Lobster alla fiorentina – Why should T-bones have all the fun!
Bistecca alla Fiorentina (or ‘beefsteak Florentine style’) is the famous and super simple preparation of thick T-bone steaks on a nice hot grill. The beauty …
Swordfish involtini on the grill (Involtini di pesce spade alla griglia)
The Sicilians don’t have the corner on cooking with swordfish (pesce spada) – the Calabrians, who share the same sea with Sicily, have their own …
Pollo con melanzane (Chicken with eggplant, tomatoes and pancetta)
As we continue our Calabrian adventures, I’ve been cooking with the aid of the excellent cookbook, My Calabria. This is a great source for all …
Insalata di calamari (Squid salad)
This is an awfully fancy bowl on a fancy place mat for such a simple salad. My sister is the photographer in the family, so …
Garlicky Swordfish Calabrian Style
The Tyrrhenian Sea off the Calabrian coast is chock full of the majestic swordfish (pesce spada) that migrate through this region in late spring …
Stuffed! Cipolle Ripieni (Onions Stuffed with Sausage and Parmigiano)
The cooks of Emilia-Romagna love to stuff things from their pillowy pastas to their greens-stuffed tortas. In this simple recipe, onions become the backdrop for …
La Cucina Italiana and Learning Italian, Recipe by Recipe – Spaghetti with Clams and Cherry Tomatoes
I owe a world of gratitude to the Italian culinary magazine, La Cucina Italiana….they are improving my Italian, recipe by recipe. My one splurge (ok, …
Balsamic Roast Chicken (Pollo al Forno con Aceto Balsamico)
Balsamic vinegar is almost a religion in Italy, and more specifically in Emilia-Romagna. It dates back to monks making the stuff in the 12th century. …
In My Father’s Memory: Laughter, Ladybugs and Chicken Marinated in Red Wine
My father passed away in 1981 at the tender young age of 54. He died suddenly that day, leaving us all to figure out how …
Polpo in Umido alla Siciliana (Sicilian Stewed Octopus)
As we wrap up our food-and-wine tour of Sicily, I thought I’d finish with one of Sicily’s most under-appreciated seafoods, the octopus. This is my …
Grilling a Sicilian fish at Sotto in Los Angeles @SottoLA
I had an opportunity to hang out in the kitchen with the staff at Sotto earlier this year. Reality food TV would have you believe …
Involtini di Pesce Spada (Sicilian Swordfish Rolls)
Sicilians really do love their fish and especially their swordfish. Sicily’s enviable position surrounded by three seas explains why fish holds such a revered place …