I was feeling sort of nostalgic today for the Italian fried vegetables my grandmother used to make. They were almost always the start of our family’s six-hour Sunday dinners, laid out (along with a big wedge of provolone) on the table to pick on as we played cards and waited for … Read More
Mock «puntarelle» alla romana
One of the dishes I miss most from my Roman days is the winter salad known as puntarelle, a kind of chicory native to the countryside around Rome. In fact, the vegetable is sometimes called “Roman chicory” in English. The shoots are rather thick but tender, white at the base and green … Read More
Moules au curry (Curried Steamed Mussels)
Here’s a wonderfully rich but yet light supper dish— Curried Steamed Mussels —from Belgium, the world capital of mussel dishes. With a crusty baguette to sop up the delicious sauce, you have a one-way ticket to culinary nirvana. Ingredients Serves 4-6 2 kilos (4 lbs) mussels 4 shallots, peeled and finely minced … Read More
Prosciutto e fichi (Prosciutto Wrapped Figs)
Everyone these days knows about pairing prosciutto with melon but few people seem to know about another, to my mind even more delicious, pairing: Prosciutto Wrapped Figs. Personally, I find that the richer flavor and softer texture of figs marries even better with the saltiness of cured ham. If you … Read More
Quick Note: Salade frisée à l’anchoiade
One of my favorite cold weather salads back in Rome were puntarelle, a kind of chicory typically dressed with a kind of garlic and anchovy vinaigrette. Fond memories…! This salad is a more refined French cousin, fit for elegant dinners but rustic enough for an everyday dinner. It makes a … Read More
How to Roast a Pepper
A quick note today on the method for roasting peppers. And a very common—and very savory—antipasto: peperoni con alici, or Roasted Peppers with Anchovies. How to roast a pepper The lusty, smoky flavor of home-roasted peppers more than justifies the minimal effort required to make them. You begin by charring … Read More
Salade frisée aux lardons (Frisée Salad with Bacon)
This rustic salad was one of my favorite starters when I lived in Paris. It is sheer simplicity to make: just brown some lardons slowly in a bit of oil (I like olive oil) until they have rendered their fat and are lightly crisp. While the lardons are browning, rub … Read More
Whitefish brandade
Salt cod can be hard to find. It takes some considerable time to prepare and, plus, codfish stocks are dangerously depleted. So what is a brandade maven like myself to do? Well, I recently “invented” a new dish by using smoked whitefish–something you can fish in almost any grocery … Read More
