Category: Recipes

Salmon Carpaccio and a Visit Home

, Valentina Rice

 

I’m worried I’ve developed culinary OCD. I’m spending a few days in London visiting my family before my annual pilgrimage to Italy and I realized that I had mapped out every meal before even arriving. It turns out I have a gastronomic check list for every city I’ve been to more than once.

 

First there’s the obligatory Chinese meal; Chinese food in England is to Chinese food what Tex Mex is to Mexican; delicious but not exactly authentic. Then there’s a curry from Brick Lane in East London, Bangers and Mash and a drink at The Holly Bush (a beautiful old pub in the backstreets of Hampstead) as well as various other unhealthy ‘musts’ giving me no chance to try anything new.

 

 

Between meals, I’ve been helping my father clear out his cupboards and taken a nostalgic trip down memory lane including some spectacularly bad but ambitious childhood art projects. There’s something very comforting about spending time in the house where you grew up, where every creak is familiar – I still know which floorboards to avoid when coming home too late and passing my father’s bedroom door. The breakfast room with its crazy William Morris wallpaper is my favorite room where my place at the head of the table is still left empty even though I haven’t lived here for 15 years.

 

 

Next on to my mother’s house where there’s always something cooking on the stove and a fridge full of delicious leftovers. My first meal there is always her famous Salmon Carpaccio. I love this dish so much that I find myself scarfing down my third helpings as I look up to watch everyone else demurely finishing their first. It’s a wonderful starter for a dinner party as it can be prepared the day before and just brought to room temperature before serving.

 

 

So here’s the much coveted recipe for Salmon Carpaccio.

 

Salmon Carpaccio

Serves 6-8 people as an appetizer

 

Ingredients

2lbs of thinly sliced raw sushi grade salmon (ask your fishmonger to cut it for you)

1 cup of washed dill

½ cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 ¼ cup of olive oil

1 ½ teaspoon of salt

2 ½ teaspoon of pink peppercorns (if you can find these soaked in brine, they are the best)

 

Method

1. Mix the salt and lemon juice together in a bowl and beat in the olive oil.

2. Bash the peppercorns in some foil with a rolling pin.

3. In a large bowl put a spoonful of the dressing, layer over some salmon and then sprinkle some dill and a few crushed peppercorns.

4. Continue layering as above until you’ve used up all the salmon.

5. Serve with toasted French bread.

 

Brooklyn Wok Shop’s Spicy Wontons

, Valentina Rice

 

Spicy Wontons

Ingredients

1 pkg wonton wrappers

1 lb Ground pork

1/2 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined

4 scallions, thinly sliced

1 Egg

3 Tbs Soy Sauce

1 1/2 tsp kosher salt

3/4 tsp white pepper

Chili oil for dipping (nothing beats Brooklyn Wok Shop Chili Oil)

 

Method

1. Take the shrimp and pulse in a food processor so the shrimp are coarsely chopped.

2. In a medium bowl, add shrimp, ground pork, scallions, soy sauce, salt, white pepper, and eggs and mix well.

3. Dampen the edges of the wonton wrappers and put about a 2 teaspoons of filling in each wrapper.

4. Bring the corners together forming a small satchel and press at the top to seal. (If you like you can find different ways to fold wontons on youtube).

5. Cook in boiling water for 6-8 minutes till cooked.

6. Dress with Brooklyn Wok Shop Chili Oil

*Note: You can make extra and freeze them separately on a tray. When they’re frozen you can put them in a zip top bag. To cook put frozen wontons in boiling water and add 2-3 minutes to the cooking time.

Sting Came Back For Seconds

, Valentina Rice

 

Sting Came Back For Seconds. These are the words I want printed on a T- Shirt (and possibly my grave). Due to a bizarre set of circumstances last fall, I found myself cooking for Sting (yes, THAT Sting!). My friends were hosting a dinner party but were stuck in traffic coming back from a wedding in Baltimore and called to see if I could help which I was only too happy to do.

 

With no time to spare, I decided we should go with some very easy starters; a platter of mozzarella and tomatoes as well as one of Bresaola and Fennel. Then, I decided on a classic pasta that always goes down well; orecchiette with homemade pesto, green beans and ricotta. As a side note, it has always astounded me that I have never been able to find a good pesto in the city. How is this possible when all the ingredients are so readily available and can be whizzed up in a blender in no time at all. Budding artisans take note!

 

 

While my friends’ was one of the most beautiful of New York apartments, it was pretty clear no one had ever cooked a meal in it. So with 15 minutes to go before guests arrived, my friend and I found ourselves raiding their neighbor’s apartment, prying open shelves, digging through the pantry, and basically grabbing anything we could get our hands on. Everything from plates to chairs to pots and pans was pilfered and later returned (I hope). My accomplice then busied herself tidying while I started slicing the tomatoes and finding a pot big enough to boil pasta for 12 people. We were still running around when suddenly, out of nowhere, Sting appeared in the kitchen. He came right over and kissed me on the cheek and introduced himself. The furthest thing from a cool New Yorker, I tried desperately to remain calm and chat casually while slicing tomatoes. In reality, I was terrified that I would slice off a finger or that he would somehow inherently know that I had a poster of him on my wall throughout my teenage years.

 

 

Before I knew it though, with all my digits intact, the other guests had arrived and everyone was eating, chatting and having a wonderful evening thanks to the relaxed charm of our hosts. I have always believed that you can put on a dinner with minimal effort and time if you just have a few good ingredients. To paraphrase another of my heroes, Nigel Slater, the focus of a dinner should not be on the food but the people. The key to a successful evening is to stick a big vat of something delicious and unpretentious in the middle of a table and let everyone dig in. Serve plates that are impressively complicated culinary works of art and all anyone will be thinking is “how can I possibly have these people over to dinner and top this?”

 

 

I think Nigel would have been proud as large bowls of pasta were passed around the table never deterring from the chatter. But of course MY proudest moment was when Sting took a break from talking to a glamorous playwright to get up and serve himself a second bowl and declared the pasta delicious! So here’s a recipe for orecchiette with pesto, green beans and ricotta – if it’s good enough for Sting…

 

Orecchiette with Pesto and Green Beans

Serves 4 (as a starter)

Ingredients
1lb of Orecchiette

¼ green beans (trimmed)

1 tablespoon ricotta

2 cups of fresh basil leaves

½ cup of extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons of pine nuts

1 clove of garlic (peeled and lightly crushed)

½ teaspoon of salt

¼ cup of grated pecorino

½ cup of grated parmesan

2 tablespoons of butter (softened)

 

Method

1. Put a large pot of salted water on to boil.

2. Blend the basil, pine nuts, oil, garlic and salt in a blender until smooth.

3. Transfer to a bowl and fold in the 2 cheeses and butter.

4. Add the orecchiette to the boiling water.

5. 5 minutes before the pasta is ready, add the green beans to the water.

6. Remove a cup of water from the pasta before draining.

7. Drain the pasta and beans and return to the pan.

8. Add the pesto and the ricotta and mix well.

9. You may need to add some of the reserved water if it feels to dry and bring to the table to rehydrate for seconds (if there are any!)

The Maine Event

, Valentina Rice

 

I was fortunate enough to escape the city and head North during this last heat wave. There’s something thrilling about trading the searing blacktop of NYC for the coastal breezes of Maine that just makes one feel decadent. The destination: Ogunquit, a small town in York County whose name translates to “beautiful place by the sea.” The name couldn’t be more fitting.

 

This is our second year in a row at this coastal retreat. Last year my husband and I attended a wedding and were utterly charmed by the town’s landscaped beauty, delectable food and white sandy beaches. From the picturesque inns to the many great established and emerging restaurants, the town is a delight for those seeking a peaceful and relaxing trip to the beach.

 

For those of you visiting for the first time, this is a true lobster town. Fishermen have been catching this delicacy since the 1600’s. It used to be so profuse that it was written into servant contracts that they could not be served lobster more than twice a week. Considered a poor man’s food, lobster didn’t always hold the place in our hearts it does now.

 

To find out more about the town and the lobster industry, take a cruise aboard the Finestkind, one of the many local ships. You’ll head out of Perkins Cove past fisherman bringing in their daily catch. Then you’ll head along the coast past a sea of buoys (each marked by its own signature color and each used to mark the presence of a lobster trap). If you have Pat Weare as a guide, you’ll certainly be in for a treat! My husband and I were fortunate enough to stay with the Weares this last trip and thanks to our friends, George and Taliesin, we were given the insider scoop on the ins and outs of Ogunquit. (Pictured below are the path to the beach and the beginning of Marginal Way- a 1 1/4 mile sojourn that takes vacationers on a picturesque walk to Perkins Cove)

 

 

(Below- on the right) Pat demonstrates how to differentiate between a male and a female lobster (both delicious by the way). Males have thick, hard swimmerets while females have softer and thinner ones.

 

 

As we were wrapping up our weekend, we were thoroughly spoiled with a full Lobster dinner by none other than one of the local lobster fishermen- Mike Weare. It doesn’t get fresher than this. He was up in the wee hours of the morning hauling in our dinner. As we greeted him after a relaxing day at the beach, he showed us a refrigerator full of lobsters. At dinner we learned the best way to crack these guys ourselves- from twisting off the tail, deveining it and savoring the favored meat to sucking the tender morsels from the legs. After we finished our first lobster we were even offered seconds!

 

 

For those of you not staying with a lobster fisherman- there is no lack of this local specialty to dine on. A trip to Maine really wouldn’t be complete without it. For a lobster pizza- check out Cornerstone, which makes delicious stone oven pizza. For a lobster tail check out Front Porch, and don’t miss the show upstairs. You may even be able to get some lobster tacos at Banditos the local Mexican joint (this may be a stretch- but they certainly have a great margarita :). The possibilities are endless but eating some lobster is mandatory.

Bunches & Bunches Ltd. – RED Chicken Tacos

, Valentina Rice

 

Bunches & Bunches Ltd. – RED Chicken Tacos

Serves 4-6 generously

Ingredients

1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken (breast and or thigh)

1 jar Bunches & Bunches Red Mole

1 bunch fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

1 lime

queso fresco (cotija or sharp cheddar)

tortillas (corn or flour)

salsa fresca or chefs choice

guacamole

black beans

sliced radishes

 

Method

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2. Cut chicken 4-6 like size pieces and season with salt and pepper.

3. In a large sauce pot or Dutch oven brown both sides of chicken.

4. Add Mole and coat all the chicken. Bring the sauce to a boil, cover and place in oven for 40-50 minutes until tender to the fork.

5. Serve with crumbled queso fresco, chopped cilantro, lime wedges, tortillas, black beans, salsa fresca, guacamole and sliced radishes. Enjoy!

Garden Fresh Bruschetta

, Valentina Rice

 

 

My whole life I was led to believe that you could only get good tomatoes in Italy so I studiously avoided them anywhere else. To be fair, English tomatoes in the 70’s were notoriously bad. I can’t remember who first broke the spell and introduced me to my first home grown American tomato but I now can’t wait until they start turning up in farmer’s markets every summer and I can honestly say that they are better than any I’ve ever had in Italy. Top of the list of the best tomatoes I’ve EVER tasted are grown by Sam Butler in his Connecticut garden.

 

 

He gets them from Maple Bank Farm in Roxbury, CT where they have been partially raised in a greenhouse.  I’m lucky enough to visit for a weekend every Summer and even able to take a couple of these wonderfully named ‘Big Boys’ home with me.

 

 

My only contribution is to make Bruschetta for the Butler family, which as you can see below is ridiculously easy so I’m definitely getting the better end of the deal.

 

 

Bruschetta

Ingredients

Good white bread

Garlic

Tomatoes, in season and sun ripened is the best

Olive oil

Salt

 

Method

1. Toast the bread slices and rub with a little raw garlic.

2. Cover with chopped tomatoes and drizzle with olive oil.

3. Sprinkle a little salt and some basil and then eat!

Eggplant Parmesan

, Valentina Rice

 

Melanzane alla Parmigiana (Eggplant Parmesan)

 

Over the last couple of years I feel like I’ve tried every jarred tomato sauce on the market and have always been disappointed. Too sweet, too thin, too bitter – never right, I felt like Goldilocks. It had got to the point where I had considered creating our own until I received an email a couple of weeks ago from Melissa Vitelli of Jar Goods. She asked if she could send me a sample of her Classic Red and ever hopeful, I said yes but was not overly optimistic given my experiences. It was perfection! Just the right amount of sweetness and bursting with flavor and richness. The first night I tossed it with Spaghetti and the second night, I added some cream, vodka and chili for the perfect Penne alla Vodka. My search was over and I’m over the moon to be selling it on Many Kitchens.

 

I got to meet Melissa and her sister-in-law Laura this week and hear the origins of their Classic Red. Laura’s father has been simmering this sauce for 50 years and agreed to pass on the family’s secret recipe. It seems that Laura too had been frustrated by the lack of a decent sauce on the market and I’m grateful that she has filled that hole.

 

The sauce is by no means limited to pasta sauces but can be used as a base in anything from Chicken Cacciatore to Pizza. This weekend I used it while making Melanzane alla Parmigiana (adapted from Marcella Hazan’s The Classic Italian Cook Book) and not only did it cut down my cooking time by half but it was also the best one I have ever made.

 

Melanzane all Parmigiana

Serves 4 people

Ingredients

3 medium eggplant

1 jar of tomato sauce (Classic Red)

1 mozzarella, grated

¼ cup of grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Vegetable oil

Salt

 

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Peel the eggplant and slice lengthways (about ¼ inch thick)

3. Make a layer of eggplant in a colander standing over a bowl.

4. Salt generously and continue layering and salting until all the eggplant is used.

5. Leave for at least 30 minutes and then dry the slices with paper towels.

6. In a large skillet, pour enough oil to fully cover the pan and turn the heat to high.

7. When the oil is sizzling, add the eggplant with tongs and be careful not to get splattered as it spits. Do not overcrowd the pan.

8. Fry on both sides until golden brown and repeat until all the eggplant is used.

9. Transfer the eggplant to a platter lined with paper towels and cover with more paper towels to remove the excess oil.

10. In an oven proof dish, make a layer of eggplant.

11. Cover the eggplant with a few spoonfuls of Classic Red and smooth over with the back of a spoon.

12. Cover the sauce with grated mozzarella and sprinkle some Parmesan.

13. Repeat these layers – the top layer should be just eggplant and Parmesan.

14. Bake for 30 minutes and let rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.

 

A Visit to Portland, OR

, Valentina Rice

 

 

Portland is a green city- both in its verdant paths as well as its eco-friendly outlook. Known as the “city of roses,” this spring was a wonderful time to visit this west coast gem and explore some of its much-loved attractions. As a family, we met to celebrate my brother’s recent engagement and get four generations under one roof. The meals were delicious from grilled Cornish game hen and wild caught salmon to Chicken Marbella (a dish from the Silver Palate Cookbook that I am sure to make for my next dinner party) but the scenery was not to be missed!

 

Between outdoor barbecues in gardens that made me seriously contemplate moving, we jetted around the city to see some of the sights. Now, if you are new to the city, you should be made aware of their slogan: “Keep Portland Weird.” Portland is a city with great food, natural beauty and freaks galore. They revel in their oddity and are known for an annual naked bike ride, outrageous donuts courtesy of Voodoo Donuts (which we of course visited) and a sense of fashion that is distinctly Northwest. Because of all this, Portland will never fail to leave an impression. You can check out their bevy of food carts, indulge in the delectable seafood and hike through their numerous trails but never forget to waive your freak flag and cut loose in this distinct and vibrant city. My only regret was that the time flew by and before I knew it, I was braving these spring storms on another cross-country flight.  

 

If you are planning a trip to Portland, below are some of the sights to hit.

 

Rigatoni with Sausage Sauce

, Valentina Rice

 

It’s raining outside, AGAIN! We keep getting glimpses of summer and then another monsoon seems to hit New York. I should be writing about light salads and summer cocktails but my stomach (where my brain generally resides) seems to be stuck on hearty pastas. For those who know me, there’s nothing very new about that.

 

Of all the pasta sauces that I make, this is the one that is most requested and my go to recipe when feeding a large group of people. The recipe comes from the original River Café cookbook and has two versions made by a husband and wife respectively. I could never figure out which one I preferred so I merged the two together and have been making it for so long that I don’t think it resembles either one anymore. The amounts below are just a guideline as you can’t really go wrong. As with so many meat sauces, the longer you cook it, the better it gets. As I write this, the pot on my stove has been slowly simmering away for the last 4 hours and I’ve barely checked on it.

 

Rigatoni with Sausage Sauce

Serves 8

Ingredients

2 lbs. of Rigatoni

1 large onion finely chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

8 sausages removed from their casing (5 sweet and 3 hot – this can be switched if you prefer it spicier)

1 cup red wine

2 (28 oz. cans) of whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes

½ cup of heavy cream

½ cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese

 

Method

1. Sweat the onions and rosemary in a heavy cast iron Dutch oven on medium heat until translucent for about 10 minutes.

2. Add the sausages and mix well with the onions. I use a potato masher to break up the sausages.

3. Cook until the sausages are no longer raw – about 5 minutes.

4. Add the wine and cook for another 5 minutes until most of the wine has evaporated.

5. Add the cans of tomatoes and again, use the masher to break up the tomatoes.

6. Reduce to a simmer and let it bubble slowly away for a minimum of 3 hours.

7. Fill a large pot with water and salt generously.

8. Cook pasta as per instructions on the box and then drain.

9. Add the drained pasta to the sauce and then add the cream and cheese and stir well over low heat for a couple of minutes.

10. Serve with extra grated parmesan cheese.

I like to add a handful of (defrosted) frozen peas to the sauce but have recently discovered some real pea haters out there so have left out for their benefit.

 

Fennel Salad with Bresaola

, Valentina Rice

 

I adapted this recipe years ago from a River Café cookbook and have been serving it regularly as a starter ever since. I either have it on a platter along with other antipasti or if trying to be a bit more formal, plate it before serving. Somehow the nuttiness of the parmesan, the freshness of the fennel and the earthiness of the bresaola, make for a perfect combination. If you don’t like the strong aniseed flavor of fennel, give this a chance. By marinating the fennel, it mellows the flavor completely.


Fennel Salad with Bresaola 

Ingredients

1 teaspoon of Maldon salt

1 fennel bulb 2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
12 slices of bresaola
Parmesan


Method 

1. Dissolve the salt in lemon juice and then whisk in the olive oil.
2. Thinly slice the fennel, having removed both ends. I use a mandolin to get extra.
3. Marinate the fennel in the olive oil lemon dressing and let rest for at least 30 minutes.
4. Pour the mixture over a layer of overlapping slices of bresaola.
5. Top with shaved Parmesan.