Eatentions

Organic * Local * Sustainable

Michelle Michelotti-Martinez

Burrata Cheese with Fried Sage and Anchovy Oil

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Burrata with fried sage and anchovy oil

Burrata with fried sage and anchovy oil

It’s summer. The beginning of warm days and nights, lingering afternoons, and patio evenings filled with food, fun, and friends. We long for these nights all year as they bring some of our best memories and fondest times.

So often during the summer, my favorite thing is to create an array of Italian appetizers accompanied with delicious wines and hours of endless conversation. With this as a favorite pastime, I am always looking for bites of deliciousness which can be completed ahead of the fray yet taste like they were just prepared.

When I am looking for inspiration for recipes, I frequently end up pulling from my memory bank of travel experiences. One very fond memory for us both was during a stay in the Tuscan countryside in an Agriturismo. For those of you who might not be familiar, Agriturismo’s are working farms where you can stay for both room and meals. If you haven’t experienced one, I highly suggest the venture. Quaint, rustic, and unique, nothing quite matches the sensation of being woken up to both the sounds of the farm roosters cackling accompanied by the divine smells of the bake goods nestled inside the womb of the wood fire oven preparing themselves for breakfast enjoyment.   It is truly a morning dance for one’s sensory pleasures.

One particular morning, we were gladly awakened by the enticing smells of the kitchen below. We quickly gathered ourselves together in hopes we aren’t too late (or early) for the pleasures we fantasized as we awoke from our slumber. We were careful to lightly tread over the old wood floor covered with footprints of the memories made before us and over to the nostalgic moka pot where countless others have too enjoyed a pot of the liquid gold finishing brewing and awaiting our enjoyment.

Nestling up in the corner table against the rough stone walls of the farmhouse, we sipped our coffee and gazed over the fields being hugged by the morning dew. As we got lost in a gaze of the Tuscan hillside, Gabriella (the owner and chef) quietly slipped a gorgeous tray of fresh figs, homemade burrata cheese, and fresh bread topped with glistening fresh olive oil, zested lemon, and then carefully wrapped amongst a wreath of fresh sage leaves. I didn’t believe anything could have broken my day dreaming stare but the enticing aromas of the farmhouse bread and the warmth of the newly made cheese rising from our table was too alluring to ignore. My head quickly shifted to the food painting in front of me, balanced by color, texture and flavor, it was almost too gorgeous to eat…..almost.

As I took the small, antique ceramic plate and arranged the bread, cheese, and fruit in the same thoughtful manner as Gabriella, I thought carefully about how best to honor this masterpiece. As I contemplated the layers of flavors I was about to experience, I wondered if it would satisfy the anticipation I was building inside my fantasy.

As I sank my teeth into the soft texture of both the bread and the cheese, the warmth of both filled my mouth while the intensity of the fresh olive oil coated my taste buds and the fresh lemon lingered slightly behind.

As I slowly chewed, I marveled at how beautifully satisflying four ingredients could be and how this melody worked so graciously together and I contemplated the age-old question, could it really be this simple to create the perfect, culinary bite? The answer was simple and quick……..yes.

Burrata with fried sage and anchovy oil

Burrata Cheese with Fried Sage and Anchovy Oil
 
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Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 1 tub of burrata cheese (can use fresh mozzarella)
  • 12 sage leaves
  • 2-3 T anchovy paste
  • 5-6 T olive oil
  • 1-2 T white balsamic vinegar
  • 9-10 kalamata olives
  • salt and pepper
  • crostini for serving
Instructions
  1. In a small skillet, heat olive oil. Add anchovy paste and whisk to incorporate. Add sage leaves and lightly fry. Take off the heat and stir in white balsamic vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.
  2. On a platter, break open the burrata balls. Arrange kalamata olives and pour anchovy oil and sage over cheese. Serve immediately with crostini or crackers

 

 

 

Endive and Prosciutto Spears

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Sometimes we need easy….elegant AND yummy but EASY and this appetizer of endive, prosciutto, and parmigiano-reggiano cheese drizzled with a delicious truffle oil is just that……especially the deliciousness part!

Endive Prosciutto Appetizer|Eatentions

When I think of warm summer nights and long casual evenings on the patio with family and friends, lots of appetizers always come to mind. They go with the flow of the evening and allow everyone to graze and enjoy while sipping a beautiful glass of wine and drinking in the moment.

We do a lot of entertaining during this time of year and so with the appetizer theme comes the need for having easy and universal dishes so I can join my guests in savoring the magic of the evening.

Endive Prosciutto Appetizer|Eatentions

This appetizer was inspired from a Tuscan Farmhouse we stayed at back in 2012. The owner/chef was treating us to a special tasting of her favorite Tuscan vintage and brought out truffle-oil rubbed crostini, fresh cut prosciutto and local pecorino cheese. Somehow that moment brought together the perfect pairing of a bite of food and a taste of wine. Since that moment, I felt the need to recreate it…..both literally and in my dreams, I hope you enjoy.

Endive and Prosciutto Spears
 
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Recipe type: Appetizer
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • 3 Heads of Endive, Spears Only
  • 12 Slices of Prosciutto, Halved
  • Parmigiano-Reggiano, Shaved
  • Good Quality Truffle Oil
  • Cracked Black Pepper
Instructions
  1. On a platter, arrange endive spears, arrange prosciutto over spears and add desired amount of shaved parmigiano-reggiano. Drizzle a nice amount of truffle oil and a little cracked black pepper.
  2. Serve immediately with a delicious wine!

Endive Prosciutto Appetizer|Eatentions

 

 

 

 

 

Seared Scallops with Basil Pistou

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Scallops + Basil Pistou = Simple + Divine

Seared Scallops with Basil Pistou

It really is as easy as that, really. Scallops are one of those decadent wonders that when paired with a simple accompaniment, makes anyone look like a 5 star chef……after all, who wouldn’t want THAT?

I have two members of my family who are scallops freaks, seriously, head over heels about these little meaty, sweet wonders from the sea. They LOVE them and each could devour 15-20 on a daily basis, honestly 15-20.  I often think to myself, why couldn’t they have chosen something a LITTLE less costly, I mean really???

Recently on a trip up north I KNEW I had better create some dish that had scallops or I might not be welcomed back. Anyone who has been north (meaning Montana) in the DEAD of winter KNOWS that fresh scallops are a bit difficult to come by……just a little….okay friggin IMPOSSIBLE! Sure enough as luck would have it, guess when I was going to be there… WINTER!!!

I can’t begin to express my gratitude for my buddy, the fishmonger who I sought out about 7 years ago. He bails me out all the time by keeping some of these little “gems” frozen in his stash for desperate cooks on a mission of pleasure. 🙂

So when I was up north a couple of weeks ago, I  meandered into his little shop for my usual request and asked (with desperation in my voice) if he had his “stash” for me to raid? He went a bit pale as he was sure he had sold the last of the lot to a chef in town. I could feel my heart stop and my eyes fill with tears (a bit dramatic, I know) but he panicked enough to make a trip to the back of the shop and  now it was my turn to hope for a miracle.  Sure enough, after about 15 minutes, he found me the last of the scallop “stash”, hidden beneath a newly frozen salmon.

I jumped up, kissed him, and bid him farewell as I made my way off to create my scallop wonder and to become the favorite of the family……once again.

Seared Scallops with Basil Pistou
 
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Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • For the Scallops:
  • 1 to 1¼ pounds dry sea scallops, approximately 16
  • 2 teaspoons unsalted butter
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • For the Pistou:
  • 1 tablespoon crushed garlic
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 4½ cups basil leaves, torn into pieces (2 ounces)
  • ¼ cup coarsely grated plum tomatoes
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup finely grated Mimolette or Parmigiano
Instructions
  1. For the Scallops:
  2. Remove the small side muscle from the scallops, rinse with cold water and thoroughly pat dry.
  3. Add the butter and oil to a 12 to 14-inch saute pan on high heat. Salt and pepper the scallops. Once the fat begins to smoke, gently add the scallops, making sure they are not touching each other. Sear the scallops for 1½ minutes on each side. The scallops should have a ¼-inch golden crust on each side while still being translucent in the center. Serve immediately with pistol.
  4. For the Pistou:
  5. In a large mortar, pound the garlic with the salt to a paste. Add the basil by the handful and grind the leaves against the side of the mortar until almost smooth. Stir in the tomatoes, then gradually stir in the olive oil until it's incorporated. Stir in the cheese and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Seared Scallops with Basil Pistou

Seared Scallops with Basil Pistou

Osso Buco

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Osso Buco

To ALL my Osso Buco Lovers out there, this one’s for YOU!

I have rarely heard the comment, “I don’t like Osso Buco”. In fact, I have NEVER heard it and I will safely assume it is because Osso Buco can be made with ANY meat that needs to be slow cooked in a delicious array of vegetables, herbs, wine, and broth…hence my conclusion.

The first time I had this mouth-watering dish was with my Italian family in the mountains of Piedmont. Autumn was coming quickly and the air was changing from the warm summer days and nights to the crisp, cool, and, damper days of fall.

I can remember the excursion like it was yesterday….we had gone to see the original house of my relatives high in the mountains of Northern Italy. Most of the day had been spent trekking through tough terrain and rainy spells but the magic of standing in the stone house with 2 rooms and a root cellar and knowing where my ancestors had grown up made every challenge worth it.

After we wandered around the home and heard the stories from the elders who could remember the history and family memories, we were invited to the neighbor’s home for an evening of dinner and hopefully many more conversations of by gone days, at least, I hoped.

When we arrived, the aroma in the air of braised meat in the wood oven for hours, took over my senses and I was intoxicated. It was something I had never experienced and obviously something I will never forget.

As we visited and shared an aperitif, I just savored the enjoyment of the perfume in the air and the suspense of the surprise was heightening the fun of the evening as we talked more about my relatives and the history of the valley.

Finally, the dining moment arrived and we sat down on a beautiful, rustic table set with a mixture of family heirlooms, each one with its own story. I watched through the door to the kitchen as the host assembled the dish that had my senses so entranced.

First she ladled a beautiful mound of risotto Milanese, so golden in color it almost didn’t look real, and resting beautifully on top was a thick, oval piece of deeply braised meat covered in a shimmering dark red sauce. My mouth was watering as I watched the final touch of fresh parsley, lemon zest, and garlic flutter over the top. I had just witnessed the ensemble of my first Osso Buco.

And so there it was, a beautiful medley of perfection being served on a family heirloom plate with many stories and memories of the valley of my ancestors……

Osso Buco
 
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Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • For Osso Buco;
  • 6 - 1-1/4 inch-thick beef or veal shanks
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour for dredging
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 Tbs. unsalted butter
  • 1 sweet onion, diced
  • 3 stalks celery, diced
  • 3 carrots, peeled and diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, diced
  • 1 tsp. dried oregano
  • ¾ cup dry white wine
  • 2 Tbs. tomato paste
  • 1 28-oz. can Italian plum tomatoes, drained and chopped, juices reserved
  • 1 cup low-salt chicken broth, more if needed
  • 1 large sprig thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • For Gremolata:
  • ¼ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 4 large cloves garlic, minced
  • finely grated lemon zest of 2 lemons
  • For Risotto Milanese:
  • extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 large onion, cut into ¼-inch dice
  • kosher salt
  • 2 cups Carnaroli or Arborio rice
  • 2 large pinches saffron
  • 4 cups chicken stock, kept HOT
  • 1 to 1½ cups dry white wine
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • ¾ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • pinch of turmeric, put in rice
Instructions
  1. For Osso Buco:
  2. Heat the oven to 350°F.
  3. Tie the shanks around the middle with kitchen string (if they’re not tied already) and season them with salt and pepper. Put the flour in a dish. Dredge the shanks very lightly in flour, thoroughly shaking off the excess.
  4. Have ready a dutch oven or baking dish large enough to hold the shanks in a single layer (9x13-inch works well). In a large heavy skillet, heat 3 Tbs. of the oil over medium-high heat. Put three shanks in the pan and sear until nicely browned on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Move the shanks to the roasting pan. Repeat with the remaining three shanks.
  5. Carefully pour off the fat in the pan and wipe it out with paper towels (it’s fine if the browned bits remain in the pan bottom; just wipe away the used oil). Return the pan to medium heat and add the butter and remaining 1 Tbs. of oil. When the butter is melted, add the onion, celery, carrot, garlic, oregano, and 1 tsp. salt. Cook the vegetables, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes.
  6. Increase the heat to medium-high, add the wine, and cook, scraping up any brown bits with a wooden spoon, until the wine is reduced to about ¼ cup, about 3 minutes
  7. Stir in the tomato paste. Add the tomatoes with their juices, the broth, thyme, bay leaf, ½ tsp. salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Bring to a boil, and pour the contents of the pan over the shanks. Cover tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil. (If using dutch oven, keep in same pan)
  8. Braise the veal in the oven until fork-tender, 1-1/2 hours, checking the liquid occasionally. If it has cooked down, add enough broth to keep the level about halfway up the shanks. To check for doneness, pierce a shank with a fork. The meat should pull apart easily. Taste a morsel—it should feel soft and tender. Do not overcook, or the shanks will fall apart.
  9. Gently brush most of the vegetable bits off the shanks. With a wide, flat metal spatula, carefully transfer the veal shanks to a dish. Strain the pan juices through a medium-mesh sieve into a saucepan, pressing hard on the solids with a spatula to extract as much sauce as you can. Bring the sauce to a simmer
  10. Just before finishing the sauce and serving, combine the parsley, garlic, and lemon zest. Add two Tbs. of the gremolata to the sauce. Remove the strings from the shanks. Serve the osso buco over risotto milanese and topped with the sauce and a small sprinkling of the remaining gremolata
  11. For Risotto Milanese:
  12. Coat a large saucepan generously with olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and salt and sweat them until translucent, about 5 minutes. Bring the pan to a medium-high heat. Add the rice and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, letting the rice slightly stick to the bottom of the pan and scraping it off. It should also sound crackly.
  13. Add the saffron to the hot chicken stock; the stock should turn bright yellow.
  14. Add the wine to the pan until it covers the surface of the rice. Season with salt and cook over a medium-high heat, stirring continuously until the wine has absorbed into the rice. Add the saffron chicken stock, 1cup at a time, to the pan. Cook over a medium-high heat, stirring continuously until the stock has absorbed into the rice. Repeat this process with the hot saffron chicken stock.
  15. When the third addition of the stock has absorbed and the rice is very creamy, bite a couple grains of rice to be sure it is cooked perfectly. If it is still a little crunchy, add a little more stock and cook the rice for another couple of minutes. When the rice is cooked perfectly, remove it from the heat. (Want it al-dente)
  16. Toss in the butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano and "whip it”. The rice should be creamy but still flow and hold its own shape.

Osso Buco