*
BEEF
Cutlets Breaded & Friend
London Broil Wine Dyed
Steak Grilled Stove Top
Filet Mignon Frenched w/Green Beans
CHICKEN PARTS
Parts Roasted w/Potatoes & Onions
Parts Braised Blonde
Parts Braised w/Rosemary
Parts Braised w/Peas & Potatoes
CHICKEN CUTLETS
Cutlets w/White Mushrooms Oniony
Cutlets w/Dark Mushrooms Garlicky
Cutlets w/Tangy Onions
Cutlets Grilled
PORK
Pork Chop Breaded & Broiled
Pork Chops Roasted w/Green Peppers & Onions
Pork Chops Braised Blonde
Sausages Fried w/Green Peppers & Onions
Sausages Fried w/Mushrooms & Tomato
Pork Tenderloins Rolled with Mushrooms Garlicky
LAMB
Boneless Leg Roast ~ Loin Chops Broiled
MIXED MEATS
Chicken, Sausage, & Mushrooms
Baby Bollito for Broth
Sunday Gravy Meats
*
FISH
Fish Broiled Whole
Swordfish Steak Broiled
Tuna Steak w/Tangy Onions
Tuna Steak Frenched w/Green Beans
SEAFOOD
Calamari Braised w/Tomato
Calamari Braised w/Peas & Mushrooms
Calamari Deep Fried
Calamari Breaded & Broiled
Octopus Salad
Baby Octopus Braised w/Tomato
The Great Seafood Salad
*
BEEF
* Salt and pepper the cutlets on both sides
* Beat a couple of eggs with a dollop of milk, salt and pepper. Pour out onto a paper towel or plate seasoned bread crumbs, preferably 4C Seasoned Bread Crumbs (to make your own, mix 2/3 finely grated toasted bread crumbs with 1/3 grated Pecorino Romano cheese, finely chopped parsley, salt and pepper, and maybe some Italian or Provencal dried spices).
* Dip each cutlet first in egg on both sides, letting excess drip off; then in the bread crumbs on both sides, pressing the meat into the crumbs.
* Fry a couple of cutlets at a time quickly, in peanut oil or regular olive oil, on medium/medium-high heat, only until golden, less than a minute on each side, draining on paper towels. Serve up hot.
* Beat a couple of eggs with a dollop of milk, salt and pepper. Pour out onto a paper towel or plate seasoned bread crumbs, preferably 4C Seasoned Bread Crumbs (to make your own, mix 2/3 finely grated toasted bread crumbs with 1/3 grated Pecorino Romano cheese, finely chopped parsley, salt and pepper, and maybe some Italian or Provencal dried spices).
* Dip each cutlet first in egg on both sides, letting excess drip off; then in the bread crumbs on both sides, pressing the meat into the crumbs.
* Fry a couple of cutlets at a time quickly, in peanut oil or regular olive oil, on medium/medium-high heat, only until golden, less than a minute on each side, draining on paper towels. Serve up hot.
London Broil Wine-Dyed
(from Blog the Fifteenth)
(from Blog the Fifteenth)
* Prepare the meat for marinating all day in wine by poking holes into it with a fork, on both sides, in close even rows, all over. Then cover in red wine and marinate all day, until it exudes a soul-stirring beef perfume.
* Remove the meat from its wine-bath and dry it off with paper towels. To season it, lightly crush and then halve a large garlic clove, and rub the meat all over on both sides. Then heavily salt and pepper both sides. Finally, use a little olive oil to massage all the seasonings into the flesh.
* Broil the meat very close to the open flame (a couple of inches away) until it is spotted brown and bows a bit, in 5 minutes or less; turn it over and broil the same way, but check in 3 minutes.
* Let rest. Meanwhile, crush a garlic clove hard against the serving platter and rub the platter all over with garlic milk. Drizzle regular olive oil evenly across the whole surface of the platter to coat. Sprinkle the oil evenly with salt and fresh grindings of black pepper, and strew fresh rosemary needles or thyme twiglets here and there. Also drizzle droplets of balsamic vinegar here and there.
* Now sharpen a carving knife and slice the meat as thinly as you can, on the bias and against the grain. Lay the slices sinuously on the platter, winged by oily vegetables, like mushrooms garlicky!
* Remove the meat from its wine-bath and dry it off with paper towels. To season it, lightly crush and then halve a large garlic clove, and rub the meat all over on both sides. Then heavily salt and pepper both sides. Finally, use a little olive oil to massage all the seasonings into the flesh.
* Broil the meat very close to the open flame (a couple of inches away) until it is spotted brown and bows a bit, in 5 minutes or less; turn it over and broil the same way, but check in 3 minutes.
* Let rest. Meanwhile, crush a garlic clove hard against the serving platter and rub the platter all over with garlic milk. Drizzle regular olive oil evenly across the whole surface of the platter to coat. Sprinkle the oil evenly with salt and fresh grindings of black pepper, and strew fresh rosemary needles or thyme twiglets here and there. Also drizzle droplets of balsamic vinegar here and there.
* Now sharpen a carving knife and slice the meat as thinly as you can, on the bias and against the grain. Lay the slices sinuously on the platter, winged by oily vegetables, like mushrooms garlicky!
* Rub each side of the steak with a halved garlic clove, season very generously with salt and coarse grindings of black pepper, massage with oil, and leave to warm to room.
* When time to, heat up the ridged grill pan well. Put the steak on the heated grill for a minute on one side, to get nice char-lines, likewise a minute on the other. Then turn the steak to the first side again for a minute, but rotating it a quarter-turn to get cross-hatch charring; and then turn over for a final minute and the same cross-hatch effect.
* Devour with oily vegetables.
* When time to, heat up the ridged grill pan well. Put the steak on the heated grill for a minute on one side, to get nice char-lines, likewise a minute on the other. Then turn the steak to the first side again for a minute, but rotating it a quarter-turn to get cross-hatch charring; and then turn over for a final minute and the same cross-hatch effect.
* Devour with oily vegetables.
(from Blog the Thirtieth)
* Geneorously salt and pepper filets on both sides. (Optionally, you could press the filets into the flour, on both sides; pat the flour in, then shake off excess.)
* Steam string beans over well salted water to just short of fork-tender. Then “french” them by pulling them apart into halves, exposing their seeds. Save them for later.
* Melt a wad of butter into a pond of olive oil over medium-high heat. Once the butter melts, foams, and finally sizzles, add in the fillets and quickly gild them on both sides. Remove them to a platter. Take the pan off heat, to let the oil cool down.
* Chop a goodly amount of fresh garlic, and scrape the mound into the oil. Return the pan to medium‑low heat, and gently heat the garlic to an aromatic sizzle.
* Now, off heat again, add an anchovy or two chopped, and with a spatula mix and mash it into the garlic & oil. Then return the pan to medium-low heat and to a gentle sizzle.
* As soon as the oil resumes sizzling, add in the frenched string beans with a light shower of salt and fresh grindings of black pepper, and turn up the heat to medium. Toss the green beans in the seasoned oil. Sauté them to a savory gloss.
* Nestle the fillets into the sizzling green beans and turning the heat up to medium-high bring them to a lively sizzle. Then turn them over in the sizzling oil, tuck a wad of butter into their midst, and pour a light stream of white wine over all the fillets. Let the butter melt in and the white wine sizzle away, until the pan juices concentrate into a pan sauce. Then remove the fillets to a platter and spoon the dripping green beans over and around them.
* Steam string beans over well salted water to just short of fork-tender. Then “french” them by pulling them apart into halves, exposing their seeds. Save them for later.
* Melt a wad of butter into a pond of olive oil over medium-high heat. Once the butter melts, foams, and finally sizzles, add in the fillets and quickly gild them on both sides. Remove them to a platter. Take the pan off heat, to let the oil cool down.
* Chop a goodly amount of fresh garlic, and scrape the mound into the oil. Return the pan to medium‑low heat, and gently heat the garlic to an aromatic sizzle.
* Now, off heat again, add an anchovy or two chopped, and with a spatula mix and mash it into the garlic & oil. Then return the pan to medium-low heat and to a gentle sizzle.
* As soon as the oil resumes sizzling, add in the frenched string beans with a light shower of salt and fresh grindings of black pepper, and turn up the heat to medium. Toss the green beans in the seasoned oil. Sauté them to a savory gloss.
* Nestle the fillets into the sizzling green beans and turning the heat up to medium-high bring them to a lively sizzle. Then turn them over in the sizzling oil, tuck a wad of butter into their midst, and pour a light stream of white wine over all the fillets. Let the butter melt in and the white wine sizzle away, until the pan juices concentrate into a pan sauce. Then remove the fillets to a platter and spoon the dripping green beans over and around them.
* Take a whole chicken cut up, or else big fat thighs and drumsticks (perhaps slit to the bone), and put them to soak in a brine of 1/4-cup salt in 1-qt. water, all day, all night, or not less than 3 hours, if you have time for it. If you brine, be sure to rinse and dry the pieces well before dressing them for roasting.
* Cut up potatoes (maybe 4?) into big wedges (quartering mid-sized ones?), and put them to soak in cold water until you're ready to use them. Likewise be sure to dry them well before dressing.
* Combine the chicken parts and potato wedges in a spacious roasting pan (cozy is okay, but not piled), dress them liberally with regular olive oil, salt 'n pepper, and some dried oregano. Holding back any breasts, put the rest in a 350 degree oven for 30-40 minutes, to blush golden, adding in the breasts half way through, and turning things over once or twice, just to prevent any stick-'n-burn.
* Meanwhile, slice big onions not too thinly (maybe 1/8-inch? but surely not more than 1/4-inch!), and in a mixing bowl dress them liberally with extra virgin olive oil, a shower of salt, fresh grindings of ground black pepper, and sprinklings of dried oregano. Also add several roughly chopped pelati (whole peeled tomatoes imported from Italy!), but only enough for color. Mix all well to marry the sundry savors and scents. (If it doesn't scent great, you've been cheap with the savors, so add some more.)
* When the chicken parts have blushed golden, strew the seasoned onions over them and turn the heat up to 450 degrees. Finish baking for another 20-30 minutes, turning things over frequently enough to keep everything browning evenly.
* When it's lovely, it's ready. Remove it from the oven and lay the chicken parts out on the serving platter with the potatoes piled among and upon them, that the dissipating heat of the potaotes keep the chicken the warmer and moister. (P.S. Be sure to fill that roasting pan with water for a soak to make scrubbing easy later, or better yet, next morning.)
* Cut up potatoes (maybe 4?) into big wedges (quartering mid-sized ones?), and put them to soak in cold water until you're ready to use them. Likewise be sure to dry them well before dressing.
* Combine the chicken parts and potato wedges in a spacious roasting pan (cozy is okay, but not piled), dress them liberally with regular olive oil, salt 'n pepper, and some dried oregano. Holding back any breasts, put the rest in a 350 degree oven for 30-40 minutes, to blush golden, adding in the breasts half way through, and turning things over once or twice, just to prevent any stick-'n-burn.
* Meanwhile, slice big onions not too thinly (maybe 1/8-inch? but surely not more than 1/4-inch!), and in a mixing bowl dress them liberally with extra virgin olive oil, a shower of salt, fresh grindings of ground black pepper, and sprinklings of dried oregano. Also add several roughly chopped pelati (whole peeled tomatoes imported from Italy!), but only enough for color. Mix all well to marry the sundry savors and scents. (If it doesn't scent great, you've been cheap with the savors, so add some more.)
* When the chicken parts have blushed golden, strew the seasoned onions over them and turn the heat up to 450 degrees. Finish baking for another 20-30 minutes, turning things over frequently enough to keep everything browning evenly.
* When it's lovely, it's ready. Remove it from the oven and lay the chicken parts out on the serving platter with the potatoes piled among and upon them, that the dissipating heat of the potaotes keep the chicken the warmer and moister. (P.S. Be sure to fill that roasting pan with water for a soak to make scrubbing easy later, or better yet, next morning.)
* Slice a large onion or two thinly in inch- lengths, and set aside. Also slice carrot and celery twice as thin, and together equal in bulk to the mound of sliced onion, and set aside.
* Salt and pepper, on both sides, skinless chicken parts, trimmed, washed, and well dried.
* In a broad skillet, melt a wad or two of butter in a pond of regular olive oil over medium-high heat until sizzling. Place the chicken parts in the sizzling oil and gild them on both sides. Remove to a sautéing/braising pan.
* Add the mound of finely sliced onion to the skillet, off heat, with a shower of salt; cover the skillet and return to medium heat. Sweat the onion to glistening, with a flip or two in between; then remove the cover, and continue sautéing the onion, with many flippings, to blushing.
* Add in the sliced carrot and celery with a shower of salt; cover and sweat to glistening; then uncover and sauté, flipping, to glossy. In between, shower with fresh grindings of black pepper, and mix in fresh choppings of parsley, basil, or thyme; taste and correct for salt, needless to say.
* Put the basing pan of chicken parts over medium heat, and turn the heat under the skillet up to high. When the oil in the skillet sizzles lively, pour white wine all along the edge of the skillet, enough to puddle in the middle like a shallow pond. When the wine comes to a lively sizzle, pour all out all over the chicken in the braising pan. Turn down the heat under the braising pan to medium-low and cover.
* Keep the wine at a gentle but steady simmer. Either simmer the chicken with the cover ajar until it is fork-tender, or else cook it covered completely at first, turning the pieces now and again and releasing steam; tilt the pan cover ajar if the pan juices seem still too soupy after 40 minutes, and but keep cooking until the meat begins to pull away from the bone.
* Salt and pepper, on both sides, skinless chicken parts, trimmed, washed, and well dried.
* In a broad skillet, melt a wad or two of butter in a pond of regular olive oil over medium-high heat until sizzling. Place the chicken parts in the sizzling oil and gild them on both sides. Remove to a sautéing/braising pan.
* Add the mound of finely sliced onion to the skillet, off heat, with a shower of salt; cover the skillet and return to medium heat. Sweat the onion to glistening, with a flip or two in between; then remove the cover, and continue sautéing the onion, with many flippings, to blushing.
* Add in the sliced carrot and celery with a shower of salt; cover and sweat to glistening; then uncover and sauté, flipping, to glossy. In between, shower with fresh grindings of black pepper, and mix in fresh choppings of parsley, basil, or thyme; taste and correct for salt, needless to say.
* Put the basing pan of chicken parts over medium heat, and turn the heat under the skillet up to high. When the oil in the skillet sizzles lively, pour white wine all along the edge of the skillet, enough to puddle in the middle like a shallow pond. When the wine comes to a lively sizzle, pour all out all over the chicken in the braising pan. Turn down the heat under the braising pan to medium-low and cover.
* Keep the wine at a gentle but steady simmer. Either simmer the chicken with the cover ajar until it is fork-tender, or else cook it covered completely at first, turning the pieces now and again and releasing steam; tilt the pan cover ajar if the pan juices seem still too soupy after 40 minutes, and but keep cooking until the meat begins to pull away from the bone.
Chicken Parts Braised with Rosemary
(from Blog the Fortieth)
(from Blog the Thirty-second)
* Salt and pepper on both sides skinless chicken parts, trimmed, washed, and well dried.
* In a broad skillet, melt a wad or two of butter in a pond of regular olive oil over medium-high heat until sizzling. Place the chicken parts in the sizzling oil (meaty side down first) and gild them. Then turn them over to the second side.
* Now tuck in among the chicken parts several whole garlic gloves, either cracked or slit. When the cloves have gilded on one side, turn them over; when they’ve gilded on the second side, place them on top of the chicken, to keep them from browning.
* In a broad skillet, melt a wad or two of butter in a pond of regular olive oil over medium-high heat until sizzling. Place the chicken parts in the sizzling oil (meaty side down first) and gild them. Then turn them over to the second side.
* Now tuck in among the chicken parts several whole garlic gloves, either cracked or slit. When the cloves have gilded on one side, turn them over; when they’ve gilded on the second side, place them on top of the chicken, to keep them from browning.
* Once the second side of the chicken parts is gilded, tuck some rosemary branches in among the parts and raise the heat to high. When the oil sizzles lively, pour white wine all along the edge of the skillet, enough to puddle in the middle like a shallow pond under the chicken parts. When the wine comes to a lively sizzle, turn down the heat to medium-low and cover the pan.
* Keep the wine at a gentle but steady simmer. Either simmer the chicken with the cover ajar until it is fork-tender, or else cook it covered completely at first, turning the pieces now and again and releasing steam; tilt the pan cover ajar if the pan juices seem still too soupy after 40 minutes, and but keep cooking until the meat begins to pull away from the bone.
* Remove the chicken to a platter. Add several pieces of lemon peel to the pan along with several tablespoons of water. Turn up the heat and shake the pan juices into a pan sauce. Pour it all over the chicken. Remove the garlic cloves, if you wish, and rosemary stems, but garnish the platter with a fresh rosemary branches.
(from Blog the Fortieth)
* Salt and pepper chicken parts on both sides. Melt wad of butter in pool of regular olive oil to fill bottom of skillet. Gild parts over medium-high heat on both sides and pile in broad chef's pan. Strain oil, wipe out pan, and return clean oil to skillet.
* Cut up potatoes into steak-fry wedges and gild in oil over medium heat. Pile with parts in chef's pan.
* Off heat, flip and fold much chopped garlic in hot oil. Return skillet to medium heat and saute garlic to a rosy blush. Now flip and fold peas in garlic 'n oil, sautéeing to shiny. Meanwhile, turn heat on low to warm up chef's pan.
* Add chicken broth to puddle beneath peas, and simmer down to saucy. Then turn up heat to high and add white wine to pool half-way up peas; let come to a lively simmer before flipping and folding peas in wine. Then pour out kit 'n caboodle over chicken and potatoes in chef's pan, turning heat up to medium-high.
* Bring chef's pan to a cheerfully steady simmer, and with lid ajar, finish cooking chicken and potatoes, turning them over now and again, and adding chicken broth as needed to keep all slippery and moist until cooked, but reducing all to glossy by the end.
* Cut up potatoes into steak-fry wedges and gild in oil over medium heat. Pile with parts in chef's pan.
* Off heat, flip and fold much chopped garlic in hot oil. Return skillet to medium heat and saute garlic to a rosy blush. Now flip and fold peas in garlic 'n oil, sautéeing to shiny. Meanwhile, turn heat on low to warm up chef's pan.
* Add chicken broth to puddle beneath peas, and simmer down to saucy. Then turn up heat to high and add white wine to pool half-way up peas; let come to a lively simmer before flipping and folding peas in wine. Then pour out kit 'n caboodle over chicken and potatoes in chef's pan, turning heat up to medium-high.
* Bring chef's pan to a cheerfully steady simmer, and with lid ajar, finish cooking chicken and potatoes, turning them over now and again, and adding chicken broth as needed to keep all slippery and moist until cooked, but reducing all to glossy by the end.
* Blanch an abundance of sliced white mushrooms for no more than one minute in rapidly boiling salted lemon water. Drain and lay out to dry.
* Salt and pepper cutlets evenly all over on both sides. Dip in egg beaten with a dollop of milk, salt, and pepper, allowing excess to drip off. Then press cutlets into a mound of seasoned bread crumbs, breading both sides.
* Melt a fat wad of butter into a pool of light olive oil and heat to foaming. Then fry the cutlets to golden on both sides, layering the gilded cutlets in a broad braising pan or skillet as you go. Once all the cutlets are fried, strain the oil and wipe out the pan.
* While the cutlets are frying, slice an abundance of onion thinly. Return the strained oil to the frying pan with another wad of butter, along with the mound of sliced onion and showers of salt. Cover, and heat up the onion over medium heat, with tossing in between, to glistening. Then uncover, and saute the onion to golden sweet.
* Fold in the mushrooms, with a shower of salt and grindings of black pepper (and maybe a pinch of dried thyme or marjoram). Saute them sizzling cheerfully to satiny. Then feed them a pool of chicken broth, and cook it in. Taste, and correct for salt & pepper. When mushrooms are delicious, fold in a goodly portion of chopped fresh parsley.
* Now turn on the heat to medium under the pan of cutlets, and feed the mushrooms sizzling in the frying pan a pond of light white wine, turning the heat up to high. When the wine heats up to lively simmer, pour out the mushrooms all over the cutlets.
* Bring the pan of cutlets up to a cheerful simmer, and with cover on ajar, simmer to tender for 15-20 minutes, very gently flipping all over once in between.
* Salt and pepper cutlets evenly all over on both sides. Dip in egg beaten with a dollop of milk, salt, and pepper, allowing excess to drip off. Then press cutlets into a mound of seasoned bread crumbs, breading both sides.
* Melt a fat wad of butter into a pool of light olive oil and heat to foaming. Then fry the cutlets to golden on both sides, layering the gilded cutlets in a broad braising pan or skillet as you go. Once all the cutlets are fried, strain the oil and wipe out the pan.
* While the cutlets are frying, slice an abundance of onion thinly. Return the strained oil to the frying pan with another wad of butter, along with the mound of sliced onion and showers of salt. Cover, and heat up the onion over medium heat, with tossing in between, to glistening. Then uncover, and saute the onion to golden sweet.
* Fold in the mushrooms, with a shower of salt and grindings of black pepper (and maybe a pinch of dried thyme or marjoram). Saute them sizzling cheerfully to satiny. Then feed them a pool of chicken broth, and cook it in. Taste, and correct for salt & pepper. When mushrooms are delicious, fold in a goodly portion of chopped fresh parsley.
* Now turn on the heat to medium under the pan of cutlets, and feed the mushrooms sizzling in the frying pan a pond of light white wine, turning the heat up to high. When the wine heats up to lively simmer, pour out the mushrooms all over the cutlets.
* Bring the pan of cutlets up to a cheerful simmer, and with cover on ajar, simmer to tender for 15-20 minutes, very gently flipping all over once in between.
* Melt a fat wad of butter into a pool of olive oil, half light and half extra virgin, and heat to foaming. Salt and pepper cutlets evenly all over on both sides and press into a mound of flour seasoned with salt, pepper, and a few tablespoons of seasoned bread crumbs. Gently shake excess flour free and fry cutlets in cheerfully sizzling oil to golden on both sides, layering the gilded cutlets in a broad braising pan or skillet as you go.
* Once the cutlets are fried, add another fat wad of butter to the the pan and an abundance of sliced Baby Bella or Crimini mushrooms along with showers of salt and grindings of black pepper. Lower the heat to draw out their water from the mushrooms. Once they are simmering in their own water, turn the heat up to high to cook all the water away, bringing the mushrooms to sizzle in the oil.
* While the mushrooms are simmering down to a sizzle, chop an abundance of garlic to small bits. When the mushrooms come to a cheerful sizzle, fold in the chopped garlic and lower the heat to medium. Saute with much flipping until the garlic begins to blush golden. Taste and correct for salt and pepper. When mushrooms are delicious, fold in a goodly portion of chopped fresh parsley.
* Now turn on the heat to medium under the pan of cutlets, and feed the mushrooms sizzling in the frying pan a pond of light white wine, turning the heat up to high. When the wine heats up to a lively simmer, flip the mushrooms in it and then pour out the mushrooms all over the cutlets.
* Bring the pan of cutlets up to a cheerful simmer, and with cover on ajar, simmer to tender for 15-20 minutes, very gently flipping all over once in between.
* Once the cutlets are fried, add another fat wad of butter to the the pan and an abundance of sliced Baby Bella or Crimini mushrooms along with showers of salt and grindings of black pepper. Lower the heat to draw out their water from the mushrooms. Once they are simmering in their own water, turn the heat up to high to cook all the water away, bringing the mushrooms to sizzle in the oil.
* While the mushrooms are simmering down to a sizzle, chop an abundance of garlic to small bits. When the mushrooms come to a cheerful sizzle, fold in the chopped garlic and lower the heat to medium. Saute with much flipping until the garlic begins to blush golden. Taste and correct for salt and pepper. When mushrooms are delicious, fold in a goodly portion of chopped fresh parsley.
* Now turn on the heat to medium under the pan of cutlets, and feed the mushrooms sizzling in the frying pan a pond of light white wine, turning the heat up to high. When the wine heats up to a lively simmer, flip the mushrooms in it and then pour out the mushrooms all over the cutlets.
* Bring the pan of cutlets up to a cheerful simmer, and with cover on ajar, simmer to tender for 15-20 minutes, very gently flipping all over once in between.
* Salt and pepper cutlets evenly all over on both sides. Dip in egg beaten with a dollop of milk, salt, and pepper, allowing excess to drip off. Then press cutlets into a mound of seasoned bread crumbs, breading both sides.
* Melt a fat wad of butter into a pool of light olive oil and heat to foaming. Then fry the cutlets to golden on both sides, layering the gilded cutlets in a broad braising pan or skillet as you go. Once all the cutlets are fried, strain the oil and wipe out the pan.
* While the cutlets are frying, slice an abundance of onion thinly. Return the strained oil to the frying pan with another wad of butter, along with the mound of sliced onion and showers of salt. Cover, and heat up the onion over medium heat, with tossing, to glistening. Then uncover, and saute the onion down to a golden sweet mulch. Correct for salt and pepper.
* Now sprinkle the sizzling onion liberally all over with sugar (to taste). Then feed the onion a pond of white vinegar (preferably white Balsamic vinegar). Let the vinegar heat up to a cheerful simmer before flipping the onion in it. Cook the vinegar in, bringing the onion back to a satiny sizzle.
* Now turn on the heat to medium under the pan of cutlets, and feed the mushrooms sizzling in the frying pan a pond of light white wine, maybe adding sage too (be it fresh leaves or dried). Turn up the heat to high and when the wine heats up to a lively simmer, toss the onion in it and then pour out the onion all over the cutlets.
* Bring the pan of cutlets up to a cheerful simmer, and with cover on ajar, simmer to tender for 10-20 minutes, very gently flipping all over once in between.
* Melt a fat wad of butter into a pool of light olive oil and heat to foaming. Then fry the cutlets to golden on both sides, layering the gilded cutlets in a broad braising pan or skillet as you go. Once all the cutlets are fried, strain the oil and wipe out the pan.
* While the cutlets are frying, slice an abundance of onion thinly. Return the strained oil to the frying pan with another wad of butter, along with the mound of sliced onion and showers of salt. Cover, and heat up the onion over medium heat, with tossing, to glistening. Then uncover, and saute the onion down to a golden sweet mulch. Correct for salt and pepper.
* Now sprinkle the sizzling onion liberally all over with sugar (to taste). Then feed the onion a pond of white vinegar (preferably white Balsamic vinegar). Let the vinegar heat up to a cheerful simmer before flipping the onion in it. Cook the vinegar in, bringing the onion back to a satiny sizzle.
* Now turn on the heat to medium under the pan of cutlets, and feed the mushrooms sizzling in the frying pan a pond of light white wine, maybe adding sage too (be it fresh leaves or dried). Turn up the heat to high and when the wine heats up to a lively simmer, toss the onion in it and then pour out the onion all over the cutlets.
* Bring the pan of cutlets up to a cheerful simmer, and with cover on ajar, simmer to tender for 10-20 minutes, very gently flipping all over once in between.
* To cut your own cutlets, lay your whole hand over a trimmed chicken breast and bear down with even pressure. With a long sharp knife and eye lowered to the cutting plane, slice the breats evenly into two cutlets. Soak the cutlets in a brine of 1/4-cup salt to 1-qt. water for at least 3 hours, better all day.
(Alternatively, defrost frozen breasts in the brine all day, and then slice into cutlets
* When time to grill, drain and dry off cutlets well with paper towels. Salt and pepper cutlets evenly all over on both sides.
* Put the stove top ridged grill over high heat, and heat to nearly smoking. Spray the grill all over with oil and then spear a wad of butter with a fork and rub the grill all over with butter.
* Without delay, lay cutlets down on the grill without any overlapping. In a minute or two, when the cutlets color at the edges, peek under and see that the cutlet is striped with nice caramel grill lines; if not, press all over the cutlet to finish the job, and turn the cutlet over to do the same on the second side. (If the cutlets are not getting grill lines with a couple of minutes, the pan is either not hot enough or overcrowded with cutles.)
* Pile the cutlets on a platter and serve hot and fresh without delay, and with lemon wedges for squirting the cutlets.
(Alternatively, defrost frozen breasts in the brine all day, and then slice into cutlets
* When time to grill, drain and dry off cutlets well with paper towels. Salt and pepper cutlets evenly all over on both sides.
* Put the stove top ridged grill over high heat, and heat to nearly smoking. Spray the grill all over with oil and then spear a wad of butter with a fork and rub the grill all over with butter.
* Without delay, lay cutlets down on the grill without any overlapping. In a minute or two, when the cutlets color at the edges, peek under and see that the cutlet is striped with nice caramel grill lines; if not, press all over the cutlet to finish the job, and turn the cutlet over to do the same on the second side. (If the cutlets are not getting grill lines with a couple of minutes, the pan is either not hot enough or overcrowded with cutles.)
* Pile the cutlets on a platter and serve hot and fresh without delay, and with lemon wedges for squirting the cutlets.
PORK
* Brine the chop in water salty as the sea all day (see memo on brining).
* Rinse and dry the chop. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Dip in regular olive oil, and then in 4C Seasoned Breadcrumbs, laying them out on a broiler pan.
* Heat the broiler. Put the broiler pan far from the heat, and broil the chops until golden in color and gilded at the edges and beginning to curl; turn over for the same look.
* Let relax. Eat with tasty vegetables.
* Rinse and dry the chop. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Dip in regular olive oil, and then in 4C Seasoned Breadcrumbs, laying them out on a broiler pan.
* Let relax. Eat with tasty vegetables.
(from Blog the Thirty-third
* Optionally, brine your pork chops in 1/4 cup salt to 1 qt. water, all afternoon, all day, or all night. Rinse well with fresh water, and dry well with paper towels. Dark meat is better for this recipe than light, and less in need of brining.
* Slice your onions pencil-thick and your peppers thrice that, in more or less equal measure. Dump them together into a broad roasting pan, and dress them very generously with regular olive oil, unscantingly with salt and pepper, and scantingly with dried oregano. Toss to glistening and aromatic.
* Put the pan into the pre-heated oven, to roast the peppers and onions. Toss them every 5 minutes or so (less frequently at first, more so later). It will take the peppers 30-40 minutes to go limp and glisten sweaty with oil.
* While the peppers ‘n onions are roasting, prepare the pork chops. Lightly salt and pepper them evenly all over on both sides. Pour out some regular olive oil in a deep plate or wide bowl, and a hill of seasoned bread crumbs onto a paper towel. Dip each chop on both sides in the oil, then press it into the seasoned bread crumbs, to coat on both sides.
* When the peppers and onoins soften and glisten, having cooked about half way, lay the pork chops over them, and turn up the heat to around 450 degrees.
* Now watch for any coloring of the pork chops, which should occur in 20-25 minutes or so (turn up the heat even higher, if they’re taking longer). As soon as the chops blush golden (don’t wait for browned edges—they’ll overcook), pour a stream of light white wine over all the chops, to run down into the pan, with some sizzling. Then turn the pork chops over.
* Roast the pork chops until the second side colors, about another 15-20 minutes (turn up the heat, if it’s taking longer). In any case, as soon as those pork chops are fork tender, take them out of that oven.
* Serve the chops on their bed of peppers and onions.
(from Blog the Thirty-first)
* Use dark-meat rib chops, not white-meat loin. Rinse and dry well with paper towels.
* Slice a large onion or two thinly in inch- lengths. Then slice carrot and celery twice as thin, equal in bulk together to the mound of sliced onion.
* Pour out a mound of flour, and mix in several tablespoons of seasoned bread crumbs, big pinches of coarse salt, and freshly ground pepper. Press each chop into the flour, both sides, first patting the flour in, but then shaking off excess.
* In a broad skillet, melt a wad or two of butter in a pond of regular olive oil over medium-high heat until sizzling. Gild the chops on both sides in the sizzling oil. Lay them out in a sautéing/braising pan, and nestle between them green pepperoncini (banana peppers), whole, but slit to drain them of their vinegar.
* Add the mound of finely sliced onion to the skillet, off heat, with a shower of salt; then cover the skillet and return to medium heat. Sweat the onion to glistening, with a flip or two in between; then remove the cover, and continue sautéing the onion, with frequent flippings, to blushing.
* Add in the sliced carrot and celery with a shower salt; cover, to sweat to glistening; uncover, to sauté, with frequent flippings, to glossy. In between, shower with fresh grindings of black pepper and mix in fresh choppings of parsley, marjoram, or thyme; taste and correct for salt, needless to say.
* Turn the heat under the skillet up to high. When the oil sizzles lively, pour white wine all along the edge of the skillet, enough to puddle in the middle like a shallow pond for the vegetables. When the wine comes to a lively sizzle, pour out the skillet over the prok chops ‘n0 peppers in the brasing pan.
* Either place the braising pan covered in a 350 degree oven and cook until the chops are fork-tender; or else, keep the pan on the stove with the cover slightly ajar, and keep the wine in the pan at a gentle but steady simmer, flipping the chops with vegetables once or twice, until fork tender.
Sausages with Green Peppers & Onions
(from Blog the Thirty-third)
(from Blog the Thirty-third)
* Pour out a pool of regular olive oil into a broad frying pan, and turn the heat up to medium.
* When the oil shimmers, add the sausage links, and adjust the heat so that they sizzle gentle and cheerful. When they color to light nut brown on one side, turn them over to do the same on the other. If the links are extra fat, you might color them on 3 or even 4 sides. In any case, remove the prettily gilded sausages and reserve for reentry.
* Add the sliced peppers and onions to the pan, with a shower of salt. Cover the pan and turn on the heat to medium-high. When you see the pan get steamy, toss the peppers and onions; when you hear the peppers ‘n onions sizzle, toss them again; when they glisten and smell good, take the cover off the pan. Let the peppers ‘n onions dry off and fry, with regular tossing in between, to keep the onions from sticking and browning.
* When the peppers go limp and glisten sweaty with oil, add the gilded sausages back in. When the sausages heat up enough to sizzle and glisten along with the peppers and onions, then turn the heat up to medium high, and once the sizzle gets lively, pour a stream of light white wine (preferably Italian) along the circumference of the pan, to puddle in the middle. Let the wine work up to a lively sizzle before tossing everything over in it. Then lower the heat to medium again, and finish cooking everything down to glossy, tender, and bestirring.
* Eat with crusty bread, no?
* When the oil shimmers, add the sausage links, and adjust the heat so that they sizzle gentle and cheerful. When they color to light nut brown on one side, turn them over to do the same on the other. If the links are extra fat, you might color them on 3 or even 4 sides. In any case, remove the prettily gilded sausages and reserve for reentry.
* Add the sliced peppers and onions to the pan, with a shower of salt. Cover the pan and turn on the heat to medium-high. When you see the pan get steamy, toss the peppers and onions; when you hear the peppers ‘n onions sizzle, toss them again; when they glisten and smell good, take the cover off the pan. Let the peppers ‘n onions dry off and fry, with regular tossing in between, to keep the onions from sticking and browning.
* When the peppers go limp and glisten sweaty with oil, add the gilded sausages back in. When the sausages heat up enough to sizzle and glisten along with the peppers and onions, then turn the heat up to medium high, and once the sizzle gets lively, pour a stream of light white wine (preferably Italian) along the circumference of the pan, to puddle in the middle. Let the wine work up to a lively sizzle before tossing everything over in it. Then lower the heat to medium again, and finish cooking everything down to glossy, tender, and bestirring.
* Eat with crusty bread, no?
* Prepare white mushrooms (at least a pint per six‑pack of meat) by washing, trimming, and halving them, and then blanching them in boiling salted lemon-water for only one minute. Drain well (or spin-dry). (Alternatively, use Baby Bella mushrooms raw, without parboiling.)
* In a broad skillet, heat a pond of regular olive oil over medium heat and then gently brown Italian sausage links. Remove to a plate.
* Off heat, add the mushrooms to skillet with a shower of salt and fold it into the sizzling oil. Return the skillet to medium-low heat.
* As the mushrooms shed liquid that heats to a lively simmer, chop a lot of garlic—a fat clove per pint of mushrooms. When the garlic is all chopped, raise the heat high under the skillet to quickly cook off the shed liquid and bring the mushrooms to a lively sizzle in the oil. Now fold in the chopped garlic, and lower the heat to medium. Let the garlic sizzle to golden, flipping frequently. At some point, grind black pepper all over.
* Meanwhile, halve several pelati (whole plum tomatoes—perhaps as many as one per sausage, but not more), squeeze out their seeds, and chop roughly. When the garlic in the skillet has blushed golden and sweet, fold in the chopped tomato. Then chop a little mound of fresh chop parsley, and fold that in too.
* When the mushrooms look pretty and smell stirring, turn on the heat under the skillet to medium-high. When the skillet comes to a lively sizzle, pour a stream of light white wine all along the edge of the pan to puddle in the middle. When the pond of wine comes to a lively simmer, toss the mushrooms in it and then add back the sausages into the skillet, and flip and fold them with the mushrooms.
* Bring the skillet to a steady simmer, and then cover the pan ajar. Flip everything now and again, as the sausage finish cooking and the pan juice reduces to a glaze.
* In a broad skillet, heat a pond of regular olive oil over medium heat and then gently brown Italian sausage links. Remove to a plate.
* Off heat, add the mushrooms to skillet with a shower of salt and fold it into the sizzling oil. Return the skillet to medium-low heat.
* As the mushrooms shed liquid that heats to a lively simmer, chop a lot of garlic—a fat clove per pint of mushrooms. When the garlic is all chopped, raise the heat high under the skillet to quickly cook off the shed liquid and bring the mushrooms to a lively sizzle in the oil. Now fold in the chopped garlic, and lower the heat to medium. Let the garlic sizzle to golden, flipping frequently. At some point, grind black pepper all over.
* Meanwhile, halve several pelati (whole plum tomatoes—perhaps as many as one per sausage, but not more), squeeze out their seeds, and chop roughly. When the garlic in the skillet has blushed golden and sweet, fold in the chopped tomato. Then chop a little mound of fresh chop parsley, and fold that in too.
* When the mushrooms look pretty and smell stirring, turn on the heat under the skillet to medium-high. When the skillet comes to a lively sizzle, pour a stream of light white wine all along the edge of the pan to puddle in the middle. When the pond of wine comes to a lively simmer, toss the mushrooms in it and then add back the sausages into the skillet, and flip and fold them with the mushrooms.
* Bring the skillet to a steady simmer, and then cover the pan ajar. Flip everything now and again, as the sausage finish cooking and the pan juice reduces to a glaze.
* Trim all fat and silver skin away from the two tenderloins. It's best to soak (or defrost) them all day in a brine of 1/4-cup salt/1 qt. water. Rinse well with fresh water, and dry well, before butterflying.
* Prepare mushrooms garlicky: Wash and slice Baby Bella mushrooms. Melt a wad of butter into a pool of extra virgin olive oil, and add the mushroom slices with showers of salt. Sauté at first on low heat to draw the water out of the mushrooms, then raise heat high to boil all water away. When the sound changes from boiling liquid to sizzling oil, add a goodly amount of chopped garlic and generous grindings of black pepper. Sauté the mushrooms with the garlic until savory. Add chopped parsley and sauté a bit to wilt. Taste and correct for salt and pepper. Then sprinkle all over with an even covering of seasoned breadcrumbs (preferably "4-C" Brand), and fold them into the mushrooms until imbued with oil. Shut off heat and cool.
* Butterfly each tenderloin thus: press the tenderloin down with your hand and run your knife along your right-hand side one-third the way down from the top, but two-thirds the way in. Open the flap like a book and slice lightly at the crease to open it completely flat. Now close the flap, turn the whole tenderloin upside down, and slice again along your right-hand side one-third down and two-thirds in; as before, unfold and slice lightly along the crease to open it fully, like a book opened flat. Now turn your open book upside down, and unfold the flap on the other side, which will open out in the opposite direction from the top flap. (If tenderloins are not thick, you could simply butterfly them in half.) Salt and pepper each butterflied slab evenly all over on both sides, and brush all sides with butter melted into olive oil.
* Now splice the two butterflied slabs together by overlapping the thinner edges, and pressing, spreading, tucking, trimming, as needed, to create as even a single slab of meat as possible.
* Spread the mushroom stuffing evenly across the spliced tenderloin slabs, leaving an inch margin at the edges. Shimmy foot-long lengths of string under the meat, at intervals of about an inch. Time to roll ...
* First fold the inch of side margins of the slab over. Now use both hands to fold the top third of the whole slab down and over; then fold the bottom third up and over the top third. Do your best to shape and tighten this roll, tucking, massaging, firming, as best you can. Then tie it up, from the inside out.
At the end, cut a long length of string to tie it up lengthwise, tucking in the ends of the roll, and tying this lengthwise string to the crosswise strings. Brush the outside of the roll with butter melted in olive oil. (Optionally, you could then roll the roll in seasoned breadcrumbs enhanced with freshly grated cheese, preferably Parmigiano.)
* Preheat the over to 400 degrees. Place the roll in a roasting pan, and the pan in the bottom half of the oven. After 30 minutes, check to see if the roast is beginning to color; if not, raise the heat to 450 degrees. Bake until the roast blushes brownish and is springy to the touch (probably another 10 minutes, for a total of 40 minutes, more or less).
* Let cool for 10 minutes. In the serving platter, slice thick slices from the middle out with a long sharp slicing knife, grabbing the girth of the roast to secure and firm it, and letting the blade and friction do the job rather than downward pressure. Use the knife to gently splay the slices.
* Prepare mushrooms garlicky: Wash and slice Baby Bella mushrooms. Melt a wad of butter into a pool of extra virgin olive oil, and add the mushroom slices with showers of salt. Sauté at first on low heat to draw the water out of the mushrooms, then raise heat high to boil all water away. When the sound changes from boiling liquid to sizzling oil, add a goodly amount of chopped garlic and generous grindings of black pepper. Sauté the mushrooms with the garlic until savory. Add chopped parsley and sauté a bit to wilt. Taste and correct for salt and pepper. Then sprinkle all over with an even covering of seasoned breadcrumbs (preferably "4-C" Brand), and fold them into the mushrooms until imbued with oil. Shut off heat and cool.
* Butterfly each tenderloin thus: press the tenderloin down with your hand and run your knife along your right-hand side one-third the way down from the top, but two-thirds the way in. Open the flap like a book and slice lightly at the crease to open it completely flat. Now close the flap, turn the whole tenderloin upside down, and slice again along your right-hand side one-third down and two-thirds in; as before, unfold and slice lightly along the crease to open it fully, like a book opened flat. Now turn your open book upside down, and unfold the flap on the other side, which will open out in the opposite direction from the top flap. (If tenderloins are not thick, you could simply butterfly them in half.) Salt and pepper each butterflied slab evenly all over on both sides, and brush all sides with butter melted into olive oil.
* Now splice the two butterflied slabs together by overlapping the thinner edges, and pressing, spreading, tucking, trimming, as needed, to create as even a single slab of meat as possible.
* First fold the inch of side margins of the slab over. Now use both hands to fold the top third of the whole slab down and over; then fold the bottom third up and over the top third. Do your best to shape and tighten this roll, tucking, massaging, firming, as best you can. Then tie it up, from the inside out.
* Preheat the over to 400 degrees. Place the roll in a roasting pan, and the pan in the bottom half of the oven. After 30 minutes, check to see if the roast is beginning to color; if not, raise the heat to 450 degrees. Bake until the roast blushes brownish and is springy to the touch (probably another 10 minutes, for a total of 40 minutes, more or less).
* Let cool for 10 minutes. In the serving platter, slice thick slices from the middle out with a long sharp slicing knife, grabbing the girth of the roast to secure and firm it, and letting the blade and friction do the job rather than downward pressure. Use the knife to gently splay the slices.
LAMB
* Untie and unroll the leg roast, and trim off all its fat and silver skin. Then put it in a brine of 1qt. water to 1/4c. salt all afternoon, all day, or all night.
* Rinse the lamb well with fresh water, and dry well with paper towels, and lay it out flat. On both sides, salt and pepper well all over, and sprinkle it with a bit of oregano. Then dip your fingers in light olive oil and massage the seasonings into the flesh.
* Now slice a garlic clove or two in the thinnest slices you can, and dot the slab of lamb on one side all over with them. Likewise, finely slice lemon rind scraped free of all white pith, and bestrew the slab with the slivered lemon rind. Then sprinkle fresh rosemary needles roughly chopped all over as well.
* Now roll the meat around the spices. If the sides of the slab are such as to allow it, fold them in a bit, before rolling the whole slab forward over itself, from skinny to fat end, so that skinny end ends up inside, as compactly as the slab allows. Then tie up the roll with strings (which can be laid out beforetime under the slab), tucking and securing the ends of the roll as best you can. Let the roast rest a bit, or even for hours.
* Bake, preferably on a rack (without need, then, of turning midway), at 350 to 375 degrees, for 15-20 minutes per pound. Let rest for 15 minutes after removal from oven, to finish cooking.
* To roast potatoes with the lamb, cut them up into big quarter wedges and toss them with light olive oil, salt, pepper, and oregano, and put them in the roasting pan with the lamb. For adding later, toss sliced onion with extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, oregano, and little bits of chopped pelati just for hints of color (whole peeled Roma tomatoes imported from Italy). When the lamb is half cooked and the potatoes blushing, turn them over and bestrew them with the dressed onion. Finish roasting, with a turn or two, as needed to forestall sticking and burning.
* Rinse the lamb well with fresh water, and dry well with paper towels, and lay it out flat. On both sides, salt and pepper well all over, and sprinkle it with a bit of oregano. Then dip your fingers in light olive oil and massage the seasonings into the flesh.
* Now slice a garlic clove or two in the thinnest slices you can, and dot the slab of lamb on one side all over with them. Likewise, finely slice lemon rind scraped free of all white pith, and bestrew the slab with the slivered lemon rind. Then sprinkle fresh rosemary needles roughly chopped all over as well.
* Now roll the meat around the spices. If the sides of the slab are such as to allow it, fold them in a bit, before rolling the whole slab forward over itself, from skinny to fat end, so that skinny end ends up inside, as compactly as the slab allows. Then tie up the roll with strings (which can be laid out beforetime under the slab), tucking and securing the ends of the roll as best you can. Let the roast rest a bit, or even for hours.
* Bake, preferably on a rack (without need, then, of turning midway), at 350 to 375 degrees, for 15-20 minutes per pound. Let rest for 15 minutes after removal from oven, to finish cooking.
* To roast potatoes with the lamb, cut them up into big quarter wedges and toss them with light olive oil, salt, pepper, and oregano, and put them in the roasting pan with the lamb. For adding later, toss sliced onion with extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, oregano, and little bits of chopped pelati just for hints of color (whole peeled Roma tomatoes imported from Italy). When the lamb is half cooked and the potatoes blushing, turn them over and bestrew them with the dressed onion. Finish roasting, with a turn or two, as needed to forestall sticking and burning.
* Trim the funky fat from the chops. Optionally, put them in a brine of 1qt. water to 1/4c. salt for several hours. Rinse the chops well with fresh water and dry well with paper towels when time to marinate. Lightly salt and pepper them on both sides.
* Prepare the marinating platter as follows. First crush a fat clove of garlic against it, tear the clove in two, and rub the platter all over with their garlic milk; then slice the halves, and bestrew the platter with the garlic slices. Now drizzle out a shallow pond of light olive oil to cover the platter. Season the puddle evenly all over with salt & pepper, and sprinklings of dried oregano and fresh needles of rosemary. Then squirt lemon juice puddles into the pond of olive oil, and a dollop here and there of white wine vinegar. Pick up the platter with both hands and shake the dressing into a cloudy pond.
* Add the lamb chops to the platter, dipping each into the marinade several times on both sides. Late them marinate for several hours, turning them over in the marinade again from time to time.
* When ready to broil, turn on the broiler to high, and put the rack at its highest, closest to the flame. Use a knife to scrape clean the chops, and use a paper towel to blot them of excess oil on both sides (against oven fires). Put the chops a few inches from the flames, and broil for 5 minutes. As as they brown pretty at the edges, turn them over for the same on the other side, which will take less time.
* Eat pink and steamy.
* Prepare the marinating platter as follows. First crush a fat clove of garlic against it, tear the clove in two, and rub the platter all over with their garlic milk; then slice the halves, and bestrew the platter with the garlic slices. Now drizzle out a shallow pond of light olive oil to cover the platter. Season the puddle evenly all over with salt & pepper, and sprinklings of dried oregano and fresh needles of rosemary. Then squirt lemon juice puddles into the pond of olive oil, and a dollop here and there of white wine vinegar. Pick up the platter with both hands and shake the dressing into a cloudy pond.
* Add the lamb chops to the platter, dipping each into the marinade several times on both sides. Late them marinate for several hours, turning them over in the marinade again from time to time.
* When ready to broil, turn on the broiler to high, and put the rack at its highest, closest to the flame. Use a knife to scrape clean the chops, and use a paper towel to blot them of excess oil on both sides (against oven fires). Put the chops a few inches from the flames, and broil for 5 minutes. As as they brown pretty at the edges, turn them over for the same on the other side, which will take less time.
* Eat pink and steamy.
* Prepare white mushrooms (at least a pint per six‑pack of meat) by washing, trimming, and halving them, and then blanching them in boiling salted lemon-water for only one minute. Drain on paper towels (or else spin-dry).
* In a broad skillet, heat a pond of regular olive oil over medium heat and then gently brown Italian sausage links (perhaps cut into little halves). Remove to a braising pan.
* Trim, wash, dry well, and then salt and pepper small skinless chicken thighs & drumsticks (sticks perhaps cut off). Melt a wad of butter into the pond of oil, and gild the chicken parts on both sides. Pile in the braising pan with the sausage.
* Strain the oil through a fine sieve. Run hot water over the skillet and wipe it out with paper towels. Return an abundant half of the strained oil to the skillet, return the skillet to medium heat, and add another wad of butter to melt into it. Also add the mushrooms with a shower of salt.
* As the butter melts in and the mushrooms shed liquid that heats to a lively simmer, chop a lot of garlic—a fat clove per pint of mushrooms. When the garlic is all chopped, raise the heat high under the skillet to quickly cook off the shed liquid and bring the mushrooms to a lively sizzle in the oil (add more of the strained oil, if needed, to keep the mushrooms slick and slippery). Now fold in the chopped garlic, and lower the heat to medium. Let the garlic sizzle to golden, flipping frequently. At some point, grind black pepper all over.
* Meanwhile, halve several pelati (whole plum tomatoes—perhaps a fat one per pint of mushrooms), squeeze out their seeds, and chop roughly. When the garlic has blushed golden and sweet, fold in the chopped tomato. Then chop a little mound of fresh parsley, and fold that in.
* When the mushrooms look pretty and smell stirring, turn on the heat under the braising pan to medium-high, and turn the heat up to high under the skillet. When the skillet comes to a lively sizzle, pour a stream of light white wine all along the edge of the pan to puddle in the middle. When the pond of wine comes to a lively simmer, toss the mushrooms in it and then pour all out over the meat in the braising pan.
* Bring the braising pan to a lively simmer, and then lower the heat and cover the pan. For faster cooking and firmer flesh, leave the cover ajar; for meat falling tender from the bone, cook covered, longer, and slower. Either way, keep the simmer gentle but steady, and flip everything over now and again. Add more oil or liquid, as instinct prompts. By the time the meat cooks, the pan sauce should be luscious.
* Get some nice soup bones, with soft centers. Collect sundry cuts of beef and chicken: e.g., beef shank, chunks of chuck roast, beef ribs; chicken thighs, chicken legs, or even a whole chicken.
* Put the soup bones to soak (as well as any frozen cuts of meat) in a briney bath of ¼ cup salt to 1 qt. water for a few hours. Then rinse the bones, rubbing them under running water, and put them in a pan in a 400 degree oven, until they start to smell good.
* Fill an 8 qt. stock pot half full with water, and put it over a high flame covered, to bring to a rolling boil. Add a tablespoon of salt, a half‑dozen whole black peppercorns, and a bay leaf.
* Meanwhile, trim, peel, rinse & halve a half‑dozen carrots; trim, rinse & halve a couple of celery stalks; peel a really big onion, and slice off a scant quarter of each end. Put all these aromatic roots into the heating water.
* Rinse, peel, & halve a potato. Add the potato to the heating water along with several pelati (whole peeled tomatoes) and several fresh parsley branches.
* When the soup bones have blushed golden and smell sweet, add them to the by now boiling water. Cover the pot and lower the flame to achieve a steady simmer, for a half-hour or so.
* After a half-hour or so, add in the beef, and set the timer for an hour and a half. After an hour and a half, taste the broth for flavorfulness. If thin and watery, remove the cover from the pot here on in. If bland, add more salt. If the beef doesn’t seem relaxed, cook it another half-hour.
* Add the chicken and simmer steadily for another hour, with the cover either ajar or uncovered, depending on the concentration of the broth at last tasting.
* (If you’re using the broth tonight, use a large spoon to periodically skim off the slicks of fat that rise to the surface of the simmering broth.)
* When some meat begins to pull away from the bone, the baby bollito is done. Take the pot off the flame, cover the pot, and let the meat cool down in its protective broth.
* To serve the meat, put a fresh sprig of thyme, parsley, marjoram, or tarragon at the bottom of a soup bowl, and lay some boiled meat on it. Ladle some broth over, then drizzle some olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and fresh grindings of black pepper.
* For fuller fare, during the cooling of the meat, boil some potato chunks and/or escarole in some of the broth on the side, to add into the bowls of meat at serving.
* For fancy fare, add Brussel sprouts braised with potatoes.
* Either buy thin swordfish steaks (less than an inch), or else buy thick swordfish steaks and slice them lenghthwise into two steaklets. Soak them to soak in a briny bath of 1 qt. water to ¼ cup coarse salt all day. When ready to marinade them, rinse them well in several changes of fresh water, until the rinse water is clear. Drain and dry them well with paper towels, and lightly salt and pepper them on both sides. Then pierce them all over with a fork, in neat close rows, on both sides.
* Cover the bottom of a platter or pan with a marinade of regular olive oil, equal squeezes of lemon juice and squirts of white vinegar, chopped garlic and parsley, salt, pepper, and dried oregano.
* Dip the fish steaks in the marinade, turning them over in it a few times, to coat well. Leave them to marinate for as little as an hour or two, or all day, turning them over now and again.
* Turn on the broiler to pre-heat. Scrape the garlic and parsley off the steaklets and lightly blot the oil with paper towels. Lay the fillets out on a broiler pan, and place the pan close to the heat, only a couple inches away. As soon they lose their raw look and their edges gild, turn them over to broil on the second side, which will take even less time (as little as 3 and no more than 5 minutes on the first side, and little more than half that on the second side).
* Dress the serving platter with a fresh batch of the original marinade, and dip the broiled fillets in the marinade on both sides as you arrange them on the platter. Wing the platter with lemon quarters and sprigs of parsley.
* Buy thick steaks, pierce them evenly all over with a fork on both sides (and perhaps slice them lengthwise into steaklets?).Put them to soak in a briny bath of 1 qt. water to ¼ cup salt until you’re ready for them. When ready for them, rinse them well with fresh water, dry them well with paper towels, and lightly salt and pepper them on both sides.
* For fancy fare, add Brussel sprouts braised with potatoes.
Sunday Gravy Meats
(from Blog the Tenth)
(from Blog the Tenth)
* Gather sundry fatty meats: pork ribs; beef ribs; chunks of chuck or bottom round; chicken quarters; Italian sausage; coarsely ground beef (and pork) for meatballs; or whatever the moment graces. Also, soup bones with tender-looking marrow will be transfigurative. If you have the time for it, soak such marrow bones along with the ribs in a brine salty as the sea (1/4-cup salt to 1-quart water) for a few hours.
* Put the soup bones in the oven at 400 degrees to roast aromatic, while with a food mill you puree into a big sauce pot 4 or 5 large quart-sized can of pelati (whole peeled tomatoes imported from Italy--never not whole! never not imported!). Crush 2 or 3 garlic cloves hard, and toss them into the tomato puree, along with half a peeled potato and a half dozen whole black peppercorns. For aromatics, add in a bay leaf or two, if you have them, and a stem or two or three of fresh parsley. Add in a rounded tablespoon of coarse salt or a scanted tablespoon of table salt, and bring the puree to a simmer. Add the roasted soup bones whenever they smell stirring, and simmer them in the sauce, covered, for 20 or 30 minutes, before adding the ribs.
* Meanwhile, dry off and salt and pepper the ribs on both sides for sautéing. Heat a quarter-inch of regular olive oil, to sauté the ribs in at a steady simmer, until golden and spotted brown. Sauté the ribs in batches, vouchsafing them space to breathe and brown, and pile them up in a dish, to drip fat. When they're all ready for it, add them into the simmering puree and simmer them uncovered for 90 minutes, before adding the chicken and sausage for an additional 30-40 minutes of cooking.
* If you're using chunks of chuck or top round, or shank, then salt and pepper them on both sides, and brown them in the same oil as the ribs, and add them after the ribs, and at least 60 minutes before the chicken and sausage. * Before browning the chicken and sausage, strain your oil clean and wipe out your frying pan with paper towels, before returning the oil into it and to a simmer. Sauté the chicken, like the other meats, until speckled brown; after a rest, add it to the simmering sauce for 40 minutes of simmering. Then lightly brown the sausage, and add them for 30 minutes of simmering.
* For meatballs, lightly mix together: a pound of coarsely ground fatty beef (and maybe pork too); 4 heaping tablespoons of grated Pecorino Romano; 4 temperate tablespoons of seasoned bread crumbs; a small onion, sliced very thin and sautéd golden in butter and olive oil; a good sized clove of garlic chopped very fine; a plamful of chopped fresh parsley; a shower of of slat and grindings of black pepper; and enough milk to soften the mix to malleable. Roll handfuls of meats lightly between your palms to form large airy meatballs. Chill them until you're ready to brown them very lightly at a very gentle simmer over very mild heat on four sides, handling them ever so gently with a spoon and fork. Add them into the simmer gravy for the last 15 or 20 minutes of cooking.
* When rib meat begins to fall off a rib or two, and chuck to strand, then the gravy is gravy. Turn off the heat and let the meats cool down in the gravy, to keep them moist. When tepid, the meats can be removed to another pan and topped with gravy, for reheating later in the oven; or else they can be reheated in the gravy pot together with the gravy, when time comes to sauce the pasta.
* Put the soup bones in the oven at 400 degrees to roast aromatic, while with a food mill you puree into a big sauce pot 4 or 5 large quart-sized can of pelati (whole peeled tomatoes imported from Italy--never not whole! never not imported!). Crush 2 or 3 garlic cloves hard, and toss them into the tomato puree, along with half a peeled potato and a half dozen whole black peppercorns. For aromatics, add in a bay leaf or two, if you have them, and a stem or two or three of fresh parsley. Add in a rounded tablespoon of coarse salt or a scanted tablespoon of table salt, and bring the puree to a simmer. Add the roasted soup bones whenever they smell stirring, and simmer them in the sauce, covered, for 20 or 30 minutes, before adding the ribs.
* Meanwhile, dry off and salt and pepper the ribs on both sides for sautéing. Heat a quarter-inch of regular olive oil, to sauté the ribs in at a steady simmer, until golden and spotted brown. Sauté the ribs in batches, vouchsafing them space to breathe and brown, and pile them up in a dish, to drip fat. When they're all ready for it, add them into the simmering puree and simmer them uncovered for 90 minutes, before adding the chicken and sausage for an additional 30-40 minutes of cooking.
* If you're using chunks of chuck or top round, or shank, then salt and pepper them on both sides, and brown them in the same oil as the ribs, and add them after the ribs, and at least 60 minutes before the chicken and sausage. * Before browning the chicken and sausage, strain your oil clean and wipe out your frying pan with paper towels, before returning the oil into it and to a simmer. Sauté the chicken, like the other meats, until speckled brown; after a rest, add it to the simmering sauce for 40 minutes of simmering. Then lightly brown the sausage, and add them for 30 minutes of simmering.
* For meatballs, lightly mix together: a pound of coarsely ground fatty beef (and maybe pork too); 4 heaping tablespoons of grated Pecorino Romano; 4 temperate tablespoons of seasoned bread crumbs; a small onion, sliced very thin and sautéd golden in butter and olive oil; a good sized clove of garlic chopped very fine; a plamful of chopped fresh parsley; a shower of of slat and grindings of black pepper; and enough milk to soften the mix to malleable. Roll handfuls of meats lightly between your palms to form large airy meatballs. Chill them until you're ready to brown them very lightly at a very gentle simmer over very mild heat on four sides, handling them ever so gently with a spoon and fork. Add them into the simmer gravy for the last 15 or 20 minutes of cooking.
* When rib meat begins to fall off a rib or two, and chuck to strand, then the gravy is gravy. Turn off the heat and let the meats cool down in the gravy, to keep them moist. When tepid, the meats can be removed to another pan and topped with gravy, for reheating later in the oven; or else they can be reheated in the gravy pot together with the gravy, when time comes to sauce the pasta.
FISH
* Choose choice specimens of the freshest fish of best repute: e.g., Striped Bass, Black Bass, Red Snapper, Perch, Porgy.
* When you get the fish home, cut slits into its flesh at an angle on both sides, and put it to soak in a briny bath of 1 qt. water to ¼ cup salt.
* In a deep pan or broad bowl, mix a marinade of regular olive oil, fresh squeezed lemon juice, some squirts of white vinegar, chopped garlic and chopped parsley, salt & pepper, and pinches of dried oregano.
* Rinse the fish well in fresh water, and dry it well with paper towels, inside and out. Then salt and pepper it, inside and out.
* Turn the fish over in the marinade, to coat it well. Then tuck pinches of the marinade’s garlic and parsley into the slits and belly of the fish. Marinate for at least a half-hour, or as long as all day, turning the fish over now and again.
* Turn on the broiler to pre-heat. Place the fish in the bottom of a broiler pan, without its rack. Pour the marinade over the fish. Remove garlic bits on top out of burning distance by tucking them in slits & crevices or under the fish.
* Broil small fish on the top rack close to the heat, big fish on the bottom of the rack far from it, and middling fish in the middle. When the top side browns at the edges and its slits yawn to expose its sizzling flesh, gently turn the fish over to finish broiling on the second side.
* When the fish is ready to eat, cut a slit lengthwise along its spine, and crosswise at its nape and tail. Then from the central spine, slide the demi-fillet of flesh off the transverse bones while also flipping the fillet over, skin-side down, to expose its flesh; now do the other half. Then gently lift up the whole spine, from tail to skull, with your knife helping the fillet of flesh below fall from the bone. Carry the spine off, and then scrape together and remove the bones and mush at the edges of the fillets.
* If the fish is large and to be served on a platter to a dinner party, dress the serving platter with a fresh batch of the original marinade, and arrange the fillets on the platter, with lemon quarters and sprigs of parsley.
* Cover the bottom of a platter or pan with a marinade of regular olive oil, equal squeezes of lemon juice and squirts of white vinegar, chopped garlic and parsley, salt, pepper, and dried oregano.
* Dip the fish steaks in the marinade, turning them over in it a few times, to coat well. Leave them to marinate for as little as an hour or two, or all day, turning them over now and again.
* Turn on the broiler to pre-heat. Scrape the garlic and parsley off the steaklets and lightly blot the oil with paper towels. Lay the fillets out on a broiler pan, and place the pan close to the heat, only a couple inches away. As soon they lose their raw look and their edges gild, turn them over to broil on the second side, which will take even less time (as little as 3 and no more than 5 minutes on the first side, and little more than half that on the second side).
* Dress the serving platter with a fresh batch of the original marinade, and dip the broiled fillets in the marinade on both sides as you arrange them on the platter. Wing the platter with lemon quarters and sprigs of parsley.
(from Blog the Thirtieth)
* Pour out a mound of flour on a paper towel, and season it with several pinches of coarse salt and freshly ground pepper. Press the tuna fillets into the flour, on both sides; pat the flour in, then shake off excess.
* Melt a wad of butter into a pond of regular olive oil over medium-high heat. Then gild the tuna steaks on each side quick and light. Remove them to a platter. Take the pan off heat, to let the oil cool down.
* Slice much sweet onion thinly—as much as a small one per steak. Scrape it into the pan of olive oil, shower it with salt, cover the pan, and put it over medium heat; sweat the onion to glistening, with a toss or two in between. Then uncover the pan, and sauté the onion down in cheerful sizzling, with much flipping, to a sweet and glossy walnut. Should the spirit prompt you to it, add chopped fresh parsley, or thyme, or maybe even sage.
* Turn up the heat to medium-high to bring the onion to a lively sizzle, sprinkle it evenly all over with pinches of sugar, and pour a light stream of white balsamic vinegar all along the edge of the pan, to puddle shallow in the middle. Let the vinegar heat to a sizzle, before flipping the onion in the vinegar.
* When the simmering vinegar has cooked off and the onion returned to a glossy sizzle, turn the heat off and take the pan off heat.
* Nestle the tuna steaks into the warm bed of tangy onion, bringing some on top too, and cover the pan. Let marinate off heat. When time comes to serve, turn the steaks over in the onion and return the pan to medium heat; gently reheat the steaks, covered, to a steamy sizzle, perhaps turning the steaks over once.
(from Blog the Thirtieth)
* Steam string beans over well salted water to just short of fork-tender. Then “french” them by pulling them apart into halves, exposing their seeds. Save them for later.
* Pierce fillets of tuna evenly all over with a fork on both sides. Put them to soak in a briny bath of 1 qt. water to ¼ cup salt until you’re ready for them. When ready for them, rinse them well with fresh water, dry them well with paper towels, and lightly salt and pepper them on both sides. Pour out a mound of flour on a paper towel, and season it with several pinches of coarse salt and freshly ground pepper. Press the tuna fillets into the flour, on both sides; pat the flour in, then shake off excess.
* Melt a wad of butter into a pond of olive oil over medium-high heat. Once the butter melts, foams, and finally sizzles, add in the fillets and quickly gild them on both sides. Remove them to a platter. Take the pan off heat, to let the oil cool down.
* Chop a goodly amount of fresh garlic, and scrape the mound into the oil. Return the pan to medium‑low heat, and gently heat the garlic to an aromatic sizzle.
* Now, off heat again, add an anchovy or two chopped, and with a spatula mix and mash it into the garlic & oil. Then return the pan to medium-low heat and to a gentle sizzle.
* As soon as the oil resumes sizzling, add in the frenched string beans with a light shower of salt and fresh grindings of black pepper, and turn up the heat to medium. Toss the green beans in the seasoned oil. Sauté them to a savory gloss.
* Nestle the fillets into the sizzling green beans and turning the heat up to medium-high bring them to a lively sizzle. Then turn them over in the sizzling oil, tuck a wad of butter into their midst, and pour a light stream of white wine over all the fillets. Let the butter melt in and the white wine sizzle away, until the pan juices concentrate into a pan sauce. Then remove the fillets to a platter and spoon the dripping green beans over and around them.
SEAFOOD
* Buy big beefy squid. Cut the torsos into fat rings. Beat the torso rings and tentacles with salt into a froth; rinse well and drain well.
* Put the squid into a pot , drizzle lightly with regular olive oil, put it over medium-low heat , and cover. When the pink squid water shed by the squid begins to simmer, drain it into a bowl and save for later.
* Drizzle the squid generously with extra virgin olive oil and strew generously with sliced or chopped garlic. Raise the heat to medium and sauté the squid and garlic in the oil till rosy and aromatic.
* Add in a big splash or two of white wine and let it heat to a lively simmer before tossing the squid in it. Cook the wine off.
* When the squid sizzles anew, add in some chopped tomatoes, not to exceed in bulk the squid, along with chopped parsley and showers of salt. Mix and heat through until glistening, rosy, and aromatic.
* Add in the reserved squid juice along with any tomato juice shed during chopping, turn down the heat to medium, put the cover on the pot ajar, and let cook for 20 minutes. Then check for tastiness and tenderness: add salt and oil as needed, and cook to tender-firm, adding a bit of water, if needed.
Calamari Braised with Peas & Mushrooms
(From Blog the Fortieth)
* Cut squid bodies into inch rings, and soak rings and tentacles in water salty as the sea until ready to cook. Rinse in several changes of water, until the squid stops foaming. Then drain well.
* Add squid pieces to a heavy bottomed pot with sprinkling of salt all over, and put over medium heat with lid on. As the squid heats, it will shed its pink water; as soon as that water starts to simmer, dump out the squid into a sieve set in a bowl, to save the squid water for later use.
* Trim at least two bundles of scallion, quarter them lengthwise, then cut them crosswise into inch-long pieces. Pour out a pool of olive oil into a broad chef's pan, add the mound of chopped scallions, a shower of salt and grindings of pepper, then cover the pot and turn on the heat to medium. Flipping frequently, let the scallions come to a steamy sizzle covered. Uncover, and add one small clove of very finely slivered garlic. Continue sautéing uncovered, flipping periodically, until the onion turns translucent and redolent
* Fold in mushrooms with their share of salt and pepper, and sauté them with regular flipping to glistening. Then add in the squid pieces into the pot, and sauté them with regular flipping to glistening. (Alternatively, you could parboil the mushrooms slices for one minute in salted lemon water, drain well, and add them to the chef's pan together with the squid, sautéeing both together to glistening.)
* Turn the heat up to high and add a glass of white wine to come half way up the squid. Allow the wine to come to a lively simmer before flipping and folding the squid in it. Then lower the heat to medium, and with cover ajar, simmer away the wine at a lively but not roiling simmer.
* When the wine reduces, start to add pink squid water to pan, enough to keep the simmering squid moist and slippery, but not soupy. When the squid has softened but is still too toothsome, fold in the peas with some squid water and salt & pepper, for final 5-10 minutes of cooking.
* In the final minute, fold in fresh chopped parsley. Taste and correct for enough salt and pepper.
(From Blog the Fortieth)
* Cut squid bodies into inch rings, and soak rings and tentacles in water salty as the sea until ready to cook. Rinse in several changes of water, until the squid stops foaming. Then drain well.
* Add squid pieces to a heavy bottomed pot with sprinkling of salt all over, and put over medium heat with lid on. As the squid heats, it will shed its pink water; as soon as that water starts to simmer, dump out the squid into a sieve set in a bowl, to save the squid water for later use.
* Trim at least two bundles of scallion, quarter them lengthwise, then cut them crosswise into inch-long pieces. Pour out a pool of olive oil into a broad chef's pan, add the mound of chopped scallions, a shower of salt and grindings of pepper, then cover the pot and turn on the heat to medium. Flipping frequently, let the scallions come to a steamy sizzle covered. Uncover, and add one small clove of very finely slivered garlic. Continue sautéing uncovered, flipping periodically, until the onion turns translucent and redolent
* Fold in mushrooms with their share of salt and pepper, and sauté them with regular flipping to glistening. Then add in the squid pieces into the pot, and sauté them with regular flipping to glistening. (Alternatively, you could parboil the mushrooms slices for one minute in salted lemon water, drain well, and add them to the chef's pan together with the squid, sautéeing both together to glistening.)
* Turn the heat up to high and add a glass of white wine to come half way up the squid. Allow the wine to come to a lively simmer before flipping and folding the squid in it. Then lower the heat to medium, and with cover ajar, simmer away the wine at a lively but not roiling simmer.
* When the wine reduces, start to add pink squid water to pan, enough to keep the simmering squid moist and slippery, but not soupy. When the squid has softened but is still too toothsome, fold in the peas with some squid water and salt & pepper, for final 5-10 minutes of cooking.
* In the final minute, fold in fresh chopped parsley. Taste and correct for enough salt and pepper.
Calamari Deep Fried
(from Blog the Twenty-fifth)
(from Blog the Twenty-fifth)
* Buy medium springy squid. Cut the torsos into medium rings. Beat the torso rings and tentacles with salt into a froth; rinse well and drain. Spin-dry, and then lay out to air-dry some more.
* Pour out a mound of flour (preferably coarse semolina) onto a paper towel and mix in coarse salt. Grab some squid parts and plop them on the mound of flour. Use the edges of the towel to roll them around in the flour to cover. Then remove them piece by piece, shaking away excess flour.
* Place them loosely in a deep-fryer basket, with breathing room. Dip the basket into pre-heated oil. They should sizzle cheerfully (not simmer lazily, nor boil angrily). Adjust heat to keep them cheerful.
* As soon as they turn rosy gold and show the first signs of gilding at the edges, probably in 3 minutes and surely less than 5, lift the basket and taste for doneness. If done, pour them out onto a paper towel and salt for tastiness.
* Snatch up while still hot and crispy.
Calamari Breaded & Broiled
(from Blog the Twenty-fifth)
* Buy small tender squid. Cut the torsos into a few rings. Beat the torso rings and tentacles with salt into a froth; rinse well and drain. Spin-dry, and then lay out to air-dry some more.
* Pour out some regular olive oil into a bowl, and some seasoned bread crumbs onto a paper towel. Grab some squid parts and roll them around in the oil to coat. Then pull them up, allowing excess oil to drip off. Plop them onto the mound of seasoned bread crumbs. Use the edges of the towel to roll them around in the crumbs to coat evenly. Lay them out on a rack in a pan for broiling; if you can do this in advance and give the the breading time to dry off, all the better.
* Turn the broiler on to preheat the oven a bit, then place the pan mid-oven, six or so inches from the heat.
* When they look golden and gilded and yummy, taste for doneness. When done, remove them gingerly to a plate and salt for tastiness. Eat hot and crispy.
BACK TO TOP
(from Blog the Twenty-fifth)
* Buy small tender squid. Cut the torsos into a few rings. Beat the torso rings and tentacles with salt into a froth; rinse well and drain. Spin-dry, and then lay out to air-dry some more.
* Pour out some regular olive oil into a bowl, and some seasoned bread crumbs onto a paper towel. Grab some squid parts and roll them around in the oil to coat. Then pull them up, allowing excess oil to drip off. Plop them onto the mound of seasoned bread crumbs. Use the edges of the towel to roll them around in the crumbs to coat evenly. Lay them out on a rack in a pan for broiling; if you can do this in advance and give the the breading time to dry off, all the better.
* Turn the broiler on to preheat the oven a bit, then place the pan mid-oven, six or so inches from the heat.
* When they look golden and gilded and yummy, taste for doneness. When done, remove them gingerly to a plate and salt for tastiness. Eat hot and crispy.
BACK TO TOP
(from Blog the Thirty-eighth)
* Soak the octopus in a brine salty as the sea (1/4-C salt/1-qt. water) until time to cook. Drain & rinse before boiling.
* Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil, optionally with a couple garlic cloves, couple bay leaves, couple teaspoons of salt, plus half-dozen black peppercorns.
* Dunk the octopus three times in the boiling water before dropping it into the pot. With cover ajar, bring to a steady simmer for 20 minutes. Turn off heat and cover pot completely. Let octopus rest at least 20 minutes, better 40, or for as along as you like or need.
* Slice up scallions or red onion, and put to soak in salted water for twenty minutes or so. Drain, rinse, & dry.
* When ready to, cut octopus tentacles into thick digits and head into slender rings. Add the octopus into a bowl smeared with the juice of a couple garlic cloves lightly crushed against its bottom. Add sliced onion, sliced celery, and green olives.
* Drizzle all generously with a first layer of regular olive oil. Next, sprinkle evenly with a shower of salt and grindings of black pepper. Squirt evenly all over first with fresh lemon juice and then also white vinegar. Finish with a drizzling on top of extra virgin olive oil. Now toss and toss, flipping and folding, to mix and marry, until octopus glistens with the glaze.
* Taste and correct: if not succulent enough, add more oil; if not tangy enough, add more vinegar and/or lemon;
if too vinegary, add more lemon; if too lemony, add more vinegar. If somehow still not there, needs salt.
* Eat with crusty bread and mild sides.
BACK TO TOP
* Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil, optionally with a couple garlic cloves, couple bay leaves, couple teaspoons of salt, plus half-dozen black peppercorns.
* Dunk the octopus three times in the boiling water before dropping it into the pot. With cover ajar, bring to a steady simmer for 20 minutes. Turn off heat and cover pot completely. Let octopus rest at least 20 minutes, better 40, or for as along as you like or need.
* Slice up scallions or red onion, and put to soak in salted water for twenty minutes or so. Drain, rinse, & dry.
* When ready to, cut octopus tentacles into thick digits and head into slender rings. Add the octopus into a bowl smeared with the juice of a couple garlic cloves lightly crushed against its bottom. Add sliced onion, sliced celery, and green olives.
* Drizzle all generously with a first layer of regular olive oil. Next, sprinkle evenly with a shower of salt and grindings of black pepper. Squirt evenly all over first with fresh lemon juice and then also white vinegar. Finish with a drizzling on top of extra virgin olive oil. Now toss and toss, flipping and folding, to mix and marry, until octopus glistens with the glaze.
* Taste and correct: if not succulent enough, add more oil; if not tangy enough, add more vinegar and/or lemon;
if too vinegary, add more lemon; if too lemony, add more vinegar. If somehow still not there, needs salt.
* Eat with crusty bread and mild sides.
BACK TO TOP
(from Blog the Thirty-eighth)
* Put baby octopi to soak in a brine salty as the sea (1/4-C salt/1-qt. water) until time to cook. Drain & rinse before cooking.
* Bedrizzle a pot lightly with olive oil, add baby octopi with a general sprinkling of salt, and heat over mild heat. The octopi will shed watery juice; once that juice heats to a simmer, strain it into a bowl for later use.
* Bestrew the octopi gnerously with garlic thinly sliced or coarsely chopped, and bedrizzle generously with olive oil. Turn the heat up and toss the octopi in the sizzling oil as it gilds and sweetens the garlic.
* As soon as the garlic blushes sweet, add in tomatoes chopped, seeded, and drained, about equal in bulk to the octopus, along with a sprinkling of salt for the tomato. Toss the tomato with the octopi, heating it to a sizzling glisten. Now add in the reserved octopus juice, and bring the pot to a steady simmer.
* Cook, tossing now and again, until the octopi are tender and the sauce pulpy.
* Eat with crusty bread and mild sides.
* Bedrizzle a pot lightly with olive oil, add baby octopi with a general sprinkling of salt, and heat over mild heat. The octopi will shed watery juice; once that juice heats to a simmer, strain it into a bowl for later use.
* Bestrew the octopi gnerously with garlic thinly sliced or coarsely chopped, and bedrizzle generously with olive oil. Turn the heat up and toss the octopi in the sizzling oil as it gilds and sweetens the garlic.
* As soon as the garlic blushes sweet, add in tomatoes chopped, seeded, and drained, about equal in bulk to the octopus, along with a sprinkling of salt for the tomato. Toss the tomato with the octopi, heating it to a sizzling glisten. Now add in the reserved octopus juice, and bring the pot to a steady simmer.
* Cook, tossing now and again, until the octopi are tender and the sauce pulpy.
* Eat with crusty bread and mild sides.
(from Blog the Thirty-eighth)
* Put seafood to soak in a brine salty as the sea (1/4-C salt/1-qt. water) until time to boil. Drain & rinse before boiling.
* OCTOPUS: Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil (optionally with a couple garlic cloves, couple bay leaves, couple teaspoons of salt, plus half-dozen black peppercorns). Dunk the octopus three times in the boiling water before dropping it into the pot. With cover ajar, bring to a steady simmer for 20 minutes. Turn off heat and cover pot completely. Let octopus rest at least 20 minutes, better 40, or for as along as you need.
When ready to, cut octopus tentacles into thick digits and head into slender rings. Add the octopus into a bowl smeared with the juice of a couple garlic cloves lightly crushed against its bottom.
* SQUID: Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil (optionally with a couple garlic cloves, couple bay leaves, couple teaspoons of salt, a couple hot peppers, plus half-dozen black peppercorns). Simmer steady with cover ajar to tender, 30-40 minutes. Drain and when warm cut the bodies into rings. Add rings and tentacles into bowl with octopus.
* SHRIMP: Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil (optionally with some carrot, celery, & onion, plus garlic clove, parsley sprigs, and salt). Add shrimp, shelled & disemboweled, and simmer just until pink and tender, less than 5 minutes. Add into salad bowl with octopus and squid.
* CONCH (a.k.a. Scungilli) Defrost pre-cooked conch in brine; heat through 10-15 minutes in boiling water (perhaps in shrimp's boiling water, after removing shrimp with slotted spoon). Cut and shape into thin rounds for adding to salad.
* CONDIMENTS: Bestrew seafood in salad bowl with sliced onion, sliced celery, and green olives.
* DRESSING: Drizzle all generously with a first layer of regular olive oil. Next, sprinkle evenly with a shower of salt and grindings of black pepper. Squirt evenly all over first with fresh lemon juice and then also white vinegar. Finish with a drizzling on top of extra virgin olive oil. Now toss and toss, flipping and folding, to mix and marry, until octopus glistens with the glaze.
* Taste and correct: if not succulent enough, add more oil; if not tangy enough, add more vinegar and/or lemon;
if too vinegary, add more lemon; if too lemony, add more vinegar. If somehow still not there, needs salt.
* Eat with crusty bread and mild sides.
* OCTOPUS: Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil (optionally with a couple garlic cloves, couple bay leaves, couple teaspoons of salt, plus half-dozen black peppercorns). Dunk the octopus three times in the boiling water before dropping it into the pot. With cover ajar, bring to a steady simmer for 20 minutes. Turn off heat and cover pot completely. Let octopus rest at least 20 minutes, better 40, or for as along as you need.
When ready to, cut octopus tentacles into thick digits and head into slender rings. Add the octopus into a bowl smeared with the juice of a couple garlic cloves lightly crushed against its bottom.
* SQUID: Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil (optionally with a couple garlic cloves, couple bay leaves, couple teaspoons of salt, a couple hot peppers, plus half-dozen black peppercorns). Simmer steady with cover ajar to tender, 30-40 minutes. Drain and when warm cut the bodies into rings. Add rings and tentacles into bowl with octopus.
* SHRIMP: Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil (optionally with some carrot, celery, & onion, plus garlic clove, parsley sprigs, and salt). Add shrimp, shelled & disemboweled, and simmer just until pink and tender, less than 5 minutes. Add into salad bowl with octopus and squid.
* CONCH (a.k.a. Scungilli) Defrost pre-cooked conch in brine; heat through 10-15 minutes in boiling water (perhaps in shrimp's boiling water, after removing shrimp with slotted spoon). Cut and shape into thin rounds for adding to salad.
* CONDIMENTS: Bestrew seafood in salad bowl with sliced onion, sliced celery, and green olives.
* DRESSING: Drizzle all generously with a first layer of regular olive oil. Next, sprinkle evenly with a shower of salt and grindings of black pepper. Squirt evenly all over first with fresh lemon juice and then also white vinegar. Finish with a drizzling on top of extra virgin olive oil. Now toss and toss, flipping and folding, to mix and marry, until octopus glistens with the glaze.
* Taste and correct: if not succulent enough, add more oil; if not tangy enough, add more vinegar and/or lemon;
if too vinegary, add more lemon; if too lemony, add more vinegar. If somehow still not there, needs salt.
* Eat with crusty bread and mild sides.
