briciole

porcellana

purslane or porcelain
From a December 1992 article in Agricultural Research:

It's known as purslane - a plant that is a troublesome weed in many U.S. crops, especially vegetables. But recent research findings confirm that purslane is also a rich source of fatty acids, vitamin E, and other key nutrients - making it a prime candidate as a new vegetable crop. There are about 200 species of purslane, the common name for a group of plants known as Portulaca. Scientists have focused on one annual species, P. oleracea, found around the world and in all 50 states. It is known for its persistence - it grows even in poor-quality soils with little water and resists disease...
P. oleracea contains more of one omega-3 fatty acid - called alpha-linolenic acid - than any other green leafy vegetable yet studied.

I must admit I was purslane-illiterate until a few weeks ago, when, while roaming around our farmers' market, a bunch of purslane attracted my attention. My friend Christine of Christine Cooks, with whom I was sharing the shopping adventure, invited me to taste a leaf: it was succulent, crunchy, with a slightly tart flavor. I was told I could use it in salads or cook it lightly, like spinach. I was convinced, and proceeded to place the bunch of purslane in my basket.

Had my memory functioned a bit better, I would have remembered reading about purslane salad with yogurt on Almost Turkish Recipe. Soon after my purchase, I made a hybrid soup/stew with hulled barley and decided, on the spur of the moment, to add to it the tender sprigs of the bunch of purslane during the last five minutes of cooking. Later on, I read that "Purslane’s high level of pectin thickens soups and stews," a retroactive justification of my impulsive action. I loved the result and the flavor of purslane, so much so that I have been buying a bunch at every visit to the market. I have also sautéed, together with baby spinach and boiled Swiss chard, and again the result was delicious.

In summary, purslane makes a nice addition to salads, soups and sautés. This is called versatility. Add to the list of good qualities the fact that it is tasty, either raw or lightly cooked, and that it contains precious nutrients, and the result is a really nice resume for a vegetable that, until not long ago, was considered a weed (erbaccia).

The Latin word portulaca is conserved in the scientific name of the plant. According to my Italian dictionary, the word had the variant porcillaca, ancestor of porcellana. As noted at the beginning of the post, the same word in Italian indicates also porcelain, china (for example, un vaso di porcellana, a china vase): in this meaning, the word porcellana has a different etymology. Cowrie is also porcellana in Italian.

This is my entry for Weekend Herb Blogging, a food blogging event started over two years ago by Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen and hosted this week by Gay, A Scientist in the Kitchen. 

Hear me pronounce the words on the porcellana audio file [mp3] or go to the porcellana audio page for more listening options.

timo

thyme or thymus
In Italian we use the same word to refer to thyme, the beloved herb, and to thymus, the lymphoid organ located behind the sternum. I will devote the rest of the post to timo, the herb.

The genus Thymus, family Labiatae, contains many species. I planted two of them in my little herb garden: Lemon Thyme (photo on the left), and German (Winter) Thyme (photo on the right). I also have some Silver Thyme in a big pot in front of the house: its leaves have a silver rim. I love thyme and I use its tiny fragrant leaves often. They are precious little things, with an enormous power to impart flavor. I don't recall my mother ever using thyme in her cooking, so this herb is a relatively new discovery for me.

For this post, I decided to invent something. Last Wednesday evening, I was by myself for dinner, a rather unusual occurrence. Besides foglie di timo (thyme leaves), I wanted to eat a beautiful porro (leek) leftover from a recent purchase at the farmers' market, and here is what I did. I washed the leek, white and light green part, following Lucy's method, then sliced it. In the meantime, I warmed up a small frying pan generously sprayed with olive oil. I added the leek slices and the leaves of two sprigs of thyme, then cooked, over medium-low heat, until the leek was soft to my liking, stirring every now and then to avoid sticking. I added some vegetable broth to keep the leek moist¹.

When the leek was ready, I adjusted the salt and sprinkled a few leaves of maggiorana (marjoram), an herb I like a lot as well, which is conveniently planted next to my lemon thyme. While the leek was cooking, I poached an egg, following the instructions on this page (option: No poacher). Poached egg is uovo in camicia (shirt). A few seconds before the egg was ready, I spooned the leek in a bowl, then gently placed the poached egg over the prepared pale green bed and finished off the dish with a tablespoon of freshly-grated parmigiano. I took a quick photo and then enjoyed my creation, especially the bites that got some of the yolk mixed with the leek. I definitely will make this again. Note that I did not use any salt (besides that in the water for poaching the egg), but you can certainly do it, adding it to the leek when it is cooked.

¹ Addendum: I have since made the dish a couple more times and measured a quarter cup of added liquid, 2 tablespoons broth, 1 tablespoon water and 1 tablespoon white wine.

This is my entry for Weekend Herb Blogging, a food blogging event started over two years ago by Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen and hosted this week by Susan, The Well-Seasoned Cook, and a very kind cook, too. Susan has announced that she will give away a copy of Aliza Green’s "Field Guide to Herbs and Spices" to one of the participants. Thanks Susan! Here is the roundup of WHB #129.

Hear me pronounce the words on the timo audio file [mp3] or go to the timo audio page for more listening options.

asparago

asparagus
Asparagus officinalis is a perennial plant, whose tender shoots (or spears), also called asparagus, are eaten as a vegetable and, as it is well known, much appreciated. Asparagus have actually been prized since ancient times. The aerial stems of asparagus arise from rhizomes, which, together with the roots, constitute the underground portion of the plant.

The Italian words are asparago (the plant; plural: asparagi),  turioni (the edible shoots; singular: turione), rizomi (rhizomes; singular: rizoma), radici (roots; singular: radice). I must admit that I have never heard the word turioni in everyday language: I have always used asparagi to refer to the vegetable. Punte d'asparago are the tips.

A final reference to words: asparagina (asparagine) is an amino acid found in many proteins that is present in large amounts in some plants, such as asparagus. "The first amino acid to be isolated from its natural source, asparagine was purified from asparagus juice in 1806."

Besides the green variety, there are also white and purple asparagus. In my mind, asparagus are the harbinger of spring. When I was a child, we would eat asparagi about twice a year. Hence, to this day, having asparagus maintains an aura of excitement reserved for special occasions. Asparagi would be available at the fruttivendolo (fruit and vegetable store) for a brief period, then disappear, like a dream at dawn, until the following year. My mother boiled asparagus briefly and seasoned them, still warm, with lemon juice and olive oil. A few times in my life I have had frittata con gli asparagi selvatici (with wild asparagus, Asparagus acutifolius): my aunt Lucia sometimes received them as a gift from someone who had picked them on the hills around her village.

The abundance of asparagus in California is almost intoxicating, and whenever I cook them (oven-roasted asparagus sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds are a favorite dish of mine), I cannot stop eating them. Not long ago, however, I got to do something special with asparagus: I planted a bunch of them in the community garden in whose maintenance I have been involved for almost two years. My gardener friend told me to ask for asparagus roots at the nursery and I bought some of several varieties. When we planted them, I did the shoveling (which made me aware that I need to improve my shoveling skills), then placed each crown (rhizomes + roots) in its newly dug home and it was a bit of a challenge, as it was nothing like transplanting a seedling: the roots were quite long and the whole crown needed to be underground. I tend to be quite pessimistic about my gardening skills, so when, a few weeks later, I saw an asparagus shoot, I was ecstatic.

I read that it takes up to 3 years for crowns to develop enough to begin producing shoots. Once they do develop, however, they can produce for up to 20 years. So, at this point, I am focused on seeing signs of well-being of the plants. I want them to be happy in our garden. I love looking at the few asparagus that have produced shoots. Since we did not harvest them, some are now at the flowering stage, which I had never seen before. The spears have expanded into branched, modified stems, the cladophylls, which resemble and function as leaves (while the true leaves are scale-like structures at the tip of the spear and down the stem). There are also tiny flowers. Everything is delicate, almost ethereal about asparagus, which means that taking photos is a real challenge. In the image on the left, for example, the daffodils are predominant, but then you can see several asparagus, including one with flowers (background, right) and one that toppled over, due to its weight (background, left).

This is my entry for Weekend Herb Blogging, a food blogging event started over two years ago by Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen and hosted this week by Bee and Jai of Jugalbandi's fame. Here is the roundup of WHB #128.

Hear me pronounce the words on the asparago audio file [mp3] or go to the asparago audio page for more listening options.

pane alle erbe

fresh herb twist
'Fresh herb twist' is not the literal translation of pane alle erbe, but it is the one chosen by Daniel Leader, author of the book from which the recipe came: Local Breads, Sourdough and Whole-Grain Recipes from Europe's Best Artisan Bakers. I have recently become interested in developing my bread baking abilities, an interest fostered by a couple of recent Daring Bakers challenges. Thanks to my dear friend Christine, I learned about this book and, now that I have it, I have started to use it.

For my first sampling of the book, I chose an Italian bread that I had not tasted before: pane alle erbe (herb bread), which the author learned about in Alto Adige/Südtirol, a region in northern Italy. What attracted me to the recipe was the use of farina di segale (rye flour), together with wheat flour, and of fresh herbs: rosmarino, timo e basilico (rosemary, thyme and basil), the first two of whom grow in my little herb garden. The nice shape of the bread also played a role in my choice, since all my bread production until then had been of a rather conservative appearance.

The book in general and the recipe in particular include all sorts of instructions that contribute to the happy outcome of your efforts. I was so happy with the outcome that I made pane alle erbe  again within a few days. The second time, I intentionally left a portion of one of the twists aside, because I had decided to experiment with canederli, or knödel, which are gnocchi made with pane raffermo (bread that is a day or two old) that are typical of Trentino Alto Adige. Variations of this dish use different ingredients. I did not have a recipe, so I looked around the web and, among all the ones I found, I decided to use this one as my guide. I made some adjustments to the recipe, the most important one being the omission of speck, an ingredient I did not have. Speck is a product of Alto Adige/Südtirol: it is made by de-boning, then curing and finally smoking a pig's thigh (here you can see the different production phases). It is really good and I recommend you try it, if you have the chance.

I cut the bread, 6.5 oz., into 1/4-1/2" cubes and placed them in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, I beat two large eggs with a pinch of salt and a sprinkling of ground black pepper, then added half a cup of non-fat milk. I poured the mixture over the bread cubes and mixed well. I let the bread rest for over an hour, mixing every now and then to make sure it absorbed the egg mixture and therefore softened.

In the meantime, in a small frying pan sprayed with olive oil, I cooked a shallot (a bit more than 1 oz.), minced, together with half a teaspoon of minced fresh rosemary until it was soft. When it was cold, I added the shallot to the bread, together with a sprinkling of ground nutmeg, two tablespoons of grated parmigiano, two tablespoons of minced fresh parsley and 1/4 cup of regular white flour. I mixed well and let rest for about half an hour.

With the help of a small measuring cup, I scooped up enough bread mixture to shape 2" diameter balls with my hands. I let each ball roll on a plate with flour so that its surface was coated, then set aside. I ended up with eight canederli. I cooked them, four at a time, in a saucepan filled with vegetable broth. I used a slotted spoon to gently immerse the canederli in the simmering broth and kept them there for 15 minutes, making sure the broth remained in a nice simmering state.

To my husband, I served two knödel in a bowl with some of the broth. I had one asciutto (dry) together with some roasted squash. This being the first time I tried to make this dish, I didn't have a frame of reference to assess the result of my experiment. I can tell you that my husband liked it and I did too. I am planning to make this recipe again, using speck, if I can find it, or adding more cheese to the mixture. I would also like to try other variations. Here is an update on this recipe.

This is my entry for Weekend Herb Blogging, a food blogging event started over two years ago by blogger extraordinaire Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen, hosted this week by the founder herself. Here is the roundup of WHB #127.

Hear me pronounce the words on the pane alle erbe audio file [mp3] or go to the pane alle erbe audio page for more listening options.

Riepilogo del Weekend di erbe aromatiche numero 112

Weekend Herb Blogging #112: the roundup
I have the honor of introducing you to this week's set of "informative posts featuring any herb, plant, vegetable, or flower," submitted by bloggers from around the world. With many thanks to Kalyn, the creator of this wonderful event, for making this happen, and to the 40 bloggers who participated this week, without further ado I will introduce the delicacies featured. For every submission, I will offer a small bite, designed as an invitation to visit the blog and read the complete post.

We start with Mona's B3 - Best Beef Borscht brought to you by Ramona of The Houndstooth Gourmet. "Nothing satisfies like a hearty soup," says she, and we agree. "I think soup ought to be a food group," says she as well, and we agree again. Winter winds in the Northern hemisphere have inspired Ramona and other bloggers to create heart-and-body warming soups, so you will soon hear about more.

After you've had your soup, be ready for some salad, Beet Orange Salad, to be precise, compliments of Kaykat of Cooking from A to Z. Kaykat was inspired by Alice Waters to combine Red and Golden Beets with Satsumas, Red Leaf Lettuce and Walnuts into a colorful and joyful composition, which is also an ode to her favorite restaurant, Chez Panisse.

More salad on your plate, A Fresh Green Salad from the Sea to be precise, brought to us by Gay of A Scientist in the Kitchen, together with  very interesting information on nutritious and healthy seaweeds. I remember well the first time I ate a seaweed salad at a Japanese restaurant in the East Bay: it was love at first bite. And don't we all love it when something we really like is also good for us?

 

We now go back to a soup where the flavor of cauliflower is combined with the intense aroma of vanilla: "Bean there, done that," Rosa of Rosa Jackson says about her Cauliflower Soup with Vanilla. I hope some day I can say the same. For the joy of all the vanilla aficionados, a group of people that includes me, Rosa provides very interesting information about this beloved spice, together with the recipe for the soup.

 

 

 

Guess what? We are back to salad, with a special edition of the traditional tomato and basil salad, compliments of Patricia of Technicolor Kitchen. Her Crispy Goat’s Cheese, Tomato and Basil Salad made me dream of summer. One of the great things about WHB is that it reminds you of the changing of the seasons not only where you live, but also in the rest of the world.

We will leave for a while the alternating soup and salad motif to enter barley world with two recipes brought to us by Jai and Bee of Jugalbandi. Out of A Bowlful of Barley, the two magicians have produced refreshing Lemon Barley Water and Barley with Spiced Yogurt. They also provided interesting information on this ancient grain.

 

Risotto is another heart-and-body warming food, and it is featured in this Winter Risotto compliments of Beth of The Expatriate's Kitchen. Beth served her Pork and Carrot Risotto with Parmesan in a half Acorn Squash to her daughter, who had been eating Chicken and Rice casserole at school, so that she would know "the real thing." The good news is that she liked it.

Christine of Christine Cooks invites us to Eat Your Curry - It's Good for You. She tells us about turmeric, which has been "used in India for centuries as a healing medicine and a culinary spice." Its active ingredient, curcumin, "has become an item of interest and research in western medicine for its strong anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties." Curry up, then!

A High Noted Dish known as Chicken Tetrazzini is offered by Pam of The Backyard Pizzeria. Luisa Tetrazzini, who "thrilled Americans at the turn of the last century with her wonderful voice," is the source of the high notes. Summer has arrived with a vengeance in Pam's side of the world, and she responds to the challenge with "an operatic version of chicken and mushroom pasta."

Syrie of Taste Buddies wondered a while about the title to give to of her post, then settled for Kale and Smoked Bacon Quiche, which I like because I find the combination of words and their meaning quite appealing. I also like "If Popeye was alive today, he'd choose Kale," because it reminds us that kale is nutritious and healthy. Syrie describes kale's texture as "somewhere in between English Spinach and Seaweed."

Don't you love the word calamansi? I do, and thanks to Pepy's of The Art and Science of Food offering, Calamansi and Grilled Ikan Tude with Dabu-Dabu, I also know what it means. "Calamansi/calamondin is believed native to China and thought to have been taken in early times to Indonesia and the Philippines. It became the most important Citrus juice source in the Philippine Islands and is widely grown in India and throughout southern Asia and Malaysia."

We are back in soup territory in the company of Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen, the creator of the wonderful event I have the pleasure and honor of hosting this week. Kalyn proposes a recipe for Florida Butter Bean (or Lima Bean) Soup with Ham and Cabbage. If you are not familiar with this type of beans, Kalyn tells us that "Florida Butter Beans are a type of heirloom baby lima beans, also known as Calico Pole Beans."

We arrive at a dessert stop in our journey, compliments of Gattina of Kitchen Unplugged. Her Caramelized Pomegranate & Carrot Cake uses caramelized pomegranate arils to replace the traditional pineapple. The pomegranate arils are cooked with ginger, cinnamon and cardamom. With the lovely, colorful mini-carrots balanced over a dollop of yogurt, who is going to miss the frosting?

 

 

Mike of Mike's Table offers his version of Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, which uses "a small amount of goat cheese to give a very subtle tang to the potatoes that you can’t quite put your finger on, but it just adds that little something extra." Fans of goat cheese, unite! The potatoes also have a distinct roasted garlic taste and notes of chives "that pair so wonderfully with potatoes."

Katie of Thyme for Cooking reminisces about a special Christmas PRESENT she received as a child and then gives us a great recipe for Red Cabbage. Then, after reminding us about the Cabbage Commitment, she also gives us a recipe that creatively reuses leftover red cabbage: Pasta with Smoked Sausage and Red Cabbage.

 

We cannot be away from soups too long and thanks to Lia of Swirling Notions we get a lentil soup that Lia's husband has nicknamed Amy's Lentil Goop. The recipe is preceded by some very interesting notes about comfort and writing: first food for thought, then food for the body.

 

Pomegranate seeds make another appearance thanks to Chris of We [heart] Food. Before we get the recipe for Chile-Marinated Pork with Black Bean Salsa, we are allowed to eavesdrop in Chris and Lisa's kitchen and hear a snippet of their conversation. In case you are wondering, the pork "marinates in a delicious combination of chipotle peppers, citrus juices, garlic, and onions."

Another double offering, this time from Laurie of Tastes Like Home: Mediterranean Cooking in Alaska, who presents us Caper Tart and Capers and Eggs. She also gives us interesting information about capers, like the fact that "caper buds are preserved three different ways: pickled in brine (the most common way capers are sold in America), cured in salt, or dried in the sun."

I find amuse bouche to be a lovely expression, a promise of enjoyment to come. Erin of The Skinny Gourmet offers us a Heart of Palm Amuse Bouche with Grapefruit, Thyme, and Champagne Vinegar, a lovely combination of textures and flavors. For the Holiday season, Erin advises us to allow ourselves "lavish food that entrances you and demands that you pay attention to the experience of eating."

With all the soups and salads and other delectable dishes, we could use some bread, and thanks to Helen of News from my Kitchen we get a tasty and hearty Apple Spelt Bread, whose ingredients include also ground almonds and yogurt. Helen suggests a pairing of this bread with Westphalian bacon or smoked and cooked bacon.

We welcome first-time WHB'er Miri of Peppermill, who presents us some delicious Raw Banana Cutlets. Miri tells us that almost every part of the banana plant is used and goes on to detail such uses, which makes for a very interesting reading. Her descriptions of the wonderful banana plant reminded me of the time I spent under banana leaves taking photographs at the light that filtered through them.

 

Did you have a hectic week? Anh of Food Lover's Journey kindly offers us some weekend therapy named Corn Pancake with Slow-roasted Tomatoes and Salted Grapes. Simply pronouncing the name of this dish makes me feel more relaxed. Anh tells us that the dish "is not something quickly to assemble. But preparing it is not stressful, hence, perfect for a lazy Saturday."

Pomegranates (in the shape of pomegranate molasses) are featured again in the epigrammatic post penned by Susan of The Well-Seasoned Cook. A sticker shock at the gourmet grocer inspired her creation of Olive Pomegranate Relish, which sounds like something we would definitely relish. The alliterative path from preparation to palate pleasure is as simple as "Crush, cook and consume."

Here is another hearty pasta dish, brought to you by Jeni of The Passionate Palate: Ravioli di Zucca or Butternut Squash Ravioli Served over Tomato Sauce and Topped with Browned Butter & Sage. This is another Slow Food dish or, in other words, a lot of work, but, as Jeni reassuringly says, "it is worth every minute. It is an addictive dish!" I can attest to that.

From Italy we go to Thailand to taste some Thai Shrimp Curry, compliments of Pam from Sidewalk Shoes. Her delicately colored, creamy curry is seasoned with cilantro, her herb of choice. Pam has recently received from her husband a gift of "lots of kaffir lime leaves, some galangal, and even a mortar and pestle." Her plan is to use the gift to make her own Thai curry paste.

If you are starting to wonder about how long it is going to be before the next soup course arrives, don't worry, help is on the way, brought to you by Kevin of Closet Cooking: his Carrot Soup with Dill Pesto looks and sounds delicious. He enjoyed it "with freshly made still warm sour cream and chive biscuits." Need I say more?

 

Another recipe featuring carrots is offered by Annemarie of Ambrosia and Nectar: her Carrot and Cardamom Mash belongs to the category of comfort foods, where soups can also be found. Cardamom's impressive resume in the medicinal use department makes Annemarie wonder "why we haven't all been munching on cardamom to help heal all our ills." Besides, it has a wonderful flavor.

If you don't know the story of auntie lentil, Burcu of Almost Turkish Recipe will fill you in. Wanting to make a traditional potato casserole, but lacking ground meat, Burcu "remembered auntie lentil saying over and over again that lentils are a perfect substitute for ground meat." From that memory, her Vegetarian Potato Casserole with Green Lentils was born, a satisfying dish that uses parsley, her favorite herb. Thanks to auntie lentil for inspiring this creation!

 

 

Gretchen of Canela & Comino invites us to meet caigua, also known as slipper’s gourd or stuffing cucumber, a nutritious and good-looking vegetable. The tradition is to stuff caigua and the result is Caihua Rellena (Stuffed Caigua). Gretchen warns us that "most have their personal preference for the stuffing of caigua, and this is mine." Her preference sounds good.

When eating something, we all hope for the Oh My God! (OMG) experience. It is precisely such a moment that Cate of Sweetnicks shares with us in her Scallops Bonne Femme (Good Woman) and Spinach with Crispy Prosciutto. As the sauce was simmering away on the stove, she had a quick taste and nearly swooned, it was that good. I would not mind a taste myself.

Sher of What Did You Eat? warns us that her Herb Roasted Pumpkin Seeds dusted with Mor-Sels are difficult to resist. Roasted pumpkin seeds are indeed inviting: small, savory and crunchy. She also lets us know that they "make fabulous gifts for people -- if you can bear to share them."

 

While in Italy, Haalo of Cook (Almost) Anything at least once saw the locals buying balls of cooked spinach from the store and followed their example. She made risotto with them and for the final step, instead of the traditional butter and parmigiano, she used stracchino, "a soft and creamy cow's milk cheese with a rather mild flavour." Having eaten my fair share of stracchino, I can imagine the taste and texture of her Spinach Risotto with Stracchino and can only say: recommended.

 

If you live in a part of the world where now it is summer and therefore hot, you may wish to have something refreshing on your plate. Y of Lemonpi caters to such a wish with her Spring Onions and Soba Noodles. She tells us that we "can make it ahead and keep it chilled (further allowing the noodles to soak up the flavours of the sauce)" until mealtime. "Just the ticket, when it’s a hot day and the last thing you want to be doing is standing behind a hot stove."

 

 

 

In the words of their creator, Ruth of Once Upon a Feast, "made with my favorite spicy Kozlik's Horseradish mustard and lots of parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme. Naturally I couldn't help but name them Simon & Garfunkel Burgers, Turkey Burgers, to be precise, offered in two versions, with and without bun (but with mashed potatoes).

 

At the outset, Jerry of Jerry's Thoughts, Musings, and Rants! made my heart beat faster with a gorgeous image of Venice, my favorite city in the world. His food offering, however, comes from a different part of the world: Gkaeng Kiow Wahn Moo is, in fact, a Thai dish, a green pork curry replete with interesting ingredients, like pea eggplants (ma-keua puang) and round Thai eggplants (ma-keua bprawh).

We welcome another first-time WHB'er, Rachel of Cooking and Booking, who offers us a "not for the faint-of-heart" Triple Garlic Risotto. Garlic-lover Rachel admits that her creation may be the most garlicky thing she has ever eaten, "but trust me, every single bite was delicious."

 

After so much delicious food, we are ready for something to drink and therefore we welcome Gwen of Intoxicated Zodiac, who offers us some Hard to get (Flowering Quince Julep). The list of ingredients includes quince liqueur and quince infused bourbon. "Where apple is the forbidden fruit, quince is the misunderstood fruit," says Gwen, who goes on to warn us about the consequences of biting into a quince: "a raw quince will both break your tooth and taste something awful." As an ingredient, however, quince has a peculiar, very special flavor.

 

Brought to us by Peter of Kalofagas - Pursuit of Delicious Foods is a Salad of Broccoli and Cauliflower, which is "easy, suitable for winter, healthy, unusual and Greek!" It is also very colorful and inviting. Peter suggests that we "wait for the dressing to break down the vegetables a bit in the fridge" so that the salad will be more al dente than crunchy.

Another salad is offered by Jennifer of Like to Cook. This Salad of Lamb's Lettuce, Endive, Roquefort and Walnuts is actually her favorite winter salad. "The rich greens, crunchy nuts and earthy endive mix together to make a salad that has an amazing texture and flavor." I also like the color combination and find that it is very attuned to the Holidays.

 

 

 

I was about to write some parting thoughts, when I realized I was forgetting myself, that is, my contribution to this week's celebration of the vegetable kingdom. For the occasion, I made Zucca Ripiena or Stuffed Acorn Squash, containing a mellow medley of pears, scallions and chopped pecans seasoned with thyme. As the humble narrator of this story, I can only hope that you have enjoyed this journey in 40 dishes and that you will participate again in a (near) future edition of the Weekend Herb Blogging.

zucca ripiena

stuffed acorn squash
I grew up without personally knowing any winter squash. After I moved to Milan, I tasted a few dishes like risotto con la zucca and tortelli di zucca. I then moved to the US and fell in love with winter squash.

Here is a photo from the Arcata farmers' market with dark green acorn squash in the background, next to colorful dumpling squash. I don't think acorn squash is available in Italy. The literal translation of the name would be zucca ghianda. Can any of my Italian readers confirm or refute my idea that this kind of squash has not reached our shore? Acorn squash can be easily halved when raw, something I no longer try to do with bigger squash, after a mishap involving a dislocated knife blade. Half an acorn squash is a perfect portion for one person, so a whole squash makes a great course in a dinner for two.

A while ago my dear friend Cloud made acorn squash stuffed with pears, hazelnuts and dried cranberries (nocciole e mirtilli di palude secchi). If you think the dish sounds interesting, I can assure you it was delicious. The experience got me thinking about using pears, but placing them in a different environment, like scalogno e timo (shallot and thyme). Toasted noci pecan (pecans) would provide the crunch to the ensemble. I am currently in love with pecans, so I put them everywhere I can.

The dish is quite simple, but requires a bit of time for the roasting of the zucca. The dish also needs a bit of thyme, which I get from my little herb garden, where I recently planted an additional specimen. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Cut the acorn squash lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a grapefruit spoon or a melon baller. Spray with olive oil a baking sheet and place on it the squash halves, cut side down. Bake for 45 minutes, until almost done. In the meantime, spray a small frying pan with olive oil and warm it up, then add 2 oz of shallot, finely chopped, and half a tablespoon of fresh thyme leaves. Cook, covered, until the shallot is soft, about 15 minutes, making sure it does not become dry (in which case add a splash of vegetable broth to the pan). Cut the pera (pear) in small pieces. Leave it unpeeled, if possible. Add the pear pieces to the shallot and cook for a couple of minutes. Sprinkle some freshly-ground pepper and salt, to taste. Also, toast 2 tablespoons of pecans in a dry skillet or in the oven, then chop them with a knife and add them to the pear and shallot mixture. Use this to fill the two halves of the squash, then put them back in the oven for 8-10 minutes. Eat immediately and fall in love with squash over again.

Zucca in Italian is also used to indicate the human head. Una zucca vuota (an empty head) is not a good sign, and neither is non avere sale in zucca (to lack common sense). I wish zucca were used in more complimentary expressions, but, since I cannot do much to change the language, I can make amends by celebrating zucche in my cooking.

This is my entry for Weekend Herb Blogging, the world-famous food blogging event started by amazing Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen, hosted this week by yours truly. Here's my roundup of WHB #112.

Hear me pronounce the words and expression on the zucca ripiena audio file [mp3] or go to the zucca ripiena audio page for more listening options.

Cartolina da Orvieto: formaggio con le pere

Postcard from Orvieto: cheese and pears
Orvieto is a lovely town in my home region of Umbria. It is most famous for several reasons, including its gorgeous duomo (cathedral), its prized white wine (appropriately called Orvieto) and il Pozzo di San Patrizio (Saint Patrick's Well).

My husband and I visited Orvieto during our recent trip to Italy and we had lunch there in a place just off the square dominated by the cathedral (along the road to the left of the clock tower in the photo), whose name I cannot remember and have not been able to find out (if that changes, I will update the post accordingly). I ordered a simple plate of cheese and pears and enjoyed it a lot.

There is a strange Italian saying that goes like this: al contadino non far sapere quanto è buono il formaggio con le pere (literally: don't let the peasant know how good cheese is with pears). The explanation I knew for this discriminatory information-withholding recommendation was that if the peasant finds out the delight of pairing cheese and pears, s/he would stop selling those products and keep them for personal consumption. Prompted by a comment by Anna Maria of Pia & Co., I did some research and found an interview with food historian Massimo Montanari, who reads the saying in terms of social divisions. Cheese, historically a peasant's and shepherd's food, in the Middle Ages gets socially promoted and is appreciated by the upper class. At the same time, the perishable pear becomes a luxury food, associated with the upper class and therefore the lower class should not be allowed to partake of it. So the saying exemplifies class divisions that, in time, social evolution has fortunately changed. In any case, the saying is widely known, also in the variant that uses cacio instead of formaggio: al contadino non far sapere quanto è buono il cacio con le pere.

I am convinced that peasants have known for a long time that cheese and pears are a marriage made in heaven, so this is un segreto di Pulcinella (an open secret). It is interesting to look at the words. Cacio comes from the Latin word caseus, meaning cheese, while formaggio is rooted in the word forma, meaning shape, a reference to the cheese that is shaped into a wheel (we say una forma di formaggio).

Il Pozzo di San Patrizio was my husband's favorite destination of the day. During lunch it started to rain and by the time we approached the entrance to the well, it was pouring. The end result was that it was quite dark inside (even though it was only 3 pm) and there were only a couple of tourists, so we had the place almost to ourselves. As we started the long descent (the well is 62 meters deep), a lightning stuck nearby and the thunder echoed in the well and made it shake. That scared a young woman ahead of us and thrilled my husband. Looking up from the arched openings (there are 70 of them) towards the sky, we could see rain pouring down. Once we reached the bottom, we crossed (the well has a diameter of 13 meters) and started on our ascent without retracing our steps, because the downward and upward stairwells are parallel and completely independent, so that people and mules going in opposite direction would not hinder each other. Built between 1527 and 1537, the well was a feat of engineering and it was meant to ensure a supply of water in case of siege.

To admire the golden-facaded cathedral and the elegant well, you really need to travel to Orvieto. To taste the wine you may be able to simply go to your favorite wine store. Easiest of all should be to taste some formaggio con le pere. Just make sure you get some freshly-cut, good quality cheese (pecorino or aged goat cheese are just two possible options) and some fresh pears at the right level of ripeness. Place the twain on a plate and enjoy placing a morsel of each in your mouth, possibly accompanied by some chilled Orvieto (but don't quote me on this, since I am the ultimate wine illiterate)¹. And don't worry about spreading this well-known secret far and wide, to both farming and non-farming listeners.

¹ As Carolina of Gastrolinguistica suggests in her comment, a touch of miele (honey) is a possible, delightful complement to formaggio con le pere.

This is my entry for Weekend Herb Blogging, the world-famous food blogging event started by Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen, hosted this week by the founder herself. Here's the roundup of WHB #111. And, please, note that next week I will have the high honor of hosting the event.

Hear me pronounce the words and expression on the formaggio con le pere audio file [mp3] or go to the formaggio con le pere audio page for more listening options.

Casa dolce casa

home sweet home
From where I write I don't see the piles of boxes that are scattered around the house, so I can forget that at some point I will need to deal with them and their content. Il giorno di Ognissanti (on All Saints' Day), we arrived at what is now our main residence in beautiful Humboldt County (we will still spend part of the time in the Bay Area and therefore keep a base there). The morning fog burned off to reveal a gorgeous day that made the movers' job easier. The hand-painted sign hanging on the front door shows the name we chose for the house, which is perched, like a little marine bird, over the ocean (no reference to the fish of the same name). The sign was my idea and having it was an important step to make the house our home. I am writing this paragraph thinking of fabdo of parole di cioccolato, who just recently found her casa dolce casa: congratulazioni!

At some point I gathered the courage and went to check how my little vegetable patch and herb garden had fared during my six-week long absence. Così così (so-so) was the final verdict. The herb garden has done much better than the vegetable patch, with the exception of una pianta di zucchine (one zucchini plant), which I found carrying three oversize specimens. They were a bit hidden underneath the broad leaves, so they probably went unnoticed until my arrival. In the photo you can see the biggest two sitting on our bench. I hauled my prize to the kitchen and made my husband and the movers laugh. Beyond laughing, what is one supposed to do with monster zucchini (zuccone, one would say, though this term usually refers to either a stubborn or a slow-witted person)? Stuff them, I said to myself. E così ho fatto (and that is what I did).

For no particular reason I decided that the stuffing must have roasted bell peppers and some other ingredients from a recipe I created a little while ago for involtini di peperoni (bell pepper rolls). This being a test, I decided to stuff only half of one zucchina, so the given quantities need to be adjusted depending on how many zucchine you have.

I placed a giant zucchina cut in half widthwise (otherwise it would not fit) into a pot of boiling water and cooked for five minutes, then drained and cut one piece in half lengthwise. In the meantime I prepared the stuffing by mixing in a bowl:

• 1 roasted bell pepper, diced
• 1 Japanese eggplant, diced and cooked with a clove of garlic, minced, for about 15 minutes in a frying pan sprayed with olive oil
• 4 halves of pecans, toasted and chopped finely
• 1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and drained
• 1 tablespoon currants, left for 15 minutes in a small cup with hot water, then drained
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh herbs: origano, menta, salvia 'hot lips' (oregano, mint, hot lips sage)
• 1 tablespoon minced prezzemolo (parsley)
• olive oil, salt and pepper to taste

With the help of a grapefruit (pompelmo) spoon I carved out the core of the zucchina and distributed the stuffing in the resulting space. The photo shows the 8" square pan I used to bake the zucchina before it went into the oven. After spraying some olive oil over it, I baked the dish at 375 F for 35 minutes, and served it immediately as a side dish to frittata with red beet greens. The baking time for regular-size zucchine will probably be less: I would check the dish after 25 minutes.

This is my entry for Weekend Herb Blogging, the world-famous food blogging event started by Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen, hosted this week by the founder herself. Here is the recap of WHB #107.

Hear me pronounce the words on the Casa dolce casa audio file [mp3] or go to the Casa dolce casa audio page for more listening options.

Cartolina da Palermo: Involtini di pesce spada

(Another) Postcard from Palermo: Swordfish rolls
During our recent visit to Palermo, one day we ate lunch at the historical Antica Focacceria San Francesco, which has been in existence since 1834. Customers pay for their meal, get their receipt, then fill their tray and finally sit at one of the old tables with marble top in the inviting dining room. The menu includes traditional Sicilian dishes, like the involtini di pesce spada that were part of our meal.

Swordfish is readily available at the historical fish market we had recently visited, La Vucciria. I noticed that all vendors there display the prized fish in the same way, with the body laid out so that it is easy for them to make slices (really thin ones are needed to make involtini) and the head raised, so that the sword points up, as if ready for a duel.

The filling for the involtini is made of pangrattato (bread crumbs) seasoned with (as far as I could tell) pinoli (pine nuts), uvetta (raisins), ubiquitous fresh prezzemolo (parsley), succo di limone (lemon juice), sale e pepe (salt and black pepper).

The filled involtini are lightly oiled and rolled into bread crumbs, then kept aligned with wooden skewers and placed in a baking pan. Foglie di alloro (bay laurel leaves) are inserted in between the rolls. The end result is a delicious dish of delicate flavor. Since we were quite early for Italian standards, we had to wait a few minutes for the involtini to be ready: our reward was eating them hot from the oven.

At the Focacceria you can taste traditional Sicilian street food, like panelle (fritters made with chickpea flour) and arancine or arancini (fried balls of rice, meat sauce and peas). Across the square from the Focacceria there is a gelateria where you can top off your meal with an espresso, or Sicilian gelato served in a brioche.

This is my entry for Weekend Herb Blogging, a food blogging event started by Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen, hosted this week by Susan, The Well-Seasoned Cook. Here is the roundup of WHB #105.

Hear me pronounce the words on the involtini di pesce spada audio file [mp3] or go to the involtini di pesce spada audio page for more listening options.

zucchine a modo mio

zucchini my way
In Italian, both zucchino (plural: zucchini) and zucchina (plural: zucchine) are used. I grew up calling this (now) beloved vegetable zucchine. Last spring I planted a few seedlings and during the summer I harvested some fruit, which was particularly satisfying. Zucchine are quite versatile: whether cooked simply or as part of a complex dish, they always shine.

My favorite way of preparing zucchine when I do not have a lot of time is the following. I spray a frying pan with olive oil, warm it up and add 2-3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced. After a couple of minutes I add a pound and a half of zucchine, sliced, sprinkle some freshly-ground black pepper, and mix well. I then cook over low heat until the zucchine are tender. After turning off the heat, I add a quarter cup of chopped fresh prezzemolo (parsley), a tablespoon of minced fresh maggiorana (marjoram, shown in the photo) and a pinch of salt, mix well and serve as a side dish. Marjoram, which has become one of my favorite herbs, gives a distinctive note to this simple recipe. Its fragrance is sensitive to heat and that is why I add it at the very end. If I have leftovers, a rare event, I use them as base for a frittata.

I knew that in Sicily zucchine could be big, but I was not quite prepared for what I saw the other day at the market in Palermo: specimens of the zucchina lunga (photo on the left) can be two or three feet long. I really wish I had access to a kitchen where I could try my favorite recipe on this Brobdingnagian representative of the vegetable kingdom.
The tender leaves of the zucchina lunga, called tenerumi, are also used as an ingredient in Sicilian dishes.

And let us not forget that fiori di zucca (zucchini blossoms) are also delicious, an additional virtue of zucchine, if we needed one.

This is my on-the-road entry for the two-year anniversary of Weekend Herb Blogging, the famous weekly event started by magic Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen. The festivities include an exciting name your favorite herb and vegetable election. Make sure you check the roundup: expect amazing food fireworks from around the world.

Hear me pronounce the words on the zucchine a modo mio audio file [mp3] or go to the zucchine a modo mio audio page for more listening options.