SMOTHERED PORK CHOPS WITH ONIONS AND GRAVY

This week I had the “taste” for Smothered Pork Chops. This is a catch-all term for many variations on the theme of a pan seared bone in pork chop which is finished on the stove or in the oven literally “SMOTHERED” or covered with sliced onions, maybe bell peppers, mushrooms, sometimes Cream of Mushroom soup. The vegetables are cooked until soft and tender creating a gravy using stock or water and when they are all combined with the chops, the meat simmers in that coating and gets tender and flavorful. Note: There is NO SINGULAR “authentic” recipe for this. It’s a dish LOVED by home cooks, specifically the African American home cooks and it’s a piece of American Soul Food Cuisine that each cook takes much pride in. This version is purely mine, of course with wonderful inspiration from generations of AfricanAmerican and Southern cooks who have added this dish to the lexicon of American Cuisine. I used bone in 1 1/4 inch Loin chops which had the loin on one side with a nice layer of fat and on the other side of the bone the tenderloin, which is like the most delicious pork on the bone, ever. At least I think so!! 

 The origins of the dish often point to the Louisiana region where the French, Spanish, African influences created those “etouffee’ ” or smothered dishes. This dish may have moved all over the American south and this type of dish became a main stay in many country and AfricanAmerican kitchens. This makes it a real American dish of sorts and we can thank all the various cooks who came before us for bringing this to our tables today!  Here’s how I made this Onion and Stock version pan searing the chops first, then removing them to a baking pan, and then cooking down the slice onions first in oil, then in stock. It’s a wonderful dish!!

SMOTHERED PORK CHOPS WITH ONION AND TABASCO

PREP AND COOKING TIME: 1 HOUR 15 MIN. APPROX.

FOR 4

4 1 1/4 INCH THICK BONE IN CENTER CUT LOIN PORK CHOPS

1 TBS. GRANULATED GARLIC

1 TBS GRANULATED ONION

1 TBS. SWEET PAPRIKA

1 TBS. SIFTED ALL PURPOSE FLOUR

1 TBS. SALT

1/2 TSP. GROUND BLACK PEPPER

OR 3 TBS. SEASONED SALT OF YOUR CHOICE PLUS 1 TBS OF SIFTED ALL PURPOSE FLOUR BLENDED TOGETHER.

3 TBS VEGETABLE OIL OR LARD OR BACON GREASE

3 MEDIUM ONIONS SLICED

2 CLOVES OF GARLIC, MINCED

3 SPRIGS FRESH THYME

ONE LARGE BAY LEAF

2 CUPS CHICKEN OR BEEF STOCK (LOW SODIUM)

TABASCO SAUCE

Let’s start with prepping the chops. With a paper towel take all the dampness off of them.  Mix all the spices, flour, salt and pepper together then gently rub them into both sides of the chops. Reserve some of the flour spice mix or keep the seasoned salt on hand if you’re using that, we will need that extra to season the onions later. Loosely cover them and set them aside for 15 minutes. In a heavy cast iron pan heat the oil on medium. Also, preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Have a baking pan large enough to hold all four chops ready. Place a small piece of bread into the pan, if it sizzles and starts to immediately brown, you’re ready to sear the chops. Place them in to the pan and leave them to sear for 8 minutes. Gently flip them and sear the other side for 5 minutes. Carefully remove from the pan and place them right into the baking pan. Add more oil if necessary and add the onions and garlic. GENTLY toss them with the oil in the pan, shake on the rest of the flour and salt mix or just the seasoned salt and blend this in. Add the bay leaf and thyme. Here it’s up to you, 4 drops of Tabasco is what I use, you can use more or less. Let this cook down stirring frequently for 10 minutes, then add the stock, blend and let it cook an additional 10-15 minutes till the onions are soft. Then remove from the heat and pour over the chops. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Then carefully remove the foil and let this cook another 10 minutes lowering the temperature to 350 degrees F. Remove from the oven and you will be rewarded with 4 super flavored tender chops with those onions and sauce. My style here is a more liquid sauce, some make a more creamy one. Serve with rice, or potatoes, and a vegetable. AND more Tabasco!!!

BUON APPETITO AND HAPPY COOKING!!

SPAGHETTI CON BROCCOLETTI (SPAGHETTI WITH BROCCOLINI)

YOU SAY BROCCOLETTI OR YOU CAN SAY BROCCOLINI. Guess what? They are different names for the same vegetable. Let’s get more involved here….you can call it Broccoletti, or Sweet Baby Broccoli, Italian Sprouting Broccoli or..ok. I’ll stop there. This is a hybrid vegetable developed in Japan. The love child of Broccoli and Chinese Kale this is a sweeter, thinner stalked, and smaller florets than standard Broccoli. I would say it’s less Broccoli tasting than normal broccoli, but very pleasing and beautiful to look at!! What? Is it like Broccoli Rabe you’re thinking? NO. It’s not at all like Broccoli Rabe (one of my other most favorite vegetables). There’s nothing “bitter” or leafy in this. It also has a great texture. There’s a bite to it and a tender interior. It’s amazing. AND, here I’m pairing it up with Spaghetti. The recipe is fairly simply and basic. It’s an Aglio e Olio (garlic, olive oil, peperoncino) style tossed with the steamed broccolini. I’ll give a few options to add if you like or keep it basic. Either way, you’re in for a treat in your kitchen. LET’S COOK!!!

SPAGHETTI CON BROCCOLETTI

SERVES 4-6 TIME: 1HOUR OR LESS

2 BROCCOLETTI (BROCCOLINI) BUNCHES, TRIMMED, RINSED, AND STEAMED FOR 8 MINUTES

1 LB IMPORTED ITALIAN SPAGHETTI, LIKE RUMMO, DE CECCO, GERARDO DI NOLA

2 TBSP KOSHER SALT

5 FRESH CLOVES OF GARLIC, THINLY SLICED

3/4 CUP IMPORTED ITALIAN (GREEK OR SPANISH IS GREAT TOO) EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

3/4 TSP PEPERONCINO (RED HOT DRIED CHILE FLAKES)

JUICE OF 1/2 FRESH LEMON (DON’T EVEN THINK OF THAT REALEMON STUFF IN A BOTTLE)

SOME RESERVED PASTA COOKING WATER AT THE END

Using a large pot of cold water, follow the cooking instructions on your Spaghetti. Add 1 TBSP of Kosher Salt when the water has come to a boil. Then continue with the cooking instructions on your package of Spaghetti.

In a large heavy frying pan, add the olive oil reserving 1 TBSP. Heat over medium temp. When you can feel the heat coming up, first add the peperoncino (why are you doing that? BECAUSE, oil delivers the flavor to the dish. Adding the peperoncino to the oil like this releases the peppers essential oils and not only adds the signature “heat and spice” but infuses the fruity and earthy flavor of the flakes to the dish. You’re welcome!!) Let this sizzle up for about 30 seconds, then add the garlic and lower the heat a bit and fry that garlic until you really smell it BUT DO NOT LET IT BURN…take about 2-3 minutes depending on your pan and flame. At this point add the Broccoletti and toss well , adding 1 tsp of salt. Let this cook for about 3-4 minutes, THEN add the al dente pasta you’ve been cooking concurrrently. Make sure it’s well coated with all the oil and broccoletti, adding a bit of the pasta cooking water to bring it all together. Another minute or so and you’re done. Remove from the heat. Last step….ahhhh. the lemon. Add the lemon juice and then a drizzle of the remaining olive oil (or more if you like…this isn’t “exact”, remember that and don’t be nervous or anxious. Just remember if you add too much of anything, there’s no turning back. Slow and steady, little by little, and you can see if it’s where you want it to be. Oh, and please taste it at this point before you serve it. I may need a little more of, you fill in the blanks OR, it’s just right. Now Serve it with a chilled Prosecco or a Peroni, or, a sparkling Acqua Minerale with lime or lemon. As far as how much broccolini to use, if you want to use less, that’s fine too. This is a great pasta dish for your recipe files. WAIT!! Where is the cheese? Parmigiano? Pecorino? Just my opinion, this one doesn’t need it, BUT, your kitchen, your food, if you like, add it at the end when serving. Enjoy it!! BUON APPETITO AND HAPPY COOKING!!

GAMBERI E FAGIOLI….SHRIMP AND BEANS WITH GREENS AND VINEGAR PEPPERS

One of the wonderful pairings in Italian Cuisine is when Seafood and beans come together in the same dish. Sometimes it’s a cold or room temperature pairing, almost like a sidedish, often it’s all stewed together, seafood going in at the end so it’s not overcooked. Then there’s what I’m doing with this dish, GAMBERI E FAGIOLI CON VERDURE E PEPERONI SOTT’ACETO. Shrimp and Beans with Greens and Red Vinegar Peppers. This colorful dish came together one night after I spent too much time scrolling thru my Instagram feed and kept seeing these seafood and bean dishes (ocassionally pasta would be added too) . What often happens to homecooks is we get “stuck” in the cooking we know, what we saw growing up, what we were fed, our own regional dishes. Being a second generation ItalianAmerican much of my cooking and cooking knowhow comes from my parents and grandparents generations, stretching back 125 years ago and reflective of their cooking, both ethnically and regionally. In today’s modern Italy, Italian culture has evolved with lots of dishes crisscrossing the globe and intraregionally in Italy and there’s lots they make over there that my family never got to see/try. New things are added all the time, food is not static, it’s dynamic so keep and open mind when it comes to cooking. I’m thinking perhaps these seafood and bean dishes are part of that evolution, or I just missed them altogether. Having said all that, they are an amazing combination and one night I decided to create my own dish using a few Italian ingredients. LET’S COOK!!!

GAMBERI E FAGIOLI CON VERDURE E PEPERONI SOTT’OLIO

FOR 4 TAKES: 2 HOURS OR LESS

1 1/2 LBS 16-20 PEELED AND DEVEINED SHRIMP

EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL AS NEEDED

1/2 CUP SIFTED FLOUR (ITALIAN TIPO 00 IS GREAT FOR THIS)

PINCH OF SALT, PAPRIKA, BLACK PEPPER

1 CUP CHOPPED DANDELION, OR SWISS CHARD, OR BROCCOLI RABE, OR SPINACH

3 CLOVES GARLIC, SLICED

PINCH PEPERONCINI

1/2 CUP SLICED RED VINEGAR PEPPERS, OR SLICED ROASTED RED PEPPERS YOU MARINATED IN RED WINE VINEGAR FOR 12 HOURS

3 CANS CANNELLINI (WHITE KIDNEY BEANS) RESERVING THE LIQUID FROM 2 CANS OR 4 CUPS OF HOME COOKED CANNELLINI, RESERVING A CUP OF THE COOKING WATER

1 BAY LEAF

1 CUP WATER OR STOCK (CHICKEN WORKS, SEAFOOD STOCK WORKS)

1 TBS VERMOUTH OR BRANDY

SEA SALT, SALT and BLACK PEPPER AS NEEDED

1 TSP FRESH LEMON ZEST

FIRST STEP:

In a large dutch oven, heat about 3 tbs. of olive oil and add the garlic, peperoncino and bay leaf. When the garlic is fragrant add the beans and toss with the garlic and olive oil. Now add the Vermouth or Brandy…ok, don’t have them? don’t run out and by something just for one dish…use White wine. it’s ok. the other two give an additional flavor being that they are a bit next level in flavor but, don’t need to go out of your way here. Then add the beans, toss around.. then add the can’s liquid or cooking liquid and the stock. Bring to a boil then reduce. Without burning your tongue taste the broth. If it needs seasoning add more salt and pepper here. This was it cooks into the beans. Cover this and let it simmer for 20 minutes.

While that’s simmering time to make the shrimp. Dredge in the seasoned flour, shake off excess, and fry just till golden on each side in olive oil about 2 minutes per side. You want these to be just about done, then remove to a platter and lightly cover with foil.

Back to the beans. Remove the cover and stir well. Drop in the peppers and greens and blend in, cover and simmer for 6 minutes. Remove the lid and let this cook another 5 minutes then remove from the heat. Stir. Let it sit for about 10 minutes, then remove that bay leaf and ladle into 4 bowls. Top each bowl with equal amounts of shrimp and drizzle with a good Extra Virgin Olive Oil, a sprinkle of sea salt and a grating of fresh Lemon zest. Done. Enjoy!!!

HAPPY COOKING AND BUON APPETITO!!!

PASTA E CECI RISOTTATI ALLA SIRACUSANA PASTA AND CHICK PEAS (INSTEAD OF USING RICE) SYRACUSE SICILY STYLE

Do you love to find out something new and different about the dishes you cook, a different regional style or method than your usual? This is what makes Italian Regional Cooking so fascinating and endless for me. PASTA E CECI, or Macaroni and Chick Peas is a very popular dish in the Italian south and can vary in many ways from region to region. During the week of the Feast of Santa Lucia (December 13) one of the customary foods Sicilians eat to honor the holiday is CECI, or Chick Peas/Garbanzo Peas. Certainly, they are not unique to Sicily but are eaten all over Italy and the Mediterranean. Sicily seems to have an abundance of great recipes using them, as to Liguria, Nice, Morocco, and of course the entire Middle East where Hummus reigns supreme. In my Italianamerican group on Facebook a member posted this Pasta e Ceci Siracusana he made for St. Lucy’s Day. I was intrigued. What made this different from the usual suspects of Pasta e Ceci (which is basically the same as Pasta e Fagioli only here you use Chick Peas and it become its own classification of dishes.) This “new” dish, I HAD to learn more about and there’s really not much on line about it, as foods cooked alla Siracusana can mean a few different things, basically. various styles from Syracuse. BTW, Santa Lucia was a native and is the patron of Siracusa.

However one blogger, Ritamordikitchen seems to have given a plausible reason for the dish. The custom is to cook the Ceci with Rice and the other ingredients, but this is a recipe for using short cut tube soup pasta (Ditali Rigati/lisci, etc) for the dish. I love it!! Also, this dish uses potatoes which all the other Pasta e Ceci dishes I make do not. So, SCORE!! This is a win-win with learning something new and having yet another dish to make. My daughter Mika couldn’t get enough of it. This “soup” for lack of a better word will happen again in my kitchen. I can’t wait to make it again and you’ll feel the same!!

PASTA E CECI RISOTTATI ALLA SIRACUSANA

SERVES 4 COOKING TIME: 2 HOURS OR LESS (USING CANNED CECI)

1 MEDIUM ONION, SMALL DICE

2 PEELED CARROTS, SMALL DICE

2 CELERY STALKS, SMALL DICE

2 MEDIUM POTATOES, SMALL DICE

6 SLICED CHERRY TOMATOES

1 SPRIG FRESH ROSEMARY (IF USING DRIED, PLACE 1 TSB. IN A CHEESECLOTH TIGHTLY TIED

EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

PINCH PEPERONCINO

4 CUPS VEGETABLE OR CHICKEN STOCK

2 DRAINED CANS OF CECI (CHICK PEAS)

3/4 lb IMPORTED ITALIAN DITALI RIGATI OR LISCI OR SIMILAR SOUP PASTA COOKED JUST TILL AL DENTE

SALT TO TASTE

FRESHLY GRATED PARMIGIANO, OR CACIOCAVALLO, OR PECORINO

In a heavy bottomed pot heat 2 tbs of the olive oil. Add the potatoes and season with salt and peperoncino. Let this cook for about 8 minutes, stirring to the potatoes don’t stick together. Add the onions, carrots, tomatoes, celery. Season again to taste with salt. Let this saute’ till they are just starting to get soft. Maybe 15 minutes or so. Keep on a moderate flame to prevent browning. Then add 2 cups of the water or stock and the rosemary. Stir and bring to a boil and let this boil for 10 minutes. Reduce and cook until all the vegetables are soft. Taste for seasoning. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes. Remove the rosemary. Using an Immersion Blender ( or standard one) puree till this is a smooth creamy mixture. Place back on the heat adding the Ceci. Stir, a drizzle of more Extra Virgin Olive Oil and the other 2 cups of stock (or water) and gently blend into the soup. Bring this to a boil for 5 minutes then reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes stirring frequently. Now add the al dente pasta and blend in. Cook for 4 minutes and then remove from the heat. After 5 minutes add 2 tbs of freshly grated cheese to the soup along with another drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Blend this and it will start to gently thicken the soup and give it amazing flavor. Let this now sit for 5 minutes, serve. Extra olive oil and peperoncino and a few fresh rosemary leaves are a great finishing touch. HAPPY COOKING AND BUON APPETITO!!

CALABRIAN POTATOES AND PEPPERS…PIPI E PATATI..A TRADITIONAL DISH FROM SOUTHERN ITALY

Italy is loaded with wonderful vegetable combo dishes that serve either as antipasto…..as a contorno (side dish) or as a secondo or primo…first or second course. Many of these regional dishes are even amazing as sandwich fillers. Growing up Pepper and Onions and Potatoes was not an uncommon dish that would be placed in Italian bread. Long Hots, Sweet peppers, endless possibilities. In Calabria in Italy’s deep South this melange’ of Potatoes with a mix of Sweet and Hot Peppers, garlic, onions, good olive oil, herbs and it’s sort of national “regional” thing. Every Calabrian will probably make it a little different and every cook/chef will add their own twist or style to it. It’s pretty basic WHICH is one of the hallmarks of Italian Cuisine. Out of a few GOOD, WELL SOURCED ingredients comes a dish with amazing flavor. Try it as a side or addition to grilled sausage, meat, poultry or seafood items. Fantastic.

PIPI E PATATE FOR 4 TAKES 1 HOUR 15 MINUTES APPROX

2 SLICED AND CORED CUBANELLE (ITALIAN FRYING PEPPERS)

2 SLICED AND CORED RED BELL PEPPERS

2 SLICED AND CORED ITALIAN LONG HOTS OR LONG RED OR GREEN HOT PEPPER

5 PEELED AND SLICED MEDIUM SIZED POTATOES

1/2 SLICED RED ONION

2 CLOVES OF GARLIC, CUT IN HALF

1/2 CUP EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

PINCH OF GOOD ITALIAN OREGANO

SEA SALT OR KOSHER SALT

1/8 CUP of WHITE WINE

1/8 tsp DRIED CALABRIAN CHILE (or any good crushed hot pepper flakes)

In a dutch oven or heavy pan, add the olive oil and heat. Add the potatoes, season with salt, and cook over medium heat. After 8 minutes add the onions and cook until they start to soften. Now add the peppers, pinch of Oregano, and raise the heat for 5 minutes. Season with salt then add the garlic. After 5 minutes, add the wine and cover for 10 minutes. Uncover and continue to simmer until most of the liquid is evaporated and you’re left with the flavored oil. Taste for seasoning and make sure the Potatoes are tender and the peppers are like velvet. Add the Calabrian Chile and you are done. HAPPY COOKING!!! I want a sangwich of this right now!!!!

FROM UMBRIA, FRICCO’ DI POLLO, CHICKEN IN TOMATO, WINE, VINEGAR

Internet surfing and research sometime turn up the most amazing unknown to me new recipes.  It was October 4, Feast of St.Francis of Assisi and so I thought I would be fun to make something from his homeland, UMBRIA in Central Italy.  I knew I had chicken parts in the fridge, some San Marzano tomatoes, so something that used those items would work.  Now I could have just made an ItalianAmerican Chicken Cacciatore, I had a bit of a craving for that.  But no.  I wanted to celebrate the day and the region in St.Francis’ honor after all my middle name is Francis.  After a full Google search of Chicken and tomato dishes from Umbria one dish kept coming up to the top of the search.  FRICCO’ or FRICO’, apparently it’s spelled both ways showed up more than once and with two versions.  One version is BIANCO, meaning in a white wine and herb sauce.  The other was ROSSO, meaning Tomato is in the mix.  Sounds like Chicken alla Cacciatora to me right?  Well, the process is the same but they take a bit of a turn which is just enough to make this not your usual cacciatora.  Pancetta or Guanciale or Prosciutto and Anchovy in the mix.  I was SOLD and couldn’t wait to come home from work and create this wonderful sounding dish! By the way, FRICCO’ or FRICO’ is Umbrian for the French word, FRICANDEAU, a type of stew. Many versions of this are made with a trio of meats..Lamb, Rabbit, and Chicken. Others are made with just one. This Umbrian version doesn’t bear much resemblance to the French beef or veal versions, but love how they word was borrowed and localized. Other names for this dish are Pollo all’Eugubina or Pollo di Gubbio, Gubbio being a major city in Umbria. Don’t you find a dish is more exciting to cook and tastes even better when there’s a wonderful history behind it?

FRICCO’ DI POLLO EUGUBINA GUBBIO STYLE CHICKEN WITH CURED PORK, TOMATO, HERBS, VINEGAR, WINE AND A LITTLE ANCHOVY

SERVES 4-6 APPROX. TIME 2 HOURS

1 LARGE CHICKEN CUT INTO 8 PIECES, PATTED DRY WITH A PAPER TOWEL

1/8 LB DICED OR SLICED PANCETTA, OR GUANCIALE, OR PROSCIUTTO WITH SOME FAT ATTACHED

1 CUP WHOLE “PELATI”, PEELED ITALIAN PLUM TOMATOES

1/4 CUP WHITE WINE VINEGAR

1 CUP DRY WHITE WINE, USE ONE FROM UMBRIA, LIKE AN ORVIETO

2 CLOVES OF GARLIC, SLICED

1 SPRIG FRESH ROSEMARY

4 FRESH SAGE LEAVES

1 ANCHOVY FILET

PINCH OF PEPERONCINO

1/2 CUP CHICKEN OR VEGETABLE STOCK

SALT TO TASTE

OLIVE OIL, AS NEEDED

Season the chicken with salt. In a heavy skillet or dutch oven heat 2 tbs of olive oil. Add the chicken skin side down and let it get a good sear over medium heat. Takes about 8 minutes. Flip and sear that side for 5 minutes. Deglaze the pan with 1/2 the wine. Remove with the pan juices to a bowl. Add more olive oil to the pan and add the cured meat, saute’ for 6 minutes until it starts to caramelize. Add the garlic and the rosemary and peperoncino, and the anchovy. Cook for 2 minutes, then add the wine and vinegar and 3 of the sage leaves. Bring to a boil and add the tomatoes. Stir well. Bring to the boil and add the chicken pieces skin side down. Add the stock and again, bring to a boil then reducing and letting this braise on a simmer uncovered for 45 minutes. Taste the sauce for seasonings and adjust as necessary. When the chicken it tender and cooked throw in the remaining sage leave and remove the sprig of rosemary. There’s such umami in this dish with the cured pork and anchovy, there’s a bit of “agrodolce” going on too. That’s sweet/sour. What to serve it with? As you can see in my picture I made it with Parmigiano and Garlic Mashed Potatoes. Roasted potatoes, Rice, Pasta, up to you….but…the mashed were amazing with it. Chicken will taste best if you leave it to sit for 1 /2 hour before serving. You’ll thank me. Garnish with the pan juices, olive oil and fresh rosemary. HAPPY COOKING!!!

STEAK TIDBITS OVER BUTTERED TOAST POINTS, CLASSIC AMERICAN CUISINE

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Down in the old canyons of Manhattan’s Financial District known as “Wall Street” small business owners catered to the thousands who worked at every income level and from janitor to CEO. Downtown as we called it was a place where people made their livelihoods and commuted in and out of the city. Today’s Downtown is a mix of the old financial center and a buzzing residential and retail community. This dish in the picture is my “ode” to the places that used to feed all of Downtown’s workers. In 1978 I started working in a Brokerage firm on Broadway, 61 Broadway to be exact. When you exited out the back of the building on its lower level you were on “Trinity Place” at the corner of “Exchange Alley”. That still exists. Opposite was the German American restaurant and bar called VOLK’S…food memory here…Their burgers were amazing, char grilled. Their drinks were big. And their Black Forest Cake was fantastic. At the corner of Exchange and Trinity on the south side of 61 Broadway was a parking lot. And next to that was a place that was the “best place ever” to a college kid working in a a financial firm in NYC. MICHAEL’S ONE was the name of this bar/restaurant and it was where the brokers and traders of the firm along with the back office and clerical workers went after the market closed to have a drink and/or something to eat. Well, the drinks were the usual suspects but at the center of this black leather, polished wood, modern dining space was a central grill and cooking space manned by the Chef known as Sylvester. His steak tidbits were a thing of beauty. Sirloin tips seasoned with salt and pepper, then sauteed in a pan with butter…garlic was added then finished with Worchestershire Sauce…cooked only till medium rare, then poured over buttered white toast points. Amazing. They left a lasting impression on this college kid working for the summer. I wound up sticking with that job and making steak tidbits to this day!!

STEAK TIDBITS

TIME: 1/2 HOUR FOR : 2 SERVINGS

1 1/2 LBS SIRLOIN STEAK TRIMMED OF EXCESS FAT. CUT INTO SMALL DICE/CUBES

1 STICK UNSALTED BUTTER

KOSHER SALT

CRACKED BLACK PEPPER

3 MINCED CLOVES OF GARLIC

2 TBS WORCHESTERSHIRE SAUCE

1 TSP MINCED FRESH FLAT LEAF PARSLEY

2 TRIMMED SLICES OF GOOD WHITE SANDWICH BREAD TOASTED THEN BUTTERED THEN CUT DIAGONALLY

Season the meat in a stainless steel bowl with about 3/4 teaspoon of kosher salt. In a heavy pan (cast iron is wonderful) heat 1/2 the butter just till sizzling. Add the meat in a single layer and let it sit for at least 3 minutes, then give the pan a shake and let the other side cook for about 2 minutes. You may need to do this in 2 batches as you don’t want to STEAM the meat if the pan gets overcrowded. When the meat is done remove to a flat platter and you’ll add it back in after you make the sauce. add the rest of the butter and let it melt into the pan. Now add the garlic and once you can smell the fragrance (isn’t it really a fragrance? Does anything smell as good as garlic in a pan of butter or olive oil? I told you…)then add the Worchestershire Sauce (L&P is my preferred brand, no, i’m not a paid influencer, it just has the best taste for me). Swirl the pan a few times and let this sizzle. Season the meat with the black pepper and remaining salt and add to the pan and JUST WARM IT THROUGH, like under a minute. Divide the steak cubes in 1/2 and pour over the buttered toast points drizzling the remaning pan sauce over the servings. Garnish with the parsley. Enjoy each bite of the juicy and saucy tidbits with the buttery toasty bread.

SCALOPPINE VALDOSTANA CON POMODORO….CHICKEN SCALLOPINE WITH SAGE, PROSCIUTTO, TOMATO AND FONTINA

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SCALOPPINE in ITALIAN, SCALLOPINI in AMERICAN, both are words to describe a sliced and pounded piece of meat or poultry, quick sauteed in butter or olive oil and then finished in a sauce of various styles, ingredients. Endless possibilites in this style of dish which is infinitely popular in ItalianAmerican restaurants allowing resourceful chefs and cooks to turn kitchen ingredients into new or traditional plates. One dish that I learned when I worked with a caterer was his VALDOSTANA chicken or veal. More often clients ordered the chicken, myself I would order the veal first but love the chicken as well. The dish’s origins are in Northern Italy, the region known as the Val D’Aosta. An Alpine region of high mountains, snowy peaks, verdant meadows and all thing COW. Can you hear the cow bells now echoing thru the valleys and canyons? No? There, now you must hear it..aren’t you craving someting with FONTINA? Why Fontina, that creamy light yellow cheese with a wonderful tang and buttery finish? Because it’s synonymous with the Val D’Aosta. A cow’s milk cheese, Fontina has been produced in the region since the 12th Century. It must be good. And it is. Traditional VITELLO VALDOSTANA is simply a Veal Chop or cutlet filled with Fontina and Prosciutto and served as is or with a light white wine sauce. The caterer I worked with added diced fresh tomatoes to his dish, as I said, mostly was served as Chicken Valdostana but he also added Mozzarella to the mix. That’s pure ItalianAmerican and It was good but I felt his dish could be tweeked, and tweeked it was. I created my version of SCALOPPINE DI POLLO ALLA VALDOSTANA CON POMODORO. It’s amazing. Using diced shallots and prosciutto along with butter (remember this is a Northern Italian flavor profile), some Olive oil so the butter doesn’t burn while sauteeing everything and the earthy notes of Fresh Sage (SALVIA in ITALIAN) and sauce is created with White Wine and the chicken is finished in the pan sauce, topped with ParmigianoReggiano, Fontina and a ripe tomato slice. It’s going to make you very happy. Serve it over spinash leaves and let them wilt from the heat, mingle with the sauce.. oh…this is a winning dish for you. Enough babbling from me..time to cook!!!

SCALOPPINE DI POLLO ALLA VALDOSTANA CON POMODORO

FOR 4 TIME: 1 1/2 HOURS

8 TRIMMED CHICKEN CUTLETS POUNDED TO 1/4 INCH

1 CUP SIFTED AP FLOUR, OR TIPO 00

SALT AND PEPPER FOR SEASONING THE FLOUR

1/2 CUP UNSALTED BUTTER

1/8 CUP EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

2 SHALLOTS FINELY MINCED

1/4 LB PROSCIUTTO FINELY MINCED

10 FRESH SAGE LEAVES

1/4 CUP ITALIAN WHITE WINE

8 TOMATO SLICES

1/8 CUP FRESHLY GRATED PARMIGIANO REGGIANO

8 SLICES OF FONTINA CHEESE ABOUT 1/8 INCH THICK

FRESH SPINACH LEAVES

KOSHER SALT AND CRACKED BLACK PEPPER FOR SEASONING

First we’ll start the chicken. Dredge the chicken in the flour and shake off the excess. In a large wide and heavy pan heat 2 tbs of butter and 1/2 the Olive oil. Saute’ the chicken till golden on both sides. Takes about 2-3 minutes per side. Do not crowd the chicken, you may have to do this in two batches. Keep checking that the butter/oil isn’t burning, add more if necessary..adjust the heat if needed. Loosely cover the sauteed chicken on a platter with foil. Add the rest of the butter and olive oil and keep at medium heat. Add the shallots and the prosciutto and gently season ( not too much salt because the Prosciutto is plenty salty. Let this saute’ for 10 minutes stirring occasionally so there’s not burning or browning. Now add 3 tbs of the white wine, 2 minced sage leaves, and let this cook on simmer for 15 minutes. This is now your pan sauce base. It’s important that the shallots are fully softened. Now add the rest of the wine and bring to a boil. Lay in the chicken and (BIG TIP HERE) make sure you pour all the accumulated juices on that platter into the pan. That’s extra flavor there!!! Baste the chicken with the pan sauce and then…sprinkle the Parmigiano evenly over the cutlets. The top each piece with the tomato, season with a little salt and pepper, then top with the fontina. Let the chicken simmer in the pan covered just until the cheese is melted. Takes about 8 minutes. Let the chicken sit in the pan for 5 minutes…then serve. Top each slice with a fresh sage leaf and extra sauce from the pan, serving them on a bed of fresh spinach. Oven Roasted Rosemary and Garlic Potatoes. Enjoy!!! and HAPPY COOKING!! Have a little (OR BIG) piece of TiraMiSu’ with espresso for dessert. After all, you’re dining in Northern Italy with this meal!!

GREEK INFLUENCED LEMON, MINT, AND FETA ZUCCHINI

 

Summertime in New Jersey means zucchini.  Bumper crops of them.  Everyone with a home garden grows them and the stores are overflowing with locally grown boxes of this versatile squash.  Italians and Greeks love cooking with them.  The recipes are endless.    Clearly, for easy and relaxing summerentertaining this is a host’s dream.  The day before I picked a nice bunch of fresh mint (spearmint) from my garden.  Zucchini and mint are a very Mediterranean pairing, especially in Sicily and in Greece.  I had some Feta cheese and there you go…a dish is born.  Add some sunny lemons for a real Mediterranean freshness.  Are you exhausted with grilled vegetables?  I am,

call me blasphemous, but most times they are not grilled enough or burnt, and loaded down
with balsamic vinegar and too much oil.  Not a fan of the strongly acidic and flavored balsamic with charred vegetables, the flavors are too heavy for me. (I can see the hate mail now…)Instead of grilling, I decided to oven roast the zucchini slices and marinate them over night in
fresh lemon and mint with a little garlic…topping it with feta…a platter of Summer sunshine
reminiscent of a Summer’s day in the Greek Islands.. 
  It brings blue skies, bright Mediterranean sun,
white washed stucco houses clinging to the side of an ancient volcano, blue painted domes
that blend in with both the sea and the sky…magic.  All this from a bag of local zucchini.

Start with 5 zucchini.  Slice them into rounds, about 3/8 of an inch thick, any thinner, they
will just fall apart on you.  In a large stainless steel bowl, add the zucchini
along with 1/8cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (look for Greek Olive oil for a more “authentic”
flavor), 1 tsp. ground allspice, 1 tsp. kosher salt, 1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper.  Toss. Pre-
heat an oven to 400 degrees F.  In a large baking pan, arrange the zucchini without overlapping.
Bake for 10 minutes, then turn them, bake for addtional 6 minutes, turn the oven off, and leave
them in for another 5 minutes.  check for times though,  You may need to adjust for your oven.
Don’t let them burn, they should have a nice roasted bottom, then when you turn them over,
they should be soft to the touch.gently place them into a bowl after they have cooled for at least 15 minutes.  Mix together the
juice of one large fresh lemon, 1 finely minced clove of  garlic, 2 leavy sprigs of fresh mint, a
pinch of salt, and a good amount of freshly ground pepper.  Pour this over the zucchini and
cover. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or overnight.
Arrange on a platter and crumble 1/8 cup of Feta cheese over the top.  Top with some
whole mint leaves, a little black pepper..you are done. Do not serve this cold.  Let it come
to room temperature to appreciate all the flavors on the platter…and go to your laptop and
book a trip to Greece…

SKILLET (PAN) EGGPLANT PARMIGIANA…MELANZANE ALLA PARMIGIANA IN PADELLA

EGGPLANT PARMIGIANA…what a gift Italy gave to the world!! Some commentary on La Parmigiana which is what Italians call it often as in Italy the only PARMIGIANA is Eggplant. There’s some conversation that in Sicily there was also Veal Parmigiana but mostly any other type of Parmigiana was not created in Italy but by inventive Italian immigrant cooks to the United States where they adapted their beloved eggplant parmigiana and decided to use meats, fish, poultry in the same style. It took off and became some of America’s most beloved ItalianAmerican dishes. Veal and Chicken Parmigiana when made well are simply wonderful. Pork and Beef as well as Shrimp are made into Parmigiana too. Let’s though talk about Eggplant Parmigiana. History point again to Sicily as the origins of this meltingly delicious blend of layers of cooked eggplant, Italian cheeses, some tomato sauce then baked to meld everything together. It’s a perfect food. I’m smiling as I blog this thinking of how often my mom made it. Hers was almost always thin sliced and breaded in 4C Italian Flavored breadcrumbs in her Electric frying pan. My sister AdeleMarie has one too and swears it’s the only way to fry batches of eggplant without having to change the oil. It cooks them perfectly she says confirming Mom’s love of the Electric frying pan. Like one of Pavlov’s dogs I would salivate incessantly when she’d call for Dad to go down in the basement and bring up the pan. I knew there would be fried eggplant cutlets to eat out of the fryer sprinkled with grated Pecorino Romano. By the way, they make amazing hero sandwiches. When we would go to the beach she’d make cold Eggplant Parmigiana sangwiches along with Ham and Cheese, Chicken roll and Swiss, Bologna and cheese sandwiches. Some plums. Some grapes, maybe some nectarines if she thought they were nice at the farmers market, usually Palermo’s or Bifulco’s. So when I think of Eggplant Parmigiana regardless of how it’s made I think of all those times Mom made it. However…the best eggplant Parmigiana in the family, as good as mom’s was, my Aunt Angie Scaramuzzi made the “most bestest”. Enough with my past Parmigiana…let’s talk about how you make it. There’s not one way and my most popular way of making it is thin sliced, dipped in flour, beaten eggs and pecorino, then fried, then layered in the typical manner with cheeses and sauce and baked. However, there’s also a way to just do it on top of the stove. The eggplants are fried in olive oil. then a sauce is made in that oil that’s been infused with garlic and basil. Then the cooked eggplant is layered into the pan, covered in abundant grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano, your choice..then topped with Mozzarella, or Provolone, or Scamorza. Again, your choice. The top is covered and once the cheese has melted you’re done. Nice? Great, I thought you’d like it. This eggplant is naked…it’s just fried. This actually harkens back to most Sicilian recipes for La Parmigiana. Many Sicilian recipe have no stringy melted cheese, just the grated. See? You can make this a few different ways. I’m giving you choices here. The leftovers are amazing, infact they taste better on day 2.

SKILLED EGGPLANT PARMIGIANA FOR 4 PEOPLE TIME: 1 HOUR 20 MINUTES

1 MEDIUM SIZED EGGPLANT SLICED INTO 1/4 INCH ROUNDS

OLIVE OIL

KOSHER SALT, BLACK PEPPER

1 28 OZ CAN SAN MARZANO DOP TOMATOES OR ITALIAN PEELED PLUM TOMATOES

2 TBS TOMATO PASTE

2 SLICED CLOVES OF GARLIC

FRESH BASIL

GRATED PARMIGIANO-REGGIANO OR LOCATELLI PECORINO ROMANO

1 CUP DICED MOZZARELLA OR DICED SCAMORZA

In a saucepan, add about 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil, place on medium heat. Add the garlic and just when it’s fragrant add the tomato paste, 1/2 tsp of salt, 1/ 2 tsp of pepper, some basil leaves, then cook for 2 minutes. Crush the tomatoes in a processor or with your hands, then add to the pot. Mix and bring to a boil. Let simmer for 1 hour, stirring frequently. While that is happening, heat 1 1/2 tbs of olive oil in a heavy wide skillet. Season the eggplants with salt and pepper. On Medium heat fry the eggplant on both sides (CRITICAL HERE!!!) till they are SOFT, the eggplant has to completely cook before you can finish the dish. If your heat is too high you’ll scorch the eggplants, take your time. Should take about 15 minutes to get them soft thru both sides. Add more oil as needed. Remove the eggplants to paper towels to drain. Pour the cooked sauce into the pan. Lay the eggplants in pan…cover with grated cheese, some basil leaves, more sauce, do a second layer if you have enough, more sauce, cheese and basil. At this point you can cover and let it cook together for 15 minutes. This is a very Sicilian way, with no mozzarella, just the grated cheese. DELICIOUS. OR, top the pan with the diced cheeses and cover. Wait until the cheese has melted, about 15 minutes. Now..remove from the heat and let it sit for 2 hours before serving for maximum flavor, just gently reheat. OR you may serve as soon are you’ve let it rest for 15 minutes. Up to you.

Now there’s plenty of flavor in this dish, and there’s not a shopping cart full of ingredients. It’s simple basic flavor which are the hallmarks of Italian cooking. Enjoy this dish..let me know how you like it!!