Meat | Linda's Italian Table

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Duck Breast With Blackberries

April 7, 2013 by Linda 3 Comments

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Duck Breast for the Italian Table -

Buon giorno!

This one definitely quacks like a duck! (and don’t run away – this is easier than you think!) This DUCK BREAST WITH BLACKBERRIES will definitely have your guests quacking with praise for your skills and hours spent in the kitchen in preparation. NOT! Actually there are no hours involved and no – there will be no plucking, neck breaking, or hanging the bird upside down for days before. In fact, plan on a little spa treatment or a round of golf on the day you prepare this because it takes no time at all! But I’ll never tell, and your secret is safe with me. Go ahead and tell them how you agonized for hours over a hot stove for this dish. I’ll be chuckling right along with you.

Actually, duck is common in Italian cooking. One of the most well known recipes is Sugo d’Anatra or D’Anatra Sauce. Anatra refers to duck in Italian. As Italians appreciate their game and offer superb game recipes, you’ll find many types of preparations for wild duck. My father, Attilio, duck hunter extraordinaire, was supreme when it came to cooking duck, in my estimation. He understood the need for extra fat when cooking lean wild duck and always included some kind of fat – pork fat and/or butter in his recipes for duck and also quail. He often included fruit and vinegar in his duck recipes – always the vino and sometimes brandy!

Although the duck used for DUCK BREAST WITH BLACKBERRIES is domestic and contains plenty of fat, you could always use wild duck, and perhaps increase the fat as needed. Duck breast is available frozen at Whole Foods and many specialty markets. It is also available online. If you can’t find duck, try Pork Tenderloin with the sauce. This recipe is definitely a nod to Attilio’s duck in its use of ingredients. He would heartily approve of the butter, sugar, blackberries and cognac.

“Tilly” – this one’s for you!

DUCK BREAST WITH BLACKBERRIES

Serves: 2

Prep (breasts): 5 minutes

Cook (breasts): About 15 minutes

Ingredients

2 Duck Breasts with skin attached (this is good fat!) (Pork Tenderloin is also great with this sauce!)

1 Tbsp. Butter

Salt and Pepper

Blackberry Sauce (recipe below)

Instructions

Place your duck breasts between a couple of sheets of wax paper. Pound the breasts to flatten just a little with a mallet or something heavy.

Score the skin on the breast with a sharp knife, first in one direction, then in the opposite direction. This will help the fat to render and run.

Salt and pepper the breasts on both sides.

Place the butter and melt it in a heavy oven proof pan on medium high heat. You want it hot to sear the breasts.

Place the breasts, first – skin side down in the pan. Sear about 5 minutes.

Turn the breasts over and sear the other side for 1-2 minutes.

Turn to fat side down again and place the pan in a 400 degree oven and cook for about 7 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven immediately and remove the breasts from the pan. Let them rest for about 10 minutes.

Then slice the breasts thickly.

BLACKBERRY SAUCE

Prep (sauce): 10 minutes

Cook (sauce): 35-40 minutes

Ingredients

1 C. Brown Sugar

2 Whole Cloves

1/4 C.Balsamic Vinegar

1/4 C. Cognac

1/2 Onion – chopped

2 C. Fresh Blackberries + a few extra to garnish each plate.

Generous squeeze of a fresh lemon

1 Tbsp. Cornstarch

1/4 C. Water

Instructions

Place brown sugar, cloves, vinegar, and cognac in a saucepan – bring to a boil – reduce heat and simmer a couple of minutes.

Now add the onion, blackberries, and lemon juice.

Bring back to a boil – reduce heat – and simmer on medium to medium low for about 35-40 minutes. Lower heat if it begins to cook too fast.

Add cornstarch to water and stir to dissolve. Set aside until the sauce is finished.

Now add 1/2 the cornstarch mixture to the sauce, stir over low heat until sauce thickens. Add more of the cornstarch mixture one spoon at a time only if you want more thickness.

You should have a thick beautiful fruit sauce.

Spoon some of the sauce on a plate and arrange the duck breast slice on the sauce. Garnish with a few fresh Blackberries.

DUCK BREAST WITH BLACKBERRY SAUCE is a special dish for a special evening. As special as it is and looks, it is very simple to make. You’ll love it and want to make it again and again. Once more, I have to go to the Amarone or Valpolicella wines for this dish. (Attilio would have agreed on this!) They seem to have just the right weight for the duck without overwhelming it. Also, the spice in the wines will compliment the sauce. If you find either in a Ripasso (referring to the “re-pass or re-ferment” method of production which creates a greater and more robust flavor) – even better!

PARLA COME MANGI!

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Filed Under: Meat · Tagged With: best duck breast, duck, duck breast, duck breast for the italian table, duck breast with blackberries, duck italian style, duck with blackberry sauce, duck with fruit sauce, easy duck breast, italian duck dish

Baby Lamb Chops “Scottadita”

March 24, 2013 by Linda Leave a Comment

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Buon giorno!

For most Italians, Easter brings lamb to the menu. The lamb can be cooked in many different ways according to region and custom. For many, roasting a leg of lamb is more of an undertaking than desired. BABY LAMB CHOPS “SCOTTADITA” is the menu choice that serves the spring need for lamb in a fast and easy way – that also provides more flavor and enjoyment than anticipated from such a simple preparation.

Growing up, my family usually prepared a spring baby lamb – roasted and marinated, in a heavenly blend of olive oil and spices, created by the “King of Marinades”, my father, Attilio. The lamb was always tender, juicy, and full of amazing flavor. Often he prepared just the leg, for this occasion. Many times, we had the incredible experience of a most delectable roasted milk fed baby goat – not to be believed. I often think back to how proud he was of this Easter dish and the fanfare with which he brought it to the table to be “blessed” with the palms of Palm Sunday from the previous week. It was his specialty, and his alone, one which we could only longingly watch in awe.

These many years later, still enjoying the thoughts of those Easters, I often satisfy my craving for a great lamb dish with BABY LAMB CHOPS “SCOTTADITA” – easy, simple, quick to prepare, and with memorable flavor. This dish is so really wonderful that I prepare it all year long – often for entertaining at Christmas and at other times when only lamb will do. This is a dish you will be proud to serve to your guests and family, while secretly chuckling about how little time it took to prepare.

Scottadita – means burned or cooked fingers. The chops are prepared and served so hot that when you pick them up you burn your fingers. Yes – they are meant to be eaten with your fingers.

So relax – pretend you spent the day in the kitchen, and run out for that last minute manicure or pedicure or round of golf and still have time to create a great meal. Shhhhh! No one will ever know —- and I certainly won’t tell them!

BABY LAMB CHOPS “SCOTTADITA”

Serves: 4

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 35 minutes

Ingredients

8 Baby Lamb Chops Frenched – (with long bone in and trimmed)

Salt and Pepper

¼ c. Olive Oil

1 Purple Onion – sliced

3 Cloves Garlic chopped finely

3 Tbsp Fresh Sage – chopped

½ c. Dry red wine

¼ c. Balsamic Vinegar

¼ c. sugar

4 Tbsp. Crema Balsamica, Crema di Balsamico– or Fig Jam

3 Tbsp Fresh Parsley – chopped

Instructions

Start with Frenched Baby Lamb Chops – ask your butcher to do this for you, if you like. This is with the long bone “in” and trimmed of all fat and extra meat bits – a very clean bone.

Salt and pepper the chops on both sides.

Brown the chops in olive oil – a couple of minutes each side.

Remove the chops to a plate.

Add the onion, garlic , and sage, to the pan and cook until just tender – just a few minutes. Do not burn!

Add the sage.

Pour in the wine. Add the vinegar, sugar and jam or Crema Balsamica. (Fig Jam is readily available in the specialty cheese dept. of most markets. You can also use a balsamic reduction instead of Crema Balsamica or Crema di Balsamico.)

Stir and add the chops back to the pan, turning in the juices.

Place the pan in the oven at 350 degrees and cook for about 15 minutes. Turn the chops in the pan at least once during this oven cooking process.

Top with fresh chopped Parsley and serve.

For a wine pairing with this very special dish of BABY LAMB CHOPS “SCOTTADITA” , I suggest an equally special wine that will stand up to its proud and bold flavors – perhaps a Barolo or Barbera Di Alba.

PARLA COME MANGI!

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Food Photos By Tommy Hanks Photography

Filed Under: Holiday, Meat · Tagged With: baby lamb chops, baby lamb chops scotta dita, Easter lamb, italian lamb chops, lamb chops, lamb dishes, scottadita

Braised Lamb with Olives and Apricots

January 9, 2013 by Linda Leave a Comment

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Agnello Con Olive e Albicocche -

Buon giorno!

When I contemplate the word “lovely” in terms of food – I conjure up these descriptions: flavorful, spicy, velvety, tender, warm, lingering. When they all come together in the same dish, I think “success”. That is how I think of BRAISED LAMB WITH OLIVES AND APRICOTS . This is a dish that comes to mind every winter when I look for something hearty – yet not heavy – something memorable – something my guests will ask and wonder about.

Braising is culinary genius in my mind. It combines browning with slow gentle cooking and is the perfect preparation choice for many less expensive cuts of meat. It takes a tougher cut to absolute nirvana. In fact, I would not recommend it for a more tender cut of meat. Not only is it a waste, it just doesn’t yield the best result. When you think of “low and slow” or are looking to use your slow cooker, braising can be your very BFF!

BRAISED LAMB WITH OLIVES AND APRICOTS is one of those dishes that braising was made for – the browning of the outside of the meat, followed by the slow finish. I like to use a less tender cut of lamb like shoulder or stew. These cuts have just the right amount of sinew and fat and over time are brought to the perfect bite. With a little patience, these cuts just melt in your mouth.

This dish has Sicilian influence, with its use of spicier olives and dried apricots. It’s that Moorish touch of sweet fruit and a little spice that makes this dish differ from many other braised lamb preparations.

You can choose from several dishes to accompany: polenta, garlic mashed potatoes, or even Pappardelle pasta.

I go to this one again and again in winter. There is nothing like a fire in the fireplace and a Sicilian braised dish to warm the appetite as well as the Italian soul. Of course, at my house, we might add a blue note or two of Miles Davis in the background to set just the right tone. Get the idea?

BRAISED LAMB WITH OLIVES AND APRICOTS

(AGNELLO CON OLIVE E ALBICOCCHE)

Makes: 4 servings

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

flour for dredging

2 lb. Lamb Shoulder, stew, or leg – cut into pieces

1/4 c. Olive Oil

1 Onion sliced

3 Cloves chopped fresh garlic

1 Cup Red Wine (dry)

3 Slices Lemon Zest (rind)

2 Tbsp. Chopped Fresh Sage

2 Tbsp. Chopped Fresh Parsley

Salt and pepper as needed

1 c. Chicken Broth

1/2 Tsp. Allspice

1 Cup Sliced Dried Apricots

3/4 Cup Whole Kalamata Olives – pitted

Gremolata (topping):

2 Large Cloves garlic chopped finely

Zest of one Fresh Lemon

2 Tbsp. Parsley fresh – very finely chopped

2 Tbsp. Fresh Mint – very finely chopped

2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

You can prepare the meat a day ahead, and it is probably better to do so to intensify the flavors.

Dredge meat in flour.

Brown meat in olive oil. Then remove to plate.

Add onion and garlic to pan – cooking about 3-4 minutes.

Add meat back to the pan and stir.

Add the wine to the pan and cook down a couple minutes, scraping the bits from the bottom of the pan.

Add the zest, herbs, allspice, apricots and salt and pepper ( to taste) to the pan.

Cover and cook for an hour at a simmer.

Then add the olives and apricots and simmer for 15 more minutes until tender.

To serve: mix ingredients for the Gremolata on the day you plan to serve.

Refrigerate. Sprinkle a little over each dish.You don’t need much for each as it is just an essence that you want to add.

BRAISED LAMB WITH OLIVES AND APRICOTS is a beautiful dish to serve with intense flavors. Choose a wine to serve with it that will stand up to these flavors.

I would suggest that Barolo you have been waiting for, or a bold Barbaresco. Even a peppery Syrah, or Cabernet would pair well. This is a time to break out the bolder vino.

PARLA COME MANGI!

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Filed Under: Meat · Tagged With: albicocche, apricots, Barolo, braised lamb, Braising, hearty dish, italian lamb, italian lamb stew, Lamb, lamb stew, olives, Sicilian stew, winter dish

Risotto Al Vino Rosso and Elk Roast

December 13, 2012 by Linda Leave a Comment

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ONCE UPON A TUSCAN CHRISTMAS WITH RED WINE RISOTTO AND ELK ROAST –

Buon giorno!

If you have followed this website and my newsletter in the past few weeks, you will have “journeyed” all over the map of Italy, experiencing Christmas traditions and dishes from many regions. You’ll note the differences but feel the similarities in that Christmas in Italy is a time for family. It is said “Natale con i tuoi, pascqua con chi vuoi?” The idea behind this quote is - you have Christmas with your family and Easter with anybody else! Tuscan tradition offers the Italian example of enjoying one’s family through its celebratory holiday dishes. We will herald one such dish, RISOTTO AL VINO ROSSO, (Red Wine Risotto), meatless by itself, but often served with game. Here I have paired this flavorful risotto with an American game favorite, ELK ROAST- much as the Tuscans might do with their native fruits of the hunt.

The Christmas season in Tuscany coincides with the hunting season so prominent in this region. Tuscans are well known throughout Italy and the world for their superb game dishes. The holiday season is a time when these dishes appear front and center – often at the Christmas lunch or Cenone. You’ll find game birds of all kinds like pheasants, guinea hens, etc and rabbit, as well as venison or the famous wild boar. The roast is often the thing at this meal! When it’s not game, it might be porchetta. This is the time when families showcase their best at the table.

Accompanying the game or roast, you might find boiled meats, savory cheeses, pickled vegetables and olives for antipasti. The best of the Extra Virgins and Tartufi (truffles) make the scene. Soup is served in the form of minestra or pasta in brodo. The meal lasts for hours ending with fruits, nuts, Panettone, Pandoro, or the famous Panforte di Siena along with Vin Santo. Chianti or Brunello di Montalcino are often the choices for wine.

The RISOTTO AL VINO ROSSO is a most lovely example of Tuscan cuisine. The color of the rice derives its color from the wine used to make it and appears to take on a lovely pink or almost reddish tone. The flavor of the wine permeates the rice, giving it greater depth than the your usual risotto. I suggest using a full bodied red wine like perhaps Chianti Riserva ( with its oaky nature), Brunello, Amarone, or Salice Salentino for this dish. The more full and lusty the wine – so goes the risotto. It is a beautiful dish as well as amazingly delicious. To me, it cries out for fresh sage, if you have it. While I have paired it with the meat, it is also lovely served on its own without any meat.

The perfect accompaniment for this risotto is a robust meat – like the ELK ROAST that I have chosen. It is typical of the game roast the Tuscans might choose. Elk is not as strong tasting or lean as venison. It has a beautiful lighter flavor and doesn’t need an intense infusion of fat like the deer meat. I was so fortunate to have been the recipient of a great New Mexican elk roast from the recent hunting trip of my daughter-in-law’s father, Bill – a true Southern gentleman, great hunter and lover of the wild. It was just meant to be that this roast and this wonderful risotto would and should be featured as our Tuscan Christmas dish.

For the preparation for ELK ROAST, I decided to treat it as I might cook a pot roast. Elk, I understand, fares best under the conditions of long, low, and slow cooking. You could use a slow cooker for the dish, although I did not here. When elk is cooked at too high a temperature and for too long, it will dry out. I remembered my recipe for Carbonade di Valle D’Aosta , a pot roast style beef dish from the Italian Alpine region and thought this might be just the right ticket. It was a correct assumption, I think, as the elk meat was tender and took well to the spices in the cooking liquid. It was really superb with the risotto. Keep in mind though – that while not everyone has Bill to bag an elk for them – a nice beef chuck roast would suit the recipe as well!

Here it is – a Christmas afternoon Cenone in the Tuscan hills – fit for the holiday, but suitable for any time!

RISOTTO AL VINO ROSSO AND ELK ROAST

First: The Risotto Al Vino Rosso (Red Wine Risotto)

(can be served without the meat)

Serves: 4-6

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: about 25 minutes

Ingredients

6 cups Chicken Broth (warm)- can use vegetable stock

3 Tbsp. Butter

3 Tbsp. Olive Oil

1 Onion – chopped

2 C. Arborio Rice

1 1/4 c. Red Wine (full bodied wine preferable)

1 c. Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese- grated

2 Tbsp. Butter

(Fresh Sage is a good garnish)

Instructions

Keep the broth warm in a pot. You always add warm broth to risotto.

Cook the onion in the oil and butter – about 4 minutes.

Add the rice and stir well for about another 4 minutes at medium high heat.

Now add some wine and a ladle full of broth. Stir constantly, as the rice absorbs the liquid. Do not let the rice dry out – but when the liquid is absorbed, continue with adding some wine and the broth by the ladle until you use all of it, letting the rice absorb the liquid before adding more. The process takes about 25 minutes.

Your risotto, when finished, should be tender, but slightly firm to the bite.

At this point, turn off the heat and stir in the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Then add the butter. Stir until melted and incorporated.

Serve immediately and garnish with fresh sage if you like.

ELK ROAST

(Can use a beef chuck roast)

Serves: 4-6

Prep: 15-20 minutes

Cook: about 3 hours until tender

Ingredients

3 1/2 lb. Elk Roast (can substitute venison or beef – If venison add more salt pork than directed)

3 Tbsp. Olive Oil

2 Cloves Chopped Fresh Garlic

1 Onion sliced thinly

3 oz. (1/4 lb) Salt Pork – chopped

2 Bay Leaves

3 Sprigs Fresh Thyme

2 Sprigs Fresh Rosemary

3 Whole Cloves

1/2 Tsp. Allspice

2 Tsp. Brown Sugar

1 Large slice of Orange Peel (Rind)

1 C. Red Wine

1 C. Beef Broth

Several peeled baby carrots – as many as you like.

1 Stalk Celery cut in a few pieces

Salt and Pepper as needed

Instructions

In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook the salt pork just a few minutes to render the fat. Then add the onions and garlic.

Cook 3-4 minutes, and add the roast.

Brown it on all sides.

Now add the Bay Leaves, herbs, cloves, allspice, brown sugar, and orange peel.

Pour in the wine and broth. Stir and turn the roast in the liquid to coat.

Add the carrots and celery.

Cover, bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer on top of the stove for about 3 hours – until the roast is very tender. Turn the roast in the liquid several times during the cooking process.

Let it sit about 15 minutes before carving to seal in the juices.

Remove the bay leaves and discard before serving.

Strain the juices and reserve the carrots for serving.

At this point you can make a gravy in the usual way by making a roux or a paste of flour and butter and adding it to the juices, OR you can serve the roast in the strained pan juices, which is the way I like it. Serve this meat with plenty of the cooking liquid, as it helps to keep the meat moist.

Don’t wait for holidays to serve this wonderful meal of RISOTTO AL VINO ROSSO AND ELK ROAST. It is just too good to have once a year!

BUON NATALE!

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Filed Under: Holiday, Meat, Risotto · Tagged With: game dish, red wine risotto, risotto, risotto with red wine, roast elk, tuscan game dish, tuscan risotto

Pork Scaloppine with Wild Mushrooms

September 10, 2012 by Linda 3 Comments

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Scaloppine di Maiale E Funghi–

Buon giorno!

Here in America, we are used to the standard favorites when it comes to Scaloppine (Scallopini). You know the usual suspects: Veal Scallopini Marsala, Veal Francese etc. We’re going to talk about a different Scaloppine from the Tuscan area of Lucca which uses pork tenderloin – PORK SCALOPPINE WITH WILD MUSHROOMS ( Scaloppine di Maiale e Funghi). If you think you love the others, just wait until you taste this one. There’s a new dish in town – and “she’s hot!”

About the pig: Using pork tenderloin for this dish is not only the authentic preparation, but it also makes for melt in your mouth cutlets. It is so easy to slice your own cutlets. Just lay out your tenderloin after patting it dry, and using a sharp knife. Steady the tenderloin with your left hand while you cut the very thin slices from the top middle out, slicing away from you. If you are not comfortable doing this, ask your butcher. It’s really easy if your knife is very sharp though, and you might give it a try. If you have pork issues, you can substitute veal or even chicken. I much prefer pork for this, however. It provides the most tender cutlets.

Pork tenderloin does not have a lot of flavor on its own. In this dish, the flavor is enhanced by the addition of the pancetta, the vermouth, and the fresh sage.

The great thing about using pork tenderloin is that it does not require a long cooking time. This is a dish that almost cooks itself in just a few minutes. It is lovely enough to serve to guests as well as your family, and does not require you to work all day in the kitchen to do it.

As always, I highly recommend using humanely raised 100% Heritage Pork from: Circle B Ranch. Their pork products are unequalled, in my estimation, in both quality and flavor.

Funghi: I suggest using wild mushrooms with this dish. They give and earthy depth of flavor to this dish that button mushrooms just can’t provide. You can find some form of them at most grocers now. But, if you don’t have access to them, button mushrooms will be fine.

Serving: For this demonstration I served this Scaloppine with Orzo, an Italian pasta that is rice shaped. It is fairly common at many markets. To prepare, I just cooked it as directed, and then drizzled it with a good Extra Virgin Olive Oil, added some chopped fresh sage, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, and salt and pepper. Simple is best!

It is also lovely served with polenta or risotto or even mashed potatoes.

The sauce is the star of the show with this dish. You won’t believe the flavor. This is one of my husband’s favorite dishes. We had it recently outside On the Patio with a beautiful Rosé. Pretty amazing!

PORK SCALOPPINE WITH WILD MUSHROOMS

(Scaloppine di Maiale e Funghi)

Serves: 4

Prep: 20 minutes

Cook: 30 minutes

Ingredients

About 1 1/3 lb. Pork Tenderloin

3 Tbsp. Olive Oil

1/4 lb. Chopped Pancetta

2 Cloves Fresh Garlic, chopped finely

3 Tbsp. Chopped Fresh Sage

3/4 lb. Wild Mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

3/4 c. Dry Vermouth

1 Tbsp. Tomato Paste

Fresh Sage Leaves for garnish

Instructions

Slice your tenderloin into thin cutlets. Steady the tenderloin with your left hand while you cut the very thin slices from the top middle out, slicing away from you. Use the entire pork tenderloin.

Heat olive oil and pancetta in a large shallow pan or fry pan.

Cook a couple of minutes.

Add the pork scallops and brown quickly just a couple of minutes each side. Don’t worry if they are still a little pink in spots, as they will cook through later. Remove scallops to a separate dish.

In the same pan, add the garlic, sage and mushrooms. Sauté a couple of minutes.

Add the pork scallops back to the pan, stir.

Dissolve the tomato paste in the vermouth and add it to the pan. Stir and reduce down a little, scraping bits off the pan bottom for a couple of minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Cover and simmer about 5 minutes.

Garnish with sage leaves and serve.

See recommendations for serving in the above text.

Burgers Italian Style With Tomato Pesto

July 16, 2012 by Linda 2 Comments

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Buon giorno!

Burgers are definitely an American standard when it comes to summer grilling. BUT – at our house, the burgers were Italian Style all the way. When I was growing up, we enjoyed grilled burgers frequently, but they were much different from the burgers of the other neighborhood cookouts. My mother, Loretta, never made anything “just plain”, and that included our burgers. The burgers of my youth were spicy and chock full of Italian herbs, grated Italian cheese, chopped garlic etc. – In other words, they tasted much like my mother’s meatballs. They were really tasty and never “just plain meat”. My BURGERS ITALIAN STYLE WITH TOMATO PESTO are not Loretta’s version, but like hers – there is nothing plain about them. In fact, the Burger Snoots around my house like them so much, it’s hard to get anyone to eat a plain burger any more.

When you think about it, a pile of ground meat squashed into a patty isn’t very interesting on its own. But – dress it up a little – maybe show a little cleavage without going beyond the bounds of good taste – give it some spice without “tarting” it up too much? Stay classy, babe, and you’ve got yourself a very competitive little number on a bun that no one can turn down. The cool thing is that you don’t really have to work very hard to achieve this. Take good ground chuck that contains about 20% fat, add a few select ingredients, and your “just plain” burgers will transform. You will own your family and guests with these flavor packed “burger bombs”.

Hey – you can even make them ahead and freeze them if you like. I MUST ALWAYS have some hanging around my freezer for that special moment when I’m having a burger craving. We’re thinking Italian here, with the ingredients, for sure, but I am also suggesting an amazing topping of TOMATO PESTO. Now, you didn’t think I was going to let you put ketchup on these power bundles – did you?

Fire up the grill – here we go!

BURGERS ITALIAN STYLE

Makes: about 4-5 burgers

Prep: 10 minutes

Ingredients

1 lb. Ground Beef Chuck – preferably with about 20% fat

Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste

3 oz. Feta or Goat Cheese broken into pieces – not too small

1/4 C. Fresh Basil Leaves – chopped

1/2 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes

4 oz. (about 1/2 c.) Sundried Tomatoes, packed in oil – cut into small strips or julienne

1 beaten egg

Instructions

Mix all of the above ingredients together.

Form patties of your desired size.

Freeze or take them straight to the hot grill.

Tip: Try grilling your buns – They are so much better that way.

Top with Tomato Pesto!

TOMATO PESTO

Makes: about 1- 1 1/4 c.

Prep: 10 minutes

Ingredients

3 Ripe Medium Plum Tomatoes – (approx. 9 oz.)

1 Fresh Garlic clove

3/4 c. Fresh Basil Leaves

1 Tbsp. Mayonnaise

1/4 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes

1/2 Tsp. Kosher Salt

Freshly Ground Black Pepper

1/4 c. Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese

2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Instructions

Coarsely chop tomatoes and garlic and add to blender.

Add the basil, mayonnaise, red pepper, salt, black pepper, and Parmigiano to the blender.

Blend and, at the same time, slowly drizzle in olive oil.

Refrigerate.

Make up some BURGERS ITALIAN STYLE WITH TOMATO PESTO for this weekend. You’re gonna love ‘em!

PARLA COME MANGI!

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Food Photos By Tommy Hanks Photography

Filed Under: Meat, On the Patio · Tagged With: grilled meat, hamburgers, Italian, italian burgers, pesto, stuffed burgers, tomato pesto

July: Spiedies–Heaven on a Stick

June 25, 2012 by Linda 16 Comments

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The Upstate New York Style Italian Favorite

Buon giorno!

The long awaited post is here for the famous Upstate New York Italian favorite, SPIEDIES – or as I like to call them SPIEDIES –HEAVEN ON A STICK! The name has nothing to do with speed and everything to with the Big Daddy of spiedies which is spiedini, the Italian kebab or skewered and grilled meat. So what’s the big deal? Everyone knows how to make grilled kebabs. TRUE! But not everyone knows how to make good spiedies. In fact, the jury is still out in Upstate New York, around my hometown of Binghamton, as to who makes the best, how to make the best, and who’s got the goods on the marinade. They are so famous and popular up there that there is an annual August festival named for them complete with a Balloon Rally. However, even as the word on these meaty gems leaked out of New York sometime ago, many out there are still in the dark about them.

History: All might agree that the the modern day spiedie, as we know it, is the renowned favorite son of the Italian spiedini – which is a very old idea of meat grilled on a skewer over hot coals. Fact is, they really started in the Middle East where they had been “kebabing” for centuries. When the Middle Eastern conquerors invaded Italy, they brought with them many ingredients and cooking ideas that stuck – meat kebabs being one of them. As conquered lands tend to do, the Italians adopted and adapted.. and then.. made them better.The Italians do not add vegetables to their spiedini skewers – it is just a meat thing.

Upstate New York Origin: Most say the origins of these succulent chunks of meaty goodness reside in “greater” Binghamton and with brothers, Camillo and Agostino Iacovelli and Peter Sharak – restaurant owners. Many remember Peter Sharak’s noted hometown haunt, Sharkey’s Restaurant, that still draws spiedie-lovers to this day. From there, they just took off. Back in the 50’s, there wasn’t a barbeque in the Binghamton area that didn’t include spiedies. I remember our west side neighborhood cookouts always had them – usually tended on the grill by my father, Attilio. His spiedies were amazing, as he used his own special homemade marinade full of fresh ingredients and his “secrets.” Everyone has a spiedie story in Binghamton – not to mention a special method or marinade for them. Many commercial bottled sauces appeared over time and are still sold on supermarket shelves, most of which do not stack up, in my estimation, to a good fresh homemade version. Today, spiedies are served in Binghamton at an endless number of local “watering holes” like the ever popular Thirsty’s on the south side, and there is always much disagreement as to who indeed offers the best.

Specifics: Spiedies follow suit with spiedini’s presentation of meat only on the skewers. No veggies.Traditionally, the meat used is lamb (the leg) and/or pork (a tender cut like tenderloin is best). Venison spiedies are a delicacy in the Upstate New York area, where deer hunting is popular and provides a treasured bounty for this dish. Chicken spiedies are also commonly found, but less enjoyed by “connoisseurs”. See an example of chicken spiedies here:

Using a tender cut of meat helps to insure a tender result. Like everything else Italian, the secret is in the sauce, and when it comes to spiedini’s “sonny boy”, the spiedie, recipes for the sauces or marinades are the stuff of legend..and secrecy! Binghamton natives all know someone who claims to make the best. Determination of what and whose is best is wrapped up in the individual Binghamton memories we all have and cherish. What you remember in the way they tasted on a hot summer day after a ball game, or a bike ride, or a swim at nearby Quaker Lake – they are the best in your heart and forever will remain.

Tradition: It dictates that you need a slice of GOOD Italian bread which you use to “grab” several spiedies and slide them off the skewer. Then you eat them! No mustard, ketchup, special sauces, or condiments. Fancy gourmet embellishments are fiercely frowned upon.The idea is to enjoy the tenderness of the meat and savor that delicious marinade. I have seen the occasional imposter served on a bun. No No NO! The Italian bread is a must, and it better be of good quality.

Secret potions and promises taken to the grave: What? Well yeah! I know some who keep the secrets of their special marinade very close to the vest – never to be shared or divulged outside of the family. Some of these secrets are passed on to the next generation. I am the keeper of one of those family recipes, given to me by my father who didn’t even share it with my mother! Enough with family laundry! Although, Attilio’s infamous spiedie marinade cannot and shall not be revealed here, I have developed a really good marinade that I would like to share with you that I think rivals some of the best!

TIPS: Keep in mind that the freshness of some of the ingredients is critical to a good result. Good cuts of meat make a difference. I highly recommend using the more traditional leg of lamb and/or pork tenderloin. Beef is not and should not be used for good spiedies. Your spiedies should be tender and juicy. There is nothing worse than having a spiedie in your mouth that takes 20 minutes to chew and is a mass of sinew. If you don’t want to cut up the meat yourself, ask your butcher to do it.

Along with lamb from the leg, I used pork tenderloin for this demonstration. Because it is the very BEST pork, I chose Circle B Ranch pork tenderloin. Humanely raised and with careful feeding, their products are superior in flavor and tenderness. Chicken breast spiedies are good, as well, and get a bad rap, I think, because people dry them out by over cooking them.

The trick with all spiedies, regardless of the meat you choose, is to sear them on the outside at a higher temp and finish them at a lower temp without drying them out. Don’t overcook them!!

Also, many talk about the number of endless days ( a ritual) that they marinate their spiedies. The argument concerning how long to marinate will go on until the next century. I personally don’t like them to sit in the marinade past a couple of days. This is the reason – it is chemical – meat begins to break down when it sits in marinade (Wine and vinegar are two of the culprits). The texture changes as the muscle breaks down – in an undesirable way. The trick is to marinate it well and long enough– but not too long, ruining the integrity of the meat. The meat should taste like meat, especially if it is a good cut, not a mystery substance soaked in sauce.

That said.. let’s get to it. This is GOOOOD STUFF!

SPIEDIES

Makes: marinade for about 4 pounds of meat (6-8 people)

Prep: 15-20 minutes for marinade

Cook: 10-15 minutes

Ingredients: (important to use fresh ingredients where specified)

4 lb. Tender leg of lamb and/or pork tenderloin, or venison, or chicken breast – cut up into pieces about 1 1/2 inches

1 1/2 c. Olive Oil

Zest of 1 fresh lemon

Juice of a Large Fresh Lemon

1 Tbsp. Tomato Paste mixed with the lemon juice or vinegar

1/3 c. Balsamic Vinegar

1/3 c. Dry Red Wine

5 Cloves Fresh Garlic

2 Tsp. sugar

1 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes

1 Tsp. Paprika

1 Crushed Large Bay Leaf

1 Tbsp. Fresh Thyme or Lemon Thyme

3 Tbsp. Fresh Rosemary – chopped

1 Tbsp. Fresh Mint – chopped

2 Tbsp. Fresh Oregano – chopped

3 Tbsp. Fresh Basil – chopped

3 Tbsp. Fresh Parsley – chopped

2 1/2 Tsp. Kosher Salt or more ( make sure to be generous with the salt as it brings out the flavors)

Plenty of Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Good Italian Bread

Instructions:

Meat should be cut and ready before making the marinade.

Mix all above marinade ingredients together well. A whisk is a good tool for this. If the marinade sits – re-whisk. Use fresh ingredients where indicated.

TASTE the marinade!! Especially taste for salt. Plenty of salt and pepper is important. This brings out the flavor. If you don’t add enough – your spiedies will be bland.

Add the marinade to the meat immediately.

Mix thoroughly, coating all the meat. Using your clean hands to do this is a good idea.

Cover and refrigerate. I recommend marinating overnight or at most one more day. There is great controversy about this. Read the above text for the reason why I choose a shorter time.

Stir the meat once during the marinating process.

Skewer the meat just before grilling.

Place skewers on a VERY hot grill – close cover and SEAR quickly on all sides. Ideally you will have grill marks on the meat.

Turn down the heat on the grill or move the skewers to a spot not as hot – use gloves – the skewers will be very hot. Finish the spiedies at a more moderate temperature. They don’t take long.

It is not recommended to keep using a marinade that raw meat has been sitting in. Discard the extra when finished.

Do not dry them out by over cooking. The cooking process should be fairly quick on a hot grill. Taste one! or two…or…

Take them off the skewer with a slice of Italian Bread. Plan on about 4-5 spiedies per slice of bread.

I dare you to stop tasting these!

Grab yourself a cold brew and enjoy SPIEDIES like a Binghamtonian!! Guaranteed – they will become part of your barbeque fare.

PARLA COME MANGI!

Comments are welcome in the “Speak Your Mind Area” beneath this post online.

Food Photos By Tommy Hanks Photography

Filed Under: Meat, On the Patio, Recipes of the Mo · Tagged With: chicken, grilled meat, Lamb, marinade, pork, Recipe of the Month, spiedies, spiedini

It’s Chic to Cheek: Pork Cheeks with Butternut Squash

May 7, 2012 by Linda Leave a Comment

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Buon giorno!

It’s a fact! You either love pork or you don’t. When you do, it’s an “all in” kind of thing. You love every part and dish that is offered. For today’s recipe, we’re talking about a “cheeky” kind of affection for sure. It is less common, and some might say “it’s out there”. Actually PORK CHEEKS are not really uncommon, and can be found on many of the new and considered trendy menus in some of the finest restaurants. Instead of serving them with the perfunctory pasta or risotto, I like them on a bed of roasted butternut squash. They are slow cooked and melt in your mouth delicious. Yes, today, we are steppin’ out with PORK CHEEKS AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH.

The pork cheek is also referred to as pork jowl. It is not a particularly expensive cut of pork. In fact, it is comparatively cheap. If you can’t find them, ask your butcher. When slowly cooked and flavored well they bring forth the most tender meat and can be served with their sauce over pasta, risotto, mashed potatoes, or almost anything. I particularly like them on a little bed of roasted butternut squash, as you see in the photo. The sauce for this recipe is so rich and delicious. Combined with the rub on the meat, this sauce offers a deep rich taste experience only enhanced by the huge jolt of pork flavor from the cheeks. This is one of those long cooking recipes just made for the slow cooker or crockpot. I suggest 8 hrs on low for this, if that is the way you prefer to go.

Guanciale: You may be familiar with the amazing Guanciale - the renowned unsmoked Italian bacon made from pork cheeks and revered for it’s amazing flavor. The more familiar pancetta is much easier to find and slightly milder. However, when Guanciale is available – this is definitely the way to go for use in the familiar Italian dishes: Pasta All’Amatriciana and Spaghetti Alla Carbonara. It is even named for this cut of pork – coming from the Italian word guancia meaning cheek!

The most satisfying pork cheeks or jowls that I have found come from Circle B Ranch Pork. You can order all the pork you can eat from their website. The PORK CHEEKS used in this demonstration came from this source.

About Circle B Ranch in their words:

“Circle B Ranch – Your Source for Natural Berkshire Pork from the Ozarks

Nestled in the gently rolling hills and woodlands of the southwest Missouri Ozarks, our 90 acre pork farm is conveniently located in the town of Seymour, MO, just 32 miles east of Springfield, MO.

Circle B Ranch provides a safe, all-natural home to breed, farrow and raise 100% Heritage Pork which includes Berkshire/Kurabota and Red Wattle. Our hog farm is run naturally, sustainably and humanely.”

About Circle B Ranch Pork in my words: This pork is by far the best quality I have ever tasted and cooked with. I have tried several of their cuts, and they do not disappoint. The meat is fresh, full of flavor, and gives me some peace of mind about the way the animals are raised. This is important for our own consumption when you read more and more about the antibiotics and hormones that are fed to the animals in our meat supply. In addition, I just like the idea of critters running freely to graze about in the pastures and woods as they were meant to rather than having a life of confinement.

Marina and John Backes, owners of Circle B Ranch, know all about this and are committed to the idea that the way animals live, eat, and are raised has a great effect on the quality and appearance of their meat.

The end result is most tender flavorful meat that more than satisfies the palate.

Andiamo!

PORK CHEEKS WITH ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH

Serves: 2

Prep: 15-20 minutes

Refrig: 2 hours

Cook: 2 1/2-3 Hours

Ingredients

Generous Pinch of Cayenne pepper

3 Tbsp. Brown Sugar

2 Pork Cheeks ( about 2 lb. ea.) trimmed of the extra thick fat layer

3 Tbsp. Olive Oil

8 baby Carrots chopped

1 Stalk Celery chopped

1 Whole Onion chopped

3 Cloves fresh garlic

3 c. Red Wine

3 c. Beef Broth

2 Bay Leaves

4 Sprigs of Fresh Thyme

1 Tbsp. fresh Tarragon – chopped

2 Tbsp. Fresh Marjoram Leaves – chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

1 Large Fresh Butternut Squash, peeled and chopped

Instructions

Cut the thick fat layer off the pork cheeks with a sharp knife or ask your butcher to do it. Discard the fat layer. (See fat layer on left in photo)

Make a rub of: a pinch of Cayenne Pepper, 2 Tbsp. Brown Sugar, Salt and Black Pepper. Mix and rub all over the pork cheeks. Refrigerate the cheeks for 2 hours.

Brown the cheeks in the olive oil on both sides. Remove from the pot and set aside.

In the same pot, cook the chopped vegetables a few minutes to get started. (If using a slow cooker, now is the time to transfer the vegetables to it and proceed with the following instructions from there – Low and slow for about 8 hours)

Add the meat back to the pan on top of the vegetables.

Add the wine, stock, and herbs to the pot. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Cover and cook 2 1/2-3 hours on top of the stove until “falling apart tender”. At the 1 1/2 hour mark turn the cheeks over. During the cooking process, if you find you need more liquid, add more broth.

When finished, remove the Bay Leaves and Thyme sprigs.

Depending on your taste, you can serve them whole or remove the little meaty medallions and perch them on a bed of whatever you choose like they do in the restaurants. (See first photo) You can also slice them and serve them that way. See here:

If serving with Butternut Squash, toss the chopped squash with a little olive oil, salt and pepper, and roast at 400 degrees about 30 minutes or more until it reaches desired tenderness.

Prepare to dine on the most tender and possibly the most divinely flavorful meat you have ever tasted! It’s time to go for that beautiful Barbaresco you have wanted to try. Yes indeed – it is!

PARLA COME MANGI!

Comments are welcome in the “Speak Your Mind Area” beneath this post online.

Food Photos By Tommy Hanks Photography

Filed Under: Meat · Tagged With: barbaresco with pork cheeks, butternut squash, Italian, pork cheeks, pork jowl, slow cooked pork

Osso Buco

April 16, 2012 by Linda 1 Comment

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Finding Ecstasy in Bones with Holes -

Buon giorno!

The famous Northern Italian OSSO BUCO (seen also as Osso Bucco), is one of those most revered among regional dishes. This magnificent dish hails from the region of Lombardia. The beautiful and cosmopolitan city of Milan is often given credit for it, and you’ll often find it as OSSO BUCO ALLA MILANESE, reflecting the city’s influence. It is an old dish that dates back to the late 19th century and is one of those peasant dishes that has so much flavor you can literally almost taste it in your dreams. It is a braised meat dish – more specifically a cross cut veal shank that is browned and then simmered for hours, a giving forth a wealth of flavor and offering one of the delicacies of the “Italian Table – the marrow bone.

I first heard of this dish when I was a child after my parents had returned from a trip to Italy. My mother, who had a curiosity and interest in Italian regional food, was especially excited about this recipe. It was not something that her family or my father’s Neapolitan family had made. She enjoyed it in Italy and talked endlessly about it. Ironically, it was one of the first Italian dishes I served to guests shortly after I was married. It is a simple dish, full of simple ingredients, each a singular movement of aromatic splendor, coming together to complete a sonata of flavor that plays on in one’s memory. OSSO BUCO is a triumph!

Strangely, I had not made it in a long while. A couple of months ago, I had the pleasure of enjoying a beautiful preparation of this dish at the home of our good friends, Peter and Katrina Costa. Katrina’s Osso Buco was so lovely and hit all the right notes which continued to sweetly replay in my mind for days afterward. It brought back so many delicious memories that I knew I had to bring this classic dish to your attention.

Things that make this dish so special: I already mentioned the marrow but it deserves a revisit. Generally the shanks are cut to about 1 1/2 inches revealing a round and generous bone filled with succulent marrow. This marrow mingles with the sauce to give it a rich flavor. In “knowing” restaurants, this dish is served with a special narrow fork that fits perfectly into the “hole in the bone” to dig for the delicious marrow treasure.

The classic technique for the dish is braising – a method seemingly invented for it.The meat is browned and then simmered with an assembly of fresh aromatics. It is one of those recipes that MUST be prepared a day ahead for the flavors to bond. Don’t you love it when that happens?

Each lucky guest receives one veal shank, the perfect size for each person. The shank is topped with gremolata, a fresh mixture of parsley, garlic, lemon zest, and sometimes anchovy. It is sprinkled on top like fairy dust giving the meat and sauce a touch of brightness and beauty.

There are several ways to serve it. Some like it with mashed potatoes – some like pasta. The classic accompaniment, Risotto Alla Milanese, a beautiful gold colored risotto, kissed with saffron and simply prepared, seems almost divinely inspired. This is the way I like it best. Watch for this Risotto recipe here on the blog next week!

OSSO BUCO

Serves: 4

Prep: 20 minutes

Cook: 2 hrs. 15 min.

Ingredients

4 Veal Shanks (shins) cross cut with the bone left in

Flour for dredging with some salt and pepper

3 Tbsp.Olive oil

2 Tbsp. Butter

5 Baby Carrots – chopped finely

1 Stalk Celery – chopped finely

1 onion – chopped finely

3 Cloves fresh garlic – chopped finely

1 c. Dry Vermouth or Dry White Wine

1 Tbsp. Marjoram leaves – chopped

2 Tbsp. Fresh Flat Leaf Parsley

6 San Marzano Tomatoes – from the can without juices – tomatoes only chopped coarsely

1/2 c. Chicken Broth

1 Squeeze of fresh lemon juice

A slice of lemon to throw in the pot

Salt & Pepper to taste

Instructions

Veal shanks ready for this dish can be found in many markets now. If you can’t find them, ask your butcher to get them for you.

*Make this dish one day ahead.

Dredge the shanks in flour seasoned with salt and pepper.

Brown the shanks in the oil and butter – a couple of minutes each side. Then remove the meat to a platter and reserve.

In the same pot, cook the chopped carrots, celery, and onion for about 5 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook another minute being careful not to burn it.

Place the veal shanks back in the pot on top of the vegetables and add the wine, scraping the bits off of the bottom.

Add the herbs to the pot.

Chop the tomatoes coarsely with a knife and fork, and add them to the pot. Mix them in.

Pour in the chicken broth and add the squeeze of fresh lemon juice and the lemon slice.

Add a little salt and pepper to taste. Cover the pot and place in a 350 degree oven for 2 hours. A couple of times during the cooking process, carefully turn the veal shanks over in the sauce.

When finished, cool and put the pot into the refrigerator until the next day. Before serving heat on top of the stove or in the oven.

Serve one veal shank per person with a sprinkle of Gremolata. Some like to mix the Gremolata into the sauce. This is fine but sprinkling it on the top makes for a prettier presentation.

GREMOLATA

Mix together and sprinkle on top of each serving:

grated zest of 1 lemon

2 Cloves fresh garlic – chopped finely

1/2 c. Fresh Flat Leaf Parsley – chopped

1-2 Anchovy fillets – chopped finely

The OSSO BUCO can actually be served with either white or red wine depending on your preference. If you choose white, select something dry like a Langhe Arneis. My personal preference is the red – an Amarone Valpolicella Ripassa, or Barbera d’Alba. All of these wines are from the North, where this dish originates, and any one of them would be a match made in heaven for this beautiful dish.

Watch for the next recipe “RISOTTO ALLA MILANESE” – If ever a dish had a soul mate, this one is it!

PARLA COME MANGI!

Comments are welcome in the “Speak Your Mind Area” beneath this post online.

Food Photos By Tommy Hanks Photography

Filed Under: Meat · Tagged With: Italian, veal dish, veal shanks

How To Stuff a Pig–Braciole di Maiale

March 11, 2012 by Linda Leave a Comment

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Pork Braciole – Last Recipe in the Braciole Series

Buon giorno!

There she is! The siren! See her there – swimming naked in a blushing pool of coral loveliness – shamelessly waiting to be noticed – looking back with a “come hither” glance. It is in her saucy nature to ask her admirers, “lookin’ for a good time?” She waits – she knows – she owns all who gaze upon her longing for just one more… This one, this sizzling vamp, this BRACIOLE DI MAIALE is the sexy dish, they’ll be talking about long after you serve it!

Got your attention? Focus!!

So maybe it’s not the stuff of the romance novels with which you are familiar, I know – I know - IT’S PORK– but it darn well presses all MY buttons for sure! This BRACIOLE DI MAIALE or PORK BRACIOLE is one of those great dishes that does not take a monumental effort, but has maximum impact. It is stunning, romantic, oozing with flavor, and ablaze with color and interest – yeah it’s hot!

However, “Her Hotness” is actually an easy dish to put together. Great dishes, don’t have to be complicated. Not difficult – Think about it: a butterflied pork tenderloin, stuffing piled on top, you roll it up, tie it and— then turn your attention to the incredibly flavorful sauce which is equally easy to make, and sure to please. Simple enough?

THIS little piggy: The pork tenderloin is the “little princess”- “the jewel” among piggy parts. This cut is very tender and easy to prepare, but, at the same time, is not really going to knock your sox off in the flavor department. For this reason, your preparation and the flavors/ingredients you add to it are critical, if you want your tenderloin to be memorable. Your pork tenderloin will be as flavorful as YOU decide to make it. It will also demonstrate your respect for the cut in NOT overcooking it. To overcook this delicious and tender little darling is really sad and unnecessary – not to mention that it wrecks any promise of a juicy and tender mouthful, unless you enjoy chewing cotton.

Solution? DON”T DO IT! You will find, in this recipe, that we merely sear the stuffed meat quickly, and then simmer it for only 30 minutes in the oven. That’s IT! That is all it truly needs.

More piggy: Note the use of salt pork in the sauce. Because this has so much flavor on its own, no additional salt is needed in the sauce. The salt pork, melting away as it cooks, will do it all – and you really don’t use that much of it. I like to divide the salt pork into small packages when I purchase it and freeze them. I pull them out as I need them. A tip: chop it up when it’s partially frozen. It is much easier to chop this way, and it will not move and squish all over your board. A sharp knife slides right through it.

The last little piggy is in the stuffin’: The stuffing in this recipe, which includes more pork in the form of sausage, adds flavor as well as interest to the dish. I mean really – look at it – gorgeous thick slices of juicy meat, full of color, texture, and interest. Each slice is almost a meal in itself with: rich Italian sausage, fresh spinach, roasted red peppers , and fresh mozzarella. If you like, for the mozzarella, try the smoked for a little change. This is delicious when paired with the sausage – earthy, with another level of great flavor!

A word about great pork: Meat is not just meat, and pork is not just pork – which is the reason I want to talk a little about: Circle B Ranch , owned and operated by Marina and John Backes, and their pork products from the Ozarks. Follow the link here and at Linda’s Italian Table website to hear about pork as you may not have imagined it. Circle B Ranch is certified to raise Heritage breeds such as Berkshire/Kurabota and Red Wattle in the most natural way from birth to harvest. Heritage breeds must have special genetic characteristics, and also must be raised on organic and sustainable farms. That means, the animals graze openly in their beautiful pastures. See the photo, here showing the sows teaching their young how to forage for acorns, nuts etc. Their delicious meat reflects the way they feed, graze etc. – all natural with no growth hormones, antibiotics and other additives. Circle B Ranch pork is a superior product that I feel fortunate to associate with on my website and to use in my Italian recipes. Check out their website, read their interesting story, and order and enjoy their great pork cuts. I know you’ll appreciate the difference!

“Wild thing – you make my heart sing!”

PORK BRACIOLE

(BRACIOLE DI MAIALE)

Serves: 4

Prep: 30 min.

Cook: 35 min.

Ingredients

1 1/3-1 1/2 lb. Pork Tenderloin – butterflied, opened up and pounded a little to make a thin slab of meat (For the best Pork Tenderloin experience order from: Circle B Ranch)

Olive Oil

1/3 c. Pecorino Romano Cheese – grated

1/8 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes (optional)

At least a cup of packed baby spinach leaves – or enough to cover the surface of the meat.

1/2 lb. Mild Italian Sausage – taken out of casings, crumbled and browned in a tbsp. Olive Oil

About 4-5 large pieces of Roasted Peppers – or enough to cover the center of the stuffing (roasted peppers in the jar are fine for this or roast your own using this link: Sovana and the Mystery Dish)

Sliced Fresh Mozzarella – sliced thinly – enough to cover the stuffing in a nice layer (8 oz. ball will work)

String – cut in several 10 inch pieces to tie the stuffed tenderloin

Instructions

Butterfly or have your butcher butterfly and open up your pork tenderloin, pounding a little with a mallet to make flat and create a wide surface for stuffing.

Rub surface of opened tenderloin with some olive oil.

Sprinkle with grated cheese and red pepper flakes.

Follow with the spinach leaves laid across the surface.

Spread the crumbled, browned sausage over the top.

Place roasted peppers on the sausage.

Lay the mozzarella cheese slices over the peppers.

Face the meat horizontally, and fold in the two ends – so that stuffing will not escape.

Begin rolling the tenderloin away from you on the long horizontal side, thumbs underneath and use fingers to hold back the stuffing as you roll.

When meat is completely rolled, place it so that the open seam is underneath and begin to tie the roast with strings. Use as many as you need to secure. Cut off the long ends of the strings.

SAUCE AND FINISHING

3 Tbsp. Olive Oil

2 Tbsp. Butter

1/4 c. Chopped Salt Pork (easier to cut if salt pork is slightly frozen)

1 onion – chopped

1 c. Dry Vermouth

2 Tbsp. Tomato Paste

1/2 c. Beef Stock or Broth

Fresh Chopped Basil or Flat Leaf Parsley for garnish

1/4 – 1/3 c. Rinsed drained tiny capers

Instructions

Put oil and butter in a large pot. Add salt pork. Cook a couple of minutes. Then add the onion and continue cooking at medium high about 5 more minutes.

Place the Stuffed Tenderloin in the pan. Turn it and brown on all sides.

Add the Vermouth and cook another 3 minutes on medium high.

Mix tomato paste with the stock or broth to dilute. Add to the pot and stir.

Place the pot in a 400 degree oven uncovered for 30 minutes. Turn the tenderloin a few times during this period so the sauce will soak into all sides.

Remove the pot from the oven and let it rest for 15 minutes – This is IMPORTANT – do not cut into it until after it rests. You can, however, snip off the strings, as the pork rests, and discard them.

To Serve:

Slice the tenderloin THICKLY.

1.You can use the sauce pasta such as Fusilli Pugliese, Strozzapretti, Orecchiette, Penne Pasta or similar – with the thickly sliced pork on the side. Garnish with the fresh basil or parsley and sprinkle with capers.

2.Another way to serve it: Lay the thick slices in some of the beautiful sauce, with some roasted sliced potatoes on the side. Again, garnish with fresh basil or parsley, and sprinkle with capers.

Either way, this PORK BRACIOLE is a winning dish every time –seductive, tender, juicy, and the sauce —oh, the sauce! Because of the richness of the sauce and the stuffing, I like a bolder red with this pork, perhaps a beautiful Chianti Classico, like L’Aura Chianti Classico 2008 DOCG from Azienda Agricola di Castellina or a Barbera D’Albalike Lo Zoccolaio Sucule 2007.

Ahhh! Just try to forget her…

PARLA COME MANGI!

Filed Under: Meat · Tagged With: braciole, braciole with pork tenderloin, Italian, pork braciole, pork roast, pork tenderloin, stuffed pork, stuffed pork tenderloin

Braciole–Two Ways!

March 5, 2012 by Linda 2 Comments

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Braciole, Braciole, and More Braciole – Part Two

Buon giorno!

The BRACIOLE saga continues. In the last episode, we dealt with stuffing it in a very traditional Neapolitan way – thus: BRACIOLE NAPOLETANA with breadcrumbs, grated cheese, pignolis, etc. In case there was any question, there is more that one way to stuff Braciole. In this post, we’ll stuff BRACIOLE – TWO WAYS.

The first: My mother, Loretta, was fond of stuffing things with hard boiled eggs. She often stuffed her meatloaf and meatballs with them – my least favorite as a child, and now I can’t get enough of them – a prime example of how youth is pitifully wasted on the young! My mother also liked to stuff her BRACIOLE with hardboiled eggs, BRACIOLE CON UOVA. To a non-Italian, this might all sound a little strange. It is actually a very easy and most delicious way to approach this stuffed meat dish. It is also quite a tradition in many Italian kitchens. The hard boiled egg stays remarkable intact even when the BRACIOLE is simmered for a couple of hours in sauce. When it is sliced, it is, perhaps, the most attractive form for serving it. When making a large BRACIOLE more than one egg is used. You would use as many eggs as will fit horizontally across the meat. In our recipe, I demonstrate making individual rolls. Either way, you would follow the same instructions for stuffing, rolling, and binding with string or toothpicks.

The second: Another recipe, BRACIOLE WITH SWISS CHARD, is another very appealing way to present this delicious dish. Swiss Chard is sweeter than most greens and quite tender when the stalks and spines are removed. You would use only the tender leaves for this preparation. The Swiss Chard in this dish is enhanced and complimented by the inclusion of some other Sicilian favorite ingredients: pignolis, raisins, and Pecorino cheese. YUM!

I present both of these amazingly delicious BRACIOLE dishes with one of my favorite things in life: polenta! An easy method for preparing polenta can be found in one of my previous posts here: Polenta – It’s So Corny and in another post with a cool serving idea here: Serving Polenta. Again, I will demonstrate with individual servings, but you follow the same instructions when making one or two larger ones.

I don’t know about you, but all this chatter is making me very hungry. Let’s crack the code!!

BRACIOLE CON UOVA

(Recipe #1 – Braciole with Eggs)

Serves: about 4

Prep: 30-35 min.

Cook: 2 1/2 hours

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb beef top round or flank steak – if meat is thick, butterfly it or ask your butcher to do this. You’ll want thin slices of meat for rolling.

Olive Oil

1/2 c. Chopped Fresh Flat Leaf Parsley

1/2 c. Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese or Grated Aged Provolone Cheese

2 tbsp. Garlic chopped finely

1 Hard Boiled Egg for each roll (4-6)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Toothpicks or string (butcher’s twine) to secure the rolls

3-4 Tbsp. Olive oil for browning

Tomato Sauce ( see recipe for this sauce here: ( If It’s Sunday, It’s Braciole)

Instructions

You’ll need a mallet or something heavy to pound the meat. This type of mallet comes with a side with sharp points for tenderizing.

Lay the meat out on a board. Pound with a mallet to thin and beat with tenderizer side to further tenderize the meat.

If making smaller ones cut the meat into 5-6” slices.

Rub each slice with olive oil. Follow with a sprinkle of chopped parsley, cheese, garlic, salt and pepper to taste.

Place a hard boiled egg at the top of the meat slice.

Begin rolling.

Roll each slice vertically and secure with toothpicks or string.

You can use 2 or 3 strings to secure the smaller ones. If making large ones, use more string or toothpicks.

Brown the rolls in olive oil. When finished – remove them and make the Tomato Sauce in the same pan. For the sauce, link here: Tomato Sauce for simmering and finishing.

BRACIOLE STUFFED WITH SWISS CHARD

(Recipe #2)

Serves: about 4

Prep: 30-35 min.

Cook: 2 1/2 hours

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb beef top round or flank steak – if meat is thick, butterfly it or ask your butcher to do this. You’ll want thin slices of meat for rolling.

1 bunch cleaned Swiss Chard – thick spines and stalks removed – use leaves only – saute about 5-7 minutes in 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil with a clove of chopped garlic. Season with salt & pepper. Set aside.

Olive Oil

2 Tbsp. fresh garlic chopped finely

1/2 c. Toasted pignolis (pine nuts)

1/2 c. golden raisins

Pinch red pepper flakes

1/2 c. Pecorino Romano Cheese grated

Instructions

Follow the instructions for preparing the meat for stuffing in the preceding recipe.

Rub each piece of meat with some olive oil and add some prepared Swiss Chard, chopped garlic, toasted pignolis, golden raisins, red pepper flakes, and grated cheese to each slice.

Roll each meat slice and secure with strings or toothpicks as in recipe above.

Proceed as directed in the recipe above with browning the rolls and simmering in the Tomato Sauce.

No matter which of the stuffings you use, each is really delicious and memorable in its own way. Better yet, try them all! I recommend a beautiful full bodied vino rosso to enjoy with your Braciole – maybe a lovely Chianti Classico or a fabulous Brunello di Montalcino.

**Don’t forget to check next week’s post – third in this series – the crescendo!

PARLA COME MANGI!

Comments are welcome in the “Speak Your Mind Area” beneath this post online.

Food Photos By Tommy Hanks Photography

Filed Under: Meat · Tagged With: braciole, braciole in sauce, braciole with hard boiled eggs, braciole with swiss chard, Italian

March: If It’s Sunday, It’s Braciole!

February 27, 2012 by Linda 16 Comments

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The Braciole, Braciole, and More Braciole Series – Part 1

Buon giorno!

When I was growing up in our little house in Binghamton, NY, Braciole was a big deal. It wasn’t part of those random Tuesday night dinners with sauce. It was reserved for special family gatherings, usually on Sundays. If you’re Italian, you know what I mean – the kind that lasted for 3 hours. Even as a child, I knew If It’s Sunday, It’s Braciole! My mother, Loretta, would make it a day ahead. She used lard in it, as so many really good cooks did in those days. Ah, everything tasted better then.

Because Braciole is so memorable to Italians and in Italian cooking, I decided that it warranted a series of posts- specifically three - and not just one. Thus, The Braciole, Braciole, and More Braciole Series seemed inevitable! Is it THAT good? Yes, it is—and it’s also about that memory thing again. It is a part of the fond memories of most Italians who can recite who in their upbringing made the very best. In my case, it would definitely be my mother.

Ok – so you’re not Italian, and don’t have the inside skinny on what we’re talking about here. Braciole is a classic Italian meat dish – pronounced “bra-shol-e” – accent on the second syllable. It is probably found in every region in Italy in some form and using all different types of meat. In some regions, it is called “involtini”. The traditional Neapolitan preparation uses rolled beef – usually top round or flank steak. It is pounded thin, stuffed, rolled, tied with string, browned in olive oil, and then left to simmer in a beautiful sea of tomato sauce until done. That is the style we will use to begin our series. When the Braciole is ready to be served, each roll is removed from the sauce. The strings are clipped and discarded, and the rolls are cut into beautiful slices revealing the stuffing within.

The Braciole is often served with pasta. The pasta is served first, with the sliced meat usually following. One of my favorite ways to eat the Braciole in sauce is with polenta. The sauce is always quite flavorful and makes the polenta a beautiful receptacle for its red goodness – not to mention a lovely choice to have with the meat. That is the way you will see it in the series, but you can just as easily serve it with your favorite pasta.

Later in the series, we will take a turn with the Braciole and prepare it in a completely different way using pork tenderloin. This will be a complete departure from the slowly cooked Braciole in sauce. Stay tuned!

Loretta most often made one or two large rolls. In this series, we’ll make some smaller ones – so each person has his own “personal Braciole”. If you’d like to make the larger ones, you can, using the same instructions. Just use larger pieces of meat. The first recipe for Braciole is one my mother made often: Braciole Napoletana . A recipe for a simple tomato sauce for the “grand simmer” is included.

This is how it’s done:

BRACIOLE NAPOLETANA

(first recipe in the Braciole Series)

Makes: about 6 smaller individual ones or 1 or 2 large ones

Serves: 4 – 6

Prep: 30-35 min.

Cook: 2 1/2 hours

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb beef top round or flank steak – if meat is thick butterfly it or ask your butcher to do this. You’ll want thin slices of meat for rolling.

Olive Oil

1/2 c. Chopped Fresh Flat Leaf Parsley

1/2 c. Dry Breadcrumbs

1/2 c. Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese or Grated Aged Provolone Cheese

2 tbsp. Garlic chopped finely

1/2 c. Pignolis – toast them a little

Salt and Pepper to taste

Toothpicks or string (butcher’s twine) to secure the rolls

3-4 Tbsp. Olive oil for browning

Tomato Sauce ( see recipe for this to follow)

Instructions

You’ll need a mallet or something heavy to pound the meat. This type of mallet comes with a side with sharp points for tenderizing.

Lay the meat out on a board. Pound with a mallet to thin and beat with tenderizer side to further tenderize the meat.

If making smaller ones cut the meat into 5-6” slices.

Rub each slice with olive oil. Follow with a sprinkle of chopped parsley, breadcrumbs, cheese, garlic, pignolis and salt and pepper to taste.

Roll each slice vertically and secure with toothpicks or string.

You can use 2 or 3 strings to secure the smaller ones. If making large ones, use more string or toothpicks.

Brown the rolls in olive oil. When finished – remove them and make the sauce in the same pan.

TOMATO SAUCE

Prep: 5 min.

Cook: 2 1/2 hours for Braciole

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. Olive oil

2 Cloves Garlic chopped

1 c. Red Wine

1 28 oz. Can San Marzano Tomatoes – give them a quick turn or 2 in the blender first

1 Tbsp. Tomato Paste (dilute the paste in 1/2 c. water – stir well until dissolved into the water)

2 Tbsp. Fresh Flat Leaf Parsley – chopped

1 Tbsp. Fresh Oregano leaves – chopped

2 Tbsp. Fresh Basil – chopped

1 Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese Rind

Instructions:

Add Olive oil to the pan. Add garlic and cook a minute or two. Do not burn the garlic.

If using the sauce for Braciole, add the browned rolls back to the pan now.

With your heat turned up to medium high, add the red wine and scraped up the bits from the bottom of the pan.

Turn the rolls to coat in the wine as it cooks down for a couple of minutes.

Add the tomatoes to the pan, followed by the paste in water, herbs, and rind.

Cover the pan or pot and simmer for 1 1/2 hours . Stir gently occasionally to turn the rolls.

Uncover the pot for the last hour of cooking to thicken.

Remove rolls before serving and remove and discard toothpicks and strings. Slice the rolls thickly.

Serve with plenty of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. The Braciole Napoletana is lovely served with pasta or polenta and your favorite vino rosso. For polenta see the post: Polenta – It’s So Corny

Be sure to look for the next post in this series!

PARLA COME MANGI!

Comments are welcome in the “Speak Your Mind Area” beneath this post online.

Food Photos By Tommy Hanks Photography

Filed Under: Meat, Recipes of the Mo, Sauce · Tagged With: braciole, braciole in sauce, braciole napoletana, braciole with beef, braciole with polenta, braciole with pork, how to make braciole, involtini, Italian, Recipe of the Month, rolled stuffed meat, sauce for braciole, tomato sauce

Carbonade di Valle D’Aosta

November 7, 2011 by Linda Leave a Comment

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A Beefy Dish of a Different Kind

Buon giorno!

High in the northwest portion of Italy, nestled in the Alps, lies a tiny region called Valle D’Aosta – so tiny that it has no provincial divisions. This is the prime skiing area of Italy boasting of the slopes of Monte Bianco, Monte Rosa, and even the Matterhorn. Because of its shared borders with France and Switzerland, the cuisine of the region has been greatly influenced by both of these countries. One of the most lauded dishes of this region is the Carbonade di Valle D’Aosta.

What is it? If forced to state the essence of this dish in few words, it would be an impossibility. It’s flavors are just that complex. However, to give you a frame of reference hopefully without inciting an international incident, I would liken it to a pot roast. Originally, it was made with salt cured beef. However, today, it is more commonly prepared with a less expensive cut of beef – not salt cured – and then cooked for hours, bathed in wine and spices that arouse your senses to the fullest. It is SOOOOO much more than pot roast.

Carbonade or Carbonnade: The French claim a dish called Carbonnade with two “n’s”. It is usually made with beer or ale. The Italian version “Carbonade” is made with – but of course – vino rosso – red wine! Naturally I am partial to the Italian version – but really it is two different dishes in the end. The name “Carbonade” comes from Carbone which means coal – which relates to the dark color of the gravy.

Simplicity! It sounds all complicated – aromas, wine, spices, 3 hours of cooking. Actually, it is a one pot wonder and can be put together quite easily and left to simmer in its own time. You can definitely even make this in a slow cooker. It is a wonderful dish for the colder weather. It is hearty, rustic, robust,and satisfying as you might imagine a dish born high in the Alps. Imagine dining upon it beside a roaring fire with an accompanying bottle of red.

Versatility: This dish can be served a couple of different ways. First – you can use your chuck roast – which is the cut of beef I recommend – whole or cut in pieces as you would for stew. I have shown the meat used both ways in photos. This recipe is really delicious served over polenta or over pappardelle pasta. (Pappardelle is the wide pasta noodle). You could even serve it over garlic mashed potatoes.

As you might guess – I have added my own suggestion of spices for this dish which, I think, make it interesting and even more flavorful.

Andiamo!

CARBONADE DI VALLE D’AOSTA

Serves: 6

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 3 1/2 hours

Ingredients:

2 1/2 lb chuck roast in one piece or cut in pieces as in stew

Flour for dredging

4 Tbsp. Butter

1 Tbsp. Olive Oil

3 Onions – very coarsely chopped or sliced

3 cloves garlic –chopped

2 Bay Leaves

1 large piece of fresh Orange Peel

4 Sprigs of Fresh Thyme

1 Cinnamon Stick

2 Whole Cloves

2 Tsp. Brown Sugar

1/4 Tsp freshly grated nutmeg

2 c. Red Wine – dry

1/2 c. Beef stock

8 oz. assorted wild mushrooms

Salt and Pepper to taste

3 Tbsp. Butter

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Instructions:

Whether you use the chuck roast in one whole piece or cut up into smaller pieces, pat the beef dry and dredge it in the flour.

Brown the beef in the oil and butter – add a little more if the pan gets dry.

Remove beef from the pan after browning and set aside.

In the same pan, cook the onion and garlic about 3 minutes on medium high.

Place the beef back in the pan with the onion.

Add the the bay leaves, cinnamon stick, cloves, sugar, thyme, nutmeg, and orange peel.

Pour the wine and stock into the pan and add salt and pepper to taste. (At this point, if you prefer to use a slow cooker, you can do so – cooking on low setting for about 8 hours)

Simmer covered for about 3 hours until the meat is tender. Add the wild mushrooms after about 2 hours into the cooking.

When finished, remove the bay leaves and the thyme sprigs and discard them. It is important to remove the bay leaves as they can cause choking. As always, test for seasoning and adjust as necessary. Make sure to add enough salt to bring out the flavors.

If you want a thicker sauce, you can always use the immersion blender – but in my opinion, it is nicer and more interesting with the onions and mushrooms left as they are.

Stir in the butter, and let it melt into the sauce.

To serve the Carbonade di Valle d’Aosta: If you opted to cook the roast as a whole, remove it before serving and slice. As stated in the text portion above the recipe, you can serve this in different ways. It is lovely over polenta, garlic mashed potatoes, or pappardelle noodles.

For the wine, I would opt for an amazing full bodied red – perhaps that Barbaresco or Brunello di Montalcino you have been saving—or even that – can I say it? Barolo! Now is the time…

PARLA COME MANGI!

Comments are welcome in the “Speak Your Mind Area” beneath this post online.

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Food Photos By Tommy Hanks Photography