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Cooking Italian Style

Minestrone

When I think of Minestrone I think about a green valley surrounded by rugged mountains and a stone house with a smoke stack chimney sending an aroma of flavor throughout. This is a simple yet universal Italian dish.

1\4 cup of virgin olive oil
1\8 cup of white wine
1 can of diced tomatoes with juice
1 cup of onions (diced or minced)
1 cup of celery (small chunks)
1 cup of small carrots
4 cups of chicken broth
1 tablespoon of fresh basil
3 garlic cloves minced
2 bay leaves
1 cup of ditalini pasta (or whatever desired)
1 cup of garbanzo beans(or cannellini beans)
1\4 pound of red beans
1]2 cup of zucchini
1\3 cup of fresh parsley (minced)
Salt and black pepper

In a medium size pot combine olive oil, broth, 1\8 cup of white wine, tomatoes, beans, carrots, celery, onion, bay leaves, garlic and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and black pepper. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours.Thirty minutes before the soup is done cooking, add ditalini and zucchini. Cover and cook 30 more minutes. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Ladle soup into bowls and sprinkle parmesan cheese. Garnish with basil, if desired.

Fettuccini Verdi

Oil – 2 tablespoons

Butter – 2 tablespoons

2 Green onions chopped
4 oz Smoked salmon, chopped
4 oz Chicken stock
5 oz CreamNutmeg – ¼ tablespoon
Cayenne – a pinch
1 lb Green fettuccini, cooked and drained
1 tablespoon – Parsley, chopped
4 oz Parmesan cheese, grated

Heat oil and butter in a large frying pan, and cook the onions for about 4 minutes or less. Add the smoked salmon and cook for a couple of minutes. Add liquids and seasonings, cook for about 10 minutes or until sauce has reduced to half. Toss with Pasta, top with parsley and cheese. Serves 2-4 people

Penne With Asparagus & Shrimp

: Garlic shrimp asparagus & wine sauce

½ cup virgin oil

5 cloves garlic – minced
crushed chili pepper (optional)
12 oz. medium shrimp, shelled
1 yellow pepper (diced)
1/2 lb. asparagus, cooked al dente
2 1/2 tbsp. butter unsalted
salt & pepper
minced parsley (as desired)
1 small red onion (cut in strips lengthwise)
1 cup white wine
1 lb. penne

Melt butter over medium heat in pan. Add shrimp and cook until shrimp turns a light pink color. Add onion to pan and sauté until slightly brown. Stir in half a cup of the wine. (Shells can be removed at this point according to preference) Add asparagus and stir gently. Stir in the remaining half cup of white wine. Add salt and pepper and crushed peppers to taste. Reduce heat to low. In a large pot of boiling water cook the pasta until al dente. Drain pasta and place in a big bowl. Add the shrimp and asparagus mixture and toss together. Serve sprinkled with minced parsley and grated romano cheese. Serves 6

Insalata con Pomodori e Mozzarella

Although the ingredients are simple the flavor depends on the vine-ripened tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and aromatic basil leaves.

: Pomodori e Mozzarella

2 Large, vine-ripened tomatoes, cored and sliced.

1 lb. fresh mozzarella, sliced
1 small, red onion thinly sliced (optional)
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
Fresh basil leaves, cut into strips.

On a serving platter, arrange the tomatoes
and mozzarella and onion slices, overlapping
them in a decorative pattern. Lightly pour
olive oil over the dish and season with salt and pepper.
Sprinkle the salad with basil.Serve at room temperature. Serves 4-6

Are You Nuts A Fat That Helps You Lose Weight?

The oil of coconut is like none other on the planet, in its pure form. At one point in time, it was used heavily in the USA, for baking, pastries, frying, and theater popcorn, that is, until the makers of corn and other vegetable oils shut down the market by claiming all saturated fats are harmful and should be avoided. Unfortunately the countries that produce such rich, tropical oils, were not economically prepared to launch a counter attack via the media, thus a boycott ensued.

Plant derived fats have a different molecular structure than those coming from animals. Coconuts contain lauric acid, which is a medium chain fatty acid, similar to what is found in breast milk. Unlike other saturated fats, such as lard, this does not circulate in the bloodstream, but is sent directly to the liver, where it is immediately converted into energy, as if it were a carbohydrate. But the good news doesn’t end there, because clinical studies have proven that coconut oil has anti-microbial and anti-viral properties. In fact, it is now even being used in treating AIDS patients, seeming to reduce their viral loads.

The ideal human dosage is between 3-4 tablespoons daily. Just be sure the oil is unrefined, or virgin, in order to receive the full benefits, which could include an increased resistance to lipid coated viruses such as HIV, herpes, cytomeglavirus, influenza, various pathogenic bacteria including listeria monocytongenes and heliobacter pylori, and protzoa such as giardia lamblia.

What Coconut Oil DOES NOT Do:
Does not contain cholesterol * Does not increase blood cholesterol.
Does not promote platelet stickiness which leads to blood clot formation.
Does not contribute to atherosclerosis or heart disease Does not contribute to weight problems.

What Coconut Oil DOES Do:
* reduces risks of atherosclerosis and related illnesses. * reduces risk of cancer and other degenerative conditions. * Helps prevent bacterial, viral, and fungal (including yeast) infections. * Supports immune system functions, helps prevent osteoporosis. * Helps control diabetes, promotes weight loss. * Supports healthy metabolic functions. * Improves digestion and nutrients absorption. *Helps keep skin soft. Helps prevent premature aging and wrinkling of the skin. (Ciao Magazine)

Abbiamo Un Gusto di Vino…Of Amarone.

Amarone is a great wine. It has a very earthy quality, and high alcohol which people like. You want to serve with a braised meat dish or something with a mushroom sauce. Amarone also has a touch of sweetness, so it is versatile. The only bad thing about Amarone is it is expensive and you rarely see it by the glass. A half-bottle (375ml) will be about $30 and full bottle will be upwards of $50 but, a little goes a long way with Amarone. I find that a half-bottle is perfect for dinner for two. It comes from the Veneto region of Italy and is its most famous dried-grape, dry table wine. The wine is made from selected superior whole bunches which are dried or raisined in special drying lodges or chambers. Traditionally, grapes were spread out on mats or wickerwork shelving, or strung up from the ceiling or rafters. Today, however, most producers pick the grapes directly into slatted packing cases, stack these cases on a pallet and then transport them to a drying room controlled for temperature and humidity. This new approach, which ensures minimal handling of the grapes, reduces the risk of damage and consequent development of rot or mould, has resulted in cleaner, more balanced wines. The problem remains one of quality, for there is too much mediocre Amarone for sale, and not enough of the clean, balanced style. Good producers include Allegrini, Bertani, Brigaldera, Bussola, Masi, Quintarelli, and Tommasi.
Tasting Notes for 2003 Masi Amarone
Deep garnet with a caramel-brown tinge and almost tawny at the rim. About 85% opaque. Strong aromas of damp soil, mushroom soup, tar, cocoa powder, and slightly burnt toast dipped in hot bacon grease. Flavors center around the darkest of fruits like black plum, fig, prune, raisin, and blackcurrant. The sensory feel of the wine is something akin to blood- a silky, heavyweight body and a big foundation of acidity. Tannin level is about average but still a little brawny, chewy, and dense.
What To Eat With Amarone:
Cheese, especially aged, creamy,
strong-flavored. Gorgonzola, Gouda,
Grana, Parmesan
Lamb, especially braised, grilled and with spices – game and game fowl – pesto and pasta braised short ribs – spicy lentil wrap