April 16, 2015 by chefpaulette

(The Inevitable) Sausage and Peppers

sausage and peppers. you know you love it.

It’s the quintessential Italian-American classic. Grilled, broiled, or pan-fried Italian sausages, with sautéed peppers and onions. The flavor (and the aroma) are exactly what it means to be Italian-American. It’s the “national” dish of the immigrants from Italy (especially Southern Italy) who made their home here in the “New” World.

For me, sausage and peppers originate on Mulberry Street during the San Gennaro Festival. The length of Mulberry Street is blocked to traffic. Arches of red and green lights shimmer over the pavement. Sidewalks are lined with overflowing food counters cooking and selling pizza, zeppole, cannoli, calzone, and sausage and peppers.

San Gennaro photo by Ed Yourdan via Creative Commons https://www.flickr.com/photos/yourdon/15402247580/in/set-72157648479562970

I think I must have been a teenager when I first pushed through those crowds. A group of us with a bottle of red wine in a brown paper bag in tow. Of course, I’ve been back many times throughout my NYC life, but in my later years it was actually a festival to avoid. Crowded. Touristy. The same ole, same ole.

San Gennaro photo by Ed Yourdan via Creative Commons https://www.flickr.com/photos/yourdon/15402247580/in/set-72157648479562970

But that doesn’t stop memories from glowing. And the sense-memory of downtown NYC air permeated with sizzling sausage, peppers and onions on a flattop–the ghost-taste of San Gennaro–gets me right into the kitchen to make some at home. An irresistible “gotta-have-it” urge.

When the urge strikes, I want this dish to cook fast. Here’s the fastest way I know how.

Slice 2-3 sweet peppers– red, green, orange, yellow, what you prefer. I think green has always been the standard, but I’m a fan of the other colors (green peppers have a lot more punch). And slice 2 medium onions. We’re looking for thin wedge-like slices.

cut up peppers & onions

Saute in a large saute pan with a little olive oil until softened. About 10-15 minutes. You don’t want it to cook forever because the peppers and onions will really start melting and attempt to disappear. Season with salt & pepper.

Meanwhile, get the oven to about 400 degrees. Poke 4-5 sausages in a few spots with a paring knife. Place them on a foil-lined sheet pan and roast until browned well on each side.

Sausages half-way browned

When they are cooked through, cut them in half with a diagonal cut. Add them to the already softened peppers and onions…

sautéed peppers and onions

Let the sausages hang out in there for about 5 minutes or so (as you sauté on medium heat) until everyone gets acquainted and the flavors decide to get married. Then you’re ready to indulge. Of course, on Mulberry Street they will pile this concoction on a big Italian hero roll. I take the trying-to-avoid-bread-so-I-can-still-fit-into-my-jeans route. And just eat this wonder on a dish. Up to you!

sausage and peppers without the roll

January 23, 2014 by chefpaulette

Got Eggplant? Here’s a very quick parmigiano!

eggplant

Okay I’ll admit it. I’m not a big fan of eggplant. (Please don’t boo so loudly.) I’m Italian-American and 3 quarters of my background is Sicilian and Sicilians love eggplant. But I’m not one of them.

However. There are times when an eggplant dish just hits the spot. I try hard to make that happen so that even I like eggplant.

Here’s one of those dishes/times.

It all came about because an eggplant in the refrigerator was going to turn from good to bad. I had to cook it quickly and didn’t want to take too much time doing it.

I sliced the eggplant thinly (peel and all). Placed the slices in one layer on a sheet pan (foil-lined), drizzled olive oil, sprinkled salt & pepper. Baked it till soft and a bit golden. (400 degrees, about 20 minutes)

sliced eggplant ready for the oven

I made a quick tomato sauce. Sautéed minced onion in olive oil and I had a few mushrooms, so I broke them into small pieces and added them to the sauté. (As well as a few minced sage leaves-happened to have some.)

onion & mushrooms

A splash of white wine, let it evaporate, then a 15-oz can of crushed toms.

crushed tomatoes

quick tomato sauce

In a casserole dish I spread some sauce. Layered the eggplant. Sprinkled some shredded mozzarella and some grated parmigiano, more sauce, and repeat. (I also happened to have some cooked broccoli rabe in the fridge, so I put that in! Totally optional.)

building the eggplant parm

eggplant w cheese

Bake for 25-30 minutes. It’s GOOD. This eggplant I like. Tastes rustic, earthy, old world. My kind of eggplant.

baked eggplant parmigiano

December 27, 2013 by chefpaulette

Why Seven Fishes?

Why not 8? Or 14? Or 3?

Turns out that the Christmas Eve tradition of a meal of seven fishes is mainly an Italian-American tradition, not an Italian one. It seems to be based on La Vigilia. The vigil on the eve of Christ’s birth. But the seafood part spins far from the religious part.

And why seven fishes? Conjecture imagines: 7 sacraments of Catholicism? 7 days for the creation of the world in the Genesis story? The 7 hills of Rome?

Maybe it doesn’t matter. I’m happy to have a meal of seven fishes. What a lovely culinary tradition. Ordinarily the star of the show is baccala…the salt-cured cod that takes a few days to rinse and drain of its salt and make into the tender cod that we love. In Nashville, I don’t come across baccala at all. So my Christmas Eve dinner was without it.

Still, when I was growing up, Christmas Eve dinner was the domain of my mom. Relatives all came to our house for the feast. We didn’t have baccala either, but went for the shellfish instead: Shrimp, clams, scungilli, squid, lobster, and crab.

This year the night was all mine (with sous chef help from my friend, Donna). My mom came as a guest and I think she was happy to be just that. I took over the kitchen.

I decided 5 fish would be enough and didn’t let myself feel the pressure of the “seven.” Am I missing some of the sacred glow? Perhaps. But I was willing to risk it!

The menu:

Lump Crabmeat Salad

Fried Calamari

Spaghetti alle Vongole

Shrimp Scampi

Tilapia alla Francese

…plus 2 vegetables & lots of dessert items…

But back to the fish.

Here’s the appetizer of Crabmeat Salad & Fried Calamari…

Crabmeat Cocktail & Fried Calamari

This course has Mario Batali written all over it. I tweeted him a question about what to put in the crabmeat cocktail. He answered: lime, fennel, cilantro & celery. I went for some of what he suggested and added to the crab: lime juice, celery, celery leaves, parsley, a bit of olive oil and some salt. For the calamari I went to Batali again. After cleaning and cutting the squid into “rubber bands & spiders” (my sister’s dubbing), I simply tossed them in cornstarch and shook loose the excess then fried squid pieces in 2 inches of hot olive oil. Lifted them out in 2 minutes or so, then sprinkled some salt. These 2 mini-dishes were the perfect complement to each other.

On to Spaghetti & Clams…

Spaghetti alle Vongole

Here’s another easy one: Boil 1 lb. spaghetti in abundant salty water. In another large pot saute 5-6 sliced garlic cloves in about 4-5 tablespoons of olive oil. When starting to color add a handful of chopped parsley. When simmering add about a cup and half of dry white wine. Season with salt and pepper and hot pepper flakes. Let simmer. Then add 3 dozen scrubbed little neck or manila clams. Cover. When pasta is al dente, reserve a cup of cooking water. Drain pasta. When clams have opened add drained spaghetti. Toss. Add more olive oil and some pasta water. Add a few handfuls of toasted breadcrumbs (how to make breadcrumbs: in a medium skillet, heat a few tablespoons of olive oil, add about a cup of crumbs & a garlic clove and saute until crumbs are toasty brown, season with salt & pepper. Use these at table, too, to sprinkle on servings of pasta.)

Third course: Shrimp Scampi & Tilapia Francese…

Shrimp Scampi

For the Shrimp. Line a sheet pan with foil. Drizzle lightly with olive oil. Lay out the peeled, deveined shrimp (I used 2 lbs. large shrimp). Sprinkle shrimp with salt & pepper. Sprinkle with 3-4 cloves coarsely minced garlic. Sprinkle with breadcrumb to cover lightly. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Drizzle with olive oil. Cook in 400-degree oven for about 10 minutes until shrimp are opaque and breadcrumbs toasty. Serve with lemon wedges.

Final fish: Tilapia Francese…

Tilapia Francese

What makes this “francese” or “French-style” is the method. We dip pieces of tilapia in seasoned flour and then in a beaten egg. Saute in hot olive oil. The egg coating gives a lacy, lovely effect. I served this on a bed of dressed baby arugula.

5 of the 7 fishes. Plenty for us!

P with the Peas

August 13, 2013 by chefpaulette

You say rapini. I say broccoli rabe.

I wonder why the bitter taste is an Italian favorite. I’m Italian-American and I seem to have the gene: Campari and broccoli rabe are my two bitter favorites.

Sometimes when I open a new bunch of broccoli rabe I can smell the bitterness sailing up from the bunch without even sniffing close. I can open the refrigerator and if there’s a bunch of broccoli rabe in there and I can smell it. And even though most times I’m buying Andy Boy brand, not every bunch is so strong. It’s hard to know what makes the difference from bunch to bunch: sun, rain, soil, month?

The little bud-like clusters are the best parts. I like to include some of the thick stem pieces, too. I cut it all into a little larger than bite-sized pieces, leaving out the really thick stems. (I cut those off from the entire bunch before removing the twist tie.) It’s very easy to make and I’ve adjusted my cooking style for broccoli rabe over the years.

I used to get a saucepan boiling with water and plunge it in. Let it cook until almost tender. Then drain, and saute in a skillet with olive oil, thinly sliced garlic, and red pepper flakes until cooked through and tender/al dente to the bite.

Now I just use a large skillet with a little water in it (about a 1/4-1/2 inch). Get that boiling. Then add the broccolie rabe and cook to tenderish. By then most of the water has evaporated. Then I add some olive oil and the garlic and pepper flakes and season. It skips a step and comes out more delicious!

Eat it straight. Or add it to pasta. Stays nice leftover, too.

Chef Paulette

A little bit of Italy at home.

Italian-American

(The Inevitable) Sausage and Peppers

Got Eggplant? Here’s a very quick parmigiano!

Why Seven Fishes?

You say rapini. I say broccoli rabe.

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