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Irish Colcannon for St. Patrick's Day
On March 17, St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, is celebrated and in many cities around the world people dress in green and toast with beer of this color. In Chicago, the river has been dyed green for more than 50 years. The ironic aspect is that St. Patrick actually dressed in blue. So where does the tradition of greenery come from?
St. Patrick used clover to explain to the Irish, the mystery of the Holy Trinity when he tried to convert them to Christianity. The green color then recalls this plant and the meaning of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit as a single reality. Ireland is also known as "The Emerald Isle" for its verdant landscapes, and historically speaking Catholics are identified with this color while Protestants are identified with the color orange. For this reason, the Irish flag has a band of each of these colors with another white in the middle to symbolize peace and coexistence between the two creeds of the north and south of the country.
Traditional Irish Dish “Colcannon” is one of the recipes that is served everywhere in Ireland. It is mashed potatoes enriched with kale or cabbage, common ingredients in the Land of Clover. Colcannon is usually enjoyed in the colder season and is the perfect accompaniment to the Irish Stew. There are some variations of colcannon within various households and regions. What seems to be common in all of them is the presence of generous amounts of Irish butter, potatoes, and cabbage or kale as the vegetable of choice to add volume and flavor to this tasty preparation. Accompany this dish with an excellent Irish beer, and you will have an evening of joy and delicious Irish Cuisine.
Colcannon
4 pounds russet potatoes (7-8 large potatoes), peeled
1 head of green cabbage (I use Savoy Cabbage)
1 cup of milk or cream
1 stick unsalted Irish butter, divided into 3
Salt and black pepper
Fresh Parsley or chive, minced
The Potatoes: In a large pot of cold water, add the potatoes and a tablespoon of salt. Bring to a boil first, then simmer until soft in the middle when pierced with a skewer.
The Cabbage:
- While the potatoes are cooking, remove the core from the cabbage, slice the leaves thinly, and put into a large saucepan of boiling water. Keep at a slow rolling boil until the cabbage is just wilted and has turned a darker green, about 3-5 minutes, depending on the thickness of the cabbage. Test it, it should be slightly undercooked.
- When the cabbage is cooked, drain it well, squeeze to get any excess moisture out, then return to the saucepan. Add one-third of the butter and cover. Leave it covered and in a warm place, but not on a burner, with the butter melting gently.
Assembly:
- When the potatoes are soft, drain the water and return the potatoes to its pot. With the drained potatoes in, set the burner to low, leaving the lid off so that any excess moisture can evaporate. When they are perfectly dry, add the milk and a third of the butter. Allow the milk to warm, but not boil. The butter should be fully melted, and the pot should be starting to steam.
- With a potato masher or a fork, mash the potatoes thoroughly. Do NOT beat or blend the potatoes or they will become gluey.
- Mix the cabbage thoroughly through the mashed potato. Before serving, taste and season with a little salt and pepper, as needed. Top with sprinkle of fresh parsley or chives. Most significantly, make a well in the center of the mound of potato and put the last third of the butter there to melt.
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Potato and Zucchini Polpettone for the Holidays
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| Potato and Zucchini Polpettone |
An easy and tasty side dish that can be prepared ahead and baked right before serving. It’s a versatile dish that can be made with cooked zucchini, spinach, or even asparagus. I serve it instead of the regular mashed potato dish.
4 medium golden potatoes, unpeeled
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 small zucchini, small dice or grated
1 celery stalk, minced
1 medium red onion, grated
½ - ¾ cup grated parmesan cheese
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Salt and black pepper
Breadcrumbs as needed
1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ - ¾ cup sharp Provolone and or fontina cheese (or Gruyere), small dice
2-3 tablespoons minced Italian parsley
1. Preheat oven 375F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Drizzle olive oil on surface.
2. Place the potatoes in a large pan in cold water, boil until tender. Cool slightly, peel and mash.
3. In a large skillet add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and onion, cook until soft and barely golden. Add the zucchini and celery; cook until barely golden adding more oil if needed. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
4. Once the mash potatoes are cool, add the egg and season. Add the parsley, grated cheese, diced cheese, and little breadcrumbs to firm everything. Mix well before adding more breadcrumbs. Test the mixture by forming a meatloaf shape.
5. With slightly damp hands give the potato mixture the shape of a meatloaf. I like to divide mine in two smaller loaves. Place on the baking sheet; drizzle a thread of olive oil on top and sprinkle lightly with breadcrumbs. Be sure to press it down.
6. Bake about 30 minutes until just golden.
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Valentine Risotto al Prosecco Pere e Pecorino
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There are two differing folk tales about St. Valentine according to legend and history. One of them was about a priest and martyr from the ancient Roman Empire. The other was a martyr and a bishop in Terni, Italy (Valentino da Terni).
| The first legend, a priest dared to defy the order of Roman Emperor Claudius II. The emperor declared that Roman soldiers should not marry because he believed that single men made better and stronger soldiers. St. Valentine, a priest felt this decree was unjust. He defied the emperor by performing marriage ceremonies in secret for Roman soldiers. This act of defiance angered the emperor, and he beheaded Valentine on February 14th.Valentine's faithfulness inspired many Roman men to marriage and in honor of him, they drew names of eligible ladies out of an urn during this holiday. Then the couple would pair off and spent the year getting to know one another, which often led to marriage. This custom spread across Europe. The other legend, Valentino became a martyr because he wanted to protect others. During the third century, Christians were being imprisoned, tortured, and beaten and sent to Roman prisons. Valentino could not bear to see this happen, so he plotted and succeeded in freeing many of these prisoners. This led to his imprisonment, where they decided to put him to death. Before his murder took place, he met and befriended the jailer's daughter. Legend says Valentino healed her from blindness and was capable of performing many other miracles. He fell madly in love with this woman, and before he died, he wrote her a letter and signed it, "from your Valentine," which took place in mid-February in A.D. 270 and is believed to be why we endorse our cards this way today. Around the Middle Ages is when things began to evolve, it is believed that courtly love gained influence throughout Europe. Some celebrants found a more chivalrous and cheerful way of explaining why Saint Valentine’s day should be a time to think about romance. Romantic phrases and poems were written. During the industrial revolution in the mid-19th century, the production of mass quantities of consumer goods began to appear with greeting cards with romantic phrases and images appearing on greeting cards. Cadbury’s heart-shaped boxes of chocolates emerged in the 1860s, Hershey’s Kisses in 1907, and Hallmark Valentine’s Day cards in 1913. All of which have still continued the Valentine’s Day traditions. Valentine's Day 2021 offers the opportunity to celebrate this occasion with our loved one in a thousand different ways, but all linked to wanting to express feelings of love that binds us to a special person. It is no coincidence that many choose to declare themselves on Valentine’s Day to amaze the person they love. There are also those who choose to make a marriage proposal and there is certainly no better day than Valentine's Day to ask your sweetheart to marry you. For a Valentine's Dinner at home, you can order something special from a takeaway restaurant, or choose to prepare a dinner together on that evening. You do not need to organize a complicated dinners to be romantic. I would like to treat you to a romantic dish that I hope you will prepare without too much fuss. This will leave more time for conversations and je ne c’est pas quois apres! Risotto is a traditional Italian rice dish made from a short-grained starchy variety of rice called Arborio rice. A well-cooked risotto should be soft and creamy. It shouldn't run across the plate, nor should it be stiff or gluey. While not too difficult, I am adding essential detailed instructions that will make it easier to prepare this restaurant-worthy risotto in your kitchen. The first step is to gather all ingredients and read all the instructions before beginning.
Risotto al Prosecco Pere e Pecorino 5 cups chicken stock, warm 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (divided) 1 medium shallot, minced 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice 3/4 cup Prosecco (or dry white wine) Salt and freshly cracked black pepper 2 pears with skin on (1 diced, 1 sliced for decoration) 1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino cheese 1 tablespoon roughly chopped Italian parsley You will need: 1 wide thick-bottom pan, 1 wooden spoon, a medium broth pan, a ladle Warm the broth: In a medium saucepan, heat the stock to a boil and immediately set the heat on low to simmer, so the stock stays warm while you cook the risotto. Cook the shallot: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a wide thick bottom pan over low heat. Add the minced shallot; cook for 5 minutes or until softened and barely golden. Season. Add the rice: Turn the heat up slightly; add the rice to the pan stirring it briskly with a wooden spoon to coat the grains with the oil and melted butter. Sauté stirring for 2-3 minutes until there is a slightly nutty aroma. The rice should be translucent. Do not let the rice turn gold or brown. Add the wine: Add the Prosecco or wine and cook while stirring until the liquid is fully absorbed. When it is fully absorbed/reduced you can begin adding the broth. Add the broth: Add a ladle of hot stock to the rice and stir until the liquid is fully absorbed (almost disappears). When the rice appears almost dry, add another ladle of stock, and repeat the process. Stir only when you add the stock, not constantly. Continue adding stock, a ladle at a time, for 15 minutes. Add the pears: Add the diced pears; cook another 5-10 minutes or until the rice is tender but still firm to the bite, without being crunchy. Finish the risotto: Off the heat, stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, the grated cheese, and parsley. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. Divide into serving dishes, decorated with a slice or two of pear and freshly cracked pepper.
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Spice It Up Tzatziki
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| Tzatziki spices and Feta |
Tzatziki is a traditional Greek dish using thick Greek Yogurt and refreshing cucumbers. There are some variants of this recipe depending on the region of Greece. It is usually served as an accompaniment with gyros, kebabs, or pita bread. I created my own version because that’s what I like to do with recipes that interest me. Since I love hummus so much, I used spices that I thought would go well with my version of Tzatziki. I served it with grilled Italian meatballs and grilled peppers and onions. Ottimo we say in Italian!
3 small Persian cucumbers, divided
1 ½ cups full-fat Greek yogurt, strained
1 large clove garlic, mashed and minced
Pinch Sea salt
Black pepper to taste
Red pepper flakes to taste
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons minced fennel greens (or fresh dill)
1-2 ounces Greek feta, cut in small cubes
Ground coriander for decoration
Ground cumin for decoration
Ground paprika for decoration
Note: I used small Persian cucumbers because they have much fewer seeds and are tastier. You can also drink the cucumber juice, no need to throw it away.
The Yogurt: Place the yogurt in a small sieve over another bowl and allow to drain about an hour in the bowl.
Note: I used grass fed full-fat Greek Yogurt, more delicious!
Combine: in a larger bowl, combine the cucumbers, yogurt, minced herb, garlic, a tablespoon of olive oil, tiny pinch of salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes; mix well. Refrigerate for a few hours so the flavors will combine well.
Serve: Transfer the tzatziki to a round bowl, not too deep. Add a few kalamata olive in the center of the dish. Then thinly slice 1 cucumber and place around the bowl. Add feta pieces on top, and sprinkle the top with paprika, cumin, and coriander. Lastly, adorn with a thread of excellent olive oil to finish the dish.
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Lentils-Rice in Caramelized Onion and Aged Balsamic
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| Rice Lentils Caramalized Onion Feta and Aged Balsamic This dish has been in my heart for a long time, from the first time I tasted it. Prepared with simple ingredients and techniques, it’s the perfect combinations of an exotic main or side dish. Originally a Middle Eastern recipe, and since I love fusion cooking, I added Feta for a touch of Greek, and aged Balsamic for a touch of Italian. Try it with your favorite spices and maybe even dried fruit or toasted nuts! |
2 large sweet onions or red onions, thinly slided
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
Sea salt
Black pepper
Red pepper flakes
1 ½ cups brown lentils, rinsed
2 bay leaves
2 cups basmati or jasmine rice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2-3 ounces Feta cheese, crumbled (optional)
2-3 ounces Feta cheese, crumbled (optional)
3-5 tablespoons aged balsamic
2 tablespoons minced fresh Mint or Italian Parsley
Caramalizing the Onions: In a large skillet add the sliced onion and cook for 5 minutes on medium-low without oil. Stir occasionally. Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil and cook until they soften and become golden to golden brown. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Wait until the rice and lentils are cooked to add the balsamic so the onions will be hot.
Cooking the Lentils: In a medium size pan, add the lentils and cover with about 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil, add the bay leaves and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Simmer until the lentils are done. Season with salt toward the end of cooking. Taste for doneness. Remove bay leaves before draining.Drain the lentils and reserve in a bowl. Save the broth to cook the rice, measure the liquid according to package directions, usually for 2 cups of rice = 4 cups of water. It may depend on the rice you use.
Cooking the Rice: In a medium size pan dry pan (you could re-use the one you cooked the lentils in) add the dry rice with a 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Toast on medium heat for about 2 minutes; add the spices and toast another minute. Now add the 4 cups of HOT liquid, bring to a boil and simmer until the rice is cooked.
Assembling the dish:
In the pan with the rice, add the lentils and warm. Add the Feta and gently mix.
Heat the onions and add the balsamic (the more the tastier). When the rice mixture is warm; tranfer to a platter or individual plates. Top with caramelized balsamic onions and a sprinkle of mint or Italian Parsley.
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Pasta al Forno with Broccoli and Sausage
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| Pasta al Forno with Broccoli and Sausage |
Pasta al Forno with Broccoli and Sausage is a simple and tasty first course. A great idea for Sunday lunch or brunch. Using easy to find ingredient and my simple techniques, the only thing you have left to do is, put it in the oven and wait to taste it.
2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 sweet onion, diced
4 Italian mild or spicy sausages, remove casing
1 pound of broccoli, cut into florets
1 pound of penne or mezze rigatoni pasta
1-pound container whole milk ricotta
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1- 1 ½ cups grated pecorino or parmesan cheese, divided
Kosher Salt
Black pepper
Red pepper flakes
3-4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
Preheat oven to 350F. Butter a baking pan, season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle it with a few tablespoons of grated cheese. (I always season the bottom of my pan for best flavor!)
Cooking the onion and sausage: In a large skillet on medium heat, add the olive oil and onion, cook until translucent. Add the ground sausage and cook until golden brown. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
Cooking the broccoli: In the meantime, boil the florets in a pasta pan with a little salt, and cook until slightly crispy. Do not overcook. Strain with a hand strainer. Reserve and reuse the broccoli water for the pasta.
When the sausage is cooked to golden, add the partially cook broccoli into the skillet. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. If the mixture is too dry, add another tablespoon of olive oil, and 1 or 2 tablespoons of warm broccoli water.
Cooking the pasta: Add the pasta to the broccoli water and cook according to package direction minus 2 minutes. The pasta will continue to cook in the oven, so do not overcook. When ready, strain. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water if needed to mix with ricotta and eggs.
The ricotta and eggs: place the ricotta in a bowl; whip it slightly. This helps make the ricotta a little creamier. Add the beaten eggs and mix. Season with pepper. Add the strained pasta in with the ricotta and egg mixture; mix well. if too dry, add a few tablespoons of pasta water as needed.
Assembly: Layer half of the pasta mixture on the bottom of the baking pan, add a sprinkle of pepper, and a few tablespoons of grated cheese. Add all of the sausage and broccoli mixture on top; add black pepper and a few tablespoons of grated cheese. Lastly, add the remaining pasta on top of the sausage and broccoli. Add more grated cheese on top of the last layer. Scatter small cubes of butter on top of dish to make it golden. Bake until the top of the pasta is golden, about 25 minutes.
Enjoy and see you next time!
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Carrot Soup Ginger and Potato
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| Organic Carrot Soup |
4 medium organic carrots, rinsed, peeled, and roughly chopped
1 sweet organic onion, roughly chopped
1 organic potato, peeled, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Pinch salt
Black pepper
Red pepper flakes
1 stick cinnamon
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1-2 bay leaves
½ cup orzo pasta (optional)
In a food processor, add the carrots and onion. Pulse a few times until minced.
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| mince in food processor |
In a wide deep pan, add the olive oil, the minced carrots, and onion on medium-low heat. Cook about 5 minutes stirring occasionally until fragrant.
Add the chopped potato in the food processor, transfer to the pan with carrots and onion. Cook another 5 minutes.
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| Cook in skillet |
Add 2 cups of hot water and reduce liquid about halfway. Add 4 cups of hot water and bring to a boil. Simmer on low heat. Add the salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, cinnamon stick, ground ginger and bay leaves.
Cook on low heat, 10-12 minutes, taste for seasoning. Add the pasta if using; cook about 15-18 more minutes. When the pasta is done, the soup will also be done. If the soup is too thick for you add another ½ - 1 cup of hot water. When the soup is ready, ladle in a soup bowl and drizzle a thread of olive oil. Serve hot.
Carrots are one of the most versatile loved vegetables that can be eaten raw, or cooked. They are available year-round, and, in the kitchen, they can be used a thousand ways. They can be used in salad, soups, stews, pasta, cakes, and even bread. This is an old simple Italian carrot soup recipe that I have updated to elevate the flavor using ground ginger and a cinnamon stick. It is still a delicate soup that can be enjoyed by adults and children. If you do not have ground ginger, you can add ground nutmeg. Whatever you do, keep it low salt so that you can enjoy the fragrance and sweetness of the vegetable.
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Sweet Potato Pita Bread (Yeast Free)
1 cup 00 or all-purpose flour, extra flour for dusting
Pinch of sea salt
½ - 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 cup sweet potato, cooked
1/2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
Flour for dusting
Boil a large sweet potato with the skin on until tender and soft. Test with a fork or skewer.
Place the flour, salt, and cardamom in a bowl.
Remove potato from pan and allow to cool slightly. Peel while still hot: mash quickly with a fork. Add 1 cup of mashed potato into the bowl with flour while still warm. Add the olive oil; mix quickly with a fork. When a dough has formed, remove from bowl and transfer to a floured surface. Knead to combine. Do not overwork the dough.
Roll the dough into a log, then cut into 6-8 portions. Dust your hands with flour and press each piece of dough to flatten as round as possible. Flour and place all portions aside and cover for 10-15 minutes.
Using a floured rolling pin, roll out each dough rotating to keep its round shape. Do not put too much flour on the dough or the result will be tough bread. Roll to about 1/16 of an inch thickness.
Heat a crepe pan or large skillet on medium heat. When hot, place the bread on it. Cook 20-30 seconds on one side, then flip at 30 second intervals until the bread starts to bubble. When it starts to bubble, allow to cook about 45 seconds, then flip again. The bubbles mean that it is cooking from the inside as well. The entire process of flipping and cooking should take about 2 minutes.
When ready, transfer the cooked bread to a kitchen towel in a basket to keep warm. Continue cooking the other portions repeating the same process. Brush off any pieces of leftover flour or bread before cooking the other portions and check the heat, if too hot lower slightly.
This recipe can be made with any spice you such as ground ginger, cumin, coriander and even fennel seeds. If you come up with other options, please send me a comment, I would love to learn what other options are available.
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