This man’s man Midtown restaurant is centrally located (near Radio City Music Hall and the Museum of Modern Art) and one of the most popular restaurants in the whole city for seafood lovers. Executive chef Cornelius Gallagher makes you wonder how food can taste so damn good! The seafood tastes as if it was caught fresh that morning. With white-glove service and this prime location, Oceana is perfect for a lunch meeting or dinner with the lovely lady of your life.
N HOT SAUSAGES SAN GENNARO n
Patsy’s
12 links (about 21⁄2 lbs.) fresh hot Italian sausage
7 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
1 14-ounce can Italian whole plum tomatoes, with juice
6 hot cherry peppers, seeded and sliced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons tomato paste (optional)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Puncture the sausages in several places with a fork. Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over low flame. Add the sausages and sauté, turning frequently to brown on all sides, until cooked through, about 15 to 18 minutes. Remove from the skillet and drain on paper towels. Discard oil from the skillet.
Heat the remaining 4 tablespoons of oil in the skillet over medium flame and sauté the onions for 3 to 4 minutes, or until onions are translucent and lightly golden. Coarsely chop the tomatoes. Add the tomatoes and juice to the skillet; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Return the sausages to the sauce, add the cherry peppers and red pepper flakes, cover, and continue to simmer for 15 minutes, or until flavors have blended.
Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the tomato paste (optional) and add the basil and parsley. Simmer uncovered for 2 minutes. Serve hot or cold.
*Note: for a mild recipe, substitute red bell pepper for the cherry peppers, do not add the crushed red pepper flakes, and use mild Italian sausage. ■ (SERVES 4-6)
N ORECCHIETTE ALLO ZAFFERANO n
Goodfellas
2⁄3 cup dry white wine 1⁄4 cup minced shallots
1⁄4 teaspoon saffron threads 11⁄2 cups heavy cream
2 lbs. asparagus 3⁄4 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons vegetable oil Salt and pepper, to taste
1 lb. shrimp
1 lb. orecchiette (ear-shaped
pasta)
Combine wine and saffron and let steep for 20 minutes. Cook asparagus in salted boiling water for 3 minutes then cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook shrimp until pink, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Cook the pasta in salted water until “al dente,” drain, and set aside.
In a skillet over medium heat, let wine-saffron mixture and shallots simmer for 3 minutes, before adding cream and chicken stock. Reduce heat, cover, and let cook for about 7 minutes. Add asparagus, shrimp, and pasta and toss. ■ (SERV ES 4-6)
N BRAISED SHORT RIBS n
Balthazar
6 beef short ribs (5 to 7 lbs.)
2 sprigs rosemary
6 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
1 celery stalk, halved
3 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
4 shallots, peeled and sliced 1⁄4-inch thick
5 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
3 tablespoons tomato paste
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1⁄2 cup ruby port
4 cups full-bodied red wine, such as cabernet sauvignon
6 cups veal stock (recipe below)
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Bind each rib with cotton kitchen twine. Place the rosemary, thyme, and bay leaf between the two celery halves and again bind with kitchen twine; set herb bundle aside. Season the short ribs with 2 teaspoons each of salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over a high flame until it smokes. In two batches, place the short ribs in the oil and brown well on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Set browned ribs aside.
Drain all but 3 tablespoons of fat from the pot. Lower the flame to medium and add the carrots, onion, shallots, and garlic. Sauté for 5 minutes, or until the onion is soft and light brown. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the flour and stir well to combine. Add the port, red wine, and the celery herb bundle. Raise the flame to high and cook until the liquid is reduced by a third, about 20 minutes.
Return the ribs to the pot (they will stack in two layers). Add the stock and the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt. If the stock doesn’t cover the ribs by at least 1 inch, add water up to that level. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, transfer to the preheated oven, and cook for 3 hours. Visit the pot occasionally and stir the ribs, bringing the ones on the bottom up to the top. They’re done when the meat is fork-tender and falling off the bone.
Transfer the ribs to a large platter and remove the strings. Skim any fat from the surface of the sauce, and strain remaining liquid through a sieve into a medium saucepan. Discard the solid matter. Over medium heat, bring the strained sauce to a strong simmer; reduce the liquid until slightly less then half (4 cups) remains, about 1 hour. Return the ribs to the pot, simmer for 10 minutes to reheat, and serve. ■ (SERVES 6)
N VEAL STOCK n
5 pounds veal bones
1⁄4 cup tomato paste
1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
2 large carrots, roughly chopped
1 celery stalk, including green leaves
1 head of garlic, halved horizontally
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Heat a dry roasting pan in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Add the bones to the hot pan and roast until they are well browned, about 11⁄2 hours. Use tongs to turn and rotate the bones throughout cooking time. When the bones are well browned, add the tomato paste and chopped vegetables. Toss to combine, and continue roasting for an additional 30 minutes.
Transfer the contents of the roasting pan to a large stockpot and fill with water (about 8 quarts). Bring to a boil over high heat and skim off any foam that forms on the surface. Lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook for 5 to 6 hours, skimming fat from the surface every hour or so. Strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve; discard bones and solid matter. Cool and refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze up to 1 month. ■ (MAKES 1 QUART)
N CALAMARI n
MarkJoseph Steakhouse
3 lbs. fresh squid (tubes only)
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
8 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups cornmeal, 2 cups flour, blended
1 cup milk
Oil for frying
Clean and cut squid into small rings, then rinse in cold water. Pat dry (make sure to dry thoroughly). In a separate bowl, mix salt, pepper, and garlic. Mix squid with seasoning mixture, and let it sit in the refrigerator for 12 hours.
Dip squid in milk, and then coat with cornmeal and flour and shake the excess off. Heat the oil to 550 degrees. Fry calamari 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve immediately. ■ (SERVES 4-6)
Your Mother’s Always the Best Cook
Most of the important “life lessons” a man’s man learns about giving, sharing, receiving and loving, he learns from his family—and the majority of the times, he learns them at the dinner table. When I was growing up, we had a home-cooked meal every evening, prepared and served wonderfully by my mother, Mary. Since my family didn’t have a lot of money, we ate more peasant Italian food such as lentil soup, Italian chicken soup, escarole and beans, pasta, etc. Dinner would always be served with a healthy side dish, such as sautéed spinach or broccoli rabe. My mother prepared her delicious breaded veal cutlets o
nce every two weeks, and they were always a special treat and a big hit (see “That’s Entertaining” section for recipe). On holidays, my aunt Jean would make her fantastic eggplant. With the little money we had, my mother always made a fresh and delicious meal for her family—something a man’s man respects deeply. Also, my father, being the man that he was, would make a point to be home to have dinner with his family every night without fail.
Then, of course, on Sunday afternoons we would have a big “Sunday dinner,” the most important dinner of the week in an Italian-American household. We would go to church in the morning and when we got home my mother would start cooking. The anticipation would build as the aroma of her Italian “Sunday Sauce” filled the air. The sounds and smells of fresh basil, garlic, and onions being chopped were always present. Stewing in the Sunday sauce for hours would be braciole (stuffed with fresh Pecorino Romano cheese, garlic, and parsley), plump sausages, and meatballs (fried first and then de-greased on paper towels). I loved to dip fresh-baked Italian bread in the sauce and eat it. Then, for dessert (and especially on holidays) we would have delicious Italian pastries—cannoli, sfogliatelle, napoleons—you name it! Mmmmm, I’m starvin’ over here!
My father was a man’s man who took pride in helping my mother cook Sunday dinner. He was always striving to keep traditions alive. I remember a funny story from one Sunday dinner when I was sixteen years old. I brought a girl I was dating (not of Italian descent) to our house for our family feast. My brothers, my girlfriend, and I were sitting in the living room reading the newspaper and watching television while my father and mother were cooking up a storm in the kitchen. After a while, my father yelled, “Let’s eat!” Then, when he got to the dining room, he told everyone where to sit and, of course, he would be at the head of the table. Well, my girlfriend stayed in the living room. This was maybe the second time my father met her, so he politely asked her to come in again. She said, “No, I’m not hungry.” Let’s just say that this girl “marched to a different drummer,” so to speak. My father turned to me, totally pissed-off, and said, “What does she mean, she’s not hungry? Tell her to come in here, now!” I managed to get her to come in, and she finally sat down at the dinner table. Then, my father proceeded to start dishing out the macaroni. Everybody got pasta, two meatballs, sauce, and so on. After my girlfriend got her meatballs, she asked my father, “Do you have any mayonnaise?” My father looked at me and said, “You and her get out!” My father was a real man’s man and he didn’t take any bullshit, especially at Sunday dinner. I know that Yankee legend Yogi Berra was famous for once saying, “It ain’t over till it’s over.” But, if you’re Italian and your girlfriend wants mayo on her meatballs, it’s definitely over! To sum it all up . . . we never dated again.
Through the years, family structures and habits have changed. For instance, Sunday dinner has almost become more rare than the manatee. I’m not exactly sure why that is. But I’m convinced that it will take a true man’s man approach to bring the dinner tradition back. My mother’s recipes were handed down for three generations. In fact, my mother taught my first wife, who was of Irish descent, how to cook Italian. My children learned from her and right up through this day, they make Sunday dinners for their families. Try these recipes with your own family on Sundays, holidays, or any day! Or, cook one with your wife. Just promise me you’ll share these special Italian recipes with people you love. Oh, and one more thing: whether you’re Italian or not, please don’t ask for mayo!
MOTHER MARY’S LENTIL SOUP
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 ham bone
1 pound dry lentils, rinsed in cold water (remove all particles that
don’t look like lentils, because there may be some pebbles mixed in)
2 quarts water
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon chopped Italian parsley
1 medium onion, diced
1 8-oz. can tomato puree
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon ground fresh pepper
Pour olive oil into a large soup pot. Brown ham bone until golden on all sides. Pour 2 quarts of water into the pot and add the lentils. Bring to a boil. Lower flame and cook for one hour. Add garlic powder, parsley, onion, tomato puree, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil; lower heat to low and let simmer for 30 minutes. Serve immediately. ■ (SERVES 4-6)
N MOTHER MARY’S SUNDAY SAUCE n
MEATBALLS 1⁄2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 lb. chopped beef 2 eggs, beaten
1 lb. chopped veal 2 tablespoons chopped basil
1 lb. chopped pork 1 teaspoon salt
1 cup Italian seasoned bread 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
crumbs 1⁄4 cup cold water
1 clove garlic, finely chopped 1⁄2 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons onion powder 1 lb. spare ribs
1⁄2 cup Italian parsley, chopped 2 lbs. sweet sausage
In a large bowl, combine all the chopped meat. Add the bread crumbs, garlic, cheese, eggs, and herbs and spices and mix well, adding some water to keep the mixture moist. Roll the mixture into golf ball-size balls, or larger if you prefer. Put the olive oil in a 6-quart saucepot; turn the flame to high. When the oil is hot, lower flame to medium and fry the meatballs until golden brown. Place finished meatballs on paper towels and drain the excess oil. In the same pot, fry the spare ribs and the sausages until golden brown and place onto paper towels to drain excess oil.
(Note: the meat does not have to be cooked all the way. It will finish cooking in the sauce.)
SAUCE 1⁄2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped 2 tablespoons salt
1 small onion, chopped 1 tablespoon freshly ground black
2 6-oz. cans tomato paste pepper
3 28-oz. cans tomato puree or 1 tablespoon sugar
crushed tomatoes 1 bay leaf
In the same sauce pot, sauté the garlic and onion until golden brown. Add the tomato paste and sauté for about 3 minutes. Add the tomato puree, fresh parsley, salt, pepper, sugar, and bay leaf. Return meatballs, sausage, and spare ribs to pot. Bring to a boil; then lower the flame and simmer for 21⁄2 hours. The sauce can be used on any kind of pasta you enjoy. ■(SERVES 8)
N AUNT JEAN’S EGGPLANT n
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
11⁄2 cups plain breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup olive oil
1 medium-sized eggplant (peeled and sliced into 1⁄4-inch-thick
rounds; should yield 12 slices)
Place beaten eggs into a bowl; add salt and ground black pepper. In another bowl, combine breadcrumbs and fresh grated parmesan cheese. Dip slices of eggplant into the eggs and then into the bread crumbs, one at a time.
Place olive oil in a 12-inch frying pan over medium heat. When oil is hot (test oil by putting one drop of water into the pan. If the water jumps up, the oil is ready). Fry eggplant slices for 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Place finished eggplant on paper towels to drain the excess oil. ■ (SERV ES 4-6)
N LAMB CHOPS A LA KATHY n
(Broiled with Honey and Lemon) (Served with wild rice and mushrooms)
16 single lamb chops cut from the rib, about 1⁄2-inch thick
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons lemon juice
4 tablespoons soy sauce (low-sodium)
3 tablespoons crushed garlic
Sprinkle chops with black pepper and put into a large glass baking dish. In a separate bowl, combine the honey, lemon juice, soy sauce, and garlic, and mix well. Baste by spooning the mixture over the lamb chops until the chops are fully coated. Set your broiler to high and place lamb chops 4 to 5 inches away from the flame. Broil on one side for 3 minutes, and then turn them over and broil on the other side for 4 minutes to give you medium-rare lamb chops. Once cooked, remove fro
m the broiler and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
N BUTTERED WILD RICE WITH MUSHROOMS n
WILD RICE
2 cups wild rice
4 cups water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons butter
Place the rice, water, salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon of butter in the top of a double-boiler, or in a 2-quart soup pot. Cover and steam the rice for 1 hour. Fluff the rice with a fork and stir in the remaining butter.
SAUTÉED MUSHROOMS
1 tablespoon butter
16 ounces white mushrooms, quartered
3 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
1 clove garlic, diced
1⁄2 small onion, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Melt butter in a 9-inch sauté pan over low heat. Place onions and garlic in pan and sauté until the onions are translucent. Add mushrooms and sauté until slightly browned. Add parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix mushrooms with the cooked rice and serve alongside lamb chops. ■(SERVES 4)
That’s Entertaining
A man’s man is a strong believer in the principle of “mi casa es su casa.” In fact, he hosts dinner parties on a frequent basis because there’s nothing like good friends combined with good food and drink. However, remember that being a good host is a lot like meeting a women—if you try too hard, they won’t like you, but if you apply just the right amount of attention, you’re sure to come out a winner. Here are my top five rules that a man’s man must follow when planning a successful dinner party with his close friends:
TOP FIVE MAN’S MAN PARTY-HOSTING RULES1. Ultimate Fighting should only be on Pay Per View—only invite guests who you know get along.
2. The words beer run aren’t even in a man’s man’s vocabulary, so stock up prior to the event.
A Guy's Guide to Being a Man's Man Page 10
