Note: This recipe contains raw eggs. People with health problems, the elderly, or those who are pregnant should avoid consuming foods with uncooked eggs, which, in rare cases, carry the potential for Salmonella infections.
Madame Quillier’s Rouille
Rouille
MAKES ABOUT 1 CUP
How often does one get a handwritten recipe as a bonus when making a purchase at a restaurant supply store? It was quite a gesture when the Madame insisted on giving me her recipe for rouille—“rust”—when I bought, among many things, a mortar and pestle in her shop. This not-so-shy emulsified concoction is to Provençal cookery what tartar sauce is to the world of continental condiments. Traditionally served with fish soup, it is wonderful with fish, shellfish, or things from the grill like chicken and leg of lamb. I made my first few batches in the mortar, but don’t worry—a food processor works just fine.
½ cup (about 5) roughly chopped canned Spanish piquillo peppers
½ teaspoon minced garlic
1/8 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
¾ cup fresh bread crumbs
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons pure olive oil
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
Place the peppers, garlic, and hot pepper flakes in a food processor. Pulse to combine and break down the peppers. You may need to stop the machine to scrape the peppers from the side of the bowl so everything gets pureed evenly. Blend the bread crumbs with 1 tablespoon lukewarm water to combine and form into a thick and pasty mass. Break it up and add to the mixture in the food processor. Puree to a smooth consistency. With the motor running, add the olive oil in a thin, steady stream to combine and create an emulsion. Season with salt.
Chef’s Tip: Since raw garlic is being used, cut the garlic clove in half lengthwise before mincing. If there is a green germ inside, pull it out with the tip of a paring knife and discard. Removing it will make the raw garlic flavor less pungent.
The Original Spreadable Tuna Mousse
Spuma di Tonno
MAKES ABOUT1½ CUPS
If I could bring anything to the world of gastronomy, this would be my first entry. The best testimonial was from la Signora. After her first taste it was one of the items she asked for on more than a few occasions. I learned to make it at Albergo del Sole in Maleo, Italy. The chef, Franco, made his with poached John Dory, and he suggested trying it with tuna in olive oil. Serve it as an hors d’oeuvre, snack, or first course. It is especially important to use good-quality tuna. A number are available from Europe: A’s Do Mar, Flott, Callipo, and Ortiz. Since there doesn’t seem to bea standard for retail tuna packing, I have specified the amount of drained tuna to use.
Serve the mousse with bread sticks, small toasts, croutons, crackers, or in celery stalks. It can be topped with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, thinly sliced radish, a few turns of coarsely ground black pepper, a pinch of toasted and ground fennel seeds or Basque espelette chili powder. For a first course, spread a liberal amount on a crouton and serve alongside a nice cluster of green beans in a vinaigrette. It also makes a great tuna sandwich.
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
10 ounces (about 2 cups) drained Italian, Spanish, or Portuguese tuna packed in oil
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons heavy cream
Combine the soy sauce, vinegar, and lemon juice. Break down the tuna in a food processor by pulsing first, then running, until it is evenly chopped but not pureed. Add the liquid seasonings and process until the mixture is smooth. After a few seconds, stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl to incorporate the tuna that didn’t get into the puree. With the machine running, add the butter, piece by piece, adding the next only after each is incorporated. Do not overmix. The butter needs to be blended with the tuna but not whipped to the point that it will melt because of the heat generated in the bowl. Add the cream while pulsing the machine, and as soon as it appears incorporated, basta—that’s it. This will take only a few seconds.
Transfer the mousse to a bowl or storage container and keep refrigerated. The mousse can be made up to 3 days before serving. Take it out of the refrigerator 45 minutes before serving to let it soften.
Wine Recommendation: From Lombardy, a sparkling Franciacorta from Castellino or Bellavista
Marinated Chickpea and Arugula Salad
Insalata di Ceci e Ruchetta
MAKES 6 TO 8 FIRST-COURSE OR LUNCH SERVINGS
Except for the arugula, this is right out of the pantry. This classic southern Italian antipasto is a great accompaniment to tuna grilled or packed in oil; seafood; grilled leg of lamb, whether whole, cut into steaks, or as brochettes; or sliced prosciutto.
2 tablespoons minced red onion
¼ teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Two 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 medium carrot, grated
1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley
2 cups loosely packed arugula
In a small bowl, blend the onion, garlic, vinegar, salt, and hot pepper. Let rest for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to open up and evolve—or bloom. While whisking, add the olive oil in a steady stream. In another bowl, combine the chickpeas, carrot, and parsley. Add the dressing and mix gently so the chickpeas are well coated. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours, tossing from time to time.
Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving. Toss the ingredients and adjust the seasoning. Just before serving, add the arugula and blend until the leaves are lightly coated. Serve subito (immediately)!
Entertaining Note: If taking this to a picnic or a dinner party, place the marinated chickpeas in the bottom of a container that is more deep than wide. Add a layer of olive oil–packed tuna, cooked shrimp, or steamed and shelled mussels, and then the arugula. Keep chilled. Just before serving, toss from the bottom.
Wine Recommendation: A southern white Fiano di Avellino from Mastroberardino or Feudi di San Gregorio
Shrimp, Summer Vegetable, and Rice Salad
Insalata di Riso con Gamberetti e Verdure
MAKES 8 TO 10 FIRST-COURSE OR LUNCH SERVINGS
In summer, rice salads are a great alternative to hot bowls of risotto, and there is certainly no shortage of ingredients that can go into them. Here the high ratio of vegetables and shrimp to the rice makes this a meal in itself, but it is also a great antipasto. Try other vegetables, as long as you have about 7 cups cooked. This recipe is perfect for entertaining since it can be made in advance.
1 cup (7 ounces) Arborio rice
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 pound thick or jumbo asparagus
2 to 3 medium (about 1 pound) leeks
1 pound fresh peas in pods or 1 cup frozen
3 medium (about 1 pound) zucchini
2 to 3 medium (about ½ pound) carrots, peeled and halved lengthwise
1 pound small (31–35 per pound) shrimp, peeled and deveined
1½ teaspoons grated lemon zest
½ cup roughly chopped Italian parsley
½ cup lightly packed torn fresh basil leaves
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1½ teaspoons fine sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Put the rice into a quart of boiling water and cook until tender but still slightly firm, 15 to 18 minutes. Drain and then toss with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Set aside. While the rice is cooking, prepare the vegetables, keeping each separate. Break the tough bottoms from the asparagus and then peel the fibrous outer green layer from the bottom 2 inches of each stalk. Trim the roots from the bottom of the leeks, then remove the tough outer leaves. Cut each crosswise into ¼-inch rounds. Rinse under cold water
in a strainer to remove all of the sand. Shuck the peas if you’re using fresh ones.
Boil the zucchini in boiling salted water in a sauté pan large enough to hold them in a single layer until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a baking sheet to cool, keeping the water boiling. Cook the other vegetables in the same water, cooking each just until tender: the asparagus for 2 to 3 minutes, the leeks for 2 to 3 minutes, the peas for 1 to 2 minutes, the carrots for 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer each to the baking sheet to cool after cooking. There should be enough water left in the pot to cook the shrimp. Adjust the heat to produce a slow boil and simmer the shrimp for 2 to 3 minutes, or until opaque and slightly firm.
When the vegetables have cooled, cut the zucchini and carrots into 3/8-inch pieces and the asparagus into ½-inch slices. Place the rice, vegetables, lemon zest, parsley, and basil in a large mixing bowl. Slice the shrimp in half lengthwise and add to the bowl. Keep refrigerated. The salad can be made up to 6 hours before serving.
Take the salad out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving and make the dressing. Place the lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk in the remaining olive oil. Add and toss with the salad just before serving. Adjust the seasoning, transfer to a platter, and serve.
Wine Recommendation: A unique Ligurian white Pigato from Bruno or Lupi
Panzanella
Panzanella
MAKES 6 FIRST-COURSE OR LUNCH SERVINGS
This Tuscan classic is great as a first course by itself or as a side dish with roasted or grilled meats and fowl. It will become a regular in your stable of go-to recipes, especially in summer, with aromatic sun-ripened tomatoes. Use day-old good-quality bread so it’s easier to work with and doesn’t get too spongy when tossed in the vinaigrette. Great for picnics too.
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano cheese, plus a little more for garnish if desired
6 cups day-old Italian bread, crusts removed, cut into ¾-inch cubes
1½ tablespoons red wine vinegar
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon anchovy paste (mashed from about 1 anchovy fillet)
½ teaspoon dried oregano
2 pounds ripe but not soft tomatoes, cut into ½-inch cubes (about 4 cups)
2 cups arugula or chopped dandelion greens
½ cup thinly sliced celery heart
1/3 cup very thinly sliced red onion
½ cup torn fresh basil leaves
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Blend 2 tablespoons of the olive oil with the cheese in a large mixing bowl. Coat the bread in this mixture, then spread it out in a single layer on a baking sheet. Keep the bowl for making the dressing in the next step. Bake the croutons until lightly golden, 10 to 12 minutes, tossing from time to time to cook all sides. The bread should be lightly crispy on the outside but still soft on the inside. Set aside to cool.
Make the dressing. Combine the vinegar, salt, pepper, anchovy paste, and oregano. Whisk in the remaining olive oil in a steady stream.
Toss the tomatoes and croutons in the dressing so that the bread absorbs the residual tomato juice and the dressing. Add the arugula, celery, onion, and basil. Toss gently to coat these ingredients, but don’t let them get too wilted. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and an extra splash of vinegar if necessary.
Transfer to a serving platter or individual plates. Finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. A little extra grated cheese isn’t a bad thing either. Serve subito (immediately)!
Entertaining Note: This salad can be made up to 3 hours before serving. Layer but do not mix the tomatoes, then the bread, arugula, celery, onion, and basil. Cover with plastic wrap and keep refrigerated. Take out 30 minutes before serving and then toss with the dressing. Adjust the seasoning as necessary.
Wine Recommendation: A coastal Tuscan white from the Bolgheri region, Grattamacco Bianco, or Tenuta Belvedere
Romano’s Warm Shrimp and White Beans
Gamberi e Fagioli con Pomodori e Basilico
MAKES 8 FIRST-COURSE OR LUNCH SERVINGS
This coastal Tuscan antipasto makes a regular appearance during the parade of antipasti at Ristorante Romano in Viareggio. The beans are warm and creamy. The shrimp are cooked in broth just before serving. Sun-ripened tomatoes are perfumed with fresh basil and a great olive oil. When the layers of this dish all come together, this is optimal summer fare and perfect for entertaining once the base components are prepared. Cannellini beans are the most traditional, but other varieties like White Runner or Great Northern will do just fine. Cooking times, as with all beans, will vary, and this will also be a result of their freshness, but plan on up to 3 hours. The rest of the prep work can be done while they are cooking. Or the beans can be cooked a day ahead and will actually benefit from sitting overnight in their flavorful broth.
2¼ cups (about 1 pound) dried white cannellini beans
1 medium yellow onion, roots trimmed but bottom still attached so the layers stay together, halved lengthwise
4 garlic cloves
2 Turkish bay leaves
4½ teaspoons fine sea salt
2 large strips lemon zest
¼ teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
1½ pounds large (16–20 per pound) shrimp, peeled and deveined but shells reserved
2 large (about 1¼ pounds) tomatoes, ripe but not too soft, seeded and cut into 3/8-inch dice
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ cup lightly packed torn fresh basil leaves
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 or 4 scallions
To cook the beans, cover with cold water by 2 to 3 inches in a medium saucepan. Bring the water to a boil, then remove the pan from the heat, cover the pot, and let rest for 1 hour. Strain and rinse the beans, place back in the pot, then add enough cold water to cover by 2 to 3 inches, half the onion, 3 of the garlic cloves, and 1 bay leaf. Bring the water to a very slow boil—a little more than a simmer—and cook for 1½ to 2 hours, adding 2 teaspoons of salt after 1 hour. (If added too soon, the salt will toughen the beans.) Cook until the beans are tender—soft and creamy but not falling apart—if you’re going to serve the dish right away, in which case keep the beans warm over very low heat. If you’re making the beans a day ahead, cook them until tender but not soft, since they will continue to cook while they cool and also when reheated later, and then cool them in the water. Do not strain or remove them from the liquid while hot or their outer skin will peel. Also, the cooking liquid has a lot of flavor that will only make them better the longer they are in it. When cool, cover and refrigerate.
While the beans are cooking, prepare the shrimp broth. Boil 6 cups of water with the remaining onion, garlic clove, and bay leaf, the lemon zest, hot pepper, and 2 teaspoons of salt for a few minutes. Add the shrimp shells and boil slowly for 10 minutes. Pour the broth through a strainer into a bowl and then pour the broth back into the original pot.
If necessary, add a little more water to the beans so they are completely immersed in liquid. Gently stir from time to time and season with salt if necessary. Keep the liquid from boiling so as not to break or overcook the beans. At this point they should have a creamy texture. Bring the shrimp broth to a steady boil.
Blend the tomatoes with the olive oil, basil, and pepper. Set aside. Thinly slice the scallions, including a few inches of the greens.
Working with half the shrimp at a time, simmer them in the broth until opaque and slightly firm, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a baking sheet.
With a slotted spoon, place the beans on a warm serving platter or individual plates. It’s fine if some of the flavorful liquid comes with them as you remove from the pot. Place the shrimp on the beans, arranging in a single layer of 3 or 4 per serving. Add the remaining ½ teaspoon salt to the tomatoes, then spoon them with the residual oil over the shrimp.
Sprinkle the top with the scallions. Serve immediately.
Wine Recommendation: A Tuscan white Vermentino from Cima or a Montecarlo Bianco by Fattoria del Buonamico
Grilled Tuna Panini
Panini di Tonno alla Griglia
MAKES 8 SANDWICHES
This is a version of a common sandwich found in cafés and snack bars all along the French coast called pan bagnat, typically made with canned tuna. Using a grilled piece of tuna takes it to another level. Have your fishmonger cut thin slices from a piece of center-cut loin. Instead of a gas or charcoal grill, you can also make this by using a grill pan on a stove. Either way, make a couple extra; they may leave you wanting more!
½ cup black olive paste (tapenade)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Eight 4-ounce slices fresh tuna
Fine sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
8 rolls large enough to hold the slices of tuna or 16 thick slices country bread like Italian or a French bâtard
8 leaves Bibb lettuce
1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced crosswise
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced crosswise
1 large tomato, cut into 8 thin slices
4 hard-cooked eggs, sliced
Preheat a grill or a grill pan over medium-high heat. Blend the olive paste with the lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Set aside.
Mediterranean Summer Page 28
