Tag: recipe

Panna Cotta with Balsamic Strawberries

Panna Cotta with Balsamic Strawberries

Panna cotta means “cooked cream”. The classic Italian dessert now enjoyed everywhere was created in the Piedmonte region in the northwest corner of Italia. Cows have a good life in Piemonte. They graze in beautiful Alpine pastures. It’s no wonder that their milk produces fantastic butter, 

Green Bean & Red Onion Salad

Green Bean & Red Onion Salad

Add this recipe to your list of dishes that you can have on your table in less than 30 minutes. It’s healthy and delicious. I love the simple taste of green beans drizzled with extra virgin olive oil, a sprinkle of sea salt and a 

Grilled Steak with Herb Sauce (Bistecca con salsa delle erbe)

Grilled Steak with Herb Sauce (Bistecca con salsa delle erbe)

Want a fast weekday evening meal? You can have this flavorful steak on your table in less than 15 minutes. Ribeye, strip or porterhouse steaks work well. Cook the steaks on an outdoor grill or in a grill pan on top of the stove. I was 

Panettone Bread Pudding

Panettone Bread Pudding

Panettone is a buttery bread studded with raisins and candied orange, lemon and citron peel. Italians, especially in the north, love to eat panettone at Christmas and New Year. Dunk panettone in your morning espresso or cappuccino. Panettone for dessert pairs well with a glass 

Orecchiette with Cauliflower & Anchovy

Orecchiette with Cauliflower & Anchovy

April Bloomfield just bought North Beach’s iconic Tosca Cafe on Columbus and will soon be serving her food there. She has a cult following at her restaurant The Spotted Pig in NYC’s Greenwich Village. I wondered what was in store for us when she arrives here 

Tuna Stuffed Roasted Pepper Roll-Ups (Peperoni Ripieni con Tonno)

Tuna Stuffed Roasted Pepper Roll-Ups (Peperoni Ripieni con Tonno)

This is getting to be a habit. Another gathering of friends and another request to bring an appetizer. “No meat and no cheese please, and make sure the appetizer is “finger food.” OK, I’ll take the challenge. I’ve been thinking about these stuffed pepper roll-ups 

Pasta with Broccoli & Garlic

Pasta with Broccoli & Garlic

My friend Susan called from Jersey and the subject of her renowned cavatelli with broccoli came up during our conversation. Actually, we talked about “gavadeal” and broccoli, as cavatelli is known in the Jersey southern Italian-American argot. The broccoli in my fridge had to be 

Fried Fritters (Pasta Cresciuta)

Fried Fritters (Pasta Cresciuta)

Frying is an important Neapolitan cooking technique practiced by generations of southern Italian-Americans. One of my fans wrote that he continues his wife’s grandmother’s Christmas tradition by making savory fried fritters with an anchovy filet in the middle for the family to enjoy every year. 

Spaghetti Squash with Sage and Garlic

Spaghetti Squash with Sage and Garlic

A friend suggested a winter squash as a side for my New Year’s Eve veal roast stuffed with spinach. Spaghetti squash was a perfect choice. The yellow spaghetti squash balanced the colors on the plate. The slightly sweet squash accented by mild sage and garlic infused 

Veal Roast with Spinach Stuffing

Veal Roast with Spinach Stuffing

North Beach’s Little City Meats was an inspiration for my New Year’s Eve dinner. A boneless leg of veal caught my eye. Mike trimmed it up for me to make a stuffed roast. This is a butterflied roast. Lay it down flat, spread on a 

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 

A Lucky New Year’s Eve Dish

A Lucky New Year’s Eve Dish

Just back from Christmas with friends and family in Jersey. Now it’s time to plan my New Year’s Eve menu. I’ll share this year’s menu when I’m done. In the meantime, here are a couple of classic dishes to get you started with your planning. I 

Neapolitan Christmas Salad

Neapolitan Christmas Salad

I just love this classic Neapolitan Christmas Salad, insalata di rinforza, in Italian. Insalata di rinforza translates into Reinforced Salad. How did such an important part of the Christmas table get such a silly name? Here’s the tale. Giardiniera, vegetables stored in a vinegar bath, 

Holiday Lunch at My House

Holiday Lunch at My House

It’s a Jersey Christmas this year. I’m cooking a Seven Fish Dinner on Christmas Eve with friends. Christmas Day is with my sister Rose’s branch of the family. We’ll be 3 generations in the kitchen. My office-mates convinced me to cook for them before I 

Holiday Sausage @ Little City Meats

Holiday Sausage @ Little City Meats

I was excited when I walked into North Beach’s Little City Meats this morning. The Christmas sausage stuffed with pork, fennel, imported provolone and basil was in. Run, don’t walk. Get some before they’re all gone. I absolutely love these holiday sausages and can’t wait for