Monthly Archives: April 2012
Frutti di Mare with Couscous
This is a light and delicate main-course that features fish, scallops, aromatics with a touch of orange for sweetness and brightness. A variety of fish and shellfish can be used to make this dish. I used three locally-caught varieties that … Continue reading
Spring Vegetable Salad with Pecorino Sardo
This is a wonderful and hearty first course which showcases an assortment of spring vegetables with maximum effect. It’s perfect for company, since all of the components can be prepped ahead, then assembled and dressed at the last moment. Served … Continue reading
Pasta with Spinach, Pesto and Peas
As I mentioned in my last post, large, curly spinach leaves with fat stems are in local markets, and they are the best and tastiest kind of spinach. We’ve all gotten a bit used to the varieties of spinach that … Continue reading
Pasta with Asparagus, Goat Cheese and Sage Butter
Yesterday I made a special trip to a farm stand about a half-hour away which is always first to open and the last to close every year (closing day is New Years’ Eve). I was planning dinner for guests and I needed some … Continue reading
Veal Meatballs in Mushroom Sauce
These meatballs have a light and decidedly Northern touch, with their seasoning of parsley, chives, nutmeg, parmigiano and broth-soaked breadcrumbs. The sauce is an equally refined composition of shallots, mushrooms, white wine and broth. Preparation time for these meatballs is quick–a … Continue reading
Italian-Ate Bulgur Wheat Salad with Spring Vegetables
This is a spring variation of my Italian-Ate Tabbouleh, featuring the asparagus and fava beans that are starting to arrive in my local markets. Bulgur is such a versatile and easy grain to prepare–simply soak in boiling water for 20 … Continue reading
Perfect Grilled Lamb Chops
Today, I’ve found some beautiful double-thick loin lamb chops to accompany my Spring Bulgur salad. I prefer loin chops to rib chops because I like the combination of strip and tenderloin (like a T-bone steak), and I feel that loin … Continue reading
Pasta with Fava Beans, Shrimp and Pancetta
Every once in a while, I like to mix shellfish with pork–a combination more common in Spanish cooking than Italian (e.g. paella). In fact, these two flavors complement each other beautifully and are both enhanced by the earthy richness of fava … Continue reading
Pasta with Baby Artichokes, Mint Breadcrumbs and Chili Flakes
It’s springtime on Long Island and, although I’ve only been back in New York for a week, my winter getaway in Florida seems like a distant memory. I’m enjoying the Spring weather and the early profusion of flowering bulbs and … Continue reading
Dinner for One–Pasta with Kale, Sausage and Tomatoes
Still in the process of cleaning out my freezer for my seasonal departure from Florida. As you may have seen in my prior post, I made a beautiful pasta based on chicken sausage and leftover swiss chard stems. Tonight, along with one … Continue reading
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