Artful Artichokes

Carciofini Piccante al' Arancia e Menta con Insalata di Spelta & Verdure

Spicy, Baby Artichokes with Orange & Mint on Spelt & Vegetable Salad

And yes, even if I do say so myself, this dish IS almost a work of art! Not only the combination of flavors and textures is wonderful, but of course also the incredible colors, not to mention the delicious aroma. Oh yes- culinary art! But not of the squiggles and dots of sauce variety... My kind of food art! The kind that satisfies your hunger and you would like to actually serve your friends!

This dish was my second experience cooking with spelt and I have to say I am liking it's nutty, chewy deliciousness more and more! Together with some basic diced vegetables, plenty of mint and parsley, fresh orange zest and juice and sprinkle of chili at the end, this made for a great, complex tasting but easy to make treat! Oh and those tender baby artichokes? Well! I don't think there is much that needs to be said there!

Although it is not really necessary, I soaked the spelt for an hour before cooking- it made it softer and chewier from the start and reduced the time it would need to cook with the vegetables... which would otherwise have cooked down to pulp by the time the spelt would otherwise have been ready.

So, once it had soaked and was soft and swollen to almost twice it's size, I added the spelt, together with some finely chopped onion, celery and carrot to a saucepan, added a little crushed garlic, a drizzle of olive oil and a bay leaf and began everything frying. Once the onion became translucent, I added  enough water to cover the spelt and vegetables and reduced the heat to a simmer for 5 minutes. After a few minutes, the water had cooked away, meaning that the broth created from the vegetables had been soaked up by the spelt, which was just perfect!

Whilst the spelt simmered, I prepared the artichokes by cutting away the top third of each, trimming down the base and plucking away the tough outer leaves. I then cut them into quarters and removed the "choke" from the inside, with one small diagonal cut... and all of those really fine fibers lifted out very easily. I sprinkled them with lemon juice in order to keep them from oxidizing and becoming dark and then popped them into my steamer for 10-15 minutes until they were soft and tender.

By now the spelt was finished and was able to cool off whilst I prepared the artichokes. Whilst a little olive oil heated-up in my frying pan, I added plenty of fresh mint and parsley, finely chopped and full of flavor to the spelt. I also added 3-4 nice strips of orange peel which I first boiled for 3-4 minutes to eliminate any bitterness and also to make them nice and soft, which I cut into fine, colorful and delicious shreds- yum, yum, yum! Together with a little olive oil, a squeeze of orange juice and some salt and pepper, the spelt was now ready and delicious looking mighty fine!

I sautéed the artichokes in the hot olive oil, seasoning with salt, a pinch of sugar and the tiniest hint of cinnamon. It only took 2-3 minutes until they were golden brown, then out they came and onto the cool spelt "salad" they went. I drizzled them with tiny bit of orange juice, sprinkled them with red chili flakes and scattered the last of the parsley, mint and orange zest on top... and a fantastic supper was served! Minty, wholesome, easy and refreshing, this was a great Summer dish. Now come on Mr. Weatherman! And send us some sunshine!

Golden Wonder

Torta Salata di Pomodorini Gialle, Ajvar, Basilico & Timo

Yellow Cherry Tomato, Ajvar, Basil & Thyme Tart

Small, sweet and adorable, these lovely little cherry tomatoes took my fancy whilst at the indoor market on Saturday, chatting with Nina, who always has the best produce from The Old Country for me. "Try one of these" she said and of course the second I popped one into my mouth, my fate (and that of the tomatoes) was sealed. It tasted heavenly!

So today I decided to use them to make something pretty and a little different. I had originally thought of making a "tart-tatin" out of them, but the thought of them cooking down, splitting open and becoming mush just made me sad. No, no, they had to stay looking beautiful! And this was the way I decided to try to do that...

I started off by halving the tomatoes and frying them with the cut side down in a little olive oil, with a couple of slices of garlic to add a little flavor- but not for too long! Just 1-2 minutes at a high heat was enough- just to start the cooking process in advance, before baking. 

Next, I cut my puff-pastry base to size- this was a small, saucer-sized tart, but obviously the method is the same whichever size you decide to make. I added a couple of strips of extra pastry to the outer edges to give it a nicer shape and pressed them down gently- they will stick to each other as they bake with no problem. I assembled the tart directly in the small non-stick pan I was going to bake it in... yes, my old frying pan trick again! The reason to make it directly IN the pan is... well- you try assembling it outside of the pan and then lifting it in there later... :-) I knew you would understand!

I then spread the base of the tart with spicy Ajvar, careful not to overlap onto the trim. I then placed 4 large basil leaves on top of that (the tart was so small that was all it took!) and on top of the basil, I sprinkled a layer of grated Parmesan cheese. These 3 ingredients would go to compliment the taste of the sweet tomatoes and the Parmesan would additionally do the job of holding everything together- pretty nifty!

I carefully set the tomatoes out on top and sprinkled them with a little salt and pepper and popped my pan onto the stovetop whilst turning on the oven to 450°F and getting it ready to finish baking the tart. After 2-3 minutes maximum on the stove, with the base already baked-through in principle, I popped the tart into the oven on the top shelf for a further 4-5 minutes.  

Having started the baking process on the stove top and getting the base nice and firm, I avoided any chances of moisture seeping through from the topping- which is the worst thing that can happen to a pie or tart. The rest was just going through the motions as there was very little that actually needed much baking to be honest! The little bit of pastry that was exposed was done in next to no time and the tomatoes were soon cooked but also did not melt away to nothing... excellent!

Once the tart was finished and had cooled off, I added a generous sprinkle of fresh thyme for a little extra "zing" and lunch was finished and pretty much perfect! This would make a great side dish or appetizer too... so with the sunny days ahead of us (at some point... hopefully!!!), this is a great dish to consider! And one definitely to enjoy!

My Last Fig!

Fritella di Ricotta & Polenta con Fichi Secche e Miele di Agrumi

Ricotta & Cornmeal Pancake with Dried Fig & Citrus-Blossom Honey

So I was in the mood for pancakes this morning, or "a pancake", as I always try to be careful

what and how much I eat as you know. Frantically searching for something other than apple or banana that I could add to it as a fruity ingredient, I stumbled upon my last dried fig in the fridge- and my problem was solved.

I decided to make a polenta-based pancake, a little firmer, a little more rustic, and great as a base to enjoy the rich, chewy fig slices with. And the honey... well let me just say (much as I hate to), OMG! Thanks to my sister Maria who got me this for Christmas, I am (for the moment) the owner of one of the most awesome, Sicilian, artisan citrus-blossom honey's in the world! 
Thanks sis! That's what made this simple little pancake so extra special!

This was another of my single-serving 1 egg affairs. And it was the same routine as ever today- the egg white got whisked up nice and firm and fluffy and all of the fun stuff took place with the egg yolk. I added 2 tablespoons of fresh ricotta and 2 tablespoons of polenta to it, a pinch of salt, a teaspoon of honey and a half teaspoon of cinnamon. This made for a rather thick paste, but once added to the fluffy egg white it soon became smoother and more fluid... and ready for baking!

Yes indeed, baking, because although I made this in a frying pan. I did finish it off under the broiler in order to be able to decorate it this way. You can obviously stir the fig pieces into the batter from the get-go... but I just wanted to make it a little prettier for you!

I cut the fig into thin slices and kept them handy, but started the pancake off first by smearing a little clarified butter around my smallest frying pan, then spooning in the mixture over a moderate heat. After a couple of minutes, the base of the pancake had set and it slid around freely in the pan- this was the right time to add the fig slices. And isn't it amazing how many slices you can get from one of those things!!! Well, that is because they get squashed-down flat when they string them up to dry- but it makes it nice and easy for us to get a lot of use from one fruit! On the figs went and off into the oven, at 350°F for just 2-3 minutes... that was all it took!

The lovely honey I have is the real thing- not something to squeeze out of a plastic bottle. So what I did was, I set my pancake onto my serving plate and scooped a teaspoon of honey into the still-hot frying pan to melt- clever huh? Whilst that was happening, I added a scoop of fresh ricotta cheese to the pancake and then drizzled the honey over both... delicious!

This is a little different to your regular pancakes- you might fancy a change sometime... and it could be something a little like this- why now?

What's Your Game?

Coniglio con Sugo di Fichi & Brandy, Polenta & Radicchio

Rabbit with Fig & Brandy Gravy, Polenta & Radicchio

Rabbit may not be for everybody... but that's ok! It leaves more of it for us to enjoy, right? It is not as if any of us eats rabbit that regularly, so for me at least, it is always a real treat when I get to enjoy it... even if I do have to make it myself!

I decided to try-out making a sauce using the classic gravy ingredients of onion, celery and carrot, but to refine it by introducing dried fig, fresh rosemary and thyme into the mix and a nice splash of brandy to enhance and define the flavor... a gamble that even if I DO say so myself... paid off! And how! Especially with a caramelized radicchio and some rosemary-garlic Polenta slices- this was a lovely rich meal that I would hope you would all be game to try out!

I started the rabbit off by frying it briefly in a little clarified butter, just to get some aroma developing, then dusted it lightly with flour before adding the usual suspects of carrot, celery and onion, along with a handful of thyme, a little crushed garlic and of course salt and pepper. After 2-3 minutes at a relatively high heat, I deglazed the pan with a good shot of brandy and enough boiling water to cover the base of the pan. I added a sliced dried fig into the mix, 1 bay leaf and a couple of strips of orange peel for a good aroma. And then I added enough white wine to cover the rabit half-way, popped on the lid and let it simmer for about 45 minutes. This was only a small piece of meat to be honest and did not take much time... for a full rabbit you would probably need around 2 hours to get the meat to be succulent and tender.  

Whilst the rabbit was simmering away, I took 3 nice slices of firm polenta and began to fry it at a gentle heat, also in clarified butter, with a little salt, pepper and a hint of nutmeg and just a touch of crushed garlic. After 4-5 minutes on each side, I added some fine rosemary leaves to give the polenta a rich, full flavor... and was almost ready to serve up supper...

...but not quite! 

I took the remaining vegetables and thyme, together with half of the dried fig slices which were by now very soft and tender and pressed them through a sieve. This, together with the juices in the pan, became a wonderful gravy in next to no time! There was just enough flour on the rabbit in the initial stages that the gravy thickened up nicely- thinking ahead makes sense!

The last component was the radicchio, which I prepared by dipping the cut surface in olive oil on a dish, then into another dish with powdered sugar and finally into a really hot pan. The radicchio almost immediately wilted up a little and browned off before my very eyes, and that was when I added a splash of boiling water and popped on the lid for it to steam for the remaining 2-3 minutes until I had served up the rest.

So there you go! Something different and delicious for you and yours to enjoy... and I certainly hope you do as much as I did!

Bittersweet Sensation

Insalata di Radicchio, Germogli di Ravanello & Melograno

Radicchio, Radish-Sprout & Pomegranate Salad

Here is an exotic-looking eye-catcher for you! If you like endives, chances are you might also like the slightly bitterer cousins, radicchio, especially the Trevisano variety. Yes, it is a bitter flavor, but a refreshing one at that and one you will love if you prepare nicely. Which is where I come in. Let me tell you what I did with mine this afternoon and then you decide... but I have a sneaking suspicion you may like the sound of it...

I combined the radicchio with peppery tasting radish sprouts and refreshing pomegranate for this salad, making it a rather "grown up" affair- but it's a great, sophisticated combination of flavors. Together with a lime, mustard, honey and yogurt dressing, sprinkled with dried mint and with a light drizzle of finest olive oil, this is definitely different and refreshingly good!

I started off by chopping off the ends of the radicchio and by rinsing them under running water whilst still intact. I then set them, upright, to one side, for the water to drip back out. 

In the meantime I cut open my pomegranate and removed the seeds. I always cut mine into quarters to do so, then peel the quarters back so that the seeds can be more easily reached. Usually you can pick away the thin membrane covering the seeds and get to the seeds more easily... in any case- it really is NOT that difficult.

To put this single serving salad together, I carefully sliced through the radicchio, making sure to keep the inner slices, with the thickest leaves intact, so that they could be laid out decoratively. The remaining leaves I chopped into really fine slices. I laid these out on my dish and then snipped down the radish sprouts and added them generously, then last but not least a good handful of pomegranate seeds.

The dressing was made from 1 tablespoon olive oil, I tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon of Dijon Mustard, salt, pepper, the juice of half a lime and 5-6 tablespoons of yogurt. I stirred this all together well and drizzled it over the salad, then sprinkled the dressing with a dusting of dried mint. One last extra drizzle of good olive oil and a simple but exciting salad was ready. Do you think you are ready for this?

Innocent Decadence

Piadine Dolce alla Cannella, Mela, Yogurt & Melograno

Sweet Cinnamon Flatbreads with Apple, Yogurt & Pomegranate

Imagine enjoying this breakfast and not having to feel guilty about it- that would be great, no? Well then go ahead and do it! There is next to no naughtiness involved in this wonderful, lush dish of goodness, which is kind-of hard to believe, I know. But you will. Keep reading and you WILL believe...

Yes, you read correctly, these are not pancakes at all, they are actually flatbreads, made without egg, of flour and cornmeal, with a little water, milk, cinnamon and honey. They were also baked on a dry, non-stick pan which makes them fat free! So this is wonderfully healthy stuff here! Stick with me people and I will show you how to enjoy your food without guilt or regret, but with plenty of fun and enjoyment along the way. Enjoy the trip!

To make the 3 flatbreads, I mixed 3 tablespoons of flour with 2 tablespoons of cornmeal. I added a half teaspoon of cinnamon and a pinch of salt and stirred these in. Then came the proverbial milk and honey! To 2 tablespoons of honey I added about the same amount of boiling water, just to make sure it completely melted and became diluted and then added milk to double the amount of liquid. I stirred this into the flour briskly until it became a smooth batter, adding a little more milk until it had the consistency of a light custard.

Next- I heated up my best, small-sized non-stick pan and poured in just enough batter to cover the base. As soon as little air bubbles began to appear in it and the edges began to lift a little, it was ready to be flipped over. I used a wooden spatula to do this and in turn, pressed down on the opposite side once it was flipped, in order to get some strong heat right into the batter as quickly as possible. I flipped it to and fro 2-3 times until it was lovely and golden, then set the finished flatbread to one side and repeated the process 2 more times.

The apple slices went into the frying pan as soon as the breads were done, with a little splash of water to soften them a little and a dusting of cinnamon of course- the spice of choice when it comes to all things apple! As soon as the water had evaporated away, the apple began to deepen in color and brown slightly, even though there was no fat in the pan- in fact... there was nothing else there at all! And that is why these apple slices became really intense in flavor, with a slightly tangy and almost cider-like flavor, which was great! I added one last splash of water at the end and a teaspoon of honey and set the apples to one side- by the time I would be ready to serve, they would have a lovely hint of earthy sweetness- not too little but not too much.

I served them up with some plain, low-fat yogurt, a sprinkle of pistachio for color and a little depth of flavor and a generous sprinkle of pomegranate seeds, which just made the whole thing totally refreshing, delicious and eye-catching at the same time! So, who said that healthy food couldn't be delicious or fun? Bo to the back of the class and do your homework! The rest of you... enjoy!

Do You Sea what I Sea?

Pulpo Piccante con Barba di Frate allo Zenzero & Limone
Spicy Octopus on Lemon & Ginger Monks Beard

You all know I am not the greatest lover of fish... I do eat it on occasion and there are even a couple of types of fish that I actually enjoy- haha! Cockles and mussels are also not my thing- neither are oysters or caviar... But offer me shrimp, scallops, cuttlefish or squid and I am your man! And octopus? Oh yes please!

Monks beard is also a wonderful green that grows near the sea and has a saltiness to it that makes it hardly need seasoning- it is very cool, if somewhat rare to find... unless you go to the Frankfurt indoor market that is! Just kidding there, as it is just as rare for us too- but all the more reason to pounce when it is in season! Like right now!

This was a simple dish to make, finished in just 30 minutes and great for a Spring or Summer evening... even if it does still feel more like Winter here!

I started off by setting the octopus into my steamer, where it would spend the following 20 minutes. This was a small octopus, so it would only require a short time- a full sized one will take about 45 minutes. But with the octopus steaming away I had plenty of time to take care of the "monks beard"...

This time around, I decided to prepare it with lemon and ginger, so I began with a very fine dice of ginger and a little olive oil to get it sizzling. Whilst that was happening, I cut the stalks and roots generously away from the monks beard and rinsed the tender ends well- then added them to the now golden ginger with a loud hiss! I seasoned with just a very little salt as the monks beard is naturally a little salty and some white pepper. Next came the juice of half a lemon and a splash of Sambuca and on went the lid. I let it steam for a couple of minutes, then tossed it through, replaced the lid and turned off the heat... The monks beard was done!

By now the octopus was finished too, so I cut it into more manageable pieces and fried it at a high heat in a non-stick pan with a little olive oil and some crushed garlic. Once it was lightly brown on all sides, I seasoned it with some Old Bay spice mix, green Tabasco, salt, pepper, added the juice of half a lime, a good splash of vodka, a little water and popped on the lid to keep in all of that aromatic steam! I left the lid on for a minute or so, then removed it and tossed the octopus in all of the tasty juices that had developed... and that my friends, was that!

I served the octopus up on top of the monks beard, with a little extra squeeze of lemon and a generous sprinkle of thyme- delicious! Simple but good and just waiting to be tried out by you all... so what are you waiting for?!?! Enjoy!