Come With Me To Umbria October 6-13
The trip is almost full! Did not expect it to happen that fast. Taking a wait list for another trip.
What better time to be in Italy than October forging for fresh truffles, visiting the the local markets, buying wonderful produces and cooking with them at the villa. You will also be working with me to look at food through the camera in a new way.
Summer Fun with Kayaks and Gardens
Just Released
Cape Cods culinary landscape is evolving. Yes, there are still the delicious fried clams, fresh broiled or grilled fish, and Lobster rolls that have always been favorites. but many of today’s chefs are reinventing these traditional foods with a twist. Today’s Cape presents a thriving and unique culinary landscape and Cape Cod Chef’s Table gives readers, locals, and visitors a new perspective on this culinary scene. With recipes for the home cook from the Cape’s celebrated eateries and purveyors alongside beautiful full-color photos. Cape Cod Chefs Table is the ultimate gift and keepsake cookbook.
COOKING POLANTA 2 WAYS
The Blooming on Maple Street
The Zampone Project
I left for Italy for a month, October/November to study Italian and do research on the Zampone dating back to the 15 century in Modena. Before I left I pitched the article to Darra Goldstein editor Gastronomica. She said, “Do it!” I did but it took me five months! I even stuffed the pigs trotter and made cotechino (made with the same meat stuffing). This completed my story. It is being published in the November issue.
Bagnet (Salsa Verde)
I use this as a appetizer on toast points. It can also be used tossed into fresh pasta.
Bagnet or Salsa Verde
I am not sure how this Salsa Verde (green sauce) got its name Bagnet. It could come from what I wrote about in an earlier issue on Bagna Cauda. This recipe has a few more ingredients. As a child my Aunt Mary use to make this recipe. It was served with a hunk of Italian horn bread typical of the bread from the Emilia-Romagna region in Italy. I like serving it on toast points (crostini) as an appetizer. It is also wonderful served as a condiment with meat and poultry.
Ingredients:
2 to 3 cups fresh Italian parsley
3 cloves garlic
2 green peppers
1 large carrot
2 medium onions
1 cup olive oil
2 cans (2 ounce each) anchovies (with or with out capers)
2 (8 ounce cans) tomato sauce
¼ cup red wine vinegar
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Put the parsley, garlic, peppers, carrot and onions through a meat grinder, alternating small amounts of each ingredient as you proceed. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil and anchovies, dissolving the anchovies completely. Add the vegetable mixture, tomato sauce, vinegar and red pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low and cook uncovered for about 25 minutes, stirring frequently. When cool store in refrigerator or freeze it. (It freezes well!)
Yields about 5 1/2 cups
Linguini & Clam Sauce
FRESH WHITE CLAM (QUAHOG) SAUCE
3 pounds (about 13) quahog
¼ teaspoon fresh thyme
Fresh ground pepper
¾ to 1 cup dry white wine
Fresh pasta like linguini or one pound dried
Parmesan cheese (optional)
Wash and scrub the quahogs and the cherrystone clams. Put the quahogs in a large pot with wine. Place the cherrystone clams in a bowl and set aside. Cover the pot and steam the quahogs until they open, shacking the pot several times, and cook about 10 to 12 minutes. (discard any that do not open.) Remove the meat from the shells, mince it, and set aside; there should be about 1¼ cups.
Sauce
¼ cup olive oil
2 carrots, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Red pepper flakes to taste
2 cups fresh parsley, minced
2 teaspoons lemon juice
¼ cup white wine
Minced parsley for garnish
In a large saucepan combine the olive oil and carrots, cook over medium heat until carrots are tender about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic, pepper flakes and cook until garlic starts to turn light brown. Add the lemon juice and white wine cook for 4 minutes then add the onion parsley puree with the liquid the quahogs were cooked in and the and fresh parsley. Cook over high heat for 12 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the cherrystone clams and cook until the clams have opened. Turn off the heat stir in the minced quahogs and cover the pan. Do not cook the quahogs further, or they will be come rubbery.
Toss into cooked warm pasta and garnishing with the cherrystone clams (three per person) and sprinkled with fresh parsley. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese if desired.