Category Archives: ITALIAN CUISINE

PASTA WITH ARRABIATA SAUCE

So, we have just left our beloved Amalfi coast (no scratches on our rental car or permanently frazzled nerves, I am glad to report) and are headed east to visit the Adriatic side of Italy’s boot. It is really difficult to plan how long it will take to reach any given location in Italy because a km can take 60 seconds or 60 minutes depending on the road conditions and terrain. And this leg of our journey was no exception.

After departing at 9:30, we took the Amalfi coast road to Salerno and the autostrada (speed limit 110 – wee hah) which took us east over the Apennine Mountains in the Basilicata region. The Apennine mountains, at least the part we saw were green and hilly (only one jagged ridge visible), becoming drier on the eastern slopes. (Sound familiar?) There was some agriculture, but not the extensive terracing of fruit and olive trees that we had witnessed on earlier vacations in Northern Italy. As we drove along, all of the streams and rivers were overflowing with tumbling brown water from the torrential downpour the entire European continent had experienced a couple of days before. So with fast speed limits and great roads, we basically crossed the “boot” in a few short hours.

We arrived at our hotel at about 1:30 in the afternoon. We put our bags in our room and proceeded downstairs for lunch. In Italy, lunch is usually served between 1:00 and 3:00. As it was only 1:45, we were in luck.

Now let me set the stage for our lunch. The hotel I found on Expedia (great place to book hotels, I might add) was chosen because of its location as a mid-way stop rather than for the many glories of the region. (Had I known how fast we would get across the boot, I would have booked us further toward the Adriatic rather than on the Gulf of Taranto.) But here we were in our unpretentious business class hotel right off the highway with a whole afternoon to fill. So, deciding to fill our tummies before heading out on some type of afternoon adventure, we went down to the eating area.

We were the only patrons and in her best broken English, the waitress explained that there were only a very limited number of items on the menu, especially at lunch time. I can’t even remember what I ordered except to say that it was wonderful, but Mr. Cs Arrabiata was, and I quote “to die for”! Like I said, I don’t even remember what I ordered. What I do remember is stealing pasta off of Andy’s plate with alarming regularity.

After lunch we tried our best to tell our waitress how much we had enjoyed our meal, especially the Arrabiata. She looked at us, got a little twinkle in her eye, turned around and headed for the kitchen. She returned shortly with a stalk of the peppers that had been used in this very spicy dish. She wrote down the name of the peppers, pepperoncini, and broke off a few to give to us. I wanted to keep those peppers so badly, but I knew they would never make it past US customs (the brutes!) So as best we could, we explained how grateful we were for her thoughtfulness, but that we just could not accept her gracious offer.

All the time we’d been in Italy I had wanted to visit a supermercado (grocery store). So upon receiving driving instructions from the hotel manager, we preceded into “town” to give me the opportunity to see what an Italian home cook in a fairly poor area of Italy has at his/her disposal. Well howdy, if I had that store on Camano Island, I would be one happy camper. The fresh meat, deli meat, cheeses, and produce were amazing and inexpensive. No frozen food cases filled with frozen pizza and TV dinners, just a small case filled with amazing flavors of gelato. Absent also, isle after isle of dried scalloped potatoes packages or canned beef stew. And absolutely no area devoted to soft drinks. But pasta, you want pasta, every shape, size and variety available was at that store. And inexpensive Arborio rice. Sigh! There were some canned goods – tomatoes, cannelloni beans; that type of vegetable. And olives. Oh how I dearly love the green olives in Italy! And of course – spices. I found jars of the regional dried pepperoncini that had been used in the wonderful Arrabiata we had “shared” for lunch. So of course I had to bring home 4 jars. (I stuffed them in the toe of my shoes so they could safely and cozily survive the long journey to America.) Cookies were the one item that shared about the same amount of space as in an average American grocery store. Italians too love their sweets.

After doing our grocery shopping we drove to the seashore through camera crews, fire fighters and clean-up vehicles and workers. Apparently this part of Italy was especially hard hit by the heavy rain storms. There was so much flooding that all the businesses right by the shore were closed, including the hotels and restaurants. It was very interesting to poke around and witness how beautifully the Italians handled this emergency situation. No heavy handed behavior on the part of the people in charge. Just a general feeling of cooperation and “let’s get the job done”! And if some crazy Americans wanted to drive around and possibly get their tiny Fiat 500 stuck in the mud, so be it!

After a delightful afternoon of seeing the area we headed back to our hotel and yet another delicious meal in the hotel restaurant. Dinner was excellent, but the Arrabiata we enjoyed at lunch and the absolutely charming and cordial hotel staff that treated us as long lost family members made even this rather pedestrian stop a memorable event. Lesson learned: Don’t judge a book by its cover or a business class hotel by its lack of fancy furniture and potted plants in the lobby. You never know what pleasures may await.

1 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 c. finely chopped yellow onion
5 garlic cloves, finely minced
½ – 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
½ c. red wine (I like Pinot Noir)
2 T. brown sugar
2 T. chopped fresh basil
6-oz. tomato paste (I use Cento brand)
2-28oz. cans crushed or whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes* (Use cans of Italian tomatoes, like Cento brand, if possible. And yes, there really is a difference!)
1 lb. penne pasta, cooked al dente
chopped fresh Italian parsley, opt.
grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan, opt.

Heat olive oil in a medium-large heavy sauce pan. Add onion and cook until transparent. (Don’t let the onion brown.) Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for about a minute or until the garlic smells aromatic. Add the salt, pepper, and wine. Let wine cook until it is all absorbed. Stir in the brown sugar, basil, and tomato paste. Finally add the 2 cans of crushed tomatoes and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and gently simmer uncovered for about 30-40 minutes. Adjust seasoning. Add cooked pasta, sprinkle with parsley; serve immediately. Pass grated cheese.

*If using whole peeled tomatoes, chop them before adding to sauce

ITALIAN FLATBREAD

OK, so as you know, I love all things bread. And in Italy, the bread is heavenly. Every meal begins with a big old basket of bread. Butter is rarely served. (It’s really only served when a crazy from the States or Canada asks for it. And that does not include me, let me assure you.)

The bread in Italy is always fresh, usually chewy, and always irresistible. But of all the bread I ate while recently in Italy, the best was in a very small ristorante in Francavilla Al Mare (near Ortona, on the east coast of Italy, slightly north and east of Rome.) The following recipe is as close as I can get to that perfect bread without owning a bread oven. (That’s a broad hint Mr. C.) But to completely set the stage for this recipe, I must tell you the whole story of one absolutely perfect meal we experienced while in the Italian region of Abruzzo.

We arrived at our destination (the Setteventi B&B – 40 Euros a night) after a leisurely drive along the Adriatic from our previous night’s stay in Vieste. The seaside town of Vieste is on the beautiful Gargano Peninsula which is lovingly referred to as the spur of the Italian boot. Not as many tourists from America visit this incredible part of Italy, which in my opinion is a real mistake. The people are charming and the terrain and food incredible. But I digress.

We checked into our room at the B&B (a very modern home) and asked the manager where we could eat dinner that evening since our B&B was on a semi-country road on the hill above the main part of town and we really didn’t want to drive any distance for dinner. She asked us if we enjoyed seafood. We said yes. She told us the ristorante just across the street from the B&B was wonderful. Works for us.

Since it was late afternoon and we had been in our car all day, we decided to take a walk and explore our environs. So off we went to explore. We quickly realized that zoning must not be an issue in Italy, because in less than a km, we walked by individual villas, multi-family residences, vineyards (people actually picking grapes that had grown along an overhead trellis), 2 working wineries (saw grapes being crushed), our B&B, and a small elegant 7 table ristorante that provided us with one of our most cherished dining experiences ever.

But first let me continue setting the stage for this amazing meal. Our B&B hostess had told us the restaurant was right across the street, or at least that is what we had gathered from her pretty good English. So at 7:30 we headed out the door of the B&B (actually at the back of the building) and walked up the driveway to the road. We had not really seen any evidence of a restaurant when we had gone out for our afternoon walk, except for a small graveled area reserved for restaurant guests to park. We just assumed that in the evening the restaurant entrance would be quite evident. Well it was not. The building we thought housed the restaurant really just looked like a three story villa. Luckily a gentleman came out of a nearby residence and we asked him for the location of the restaurant entrance. He indicated that he really didn’t know how to get in except to ring the buzzer and wait. Well he rang the unnamed buzzer alright, along with the other two that were labeled with people’s names. Great! Your first night in town and you become your own worst nightmare, a pain in the — tourist! But luckily, as soon as the un-labeled buzzer was pushed the garage gate opened and we were admitted. The restaurant owner came to greet us from the side entrance path and we were escorted down into the restaurant. Even though the ristorante didn’t officially open until 8:00pm, we were made to feel like honored guests. (Actually when we left the restaurant, the side gate was open and the small unassuming name plate of the restaurant (L’Angolino sul mare) was dimly lit making it appear much more like a restaurant entrance than just a lighted path to the ground floor apartment. Well of course it looked different. The restaurant was actually open when we left. Silly Americans!) But back to our amazing dining experience….

Once we sat down at our table the fun began in earnest. As in many Italian restaurants, a little something complimentary is provided as an appetizer or a small glass of lemoncello is offered after the meal. But at this restaurant, they raised “complimentary” to an art form. At L’Angolino sul mare, our first complimentary item was a little nibble in the form of a gorgeous and tasty mini slider bun filled with perfectly cooked shrimp in a delicate sauce. Just large enough for 2 small bites. Along with this came a complimentary glass of Prosecco, along with a basket of flatbread (thin with a very crunchy top crust) and pieces of bread studded with black olives. After that we ordered our primi and secondi. (We usually shared our first and second courses.) For our primi we chose Carbanara de Mare Al Lemone (small pieces of shellfish in a light lemon cream sauce with pasta). OMG – amazing. For our second course we ordered Misti al Forno with Creamy Potato (perfectly prepared salmon, tuna, shrimp, scallops, sardine, calamari, and white fish, with a small ultra creamy potato cake on the side). Again, absolute perfection. We also ordered a lovely bottle of the local wine Trebbiano d’Abruzzo to go along with our meal.

As on many other Italian menus, the dolce (sweet) offerings included cheesecake. We had resisted cheesecake until this evening, but when the cheesecake was presented as “della casa”, we ordered one serving to share. But before our cheesecake arrived, we were each brought a complimentary dolce. The five little bite sized sweets were served on a raised thin rectangular clear glass tray with indentations for each individual item. The items included a creamy chocolate nut ball rolled in cocoa, a small chocolate mousse topped with a tiny macaroon square, a dark chocolate peanut ball, a tiny green meringue filled with lemon cream, and a perfectly candied whole almond. Fantastic presentation and each bite a culinary miracle.

Then we were served our cheesecake in a bowl. The cheesecake was about the consistency of Zabaglione and of the most delicate cream cheese (probably part Mascarpone) flavor imaginable; lightly sprinkled with slightly sweet dried bread crumbs and tender dried cherries. As each of us spooned up a bite of this delicious mixture we practically moaned out loud. Absolutely too delicious to be true.

And last but not least, we were brought a complimentary aperitif sized glass of Passito, a delightful sweet dessert late harvest wine made from grapes that have been dried on straw. This deep yellow-gold hued wine tasted of honey, sweet vanilla, apricot nectar, and fragrant flowers. (Actually Passito is very reminiscent of Vin Santo, another sweet dessert wine we love traditional to Tuscany.)

Of all the fantastic meals we shared in Italy, this meal I truly hope will remain in my memory until I take my last breath. And all for 65 (including tip) Euros. When we reached our room Mr. C looked and me, and with a big happy grin on his face said, “If I complain about the visa bill when we get home, just remind me of C. da Setteventi #14 (our B&B) and the ristorante across the street!”

Buon Appetito!

1 1/3 c. warm water
1 T. active dry yeast
2 ½ tsp. kosher salt, divided
3 T. extra virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
3 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

Combine the warm water, yeast, and 2 teaspoons salt in a mixer bowl and let proof for about 5 minutes. Add olive oil and enough flour to make a soft dough. Let rise covered with plastic wrap until doubled, about an hour. Punch down and spread out on an olive oil greased 13×17 (or larger) pan. (Pour enough olive oil on the pan to make a rather slick surface. In other words, don’t be stingy. You are not lightly greasing the pan!) Add dough, then turn dough over and spread out with your hands. (Use some of that nice olive oil on the pan to grease your fingers so they don’t stick to the dough.) The dough should look more like you are making a thick pizza crust than bread. Cover again with plastic wrap and let rise until the dough is soft and puffy, about 45 minutes. Using a pastry brush, gently slather top of dough with olive oil and sprinkle with remaining ½ teaspoon salt.

Bake in a 20 minute pre-heated 500 degree oven (reduce to 450 when you place the dough in the oven) on top of a pizza baking stone, if you own one. Bake for about 10 minutes, then, if you have the option, turn on the convection setting and bake until golden brown, about 5 minutes more. Total baking time should be about 15 minutes.

Serve the flatbread warm or at room temperature. No butter or additional olive oil required. Great served with antipasto or any of your favorite pasta dishes. Also great served with soup.

And yes I wish the top was as crusty and crunchy as the bread I had at the ristorante in Francavilla Al Mare, Italy, but until I get my own bread/pizza oven, this version will have to do. At least the flavor is as I remember. You gotta give me credit for that!

RISOTTO WITH CREAM AND SHRIMP SAUCE

View from our hotel veranda in Amalfi, Italy

Mr. C and I just got back from a three week trip to southern Italy. We ate and drank ourselves from Rome down to the Isle of Ischia, to Sorrento, Capri, the Amalfi coast, across to the Adriatic, up around the Gargano Peninsula and back across to Rome. The food we experienced was fantastic. And during the next couple of weeks I will be telling you more about our trip and give you a taste (so to speak) of some of the amazing dishes we experienced.

We ordered this incredible risotto dish our last night in Italy. We were flying out early (well early for us – 10:35am) the next day, so we returned our rental car (a Fiat 500) in Rome, took the train to the Leonardo da Vinci airport in Fiumicino, (about 30 km from downtown Rome) and hopped a cab to our seaside hotel. Fiumicino is a lovely small seaside town with many hotels and excellent restaurants. We stayed at the Hotel Del Mare (translated – hotel by the sea). The first floor of the building/hotel was a large, very busy pesce ristoranti (seafood restaurant). So when it came dinner time, we made the very long journey down one flight of stairs, out the front door of the hotel and into the side door of this restaurant.

We had been eating a lot of fish and a lot of pasta during our proceeding time in Italy, so something about the words risotto caught my eye. And when I read the next two ingredients, cream and shrimp, I was hooked. So for our primi (first course), I ordered the Risotto with Cream and Shrimp Sauce. And to my dying day I’m going to be glad I did. It was the best risotto I had ever tasted. So, of course I had to try and duplicate it when I got home. And I did! I got some help from internet searches, but came up with this final version that I think does the restaurant credit.

So next time you are in the mood for Italian food, and have a little time to spend in the kitchen, give this recipe a try.

A note about lobster base: It ain’t cheap! My favorite is Knorr, but it is hard to find. (PFI carries it if you live in the Seattle area.) More readily available is Better Than Bouillon, and I know Haggen’s (north sound grocery store chain) carries it. But if you can’t find lobster base, not to worry. Just make your stock with the shrimp shells and it should be just fine.

Shrimp Stock:

1 tsp. olive oil
shrimp shells and tails
5 1/2 c. water
1-2 tsp. lobster base, opt.
1/4 onion, roughly chopped
2 T. roughly chopped celery
1/2 small carrot, roughly chopped
1 bay leaf
pinch salt
8 black peppercorns
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 large sprig fresh parsley

In a large heavy stockpot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add the shrimp shells and cook, stirring occasionally, until shells are pink and fragrant, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the water and all remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and slowly simmer until stock is flavorful, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Strain the stock into a large container and use immediately or allow to cool completely. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Shrimp Cream:

2 T. extra virgin olive oil
3/4 lb. raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (save the shells and tails for Shrimp Stock – see above)
1/4 c. heavy cream + more for risotto*
1 c. canned tomatoes (Italian if possible)

Heat the olive oil in a large covered sauté pan over medium heat and sauté the shrimp until just opaque, about 2 minutes. Remove from pan, allow to cool, chop into whole hazelnut sized pieces, and refrigerate until ready to use. In a food processor, puree ¼ cup heavy cream and tomatoes until smooth. Refrigerate until needed.

Risotto:

5 cups shrimp stock (see recipe above)
2 T. butter
1/2 c. finely minced shallots
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 c. Arborio rice
1/2 c. white wine (I like Pinot Gris)
1 tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
*heavy cream (about a cup)
2 T. chopped fresh basil
2 T. finely chopped Italian parsley, plus 2 T. for garnish
2 T. finely grated Parmesan

In a small pot bring the shrimp stock to a boil. Reduce the heat and keep warm. Heat the butter in a heavy pot over medium heat; add the shallots and garlic (I use my small food processor to mince the shallots and garlic) and sauté until soft. Add the Arborio rice and stir until it is coated with butter, about 1 to 2 minutes. Turn the heat to high and add the white wine, stir until most of the wine has been absorbed by the rice. Stir in the salt and pepper. Add the hot stock 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly, after each addition, until the liquid is absorbed. Continue adding the stock and stirring to release the starch from the rice. Begin to check the rice for doneness after 18 minutes, it should be al dente. Add the shrimp cream mixture (blended cream and tomatoes) and continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the reserved cooked shrimp and heat through. Add enough cream to bring to desired consistency. (The risotto should be very soft and creamy, not stiff.) Remove from heat and stir in the basil, parsley, and Parmesan. Adjust the seasoning. Sprinkle with remaining parsley and serve immediately.

A note about Italian food: The best way I know to describe authentic Italian food is fresh, local meat, seafood and produce, enhanced with subtle seasonings and complimentary ingredients. Except in rare cases, like the recipe for Arrabbiata (a very spicy red pasta sauce) that I am going to post in a couple of days, Italian chefs use a very light hand in everything they prepare. They absolutely do not ascribe to the old adage that if a little bit of something is good, a whole lot is better! And because they don’t use more of an ingredient than is necessary, like cheese or fresh basil for example, the taste of the dish is lighter, fresher and much more enjoyable.

ITALIAN SAUSAGE SOUP WITH ORZO

AMARETTO BUNDT CAKE

I just realized that there isn’t a commonly used word for a person like myself who loves all things Italian! Francophile is universally used to describe people who love all things French. And Anglophile is the name associated with people who love all things English. So why in the name of al dente fettuccine isn’t everyone using Italophile to describe a person like myself? (I know some of you already have a name for people like me, but that name doesn’t relate to a passion for Italy.) But really, think how unfair it is that “Italophile” is not in the common vernacular! I mean come on, who doesn’t think, (at least those who have visited France, England and Italy) that Tuscany isn’t just about as perfect as any place in either France or England? Or who wouldn’t want to spend 6 months living in a small pensione in any one of the 5 tiny villages that constitute the Cinque Terra in Italy as much as they would want to spend time on the English coast or on the French Riviera? And who doesn’t think that Italian food is certainly the equal of, if not even more delicious than French cuisine? (I’m not even going to mention English food in this discussion!) I mean truly, if you want to consider food in this equation at all, Italian food would win hands down. All anyone has to do is go to the yellow pages under Italian, French, or English restaurants to determine that Italian restaurants are far and away the most popular of the three.

So back to my original supposition – I truly believe that the word “Italophile” should become a part of our common vocabulary and trip easily and frequently off of our tongues. I know I am going to start using it in conversation. People will think me strange at first, but every person who uses an unfamiliar term has to be prepared to suffer a few slings and arrows to get their point across. Of course after it catches on, and everyone is using Italophile in every other sentence, someone else will take the credit for its popularity. But you will know who it was that really started the craze. You can even tell your friends you were there at the very beginning. After all, if someone can make “dude” a household word, then a word as sophisticated and trendy as “Italophile” should be easy. Spread the word my friends, spread the word!

Oh and by the way, the recipe attached is really wonderful. It is every Italophiles dream of how a cake should taste. Buon Appetito!

1 pkg. yellow cake mix
4 eggs, room temperature
1 (3 ½-oz.) pkg. instant vanilla pudding mix
3 T. + ½ c. Amaretto liqueur, divided
½ c. water
½ c. vegetable oil
¼ tsp. almond extract
1 c. sifted powdered sugar

Combine cake mix, eggs, pudding mix, 3 T. Amaretto, water, oil, and almond extract in a mixer bowl. Beat on medium low speed for 5 minutes. Spoon batter into a buttered and floured 10-inch Bundt pan. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 40-45 minutes. Do not over-bake. Meanwhile whisk together the remaining ½ cup Amaretto and powdered sugar. Set aside. After cake has been removed from the oven and is still hot and still in the pan, poke holes all over with a toothpick. Pour the Amaretto icing into the holes and all over what will become the bottom of the cake. Allow to cool for 2 hours before gently removing from pan to a cake plate.

ITALIAN DREAM CAKE

So for years I have been seeing recipes for Italian Dream Cake. Years! (And yes I know it’s actually Italian Cream Cake, but once you have eaten a piece of this fabulous creation, I bet you won’t argue with my new name for this Italian classis dessert!) So like I said, I’ve been looking at recipes for this cake for years. And yet I never gave any of them a try until our last JazzVox concert. (I was planning an Italian food theme and needed more than one dessert. So in addition to one of my favorite Italian inspired cakes, Amaretto Bundt Cake (recipe to be posted in the near future), I decided to serve this cake using a recipe I found who knows how long ago. I made a few minor variations of course, but the basic easy to prepare bones of the recipe remain. All I can say is – WHY IN THE NAME OF ALL THINGS TUSCAN DID I WAIT SO BLOODY LONG TO MAKE THIS CAKE? It is incredibly delicious and almost embarrassingly easy to prepare. So do yourself a favor and don’t wait like I did. Make this cake for your next gathering and impress the pickles out of your family and friends. Or take it to work one day. Just don’t be surprised if your co-workers start begging you to “bring THAT cake” again and again. Some recipes should just plain come with warning labels. This is one of those recipes.

Warning: Will trigger adoration! Will inspire devotion! Will lead to more baking! Be prepared!

1 white cake mix
1 (3½-oz.) pkg. instant vanilla pudding
¾ c. half & half
¾ c. water
4 lg. eggs, room temperature
½ c. vegetable oil
1¼ c. chopped pecans, lightly toasted, divided
3½ c. flaked coconut, divided
3 T. unsalted butter, room temp.
6 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
¼ tsp. vanilla
1 T. heavy cream or more
2½ c. powdered sugar or more

In the bowl of your mixer, combine the cake mix, vanilla pudding, half & half, water, eggs and oil. Beat for 3 minutes at medium speed. Fold in 1 cup of the pecans and 2 cups of the coconut. Pour the batter into a lightly buttered 9 x 13-inch pan (glass is best). Bake in a pre-heated 325 degree oven (glass pan) or 350 degree oven (metal pan) for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Do not over-bake. Allow to cool completely before frosting. While cake cools, toast the remaining 1 ½ cups of coconut. Set aside.

In a medium sized mixer bowl, thoroughly cream the butter and cream cheese. Add the vanilla and powdered sugar and enough cream to make a smooth spreading consistency. (You may need to add more cream or powdered sugar to get the right consistency for you.) Frost the cake and sprinkle with toasted coconut and remaining ¼ cup pecans. Refrigerate until about an hour or two before you plan to serve. Don’t even think of serving with ice cream or whipped cream. Absolutely not necessary and would detract from the cake itself. You simply don’t want to do that!

SAVORY POLENTA

So, this lady walks into a restaurant one evening, sits down in a booth and she and her husband order drinks while they peruse the menu. (This was quite a few years ago when the lady was not nearly as sophisticated or food savvy as she is today.) So on the menu, appearing with the entrée she had chosen, was this item calling itself polenta. No explanation as to what polenta was! Just polenta! (Like from birth everyone should know about polenta?!) Well this poor woman had no idea what she was ordering and too embarrassed to ask the waiter. (Did I mention this was quite some time ago?)

When her dinner arrived, she was quite taken aback by what appeared to be a square of semi-baked cornbread. But being the adventurous type, she cut off a small piece and popped it into her mouth. Well this woman had been making and eating cornbread for years. But this yellow stuff on her plate was so lacking in flavor and had such a strange consistency that she didn’t finish her serving or even try polenta again for years. All she could hope for was that polenta would go the way of those red pickled crab apple slices that used to “grace” every restaurant plate in America!

But then one magical day polenta was on the menu at one of her favorite Italian restaurants. She was mystified. “What in the name of coarse ground cornmeal had polenta to do with such a prestigious world cuisine?” But being a little older and a little bolder (notice wiser was not mentioned) she got an earful when she asked that very same question of her waiter. Because, began the waiter in his best professorial voice, “please allow me to quote from an article I just read on the Life in Italy website”. And I quote, “It often happens that a nation of people will identify themselves as a distinct culture by their traditional foods. For Italians, it always seems both pasta and pizza are the cornerstones of what makes Italian food “Italian”. However, there is a staple food of Northern Italy that does not get the recognition, but certainly makes up the third aspect of the Italian food trinity: Humble, yet versatile and satisfying polenta. Italian cuisine has been characterized by being the food of the peasant and just as poor Southern Italians worked the fields with their bellies full of pasta, Northern Italians subsisted on little more than polenta for centuries. In this way, polenta is truly an Italian national dish, and may have a history much more ancient than either pizza or pasta.”

So knowing that the chef in this restaurant would never steer her wrong, she once again ordered an entrée that included polenta. But this time, the experience was far different. The creamy, savory, and buttery polenta was served as a base for her entrée meat which lay gently nestled on top. She had discovered heaven that evening in the form of an Italian classic. (Had she realized polenta was Italian to begin with, she might have given it a second try much sooner!) But she had thought, incorrectly of course, that polenta was just a new creation some famous chef had invented and every restaurant from Denny’s to Rosellini’s Four-10 now wanted to feature. (She has since learned that when it comes to food, there is truly nothing new under the sun!) So from that wonderful evening at one of her favorite Italian restaurants, she has truly come to love this humble Italian peasant food. And this recipe from Alton Brown is her favorite. Buon Appetito!

2 T. olive oil
3/4 c. finely chopped red onion
1 tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 qt. chicken stock
1 c. coarse ground cornmeal
3 T. butter
2-oz. finely grated Parmesan (about ½ cup packed) + extra for serving at the table (some people, like Mr. C. for example, enjoy a little polenta with their Parmesan!)

In a large, oven-proof covered saucepan heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, salt, and pepper; sauté until the onion begins to turn translucent, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce the heat and add the garlic. Sauté until the garlic releases its aroma, about 1 minute. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat a bit and gradually whisk in the cornmeal. Cover the pan and bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to prevent lumps. Once the polenta is creamy, remove from the oven and add the butter and Parmesan. Adjust seasoning and serve immediately. Or, if you prefer, pour into a 9×13-inch pan lined with parchment paper. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate. When ready to serve, cut into squares, rounds, or triangles, brush with olive oil and sauté in a non-stick pan. (Great way to serve leftovers too!) Polenta is gluten free and can be prepared with vegetable stock for a vegetarian side dish.

ROASTED SWEET POTATO RAVIOLI

I believe I have mentioned on earlier postings that I love pasta. And for some reason (excessive profit I believe it’s called) makers of fresh ravioli seem to think it’s OK to charge an arm and a leg for the same amount of product I can make for about a dollar. Now granted, I don’t have manufacturing, packaging, shipping, and delivery costs to consider, but really, the markup is astronomical. So when I can make my own ravioli with won ton wrappers, I feel great about myself. And coincidentally, the ravioli happens to taste pretty darn good too. And of course I know I am cheating by not making my own pasta, but you all know that finding shortcuts (aka cheating) whenever possible in the kitchen is what I strive to achieve! (I’ve learned to live with my little addiction. In fact, I no longer even ask for forgiveness in my evening prayers.)

So if you too want to save a little time and money, build yourself a batch of these incredible ravioli. And when you serve them tenderly blanketed with Butter and Sage Sauce, you won’t think to ask forgiveness for cheating a little in the preparation either. In fact, serve this dish to your loved ones, and they might forgive you just about anything! After all, it worked for me when I happened to throw out one of Mr. Cs favorite shirts. Even if the darned thing was 25 years old, the most putrid shade of green I had ever seen, was frayed and stained around the collar, and last fit him about 20 years ago; he loved that shirt. I simply asked for forgiveness at about the same time he took his last bite of the pasta on his plate. It really is very hard to stay mad at someone who is fully capable of denying a second helping!

1 large sweet potato
1 T. butter
3 T. minced shallot
3 T. half & half
3 T. grated Parmesan cheese
pinch nutmeg
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
wonton wrappers
1 recipe Pasta with Butter and Sage Sauce (under Main Dish Recipes)

Wash and dry the sweet potato. Stick it with a fork in 3-4 places, place it in a pan, and bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 1 hour. Remove from oven and allow to cool until you are able to hold it in your hand comfortably. Peel and mash the sweet potato; set aside. In a large sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the shallot and sauté for 1 minute. Add the mashed sweet potato and cook until the mixture is slightly dry, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the half and half. Continue to cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cheese and the pinch of nutmeg. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Don’t over salt because there is plenty of salt in the Butter and Sage Sauce.) Lightly flour a clean work surface. Set a small bowl of water nearby. Lay wrappers on the surface. Place a small scoop or heaping teaspoon of the sweet potato mixture on every other wrapper. Dip your finger in the water and wet the outside edge of each wrapper. Gently place the wrappers without the filling over the wrappers with the filling, wet edges together. Gently but firmly press down on the edges of each ravioli with the tines of a fork. Refrigerate in a single layer until ready to use. (This recipe makes about 11 ravioli.) When your sauce is ready* place the raviolis into boiling salted water one at a time (to prevent initial sticking). Reduce heat if necessary and cook for about 2 minutes. They will float to the top when they are ready. Gently lift out of the water and place on plates. Serve covered with Butter and Sage Sauce or any fairly simple pasta sauce.

*Hint: always have your pasta sauce ready before your pasta is finished cooking, not the other way around. Pasta is much more time sensitive then most sauces. And if possible, always cook your pasta al dente unless otherwise instructed. Mushy pasta is simply not very appealing.

STUFFED BONELESS LEG OF LAMB

Once upon a time (I have always wanted to start a preface to a recipe or story with this ever so rarely used story opener) there was a really good Italian restaurant in Redmond, Washington that offered cooking classes. For the life of me I can’t remember the name of the restaurant and in my defense, I did take the class along with my dear friend Jim 16 or 17 years ago. Anyway, the restaurant is long gone! What remains is this fabulous recipe. Now I am a lamb lover. I love grilled ground lamb patties served with Tzatziki, lamb curry, rack of lamb, marinated and grilled lamb chops; basically all things lamb. But my favorite all time way to cook lamb is this stuffed leg recipe.

The first time I made it for guests was for a cooking club that has been going, more off than on unfortunately, for over a decade. The thing that stands out most about serving this dish was the reaction I received from my 2 cooking buddies Ken and Paul. (And yes it does seem like all my best cooking pals are male. My mom never raised no dummy!) But back to my story. The leg of lamb was happily resting under its aluminum foil blanket and it was time to make the sauce. The first thing you need to know about this lamb preparation is that it produces just about the best sauce you will ever taste. And this evening’s sauce was no exception. I actually invited the guys to try the sauce/gravy as it was reducing. I wanted to demonstrate the difference a touch of lemon juice could make to the overall flavor of the sauce when it was added just before serving. Well, that was one of the worst mistakes I ever made! The guys were eating spoonfuls of the sauce before it ever got to the table. They even asked if I had any straws! They wanted to suck it up right out of the pan!

Now I have to be honest with you. This recipe is easy once you build the demi-glace. But making demi-glace is a pain in the bucket. It’s not hard to make, it’s just time consuming. So when I make it, I make about 4 cups and that usually lasts me for an entire year, if not longer. But making your own demi-glace beats the heck out of buying it. You want to experience sticker shock, go on line and figure out what a cup of demi-glace costs. Of course, if you’re super rich, no problem. But if you are ordinary folk like Mr. C. and me, well suffice it to say, I build my own. I usually make it when I know I am going to be futzing around the kitchen for several hours anyway. That way I can periodically give it a check while I perform whatever other cooking projects happen to be in the works. (It also helps that I have an outdoor kitchen. I can put my pot of bones, meat, veggies and water on to boil outside and not have to worry about messing up my kitchen.) So next time you want to prepare a dish that will knock the socks off your guests, give this baby a try. You will not be disappointed. Well maybe just a little. Leftovers for next evening’s meal are simply not going to happen.

1 medium sized boneless leg of lamb
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 T. finely chopped fresh sage
2 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary
7-8 slices prosciutto
2 T. vegetable oil
1 c. Pinot Grigio or Pinot Gris, your choice (Both come from the same grape, but are made differently. Italian style Pinot Grigio is typically lighter-bodied, crisp, fresh tasting, with a vibrant stone fruit flavor, floral aroma, and a touch of spice. Pinot Gris, from the Alsace region in France, is more full-bodied, richer, spicier, and has a higher viscosity.)
1 c. demi-glace (see recipe under This & That Recipes)
½ c. heavy cream
additional wine, if necessary (so don’t drink the rest of the bottle while the lamb is cooking)
¼ tsp. fresh lemon juice

If the leg of lamb came in a sweet little mesh blanket bag, carefully slide the lamb out of the netting and set aside. Open lamb out on a cutting board and taking a sharp meat knife carefully slice the boned side of the meat here and there to achieve an even thickness. (I used to pound the meat with a mallet, but I have found slicing the meat here and there works better. Doesn’t leave the meat kind of mushy.) Rub the meat with a moderate amount of salt and pepper and sprinkle with the garlic, sage, and rosemary. Lay prosciutto on top. Roll the meat to approximately the same shape it was before you started messing with it. Tie with string so it keeps its shape while braising, or carefully stuff it back into the wire mesh bag. Heat oil in a heavy lidded roasting pan or Dutch oven. Brown the meat on all sides in the hot oil. Remove from heat and add the wine and demi-glace. Cover and bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for about 35 minutes. Remove lid, reduce heat to 325 degrees, insert instant read thermometer and continue roasting until meat reaches an internal temperature of 140-145 for medium rare. Remove meat from oven, transfer to a cutting board, remove string or mesh bag, and tent gently with aluminum foil. Let rest for at least 20 minutes before slicing into ½-inch pieces. Meanwhile, add an additional fourth to half cup of wine to roasting pan if there is less than a half cup of liquid remaining after the roast was removed. Add the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Simmer a few minutes or until the sauce has reduced to a medium thick consistency. Adjust seasoning and add lemon juice. Remove from heat. Arrange 1 or 2 slices of meat on each plate. Spoon a small amount of sauce over each slice. (Don’t be too generous. The sauce is really, really rich. I usually serve whatever sauce is left in a small gravy boat and place it on the dining table for guests to help themselves.)

Side Dish Suggestions: Oven Roasted Fingerling Potatoes (recipe below), a steamed veggie like green beans or broccoli, a salad such as Winter Fruit Salad or Coleslaw, and a nice homemade Beer Bread. And for dessert – how about Cherries Jubilee or French vanilla ice cream with Spiced Rum Sauce (recipe found under Bread Pudding with Spiced Rum Sauce)

Wine Suggestion: Let’s see, how about starting with the left over Pinot Grigio or Pinot Gris that has been happily waiting for you in the refrigerator? Or if that’s already gone, open another of the same!

Oven Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

2 lbs. fingerling potatoes
extra virgin olive oil
seasoned or kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
3 garlic cloves, finely minced

Place potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour on just enough olive oil to coat the potatoes lightly. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and add rosemary, and garlic. Mix with your hands. Bake in a pre-heated 425 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. (Your potatoes can be roasting while your leg of lamb is resting.)

PASTA WITH BUTTER AND SAGE SAUCE

When it comes to pasta, I am a sucker! I like everything pasta. Plain, fancy, smothered in sauce, meatless, in soup – you name it. And because I am such a huge fan, I have made many pasta dishes over the years. One of my favorites is this incredibly unpretentious, meatless pasta that can be served as either a main or side dish. And the most amazing thing, besides of course how wonderful this pasta tastes, is how easy and inexpensive it is to prepare. (I love that!) So if you can’t think of anything to fix for dinner some evening when you only have the strength for about 20 minutes in the kitchen, give this recipe a try.

A quick word about sage. Although most grocery stores carry fresh sage leaves, you might consider growing your own sage bush. Sage is extremely easy to grow, and it over-winters very well, at least in the areas around the Pacific NW that are fairly mild. In fact, sage grows almost as well as many of our more aggressive and sinister weeds! God bless them. (And I mean that in the most sarcastic way possible!) And while you are at it, think about planting some oregano and a bay tree also. Just pay very close attention to your oregano plant. Oregano can turn against you and become as much of a problem as those darling weeds I referenced above. And I think I made myself pretty clear on how I feel about them! So keep oregano contained in a planter or in an area where it can’t become a nuisance. Think mint!

¼ lb. to 1/3 lb. pasta*
4 T. butter (don’t even think about using anything but real butter)
8-9 fresh sage leaves, roughly chopped
4 tsp. fresh lemon juice
¼ c. grated Parmesan cheese
freshly ground black pepper

While your pasta cooks to al dente’, melt butter in a medium sized sauté pan. Cook until the butter is a light golden brown. Quickly add the chopped sage leaves and remove from heat. (I say quickly because brown butter can go to burned butter in the twinkling of an eye!) Add the lemon juice. Drain the pasta, reserving about ¼ cup of the cooking water. Carefully pour the drained pasta into the sauté pan and return to low heat. Add the cheese, a grind or two of pepper, and 2 tablespoons of the reserved cooking water. Toss to coat and let cook until water absorbed, about a minute. If pasta appears too dry, add another tablespoon or two of cooking water. Serve immediately.

*Linguini is lovely with this sauce, but pumpkin or butternut squash ravioli is absolutely divine.

Side Dish Suggestions (when serving pasta as a main dish): a crisp green salad and crusty, chewy baguette slices

Wine Pairing: Pinot Grigio

CHEZ CARR CUISINE

A lighthearted site dedicated to wonderful food, fun entertaining, and to "the good life" in general