I had multiple reasons to pursue an investigation into Fried Zucchini Blossoms. In Italy, beautiful displays of the blossoms are common in summer markets, and it is impossible not to be drawn to them. Then there is tasting them, it is a shock how good they are – delicate for sure, but distinct. It...
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Count me among the millions that wanted to recapture the beauty of Amalfi back home. Including that slice of Amalfi — Torta Caprese (pun intended). A chocolate dessert that just seemed to have just a little bit more flare to it. Made with lots of chocolate and almonds, and usually no flour, it has...
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One measure of a true southerner is how they want their peaches prepared — simply. They are very aware that a good peach needs little more than a bit of sugar. This includes baked peaches. No additional flavors are required. This peach galette fits these requirements. A little bit of crust, sweeten the peaches,...
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Chanterelle mushrooms can produce an elegant dish. My Salmon Scallops with Chanterelle Sorrel Sauce is such a dish. I created the dish as a variation of one of my favorite dishes — a famous dish with a Michelin three-star heritage. Chanterelles have almost acidic, almost tangy, almost alcohol taste. Sure I love them on...
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Driven to a large degree by the desire to use the best local and seasonal ingredients, Italian cooking is highly regional. I have no doubt that if chanterelles mushrooms were widely available in Italy, Chanterelle Risotto would be a famous dish. These mushrooms are widely found in the wild in the Eastern part of...
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Not every meatball recipe requires tomatoes. In this preparation, a lemon white wine sauce provides the acidic accent instead. It seems a perfect fit for sunny day. Notes on Ingredients Made by combining Lemon with veal, pork, or a combination of the two and finished with a white wine reduction this lighter approach to...
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Venetian Cicchetti meatballs are the bar snack version of meatballs. These Cicchetti (nibbles or snacks) meatballs are smaller and fried, made to snack on while sipping a refreshing glass of wine. Or can be used as a main course for a lighter meal as pictured above with roasted young carrots. Exploration of this sub-topic...
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Quite a few passionate Italian cooks will get indignant about the mention of spaghetti and meatballs. They insist that is not how meatballs (Polpettes) should be served. So what makes meatballs authentic Italian meatballs? In this recipe, Italian Meatballs in Tomato Sauce, the meatballs are cooked in the tomato sauce. Following the Italian line...
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One of the advantages of purchasing from a market is that the produce found is usually younger, more tender, and of course fresher. Those qualities lead to this simple recipe for sautéed beet greens that focuses on one simple great ingredient that could easily be discarded. The beet greens are very tinder and their...
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If you are lucky enough to get an early spring Vidalia onion complete with greens, that is what you are going to use for this dish. If the greens are not available, a small to medium Vidalia onion will do. This Vidalia onion lemon chicken recipe also uses spring market vegetable stock that hopefully,...
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