The Voice of Reason

Verdura Al Forno (Roasted Vegetables)

Just about every vegetable can be roasted with delicious results, yet most of my friends seem to blanch, sauté, steam or sometimes pickle them. 

I tend to prefer roasted vegetables, since the high heat brings out their natural flavor, and the dry cooking method preserves their nutrition.

Whether served on a platter as an antipasto, plated as a vegan entrée or enjoyed as a side dish, winter vegetables are ideal for roasting. 

 

Below is my simple recipe for a memorable verdura al forno.  If you don’t have the vegetables I used, that’s fine.  Substitute what’s available at your local co-op, farmers market or grocer.

As always, let me know how things turn out!

Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower
1 butternut squash
1 bunch parsnips
1 bunch carrots
1 large, red onion
Excellent quality extra virgin olive oil
French sea salt
Pepper
2 teaspoons each ground cumin, fennel and coriander, combined

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Wash, peel and coarsely chop the vegetables.
3. Divide the mixture equally among two baking sheets.
4. Generously brush the vegetables with the olive oil; flip them over and brush the other side.
5. Sprinkle the spice mixture over the vegetables.  (When you’re finished, the vegetables should be very lightly dusted with spices.)
6. Place pans in oven.
7. Roast for approximately 20 - 30 minutes on middle rack.  The vegetables will be done when they’re tender yet firm.
8. Remove pans from oven.  Drizzle the vegetables with just a bit more olive oil, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

NOTE:  I used vegetables with similar consistency.  If you use asparagus and eggplant, for example, the asparagus will roast sooner then the more hearty eggplant.  In this case, remove the asparagus as soon as it’s done, and return the pan to the oven, so the eggplant can continue cooking.

Decadent, Low-Fat Dessert

 Last night, Willie (the cat) and I were tooling around the kitchen.  While he was lobbying me to make salmon or chicken, I was in the mood to experiment with fruit.  I had purchased mangos, peaches and plums with the intent to grill them. 

 

And grill them I did.  They turned out so well, that I wanted to share with you a simple way to make the sweetest, most delicious dessert with almost no fat, amazing flavor, great nutrition and little effort. 

Let’s use mangos as the example.  Buy a few that are ripe (but not mushy), and peel them.  I like to use a potato peeler.  Next, slice them into pieces and set them aside.

In a Cuisinart or blender, puree one pint of raspberries with three tablespoons of water.  Then, pour the pureed berries into a small sieve and push the fruit through the strainer, leaving the seeds behind.  Discard the seeds and set aside the bowl.

In a small sauce pot, melt two tablespoons of butter and add two tablespoons of brown sugar.  Stir until well combined.

Next, heat a grill pan until it’s nice and hot.  While the pan is getting warm, just brush a bit of the butter/sugar mixture onto one side of the fruit slices.  (You probably won’t use the entire mixture.)  Brushing this mixture onto the fruit allows it to caramelize nicely.

When the grill pan is hot, place your fruit slices in the pan.  Grill until you see golden grill marks on the fruit, then turn them over.  Do the same on the other side of the fruit, and set aside the pan.

Next, taste your raspberry sauce.  If it’s tart, add two tablespoons of sugar and mix well.

Last, pool a bit of sauce on a plate, top with several slices of grilled fruit and enjoy your all-natural treat!

Scamorza

I love cheese for so many reasons.  It’s versatile, a rich source of calcium, loaded with flavor and fun to learn about.  One of my “go-to” resources about cheese is The Everything Cheese Book. The author offers insight about the art of cheese making, which I find fascinating, plus provides tips about how to distinguish different cheeses by taste, texture and smell.  The book also provides information about pairing cheese with wine, but that’s a topic for another blog...

Today, I wanted to chat more with you about Scamorza, since many of you e-mailed me about it after Monday’s post. 

To answer the most popular question: you can find Scamorza from Italy online at Alibaba.com. 

Scamorza is a relative of mozzarella and has a mild, nutty flavor.  It can also be found smoked.  Artisan cheese makers tend to produce the cheese in pear-like shapes, since it’s first formed into a ball, then tied with string and hung to dry. 

Personally, I think Scamorza melts better than mozzarella.  It’s slightly chewier and not as moist.  It also makes an amazing, nutrient-rich snack.  Just slice and warm the cheese, top it with a bit of proscuitto and serve it with toasted bread.  (See photo for suggested serving.)  Enjoy!

Rome Is Where The Heart Is

When you don’t hear from me for a while, you know I’m up to something.  This time, I was in Rome, and I was obviously too busy eating to write!

Rome is where my extended family lives so, each time I visit, it’s a festa.  This trip was no exception.

While I could write a book about everything I experienced, I decided to create a list called Tina’s Top 10 – my pics for what to enjoy (from a culinary standpoint) when in Rome.  The list isn’t in any particular order.

1. Piazza Campo di Fiori:  This open-air market is about 1/3 the size of a football field, and it’s near the Piazza Navona.  When you go to the market, and if you’re like me, you will over-buy.  Everything is fresh, beautiful, huge and completely irresistible. 
2. Porchetta: In Rome, this is a prized meat dish.  Porchetta, or pork, is a whole, boneless pig spread with lavish amounts of herbs and seasonings and roasted slowly for hours.  In the town of Arricia, about an hour outside of Rome, you can find some of the finest porchetta around.
3. Scamorza:  If you like Mozzarella, you’ll love Scamorza.  This is one of the few cow’s milk cheeses produced south and east of Rome.  It’s a simple cheese, but flavorful, complementing a snack of crusty bread and grapes, and making it taste absolutely decadent.
4. Carciofi (Artichokes):  During springtime in Rome, artichoke festivals are everywhere, and this is when they’re at their best; however, that’s not to say they can’t be enjoyed year round.  You’ll find some delicious ones at little markets in just about every town.
5. Bucatini all’Amatriciana:  I made this last night.  It’s easy and delicious with its recipe originating in Abruzzi.
6. Torta di Mandorole e Ricotta:  Dessert isn’t a big deal in Rome.  Romans like a bit of cheese, fruit or gelato to finish their meal; however, if you really need to satisfy your sweet tooth, this torte made with sheep’s milk ricotta is to-die-for.
7. Fave Dei Morti:  These little cookies (fabuloso with espresso), are only made in November.  Why?  Click here to find out.
8. Finocchio:  I love fennel. It has a delicate essence of licorice and it’s perfect in a salad or as an alternate to celery.  (Notable for those of you on a diet or watching your weight.)
9. L’Abbacchio:  This would be milk-fed lamb.  There’s nothing more tender and succulent, and it’s quite popular in Rome where the cuisine really hasn’t been influenced by outside cultures and whose cooking is rooted in local products and history.
10. Averna:  This drink isn’t exclusive to Rome, but I love it so much, it made my “it” list.  It’s an after dinner drink that’s bitter and sweet at the same time and, lucky for us, available in the US.

Quick & Simple Vegetables

This weekend, I had the pleasure of cooking with my friend Dawn Nyman who just happens to be a chef and the owner of Foodies, a culinary school and catering business in St. Petersburg, FL.

We sautéed and seasoned our way to a juicy, chicken Piccata; we whipped up some fresh kiwi tarts, and we made a delicious vegetable medley using broccoli, fresh string beans, pine nuts and some Monini olive oil. 

Clearly, the meal was cooked with more mature tastes in mind yet, that night, I had three teenage boys around my table (The neighborhood kids call to ask what I’m cooking, and then come over if I’ve piqued their interest.). And, what did they like more than anything else?  The vegetables.  It’s true.  They liked the vegetables the most.

I have to admit, the medley was ridiculously simple to prepare, yet it seemed more elaborate when plated; it looked beautiful and had such wonderful mouth feel.  The fact the kids inhaled it was a bonus.  So, give the recipe a try … and let me know what you think!

Broccoli Green Bean Sauté with Pine Nuts

Ingredients

1 head broccoli, cleaned and cut into florets
1 bunch green beans, washed and trimmed and cut in half
½ cup pine nuts, toasted
¼ cup high-quality olive oil

Directions

1. Fill half a large, non-stick sauté pan with water.
2. Place the broccoli and green beans into the pan and cover.
3. Cook covered on medium/high until all of the water evaporates.
4. When the water has evaporated, add pine nuts, drizzle vegetables with olive oil and mix well.
5. Serve hot.