Grilled vegetables are fantastic, but almost equally popular for a light Italian summer meal are mixed boiled vegetables (or even better, steamed) allowed to cool and simply dressed with olive oil and seasoned with salt, or—for a richer taste—homemade mayonnaise. If boiled vegetables sound boring to you, then you need to think … Read More
Grigliata di verdure (Grilled Vegetables)
Summer is the season for grilling, as we all know, but don’t limit yourself to meat. Seasonal grilled vegetables are gorgeous, too. The intense heat of the grill concentrates their flavors and adds a smoky undertone that is very appealing. The main tip for grilled vegetables of whatever kind is … Read More
Papas arrugadas con mojo rojo (Salt-boiled potatoes with red chile sauce)
I love potato salad in summer but, variety being the spice of life, I like to shake things up a bit now and again. One delicious option are papas arrugadas, or ‘wrinkled’ potatoes. I had them for the first time at a local tapas place run by celebrity chef José … Read More
Frullato di frutta (Italian Fruit Smoothie)
This one is so simple you might wonder why I am even posting about it. It’s what some of my fellow bloggers might call a ‘non-recipe’. And yet, the frullato is so essential to the Italian summertime food culture that it would be malpractice not to mention it. And besides, it’s … Read More
Pasta al pesce spada (Pasta with Swordfish)
Pasta with swordfish is the kind of carefree pasta dish that, for me, typifies summer eating. The recipe is quick –you can make the condimento (sauce) in the time it takes for you to bring the water to a boil and cook the pasta–and precise measurements hardly matter at all. (The … Read More
Chimichurri (Argentinian Steak Sauce)
Chimichurri, a delicious if curiously named garlic and parsley based sauce from Argentina, is a wonderful way to dress up steaks. It reminds me a lot of the salsa verde used in Italian cooking for boiled meats, and given the large Italian diaspora in Argentina (upwards of 60% of Argentinians … Read More
Spaghettini al caviale di salmone (Thin Spaghetti with Salmon Roe)
Elegant cooking doesn’t need to mean complicated. Thin spaghetti with salmon roe is a pasta dish that you can whip up in the time it takes for the water to come to a boil and the pasta to cook—yet it is fancy enough for the most important or better yet, intimate … Read More
Zucchine ripiene al forno (Stuffed Zucchini Boats)
It’s zucchini season again! Zucchini are sometimes dismissed as ‘bland’ but in fact their mild flavor can be put to good use. They make an ideal foil for all sorts of flavors, whether simmered in tomato sauce and marinated with herbs and vinegar or baked alla parmigiana. They also make … Read More
