Michele Scicolone

Fried Corn and Hot Dogs, but No Fish

2010-07-25T01:01:18Z

Queens County Farm Produce

Despite the infernal heat today, Charles and I headed to the New Amsterdam Market. Located next to the South Street Seaport, the market was set up in what was once a parking lot for the old Fulton Fish Market now relocated to the Bronx. The New Amsterdam Market was started several years ago as a way to showcase local products and producers and revive the tradition of riverfront markets that New York was once known for. The organizers’ vision is that one day it will be as famous as the Pike Place Market in Seattle or London’s Borough Market. My vision was to stock up on some fresh vegetables and fish for the weekend.

About 50 vendors were on the schedule for today’s market. There was lots of goats and cow’s milk cheese, freshly baked breads, gorgeous produce, wine, honey, pickles, coffee, and chocolate. These bialys from Brooklyn-based Hot Bread Kitchen, a Brooklyn-based not-for-profit bakery that trains immigrant women to become professional bakers, caught my eye.

One vendor, The Ravioli Store, had beautiful looking fresh pasta. In addition to pasta made with wheat flour, they also had buckwheat, emmer and spelt pastas.

I was feeling pretty hungry, but couldn’t decide what I wanted to eat. The line was too long for the the lobster rolls, the peanut butter and bleu cheese sandwiches at Saxelby Cheesemongers sounded inriguing, but not what I felt like eating. Then I spotted the perfect thing: deep fried corn on the cob topped with a little cherry tomato salad from Marlow and Son, an excellent restaurant in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The corn was sweet, crunchy, salty and popcorn-y and the tasty little tomatoes were a nice finishing touch. A slice of yellow watermelon was served on the side. At first it seemed strange, but the melon was refreshing and cleansing. Charles and I polished off the corn and were ready for more.

I had been craving hot dogs all week, so we headed over to the Fleisher’s Market stand. Fleisher’s is located in Kingston, New York and this old-time butcher shop has been in business since 1901! They must be doing something right. I have stopped there several times on the way to visit friends in nearby Woodstock. They specialize in organic and pasture raised meats and chicken. Their hot dogs are homemade and do not contain nitrites, so they lack that reddish color we expect in a dog. But the flavor was good and beefy and the dogs had a nice snap. I had mine topped with yellow mustard and relish.

In between, we tasted bread and cheese, and sampled wine, coffee, and kombucha, which is a fermented tea. I bought honey from Sag Harbor, bread from Sullivan Street, chocolate covered chocolate nibs from Taza, and gorgeous heirloom tomatoes and Japanese eggplants from Queens County Farm, the only working farm within the New York City limits. We never did find the fish vendor, but I can’t wait til the next market, which according to their website www.newamsterdammarket.org is scheduled for August 22nd. The market becomes weekly starting September 12.

Four Big Cheeses from the Alto Adige

2010-06-29T16:41:15Z

I had never given much thought to Italy’s Alto Adige region when it came to buying cheese, but last week I had a chance to taste four cheeses from this Northeastern Italian region at a tasting at Clo Winebar in the Time Warner Center, and now I can’t wait to try them again.

Italian food expert Lou Di Palo, whose family owns Di Palo Fine Foods, was the speaker. He told us that all of the cheeses were made by hand from cow’s milk that comes from small local farmers. The cows graze on herbs and grasses that grow in the high mountain passes of the Dolomites.

The first cheese was Lagrein, which is confusingly the same name as an Alto Adige wine, but understandable when you learn that the Lagrein cheese is actually soaked in red Lagrein wine. Then it is rubbed with herbs and garlic and left to age about 2 or 3 months. The cheese is firm with little holes and cracks. It has a creamy texture and slightly garlicky flavor which I thought was great. We tried it with a Muller Thurgau from Alois Lageder, one of the top wine producers of the region, but next time I want to have some with a bottle of Lagrein.

Dolomiten Konig resembled Swiss cheese, with its nutty flavor and holey texture. The cheese is made from milk from the pristine Pusteria Valley and is aged about 2 months before being sold. I could see using this cheese a lot for cooking as well as eating. A spicy Gerwurtztraminer from producer Weingut Gottardi was a good complement.

My favorite cheese of the tasting was called Stelvio. This is a PDO cheese, meaning that it is has been recognized by the EU with a Denomination of Protected Origin designation. Lou explained that it is a “malga” cheese because it is made only during the summer months when the cows go to their summer pastures in the mountains. Though aged only about 2 months, it had a lot of pungent flavor and buttery texture. We drank Kellerei Kaltern from Pfarrhof made from 1000% schiava grapes with it, but any big spicy red would be good.

The final cheese of the tasting was Alta Badia, a straw colored cheese that is aged between 6 and 10 months. It was pungent and tangy yet well-balanced with flavors of spice and fruit. We had it with the Abbazia di Novacella Lagrein Riserva, an excellent wine.

In between cheeses, we sampled speck, the classic air dried ham of the region. It may look a little like prosciutto, but the big difference is that speck is lightly smoked, while prosciutto is not. We tried it both thinly sliced and cut into small chunks to better appreciate its texture and flavor.

Alto Adige cheeses are available at Di Palo, Murray’s, Todaro and in many other shops. Speck, too. All you need is some crusty bread and a bottle of Alto Adige wine for a fine summer picnic.

Wines of Alsace for Summer Drinking

2010-05-25T19:43:27Z

Last night I had a chance to taste some of the wines from Helfrich, a winery in the Alsace Region of France at a dinner with Anne-Laure Helfrich at Cru Restaurant in Greenwich Village. I don’t often drink Alsatian wines, but as we tasted them and talked about how they were made, I found myself wondering how I could have let this happen. They were easy to drink and complemented the food so well.

We started with a 2009 Reisling from Helfrich’s lower-priced Nobel Tier. I loved its crisp citrusy flavor and found it the perfect companion to my first course, sliced raw fluke served with cherry tomatoes and avocado sprinkled with crushed corn nuts. It would be just the right wine with sushi or smoked salmon or a salad. Next we had the pinot gris. In the glass, the wine had a beautiful pink blush and was very aromatic with peach and apricot flavors. I could see serving it with bbq chicken or pork glazed with fruit. The gewurtztraminer was spicy and sweet with floral aromas. It would have gone really well with spicy food, like Chinese or Indian, but last night I liked it best with the cheese course that ended our meal.

After the fluke appetizer, I had an excellent main course of branzino on a chick pea puree with braised endive and sauteed maitake mushrooms. Tiny black sprinkles turned out to be salty and flavorful bits of dried black olives, a nice touch that contrasted with the delicately sweet fish and endive. Once again I preferred it with a riesling , but this time the Helfrich 2007 Grand Cru, the company’s better line from their prestigious Steinklotz vineyard. It was bigger and fuller than the first riesling I tried, yet still easy drinking and very well priced. Amazingly, the wines in the Helfrich Noble Tier are only about $15 a bottle, while those in the Grand Cru line are about $25 each.

During the meal, Anne-Laure told me a little bit about Alsace, which is a long narrow region in the eastern part of France bordering on Germany. The town of Colmar where Helfrich is located is considered the capital of the wine region and is famous as the birthplace of Frederic Bartholdi, the designer of the Statue of Liberty. Wines have been grown in the area since the Romans inhabited the area over 2000 years ago. We talked about some of the foods of the region, too, including Tarte Flambe, a French pizza topped with creme fraiche, bacon, onions and cheese and of course choucroute garni, sauerkraut braised with a variety of sausages and smoked pork.

Some people favor red wines with cheese, but I think whites are a better choice in most cases, especially the Alsatian wines I tasted last night which had a hint of residual sweetness. I plan to get in a supply of them for drinking all summer long.

The Cauliflower Defense League

2010-04-11T19:56:56Z

Some time ago, a food writer friend who is also a restaurant critic came for dinner. It was winter and I had prepared a hearty meal including cauliflower gratineed with browned butter and Parmigiano- Reggiano. As soon as he arrived, my friend went straight to the kitchen to check out what I was cooking. He oohed and ahed over the homemade cavatelli, and practically drooled at the sight of the fennel dusted roast pork and ribs sizzling in the oven. But the cauliflower stopped him in his tracks. ”I hate cauliflower”, he announced with a long face. I must admit, that stopped me in my tracks! I happen to love cauliflower in all its forms, so it never occured to me that anybody might not. How could anyone not like cauliflower, I said. But he had had a traumatic encounter with it when he was a kid and wouldn’t even consider trying my version.

I’ll be honest, I don’t have much patience with picky eaters. I’m not talking about people who can’t eat something for whatever reason (and I really appreciate it if they let me know BEFORE they come for dinner). But why single out a great vegetable like cauliflower to avoid? Think of all the things you can make with it: toss it with whole wheat orecchiette and bacon (the recipe is in my book Fresh Taste of Italy), braise it with black olives and garlic (1,000 Italian Recipes), or coat it with eggs, cheese and breadcrumbs and fry it until crisp (The Antipasto Table). I also find that it is one of the best vegetables to cook in a slow cooker. And do I need to tell you how full of anti-oxidants it is, and how low cal? That’s why I formed the Cauliflower Defense League, whose sole purpose is to encourage the enjoyment of more cauliflower.

Take for example the creamy cauliflower soup I made this week in my slow cooker. It was incredibly simple and so good. I had a little jar of golden-hued wild whitefish caviar in the refrigerator, so I decided to garnish the soup the way the way I had had it in Paris last year, with a spoonful of caviar in the center and a sprinkle of chopped chives. I loved the way the sweet, creamy soup contrasted with the salty cool caviar. If you don’t want to go for the caviar, serve the soup with crumbled blue cheese, or grated Parmigiano, or leave it plain and enjoy it as is.

I hope you will do yourself a favor and join my Cauliflower Defense League. Our slogan is Eat Cauliflower and Enjoy!

Creamy Cauliflower Soup with Caviar

Serves 6

1 large cauliflower, about 2-1/2 pounds, trimmed

1 medium onion, peeled and chopped

4 cups chicken broth

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup heavy or whipping cream

Caviar and fresh chives (optional)

Cut the cauliflower into 1-inch pieces and discard the tough stems. Place the caulflower in a large slow cooker with the onion and chicken broth and salt and pepper to taste. If necessary add a little water to just cover the cauliflower.

Cover and cook on low 5 hours or until the cauliflower is very soft. Transfer the cauliflower to a blender and puree until smooth. Taste for seasoning. Add the heavy cream. Serve hot, plain or garnished with caviar.

Getting Ready

2010-03-24T00:54:35Z

Candied orange zest and citron? Check. Orange flower water? Check. Skinless wheat berries? Check. I’ve even got a fresh package of ground cinnamon, a bag of sugar and another of flour.

Easter is just a few days away, so it is time to start getting ready for holiday baking. As we have done in the past, my niece Amy and I will get together to make La Pastiera, or as my mom called it, Pizza Gran. For the second time Christine, my nephew’s girlfriend, will join us, too, and we will have a lot of fun baking, eating, laughing, and catching up on the latest family goings on. Here is a photo of one of last year’s pies.

All I have left to buy are the fresh ingredients including the eggs, ricotta and oranges. The recipe we use is the one my mother taught me, that she learned from my father’s mother who came from Procida, an island off the coast of Naples. I had to cut it down somewhat from the original which my grandmother baked in a pan 15 inches wide by 6 inches deep (I still have it), but I know I got it right because it takes just like the pastiera I have eaten in Naples. The good ones, that is!

I published the recipe on this blog last year, but here it is again. You can also find it in my book 1,000 Italian Recipes. If you do make it, send me a photo, I would love to see it. Buona Pasqua!

LA PASTIERA

Easter Wheat Cheesecake

Dough

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup confectioner’s sugar

1 large egg

2 large egg yolks

2 teaspoons orange-flower water

Filling

4 ounces hulled wheat (about 1/2 cup)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

1 pound (2 cups) whole or part-skim ricotta

4 large eggs, at room temperature

2/3 cup sugar

3 tablespoons orange-flower water

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup very finely chopped candied citron

1/2 cup very finely chopped candied orange peel

Confectioner’s sugar

1. Prepare the dough: In a large bowl, stir together the flour, cinnamon, and salt.

2. In a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and confectioner’s sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and yolks and beat until smooth. Beat in the orange-flower water. Add the dry ingredients and stir just until blended, about 1 minute more.

3. Shape one-quarter of the dough into a disk. Make a second disk with the remaining dough. Wrap each piece in plastic wrap and chill 1 hour up to overnight.

4. Prepare the filling: Place the wheat in a large bowl, add cold water to cover, and let soak overnight in the refrigerator. Drain the wheat.

5. Place the soaked wheat in a medium saucepan with cold water to cover. Add the salt and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the wheat is tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain, and place in a large bowl. Stir in the butter and orange zest. Let cool.

6. Place the rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350[dg]F. Grease and flour a 9 [ts] 3[nd]inch springform pan. In a large bowl, whisk together the ricotta, eggs, sugar, orange-flower water, and cinnamon. Beat until blended. Stir in the wheat mixture, citron, and candied orange peel.

7. Roll out the larger piece of dough to a 16-inch circle. Drape the dough over the rolling pin. Using the pin to lift it, fit the dough into the pan, flattening out any wrinkles against the inside of the pan. Scrape the filling onto the dough and smooth the top.

8. Roll out the smaller piece of dough to a 10-inch circle. With a fluted pastry cutter, cut the dough into 1/2-inch-wide strips. Lay the strips across the filling in a lattice pattern. Press the ends of the strips against the dough on the sides of the pan. Trim the dough, leaving 1/2 inch of excess all around the rim, and fold the edge of the crust over the ends of the lattice strips. Press firmly to seal.

9. Bake 1 hour 10 minutes or until the cake is golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

10. Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack 15 minutes. Remove the rim of the pan and let the cake cool completely on a wire rack. Just before serving, sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar. Store covered with an inverted bowl in the refrigerator up to 3 days.

WALL STREET JOURNAL Reviews THE ITALIAN SLOW COOKER

2010-02-27T15:42:49Z

The Wall Street Journal published a great review of THE ITALIAN SLOW COOKER in today’s issue written by Aram Bakshian Jr.!

Here is the link:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704479404575087452535515596.html?KEYWORDS=The+Italian+Slow+Cooker

Pastapalooza at Locanda Verde

2010-02-26T01:35:27Z

ButcherSauce from "The Italian Slow Cooker"

All you can eat pasta is not what you might expect at an upscale restaurant like Locanda Verde, but for the past three Mondays, Chef Andrew Carmellini has transformed the private dining room into an old time trattoria with a set menu of antipasto, several pastas and dessert. When Charles and I and a group of friends arrived this Monday, we were shown to the warm and rustic private dining room at the rear of the restaurant. It was decorated with wheels of Parmigiano, giant tins of imported Coluccio brand Italian DOP tomatoes, red checked table cloths, and candle dripped Chianti bottles to look like an old time trattoria. We sat at a big wooden farmhouse table, ordered some wine and the parade of antipasti began. Meatball sliders, fresh mozzarella drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, mortadella from Emilia Romagna, fried eggplants in vinegar and garlic, and a crisp Caesar-type salad topped with fat anchovies were all passed around the table and quickly gobbled up.

Then came the pastas, the moment we were all waiting for. Tender fresh ravioli with a creamy ricotta cheese filling and light mushroom sauce, called My Mother’s Ravioli on the menu, were the first to arrive, dished out from a large platter by our waiter. Penne Ricche with Ragu Pugliese made with tomatoes, ground lamb and mint was next, and then my favorite, or maybe my second favorite, gigantoni, similar to paccheri but with ridges and a tasty pork ragu.

I thought they were coming to clear our dinner plates, but the waitstaff appeared with a fourth pasta, Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe pesto, olives, pine nuts and raisins. The orecchiette, which I learned later were made by a company called La Bottega and sold, like many of the other ingredients of our meal, at D. Coluccio & Sons in Brooklyn, were so good they seemed like home made. I was impressed at how well all of the pastas were cooked al dente — not an easy feat under the circumstances.

Charles ordered a perfect wine to go with the meal, Grifalco Aglianico del Vulture. It was hearty and spicy and stood up to all of the different flavors in the antipasto and pastas. We ended with big bowls of Citrus Tiramisu and espresso.

Locanda Verde’s pastapalooza was a lot of fun, especially for a group. There is one more pasta dnner scheduled for Tuesday, March 2. Just make sure you go hungry.

The Italian Slow Cooker Chocolate Truffle Cake

2010-02-13T16:01:45Z

The Italian Slow Cooker Chocolate Truffle Cake

It’s Valentine’s Day and here’s a perfect cake to make. It goes together quickly and needs just 6 ingredients. It “bakes” in the steamy warmth of the slow cooker, so it comes out tender, moist and creamy. You will need a large capacity slow cooker and a 7-inch spring form pan, or a 6 cup baking dish. I got my pan at the Browadway Panhandler, but many cookware stores carry them. Whatever you use, be sure it fits in the cooker before you begin.

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE CAKE

A deep, rich chocolate cake is the perfect dessert for any special occasion. I like to serve this one with lightly whipped cream or softened ice cream.

Serves 6 to 8

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate

3/4 cup unsalted butter

2 tablespoons rum or strong coffee

3 large eggs

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder, for garnish

Butter a 6-cup baking dish or a 7-inch springform pan. Line the bottom of the pan with foil or parchment and butter the paper.

Break up the chocolate into a heatproof bowl. Add the butter. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water. The water should not touch the bottom of the bowl. When the chocolate is softened, remove the bowl from the heat, and stir until blended and smooth. Stir in the rum.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar until light and pale yellow. Stir the egg mixture into the chocolate. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan.

Place the pan in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours or until set.

Remove the pan from the slow cooker. Cover and chill several hours or overnight. To serve, run a small knife around the edge of the cake. Invert it onto a serving plate. Place the cocoa powder in a small strainer and sprinkle it over the cake.

Truffle Cheese and Prosciutto di San Daniele

2010-02-07T21:16:04Z

Saturday was cold and snowy — a perfect day for cooking. Our friends from New Jersey were not going to make it through the storm to our home, so I was free to make whatever I pleased, my favorite way to cook. No recipes, no limits.

I took a survey of the contents of the refrigerator and found a large piece of Tufino, a semi-firm cheese made from a blend of cow and sheep’s milk studded with nuggets of black truffles. We had enjoyed slicing and eating it, but now I decided to try it cooked and an omelet seemed like the perfect test.

Truffled Cow and Sheep's Milk Cheese from Le Marche

I whisked 2 eggs with a spoonful of milk and some salt and poured them into a hot skillet where a puddle of sweet butter was sizzling. Once the eggs had firmed up a little, I placed a row of thinly sliced Tufino down the center and folded the two sides over the cheese. A minute or so later, the cheese was oozing out the ends. Tufino is a fine melter! I rolled the omelet onto the plate, buttered some ciabatta toast, and dug in. Butter, eggs, cheese, truffles and crunch — who cares if it snows all day!

Lunchtime came and the Tufino was still on my mind. I knew it would make a fantastic toasted sandwich, but maybe it needed something else.

I had just received a gift of several packages of pre-sliced Prosciutto di San Daniele. The innovative packaging kept the perfectly sliced prosciutto tender and flavorful and easy to separate. When opened, the sweet, mellow and meaty aroma of prosciutto filled the air. I tasted a slice. It melted in my mouth with a mild, nutty, and sweet salty flavor. I had to make the sandwiches fast before I ate up the whole contents of the package of prosciutto.

I spread some white bread with softened butter on one side as my reliable old Happy Day Griddle Grill heated on the stove. I sandwiched the cheese and prosciutto between two slices of bread and placed them on the grill side with a heavy pot cover on top. They were toasted and ready to flip in just a few minutes. I turned them and gave them a a couple of minutes more until I saw the cheese beginning to seep out the sides. A few pieces of giardiniera to garnish the plate, and we were ready to eat. The panini tasted as good as they look, which is awfully good! I could see serving them cut into quarters at a party with some chilled prosecco.

Prosciutto di San Daniele

Hot Zeppole

2010-02-03T00:51:27Z

Hot zeppole on a cold winter’s day — how could I say no? Charles and I went to Mia Dona yesterday to meet our old friends Rob and Linda for lunch and we had lots of catching up to do. Between toasting the New Year and conversation, I ordered a creamy cauliflower soup topped with a dab of bright green arugula pesto — just what I was in the mood for.

Next came grilled mahimahi with artichokes drizzled with a lemony caper sauce served with olive oil crushed potatoes. Meanwhile, Charles was just about swooning over the homemade cavatelli with meaty Sunday Ragu and a hefty chunk of pork brasciole. Since my restaurant week lunch included dessert, I opted for the limoncello cheesecake. Feelling pretty full, I was happy to share it with everyone. But the zeppole changed all that.

Donatella Arpaia, who owns Mia Dona, is an old friend and knows how much I love zeppole, and wouldn’t let us leave without some.

For me, zeppole are a reminder of Sunday nights when I was a kid. Since we always had the full on Italian American Sunday lunch experience with pasta, meat, vegetables, and usually pastry for dessert, we would typically skip dinner, or my mom would make us a little treat. I always asked for zeppole. Just before Ed Sullivan came on, she would fry up a big batch and drop them into a brown paper bag with cinnamon sugar. Then she would shake the bag until the zeppole were completely coated. The bag would get all greasy and the doughnuts, because that is what they really are, would come out crunchy with sugar and spice. We’d eat them right away, fresh and hot and light as a feather, while we watched Topo Gigio or Senor Wences.

Anyway, the zeppole at Mia Dona were quite possibly even better than my mom’s. We ate them so fast, I didn’t even get a chance to snap a picture! You will just have to go there yourself and try them.

Mia Dona is located on 58th Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenues. They are open for lunch and dinner and the menu features the simple cooking of the Puglia region of Itay.