On The Patio | Linda's Italian Table

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Filed Under: Desserts, On the Patio · Tagged With: cream filled strawberries, dessert, Mascarpone Cheese, Sambuca, Strawberries, strawberry boats, stuffed strawberries

Recipe of the Month May: Branzino–Fire Roasted on the Grill!

April 28, 2013 by Linda 5 Comments

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Buon giorno!

This is one of those “looks complicated – but easy slide” dishes that makes you look like the hero/heroine of the patio scene. BRANZINO – FIRE ROASTED ON THE GRILL is a dish you’ll want to eat and serve over and over during the grilling season. What? A whole fish – I can’t do that! O yeah – O yeah – you CAN!

Growing up, I ate a lot of fish from both fresh water and sea. My father, Attilio, was not only an avid and committed fisherman – but he also knew how to cook each and every type of fish he brought home to us. He cleaned and filleted his fish in seconds with surgical finesse and artistry. He taught me, but I never could master his speed and precision. He often served his fish whole and grilled. Not having access to Branzino, we frequently enjoyed Striped Bass and Bluefish – fresh caught off the beach at Cape Cod during the summers.

So what is Branzino anyway? Branzino (plural – Branzini) is actually referred to as the “sea bass” of the Mediterranean. It was touted as the “fish of the year” in the New York Times for 2012. It is slim and silvery – a beautiful fish really. It used to be that you would see it on the menu as a special entry at only the finest Italian restaurants. Thankfully, it is now available to all of us through our local fish markets in generous supply. It is often served whole. It is meaty and takes the high temperatures of the grill well.

Whole? Really? Uh-huh! The whole Branzino of about a pound to a pound and a quarter is the perfect size for 2. Most fishmongers now carry it. It definitely can be found at Whole Foods.

How to prep this thing? So you have found your Branzino at the market. What now? Ask your fishmonger to scale it, remove fins, gut it, and clean it for you, leaving the head and the tail on. The rest is easy. When you get it home – give it a rinse in and out and pat it dry. That’s it! Now you’re ready to cook it.

The Cookin! Although you could easily bake this fish in the oven, it is sooooo perfect for the grill. It responds quickly to a smokin’ hot fire, cooking through very rapidly, delivering a tasty, tender, white meat. The fun is in the flavoring.

This recipe: I used just a few fresh ingredients for this FIRE ROASTED BRANZINO - combining fresh garlic, orange, tarragon, fennel, and scallions. To add perfection to perfection, I recommend using your best and favorite Extra Virgin Olive Oil. I used a beautiful Greek Koroneiki Extra Virgin from Virgin California Olive Oil Company.

The result: Your beautiful Branzino cooks in a flash and makes a show stopping presentation served whole at the table. Just reach inside and carefully lift the backbone which pulls out easily. That’s it! This is so easy and quick to prepare, you won’t believe it. You’ll make this easy BRANZINO – part of your grilling repertoire for the coming season.

Fire up the grill!

BRANZINO – FIRE ROASTED ON THE GRILL

Serves: 2

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: approx. 10 minutes

Ingredients

1 Whole Branzino (about 1 lb.) (plural – Branzini)

Your favorite Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Make it a good one!

Kosher Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper

2 Garlic Cloves – chopped

1 Fennel Bulb, cleaned and sliced

Fresh Tarragon Sprigs

Several Fresh Orange Slices

Juice of 1/2 Fresh Orange

Chopped Fresh Scallions for garnish

Instructions

Ask your fishmonger to take the scales off your Branzino, remove the fins, and clean out the inside (gut).

Prepare your grill fire. I recommend soaking and using some wood chips to create good smoke.

Rinse off your fish and pat it dry.

Drizzle the fish inside and out with Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Salt and pepper the inside.

Holding the fish open, sprinkle in the garlic and lay some fennel, orange slices, and tarragon sprigs inside as well.

Squeeze the orange inside the fish. Close the fish and drizzle some of the orange on the outside.

Place your stuffed Branzino on a grilling pan with holes or in a grilling basket. Lay the extra fennel and orange slices on the pan also as they will be delicious grilled and charred. Drizzle them also with some of the oil, orange juice, salt and pepper.

When the fire is hot and your wood is smoking – place your grilling pan on the grill and close it.

Roast it for about 6 minutes – turn over and grill for another 6 minutes on the other side.

Garnish with fresh chopped scallions and orange slices.

Serve your beautiful BRANZINO – FIRE ROASTED ON THE GRILL with a crisp Pinot Grigio!

PARLA COME MANGI!

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Filed Under: Fish/Seafood, On the Patio, Recipes of the Mo · Tagged With: Branzino, Fish/Seafood, grilled branzino, grilled fish, grilled seafood, grilled whole branzino, grilled whole fish, Recipe of the Month, seafood

Shrimp and Polenta -

April 14, 2013 by Linda Leave a Comment

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Shrimp and Grits – a Southern cousin?

Buon giorno!

There is something about spring that makes me think brunch! Folks are starting to entertain again after the winter doldrums. They are looking for lighter dishes. They even begin to think of – dare I say it? – eating outside!

Shrimp and Grits is one of the traditional dishes of the American South. It is always on brunch menus and there are a gazillion ways to make it. It is the “southern cousin” to Italian SHRIMP AND POLENTA. And yes – if your weather permits, by all means, get thee to the patio with this one!

Living in the South, we have come to know grits as a staple. They eat grits with everything. Likewise, Italians regard their polenta just as highly and serve it so many different ways. To learn more about polenta visit my posts: Serving Polenta and Polenta – It’s So Corny. You can find Italian polenta at many grocers and markets now. It is easy to make and “instant “, unlike the old days when you had to stir it for hours. You can just follow your package directions, and your resulting polenta should be very good. In the posts I recommended, you’ll see that I like to add a special ingredient, near the end of preparation, to my polenta – mascarpone cheese (Italian cream cheese). No matter which brand or package of polenta you choose, you can add the mascarpone right before serving. It definitely makes a difference. Your polenta will be richer and creamier, if you add this lovely creamy cheese. (And YOU will be happy you did!)

This is one dish that cooks up very quickly. You can make it ahead if you like, but it is so easy and quick to make that I never mind preparing it just before I need it. It is better, I think, freshly prepared.

Get those Bellinis and Proseccos poured – here it comes!

SHRIMP AND POLENTA

Serves: 4

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 15 minutes approx.

Ingredients

Polenta – any type or package you prefer – prepared according to package instructions or as described here.

1/4 C. Mascarpone Cheese stirred into the polenta – recommended

1/3 C. Pancetta – chopped

1 Tbsp. Olive Oil

1 Bulb Fennel – cleaned and sliced

1 – 1 1/4 lb. Large Fresh Shrimp – cleaned and shells removed

1 Tbsp. Tomato Paste

1/2 C. Dry Vermouth

2 Cloves Fresh Garlic – chopped finely

3 Tbsp. Fresh Chopped Tarragon

Juice of 1/2 Fresh Orange

Salt and pepper to taste

2 Tbsp. Butter

Garnish with Fresh Tarragon and some grated Orange Zest

Instructions

Prepare your shrimp before your polenta. Instant polenta cooks quickly – I like mine made just before serving.

Cook your chopped pancetta in the olive oil in a large fry pan for 3-4 minutes.

Add the fennel and cook a couple of minutes more.

Add your tomato paste to the vermouth and dissolve.

Then add the shrimp, garlic, tarragon, orange juice. Toss a little while your heat is medium high.

Add the wine with the paste dissolved in it. Stir and let the shrimp cook through and the liquid cook down by about 1/2. This should take just a few minutes.

Add salt and pepper to taste. Be sure to taste for seasoning.

At the end, add the butter and let it melt in, stirring into the sauce.

Prepare your polenta according to package directions with the addition of the Mascarpone at the end.

Spoon the polenta on each plate and top with shrimp and sauce.

Garnish with fresh tarragon and grated orange zest.

I recommend serving your SHRIMP AND POLENTA with a crisp dry white wine like Falanghina! (Terradora di Paolo is a good one!) Prosecco is always nice as well.

PARLA COME MANGI!

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Food Photos By Tommy Hanks Photography

Filed Under: Brunch, Fish/Seafood, On the Patio · Tagged With: brunch dish, Falanghina, Mascarpone Cheese, polenta dish, Prosecco, seafood, shrimp and grits, shrimp and polenta, shrimp dish

Spicy Hot Shrimp Pizza

September 9, 2012 by Linda Leave a Comment

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Pizza di Gamberi Arrabiata-

Buon giorno!

Pizza has endless possibilities. For me, when I go to the trouble to make a pizza, it needs to be memorable. Just plain pizza will never do. Often when I am in the mood for something hot or spicy, my preference is SPICY HOT SHRIMP PIZZA or Pizza di Gamberi Arrabiata. This is a fun pizza and one that you will remember eating!

Arrabiata generally means angry. However, it can run the gamut from mad to enraged or infuriated depending on how passionate you want to be. In the case of pizza, that would include how hot and spicy you want to be. Arrabiata Sauce is a hot pasta sauce that is most often attributed to Rome or Central Italy. When you want heat, this is the sauce, baby, and the amount of heat is up to the chef. Of course, the more gentile among us might prefer a little less intensity and can enjoy the sauce with less hot pepper. It’s your call.

The good news is that this is an easy pizza to make. It is one of the more interesting ones and satisfies both the need for pizza as well as seafood.

The best and easiest pizza dough or crust I can recommend – one that you can make ahead and freeze – is the recipe from my post Pizza-That’s Amore.

I always keep a couple of loaves in the freezer. They thaw quickly. That way I can have perfect pizza anytime I crave it.

You’ll see me break one of the rules with this pizza – you know – the one about no cheese with seafood. In this case the mild mozzarella provides a creamy base for the shrimp and does not overwhelm it. I think it has something to do with the presence of the hot pepper also. It all seems to make sense.

OK! So let’s put on our red hot shoes and reach for the large container of red pepper flakes for this occasion—and prepare to be infuriated, or enraged, or — WHATEVER!

SPICY HOT SHRIMP PIZZA

(Pizza di Gamberi Arrabiata)

Makes: 1 pizza

Ingredients

1 loaf pizza dough – See recipe: Pizza—That’s Amore

1 C. Marinara Sauce or Sauce Pommodoro (Olive Oil, fresh garlic, San Marzano Tomatoes, salt, pepper, Fresh Basil)

1/2-3/4 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes

1/4 C. Heavy Cream

1/2 lb 16-20 Count Raw Shrimp, cleaned and peeled

1 1/2 C. Fresh Mozzarella Cheese (grated or sliced thinly)

1/2 C. Chopped Fresh Basil

A few capers – optional

Instructions

Make a simple Marinara Sauce (this is a basic recipe – make as much or as little as you like): Add some garlic to a little Olive Oil in a pan. Cook a couple of minutes. Add some San Marzano Tomatoes, crushed with your fingers. Add Salt, Pepper and Fresh Basil. Add the Red Pepper Flakes to the pan, and simmer about 10-15 minutes until the water is cooked out of it leaving a concentrated sauce.

Take 1 cup of sauce and add the heavy cream – Stir.

Take a little of the sauce and add it to the raw shrimp-just enough to coat, mix, and set aside.

Prepare your pizza dough for your pizza and roll or stretch to desired size.

Put a few drops of olive oil on the pizza dough and spread with your fingers coating the dough.

Put some of the remaining sauce on the pizza shell.

Top with Fresh Mozzarella.

Arrange shrimp around the top of the cheese.

Sprinkle fresh basil over the top.

Add a few Capers for brightness if you like.

Cook your pizza as you normally would indoors or out on the grill. For a step by step method to grilling great pizza, check my post: Pizza On the Grill.

Enjoy your Spicy Hot Shrimp Pizza with your favorite Italian red wine or some ice cold Peroni. As for me, I’d go for a nice Valpolicella with this one.

PARLA COME MANGI!

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Filed Under: Fish/Seafood, On the Patio, Pizza · Tagged With: arrabiata, arrabiata sauce, Pizza, pizza with shrimp, seafood, shrimp, shrimp sauce

Blueberry Sorbetto with Limoncello

August 30, 2012 by Linda Leave a Comment

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Buon giorno!

Just when you were wondering what to do with those sweet blueberries that are about to leave the market scene – Here’s one last chilly blast before we say goodbye to summer: BLUEBERRY SORBETTO WITH LIMONCELLO!

Sorbetto or sorbet is a great way to satisfy your need for a frozen dessert without the fat. It is easy to make and much healthier – except for the sugar content. It is so refreshing and, when homemade, it is so much better tasting than the stuff in the stores. In the case of BLUEBERRY SORBETTO WITH LIMONCELLO, it is full of those great antioxidants from the blueberries. It can be a light dessert, a quick “pick-me-up”,or even a little palate cleanser between heavier meal courses.

The Limoncello is optional, BUT it helps with the consistency of your sorbetto, as the alcohol prevents it from become too icy and rock hard. It provides just a hint of extra flavor. Have fun and make your own Limoncello using my recipe: Limoncello – Make Your Own!

Let’s make a quick batch for the weekend!

BLUEBERRY SORBETTO WITH LIMONCELLO

Ingredients

1 C. Simple Syrup

1 Cinnamon Stick

4 C. Fresh Blueberries

1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice

2 Tbsp. Limoncello (optional)

Instructions

Make a Simple Syrup: place 1 c. sugar and 1 c. water in a saucepan along with the cinnamon stick and bring to boil, simmer about 5 minutes, dissolving the sugar. Cool completely. When cool, discard the cinnamon stick.

Wash berries and drain.

Run the berries through a food processor or blender.

Strain out the seeds, skins – discard.

Add the lemon juice, Simple Syrup, and Limoncello, if using it, to the blueberry puree. The Limoncello does help keep the sorbetto at a nice consistency and is not overly detectible.

Chill overnight.

Make the sorbetto in your ice cream maker according to manufacturer directions. Keep the sorbetto in the freezer.

This BLUEBERRY SORBETTO WITH LIMONCELLO is so delicious that sometimes nothing else will do!

PARLA COME MANGI!

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Filed Under: Desserts, On the Patio · Tagged With: blueberry desserts, cold dessert, Gelato, how to make sorbet, light dessert, making limoncello, making sorbetto, simple syrup, sorbet, sorbetto

Cannoli Gelato With Mascarpone

August 27, 2012 by Linda Leave a Comment

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Take the Cannoli!!

Buon giorno!

As an Italian, I can testify that every once in a while you just need a “cannoli fix”. Actually, there can be some creative ways to get it. Well, come and get your cannoli – uh… gelato – uh… what? Here’s a thought. How about combining one of the favorite and best known Italian desserts – Cannoli – with another favorite – gelato? CANNOLI GELATO WITH MASCARPONE does just that. It’s everything you love – all wrapped up in… everything you love!! I really like this gelato, as I am a huge cannoli fan and can’t get enough of the great ingredients for them.

This gelato is pretty easy. First you make the custard. Then you chill it overnight. I like to chill my ingredients also so that everything is VERY cold when I make the gelato. You add the chips, cherries, and nuts when your gelato is almost finished. Then pop it in the freezer to finish.

One thing to remember is that gelato is best when it does not freeze hard. You eat it a little more “soft serve” than ice cream.

Don’t know about you, but this stuff is my Achilles Heel. I love anything frozen and would rather have gelato than probably any other dessert – no matter what time of year it is. Just can’t get enough!

You’ll like this one! One taste and you’ll understand why Clemenza advised in The Godfather, “Leave the gun, take the cannoli.”

CANNOLI GELATO WITH MASCARPONE

(Gelato di Cannoli con Mascarpone)

Makes: About a quart

Ingredients

1 1/2 C. Whole Milk

1 C. Heavy Cream

1 Tbsp. Almond Extract

5 Egg Yolks – beaten

1/c C. Sugar

Dash Salt

8 oz. Mascarpone Cheese

1/3 C. Semi-Sweet Mini Chips

1 10 oz. Jar Maraschino Cherries, rinsed, drained and cut in half

1/3 C. Pistachios, coarsely chopped

Instructions

Put the milk, cream, and almond extract in a pan and heat until little bubbles appear around the edges. Remove from heat.

Beat the egg yolks, sugar, and salt in a bowl until light.

Add a little of the hot milk/cream to the egg yolks, stirring quickly to bring the temperature of the egg yolks up a little.

Then add all of the egg yolks mixture to the pan with the milk, cream, and extract, stirring in well and quickly.

Heat on the stove at medium to medium high heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture coats the back of the spoon. Do not allow to boil.

Remove from heat and stir or whisk in the mascarpone until incorporated.

While still hot, strain any solids out.

Cool completely.

You can cool it faster by putting your bowl in a larger bowl of ice.

When cool, cover with plastic wrap with the wrap right on top of the custard – so that a skin does not form. Then place in the refrigerator preferably overnight.

Make your gelato in your ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s directions.

When it is soft serve and almost finished – add the chilled, chips, cherries, and nuts.

Freeze until it is the desired consistency. If it freezes hard, take it out of the freezer a few minutes before serving and let it become a little softer.

Treat yourself to CANNOLI GELATO WITH MASCARPONE soon!

PARLA COME MANGI!

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Filed Under: Desserts, On the Patio · Tagged With: Cannoli, cannoli gelato, cold dessert, Gelato, making gelato, Mascarpone, pistachio desserts

Lentil Salad

August 19, 2012 by Linda 3 Comments

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Insalata di Lenticchie-

Buon giorno!

Italians love their legumes – i.e. peas, beans, and the like. They are, in fact, an important part of the healthy Mediterranean Diet. They particularly fond of lentils and use them all sorts of ways, such as in soups, stews, and side dishes. One of my favorite ways to use lentils is in salad – particularly LENTIL SALAD or Insalata di Lenticchie. This is a great side dish for any menu, and also it makes a delicious meal on its own. It can be a great lunch item or just a nutritious and delicious snack.

Unfortunately, lentils are often like Sherlock Holmes’ “the dog that wouldn’t bark” in your pantry. They sit there, obvious, but unnoticed and unused for months on end, right under your nose, when they are the perfect choice in so many ways. Let’s get those lentils out and see what they’ll do for us aside from floating in our soup!

LENTIL SALAD is a healthy way to get some quick protein and also some healthy vegetables all in one shot. It is fresh tasting, and in the case of this recipe, it also packs a serving of fruit. You can make it ahead and enjoy it for days. That is what we usually do around our house. In fact, in any given week, you can almost count on finding a bowl of it in my refrigerator just waiting to offer a quick jump start or fast meal.

There are all kinds of lentils: red, green, brown, yellow, confetti, etc. Try all of them. They’re great and equally good and interchangeable.

Lentils are one of those rare foods that are delicious and easy to eat and also are sooo healthy for you. They help lower cholesterol, help control blood sugar, are low in calories, are low in fat, and rich in protein, B-vitamins and dietary fiber.

This salad is easy to make and really tasty. What’s not to love?

LENTIL SALAD

(Insalata di Lenticchie)

Serves: about 6

Ingredients

1 lb. cooked lentils

Handful of baby carrots – chopped

1 Stalk Celery – chopped

1 Yellow Pepper – chopped

3 Tbsp. Purple Onion – chopped or Fresh Chopped Chives

1 Tbsp. Orange Zest

1 Fresh Orange – cut up OR 1 can drained Mandarin Oranges

Salt and Pepper to taste

Fresh Basil Leaves for garnish

Dressing: 1/4 C. Extra Virgin Olive Oil and 1/8 C. White Balsamic Vinegar – Mix well.

Instructions

Rinse your lentils.

Cook your lentils according to package directions.

Chop your vegetables and add them to the lentils along with the orange zest.

Chop your fresh orange and add it to the mixture or if using Mandarin Oranges, drain and add them.

Add salt and pepper.

Mix your dressing ingredients and add to the salad.

Chill!

LENTIL SALAD will be your new best friend – easy to make – easy to eat – a quick snack – goes with almost any meal – and SOOOO HEALTHY! Make some!

PARLA COME MANGI!

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Filed Under: On the Patio, Salad, Side Dishes, Vegetarian · Tagged With: beans, cold lentils, cooking lentils, healthy salad, how to cook lentils, lentil salad, mediterranean diet, vegetarian

Stuffed Figs with Sausage and Gorgonzola

August 13, 2012 by Linda 2 Comments

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Buon giorno!

My hair is on fire! It must be Fig Week! If it is not, I shall declare it so and rejoice!

About these my favorite fruits — So when is a fig not JUST a fig? You don’t need experts, think tanks, or focus groups for this one. A fig becomes something quite different when you fill it with some of your favorite things which come together, elevating it to a little bundle that packs a flavor burst with a single bite. I am talking about one of my favorite appetizer/small plate dishes: STUFFED FIGS WITH SAUSAGE AND GORGONOLA, and there’s no season like the present to introduce these to your table. Couple that with an easy preparation, and you’ve got a winner.

Figs are out there in several varieties in your markets and they are just waiting for you: Mission, Brown Turkey, Calimyrna and more. Many of you are lucky to have a beautiful fig tree growing in your own yard with its large lush green leaves OR have a generous friend with a fig tree and extra figs to share. Wherever you can get ‘em, grab ‘em - and get cooking with them as their season lasts only into October in most places. This is an opportunity to enjoy something healthy and so delicious – a true gift of nature.

With the recipe, STUFFED FIGS WITH SAUSAGE AND GORGONZOLA, you get the best selection of ingredients with which to pair your figs. Consider these, which seem to identify with figs, and when brought all together with them… well… BOO-YAH: Italian Sausage, Gorgonzola Cheese, purple onions, walnuts and perhaps the most “fig-friendly” – HONEY! Whatever ingredients you bring to your fig recipes, they all seem to cry, “where’s the honey?” Bees and figs – sympatico!

Let’s start stuffing…

STUFFED FIGS WITH SAUSAGE AND GORGONZOLA

Makes: approx. 15 stuffed figs

Ingredients

About 15 Plump Fresh Figs

For stuffing:

½ lb. Italian Sausage out of the casings – a spicier sausage is best ( You can add a little Red Pepper Flakes, if you’d like to jazz it up.)

1 Tbsp. Olive Oil

¼ C. chopped purple onion

½ C. Gorgonzola Cheese or Blue Cheese – crumbled (don’t use pre-crumbled)

½ C. Walnuts – coarsely chopped

1/4 Tsp. Cinnamon

2 Tbsp. Fresh parsley

1 beaten egg (optional)

After stuffing:

Generous drizzle of honey – about 3 tablespoons (If you can get local honey – all the better!)

Instructions

Brown sausage in the oil. Remove to a bowl with slotted spoon.

Cook onion in same pan til tender & add to sausage.

Add Gorgonzola,Walnuts, Cinnamon, & Parsley.

Mix the ingredients together for stuffing.

The egg is optional and only serves to hold the stuffing together better.

Slice figs down the middle from the stem area but not all the way through.

Then turn and do this again – making quarters all still attached & not severing the bottom. Isn’t this gorgeous?

Fill the figs with stuffing.

Put in oiled baking dish.

Drizzle generously with honey. I like Wildflower Honey on my figs. It brings a lovely flowery flavor to them.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 12-15 minutes or until heated through and cheese is slightly melted.

STUFFED FIGS WITH SAUSAGE AND GORGONZOLA present a beautiful and interesting appetizer, side dish, or luncheon entree. I like them best On the Patio or even under the fig tree on a warm afternoon or evening. Ahhhhh!

For me, they pair well with a lighter red wine like a delicious ruby Valpolicella or even a dry Italian Rosé (Rosato).

PARLA COME MANGI!

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Filed Under: Appetizers, On the Patio · Tagged With: fig appetizers, fig recipes, Figs, figs and honey, figs and sausage, figs stuffed with gorgonzola, figs stuffed with sausage, stuffed figs

Grilled Peach and Pistachio Gelato-

August 5, 2012 by Linda Leave a Comment

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A Peachy Kind of Love –

Buon giorno!

All this talk about peach season, peach dishes, Georgia peaches etc. has me a little peach crazy. I’m suddenly feeling compelled to quickly make as many dishes with peaches as I a can before the season ends. Truly, though, peaches are a golden gift of nature. When ripe, there is almost nothing better to sink your teeth into. I remember how, as a youngster growing up in Binghamton, NY, I used to love getting a fresh seasonal peach to eat from my mother in the summertime. That first bite with the oozy sweet nectar dripping down my chin was just – well – heaven!

Slap that peachy memory on the grill to caramelize the sweetness – throw in some pistachios (who could turn those down?) – add them to a creamy custard – and you’ve got yourself the makings of truly great gelato experience. GRILLED PEACH AND PISTACHIO GELATO is a frozen delight you won’t tire of soon. The grilling of the peaches is the secret here. I thought of this one day when I was grilling peach halves for a simple summer dessert treat. It makes a difference. Get a nice char on them – all the better! Also toast your pistachios a little and it contributes to the slightly roasted flavor of the ingredients.

About gelato: Generally, there are considered 3 schools or methods of gelato making in Italy, based in 3 very different regions. In Italy, cooking and food is all about the “regional thing”, as I talk about in my cooking classes. The 3 regions most identified with gelato creation are: Sicily, Veneto, and Tuscany. The Sicilian type centers on fruity and nutty varieties. Think about it – the climate and soil allow for the birth of gorgeous fruits and amazing nuts (pistachios as one). Likewise, the history of the conquering of Sicily by the Moors introduced an emphasis of the use of Middle Eastern fruits and nuts in the cuisine – even in the gelato. The Sicilian version is also not as fatty as some as they do not use egg yolks. All the way up in the north, in Veneto, the geography plays a role in their well known gelato making. The cows of the region, lucky enough to graze on sweet grasses, produce richer sweeter milk (and cheese). Gelato in Veneto is even scooped differently. They like balls – using a scoop! Of course, other areas of Italy are known for using the flat spatula for serving. Tuscan gelato making dates back to the 16th century and Bernardo Buontalenti. The Tuscans started the tradition of using more milk than cream and no custards. You can see that there are no hard and fast rules for making gelato, even in Italy. Much depends on where you are when you eat it. It’s not like the rules are enforced with a sledgehammer, but more like coaxed or nudged with tradition.

About those peaches: They won’t be around forever you know. There us no better time to use those summer peaches than right now!

GRILLED PEACH AND PISTACHIO GELATO

Makes: about a quart

Ingredients

5 Fresh Peaches, skinned, cut in half, and grilled

Oil

1 c. + 2 Tbsp. Brown sugar separated

1 1/2 c. whole milk

1/2 c. Half and Half

1 c. Heavy Cream

1/3 c. Sugar

Pinch of Salt

4 Egg Yolks

1/2 Tsp. Vanilla

1/4 Tsp. Almond

3/4 c. Pistachios coarsely chopped

Instructions

Skin peaches by dropping them in boiling water for about a minute. Take them out and when cool enough to handle, easily peel the skins of and discard them.

Cut the peaches in half. Brush them with a little oil and sprinkle them with the cup of brown sugar.

Char them lightly on a very hot grill.

Mash the grilled peaches, adding the 2 additional tablespoons Brown Sugar.

Cover and chill the mashed peaches overnight.

Make a custard: Place the milk, half and half, heavy cream, sugar, salt, and extracts in a pan on the stove. Beat the egg yolks until light and add them to the pan. Whisk together well.

Heat the mixture and while stirring, cook it until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Cool completely. Chill overnight covered with plastic wrap placed directly on top of the custard so that it will not form a skin.

Chilling overnight is best as it insures that all the ingredients will be very cold when you make the gelato. I even like to chill the pistachios.

When you are ready to make your gelato – process your ingredients according to the directions required for your ice cream maker.

Add your mashed grilled peaches and pistachios toward the end of the process.

Then chill the gelato til ready to eat!

PARLA COME MANGI!

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

Food Photos By Tommy Hanks Photography

Filed Under: Desserts, On the Patio · Tagged With: cold dessert, Gelato, peach desserts, peach gelato, peach ice cream, pistachio dishes

Cold Cauliflower Soup –

July 31, 2012 by Linda Leave a Comment

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A Chilled Summer Soup -

Buon giorno!

Sometimes a simple re-work of a favorite recipe transforms the dish and takes it to a totally new place. COLD CAULIFLOWER SOUP is a perfect example of how a couple of simple tweaks can create a new favorite. It’s kind of like finding that pair of pumps or that old favorite golf shirt you forgot you had hiding in the back of the closet. Hidden treasure!

One of the most popular winter soups on the this site has been Roasted Cauliflower Soup. It was all the rage during the winter months because of its easy recipe, healthy nature, and also because of its oh so delicious flavor. In a flash, this soup also can become an equally satisfying and flavorful chilled soup for the hot summer months. This will be your best friend for On the Patio fests and also for healthy summer lunches.

By roasting the cauliflower for this recipe, along with the onion, garlic, and herbs – you are adding soooo much more flavor to the dish than you would get from steaming or boiling. From there, you take the ingredients to the blender and Troppo Bella – you’ve got a great soup.It is a creamy soup with absolutely NO CREAM! I love this one because it can be made ahead and chilled to last days in the fridge. It just doesn’t get any easier.

Just follow the directions to make the soup by following the link to: Roasted Cauliflower Soup. Next – chill the soup thoroughly.

It’s the garnish that will take this one over the top!

COLD CAULIFLOWER SOUP

Follow the instructions for: Roasted Cauliflower Soup.

Chill the soup in the refrigerator. It can be made a day or two ahead.

When ready to serve – Add the following:

GARNISH

Ingredients

1 cup fresh white bread crumbs

1 Tbsp. Olive Oil

Balsamic Glaze or Reduced Balsamic Vinegar

Instructions for crumb topping

Make 1 cup of fresh breadcrumbs with white bread – preferably Italian bread.

Add a tablespoon of olive oil, mix well, and toast the crumbs under the broiler.

Keep crumbs in a sealed container.

(You can also use toasted almonds – For this recipe you might want to chop the toasted nuts.)

Instructions for serving:

Pour or spoon some of the chilled soup in a bowl or glass. It is much prettier in a special glass – maybe a martini glass or a wine glass – or a glass dessert coupe.

Sprinkle some of the toasted crumbs (or almonds) in the center of the soup.

Drop a little Balsamic Glaze (or reduced Balsamic Vinegar) – dots as in photo – or you can make squiggly lines to be more decorative, if you like.

Balsamic Glaze can now be found at most grocers, Whole Foods, etc in the Vinegar aisle. It is thick and rich-so you only need a little.

This little addition of the Balsamic Glaze adds a sweet brightness to the dish and a tiny bit goes a long way.

To reduce your vinegar – pour some in a small pot – boil and reduce down. The Balsamic becomes thicker, sweeter, and more concentrated.

PARLA COME MANGI!

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

Food Photos By Tommy Hanks Photography

Filed Under: On the Patio, Soup, Vegetarian · Tagged With: cauliflower soup, cold soup, healthy soup, roasted cauliflower, soup, summer soup

August: Spaghetti with Crab and Mascarpone Sauce

July 30, 2012 by Linda Leave a Comment

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Things that crawl make great pasta!

Buon giorno!

I suppose you could make pasta with anything. I find that some of my favorite sauces are made with things that crawl and are usually found in the sea – like shrimp, clams, lobster, and crabs! SPAGHETTI WITH CRAB AND MASCARPONE SAUCE is definitely a dish that I especially love. It’s good anytime of year. For some reason, it just seems to taste better in the summer when my thoughts turn to things “beachy”, and of course, the patio would be my top choice of serving destinations. For me, this beautiful dish screams: OUTDOORS! Throw in a little “Come Back to Sorrento”, and I’m there!

About Mascarpone: For those unfamiliar, Mascarpone Cheese is the Italian version of cream cheese – a little sweeter – a little softer – a little better in my book. Let’s get off to a good start and try to pronounce this beautiful mellifluous Italian word correctly. It astounds me how many times I hear it mispronounced by accomplished chefs and on the Food Channels where they should know better. It’s like running nails down a chalkboard in “Linda’s Italian Table-Land” every time I hear it mangled. What it is not: MARS –ka – pone. What it is: MOSS-car-po-ne!! There I’ve said it, and I feel better. As if the crab and tomatoes which go together like Martin and Lewis needed any embellishment – the addition of the beautiful velvety Mascarpone Cheese just puts it right over the top!

Ingredients: This is a truly beautiful dish and one that has all the ease of most Italian recipes. As always, the ingredients are key. Your dish will reflect them. Don’t cut corners. Just use the right stuff, and success will be yours! One point of note – your crab is critical. I do not recommend the canned stuff near the canned tuna at your grocer. You won’t taste it. Use fresh if you can get it or packaged fresh in containers from your fishmonger. Not everyone lives in Maryland like my friend, Peggy, who is surrounded by the little creatures and has daily access. Those containers of fresh packed crab in the seafood department work very well. I like Jumbo Lump or Lump Crab, as they both come in larger pieces and stay together nicely when you toss the sauce, usually with fewer shells. Backfin is okay but will be less distinguishable in the sauce, as it is shredded. There is nothing like biting into those large sweet chunks of Lump Crab and really tasting its sweetness. Most grocers carry it – also Whole Foods—and Costco (for a good deal!) etc.

Pasta: This lovely sweet sauce begs for a long graceful strand of pasta: spaghetti, linguine or capellini. Of course, Pasta Fresca is ideal!

Oh! And no grated cheese with this – please!

I absolutely cannot wait another second. I MUST make this subito!

SPAGHETTI WITH CRAB AND MASCARPONE SAUCE

Serves: 4

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 lb. Spaghetti, linguine, or capellini cooked according to package directions

3 Tbsp. Olive Oil

3 Large Cloves Fresh Garlic

1/2 c. Dry White Wine

1 28 oz. Can San Marzano Tomatoes – crushed with your fingers

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes

1 lb. Fresh or Packaged Fresh Jumbo Lump or Lump Crab

2 Tbsp. Chopped Fresh Basil

8 oz. Mascarpone Cheese

1/4 c. Chopped Fresh Basil Leaves for garnish

Instructions

Cook the garlic in the olive oil for a minute or two – do not burn!

Add the wine and cook another minute or two.

Add the tomatoes. I like crushing them with my fingers to get a more controlled consistency. Cutting them makes big chunks and blending makes them too fine.

Add also the salt, pepper, and red pepper.

Simmer at medium high, stirring occasionally, for about 20-25 minutes reducing the sauce and cooking out most of the liquid. You are left with a very condensed flavorful sauce.

Add crab and all juices that accompany it and the 2 Tbsp. Basil. Cook another minute or 2.

Turn off the heat and spoon in the Mascarpone. Stir in well until entirely incorporated. The sauce should turn a beautiful coral color.

Add the sauce to the pasta and garnish with plenty of Fresh Basil.

SPAGHETTI WITH CRAB AND MASCARPONE SAUCE should not, as with most seafood sauces in Italy, be served with grated cheese. Enjoy with a lovely Soave or Chardonnay perhaps? Even a beautiful summer dry Rosé – Fantastico!

PARLA COME MANGI!

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

Food Photos By Tommy Hanks Photography

Filed Under: On the Patio, Pasta, Recipes of the Mo · Tagged With: mascarpone sauce, Pasta, pasta and crabmeat, pasta with fish sauce, pasta with seafood, Recipe of the Month, seafood sauce, spaghetti with crab sauce

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!

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 · Tagged With: grilled meat, hamburgers, Italian, italian burgers, pesto, stuffed burgers, tomato pesto

Malted Hazelnut Gelato

July 7, 2012 by Linda 4 Comments

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The Old Malt Shop Experience – Italian Style!

Buon giorno!

There is something about summertime that makes you crave things icy cold – gelato, granita, iced caffe. All the better if they are also smooth and creamy, tasty beyond belief, and make you daydream for summer days gone by at the Malt Shop, Ice Cream Shop, or Gelateria. MALTED HAZELNUT GELATO is one of those amazing chilly taste treats that is all wrapped up in nostalgia. Malted Milks are almost things of the past – certainly of my past. I daydream about sitting on those revolving stools in the ice cream shop slurping a chocolate malt while listening to Frankie Avalon, Bobby Darin, and Connie Francis on the jukebox. Who??

At the same time, my nostalgia takes me longingly to that tiny gelateria near the Trevi Fountain in Rome – where I loved to drop a coin or three on the most perfect Hazelnut Gelato – one of my faves! Anything hazelnut reminds me of Italy anyway - the Perugina Chocolates with the creamy hazelnut centers, the gianduia (chocolate with hazelnut paste) fillings that permeate so many of the sweet treats, and the devine hazelnuts of Piedmont.

These memories and creamy delights are all wrapped up in my new favorite frozen treat: MALTED HAZELNUT GELATO! Just wait til you taste THIS ONE! You won’t believe the creaminess of this gelato. Throw in some chocolate covered malted milk balls, close your eyes, and you are there, baby! “Memories are made of this!!”

MALTED HAZELNUT GELATO

Makes: about a quart

Ingredients

1 C. Heavy Cream

1 C. Whole Milk

1 C. Half and Half

4 Egg Yolks – beaten

1/2 C. Sugar

1/3 C. Sifted Powdered Malted Milk ( I use Nestle Carnation “original”)

3/4 C. Nutella

1 C. Chocolate Covered Malted Milk Balls (Whoppers) – partially crushed

Instructions

In a pan or double boiler, mix together: cream, milk, Half and Half, beaten egg yolks, sugar, and sifted malted milk powder (sifting gets the clumps out)

While stirring, carefully heat the mixture at just below a simmer until it thickens. It takes about 10 minutes to do this. Do not heat too quickly or forget to stir. You are making a custard. If it overheats, it will curdle.

You know it is ready, when it coats the back of a wooden spoon. Turn off the heat and cool down a little.

In a separate bowl, stir the Nutella to loosen.

Add a small amount of the custard to the Nutella and stir well. Add more and stir.

When it becomes more liquid, add the rest of the custard to it and combine. It will turn a beautiful chocolate color. Make sure the mixtures are completely incorporated.

Sometimes it retains some solids. You can strain it to get a perfectly smooth consistency. This is optional.

Chill your custard, covered, in the refrigerator overnight.

Put your malted milk balls in a plastic bag and seal. Then hit the bag a few times with a mallet or something heavy like a tomato can. Don’t completely crush the balls. You want them chunky. It only take a few “hits”. I like to refrigerate the crushed balls so that when I am ready to add them to the gelato, they are ice cold.

The next day, pour the custard (it will be thicker) into an ice cream maker and follow directions to make your gelato. My ice cream maker takes about 35 minutes to get the gelato to a soft serve state.

When this occurs, add the chilled, crushed malted milk balls.

Freeze to your desired consistency. I do not like my gelato frozen hard. If it becomes too frozen, let it sit a couple of minutes before serving.

Take just one spoon of this Malted Hazelnut Gelato and drift off. Can you hear the jukebox now?? “VOLARE—OH OH, CANTARE O-O-O-O…”

PARLA COME MANGI!

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

Food Photos By Tommy Hanks Photography

Filed Under: Desserts, On the Patio · Tagged With: chocolate dessert, Gelato, hazelnut dessert, hazelnut gelato, ice cream, nutella recipe

Baked Stuffed Zucchini

July 2, 2012 by Linda 2 Comments

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A Gift From the Italian Garden

Buon giorno!

OK! Going out on a limb here – but I don’t usually do this unless I know I am on terra firma.On this one, I can safely state this is the BEST BAKED STUFFED ZUCCHINI you’ll find anywhere. YUP! I said it, and it’s true. This stuff is the bomb! It will be the “side” that goes first at your cook outs and barbeques. So, run out now and get all the zucchini you can find or harvest, and make extra. This is the one!

Zucchini is definitely one of the wonders of the Italian garden. In fact, it can safely be said that you can’t have a truly Italian garden without growing some. If you haven’t considered planting it in your garden, give it a try. It kind of grows on its own – a no-brainer! Also it makes an attractive plant in any setting, even if you don’t have a vegetable garden. Its flowers are legendary, beautiful, and you can cook them as well – stuff for another post.

You know how zucchini really is kind of lifeless and rather tasteless on its own? Well this zucchini dish takes it to a new level where everyone will want more.

It is so darn easy too!

Make room for this one next to the potato or macaroni salad or beans or whatever. Happy to report that it is also comparatively healthy. So what are we waiting for – ?

It’s a done deal! You and this dish will be heralded in the annals of barbeque legend for centuries to come. Wellll.. ok maaaybe not centuries?? I do get carried away when I’m excited about some dishes, and yeah, this is one of them. Suffice it to say, this one is a winner. So go for it!

BAKED STUFFED ZUCCHINI

Serves: 2 - or more if cut into smaller pieces

Prep: 20 minutes

Cook: 40-45 minutes

Ingredients:

1 Medium Zucchini – split in half lengthwise, seeds scooped out with a spoon

1 Beautifully Ripe Fresh Tomato – skinned: drop in boiling water for a couple of minutes & peel skin off easily

Olive Oil

1 Clove Fresh Garlic – chopped

1 Tbsp. Fresh Oregano – chopped

2 Tbsp. Fresh Basil – chopped

1 ½ Tbsp. Grated Pecorino Romano Cheese

2 Tbsp. Fresh Breadcrumbs

Salt & Pepper to taste

Extra Virgin Olive Oil for drizzling

Instructions:

Oil a baking dish and also oil both sides of each zucchini half. Place the halves cut side up in the baking dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Chop the fresh tomato and mix with the chopped garlic and the herbs. (If for some reason, you must use dried herbs, remember that you use less of the dried than fresh.) Add some salt and pepper to this mixture and spoon it all along the top of the zucchini halves.

Top this with the grated cheese.

Spread the fresh breadcrumbs on the top of the cheese & sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Finally, drizzle some good Extra Virgin Olive Oil over each half.

Bake in a 375 degree oven for about 40 minutes or until a fork penetrates the zucchini easily. (Time may depend on the size of your zucchini.) During the baking process, check the baking dish for dryness. Add a little water to the baking dish ,if needed, to prevent browning of the bottom of the dish.

When finished baking and still hot, give the zucchini one last drizzle with Extra Virgin Olive Oil. That finishing touch will give it one last nudge into heavenly!

Try this BAKED STUFFED ZUCCHINI at your next cook out or whatever. You’ll want to take this one to the patio immediately. They’ll love you for 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: On the Patio, Side Dishes, Vegetarian · Tagged With: baked zucchini, stuffed zucchini, zucchini

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