lunaticsinge.com - Italian Cuisine Poultry & Meats

Lamb Stew with Olives - (serves 6 or more)

Ingredients:

3 1/2 lbs boneless lamb shoulder or leg

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

7 cloves garlic, crushed & peeled

1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes, or to taste

2 tablespoons rosemary leaves, stripped from stem

1 cup white wine

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 1/2 cups brine-cured Italian olives or oil-cured black Italian olives, crushed & pitted

1. Trim the exterior fat from the lamb shoulder or leg, and cut the meat into 2-inch pieces, removing fat and bits of cartilage as you find them. Pat the pieces dry with paper towels, and season all over with half the salt.

2. Pour the olive oil into a Dutch oven, and set it over medium heat. Scatter in the crushed garlic cloves and red pepper flakes. When the garlic is sizzling, lay in all the lamb pieces in one layer, scatter the rosemary on top, and season with the remaining salt. When the meat starts to sizzle, cover the pan, lower the heat, and let cook gently, browning slowly and releasing its fat and juices, about 10 minutes. Uncover the pan, turn the pieces, and move them around the pan to cook evenly; then cover, and cook for another 10 minutes. Turn again, and continue cooking, covered, for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the lamb is nicely browned all over and the pan juices have thickened and caramelized. Pour off extra fat from the pan.

3. Stir the wine and vinegar together, and pour them into the skillet, swirling them with the pan juices. Bring the liquids to a boil, and cook them down quickly to form a syrupy sauce. Drop the olives into the pan, all around the lamb chunks, then cover, and adjust the heat so the liquid maintains a bubbling simmer. Cook for another 10 minutes or so, which will concentrate the juices and marry the flavors. Cook uncovered for a few final minutes, tumbling the meat and olives in the pan, coating them with the sauce.

4. Serve right from the skillet, or heap the meat chunks on a platter or in a shallow serving bowl. Spoon out any sauce and olives left in the pan, and drizzle over the lamb.

Sausage and Peppers - (serves 8)

Ingredients:

1 lb. white, shiitake, or crimini mushrooms, or a mix of them

16 links sweet Italian sausages, with or without fennel seeds

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, or as needed

8 cloves garlic, peeled

3 large yellow onions, cut into 1-inch wedges

6 pickled cherry peppers, stemmed & seeded, but left whole

2 mediums yellow and 2 medium red bell peppers, cored & seeded, cut into 1-inch strips

1. Prepare the Mushrooms: Trim the stems from the shiitakes, i using. Trim the stems from the white and crimini mushrooms if you like. Cut any mushrooms with caps larger than 2 inches in half; leave smaller mushrooms whole.

2. Poke the sausages all over with a fork. Divide 1/4 cup olive oil between two large, heavy skillets, and heat them over medium heat.

3. Divide the sausages between the skillets, and cook, turning occasionally, until the sausages are well browned on all sides. In the meantime whack the garlic with the flat side of a knife and toss half the cloves into each skillet. Transfer the browned sausages and garlic to a baking dish, leaving the fat behind.

4. Preheat he oven to 400 degrees F.

5. Scatter the onions and cherry peppers over the fat in one of the skillets, and the mushrooms over the fat in the other. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are browned and wilted , but still quite crunchy, about 8 minutes. Cook the mushrooms until they have absorbed the fat in the skillet and have begun to brown, about 6 minutes.

6. Slide the mushrooms into the baking dish. Spoon the onions into the baking dish, leaving behind some of the fat in the skillet. Add more oil if needed. Add the bell peppers to the skillet, and cook, tossing frequently, just until wilted, but still quite crunchy, about 6 minutes. Slide the peppers into the baking dish, toss all the ingredients together well, and place in the oven.

7. Bake, uncovered, tossing occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, but still firm and no trace of pink remains in the sausages, about 25 minutes. Serve hot.

Chicken Cacciatore - (serves 6)

Ingredients:

Chicken thighs & drumsticks pieces (2 1/2lbs of each)

Salt & ground black pepper, to taste

All-purpose flour, for dredging

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 small yellow onion, cut into 1-inch cubes

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 (28 oz.) can Italian plum tomatoes, with liquid & crushed

1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled

2 cups white or shiitake mushrooms, sliced

1 red and 1 yellow bell pepper, cored & seeded, cut into 1/2 inch strips

1. Season the chicken pieces generously with salt and pepper. Dredge the pieces in flour, coating them lightly and tapping off excess flour.

2. Heat the vegetable oil in a wide braising pan with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, When the oil is hot, add as many pieces of chicken to the pan as will fit without touching (cook in batches). Remove the chicken pieces from the skillet as they brown, adding some of the remaining pieces of chicken to take their place.. After browning all the chicken and removing it from the skillet, add the onion to the fat remaining in the pan and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes.

3. Pour the wine into the pan, bring to a boil and cook until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and oregano, season lightly with salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Tuck the chicken into the sauce, adjust the heat to a gentle boil, and cover the pan. Cook, stirring a few times, for 20 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and peppers, and toss until the peppers are wilted, but still quite crunchy, about 8 minutes. Season the vegetables with salt.

5. Add the peppers and mushrooms to the chicken pan. Cook, covered, until the chicken and vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.

6. Check the level of liquid as it cooks; there should be enough liquid to barely cover the chicken. If necessary, add small amount of water to maintain the level of liquid as the chicken cooks. Serve the chicken pieces nestled between the vegetables on a platter.

Chicken Parmigiana, New Style - (serves 4)

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts (1 1/2 lbs)

Salt & ground black pepper, to taste

All-purpose flour, for dredging

3/4 cup fine dry plain breadcrumbs

2 large eggs

1 cup vegetable oil, or as needed

3 ripe plum tomatoes, cored & thinly sliced

6 oz. mozzarella or Italian Fontina cheese, sliced thin

Sauce Ingredients:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, more for drizzling

6 cloves garlic, peeled

8 ripe tomatoes, or 12 ripe plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, & chopped

1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, shredded

1. Cut off any fat, bone, and gristle remaining on the chicken thighs. Place two thighs between two sheets of plastic wrap. Pound them lightly with the toothed side of a meat mallet to a more or less even thickness.

2. Season the chicken thighs lightly with salt ad pepper. Spread out the flour and breadcrumbs on two separate plates. Beat the eggs in a wide, shallow bowl until thoroughly blended. Dredge the chicken in the flour to coat lightly, and tap off excess flour. Dip the floured thighs in the beaten egg, and hold them over the bowl to let the excess egg drip back into the bowl. Transfer the chicken one piece at a time, to the plate of breadcrumbs, patting gently and making sure that each thigh is well coated.

3. Heat the vegetable oil in a wide, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add as many of the chicken pieces as fit without touching. Fry, turning once, until golden on both sides and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Remove to a baking sheet lined with paper towels, and drain well.

4. Remove the paper towels from the baking sheet. Top each chicken thigh with overlapping slices of tomato, dividing the tomatoes evenly. Drape the sliced cheese over the tomatoes to cover the chicken completely.

5. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

6. Prepare the sauce: Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a wide non-reactive skillet. Whack the garlic cloves with the side of a knife, and drop them in the oil. Cook, shaking the pan, until golden brown, about 2 minutes.

7. Carefully slide the chopped tomatoes into the skillet, season lightly with salt and pepper, and cook until lightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, and set aside.

8. Bake the chicken until the cheese is lightly browned, about 10 minutes. While the chicken is baking, reheat the tomato sauce to keep it simmering, stir in the basil, and taste, season with salt and pepper if necessary. Spoon the sauce onto a heated platter or plates, and place the baked chicken over the sauce. Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the sauce, and serve immediately.

Meatloaf with Ricotta - (serves 8 or more)

Ingredients:

1 cup milk

3 cups day-old bead cubes from loaf of country bread

3 lbs ground beef

3 large eggs, beaten with a pinch of salt

1 lb. drained fresh ricotta (2 cups), plus more for the sauce, if desired

1 bunch scallions, finely chopped

1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1/4 cup Italian parsley, chopped

1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1 tablespoon kosher salt

Ground black pepper, to taste

1/2 lb. mozzarella, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (2 cups)

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

4 to 5 cups tomato sauce

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Pour the milk over the bread cubes in a bowl, and let soak for a few minutes, until the bread is saturated. Squeeze the soft bread a handful at a time, pressing out as much milk as you can (discard the milk). Tear the bread into small shreds, and toss back into the empty bowl.

3. Crumble the ground beef into the bowl, and add the eggs, ricotta, scallions, grated cheese, parsley, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Fold and toss everything together, and squeeze between your fingers to distribute all the ingredients evenly. Scatter the mozzarella cubes on top, and fold and mush them throughout the loaf mix.

4. Brush the roasting pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Gather the meat mixture in the bowl, turn it into a fat oval loaf the shape of a loaf of country bread. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Cover the pan with foil - tent it so it doesn't touch the meat - and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil, and continue to bake until the meatloaf is browned all over and completely cooked through, another 1 1/2 hours or so. Remove the loaf from the oven, and let it rest for about 10 minutes.

5. Heat the tomato sauce to a simmer in a saucepan while the meat rests. Turn off the heat, and, if you like, stir in 1/2 cup or so fresh ricotta into the sauce. Cut the loaf crosswise in the pan or on a cutting board, into slices as thick as you like.

6. Serve on warm dinner plates, topped with a spoonful or two of sauce, and pass more sauce at the table. For family-style serving, arrange the slices on a warm platter, topped with some of the sauce.

Scaloppine Saltimbocca, Roman Style with Sautéed Spinach - (serves 4)

Sautéed Spinach Ingredients:

1 lb. loose spinach or one 10 oz. cellophane package spinach

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic, peeled

Salt & ground black pepper, to taste

Scaloppine Ingredients:

Salt & ground black pepper, to taste

8 (3 oz. slices of veal), lightly pounded, 1/8 inch thick

4 slices imported Italian prosciutto, each slice cut crosswise

8 large fresh sage leaves

All-purpose flour, for dredging

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, or as needed

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 cup chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth

1. Wash the spinach, but don't dry the leaves completely. The water that clings to them will steam the spinach as it cooks.

2. Heat the olive oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Whack the garlic cloves with the side of a knife, and toss them into the cooking oil; cook, shaking the pan, until golden, about 2 minutes. Scatter the spinach a large handful at a time into the pan, season lightly with salt and pepper, and cover the pan. Cook until the spinach begins to release its liquid. Uncover the pan, and cook, stirring, until the spinach is wilted and its water has evaporated, 1 to 3 minutes. Taste, and season with additional salt and pepper if necessary. Remove from heat, and cover the pan to keep it warm while you prepare the scaloppine.

3. Season the scaloppine lightly with salt and pepper (prosciutto is cured with salt). Cover each scaloppine with a half slice of the prosciutto; tap the prosciutto with the back of a knife so it adheres well to the meat. Center a sage leaf over the prosciutto, and fasten it in place with a toothpick, weaving the toothpick in and out as if you were taking a stitch.

4. Dredge the scaloppine in the flour to coat both sides lightly, then shake off excess flour. Heat the oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat until the butter is foaming. Slip as many of the scaloppine, prosciutto side down, into the pan as can fit without touching. Cook just until the prosciutto is light golden, about 2 minutes. Turn, and cook until the second side is browned, about 2 minutes. Remove, and drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining scaloppine, adding more oil if necessary.

5. Remove all the scaloppine from the skillet, and pour off the oil. Return the pan to the heat, and pour in the wine. Add the remaining butter, and cook until the wine is reduced by about half. Pour in the chicken stock, and bring to a vigorous boil. Tuck the scaloppine into the sauce. Simmer until the sauce is reduced and lightly thickened, about 3 to 4 minutes. Taste, and season with salt and pepper if necessary.

6. To serve, spoon the spinach into a mound in the center of each plate. Arrange two pieces of the scaloppine over the spinach. Spoon some of the pan sauce over the scaloppine, and serve immediately.

Pan-Seared Steak with Pizzaiola Sauce - (serves 4)

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic, peeled & sliced

1 red bell pepper, cored & seeded, cut into 1-inch strips

1 yellow bell pepper, cored & seeded, cut into 1-inch strips

2 cups white button mushrooms, sliced

1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 (14 oz.) can Italian plum tomatoes, crushed by hand

4 (8 oz.) bone-in shell steaks, about 1-inch thick

1. Heat he olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the sliced garlic. Let the garlic sizzle a minute, then toss in the bell peppers and mushrooms. Season with 1 teaspoon of the salt and the oregano. Saute until the mushrooms and peppers are caramelized on the edges, about 5 minutes.

2. Pour in the tomatoes, and slosh out the can with 1/2 cup hot water, adding that to the skillet as well. Bring to a simmer, and cook, uncovered, until the sauce is thickened and the peppers break down, about 12 to 15 minutes.

3. Season the steaks with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Sear the steaks in a large cast-iron skillet over high heat until done to your liking, about 2 minutes per side for rare. Let the steaks rest for a few minutes while the sauce finishes cooking.

4. To serve, put the steaks on plates and top with the pepper sauce. Serve immediately.

Beef Braised in Barolo - (serves 6 or more)

Ingredients:

5 lb. boneless beef roast, flat iron, chuck, or bottom round, trimmed of fat

2 teaspoons kosher salt, to taste

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 medium onions, peeled & quartered

3 medium carrots, peeled & cut into 2-inch wedges

4 medium stalks celery, cut into 2-inch chunks

6 cloves garlic, peeled

2 branches fresh rosemary, with lots of needles

6 large sage leaves

1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

1 oz. dried porcini slices (1 cup, loosely packed)

2 bottles Barolo (750 ml), or as needed

2 cups beef stock, or as needed

1. Heat the oven to 250 degrees F with a rack set in the center.

2. Season all surfaces of the roast with half the salt. Pour the olive oil into a large, heavy braiser and set over medium-high heat. Lay the roast in, and brown it until caramelized all over. Remove to a platter.

3. While keeping the skillet over medium-high heat, drop in the cut vegetables and garlic cloves, toss to coat with oil, and spread them out in the pan. Drop in the rosemary, sage leaves, grated nutmeg, peppercorns, dried porcini, and remaining teaspoon salt, and toss all together. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently and scraping up the browned meat bits on the pan bottom, just until the vegetables soften; then lower the heat.

4. Push the vegetables to the sides and return the roast to the pan, laying it flat on the bottom. Pour in the bottles of wine and any meat juices that collected on the platter. The roast should be at least half submerged - add beef stock as needed.

5. Cover the pot, and heat until the wine is steaming, but not boiling. Uncover the pan, and place it in the oven. After 30 minutes, rotate the roast so the exposed meat is now submerged in the braising liquid. Braise this way, turning the meat in the pan every 30 minutes, for about 3 hours, until fork tender. The liquid should not boil - if it does, pour in some cold water to stop the bubbling, and lower the oven temperature.

6. After 2 1/2 hours, check the beef. It should be fork tender. Take the pan from the oven. Moe the meat to a platter, and reserve intact carrot and celery pieces to us as a garnish.

7. Skim any fat from the braising juices, heat to a boil, and reduce to a saucy consistency that coats the back of a spoon. Pour through a sieve set over a clean container. Press the juices from the strained herbs and vegetable pieces. Pour in any juices from the meat platter, and season with salt and ground black pepper. (If you're not going to serve it right away, put the meat and reserved vegetables in the sauce to rest and cool, for a couple of hours or overnight in the refrigerator.)

8. To serve, slice the meat crosswise. Pour a shallow layer of sauce in a wide skillet, and lay he slices in, overlapping. Heat the sauce to bubbling, spooning it over the beef, so the slices are lightly coated. Lift them with a broad spatula and slight onto a warm platter, fanned out. Heat the carrots and celery in the sauce, too, if you've saved them, and arrange on the platter. Serve, passing more heated sauce at the table.