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Chicken Broth

Lemon Pasta with Broiled Salmon and Charred Lemon

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Lemon Pasta with Broiled Salmon and Charred Lemon|eatentions

Lemon Pasta with Broiled Salmon and Charred Lemon|eatentions

Lemon Pasta with Broiled Salmon and Charred Lemon|eatentions

It’s hot. 100 degrees plus, to be exact, and we are scheduled for an outdoor lunch party. What sounds good in 100-degree weather other than a siesta and a glass of rose? Unfortunately, that wasn’t an option, the afternoon was committed to viewing 2 Italian films where siesta’s and rose are what we watch, not what we do.

As I pondered, I began to pull from my travel memory bank and back to Capri, Italy on a hot summer afternoon. While sitting on our terrace made of white stucco and trimmed in bright blue we watched the sailboats dance on the ocean water. As I fell into a semi-hypnotic state, I stared as the ocean became the canvas for the vast array of colors from the individual sails. As the moments slipped by, I sipped on my chilled glass of rose and pondered what beautiful dish would satisfy my quench of hunger.

I don’t know how much time went by before I heard the gentle knock at our crooked wooden door, which was carefully etched into the architecture of the wall and pulled me back into the realization of the moment.

Gabrielle, son of the proprietor, must have read my mind as he stood in the doorway holding 2 antique ceramic pasta bowls that coddled a nest of freshly made pasta tossed in a light white wine sauce and topped with butter braised sea bass caught earlier that morning. He spoke to me with his beautiful Italian accent, “Signora, may I offer you something light to eat while you enjoy your view?” I quickly stepped aside as I responded, “per favore, grazie Gabrielle e grazie alla tua mamma”. He looked down at the wooden floor and smiled.

We positioned ourselves underneath the small, sun-bleached umbrella as a light breeze relieved us from the afternoon sun. We both glanced at the masterpiece in front of us and admired the simple elegance of the dish. We swirled our forks in unison as the aromas of lemon, dill, and garlic filled our senses and tempted our pallets. One bite was all it took as we savored delicious flavors and the perfect texture of the pasta. We breathed a sigh of culinary joy and realized the mastery we had both just experienced. We remained silent as we solely communicated through the pleasure on our faces…..surely there couldn’t be a more perfect culinary culmination…..

Here’s to my best afternoon on Capri and my best effort at recreation…Lemon Pasta with Broiled Salmon and Charred Lemon

Buon Appetito!

 
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Author:
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • For Pasta, (Can use store bought lemon pasta or regular pasta):
  • 3 cups pasta flour
  • 5 eggs
  • salt
  • lemon oil, to taste
  • For Salmon:
  • 6 pieces of center cut salmon
  • 2 lemon
  • butter for brushing
  • salt and pepper
  • For Sauce:
  • 1 stick butter
  • ⅛ cup olive oil
  • 8-10 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 cup white wine
  • chicken broth, if needed
  • red pepper flake
  • juice of 1 lemon and zest
  • salt and pepper
  • dill, for garnish
  • ½ cup parmigiano-reggiano plus more for serving
Instructions
  1. For Pasta:
  2. Make a well inside the flour, add a dash of salt, the eggs, and ¼ tsp lemon oil (more if needed). Mix together until combined. Knead dough for 10 minutes and set aside.
  3. With a kitchen aide attachment or hand crank, start with widest setting. Cut pasta into quarters. Cover the other pieces with saran wrap. Run the dough through and fold and run through (do this 3 times). Run through 4 times on widest setting. Change setting and run through 2 times, change setting and run through 2 times, change setting and run through 2 times, change setting (should be #5 or 3rd from last setting) and run through once. Repeat with remaining dough.
  4. With wide cutter, cut each sheet and place on a cookie sheet lined with semolina flour and dry a bit.
  5. For Sauce:
  6. On stove in large sauté pan, add oil and butter and melt. Add all ingredients, garlic, cook for 1-2 minutes. Add wine and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add lemon, red pepper, salt, and pepper and a little chicken broth. Turn heat down and set it simmer, covered. Adjust seasonings and add a little more butter, if out of balance.
  7. For Salmon:
  8. Turn oven on broil on low. On a broiler sheet, line with foil. Put pieces of salmon and season with butter, salt, and pepper. Place 2 pieces of lemon on each piece.
  9. Broil for 13-14 minutes or until done. Break into large pieces.
  10. When ready to cook, boil a large pot and salt water. Put in pasta and cook 2-3 minutes, or until al dente (or by package instructions). Drain and add to sauce with ½ cup of reserved pasta water, toss with ½ cup parmigiano cheese. Put in a bowl, add dill and arrange salmon and lemon pieces.

Lemon Pasta with Broiled Salmon and Charred Lemon|eatentions

 

 

 

Greek Lamb Shanks

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Greek-Lamb-Shanks-with-Cipollini-and-Potatoes

Greek-Lamb-Shanks-with-Cipollini-and-Potatoes

Whenever I ask Enrique what special meal he wants on a Sunday, 9 times out of 10 he asks for this recipe. It really is quite the marriage of flavors and couple that with “fall off the bone tenderness” and you truly have a magical experience.

Since I know how often the request for this recipe is coming, I always have some shanks in my freezer. I have an awesome local source that makes this dish that much more amazing; gotta love these farmers and purveyors!

Another special element that highlights this dish is when I remember all the amazing lamb dishes we have had when we travel. I could eat lamb everyday and in everyway but infused with lemon, white wine, and fresh herbs is probably one of my most favorite preparations. I think for both of us, some of this fondness comes from our 8th anniversary spent in Greece.

We were on the Island of Santorini for 1 of the 2 weeks we spent in this amazing country. If you haven’t been to Santorini, you need to put it on your bucket list immediately! If you have been to Santorini, you already know how completely enchanting this island is so you won’t be surprised that we had a delightful anniversary dinner in a small, local restaurant on the second floor with our own balcony overlooking the sea. I probably could have been fed rocks and dirt and been in bliss completely due to the ambience…. but top it off with a delicious Grecian dinner and I think we probably were transported to Heaven’s main gate; in fact, I am positive we were.

The evening began with 2 appetizers of various fresh fishes, simply prepared both fried and grilled and combined with fresh herbs and local olive oil. Next was a simple salad topped with grilled Mediterranean vegetables and fresh lemon juice. I couldn’t have imagined anything could get better until they served us the lamb shank prepared in the outside wood burning oven with herbs, white wine, lemon, and olive oil. It was succulent, rich, and decadent. Dessert was fresh fruit and local cheeses. Simply divine and one of the best anniversary dinners we ever had…..

So this recipe is my interpretation of that memorable lamb dish overlooking the sea in Santorini…..try this for Valentine’s Day and transport yourself….

Greek-Lamb-Shanks-with-Cipollini-and-Potatoes

Greek-Lamb-Shanks-with-Cipollini-and-Potatoes

 

Greek Lamb Shanks
 
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Author:
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Greek
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 4 Lamb Shanks (each about 1¼ lbs., 1 shank is a portion)
  • Parsley Leaves, lightly packed
  • 4 T Dried Oregano
  • 8 Garlic Cloves, minced
  • 4 Lemons, juiced
  • Olive Oil
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 1 Cup White Wine
  • Chicken Stock
  • 1 lb. Small Potatoes
  • 12 Cippolini Onions or 4 Sweet Onions, quartered
Instructions
  1. Squeeze lemon should be about ½ cup total
  2. In a food processor, add ½ garlic, 2 T oregano, bunch of parsley and a little oil, blend together. Rub lamb shanks with mixture, set aside.
  3. In same food processor, repeat process above. In a bowl, add onion and potatoes and toss with mixture. Add salt and pepper and set aside.
  4. Heat oven to 375
  5. Heat dutch oven and salt and pepper the shanks and then brown all over med-high heat. Add lemon juice and white wine, reduce by half.
  6. Add back shanks and add chicken broth until ½ way up sides of meat and add bay leaf. Put in oven for 1½ hours. After 1½ hours, reduce oven to 350 for another 30 minutes.
  7. Remove shanks from oven and pull out of dutch oven. Add potato onion, juices, salt, and pepper. Add back shanks and more chicken broth, if needed. Reduce heat to 325 and cook for another 1½ hours.
  8. Serve with naan and a greek salad

Delicata Squash Boats with Pancetta, Porcini, and Fried Sage Risotto

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squash boats 2

For me, risotto is one of those simple life pleasures. It’s a comfort food on a cold day or the perfect side dish to any grilled meat in the summer. The only trick with risotto is making sure it is “al dente” and not mushy hence the necessity to hover over the stove stirring and tasting consistently, adding liquid very slowly.

I was so lucky to learn to make risotto from my Italian aunt in the Piedmont area of Italy. I mean, that is risotto country so I better learn from the best or not carry a Northern Italian last name, simple as that, period.

We were on one of our jaunts to visit the family and I made the “casual” comment about loving risotto. Well, let me tell you, don’t ever make a “casual” comment about anything food related to an Italian relative. I had no idea what I had released.

First came the phone calls to the other family relatives “intensely” communicating something about “non hai fatto risotto per la famiglia? Mai????? Mama mia! Then the phone slams down and another call is made, same question but this time the phone slams down with “Ah Madonna!” And the list continues…..each time the same question and the ending disgust. Yikees, all I mentioned was that I liked risotto, I didn’t need any relatives killed over some cooked rice.

We sat quietly as my aunt stomped around, shooed her children to the small grocery store down the street, and mumbled obscenities to herself. At this point, I just wanted a drink.

After about 30 minutes the children arrived and my aunt gazed out into the room where I sat and said, “viene qui!” and I quickly obeyed and came into the kitchen.

What ensued next was a sheer blessing in disguise, an afternoon filled with loving determination to show me (and feed us) the perfect risotto dish. The instruction began with a description of every ingredient (the proper ones) to use to make risotto. The rice, the homemade stock, the onions, the wine, the butter, the parmigiano cheese, this is the base and from here, it’s personal choice what else one wishes to add. During our lesson, she chose veggies from her garden. I took notes like a mad woman and drank in all of her divine wisdom.

As the time progressed, I knew I was receiving something most people wished for, instruction from the true masters of Italian cuisine, the ones that hold the keys to generations before and the knowledge of all that is passed down through the kitchen and I was the lucky recipient.

I learned to use the perfect pot, to heat the stock, to sauté the onions first, (veggies here if desired), add the rice, then the wine, and then patience begins while the stock gets added, ½ cup at a time and stirred until absorbed and tasted. This continues until the perfect “bite” occurs and not a minute before. It is then pulled off the stove, butter added and then parmigiano stirred in……

The final dish is decadent, creamy and piping hot, my mouth was watering. The final demand, risotto HAS to be eaten right away, we were happy to follow command.

My aunt spooned it into a big bowl and topped with a little more parmigiano. I watched as the steam came off the rice and the cheese melted instantly. My mouth was watering. It didn’t take long to devour.

This recipe is an ode to my aunt who took that simple comment and taught me an art form. I will never forget that day and I always hear her instructions every time I recreate her masterpiece.

I decided to add porcini mushrooms, pancetta, and fried sage to her recipe and use roasted delicata squash from our garden to serve it in. It’s a 100% edible and makes for a great presentation.

fried sage

 

squash boats

risotto 2

Table

A SPECIAL THANKS TO MY NEW FOOD PHOTOGRAPHER, MY NIECE RACHEL! SHE ROCKS!!

Delicata Squash Boats with Pancetta, Porcini, and Fried Sage Risotto
 
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This recipe is an ode to my aunt who taught me an art form. I always hear her instructions every time I recreate her masterpiece. I decided to add porcini mushrooms, pancetta, and fried sage to her recipe and use roasted delicata squash from our garden to serve it in. It’s a 100% edible and makes for a great presentation.
Author:
Recipe type: Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 8-10
Ingredients
  • 4 delicata squash, cut in half, seeded, and roasted, can use acorn or other squash
  • 2 cups of carnaroli rice, can use arborio rice
  • 2 shallots, diced
  • 8 slices of pancetta, diced
  • 15 porcini mushooms, sliced thin, can use shitake mushrooms
  • 15 sage leaves, fried in a little truffle oil, 5 broken into pieces and others left whole
  • 7 cups of homemade chicken stock, can use canned
  • ½ cup pinot grigio wine
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • olive oil
  • 2 T butter
  • Freshly grated parmigiano cheese
Instructions
  1. Turn oven on to 350. Place cut squash, face down and roast til soft when fork is inserted. Set aside
  2. In a pot that is wider than it is tall, turn onto medium heat.
  3. Add 2 T olive oil and heat.
  4. Add shallot and pancetta and stir with wooden spoon until shallot is translucent.
  5. Add mushroom and stir.
  6. Add a little salt and pepper.
  7. Cook until mushroom begins to soften and add broken sage pieces.
  8. Add rice and stir.
  9. Add wine and stir til dissolved.
  10. Start adding stock, ½ cup at a time and stir til dissolved. Keep tasting until rice reaches "al dente"
  11. Pull off stove and add butter, stir
  12. Add ½ cup of parmigiano
  13. Spoon into each half of squash, top with some more cheese and one piece of whole sage leaf. Repeat til all squash are filled.
  14. Serve immediately