Tunisian Spicy Hummus

2 (15 oz) cans chickpeas

2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2/3 cup tahini
Juice and zest 1 lemon
¼ tsp. harissa sauce or ½ teaspoon cracked red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, more for drizzle
½ cup warm water, use if needed
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Fresh Parsley for decoration
 

Directions:

Rinse and drain the canned chickpeas.

In a food processor, combine the chickpeas, garlic, tahini, lemon zest and juice, harissa, cumin and coriander. Pulse until it becomes a paste. Add the olive oil, and pulse again.

If the hummus isn’t creamy enough for you, add a little warm water at a time, until you reach the desired consistency. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Spoon the mixture flat onto a serving dish. Then run a fork in a circle motion around the top of the hummus, creating small ridges.  Add an extra drizzle of olive oil and garnish with ground paprika, cumin, coriander or any ground spice you like.  Serve with raw vegetables, pita bread, or use as a sandwich spread instead of mayonnaise.

Serves 6-8.

  

Italian version: Add fresh basil in the food processor. Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and some toasted pine nuts.

Greek version: Add a few sprigs of fresh mint leaves in the food processor. Garnish with crumbled feta.

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Stuffed Tomatoes with Rice Mint and Feta

Stuffed Tomatoes Rice Mint Feta

1⁄3 cup extra virgin olive oil                                             
6 large firm tomatoes                                                                         
Kosher salt                                                                           
2 1⁄2 cups cooked and cooled jasmine rice                  
1 1⁄2 cups roughly chopped Italian  parsley  

3⁄4 cup crumbled feta
1⁄2 cup chopped fresh mint
3 cloves garlic, minced
Freshly ground black pepper
Grated parmesan for topping

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400F.

Preparing the tomatoes: Rub the inside of a 3-quart baking dish with 1 tbsp. of the oil and set aside. Using a serrated knife, cut off the top third of each tomato and discard the tops. Cut 1⁄8" off the bottom of each tomato so that they'll sit upright in the baking dish; discard bottoms. Using a small spoon, gently scoop out the seeds and pulp from each tomato and discard.  Do not scoop out the walls of the tomato or they will break. Sprinkle the insides of each tomato with a little salt. Place the tomatoes upside down on a plate layered with paper towels and let them sit for 30 minutes to remove any excess tomato juice, which could make the filling soggy.

Local tomatoes

Rice filling and baking: Stir together the remaining olive oil, rice, parsley, feta, mint, and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Arrange the tomatoes in the baking dish, cut sides up, and fill each with the rice mixture, mounding the tops slightly. Using a small brush, coat the tomatoes with some of the olive oil from the baking dish. Sprinkle each tomato with the parmesan cheese and bake until the filling begins to brown lightly and the tomatoes soften, about 30-45 minutes depending on the size of the tomatoes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Be sure to use firm tomatoes, but notsoft ones or they will collapse during baking.

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Creamy Polenta with Spinach and Gorganzola



Creamy Polenta with Gorganzola

2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

2 cups water

1 1/2 cups polenta

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 cups finely chopped spinach

1 cup finely diced carrots

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

pinch grated nutmeg

1/2 cup half and half

1/2 cup crumbled Gorganzola cheese

Directions:
In a medium skillet, heat up the olive oil on medium heat. Add the garlic, spinach, carrots, thyme and nutmeg, and sauté about 3-5 minutes and set aside.

In a medium size deep saucepan, bring water and vegetable broth to a slow simmer. Stir in polenta. Cook over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring frequently and scraping the bottom to avoid burning. Polenta is done when it is smooth and thick. Stir in the half and half, abd the sautéed vegetables. Taste and add salt and pepper before removing from heat. Top with Gorganzola cheese and serve warm.

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Sicilian Stuffed Mushrooms

20 medium size button mushrooms or baby Bella
1 red onion, grated
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
Salt and pepper to taste
1 large egg, beaten
1 tablespoon capers, roughly chopped

1 cup Italian breadcrumbs
1/2 – 3/4 cup Pecorino cheese
Pinch red pepper flakes

1/4 cup parsley, chopped
juice 1 lemon

Directions
Preheat oven to 400F.  Brush a little extra virgin olive oil on the bottom of baking pan where you will place mushroom in.

Wipe the mushrooms clean with a cloth or paper towel, and cut off and chop the stems.  Reserve stems.

Combine onion, garlic, and mushroom stems in skillet. Add half the oil and sauté over medium high heat for 5-8 minutes, stirring. Season with salt and pepper and remove from heat. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool.

Once the mixture has cooled, add the egg, breadcrumbs, cheese, red pepper flakes, and parsley, and stir with a spoon until well blended. Fill the mushroom caps with this mixture and sprinkle with extra grated cheese and drizzle of olive oil on top of each mushroom. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the mushrooms are golden on top. Squeeze a few drops of fresh lemon juice over each mushroom and serve. Serves 4-6

White Button Mushrooms

Mushrooms can be wiped clean. If you prefer to wash them, do so at the last moment in cold water and dry them before cooking.

Baby Bella Mushrooms

These Delicious and flavorful stuffed mushrooms can be served as an appetizer, a tapas dish, or a side dish. This is a great make-ahead dish. For best flavor, stuffed them ahead, and baked them right before your guests arrive.   I don’t suggest baking them ahead and refrigerating them, because they may become a little soggy.

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Pasta with Tomato Dill and Golden Breadcrumbs

1 bunch fresh dill, cut off roots, leave 2” stems

⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, whole
1 (28 oz) can tomato puree
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon sugar
1 pound linguini

For the topping

2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1½ cups bread crumbs, seasoned or unseasoned

 To make the sauce

1.      Boil the dill in salted water for about 10 minutes. Reserve.

 2.     In a large saucepan, add the olive oil on medium heat. Sauté the garlic cloves for a minute until just golden to infuse the oil. Next, add the tomato puree, salt, pepper and sugar. Sauté for 5 minutes on medium heat. Add the boiled dill to the sauce without the water. Bring to a boil and lower the heat to simmer the sauce for 15-20 minutes.

 3.      About 10 minutes into the cooking process, taste the sauce for seasoning. Add salt or pepper as needed. If the sauce appears too thick add a little of the dill water, a few tablespoons at a time and stir.

To make the topping

1.      Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a mall sauté pan. Add the bread crumbs to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture is well toasted and golden. Transfer to a bowl.

 2.      Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Strain when ready. When the pasta is ready, add ½ – 1 cup of sauce and mix well. Transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl or small serving bowls. Add some dill sauce on top and drizzle with the golden bread crumbs. Serve hot

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Delicious Heirloom Tomatoes

Costoluto Genovese Heirloom Tomatoes

2 weeks ago I attended a Tomatomania workshop, on how to properly plant and grow heirloom and hybrid tomatoes. I learned that there is a strategy to growing tomatoes. It's important to know when to harvest, what type of tomatoes to grow, and how will the tomatoes be used. I also learned that the seedlings need to be planted 6 feet apart for good sun and air circulation. It's also critical to have the proper soil and setting for the plants as well as good drainage. The most difficult decision that day was choosing among the 150 types available. I selected seedling that would work well in large pots since I want to grow my tomatoes on my deck with my fresh herbs. I've added photos of some of the tomatoes I found most interested and exotic to grow.

Orange Banana Tomatoes

Orange Fleshed Purple Smudge Heirloom Tomatoes

San Marzano Tomatoes

To find out more information about Tomatomania go to http://tomatomania.com/ 

Here's some tips from that website

1. Read the labels!… and find the selections that are right for you. A good strategy? Choose early, midseason and late tomatoes. Let the “Days to maturity” on the label be your guide.
2. Go for color! Are you shocked to learn that all tomatoes aren’t perfectly round and red? Have fun and amaze your neighbors!
3. Choose a sturdy seedling. Tomatoes are actually weeds, and they’re tough…but still try to find seedlings with sturdy stems and bright green leaves.
4. Find the sun. Tomatoes want sun and heat. That’s sun and heat. 6 hours of full sun is the minimum for success.

Red Fig Tomatoes
My pick

5. Amend the soil. When you find the sunny spot, get your hands dirty. Dig deep, add organic amendments liberally and toss in some fertilizer. The better the soil, the better the tomatoes. (Use good planting mix or mostly planting mix – not potting soil – in pots for best results.)
6. Plant deep. Tomato roots can grow ten feet deep, so get that started when you plant! Snip the lowest leaves and plant deep (yes, even some of the stem!) Leave only the top 3-4 inches of the plant above the surface.
7. Water correctly…every 3 or 4 days for the first few weeks. Watch your seedlings and give them only what they need. Once tomatoes start growing, water deeply and infrequently. As tomatoes grow, the plant will inevitably yellow in places… more water won’t fix that. Avoid watering too much. Too much water dilutes taste!

Speckled Roman Tomatoes

8. Fertilize wisely. A couple handfuls at planting, and again once the plants begin to flower. That’s all it should need unless you know your soil is desperately lacking in nutirents.. Foliar feeding along the way is a good idea, just don’t overdo it. Container growers, you need to feed just a bit more – every ten to fourteen days.
9. Support your local tomato! Some of your plants may get enormous! Help them out… particularly the big guys…with bamboo stakes or the cage of your choice – or the side of the house. Just hold them up!
10. Be diligent! Watch your tomatoes each day in order to note any change that might signal a problem.

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Marsala Wine, "Wine of the Sun"

Marsala, “Wine of the sun”, is a wine, and also a Province in Sicily near the city of Trapani. Marsala wine can only be produced, aged, and bottled in Marsala, Pantelleria, and a small surrounding island such as Mozia. In these areas, the weather and atmosphere is absolutely perfect for growing grapes to produce this special wine. The sun shines in these areas, the majority of the year, with gentle sea breezes coming from the south that provide the right condition to temper the island’s abundant heat.  That is why Marsalais called, “Wine of the Sun”.

Ruby Red Marsala Wine

The origin of this magnificent wine, Marsala, dates back hundreds of years. However, it was in the late 17^th century when it became well known and respected all over the world. Around 400 AD, during the Arab ruling of Sicily, the Arabs named this area “Mars el'Allah”, literally meaning "Port of God," therefore the name Marsala originated.

Marsala is a semi-dry wine enriched with flavors and aromas of toasted almonds, citrus, vanilla, caramel and honey. Marsalauses Grillo, Catarratto, Inzolia and Damaschino grapes for to produce a golden and amber colored Marsala.   It also uses Pignatello, Calabrese, Nerello Mascalese, Nero d’Avola grapes to produce a more ruby red Marsala.

Golden Colored Marsala Wine

Marsala is a delicious wine somewhat diverse from the others because of its fragrance and flavor. It can be served as a cocktail or after dinner drink. In Southern Italy, it is often used to flavor desserts such as cannoli, sfogliatelle, fresh fruit such as strawberries and peaches, and used for cooking with veal, chicken, pasta, eggplant, and fish to name a few.

To view my recipes using Marsala wine, see Shrimp with Orange and Marsala, Pork Chops in Marsala, Southern Italian Ham in Marsala and Fresh Strawberries in Marsala.  You can also use the search tool by simply typing the word "Marsala", and the list of recipes will come up.  Look for more recipes using Marsala wine in the future on this blog. Enjoy!

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