North Beach Italian Restaurant List

North Beach Italian Restaurant List

I found a Yelp list of North Beach Italian restaurants listed 1 to 50. Actually there aren’t 50 places. Some are listed more than once and a couple have closed. Before you get to the list and all of the comments I can’t help adding 

Caponata Siciliana (Eggplant and Vegetable Cooked Salad)

Caponata Siciliana (Eggplant and Vegetable Cooked Salad)

I scored some beautiful small Italian eggplant at Union Street Produce so I just had to make caponata. I love this flavor-packed sweet-sour eggplant side dish (condimento) from Sicilia. Usually I make caponata during the summer when the eggplant and tomatoes are at their prime. I 

Sausage and Peppers

Sausage and Peppers

I used hot and mild sausage from North Beach’s Little City Meats.

2012 The Year of the Meatloaf?

2012 The Year of the Meatloaf?

So says The Chronicle’s Paolo Lucchesi, meatloaf along with pickles will be hot in 2012. Maybe I’m ahead of the curve on the pickle front. Try my pickled vinegar peppers and my giardiniera (pickled vegetables) that I posted late last year. My Mom’s meatloaf or 

New Year’s Eve Menu

New Year’s Eve Menu

Here’s what we’ll be eating for our North Beach New Year’s Eve dinner. Quick and delicious dishes to get you ready to roll into 2012 with friends and family.

Holidays in America

Holidays in America

Lidia Bastianich’s PBS special “Lidia Celebrates America: Holiday Tables and Traditions” is a celebration of family traditions, the common immigrant experience and the importance of food in 4 ethnic cultures. Watch it. You’ll feel good.

North Beach Discovery: Fresh Truffles from Italia

North Beach Discovery: Fresh Truffles from Italia

Fresh truffles arrive in North Beach from Italia. Get them while they last at Cavalli Cafe.

Calzone From Leftovers

Calzone From Leftovers

Make calzone stuffed with sauteed escarole, roasted sausage and mozzarella. In case you don’t have leftovers in your fridge here’s the recipe from scratch.

Free Recipe: Roast Beef Studded with Garlic and Parsley

Free Recipe: Roast Beef Studded with Garlic and Parsley

Roast Beef studded with garlic and parsley is a zesty roast that you can make in about an hour. You’ll be happy if you have any left over for sandwiches.

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.

Free Recipe: Semolina Bread with Sesame Seeds

Free Recipe: Semolina Bread with Sesame Seeds

I recently spent a delightful evening with my friend Viola Buitoni, a wonderful Umbrian cook and teacher, and Carol Field, the San Francisco author of the just reissued classic, The Italian Baker. Viola hosts the wonderful Italian gastronomy series at the Italian Cultural Institute.  The presentations 

Ditali Pasta with Peas & Onions

Ditali Pasta with Peas & Onions

Ditali with peas and onions is a great easy recipe ready in the time that it takes to cook the pasta.

A Post-Thanksgiving Melting Pot Dinner

A Post-Thanksgiving Melting Pot Dinner

Two branches of the family gathered in northern Jersey to enjoy a great Italian-American meal with a Syrian twist.

Free Recipe: Salsa Verde (Green Herb Sauce)

Free Recipe: Salsa Verde (Green Herb Sauce)

A really versatile condiment that you can serve with vegetables, fish or meat.