I love flavour, me!

Still alive and...cooking! Oh, and my ideal breakfast!!

2011-05-29T23:03:00.002+01:00

Hmm, how many months has it been??

Yep, I'm still here, alive and kicking and cooking.

Some of my absence has been down to work, some of it to kids but I will have to admit that some of it has been due to sheer laziness.

The weeks have been long, hectic-all in a good way! Come the weekend, you just want to put your feet up and watch a good movie with your loved ones. Well at least I have for the last...4 months.

Not that I've stopped cooking mind you. I've had the odd birthday party, dinner party, packed lunch and even packed dinner, not to mention what has now become a ritual in our household-The Sunday Roast.

I do intend on catching up, now that I have the odd quiet evening all to myself. Hmm pure indulgence considering the last few months.

I will catch up on my fellow bloggers' posts, finish my Italian Foodie Experiences and even share some of the happenings in my life with you-I will try to stick to the interesting ones when and if they do occur. :-)

And speaking of indulgences, let me just leave you with my ultimate breakfast treat:

Scrambled eggs with Smoked Salmon

Ingredients:

Serves 2

4-5 slices of good quality Oak Smoked Salmon, cut into bite size pieces

4 good quality fresh eggs

120 mls of double cream

Some chopped parsley

salt and pepper to taste

125 gs of salted butter

50gs of Philadelphia Cheese

2 slices of toasted ciabatta or your favourite bread

Method

Melt the butter in a frying pan.

Add a small piece of smoked salmon-to flavour the butter.

In a bowl mix the eggs with cream and season.

Pour the mixture into a frying pan and stir until almost cooked but still creamy.

Switch the heat off, add the smoked salmon and fold into the eggs.

Spread the Philadelphia onto the toast, top with the scrambled egg and sprinkle the chopped parsley all over it.

Enjoy...drooling just thinking about it!! :)

Perfect Scrambled Eggs

Italian Foodie Experience #3 Cooking for Mini Italians and Pseudo-Italian Meatballs

2011-01-23T20:31:00.000Z

One of my most traumatic foodie experiences in Italy was cooking for my friends' Italian children.

Don't get me wrong, they were lovely boys, but just like their Italian adult counterparts, they knew what they liked and how it should be cooked.

It took me many failed attempts to be able to cook to their standard.
I mean, the adults could always tell you what a wonderful cook you were in such a courteous and loving manner, that you would actually believe them, albeit for not too long!
The children, however, still polite, would just, merely refuse to eat your food by stating that they were full.

I have to say that I admired this. It's part of the Italian culture, always to be loving, complimentary...any other child would have frown and stated purely and simply that they did not like it!
Italian children were far too aware of your feelings and how they would hurt you by saying such a thing.

And so the food was played with, pushed to the side of the plate, twirled about for a bit, and after half an hour, a happy exclamation of supposed satisfaction.
The Italian Children then exclaiming they were full, albeit that their plates, themselves were still full of food.

So I asked around, tweaked a few recipes or so, tried what I thought all children would like and still nothing.
Until one day I asked one of the boys if he liked Meatballs.

There was a silence.
I repeated the question:' Do you like spaghetti with meatballs?'
The reply came: 'Don't know, never tried it...'

That made me think that I hadn't actually come across any Spaghetti and Meatballs in any Italian residence or restaurant, for that matter!

I googled the fact and this is what I found:

'No peasant in Italy had eaten spaghetti with meatballs or milanese alla napoletana prior to migration. Such dishes used ingredients that had originated in the Americas but by 1920 those ingredients were typically imported from Italy before being combined by immigrant cooks in America with the meats that had originated in Europe but were mass produced in the new world.'
From History in Focus

Not implying that the people or the area I lived in were peasants, but Spaghetti with Meatballs was just not part of their culture. It was an American idea!

What better challenge then? To cook this pseudo-Italian Dish and to have it tried and tested by genuine Italian children!

And so I did. I replaced the Spaghetti with Linguine as I thought it would hold the sauce better.

The result was surprising. The boys loved it!

I was so moved I even asked Luca if I could take a picture of him eating my meatballs so that it could go down in Blog History!

He, being the true Italian gentleman he is, agreed to it!

How I miss the Italian boys, they taught me so very much indeed!

Linguine with Pseudo-Italian Meatballs

INGREDIENTS:

For the meatballs:

250gs of Veal Mince (optional)

250gs of Pork Mince

500gs of Beef mince or 750gs if not using veal Mince

1tsp of dried onion

1tsp of mixed Italian herbs (or herbs of your choice)

1 cup of breadcrumbs

2 small minced cloves of garlic

1 egg

salt and pepper to taste

1tbsp of fresh chopped parsley

1tbsp of olive oil

For the tomato sauce:

1tbsp of olive oil

1 large chopped onion

2 minced cloves of garlic

1tbsp of chopped salami (optional)

300gs of passata or 1 tin of chopped tomatoes

1tsp of sugar

salt and pepper to taste

Linguine or Spaghetti

DIRECTIONS:

In a bowl, mix the meat with the dried ingredients (herbs, dried onion, breadcrumbs and garlic)

Add the parsley,egg and and mix well together

Shape into meatballs the size of a golf ball. If possible, get tiny hands to do it for you, like so:

Pour the olive oil into a medium heat frying pan and sear on all sides

Set aside and start working on your sauce.

Pour the olive oil into a large pot and set to a medium heat. Fry your salami for one minute-to flavour the oil.Add your onion and cook for 10 minutes, until translucent, soft and sweet.

Add your garlic and fry for a further 2 minutes. Add your passata or tomatoes, sugar and salt and pepper.Cook on a medium heat for 15 minutes.

Add your meatballs, cover and cook for a further 45 minutes.

Boil your pasta 10 to 15 minutes before the meatballs are ready-depending on the recommended cooking time.

Pour the pasta into the meatballs and stir well. Allow it to rest for 2 minutes so that the pasta can absorb some of the sauce.

Serve with lots of freshly grated parmesan!

YUM!

Happy 2011, Everyone!!!!

2011-01-02T16:36:00.001Z

And what better way to celebrate but with a rich, juicy platter of Seafood Spaghetti!!

May you all have a fantastic 2011!!! xx

Foodie Experience#2 Italian Breakfasts/Nutella and a Chocolatey Heaven Guest Post

2010-12-12T19:49:00.002Z

The best intentions...

So I promised I would post every Sunday, then work came along and 'bam wang', my Sundays got taken up somehow over the last few weeks.

Don't get me wrong, I was pleased. A promotion, more money and more challenges. But at the back of my mind, the niggling feeling that I had failed my promise yet again on this blog!

*Sigh* Still this is my passion and I will to juggle and try to keep my promises. After all, it is through the blog that I can grow and learn and communicate with all of you!
That will never change nor will the friendships so dear to me I have made through this outlet.

But enough of me.

On with Italian breakfasts and the Italian's love of Nutella.

This is a typical Italian breakfast, served with a glass of milk or coffee:

A selection of various 'breakfast biscuits' as they call them.

Now, this did come as a shock to me.
I expected fresh croissants, jams or freshly baked breads, yogurts, etc. Your typical Continental Breakfasts.
But living in an Italian household, I saw both children and grown-ups topping up on their energy levels on an array of biscuits before heading off to work/school.

There are other options.
If you haven't had time to sit down for your biscuits and coffee, you can always stop at the nearest bar-read cafe,more of that to come on a later post- and have a lovely coffee and a pastry, such as these:

or the favourite of every Italian household:

Now, as a Brit, I had encountered the odd jar of Nutella in the supermarket.
I saw it as a cross between the sin of all sins-highly calorific-and a very occasional children's treat.

It wasn't until I arrived in Italy that I realised how much they embraced and adored this chocolate heavenly mixture.
I discovered, through my Italian friends, that Nutella had been created by Mr. Pietro Ferrero in the 1940's due to the shortness of Cocoa. He had decided to create a spread that used what cocoa he could find mixed in with hazelnuts which were plentiful in the region of Piedmont (Northwest of Italy).

Since then, most Italians had developed a love for this spread that became deeply engraved in their culture.
Not only do they spread it on bread but they also bake with it:

They even top their pizza with it:

They have stalls in the street dedicated only to Nutella pancakes and in supermarkets you can buy giant Kilo jars of the stuff:

Not having a very sweet tooth, I never really converted to the same love and devotion the Italians have for Nutella. I did however find it as the perfect example of the Italians passion for flavours and all things indulgent.

Just like their breakfasts, no boring cereals, no tasteless, healthy drinks, just pure delicious indulgence.

My fascination for their love of Nutella led me to find many recipes online. I was not surprised to see how that chocolaty passion had managed to travel across the pond.

The Italian-Americans embraced that love just as passionately and managed to create some of the most outstanding recipes with this ingredient.
My very favourites are Claudia's from Whats Cooking Italian Style.
She has developed a huge variety of recipes using Nutella and I asked her if she could Guest Post one of them on the blog.

I do love reading her blog. She's a true Italian at heart and her post reflects as much.
Not only does she cook wonders with Nutella but all her recipes are incredibly full of flavour an d her family orientated style of blog writing do reflect what Italian food is really all about.
The way she describes it in this post pretty much sums it all up for me!!
Thank you so much Claudia and I do hope you all enjoy the post, try the recipes out and have a good old read of her blog!!

I was so honored when Ruth Martins from I love Flavour me asked me to guest post.

Her culinary expertise has been astounding in the blogging world, I just love her versatility, as she can cook all kinds of fabulous foods.

Being she is part Portuguese and part English, her culinary expertise is simply amazing. Thank you so much for asking me to do this guest post! I could never say no to you!

So a little about me. I absolutely have a very tight bond with family that starts and ends with cooking.

A family that cooks together, has a strong bond together in mastering a universal love to create, eat and please others.

That's what we Italians do. We love to cook, we love to eat, and much more please many of of friends and family by feeding them.

You have to know if you leave without eating in an Italian household table, that's a sin!

So with that, I would like to present two creations of my own. Nutella is a favorite in our family.

Being my grandmother was a Ferraro, we often joked that this hazelnut creamy sensation was related somewhere.

Just joking of course, but we just can't get enough of it.

So, here are two ingredients to share in one recipe, made by the same company.

Buon Natale to you and yours from Claudia @What's Cookin' Italian Style Cuisine...

Thanks so much Ruth for having me here!

No Name Nutella Cupcakes

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
2 ounces good grade bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup dutch style processed cocoa
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 cup sour cream

heat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard-sized muffin pan.
Combine butter, chocolate, and cocoa in medium heatproof bowl. Microwave till melted and smooth, about 1 minute. Set aside to cool, to luke warm.
Stir in flour, baking soda, and baking powder in small bowl to combine.
Beat eggs in bowl. Add sugar, vanilla, and salt,beat till fluffy. Add cooled chocolate mixture and beat until well combined. Add flour and sour cream beat till everything is well combined.

Cool cupcakes in muffin pan on wire rack until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. Cut centers out, fill with filling below. Top with ganache frosting. Crumble Ferarro Rocher Candy on top of ganache.
Filling:
4 tablespoons softened butter

1/2 cup of chopped hazelnuts and 1/2 cup whole ones for the top of the cupcakes 1/2 cup of Nutella
1 1/2 cups of rice krispies crushed or put in food processor 30 to 40 seconds
2 to 3 tablespoon of heavy cream
1 cup of confectionery sugar
Mix butter and Nutella together until well blended. Add confectionery sugar rice krispies, mix together and add the heavy cream until a smooth filling not running but thick and spoonable. Fill hollowed out cupcakes with the filling.

Ganache Topping
2 cups of semi sweet good grade chocolate
3/4 cup of heavy cream
Heat cream in microwave till boiling, remove add chips keep stirring until chips are all melted. If you want this to be a more like just frosting, cool for 20 minutes before spreading, otherwise I put this on while hot and let it drip down the sides.
Add crushed Ferarro Rocher candies on the top of the cupcakes after you have put the ganache on them.

Nutella Hot Chocolate/Cocoa Recipe:

1 cup whole milk
3 tablespoons Nutella
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
Whipped creme in a can for garnish, chocolate shavings, chocolate syrup. Optional: 1 shot of Frangelico or Kahlua (Adult version only, smile !)
Ferrero Rocher Candy
In a high quality heavy pan, whisk together the milk, Nutella, cocoa powder. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Serve with a shot of Frangelico or Kaluha (if your an adult), top with whipped creme, crushed Ferrero Rocher candy, chocolate syrup drizzle.
I have to tell you it's so confusing is it Hot Cocoa or do you call it Hot Chocolate? Everyone is different....I just know it's delicious! Cheers :)

Nutella Cookies on Foodista" href="http://www.foodista.com/recipe/R5C2TVK4/nutella-cookies" style="display: block; padding: 5px; border: 5px solid #C44F50; -moz-border-radius: 2px; -webkit-border-radius: 2px; background-color: #fff; width: 100px; text-align: center; text-indent: 0;"><img alt="Nutella Cookies on Foodista" src="http://cf.foodista.com/static/images/widget_logo_md.png" style="border: none; width: 84px; height: 18px; padding: 0; margin: 0;" /><img src="http://dyn.foodista.com/content/embed/z1.png?foodista_widget_R5C2TVK4_V2CPSHCH" style="display: none;" />

Foodie Experience#1: There's no such Thing as Italian Food and Ragu Alla Nonna!!

2010-11-21T18:47:00.001Z

First of all, thanks to everyone for the lovely comments.
I do intend on going back to Italy over and over again, and the experience will always stay with me.

On the plus side, Iloveflavourme Jr has never been so happy and that in itself made the move well worth it.

Before I start sharing my foodie experiences in Italy, allow me to add a small disclaimer:
These are the accounts of my experiences. They are totally subjective and are solely a reflection of what I experienced while living in Modena, from a Brit's point of view.
You might agree or disagree and any comments are most welcome as I would like to know about your views and experiences too!

Also I will endevour to post on my Italian Foodie Experiences every Sunday so I do hope you come back for more!

Now on with my First Foodie experience in Italy or to be more precise, a lesson that changed my perspective on Italian Food for life.

Picture this, here's me an amateur foodie about to board the plane to Modena, Italy. Daydreaming about luscious seafood dishes, pasta covered in sumptuous vegetable sauces and a whole array of Mediterranean dishes to taste over and over again to my heart's content!

Having experienced the Mediterranean Diet, first hand, after living in Spain and Portugal, I expected something similar from the Italian cuisine.
Little did I know what I was about to experience.

You see, for those of you who are not familiar with Italian history-I wasn't!-you would be right to assume that Italy has always been one nation.
In fact, Italy is a very young nation! 149 years old to be more precise!

Italy was, up until 1861 divided into many regions that were ruled independently. It was also under the domination of the Austrians, amongst many others, in the North and of the Spanish in the south.

Why is this relevant, you may ask. Well this would explain the reason why, upon arriving in Modena, I realised for the first time in my life, that there is no such thing as Italian food!

Because these regions had been independent for so long and had had so many foreign influences, they developed their own cuisine and style of cooking independently too.
You can say there is Bolognese food, Parma food, Venetian food, Sicilian food, Caprese food...the list is as long as the number of regions.
In fact, variations in the recipes even change within the region, from town to town, village to village and even family to family.

There are of course some common threads. Most pasta dishes start with a soffritto base-finely chopped garlic, carrots, onions and celery-but even this can change and many people choose to omit one or two of the basic ingredients according to taste.

Another interesting fact is that most of the dishes adapted in the States, are based in the cuisine from the South of Italy rather than the North.
You see the cuisine in the South of Italy was inspired by their Spanish influence and is the Italian adaptation of the Mediterranean Diet.

And this is precisely what I expected upon arriving in Modena. Little did I know that Modena was in fact the land of Pork and Cheese.
Yes, hardly any fish or vegetables...

Pork is the meat of choice and cured in many different ways. Such as the famous Parma Ham
and Mortadella

And of course the cheese, no Grana Padano here, only the best Parmigiano Reggiano is allowed.

These are all local products of course.
The Italians are fiercely proud of their regional products and base all of their local cuisine on these.
I rarely came across a Chinese takeaway, and there was only one Indian restaurant in the whole of Modena.
Their fast food of choice (and they would hang me for calling it fast food) is Pizza-almost as thin as paper-and Tigelle.

Over the 9 months I spent in Modena, I learned a lot about the regional food-Emilia-Romagna-and how to make delicious ragu and pasta dishes.
I learnt very little about Italian food but learned to appreciate the love they have for all that is local and regional and how to make the most of it.

Guess I will just have to go back and learn some more abut the other regions! Any excuse!!!

Now on with the most controversial dish of the region: Ragu Bolognese.
There are so many variations from family to family it is hard to pin down the one recipe!

After having tried many different versions, I found the one, I share here with you as the most delicious!!

The recipe was given to me by my friend's mother and although it is takes some time and effort I can assure you it's incredibly creamy and flavourful.
My friend's mum also gave me a few tips I shall share with you.

Use only Pork mince-it really does give it another dimension of flavour.
The sauce is ready when you can stand your spoon in it.
And most importantly, do not use too many tomatoes. It's supposed to be a meat sauce not a Tomato sauce.

Since this is her version of Ragu Bolognese, I decided to call it Ragu alla Nonna, because, after all the one thing I learned is that there is no such thing as Italian food, there is food that the Italian Family makes!

Thank you Nonna Bosi!!

RAGU ALLA NONNA

Ingredients

500 gs of minced pork

100mls of extra virgin olive oil

1 finely chopped celery stick

1 finely chopped medium onion

1 finely chopped carrot

3 minced cloves of garlic

(you could use a food processor to chop all of the above)

1 or 2 bay leaves

250gs of chopped pancetta or smoked bacon

100mls of full fat milk

200mls of white wine (I prefer it to red as its lighter)

200mls of passata or one tin of chopped tomatoes

Salt and pepper to taste

100 gs of grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Pasta of your choice (Linguine holds the sauce better than spaghetti. It's traditionally served with taglietelle))

Freshly grated parmigiano to serve

Method

1. Heat the oil in a Large Pot or frying pan over a medium heat. Add the pancetta and fry gently until slightly crisp.

Add your chopped onion, celery and carrot and fry for another 3 minutes until soft.

Add your garlic and fry for another 2 minutes.

2-Add your Pork mince and break apart with your spoon whilst browning it. Fry until all the mince has browned.

Add your glass of milk-it softens the meat and adds creaminess.

Cook on a low heat until all the milk has disappeared-15 to 20 minutes

Add your wine and bay leaf and cook until all the wine has evaporated-about 20 mins.

3.Add your passata, 100gs of grated Parmigiano and season to taste.

4.Lower the heat, cover the pot/frying pan and cook for 2 hours or until you can stand your spoon in the sauce.

It should look like this:

Cook your pasta for 2 minutes under the recommended time. Reserve some of the pasta water aside.

Pour the pasta into the sauce, mix it well, add the water, cover and cook on a very low heat for 3 minutes.

This will allow the pasta to absorb all the sauce.

Serve immediately with Lots of Parmigiano.

Buono Appetito!!

Chocolate and Strawberry Cake Teaser and Memoirs of a Foodie living in Italy

2010-11-13T16:43:00.002Z

So yes, once again, it's been far too long.

I could give you a list of reasons why, but to be fair, there is only one reason.

After my incredible experience in Italy during last year, I was forced to make a decision last Summer.
You see, as much as I had fallen in love with the country, I was terribly disillusioned with their educational system.
Iloveflavour Jr had not had a good experience of the Italian educational system.

I knew, that against my own personal emotions, it would be better for him that we returned to the UK for the new school year.

And so we did.
It was incredibly hard as both of us had to leave many dear friends behind, but they will always been in our hearts.

As for Iloveflavour Jr, he is now blooming in his new school, has made many new friends and is incredibly happy.

So we've been so busy relocating, I am guilty of having severly neglected the blog in turn.

My dear friend Rebecca from Chow and Chatter suggested that in honour of my experience in Italy and of the lovely people we met there, I should write a kind of diary of memoirs, expressing all the little foodie quirks and curiosities I experienced in the time I lived there.

So folks, that is what I propose to do over the next few months.

So why the chocolate cake, I hear you ask. Well for two reasons.

Firstly, because I found that Italian people in general have a very sweet tooth and most of their cakes and sweets have a much higher sugar content than the ones in the UK.

Secondly because the cake you see her was the one I made for my Italian students to celebrate one of their birthdays. It has, therefore, a very special meaning to me.

As for the cake itself, I couldn't give you the recipe as it couldn't be simpler.
Here's an idea.

Make two circular sponge cakes.
Place a layer of sweetened single cream and sliced strawberries on one of them.
Place the second sponge cake on top.
Cover with chocolate icing (melted milk chocolate and icing sugar)

There you go.

Hope you come back soon to read more about what I learned.
Indeed an experience I will never forget!!

Garlic Tiger Prawns/Shrimp and my First Italian Feast

2010-09-14T19:45:00.000+01:00

I thought long and hard about how to restart posting after an absence of over two months.
After all, it would take me another two months to fill you in on all the updates and to apologise for the lack of posting over and over again.

Life has taken many twists and turns. Some very good and some not so pleasant.
So I decided I would backtrack and fill you in post by post, since my last update.

If you recall, on my last post I mentioned I had been asked to cook for30 plus guests over a weekend-long birthday party.

This involved cooking a Saturday Lunch of 5 Italian Courses, a Pizza Dinner and a Sunday Lunch of numerous fish courses and dessert.

But let me tell you more, for this was no ordinary weekend!

It was Maggie's 70th Birthday party.
Maggie is my lovely boss.
A tower of strength, an inspiration and a true pleasure to have worked for.

Me and Maggie on the day! Just look at her smile!!

Now what makes Maggie even more special is the fact that, apart from being able to smoothly run the school, she also manages to run-so to speak- the most beautiful Country house in the heart of the mountains in Emila-Romagna, I have ever seen!

And although I do not have a picture of the house I do, however, have a picture of the view from the kitchen window and you can just imagine what an experience it was to cook looking out to this view.

So on with the party.
All the guests were family or life long friends of Maggie's and what a truly lovely, warm and welcoming bunch they were!
They had a wonderful time and were very keen to tell me how much they'd enjoyed the food.
All in all they made the experience truly memorable.

Still, what made it all the more special for me, was seeing Maggie, walking into the kitchen, when it was all over, with such a warm and genuine smile of happiness and contentment.

Only then did I feel I had done a good job!

And in true Foodie Blogger style, lets talk menu.
I have to say I started cooking on the Friday night and literally did not stop until Sunday afternoon. No lunch breaks, no rests, short sleeps.
Was I shattered? Very much so! Did I love it? Every second of it, and would definitely do it all over again!

I have to say I couldn't have done it too, without my assistant's help who did all the washing up and clearing up!!
You know who you are and how grateful I will always be for your undeniable support.

But I digress! Yes, the food!

For Saturday Lunch we agreed the guests should have a full-on Italian experience.

And such was the MENU:

Campari Fruit Punch

With Antipasti

Parma Ham and Honeydew Melon

THE STARTERS

Risotto Alla Milanese

Lasagna Al Ragu

Tortellini

Creamy Baked Spinach and Potato Pasta

MAIN COURSE

Barbecued Chicken

With Mediterranean Salad

And Homemade Bread (Baked in a Real Pizza Oven)

For DESSERT

Fresh Fruit Salad

And the Birthday Cake!!

VIGNOLA CHERRIES AND CREAM CAKE

On With Saturday night!
And we wanted to make full use of that gorgeous pizza oven in the garden, so what better way to celebrate a Saturday night than with Homemade Pizza!!!

And to round it all off, Fresh Fruit dipped in Chocolate Fondue

And Sunday was my biggest challenge yet, a variety of fish courses!

It was a buffet style meal. The food placed on a big table and the guests just helped themselves.

For the STARTERS

Fresh Tuna Kebabs

Calamari

Seafood Kebabs

And Today's RECIPE

Garlic King Prawns

For the Main Course

Fresh Grilled Tuna

Barbecued Fish

All served with a variety of salads and homemade breads, pictures of which, unfortunately I have none.
But on with the dessert which was a huge success.

Baked Bananas in a Cinnamon Syrup with Fresh Cream

Now, if you have managed to get this far on the post, after so many words and pictures, it's because you really want this recipe, so I think you more than deserve by now!
But before I get on to it, in order to prevent any boredom, if you would like the recipe for any of those meals, just drop me a line or I might even post one of them here and there, every now and again!

So, just for you, loyal reader, here is the recipe for those yummy Garlicky King Prawns!

GARLIC TIGER PRAWNS/SHRIMP

INGREDIENTS

Serves 2 generously

4 cloves of garlic

250mls of good quality white whine

200 gs of butter

500gs of raw shelled prawns -or de-shelled, depending on taste but they should be raw as they will absorb more flavour

2 whole lemons

DIRECTIONS

1. Melt the butter in a frying pan on a medium heat until it starts to foam

2. Peel the garlic and place the garlic clove-whole- in the butter and fry gently for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the garlic when golden.

3. Pour the wine into the butter and turn the heat to medium-high.

4. Add the King prawns/shrimp and cook for 4 to 6 minutes until they turn a nice deep pink.

5. Remove from the heat and squeeze a whole lemon over them

6. Slice your other lemon and serve the Prawns/Shrimp with the lemon slices.

I can't begin to tell you how popular this dish was with the crowd so I do hope you give it a try.

Just before I go, I would like to say a Very BIG THANK YOU to Mitchy for taking all the pics here. There's no way I would have been able to, otherwise!

So thank you, Mitchy, so very much, for taking the time and trouble to shoot all the food!!

                       Garlic Grilled Shrimp

Egg and Vegetables Bruschetta and Cream Cakes in Lake Como

2010-06-10T22:09:00.000+01:00

So I am waaaaaayyyyyy behind with my posts! I know I am really sorry but I do have several good reasons, you see...

Final Exams at the school.

Doing the Catering for a Weekend long Birthday Party of 30 people....It's my boss' 70th Birthday and she's having a great big birthday bash and I am cooking for all of then!! I was so flattered!
I have to say that, and I do mean it, I can assure you this is not a cheap publicity stunt, but they are one of the best employers and schools I have ever worked in.
A lovely family run business and if you do know of anyone who needs English lessons in Italy I would highly recommend the Cambridge Centre of English.

And finally an upcoming TV appearance in a British Cookery Programme
Yes, you read it correctly, yours truly is going to be cooking on British television. More of that to come on later posts, I can assure you.

So all this thinking about appearing on Television and all that entails, reminded me of my trip, a few weeks back to Lake Como. You see the connection comes from the fact that, whilst there, I saw a tourist board explaining all the interesting sights around the lake, including-wait for it-George Clooney's house on the lake!!!

Just stroke me as so funny that they had made his house into a valuable tourist attraction.

But I have to say the place looked magical even on a cloudy day.
Just look at this

And this...

So worth visiting! Couldn't recommend it more!

So while walking around the town of Lecco we came across the most amazing Cream Cakes in a tiny pasticceria! The selection seemed endless and we just had to stop and try a few.

Hmm don't they look divine??

And look at the creamy filling,. This one was filled with a vanilla and pistachio custard!

Alex was so fascinated by his creamy and,oh so chocolatey one!

So after such a huge indulgence and to make myself feel a bit better, I decided to share the recipe for one of the quickiest, tastiest any yet really healthiest brunches, with you!

EGG AND VEGETABLES BRUSCHETTA

INGREDIENTS -SERVES 4

200gs of smoked pancetta-optional, omit if you want to make this a vegetarian meal

1 large chopped onion

2 large chopped cloves of garlic

1 large aubergine

4 medium sized courgettes/zuchinni

1 medium red pepper, 1 medium yellow pepper, 1 medium green pepper

1 tablespoon of dried italian herbs or 1/2 a tsp of oregano, basil and rosemary

1 cup of white wine

250mls of passata or tinned tomatoes

2 bay leaves

4 large eggs

1 large sliced ciabatta loaf

Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

Couldn't be easier!!

Fry your pancetta, if using it, until golden brown.

In the meantime chop all your vegetables into chuncky bitesize portions, apart from the onion and garlic which should be chopped finely.

Gently fry the onion and the garlic until translucent.

Add your chopped veg and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes.

Add your herbs and wine. Cook until the wine has reduced completely.

Add your passata/tomatoes, bay leaves and season well. Bring it to a boiling point and then cook on a low heat for 15 to 20 mins. Remove the bay leaves.

Make 4 wells in the vegetable sauce, and crack your eggs into them. Cover them with some of the sauce, cover the pan with a lid and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes.

In the meantime, toast your ciabatta bread and place it on individual plates.

Place the vegetables and egg straight onto the ciabatta slice, sit down and tuck ito it.

Enjoy!!

                       Bruschetta

Creamy Chicken and Spinach Lasagna

2010-05-28T20:52:00.001+01:00

Well I was planning for my next post, a yummy bruschetta covered in saucy vegetables and topped with a fried egg,

when I came across the pics for this incredible lasagna I made a while ago.

This recipe is similar to the one I published way back in July last year, Baked Chicken and Spinach Bechamel Pasta.

I thought this would be a very good follow up from the previous post as you could use your roast chicken leftovers for the filling. Also if you have some cooked or frozen spinach at hand, you could have this wonderful meal on the table in less than an hour.

I used some nice chicken breasts that were half price in the local butcher's for this recipe, but I think it's better with leftover roast chicken as it adds more flavour.

The contrast of textures and flavours between the bechamel, the chicken and the spinach really made for a truly delicious yet light lasagna, perfect for the hot weather!

Enjoy!!

CREAMY SPINACH AND CHICKEN LASAGNA

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

4 large chicken breasts or 500gs of cooked chicken

1 large chopped onion

3 medium chopped cloves of garlic

1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

2 to 3 cups of cooked spinach (boiled or steamed)

500mls of Bechamel sauce-recipe for which can be found here

100 gs of freshly grated parmigiano/parmesan

100gs of fresh mozarella, sliced

Some fresh basil leaves

500gs of fresh or dried lasagna sheets

DIRECTIONS

Pre-heat your oven to 220 degrees

If you're using uncooked chicken, fry the breasts in some olive oil until golden brown. Remove and set aside.

Make your bechamel sauce.

Gently fry your onions until soft and add your garlic. Fry for a couple of more minutes on a low heat.

Tear the chicken into bitesize pieces.

Add your chicken and spinach to the onion and garlic mixture in the frying pan.

Add your bechamel sauce and parmigiano cheese and mix it all well.

Spread some of the mixture on the bottom of your oven dish.

Place your lasagna sheets on top of it.

Spread some of the chicken and spinach mix on the pasta, then top it up with some slices of the mozarella, chopped basil and parmagiano cheese.

Thats your first layer. Repeat the process until you have used your mixture up.

Cook in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes until nice and golden.

Serve with some warm crusty bread.

P.S. You could omit the chicken and have this as fully vegetarian Cheese and Spinach Lasagna. Just as delicious!!

                       Lasagna

Roast Chicken and Italian Herbs

2010-05-15T22:17:00.002+01:00

First of all, I have to reassure all of you lovely people out there, that I have yet to reach my 100th post, because when I do,I have an amazing giveaway for you all.
So thanks to all of you who kindly thought I had reached that milestone, but I am still on my 89th post...

Most of us have used Italian Herbs at some point, but it wasn't until I got a lovely Email from Saverio Lo Presti from Ariosto that I really began my journey into Italian herbs.

You see, he contacted me, asking if I had ever heard of Ariosto.
I had come accross these gorgeous little pots of Italian herbs in the supermarket but never really given them a second thought.
Never really stopped to consider what would be the best herb combination for a roast or a simple tomato sauce.
Still Salverio susrprised me with a wonderful email stating he had read my blog and could they please send me some samples.

My immediate reaction was of 'yes, please'. Shortly after, this cute little box arrived.

I opened the box to find these delights inside

With these

And these

Where to start? I decided to focus on the Meat Roast herb mix.

I used it on Steak

The result was delicious

And on Roast chicken.

As you can see from the post picture the result was pretty amazing.
I served it with Roman Peas, the recipe for which can be found here in Frank Fariello's wonderful blog,.
I replaced the Parma Ham with some smoked pancetta since that's what I had at the time.

I also used the tomato herb mix

on a creamy tuna tomato sauce

So my veredict on Italian herbs made from scratch and from Italy is that you so have to check this website and try them out.
They give sauces a whole new depth of flavour!

I will continue to experiment and keep you updated.
Thank you Salverio!!

Corned Beef and Potato Pie

2010-05-05T21:59:00.001+01:00

Well, the anniversary of the blog was very well celebrated thanks to all of you!

That done and with the imminent approach of the 100th Post-just wait for that one, I have an incredible giveaway for you!-it got me thinking of the early days and on how the blog started.

Initially it was about experimenting with two very different types of cuisine, British and Meditteranean , but as time went on, it became more of an experiment with food and cooking in general.
I started asking myself what kind of British foods had I been missing the most since moving to Italy.
The answer was more than obvious, pies!!
Us Brits really do know how to make pies, if I say so myself!

One of my favourite pies is this one.
Traditionally from the North of England rather than the South, it is probably one of the easiest and tastiest pies you could ever make.
The saltiness of the beef, the sweetness of the onions and the moist soft potatoes make it truly irrisistible!

I recommend you use tinned corned beef as the flavour tends to be stronger but any old corned beef will do.

I was pleasantly surprised to find Tinned Corned Beef in the supermarket here, but it was great to realise that even the Italians appreciate these gorgeous flavours.

I made this one a few weekends ago for a picnic and really went down a treat with the Italian folk.
Hope you try it too!

So on with the recipe.

Corned Beef and Potato Pie

Ingredients

2 large sheets of ready made pastry (best quality possible)

500 gs or more depending on your taste of floury potatoes, peeled and cut into smallish pieces

2 medium onions

One 500 gs or more tin of corned beef

1 tsp of Worcestershire Sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

Eggwash for the pastry

Directions

Boil your potatoes until very soft and mash when done.

In the meantime, chop your onions and boil them until extremely soft and sweet.

Line your baking dish with a sheet of pastry, cover with beans/cereals etc and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.

Place your corned beef, mashed potatoes and cooked onions in a bowl and mix them all in very well.

Add your Worcestershire Sauce and season to taste.

Remove your pastry from the oven and pour the corned beef mixture into it.

Cover with the second sheet of pastry, use a fork to make some incisions and spread the eggwash all over it.

Bake in the oven on 180 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown!

Enjoy!!

Sweet Paprika Seafood Stew and my First Anniversary

2010-04-24T21:46:00.001+01:00

Ladies and Gents, 'I love Flavour, me!' is officially ONE year old!

And what a year it has been too, so many changes, so many adventures!!!

To celebrate this event I would like to do two things.
First, to Thank all of you who took the time and patience, to visit, read, comment or simply pop in from time to time. I can't begin to tell you how much that has meant to me!!

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH!!! MUITO OBRIGADO!!! GRAZIE MILLE!!!

Second of all, I would like to talk about the dish that inspired me to start a blog: Portuguese Fish Stew or better known as Caldeirada.

This dish is for me what Julia Child's Beef Borgouignon is for many!
My temptation, my craving, my indulgence, my luxury!!

Exactly one year ago, I was sat in my house in England, browsing through recipes and craving Caldeirada more than anything else.
I terribly missed Portuguese food and so wished to recreate it at home.
Only problem was, living in the UK it proved quite difficult to find similar ingredients. So what to do?

And this is how the idea of the blog came to be.
After reading many blogs I thought of writing one that combined delicious Mediterreanean (mainly Portuguese) flavours with British Recipes.

As the blog developed, I found that it went way beyond that.
It became a journey of self-discovery, of finding that bit by bit, by experimenting here and failing there, I could actually cook.

And trust me my friends, that was a major discovery!
I always saw myself as a great food lover but never ever, as someone who could cook.

So here I am, one year down the line, sitting in a warm Italian flat, and with your help, wonderful support and encouragement, feeling so humbly proud of 'I love flavour, me!'.

Once again, thank you for helping me grow and trust in myself but...most of all... thank you for believing in me!!!

But enough of soppiness, what better way to celebrate than by recreating Caleirada in an Italian kitchen and savouring it with the utmost pleasure!

Try it, trust me, you will get hooked like me! Hope you love the flavour too!!!

Sweet Paprika Seafood Stew

Ingredients

Extra Virgin Olive oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 large chopped onion

2 finely chopped cloves of garlic

2 to 3 teaspoons of Sweet Paprika, depending on taste

1 medium Yellow Pepper, Sliced

1 medium Red Pepper, Sliced

1 large cup of good quality White Wine

1 large cup of Passata or Chopped tomatoes

1 cup of Fish Stock

A selection of seafood of your choice, I used raw large Prawn Tails, Cod, Salmon, Squid Rings and Mussels but any Seafood will work

Lots of chopped Parsley

Method

Get a selection of top quality seafood from your fishmonger's or market, something like this...

And this...

And finally this...

Fry your chopped onion until translucent in the olive oil, add your garlic and fry for another 1 to 2 minutes on a low heat.

Add your sweet paprika. Trust me, the more the better, I added 3 teaspoons and a bit after, it just gives it such a wonderful taste. Fry for one minute.

Add your slice peppers and gently fry until slightly soft.

Pour in your wine and allow it to reduce but not disappear altogether as it adds a touch of sweetness to the stew.

Add your passata or tomatoes, your fish stock and season to taste.

Leave it to simmer for 30 minutes, then add your fish and cook for 5 minutes.

Add your squid and prawns and cook for another 5 minutes.

Then your mussels. Cover and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until they are fully opened.

Sprinkle with your parsley and serve with warm crusty bread!

Enjoy and thanks so much for popping in!!!

Creamy Mushroom and Broccoli Risotto and of Mantovese Caviar Canapes and other Delights

2010-04-15T22:32:00.000+01:00

A few weeks back, as the Italian Spring sunshine became stronger, the Italian Folk and I headed to one of the most beautiful towns in Lombardia, Mantova.

The old town grew within the castle's walls and I can't begin to tell you how beautiful it is!
Here a few tasters.

The Castle...

Inside the casle:

But probably the most stunning feature of this fantastic city, is the fact that the old town is surrounded by the most beautiful lake:

Once inside the castle, we walked up and down the cobbled streets and marvelled at the architecture. That is, until I came across these in a coffee shop window display...

And these

Not to mention these!

The Italian folk, realising that it had become a matter of the utmost urgency that I sample these beauties, kindly offered to interrupt our tour and we headed straight to the counter and ordered one of each.
We shared a few bites here and there, and the general veredict was that the second, simplest one was the best! Shredded lettuce, topped with some soft cheese, smoked salmon, caviar and a sprinkle of parsley.

I wanted to have seconds and thirds but I knew the Italian folk were keen to move on and show me the rest of this beautiful city. And so we did.

All was going well, until, well we came across these.

Delicious lemon tarts. Oh and these:

A delicious buttery, crumbly pie, very similar in taste to shortbread but filled and topped with nuts.
The typical Mantovese sweet!

So, as you probably have guessed it, we had to go in and get some of both.

There were so many more delicious things to drool over, not to mention the incredible architecture, atmosphere, lake, you name it!

I felt drawn to post about Mantova because, not only was it a truly delicious experience, but also not many people abroad know of the place, but I can assure you it's well worth visiting.
Many yummy flavours in many different ways.

So what's Mantova got to do with Mushrooms and Broccoli Risotto, I hear you say.
Where can I start?
Since I moved to Italy I have learned so much about cooking, but one lesson still stands out the most. Cook it simple with the best possible ingredients.

I come across so many recipes that add a bit of this and a bit of that, to enhance the flavour.
All I can say is, like with those delicious goodies I tasted in Mantova, if the ingredients are good and you keep it simple, you will feel every individual flavour on your first bite.
No need to complicate things, hide or enhance flavours.

One thing the Italians have taught me is to love my ingredients just as much, if not more, as you love the final product.

So there you go.
For this recipe, you will need a good Arborio Rice, good fatty bacon or pancetta, good quality fresh vegetables, real butter and a great wine!
Not to mention Parmigiano Regianno!
Just be a bit bold, forget the pre-grated stuff.
Get yourself a nice block of good parmesan and grate away. So worth it!!

Also don't overworry about having to constantly stir the risotto. Just make sure you keep an eye on it. The reason why you need to stirr it often, is so it the rice doesn't burn.
Go on, enjoy it, have some fun in the kitchen!!

Buono Apetito!

Creamy Mushroom and Broccoli Risotto

Ingredients

Serves 4 generously

1 large cup of Arborio Rice

1/2 litre of vegetable or chicken stock

A large knob of salted butter

Lots of broccoli forets (you know me, don't do exact measures, the more brocolli the better!!)

Again as many Mushrooms as you like, sliced.

Half a cup cup of diced pancetta or smoky bacon

4 large chopped shallots or one large onion

2 chopped large cloves of garlic

1 cup of good quality white wine, not too dry

Half a cup or more of freshly grated parmesan

Salt and pepper to season

Method

Blanch the broccoli forets in some boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and drain.

In the meantime bring your stock to a boiling point. Homemade stock is always better of course, but if you haven't any, just add your stock cubes/jelly/syrup into some water and bring it to a boiling point. Let it sit on the stove simmering.

Melt your butter on a medium heat in a large, deep frying pan.

Add your bacon/pancetta and fry until golden.

Add your chopped shallots and fry until translucent.

Add your chopped garlic.Gently fry for 2 minutes.

Add your arborio rice and fry for one minute or so until opaque. Keep stirring so the rice doesn't burn.

Add your broccoli and sliced mushrooms and season lightly with salt and black pepper. Stir it all well together.

Add your white wine and allow it to reduce until it's almost gone. Again, keep an eye on it and stir from time to time so the rice doesn't stick. Sorry if I keep repeating myself, there!

When the wine has evaporated, start adding your stock. Ladle by ladle. Whenever the stock evaporates you add another ladle until the rice is fully cooked. Keep stirring and tasting for texture as you may not need all of the stock, it depends on the quality of the rice.

Add your freshly parmesan cheese about 4 minutes before final cooking and stir it in well.

Top it up with some more parmesan when you serve if you like!

So there you go!!

A nice, yummy, full of veggies, Spring Risotto!

Enjoy!!

Spaghetti Aglio Olio e Peperoncino and a trip to the Mercato Coperto

2010-04-06T21:32:00.001+01:00

It's springtime and I'm really into simple, flavourful dishes.

What could be simpler and more flavourful than this typically Italian dish???

But before we get cooking, I would like to take you on a trip into one of Modena's best features, the Mercato Coperto.
A beautiful Indoor Market where you could get lost in. Well, at least I always manage to!

All you have to do is head towards the main square in the old town, the Piazza Grande.

Turn Left and there it is, beckoning you in.

The seasonal vegetables

Not to mention the gorgeous artichokes!!

And roasted veggies

Homemade ready meals

Or Homemade fresh pasta. You take your pick!

Cheeses...

Yummy Stuffed Roasted Pork

And of course, my downfall

Just one more!! Drool, so much I could make with these little beauties!!

Ok, so on with the recipe.
Anyone who knows a thing or two about Italian Cooking knows this recipe or has their own take on it.
To me it is, without a doubt, the perfect example of how, by combining the simplest of ingredients you can achieve something truly flavourful and satisfying!!

Spaghetti Aglio Olio e Pepperoncino

Ingredients

No exact quantities, depends on your tastebuds

Spaghetti

Good quality extra virgin olive oil

Three crushed or finely chopped cloves of garlic

250gs of pancetta or smoked bacon, finely chopped

Crushed pepper flakes or chilli if you haven't any

Chopped parsley

Parmesan Cheese

Method

So here we go. Boil some salted water and place your spaghetti in the pan.

Reserve a cup of the pasta water aside.

In the meantime, gently fry your garlic in the olive oil until translucent.

Add your pancetta and fry until slightly crispy.

Add your pepper flakes.

2 minutes before the pasta has finished cooking, add it to the sauce in the frying pan, along with the pasta water you saved earlier.

Add your parmesan and parsley and mix it all in very well.

So there you go, simple and so yummy!

                       Spaghetti

Happy Easter!!! Buona Pasqua! Uma Pascoa Feliz!!

2010-04-04T16:01:00.000+01:00

Allow me to share some yummy Chocolate Eggs from the Local Delicatessen with you!
Have a wonderful Easter!

Simple Tender Calamari and What are your Addictions?

2010-03-31T21:33:00.000+01:00

A quick midweek post that comes as a confession.
I LOVE Calamari (deep fried squid rings)!
They are my downfall! Could eat them all day non-stop.

Some people are chocoholics, some people are addicted to crisps, cheese, nuts, you name it!
For me it's Calamari!

And to top it all, I am in a country where good quality squid is readily available at a reasonable price AND the squid rings are already sliced for you.

Saying that, I can't stand the frozen battered ones.
I am very fussy with my batter. It has to have a hint of garlic and be extra crispy.

And for those of you out there who think calamari is far too chewy or stringy, let me tell you, you have been served the wrong stuff!

I discovered the secret for perfect, tender calamari from a Roman friend.
Simply marinate the squid in milk for 2 to 3 hours before battering them!

So here's my midweek confession that I had to share, simply because, although I made these on Saturday, I am already craving them again!!!

So tell me what is your food downfall/addictions?

Simple Tender Calamari

Ingredients

Squid/Calamari rings (as many as you want, depending on how many your serving)-if you buy the squid, clean it by removing the insides and the bone and cut them into rings. You could also use the tentacles

Milk

Semolina flour

Plain flour

Breadcrumbs

Garlic powder

Salt and pepper to season

Olive Oil

Lemon wedges to serve

Method

Place the squid rings in a bowl and cover them well with the milk.

Place in the fridge for 2 to 3 hours.

Remove the squid from the fridge 5 to 10 minutes prior to cooking.

Place equal measures of semolina flour, bread crumbs and plain flour in a large bowl.

Add garlic powder to taste and season well with salt and pepper.

Heat the oil in a pan to optimum frying temperature, as you would with chips/french fries.

Dip the rings straight from the milk into your flour mix, shake well and place in the hot frying pan.

Avoid overcrowding the pan or the temperature of the oil will go down.

Fry for 2 minutes or until the batter has turned golden, not brown.

Remove and place on some kitchen paper and serve hot with lemon wedges.

Drooling already!! Really hope you try these!

Just had to see it again, one last time!!

Herby Baked Vegetables or Contorno alla Remy

2010-03-28T21:55:00.000+01:00

Have you ever seen the film 'Ratatouille'? It is one of Alex's favourites!!
Ok, maybe not HIS favourite but the one we watch the most because...errrmm...its MY favourite!!

If you haven't seen it, it's a Disney Pixar film that tells the story of a rat named Remy who dreams of becoming a great French chef despite his family's wishes and the obvious problem of being a rat in a decidedly rodent-phobic profession.
When fate places Remy in the sewers of Paris, he finds himself ideally situated beneath a restaurant made famous by his culinary hero, Auguste Gusteau.
Despite the apparent dangers of being an unlikely - and certainly unwanted - visitor in the kitchen of a fine French restaurant, Remy's passion for cooking soon sets into motion a hilarious and exciting rat race that turns the culinary world of Paris upside down.

Sounds like an unlikely story but it is a film any foodie should watch, no matter how old!

Now the Contorno, as you probably know, is the vegetable side dish that accompanies the Secondi or the main course in Italy.
There are so many recipes to choose from that I wouldn't know where to start!!

On this particular Sunday, as I was busy roasting the meat (I always have a Sunday Roast, that's the Brit in me) and preparing the pasta, I decided to enlist the helpof my 'Little Chef', aka Alex to make the Contorno.

I told him he was going to be Remy for the day and that he was going to make Remy's signature dish, ratatouille.

Well this is not strickly true.
The dish resembles ratatouille as in so much as we used tomato passata, aubergines and courgettes or zuchinni but no peppers. I could have named it Peppers-Free Ratatouille but that doesn't very romantic, now, does it?

So there you go, Baked Vegetables alla Remy, although, to be more accurate it should be called Baked Vegetables alla Alex.

Herby Baked Vegetables

Ingredients

2 sliced Aubergines

4 small courgettes/zuchinni sliced

some passata or chopped tomatoes

Some dried herbs of your choice (I used oregano,powdered garlic, rosemary, basil and sage)

Extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to season

Method

Enlist the help of a Little Chef (this step is totally optional)

Cover the bottom of your oven dish with a layer of passata

Place a layer of aubergine slices over the passata.

Season, add your choice of herbs and drizzle with olive oil.

Place a layer of the courgettes/zuchinni over the aubergine and as before, season, add herbs and olive oil.

Cover with a layer of passata.

Repeat the steps until you have used all your veggies up.

Bake in the oven for 40 minutes on 200 degrees, et voila, mes amis!!!

Ham Hock with Vegetables or Stinco di Maiale Con le Verdure

2010-03-21T20:50:00.003Z

As we say goodbye to the Winter, I would like to share something that I have learned about comfort food.

Good food, satisfying and filling meals are really about the quality of the ingredients. The better the quality, the tastier the meal. The better the quality, the simpler the ingredients.

And this recipe is the perfect example of that! A good piece of smoked meat and some fresh vegetables, that is all you need to get the ultimate flavour experience.

Take a good quality Ham Hock, Ham Shank or Stinco di Maiale, as they call it here.
I can't begin to tell you how much the name amused me when I first bought it...
Add some good quality seasonal vegetables and allow them to cook in the wonderful smoky broth and hey, presto, the perfect comfort food.

My inspiration came from the help of Frank Fariello who did some research upon my request for help, and came up with the recipe below!
And that's just what I cooked.

My Ham Hock came in a box, already pre-boiled. But if you are cooking yours from scratch, make sure to cook the ham for 90 mins before adding your veggies.

In a way I wish I had too, because the stock was so yummy, I felt that if I had bought the non-preboiled variety, I would have been able to save some of that amazing broth.

The recipe couldn't have been easier!! Just make sure all your veggies are in season.

I made this for a Dinner Party.
I served some Antipasto, instead of a Primo. Such as Parmesan Cheese Shavings with Balsamic Vinegar:

And a Selection of meats and cheese:

The main meal's end result may look slightly messy but everyone loved the rusty look and feel of the dish.
The meat was so tender and the vegetables so flavourful!
Hope you try it!!

Ham Hock/Shank with Vegetables or Stinco di Maiale Con le Verdure

Ingredients (Serves 4)

4 pork shanks weighing about a pound (450 g) each
4 medium carrots, peeled and chopped into rounds
2 large onions, peeled and finely sliced
400 gs of green beans
400 gs of Brocolli forets
A small head of Savoy cabbage, cut into thin strips
Salt and pepper to taste
Some boiled potatoes cooked aside and served with meat and veg

Method

If not pre-boiled...
Wash the shanks and put them in a pot with cold water to cover. Bring the pot to a slow boil and simmer the shanks, covered, for 90 minutes.

When the time is up season them to taste with salt and pepper and add the carrots and onions.

Continue simmering for 15 minutes more, and then add the sliced cabbage, green beans and broccoli. Simmer until the vegetables are tender (figure at least a half hour). Check seasoning, and serve at once with your boiled potatoes.

And the veggies really were to die for, I can assure you!!

                       Ham Shank

Vanilla and Cinnamon Creamy Rice Pudding or Arroz Doce

2010-03-18T22:27:00.007Z

As I said in my previous post, the only thing Alex hates is rice but, strangely enough he loves Rice Pudding!
Whenever I make it, he has 2/3 helpings within minutes and can never have enough of it!

My recipe for Rice Pudding is slightly different from the traditional one.
I make it the Portuguese way, and that means a lot of cinnamon.

I posted this recipe a long time ago on the blog, when I first started blogging in fact, but I think it's worth reposting simply because I do make it time and time again.

It's so creamy and delicious that, everytime Alex says he doesn't like rice all I have to do is say that in that case I won't be making Rice Pudding anymore, and suddenly he becomes a rice lover all over again!!

Bom Apetite!!

Creamy Vanilla and Cinammon Rice Pudding

Ingredients for 4 People:

- 250 g (9 oz.) long-grain rice

- 300 g (10 oz.) sugar

- Zest of 3-4 lemons

- 1 litre (4 cups) milk

- 6 egg yolks

- A small pinch of salt

- 1 cinnamon stick + ground cinnamon

- 100 g (6 tbsp.) butter

- Vanilla

Place the rice in a saucepan and cover with lots of water, let boil for 8 minutes.

Drain in a sieve.

Return the rice to the saucepan.
Add the milk, butter, vanilla and sugar, add the lemon zest when the mixture first begins to bubble.
Let cook over low heat for 20 minutes with the cinnamon stick.

Turn off the heat.
Add the egg yolks and the salt.
Stir well while the heat of the rice cooks the egg yolks

Pour into a shallow dish and decorate with powdered cinnamon.
Serve hot or cold

                       Rice Pudding

Creamy Tuna and Tomato Pasta Bake or Pasta Con Tonno Al Forno

2010-03-14T18:44:00.002Z

All kids are picky eaters!

Even Alex. He hates rice for starters, he will eat it but, still winge, moan and groan at every mouthful!
Rice aside, he eats everything I give him.

He learned early enough in his life that he has a mad mum who likes to experiment with food.
So he's resigned to the fact and eats what he's given.

Not that he enjoys everything I give him! Some things he loves to eat, and, the ones he doesn't, he will still eat them as his mum has convinced him that particular food will allow him to grow muscles overnight!!
Thankfully, he continues to the believe me, in spite of the obvious lack of over-sized muscles.

'That's because you're not eating enough fish and vegetables!' I tell him.
And so he perseveres in the hope he will wake up one morning with over-sized Popeye like muscles.

But yes, most kids are picky eaters.
I always panic whenever Italian kids come over for a meal, because believe you me, Italian kids, or at least the ones I know, can be very picky too.
They are different though, in the sense that whilst most kids I know would push the food they don't like aside on the plate, and eat the rest, Italian kids tend to look at the plate and scrutunise it carefully, before even considering lifting the fork. If it doesn't look right, they simply won't even taste it.

So the other day I had to cook for an Italian kid who doesn't like tuna, one who adores it and Alex, who doesn't mind it.
Now Tuna is very important in this case, as that was all I had in the cupboard.

Running the fear of sending at least one them back home starving hungry and having to justify my poor cooking skills to the worried mother, I decided to put my creative cap on.

Take some tomato sauce, add a bit of cream, a subtle hint of parmesan...The Italian kid devoured it and never for once suspected there was any tuna in it!

CREAMY TUNA AND TOMATO PASTA BAKE

INGREDIENTS

No exact amounts here as its such an easy recipe you just have to adjust to the amount of servings.

Pasta of your choice. I chose pasta shells as they can really hold the sauce

Homemade tomato sauce-simply fry some garlic and onion gently on a low heat, add your tomatoes, season and allow to simmer for 40 mins

Tuna (as many cans as required, depending on the portions)

Double cream

Freshly grated parmesan

small amount of sugar

METHOD

Cook your pasta until 3 minutes before the finishing cooking time. Reserve a small amount of the pasta water aside.

Add your tuna to the tomato sauce, add your sugar. The sugar helps counterbalance the acidity of the tomatoes and saltiness of the tuna.

Add your parmesan cheese. Be fairly generous but very careful, you dont want the cheese to overpower the tuna. Add it bit by bit, keep tasting until it's to your taste.

Bring to a boil and simmer over a low heat for 20 minutes.

Add your pasta to the sauce as well as the water.

Stir well and check for seasoning.

Pour the pasta mix into a baking dish and add the cream until all the pasta has been covered.

Sprinkle with a generous amount of parmesan and bake in the oven until it's browned.

Serve with a veg of your choice and enjoy!!

Pasta with Italian Sausage and Garden Peas

2010-03-07T23:06:00.003Z

There is something about sausage and peas that just makes me want to eat it.
Take a nice good quality savoury pork sausage and pair it up with some gorgeous sweet peas...what could possibly go wrong??

But in Modena, they take it one step further. They love their sausages. With a passion that extends to a careful analysis of the herbs and spices that need to go just with the right level of meat smokiness.

They have these nice likkle handy packages of sausage meat that you can use, saving on all the messy work of trying to squeeze the pork mince out of its cases.

I hope you try this recipe with any sausage meat!
Seriously, as I said before you can't go wrong. The contrast of flavours is so satisfying!!

My only piece of serious advice is to think carefully about your pasta shape.
One thing I have learned, since living here is that your pasta is just as important as your sauce.

It should be able to hold the sauce and absorb it.
Meaty sauces such as this or even your ragu bolognese should not be served with a slippery thin pasta like spaghetti!
Never serve ragu bolognese with spaghetti. Always with taglietelle. Make sure your pasta can hold the sauce.

Ok, lecture over...sorry, but I really did have this drummed into me and believe you me, it really makes a difference.

This was the pasta of my choice and it held the sauce really well, but you can use any shape provided it's wide enough to hold the sauce.

So, there you go, flavourful and not too heavy! Enjoy!!

Pasta with Italian Sausage and Garden Peas

Ingredients

Pasta of your choice

250gs of Smoked Pancetta or Smoked Streaky Bacon

1 finely chopped carrot

1 finely chopped celery stalk

1 finely chopped large onion

2 large cloves of gralic, chopped

1 cup of milk

1 bay leaf

1 tsp of tomato paste

1 tsp of sugar

1 cup of white wine

1 cup of chicken stock

1 generous portion of frozen garden peas

500 gs or plus of sausage meat

Olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Method

Boil some water in a large pot for your pasta. Make sure it's well salted.

Fry your pancetta in some good quality olive oil.

Add your carrot, celery, onion and garlic and fry on a low heat for 5 minutes or until clear.

Add the sausage meat when the sausage meat and mince it really well! I used my masher!!

Add your milk and simmer on a low heat for 20 minutes or at least until the milk has completely evapourated, This will tenderise the meat.

At this point, your pasta water should be ready. Add the pasta to the water and remove it 2 minutes before its cooking time. Reserve some of the pasta water aside.

Add your bay leaf, sugar and tomato paste to your sauce and stir it in well. Taste for seasoning.

Add the white wine, stock and peas. Cook on a high heat for a further 6 mins or until all the liquid has reduced down.

Drain your pasta and add it to the sauce along with the pasta water. The pasta will continue to cook and absorb the sauce. Pasta tends to swell 30 per cent of its size within the last couple of cooking minutes it makes all the difference!

So there you go, truly a flavourful dish!!

Winter Roasted Vegetables Lasagna

2010-03-04T22:28:00.005Z

I am always paranoid about vegetables. Ok, let me rephrase that, I am always paranoid about not eating enough vegetables.
Or rather, I am always paranoid about ALEX not eating enough vegetables!

I know he gets them at school. In fact he gets better meals at school here than I could ever provide him with, but I always worry that he may not be eating enough vegetables there so I try to come up with different ways of getting him to have some at home.

So how to make vegetables interesting.
In the land where ragu and pork are kings, it's not easy to find good vegetable recipes.

So I got my brain in gear and thought of Alex's all time favourite meal: Lasagna.

Tweak the recipe a little bit here, add some pancetta for flavour there, roast some veggies in loads of yummy herbs et voila!!

I was surprised at how delicious it actually was but I have to admit that the pancetta really added a whole new depth to it!!

Hope you try it!

Winter Roasted Vegetables Lasagna

Ingredients

Olive oil
6 whole cloves of garlic
250gs of smoked pancetta or smoked streaky bacon, chopped
1 medium red pepper and 1 medium yellow pepper
4 shallots
2 courgettes
1 small aubergine
2 tsps of dried rosemary
2 tsps of dried basil
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Pre heat the oven on your maximum heat setting.

In a pan, add a generous amount of good extra virgin oilve oil and add 3 cloves of garlic.

Set on a medium heat and allow the garlic to fry gently for 3 minutes.

Pour some oil into an oven tray and heat it up in the oven until piping hot.

Once hot, removed from the oven and add pancetta and the remaining 3 cloves of garlic.

Roast in the oven until crispy.

In the meantime, pour some tomato passata or crushed tomatoes into your pan (where you have been gently frying the garlic) .

When the pancetta is nice and crispy, layer your vegetables onto the tray and sprinkle your herbs and sesoning over each layer as well as a drizzle of olive oil.

Like so...

And like so...

Then stir them all together, including the pancetta.

Roast in the oven for about 30 minutes or until soft.

Remove from the oven and add them to the tomato sauce that you have been simmering gently on the cooker in the meantime.

Add some freshly grated parmesan and check for seasoning. Also remember to remove the cloves of garlic.

Place a a very thin layer of the sauce in your lasagna dish, then layer with the lasagna pasta sheets, a layer of the vegetable sauce, a layer of bechamel sauce (I had some already prepared but you can find the recipe here) and some parmesan cheese.

Repeat until you have filled your Lasagna dish.

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, and, hey presto!!

Wild Berries English Trifle and a Diabetic's Birthday Treat!

2010-02-28T13:32:00.003Z

Last Saturday we had some dear friends over for dinner.
One of them had just celebrated his birthday a few days before.
I wanted to make something special for dessert, such as a birthday cake but with him being diabetic, this became an extremely difficult challenge.

I searched high and low for diabetic recipes, only to come to the conclusion that if a diabetic has something sugary it's not going to harm him or her, provided that they very small portions.

Still I wanted something he could enjoy fairly freely. I remembered the very famous Zuppa Inglese, so appreciated in this region.

According to wikipedia:
Recipes for this sweet first appeared in the towns of Bologna, Forlì, Ferrara and Reggio Emilia, all in the Emilia-Romagna region, in the late 1800s. Its origins are uncertain and one theory states that it originated in the 1500s kitchens of the Dukes of Este, the rulers of Ferrara who had frequent contact with England, when they asked their cooks to try to recreate the sumptuous "English Trifle" they had enjoyed at the Elizabethan court.

So I decided to adapt the recipe for the traditional English trifle using Italian ingredients.
Not a traditional trifle but not a traditional Zuppa Inglese recipe either :)

I had to omit the layer of jelly as I could not find fruit jelly anywhere here. Instead I used sugar free Berry jam to create two layers of sweet, fruit moistiness.

I placed all the ingredients on the table and enlisted Alex's (I love flavour, me Junior) help, who was delighted to be able to do so and lick the spoon at every occasion!!

Wild Berries Trifle

Ingredients

12 ladyfingers

A generous portion of Amaretto

A generous selection of wild berries

1 Jar of Sugar free Berry jam

For the custard:

500 mls of milk

50 mls of single cream

1 vanilla pod or half a tsp of vanilla extract

30 gs of sugar

1 tsp of flour

4 egg yolks

200 mls of whipped cream slightly sweetened

Decoration of your choice. I wanted it to look quite birthday cake like.

Directions

First, you need to make your custard.

Bring the milk, cream and vanilla pod to simmering point slowly over a low heat.
Remove the vanilla pod (wash the vanilla pod, dry and store in jar with caster sugar to make vanilla sugar).
Whisk the yolks, sugar and flour together in a bowl until well blended
Pour the hot milk and cream on to the eggs and sugar, whisking all the time with a balloon whisk.
Return to the pan, (add vanilla extract if using) and over a low heat gently stir with a wooden spatula until thickened.

Let it cool. And rewisk just before using it in the trifle. This was Alex's job!

Layer your ladyfingers at the bottom of your trifle dish.

Pour your amaretto all over them until well soaked.

Cover the ladyfingers with a generous amount of jam.

Then a layer of the fruit and again, cover these with the remaining jam and sprinkle some sugar on top.

Pour a generous amount of custard over the fruit.

Top it up with the whipped cream and decorate as you like.

So there you go, the final product.

My friend's comments were very reassuring too. He said it was the first time he'd had a dessert in 4 years and really loved it! Well worth it in the end!!!!

                       Trifle

Chestnut and Spelt Soup, Risotto Alla Milanese. Two Great Primos!

2010-02-18T11:23:00.003Z

Modena, the land of Balsamic Vinegar is in the Region of Emilia Romagna, the land of Parmesan Cheese, Zampone and Ferarri. Modena is also the city of bicycles.

It's fairly flat landed and incredibly bicycle friendly. Everyone here cycles, young and old.

There are cycle lanes everywhere and you can even rent your own bicycle from the council.
Very reminiscent of Amsterdam.

This has its pros and cons.
Pros: very environmentally friendly and helps you keep fit.
Cons....
One of my students, Maria Grazia fell off her bicycle the other day and ended up with serious injuries that required surgery.
She was off school for quite a while and only returned last week!
She is one very special lady that holds a place in my heart and in honour of her return, I would like to post two recipes that she sent me.

Most people have heard of Risotto alla Milanese or have cooked it themselves many, many times.
This is Maria Grazia's take on it.

The soup, on the other hand sounds quite intringuing and I'm assured it tastes divine.

Hope you try it so I can pass my greatest thanks to Maria Grazia! :)

Buono appetito!

Please note that, as always, I didn't edit the recipes. Quite like to leave them as they were written by the students.

Spelt or Farro, Cannellini beans and Chestnut’s soup

Ingredients for 8/10 people

400 gr. Dried chestnuts

400 gr. Cannellini beans

200 gr. Spelt

100 gr. Bacon

1 onion

1 spoon of parsley

2 cloves of garlic

2 tomatoes red and firm

1 little spoon of leaves of rosemary

2 little red pepper

Olive oil

Salt

Put in the tepid water the beans the evening before. One hour before the preparation put the chestnut in tepid water. Place the beans in a big pot, cover them of water and cook ‘till boil.

Skim the broth continuously then cook for one hour with the cover.
Cut the bacon, mince the onion, garlic and parsley. In another pot put the bacon, garlic, parsley, cutted tomatoes, the spelt ( cleaned before) and the chestnut. Pour the beans and their broth into the bacon, garlic broth and cook for another hour on low fire. If needed add broth. Before serving add the crushed pepper oil and minced rosemary.

Risotto alla Milanese

Ingredients for 4 people

400 gr. Rice for risotto (Arborio, vialone nano)

50/60 gr. Butter

50 gr. Cheek of pork or veal (Guanciale) or smoked pancetta

One glass of dry withe wine

1 litre of vegetable stock

Some saffron

Grated Parmesan cheese

1 onion

Pepper

Salt to taste

Put in a pot the butter with minced onion, add the chopped guanciale Fry for a few minutes

Add the rice and stir for two minutes,

pour the white wine,

after add the broth Which should be simmering in a pot, little by little always stiring,

Don’t let the rice dry.

At the end of cooking ( after 16/18 minutes) of the rice add the saffron dissolved in a little broth, and stir.

Put the salt and remove the pot from the fire, add parmesan cheese, pepper and serve hot.

Serve with white wine

A Fantastic Italian Foodie Experience

2010-02-13T18:44:00.000Z

So...my well overdue post. But, pray, do listen, as I have a good excuse.
I have been suffering from this weird stomach bug that has prevented me, not only from enjoying food, but also from even looking at it.
I have had it for nearly 4 weeks and am only just starting to recover.
Anyway, enough rambling.

Let me tell you about one of my best birthday presents ever.

First, answer this question.
What do you give a foodie, who already has a pasta machine, for her birthday?
Answer: take her to a really good restaurant and tell her that price is no objection!
And that is exactly what the Italian folk did.

But firstly, you need to remember that I am a seafood freak.
Living in Emilia_Romagna, that makes me one hard cookie to please.
I mean this is the land of meat, smoked sausages and great Parmiggiano.
But the Italian folk managed to find a restaurant ran by Southern Italians (from Salerno) that specialise in Fish recipes, here in Modena.

So I was told that we were going somewhere really good, but little did I know what I was about to experience. Something truly fantastic!

This was not a 5 star Michelin restaurant.
In fact it hasn't got a single star, just an impeccable reputation.

Named 'Al Poeta', it truly has the homely atmosphere of a traditional trattoria, albeit reflecting the arty/cultural/literarian veneration so commonly present in the Italian culture, with an added touch of professionalism and style.

Fitting to its name, 'Al Poeta' has poems engraved in mirrors, pictures of famous poets and their work, whilst at the same time, showing respect and admiration for the greatest pizza makers.

The Italian folk had pre warned the staff, upon booking our table, that they wanted this to be an amazing experience.
They did not let us down.
They were, not only friendly but incredibly attentive and professional.
I will remember that night for as long as I live.

But on with the food.

All the staff is orginally from Salerno, a seaside town in the south of Italy and they know their seafood better than anything else.

As we sat down, we were greeted with these lovely garlicky morsels of pizza/bread to munch on while we browsed the menu.

We ordered all meals and had exactly the same, so the chefs were able to be quite creative, free and loving with it.

For the Antipasto we had:

GAMBERONI AGLIO, OLIO E PEPERONCINO

Without a doubt, the best Prawns I have ever had. Slightly spicy and yet, wonderfully moist!

The second Antipasto:

MISTO MARE CALDO

An incredible hot seafood salad, so full of amazing flavours. Every seafood type you could wish for was there! Scallops, Mussels, clams, squid. I was in heaven!!!

For Primo we had:

SPAGHETTI ALLO SCOGLIO E RISOTTO AL POETA

They came on the same plate, which was incredibly difficult, and yet so creative of them.

The spaghetti allo scoglio was cooked to perfection but the risotto was a bit too salty.

I asked for some lemon and that seemed to compensate for the saltiness.
After all, as you can see from this picture, it looks too good not to enjoy!

On with the main...

Although by this time I was feeling more than suitably satisfied, I was looking forward to the main as this would be the restaurant's crown of glory.

We had:

BRANZINO AL FORNO

This fish was amazing and by far, the second favourite of the evening. Moist and baked to perfection, I could have it every day.

Next, came the 'piece de resistence':

GRIGLIATA AL POETA

A truly magnificent dish and the favourite of the evening.

Lobster, Langoustine, Squid and Prawn skewers, moist fresh Sea Bream, everything topped with a buttery, lemon and parsley drizzle. It was indeed to die for.... even the spinach that accompanied it was far too hard to resist.

And once more, just in case you can't tell how delicious it was.

By the time we'd finished this incredible meal, I could not face a dessert.

So instead, we were given this cute tiny glasses of Melon liquer for free!
A mixture of Cream, alcohol and melons that tasted like heaven!!

Although I was shown what I could have had, had I not have been so greedy with the meal:

Really does look amazing, don't you think?

So, if you are ever visiting Modena, the land of Balsamic Vinegar and Smoked ham, and you crave some good old fashioned Italian seafood flavours, make sure you go to the 'Al Poeta'.

Without wanting to sound too corny or 'Commercial like', I can assure you they are are top quality!

Genuine flavours, and the owner, Maurizio, will make you feel right at home.

As you can see, I loved every minute of it!

I am grateful to the Italian Folk for such an amazing Birthday experience.

Lastly, I couldn't go without saying a well overdue big Thank You to Claudia at What's Cooking Italian Stylefor her lovely award. It really did touch. Make sure you check out her delicious recipes!!