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Cucumbers

May 13, 2013

Cucumbers are generally believed to have originated in India and have been cultivated throughout western Asia for at least 3,000 years. From India, the cucumber spread to Greece and Italy and slightly later to China and southern Russia. Cucumbers probably were brought to the rest of Europe by the Romans and later to the New World via colonialism and trade networks. Their cultivation first appeared in France by the ninth century, Great Britain by the fourteenth century, the Caribbean at the end of the fifteenth century and North America by the middle of the sixteenth century.

Colonial encounters between Europeans and Native Americans resulted in the diffusion of cucumbers throughout North America. The Spanish began growing them in Hispaniola by 1494 and less than a century later European explorers were noting that a wide range of Native American peoples from Montreal to New York, Virginia and Florida were cultivating them, along with a large variety of other crops including maize, beans, squash, pumpkins, and gourds. By the seventeenth century, Native American groups on the Great Plains were also cultivating cucumbers. Cucumbers have a wide range of consumption uses cross-culturally. They are generally eaten fresh or pickled and are particularly important in the diets of people living in Russia and Asia, where they may also be served as a cooked vegetable. In India, the fruits are used in the preparation of chutney and curries. Cucumber seeds, young leaves and cooked stems are also consumed in some parts of Asia. In addition, since at least the nineteenth century, cucumbers have been used in the production of a large variety of cosmetics, including fragrances, body lotions, shampoos and soaps.

The skin, if it is not waxed, and the seeds of cucumbers are edible. As the cucumber matures, however, the seeds can start to become bitter, so look for narrow, young cucumbers at the market for the best taste. The English cucumber is a long and narrow cucumber with a tender, edible skin that is marketed as seedless but actually will contain a few seeds. Cucumbers are available year round with a peak season from May until August. Choose cucumbers with firm, smooth skins, devoid of any blemishes or soft spots. They can be stored in the refrigerator in a bag for about a week. Cucumbers are high in potassium and fiber with moderate amounts of Vitamins A and C, as well as folic acid, phosphorous and magnesium.

Although they can be cooked, cucumbers are most often eaten raw in salads, in cold soups, in cucumber based sauces and as hors d’oeuvres. Cucumbers are also the vegetable of choice for pickles. Cucumbers are used to make raita, (pronounced rye-ta), a classic Indian dish. Raita is a mixture of yogurt, cucumbers, seasonings and herbs. It can be used as a condiment or mixed with larger chunks of other vegetables or fruits for a salad. Similar to raita is the Greek cucumber and yogurt sauce, tzatziki. Tzatziki is the classic sauce used on Greek gyros, a sandwich of ground lamb on pita bread with onions and peppers.

Types of Cucumbers

English Cucumbers

English cucumbers (a.k.a. hot house cucumbers) are long and thin with a dark green skin. They are often sold wrapped in plastic at supermarkets, but you can find unwrapped ones at farmers markets. This cucumber has a mild, almost non-existent flavor and is prized for its thin skin and minimal seeds. English cucumbers are best sliced and served raw and are not good for pickling.

Garden Cucumbers

These are the most common cucumbers in North America. They are relatively smooth skinned and dark green. Cucumbers sold at grocery stores tend to be waxed to help them retain moisture, which is part of why these cucumbers tend to need peeling. Un-waxed varieties can be found (particularly at farmers markets), but you may still want to peel them if the skin is thick or bitter.

Kirby Cucumbers

Kirby cucumbers are short and bumpy. They have a range of skin color from yellow to dark green. Kirbys are crunchy, flavorful and perfect for pickling.

Lemon Cucumbers

Yellow, round and the size of a generous fist, lemon cucumbers do look like lemons. They are sweet, without that bitter edge that many cucumbers have, thin skins, minimal soft seeds and flavorful. They are tasty raw, but make delicious pickles too.

Persian Cucumbers

Persian cucumbers are very similar to English cucumbers. They are shorter, with bumpy skin, but have a mild flavor and thin skin.

Asian Cucumbers

Most Asian cucumbers are very narrow and long, growing up to 18 inches long , but remaining less than 2 inches in diameter. The seed cavity is vey small and the flesh is thick, crisp and flavorful. These cucumbers are picked when immature and used for pickling and salads.

Some Basic Cucumber Recipes

Classic Marinated Cucumber Salad

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 2 garden cucumbers
  • 1/4 cup white vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • Water to cover
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Fresh herbs to taste, basil & parsley
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Trim and peel the cucumbers. Cut in half lengthwise and then scoop out and discard the seeds. Cut into half rings or chunks.

Place cucumbers in a large bowl.  Stir together the vinegar and sugar and mix with the cucumbers. Add enough water to cover the cucumbers and let the cucumbers soak for a few hours.

Drain the cucumbers. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Chill.

Cucumber Sauce for Cooked Fish

Ingredients:

  • 1 cucumber, peeled and finely diced
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon wine vinegar
  • 1 cup sour cream (or 1/2 cup light sour cream and 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt)
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

Directions:

Place the cucumber in a bowl and toss with the salt, sugar and vinegar.

Let stand for about 5 minutes, then mix in the sour cream.

Fold in the dill. May be made a few hours in advance and refrigerated.

Refrigerator Pickles

Refrigerator pickles are easy to make and there’s no need for processing, special jars or vacuum-tight lids. Plus, unlike store-bought pickles, these homemade pickles are lower in sodium.

Yield: 7 cups

 Ingredients:

  • 6 cups thinly sliced pickling cucumbers (about 2 pounds)
  • 2 cups thinly sliced onion
  • 1 1/2 cups white vinegar
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

 Directions:

Place 3 cups of the sliced cucumbers in a medium glass bowl; top with 1 cup onion. Repeat procedure with the remaining cucumbers and onions.

Combine vinegar and remaining ingredients in a small saucepan; stir well. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute. Pour hot mixture over cucumber mixture; let cool. Cover and chill at least 4 days.

Spoon into glass jars for refrigerator storage. Note: Pickles may be stored in the refrigerator for up to one month.

Cucumber Tomato Salad

Italian Tomato, Cucumber and Onion Salad

Lightly salting the tomato wedges and letting them stand briefly concentrates their flavor significantly. Be sure to use a sweet onion to maintain the flavor balance in this refreshing salad.

Ingredients:

  • 2 medium tomatoes, preferably an heirloom variety
  • Salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar
  • 1 small sweet onion, such as Vidalia, coarsely chopped
  • 1 cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch slices
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • Basil leaves, minced

Directions:

Cut the tomatoes into bite-sized, irregular wedges, discarding any runny seeds. In a small bowl, toss the tomatoes with a pinch of salt and the vinegar. Let the tomatoes stand for up to 30 minutes.

In a mini food processor, pulse the onion until minced; be careful not to over process the onion into a puree.

Shortly before serving, transfer the tomato wedges to a medium bowl with a slotted spoon; discard the tomato juices.

Add the cucumber and onion and toss, then season with salt to taste. Add the olive oil and toss to coat, then add the basil, toss once more and serve.

Try Something Different With Cucumbers

Cucumber Shrimp Appetizers

Yield: 32 appetizers.

Ingredients:

  • 1 can (8 ounces) unsweetened crushed pineapple, drained very well on paper towels
  • 4 ounces cooked shrimp, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped green onion
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons minced fresh dill
  • 1 English cucumber, unpeeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices

Directions:

In a bowl, combine the pineapple, shrimp, mayonnaise, green onion, mustard and dill. Spoon onto cucumber slices.

Grilled Sourdough Panzanella

Bread salads are common in the Mediterranean and the Middle East, where frugal cooks use stale bread as the primary ingredient. In this Italian version, called panzanella, char the bread on the grill for added flavor. If you don’t feel like grilling the bread, you can toast it on a grill pan or under a low broiler.

Serves four to six. Yields about 6 cups.

Ingredients:

  • 4-1/2-inch-thick slices bread (about 8 oz.) from the center of a round sourdough loaf 
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 small shallot, sliced into thin rings
  • 3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
  • 1 small clove garlic, coarsely chopped
  • 1-1/2 lb. ripe tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 3-1/2 cups)
  • 1 English cucumber, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 1-1/2 cups)
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
  • 2 tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed

Directions:

Heat a gas grill with all burners on medium. Brush the bread with 1/4 cup of the oil and season it with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and a few grinds of pepper. Grill the bread on both sides, checking frequently, until nicely browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. When the bread is cool enough to handle, cut it into 1/2-inch cubes.

Toss the bread cubes, tomatoes, cucumber, basil, mint, capers and vinaigrette in the bowl with the shallot. Season the panzanella to taste with kosher salt and pepper and serve.

Asparagus, Green Onion, Cucumber and Herb Salad

Serves 10.

Ingredients:

For the Dressing:

  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

For the Salad:

  • 3 pounds medium asparagus, trimmed
  • 4 cups thinly sliced green onions
  • 3 cups (1/4-inch cubes) peeled, seeded cucumbers
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon

Directions:

Prepare the Dressing:

Whisk first 5 ingredients in small bowl. Gradually whisk in oil. Set aside.

Prepare the Salad:

Fill a large bowl with lightly salted ice water; stir until salt dissolves. Cook asparagus in large pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes.

Drain, reserving 3 cups of the cooking liquid. Transfer asparagus to the bowl of salted ice water to cool.

Place green onions in another large bowl; pour hot reserved asparagus cooking liquid over the green onions and let stand until cool, about 30 minutes.

Separately drain asparagus and green onions well.

Transfer onions to a clean kitchen towel and squeeze dry.

Combine green onions, cucumbers and herbs in mixing bowl.

Add dressing; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange asparagus on platter. Spoon cucumber mixture over and serve.

Italian Picnic Sandwich

Servings: 8

Ingredients

  • 1 loaf focaccia bread ( 12 inches in diameter)
  • 1/2 cup prepared creamy Italian dressing, see recipe below
  • 6 -8 lettuce leaves
  • 1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • 2 red onions, thinly sliced and separated
  • 4 ounces sliced Provolone cheese
  • 4 ounces thinly sliced salami
  • 4 ounces thinly sliced cooked ham
  • 1 medium tomato, sliced thin

Directions

Cut bread in half horizontally. Spread 1/4 cup of the dressing on the bottom half. Top with half of the lettuce.

Layer with cucumber, green pepper, onion, cheese, meats and tomato. Top with remaining lettuce.

Spread remaining dressing on the top half of the bread before covering the bottom.

Cover with plastic wrap and place a heavy skillet on top to press it down. Let sit for a few minutes.

Remove skillet and plastic wrap and cut sandwich into 8 wedges.

Creamy Italian Salad Dressing

 Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup reduced-calorie mayonnaise
  • 6 tablespoons reduced fat milk
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 4 teaspoons white wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon table salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground

 Directions:

In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, milk, water, vinegar, garlic, oregano, basil, salt and pepper until blended. For best flavor, cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes. 

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Ybor City – Florida’s Little Italy

April 19, 2013

Tribute to Immigrants of Ybor City – Centennial Park

The Italians in Florida

“The people who had lived for centuries in Sicilian villages perched on hilltops for protection from marauding bands and spent endless hours each day walking to and from the fields, now faced a new and strange life on the flats of Ybor City.” - Tony Pizzo, The Italians in Tampa.

The Italians of Ybor arrived almost exclusively from Sicily. Life in that island off Italy’s southern coast was unimaginably hard in the mid- to late 1800s. Most of the immigrants whose eventual destination was Ybor City came from Sicily’s southwestern region, a hilly area containing the towns of Santo Stefano Quisquina, Alessandria della Rocca, Cianciana and Bivona. Dependent on agriculture (including the cultivation of almonds, pistachios, flax, olives, wheat and wool), mining and limited trade contacts, the residents of the area struggled with poor soil, malaria, bandits, low birth rates, high land rents and absentee landlords. The population responded, according to historian Giampiero Carocci, by exercising three options: “resignation, socialism, and emigration.”

The last option–emigration–was usually of the “chain” variety. Both through word of mouth and the activities of labor brokers (padrones), Sicilians learned of job opportunities in America. Padrones were labor brokers, usually immigrants themselves, who acted as middlemen between immigrant workers and employers. Early sugar-producing communities in New Orleans, Louisiana and St. Cloud, Florida attracted many Sicilians, but the work and conditions were so grueling that many immigrants looked elsewhere. The completion of the Plant System Railway to Tampa (1884) and Vicente Martinez Ybor’s development of Ybor City (1886) made the Tampa area an attractive destination for these immigrants. Thousands–including the many Sicilians who either came directly to Tampa or moved there from their initial U.S. “landing spots”–found work in the cigar trade, as well as in the myriad of other enterprises that supported Italians in the community.  Source: Cigar City Magazine

Italians mostly brought their entire families with them, unlike many of the other immigrants. The foreign-born Italian population of Tampa grew from 56 in 1890 to 2,684 in 1940. Once arriving in Ybor City (pronounced ee-bor), Italians settled mainly in the eastern and southern fringes of the city. The area was referred to as La Pachata, after a Cuban rent collector in that area. It also became known as “Little Italy”.

At first, Italians found it difficult to find employment in the cigar industry, which had moved to Tampa from Cuba and Key West, FL and was dominated by Hispanic workers. The Italians arrived in the cigar town without cigar-making skills. When the early Italians entered the factories, it was at the bottom of the ladder, positions which did not involve handling tobacco. Working beside unskilled Cubans, they swept, hauled, and were porters and doorkeepers. In time, many did become cigar workers, including Italian women. The majority of the Italian women worked as cigar strippers, an undesirable position, mainly held by women who could find nothing else. Eventually, many women became skilled cigar makers, earning more than the male Italian cigar makers.

Inside an Ybor City cigar factory, ca. 1920

Seventh Avenue (ca. 1908)

Many Italians founded businesses to serve cigar workers, mostly small grocery stores in the neighborhood’s commercial district that were supplied by Italian-owned vegetable and dairy farms located east of Tampa’s city limits.The immigrant cultures in town became better integrated as time went by; eventually, approximately 20% of the workers in the cigar industry were Italian Americans. The tradition of local Italian-owned groceries continued and a handful of such businesses founded in the late 1800’s were still operating into the 21st century. Many descendants of Sicilian immigrants eventually became prominent local citizens, such as mayors Nick Nuccio and Dick Greco.

Current View: Gateway to Ybor City on 7th Ave near the Nick Nuccio Parkway.

Devil crab is one of Tampa’s original culinary creations. The snack first appeared around 1920 as street food in Tampa, concocted when blue crab was plentiful. Heat from red pepper flakes gave the rolls their fiery name. Some debate the origins of the rolls, tracing them to Spain, Cuba or Italy, but they are likely a little of all three, one of Tampa’s fusion foods.

Victor Licata watched over his own devil crabs after opening the Seabreeze Restaurant on the 22nd Street Causeway around 1925. His daughters rolled the crabs at home and then they were served in the restaurant; diners could not get enough of the spicy, plump croquettes. Seabreeze devil crabs were so popular, the restaurant sold about 750,000 rolls annually in the 1990′s. In 1992, the Licata family sold the Seabreeze Restaurant to Robert and Helen Richards, who had run a neighboring seafood shop since the 1960′s. 

Seabreeze’s Devil Crab

From: Seabreeze By The Bay Cookbook.                                    

This recipe has been cut in half. See the original in the newspaper copy above

You can also bake the cakes in a very hot oven turning them over several times, so that they can brown evenly.

Ingredients:

Sauce

  • 1 cup finely diced onion
  • 1/2 cup finely diced green or red pepper
  • 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1/2 cup finely diced celery
  • 1/8 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 7 oz. tomato puree
  • 7 oz. tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper
  • 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 2 pounds of blue crab claw meat, fresh or frozen

Stuffing

  • 1 Italian baguette
  • 1 loaf of Cuban bread
  • Italian seasoned bread crumbs, plus additional for dredging
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons crushed red pepper
  • Water
  • Vegetable oil for frying

Directions:

Finely dice the onion, pepper, garlic and celery in a blender or food processor.

Add the vegetables to a large saute pan with the oil and the water and cook over very low heat for 1 hour until soft.

Add in the tomato puree, tomato paste and red pepper flakes and cook on low heat for an additional hour, stirring often. Add the oregano and cook for 5 more minutes. Turn off the heat and let it cool.

Flake the crabmeat into a large bowl and make sure to pick it over for any small pieces of shell. Add sauce gradually until the mixture is moist and holds together. Refrigerate the mixture until ready to cook.

Tear the bread up and put it all into a big bowl. Add enough water to moisten the bread and then mash it all together until it has a loose, doughy consistency.

Add in the red pepper and then add enough bread crumbs to form a dough with a biscuit consistency.

In a Dutch Oven heat 2 inches of oil to 330 degrees F.

In 3 separate bowls: place stuffing in the first bowl, crab mixture in the second and additional bread crumbs in the third.

Scoop up a handful of dough and drop it into the bread crumbs and roll lightly and form it into a 4 inch circle.

Place a heaping tablespoon of crab filling right in the center and then bring the edges up and around it. Close up the seams. (See photos below.)

Roll the deviled crab in bread crumbs again and place on a plate.

Fry the cakes in batches for 7 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately with hot sauce.

Healthier Recipes To Make At Home

Cucuzza Soup

Cucuzza has its origins in the Mediterranean, especially Italy. Its season in Florida is from June until first frost and can grow from 15 to 36 inches long and approximately 3 inches in diameter. It’s also known as bottle gourd, super long squash and snake squash.

Ingredients:

  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cucuzza (3–4 cups)
  • 1 cup water
  • 1–15 oz can of diced tomatoes
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Directions:

Cut the cucuzza in cubes and set them aside while the onions and garlic simmer in olive oil. Next add the cucuzza, water and tomatoes. Add the salt, pepper and grated Parmesan cheese. Simmer until the cucuzza is tender and almost transparent.

Spicy Deviled Crab

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb crabmeat
  • 1 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 1 heaping teaspoon dry mustard
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 finely chopped serrano chile
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
  • 2 finely chopped garlic cloves
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons dry sherry
  • 4-6 cleaned crab shells or ramekins

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix all the ingredients together and let rest for 10 minutes.

Stuff the mixture loosely — do not pack it — into the crab shells, or if you don’t have them, single-serving ramekins. You could also simply use a casserole dish, too.

Bake for 40 minutes.

Linguine with Clams, Mussels, Shrimp and Calamari in Spicy Tomato Sauce

1 Serving

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2-ounces extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2-ounce garlic, chopped
  • 1/2-ounce shallots, chopped
  • 1/4 cup finely diced red bell pepper
  • 4 small clams
  • 5 black mussels
  • 2 ounces shrimp
  • 1/2-ounce white wine
  • 3 ounces spicy marinara sauce
  • 1-ounce calamari
  • 3 ounces linguine
  • 1-ounce fresh basil
  • 1 tablespoon bread crumbs

Directions:

In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil. Add garlic, bell pepper and shallots, and saute until brown. Add the clams, mussels and shrimp. When shells start to open, add the white wine. Reduce to half its volume, then add the marinara and calamari.

Cook the pasta in salted boiling water. Drain and add to the seafood. Allow pasta to cook in the sauce for a minute, then toss in the basil and bread crumbs. Serve in a deep pasta bowl.

 

Easy Italian Rum Cake

A popular restaurant dessert.

Yield: 1 – 10 inch Bundt Pan or Tube Pan

Ingredients:

  • 1 box of yellow cake mix
  • 1 package of vanilla instant pudding mix (4 oz serving size)
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 1 cup of pecans or walnuts, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup dark rum

Glaze

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 cup of granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/2 cup of dark rum

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Spray the bundt or tube pan with cooking spray.

Sprinkle the chopped nuts over the bottom of the pan.

Mix all the cake ingredients together in an electric mixer and blend well.

Pour batter over nuts.

Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a wire rack.

While the cake is baking prepare the glaze.

Glaze Directions:

Melt the butter in a saucepan and stir in the water and sugar. Boil the glaze mixture for 5 minutes stirring constantly. Remove saucepan from the heat and stir in the rum.

When the cake has cooled remove from the cake pan and invert onto a serving plate.

Prick the top with a fork. Drizzle and smooth glaze evenly over the sides and top.You may need to do this several times until all the glaze is absorbed. Let the cake sit covered for 12 hours to absorb the rum sauce. (Place several toothpicks in the cake and cover tightly with plastic wrap for 12 hours.)

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Western Pennsylvania’s “Little Italies”

March 29, 2013

 

The Port of Erie, PA

Many of the Italians who came to Erie worked for the railroad. Little Italy’s boundaries at that time were along the New York Central and the Nickel Plate tracks. Others worked in the factories that grew up near the railroads and they built their homes in the same area. They worked many hours and labored hard. Some of the factories they worked in were Erie Forge and Steel, Griffin Manufacturing Company, Superior Bronze and Continental Rubber.

By 1911 there were about 3,000 Italians living in Erie. Little Italy had grown to include nine city blocks, from Huron Street south to West 17th Street and from Chestnut to Poplar. In 1920 the population was estimated at about 8,000 Italians and, from 1920 to 1940, the population expanded and spread southward. Prominent among the family names of the old Italian settlers in Erie were Fatica, Yacobozzi, Palmisano, Scolio and Minadeo.

Much of the social life of Italian-Americans in Erie centered around St. Paul’s Church. It served the immigrants and their children from baptism to death, while meeting their religious needs. The church also functioned as the social center of the Italian community, a function it still maintains. Because of the cultural and language barriers, the immigrants established their own social organizations within their neighborhoods. In 1907 the first social organization was La Nuova Aurora Club. Here the Italians met with their friends, played bocce and morra (a hand game) and drank a few beers. Eventually, these activities expanded into social and civic clubs for Italian-Americans.

After World War II, the first and second generation Italian-Americans returned home after serving their country and gave thought to their future. They went to the nearby colleges and universities to become eligible for professional positions. Others went on to trade schools with the same ambitions for better job opportunities. By 1960 a large Italian settlement was established outside of the city in Millcreek, however, by 1970 many of the second and third generation Italians were gone from Erie’s Little Italy.

This past January the doors were locked and the shelves were bare at Arnone’s Bakery and Italian Deli, an institution in the Little Italy section of Erie since the mid-50′s. 

Pittsburgh

Almost every large city in North America has one. In western Pennsylvania there are enclaves of Italians in every community from New Castle in Lawrence County; Monaca, Aliquippa and Ambridge in Beaver County; Coraopolis, McKees Rocks, Oakland and Morningside in Allegheny County; New Kensington and Vandergrift in Westmorland County; and Canonsburg and Cecil in Washington County. In the Pittsburgh district, the official “Little Italy” is located in Bloomfield !

Bloomfield is a neighborhood in Pittsburgh that is located three miles from the Golden Triangle, which is the city’s center. Pittsburgh architectural historian, Franklin Toker, has said that Bloomfield “is a feast, as rich to the eyes as the homemade tortellini and cannoli in its shop windows are to the stomach”. In the early 1900s, Italian immigrants settled in Bloomfield, drawn to the area by jobs in the steel mills and on the railroads. As the Italian population increased, businesses providing Italian products and services began to line the streets. A church, along with restaurants, bakeries, markets and other shops added to the culture of the neighborhood creating its Italian atmosphere. While the area is more culturally diversified today, it still has a large Italian American population.

Various Italian and Italian American associations help keep the culture alive and the Heinz History Center includes an extensive collection of Italian American artifacts representing Western Pennsylvania’s Italian Americans. Little Italy Days, held each September, adds to the neighborhood’s character, drawing crowds of more than 20,000 with Italian food, merchandise, music, entertainment, games and a Madonna della Civita procession. In October, the Columbus Day Parade is one of the country’s largest.

Red, white and green parking meters attest to the fact that Bloomfield is “Pittsburgh’s Little Italy.” In fact the neighborhood’s Italian roots reach back more than five generations. Its colorful mix of shops and restaurants attracts thousands of visitors from throughout the Pittsburgh region. The business district along Liberty Avenue puts most of life’s necessities and several luxuries within an easy walk for Bloomfield residents.

Strolling down Liberty Avenue and meandering off on side streets, there is a distinctly European ambiance coupled with small-town America friendliness. Groceria Italiana (237 Cedarville St.) opened almost 50 years ago and continues to draw crowds with its 14 varieties of handmade ravioli and rich ricotta-stuffed pastries.

Fresh Tuscan bread at Groceria Italiana.

Donatelli’s Italian Food Center (4711 Liberty Ave.) is another neighborhood favorite founded by Frank Donatelli in 1932 and now run by his son who continues the tradition of passionately providing the freshest Italian prepared foods and imports in town, including bottles of Grandma Donatelli’s sauce.

Meats, cheeses, bread and olives are on display at Donatelli’s Italian Foods in Bloomfield.

Down the road, a second generation of brothers, Alex and John, run their father’s (and uncle’s) Sanchioli Brother’s Bakery (4731 Juniper St.), which provides many of the restaurants in the area with their famous onion bread. Sanchioli’s has been in this location since 1922. “I started bagging bread here when I was little,” says Alex Sanchioli, part owner of the shop for a quarter century, who has seen changes over the years. “ Yet some things remain the same,” he says. “We’ve always gotten the old Italians from the neighborhood. Now, their kids come in.” Sanchioli’s makes bread, buns and pizza shells for most of the eateries in the area. Many of them have been around almost as long as the bakery.

Picture

Del’s Liberty Ave Bloomfield-1970

Del’s Bar and Ristorante Del Pizzo (4428 Liberty Ave.) was founded by Grandpa and Grandma Del Pizzo, who came to Bloomfield in 1908 and opened a small grocery store and, a few years later, they changed the business into a small restaurant they called the Meadow Grill. For more than two decades, it was a Pittsburgh landmark. Customers came from all over for the delicious housemade food, including sandwiches, pasta dishes, and Pittsburgh’s first wood-fired oven pizza. When they sold the Meadow Grill in 1949, Dino and Bob, their sons, carried the family tradition and opened Del’s,on Liberty Ave, in the heart of Bloomfield. They continue to supply Bloomfield with Italian American classics, like veal scaloppini and they have also begun a historical renovation. So far, the exterior has been rebuilt to reflect Bloomfield’s architectural history, and they have expanded and remodeled the bar in a style that recaptures the feel of the original Meadow Grill. The restoration project will continue for the next several years.

Newcomers

Since its opening in November, Stagioni has been the talk of the town or in this case, critics and foodies alike. The menu is described as “elegantly conceived” with dishes like beef short ribs braised in Chianti and balsamic vinegar and a vegetarian dish of acorn squash risotto with walnuts, sage and chestnut honey, that was described by the reviewers as “a masterful combination of flavors and textures — sweet, earthy and herbal”.

Domenico Aliberto’s, Café Roma, could easily be the first place you think of for a plate of linguine with New Zealand mussels sauteed in tomatoes, garlic, extra-virgin olive oil and fresh herbs. Specials often include: gnocchi with fresh tomato and basil; chicken with spicy lemon sauce; rigatoni with artichokes in a light-red sauce and eggplant parmesan. “I cook when you order,” stresses chef/owner Domenico Aliberto. “It’s like buying the groceries and eating in your own house, only I make the pasta fresh,” he says. Even the soups – including Tuscan-style white bean and cream of butternut squash – are made in small quantities intended for one night’s consumption only. The chef’s special, Sicilian lasagna, is made with soft noodles from semolina instead of flour “already al dente because I make them myself,” Aliberto notes.

Lidia’s Pittsburgh opened in March of 2001, only two years after Lidia Bastianich and her son Joseph Bastianich opened the popular Lidia’s Kansas City, their first venture outside of Manhattan. Well known architect, David Rockwell, designed the interior to reflect an open-warehouse atmosphere and the restaurant is located in the heart of the Bloomfield strip district. The menu features a daily pasta tasting with homemade pastas that incorporate seasonal ingredients in addition to hearty Italian favorites, such as a braised Heritage Pork Shank with barley risotto.

Bloomfield’s Little Italy Inspired Cuisine

The Primanti Brothers opened their restaurant in Pittsburgh in the 1920s. Their idea was to create an eating place that offered simple but tasty food. The Primanti Sandwich was the result — it’s a whole meal in each bite. Ham, french fries, tomato, provolone cheese and coleslaw are stuffed between two slices of Italian bread and served on wax paper. 

FYI: The Washington Post did a nuitritional analysis of the sandwich and here it is: 775 calories, 33g fat, 10g saturated fat, 48mg cholesterol, 1729mg sodium, 87g carbohydrates, 6g dietary fiber, 17g sugar, 34g protein.

Primanti Brothers Sandwiches

 8 servings

Ingredients:

For the slaw

  • 1 pound (about half of a medium-size head) green cabbage, shredded or finely chopped (about 6 cups)
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon celery seed
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • Freshly ground black pepper

For the twice-fried potatoes

  • 6 to 8 large (4 to 5 pounds) russet potatoes, washed well
  • 8 cups vegetable oil, for frying
  • Kosher salt

For the meat and cheese

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 pounds spicy, thinly sliced capicola ham
  • 8 thin slices provolone cheese (about 5 ounces)

For assembly

  • 4 vine-ripened tomatoes, cut into 16 thin slices
  • 16 large slices of soft Italian bread (18 ounces total)

Directions:

For the slaw: Combine the cabbage, sugar, salt and celery seed in a colander set over a medium bowl. Let stand at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours; the cabbage will be wilted (about 4 cups total).

Discard the draining liquid in the bowl; rinse and dry the bowl, then transfer the wilted cabbage to the bowl. Add the oil and vinegar; toss to coat. Season with pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

For the twice-fried potatoes: Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Line a few large baking sheets with several layers of paper towels. Fill a large bowl with cold water.

Cut the (unpeeled) potatoes lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick sticks. Submerge in the cold water. Rinse in subsequent changes of cold water to remove all visible starch, then drain in a colander and spread the potatoes on the paper towels, patting the potatoes dry.

Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat, until the oil temperature reaches 320 degrees F.

Fry the potatoes in 4 batches; each batch will take 2 to 4 minutes. Stir occasionally as they cook, until the fries are soft and cooked through but still pale. Allow enough time for the oil to return to 320 degrees F. between batches; use an instant-read thermometer to monitor the oil. Use a slotted spatula to transfer the potatoes to the lined baking sheets.

Increase the heat to high (or as needed) so that the temperature of the oil reaches 375 degrees. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Refresh the paper towels on the baking sheets as needed.

Cook the fries a second time, working in 4 batches; each batch will take 2 to 3 miinutes, until the fries are crisp and golden brown. Transfer to the lined baking sheets. Immediately season lightly with salt, then place in the oven to keep the fries warm.

For the meat and cheese: Melt the butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Have ready a large baking sheet.

Separate the ham slices and add to the skillet, turning them as needed until the slices are warmed through. Transfer the slices to the baking sheet, creating 8 equal portions. Top each with a slice of provolone cheese. Place in the oven (along with the fries) just until the cheese has melted.

For assembly: Place the portions of cheese-topped ham on 8 bread slices. Top with a large handful of the warm fries, then pile about 1/2 cup of the slaw on each portion. Garnish with 2 tomato slices for each portion; use the remaining 8 pieces of bread to finish each sandwich. Serve warm.

Fettuccine with Mafalda Sauce

Serves: 6

This dish is served at Del’s Bar & Ristorante DelPizzo, on Liberty Avenue in Pittsburgh. This tomato and cream sauce is served on a variety of pasta shapes.

 Ingredients:

  • Kosher salt
  • 3 cups Marinara sauce
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 pound fettuccine
  • 10 large fresh basil leaves, shredded
  • ½ cup grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano

 Directions:

To make the marinara sauce, see post http://jovinacooksitalian.com/2012/04/19/hello-world/

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for pasta. Bring the marinara to a simmer in a large skillet. Stir in the heavy cream, bring back to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 5 to 6 minutes.

Add the fettuccine to the boiling water. When the pasta is al dente and the sauce is ready, drain the pasta and place it directly into the sauce. Add the shredded basil, then toss to coat the pasta with the sauce. Remove from heat, stir in the grated cheese and serve immediately.

Braised Short Ribs

Ingredients:

  • 4 lbs short ribs of beef, trimmed
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, divided
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 2 cups finely chopped red onions
  • 1/4 cup minced garlic
  • 2 cups low sodium beef broth
  • 1 cup Chianti red wine
  • 3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 cups chopped plum tomatoes 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300°F.

Over medium-high temperature, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large Dutch oven.

Season the ribs with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

Brown half the ribs in the heated pan, about 8 minutes, until browned; remove from pan.

Repeat with the remaining oil and ribs.

Add the finely chopped onion to the pan and saute until lightly browned, about 8 minutes.

Add the minced garlic and saute for 1 minute.

Add the browned ribs back into the pan, then add the broth, wine, vinegar, brown sugar and tomatoes and bring to a simmer.

Cover pan, transfer to the oven and bake at 300°F for 90 minutes or until tender.

Remove from oven and let cool slightly, then transfer pan to refrigerator and let chill for 8 hours or overnight.

After chilling, skim the solidified fat from the surface of the broth mixture and discard fat.

Over medium heat on the stove, cook the ribs in the Dutch oven for 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper and serve with potato gnocchi.

Seafood Risotto

For the seafood

  • 2 lbs calamari cut into 1/4 inch strips
  • 12 large sea scallop, cut in half
  • 12 shrimp, cut in half
  • 3 chopped plum tomatoes

For the risotto

  • 1 small sweet onion chopped
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 16 oz carnaroli rice
  • 1/4 cup half & half
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • chopped parsley
  • 1/2 gallon of vegetable stock or chicken stock or clam juice

Directions:

Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan and add the onions.

Cook, stirring continuously, on medium until they become translucent.

Add the rice and keep stirring on low until the rice is toasted and also becomes translucent.

Heat the stock in a saucepan and keep it simmering while you prepare the risotto.

Add stock to the rice, 8 liquid ounces at a time (depending on the rice, the process should be repeated as the rice absorbs the liquid, 4 to 5 times). total time about 18 minutes.

When the rice reaches the al dente stage, add 4 oz of stock, the seafood, chopped tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 4 minutes  more or until seafood is cooked.

Remove from heat, add butter, half & half, cheese and parsley.

Place in serving dishes and drizzle with a good extra virgin olive oil

Number of servings: 6

Italian Cream Puffs

 Ingredients:

  • 1 cup water
  • 8 tablespoons oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup flour

Filling

  • 1 pound whole milk ricotta (drained)
  • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 tablespoons rum
  • Chopped candied orange peel
  • Chopped chocolate pieces or mini chips

Pastry:

Bring water to a boil. Add the oil and salt. Add the flour all at once and stir until it forms a ball. Remove from the heat.

Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until each egg is incorporated before adding the next.

Drop dough by teaspoon or tablespoon (depending on desired size) onto a greased or parchment-lined cookie sheet. Bake at 450 degrees F. for 15 minutes.

Lower heat to 350 degrees F. and cook until golden-brown. Remove from the oven and cut a slit into the side of each puff to release steam.

Filling:

Drain the ricotta in a fine strainer overnight in the refrigerator. Beat the ricotta with the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and rum until creamy. Refrigerate for 1 hour or more. Add the chopped candied orange peel and chocolate pieces just beforw assembly.

Assembly:

When the puffs are completely cool, fill with cream and sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar.

 

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Posted by in Beef, Bread, calamari, Cheese, cream puffs, Desserts, Fish, Healthy Italian Cooking, Italian Cold Cuts, Italian Cuisine, Pasta, Risotto, sandwiches, scallops, shrimp, Western Pennslyvania Tags: , , ,

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Have You Ever Tried Fava Beans?

March 18, 2013

Jack’s magic beans that grew overnight into a beanstalk were very probably fava beans or, as the English call them, broad beans. Americans, however, have been slow to appreciate this great tasting vegetable, even though, their flavor is smoother, sweeter and richer than most other beans.

But we may be undergoing a spring awakening.The pale green beans in the big floppy pods have been an early spring food in many countries for centuries. Favas — also known as Windsor beans, English beans, horse beans and pigeon beans — have long been a diet staple in Asia, the Middle East, South America, North Africa and Europe.

These ancient beans are one of the oldest cultivated plants and among the easiest to grow. They were the only beans Europeans ate before they discovered America and all its legumes. Explorers took American beans back to Europe and introduced the fava to America, which never really caught on.

After preparing them, you begin to understand why. This is a labor-intensive process. First, you string and shuck the beans, then parboil them so that the waxy coating can be removed. It is an afternoon event and, for Americans, not a great use of their time.

Unshelled, fresh favas look like giant, bumpy string beans. They are 5 to 7 inches long and lined with padding that looks like cotton batting. You don’t want to buy beans that are bulging out of the pod — which means they are probably old.

The beans have a buttery texture, a slight bitterness and a nutty flavor. Their fresh green color is a welcome sign of spring.

Fresh fava beans are purchased in the shell, so you’ll have to buy a lot more beans than you might think. One pound of un-peeled beans will give you roughly 1/3 cup of favas.

How to get to the bean:

  1. First, remove the beans from the pods (much like you would when shelling peas) by running a finger up the seam of the pod, splitting it open and removing the beans. There are about 4 to 5 beans per pod.
  2. At this point you’ll notice that the bean has a thick white skin around it which also needs to be peeled off. 
  3. To remove the second skin, there are two different methods. The first is to make a small slit with a knife along the edge of the bean to pop the bean out of its skin.
  4. The alternate, and more popular, method is to put the fava beans in boiling salted water to blanch for 30 seconds. Remove the beans from the boiling water and submerge them in ice cold water to stop the cooking process. This step softens the second skin, making it easier to remove.
  5. With your fingers, squeeze the bean out from its skin.
  6. Now, you can use the beans as directed in any recipe of your choice.

Fava beans have been a staple of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines for centuries and they are used in appetizers, omelets, salads, soups, dips, pasta dishes and casseroles. Many home cooks like to add favas to minestrone soup and favas can sometimes substitute for garbanzos in falafel patties.

I am most familiar with dried favas, which are greenish-brown and large compared to most beans and flat with a distinctive slim black eye. I often use these because fresh fava beans are not easy to find.

Dried Fava Beans

When You Can’t Find Fresh

Fresh fava beans have a short season, but they’re available in other forms to enjoy all year long.

Peeled frozen beans can be used in place of fresh, with slightly increased cooking times (follow the directions on the label).

Many people are familiar with dried favas and they are often imported from Italy. These are excellent for soup.

Canned or bottled favas are available in most supermarkets, but these tend to be the least favorable way to enjoy these beans. Often, the tough outer skin has not been removed and the beans can be high in sodium. If you use canned or bottled beans, be sure to rinse, drain and peel them, if necessary.

Favas are nutrition superheroes. They are high in fiber and iron and low in sodium and fat. They have no cholesterol but are high in protein.

Fava beans are popular in Italy.

They are often served as a first course spring salad with young sheep’s cheese tossed with olive oil, lemon juice, parsley and a little hot pepper. Next on the menu: could be fresh favas quickly sauteed with seafood and herbs or cooked fava beans pureed with cream and butter. Fava beans can be served simply boiled, mashed and spread on crostini, or added to spring stews and soups. They are often paired with artichokes or other spring vegetables such as peas and morels (mushrooms).

Italians credit the fava bean as a factor in saving Sicilians from starvation. Since then, the fava has been considered good luck. The myth of the fava bean began during the famine in Sicily, where the beans were used as fodder for cattle. To survive, the farmers prepared them for the table. Hence, they considered themselves lucky to have them.

Fava beans play a large role in the Sicilian tradition of the St. Joseph Table. which is held in March to honor the saint. They may be served in a frittata or in garlic sauce during this celebration. When dried, roasted and blessed, they become the very popular “lucky bean.” Legend has it that you will never be broke as long as you carry one. Some people believe that if you keep one in the pantry, there will always be food in the kitchen. The bean is also a symbol of fertility, since it grows well even in poor, rocky soil. Italians would carry a bean from a good crop to ensure a good crop the following year.

 Fava Bean Recipes:

Fresh Fava Bean and Pecorino Salad

Fava beans are a spring favorite in southern and central Italy. This salad, adapted from Patricia Wells’, Trattoria, (William Morrow 1993) is popular as a starter or as part of an antipasto spread. If you can only find a hard grating pecorino, use a soft goat cheese. If there are leftovers, saute the beans and cheese with a little oil in a small skillet. They are fragrant and delicious as a warm appetizer.
Makes 8 to 12 servings

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds fresh unshelled fava beans (about 2 cups shelled beans)
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon dried leaf oregano
  • 3 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, snipped with scissors
  • 1/8 teaspoon crushed red peppers (hot red pepper flakes), or to taste
  • 8 ounces soft sheep’s milk cheese such as a pecorino or a soft fresh goat’s milk cheese, cut in small cubes
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

Shell and parboil the beans as directed above in how to get at the bean.
In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients and toss to blend. Taste for seasoning.

Arugula and Fava-Bean Crostini

8 servings

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup shelled fresh fava beans (1 1/4 pounds in pods) or shelled fresh or frozen edamame (soybeans; 3/4 pounds in pods)
  • 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus additional for drizzling
  • 1 1/2 cups packed baby arugula (1 1/2 ounces), divided
  • 3 tablespoons grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
  • 1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 baguette
  • 1 garlic clove, halved crosswise
  • 16 mint leaves

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.

Cook fava beans in boiling water, uncovered, until tender, 3 to 4 minutes, then drain and transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking. Gently peel off skins.

Pulse fava beans in a food processor until very coarsely chopped, then transfer half of mixture to a large bowl. Add 1/4 cup oil, 1/2 cup arugula, cheese, lemon zest and juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper to favas in processor and purée until smooth. Add to bowl. Coarsely chop remaining cup arugula and gently fold into fava-bean mixture.

Cut 16 diagonal slices (1/3 inch thick) from baguette and put on a 4-sided sheet pan. Drizzle with remaining tablespoon oil. Bake until pale golden and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Rub with cut side of garlic.

Spoon fava-bean mixture onto baguette toasts, then drizzle with oil and top with mint.

Shrimp and Fava Beans with Thyme

Makes 2 entree servings or 4 appetizer servings

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • About 2 ounces firm, salty ham such as prosciutto, cut into tiny dice (about 1/3 cup)
  • 1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 3/4 pound shrimp, shelled and deveined
  • 1 pound fresh, unshelled fava beans
  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Shell fava beans according to instructions above.

Heat oil and butter in skillet over moderate heat. Add ham and garlic and toss for a minute. Add shrimp, favas and thyme and toss just until shrimp turn pink.

Sprinkle with pepper and salt. Serve immediately.

Fava Bean and Pasta Soup from Sicily

Serves 4 to 5

Ingredients

  • 1 pound fresh, young fava beans
  • 1½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 ounces pancetta, chopped
  • 6 cups cold water
  • 1/4 pound linguine or spaghetti, broken into 1½-inch lengths
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Remove the beans from the pods, shell and pick off the little buds that appear on the side of the beans. (See photo above.)

Place the oil and onion in a large saucepan over low heat, cover, and cook for about 5 minutes, until the onion sweats.

Add the pancetta and saute for 8 to 10 minutes, until it begins to color. Add the water and bring to a boil. Add the beans and partially cover. Cook over medium-low heat for 30 to 40 minutes, until the beans are tender. The timing depends on the freshness of the beans.

When the favas are tender, stir in the pasta and cook until the texture is al dente, about 6-8 minutes or so, stirring now and then, to prevent the pasta from sticking together.

Remove from the heat, add basil, mint, parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Variation: If fresh fava beans are not to be found, you can use 5 ounces (3/4 cup) dried fava beans instead. Dried fava beans have to be soaked overnight.

To make this soup using dried fava beans, bring the drained, soaked beans and 8 cups water to a boil in a soup kettle; simmer until the beans are tender, about 45 minutes. Drain, reserving the bean cooking liquid; cool the beans. Remove and discard the tough outer skin from the fava beans. Follow the recipe instructions, adding the cooked fava beans and 6 cups of the bean cooking liquid just after adding the pancetta. Bring to a boil, add the pasta and proceed with the recipe instructions.

 

Poached Chicken Breast with Spring Fava Beans

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup fava beans, shelled
  • 4 (4-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
  • 2 medium leeks, washed well, trimmed and cut into long strips
  • 4 fingerling potatoes, cut in half lengthwise
  • 4 cups Chicken Stock
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano
  • 4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 4 sprigs fresh oregano for garnish

Directions:

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Prepare a bowl of ice water. Immerse the fava beans in the boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes. Drain and plunge the beans into the ice water for 30 seconds to stop the cooking process. Drain. To remove the fibrous shells from the blanched fava beans, make an incision on one end of the shell with your fingernail, pop the bean out, and discard the shells. Set aside.

Place the chicken breasts, leeks and potatoes into a medium-size pot; add the stock, set over medium heat and bring to a simmer; cook, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the fava beans, parsley and oregano; continue to simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the broth and cut into thin slices. Place equal portions of chicken, beans, leeks and potatoes into 4 serving bowls, pour a little broth over all and drizzle 1 teaspoon lemon juice on each bowl. Garnish with oregano sprigs. Serve immediately.

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Posted by in Beans, Bread, Cheese, Chicken, fava, Healthy Italian Cooking, Italian Cuisine, onion, Pasta, potatoes, Salad, shrimp, Soup, Vegetables Tags:

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Cooking With Garlic

March 7, 2013

Garlic (Allium sativum) is a close relative of chives, leek and onions. This edible bulb of garlic cloves is found underground, below the leafy, scallion-like growth. A garlic bulb, composed of 4-60 cloves, can be 1.5 to 3 inches in diameter (4 to 7.5 cm) and grow to a height of 10 inches to 5 feet (10 cm to 1.5 m). The flowers are white with a rose or green cast. The bulbs themselves are creamy white and may have a purplish hue, as may the paper-like covering that surrounds the bulb.

As a culinary and medicinal plant, garlic spread in ancient times to Mediterranean regions and beyond. Garlic has been used for medicinal purposes by more cultures than any other plant product or substance. The first recorded use was by the Sumerians of Mesopotamia, in the region of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Archeologists have discovered paintings of garlic dating back to 3200 B.C in Egyptian tombs. A recently discovered Egyptian papyrus dated around 1,500 B.C. recommends garlic as a cure for over 22 common ailments, including lack of stamina, heart disease and tumors.

Garlic was so highly prized, it was even used as currency. Although the Egyptians considered garlic valuable, they had a strong aversion to cooking and eating it. The ancient Israelites were fond of garlic and in the Mishnah, a collection of Jewish traditions incorporated into the Talmud, the ancient Hebrew writers refer to themselves as “the garlic eaters.” Many other ancient civilizations, including the Romans and Greeks used garlic to boost strength and prevent diseases. In ancient Greece and Rome, garlic enjoyed a variety of uses, from repelling scorpions to treating animal bites and bladder infections to curing leprosy and asthma.

Although highly regarded as a medicine in eastern cultures, garlic was not used as a food. The Buddhists avoided eating it as did some Hindus.The ancient Indians valued the medicinal properties of garlic and thought it to be an aphrodisiac. But it was not considered to be suitable food for the upper classes, who detested its strong odor. It was also forbidden by monks, who believed it to be a stimulant that aroused passions. This attitude changed with the centuries and garlic, ginger and onion were, and continue to be, an indispensable part of the cuisine of Southern Asia.

In the Middle Ages, garlic was thought to combat the plague and was hung in braided strands across the entrances of houses to prevent evil spirits from entering and as a protection from the plague. Garlic was also used as a medicine against plagues that struck London in the 17th century and France in the 18th century.

In New England, during colonial times, garlic cloves were used to treat smallpox, rheumatism, intestinal worms and whooping-cough. Louis Pasteur recognized its antiseptic properties in 1858, and Albert Schweitzer recommended garlic for dysentery.

For many years, garlic was shunned as a food by the western cultures because of the odor it left behind. It was avoided in America until the 20th. century, when an influx of immigrants brought garlic flavored cooking with them and the use of garlic slowly gained a foothold in American cuisine. Today, garlic is recognized worldwide as an extremely nutritious addition to any diet.

Over a thousand papers on garlic health benefits have been published since 1950. Many of the health benefits of garlic that have been studied come from garlic’s abundant antioxidant nutrients. Garlic also contains enzymes, calcium, copper, iron, manganese, phosphorus, potassium and selenium. Vitamins in garlic include vitamin A, vitamin B1 (thiamine), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B6 and vitamin C. Garlic is a powerful immune system booster. It increases the production of interferon (an antiviral compound), which improves the action of your white blood cells. Interferon and white blood cells are critical components of your body’s immune system.

There are certain dishes that are unimaginable without garlic: the sauce from France called aioli, the Italian anchovy dip called bagna cauda, the Middle Eastern spread hummus, Greek Tzatziki sauce and, of course, garlic bread, to name a few. It is also an important ingredient in many Italian sauces and Asian recipes. There are jellies and jams and even ice cream. For a milder flavor, choose Elephant garlic, which — while large in size — has a mild garlic taste.

Garlic Measurements:

Here are some garlic measurement yields:

1 small clove of garlic equals one half teaspoon of garlic

1 medium clove equals one teaspoon

1 large clove equals two teaspoons

1 extra-large clove equals one tablespoon

Garlic Tips:

Garlic keepers, covered ceramic pots with holes for circulation, provide the kind of cool, dark climate in which the bulbs keep best. Green shoots on stored garlic do not mean it can no longer be used, but the flavor will be milder.

Refrigeration changes the texture of garlic and causes it to quickly become soft. Neither freezing nor drying gives satisfactory results, but storing peeled cloves in wine or vinegar in the refrigerator, will preserve garlic for up to four months.

Do NOT store garlic in oil, even under refrigeration, because cases of botulism have resulted. Commercial preparations in oil, by law, have been specially treated to prevent this possibility.

When garlic cloves are cooked or baked whole, the flavor mellows into a sweet, almost nutty flavor that hardly resembles any form of pungency.

The potency of garlic is determined by size. The smaller you cut it, the stronger the flavor. Chopping finely and/or pressing a clove exposes more surfaces to the air, causing a chemical reaction to produce that strong aroma and potent flavor.

When sauteing garlic, be very careful not to burn it. The flavor turns intensely bitter and you’ll have to start over.

If you have a good garlic press, you don’t even need to peel garlic cloves before pressing, which can be a wonderful time-saver. Just place the unpeeled clove in the tool cavity, press and discard the skins left in the cavity.

Choose garlic heads that are firm to the touch, with no nicks or soft cloves. If you notice dark, powdery patches under the skin, pass it up because this is an indication of a common mold which will eventually spoil the flesh.

Some Common Types of Garlic

Believe it or not, all garlics do not taste the same. Some are exceedingly mild in taste, such as Italian Red and Red Toch. Some are medium flavored, while others are very hot and strong, such as Metechi (a marbled Purple Stripe) or Chinese Purple.There are several components to garlic taste: flavor, pungency (which is the degree of hotness when eaten raw) and residual or aftertaste, which for some varieties is considerable. Flavor and aftertaste can be measured on a scale from 1 to 10. Raw garlic is hot like a chili pepper, it just doesn’t last long, but it has an aftertaste. Flavor is the intensity of the garlic taste itself, whether it is hot or not. Some have a heavy flavor but are mild in heat, whereas others may be light in both or very heavy in both. If you get garlic that scores a ten on all three scales, you have very potent garlic.

For many, many more types of garlic, read what the following garlic farm in Wisconsin grows:  http://www.wegrowgarlic.com/7422.html

Fresh garlic consists of several cloves that can be individually separated from their paper-thin white peel. Each clove of garlic is also encased in its own individual white to reddish-brown wrapper, often layered, depending upon variety. Regardless of variety though, it is best to choose garlic with firm bulbs and roots still intact, as this is a sign of freshness. Whole garlic has a very mild scent, once cloves are chopped or pressed enzyme compounds are released which produce a sulfur based molecule known as allicin, a process which gives garlic its renowned pungent aroma and flavor.

Italian Purple garlic can easily be distinguished from other garlics by its appearance. Its solid bulb is almost uniformly rounded and its thick layers of wrappers are streaked with variegations of violet-purple. The bulb contains a thick central scape and about six to eight plump cream-colored cloves in relatively easy-to-peel skin. The cloves are aromatic, spicy and bold in flavor, which only increases with maturity. When eaten raw, a little bit goes a long way with Italian Purple garlic, since its flavor lingers for quite a while. Italian Purple is a rare Rocambole that was brought to the United States from northern Italy in the early 20th. century. It has been grown throughout many garlic growing regions in the Northern United States. It is still considered a rare garlic with very limited commercial production. You will most likely find Italian Purple garlic at a farmers market.

Elephant garlic is much larger in size than common garlic. Elephant garlic develops a large underground bulb (nearly twice the size of the largest true garlic variety) that produces an average of five large cloves. The largest bulbs can weigh as much as one pound, hence its given name. Its size matters only in appearance, though, as its flavor is milder and sweeter than that of other garlic varieties, due to its leek ancestry.

 

Thai garlic produce extremely small bulbs, that carry about six to eight pea-sized cloves, that grow around the garlic’s scape. When harvested at maturity, the cloves are encased in tight, firm wrappers varying in stripes and colors of purple and tan. The cloves themselves are creamy in color with a shallot rose-colored hue on their surface. Regardless of size, their flavors are pungent and aromas are strong. The fiery flavor does mellow with cooking.

Rancho Grande garlic is an Italian red garlic variety and a soft neck type of garlic. Rancho Grande garlic produces large bulbs, which carry an average of ten cloves, that grow in a circular order around the garlic’s central scape. The bulbs and individual cloves are wrapped in thin papery layers that protect the garlic from the elements through maturity. The cloves are a translucent white in color. The garlic’s aroma is a savory and mellow essence of allium, while the flavor is peppery and yet sweet.

 

Kettle River garlic produces large bulbs with an average of four cloves per bulb. The bulbs grow in pairs around the garlic’s central scape, their size is quite robust compared to many garlic varieties. Even when slightly peeled, the aromatics of the garlic permeate immediately and linger. The flavor of Kettle River garlic is intense with an earthy garlic taste and a smooth subtle aftertaste.

Green garlic are young, short-season plants that are harvested before they begin to form mature bulbs or cloves. Green garlic ranges in height from 8-18 inches, producing thin, green stalks and small, cylindric to globular white bulbs. Green garlic has a piquant garlic flavor and a firm texture.

 

Recipes That Showcase Garlic:

Antipasto

 

Garlicky Bruschetta with Tomatoes

 Ingredients:

  • 1 cup diced ripe tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • Salt and ground black pepper
  • 1 loaf Italian bread, sliced diagonally into 1-inch thick slices and toasted

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine tomatoes, basil, olive oil, and garlic. Mix well to combine. Season, to taste, with salt and black pepper. Spoon tomato mixture on toasted bread slices and serve.

Bagna Cauda

An Italian favorite, bagna cauda is a warm dip of anchovies, garlic and olive oil served with fresh vegetables as an appetizer.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 5 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
  • 12 anchovies preserved in olive oil, drained and chopped
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks

For dipping:

A variety of raw vegetables, including fennel, cauliflower, Belgian endive, sweet peppers and zucchini.

Directions:

Put the olive oil in a pan with the garlic and anchovies and cook over a low heat, stirring, until the anchovies melt or break apart. Whisk in butter and, as soon as it has melted, remove the pot from the heat and whisk for a few more turns to blend everything together. Pour into a heatproof dish that fits over a flame or bunson burner, so that it does not get cold at the table. Serve with the crudities.

 

First Courses

 

Spaghetti with Garlic, Oil and Chili Pepper

Spaghetti with garlic, oil and peperoncino is one of the most simple and quick-to-prepare pasta dishes in Italy.

Servings 4

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 lb spaghetti
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 chili pepper
  • parsley, chopped to taste

Directions:

Cook the pasta in salted water and drain when cooked al-dente. While it is cooking, heat the garlic and the chili pepper, without letting them burn, and add to the cooked pasta, sprinkling some finely chopped parsley on top.

Garlic Soup Italian Style

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 1 medium carrot, finely chopped
  • 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
  • 2 large potatoes cut into bite-size cubes
  • 20 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 cups water
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • Fresh chives or tops of green onions to garnish

Directions:

In a soup pot heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook for about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat and add the garlic and potatoes. Cook until the potatoes are softened, (not mushy.) This should take an additional 10 to 15 minutes.

Add the broth, the water, thyme, bay leaves, salt and pepper and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until all ingredients are soft, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and remove the bay leaves.

Process the soup with an immersion blender until chunky. Season with salt and pepper and garnish. Serve hot.

Linguine with Clam Sauce

See post on how to clean clams: 

http://jovinacooksitalian.com/2012/10/08/pasta-night/

6 servings

 Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/3 cup clam juice
  • 1/3 cup white wine
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 dozen littleneck clams, washed well
  • 8 cups hot cooked linguine (about 1 pound uncooked pasta)

Directions:

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic; cook 3 minutes or until golden, stirring frequently. Stir in clam juice and next 5 ingredients. Stir well and add clams in a single layer. Cover and cook 10 minutes or until the clams open. Remove from heat. Discard any clams that do not open.

Drain pasta and return to the pot.  Add clam sauce to pasta and toss well. Serve in individual pasta bowls.

 

Second Courses

 

Garlicky Pan-Roasted Shrimp

 Ingredients:

  • 1/2 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 large cloves garlic, finely chopped or passed through a garlic press
  • pinch of dried red-pepper flakes, or 1 or 2 whole dried peperoncini (hot peppers)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • 2 tablespoons dry white wine
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley

 Directions:

In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the garlic and hot pepper and saute gently until the garlic softens but is not browned, about 2 minutes. Add the shrimp and saute, turning once, until they are opaque, about 2 minutes on each side. Add the wine and salt, stir and cook for an additional 30 seconds, to allow the alcohol to evaporate. Remove and discard the whole peppers, if used. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.

Italian Garlic Chicken and Potatoes

Ingredients

  • 8 bone in chicken thighs
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon red chili peppers, finely minced
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 5 medium new potatoes
  • 2 -3 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Line a roasting pan with foil.

Cut off any excess skin from the chicken leaving just a covering on top. Dry chicken with paper towels and place into a large bowl. 

Drizzle 3 tablespoons olive oil over chicken.

Add garlic, lemon juice, parsley, basil, thyme, rosemary, chili peppers, salt and pepper.

Using clean hands, toss the chicken in the oil/garlic/herb mixture to thoroughly coat.

Lay the chicken pieces in the roasting pan, skin side down, leaving any excess oil/garlic/herb mixture in the bowl.

Cut up potatoes (do NOT peel) into large chunks and toss into the bowl with the remaining oil/garlic/herb mixture.

Toss to coat and place potato chunks around chicken in pan and drizzle any remaining oil mixture over chicken and potatoes.

Bake for 25 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven and turn chicken and potatoes over.

Return to the oven and bake an additional 20-25 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

 

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Little Italy – Manhattan

March 1, 2013

Mulberry Street, along which New York City’s Little Italy is centered. Lower East Side, circa 1900.

In 1892 Ellis Island, located at the mouth of the Hudson River in New York Harbor, was established as the chief immigration center. Between 1892 and its closing in 1956, over 12 million immigrants passed through Ellis Island.

For centuries since the collapse of the Roman Empire, Italy had not existed as a single unified entity. Instead, it was a series of principalities each ruled by a different prince, duke or ruling family. The Italian Unification of 1861 changed all that, but it was not a smooth transition. The new government favored the areas in the north part of Italy, leaving the south with heavy taxes. This largely rural area had many tenant farmers who were no longer able to make a living, especially as the area was heavily populated.

Instead, millions of Italians decided to head to America. Most intended to make a new home for themselves there, while others intended to stay long enough to make their fortune and then return to Italy. Either way, life was not easy once they arrived in the “Land of Opportunity”. Not only did they not know the language, but they were usually without any education or training.

By 1910, there were 340,765 Italians living in New York.

Ellis Island and Harbor, New York. Statue of Liberty at far left.

To cope with this transition to a strange land with a different language, Italian immigrants, like many other immigrant groups, tended to live very close together in the cities to which they came. These pockets of Italian population were called “Little Italies.” Within these communities they helped each other, fed each other, practiced their religion and kept up many of the familiar customs of their homeland.

These “Little Italies” became important cultural areas of the cities. Often the Italians would establish restaurants, thus introducing Italian cuisine to America. Pope Leo XIII even sent missionaries to the “Little Italies” in the U.S. to serve the people there. As immigrants were able to establish themselves, the next generation was able to stay in school and learn trades. Thus, they were able to raise themselves to the level of skilled workman and eventually to professional jobs. In fact, an Italian entrepreneur, Amadeo Giannini, established a bank in San Francisco for the Italian population there, which eventually became Bank of America, one of the largest banks in the country today.

Most of the Italian immigrants who made their home in America first landed in New York City. Many then traveled to other parts of the country; but by the early 1900′s, hundreds of thousands had settled in lower Manhattan, living in row houses and tenements in an area of about one square mile. For the unskilled, it was a hard life of cleaning city streets and ash barrels and, for the skilled, it was a hard life of working their trade in constructing buildings and roads. Others became fruit peddlers, bread bakers, shoemakers and tailors. Some opened grocery stores and restaurants or worked in factories; all giving their children the option to stay with the family trade or enter a professional field.

Even within Little Italy, still more insular enclaves formed. Most of the people who lived on Mulberry came from Naples; those from Elizabeth Street were from Sicily; Mott Street, from Calabria; and most of the people north of Mott, came from Bari. Back then if a boy from Mulberry Street married a girl from Elizabeth Street it was considered a mixed marriage.

Mulberry Street today, St. Gennaro Festival

Today, just several thousand Italian Americans live in New York City’s Little Italy in an area six by three blocks: Mulberry Street and Mott Streets between Canal and Spring Streets, then spreading to the northwest along Bleecker Street from 6th to 7th Avenues. Still, it’s the location of the largest Italian festival in the United States — The Feast of San Gennaro — an 11-day event that attracts over one million people. Held since 1927, the Festival has live music, games and rides, more than 300 vendors selling food and merchandise, indoor and outdoor restaurant and café dining, live radio broadcasts and a street procession of the San Gennaro statue.

Other events include Summer in Little Italy and Christmas in Little Italy, both held over several consecutive weekends. A recent addition located in the heart of Little Italy, The Italian American Museum, opened in the renovated Banca Stabile building.

To Experience Manhattan’s Little Italy

Start off the day at the Italian American Museum (155 Mulberry St.) located at the site of the former Banca Stabile, a bank established in 1885, to serve as a link back to Italy for the new Italian immigrants.

Follow Mulberry north to the oldest espresso bar in the country, Ferrara (195 Grand St. between Mott and Mulberry) established in 1892, for a coffee and dessert.

Continue on through the remaining area of Little Italy, mostly crowded restaurants and souvenir shops, and turn right onto Spring St. to try a slice of pie from Lombardi’s (32 Spring St.), the first pizzeria in America, dating back to 1905 when Sicilian, Gennaro Lombardi, peddled his first slice. Then head northwest to Ottomanelli & Sons Meat Market (285 Bleecker St.), one of the oldest butchers in New York City.

For a sweet finish, head next door to Pasticceria Rocco (243 Bleecker St.) for cannoli. It’s an old neighborhood favorite: the former Joe Zema’s Pastry, turned over to Rocco ( Joe’s southern Italian apprentice) in 1974.

Manhattan Italian American Cuisine

Neapolitan baker, Lombardi, opened the nation’s first pizzeria in New York City in 1905 and, to this day, Lombardi’s pies stand up as stellar examples of Italian-America’s take on the Neapolitan original: Larger in size, they’re topped with fresh tomato sauce, milky mozzarella, grated Romano cheese, olive oil and basil leaves and cooked in a coal oven. 

Soon enough, red sauce became the standard for Italian food in the United States and was embraced by Americans from every ethnic group. The epitome of this style of dining was Mamma Leone’s on 48th. Street in Manhattan, where blocks of mozzarella and provolone cheese were on every table. The restaurant opened in 1906 and was operated by the same family until it was sold to a restaurant group in 1959, eventually closing in 1994. 

It wasn’t until the arrival of first-rate Italian ingredients—many of which had been kept out of the U.S. by trade laws—in the 1970′s and ’80′s that Italian-American cooks were able to reproduce the regional flavors that travelers to Italy complained they could never find in the States. Such foods included: prosciutto di Parma, extra-virgin olive oil, parmigiano-reggiano cheese, arborio rice, porcini, balsamic vinegar and outstanding Italian wines from producers, like Angelo Gaja and Giovanni di Piero Antinori.

By that time, many Italian-American restaurants had become tired of traditional entrees and turned to northern Italy for inspiration. In New York there were Romeo Salta (opened in 1953), Nanni (1968), and Il Nido (1979). They downplayed the red sauce and substituted butter and cream sauces in pasta, risotto and polenta dishes. Instead of lasagna with meatballs and meat sauce, lasagne alla Bolognese with besciamella and spinach pasta became the favorite. Italian-American cheesecake and cannoli were replaced by tiramisù and panna cotta. The old Chianti bottles in straw  baskets were abandoned in favor of expensive barolos, barbarescos and “super-Tuscans.”  Now, the new restaurants in the U.S., proclaimed they were Tuscan-style trattorias or grills. Among the first to promote their Tuscan origins were Da Silvano, opened in 1975, and Il Cantinori (1983). Before long, their menus were copied across the country and extra-virgin olive oil became the new red sauce.

Manhattan”s Little Italy Inspired Recipes:

Mozzarella in Carrozza

Ingredients:

  • 12 slices firm white sandwich bread
  • 1/4 cup drained bottled capers, chopped
  • 6 oz fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices, at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:

Divide capers among 12 bread slices and spread evenly. Divide mozzarella among 6 slices and sprinkle with pepper to taste. Make into 6 sandwiches, then cut off and discard crusts to form 3-inch squares.

Coat sandwiches with flour, knocking off excess. Beat together eggs, milk and a pinch each of salt and pepper in another small shallow bowl.

Heat 1/2 tablespoon butter with 1 tablespoon oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until foam subsides. Meanwhile, coat 3 sandwiches, 1 at a time, with egg mixture. Cook, turning over once, until golden brown, about 5 minutes, then drain on paper towels. Coat and cook remaining 3 sandwiches in same manner.

Cut sandwiches into halves.

Classic Shrimp Scampi

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound large shrimp (about 20), shelled and deveined
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons freshly grated
  • Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
  • 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 baguette, sliced
  • 1 lemon, cut into wedges

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425°F.  In a large bowl, toss the shrimp with the wine. In a small bowl, mash the butter with the garlic, cheese, parsley, lemon juice and crushed red pepper. Season the butter with the salt and pepper.

Arrange the shrimp side by side in a single layer in a ceramic baking dish and drizzle any accumulated juices on top. Spread a scant teaspoon of the seasoned butter over each shrimp.

Bake the shrimp for about 7 minutes, until almost cooked through.

Remove the shrimp from the oven and turn on the broiler. Broil the shrimp about 6 inches from the heat for 2 minutes, or until browned and bubbling.

Serve immediately with the baguette slices and lemon wedges.

MAKE AHEAD The shrimp can be prepared through Step 2 and refrigerated overnight. Add another minute or so to the cooking time.

Baked Penne with Sausage and Ricotta

Serves 8

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 2 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 1 pound hot or sweet Italian fennel sausage, casings removed
  • One 28-ounce can tomato puree
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground fennel
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1 pound penne
  • 3 cups ricotta cheese
  • 1/2 pound fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated
  • Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400°F.  In a large saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the garlic and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up the meat, until browned, about 8 minutes. Add the tomato puree, water, sugar, bay leaf and fennel. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat until thickened, about 30 minutes. Remove the garlic, mash it to a paste and stir it back into the sauce; discard the bay leaf.

Meanwhile, cook the penne in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Using a slotted spoon, add the cooked sausage to the pasta, then add 1 cup of the tomato sauce and toss to coat the penne.

Spoon the pasta into a greased 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Pour the remaining tomato sauce over the pasta and dollop large spoonfuls of the ricotta on top. Gently fold some of the ricotta into the pasta; don’t overmix—you should have pockets of ricotta. Scatter the mozzarella on top and sprinkle with the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Bake the pasta for about 45 minutes, or until bubbling and golden on top. Let rest for 15 minutes before serving.

MAKE AHEAD The baked penne can be refrigerated, covered, overnight.

Reheat before serving.

 

Zabaglione with Strawberries

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 8 large egg yolks, at room temperature
  • 3/4 cup dry Marsala wine
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 pint strawberries, sliced

Directions:

Put the egg yolks, the marsala and the sugar into a large stainless steel bowl. Set the bowl over a large saucepan filled with 1 inch of barely simmering water. Using a whisk or hand-held electric mixer on low speed beat the egg-yolk mixture until it is hot and the mixture forms a ribbon when the beaters are lifted, 5 to 8 minutes. Don’t cook the zabaglione for too long or it will curdle.

Beat the heavy cream just until it holds firm peaks.

When the zabaglione is done, remove the bowl from the heat and continue beating until it cools down. Fold the cooled zabaglione into the whipped cream. Put the strawberries in serving bowls, top with the zabaglione, and refrigerate.

Substitute blueberries, raspberries or sliced peaches for the strawberries.

 

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Posted by in Bread, Cheese, eggs, Fish, Fruit, Healthy Italian Cooking, Italian Cuisine, Manhattan, Pasta, penne, Sauces, Sausage, shrimp, strawberries, zabaglione Tags: , , ,

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How To Store And Cook Winter Greens

February 11, 2013

Fresh greens should be crisp and not wilted (no slimy leaves). Separate beet and turnip greens from their roots before storing. Loosely wrap greens in slightly damp paper towels, then place in a plastic bag and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Wash just before using.

Bok Choy

A member of the cabbage family, mild and fresh-tasting bok choy is a staple of Asian cuisines. Rich in vitamins A and C and calcium, it cooks up in a flash, making it perfect for stir-fries. Tender baby bok choy—an immature bok choy plant with smaller, spoon-shaped leaves—is delicious raw. Don’t stop at stir-fries, though. Fold these sweet, vitamin C–packed leaves raw into salads, slaws or even chicken noodle soup.

Look for heads with bright green leaves and crisp white stalks with no holes or discolored spots. Bunches with large leaves are good for soups; narrower heads work well in stir-fries.

Trim and discard the thick base of the stalks; discard any discolored or tough leaves. Cut or tear the leaves from the stalks, except for baby bok choy, which can be used whole, halved, or quartered. Wash well.

Use bok choy alone as a colorful side or toss into any stir-fried dish—cook the chopped stalks first, then add the leaves. Bok choy adds a boost of nutrition to soups and holds up well to quick braising; be careful not to overcook it, as the leaves can become mushy. Baby bok choy can be cooked in the same manner or served raw in a salad.

Salmon With Bok Choy and Apple Slaw                                      

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 1/4 pounds skinless salmon fillet, cut into 4 pieces
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • 1/2 head bok choy, thinly sliced (about 6 cups)
  • 1 red apple, cut into bite-size pieces
  • 4 scallions, thinly sliced
  • 1/3 cup plain lowfat yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Season the salmon with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper and cook until opaque throughout, 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, toss the bok choy, apple, and scallions with the yogurt, lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Serve with the salmon.

Collard Greens

They’re excellent with ham hocks, as every southerner knows. But this fiber-rich favorite is more versatile than you might think: Try collards sliced raw with avocado and sesame seeds or baked with Gruyère in a creamy gratin.

 

Stir-Fried Shrimp, Rice, and Collard Greens                                                                                     

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup long-grain white rice
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1 pound peeled and de-veined large shrimp, tails removed
  • 6 scallions, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 6 cups stemmed and sliced collard greens (about 1 bunch) or sliced bok choy
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • Chili sauce, for serving

Directions:

Cook the rice according to the package directions. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and 1/2 teaspoon of the soy sauce. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the egg mixture and cook, stirring and tilting the pan, until just set, 1 to 2 minutes. Fold the egg in half and transfer to a cutting board; cut into 1-inch strips.

Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Add the shrimp and cook, tossing occasionally, until opaque throughout, 4 to 6 minutes; transfer to a plate.

Add the scallions, ginger, and garlic to the drippings in the skillet and cook for 1 minute. Add the collard greens and cook, tossing often, until tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the rice, vinegar, shrimp, egg and the remaining 2 tablespoons of soy sauce to the skillet and cook, tossing, until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve with the chili sauce.

Tip: To make this a vegetarian dish, substitute one 14-ounce package of extra-firm tofu (drained and cut into 1-inch pieces) for the shrimp.

Spinach

Tied with kale as the most nutritious of all the greens, it delivers more than a dozen flavonoids (anti-inflammatory and cancer-fighting compounds) and half the recommended dose of vision-maintaining vitamin A in one 1/2-cup serving. Eat it in the morning in an omelet, for lunch in a salad or a wrap or at dinner as a side dish. The crinkly leaves of savory spinach are more flavorful (though slightly tougher) than the flat-leaf variety. Whichever kind you choose, look for a deep, dark color and unbroken leaves with no signs of wilting or yellowing.

Refrigerate spinach unwashed (moisture speeds decay) and loosely wrapped in a plastic bag. Spinach sold in bunches will last up to 3 days. For washed and packaged spinach, follow the expiration date, no matter how fresh the leaves appear, since bacteria can develop. (Most packaged spinach has a 2-week shelf life.)

Chop off the root ends and any thick stems, then wash the leaves in a bowl of cold water. (They can be sandy, so change the water several times.)

Besides being used in salads and side dishes, spinach can be added to soups to beef up the nutrition. Though it’s known for having lots of iron, spinach must be eaten with tomatoes or citrus in order for that iron to be absorbed properly.

Spinach and White Bean Dip                                                                                

Serves 8 (makes 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 15.5-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed
  • 2 1/2 cups spinach
  • 1/4 cup fresh dill sprigs
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • Crostini, for serving

Directions:

 In a small saucepan, heat the oil with the garlic over medium heat until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes; let cool.

 In a food processor, combine the garlic oil, beans, spinach, dill and lemon juice. Season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and puree until smooth. Serve with the crostini.

Tip: Try using tender-leaf herbs, like basil or tarragon, along with (or in place of) the dill.

Mustard Greens 

These vitamin A–filled leaves add a spicy jolt (think horseradish) to braises, curries and pasta. Peppery, pungent and popular in the South, mustard greens are packed with calcium and vitamins. Some people find them overly bitter, but cooking tames their flavor. Kale, Swiss chard and spinach all make good substitutes. Refrigerate unwashed (moisture speeds decay) in a tightly sealed bag for up to 1 week.

Remove any thick ribs or stems, which can be tough, then wash the leaves in a bowl of cold water. (They can be sandy, so change the water several times.) If the taste of the greens is too strong, try blanching them in salted water before cooking.

Traditionally flavored with chunks of ham or bacon, they take on a delicious smoky flavor when sauteed. They can also be sauteed with minced garlic or simply steamed or boiled. Small, tender leaves can be eaten raw in salads.

Lentil Stew With Mustard Greens and Sausage                                         

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3/4 pound Italian sausage links, casings removed
  • 2 medium onions, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 6 cups stemmed and torn mustard greens (about 1 bunch) or kale
  • 1 pound sweet potatoes (about 2 medium), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 cup dried lentils
  • Kosher salt and black pepper

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the onions and cook, tossing occasionally, until beginning to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more.

Add the broth, mustard greens, sweet potatoes, lentils, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until the lentils and sweet potatoes are tender, 30 to 35 minutes.

Tip: Cooking mustard greens for long periods of time helps tame some of their bitterness. If you like greens with a little bite, reserve half the greens and add them during the last 5 minutes of cooking.

Dandelion Greens

These peppery, vitamin K–loaded leaves are best served simply: sauteed with olive oil and garlic or added to a salad in place of arugula.

Dandelion Greens with Currants and Pine Nuts                                                 

Serves 6

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
  • 1 lb. dandelion greens, ends trimmed, roughly chopped (about 2½ qts.)
  • 1/8 teaspoon each kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons each dried currants and toasted pine nuts
  • Lemon wedges (optional)

Directions:

 Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, stirring, about 30 seconds.

Add dandelion greens in batches, turning frequently with tongs. Increase heat to medium-high, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and continue to cook, turning with tongs, until greens are wilted and tender-crisp, about 5 minutes. Add currants and pine nuts and cook 1 minute more. Transfer to a serving dish and drizzle with remaining oil. Serve with a squeeze of lemon.

Kale

Bursting with vitamin C, kale makes an unusual Caesar salad, brightens soups and will even work as a pesto. You can use the two most common varieties—Tuscan kale (also called lacinato or dinosaur) and curly kale—interchangeably. A nutritional powerhouse, kale is also a great source of vitamins A, calcium and cancer-fighting phytonutrients. It has a mild cabbage taste but none of the bitterness of other winter greens. Look for dark green, frilly leaves that have a little spring to them. Avoid those that are yellowing, dry or wilted, a sign of age.

Keep kale unwashed (moisture speeds decay) in a plastic bag in the coldest section of the refrigerator, usually at the back. Because kale contains a lot of water, it doesn’t last long. Use it within 3 days of purchase for the tastiest results. Kale that has been sitting around can develop a strong bitter flavor.

If the center stalks are thicker than a pencil, remove and discard them before cooking. Kale is delicious sauteed with garlic, in soups or prepared any way you’d cook spinach.

Mediterranean Chicken With Kale and Roasted Squash                                            

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 1 large acorn squash (about 2 pounds)—halved, seeded, and sliced 1/2 inch thick
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • 4 – 6ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1 bunch kale, thick stems removed and leaves torn (about 6 cups)
  • 1 cup pitted prunes, halved
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped

Directions:

Heat oven to 450° F. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the squash with 1 tablespoon of the oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Roast, turning once, until tender, 18 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season the chicken with the coriander, ginger, turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. add the chicken to the skillet and cook until cooked through, 7 to 10 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with aluminum foil to keep warm.

Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Add the kale, prunes and garlic; cover and cook, tossing occasionally, until the kale is tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the squash and toss to combine. Serve with the chicken.

Tip: You can substitute collard greens or Swiss chard for the kale and dried cherries or apricots for the prunes.

Turnip Greens 

If you haven’t had this spicy, calcium-packed green, you’re missing out. Delicious sauteed with bacon or braised and sprinkled with toasted nuts. Although the turnip has been grown for more than 4,000 years and was one of the first foods to be cultivated in Europe, it is currently under appreciated: It keeps well, takes to almost any cooking metho, and has a subtle flavor. Look for firm, unblemished specimens with white flesh and a purple-tinged top. Pick the smallest bulbs, ranging in size from that of a golf ball to a tennis ball; any larger and they become coarse in texture and lack flavor. If the greens are attached and you’d like to cook them, make sure they are bright green and crisp.

When stored at the ideal temperature of 55 degrees in a cool, dry place (such as a basement or root cellar), turnips can last for 1 month; they can also be tightly wrapped and refrigerated for up to 2 weeks. If the greens are attached, remove them, leaving an inch or two of stem at the top, and refrigerate them separately, unwashed, in a plastic bag for up to 3 days.

Southern Turnip Greens and Ham Hocks                                                             

 8 to 10 servings

Ingredients:

  • 1 3/4 pounds ham hocks, rinsed
  • 2 quarts water
  • 2 bunches fresh turnip greens with roots (about 10 pounds)
  • 1 tablespoon sugar

Directions:

Bring ham hocks and 2 quarts water to a boil in an 8-quart Dutch oven. Reduce heat and simmer 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until meat is tender.

Remove and discard stems and discolored spots from greens. Chop greens, and wash thoroughly; drain. Peel turnip roots and cut in half.

Add greens, roots and sugar to Dutch oven; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 45 to 60 minutes or until greens and roots are tender.

 

Beet Greens 

Thinly slice these strong, potassium-rich leaves and mix them with shredded raw beets for a salad or combine the torn leaves with warm roasted beets. Beets’ jewel-like colors are also packed with vitamin C and folate. Select beets that are firm and not more than a couple of inches in diameter, with smooth, blemish-free dark red or golden yellow skin. (Give the white-fleshed or dramatic striped varieties a try if you find them.) If you want to cook the attached greens (like spinach), make sure they’re bright green.

Before refrigerating, separate the beets from the leaves (which leach moisture from the roots), leaving an inch or two of stem at the top. Store the beets and the leaves, unwashed, in separate bags in the refrigerator’s vegetable compartment. The greens will last for only a few days, but the roots stay fresh for up to 3 weeks.

Beet Greens and Carrots With Sesame Dressing                                                                         

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 6 cups stemmed beet greens (about 1 bunch) or spinach
  • 1/2 pound carrots (about 4 medium), thinly sliced on the bias
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

Directions:

Fill a large pot with 1 inch of water and fit with a steamer basket; bring the water to a boil. Place the beet greens and carrots in the basket, cover, and steam until tender, 4 to 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, soy sauce, honey and sesame oil. Drizzle the vegetables with the dressing and sprinkle with the sesame seeds.

Tip: If you cannot find toasted sesame seeds, you can toast them in a large, dry skillet over medium heat, shaking the pan occasionally, until golden and fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.

Swiss Chard

Need a break from spinach or kale? Substitute chard, a nutritional powerhouse in its own right. Use its slightly sweet stems and leaves in a pasta dish or add depth to a winter soup. The stems need extra cooking time, so chop them up and add them to the pan a few minutes before the leaves. A member of the beet family. chard (a.k.a. Swiss chard) is a Mediterranean favorite with deep red or green leaves and an earthy, slightly bitter taste. Chard is typically classified by the color of its celery-like stalks; red (ruby chard), white, green or multi-color (rainbow chard). Look for crisp stalks and firm, crinkly green leaves without spots or holes. The smaller the leaves, the sweeter their taste. (Large leaves and stems are often chewy.) Refrigerate chard unwashed in the vegetable compartment for up to 3 days.

Small leaves can be cooked with the stalks attached. Remove the stalks from larger leaves; because they can be tough, they need a few minutes’ head start in the cooking pot.

Stir chard into stews and soups, or blanch or saute it like spinach. The stalks can be prepared as you would asparagus. Smaller rainbow chard leaves and their (finely sliced) stalks of brilliant fuchsia, sunny yellow, pink and white are colorful additions to a salad.

Swiss Chard and Chickpea Fritters With Yogurt                                                  

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 8 cups stemmed and torn Swiss chard (about 1 bunch) or spinach
  • 1 15.5-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed
  • 1 clove garlic, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • kosher salt and black pepper
  • 2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (about 1/2 cup)
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • hot sauce, for serving

Directions

In a food processor, combine the Swiss chard, chickpeas, garlic, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and pulse until finely chopped, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Transfer to a large bowl, add the Feta and flour, and mix until combined. Form the mixture into eight 2½-inch patties.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in 2 batches, cook the patties until browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side, adding the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the skillet for the second batch. Serve with the yogurt and hot sauce.

Tip: The patties can be formed up to 8 hours in advance; refrigerate, covered.

 

Escarole

It may look like romaine, but this bold and bitter green is 10 times as flavorful. Add it to a hearty stew to cut the richness of the dish. Plus, in just 1/2 cup, you’ll find about 65 percent of your daily recommended bone-healthy vitamin K. Escarole has a slightly bitter bite. Its broad, sturdy leaves are good in salads when young and tender; but tougher, more mature specimens are best tossed into soups and stews. Escarole is a good source of vitamins A and C.

Refrigerate in a loosely closed plastic bag; do not seal tightly, as this can cause the leaves to absorb excess moisture and become soggy. If roots are attached, wrap them in a damp paper towel before placing the lettuce in the bag, discard any leaves that are wilted or slimy. Do not separate the leaves from the head or wash until just before using.

Braised Chicken With Escarole, Tomatoes, and Olives                                           

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 – 3 1/2-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • 2 medium onions, sliced
  • 12 cups torn escarole (about 1 head) or stemmed and torn collard greens
  • 1 – 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
  • 1/3 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved

Directions:

Heat oven to 400° F. Heat the oil in an ovenproof Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Working in 2 batches, cook the chicken until browned, 5 to 6 minutes per side; transfer to a plate.

Add the onions to the drippings in the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the escarole, tomatoes and their juices and 1/2 cup water and mix to combine. Place the chicken on top of the escarole, cover the pot, and transfer to oven.

 Bake, covered, until the escarole is wilted and tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Uncover the pot and cook until the chicken is cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes more; fold in the olives.

Tip: For a tangy version of this hearty dish, add 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar along with the olives and raisins.

 

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Posted by in Beans, Butternut Squash, Cheese, Chicken, chickpeas, Fish, greens, Ham, Healthy Italian Cooking, Italian Cuisine, Olives, Rice, Salad, salmon, shrimp, Soup Tags: , ,

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Mardi Gras Time !

February 4, 2013

Mardi Gras is French for “Fat Tuesday”.  The name comes from the ancient custom of parading a fat ox through Paris on this day.  The ox was to remind the people that they were not allowed to eat meat during Lent. Lent runs from Ash Wednesday until Easter Sunday. Mardi Gras moves.  It can be anywhere between February 3rd. and March 9th.  The date depends on when Easter falls. Traditionally, it is the last day for Catholics to indulge—and often overindulge—before Ash Wednesday starts the sober weeks of fasting that come with Lent. 

Mardi Gras began long before Europeans set foot in the New World. In mid February the ancient Romans celebrated the Lupercalia, a circus like festival not entirely unlike the Mardi Gras we are familiar with today. When Rome embraced Christianity, the early Church leaders decided it was better to incorporate certain aspects of pagan rituals into the new faith rather than attempt to abolish them altogether. Carnival became a period of abandon and merriment that preceded the penance of Lent, thus giving a Christian interpretation to the ancient custom.

Mardi Gras came to America in 1699 with the French explorer, Iberville. Mardi Gras had been celebrated in Paris since the Middle Ages, where it was a major holiday. Iberville sailed into the Gulf of Mexico, from where he launched an expedition up the Mississippi River. On March 3, 1699, Iberville set up a camp on the west bank of the river about 60 miles south of where New Orleans is today. This was the day Mardi Gras was being celebrated in France, so in honor of this important day, Iberville named the site, Point du Mardi Gras.

During the late 1700′s, pre-Lenten masked balls and festivals were common in New Orleans, while it was under French rule. However, when New Orleans came under Spanish rule, the custom was banned. In 1803 New Orleans came under the U.S. flag. The prohibition against masked festivals continued until 1823, when the Creole populace convinced the governor to permit masked balls. In 1827 street masking was again legalized. During the early 1800′s public celebrations of Mardi Gras centered around maskers on foot, in carriages and on horseback. The first documented parade occurred in 1837. Unfortunately, Mardi Gras gained a negative reputation because of violent behavior attributed to maskers during the 1840′s and 1850′s. The situation became so bad that the press began calling for an end to the celebration.

In 1857 six New Orleanians saved Mardi Gras by forming the Comus organization. These six men were former members of an organization which had put on New Year’s Eve parades in Mobile, Alabama since 1831. The Comus organization added beauty to Mardi Gras and demonstrated that it could be a safe and festive event. Comus was the first organization to use the term krewe to describe itself. Comus also started the customs of having a secret Carnival society, having a parade with a unifying theme, floats and of having a ball after the parade. Comus was also the first organization to name itself after a mythological character. The celebration of Mardi Gras was interrupted by the Civil War, but in 1866 Comus returned. In 1870 the Twelfth Night Revelers made their appearance. In 1871 they began the custom of presenting a young woman with a golden bean hidden in a cake. This young woman was the first queen of Mardi Gras. This was also the origin of the King Cake tradition.

In 1872 the krewe of Rex made their debut and began the tradition of the “King of Carnival.” Rex also introduced purple, gold and green as the official colors of Mardi Gras. Rex was the first krewe to hold an organized daytime parade and introduced “If Ever I Cease To Love” as the Mardi Gras anthem. One of the high points of Rex is the arrival of the Rex King on a riverboat.

Ten years later in 1882, the Krewe of Proteus made its debut with a parade themed after Egyptian mythology. In 1890 the first marching club, The Jefferson City Buzzards, was organized. In 1894, the Original Illinois Club was formed as the first black Mardi Gras organization. In 1896 Les Mysterieuses appeared as the first female organization.

With the rise of mass produced automobiles, truck riders became part of the Mardi Gras scene. In 1835 they organized themselves into the Elkes Krewe. The Krewe of Hermes appeared in 1937 and the Knights of Babylon in 1939. Mardi Gras prospered during the 1940′s, although it was canceled during the war years. In 1949 Louis Armstrong was King of the Zulu parade and was pictured on the cover of Time Magazine. 

In 1950 the Duke and Duchess of Windsor visited New Orleans during Mardi Gras. They honored the New Orleans Mardi Gras tradition by bowing to the kings of Rex and Comus at the Comus ball. The Korean War put a damper on festivities in 1951, but several krewes joined forces to parade as the Krewe of Patria on Mardi Gras day. The Fifties also saw the replacement of mule drawn floats with ones drawn by tractors and the formation of several new krewes including Zeus.

In the 1960’s Zulu came under pressure from portions of the black community, who thought the krewe presented an undignified image. The king resigned and the parade was almost cancelled but Zulu survived and was a main attraction by 1969. The Sixties ended with the debut of Bacchus. Bacchus aimed to bring national attention to Mardi Gras with gigantic floats and a Hollywood celebrity (Danny Kaye) riding as its king. Bacchus replaced the traditional ball with a supper to which tickets could be purchased by visitors and locals. The 1970′s saw the debut of 18 new krewes and the demise of 18 others. More than a dozen krewes followed the lead of Bacchus by placing celebrities in their parades. In the 1980′s Mardi Gras gained 27 new parades. It is now to the point where a parade or two takes place everyday from the start of Mardi Gras until “Fat Tuesday”. This year, 2013, Mardi Gras and Superbowl Sunday are taking place simultaneously in New Orleans.  One big party!

Louisiana is the only state in which Mardi Gras is a legal holiday. However, elaborate carnival festivities draw crowds in other parts of the United States during the Mardi Gras season as well, including Alabama, Mississippi and the Florida Panhandle. Each region has its own events and traditions, but in each region, schools are closed and parades and balls are held as a way of celebrating this occasion.

Across the globe, pre-Lenten festivals continue to take place in many countries with significant Roman Catholic populations. Brazil’s week long Carnival festivities feature a vibrant mixture of European, African and native traditions. In Canada, Quebec City hosts the Quebec Winter Carnival. In Italy, tourists flock to Venice’s Carnevale, which dates back to the 13th. century and is famous for its masquerade balls. Known as Karneval, Fastnacht or Fasching, the German celebration includes parades, costume balls and a tradition that empowers women to cut off men’s ties. For Denmark’s Fastevlan, children dress up and gather candy in a similar manner to Halloween–although the parallel ends when they ritually flog their parents on Easter Sunday morning.

The Food Of Mardi Gras

Laissez les bons temps rouler!

Since it’s Mardi Gras time in New Orleans and the rest of the northern Gulf Coast, that means an excuse to down as many muffulettas, oysters, bowls of etouffee and gumbo and glasses of brandy milk punch as we can eat or drink. It’s also a time for New Orleans’ residents (and many fans) to celebrate the resilient spirit of a city that refused to give up, despite a series of tragedies that threatened to destroy their way of life forever. New Orleanians love to talk…and argue…and educate…and opine about food. It’s who they are, and what has kept them going.

In this famed good-time city, food is king during Mardi Gras. King cake, a ring-shaped pastry glazed with purple, gold, and green icing with a tiny plastic baby representing the infant Jesus nestled inside, is the most iconic Mardi Gras delicacy, but Cajun and Creole flavors rule. Red beans and rice, fried chicken and jambalaya also top the list of popular foods.

Gumbo is the most common food associated with the region. It is a thick soup with meat, seafood, vegetables and a heavy dose of spices, typically served over rice. It comes in two varieties, seafood (which is crawfish and shrimp) and chicken/sausage.

Étouffée is a seafood (usually crawfish) stew that is also served over rice. Though it has a great deal in common with gumbo, it is much thicker usually and generally more precise in standards. Where gumbo is like a soup, Étouffée is usually more like a topping for the rice with sauce.

Po-Boy sandwiches are served on french bread and typically feature fried seafood items such a shrimp, catfish, etc. However, there are turkey and ham Po-Boys.

Beignets are like a sweet doughnut, but the beignet is square shaped and without a hole.The word beignet (pronounced bey-YAY) comes from the early Celtic word bigne meaning “to raise.” It is also French for “fritter.” Beignets, a New Orleans specialty, are fried, raised pieces of yeast dough, usually about 2 inches in diameter or 2 inches square. After being fried, they are sprinkled with sugar or coated with various icings.

Beignets

Recipes For Mardi Gras

I am including recipes in this post for many of the favorite New Orleans dishes that you will find on the table for Mardi Gras celebrations.  However, if you are a follower of this blog, you will know that I have lightened these often fattening recipes, without sacrificing flavor or traditional tastes.

Oven-Fried Green Tomatoes With Lightened Remoulade

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:

  • 4 large green tomatoes
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
  • 2 cups Japanese breadcrumbs (panko) mixed 1/4 cup cornmeal
  • 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • Remoulade, recipe below

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut tomatoes into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Sprinkle both sides of tomatoes evenly with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.

2. Place a wire rack coated with vegetable cooking spray in a parchment paper-lined 15- x 10-inch jelly-roll pan.

3. Pour buttermilk into a shallow dish or pie plate. Stir together panko, Creole seasoning, and paprika in another shallow dish or pie plate.

4. Dredge tomatoes in flour. Dip tomatoes in buttermilk, and dredge in panko-cornmeal mixture. Lightly coat tomatoes on each side with cooking spray; arrange on wire rack.

5. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown, turning once after 10 minutes. Serve with Lightened Remoulade.

Lightened Remoulade

Makes about 1 cup

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup light mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup Creole mustard
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped bread-and-butter pickles 
  • 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
  • 1/4 teaspoon creole seasoning
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Stir together all ingredients. Chill

Southern Seafood Gumbo                                          

Ingredients:

  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 celery ribs with leaves, chopped
  • 1 medium green pepper, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 bottle (46 ounces) spicy, low sodium V8 juice or tomato juice
  • 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 package (16 ounces) frozen okra
  • 1 pound catfish fillets or redfish, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
  • 3/4 pound uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1/2 lb. fresh or pasteurized lump crabmeat (about 1-1/2 cups), picked over for shells, or frozen and thawed
  • 3 cups cooked long grain rice
  • Louisiana-style hot sauce, to taste

Directions:

In a Dutch oven, saute the onion, celery and green pepper in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the V8 juice, tomatoes and cayenne; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Stir in okra and catfish; cook 8 minutes longer. Add the shrimp and crab; cook 7 minutes longer or until shrimp turn pink. Add hot sauce, salt, and pepper to taste. Pass additional hot sauce at the table. Place rice in individual serving bowls; top with gumbo. Yield: 12 servings.

Red Beans and Rice

Ingredients:                                                                                                                                               

  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/3 cup minced fresh cilantro
  • 3 cans (16 ounces each) red beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper
  • 3 cups hot cooked rice

Directions

In a large nonstick skillet, saute the onion, green pepper and garlic in oil until tender. Add cilantro; cook and stir until wilted, about 1 minute. Stir in the beans, salt, cumin and pepper. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Serve over rice. Yield: 6 servings.

Creole Chicken

Ingredients:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

  • 2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each)
  • 1 teaspoon canola oil
  • 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) stewed tomatoes, cut up
  • 1/3 cup julienned green pepper
  • 1/4 cup chopped celery
  • 1/4 cup sliced onion
  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 cup hot cooked rice

Directions:

In a small nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, cook chicken in oil over medium heat for 5-6 minutes on each side or a meat thermometer reads 165° Remove and keep warm.

In the same skillet, combine the tomatoes, green pepper, celery, onion, chili powder, thyme and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Return chicken to pan; heat through. Serve with rice. Yield: 2 servings.

Country Corn Bread

Ingredients:                                                                                                                                                                                    

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup cornmeal
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup (8 ounces) reduced-fat plain yogurt
  • 1/4 cup canola oil

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking soda and salt. Whisk together the egg, yogurt and oil. Stir into the dry ingredients just until combined.

Transfer to an 8-in. square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until top is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Serve warm. Yield: 9 servings.

King Cake

One of the most popular foods during Mardi Gras is the king cake, consumed by the carload and traditionally sold in bakeries, grocery stores and delis from January 6 to Ash Wednesday. Locals and visitors alike eat king cake for breakfast, coffee break and dessert. The tradition of king cake dates back to the Middle Ages when a popular devotion during Christmas centered on the Three Wise Men (or Kings) who followed the North Star to find Christ. The twelfth night after the birth of Christ marks the end of Christmas and the celebration of Epiphany. Thus, Twelfth Night in some cultures became a time for pageants and giving special presents to children. Along with gifts came the celebratory cake, or king cake. Today’s king cake is a confection made of braided sweet yeast dough, laced with cinnamon. It is always iced in the Mardi Gras colors of purple (justice), green (faith) and gold (power). Hidden in each king cake is a tiny plastic baby. The person who finds the baby must buy the next king cake or host the next party. Contemporary king cakes are often filled with cream cheese or fruit fillings, such as apple and strawberry. However, my recipe included here is the traditional one.
 

Traditional King Cake

Yield: Makes 2 cakes (about 18 servings each)

  • 1 (16-ounce) container light sour cream
  • 1/3 cup sugar or equivalent sugar alternative, such as Truvia for Baking
  • 1/4 cup butter or Smart Balance Butter Blend
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 (1/4-ounce) envelopes active dry yeast
  • 1/2 cup warm water (100° to 110°)
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 6 to 6 1/2 cups bread flour
  • 1/4 cup butter, softened or Smart Balance Butter Blend
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • Creamy Glaze, recipe below
  • Purple, green and gold-tinted sparkling sugar sprinkles

Directions:

Cook first 4 ingredients in a medium saucepan over low heat, stirring often, until butter melts. Set aside, and cool mixture to 100° to 110°.

Stir together yeast, 1/2 cup warm water and 1 tablespoon sugar in a 1-cup glass measuring cup; let stand 5 minutes.

Beat sour cream mixture, yeast mixture, eggs and 2 cups flour at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until smooth. Reduce speed to low and gradually add enough remaining flour (4 to 4 1/2 cups) until a soft dough forms.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface or use the mixer’s dough hook; knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes). Place in a well-greased bowl, turning to grease the top.

Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour or until dough is doubled in bulk.

Punch down dough and divide in half. Roll each portion into a 22- x 12-inch rectangle. Divide softened butter and spread evenly on each rectangle, leaving a 1-inch border. Stir together 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle evenly over butter on each rectangle.

Roll up each dough rectangle, jelly-roll fashion, starting at 1 long side. Place one dough roll, seam side down, on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bring ends of roll together to form an oval ring, moistening and pinching edges together to seal. Repeat with second dough roll.

Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 20 to 30 minutes or until doubled in bulk.

Bake at 375° F for 14 to 16 minutes or until golden. Slightly cool cakes on pans on wire racks (about 10 minutes). Drizzle Creamy Glaze evenly over warm cakes; sprinkle with colored sugars, alternating colors and forming bands (see photo). Let cool completely.

Cream Cheese-Filled King Cake: Prepare each 22- x 12-inch dough rectangle as directed. Omit 1/4 cup softened butter and 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon. Increase 1/2 cup sugar to 3/4 cup sugar. Beat 3/4 cup sugar; 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened; 1 large egg; and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Divide in half. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly on each dough rectangle, leaving 1-inch borders. Proceed with recipe as directed above.

Creamy Glaze

Makes 1 1/2 cups

  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons milk

Stir together the powdered sugar, vanilla and 2 tablespoons milk, adding additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until a thick spreading frosting is formed.

  

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Healthy Weekday Meals To Kick Off The New Year

January 7, 2013

Most people are creatures of habit. We go to the grocery store on the same day every week and fill our carts with the same stuff. If it’s Monday, chicken’s for dinner and Wednesday, always means spaghetti. We are comforted with knowing what to expect—even if our meals aren’t that exciting–we know what we’re going to eat.

That’s what makes eating healthier so scary sometimes. We are so used to eating a certain way that we rarely think about what we’re actually putting into our bodies. So planning a healthier diet means paying attention to what’s on your plate.

Explore these tips for eating well:

  • Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.
  • Eat whole grains, such as whole wheat, oatmeal, and brown rice
  • Use healthy fats in your cooking, such as olive oil and canola oil
  • Choose low-fat milk, yogurt, or cheese.
  • Drink water instead of sugary drinks.
  • Choose lean sources of protein and don’t forget to add nuts to your meals.
  • Compare sodium in foods, especially soup and frozen meals and choose foods with less sodium.
  • Eat seafood at least twice a week
  • Pay attention to portion size.
  • Drink tea.

All you need to round out these entrees is a garden salad with Italian dressing (made with olive oil) and some whole grain Artisan country bread.

 

Homemade Vegetable Soup

Makes about 9 cups; 60 calories per cup

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 ribs celery, chopped
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • 6 cups vegetables fresh or frozen vegetables (about 28 ounces total)(see choices below)
  • 4 cups liquid (water, stock or broth), enough to cover
  • 15 ounces canned diced tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon dried herbs such as basil, Italian seasoning or other spice blends
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, if using water for liquid, otherwise to taste

Directions:

In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil until shimmery on medium high. Add onion, celery and carrots and stir well to coat with oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables turn golden.

While the onion-celery-carrot mixture cooks, prep the other vegetables.  It helps to keep starchier vegetables (potatoes and sweet potatoes) separate from the rest. Stir vegetables in (starchier ones first) and let them cook for a few minutes, stirring often. Add the non-starchy vegetables and saute a few minutes more.

Cover with liquid. Add tomatoes, dried herbs and salt. Bring to a boil.

Cover and reduce heat to maintain a slow simmer and let cook for about 30 minutes or until vegetables are done.

Notes:

Vegetable Choices

Aim for 4 to 6 kinds of vegetables, varying color and shape and kind of vegetable. Use all fresh vegetables or half fresh vegetables and half frozen vegetables. Good fresh vegetables include bell peppers (red for color, green for price), turnips, fennel, rutabaga, sweet potatoes (peeled), potatoes (skins on), turnips, zucchini, bok choy, kohlrabi, cabbage, kale, spinach. Good frozen vegetables include corn, green beans and green peas.

Cooking Tips:

The trick to this soup is flavor and texture. For flavor, let the onion/carrot/celery mixture cook really well, until golden. For texture, the other vegetables should be cooked just until done.

Fresh Broccoli and Red Pepper Frittata

Makes 4 servings. (serving size: 1/4 of a 10-inch Frittata) 211 calories

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup water
  • 3 cups broccoli florets, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup diced onion
  • 1 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper strips
  • 5 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons fat free milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crushed
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
  • 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

Preheat broiler.

Bring 1/2 cup water to a boil in a medium nonstick skillet with a cover over medium-high heat. Add broccoli, and return to a boil. Cover and boil 2 minutes or until just crisp-tender. Drain well in a colander.

Wipe skillet dry with a paper towel. Reduce heat to medium; add oil, and heat. Add onion and bell pepper, and cook 3 minutes or until onion is translucent, stirring frequently. (Note: Do not overcook peppers, as their color will start to fade.)

Meanwhile, combine eggs, milk, 1/4 teaspoon salt, thyme, and ground red pepper in a medium bowl. Stir until well blended.

Reduce heat to medium-low. Add broccoli to onion/pepper mixture in skillet, and stir gently. Pour egg mixture evenly over all. Cover tightly, and cook 12 minutes or just until set. Remove from heat; sprinkle with remaining salt, and top with cheese.Place in the broiler and cook until top starts to brown lightly.  watch carefully so the top does not burn. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

 

Italian Seafood Stew

6 servings

Serving Size: 2 cups; calories 214

Ingredients:

  • 8 ounces fresh or frozen cod or other white fish
  • 8 ounces fresh or frozen shrimp
  • 1 cup finely chopped leeks
  • 1 medium fennel bulb, trimmed, cored, and chopped (1 cup)
  • 1 stalk celery, chopped
  • 1 carrot, chopped 
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning, crushed
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine or reduced-sodium chicken broth
  • 1-26 ounce container Pomi diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1-14 ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 ½ cups water
  • 1/2 cup clam juice
  • 1 pound mussels, soaked, scrubbed, and beards removed or clams
  • 1/2 cup snipped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley

Directions:

Thaw fish and shrimp, if frozen. Rinse fish and shrimp; pat dry with paper towels. Cut fish into 1-inch pieces. Peel and devein shrimp; halve shrimp lengthwise. Set fish and shrimp aside.

In an 8-quart Dutch oven, cook leeks, fennel, celery, carrot, and garlic in hot oil about 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in tomato paste and Italian seasoning; cook for 1 minute. Add wine and stir until wine is nearly evaporated.

Stir in tomatoes, broth, the water, and clam juice. Bring to boiling; reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Add mussels or clams and fish. Cover and cook about 5 minutes or until shellfish open. Discard any that do not open. Add shrimp; cook for 1 to 2 minutes more or until shrimp are opaque. Stir in half of the parsley. Ladle into shallow soup bowls. Sprinkle with the remaining parsley. Makes 6 servings (2 cups each)

Tip

Scrub mussels or clams in shells under cold running water. Remove beards on mussels. In an 8-quart Dutch oven, combine 4 quarts cold water and 1/3 cup salt; add mussels or clams. Soak for 15 minutes; drain and rinse. Discard water. Repeat soaking, draining, and rinsing twice to rid the shellfish of sand.

 

Spaghetti with Tomatoes & Shrimp

Makes: 4 servings; Calories 275 per serving

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces dried whole wheat spaghetti
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 12 ounces medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1-26 ounce container Pomi chopped tomatoes, undrained
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon drained capers
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • Chopped fresh basil (optional)

Directions

In a medium saucepan cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan or skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shrimp and garlic and cook until the shrimp are opaque throughout, about 4 minutes. Transfer the shrimp mixture to a bowl and set aside.

Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, oregano, capers, and red pepper flakes to the skillet. Bring to a simmer and cook 10 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally. Return the shrimp mixture to the pan and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Add pasta and heat. Turn into serving bowl and garnish with basil.

Peppered Chicken in Marsala Sauce

Makes: 6 servings; 275 calories per serving

Ingredients

  • 6 chicken breast halves (about 3 1/2 pounds total)
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour or Wondra instant flour
  • 1 ¼ cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
  • 1/4 cup dry Marsala
  • Coarsely ground black pepper (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Skin chicken. Brush chicken with oil; sprinkle black pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt over chicken. Arrange chicken in a 15 x 10 -inch baking pan. Bake, uncovered, for 35 to 40 minutes or until chicken is tender and no longer pink (170 degrees F).

Meanwhile, for sauce, in a medium saucepan, cook mushrooms in hot butter until tender. Stir in flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add broth and Marsala. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly; cook and stir for 1 minute more. Place sauce on serving plates and top with a chicken breast. If desired, sprinkle with additional pepper.

Roasted Pecan Salmon Fillets

4 servings; 265 calories per serving:

Ingredients:

  • 4 salmon fillets (5-6 oz. each)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 2 tablespoons seasoned breadcrumbs
  • 2 tablespoons chopped pecans
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • Wedges of fresh lemon

Directions::

1. Sprinkle salmon with salt and pepper. Place skin side down on baking sheet.

2. Combine mustard and honey, brush on top of salmon.

3. Mix topping of bread crumbs, nuts, and parsley or rosemary and sprinkle over salmon.

4. Bake at 400°F 15-20 minutes or until flaky. Serve with wedges of fresh lemon.

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The Cuisine of Italy- Ancona

November 14, 2012

Ancona is Italy’s largest ferry port on the mid-Adriatic

The Marche region (also known as the Marches in English) forms the eastern seaboard of central Italy with the regions of Emilia-Romagna to the north and Abruzzo to the south. From the narrow coastal plains the land rises sharply to the peaks of the Appennines, which form a natural boundary with Umbria and Tuscany to the west. While the coastal areas are heavily populated, the beautiful inland countryside is sparsely inhabited . The inland mountainous zones are mostly limestone and are noted for bare peaks, rushing torrents, dramatic gorges and many caves. In contrast, the areas nearer the coastal plain are known for their fertile rounded hills topped by ancient fortified towns. The highest point is Monte Vettore in the Sibillini mountains. The coast itself boasts long sandy areas and, apart from the limestone Conero peninsula, the land is virtually all flat. Economically, the region is mostly reliant on medium and small scale industries, often family run. Shoes, clothing and furniture manufacturing are some of the most successful businesses. The relatively poor soil and the general movement away from the land has meant that agriculture now plays a minor role, apart from the production of Verdicchio, the Marche’s famous white wine. By the coast, fishing remains an important activity.

Ancona is on the top of a cliff and has a city center rich in history, monuments and well preserved semi-urban parks. The historical districts overlook the port arch, as if they were surrounding a stage. From its port every year, about one million travelers sail to Greece and Croatia. The weather in Ancona is typically mild throughout the year, with summer temperatures in the high seventies and winters that rarely dip below thirty-five. The city of Ancona stands on an elbow shaped promontory, protecting the widest natural port of the middle Adriatic Sea. The name of the town means its geographical position: Αγκων, in Greek means “elbow”, and this is what the Greek people called it when they settled in the area in 387 B.C.

In Roman times it kept its own coinage and continued the use of the Greek language. When it became a Roman colony is not exactly known but Ancona was occupied as a naval station during the Illyrian War. Julius Caesar took possession of it immediately after crossing the Rubicon and the harbor was considered an important defensive location for the Romans. After the fall of the Roman empire, Ancona was attacked by the Goths, Lombards and Saracens. In 1532 it lost its freedom and came under the control of Pope Clement VII. After the French took over in 1797, Ancona’s harbor frequently appears in history as an important fortress.

The Italian Jewish Community

The Jews of Marche
Villa Imperiale in Pesaro, Girolamo Genga (Urbino 1476-Casteldelci 1551), Biblioteca Oliveriana.

The Jewish community of Ancona dates back to around 1300. In 1427 the Franciscan friars tried to force the Jews of Ancona to wear a badge and live on a single street, but apparently this attempt was unsuccessful. After the expulsion of the Jews from the Spanish dominions in 1492, refugees began to arrive in Ancona, to be joined later by others from the Kingdom of Naples.

As Ancona was about to be declared a free port, Pope Paul III invited merchants from the Levant to settle in Ancona regardless of their religion. (The Levant includes most of modern Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Cyprus, Turkey’s Hatay Province and some regions of Iraq or the Sinai Peninsula.) Promising protection against the Inquisition, he encouraged the settlement of Jews. Many Jewish merchants took advantage of the harbor facilities and settled in town to trade with the Levant. The size of the community and its widespread connections attracted many noted rabbis and scholars throughout the centuries, including Judah Messer Leon (15th century), Amatus Lusitanus, Moses Basola (16th century), Mahalalel Hallelyja of Civitanova, Hezekiah Manoach Provenzal, Joseph Fermi (17th century), Samson Morpurgo, Joseph Fiammetta (18th century), Jacob Shabbetai Sinigaglia, Isaiah Raphael Azulai, David Abraham Vivanti, Isaac Raphael Tedeschi (19th century), and H. Rosenberg who published several monographs on local history.

During World War II, the Germans and the Italian Fascists demanded tributes to allow the Jews to live there. After the war, 400 Jews were left in town, and by 1969 the number dropped to 300. There are two synagogues, a Mikveh and two Jewish cemeteries: Monte Cardeto, the old one, and Tavernelle, the new cemetery.

In his book, La Cucina Veneziana, Giuseppe Maffioli writes that Jewish cooking had a great impact on the local cuisine and, despite their forbidden foods, the Jews had a more varied diet than the Christians. He cites that among the Jewish dishes adopted in Italy there were many vegetables ‘alla giudia’, meaning Jewish style, salt cod dishes, almond pastries, and puff pastry.

Precipizi, an Italian Jewish Hanukkah treat

Precipizi, an Italian Jewish Hanukkah treat

Today, most Italian Jews live in the large cities of Rome, Milan, and Turin. Many of the old historic communities that were once scattered throughout Italy have disappeared or have lost their identity, but the old Jewish recipes remain as a testimony to their existence. Looking at the alphabetical index of recipes in a book entitled, La Cucina Nella Tradizione Ebraica, a collection of recipes from members of the Jewish women’s ADEI WIZO organization: there are arancini canditi di Padova, baccald e spinaci all’uso fiorentino, biscotti di Ancona, biscotti senza burro; brassadel di Purim; buricchi di pasta frolla, budino di zucca gialla Veneto; cacciucco alla livornese and cuscusszi livornese; cefali in umido di Modena. Such recipes are a witness to once famous and thriving Jewish communities in Italy.

Carciofa alla Romana at Ba"Ghetto

Artichoke Hearts, Jewish style

What was it that made a dish Jewish?

Adaptations of local produce and recipes to comply with religious dietary laws meant that oil or goose fat were used instead of butter or pork fat for cooking. For the same reason, many dairy and vegetable dishes were developed to provide substantial meatless meals. The need to find substitutes for forbidden foods like pork and seafood resulted in the creation of such specialties as, goose prosciutto and salami and a white-fish soup. In the days when cooking revolved around the Sabbath and religious holidays, dishes that were chosen to celebrate these occasions acquired embellishments, such as coloring with saffron or sprinkling with raisins and pine nuts. The laws of the Sabbath, which prohibit any work on that day, gave rise to complex meals in one-pot to be prepared on Friday afternoon and left to cook overnight for Saturday. An example is the hamin toscano or polpettone difagioli—a veal loaf cooked with white beans, beef sausages, hard boiled eggs, and tomatoes. Centuries before Americans popularized pasta salads, Jews were the only Italians to eat cold pasta.

For Passover, ground almonds, potato flour, matzo meal, and matzos were used to make all kinds of pizzas, cakes, pies, dumplings, pancakes, and fritters. Numerous desserts are found in the Jewish Italian cuisine, like amaretti, marzapane, moscardini, mucchietti, scodelline, zuccherini, ciambellette, mustaccioni—to name a few. Certain foods became symbolic dishes to celebrate festivals, like Pollo Fritto, chicken dipped in batter and fried in oil, for Hanukkah.

Some of the Sites in Ancona

The marble Arch of Trajan, at the entrance to the causeway atop the harbor wall, in honor of the emperor who had built the harbor, is one of the finest Roman historical monuments in the Marche. However, most of its original bronze decorations have disappeared. It stands on a high podium with wide, steep steps and is flanked by pairs of fluted Corinthian columns on pedestals. It is a replica of the Arch of Titus in Rome, but taller, so that the bronze figures, Trajan, his wife Plotina and his sister Marciana, stand out as a landmark for ships approaching this Adriatic port.

The Lazzaretto (Laemocomium or “Mole Vanvitelliana”), planned by architect Luigi Vanvitelli in 1732, is a pentagonal building, built to protect the military defensive authorities from the risk of contagious diseases by incoming ships. Later it was used as a military hospital, then as a barracks. It is currently used for cultural exhibits.

The Food of Ancona

lts style of cooking is defined by fish and seafood along the coast, and vegetables, chicken, rabbit, snails, and truffles and other wild fungi in the hills and mountains. The coastal brodetto, or seafood stew, is seasoned with saffron and traditionally made with thirteen kinds of fish. 

Ancona is one of the biggest stockfish (dried salt cod) importers and Stoccafisso all’ Anconetana has a special place in the heart of Ancona people and in the history and tradition of this town.

This traditional Le Marche recipe involves soaking the fish for at least 24 hours and cooking it over bamboo canes to prevent the fish from sticking to the pan.

Seafood dishes are prominent in Ancona cuisine.

Creamy sauces made from chicken giblets are used liberally in Marche cooking. Pork recipes rely on generous chunks instead of the traditional thin prosciutto style servings. Since pork is so readily available, there are many types of sausages made in the Marche region. A hearty favorite local smoked sausage is ciauscolo, made with half pork, half pork fat and well seasoned with salt, pepper, orange peel and fennel seed. Olives grow well in this region and are served both on their own or stuffed with savory meat fillings. Grapes, grains, mushrooms and a wide variety of vegetables are found throughout the region.

Cheese-wise, Marche holds its own in the steep competition for great Italian dairy products. Casciotta d’Urbino is a sheep and cow milk cheese, hand-pressed into rounds that are then salted and cured in a moist environment, producing a velvety texture. Ambra di Talamello is made from goat or sheep or cow’s milk and is cured in a pit lined with straw, resulting in an earthy flavor. Cacio La Forma di Limone is a sheep’s milk cheese made with lemons, then formed into small balls (that look a bit like lemons). It is rubbed with a salt and lemon mixture and has a light lemon tang. Some excellent Pecorino cheeses can be found in the region as well.

Pasta in the Marche region is rich with eggs, with wide noodles being the most popular, such as, lasagna and pappardelle. The region’s signature dish, a pasta casserole with meat sauce, showcases flat pastas and savory meats. Other pastas like spaghetti alla chitarra, spaghettini, tagliatelle and maccheroncini have also found their way into Marche dishes.

Brodetto all’anconetana (Fish Soup Ancona Style)

Regional Specialties

Olive all’ascolana, green olives stuffed with ground meat, breaded, and fried until golden and crisp.

Ciauscolo, a rich, soft smoked salami, meant to be spread, not sliced.

Vincisgrassi, lasagna layered with prosciutto, chicken livers, sweetbreads, and white sauce.

Rabbit, cooked porchetta style (roasted in the style of porchetta) with fennel and salt.

Frustingolo, a dense fruit cake made with nuts and dried figs.

One of the most famous dishes from the La Marche region of Italy, Vincisgrassi, a type of lasagna, is very rich – some versions being even richer with the addition of sweetbreads and a pasta dough made with vin santo or marsala.

Make Some Ancona Inspired Recipes At Home

First Course

Tagliatelle with Shrimp

Servings 4

 Ingredients:

  • 3/4 lb fresh tagliatelle
  • 1/2 onion, finely choped
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1 cup marinara sauce
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
  • 1 lb. medium shrimp
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • salt

Directions:

Soften the onion over low heat in the olive oil and then add the finely chopped garlic without letting it brown.

Pour in the white wine and allow to evaporate. Blend in the marinara sauce.

Add the shrimp and cook until pink, about 3 minutes.

Cook the tagliatelle al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water. Drain pasta and add to the shrimp mixture. Stir in pasta water and combine. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Wine & Tomato Braised Italian Chicken

Serves 4

 Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 –  3 1/2-pound chicken, cut into 4 pieces
  • 2 cups diced white onion
  • Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh marjoram
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 6 cups peeled, seeded, diced plum tomatoes or equivalent canned
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions:

In a heavy ovenproof pan with a lid, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat until hot.

Pat the chicken dry and add 2 pieces to the pan. Do not crowd the chicken. Cook until the chicken has browned on all sides, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. Repeat with another tablespoon of olive oil and the remainder of the chicken.

Add the onions to the same pan and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until soft, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, marjoram, and sage and stir. Add the wine and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste, stir to combine, and cook for 2 minutes.

Return the chicken to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the chicken is tender, 30 to 40 minutes. When tender, transfer the chicken to a warm platter, cover with foil, and set aside.

Skim off the excess fat from the braising liquid and reduce the sauce over high heat to a sauce-like consistency.

Taste and correct the seasoning, if necessary. Serve the sauce over the chicken and garnish with the parsley.

Dessert Course

Orange Cake, Ancona Style

Ouzo is an anise-flavored aperitif that is widely consumed in Greece and Cyprus, and a symbol of Greek culture.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups and 2 tablespoons flour, plus flour for dusting the pan
  • 3 eggs
  • 3 oranges and the peels, grated (no pith)
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar or sugar alternative
  • 2 tablespoons ouzo
  • 1 tablespoon whole milk
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 cups orange juice, mixed with 3 tablespoons sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a tube pan with cooking spray and dust with flour.

Put flour, eggs, grated orange peel, butter, sugar and ouzo in a food processor and process until all ingredients are incorporated.

Add milk and baking powder and process again to incorporate.

Pour mixture into prepared pan and place in upper, middle level of the preheated oven.

Bake for at least 45 minutes and the top of cake is golden.

Place pan over a wine bottle or other receptacle to cool slightly.

Loosen the edges of the cake with a sharp knife.

Invert onto a plate.

While cake is still warm, poke holes into it, using the end of a wooden spoon or similar implement.

Pour the sweetened orange juice into the holes, filling them to the brim.

Within an hour, the cake will have absorbed the juice.

Serve at room temperature.

Note: The cake will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator, fully covered by plastic wrap.

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Posted by in Ancona, cake, Cheese, Chicken, Desserts, Fish, Healthy Italian Cooking, Italian Cuisine, Marinara, Pasta, Sauces, Seasonings, shrimp, tomatoes, Vegetables Tags: , , ,

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