10 posts tagged contorno

This is another dish from last Monday’s dinner. It’s an antipasto/appetizer from Puglia. Although recipes I found when I first tried to make it called for using vegetable broth to cook it, I soon discovered that I could make the vegetable broth and cook it all at the same time.

Over the next few days we shall be having the recipes for everything that is in that photo, one at a time. Today it’s “Fool’s Hollandaise.” Did you know that Hollandaise is part of classic Italian cookery as well as French? In Italian, however, it’s called salsa olandese.

Agretti is commonly used in English to refer to the edible leaves of Salsola soda. It is also know as Barba Di Frate (or Friar’s Beard). This plant is not a summer green and should be started early indoors or in Autumn. The seed is notorious for poor germination at about 30% to 40% standard, much like Rosemary.

Carciofi alle acciughe. We are well into artichoke season now and I seem to be eating them three times a week. Not a problem Serves 4 4 Artichokes 3 salted anchovies (or 6 tinned fillets)     olive oil 1 clove garlic Trim and quarter the artichokes Fry the whole, peeled garlic clove in a little olive

Peperonata is a vegetable dish from southern Italy. It is very common in the area in and around Teramo in the Abruzzo Region of the country. Peperonata is simply red or green peppers cooked on top of the skillet in olive oil. Onions are often added. . . . . .. . .

Finocchi alla diavola.  Alla diavola  translates as ‘the devil’s way’ but it usually means ‘a little spicy’. This is a good recipe for people who don’t normally like fennel, as the mustard and vinegar remove the strong ‘aniseed’ taste that many people find distasteful.

Polenta fingers I was born in Lombardy, a northern Italian region, where one of the specialities is polenta. My father is a polenta specialist: his polenta is really to die for! So, when he’ll read that I used a quick cooking polenta, that I haven’t used the right flour (from the right mill),

It’s one of my descriptive phrases: elaborate vegetable. When you are serving something good that doesn’t look like much, the plate needs a hit of glamor. I’ve a list of these elaborate vegetables, mostly but not all Italian. As anyone who will listen knows, I’ve recently lost most of my appetite.

Olive cookies and cheese The San Lorenzo olive cookies are sweet, but they are quite interesting even matched with some strong cheese, as a end to a light meal or as a meal on its own. It may sound strange, but give it a go: you’ll be pleasantly surprised!

What’s Cooking: Really Good Egg and Tomato Salad October 16th, 2007 So today i had to come up with a light dish for each meal. Remember, I’m trying to lose weight so I put myself on a diet since yesterday. I still have to weigh myself though, I’ll post it up as soon as i do.