It’s the 4th of July here in the US and the national holiday naturally makes me yearn for… paella! Well, not just any paella, but paella mexicana, a Mexican-style version inspired by my fellow blogger Non Chef Nick’s latest post on In the Kitchen with Nick. I absolutely love paella. … Read More
Fegato alla veneziana (Venetian Liver and Onions)
A good many people have an aversion to organ meats. Perhaps that’s because they are often not very well prepared—overcooking, which tends to accentuate the ‘mineral’ taste of organ meats and toughen their texture, is all too common. Or perhaps it’s just the idea of eating an organ, although why … Read More
Zuppa di pesce alla napoletana (Neapolitan Fish Stew)
Italy, being a rather slender peninsula, is a country where the sea is rarely too far away. And, of course, the products of the sea play a major role in its cuisine. And so it is not surprising that zuppa di pesce, or fish soup, is a dish that you … Read More
Aïoli with Spring Vegetables
While versions of it are made around the rim of the western Mediterranean, from Spain all the way to Sicily, this garlic sauce is best known in its Provençale incarnation known as aïoli. It is a commonplace to refer to aioli in English as garlic mayonnaise, but it is really … Read More
Frittata ai carciofi (Artichoke Frittata)
The frittata is one of those categories of dishes, like risotto, where the main ingredient, in this case egg, can act as a foil to an almost infinite variety of flavors, being it meat, fish or vegetable. So by learning a single technique, you open up a whole new culinary … Read More
Lasagna di Carnevale (Angelina’s Lasagna)
Among Angelina’s generation, each of the female family members had a special dish that she was known for. My great-aunt, Angelina’s sister, who we called zi’-zi’ (loosely translated, ‘auntie’), was the ravioli specialist. Another great-aunt, zi’ Annin’, was known as “the little pie-maker” and yet another specialized in calzone pugliese, … Read More
Frittura di verdure miste (Italian Fried Vegetables)
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
Polenta pasticciata con fagioli e verza (Baked Polenta with Beans and Cabbage)
It’s a shame to throw away leftover polenta. There are so many delicious ways to use it. As mentioned in an earlier post on how to make polenta, it hardens as it cools and can be sliced into squares or other shapes, then grilled or fried. But my favorite way … Read More