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Recipe for a Delicious Merluzzo Dinner
Merluzzo, or whiting, is a mild-flavor fish that is excellent for baking or frying. One of my favorite ways to make merluzzo is the recipe that follows. It’s easy to prepare and an excellent choice for a vacation dinner or an elegant Christmas eve. Tip: when buying your merluzzo, look closely at the eyes of the fish: they should be clear and glistening to indicate it is very fresh, as pictured below. Ingredients (2) 1 kg or (1) 2 kg whole, cleaned and de-scaled merluzzo/whiting 2 -3 medium potatoes (Yukon gold) 2 large cloves garlic, thickly sliced 1 large shallot or tropea onion, sliced Zest of one large lemon, reserve…
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Pesto
After you prepare pesto for the first time, you’ll see how easy it is to whip up a batch for dinner or a weekend lunch. Make a large batch: it freezes well. This long, hot summer provided basil the perfect conditions to thrive. Napoletan basil is incredibly flavorful. I could not wait to make this classic for a family dinner. With a single leaf as large as my hand, it is impressively aromatic. Here is my recipe for classic pesto. Classic Pesto Recipe 2 cups washed and dried fresh basil, thick stems removed 1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, washed, dried and de-stemmed 1 -2 large cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely…
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Preserving the taste of Summer
Late summer signals the beginning of what I call ‘preserving the taste of summer’ time. Tomato ripening is hastened by the unrelenting heat of August. Whether your garden produces enough plum/’roma’ tomatoes to jar or you purchase them at a local market in 25 or 50 pound crates, canning is worth the effort. At my house, we make it a family endeavor – it has to be since this is a LOT of work. The bulk of which is spent preparing the tomatoes; some for sauce and others will be jarred whole. Preparation is key and this is what I’ve honed as my system. All large, deep stockpots come out…
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Fava Beans
Fava beans are hidden gems – the beans within the huge outer covering are delicious, full of fiber and vitamins. They are well worth the prep work. The first thing that most people want to know is how do you select fava beans? The photo below shows them at their peak of ripeness: glossy, bright green and firm. It would, however, be rare to find them like this at market. This is not necessarily a bad thing as the important part of picking the beans is the condition and size of the bean inside. You want the hull to be full, I mean really full with at least 3-4 large…
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Hummus
I first tasted hummus when I was invited to dinner at the home of Lebanese friends. I was hooked by the taste, of course, but also by the entire presentation of the meal- lots of fresh vegetables, marinated and grilled chicken, lamb. A veritable feast, and a healthy one at that! Here is the way I was taught to make hummus. Soak one pound of chick peas/ce ci/garbanzo beans in fours cups of water, overnight. Drain and add the soaked beans to 5-6 cups of boiling water. Cook until soft. Reserve several tablespoons of the cooking water. -or- Use (2) 15-16 oz cans of chick peas. Do not drain all…
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Victory Gardens
Covid-19 gripped the world and brought home the point of knowing, or not-knowing as was the case in the early months, where most of our food supply comes from. 2020 became the year that heralded the return of the Victory Garden. With supply chain interruptions and contamination fears in abundance, it spurred a gardening renaissance akin to that of World War II Victory gardens. During the war years, Americans came together, eager to do their part to support the war effort. Paramount was that our soldiers overseas have a steady supply chain. Items such as eggs, produce, meat, silk stockings-as silk was needed for parachutes- and metal of all kinds…
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Comfort Food: Oatmeal
Few things say comfort food better than oatmeal. It warms you up and provides energy to sustain you through mid-day. I like to pack it full of crushed/chopped walnuts and fresh blueberries. Walnuts for a good supply of protein and about 10% of your daily required iron. Blueberries are high in vitamin K, manganese and vitamin C. Blueberries also provide anti-inflammatory benefits. For added richness, I add a pat of butter, some brown sugar and cinnamon. Finish it off with a splash of milk on top. If I feel a chocolate craving coming on, I add some cacao nibs. Yum… For me, traditional oatmeal is better tasting than the instant…
