Eatentions

Organic * Local * Sustainable

Michelle Michelotti-Martinez

Spaghetti Squash Boat with Roasted Tomato Sauce

by

IMG_5199

I do have to confess that the idea of eating spaghetti squash vs real pasta didn’t excite my universe too much. My mom tried to pass it off as the same but when you are a kid, pasta is pasta, right? You know, gooey goodness of mac and cheese or lasagna, it’s the best taste in the world, ever. How I am supposed to pretend that a stringy squash is gonna give me similar excitement and pleasure…NOT.

It didn’t stop her tenacity and she was Italian so I pretty much had to hush up and eat it and like it. There wasn’t a separate menu for those of us on the picket line, just a pass to our room on an empty stomach. She didn’t worry too much if our tummy’s growled or we dramatically entered out of our room before bed crying with hunger pains. Back then we either ate what was at dinner or waited until breakfast to see if we still were picketing or back into the land of the living. Anyone relate?

I do have to thank her diligence, no doubt because now I completely adore spaghetti squash. It’s a weekly staple at our house for dinner and my favorite prep is a simple roasted tomato sauce with onions, garlic, and basil. All sourced out of our garden and canned…..savoring goodness all year long.

Thanks mom, tenacity pays…..

Spaghetti Squash Boat with Roasted Tomato Sauce
 
Print
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
This is a simple weeknight delight that is both delicious and healthy. If you don't have fresh tomatoes, canned will work
Author:
Recipe type: Entree
Cuisine: Farm to Table
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • 1 spaghetti squash, cut in half and placed face down on a cookie sheet
  • 6 large tomatoes, placed on a cookie sheet lined with parchment to roast (can substitute 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes, preferably San Marzano or Pomi)
  • 1 medium sweet onion, diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 T olive oil
  • Bunch of basil
  • Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
  • Grated pecorino cheese for serving
Instructions
  1. Heat oven to 350 and put in spaghetti squash and tomatoes, roast until done, about 30 min for tomatoes and 45 min for squash
  2. When tomatoes are finished, place in blender or food processor and pulse until smooth
  3. In a medium saucepan, put in 3 T olive oil and heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent and add garlic, cook for 1 minute.
  4. Add tomatoes and cook for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Add basil and cook for another 5-10 minutes
  6. When squash is done, turn over and scoop out seeds. Add marinara sauce and top with pecorino.
  7. Serve immediately

 

Duck Confit

by

IMG_3334

Duck marinated and cooked in its own fat in a low oven for 14 hours, falling off the bone and dense with flavor, doesn’t this just sound so unappetizing? I mean really and then served over homemade cavatelli or pappardelle pasta accompanied by a scrumptious glass of brunello? Or perhaps mixed with sautéed wild mushrooms over caramelized shallot potato au gratin and a glass of burgundy……ahhh the endless possibilities of torture.

It was in the Normandy area of France where I was introduced to this legendary fowl. Never before was I drawn toward this delicacy, I don’t really know why. Maybe it was because I really never had it growing up or perhaps it has come into fashion more in recent years or maybe I just didn’t want too. I don’t know but what I do know and will never forget is the story of our first encounter.

We had just arrived from the U.S in Paris, 14 hours of flight time and little sleep only to hop into our rented car and head west toward our destination. Thank GOD the adrenaline of the beginning of vacation overrides any sense of exhaustion otherwise we would have collapsed in Charles de Gaulle airport walkway and woke up 3 days later into our blissful getaway…

Getting out of the city and onto the back roads is always our favorite pathway, especially in Europe. It is such an amazing experience and the scenery is mesmerizing.

It was a winding road through a small village and I, the co-pilot, was navigating the way attempting to find a short cut to our magical destination, a 14th century priory converted to a bed and breakfast by a retired Parisian couple. I couldn’t wait arrive!!

As I studied the photo of the property dotted with stone buildings built by artisan masons and the vast area filled with flower gardens and lily ponds, I fantasized about the mornings where we would feast on warm croissants with homemade butter and strawberry jam accompanied with a café au lait when suddenly I was jolted out of my dream-like state by my wonderful other half who had spotted a white rectangle object along side the road and decided as we are passing at 50 MPH to hang a U-turn and investigate.

Before I could ask “what the….?” we had jumped out of the car to discover the front of the rectangle box was actually a mobile butcher shop. We gasped like children in a penny candy store and oohed and awed at the fresh selections. There was rabbit, pheasant, duck, and local cheeses…..As we scanned down the row pointing, giggling, and drooling, you would have thought we were shopping at Hermes on the Champs Elysees, we both suddenly stopped, held our breath, and shouted a victory scream! There is was…..8 choices of FRESH PATE, handmade by the maestro himself! OMG, how do we choose? We decided no one in their right mind should EVER have to choose so, we didn’t and bought all 8! If we can’t eat it all, we could always bathe in it or use it as lotion. I mean, how bad can that be, smelling like fresh duck pate all day? I can think of worse things.

So you can take your imagination from here and fill in the blanks with guessing how many boulangerie’s were woven into the vacation for the purchase of the scrupmtous fresh baguettes as well as the sampling of several bottles of wine in order to discover the perfect combination, After all, we owed it to the legendary 8.

Ever since that roadside wonder, I have been obsessed with duck prepared in a number of ways. This is one of my all time favorites and a go to when I just need to return to that rectangle box.

Duck Confit
 
Print
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
What’s NOT TO LOVE about duck confit? Here is an EASY recipe to make this delicacy at home. Honestly, the hardest thing about this recipe is the time it takes to marinate and then cook. Just plan accordingly and I promise, you won’t be disappointed!
Author:
Recipe type: Entree
Cuisine: French
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • 4 duck leg portions with thighs attached, (about 2 pounds) excess fat trimmed and reserved
  • 1 tablespoon plus ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 10 garlic cloves
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1½ teaspoon black peppercorns
  • ½ teaspoon table salt
  • 4 cups olive oil
  • 1 lb shitake mushrooms, sliced
  • 3 shallots, thinly sliced
  • 6 garlic cloved, diced
  • 5 sliced of pancetta, diced thin
  • 1 bag of spinach
  • Chicken Broth
  • Duck Fat
Instructions
  1. For the Duck Confit (Prep day ahead)
  2. Lay the leg portions on a platter, skin side down. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the kosher salt and the black pepper. Place the garlic cloves, bay leaves, and sprigs of thyme on each of 2 leg portions. Lay the remaining 2 leg portions, flesh to flesh, on top. Put the reserved fat from the ducks in the bottom of a glass or plastic container. Top with the sandwiched leg portions. Sprinkle with the remaining ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt. Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours.
  3. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.
  4. Remove the duck from the refrigerator. Remove the garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and duck fat and reserve. Rinse the duck with cool water, rubbing off some of the salt and pepper. Pat dry with paper towels.
  5. Put the reserved garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and duck fat in the bottom of an enameled cast iron pot. Sprinkle evenly with the peppercorns and table salt. Lay the duck on top, skin side down. Add the olive oil. Cover and bake for 12 to 14 hours, or until the meat pulls away from the bone.
  6. Remove the duck from the fat. Strain the fat and reserve. To store the duck confit, place the duck leg portions in a container, cover with the reserved cooking fat, and store in the refrigerator. Alternately, pick the meat from the bones and place it in a stoneware container. Cover the meat with a thin layer of some of the strained fat. The duck confit can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
  7. The excess oil can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator and used like butter for cooking. The tinge of duck taste in the oil is wonderful.
  8. To Make the Sauce:
  9. Heat 3 T of the duck fat in a skillet on stovetop. Add shallot and cook until caramelized. Add pancetta, cook for 3-4 min and add garlic, cook 1 min. Add 3 T more duck fat and add mushrooms. Cook until softened and add ½ cup chicken broth. Toss in Spinach and wilt. Add ½ cup chicken and 3 T more duck fat. Salt and pepper to taste. Note - Depending on what you are making this for, may want to add more liquid, chicken broth or duck fat, your choice!

 

Grilled Calamari Stuffed with Chorizo-Saffron Risotto

by

IMG_1762

I can still taste the first time we ate these, on the streets of Rome in a small trattoria in Trastevere, you know the ones, down the last alley on the right, dimly lite and a table or two sitting in front of modest facia. These are ALWAYS the best “stumbles”, they NEVER disappoint and we seem to end up back there at least another night, or two, or three. On this trip, I think it was three. We became known enough to have a table reserved for the following evening, same one, in front, with a red tablecloth and a candelabra. I know there are a million of these in Rome but it didn’t matter because this one hit a magical note.

When we sat down to this meal I honestly thought that maybe I didn’t get the memo that I had ordered my last meal of my life….I would have been okay with that, really. It was 4 courses of sheer bliss and this was just one of of the many delicious delectables. We started with freshly forged mushrooms and baby potatoes sautéed in butter and served with crostini and then moved onto homemade pasta with freshly shaved truffles from Alba and then onto the infamous calamari dish and only to finish off with the BEST tiramisu and espresso I have ever had. Oh did I mention the  amazing wine with every course?  Now you get why I would have been fine with this being my last meal.

I don’t know what it is about Italian Cuisine, maybe it’s the way a tall dark handsome man comes to your table and explains the dishes with a gorgeous accent while passionately gesturing every word with his hands as though they are his backup singers for his musical gig or if it is the fact you are in one of the most incredible cities in the world without a care or a concern or perhaps its the fact they use nothing but the local, freshest, and best ingredients. All I know is that I still think about this dish and Italy.

So we took the table and the handsome waiter approaches welcoming us to the trattoria and whisping us away with his explanation of  the featured dishes. He used words like bellissima and succulento (secretly I’m thinking he must be talking about me) and instead I quickly realize he is speaking about a calamari tube. Time to snap back to reality.

You might be wondering why I choose the calamari dish to highlight and honestly, this was the dish I sincerely wondered if it was as good as he explained or was it his explanation and fab accent? I mean we all know that calamari, especially the tubes, can get really rubbery if  not cooked correctly and then the dish has the consistency of a tire.

Whatever it was, him, the words, or Rome (probably all 3), I ordered the calamari. It was everything he said and then some. Stuffed with risotto and then grilled to perfection topped with local, freshly pressed olive oil with enough at the bottom of the dish to mop up with some home made bread from the antique wooden oven next door. Oh yes, and that fabulous glass of house made wine….I forgot to mention how he explained that, I was ready to spend the night in the cellar.

So here’s my version of  one of “the unknown last supper” dishes. I changed up the risotto to include chorizo as I love it with seafood as it adds a incredible dimension to the flavor profile. I hope you enjoy it as much as I and even though I can’t superimpose the Italian waiter or Rome for that matter, I’ll dig up a photo for you to transport yourself…….

I never should have doubted the kings of cuisine…….

The red tablecloth and candelabra…

IMG_0814

Buon Appetito!

Grilled Calamari Stuffed with Chorizo-Saffron Risotto
 
Print
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
The key is to be careful not to overcook the squid as it can easily become to "tough and rubbery". Serve with a simple arugula salad, crusted bread and a glass of pinot grigio or rose and transport yourself…..
Author:
Recipe type: Entree
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 8 calamari tubes
  • 1 cup arborio rice
  • 4 cups chicken stock (more if needed)
  • pinch of saffron (put in stock)
  • ½ cup cured chorizo, diced*(hot or mild or combo)
  • ½ cup sweet onion, diced
  • ¼ cup white wine
  • 2 T unsalted butter
  • ½ cup parmigiano-reggiano
  • sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • olive oil
Instructions
  1. Rinse the calamari "tubes" and pat dry
  2. On stovetop, heat chicken broth until warm and add saffron
  3. In a medium stockpot, heat oil and add chorizo.
  4. Saute until juices release a bit and then add onion, sauté until transparent and add garlic.
  5. Stir and add rice.
  6. Add wine and allow to absorb into rice
  7. Begin to add stock, ½ a cup at a time until it absorbs into rice (don't fully allow the rice to get "dry" before adding more stock. Stir constantly.
  8. Taste rice and it should be "al dente". Consistency will be creamy but not "gooey". This is KEY to a good risotto
  9. Add parmigiano-reggiano and butter.
  10. Open Calamari tubes and fill about ¾ full with risotto mixture. Fold over and seal with a toothpick. Repeat with remaining calamari.
  11. Brush with olive oil and salt and pepper.
  12. Heat grill to medium and place calamari directly onto grill. Cook for a total of about 5 minutes turning over to get even grill marks on each side.
  13. Serve immediately.

 

Oven Roasted Lemon Potatoes

by

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Anytime I have something at a restaurant, someone’s home, a food truck, a festival, or wherever, I spend a RIDICULOUS amount of time working at recreating the dish…. how can I wait until the NEXT time?? Seriously? Anyone relate to this? I almost have to take a 2-week vacation JUST to perfect my newest obsession….. I mean who needs to work anyway? It’s completely overrated compared to satisfying my inner addict.

So these little gems came my way via our monthly getaways to Los Angeles back in early 2000. We used to fly out once a month for my schooling but really I think it was just an excuse to eat chicken wings in our hotel room while watching Jerry Springer, dancing till all hours of the night, shopping until we drop, giggling endlessly over great sushi, and launching out at crazy hours to find the latest “hot spots” to savor the dishes and hopefully catch a glimpse or two of a star.

Whatever it was, it didn’t matter because we had the ride of a lifetime doing adventure. We still miss it and this dish takes me back to one of the many late night launches ……

I can’t remember the name of the mom and pop Greek place where we discovered these but I do remember the food and the couple. They were great. First generation immigrants from Santorini and they shared their stories with us all the while they just brought dish after dish of their families best kept secrets.

So you ask, why lemon potatoes? Why not baklava or lamb solvalki? Or the perfect gyro? Really, lemon potatoes? It’s NOT rocket science girlfriend.

Okay, I get it BUT, mastery came into need when perfecting the marinade and the cooking, they needed to have the flavor and be able to “crisp up” just like they were cooked with more oil. I KNEW that if I ate these babies as much as I was planning, I needed to find a bit healthier balance instead of ringing myself of oil each time I finished. Don’t get me wrong, they are awesome but finding a better balance helped me be able to justify the deliciousness and still fit into my newest threads that were purchased on the same trip.

So enjoy the “skinny” lemon potatoes! Have a good time changing up the herbs to fit your style and go ahead and indulge, I promise your fashion self will thank you!

Just don’t confess to the mom and pop I got inspiration from, I’m sure I have committed a Greek sin having altered the recipe. 🙂

Oven Roasted Lemon Potatoes
 
Print
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
I have made them with various herbs, parsley, oregano, cilantro, rosemary, tarragon, and the list goes on. It could be fun to try some spices as well, cumin, smokey paprika…Just be sure to watch the potatoes as they cook so that the liquid doesn't "dry" out at the bottom, add little bit more chicken broth as needed but watch they don't get "soggy" or "too wet".
Author:
Recipe type: Side Dish
Cuisine: Greek
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
  • 3 lbs yukon gold potatoes or 3 lbs other waxy potatoes, peeled
  • ½ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • ⅛ cup olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • ¼ cup fresh oregano or any herb/spice of choice
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • 2 cups chicken stock plus more if needed
Instructions
  1. Peel potatoes and cut them in half (from medium size potatoes, quarter if large).
  2. Let them stand in water while preparing sauce.
  3. Combine all other ingredients in a gallon size"zipper" bag, and shake to combine.
  4. Dry off the potatoes, and put all of them in the bag and let marinate for 2 hours.
  5. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  6. Put the potatoes and marinade in a large casserole, approximately 13 x 9.
  7. Roast for 1hr 10min, turning occasionally.