un buon olio extravergine di oliva e ingredienti freschi. Un’altra cosa che molte delle mie ricette hanno in comune è che non contengono troppi ingredienti. Questo, ad esempio, ha solo i seguenti ingredienti:

  • Olio extravergine di oliva – Abbastanza per coprire le patate
  • Yukon patate –patate gialle-, con la buccia: circa 1 – 2 patate a persona
  • Uno o due rametti di rosmarino fresco
  • Sale

Noi coltiviamo il rosmarino in un vaso così è sempre a disposizione e mi piace il profumo. Ma, se lo compri a; supermercato, tieni presente che puoi congelare tutto ciò che non usi. Il colore diventerà un po’ scuro se il rametto resta nel freezer per un po’, ma mantiene il suo sapore fresco quando lo usi in seguito.

Serve una padella che possa sopportare molto calore e una profondità che permetta alle fette di patate di rimanere sotto l’olio, meglio in un unico strato durante la cottura. Le padelle in ghisa vecchio stile sono perfette per questo, ma puoi anche usare qualsiasi padella buona.

Questa ricetta è divertente da cucinare quando i tuoi ospiti ti tengono compagnia in cucina. Mi piace servirlo come antipasto perché le patate sono più buone quando sono appena uscite dalla padella.

Preparazione:

  1. Tagliare le patate a listarelle spesse di circa 1 cm.
  2. Versare abbastanza olio d’oliva nella padella per coprire le patate. L’olio puoi riutilizzarlo per questa ricetta un’altra volta.
  3. Riscaldare l’olio a una temperatura moderata,
  4. Quando l’olio sarà moderatamente caldo, mettete con cura le fette di patate e i rametti di rosmarino nella padella. Dovrebbe esserci abbastanza olio per coprire le fette.
  5. Cuocere le patate a fuoco moderato –sobbollire, per 15 minuti, muvendole delicatamente nella padella ogni 3 minuti circa.
  6. Usando una pinza o una schiumarola, togli le patate dalla padella e adagiale su carta assorbente.per 2-3 minuti.  Alza il fuoco al massimo.
  7. Rimettere le patate nell’olio bollente e cuocere per altri 8-10 minuti, muovendole delicatamente perché non si attacchino al fondo.
  8. Dopo 8-10 minuti, le patate dovrebbero assumere un colore dorato scuro. Tirane fuori una e assaggiala. Se ritieni che sia pronta, togli il resto delle patate con il cucchiaio forato (o la pinza) e mettile su un piatto da portata rivestito con carta assorbente.
  9. Aggiungi sale in abbondanza. Se usi il sale nero Hawaiiano il piatto è molto più bello (lo trovi su Amazon).\
  10. Servire immediatamente.

 

Image credit: http://www.cbc.ca/inthekitchen/2013/01/thick-cut-fries.html

Betti’s Biscotti

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On November 22, 2020

In Fun Stuff

Miguel eats these biscotti almost every day.  This recipe is a variation of a recipe from The Splendid Table, which adapted it from Tony Lenox.  Betti has added grated lemon or orange zest and dipped the biscotto in dark chocolate.  It’s a great breakfast!

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract
  • 1 cup sliced almonds, blanched or unblanched OR 1 cup pistachios (I usually grind about 1⁄3 of them, then combine them with the whole pistachio kernels)
  • Zest of 3 lemons OR zest of 2 oranges

Preparation

  1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together. Add the cornmeal and whisk again to blend.
  2. Beat the butter and sugar together at medium speed for 3 minutes, until very smooth. Add the eggs and continue to beat, scraping down the bowl as needed, for another 2 minutes, or until the mixture is light, smooth and creamy.
  3. Beat in the almond extract and lemon or orange zest. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they are incorporated. You’ll have a soft stick-to-your-fingers dough that will ball up around the paddle or beaters.
  4. Allow the dough to rest for 5 minutes before continuing.
  5. Scrape half the dough onto one side of the baking sheet. Using your fingers and a rubber spatula or scraper, work the dough into a log about 12 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide. The log will be more rectangular than domed and bumpy, rough and uneven. Form a second log with the remaining dough on the other side of the baking sheet.
  6. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the logs are lightly golden but still soft and springy to the touch. Transfer the baking sheet to a rack and cool the logs on the baking sheet for 30 – 60 minutes.
  7. If you turned off the oven, bring it back up to 350 degrees F.
  8. Using a wide metal spatula, transfer the logs to a cutting board and, with a long sharp knife, trim the ends and cut the logs into 3/4- inch-thick slices.
  9. Return the slices to the baking sheet–this time standing them up like a marching band–and slide the sheet back into the oven. Cook for 15 minutes.
  10. Allow the biscotti to cool for an hour or so.
  11. Melt the dark chocolate in a bowl in the microwave. I usually use Guittard Extra Dark Chocolate Baking Chips, and I put about ½ a bag into a bowl and then microwave on 50% power for several minutes, warming it for 1 minute at a time, stirring it, and then re-heating it until it is ready.
  12. Dip the cooled biscotti in the melted chocolate and set onto a separate platter. Allow the chocolate to dry, and then store the biscotti.
Dr. Michele Carbone bucatini bianca

Bucatini alla Gricia, Amatriciana bianca

By

On October 22, 2020

In Pasta Dishes

The Amatriciana and Gricia are classic Roman recipes.  Very easy to make, yet it’s difficult to find an excellent preparation in most restaurants as people try to modify it and screw it up.  Try this recipe – the old original one and still the best. As always, the quality of the ingredients is key.  You may need to go to a specialty grocer (such as a butcher) in order to find the guanciale (or you can settle on pancetta if you do not find it).  You also need to get imported Italian Pecorino Romano cheese, preferably in a small block that you can grate yourself (Whole Foods sells it). Note: If you cannot find either guanciale or pancetta, you can use thick-cut bacon, but the flavor will not be as good, obviously.

Bucatini Amatriciana, Rossa (red) Traditional recipe (5 people, 100g spaghetti each)

Ingredients

  • 1 box of Bucatini, Spaghetti, or Rigatoni style pasta (500 grams)
  • 100 grams (4 OZ)  oz Pecorino Romano cheese, freshly grated
  • 125 grams (5OZ) of “guanciale” or if you cannot find it, “pancetta,” cut in thick slices of about (about ¼ of an inch thick by ¼ inch wide and ¼ long)
  • 1 TB extra virgin olive oil
  • Red pepper flakes, or 2 fresh little hot peppers chopped very finely (put as little or as much red pepper as you like)
  • ¼ glass white wine
  • 400 grams of canned Italian tomatoes (home made, or can tomatoes, Pomi` or similar) –for this recipe canned tomatoes are better than fresh tomatoes.

Preparation

  1. Put a large pot of water to boil on the stove – it should be boiling by the time you get to step 4
  2. In an 8-inch skillet, add the guanciale (or pancetta), red pepper, and 1 spoon of olive oil.
  3. Start the heat at medium high and as soon as “sfricchiola” (means you hear it is frying), to low the heat for about 5-6 minutes to let the fat get out, then add white wine and turn the fire up for 30 seconds so it evaporates.
  4. Add the tomatoes to the pan and cook on medium or medium/high (depends how powerful your stove is, should be just bubbling slowly, not boiling). Cook this sauce for about 10 minutes
  5. In the meantime poor the pasta into the boiling water.  As soon as the water starts to boil again after the pasta has been added, use a long-handled wooden spoon to stir the pasta so that nothing sticks to the bottom.
  6. Drain the pasta very al dente, poor in a past bowl, add the tomato/guanciale sauce, mix well and add the pecorino mixing well all the time and serve immediately.
  7. Buon appetito!

Spaghetti alla Gricia: Bucatini alla Gricia (for 3 people). The only difference is that in the Gricia you do not use tomato and therefore you will have less condiment and so, given same amount of guanciale, you will use less pasta.

Procedure: As above –because there is less condiment, use for the same amount of guanciale and pecorino only 250 grams of pasta (the amount for 3 people).  There’s no tomato, so when the guanciale is ready, turn off the fire and once ready mix the pasta directly with the guanciale and pecorino.

Italiano: Bucatini/Rigatoni Amatriciana

Ingredienti

  • 1 pacco di bucatini o rigatoni
  • 100 g di pecorino romano grattugiato fresco
  • 125 g di “guanciale” o “pancetta”, tagliato a fette spesse di circa (circa ¼ di pollice di spessore per ¼ di pollice di larghezza e ¼ di lunghezza)
  • 1 cucchiaio di olio extravergine di oliva
  • Peperoncino rosso picante a piacere –io metto 2-3 peperoncini rossi calabresi
  • 1 sorso (1/4 di bicchiere) vino bianco
  • 400 grammi -1/2 scatola di pomodori pelati schiacciati, Pomì o simili

Preparazione

  1. Pancetta o guanciale a pezzettini, 1 cucchiaio d’olio, fuoco medio alto appena sfricchiola abbassa il fuoco e fai andare circa 5-6 minuti perche` rilasci il grasso –la pancetta non deve essere fritta! L’importante è fare cuocere il guanciale a fuoco vivo senza bruciarlo!!!
  2. Appena il guanciale comincia a essere un po’ croccante, aggiungete un sorso di vino binco, fate evaporare 1 minuto.
  3. Aggiungere 400 g pelati a pezzetti, alzare il fuoco a medio/medio alto, deve sobbollire, girare spesso.
  4. Allo stesso tempo calare la pasta, scolarla molto al dente, versatela in una zuppiera aggiungere il sugo, mischiare bene 2 minuti mentre aggiungete Pecorino e servire.
  5. La fine del mondo!

Spaghetti/Rigatoni alla Gricia: come sopra senza pomodoro, cioè dopo che aggiungete il vino spegnete il fuoco.  Siccome c’è meno sugo per questa stessa quantità di guanciale e pecorino usate solo 250 g di pasta (3 persone o 2 con appetito).

 

 

Giancarlo Gottardo’s Vinaigrette

By

On March 8, 2020

In Basics, Fun Stuff

Vinaigrette

Do you like a slightly-sweet vinaigrette with your salads? I do, and often I have used a bit of honey as one of the ingredients in my oil and vinegar salad dressings.  Now I have a new favorite – a grape-reduction vinaigrette that has become one of the staples in my pantry.

I never knew what to do with the grapes that remained after an event.  They are so beautiful when they are fresh and cool, displayed artfully on a platter…but if  they aren’t all eaten, they look soft and unappealing the next day. I used to throw them away, until Giancarlo Gottardo, our good friend, showed me how to use them to make a fantastic homemade vinaigrette.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup of sugarGiancarlo's Vinaigrette
  • 1 cup of white, apple cider vinegar, or white
    balsamic vinegar
  • 1 cup of water
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • 1 kilo (2.2 lbs) of white, red, or green grapes and their stems (you can use a mix of these varieties as well)

How to Prepare this Recipe

  1. Put the grapes, sugar, vinegar, water, and salt into a heavy saucepan with a good lid.
  2. Bring to a boil for a couple of minutes, then put a lid on the pot and turn down the heat. Cook for an hour on a simmer with the lid on.
  3. Allow the pot to cool, covered, then strain through a fine sieve or cheesecloth into a bottle.
  4. Store at a cool temperature inside a cabinet.

Homemade Vegetable Broth

By

On September 24, 2018

In Basics, Broths and Soups

I like to use homemade broths for all of my soup and risotto recipes. My wife, Betti, makes the broth in our household, and she always keeps fresh or frozen broth in the kitchen. Here’s her recipe for a simple vegetable broth.

Ingredients

  • 2 potatoes
  • 2 onions
  • 2 leeks
  • 2 celery stalks
  • 2 carrots
  • 2 leafs of kale (optional)
  • 2 cherry tomatoes
  • ½ bunch flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
  • Salt
  • A teaspoon of black peppercorns
  • 2 liters of water

How to make this recipe

  1. Coarsely chop all of the vegetables except the cherry tomatoes and the parsley.
  2. Fill a pot with 2 to 3 liters of water. Make sure you have a heavy lid for the pot.
  3. Add the chopped vegetables, salt and peppercorns, and the ½ bunch of Italian parsley to the pot.
  4. Bring to a boil.  Allow to boil vigorously for 5 to 10 minutes, then partially cover the pot with its lid and bring to a simmer.
  5. Allow the ingredients to simmer for about 2 – 3 hours, making sure that it stays close to a boil, but doesn’t actually boil anymore
  6. After cooking for 2 – 3 hours, add the cherry tomatoes and bring to a boil once again for a few minutes.

Turn off the heat and allow to cool.  Use a colander or a strainer to separate the vegetables and peppercorns from the broth.

Basic Chicken Broth (Basic, or light version)

By

On August 31, 2017

In Basics, Broths and Soups

My wife Betti makes all of the broths we use in our recipes.  We always have a store of frozen chicken, vegetable, and meat broths available because the flavor of these home-made broths is much richer and more intense than that of packaged broths.  If you have to buy a broth, look for an organic broth in your local market.  But I promise you, once you’ve made your own broth, you won’t go back to the store-bought variety.

Ingredients

  • 1 whole chicken
  • 2 carrots, chopped into large pieces
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped into large pieces
  • 1 white onion, quartered
  • 2 leeks, chopped into rounds (wash the leeks carefully to remove the grit)
  • ½ bunch fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 20 black peppercorns
  • A handful of salt
  • A bunch of fresh thyme – sometimes you can find a combined bunch of thyme and marjoram mixed together at the market, and you can use this bunch

How to Make this Recipe

  1. In a large stockpot (about 4 quarts of water), add cold water and all of the ingredients except the chicken.
  2. Bring to a boil for about 5 minutes, then lower the heat to a simmer and cover. Allow the vegetables to cook for about 40-45 minutes.
  3. Raise the heat to a boil and add the chicken (don’t add the giblets—you can reserve them for something else).
  4. Bring the heat to a boil over medium-high heat. Allow it to boil for about 5 minutes.
  5. Reduce the heat to a simmer, so that you see rolling bubbles every minute or two, but the water is not rapidly boiling.
  6. Partially cover, and allow to cook for about 1 hour. You can skim off any foam periodically, so that the resulting broth will be very clear.
  7. Remove the chicken from the pot, placing it into a large bowl or baking dish so that it can cool. Keep the broth on a low simmer until the chicken is cooled enough to pick the meat from the bones. Once it’s cooled, you can shred the meat from the bone and use it for another recipe—my favorite use for the shredded chicken is a variation of the Mediterranean Chicken Salad recipe from the classic cookbook The Silver Palate:  http://www.silverpalate.com/recipe/store-favorites/mediterreanian-chicken-salad
  8. Put the bones back into the broth and cook for another hour, partially covered, and always at a low boil.
  9. Strain the chicken broth once it’s cooled enough for use or storage.

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