BRIOCHE CON CREMA, Cream Puffs, Profiteroles

Recently, I made these delicious cream puffs for my daughter's baby shower along with other traditional Italian cookies. 

Profiteroles or Cream Puffs in my Italian tray
Images: ©2010 - La Casa e Il Giardino -picasaweb

Ingredients

1 cup of water
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 large eggs

Combine butter and water in saucepan; bring to a boil and then lower heat until butter is melted.

Add flour all at one time and stir vigorously over low heat until mixture forms a ball and leaves the sides of the pan.  Remove from heat.

Add unbeaten eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition; continue beating until a thick dough is formed.

Drop by tablespoonfuls onto greased baking sheet or parchment paper about 2 inches apart. Bake in a hot oven (425 degrees) about 25-30 minutes.  Do not open door during early part of baking.

When cool, with a small knife, cut a slit in the side of each and fill with cream.  Before serving, dust with confectionery sugar.

Yield:  about 15 cream puffs.

Cream filling (Crema pasticcera)

Cream Filling

Sugar, 2/3 cup
Flour, 4 tablespoons
Salt, 1/4 teaspoon
Milk, 2 cups
Eggs, 2 or egg yolks, 4 (I prefer yolks)
 slightly beaten
Cinnamon stick, 1
Large lemon peel

Combine dry ingredients in top of double boiler, stir milk gradually.  Add lemon peel and cinnamon stick.  Cook over boiling water until thickened, stirring constantly.  Cover and cook for 15 minutes longer, stirring occasionally.

Stir a little of the hot mixture into slightly beaten eggs or egg yolks; slowly stir into remaining hot mixture.  Cook over hot (not boiling water for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.  Chill.

We May Not Have a Vineyard but We Surely Make Wine - (Non abbiamo un vigneto, ma lo stesso facciamo il vino)

Yes, winemaking is a yearly ritual in our home during the month of October.  Even though my husband and I came to America as children in the late 1950's, the old-world tradition of making wine at home continues. Wine is in our blood.  As children, we were served wine with dinner.  It was made more tastier by mixing it with gazzosa (carbonated soda).  Even after we immigrated to America, the idea of legal drinking age was foreign to our families.

My husband is adjusting the electric crusher.  Actually, it was a manual (75 year old) crusher electrified by adding a motor. 

 
In mid-October, my husband gathers his paraphernalia for the making of our hearty red wine.

Our wine cellar or cantina has to be cleared to make room for the wine barrels, set up the grape crusher and winepress. Our cantina functions both as a repository for wine and pantry for foods (olive oil, canned tomatoes, potatoes, onions, dry peppers and all other Italian staples).




We have the grapes delivered and soon after we crush them.

We prefer red wine therefore most of the crates contain purple grapes.

 

We place the electric crusher over plastic barrels. We carry the crates one by one until all the grapes is crushed. . Once the crushed grapes remain in the barrels fermentation process starts. Within a week, it’s time to press the grapes and fill in five gallon jugs with the mosto (juice). 

Must (juice) flowing from the press

         Then the jugs are capped and later          

                                           the wine is filtered and placed in gallons.

Our vintage 2009

Now, many people ask me why we continue to make wine - the labor, the mess, the stickiness from the juice.

In our opinion, the quality of the homemade is superior to store-bought wine, since the latter, as my father used to say, is pieno di medicina (full of medicine [chemical additives]).  Unnatural additives (like sulfides) provoke fear, for vinification has essentially been considered a natural process.

What can I say, we are diehards who refuse to give up the old ways.

2010 vintage

Images: ©2010 - La Casa e Il Giardino -picasaweb

 

 

 



LAST NIGHT DINNER - Dandelions, Fava Beans and Wild Pollock

Boy, that was good! 

Once a week, we have fish for dinner.  So yesterday, I went shopping for fish.  I am frugal and picky when it comes to fish.  I try to stay away from farm-raised fish. The farm-raised fish are fattier because they are largely confined and fed a steady diet of formulated protein pellets.  They are also treated with vaccines and antibiotics to ward off infection. With these type of facts, I choose to "go wild".  I bought wild Pollock. Pollock is a cheaper and versatile alternative to cod and haddock.  Price $2.99/lb.



Braised Wild Pollock Steak

Braised Wild Pollock Steak


One Pollock steak (1" thick)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove chopped garlic
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons chopped thyme
Salt and pepper

In a non-stick skillet, add the olive oil, garlic and shallots.  Saute' briefly.  Add the fish and saute' first on high to sear it on the outside until it is browned to give it visual interest and to develop flavour (about 5 minutes on each side).  Add the chopped thyme, lemon zest and juice, salt and pepper and continue to cook on low heat for an additional 15 minutes turning over once.

Wine Pairing – You know the famous rule white wine with fish, fish with white wine. The main rule to remember about pairing wine with food is that there are no rules: you should drink the wines you like with the foods you like. I prefer to pair any food with my robust, home-made wine.

Alla salute!

Images: ©2010 - La Casa e Il Giardino -picasaweb

BAKED APPLES - Simple Dessert Without Guilt - MELE AL FORNO - Semplice Dessert Senza Sensi di Colpa

When temperature drops, who can resist the crisp, juicy goodness of apples.  I can't.  But not just any apples, I love apples that are grown right here in New York State.  The best apples are found at local farm markets and stands, where they're fresh-picked, and you're likely to find great varieties you'd never see at the supermarket.

New York State Apples

I personally love Golden Delicious apples.  Locals are harder and crisper than the northwestern Golden; they store better, and after they've turned deep gold, they develop an incredible fragrance.  I can find local Golden Delicious outside in farmer's markets even into Christmas.  They're unbelievably good.  And don't be afraid to buy them after a frost; they're actually a lot sweeter and much crisper then.   A pie made from local Golden Delicious apples is to die for. 

Golden Delicious

Baked Apples

INGREDIENTS

• 4 large good baking apples, such as Rome Beauty, Golden Delicious, Winesap and others
• 1/4 cup brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

• 1/4 cup chopped raisins

• 1 Tbsp butter

• 3/4 cup boiling water

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Wash apples. Remove cores to 1/2 inch of the bottom of the apples.   With a paring knife, cut out first the stem area, and then the core. Use a spoon to dig out the seeds. Make the holes about 3/4-inch to an inch wide.

•  In a small bowl, combine the sugar, cinnamon, raisins, and walnuts. Place apples in baking pan. Stuff each apple with this mixture. Top with a dot of butter.

•  Add boiling water to the baking pan. Bake 30-40 minutes, until tender, but not mushy. Remove from the oven and baste the apples several times with the pan juices.

Serve warm. 

• Makes 4 servings.

 Baked  Winesap Apples

Images: ©2010 - La Casa e Il Giardino -picasaweb

MEATLESS MONDAY: Spinach and Brown Rice - Spinaci e Riso Integrale

There is a movement out there to have people go meatless one day of the week – The movement is known as Meatless Monday.  The movement’s goal is to have people change their eating habits incrementally.  I am not a vegetarian and I still like and enjoy eating meat but I think we consume way too much.

Why Monday? I think it’s the perfect day to go meatless. We all indulge on weekends and Monday is the perfect day to eat vegetables to cleanse our bodies and purge toxins from our system.  I, personally, do not have to change my eating habits as I have been eating well since childhood.

Fresh spinach

Spinach and Brown Rice

Ingredients
2 bunches of fresh spinach (2 - 8 oz. frozen spinach)
1 cup brown rice
2 garlic cloves chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper
Red pepper flakes (optional)
Parmigiano Reggiano shaved

Preparation
Wash spinach thoroughly.  Wash the rice well and place it in a pot with cold water (2 cups of water for every cup of rice) add salt.  Bring it to a boil, then cover the pot and simmer slowly for 45/50 minutes.  In a pan, add the oil and garlic.  Cook garlic until golden, add the washed spinach, salt, pepper and cook for 10 to 15 minutes.  When the rice is cooked add to the spinach and mix well.  Simmer for few minutes and serve with an abundance of shaved Parmigiano Reggiano.

Spinach and Brown Rice with Parmigiano Reggiano
Spinaci e Riso Integrale

Images: ©2010 - La Casa e Il Giardino -picasaweb

CECI a la Pignata - Chickpeas and Nostalgia

 

As a child, I remember keeping company with my grandmother who had a fireplace. The fire was always on for the winter and with coals and ashes she cooked potatoes, chestnuts and onions. She also had a pignata (terracotta pot) where she cooked the legumes (ceci, fagioli, etc.).

Pignata

Sitting on a small chair, I used to watch the crackling of the fire. She would give me a dish of ceci and then she would sit and as we ate she would tell me about her youth.
What flavor and today, what nostalgia.

Dry chickpeas or ceci
A cup of cooked chickpeas has 18 grams of protein, but under 1 gram of fat!
A great substitute for meat.

Chickpeas with Red Onion and Olive Oil

Chickpeas (ceci) simmering

Ingredients

1 lb. bag of dry chickpeas

Water

DON'T ADD SALT TO THE WATER

Procedure

In a large pot place the washed chickpeas, add water (3 times the amount of the chickpeas),  bring to a boil and then cover and simmer gently.  About 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Chickpeas with tomatoes

Chickpeas and Red Onion

Once the chickpeas are tender, add a chopped red onion, 1/2 cup of extra-virgin olive oil, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.

This dish warms my heart and will surely warm yours.

WHITING - Fish of the Poor - Merluzzo - Pesce dei Poveri

When my family and I came to the US in the late 50's, we purchased Whiting from a street vendor. The cost was 4 lbs. for $1.00. As immigrants, we were mocked for eating cheap fish. Today, I still like its delicate, mild flavor, and firm textured white flesh. I poach, bake, broil, and panfry it. Great value and good source of protein.


Fried Whiting

Buying Tips:

Buy whiting from a reputable fish store. Whiting should smell fresh, clean and oceanic. The flesh should be clean and translucent looking and the color good. For whole fish, the eyes should be well rounded and clear, not sunken, dry and cloudy. The gills should have good vibrant color.

Whiting arranged in baking dish and ready to bake

Oven Baked Whiting

1 lb. fresh whiting or fillets
1/2 lg. green or red pepper, chopped (I prefer hot)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tbsp. snipped parsley
1/2 tsp. salt
Dash of pepper
Lemon (optional)

Place fish in a baking pan. Add salt, pepper, garlic and parsley and oil. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. To add crispness, place pan under a broiler for 5 to 7 minutes.

Images: ©2010 - La Casa e Il Giardino -picasaweb

"Poor" Dishes - Whole-wheat Pasta Ribbons with Onion - Sagnette Nere con Cipolla

We know that whole grains are better than refined grains because of fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
It’s been reported over and over that people who ate more whole grains had a lower risk of diabetes.

Yet, according to Whole Grains - The Inside Story, the average American eats less than one serving of whole grains a day.

Isn't it funny, that those "poor" dishes that people ate because they were poor are "in fashion" again. Fiber Meets Flavor in New Whole-Grain Pastas writes the NY Times. According to the NY Times article, good whole-wheat pasta can cost up to $10.00 a pound. My cost: $1.00.

Whole-wheat pasta dough

For 3 servings

Ingredients

• 1 egg, beaten

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour and 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour

• 2 tablespoons water

Directions

1. In a medium sized bowl, combine flour and salt. Make a well in the flour, add the slightly beaten egg, and mix. Mixture should form a stiff dough. If needed, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons water.

2. On a lightly floured surface, knead dough for about 3 to 4 minutes. COVER THE DOUGH AND LET IT REST for few hours. (Very important-go and do other chores). With a pasta machine or by hand roll dough out to desired thinness. Use machine or knife to cut into strips of desired width.

Sagnette Nere con Cipolla

Whole-wheat Pasta with Onion - Sagnette Nere con Cipolla

Onion Sauce

1 medium onion (chopped)

1/3 cup olive oil

1 tsp. tomato paste

2 Dry red peppers chopped (optional)

1 cup water

Salt and pepper

Add olive oil and chopped onion in a small pan and saute' until golden. Add tomato paste and mix well with onion mixture. Add salt and pepper and red dry peppers. Simmer for a few minutes and add water. Continue to simmer in low heat for 15 minutes until the sauce is reduced. In the meantime, in a large pot of boiling water, add the pasta, cook 5 minutes and drain. Pour sauce over drained pasta and serve.

Images: ©2010 - LaCasa e Il Giardino

The Making of a Great Beef Braciole - Braciola di Manzo

In my opinion, there is only one meat for the real braciole, and it's a cutlet of beef chuck tenderized by a few smashes from a meat pounder.

Boneless chuck and chopped parsley, garlic, red and green peppers and few pieces of cheese

Salt and pepper meat, place chopped herbs and cheese over meat

The greatness of the braciole lies in its filling. You'll find people recommending pine nuts, raisins, etc.  I prefer an herbal filling.

Roll and tie meat with butcher's string

Brown the braciole in a very tiny bit of oil until it's golden to dark brown all around. At this point, you're ready to fully cover it in a pot of sauce that should simmer for at least 2 hours.

Put the browned, scrumptious beef roll into a marinara sauce. Once the sauce has simmered for several hours and taken on the flavour of the dark caramelized onions and braciole filling, you will be a Braciolista for life.

Images: ©2010 - picasaweb

SUSTAINABLE EATING: Means Serving Meals that Are Lower on the Food Chain

This can be achieved by shifting food consumption from red meat to chicken, fish, eggs, or a vegetable-based diet.

In our household, we enjoy lamb, veal and read meat but we also enjoy of the innards of animals like chicken gizzards (cheap,very popular in Europe and Asia, and good for you).

Our dinner this evening -

Green Beans with Mint and Garlic

Chicken Gizzards with Peppers and Olives

Ingredients

1 lb, chicken gizzards
3 red peppers (sweet or hot)
5 or 6 cloves garlic squashed with skin on
1/2 cup cured olives
1/4 cup olive oil for gizzards
1/2 cup olive oil for frying peppers

Procedure

In a pot, place gizzards and cover completely with water.  Boil the gizzards for about 45 minutes and drain.  In the meantime, saute' peppers and remove.  Saute' garlic and remove.  In a medium sized frying pan, add 1/4 cup of olive oil, add the drained gizzards and saute' in a low heat for about 20 minutes turning occasionally.  Add fried peppers, garlic and olives continue to cook for 5 minutes and serve.

Chicken gizzards with peppers and olives

Don't knock it, until you try it.

SUSTAINABLE EATING: Means Reducing Food Waste

I personally hate waste and one of the ways I reduce food waste is to use up my leftovers. It’s an important part of sustainable food recycling.

Fresh Picked Arugula

Here is one of my very simple, leftover creation.




Arugula and Chicken

Took leftover chicken breast, combined with arugula and few strips of charred peppers, drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil, wine vinegar, salt and pepper.

Images: ©2010 - La Casa e Il Giardino - picasaweb