Cristina Ferrare's Big Bowl of Love
Page 15
Spread 2 tablespoons of crème fraiche over each potato plate. Add 2 to 3 slices of smoked salmon, and sprinkle on about ¼ teaspoon red onion, or more if you like, 1 teaspoon of scallion, and parsley. Crack some pepper over the top and drizzle with 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Lift each serving gently using a metal spatula, and place on a plate along with a lemon or lime wedge.
COOK’S NOTE: The potato plates can be made in advance and warmed up before you are ready to serve; just place them back in the oven at 400°F for 3 minutes.
MUSTARD-CRUSTED
SALMON
4 SERVINGS
In my opinion, this is the best way to prepare salmon. There is nothing worse than salmon that comes out dry and flavorless. Thanks to the Dijon mustard, wine, and lemon, and the proper cook time, this salmon comes out perfect. I enjoy this easy-to prepare salmon at least once a week. It’s delicious with Creamy Yukon Gold Mash with Scallions (Creamy Yukon Gold Mash With Scallions).
2 tablespoons olive oil plus additional to coat salmon
2 small garlic cloves, crushed through a garlic press or minced fine
cup whole-grain Dijon mustard
¼ cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 (4-ounce) salmon fillets, each 2 inches thick
Kosher salt
Cracked pepper
¼ cup chopped Italian parsley
Adjust one over rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Heat a small saucepan over low heat, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil, and sauté the garlic until soft. Stir in the mustard, wine, and lemon, and mix well. Remove from heat and set aside.
Rub the salmon fillets lightly with olive oil. Season with kosher salt and cracked pepper. Line a baking sheet with heavy aluminum foil, and arrange the salmon on the foil. Bake for 8 to 9 minutes on the middle rack.
Remove from the oven, leaving the fillets on the baking sheet, and spoon mustard sauce evenly over the fish. Turn on the broiler, positioning a rack 3 inches from the heat source. Place the fish under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes, until the top is spotty brown and has started to develop a crust. Watch carefully—do not burn the top. Remove from the broiler and sprinkle on the parsley just before serving.
CARAMELIZED SCALLOPS
WITH WHITE WINE
4 SERVINGS
These scallops are tender, sweet, and bursting with flavor. The secret to a beautiful caramelized top is to dip one side of each scallop in sugar and sauté them in clarified butter. Adding white wine with a splash of fresh lemon at the end cuts the sweetness of the sugar. You can cut these scallops with a fork; they melt in your mouth.
12 large scallops
Pinch kosher salt
Freshly cracked pepper
4 tablespoons clarified butter
(Caramelized Carrots With Balsamic Syrup)
¾ cup white sugar, spread on a flat plate
½ cup dry white wine
1 fresh lemon, squeezed
1 tablespoon finely chopped flat Italian parsley
8 chives
1 tablespoon lemon zest
The crescent-shaped muscle that attaches the scallop to the shell will toughen when cooked. You need to remove the muscle by peeling it away from the sides of each scallop before cooking. Rinse and dry scallops well. Sprinkle both sides of scallops with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Heat a skillet on medium-high for 2 minutes. Add the clarified butter, and swirl to coat the pan. When the butter starts to foam, get ready to add the scallops. Working quickly, coat one side of each scallop in sugar: hold the sides of the scallop and dip in the sugar, using a twisting motion to coat evenly on one side only. Place the scallops, sugar side down, on the skillet and sauté for 2 ½ minutes. If the sugar starts to brown too quickly, turn down the heat. Turn the scallops over and sauté for 1 minute. Add the white wine and lemon juice, and reduce by half. After about 1 ½ minutes, transfer the scallops to a warm platter and pour the pan juices over the top. Garnish with chopped parsley, chives, and lemon zest.
FILLET OF SOLE
WITH LEMON AND CAPERS
6 SERVINGS
This is an easy dish to prepare, and it’s ready in no time at all. Even better, anytime you use a combination of olive oil, garlic, lemon, wine, and capers, you really can’t miss! In fact, I use this same combination of flavors when I prepare chicken breasts for chicken piccata.
6 pieces fresh fillet of sole (5 to 6 ounces each), rinsed under cool water and dried on a paper towel
1 ½ cups flour, seasoned with 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, smashed
cup dry white wine
1 medium fresh lemon
¼ cup capers
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped fine
Kosher salt
1 lemon, sliced thin
Cracked pepper
Dredge the fish in the seasoned flour, and shake off excess.
Heat a large skillet on medium-high until hot. Add the olive oil and garlic, and sauté until the garlic is golden. Remove garlic from oil and discard. Add the fish, and sauté for 1 minute. Using a metal spatula, turn gently; the fish is delicate and you don’t want to break it apart. Sauté for 1 minute. Add the white wine and the juice from the lemon. Continue to cook, reducing the wine by half. Add the capers and fresh parsley, cover, and let sit undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes. Gently remove the fillets to a platter, add a pinch of salt over each fillet, and pour the pan juices over them. Garnish with the sliced lemon and salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste.
COOK’S NOTE: If I have any bruschetta topping on hand, I bring it to room temperature and serve it for anyone who would like to spoon it over the top of the fish—so good!
PECAN-ENCRUSTED
RED SNAPPER
6 SERVINGS
I thought that using nuts in a fried dish would be risky because nuts burn so easily and end up tasting rancid. I noticed a chicken recipe on a menu in a restaurant that was encrusted with pecans, though, so I thought I would give it a try—it was delicious! I loved the different textures, and the nutty coating was a great alternative to plain old bread crumbs.
I decided to do the same thing, only with fish. I found red snapper to be the perfect fit. It holds up nicely with pecans and doesn’t fall apart while frying.
I serve this dish with a big beautiful green salad and spicy mayo on the side. I also love putting the whole thing between two slices of toasted or grilled ciabatta; add lettuce, tomato, and extra mayo, and eat it as a sandwich.
Spicy mayo
¾ cup low-fat mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Tabasco sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Snapper
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon table salt
2 eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
6 (3- to 4-ounce) red snapper fillets
3 cups pecans, chopped into small pieces
½ cup canola oil
1 large lemon, cut into wedges
To make the spicy mayo, in a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Tabasco, and lemon juice.
In a pie plate, combine the flour, garlic powder, and salt, and mix using a fork.
Combine the beaten eggs, lemon juice, and soy sauce.
Dredge the fish in the flour on both sides. Dip the fish in the egg wash, and coat with the chopped pecans.
Heat a skillet on medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add the oil, and heat until hot, about 3 to 4 minutes. Test to see if the oil is hot enough by dropping in a small piece of fish. If the oil starts to bubble around it, it’s ready. Fry fish for 2 ½ minutes on each side. Drain on a paper towel.
Serve with the spicy mayo and a lemon wedge on the side.
RED SNAPPER
IN RED WINE SAUCE
6 SERVINGS
You always hear that when you serve fish you should serve it with white wine. I don’t know much about wine except that I can appreciate it, but I surmised that it’s because fish is delicate and white wine would be a better match.
Once when I was making a fish dish, I didn’t have any white wine, so I thought, Well, why not use the red and see what happens? All I can say is, wow! When I used it in this red snapper recipe I was amazed how much the red wine complemented the fish. It was rich and intense in flavor while still being delicate and light.
1 ½ cups flour
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
6 (4- to 5-ounce) red snapper fillets
¼ cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 lemon
cup red wine
1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces and kept in the refrigerator until ready to use
½ cup Italian parsley, loosely packed and chopped
2 tablespoons capers
Sift together flour, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt. Dredge the red snapper in the flour.
Heat a skillet on medium-high for 5 minutes. Add the olive oil and the garlic, and sauté the garlic until golden. Remove the garlic and discard. Add the fish (cook in turns if your pan isn’t large enough to hold 6 pieces at once). Sauté the snapper for 2 ½ minutes on one side, turn over, and sauté for an additional 2 ½ minutes. Gently lay all 6 cooked pieces of fish back into the pan. Add the juice from the lemon, then the wine, and cook for 30 to 45 seconds with lid on. Turn off the heat, and let sit for 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the fish to a warm serving platter, and cover with foil. Add the cold butter a piece at a time to the bottom of the pan. Stir over medium-low heat using a wooden spoon until all the butter has melted. Remove the foil and pour the sauce over the fish. Garnish with chopped parsley and capers.
VEGETABLES
I absolutely love vegetables, and I include them in every meal. I love walking up and down the aisles to look at all the fresh veggies, herbs, and fruits that are available. I make my first pass, observing what is available that day and figuring out how much of what I will need for the next three days. Taking my little rolling shopping cart, I start with the organic lettuce stand and buy baby greens and fresh herbs to flavor my dishes (I like to flavor my dishes using fresh herbs as much as I can, especially when I’m trying to reduce the fat in a dish).
If I find that I don’t have the time to stop at the open market, I go to a supermarket that carries organic fruits and vegetables. I eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, and so does my family. I just feel better knowing that they’re not consuming pesticides.
I never throw away vegetables, even if they are looking a little sad. I put them in a juicer along with fresh fruit for a nutritious pick-me-up or I make a delicious soup! You will be surprised what you can come up with, and you can see my many suggestions throughout the book.
Escarole with Olive Oil, Garlic, and Sweet Raisins
Peas with Prosciutto, Tomatoes, and Onions
Creamed Spinach
French Green Beans with Feta and Walnut-Shallot Vinaigrette
Giant Beans with Olive Oil, Garlic, and Tomato Paste
Broccoli with Olive Oil and Garlic Chips
Caramelized Carrots with Balsamic Syrup
Grilled Asparagus with Balsamic Syrup
Creamy Yukon Gold Mash with Scallions
Smashed Yukon Gold Potatoes
Red Potatoes with Clarified Butter, Onions, and Rosemary
Baked Sweet Potato Fries
Spaghetti Squash with Meatballs
Grilled Veggies
Black Bean Cheeseburger
ESCAROLE WITH
OLIVE OIL, GARLIC,
AND SWEET RAISINS
4 TO 6 SERVINGS
The different flavors in this recipe make for a wonderful surprise—sweet (but not too sweet) and savory with just the right amount of garlic and heat thanks to red pepper flakes, which give it an extra kick!
Not only is this a great side dish for chicken, lamb, or fish, but you can serve it in your favorite pasta, with fresh lemon juice and a generous portion of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. You can mix in grilled or oven-baked sausages; or use it as a topping over fresh baked pizza dough with an extra sprinkle of olive oil, red pepper flakes, and goat cheese.
3 ½ pounds escarole, washed
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ cup raisins
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Place 3 cups of ice in a large bowl, and add 4 cups of water.
Cut 3 inches from the bottom of the escarole, separate the leaves, and rinse under cool water.
In a large pot, bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Add the escarole in batches and cook just until wilted, 5 to 10 seconds. Use tongs to lift the escarole from the boiling water and drop it into the ice bath for a few seconds; then lift it out of the ice bath and into a colander to drain. Continue this process until all the escarole is wilted. You may need to add more ice to the ice bath. Let drain for 10 minutes to get as much water out as you can.
Heat a large, heavy skillet until hot. Add the olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes, and sauté until the garlic just starts to turn golden. Add the escarole, raisins, and salt, and mix well to make sure all of the garlic bits are distributed evenly. Cook for 5 more minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.
PEAS WITH PROSCIUTTO,
TOMATOES, AND ONIONS
6 SERVINGS
This has been a traditional recipe in our family for years, and it’s so simple to prepare. When I was small, though, I thought this recipe was complicated; when my grandmother prepared it, it seemed like it took forever. Of course, getting those little guys out of their pods took up a lot of time—and guess who was on “peas in the pod” detail? We had a large family, so I had to shell a lot of peas.
After I’d put what looked like a thousand peas in the colander, Nona would just dump them in a pot, smother them with onions, prosciutto, and tomatoes, and turn on the gas. The onions and tomatoes made the peas taste even sweeter, and the prosciutto added the perfect touch of salt.
My daughters, Alexandra and Arianna, put their own spin on this recipe. Alex makes a delicious creamy pea soup and Ari a fabulous sauce for pasta—so inventive!
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, sliced thin
1 (16-ounce) bag frozen baby peas
3 slices imported prosciutto, chopped
1 ½ cups chopped tomatoes, fresh or canned
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup water
Place all the ingredients into a sauce pot over medium heat, cover, and bring to a gentle boil. After 10 minutes, gently mix with a wooden spoon. Cover and continue to gently boil for an additional 30 minutes, checking every 10 minutes to make sure all the water has not evaporated. Add cup of water if that is the case. Pour into a serving bowl and serve immediately.
Adjust the seasoning, adding more salt if necessary.
COOK’S NOTE: If you’re using fresh peas, shell them, and cook in boiling water for a few minutes until tender. Drain, then follow the recipe as given.
CREAMED SPINACH
8 TO 10 SERVINGS
Creamy spinach with a touch of nutmeg—this is one of the favorite sides I serve for Thanksgiving and often for everyday dinner.
3 pounds frozen chopped spinach or fresh spinach
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 tablespoons flour
4 cups warm milk
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Have all your ingredients ready.
If using frozen spinach, bring 1 cup of water to a boil, and add the frozen spinach. Cover and simmer until the spinach is thawed (abou
t 6 to 8 minutes). Drain in a wire mesh and use a wooden spoon to press as much water as you can out of the spinach.
If using fresh spinach, cook in boiling water just until wilted. Drain. Lay the spinach on a clean dish towel, and spread it out to cool for 30 minutes. Gather all the spinach in the middle of the towel, bring up the sides, and twist tightly, squeezing out as much water as you can. Transfer spinach to a bowl and break apart any clumps. It’s important to squeeze out as much water as you can; if too much water is left in, the spinach will be runny and not creamy.
In a sauce pot on medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add flour and mix, forming a roux. Slowly add all of the warm milk, stirring constantly until thickened. Do not boil. The mixture will form tiny bubbles at the edges in 5 to 6 minutes. When that happens, remove from heat, add the salt and nutmeg, and mix well.
Pour the sauce over the spinach, and mix well. Add Parmesan cheese and mix well. Add more salt if necessary.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Pour into a baking dish or pie dish and cover tightly with foil. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes.
FRENCH GREEN BEANS
WITH FETA AND WALNUT-