I have to confess that I'm a bit jealous about all these cooking blogs I read with colorful summer fruits everywhere ! Here it's winter and wind, rain and even storm are bursting out !...

A good way to tolerate this season is to think ahead -Soon it'll be Spring !- and to distil good mood in every day life !

When days are not so sunny, colors may help to brighten up. Colours hit the headlines of the last edition of a kiwi deco magazine. I discovered a smart and colourful set of dishes designed by Morph for Joseph Joseph; And to gather my thoughts, I purchased lately a colourful Paperchase notebook. So colours were just missing from my plate ! They are known to interact on your appetite and I've read an interesting post about it on ColourLovers. Experiments show that people's taste is more influenced by what they see than what they truly taste ! Amazing ! Smurf's colour remains to avoid anyway in food coloring -Except maybe for kids...

Gnocchi are a good comfort food and to make it more fun, I dyed them ! One carrot and one beetroot were enough to make these bi-color gnocchi. A pity that I didn't have spinach, I would have done it ! I did a simple and creamy mushroom sauce to eat with and that was fine. I didn't taste so strongly the beet -probably distracted by the color- and that was perfect.

Still about colour, did you see these new born twins from a mix-raced German couple ? Surprising, no ?!

La suite en français...

Je dois avouer que je suis un peu jalouse de tous les blogs de cuisine que je lis, saturés par les couleurs vives des fruits d'été ! Ici, c'est l'hiver et le vent, la pluie et même l'orage se déchaînent !...

Un bon moyen de supporter cette saison est de penser au futur -bientôt nous serons au printemps !- et de distiller un peu de bonne humeur dans le quotidien !

Lorsque les jours ne sont pas si lumineux, les couleurs aident à les ensoleiller. D'ailleurs , les couleurs font la une de la dernière édition d'un magazine kiwi de déco, j'ai découvert un set de plats intelligent et bariolé conçu par Morph pour Joseph Joseph et pour rassembler mes idées, j'ai acquis récemment un carnet bigarré de chez Paperchase. Il ne manquait plus que les couleurs dans mon assiette ! Elles sont connues pour agir sur notre appétit et j'ai lu un article intéressant à ce sujet sur ColourLovers. L'expérience montre que le goût des gens est davantage influencé par ce qu'ils voient que ce qu'ils goutent réellement ! Surprenant ! La couleur bleue reste toutefois à éviter en tant que colorant alimentaire -Sauf, peut-être pour les enfants...

Les gnocchi sont un bon choix pour se réchauffer et les faire en couleur rajoute un côté ludique ! Une carotte et une betterave sont suffisants pour réaliser ces gnocchi bi-colore. Dommage que je n'avais pas d'épinards, je les aurais fait aussi ! J'ai accompagné cela d'une sauce toute simple à la crème et aux champignons et c'était très bien. Je n'ai pas trop senti le goût de la betterave -probablement distraite par la couleur ?!- et c'était parfait.

Toujours à propos de couleur, avez-vous vu ces jumeaux nouveaux-nés , issus d'un couple allemand mixte ? Surprenant non ?!

Gnocchi à la betterave et à la carotte

Eplucher les pommes de terre potatoes et la carotte et couper les en deux // Rincer la betterave // Faites cuire à la vapeur pommes de terre, carotte et betterave non épluchée // Laisser refroidir un peu et éplucher la betterave // Ecraser séparement les pommes de terre, la carotte et la betterave // Mélanger 2/3 des pommes de terre avec la betterave et le tiers restant avec la carotte // Ajouter un oeuf dans chaque purée et mettre en proportion la farine, l'huile et le sel // Prétrir rapidement pour former une pâte non collante mais légèrement humide // Diviser les pâtes en parts égales // Sur une surface farinée, rouler du bout des doigts chaque part pour former un tube d'environ 1cm de diameter // Découper ensuite chaque rouleau en part régulière d'environ 2cm long // Personnaliser vos gnocchi avec un fourchette si vous le souhaitez // Conserver les sur un plat ou une assiette farinés // Faites bouillir de l'eau dans une grande casserole // Verser les gnocchi et laisser les cuire jusqu'à ce qu'ils remontent à la surface // Servir avec votre sauce favorite.

Workout
I went to the gym over lunch today and lifted.

*I did a new kind of tricep exercises today.  I got this from MizFit on Monday and was excited to try it out.  It definitely was tough and was a major core workout along with my triceps.  This one will be going into steady rotation.

Then I did my daily PT exercises for my right leg-  This took about 10 minutes and includes a lot of single leg lifts, squats, calf raises, hamstring stretches, etc.

Got back and ate lunch immediately.

Lunch
I went to grab a fork at work to use to eat my salad, and look what I got:

It made me giggle because it wasn't like it had broken.  It had rounded edges like it was suppose to be like this. Got to love quality control!  I did go back and get a new, unstunted fork.

Started with a spinach salad with about 1/2 a carrot, 4 grape tomatoes and 4 grapes all chopped on top.  I put about 1T of Newman's Light Honey Mustard on top at work.

I got new bread this week at the grocery store.  I loved the ingredients in it.  It did not contain any dairy; it is whole wheat and mainly organic.   Lovely!

A serving size was 2 ounces (or 56grams) and when I weighed a slice of bread it came to 47 grams.  According to the package, one serving (2oz) had 120 calories.  Because of how high the calories were per slice, I only had one slice and just had a small sandwich.  My sandwich had about 1/2T of reduced fat olive oil mayo, spinach, sprouts and tomatoes.  I forgot to hard boil eggs last night, so I had to do them this morning (see, I really was productive this morning!).  I decided to wait to peel this at work because it was still warm when I left to go to work.  I don't know how much I loved the bread.  It was really dense.  Not moist at all.  But you definitely could taste the honey which I found wonderful.  One slice of bread just was a bit of a letdown for me, I like having a whole sandwich.

I also had one of my frozen rice puddings.

And I did remember my Yogi tea today.  Thank goodness.

A little before four, I started to get hungry again already. Frustrating.  Why did I feel hungry/weak all day??! I went ahead and ate my afternoon snack.

PM Snack
A perfect peach with about 1/3 cup of cottage cheese.

While I was lifting, my right shoulder (more like my delt/tricep) started to hurt.  I think I did too much weight on my upright rows.  Then around 3:30 this afternoon, my whole body started to get sore.  By 4:30 I was just feeling downright sluggish.  I ate 1/2 a clif bar that I had hoping that would help.

It didn't at all.  I kept talking myself into going back to the gym to swim.  I drank a nalgene of water and I just simply felt bad.  I finally decided to make the executive decision to skip the gym and head home.  So I have been lazy here tonight reading my Cooking Light, watching the Tour and reading some of my book while laying on the floor about 6 inches from the fan.  My knee has only continued to ache.  I have been icing it a lot but I think I may break out this bad boy tonight.

I woke up after my first surgery with this lovely contraption around my knee.  The Polar Care 500.  It was a lifesaver.  I probably should have bought stock in the local ice company because we went through many, many bags of ice for so many months.  I may have to send Justin to 7-11 tonight to get ice so I can ice it all night.

Dinner
I ate about 3 times of what you see in this picture of these grapes while making dinner.

I was planning on having pasta and veggies but I just didn't have the appetite for it.  So I cooked a squash, zucchini, carrot, half a red bell pepper, and a slice of onion on my Pampered Chef Bar Pan with a spray of soybean oil, salt, pepper, rosemary, oregano and basil.  I cooked it at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes, stirring a couple of times.  I boiled about 1 1/2 cups of fresh green beans.  I cooked a 16ounce package of Gnocchi and a chicken sausage for Justin.  I put my veggies on a mound of spinach with 4 grape tomatoes.  I put about 1T of pesto sauce on top because it looked so good on Justin's pasta.  I also put about 5 gnocchis on my salad.  (Is gnocchis a word?)

Justin asked that I take a picture of his pasta because he said it was so good. I do agree.  It looked a lot tastier than mine but I just didn't have an appetite (hence why Justin has such a huge bowl.  He didn't eat it all.)

I also had about 1/3 of a piece of bread (that is a salad plate)

I am planning on trying to do abs tonight.  I need you guys to keep me in check.  We leave for vacation in 12 days, which means I need to do abs 6 times between now and then.  Tonight will be night 1.  Also, I am feeling really guilty about not going to do my cardio tonight.  I was planning on taking tomorrow as an off day from the gym because I haven't had one since the 15th.  Because I skipped my cardio today, should I say screw the off day, and go to the gym tomorrow?

Oh and I hope you like the new layout.  The other one was just seeming too cluttered.  But now that I look at this one, it seems a bit cluttered. I do hate the limitations that you have on wordpress for layouts, but oh well.  Thoughts?  Like, dislike?

Baked Gnocchi Parmesan

• Sauce:
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 pound ground turkey (I used 90% lean ground beef)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 5 carrots, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 cups skim milk
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• Gnocchi: (I used 1lb packaged gnocchi)
• 2 1/2 pounds large baking potatoes
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 gallon water
• handful mozzarella cheese (I also added some fresh Parmesan)

To prepare sauce, heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add beef; cook 3 minutes. Remove meat from pan, and cool slightly.
Heat pan over medium heat. Add onion, , carrot, and garlic cloves; cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chopped meat, milk, 3/4 teaspoon salt, tomatoes, and bay leaf; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour. Uncover and cook 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in parsley and thyme; cook 15 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring occasionally. Discard bay leaf.

To prepare the gnocchi, preheat oven to 400°.
Bake potatoes at 400° for 1 1/2 hours or until done; cool slightly. Cut each potato in half lengthwise; scoop out pulp. Discard skins. Mash pulp. Place 4 cups mashed potatoes in a large bowl, reserving remaining mashed potatoes for another use. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Add 1 cup flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and egg yolks to 4 cups mashed potatoes, and stir to combine. Knead until smooth (about 2 minutes); add enough of remaining flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel tacky).
Divide dough into 6 portions. Shape each portion into a 10-inch-long rope. Cut each rope into 10 (1-inch) pieces; roll each piece into a ball. Working with one dough piece at a time (cover remaining dough to prevent drying), using your thumb or index finger, roll dough piece down the tines of a lightly floured fork (gnocchi will have ridges on one side and an indention on the other). Place gnocchi on a lightly floured baking sheet.
Bring 1 gallon water to a boil in a large stockpot. Add half of gnocchi; cook 3 minutes or until done (gnocchi will rise to the surface). Remove cooked gnocchi with a slotted spoon; place in a colander. Repeat procedure with remaining uncooked gnocchi.

La sostanza è: risparmiare, puntare sulla redditività dei programmi e aumentare gli introiti derivanti dalla pubblicità. Nella stagione autunnale, gli affezionati non si troveranno una Tv stravolta, rivedranno i programmi in onda anche la scorsa stagione, tranne le Markette di Chiambretti (per Pierino sembra prendere sempre più corpo il passaggio a Mediaset, in particolare a Italia Uno dove i suoi show indiavolati, magari le Markette rivisitate, potrebbero trovare un giusto terreno). Su La7 resteranno invece le Invasioni barbariche di Daria Bignardi. Ma solo fino a Natale. Poi, come già rivelato da indiscrezioni, a inizio del prossimo anno la giornalista passerà su Raidue, dove dovrebbe riproporre le sue interviste ironiche con una nuova formula (tutta da definire la questione contrattuale, visto che lei è legata a La7 fino a giugno 2009 e la rete spera ancora in un ripensamento).

Fonte: http://www.ilgiornale.it/a.pic1?ID=276658

Being Italian I've made multiple versions of gnocchi in the past few years. In fact it was one of the first things I attempted to cook when I started this whole "cooking quest". Jacob and I have made at least 4 or 5 different versions in the past year. We have baked the potatoes, with salt and without salt, boiled the potatoes, put them through a ricer and through a food mill. We have made them with bolongese sauce, with cream sauce and browned butter. So in other words, we have made our share of gnocchi.

Last year I was looking through Thomas Keller's book "Bouchon". I noticed a recipe for gnocchi that didn't use any potato, but used a dough made with flour, butter and boiling water. At the time I had no idea what this was all about, but vowed to make it one day. I vaguely remember Nancy telling me then what the dough was, but I was lost in thought at the time, or maybe I wasn't really paying attention. Sorry my love!

A few weeks ago I was looking through the "Cafe Beaujolais" cookbook from Mendocino, California and another gnocchi recipe caught my eye. This one too had the same dough in it. What was this stuff? So yesterday I told Nancy and our baker Joannie about it and asked them for details on this mystery dough. At exactly the same time they both said in a loud voice from two sides of the restaurant, "that's a choux pastry, a pâte à choux". Then Joannie, who is Italian, said "Gnocchi, that's not gnocchi! Well I guess you could call it a gnocchi," as she made quote marks with her fingers in the air.

So I started to do some research on what a pâte à choux is. Here is what I found... It is a versatile dough of flour, water, butter and eggs distinguished by the fact that the flour is combined with the butter and water and partially cooked before the eggs are added to it. The resulting dough, which puffs when it bakes, has a light and elegant texture. It is used to make profiteroles, croquembouches, éclairs, French crullers, beignets, and gougeres.

I was excited. I get to try something new and adventurous... new dough, new fancy name, piping bag.. yeah! All I had to do was get out of the restaurant at a reasonable time so I could get home, work out and make dinner before I fell over with exhaustion and delayed my cooking for another day!

It was going to be questionable since our refrigeration guy was supposed to be coming at 4:00 to do regular preventative maintenance on all of the refrigerators and freezers and display cases. He's a great guy and often times after he finishes we end up spending an hour hanging out and trading stories. For the record, refrigeration has been the bane of my restaurant-owning existence. If it's not one thing breaking it's another. There is nothing worse than coming in in the morning to find out that $500 of product has to be thrown out because a compressor froze up and stopped working overnight. Fortunately Nancy found this guy 6 months ago and he has kept everything in tip top shape since.

He is a very busy guy though and I was hoping he would call me to reschedule so I could take off and get home... fortunately or maybe unfortunately, not sure, he did and I was out of there like a rocket ship blasting off.

Nancy was going to be gone with her running group so it was going to be all me. She would get home in time to eat the results, but if something went wrong it was going to be up to me to figure it out. Fortunately nothing went wrong, in fact other than dropping a half cup of flour all over, things went smoothly.

The dish was incredibly rich, the gnocchi were light and airy. In fact the texture was what I have only dreamed of when making traditional potato gnocchi. I can't wait until we have our next dinner party, because I'm going to make this for the first course. I think I will present them in a small ramekin with just about 12 pieces per person. What a way to start a dinner... I'll have Nancy do the main course since I'm not sure I can top them!

All I can say is make these as soon as you can. You will love them and so will your family or guests. These as a primi, maybe Osso Bucco as the main and a tiramisu for dessert. WOW!

Baked Gnocchi with Prosciutto & Gorgonzola (serves 4)

(adapted from the Cafe Beaujolais Cookbook)

Ingredients

• 1 cup cold water
• 1 stick butter, cut into tablespoon-sized pieces
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1.5 oz. chopped prosciutto (put in the freezer for 15 minutes before chopping)
• 4 oz flavorful cheese (Stilton, Gorgonzola, Muenster) I used half Gorgonzola and half Muenster

Fill a 6 quart pan 3/4 full of water and bring to boil. You are going to par-cook the gnocchi in this water, meaning you will drop them into the boiling water for a bit, then finish cooking in the oven.

In a medium-sized pan, place 1 cup of cold water and butter and bring to a boil. You want the butter to be melted fully just as the water boils.

Add salt to flour and then add the flour/salt mixture to the water all at once. Remove the pan from the heat and beat with gusto with a wooden spoon or whisk, to make a smooth paste.

Put the pan back on the stove, with medium heat, and dry the paste by scraping it toward you with the wooden spoon or a spatula, flipping the paste over. Keep the paste moving to dehydrate it. The less water remaining, the more readily the paste will absorb the eggs. (I did this part for 2 or 3 minutes.)

The paste with steam, form a film on the bottom of the pan, and butter will glisten on the surface.

Remove pan from the heat. Add whole eggs, one at a time. Each time an egg is added, the paste with appear to separate. Continue to beat with the wooden spoon and it will come back together.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Put the finished paste in a pastry bag, cut off enough of the end so that when you push through the dough it will be about 3/4 inch thick. Hold a knife or clean scissors in one hand, the pastry bag in the other over the boiling water. Squeeze and cut after 1 inch of paste emerges. The knife or scissors may get gummy, so you can dip them in the boiling water to clean.

The dumplings will fall into the water and sink to the bottom. When they rise to the top they are done. Remove with a slotted spoon to a buttered plate.

Butter a medium-sized 8x8 inch baking dish and pour enough cream to coat bottom. Cover with the chopped prosciutto, half the cheese, then the gnocchi, then the remaining cheese and finally the reamining cream. Bake for about 1hour until cream is mostly absorbed and gnocchi turn golden. Eat right away.

Digg It
Del.icio.us Stumble it Post to Facebook

lui è stato il mio mentore per la cucina spagnola, osservandolo in riverente silenzio misto ad emozione capivo giorno dopo giorno come NON avrei dovuto cucinare

Mila già ride ... Carlos è un mito, se non esistesse andrebbe creato appositamente; di bestie nella mia vita ne ho conosciute molte ma di Carlos solo uno perchè va oltre ad ogni immaginazione il danno che può arrecare in cucina ...

Carlos e gli Spaghetti alla Carbonara

• si preparino degli spaghetti precotti e poco importa il tempo di cottura ed il repentino raffreddamento
• alla ricezione della comanda si acchiappi un pugno di spaghetti freddi e lo si metta in piatto fondo
• si tagli del bacon sull'asse facendo lo slalom tra pezzi di peperone, briciole di pane e cose varie, lo si posizioni sopra agli spaghetti
• si aggiunga un po' di olio (random, di oliva o di semi o della friggitrice a seconda della vicinanza alla mano)
• si scaldi tutto in microonde
• si estragga il piatto e in cima a tutto si apra un uovo (crudo) e si mandi in sala

Carlos e il Tiramisù

• si prendano dei savoiardi spagnoli (sono inadatti avendo le due facce lucide) e si puccino nel caffè
• si montino più o meno a neve degli albumi (quantità casuale)
• si aggiunga agli albumi montati dei tuorli sbattuti con zucchero e Philadephia
• si spaciughi codesta crema sopra la base dei savoiardi e si metta tutto in frigorifero dopo aver cosparso di Colacao (Nesquik)
• ci si presenti al mattino (fuori orario di servizio) attendendo a piè fermo il cuoco italiano con ghigno sulla faccia che dice "stronzo, anche se non mi spieghi come farlo io sono bravo e lo preparo ugualmente)

Carlos e le Verdure di Guarnizione

• occorre una pentola diametro 60 cm. circa per 25 cm. di altezza (misure aprox)
• si immettono 10 buste da 1 kg. cadauna di verdure miste congelate
• si versa dell'acqua
• si butta sopra 1/2 kg. di pomodoro in scatola
• appena la cima delle verdure scende (circa 10 minuti dal bollore) si aggiungono altre 2 buste da 1 kg. e si pigia forte per farcele stare
• si sala, si aggiunge dado, si aggiunge Bovril (succedaneo dell'estratto Liebig) che è caramello al 90% ma da colore
• si cuoce ... quanto tempo? boh, un tot
• utilizzo: durante il servizio si mette la pentola in fianco ai fuochi su apposito sgabellotto con mestola forata dentro; ci si china e in fianco magari ad un filetto spatasplashhhhhh si butta una mestolata di "menestra" (questo è il suo nome) sul fianco dello stesso unitamente a del liquido brodoso

Carlos e la Decorazione dei Piatti

• opzione A: si esce dalla cucina e si prende dal Pino finto (plastica) che sta nel viottolo un rametto che si infilzerà nel centro del filetto
• opzione B: se di pesce si tratta, si prenda la lisca di un'orata e la si metta nel microonde; si estragga e si pulisca dalla carne, si prenda la lisca e la si passi nella paprika; la si posizionerà a mo' di bandiera infilandola sopra ad una palletta di insalata russa (vecchia) che avremo usato per guarnire l'orata (tipica guarnizione marinaresca)

Carlos e la Plancha (Piastra)

• occorrono: 200 norvegesi che riservano il ristorante per una festa
• un cuoco (Carlos) che pensi (lol) un menù: piatto forte a scelta tra Entrecote (non pulita da pellazza esterna e relativi marchi blu del macello) o Pesce Spada
• 1 plancha al cromo (sono stupende, si puliscono con del ghiaccio in 3 minuti)
• come rovinare tutto? semplice: cuocendo in modo casuale sulla plancha carne e pesce, chi prendeva carne assaporava il pesce e viceversa; altro che "Cucina Fusion", questa si che era innovazione!

Carlos e gli Gnocchi

• servono uno cuoco italiano ed un fornitore di prodotti italiani
• il cuoco italiano ordine una cartone di gnocchi (inutile prepararli a mano, non verrebbero apprezzati)
• il cuoco Carlos legge sulla confezione "Patatas"
• il cuoco Carlos utilizza in una serata tutto il cartone di gnocchi come guarnizione friggendoli a 190º in friggitrice, c'era scritto Patatas!
• il cuoco biru la mattina dopo si chiede "ma si può essere così imbecilli?"

Carlos e la Panna Cotta

• ordinare al fornitore di ciccia italiana 1 cartone di buste di Panna Cotta in polvere
• conoscere l'italiano per leggere le spiegazioni della preparazione, in caso contrario far finta di nulla e lasciare tutto in frigo
• quel cartone venne da me buttato una volta giunto il prodotto a scadenza

Carlos e la Paella, ingredienti e note varie

• pollo a tocchi e fritto a 190º in friggitrice ogni 2 o 3 giorni (poi ci si cuoceranno le patatine) - pesce (in senso lato) congelato o scongelato che balla in frigo da 3/4 giorni (fa lo stesso) - coniglio (preparato come il pollo) - lumache (axxo ma vanno veramente spurgate???) - peperoni fritti e cazzatielle per decorare
• ingrediente fondamentale per la riuscita è un ottimo brodo: deve essere però già pronto (che prepararlo è cosa troppo difficile), marca Fallera (quando arriva l'estate Fallera che produce riso per paella fa un'offerta di riso + vasi di brodo pronto da diluire con acqua) ... quando Carlos se ne andò in magazzino avevamo quintali di riso in surplus
• problema, la diluizione del brodo è pari ... ossia 2/4/6 persone ... axxo ma se sono 5????
• soluzione al problema: chiamare Doña Teresa (addetta a pulizia piatti e preparazione insalate) e farle assaggiare il riso ... di solito era salato

Carlos ed il Menù, ovvero come utilizzare un preservativo (Condom) in cucina

• Don Ricardo aveva un cruccio, il prezzo del Petto di Pollo in menù era basso e gli inglesi si sedevano ad un tavolo e ne consumavano uno in 2
• Don Ricardo necessitava un cambiamento nel menù (mumble mumble meglio sentire Carlos che sennò l'artista italiano chissà che si inventa)
• Carlos da il meglio e avendo sentito forse menzionare una volta un qualche cosa di Bleu (Cordon) da sfoggio alla sua preparazione internazionale e dice a Don Ricardo (confondendosi) ... cosa ne dici di un "Condom Bleu?"
• a Don ricardo l'idea piacque e stava già per far stampare la carta nuova quando in un impeto di bontà gli spiegai cosa stava per proporre alla clientela di lingua inglese ... specialmente senza nessuna specifica sullo stato d'uso del Condom

ok la smetto qui che sennò Miluccia stramazza, ancora non mi ha perdonato la battuta sulla foresta finnica e gli spaghetti ...

tutto quanto scritto corrisponde a rigorosa verità ed è questo il dramma, fossero storielle raccontate per diletto, per strappare una risata ... ci sarebbe da sperare ma invece no ... perchè di Carlos ne esiste (forse?) solo uno ... poi ci sono i Paco ... i Juan e tutti gli sfigati che d'estate sulla costa diventanto dei cuochi

e Carmen, aiutante cuoca che aveva l'abitudine di pucciare il pane nella pentola dello spezzatino e mi guardava con fare sorpreso quando tentavo di spiegarle che forse (e dico forse) ad un cliente avrebbe dato fastidio trovare delle briciole mociccate nel suo piatto ... ¡arriba españa!

ciaoooooooooooooooooooooo

]]> http://thedmouse.wordpress.com/2008/07/01/recipe-octupus-and-gnocchi/ Tue, 01 Jul 2008 02:07:39 +0000 thedoormouse http://thedmouse.wordpress.com/2008/07/01/recipe-octupus-and-gnocchi/ Interesting meal made spontaniously today with bits and pieces of stuff still being held in the freezer and fridge. The Octupus was pre-preparred, cleaned, sliced and flash frozen in a bag. The cooking instructions are a modification of the instructions included with the octupus. It is entirely possible to clean and prepare your own, just remember, like squid, cuttlefish, etc. there really are only two cooking times, 1 minute, or 1 hour. The gnocchi were pre-preparred as well, although I am versed in making fresh gnocchi, these were already made, therefore they are listed in terms of cooking only.

1/2 yellow onion
1/2 green bell pepper
1 stalk celery
1 hot pepper (jalipino was what was used, any, including red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper)
1/2-3/4 cup octupus parts
1 cup gnocchi
4-5 sun dried tomato
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
veggie stock
dried orgenao
fresh black pepper
small pot
large frying pan or skillet

in a small pot boil the octupus parts for about 15-20 minutes
dice onion, celery, bell pepper, hot pepper, tomatoes and garlic and place in a lightly oiled frying pain
after boiling remove octupus to the pan and reserve the hot water
season the octupus and veggies with black pepper and add dried oregano
lightly saute the octupus and veggies over low to medium heat about 15 minutes
while the flavors meld, take the gnocchi and bring it to a boil in the reserved hot water
allow the gnocchi to cook, however do not fully cook gnocchi, they will finish in the fry pan
move the gnocchi and most of the starched water to the frypan and increase the heat
reseason as necessary with black pepper and add some of the veggie stock as necessary
as the liquids boil and begin to evaporate the remaining ammount will begin to thicken into a sauce
once the desired consistancy is obtained (meaning most of the liquid has boiled off) finish with a small ammount of the balsamic vinegar
serve, I did it in a bowl that was lined with a fresh spinach leaf but that was me

So I didn't really have much time on my hands yesterday. So even though we had Rune's parents over for dinner I didn't really feel like cooking for hours. So the solution was a very simple, yet satisfying, meal.

I served it with a green salad, but must admit that it didn't really work too well. I'd much rather serve the salad before or after this dish - otherwise make sure that the dressing does not compete witht the sour flavour of the lemons.

Lake Victoria Perch and gnocchi w/ lemon and sage (4 servings)

• 500 g. perch
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons soy
• 4 servings of gnocchi (see on package, but I normally buy 2)
• 1 lemon, zest and juice
• a generous squeeze high quality olive oil
• sage - lots and lots.

Preheat oven to 225 C. Place the fish in a plate and pour over sesame oil and soy sauce. Bake fish for approx. 15 minutes (the sides must be a caramelly brown).

Bring water with plenty of salt to the boil. Add the gnocchi and let simmer for 2 minutes (or follow instructions on package). When they're al dente put them in a preheated dish, add olive oil, lemon zest, juice and a lot of sage.

Serve fish with the gnochi, bread and a nice and fruity white wine.

Viktoriabars og gnocchi med citron og salvie (4 pers)

• 500 g. vikoria bars (den frosne fra Irma er fin!)
• 1 spsk sesamolie
• 2 spsk soya
• 2 pk. gnocchi (igen, brug dem fra Irma)
• citron, saft og skal
• salvie

Forvarm ovnen til 225 C. Placer fisken på en passende stor tallerken (eller evt. to). Hæld soya og oie over og lad stå indtil ovnen er forvarmet. Bag fisken i ca 15 minutter eller indtil siderne er let karamelliserede i farven, men resten er hvid.

Kog gnocchi efter anvisning på pakken. Kom dem over i en (varmet) skål tilsæt et rigeligt skvæt olie, citronskal og saft samt salvien.

Server fisken med gnochi, brød og en halvtør hvidvin.

That said, here's a breakdown of the meal: extremely patient waiter. He must have come back four times before we were ready to order anything! We started off with lemon basil mojitos (them) and an Italian margarita (me), which were great drinks. Strong and tasty. Then we split the seafood appetizer, which featured mussels, fish, and shrimp ... it was tasty but too salty for my liking. The foccacia-esque bread they served with it was AMAZING, though.

For dinner, I ordered the lasagna, despite the fact that it was a hundred degrees outside. It was a relatively light affair, simply vegetarian with spinach, tomato sauce, and cheese--but the secret was the pesto sauce dribbled on top and inside. It added the perfect zing and uniqueness to the lasagna. I was barely able to contain myself to only eating half, but I was thrilled when I had leftovers for lunch the following day ... it might even have been better the second time around! One friend's gnocchi dish was awesome, and the other loved her locally-made goat cheese ravioli. So entrees were a hit.

Dessert was a gelato trio, made in the restaurant. It featured blueberry, strawberry, and almond flavors. The blueberry was the best (the creamiest too, according to the foodie friend), though all were fairly tasty. Again, our waiter was attentive but not too much, laughed appropriately at our jokes, and was above all patient. The place was surprisingly empty for a Thursday night at 7:30, so I hope they're doing okay business because I'm definitely down for a return trip.

For another take on it, check out Texas Locavore, a blog by one of my companions--the foodie, naturally.

Bien casero, pero una delicia para grandes y chicos.

Escalopas de carne de vacuno (una por persona), pueden ser de lomo o posta.  4 cucharadas de perejil picado fino, una bolsa de aceitunas verdes deshuesadas, 2 bandejas de champiñones, aceite de oliva, sal y pimienta.

Salsa:

2 cebollas cortadas en pluma, 1 tarro chico de tomates al natural, 1 a 2 cucharadas de harina, páprika (al gusto), agua (cantidad suficiente), bouquet garni (ramo de olores compuestos).

1. El Relleno:

Picar en cubitos las aceitunas. Picar en cubitos los champiñones y dorar muy rápidamente en aceite de oliva con sal y pimienta a gusto. Mezclar con el perejil picado y las aceitunas.

2. Extender las escalopas, aplanarlas si fuera necesario, salpimentar y rellenar con el relleno de champiñones y aceitunas, envolver formando rollitos y amarrar. El relleno debe quedar bien envuelto dentro del rollo de carne.

3. En una olla gruesa dorar los rollitos en aceite de oliva, deben quedar bien sellados.

4. La salsa:

Dorar en la olla en que se sellaron los rollitos de carne, la cebolla en aceite de oliva, añadir los tomates sin su líquido, un poco de páprika y harina. Mojar con agua y dejar cocer a fuego lento con olla tapada. Agregar el bouquet garni y los rollos de carne. Dejar cocer por al menos una hora o hasta que la carne esté bien blanda.

5. Montaje final:

Terminado el tiempo de cocción, sacar la carne de la olla y pasar la salsa por cedazo a una olla limpia. Dejar en reserva hasta el momento de servir.

6. Para servir, calentar la salsa con la carne en ella, previamente desamarrada. Servir caliente acompañado de arroz o papitas cortadas con sacabocados.

Filete de Cerdo a la Naranja

Levemente agridulce, de muy lindo color acaramelado, ideal para un almuerzo o comida liviana. Si se quiere hacer para más personas, doblar las cantidades de los ingredientes.

2 filetes de cerdo, 2 cucharadas de aceite de oliva.

Marinada:

Sal, pimienta a gusto, 1 cucharada de harina, 2 cucharadas de azúcar, 1/2 cucharadita de jengibre rallado , 1 diente de ajo molido, 1/2 taza de jugo de naranjas, 1/4 taza de jugo de limón, la ralladura de la cáscara de una naranja, 1/4 taza de salsa de soya, 2 cucharadas de ketchup, 2 cucharadas de syrup para panqueques o miel de palma.

1. Mezclar todos los ingredientes de la marinada en un bol y batir con batidor de alambre hasta obtener una mezcla homogénea. Verter sobre la carne y dejar marinando por al menos 8 horas, refrigerado.

2. Dar vuelta la carne dentro de su marinada para que se impregne de los sabores.

3. Estilar la carne de la marinada, y sellar en una sartén con el aceite de oliva. Retirar la carne de la sartén y desglasar éste con media taza de agua hirviendo, hasta despegar lo dorado que haya quedado adherido.

4. Poner la carne en una asadera que pueda ir al horno, verter la marinada encima, más los jugos de la sartén y asar en un horno a 200 °C por 25 minutos.

5. Retirar del horno y reposar tapado por 5 minutos. Cortar en tajadas no muy gruesas y servir cubierto de la salsa. Acompañar de arroz blanco y brócolis salteados en mantequilla.

Coditos con Queso (macaroni and cheese)

Este plato tan simple y clásico puede ser un gran acompañante de las noches frías de invierno si es que nos resulta cremoso, sabroso y de buena presentación.

7 cucharadas de mantequilla sin sal, 1/4 taza más dos cucharadas de harina, 4 tazas de leche, 1 1/2 cucharadita de mostaza en polvo, 1 pizca de pimienta de cayena en polvo, 2 cucharaditas de salsa inglesa, sal y pimienta blanca a gusto, 450 gr de coditos, 3 tazas de queso mantecoso o mozzarella rallado grueso, 1 1/3 taza de queso parmesano rallado, 1 taza de migas panko (migas de pan japonesas, crujientes).

1. En una olla derretir 6 cucharadas de mantequilla y añadir la harina. Formar una pasta. Añadir de a poco la leche caliente, siempre revolviendo, formando una salsa bechamel. Hervir por 5 a 8 minutos hasta que la harina se haya cocido completamente. Aliñar con la mostaza en polvo, la pimienta de cayena, la salsa inglesa y sal y pimienta blanca a gusto.

2. En otra olla cocinar la pasta en agua hirviendo con sal y un poco de aceite, hasta que esté "al dente". Esto demora aproximadamente 7 minutos.

3. Estilar bien. Poner la pasta cocida en un bol junto con la salsa bechamel, el queso mantecoso, y una taza del queso parmesano. Unir bien.

4. Enmantequillar una fuente para horno que pueda ir a la mesa. Verter la pasta.

5. Unir el panko con el resto de queso parmesano rallado y espolvorear encima del guiso.

6. Partir en cubitos la cucharada de mantequilla restante y poner encima de las migas de pan.

7. Hornear en un horno medio hasta que esté dorado y burbujeante, aproximadamente 30 minutos. Servir caliente en la misma fuente.

Gratín de Papas con Portobellos

Recomiendo usar las papas de cáscara blanca que también se llaman papas alemanas. Son ideales para preparar cualquier tipo de puré. Este guiso es un excelente plato vegetariano acompañado de una ensalada verde como también acompañamiento de carnes o aves al horno.

1 1/2 kilo de papas, 3/4 taza de crema ácida, sal, pimienta y nuez moscada a gusto, 2 cucharadas de mantequilla, un cuarto taza de cebolla picada fina, 450 gr de champiñones Portobello  un tercio taza de albahaca picada fina, 1/4 taza de queso parmesano rallado, un pizca de páprika, 2 cucharadas de aceite de oliva.

1. Lavar las papas y poner en una olla cubiertas de agua fría. Una vez que suelten el hervor, bajar el fuego y dejar hervir por alrededor de 30 minutos o hasta que estén blandas.

2. Estilar, enfriar levemente y pelar. Reservar media taza del líquido de cocción. Pasar por el prensapuré, añadir el líquido de cocción y agregar la crema ácida caliente. Aliñar con sal, pimienta, nuez moscada y batir bien con cuchara de palo. Finalmente agregar la mantequilla y revolver muy bien.

3. En una sartén derretir el aceite de oliva, añadir la cebolla picada fina y cocinar hasta que esté transparente. Añadir los portobellos laminados finos y cocinar por alrededor de 4 minutos hasta que todo el líquido se haya evaporado. Aliñar con la albahaca. Reservar.

4. Enmantequillar una fuente para horno de unos dos litros de capacidad, esparcir un tercio de la mezcla de puré. Continuar con la mitad de la mezcla de los champiñones, seguir con papas y así continuar hasta finalizar con papas.

5. Espolvorear con el parmesano y páprika y gratinar por unos 25 minutos. Servir caliente.

Ñoquis de Aceitunas Verdes

250 gr de puré de papas deshidratado, 2 tazas de leche caliente, 1 taza de aceitunas verdes, deshuesadas y picadas gruesas, 2 yemas, 40 gr de queso parmesano, 1/2 taza de harina, 1 cda. de mantequilla, 150 gr de queso roquefort desmigajado, 1 taza de hojas de rúcula lavadas.

1. En una olla poner a hervir las dos tazas de leche con sal y pimienta a gusto.

2. Añadir el puré deshidratado y revolver. Retirar del fuego y añadir el resto de los ingredientes. Verificar la sazón.

3. Con las manos ligeramente enharinadas formar pequeños cilindros.

4. Dar forma y poner en una lata de horno o bandeja, espolvoreada con un poco de semolina.

5. Cocer en agua hirviendo con sal y unas gotas de aceite de oliva. Esperar que floten en la superficie y dejar cocinar por 2 a 3 minutos más.

6. Estilar en papel absorbente y poner en budinera enmantequillada. Calentar en el horno con salsa a elección.

Nota: para que las aceitunas no resulten muy saladas, se recomienda que una vez deshuesadas se las remoje en agua fría varias veces, botando el agua cada vez y así eliminar el exceso de sal.

Souffle de Quínoa

Muy reconfortante plato para acompañar carnes o aves al horno. Delicioso también por sí solo. Hoy podemos fácilmente encontrar quínoa en todos los supermercados, en la sección naturista.

1 taza de quínoa, 1/2 taza de queso parmesano rallado, 1/2 taza de mozzarella rallado grueso, 2 cucharadas de mantequilla derretida, 2 huevos, 1 taza de leche.

1. Lavar muy bien la quínoa para retirar impurezas.

2. Poner a cocer la quínoa en dos tazas de agua hirviendo con sal. Cocinar hasta que esté al dente. Escurrir el agua si sobra. Poner en un bol junto a la leche y los quesos. Aliñar con sal y pimienta a gusto.

3. Añadir las yemas y la mantequilla derretida. Finalmente añadir las claras batidas a nieve.

4. Incorporar todo muy bien y poner en un molde para horno enmantequillado. Hornear por 30 minutos hasta que esté dorado y gratinado.

5. Servir caliente, con una salsa de tomates natural si se quiere.

However, we LOVE to shop for food. Some women gravitate to Canal Street for knock-off purses. I go to Stinky Brooklyn for a new hunk of Mimmolette. This has led to a full kitchen pantry, a blue metal hutch filled with flax seeds and pastas and imported jellies and tuna in olive oil from Sicily, which are so much fun to buy! The colorful labels jump off the shelves and into my basket like LV embellished handbags. The more foreign the language, the better.

Like the handbags (I imagine) many of our purchases end up on the shelves, and slowly get pushed to the shadowy corners and forgotten about. Until yesterday!

Maybe its because we can't fit one more thing on the shelves of our pantry. Maybe its because our freezer sends hardened pork chops and duck stock bouldering to the floor when we open it, or when I heard myself say, "We don't have anything to cook." The Gourmand rose to the challenge! Of course, feel free to substitute or supplement the recipe with whatever you have on hand. Improvising is the key to using stuff up - and making room for more!

Potato Gnocchi with Spring Peas, Garlic Scapes and Bacon

1 package Mediterranean Potato Gnocchi (from Trader Joes, purchased in March)
4 strips thick sliced bacon (from Ray Bradley Farms, purchased last fall sometime and frozen)
1/4 cup chopped garlic scapes (purchased 2 weeks ago from Farmer's Market)
2 cups frozen sweet peas (purchased 2 weeks ago from Farmer's Market)
olive oil
shaved parmesean  reggiano (unknown, but still smelled and tasted good and had no fur)

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook the gnocchi according to package instructions. (Pillowy and light, these starchy puffs are the foundation of many italian primi piatti. As versatile as pasta but with more density and addictive chewiness.)

Meanwhile, place the bacon in a large sautée pan over medium heat. The key to cooking bacon is "low and slow" low heat and lots of patience. Allow the bacon to get dark brown and crisp and render out most of its fat. Remove from pan and allow to cool enough to handle. Chop the bacon fine and set aside.

Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat and add in 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. (I know it sounds like a lot, but this is the basis for your sauce - no other liquid will be added and you want the gnocchi to be evenly and well coated. And remember, small portions are the new mega meal.) When the butter melts and the foaming slows down, add the garlic scapes and the peas. Sautee until they are bright green. Add back in the bacon. Drain the gnocchi and add to the pan as well, tossing until coated and the peas are evenly distributed.

Serve with shaved parmesean cheese, and cracked pepper, if you have it in the pantry!

And it's 1:30 am. And I need to be at the office in the morning. I have to be official. And good. And efficient. And have important meetings. And I'm exhausted. And my therapist is leaving the country and tomorrow is the last chance I get to see her and I so want to do something nice for her like bake a cake or write down recipes but there just isn't time.

And I feel pretty down tonight. And alone. And it's so clear that so much of what I think I want is simply that, things I think I want. Not thinks I want. So much of my life was and is spent fulfilling other people. What do they want me to be. And I am an eager and curious person, that I happily take on new identities. Of course I want to be the world's best publicist, actor, singer, director, teacher, poet, cook, writer, astronaut, bladee dee bla bla bla. It's so scary to have to admit that I don't know what I want. But deep inside. I do. It's just so hard to filter it all out. The me from the almost mes. The loves from the likes. The goods from the breathtakingly awesomes.

Good night, sweet one. And good luck. Next week this will seem like a dream. Maybe you will awaken with purpose and vision and energy and confidence and a sense of safety.

Carramba che fortuna, un programma legato alla lotteria Italia condotto dall'esordiente Raffaella Carrà

La Vita in Diretta, dopo aver scontato la sospensione dall'albo dei giornalisti per lo scandalo calciopoli/biscardopoli, devono aver deciso per un supplemento di pena a carico di Lamberto Sposini che dal prossimo autunno sostituirà Michele Cucuzza

Per RAI CULTURA, cancellate per mancanza di fondi le trasmissioni di opere teatrali, si prevedono due megaserate musicali con D'Alessio e la Tatangelo (chiù pilu pi tutti)

le uniche note positive sono il ritorno di Serena Dandini con un nuovo programma, Gene Gnocchi che torna con Artù e Max Giustio con un nuovo programma

... e io pago!

I owe it to a college roommate to make this recipe. He loved gnocchi and would order them in any Italian restaurant that he could. When I went to Italy, I was determined to try them but, for whatever reason, I didn't like the ones that I had. In retrospect, I don't think it was the gnocchi that I disliked. But I did send him an email with my conclusion and he was incredulous. I figured gnocchi deserved another chance.

And, while I hate admitting I'm wrong, I was and my roommate was right. Gnocchi are good. They remind me most of dumplings. I like the lightness and fluffiness of them.

They also seem to be the ultimate poor food. When you can't afford flour for pasta, you have to substitute potatoes. But, given that they're good, who am I to complain?

There are a number of possible sauces to use with the gnocchi but I settled on a simple tomato sauce. This one is particularly good (and easy).

Gnocchi di Patate (Potato Gnocchi)
Adapted from Molto Italiano: 327 Simple Italian Recipes to Cook at Home

3 lbs. russet potatoes
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 large egg
1 tsp kosher salt

1. Put the potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a low boil, and boil for 45 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Drain the potatoes.
2. Peel the potatoes and then run them through a food mill onto a flat work surface.
3. Make a well in the center of the potatoes and sprinkle the potatoes with the flour.
4. Add the egg and salt to the well in the potatoes.. Use a fork to slightly beat the egg.
5. Using the fork, slowly incorporate the potato into the egg.
6. Once the potato is fully incorporated into the egg, knead the dough until it forms a ball. Continue kneading for 4 minutes.
7. Divide the dough into sixths. Roll each piece of dough into a rope 3/4" in diameter. Cut the rope into 1" lengths. Roll each piece down the back of a fork to create the ridges.
8. Boil the gnocchi in copious salted water until the float, about 1 minute. Drain the gnocchi.
9. Toss the gnocchi with warmed sauce and serve.

Serves 4.

Heather Parisi tra i naufraghi de L'Isola dei Famosi. Altri "arruolati" Giucas Casella, Antonio Cabrini, l'ex velina Veridiana, Massimo Ciavarro e Belen Rodriguez. Lo rivela Tv Sorrisi e Canzoni che dà anche Luca Giurato tra i conduttori "papabili" della prossima stagione di Affari Tuoi.

Il controcaffè

Ingredients

• any filled fresh pasta eg tortellini / or / fresh gnocchi
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp cream cheese
• 1/2 tsp mixed herbs

Method

1. Cook the pasta according to the instructions (I usually just boil the kettle and let the pasta sit in the hot water while I'm preparing the sauce). If using gnocchi, I would really recommend frying it rather than boiling it - it gets a nice crispy outside and doesn't go so mushy (fry it in a little of the butter).
2. Melt the butter in a frying pan and add the herbs.
3. Mix in the cream cheese.
4. Throw in the pasta / gnocchi and stir until they are well covered with the sauce.
5. That's it!

Believe it or not, it's very tasty (sort of reminiscent of that Italian classic of butter and sage). The sauce just covers the pasta, clinging it to it, so it's actually good to eat even with fingers!

If you have been keeping up with the progress of my beautiful handcrafted camphor laurel chopping, cheese boards and Mezzaluna Boards. My official site is finally finished and live so to see my full collection please click here.

Ingredients

4 Garlic cloves, Crushed
Packaged fresh gnocchi enough for 4 people
1 Tablespoon oil
4 Chicken Breasts
11/2 tablespoons butter
1/4 Cup sour cream
1 Teaspoon chicken stock granules
100ml Cream, or extra if it does not seem saucy enough
1/2 Cup fresh dill, finely chopped
1/2 Cup green onions, sliced thinly
Black pepper to taste

Method

1. Heat oil in a large pan, brown chicken on both sides, cook, until almost cooked through, remove from pan and set to one side.

2. Melt butter in same pan, add garlic and onions cook about 1 minute until onion softens, stirring constantly so you do not burn the garlic.

3. Add both creams,chicken stock and dill stir to combine, return chicken to pan, cover pan and finish cooking chicken and warm through.

4. Whilst chicken is finishing bring some water to a boil in a saucepan, add gnocchi and cook until tender, about 3-4 Min's, drain.

5. Remove chicken and slice thickly.

6. Add drained gnocchi to sauce and combine add pepper to taste.

Serve sauced gnocchi on plates, top with chicken and divide any remaining sauce equally atop the chicken breasts.

Sprinkle with parmesan cheese if desired.

All photos taken by me unless othrwise stated.

I also made some black bean soup last night, which was just alright, I think I added too much water and didn't let the beans cook long enough. They were just canned organic Kroger-brand black beans, but still. Meh. Certainly edible enough but I just can't think of what it was missing. Normally I just saute finely chopped onion and garlic in olive oil, add some spices, then add the beans, cook for a long time and mash. This time my onions were very coarsley chopped and I added some chopped tomatoes and black olives, but nothing else was really different. Other than the water. Meh, I say!

I did make something nomworthy today though: boiled and lightly fried, curried red potatoes over spinach sauteed in garlic and olive oil (notice a pattern? haha). That one, I'll post a recipe for, since my blog seems sparse to me with so few pictures.

TIID's Curried Breakfast Potatoes over Spinach!

This made enough for two large servings or three smaller ones.

-2 large red potatoes (or, you know, whatever potato you like/have)

-3 large handfuls fresh spinach (or about one pack frozen)

-2 TB minced garlic

-4 TB olive oil, halved

-White wine (I used cheap cooking wine)

-1/2 tsp each (or to taste) cayenne pepper, cumin

-1 tsp each (or to taste) turmeric, black pepper, curry powder

Start by chopping the potatoes into quarters and then half inch slices. Place in a pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until tender. Drain in a colander and set aside.

Next, get out a skillet (the bigger, the better) and pour in 2 tb of the olive oil. Heat over medium low and add garlic. Saute the garlic for a few minutes until light brown and very fragrant. Then add the spinach (you might want to do it in batches if you have a smaller skillet) and cook for two minutes. Deglaze the pan with a splash of the wine, and then add the rest of the spinach and cook to your desired wiltiness. Don't forget to mix it all around so you get the garlicky-wine goodness all over!

Now to fry the potatoes. I used the same pan as the spinach, but feel free to use a new one or set aside the spinach as it can burn easily if you don't keep a sharp eye on it. Add the rest of the olive oil, the spices, heat on medium for a little less than a minute, and add the potatoes. Cook them just long enough to get a thin, browned skin or crispy edges. The spices in the oil should turn the potatoes very yellow! Serve over the spinach if you set it aside, and salt to taste.

I was trying to kill the procrastination in me--think of it like "working out as antibiotics for the mind"--and decided to try the Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred workout that is currently free OnDemand. Here's Jillian demanding that I do more crunches:

I made my favorite Self magazine recipe the other night, and I've been eating leftovers ever since. It is so damn good!  A photo of potato gnocchi with shrimp and peas:

I took a study break last night which was lovely but probably not my best plan.  My friends and I went to go to see the Sex and the City movie, which was entertaining.  I loved laughing out loud at the clothes, and whatever it is they did to Chris Noth to de-age him? Sign me up for that procedure in about 15 years, k?

Il tè verde, elisir di lunga vita, si ottiene “lavando” a vapore e essiccando subito le foglie appena raccolte per impedirne la fermentazione. Questa lavorazione permette di eliminare la teina, mantenendo integri i componenti attivi e salutari della foglia: catechine ed altri polifenoli.

Ma ora veniamo alla ricetta. L’idea di usarlo in cucina è nata per caso, assaggiando le foglie rimaste sul fondo della tazza dopo aver preparato un infuso.

INGREDIENTI
Per 4 persone

• gnocchi 400/500gr (meglio se fatti in casa)
• tè verde in foglie
• dragoncello
• aglio
• olio extravergine di oliva
• sale

Se volete prepararvi gli gnocchi
• patate 600gr*
• farina 200gr

COME PROCEDERE
Lessare le patate con la buccia, pelatele e schiacciatele, ancora calde, con lo schiacciapatate. Alla purea ottenuta aggiungete la farina e un po’ di sale.
Impastate fino ad ottenere un panetto morbido dal quale ottenere dei cilindri spessi circa un dito che taglierete a pezzi lunghi 1 o 2 centimetri (*la proporzione tra farina e patate è approssimativamente 1 parte di farina e 2,5/3 parti di patate).
Ottenuti gli gnocchi, fate bollire dell’acqua con qualche foglia di tè verde, immergetevi gli gnocchi e fateli cuocere finché non si mostreranno in superficie.
A parte preparate un soffritto con aglio (intero), qualche pezzo di alice tritata e le foglie di tè verde ammorbidite in acqua tiepida. Fate saltare gli gnocchi e cospargete con il dragoncello tagliato fine.

ABBINAMENTI
Vino
Io l’ho abbinato ad un Soave, ma provate il piatto con un Greco di tufo.

Birra
Per la birra ve ne propongo una “strong”, belga, con gradazione alcolica da 7% in su. Una Chouffe o una Duvel sono perfette.

COSTO
La spesa complessiva per 4 persone è di 5€ (il totale non include le bevande)

It's tough to find an 18th Century British recipe that actually uses verjuice. By the time Hannah Glasse wrote her book in 1745, Britain was at the center of global trade. I would not, however, be a gamer/librarian/history buff if I didn't have a few medieval cookbooks lying around, so I dusted them off and invited some friends.

There's no better way to try verjuice than by using a recipe where it figures in the title. This one originates from an unsigned 14th Century Tuscan manuscript, and is reprinted with its modern version in The Medieval Kitchen: Recipes from France and Italy.

Gratonata of Chickens: Cut up your chickens, fry them with pork fat and with onions; and while they are frying add a little water so that they cook nicely in the pan; and stir them often with a large spoon; add spices, saffron, and verjuice and then boil; and for each chicken take four egg yolks, mix them with verjuice and then boil them separately; and beat everything together in the pan, and boil everything together with the pieces of chicken; and when it boils remove it from the fire and eat it. 

Chicken with Verjuice:

• 1 chicken
• 1 medium onion
• 2 oz pork fatback
• 10 tbs water
• 10 tbs verjuice
• 4 egg yolks
• 1/2 tsp ground mace
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 pinch cinnamon
• 1 pinch saffron threads
• salt and pepper

Cut chicken into serving pieces, season with salt and pepper, and slice onion thinly. Cut fatback into small dice and render the fat in a heavy bottomed casserole or dutch oven. Add chicken and onion and brown on all sides. Add water and bring to the boil, then add 3 tbs verjuice and the spices. Cover and simmer for about 45 minutes. Remove from heat.

When chicken is done, beat remaining 7 tbs of verjuice into the egg yolks in a small saucepan. Bring nearly to the boil over low heat and then add to the casserole with the chicken. Mix well until sauce is thick.

This recipe reminded me a lot of chicken adobo, but with a slight fruitiness due to the presence of verjuice rather than vinegar. It's really worth the trouble to get ahold of actual verjuice (you can use it instead of vinegar or lemon juice just about anywhere, and unlike them it doesn't combine poorly with wine on the palate), but if you really want to try this recipe without it the book suggests using the juice of one lemon combined with 3 tbs water as a substitute. 

To go with the chicken, we made some gnocchi. The gnocchi here are the original gangstas of the pasta clan, dating from a time before either semolina or potato flour for starch. This recipe is also from The Medieval Kitchen, and is from another unsigned 14th Century Tuscan manuscript.

If You Want Some Gnocchi, take fresh cheese and mash it, then take some flour and mix with egg yolks as in making migliacci. Put a pot full of water on the fire and, when it begins to boil, put the mixture on a dish and drop it into the pot with a ladle. And when they are cooked, place them on dishes and sprinkle with plenty of grated cheese.

Gnocchi

• 1 and 1/4 lbs cream cheese
• 1 and 1/2 cups flour
• 6 egg yolks
• salt
• freshly grated parmesan cheese

Mash cream cheese into paste. Mix in flour by hand and add salt to taste. Blend in egg yolks, continuing to knead until a smooth mixture forms. Boil water in a large pot, then reduce to simmer. Drop half-teaspoonfuls of mixture into simmering water and wait until they rise to the top on their own. Drain and serve, topped with parmesan cheese.

This recipe didn't specify the flour type, but you can't go wrong by doing what I did and using spelt flour. It's still historically accurate and it gives the gnocchi a slight nutty flavor. This recipe makes a lot of dough, which is not a bad thing because it stores pretty well and the gnocchi themselves are easy to make.   

But, you ask me, what's with two Italian recipes ? Aren't you all about British food? Fear not, gentle readers. The vegetable recipe I used is 100% English. It's from The Forme of Cury, compiled in 1390 by Richard II's master cooks (before all that Tragedy Of unpleasantness). The modern version here is from Lorna J. Sass's To The King's Taste. Since H.M.'s kitchen staff wrote in English (albeit Medieval English) the original here has a little more "flavor":

Funges:Take funges and pare hem clene and dyce hem. Take leke, and shred hym small and do hym to seeth it in gode broth. Color it with safron, and do there-inne powder-fort.

Mushrooms and Leeks

• 8 small leeks
• 1 and 1/2 lbs large mushrooms, quartered
• 3 tbs butter
• 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
• 1/2 tsp brown sugar (before 1492 this would have come from traders in the Levant)
• 1/8 tsp saffron
• 1/2 tsp minced fresh ginger
• beurre manie (3 tbs flour mixed with 3 tbs soft butter)
• salt and pepper

 Wash leeks and discard tops and roots. Slice white part into rings. Saute in 3 tbs butter until soft, then add mushrooms and stir to coat. Combine stock, sugar, and spices and pour over vegetables. Cover and simmer 2 minutes, and then add beurre manie, stirring rapidly until thickened. Salt and pepper to taste.