Spain

Spain #4 Gambas al Ajillo (Garlic Shrimp)

I am so glad I discovered this dish from Spain and it confirms why I am doing this blog.  I love exploring the cuisine of other cultures and bringing it to life in my kitchen.  I searched for tapas on-line and this dish was on an extensive list for typical tapas found in Spain.  http://spanishfood.about.com/od/tapas/r/gambasajillo.htm  The recipe is a simple shrimp saute but what makes it unique and Spanish is the smoked paprika.  I found the paprika at Penzey's Spices, a nationwide spice store that has become one of my favorite places to shop. https://www.penzeys.com/shop/spices/.  Another key ingredient is cognac.  Olive oil is infused with chopped garlic and red pepper flakes, then the shrimp is added along with fresh lemon juice, paprika and cognac, and 5 minutes later, tapas are served.  Serve with a fresh baguette to soak up the sauce.  Buen apetito! 

Italy

Italy #3 Zite con Salsiccia, Cipolle e Finocchio (Ziti with Sausage, Onions and Fennel)

This week I made a wonderful pasta dish that I've made several times and wanted to feature here in my blog.  The recipe came from one of my favorite chefs - Lidia Bastianich.  Her rags to riches story from living in a refugee camp in Italy to becoming a restaurateur in Manhattan is amazing.  This dish is a simple saute of sweet Italian sausage, onions and fennel, with a little tomato paste, red pepper flakes and pasta water.  Before the main dish I served an antipasto of mortadella, Genoa salami, provolone and olives.  Mortadella has an interesting history and dates back to the 14th century.  I love how it's flavored with whole peppercorns and pistachios.  I also made a white bean and capers crostini which I will definitely be making again. 

 

 

Pollo alla Cacciatora (Chicken Cacciatore)

I have been wanting to make this somewhat old-fashioned dish that I recall my mother would make occasionally.  Cacciatora means "hunter" in Italian and is a rustic stew of mushrooms gathered from the fields, and garden tomatoes and herbs.  I used white wine in mine which is common for northern Italy, whereas red wine is used for southern style cacciatore.  I used San Marzano tomatoes which chefs consider to be the best in the world.  They're a little more expensive but worth using for tomato based dishes such as this.  While researching the recipe I found that a variety of herbs were used depending on the recipe.  I settled on a combination of oregano and thyme.  I started this dish on the stove then transferred it to the oven to cook for an hour.  Serve over pasta or egg noodles and lots of fresh Italian bread to soak up the sauce.

Ricotta Dumplings

I saw this recipe on Jacques Pepin's cooking show and it looked so good I made it almost immediately.  The dumplings are a simple mixture of ricotta, gruyere, parmesan, an egg, flour and chives.  Drop in simmering water and cook for 8 minutes.  For the sauce, I used a jar of organic vodka sauce from Trader Joe's.  Serve with a good Italian bread to soak up the sauce.  This was just as good reheated for lunch the next day. 

France

France #2 Steak au Poivre (Steak with Peppercorn Sauce)

I have been wanting to make this French bistro recipe for a long time and I finally did.  http://www.recipe.com/steak-au-poivre/  It was so simple and only took about 15 minutes to make.  The petit filet mignons are coated with cracked peppercorns which are literally cracked using a cutting board and skillet.  The filets are seared in butter, then removed from the pan.  The peppercorn sauce is made by sauteeing shallots in the pan with the drippings, then adding a mixture of beef stock, Cognac (I used Hennessey), heavy cream and a little Dijon mustard.  Reduce down by bringing to a boil then simmering for 5-6 minutes.  I also made frites (fries) and a green salad drizzled with vinaigrette and crumbled blue cheese for a true French experience.  In just a few weeks I’ll be enjoying Steak au Poivre in Paris!