Insalata di puntarelle

Chicory Sprouts (Puntarelle) are a vegetable from the chicory family. It is traditional dish from Rome, served as antipasto, contorno or salad (mangiare in Italia).

Puntarelle are green and leafy and once pried apart the outer leaves, there is a crunchy center, full of pointy spears. Their taste is delightfully bitter.

First thing to do: clean the Puntarelle! It is a bit laborious and requires time, but in some supermarkets you can find the ready-to-eat version to make life easier!

Rinse under cold running water, pry apart the outer dark green leaves and then cut off each spear from the center that will be cut lengthwise into thin strips. Soak them into a bowl with ice and water for an hour until they curl up and lose part of  their natural bitterness.

250 gr puntarelle

8 anchovy fillets, packed in oil or anchovy paste

200 gr mozzarella di bufala

Evo oil

Balsamic vinegar

In a glass mix the oil with the some drops of balsamic vinegar, do not add salt since the fillets are salty (If you are using the anchovy  paste, just mix the oil with the paste). This is our dressing to pour on the puntarelle.

Once seasoned add the anchovy fillets, some diced mozzarella and enjoy with some warm bread.

Insalata tiepida di polpo

If you think that cooking octopus is a tough and very long job, you are definitely wrong! 

600/800 gr octopus (serving 2)

white vinegar

parsley

evo oil

lemon juice
salt

Dip the octopus into a large cooking pot of water and white winegar (400 gr water and 5, 6 Tbs white vinegar). Cover and cook with a weight on the lid for 50 min. The octopus must be very tender rather than chewy (try with a fork to see If it is well cooked)!

Cool down to room temperature in its own cooking water then cut into pieces (discarding the water) and season with salt and evo oil. Set a skillet over medium high heat and roast the octopus until warm. Sprinkle some lemon juice and parsley.

Serve with some rocket and oven roasted tomatoes .

Insalata tiepida di mare

I love this dish. It is fragrant, easy and super yummy. It could be served as appetizer or as  main dish with some carbs such as thai rice.

 

8 big prawns (2servings)

2/3 calamari

1 avocado

ginger

soy sauce

lemon zest

salt

parsley

evo oil

 

With the help of the knife or fingers, take out the black vein running all the way through the prawn. Take off the tail, the outer shell and the head and let them boil for 10 min with some ginger and parsley whilst set the prawns aside.

 

Put the shell, the head and the tail in a food mill until you get a red/orange bit creamy sauce (according to the texture you prefer, you could add some prawn boiling water) and set aside.

 

Open the avocado and sprinkle some lemon juice (to avoid It turns brown). Smash it with the soy sauce (I prefer the less salty) until creamy and set aside.

 

In a very hot skillet, stir-fry the calamari for few minutes and then the prawns.

 

Serve in a plain pastry cutter, putting the avocado cream, the calamari and the prawns.  Add some red/orange creamy sauce, lemon zest and evo oil.



Il caprino caldo nell'insalata

Warm goat cheese salad is an impressive classic French dish that works brilliantly as starter for a sophisticated dinner or a light lunch.

 

2 slices of rye bread or French country sourdough bread (try Poilane's bread)

140 gr goat cheese, crottins or roll with a bit of rind on the outside (serving 2)

150 gr mixed leaf salad (lamb's lettuce, baby spinach, watercress, beet leaves, butter lettuce)

6, 7 almonds, coarsely chopped

vinaigrette (balsamic vinegar, salt, evo oil, mustard, honey)

chives

parsley

black pepper

 

Preheat the oven to 200 C and the grill to its highest setting.

For the vinaigrette mix in bowl with a fork or a whisk balsamic vinegar, salt, evo oil, mustard and honey (the quantity depends on how much salad you want to dress, i.e. for 150 gr salad: 3 Tbs evo oil, a pinch of salt, 1 1/2 Tbs balsamic vinegar, 1 tsp honey, 1 tsp mustard).

 

In a baking pan lay out cheese rounds (thick disks) on slices bread. Grill for 4-5 min, until the cheese has melted and begun to brown.

 

Dress the salad with the vinaigrette, toast some almonds into a hot skillet.

 

Serve the salad with the cheese and bread on the top with some fresh black pepper, parsley, chives and toasted almonds.



Involtini di vitello

The sun is shining so let's give the go-ahead to the weekend!!!
 

You can prepare these rolls in advance and stuff them with the vegetables you more enjoy.

 

2 thin veal round steaks (for 4 rolls)

100 gr Swish chards

5 black olives

8 raisins

oil

salad

 

Boil the Swiss chards and drain well. Soak the raisins in warm water for 10 min.

 

In a bowl put the raisins, the pitted black olives in pieces and fold the Swiss chards in, mixing with 2 tbs of oil and salt.

 

Set the skillet over medium-high heat with the steaks, cook for 3 min per side (longer time depends on the thickness of the meat).

 

Cut each steak into two parts and roll with the Swiss chards mixture.

 

Serve on a mix salad plate. 

Insalata di farro

I am keen on grains! 

Spelt is sweet, fluffy but always nicely al dente. It's high in protein and fiber, a very good alternative to pasta and rice. I usually prepare it in salad with some fresh seasonal veggies or cooked like risotto.

This recipe is perfect to be cooked in advance and stored in the fridge. It could be a good suggestion to serve for a Sunday brunch!

200 gr spelt (serving 2 people)

1 eggplant

10 raw tomatoes (datterino or cherry)

200 gr cottage cheese

evo oil

salt

fresh basil

To cook the grain add a cup of water for every cup of spelt. Drain, add some evo oil and let it cool.

Set a non-stick skillet over high heat, add the eggplant diced. Toss constantly, let it browned then cool down.

In a bowl, slice the tomatoes, mix with the eggplants, the salt and the cottage cheese, fold the spelt in.

Serve with some fresh basil.

 

Insalata yummy

Sundried tomatoes: nothing to add, they are delicious!

When I was a child, I helped my granny to prepare them.

It was really tough because each tomato needed to be selected, washed, cut and dried before lying it on a big sheet with a cheesecloth outside for some sunny days.

This was a very time consuming and tiring procedure. Today the oven and the dehydrator make it easier but less poetic!

Try this combination of ingredients to have a yummy salad

mesclun (rocket, valerian, red chicory)

parmesan cheese shavings

almond flakes
sundried tomatoes

reduced or balsamic vinegar

extra-virgin olive oil

salt

Dress in a bowl the mesclun with evo oil and salt. Add the almond flakes, preferably oven roasted and the sundried tomatoes. Unless they are already preserved in olive oil, let them soak in warm water for 15 min until soft and drain.

Complete with the parmesan shaving and a reduced balsamic vinegar drizzle.

 

 

                              Have a nice weekend and see you on Monday for a touch of green!