PAN-SEARED SALMON

This recipe is so simple even a novice cook cannot ruin it.  It uses garden fresh garlic and scallions to great advantage.  The salmon remains center stage, but the chopped garlic and scallions bring fresh, bright flavors to the recipe along with a bit of heat from the cayenne pepper.

Garden fresh garlic

Ingredients: 2 persons

1 lb. King salmon fillet with skin*
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt and black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup chopped scallions
1 cup chopped fresh garlic

Salmon fillet with skin side down

* Don't waste salmon skin.  Salmon skin crisps up beautifully and it's a real treat.

Pan-seared salmon ready to be served

 

Procedure

Wipe the fish fillet with paper towels
Sprinkle fish with salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper
Heat a large skillet on high for at least 3 to 5 minutes.

Add the oil, scallions and garlic
Saute for a minute. 
Add the fish fillet, skin side down. 
Turn the heat down to medium-high and cook for 7 to 10 minutes until just opaque in center.  A nice crust will form.
Flip only once and continue to cook for an additional 5 to 7 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillet.
Serve the fish skin side down with the green underneath it.

SPEZZATINO DI CARCIOFI (Artichoke Stew)

Artichokes can be cooked in myriad ways: stuffed, with fave beans or stewed as in this dish.  This spezzatino di carciofi or stew can be served hot at lunch with a platter of fresh, light cheeses (mozzarella, ricotta, caprino) but also can be served as a side dish with oven-roasted or braised meats. 

Spezzatino di Carciofi

Ingredients

• 8 medium artichokes
• juice of 1 lemon
• 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup dry white wine
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley (alternate mint

     Choose artichokes with plump heads and tightly folded leaves.  Wash and clean the artichokes. 



     Remove all but the pale inner leaves by pulling the outer ones down and snapping them off.  Cut the stem at the base of the head and the top third of the leaves.  Peel the stems and cut them into wheels.  Put the artichokes and stems in a pot of cold water with lemon juice.  Set aside for 10 minutes.   

 

     Drain the artichokes and cut them into quarters.  Place the artichoke quarters and stems, garlic, oil, wine, salt, and pepper in a heavy bottomed pan.  Cook for 20 minutes covered, then uncover and add parsley, stir and finish cooking without a lid.

Legumes on the Table - Legumi sulla Tavola

Legumes are often valued as an inexpensive source of protein, but are notably absent from most Western menus.

Legumes—including beans, lentils, peanuts, peas, chickpeas, fava beans, and soybeans—are good sources of fiber and have a low glycemic index.   According to experts, a diet high in legumes may be beneficial for the prevention of type 2 diabetes.

Beans in tomato sauce

 

 One common complaint against legumes is the bloating and gas.

 I have some tips to ease the transition to including more legumes in your diet:

 

• add them in slowly, one serving a day for a week.

•  change the water halfway through cooking them.

•  soak overnight with a pinch of baking soda and

         change the water before cooking

• mix with other vegetables (escarole and beans)

 If you cook dry beans at home, instead of eating canned beans, you’ll skip a great deal of unnecessary sodium as well as byproducts of the can lining. 

 

Beans cooking

These are some of my favorite dishes: 

 

Lentils
 

Chickpeas with olive oil and onion

 

 

Fava beans

Escarole and beans

 

 

Start slow and add a variety of legumes to your healthful diet.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/18/health/beans-and-greens-a-power-couple-recipes-for-health.html?ref=dining

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BISCOTTI WITH OLIVE OIL

As a child, we referred to these cookies as pizzarelle dolci (sweet little pizzas).  These cookies are easy to make with simple ingredients.

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

 

4 eggs

1 cup of olive oil

1 cup of sugar, additional sugar for sprinkling

4 teaspoon baking powder

4 cups of all purpose flour

1 lemon (juice and zest)

 

 

 

 

 

Procedure:

 

Preheat oven at 350.

Mix sugar and the olive oil. Add the eggs.  Combine the flour and baking powder in a mixing bowl. Whisk to mix.

Gradually add the flour at a low speed; add the lemon juice and zest. Mix at higher speed for 1 minute to make sure it is all mixed.

 

Grease a cookie sheet with olive oil or butter.

Drop a full tablespoon of batter for each cookie.  Sprinkle sugar over each cookie.

Bake at 350º for 20-25 minutes until golden. Remove from the oven and let cool.

 



ZEPPOLE DI SAN GIUSEPPE

March 19th is the feast of San Giuseppe. On this festive occasion,  Italy also celebrates Father’s Day, and these zeppole are our traditional delicacies.

 

 

 

Ingredients

 

1 cup of water

2 cups of flour

1 stick of butter

4 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons of ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon of salt

Olive or vegetable oil for frying



 

 



Take the 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon and stir to combine. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan combine the butter, salt, and water over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Take pan off the heat and stir in the flour. Return pan to the heat and stir continuously until mixture forms a ball, about 3 to 5 minutes.



 

 

Transfer the flour mixture to a bowl. Using an electric hand mixer on low speed, add eggs, 1 at a time, incorporating each egg completely before adding the next. Beat until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 1/2 hour.



 

 

Shape the dough into bows or circles.   Meanwhile, pour 2 inches of oil into a large frying pan. Heat the oil over medium heat.  Fry the zeppole few at a time.  Do not crowd them.

Turn the zeppole once or twice, cooking until golden and puffed up, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Toss with cinnamon-sugar. Arrange on a platter and serve immediately.

Move over chicken - PORK LOIN is Lean, Easy and Delicious

 

Today, pork is bred to be much leaner.  Any cuts from the loin - like pork chops and pork roast - are leaner than skinless chicken thighs, according to USDA data.  So next time you're reaching for the chicken breast, consider a pork loin roast instead. 



Pork loin roast

Ingredients

3 cloves of garlic, pressed

2 tablespoons of black pepper, cracked

1 tablespoon of fennel dust

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 lbs. boneless pork loin

Rosemary sprig

 

Preheat oven at 350 degrees F.

 

 

Mix the first 4 ingredients in a bowl. Rub the garlic mixture all over pork.

Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large oven-proof saute pan over medium-high heat.

Sear the pork loin on all sides until golden brown. Place the saute pan in the oven with rosemary sprig and roast the loin for 1 1/2 hours (30 minutes per pound) or until the meat registers 150 degrees F.

Allow to rest for 10 minutes. Cut pork crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices. Arrange pork slices on platter. Pour pan juices over.

 

Pork roast and chick peas





Pork loin with bone and potatoes

 

 







Chicken Rolls with Prosciutto and Fontina - Involtini di Pollo

Ingredients

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, pounded 1⁄8" thick

Trimmed chicken breasts

Salt and freshly ground black pepper,
 to taste
6 slices Fontina cheese
6 thin slices prosciutto
6 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 lb. crimini mushrooms, sliced
Flour, for dredging
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 1⁄2 cups vegetable broth
1⁄4 cup Marsala wine
1 tbsp. finely chopped parsley
4 cups cooked brown rice, for serving

 

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Top one breast half with one slice prosciutto and one slice of fontina. Using kitchen twine, tie chicken roll from each end.  In the alternate, use toothpicks to secure roll together.

Pounded chicken breast

 

2. Heat 3 tbsp. butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook until browned, 5 minutes. Stir mushrooms and continue cooking until softened, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate; wipe out skillet. Put flour on a plate; dredge each chicken roll in flour. Heat 2 tbsp. butter and the oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, turning, until browned and cooked through, 15 minutes. Transfer chicken rolls to a plate. Add broth and Marsala to skillet stirring, until sauce has reduced, 5 minutes. Return mushrooms and chicken to skillet; cook until warmed through, about 5 minutes.

3. Transfer chicken to a platter. Remove skillet from heat; swirl in remaining butter to make a smooth sauce. Spoon sauce over chicken; sprinkle with parsley. Serve with rice.