2008-08-13 19:37:01 ID=40:1
© 2008 The Romantic Table
Though our recipes are heavily influenced by the Italian cooking style, the Mediterranean Diet is really the basis for all our recipes,
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Appetizers
1. Caponata When Summer finally comes, one of the first seasonal recipes we love to make is Caponata. Caponata is a sweet-sour vegetable compote made with Eggplant. In some parts of Italy every family has it's own carefully guarded secret recipe. Since you readers are all part of our extended family, here is our "secret recipe" for you to enjoy.
2. Fresh Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta One of the delights of late summer harvest time is when the fresh heirloom tomatoes are at their peak and we kick off a barbecue with an appetizer of bruschetta with fresh tomato topping.
3. Olive Caviar Because of its strong olive-salty taste, we call this appetizer "Olive Caviar." Of course there is no fish taste, but it is still a sophisticated taste not for the faint of heart! Just a little bit on a piece of toasted baguette will do most people.
4. Roasted Peppers Italian Style This is our version of the traditional Summer Italian Roasted Peppers antipasto recipe.
5. Sauteed Mushrooms on Grilled Crostini I always wondered what was the difference between a Bruschetta like Fresh Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta and a Crostini. They are both slices of a grain based "loaf" and grilled. I finally found the answer from a good Italian friend, Bruschetta is always a slice of grilled rustic bread. A crostini on the other hand can be bread or something else like a slice of Polenta as is the case here.
6. Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms make a very dramatic presentation, but are really easy to make. Stuffed with bread crumbs, garlic, prosciutto and spices, they pair wonderfully with that first glass of dry red wine like a Cabernet Sauvignon as a dinner kick-off.
Salads
1. Arugula Salad with walnut-olive dressing On the California Central Coast, areas which have a strong marine influence from the Pacific Ocean do not freeze and continue to grow produce throughout the Winter. It is during this time of year that we get some of the best leafy green vegetables and makings for winter salads.
2. Caprese Salad with Heirloom Tomatoes Nothing says "Summer time" to food lovers like fresh tomatoes, and when you have great heirloom tomatoes available, the best way to highlight them is in a Caprese style salad of tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese, fresh basil and extra virgin olive oil.
3. Lemon Vinaigrette This is the French classic light fresh lemon vinaigrette for many types of salads.
4. Mixed Greens and Pear Salad This is a light refreshing unusual salad that can be a cooling appetizer or salad for all types of summer dishes and barbecues from grilled seafood to light pasta dishes.
5. Tomato and Bread Salad This is our version of the classic Tuscan Panzanella - Bread Salad. Unlike the Tuscan version which uses stale bread which you moisten with water, we prefer to use a lighter fresh bread such as a Filone or Pugliese and make it fresh.
6. Tomato and Mozzarella Salad When friends show up for a summer dinner, a quick salad is a simple salad of vine ripe tomatoes, basil and mozzarella dribbled with extra virgin oil oil. The secret to this salad is to use really great tasting tomatoes, if you have that, nothing else really matters. Serve this with Roasted Peppers Italian Style, some fresh bread and wine and you have a complete no-cook light evening meal.
Soups
1. Pumpkin Soup This soup requires a good sweet cooking pumpkin, ideally a Kabocha pumpkin (a Japanese pumpkin found locally in Farmers Markets and grocery stores) or a sweet tasting cooking pumpkin. It's pretty easy to make.-The hardest thing about it is cutting the pumpkin open! -After that, it's a cinch! The soup is a bright yellow and it's so creamy and mellow; your insides will "smile!"
2. Rock Cod Chowder This creamy fish chowder is loaded with calcium, protein and Vitamin D and is pretty easy to make and it's very delicious! It's so yummy and comforting that it's good to serve when you're having a few close friends over to while away the hours over good conversation and mellow easy-to-digest food.
Primi (Pasta and Rice Dishes)
1. A to Z Pasta with Balsamic Butter
When fresh Asparagus comes on the market in early spring, this is a quick unusual recipe to throw together that has a very unique taste ---and it’s very healthy too.
2. Asparagus Risotto This is one of my favorite risottos! If you have available fresh Asparagus this is a fantastic way to utilize this noble vegetable.
3. Bow Tie Pasta with Cream, Prosciutto and Peas This is my version of an Italian classic, and one of my favorite recipes. It’s absolutely delicious and it’s elegant enough to serve for a weekend meal with dinner guests.
4. Cappallacci de Zucca with Butter-Walnut Sage Sauce. This is a homemade pasta called a "Cappallacci" (which means ugly hat) filled with roasted sweet squash like Buttercup or Japanese "Kabocha" and nutmeg filling, served with a light butter- walnut and sage sauce. This is one of our favorite recipes!!!
5. Christmas Pesto Like many families, we like to put up a Christmas tree. We like to do it a couple of evenings before Christmas while listening to music, or watching some of our favorite Christmas movies. OK, probably not the most efficient way to put up a tree, but it's a lot of fun and gets us into the Christmas Spirit. It always seemed to be a bother to make a complicated dinner while we were in the spirit and having fun. So for the occasion, this is a quick recipe I created I named Christmas Pesto.
6. Classic Basil-Walnut Pesto with Linguine. This is a great dish- especially in the summer when it’s hot and you don't feel like standing over a hot stove and the Basil is especially fragrant.---The only thing you cook is the pasta.
7. Creamy Tomato and Goat Cheese Sauce with Spaghetti I love this dish and most of my girlfriends do too. My husband likes this but calls it more of “a chick dish.” He just doesn’t understand how the complexities of food flavors affect the "female palette and how we respond to “comfort food.”
8. Duck Ragu This is a very unusual way to make duck. You can make it with duck breasts available from a good butcher, or do what I did when I couldn't find any, de-bone a duck. Whatever type of duck you use, it needs to be coarsely ground by either your butcher or yourself.
9. Eggplant Arrabiatta with Spaghetti For eggplant lovers that like a little extra "kick" to their meal, Eggplant Arrabiata is a great one to have in your recipe repertoire.
10. Festive Summer Pepper Sauce with Spaghetti When summer peppers are at their best, this is my version of a classic Italian recipe that features the use of red, yellow and green peppers. It's quite a colorful presentation that really embodies one of the best vegetables of the season.
11. Fettuccine with Tomato and Prosciutto Ribbons This is a fantastic recipe! – though it’s deceptively simple and a jiffy to make, it packs a big taste. The trick is to keep the sauce ingredients in large enough pieces so the flavors blend, but not mask each other. I recommend keeping the ingredients in house all the time for those days when you’re running late but want a good flavor- filled meal.
12. Foresta Sauce with Strozzapreti When you’re “cooked-out” and starting to feel bloated by all the rich meals that you’ve been enjoying, try one of my grandmother’s nice tomato sauces that she made with wild mushrooms. It always makes me feel "leaner" after eating. I call it one of my “purge meals” that are a godsend for waistlines.
13. Fresh Clams in Red Sauce with Linguine This is a really nice recipe, done simply with fresh tomatoes, basil and clams. It has a wonderful full-bodied flavor. It is the "red" complement to the equally delicious Fresh Clams in White Wine Sauce with Linguine .
14. Fresh Clams in White Wine Sauce with Linguine This my version of a classic Italian Recipe "Linguine con Vongole." It is the "white" complement to the classic Fresh Clams in Red Sauce with Linguine.
15. Fresh Egg Pasta by Hand Fresh pasta are the mainstay of Northern Italian Cooking. There is nothing like a true Lasagna Bolognese, a stuffed Ravioli like Cappallacci de Zucca with Butter-Walnut Sage Sauce., or for that matter any ragu with Tagliatelle. Every province in Italy has their own specific names for the varieties of pasta, but basically they are either ribbons, or sheets, which in turn can be folded or stuffed, or layered with sauce.
16. Fresh Egg Pasta by Machine Pasta may be the crown jewels of Italian Cooking. Every province in Italy has their own specific names for the varieties of pasta. For most people, Pasta IS Italian cooking. Fresh pasta is the ultimate pasta, and with a little mechanical help, it is not that hard to make.
17. Fresh Tomato and Basil Sauce with Fresh Smoked Mozzarella and Campanelle In the summer when temperatures are soaring and you have really great-tasting tomatoes and fresh basil to work with - but don't feel like working too hard, here's an option for a quick fresh tomato based pasta entreé instead of grabbing a frozen pizza. This recipe uses Smoked Fresh Mozzarella for a "summer barbecue" twist on the old favorite Penne or Shells Pizza Style.
18. Fusilli with Wild Mushrooms The following recipe is one that uses Oyster, Shiitake, and dried Porcini Mushrooms. Here on the Central Coast we have access to superb fresh oyster and Shiitake mushrooms at our Farmers Markets. You can find the dried Porcini in the produce section of most trendy grocery stores.
19. Golden Cauliflower with Pancetta and Penne When cool Winter season is here, and the kohl crops are abundant, we see some beautiful types of Cauliflower in the local food markets. Most of the crop comes right from Salinas, practically in our backyard, so the vegetables are fresh and the quality is always excellent. One especially pretty type, a deep gold almost orange color caught our eye recently. We just knew we had to do something with it!
20. Golden Saffron Cream Sauce with Ravioli This is a really elegant and delicious sauce to use on seafood ravioli or tortellini or seafood itself such as scallops or shrimp. It’s quite eye-catching and is very easy to make. The final product when served looks and tastes much more time-consuming. Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me---just enjoy!
21. Lamb Ragu This is one of our favorite ragus. It’s so delicious and the flavors complement each other so well and make this quite an unusual treatment of lamb.
22. Mushroom Risotto with Cabernet Sauvignon This is a delicious dish from Northern Italy. This takes a little more time for preparation and cooking but it’s worth the effort.
23. Mushrooms with Marsala and Cellentani
This is a delicious fall and winter dish. Though it’s not high-calorie, it tastes like it is.---It’s very substantial and filling.
24. Orecchiette with Zucchini In early summer, when small firm green zucchini and summer squash start showing up in the market, this recipe is a favorite of ours. Also about this time of year fresh Basil and Italian Parsley start showing up as well, and this Italian classic recipe incorporates all of these ingredients in a light easy-to prepare sauce. This sauce is best when used with Orecchiette (ears) pasta or Conchiglie (shells).
25. Penne or Shells Pizza Style When you’re in the mood for pizza but don’t have the time or want the clean-up that making homemade pizza can entail, this is the recipe for you! –It has the same flavors and satisfaction of the favored pizza but not the work. –This is a favorite Friday-night dish of ours.
26. Pumpkin and Ham Risotto If you like risotto and pumpkin, this is a recipe for you. With its colorful ingredients of pumpkin, basil, ham and white onion it's very colorful and is an unusual combination for these vegetables.
27. Quick Spaghetti with Tuna from the Pantry Here’s a real easy recipe for when you have run out of cooking ideas, but want something more substantial than junk food or cereal. This is a household favorite. You make it with ingredients you probably always have on hand in your pantry. It’s really mellow and always satisfies your hunger –and it’s pretty healthy too!
28. Ravioli with Walnut Sauce. This is a quick but really elegant dinner entree.—It tastes as if it's really hard to make but it’s a snap to throw together.
29. Raw Summer Tomato Sauce with Basil with Spaghetti This is my version of the classic raw tomato sauce that most good Italian restaurants offer---especially in the summer. It's a great alternative when it's hot outside and you don't feel much like cooking.
30. Sausage Risotto
This is a another delicious risotto that is perfect when accompanied with a nice Balsamic vinaigrette salad.
31. Savory Summer Pasta When it’s hot we try to keep the kitchen and house as cool as possible. This is one of our favorite non-cooked sauces. –The only thing you have to heat is the pasta water for the shells pasta (which doesn’t require too much time.)
32. Shrimp Fra Diavolo
The origins of Fra Diavolo is not clear. Some say it is Italian, other say that it an American-Italian creation. Regardless of where it comes from, this is a very delicious and festive recipe. It is easy to assemble since you have the Basic Marinara Sauce ready. It’s very intense and very delicious. When you want to splurge for your company, this is a good one to serve.
33. Shrimp Paloma
This is a quick and delicious shrimp dinner entrée that combines the flavor of shrimp, the earthiness of fresh mushrooms and the sweetness of Summer tomatoes - with a little added zestiness of red pepper and green onions. It is not hard to make - but it looks and tastes so regal!- A very nice presentation of shrimp for your guests.
34. Spaghetti alla Puttanesca This is a great pasta sauce for those of you out there that like food with “a kick.” It’s definitely “opinionated” in its truest form. The legend has it that its name was derived from “the ladies of the night” who would whip up this dish for their hungry customers. Other researchers say that it derives it name from its spicy impertinence. It’s saucy alright!
35. Spaghetti Carbonara If you like eggs and black pepper like I do, this is the pasta for you! The name "Carbonara" comes from the black pepper which is supposed to resemble coal dust. The origin of this recipe is originally from the Rome area of Lazio, but there are probably as many variations as there as towns and cities in Italy since the ingredients are basic and found everywhere.
36. Spaghetti with Eggplant, Fresh Tomato Sauce and Basil This is our version of an Italian classic. The traditional recipe calls for the addition of Ricotta Salata to the sauce which I prefer to omit. We are tomato-holics! When fresh tomatoes are in season, I want nothing in my sauce to mask the taste of fresh tomato and fresh basil - a match made in heaven!
37. Spaghetti with Pancetta, White Onions and Red Pepper Flakes Some like it hot! And if you do, our Spaghetti with Pancetta, White Onions and Red Pepper Flakes is for you!
38. Stuffed Bell Peppers, Italian-Style Late summer's Stuffed Bell Peppers, Italian-style are a delicious, healthy and eye-catching entree that almost everyone will like. A filling of rice, Italian sausage, Parmesan cheese, egg and herbs combine with the baked tender peppers , served with the accompanied homemade sauce to give the tummy a Oh! La!-la! feeling of pure satisfaction.
39. Zucchini Blossoms with Spaghetti If you're able to find some Zucchini Blossoms with their bright yellow flowers, this is a fantastic sauce to showcase them! The sauce is very unusual, makes a great presentation and is absolutely delicious.
Secondi (Entrees)
1. Baby Zucchini and Zucchini Blossoms Frittata
When you are in a hurry and need a quick evening meal, there is nothing like a Frittata - especially when there are fresh tender vegetables available like Baby Zucchini. This recipe is a little more involved than the typical Frittata, but the results are well worth the little extra effort.
2. Braised Lamb Shanks Osso Bucco style This recipe is so delicious, it needs to be savored. I make and serve this "Osso Bucco" style, but use lamb shanks rather than veal shanks because veal is very hard to find, as well as expensive. The prep work isn't hard, but you DO need to allow enough time for the lamb shanks to simmer long enough for the meat to start falling off the bone -and then it practically melts in your mouth. I like to serve this on a bed of warm soft Basic Polenta so that its flavors are distinctive.
3. Chicken Julia This recipe goes back many years with us. In 1974 when we first moved to the California Central Coast, Julia Child had a T.V. show called :"Julia Child's Kitchen." Larry and I started watching it and feel she was the first person to really get us started on the road to Mediterranean-style cooking.
4. Chicken Saltimbocca
This recipe comes from Rome Italy. Saltimbocca in Italian means “jumps in mouth.” The sage and the proscuitto complement the chicken breast so well and have such an unforgettable taste that I know that this will be one of your favorites too.
5. Duck breast ragu served on Spaghetti Squash We love squash! --We love Duck! Why not combine the two! This is our recipe for a duck breast ragu (duck breast and squash bought at our local Farmers Market) served on a bed of freshly roasted Spaghetti Squash. It's very delicious and a real showy presentation and really not that much work.
6. Eggplant Parmesan, Lasagna Style Eggplant Parmesan, Lasagna Style is our version of a "high-tech" Eggplant Parmesan. With its seven layers of eggplant, homemade sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan, it's unbelievably good and surprising healthy.
7. Fair Eggs Eggs are one of the simplest entrées to make when you are in a hurry or just tired. This is a very fast and easy way to make an egg entrée with a surprisingly complex taste and texture.
8. Next-Day Frittata Here's a an easy Frittata recipe that can turn a little left-over pasta into a delicious appetizer or entree.
9. Rock Cornish Game Hens Balsamico
This is an absolutely divine way to serve Rock Cornish Game Hens!—It’s quite unusual and has a taste and dramatic presentation that will make your dinner guests crave for more. If you use Rock Cornish Game Hens, get yourself a couple cooking bricks to press the hens flat. I use a weighted bacon press. They're available at kitchen stores up and down the California Central Coast.
10. Seared Ahi with mixed greens and Lemon Vinaigrette When it gets too hot to cook inside and you really don't want a hot meal anyway, seared sushi grade Ahi tuna from the grill served with mixed spring greens, Lemon Vinaigrette and crusty bread is what you need.
11. Stuffed Anaheim Chile Peppers, Santa Cruz Style This is one of the first "California" Recipes I learned from my Mother-in-law when I came to California to marry my husband. She learned it from an old farmer at the Santa Cruz Farmers Market who's Spanish ancestors were original settlers back in Colonial California.
12. Wine Country Picnic Chicken This is the perfect way to have chicken if you're going on a picnic. It's not greasy at all since it's only sauteed in olive oil. It is NOT deep-fried.
Side Dishes
1. Basic Polenta Basic Polenta is cornmeal that's been cooked with water or milk that's turned into a soft mush similar in texture to mashed potatoes. It can be served straight from the pot, or dressed-up with Parmesan cheese or butter. Polenta can also be used as a bed for a good Ragu or a dish such as Braised Lamb Shanks Osso Bucco style
2. Carrots Marsala
This is my favorite way of serving fresh carrots. The natural sweet flavor of the carrots is intensified wonderfully with the tangy sweetness of the Marsala wine.
3. Classic French-Style Country Potato Salad This is my version of the classic French-style potato salad. Unlike a mayonnaise-based potato salad, this uses a fresh Lemon Vinaigrette.
4. Country Cousin Baked Beans This is the recipe for my family’s restaurant’s ( The Country Cousin) baked beans. Whenever I make them for a gathering, everyone “oohs and ah-hs” and wants my family recipe. Up until now, I never shared it since I wanted to keep it special for my cookbook or other cooking-related endeavor later. Though they look like they take hours to make---and even longer to bake, this is our restaurant’s kitchen secret. When my father-in –law would go on about them, I jokingly would tell him,” this recipe is why your son really married me!”
5. Stuffed Zucchini This is one of my favorite ways to serve zucchini though the preparation is a little more involved. So only make this when you have a little more time, but it's worth it!
Desserts
1. Baked Apples, Adelaida Style The Adelaida region is located high in the Santa Lucia Mountains to the West of Paso Robles. Now a premium wine region, the Adelaida region was famous for it's high quality dry farmed Walnuts. Walnuts are still grown locally. They are small, flavorful and prized by candy makers.
2. California Fresh Pear Tart This is my recipe for a practically fool-proof California fresh pear tart. It’s really easy to make and is delicious to eat. It’s almost a cross between a pudding and a cake. It’s very moist and mellow. While you can use any variety of pears for this, we personally like to us Bosc pears which have a more intense flavor. The trick to this recipe is finding the right ripe pears. It's delicious and can be served slightly warm, room temperature or chilled as we prefer.
3. Mom’s Divine Chocolate Brownies This is my mother’s recipe for chocolate brownies. –The best tasting recipe ever! This is one of the first recipes that she taught me when I was a little girl.
4. Poached Pears in Red Wine When ripe Bosc pears come into season in the Fall, one of the holiday recipes we really look forward to making is Poached Pears in Red Wine.
5. Wine Country Cobbler (Schiacciata a l'uva) Known in Tuscany as Schiacciata a l'uva, this is a traditional cobbler made with a sweet biscuit dough bottom crust, a layer of Sangiovese wine grapes, then a top layer of sweet biscuit dough, then another layer of Sangiovese wine grapes, then lightly sprinkled with granulated sugar, and baked. Instead of the traditional shortening used in biscuit dough, we use a little of our local Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
6. Zin-Full Pie If you are going to "Zin", then "Zin" magnificently with this Zin-Full Pie. It is made with ripe Zinfandel wine grapes and a butter based Pate Brisee crust. OK, maybe it is not exactly part of a Mediterranean diet, but if you have been good and following the diet, reward yourself occasionally!
Sauces
1. Basic Homemade Tomato Sauce This is a must-have Tomato sauce that's so easy to throw together and can be used in so many different ways. Use it for sauces over pastas, vegetables, or meats. Use it on pizza for a knock-out homemade taste. There are so many ways to use this! Ideally, it tastes best made from fresh ripe tomatoes, but if that's not possible, you can substitute two twenty-eight once cans of Crushed Tomatoes.
2. Basic Marinara Sauce This is a “must-have” sauce.—You can do so many things with it! –You can use it as a base for Cioppino, or add Italian sausages and serve over spaghetti.
Toppings and Garnishes
1. Caramel Sauce There is nothing like real Caramel sauce, once you had the real thing you will never want to go back to the industrial version you buy in the store.
2. Chantilly Cream This is our adaption of Paul Prudhomme's Cajun dessert topping recipe. This is definitely NOT Mediterranean! But I included it in our recipes because it's so easy and a great way of topping off everything from Bread Pudding, Pumpkin Pie, fresh fruit, strawberry shortcake to chocolate mousse. And since normally the Mediterranean Diet is so healthy, once in a while it's ok to splurge a little.
3. English Cream English Creme, Creme Anglaise to the French or Crema D'Inglese to the Italians is actually a soft custard. It is a wonderful counter point sauce to use with fruit and especially chocolate desserts. We like to use it with our Poached Pears in Red Wine Dessert. If you can find real free range eggs with dark yolks, the sauce is a beautiful golden color and accents the burgundy red of the pears.