Pasta Velocissima: Penne with Arugula, onions tomatoes olives bruschetta
May 28th, 2012 § Leave a Comment
Velocissima, meaning super fast, this pasta dish comes together with a non cooked sauce, made with fresh ingredients we all have on hand this summer. Use fresh good quality produce, make enough to have a fantastic leftover of pasta salad!
Simply put, the warmth of the penne will enhance the freshness of a peppery arugula,the sweet taste of the tomatoes and onions bruschetta. Add the cheese and you will have a delicious dish, done in a minute, well 10 to 15 minutes, really.
If you do not have the bruschetta already made, use the same ingredients (except the arugula and basil) diced small and same size.
Ingredients: 4 to 6
- 1+1/2 cup yellow onion diced small
- 1+1/2 up fresh plum tomatoes diced same size
- 1/3 cup green and black olives pitted, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons salt
- pepper at your taste
- 3 to 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (about 1/4 cup)
- 1 cup fresh arugula leaves, washed and dried
- 1 pound very good quality penne pasta
- 1/2 cup (2 oz.) grated parmigiano reggiano
- few basil leaves shredded
Onion Olives Bruschetta:
- Dice onion, tomatoes, same size pieces. Slice olives.
- In a bowl combine, these three ingredients, add salt, 1 tablespoon olive oil, a pinch of pepper. Mix well, reserve covered into the refrigerator.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil, add penne cook till al dente, or at your taste without over cooking. Taste often.
- While penne are cooking, wash and pat dry arugula leaves.Remove bruschetta from refrigerator.
- Drain pasta well.
- Into the serving bowl, add half of pasta, salt,1 tablespoon olive oil, sprinkle 1 tablespoon grated parmigiano, stir. Now add more pasta, bruschetta. argula leaves, shredded basil, sprinkle with remaining cheese, adjust seasoning.
Presto Pronto!!!
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All American Classic Cheese Burger! ground Angus beef, cheddar, avocado, caramelized onions.
May 26th, 2012 § Leave a Comment
At this time of the year this is a fare that I really like, even if I have to admit that I have not been growing up with burgers on my plate…
Because I am not an expert about grilling and cooking burgers and some of my burgers had sometimes (often) come out dry and flat, I decided to read, try and to learn as much as I could about how to cook a perfect juicy burger for Memorial Day week end and all the other summers gatherings… A juicy burger is still something very special to me, European immigrant, like the pursue and the making of the all American thing.
I ended up reading recently in a food magazine (Cooking Light) a lesson about burgers and learned some important steps that you probably alreayd know.I will share them anyway in the instructions part. The result today was superb!!!!
Ingredients:
- 1 pound ground Angus natural ground beef, 90% lean.
- 2 cups of small chopped onions
- 3 garlic gloves crushed
- 2 to 3 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon white champagne vinegar or simply white vinegar
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 2 to 3 oz ( a little more than 1/2 cup) good quality American cheddar cheese shredded or thin sliced
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium tomato sliced
- 1 avocado sliced thin, sprinkled with lemon
- Boston lettuce leaves washed, dried
- 3 tablespoons light mayonnaise (optional for me)
- 2 to 3 teaspoons ketchup
How to make it great:
To cook the burgers, you can use a hot non stick skillet (cast iron if possible) or a grill pan like i did here or your preferred outdoor grill.
In a second non stick skillet, add olive oil to coat, over medium low temperature, then add onions, and let it soften till golden for about 10 minutes. Check it and stir often, then add vinegar, sugar and cook at medium high heat for 3 minutes more. Add a few easpoons of water if necessarey. Do not let it burn. Onions should be golden, slightly browned and soft. Reserve.
Prepare lettuce leaves, tomato and avocado slices.
While onions cook, combine beef, garlic, Worcestershire sauce very gently and quickly.
Do not over handle (meat fat could melt fast) and press it without making it too tight packed, to avoid burger to be too dry.
Make a nickel size indentation into the center of your patties, to avoid swelling of the meat and juices running to the center.
Heat a large cast iron skillet if using or a grill over medium high, important of the crust to develop, coat with remaining olive oil. Add patties, cook over high medium heat for 3 minutes, turn it over, reduce heat and cook for 3 more minutes.
Lay cheese slices, when there is one minute left, and to make sure it melts, ! covered at the last moment with paper foil, for 1/2 a minute. Remove foil.
Spread light mayonnaise if using, on half a bun, add lettuce leave, tomato slice on one side top with 1 or 2 avocado slices. Place patties with cheese on the other half of the bun, add a spoonful of caramelized onions, top with the lettuce side.
I did not use mayonnaise this time, the avocado brought creamy fresh flavor, the caramelized onions added a slightly tart sweetness!
Enjoy it!
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Fresh Summers Salads! Grapefruit, Feta, Quinoa Taboule’ Extra with garden herbs
May 24th, 2012 § Leave a Comment
Fast and Easy Summer Salads of good company.. Indeed they are such a good company to a fast grilled chicken breast, shrimps or steaks, good company for your easy and lazy summer evenings dinners.
It’s a recipe I adapted from chef Jerome Nutile de l’Hostellerie Le Castellas, Collias (France). I had the chance to eat this salad longtime ago, a Bastille day in the evening and I never forgot the incredible citrusy perfumes and flavors of this appetizer, served into half grapefruit under the oaks of Provence! Original, simple, incredibly refreshing after a long hot day!!
Try it, it’s easy you will not be disappointed..
Ingredients: Serves 2
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- 2 cups cooked couscous (here herb, garlic couscous)
- 1 cup cooked chickpeas
- 10 cherry tomatoes cut in half
- 1/3 small cucumber chopped in small cubes
- 2 Pink Florida grapefruits
- 3/4 cup feta cubes
- 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon mild vinegar or lemon
- salt and pepper at your taste (for the vinaigrette)
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro and mint leaves,roughly choppede
How to make it:
- Cook quinoa following package instuctions 15 minutes until water is absorbed, let it cool. Cook couscous and let it cool.
- Meanwhile, cut cherry tomatoes in half, chop cucumber in small cubes, rinse and pat dry chickpea, wash and set aside the herbs.
- Over a plate, cut the grapefruit crosswise.Pass a pairing knife or a sharp pointed knife between the pulp and skin, all around going well down to the bottom. Pass the knife again to separate the skin from each pulp segment, peeling off of pulp segments, making sure you keep the juices and segments together as much as possible. Use a small spoon or fork to help.
- Prepare vinaigrette, add grapefruit juices, whisk well, adjust salt and pepper.
- In a large bowl, add quinoa, couscous, chickpeas, tomatoes, vinaigrette, half cilantro mint mixture, place it into the refrigerator for 30 to 45 minutes.
- Fifteen minutes before serving, remove salad, then serve in individual bowls, add feta cubes, garnish with remaining fresh cilantro and mint.
Delicieusement Frais…
Terrace in the shade, Hostellerie Le Castellas, Provence, France
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Pasta del Lunedì: Spaghetti aglio, olio e peperoncino… (Oil, garlic, red chili flakes).. if you like it hot!
May 21st, 2012 § Leave a Comment
Once again a fantastic simple pasta from Abruzzo (south of Italy), adopted by Roman cuisine, ultra simple, ultra tasteful and easy.
You do know me by now, I really like great dishes, made with few quality ingredients. When it comes to the Italian pasta there are no mistakes, like in here, 4 only basic ingredients, can make a really delight on a plate.
If you like the fragrant taste of roasted garlic and if you like it ‘hot’ this recipe is for you.The roasted garlic pieces are crunchy like a bread crumb but much more flavorful and the red chili pepper flakes bring an all different level of flavor.
You will think I am very enthusiastic but really simple ingredients combine here in a perfect small masterpiece of authentic Italian cuisine. Once you ‘ ‘master‘ the garlic cooking step in the right way, the all dish is 20 minutes to the table!!
Ingredients : Serves 4 to 6
- 1 pound of excellent spaghetti brand (De Cecco, Garofalo, Elena’s)
- 1/4 good quality olive oil
- 4 to 5 large garlic cloves tiny chopped or minced
- 1/2 of 1 teaspoon red crushed dried chili flakes or 1 fresh red chili pepper chopped thin, seeded
- 2 tablespoons grated Pecorino romano (optional)
- Finely Chopped persil to garnish (optional)
How to make it :
- In a large pan, boil a large amount of salted water. Add spaghetti and cook till al dente, (following package directions).
- Meanwhile in a large pan, (large enough to accomodate the pasta), heat olive oil, and over low heat add garlic, frying it slowly till golden not burned for a minute or two Check it often stirring if necessary once. While garlic cooks add red chili pepper, saute’ gently.
- This step is very important, make sure your heat is on low, check the changing color of garlic frequently.
- Drain pasta, reserving 2 tablespoons of water to be used only if necessary.
- Add pasta to the pan with garlic and red chili, saute’ for 1 minute ( add water if too dry). Remove from heat and rest 1 minute more,
- Serve warm with or without grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano, and parsley to garnish.
A big debate is still going on in some regions of Italy about cheese or no cheese. Purists say no cheese. I like it with a touch of cheese, Pecorino Romano, no doubt, as it adds some saltiness and a lot of flavor If you choose the ‘no cheese’ version, it is excellent anyway, just do not forget to add some salt before serving.
Buon Appetito a tutti!
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La Belle Salade de Tomates de Monsieur Seguin – The delicious Tomato Salad à la Seguin
May 17th, 2012 § Leave a Comment
Please don’t ask me why it is Monsieur Seguin who gave his name to this beautiful salad, I really can’t say, even if I have being living in France for years and prepared this dish many times, toutefois, however, this salad is, in all its simplicity so tasty and refined that you could cry… seriously.
The only requirement to make it like Mr Seguin wanted, meaning exceptional, is to use some pure high quality ingredients like a real French crottin, sorry, that’s the name of this particular type of individual goat cheese. As an option, I could only accept the individual ‘crottin’ made in Vermont, served warm with some fresh tomatoes, olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
The olive oil should be slightly sharp and balsamic vinegar instead more sweet than tart. Add a zesty sweetness from a fresh red onion and all ingredients are there to make you, your table guests… and Monsieur Seguin happy.
This dish is a wonderful summer dinner, appetizer or a light entree.
Lets’s do it !!!
- 3 medium ripe yet firm fresh tomatoes
- 4 Crottins de Chavignol or French individual goat cheeses the one here La Coupole (from Whole Foods)
- 1 medium red onion sliced in rondelles, thin round slices or thinly chppped
- fresh thyme
- 1 french baguette, sliced
- 5 tablespoons good quality olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- sea salt and coarse pepper at your taste.
- 1 teaspoon of honey for each goat cheese.
- handful of capers (optional)
How you make it :
- Preheat the oven at 375F.
- In flat dish add baguettes slices, 1 tablespoon olive oil, fresh thyme a teaspoon of salt, mix well so that bread slices absorb olive oil.
- Lay baguette slices on a baking dish and place it in the warm oven 5 minutes before serving.
- Slice tomatoes thin and in a bowl, prepare tomato sala , add red onion, olive oil balsamic vinegar , salt and pepper fresh thyme. Reserve.
- On large baking dish, place the individual goat cheeses.
- Place bread slices and goat cheese dishes ( separate dishes) into the oven.
- Let the cheese warm up about 3-5 minutes (depending on goat cheese type) until the base of goat cheese starts to melt and to soften.
- Bread slices should be golden when done.
- Remove both dishes from the oven. Be ready to serve quickly.
To Serve:
On each plate, place the warm goat cheese on one side, top with 2 drops of honey, garnish with the tomato salad, adjust vinaigrette, salt and pepper, sprinkle with few capers (optional) and serve warm.
Chaud et froid mais delicieux. (Warm and cold delicious combination).
Did you know? Crottin is an old farmer artisan cheese name meaning… “little drop”…
It definitely deserves a better name considering its deliciousness…
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Chokladbollar: a Mother’s Day Guest Post – Childhood Swedish memories and Candies!
May 13th, 2012 § Leave a Comment
I never knew my birth mother, Maria Caterina. Even if many years have passed now, I still have a pinch in my heart on Mother’s day. She died when I was only three days old, her mother, my grandmother and my step mother replaced her at their best..
So saying Happy Mother’s Day are kind of bittersweet words for me… Surprisingly or not, after such a longtime, I still feel that pinch deep down, when Mother’s day comes.
Michaela, she is my writing guest today, and I, have that feeling in common. She is my step-daughter and was lucky enough to get to know her Mom for some years keeping precious sweets memories of some happy unforgettable childhood moments.
She wrote this story for us :
“When my sister and I were little we liked to get into all sorts of trouble. I, in particular, liked to make potions and concoctions that usually required my mother’s blush and glue and a barbie doll. Needless to say, this didn’t always go over so well. I’m pretty sure that’s why my mother let us, quite frequently, make a very simple Swedish dessert.
- 1.25 sticks butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup oats
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons cacao (I sometimes do 4 or add to taste)
Heavenly Hazelnut Molten Lava Cakes, treats for a fantastic Mother’s Day ..(or every good day)
May 9th, 2012 § Leave a Comment
If you want to amaze your guests, your mom and yourself, try these irresistible rich chocolate cake with a Ferrero Rocher hazelnut chocolate candy just in the middle!
The recipe is not mine, it is from the beautiful book of Francine Segan, just published called Dolci ( Sweets In Italian).
I have a little secret to share with all of you: since a little while, one day at the time, I am attending some fantastic cooking classes at the ICE (The Insitute of Culinary Education) in New York City! I am still passionate, and want to do more, to learn more and keep myself trained about the culinary art. It is such a creative act!
Francine Segan was our teacher that evening and under her teaching we prepared a few great Dolcezze (Italian sweets) recipes! With only five ingredients, these chocolate delights are so easy, after all, as I always say, you do not need to be a super chef to be able to make something as wonderfully fudgy and velvety as this bliss on a cake!
Ingredients : Serves 6
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 5 ounces of dark chocolate, at least 70% cacao
- 6 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
- 6 Ferrero Rocher milc chocolate candies or Baci Perugina
- Preheat the oven to 400F.
- Using a large bowl, beat together, with an electric mixer, the eggs and sugar till combined, then add the flour until the mixture is smooth.
- In a small bow, over low simmering water, break chocolate , add butter and let melt slowly. When chocolate is completely melted add it into the egge mixture.
- Butter 6 ramequins. Pour the batter into ramequins up to 2/3 of them. Press one Rocher down, into the center of each one.
- Bake about 10 minutes, remove from oven, let it cool for a minute. When cakes are cooled off , slide a butter knife around the cakes sides, then turn them into the serving plates, dust with confectioner’s sugar.Serve Warm !
from out of the oven to the table
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Delicate Gifts for Mother’s Day – Lemon Pannacotta with strawberries citrus salad, love and more
May 7th, 2012 § Leave a Comment
It takes a little to make this day unique and so feminine!
A beautiful flower, the delicate undertones of Dolce e Gabbana perfume ‘la Roue de la Fortune’ number 10, expressing all the “love you” you can have, preparing a light pannacotta with a gourmet strawberries orange salad!
Panna Cotta :
Panna cotta is a simple fantastic dessert of the Tuscany cuisine. Simplicity at its must. Ingredients are few but extra fresh and delightful, easy to come together in only five minutes… so you should not have any troubles to make it yours. The only thing is that panna cotta needs to be made a day ahead… which is perfect for a Mother’s Day dessert.
- 1 cup whole milk (I used 2% milk)
- 3 cups heavy cream or 2 cups heavy cream + 1 cup half and half
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 lemon juice
- 1 teaspon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 2 teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin
- 1/2 cup or more grated chocolate
Place milk in a bowl, sprinkle gelatin and let it soften for about 5 minutes. Pour cream in a large saucepan, over slow heat, gently bring cream to simmer, not boil, adding sugar, vanilla, lemon zest and juice, honey, stir well, till sugar is dissolved, and panna cotta begins to thickens.
Now, very lightly, oil with unflavored oil 6 ramequins, pour the panna cotta on each one, till they are 2/3 full, place ramequins on a tray, refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours.
When serving the panna cotta, sprinkle with grated chocolate adding strawberries orange salad on the side.
The Gourmet Strawberries orange salad
- 2 to 3 cups of strawberries, hulled, washed and dried.
- 3 tablespoons of sugar
- 2 +1/2 oranges juice
- 1/2 orange chopped
- 1 teaspoon honey (optional)
In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate if possible overnight. All beautiful flavors will combine…
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Cool Soups and Cinco de Mayo… Vive le Gaspacho with Tomates et Poivrons!
May 5th, 2012 § Leave a Comment
It is spring almost summer… and time to enjoy some fantastics cold soups… One of the stars of all is the Spanish Gaspacho! Olé!!
Simply mixing in the right way the summer vegetables we all love, this soup can be bold or delicate like the land and people of Spain. From Andulucia to Catalogna, gaspacho is an household classic with many versions Bread or not, jalapenos, chunky or smooth, meat or not, everybody can make it at his own taste, using fresh vegetables and fresh herbs with a pinch of fantasy !!
Because I love all the Mediterranean flavors of the soup, we will have many other versions, after all, it is only 15 -20 minutes preparation, plus 1 hour into the refrigerator!! (minimum).
This one is made with a beautiful red pepper I had on hand and some zesty garlic, a lot of fresh herbs from my new little herbs garden!!
Ingredients: Serve 4
- 2 cups of fresh chopped tomatoes, washed and dried, seeded + 1 for juice
- 1 cup of chopped cucumber, seeded
- 1 + 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper, washed, dried, seeded
- 3 to 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste ( 1 teaspoon salt- 1 teaspoon pepper at least)
- handful fresh basil leaves
- handful fresh parley, oregano (or dried)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (or lime)
- 2 tablespoons iced water
- 1 teaspoon of cumin
- Tabasco (optional – if you like it spiced)
Here is how I made it :
- Wash, pat dry, seed, press and roughly chop small tomatoes, keeping all the juices and pulp in a bowl. Seed as much as possible the cucumber, chop and reserve, wash and pat dry, chop the pepper. If using jalapeno proceed in the same way.
- Cut and press the pulp of the tomato reserved for juice, then pass with all other reserved juices through a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl to obtain some tomato juice as much as possible.
- In a large bowl mix all chopped vegetables, fresh herbs, minced garlic, mix well adding salt and pepper.
- Working in batches place half chopped vegetables in a blender, pulse till the mixture is smooth yet still consistent with some small chunks, adding 1/2 olive oil, 1/2 vinegar and lemon and tomato juices. Place it in large glass bowl. Do not use metallic or plastic reactive bowls.
- Repeat with remaining mixture,olive oil, vinegar, lemon.
- When all combined in your serving bowl, mix well, add ice water, adjust salt and pepper, adding spices if you like. At the taste your mixture should taste like a pureed chunky flavorful salad mix with a zesty garlic kick!!!
- Place the bowl, covered with a plastic wrap into refrigerator for at least one hour to overnight. The longer the gaspacho is refrigerated more flavorful it will be.
Serve cold with some warm mozzarella toasted bread, sprinkle with a basil chiffonade for garnish!
Delicioso, Esta exquisito!!
Tips- Using a non reactive bowl like glass or ceramic will help flavors to blend naturally in a cold environement
Chiffonade: is a cutting technique for fresh herbs or leafy lettuce- In few steps, you hold a small bunch of basil leaves on one hand, roll it in a roll on the cutting board and cut with a long knife in thin slices, or like I do, over a small bowl, roll it and then with a pair of scissors, cut thin slices.. You will get some long strips out of the leave keeping all the flavorful herbal oils!!
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Soft Risotto Primavera with Asiago
May 2nd, 2012 § Leave a Comment
Soft and tender, a savory delicate blend of flavors in my risotto di Primavera. (Spring risotto).
I love risotto in all ways, well I was born right there, where riso Arborio and Carnaroli grows slowly in the water fields during summer. At home, we ate risotto every week,no escape, it was sacred, preferably Thursday at lunch. Why I do not know, it was just my grand ma ‘Risotto’ day.
This spring risotto brings me back to that time, like in a old Italian postcard, when little girl I was curiously watching, all the colorful fresh vegetables standing in the sink, well equally diced waiting to go into the pan. A two hours long process…it filled up the all morning.
Not anymore, now, times have changed and to make this fantastic “primo piatto” easier, I used beautiful organic frozen peas and carrots with fresh tomatos, peppers, zucchini, for a faster cooking.
One rule rules here : it has to be the right grain of the rice, so please use only the round Arborio or Carnaroli rice, cooked right in good olive oil! Meaning risotto should be soft but still sligthly crunchy to the bite, because an overcooked risotto is really not good, believe me, it will tastes like glue…
It will be no glue on our plates my dear friends, just a beautiful fresh risotto Primavera!
Let’s make it! :
- 8 cups vegetable broth, warm
- 5 tablespoons good quality olive oil, divided
- 2 tablespoons of butter
- 2 cups of Arborio rice or Carnaroli rice
- 1/2 cup white dry wine, room temperature
- 1 large onion, diced, divided
- 1/2 yellow pepper diced in small cubes
- 2 garlic gloves ,minced
- 3 scallions diced
- 1 medium zucchini diced
- 1 medium fresh tomato diced
- 1x 10 oz bag frozen carrots and peas
- 2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley chopped
- fresh thyme
- Salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup fresh Parmesan cheese grated
- 1/2 cup Asiago cheese grated
In a large pot, warm vegetable broth, (I used water and 1 Knorr vegetable cube) and keep it warm during the all preparation.
Wash and pat dry zucchini and tomato, yellow pepper, dice in small cubes, all same size, for a faster regular cooking and reserve.
Dice the onion.To a large saucepan, add 3 Tbsp olive oil and 1 Tbsp of butter, let melt, add 1/2 onion, cook over very slow heat for at least 10 minutes. Now add frozen carrots and peas, the 1/2 tomato diced, pepper, adjust salt and pepper, fresh thyme, saute’ slowly for 10 minutes.
In a second lage skillet, add remaining olive oil and butter, once mixture has melt, add remaining onion, garlic, scallions slowly let them cook till translucent not browned.
Add rice to the onion mixture, stir once, then white wine, let wine to be absorbed stirring well, salt and pepper.
Then add one or 2 ladles of broth just enough to cover the rice. Over medium heat, let liquid to be absorbed. One ladle at the time, continue cooking making sure that the rice absorbs liquid before adding some more, stirring often, about 18 to 20 minutes, just follow exactly the package directions. Close to end of cooking time, add parsley, and ….. taste the rice which should be slightly firm but soft.
If it is not done, let it go one minute more or 2. Taste again. Never let it be mushy.
Remove from heat, add cheese, stir softly once and let it go for 1 minute. This step it is called ‘ mantecare il risotto’ in Italian cuisine. The warmth of the risotto and its flavors will all blend beautifully with the cheese.
To be eaten hot… Subito a tavola!!!
Tips: re- heat over slow heat, in a pan, no microwave, just use 1 tablespoon of butter or a dollop of cream on a pan, for a creamy texture.
You can skip zucchini or yellow pepper, keep fresh herbs, peas onions, carrots, tomatoes, garlic, for spring flavors.
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