Cioppino: Christmas Eve Stew of Seven Fishes from San Francisco

Cioppino: Christmas Eve Stew of Seven Fishes from San Francisco

For a quick and easy 7-Fish Christmas Eve dinner watch this video recipe to make cioppino, a San Francisco Italian fish stew, all in one pot.

Mussels Steamed in Fennel-Mascarpone Broth

Mussels Steamed in Fennel-Mascarpone Broth

I ended my birthday celebration with 3 glorious days in Boston. I knew I had to eat at NEBO and booked a table. It was my birthday and my friends’ anniversary celebratory 4-course dinner. NEBO named for its original location in Boston’s vibrant Little Italy (North End Boston) recently 

Calamari Salad

Calamari Salad

I’m cooking dinner as a birthday gift for a friend and I’m in the mood for this calamari salad as part of the antipasti. The steamed calamari is sweet and tender bathed in the zesty olive oil and lemon dressing. The celery and onion add 

Grilled Swordfish with Salmoriglio Sauce

Grilled Swordfish with Salmoriglio Sauce

The Sicilian summer heat came early one morning. Rows of fish packed on ice sparkled in the morning sun as we searched the open-air fish market for the perfect catch for dinner. I almost bumped into this guy in the picture below swinging a long 

Prosciutto Wrapped Prawns

Prosciutto Wrapped Prawns

I didn’t want anything heavy for lunch. I had a hankering for shrimp but didn’t want to spend a lot of time cooking some up. Here’s a simple dish that will be on your table in 15 minutes after you peel and clean the prawns. 

Chicken with Olives, Capers & Lemon

Chicken with Olives, Capers & Lemon

Here’s a really simple dish from Naples for those times when you really don’t feel like cooking. The recipe works well with chicken or with fish. It’s pollo (or pesce) con olive, capperi e limone. You see this combination celebrating meaty olives, zesty capers & 

Farro with Tuna & Tomato

Farro with Tuna & Tomato

Farro is the new kitchen darling. A few years ago most people didn’t know anything about this nutty, nutritious ancient grain. I just love it. I usually make cold farro salads of one kind or another. But, here’s a delicious hot dish that you can 

Celebration Crab Salad on My New Year’s Eve Menu

Celebration Crab Salad on My New Year’s Eve Menu

San Franciscans love dungeness crab this time of year. The crabs are big and meaty this season. I’m making a celebratory dungeness salad with celery and shallot, EVOO and Meyer lemon. The lemon perks up the briny sweetness of the crab bathed in mellow olive 

Crispy Succulent Shrimp (Gamberi Fritti)

Crispy Succulent Shrimp (Gamberi Fritti)

When I was a kid on a steamy summer Friday night in Jersey, fried fish was one of my favorite dinners. My Mom lightly dredged an array of fish in flour and quickly fried them in olive oil. We ate the fish hot out of 

Christmas Eve Feast of Seven Fishes (Cena di Vigilia)

Christmas Eve Feast of Seven Fishes (Cena di Vigilia)

UPDATE: There is now a video recipe for Cioppino, the simple and easy seven-fish San Francisco stew: WATCH NOW Italian-American families have their favorite dishes for Christmas Eve fish dinner – some serve 7 fish (for the 7 sacraments or 7 virtues), some serve 10 (for 

Fried Calamari with Vinegar Pepper Confetti

Fried Calamari with Vinegar Pepper Confetti

Calamari fritti (fried squid) takes about 5 minutes to make and you are rewarded with the fresh, clean taste of the sea.

Weekend Recipe: Cioppino

Weekend Recipe: Cioppino

Cioppino has been on my mind lately. Some of my fans asked me to share my recipe so I just had to make it today. Cioppino is a San Francisco original created by the Italians on Fisherman’s Wharf in the 1800s. The local story is 

Weekend Recipe: Sonoma Sole

Weekend Recipe: Sonoma Sole

The sole filets take on a golden crust and are flakey and moist. The edges are crisp and nutty. The caper butter sauce gently enhances each bite. The mellow broccoli spears round out the plate. A really quick and healthy lunch or dinner.

Sunday Recipe: Fish Cakes (Torte di Pesce) with Pickled Carrots and Grilled Blue Trumpet Mushrooms

Sunday Recipe: Fish Cakes (Torte di Pesce) with Pickled Carrots and Grilled Blue Trumpet Mushrooms

These cod cakes have a crunchy exterior and a creamy interior. The potato mellows the flavor of the cod and a squeeze of fresh lemon brings it all together.

Friday Recipe: Halibut Roasted in Parchment

Friday Recipe: Halibut Roasted in Parchment

A simple healthy dish that can be made in a jiffy any time of the year.