(from Patricia Wells' Trattoria, 1993)
Serves 4-6. Total time: 30 mins.
Ingredients:
3 T coarse sea salt
2 lb fresh spinach
4 garlic cloves
2 T EVOO
salt and pepper to taste
2 T fresh-squeezed lemon juice
Directions:
- Bring 6 Q water to a rolling boil over high in a large pot.
- Prep work: wash carefully and stem the spinach; halve the garlic cloves.
- Add the salt, then add spinach to the water, stiring to eveny wilt it. Cook until wilted through, 2-3 mins.
- Drain spinach and rinse w/ cold water to stop cooking (in a huge colander or in the pot).
- Coarsely chop the spinach and place in a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl. Set aside to drain once again. Press the liquid down and out from time to time.
- In a large skillet, combine garlic and oil and cook over med heat until garlic is golden (2-3 mins). Remove and discard garlic.
- Add chopped spinach to the skillet and cook, tossing w/ a fork, until warmed through (2-3 mins). Season w/ salt and pepper and lemon juice. Serve immediately.
Showing posts with label italian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label italian. Show all posts
1.6.08
Recipe: Red Bean and Onion Salad (Insalata di Borlotti)
(from Patricia Wells' Trattoria, 1993)
Serves 4-5 as an antipasto. Time: 2.5 hours, start to finish; 45 mins active.
Ingredients:
1.25 C dried cranberry beans (1/2 pound)
1/2 small onion, halved
1 medium carrot
2 bay leaves
2 garlic cloves
1 small rib celery
sprig of fresh sage
3 T EVOO, or to taste
1 small red onion
2 T good red wine vinegar, or to taste
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions:
- Rinse beans and pick over to remove pebbles. Place in a large bowl. Boil 16-20 oz water and add to cover the beans. Set aside 1 hr. Drain and discard the water.
- Prep work: peel the carrot, crush the garlic cloves, mince the red onion (using a food processor). Mince some flat-leaf parsley leaves if desired (as a condiment).
- Place onion, carrot, bay leaves, garlic, celery, sage, and 1T oil in a large covered saucepan. Add cold water to cover by 1 inch. Bring just to a simmer on med heat; cook 15 mins.
- Add drained beans and return to a simmer. Cover and continue cooking just until beans are tender - 30 mins to 1 hour more (beans will be slightly firm, not mushy).
- Meanwhile, toss minced red onion with 1T oil in a small bowl and set aside.
- Once beans are cooked, drain them and discard the herbs and vegetables (composting them!). Transfer beans to a large bowl. Toss with minced onions and 1T oil, vinegar, and salt and pepper; taste for seasoning. Serve at room temperature or warm.
(Keeps 2-3 days in the fridge)
Serves 4-5 as an antipasto. Time: 2.5 hours, start to finish; 45 mins active.
Ingredients:
1.25 C dried cranberry beans (1/2 pound)
1/2 small onion, halved
1 medium carrot
2 bay leaves
2 garlic cloves
1 small rib celery
sprig of fresh sage
3 T EVOO, or to taste
1 small red onion
2 T good red wine vinegar, or to taste
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions:
- Rinse beans and pick over to remove pebbles. Place in a large bowl. Boil 16-20 oz water and add to cover the beans. Set aside 1 hr. Drain and discard the water.
- Prep work: peel the carrot, crush the garlic cloves, mince the red onion (using a food processor). Mince some flat-leaf parsley leaves if desired (as a condiment).
- Place onion, carrot, bay leaves, garlic, celery, sage, and 1T oil in a large covered saucepan. Add cold water to cover by 1 inch. Bring just to a simmer on med heat; cook 15 mins.
- Add drained beans and return to a simmer. Cover and continue cooking just until beans are tender - 30 mins to 1 hour more (beans will be slightly firm, not mushy).
- Meanwhile, toss minced red onion with 1T oil in a small bowl and set aside.
- Once beans are cooked, drain them and discard the herbs and vegetables (composting them!). Transfer beans to a large bowl. Toss with minced onions and 1T oil, vinegar, and salt and pepper; taste for seasoning. Serve at room temperature or warm.
(Keeps 2-3 days in the fridge)
Recipe: Risotto Verde (Asparagus, Spinach, and Parmesan Shreese)
(from Patricia Wells' Trattoria, 1993. This is a vegan-ified version.)
Serves 4-6. Time: 1-1.5 hours.
Ingredients:
1 T EVOO
1 small onion
sea salt to taste
1 C arborio rice (medium grain w/ high gluten!)
2 C veg broth
4 C loosely packed fresh spinach leaves
10 thin spears fresh asparagus
1/4 t freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 C freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano shreese (or as close as you can get while still fakin' it.)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degF. Get out: a 1.5 Q saucepan and 1 Q souffle dish.
- Prep work: Rinse, dry, and finely chop the spinach; rinse, trim, and cut asparagus into thin diagonal slices; mince the onion (food processor works well).
- In a saucepan, combine oil with onion and salt on med heat. Cook until soft and translucent - 3 to 4 mins. Add the rice and stir to coat.
- Add broth, spinach, asparagus, nutmeg, and salt, and bring to a simmer on medium. Stir in 1/2 shreese.
- Transfer to a 1Q souffle dish and smooth out the top w/ back of a spoon. Sprinkle with remaining shreese. Cover souffle dish w/ foil.
- Bake until rice is cooked through and has absorbed most of the liquid - 35 to 40 mins. Serve immediately.
- Patricia's wine suggestion: a crisp Italian white, eg. Pinot Grigio, Galestro, or Orvieto Secco.
Serves 4-6. Time: 1-1.5 hours.
Ingredients:
1 T EVOO
1 small onion
sea salt to taste
1 C arborio rice (medium grain w/ high gluten!)
2 C veg broth
4 C loosely packed fresh spinach leaves
10 thin spears fresh asparagus
1/4 t freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 C freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano shreese (or as close as you can get while still fakin' it.)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degF. Get out: a 1.5 Q saucepan and 1 Q souffle dish.
- Prep work: Rinse, dry, and finely chop the spinach; rinse, trim, and cut asparagus into thin diagonal slices; mince the onion (food processor works well).
- In a saucepan, combine oil with onion and salt on med heat. Cook until soft and translucent - 3 to 4 mins. Add the rice and stir to coat.
- Add broth, spinach, asparagus, nutmeg, and salt, and bring to a simmer on medium. Stir in 1/2 shreese.
- Transfer to a 1Q souffle dish and smooth out the top w/ back of a spoon. Sprinkle with remaining shreese. Cover souffle dish w/ foil.
- Bake until rice is cooked through and has absorbed most of the liquid - 35 to 40 mins. Serve immediately.
- Patricia's wine suggestion: a crisp Italian white, eg. Pinot Grigio, Galestro, or Orvieto Secco.
Recipe: Caponata
(from Patricia Wells' Trattoria, 1993)
Serves 8-12, as an appetizer. Time: 1.5 hours
Ingredients:
2 med onions
2 red bell peppers
1 C EVOO
fine sea salt (to taste)
One 16-oz can crushed tomatoes in puree
Several herb stems: parsley, celery leaves, thyme sprigs, tied in a bundle w/ cotton twine
4 plump fresh garlic cloves
8 ribs celery hearts w/ leaves
2 t fresh thyme leaves
1 firm med eggplant (~1 pound)
2 T sugar
1/2 C best-quality red wine vinegar
1 C drained pitted green olives
1/4 C drained capers, rinsed
Directions:
- Prep work: Peel onions and cut in half lengthwise. Then cut crosswise into very thin slices. Cut peppers into thin vertical strips and cut in half. Thinly slice the garlic cloves, dice the celery hearts, and cube the eggplant.
(Batch 1)
- In a deep 12-in. skillet, combine in 1/4C oil: onions and a pinch of salt. Stir to coat onions and cook on low until soft and translucent (5 mins).
- Add peppers and a pinch of salt. Cover and cook for ~5 mins more.
- Add crushed tomatoes directly from the can, don't drain. Cook 5 more mins.
- Add herb bundle and garlic - taste for seasoning.
- Cover and simmer gently 20 mins, stirring occasionally: until vegetables are cooked but still firm. No mushiness!
- Remove herb bundle and compost; remove from heat and set aside.
(Batch 2)
- In another skillet at the same time (also 12 in), heat 1/4 C oil over moderate heat. Add celery and cook 7-10 mins until lightly colored and beginning to soften and turn translucent. Transfer to a bowl, season with salt and thyme. Set aside.
- Heat remaining oil (1/2C) in skillet after removing celery. Add the eggplant when hot and cook ~5 mins until lightly colored. Keep the pan moving to avoid scorching. Eggplant should remain firm.
- Add eggplant and celery to the tomato mixture. Taste for seasoning. Cover and simmer gently over low heat until the mixture is soft and jam-like (~20 mins).
- Meanwhile, combine sugar and vinegar in a small bowl, stirring to dissolve.
- Bring 1 quart/1 L water to a boil on hight in a med saucepan. Add olives and blanch 2 mins. Drain and rinse under cold running water. If olives are still salty, repeat.
- Add sugar-vinegar, olives, and capers to the jam-like veggie mixture and simmer on low heat for 1-2 mins to allow flavors to blend. Taste and salt if necessary. Transfer to a large serving bowl to cool. Serve warm or room temperature (not cool) with some crusty pieces of bread.
Serves 8-12, as an appetizer. Time: 1.5 hours
Ingredients:
2 med onions
2 red bell peppers
1 C EVOO
fine sea salt (to taste)
One 16-oz can crushed tomatoes in puree
Several herb stems: parsley, celery leaves, thyme sprigs, tied in a bundle w/ cotton twine
4 plump fresh garlic cloves
8 ribs celery hearts w/ leaves
2 t fresh thyme leaves
1 firm med eggplant (~1 pound)
2 T sugar
1/2 C best-quality red wine vinegar
1 C drained pitted green olives
1/4 C drained capers, rinsed
Directions:
- Prep work: Peel onions and cut in half lengthwise. Then cut crosswise into very thin slices. Cut peppers into thin vertical strips and cut in half. Thinly slice the garlic cloves, dice the celery hearts, and cube the eggplant.
(Batch 1)
- In a deep 12-in. skillet, combine in 1/4C oil: onions and a pinch of salt. Stir to coat onions and cook on low until soft and translucent (5 mins).
- Add peppers and a pinch of salt. Cover and cook for ~5 mins more.
- Add crushed tomatoes directly from the can, don't drain. Cook 5 more mins.
- Add herb bundle and garlic - taste for seasoning.
- Cover and simmer gently 20 mins, stirring occasionally: until vegetables are cooked but still firm. No mushiness!
- Remove herb bundle and compost; remove from heat and set aside.
(Batch 2)
- In another skillet at the same time (also 12 in), heat 1/4 C oil over moderate heat. Add celery and cook 7-10 mins until lightly colored and beginning to soften and turn translucent. Transfer to a bowl, season with salt and thyme. Set aside.
- Heat remaining oil (1/2C) in skillet after removing celery. Add the eggplant when hot and cook ~5 mins until lightly colored. Keep the pan moving to avoid scorching. Eggplant should remain firm.
- Add eggplant and celery to the tomato mixture. Taste for seasoning. Cover and simmer gently over low heat until the mixture is soft and jam-like (~20 mins).
- Meanwhile, combine sugar and vinegar in a small bowl, stirring to dissolve.
- Bring 1 quart/1 L water to a boil on hight in a med saucepan. Add olives and blanch 2 mins. Drain and rinse under cold running water. If olives are still salty, repeat.
- Add sugar-vinegar, olives, and capers to the jam-like veggie mixture and simmer on low heat for 1-2 mins to allow flavors to blend. Taste and salt if necessary. Transfer to a large serving bowl to cool. Serve warm or room temperature (not cool) with some crusty pieces of bread.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)