ITALIAN FOODIES

                                  

Are you all set???? As usual we aren’t, a last minute shopping trip into town on Sunday should finish everything off and then it’s EAT, DRINK AND RELAX!!!!!:) My 2 sisters arrive from the UK today with the other princess in tow so it should be a fun filled house this Christmas with 2 minxes tearing around the place!! I hope you all have a fabulous Christmas and a “mad” new year, ours will be pretty quite me thinks -  a couple of hot chocolates and an early night;)

Happy Christmas everyone:):):):)

Lor, Bru and Ale!!!
xxxxxx

                                   
So, the coundown to Christmas has begun and how nice is this weather, it actually feels like Christmas. I was complaining last week that there was no Christmas atmosphere this year but since the weather became really cold and crisp it has turned all Christmassy:) The tree is up and the princess is amazed by it, we have to stand in front of it about 10 times a day and just point at all the lights and the babababababa balls, I know everyone says it but it really is so much better with little ones around. Our last day is this Sunday and we close until Jan 3rd - yipeeeeeeeeee!! It will be so nice to just relax because even if we are not in La Cucina there are always phone calls and one of us is always popping in just to keep an eye on things so it will be really nice just to switch off. I don’t know how we will manage when we open a second business, we will have no life!!!!

I know most of you only have eyes for turkey at the moment but I’m sure a roast chicken might feature somewhere over the holidays and I wanted to share this recipe with you as an alternative to the regular roast chicken. This recipe is based on Ursula Ferrigno’s spatchcock poussin recipe and I have to say it was one of the nicest recipes I have ever had for roast chicken, It was so tasty and the combination of flavours work so well together and it is really easy to prepare. I served it with roast potatoes done in goose fat which is available from all supermarkets these days.

                                        

what you need:

 - 1 medium to large chicken. I used an Organic, corn-fed chicken from Superquinn. There really is no comparison in taste and the main difference is the colour of the meat. The meat in the legs should be brown not white.

 - 2 tbsp olive oil

 - 4 rosemary sprigs

 - sea salt and black pepper

 - 350ml white wine - dry

 stuffing

 - 150g ricotta cheese

 - 55g gorgonzola cheese - I know a lot of people don’t like blue cheese but you really don’t taste it, it just adds a great flavour.

 - 55g grated parmesan cheese or fontina cheese

 - 4 slices mortadella finely chopped(optional) Mortadella is an Italian cold meat, it’s available in Superquinn or any Italian deli.

 - a handful of fresh flat leaf parsley chopped

 - 1 tbsp marjoram - I haven’t seen any of the fresh variety in Limerick???? I used dry that one of our Polish staff gave me.

 - 1 tbsp chopped fresh sage

 - 25g melted butter

what to do:

 - preheat the oven to 220 degrees

 - to make the stuffing, place the ricotta, parmesan, gorgonzola, mortadella, herbs and butter in a bowl and mix.

 - gently ease the skin from the breasts of the bird and spoon the stuffing into the area between the skin and meat. I rubbed whatever was left all over the outside of the bird. Brush the chicken with olive oil, season and top with a sprig of rosemary.

 - place the bird in an oven tray and pour over the wine. Roast for 25-30 mins, reduce the heat to 180 degrees and cook for a further 15 mins until the chicken is cooked through.

 - to make your potatoes, par-boil your potatoes in plenty of salted water. Heat your goose fat in a tray over a high heat, add a couple of sprigs of rosemary and unpeeled garlic cloves. Add your potatoes and transfer to the oven and cook  for 30-40 mins. 

                                

buon appetito!!

                                     
Hi, my name is Lorraine and I really don’t like polenta!! Ok my confession is out, I think it is probably the only Italian food I don’t like - shock horror:) The first time I had it was in Rome, we were staying with a friend and his family and his dad wanted to cook us his speciality which was polenta. At the time I had never heard of it but assuming that I would love it as I do all Italian food I was really excited but I couldn’t stand it. It was quite difficult actually because there is probably nothing more insulting to an Italian than not liking their food so I put on my bravest face and munched my way through. I rarely saw polenta mentioned in Ireland until recently and it seems to be in all the food magazines and seems to be making guest appearances on a lot of restaurant menus. I recently had chocolate polenta with quail as a starter but wasn’t too fond of it to be honest so I decided with all this new found fame it’s getting in Ireland I would actually make it myself at home to give it one last try. I have to admit not going into this wholeheartedly and used the instant polenta that we have in La Cucina but I just wasn’t prepared to give it my all and then not eat it so instant polenta it was - please don’t hate me;)

I’ve seen a lot of people enquiring as to what polenta is on a lot of forums recently so here’s a little background on it courtesy of the Silver Spoon and Carluccio:

In Roman times polenta was a porridge made from the flour of various grains and pulses such as broad beans, spelt etc. Today polenta is actually made up of yellow or white maize flour, there are 2 types of polenta: fine grained, pale straw coloured Veneto polenta or large grained, bright golden-yellow Lombard or Piedmontese polenta. The former is always served all’onda( with a consistency like mashed potato and the latter is served firm like this recipe. Vicenza in Veneto is actually the best place to eat polenta e baccala which is air dried cod cooked in milk with polenta and another speciality in Veneto is polenta e osei, polenta with sparrows - don’t think I’ll be making that any time soon;) 

Polenta is best made in a copper pan by cooking the maize flour with water until it achieves a fairly solid consistency. It takes about 40 minutes to cook and requires consistent stirring to prevent it sticking. Due to the effort and time required an easy cook variety called polenta svelta has been created for the likes of me;), it is made by pre-cooking ordinary polenta which is then dried and milled again. The results are not as tasty and this is why lots of butter and grated Parmesan are required when using this type of polenta.
 
what you need:

 - 5 tbsp olive oil

 - 1 small onion, finely chopped

 - 1 garlic clove, finely chopped

 - selection of mushrooms, field and wild if you can get your hands on some. I find it quite difficult to find different variety of mushrooms in Limerick, if anyone knows where let me know. Superquinn have just begun stocking a gourmet mushroom selection in their superior range which are really good so I used 2 packs of these.

 - 1 tbsp of fresh chopped flat leaf parsley and basil.

 - 120ml dry white wine  

 - poletna: make according to packet instructions if using instant polenta, I used 250g for 2. Add about 25g butter and lots of parmesan cheese to taste. If you are looking for polenta flour Susan in Olio e Farina has it in stock!!

what to do:

 - when your polenta is ready pour it into a round shallow tin and spread it evenly into a layer of about 1 cm. Leave to cool until set.

 - heat your olive oil in a pan, add the onion and garlic and fry for 5 mins until soft and just starting to brown. Stir in the mushroom and parsley and cook for another 5 mins until golden brown. Season, add your wine and simmer for 5 mins. Remove from the heat and stir in your chopped basil.

 - cut the polenta into wedges and heat a griddle pan. Brush your wedges with olive oil and place on your pan grilling both sides for 2-3 mins.

 - put a polenta wedge on a serving plate and serve your mushrooms on top and sprinkle with some basil leaves.

                       
THE MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION - DID I LIKE IT?????? NO!!!! I have to say as a dish it looks amazing and so appetising BUT I took a couple of forkfuls and that was it, I ended up making a sandwich with my leftover lamb and the mushrooms. The mushroom mix was absolutely delicious and would be great as a side to meat so I’ll definitely make them again but the polenta I’m afraid I will leave to the Italians;)

Buon Appetito!!!

                                  
Every year the debate begins around now as to where we will go on Christmas day, last year we went to Bruno’s house as the princess was only 6 weeks old and his house is closer so it was the obvious choice. Bru’s parents always go to Italy every second year for Christmas so that normally makes it easier so we had planned to go to mine this year but they have decided to stay as they want to be with the grandchildren so “what to do”?? The problem is the feast put on the table on Christmas day in Bruno’s, actually it starts Christmas Eve with a feast of fish and then the grand finale on Christmas day. I mentioned in my last post that they don’t have turkey and ham on Christmas day but we do in my house but like Bru I’m not a big lover of turkey and ham so I think we will probably do both houses, Bru’s for the “feast” and mine for the turkey sandwiches that evening. The “turkey sambos” are my job anyway in my house, there is just something so good about turkey sandwiches on Christmas night - lots of mayo, lettuce, turkey, stuffing, salt and pepper and a little bit of cranberry for those who like it and we always have a packet of C&O crisps for me and S&V for Bru on the side and a beer to wash it down of course -  gourmet cuisine it’s not but damn enjoyable;) I shall report back on the feast after the event:)

This Aldo Zilli recipe is a real winter warmer and great for the weather we are having at the moment. It is actually served in a restaurant called Latini in Florence, they don’t have a menu and they serve this soup as a starter before it’s famous Florentine steak, if I ever get to Florence again I will have to check it out. You do need a piece of ham or knucle bone, I used the end of the parma ham in La Cucina, maybe you could use a bit of the leftover ham at Christmas or ask your local butcher.

                                             
what you need:

 - 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

 - 350g piece of ham or knuckle bone, thick skin trimmed.

 - 2 red onions sliced into fine rings.

 - 1-2 garlic cloves crushed

 - 6 plum tomatoes, skinned, seeded and chopped.

 - 1 red chilli finely chopped.

 - 1.2 litres water.

 - 675g fresh barlotti beans or 2  x 400g cans drained and rinsed. We have tinned barlotti and cannellini beans in stock in La Cucina.

 - 200g ditalini pasta or maccheroni. You can use any short pasta, I used Mezzi tubetti lisci which we have in La Cucina.
 
 - 4 basil leaves torn.

 - sea salt and black pepper.

 - freshly grated parmesan cheese.

what to do:

 - heat 2 tbsp of oil on a large pot and brown the ham or knuckle bone for 5 mins, turning regularly. Stir in the onions, garlic, chilli and tomato and saute for another 5 mins.

 - pour in the water and bring to the boil, lower the heat and simmer for 45 mins. If you have any scum on the surface just skim it off.

 - remove the ham or bone and scrape the meat, trimming the fat off. Chop the meat and place it in a food processor with the soup and blend until smooth. I used a hand blender.

 - return the soup to the pot and bring back to the boil, add the beans and simmer for 10 mins. Add the pasta and basil and cook for 5-6 mins until the pasta is tender.

 - stir in the remaining olive oil and season to taste.

 - serve with parmesan cheese and some crusty ciabatta.

                               

Buon Appetito!!
 
p.s. where are you going for Christmas and what’s on the menu???

p.p.s. are you a S&V or C&O crisp lover???:) I always find men are the S&V and the ladeees C&O but correct me if I’m wrong!!!

                                         

Lamb is a very popular meat in Italy and is the main dish for Easter Sunday and Christmas dinner in Bru’s house - Italians don’t eat turkey and ham on Christmas day like we do!! Abbacchio is the name given to a dish traditional in Rome at Easter. The MIL actually makes something similar where the lamb is cut into pieces and cooked in a sort of egg and lemon sauce which is absolutely delicious. I’ve mentioned before that lambs are slaughtered at a younger age in Italy and there are different names used according to when they are slaughtered. I know we are quite far removed from the slaughter and production of meat in Ireland and I know I wouldn’t know the difference and didn’t even know myself that there were so many different stages of slaughter until I did a bit of research.
 
The last time I did a post on veal it provoked a bit of a discussion but I do think we need to become more informed about our meat, where it comes from, how it was raised etc myself included as I need to become more knowledgable about the meat that I eat. I’m always amazed when I’m in Italy and they know everything about the animal they are eating and happily eat most of the animal i.e. Offal - brains, bone marrow, sweetbreads, liver, kidney, heart and tripe!! This post is as much about teaching myself as it is to inform you!! So here is the science bit about lamb in Italy:

Agnello da latte(called abbacchio by the Romans) - these are milk fed lambs slaughtered at 3 or 4 weeks old, when their meat is very pale and tender.

Agnello - these are slightly older lambs, between 9 and 12 weeks old, weighing up to 15kg. These are both milk fed and raised on the pasture.

Agnellone - are killed at about 6 months old and the meat is mostly used in stews and ragu.

Castrato or Montone - the meat of the castrated ewe is more popular in Southern Italy where they love a stronger taste of lamb. The meat is of intense red colour and not so lean. It is ideal for stews but is also roasted if the animal is not too old, or even grilled with rosemary and basted with olive oil and lemon juice.

Pecora - meat from the adult ewe is used in the same way as Castrato but will be a little tougher.

Mutton - meat from an animal over 2 years old is mainly eaten in the South where many recipes were developed for it’s use in stews.

The most common methods of cooking lamb in Italy is roasting and stewing, in Ireland I think lamb chops and rack of lamb might be more popular- I know we rarely had leg or shoulder in our house growing up but then fish fingers did feature regularly so…..:)!!

Roasting - the best cuts for roasting are first the leg, then the saddle and then the shoulder. The shoulder is tender and tasty and this is what I used in this recipe but it can be fatty and is quite difficult to carve neatly.

Braising, Stewing and Curries - The front part of the lamb is particularly suitable for stewing or braising with vegetables and early seasonal produce, such as petit pois, artichokes and baby onions. It is also ideal for curries and cooking in an egg sauce. The front parts include the middle neck, shoulder, fore shank and rack.

Chops - small chops from the loin are particularly tender and are delicious dipped in egg, then in breadcrumbs and fried in butter. 

                                        

WHAT YOU NEED:

 - leg or shoulder of lamb

 - 4 anchovies from a jar or tin cut in half.

 - 6 sage leaves

 - 3 rosemary sprigs, needles removed.

 - 1 sprig of thyme(optional)

 - 4 garlic cloves - peeled and sliced

 - 5 tbsp white wine vinegar

 - 5 tbsp white wine

 - olive oil

 - margarine

 - sea salt and black pepper

WHAT TO DO:

 - preheat the oven to 190 degrees

 - grease a roasting tin with margarine

 - using a small pointed knife, make small incisions all over your meat. Insert the sage,  some of your garlic, anchovies, rosemary needles into the incisions.

 - brush the lamb all over with olive oil, place in your roasting tray and season.

 - sprinkle the garlic and remaining rosemary on top, pour in the vinegar and wine and roast for 1 - 1 and a half hours depending how you like it cooked. I found mine drying out a little so I added some water to the tray half way through.

 - serve with roast potatoes and enjoy!!

                                  

Buon Appetito!!

reference - Carluccio and The Silver Spoon.

                         

We decided to take a last minute trip up to Dublin on Tuesday to do a little bit of shopping and lots of eating and drinking of course;) I always get quite excited when we go up as there is such a varied choice of food compared to Limerick but then it is the capital!! We only went up for 1 night so we tried to fit in as much as we could so I’m sitting here with the biggest belly - the diet starts tomorrow:)

We always stay in the Morrison hotel mainly for it’s location and it’s close proximity to the Italian quarter which of course is our favourite place to pop in for a pasta or a quick espresso while out shopping! I loved the Morrison when it opened first, it was so stylish and chic and THEE place to stay! We had a pretty bad experience on our second stay a couple of years ago with the restaurant manager but I wrote a letter of complaint and we ended up staying in a suite with dinner for 2 and wine free of charge as a result - it pays to complain people;) But I had a genuine complaint to be fair!! We were debating this time whether to stay in the newly revamped Shelbourne but we went with what we know. We were a bit disappointed though as I don’t think the Morrison has stood the test of time and the decor looks quite dated especially in the rooms. I do recommend the hotel for it’s location though and it is probably cheaper now than a lot of the higher class city hotels so it is perfect if you are just using it to shop, drink and sleep:)

So, here’s where we ate and drank:

Fallon and Byrne - we arrived up around lunch time and I had planned to eat in the Winding Stair as I had read loads about it and it was near the hotel but we had a look at the menu and it was a little too Irish for the “Italian” and me “the wannabe Italian” so we passed. We always have difficulty choosing somewhere to have lunch in the city centre, there seems to be loads of small sandwich bars or restaurants with full on lunch menu but very little in between. We decided to have a sandwich in the food hall in Fallon & Byrne, they have a great big deli counter with lots of different sandwiches but we couldn’t decide what to have!! We just wanted a simple ciabatta with parma ham and cheese or similar but all the sandwiches tend to have lots of different fillings and dressings which does cater to the Irish market so I can’t really complain. We ended up having a ham and cheese toastie, a roast beef sandwich and 2 soups which were quite good. The food hall itself is fabulous, they seem to have everything you would require in relation to food!! My best purchase there was The Dubliner 100 best restaurants book which will be used on many an occasion in the future - it’s a little gem of a book for anybody not over familiar with the restaurant scene in Dublin.

Cafe on Seine - We popped in here for a quick drink while shopping, I know it’s probably not as popular as it once was and has a reputation for being pretentious but it still is a fantastic bar. Pure opulence and luxury is what best describes this place and the interior never fails to impress, it’s a perfect stop for an afternoon coffee or alcoholic beverage;)

The Port House - This was our biggest find, when we spotted it first it was empty and we were worried that it wasn’t that popular but then another couple went in while we were looking at the menu and we said we might as well give it a go!! By 6pm the place was packed and full of atmosphere, it’s quite small and intimate with a lovely cosy relaxed feel to it!! The food which comprises of both hot and cold tapas is quite good but I don’t think people go there just for the food but for the rare chance to relax with friends and have a glass of wine, a chat and a few nibbles without having to go to a restaurant. I think more Tapas bars or Italian Enotecca are needed in Ireland as this is what people are looking for especially during the week when you don’t want to go to a restaurant and have a full dinner.

Chez Max - believe it or not after all this eating we went out for dinner, we tried to get into the Cornerhouse Grill but it was packed which is always a good sign especially on a Tuesday night, the menu looked great and I love the idea of a grill, the more Ireland moves in the direction of casual dining the better. We really didn’t feel like a huge dinner after our day of gorging so we happened to come upon Chez Max and liked the look of the menu. The place is simple, authentic and of course French!! We both had the french onion soup - god I love the melted cheese in that soup!! I have to say we were  spoilt in Limerick for a couple of years as we had a French restaurant that served the best French Onion soup so we are a bit fussy!! We both went for a hearty stew, Bru had the beef stew and I had the Cassoulet which was a bean stew with duck and Toulouse sausage - the portions are huge in this place, I could only eat half but it was really good - rustic, simple and full of flavour! The desserts looked very tempting focusing on creme brulee and a selection of tarts - lemon merengue, strawberry and pear and almond tart. I was too full so I bought some to take away and of course didn’t eat them!!

Bar Italia - As I’ve mentioned before we’re not big breakfast lovers, just a quick cappuccino and a croissant and the Caffe Cagliostro is perfect for this even though I didn’t think the coffee was as good as the last time we were up and they use Suicra sugar sticks “gasp”;) but like everything in the catering business it depends on who makes it, it’s the same in our place as much as we try to attain consistency it can be difficult!! We decided it was time for a little Italian and had lunch in Bar Italia. It was so nice to be able to order a pasta even though the “too cool for school” waiter put me in my place when I asked for it “al dente”. The food was good though, we had a bresaola and rocket salad and an antipasto to start and a fresh egg spaghetti Amatriciana for Bru and a fettucine with porcini for me cooked “perfectly”;) This little area is great as you have the restaurant, a taverna, an enotecca, a coffee shop, ice-cream parlour and a little deli, well worth a visit for Italian foodies!!

                                  

p.s. in order to avoid walking around Dublin like 2 tourists looking for food, I’d love to know your favourite spots to eat whether it be for a sandwich or a full dinner!! Thanks in advance:)

                    

To be honest I’m not a big lasagne lover, I do love the MIL’s mini meatball and egg lasagne which she does at Christmas, a similar recipe is actually in this month’s Taste Italia magazine!!! Lasagne is one of our most popular dishes in La Cucina even though most people seem to order chips with it to give it that Irish twist;) We do a huge amount for catering with meat being the most popular choice. Actually mention lasagne in Ireland and everybody thinks of meat, one of the nicest lasagne I’ve had has been a simple pesto lasagne. I spotted this recipe in the Silver Spoon a while back and I liked all of the ingredients so I decided to give it a go this week. It turned out to be a little difficult to do as the princess decided that being down on the floor is just not as much fun as being up in Mammy’s arms while she is trying to put a lasagne together so the two of us actually made it one handed!! She’s in full walking mode by the way which is such a relief, my back is back to it’s normal position!!:)

By the way, if anyone has an Italian dish that they love but can’t quite get the recipe right or if their is a dish you have had in Italy and have never seen it outside of Italy and would love to make it let me know and I will do my best to find the recipe in question, make it and post about it. Robert has asked me about an Aubergine style chutney that he regularly has in Italy but has never seen the recipe for here so I’m on a mission to find it at the moment. There is an aubergine caviar in the Silver Spoon but I don’t think this is it so my search continues!! As always let me know in the comments or by email!!

WHAT YOU NEED:

 - 2 large aubergines sliced.

 - margarine for greasing

 - 300g lasagne sheets - available in La Cucina

 - 50g pine nuts, chopped

 - 150g ricotta cheese

 - 120ml/40z tomato puree - available in La Cucina

 - 12 fresh basil leaves

 - olive oil for drizzling

 - 4 tbsp Parmesan cheese

 - salt

WHAT TO DO:

 - place the aubergine slices in a colander, sprinkle with salt and leave to drain for 1-2 hours.

 - rinse, pat dry and cook under a preheated grill until tender.

 - preheat the oven to 180 degrees.

 - grease an ovenproof dish with butter.

 - cook the lasagne in a large pot of salted boiling water with a dash of olive oil for 6-7 minutes until al dente, drain and place on a damp tea towel.

 - arrange a layer of lasagne on the base of the prepared dish, place half the aubergine slices on top and sprinkle with half the pine nuts, half the ricotta, half the tomato puree and six basil leaves.

 - drizzle with olive oil and repeat the layers.

 - sprinkle the top with lots of parmesan cheese and bake for 40 minutes.

                                 

Buon Appetito!!

Random Cooking Term - “BATTUTO”
onion, carrot, celery and garlic chopped with a heavy knife form the basis of many Italian dishes. It is sometimes sauteed with pancetta, pancetta fat or pork-back fat as a base for minestrones and meat dishes.