Shallots

The Latin name for shallot is Allium Ascalonicum. The name refers to
Ascalon , an ancient Palestinian city where the shallot is thought to
have originated.
The flavor is a pungent blend of onion and garlic. Their color can vary
from pale brown to rose, and the flesh is off-white and barely tinged
with green or purple.
Shallots burn easily because of their high sugar content. For this
reason, saute briefly over low to medium heat. When using raw minced
shallots in salad dressings, lessen their pungency by reducing the
juice; wrap the minced shallots in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze
the shallots so the cloth absorbs some of their juices, then add the
shallots to the recipe as directed.
Shallots will keep for approximately six months if stored in a
cool, dry location.

Kitchen Tip #1

CUTTING ONIONS
Chop, dice, and mince—what they are and how they differ can be confusing. Here’s a quick guide to help you.

For chopped food, think of gambling dice, roughly 5/8-inch cubes. It’s a good cut to use when making dishes that cook awhile, like stews, soups, and stocks. When dicing, keep the size of a pencil eraser in mind. You want cubes 1/4- to 3/8-inch on a side. If an ingredient is to be sautéed for short periods of time or eaten raw, as in salsa, then dice it.

Mincing is just cutting food into tiny bits. When you mince garlic or shallots, the small pieces spread throughout a dish, permeating it with flavor. To mince, first roughly chop or dice the food, then rock your knife back and forth over it until it’s small.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Garlic and Pancetta

I'm not really a brussel sprouts person but I realized that I need to expand my veggie diet from broccoli and salad to something a little more interesting. My grocery store is now carrying pre-diced pancetta and since everything taste better with bacon it was a no brainer.

Good ole Wikipedia defines brussel sprouts "among the same family that includes cabbage, collard greens, broccoli, kale, and kohlrabi. They contain good amounts of vitamin A, vitamin C, folic acid and dietary fiber. Moreover, they are believed to protect against colon cancer, due to them containing sinigrin."


Ingredients
1 lb Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved (quartered if large)
2 oz pancetta, visible fat discarded and pancetta minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 chicken stock
2 Tablespoons of Balsamic Vinegar
preparation

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Toss together Brussels sprouts, pancetta, garlic, oil, and salt and pepper to taste in an well-seasoned cast iron pan.

Roast in upper third of oven, stirring once halfway through roasting, until sprouts are brown on edges and tender, about 25 minutes total. Stir in chicken stock, scraping up brown bits. Drizzle balsamic, toss and serve warm.

Olga's Vegetable Soup

In the November 2008 issue of Men's Health there is a great story "Italian Food Like Grandma Used To Make" written by Mark Bittman. The article goes into great detail about the "real" food of Italy and what makes Italian food over in Italy so damn good. The answer is (drumroll please) because its SIMPLE. In Italy no one talks about the availability of local ingredients because it's a give in , the fish is caught the day it's served, the eggs and cheese come from a Giuseppi down the road, and the pasta is still rolled by Nonna. It's a tradition of home cooking that has earned international recognition.

Back in the old country (lol..listen to me) Italy was a poor country and in most poor countries cooks work largely with homegrown vegetables (this is were the tomatoes come in) but besides that rice and homemade starches like pasta and bread were a staple. Meat was too expensive for common people, so it was used sparingly,like a condiment. Only when Italians arrived in America (land of the cheap meat) did ingredients change.

Below is a recipe by Olga Petri, a 75 year old Tuscan grandmother. I have made this recipe several times and love it, it's simple, healthy and Oh so GOOD!!

Ingredients
3/4 cup olive oil (more or less)
2 onions, peeled and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, peeled and chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch parsley, washed and chopped, thick stems discarded
2 or 3 cabbage leaves, chopped
1 bunch chard, washed and chopped
1/4 cup tomato paste
3 to 4 cups cooked white beans, such as cannellini, with their liquid if possible

How to make it

1 Put about a third of the olive oil in the bottom of a deep pot over medium heat. Add half each of the chopped onions, carrots, and celery, and cook, stirring occasionally, until they soften (about 10 minutes). Add half of the remaining oil and repeat the process, seasoning with salt and pepper as you go. Add the last of the oil with the parsley, cabbage, and chard, and cook, stirring occasionally, until everything is softened but not browned. Adjust the heat as necessary.

2 Add the tomato paste and stir. Partially mash the beans, leaving some of them more or less whole; add them to the pot, along with any bean-cooking liquid and enough water to make the whole mixture stewy but not too watery.

3 Keep cooking, tasting, and seasoning as necessary, until all the vegetables are very tender and the soup is hot.

Serve hot or warm.

Time: 1 hour / Servings: 10

Italian Meats

Prosciutto (pronounced "pro-shoo-toe")
Prosciutto is made from the hind leg of a pig, first salt-cured for 2 months, then left to air-dry for up to a year and a half. The result is pure porky bliss. Look for prosciutto di Parma or prosciutto San Daniele from Italy, or try La Quercia's lovely prosciutto Americano.




Mortadella

The poor excuse for meat we call bologna is really just a bastardized version of this considerably more delicious Italian cold cut. Subtly spiced and sometimes studded with pistachios, all you need to accompany this is a piece of crusty bread. Outrageously good.



Pancetta

The Italian answer to bacon, cured with salt and sometimes seasoned with nutmeg, fennel, or dried chili. Unlike American bacon, pancetta is not smoked. Use it either to make traditional pasta carbonara, or add cooked chunks to a spicy marinara for pasta alla amatriciana.




Salame al Finocchio
This Tuscan specialty is similar to salami, but it's flavored with fennel and garlic. Try it on a sandwich, strewn on pizza, or on its own with olives, real Parmesan, and a glass of vino.

Seared Beef Filet with Black Beans, Avocado, and Green Chile Salsa

This is another go-to recipe for dinner, borrowed from Twist of the Wrist from Nancy Silverton. Whole thing takes 30 minutes, more like 15 when you done it a couple of times. You can use any cut of beef you like (I pick up whatever looks good). The salsa adds all the flavor you need (onion, garlic, jalapeno) and stands up nicely with the steak.



Ingredients
1/4 cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 large garlic cloves
2 teaspoons kosher salt plus extra for seasoning
1 cup green chile sauce (Frontera Tomatillo Salsa is my fave)
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup of fresh cilantro leaves
4 6-ounce beef filets (about3/4 inch thick)
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup canola oil (or other neutral flavored oil)
1 ripe Hass Avocado

Extra Virgin Olive Oil for Drizzling
Lime, for squeezing over the Avocado
Sea Salt

Heat the the olive oil, garlic and pinch of kosher salt in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and saute for about 1 1/2 minutes, until the garlic is soft and fragrant, stirring constantly so the garlic doesn't brown. Turn the heat up to high, add salsa, and cook for about 2 more minutes to warm through, stirring often to keep the salsa from scorching. Add the black beans, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 3-4 minutes to warm the beans through and meld the flavors. Turn off the heat, stir in the cilantro.

Season both sides of each steak with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat the canola oil in a large cast iron skillet over high heat for 2-3 minutes until the oil's almost smoking (you will begin to smell the oil at this point). Place the steaks in the skillet and cook them on one side for 2 minutes if you want them medium-rare, 4 minutes for medium. flip the steaks, turn off the heat and let them sit in the skillet until the skillet goes quiet, about 3 minutes.

Spoon the black beans onto four plates, dividing them evenly. Place the beef filets first-cooked side up on top of the beans. Have the avocado, remove the pit, and cut each half crosswise into quarters (if your using small avocados, cut each avocado in half.) Remove and discard the peel and place one quarter on each filet. Drizzle the avocado with high quality olive oil, few drops of lime juice, sea salt, and freshly ground pepper. Top with a sprig of cilantro.

Simple Baked Salmon

Back when I was single this was my go-to recipe when I met a new guy who didn't eat meat or was on a health kick. My friend Jen gave this to me and she got it from her mom (THANKS MRS. GOLDMAN!!) It's simple and tasty. I usually make it with a nice salad. It also pairs well with roasted potatoes and steamed veggies.

Baked Salmon

2 Medium-sized Salmon Fillets
2 tsp Dijon Mustard
6 tsp of McCormick Honey Soy Marinade

1. Preheat oven to 350. Rinse fish and pat down with paper towels. Line baking pan with aluminum foil for easy clean up. Lay fish skin side down.

2. Spread 1 teaspoon of Grey Poupon on Salmon (don't forget the sides.)It's o.k. if the fish isn't completely covered. 1 teaspoon per fish is all you need.

3. Spread 3 teaspoons of McCormicks Honey Soy per salmon fillets. This should coat the fish completely. Use more if necessary--make sure the side of the fish is coated as well.

4. Bake on 350 for 15-20 minutes depending on the size. Be careful not to dry out the fish. Place fish in broiler for 3-5 minutes. Top should be crispy.