This Little Italian

Pan Seared Scallops, Polenta, Mushrooms & Tomatoes

thislittleitalian — Fri, 21 Jan 2022 21:29:59 +0000

Simple dish, delicious flavors: Seared scallops, served atop polenta, a bed of fresh spinach and roasted veggies.

Polenta:

4 cups water (salted, 1 tspn), 1 cup corn meal. Boil the salted water, add corn meal and whisk until creamy. Lower the heat, add 3 pats of butter, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally w/ a wooden spoon. Season with salt, pepper, fresh parsley

Veggies:

Mushrooms, cherry tomatoes and red onions, season with salt, pepper, oregano, dill, dried chives, parsley, cumin, brown sugar. Drizzle w/ olive oil and balsamic. Roast in the oven at 400 for 20 minutes.

Seared scallops

Season with salt, pepper, dill. Add to a hot cast iron pan: olive oil and scallops seasoned side down. Cook for 2 minutes. Season the 2^nd side of the scallops, turn over and cook for 2-3 more minutes. Deglaze the pan with white wine. Add a couple pats of butter, cover the pan and cook for another minute or two.

Plate it from the bottom up: Polenta, fresh spinach (baby leaves), warm veggies, scallops. Enjoy!

Seared scallops served with polenta, fresh spinach and roasted veggies

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Cast Iron Lamb with Dried Cherries & Pistachios

thislittleitalian — Sat, 15 Jan 2022 17:12:08 +0000

Cast Iron Lamb with Dried Cherries & Pistachios

Author: This Little italian

Cast Iron Lamb with Dried Cherries & Pistachios Author: This Little italian Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 8 mins Total time: 18 mins Serves 2 - This cast iron lamb recipe combines savory and sweet in such a subtle way. The flavor of the Rosemary marries with the tartness of the dried cherries, earthiness of the pistachios richness of the balsamic. It's is absolutely mouthwatering. This is one of my favorite ways to prepare lamb and I hope you enjoy it as much as our family does!

Ingredients

4 thick cut lamb chops (mine were 2” thick)
Olive Oil
½ cup red wine (I used Malbec, but any tasty red wine will do)
¼ cup dried cherries
¼ cup lightly salted, halved pistachios, shelled
3 tbsp butter
Marinade is ¼ cup Honey*, ¼ cup Balsamic Vinegar*, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard*, *plus an extra drizzle

Seasonings:

Salt & Pepper (I use pink Himalayan sea salt (fine) and fresh cracked black pepper)
1 tbsp marjoram
1 tbsp herbs de Provence
½ tbsp dill
4 fresh sprigs of Rosemary
*I use my palm as a measure = 1 tbsp. I like to premix these in a bowl and season as I go.

Instructions

Heat up your cast iron pan. Get it nice and hot! I cook mine outside on the grill.
Pat the lamb chops dry on both sides. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
Drizzle both sides with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and honey over top the first side. (*This is NOT part of your marinade, just a little drizzle.)
Add your chops to the hot pan and cover the grill. Cook for 4 minutes. You should get a nice sear. While that’s happening, to a measuring cup add the ingredients for the marinade: ¼ cup Honey, ¼ cup Balsamic Vinegar, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard. Stir it up and set aside.
Turn the lamb chops over. Deglaze the pan with red wine. Cover the grill again. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the fresh Rosemary and marinade mixture over the meat. Add: cherries, pistachios, and butter. Move the chops around the pan to get them coated, including the Rosemary! With a spoon, drizzle the marinade mixture over the lamb. Cover the grill and cook for another minute or so. Remove the pan from the grill. Let it sit for a few minutes before serving. I served mine with a salad of mixed greens, red beets and cucumbers.

Notes

Cooking time varies depending upon the thickness of the chops. Just keep an eye on it. We like ours medium - 145°F.

Thank you to Michael Carro Jr. - you are the inspiration behind our cast iron recipes. #cowboycookin #tlikitchen xo

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Cast Iron Chicken with Sun Dried Tomatoes

thislittleitalian — Wed, 12 Jan 2022 13:40:56 +0000

Cast Iron Chicken – the Italian way!

Cast Iron Chicken

Author: this little italian

Recipe type: Chicken

Cuisine: Italian

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 10 mins

Total time: 15 mins

Serves: Serves 2

This cast iron chicken is so easy to make - it's all in the marinade! Give yourself some time, let it bathe overnight to absorb all the flavor!

Ingredients

4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
4 tbsp sun dried tomatoes packed in olive oil
For the marinade:
Olive Oil
2 tbsp chives
1 tbsp fennel
1 tbsp oregano
½ tbsp turmeric
I like to add all the dried seasonings to a small bowl and mix. Then I season as I go! Use your palm as a measure - it doesn't have to be perfect, just delicious!
Salt & Pepper
Garnish:
Lemon zest and the juice of ½ a lemon
Fresh parsley

Instructions

Clean the chicken. Generously drizzle olive oil over one side, salt & pepper. Add some of the seasoning mixture. Using tongs, turn the chicken over and do the same on the other side. Place in a Ziploc bag. Add the sun dried tomatoes. OMG they smell so good! Seal the bag and work the marinade into the chicken. Refrigerate for 30 minutes at least, preferably overnight.
Place your cast iron pan on the grill. (I like to cook this outside.) Make sure it's nice and hot. Add the chicken to the pan - don't forget to add the sun dried tomatoes and rest of the marinade from the bag! Cover the grill and cook it for about 4 minutes. Turn the thighs over and cover the grill again - cook for 4-5 more minutes. Remove the cast iron from the grill. Add lemon zest to the top of the chicken, and squeeze the juice from ½ a lemon over the top. Garnish with fresh parsley.
I served mine atop a fresh spinach salad with cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes from the vine and olives. I also roasted some carrots with sweet Vidalia onions, dill and brown sugar to serve alongside. I love the contrast of hot and cold, the fresh carrots in the salad to the warm carrots from the oven are divine!

Cast Iron Chicken – the Italian way!

Cast Iron Chicken served atop a fresh salad

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Tomato Soup with Tortellini & Kale

thislittleitalian — Tue, 11 Jan 2022 01:17:09 +0000

Tomato Soup with Tortellini & Kale

Author: this little italian

Recipe type: Soup

Cuisine: Italian

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 45 mins

Total time: 1 hour

Serves: Serves 6

POUR SOME WINE AND BREAK OUT THE VINYL – THIS DISH TAKES ABOUT 15 MINUTES TO PREPARE AND TOTAL COOK TIME IS ABOUT 40 MINUTES.

Ingredients

When I was a kid, the first cool chill in the air prompted my mom to make some homemade soup. We had all kinds, Italian wedding soup with delicious meatballs, minestrone, even Pasta E Fagioli. My mom loved soups and they went a long way in feeding a family of six, especially through the cold winters in Jersey. This tomato soup with Tortellini and kale is one of the last meals I prepared for my mom before she passed away. This recipe in particular is comfort food for me. It reminds me of the last few precious weeks we had together.
INGREDIENTS
• Olive Oil
• 2 onions, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 carrots, peeled cut into ½ thick disks
• 2 stalks of celery, cut into ½ thick slices
• 1 large fresh tomato, diced (Jersey tomato or beef steak is good!)
• 1 28 oz can of crushed stewed or diced tomatoes
• 4 cups of chicken broth or bone broth
• 4 cups of fresh kale* rough chopped
• ½ cup fresh parsley, rough chopped
• 16 oz of fresh tortellini
• 8 oz Mascarpone cheese
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
*The kale and parsley came from our garden. You may opt for what looks good in yours or at the farmer’s market or grocery store. Sometimes I use spinach instead of kale – but the kale holds up in this hot dish, whereas spinach is more delicate.
SEASONING
• Salt & Pepper plus these dried herbs:
o 1 tbsp oregano
o 1 tbsp parsley
o 1 tbsp dill weed
o 1 tbsp chives
o ½ tbsp onion powder (not onion salt)
o ½ tbsp smoked paprika
*I love these flavors and use my palm as a measure = to 1 tbsp. I put them in a small dish and mix them up and use the mixture to season as I go.

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a large pot (about 3 spins around the pot, medium heat.) Add the onions, garlic, carrots, celery, fresh tomato, cook for about 5 minutes. Season with ½ of the seasoning while stirring – don’t forget the salt & pepper!
Add the canned tomatoes and chicken broth, turn up the heat and bring to a simmer about 10 minutes. Lower the heat to medium, cover the pot and cook for 30 minutes.
Add the rest of the dried seasoning.
Add the mascarpone, stir until melted. The broth will achieve a silky richness – I love this, the texture of the broth is so beautiful and tasty too!
Add the kale and parsley, stir
Add ½ cup of grated Parmesan cheese
Add the fresh tortellini and cook to al dente (about 3-5 minutes). Taste the broth, now is the time to add a little more salt and pepper if needed.
Serve in a soup bowl with fresh Parmesan to garnish.

Tomato Soup with Tortellini & Kale

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Lamb Sirloin with Turkish Apricots

thislittleitalian — Wed, 17 Nov 2021 03:15:52 +0000

Lamb Sirloin with Turkish Apricots

Author: this little italian

Recipe type: Lamb

Cuisine: Any kind!

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 8 mins

Total time: 13 mins

Serves: Serves 2

This beautiful lamb sirloin is so simple to make - seasoned with a savory blend of herbs, salt and pepper, pan-seared, finished with dried apricots & butter.

Ingredients

6 lamb chops (these are about 1.5"-2" thick)
Olive Oil
Savory blend of dried herbs
Salt, Pepper
3 TBS butter
8 dried apricots, sliced
White wine

Instructions

So simple!
Sautee pan, high heat - Drizzle the lamb with olive oil on one side, season with savory herb blend, salt and pepper, place seasoned side down on the hot pan. Season the other side. Cook on high heat for 3 minutes, turn, cook another 3 minutes.
Add a little white wine to the pan, cover for a minute or two, cook. Then add apricots, butter. Take off the heat and baste with the melted butter. Remove from pan, serve.

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Warm Brie & Candied Walnuts

thislittleitalian — Thu, 27 May 2021 00:44:28 +0000

Warm Brie & Candied Walnuts

Author: this little italian

Recipe type: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 12 mins

Total time: 17 mins

Serves: 6

Beautiful brie! It's buttery and delicate. I just love it - any which way! Warm Brie with Candied Walnuts is seasoned with rosemary, baked in the oven for just 12 minutes or so, drizzled with honey and served alongside a crusty baguette. Appetizer? Yes. Sometimes, however, it's what's for dinner!

Ingredients

1 wheel of triple cream brie (might as well do it right)
8 oz. of candied walnuts
Honey
Rosemary sprigs
Seasonings - simply a sprinkle of finely ground dried rosemary and fresh black pepper.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. To an oven-proof baking dish, (I used a ceramic pie dish because it's round) add the wheel of brie. I didn't cut into it at all, just left it whole. Drizzle the top with some honey. Sprinkle the top with finely ground dried rosemary and fresh cracked black pepper. Place the candied walnuts to the top and drizzle with more honey. Get the whole top - it's ok if it spills over the sides a bit. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Serve warm with crusty bread.

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A Salad Tower: Roasted Beets, Red Onions, Mozzarella & Tomatoes

thislittleitalian — Thu, 27 May 2021 00:29:26 +0000

A Salad Tower: Roasted Beets, Red Onions, Mozzarella & Tomatoes

Author: this little italian

Recipe type: Salad

Cuisine: American

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 40 mins

Serves: 2

They say you eat with your eyes first - this salad tower is warm and cool to the taste, and makes a beautiful presentation - not mention it's delicious too! #eatyourveggies

Ingredients

2 large yellow beets, washed, peeled, stems removed and sliced ½" thick rounds
1 medium red onion, peeled and sliced, ¼" thick rounds
Fresh mozzarella log, pre-sliced is nice, 8 slices
1 medium tomato, washed, sliced ½" thick rounds
2 handfuls of arugula, thoroughly rinsed
Seasonings, dill, salt, pepper, olive oil & balsamic vinegar

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees
To a large cooking sheet, add the beets and red onion slices
Drizzle with olive oil, season with dill, salt & pepper. Then drizzle with Balsamic
Cook for 20 minutes, until the beets are fork-tender
Start "building" your tower!
Place arugula in the middle of the plate. Season it with salt, pepper and dill. Add 1 slice each, beets, mozzarella, tomato, and repeat until it stands 5-6" tall. Add the red onions to the top. Drizzle a little olive oil and Balsamic to the top and serve.

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Bruschetta 2 Ways: Fig Jam, Mushrooms, Onions & Ricotta & Apricot Jam, Pear & Brie

thislittleitalian — Fri, 01 Jan 2021 20:23:28 +0000

I love serving hot appetizers and bruschetta is something you can prepare in advance and make different varieties of – all with one baguette.

Bruschetta w/ Fig Jam, Mushrooms & Onions and Ricotta

I like sauté Crimini mushrooms olive oil. Add a little diced onion, salt, pepper, rosemary, onion powder, herbs de Provence and smoked paprika to taste.

Slice the baguette and dress with some fig jam, the mushroom mixture and then bake in the oven at 350 for about 12-15 minutes. Remove from oven, top with creamy whole milk ricotta cheese and serve.

Bruschetta w/ Apricot Jam, Pears & Brie

These are so easy to build. Slice the baguette and dress with some apricot jam, a thinly sliced pear, and “cube” of creamy brie. Season with a little herbs de Provence, salt & pepper. Bake in the oven at 350 for about 12-15 minutes. Serve warm.

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Baked Feta with Greek Olives

thislittleitalian — Fri, 25 Dec 2020 17:40:06 +0000

This easy little appetizer will delight your friends and family – it’s warm and savory, creamy & succulent.

Just place an 8 OZ block of Feta cheese in the center of a baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil. Add 2 cups of Greek olives, just spread them around the block of cheese. Add 8 TBS of sundried tomatoes to the olives. Halve 16 cherry tomatoes, (I used heirloom variety, but any juicy “baby” tomato will do just fine.) Place those on top of the olives. Drizzle with olive oil, squeeze the juice from one lemon on top and then season with Herbs de Provence, salt & pepper. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Serve with a crusty baguette, crackers or ciabatta.

Baked Feta ready for the oven!

Baked Feta ready to serve!

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Winter Salad

thislittleitalian — Fri, 25 Dec 2020 15:05:08 +0000

This lovely winter salad is so simple to prepare. Fresh baby kale, spinach, raspberries, cucumbers and olives – the pomegranate seeds on top give it texture and a little sweetness. Dressed with a Dijon mustard & honey vinaigrette.

For the vinaigrette:

Add to a mason jar equal parts Dijon to honey, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Add salt & pepper, herbs de Provence and dill to taste. Shake it up baby! Drizzle over the top and toss.

Winter Salad

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