All Things Sicilian and More

KOHIRABI and TENERUMI, shared between cultures of Sicily and Vietnam

2012-02-10T02:24:00.000-08:00

No, this is not Sicily, I am in Hanoi, in Vietnam. And the Vietnamese eat kohlrabi and the green leaves just like the Sicilians do. In Hanoi, I have yet to have seen them in restaurants so I do not know how they are cooked.

See post:

kohlrabi

My relatives who live in Ragusa (south-eastern region of Sicily) make causuneddi (Sicilian). These are small gnocchi shaped pasta which is known by different names in other regions of Sicily, for example, gnocculi, gnucchiteddi, cavati and caviateddi (in Sicilian). The kohlrabi that my relatives buy are usually much smaller in size and can also be tinged with purple. They are always boiled with the tender leaves sprouting from the centre of the kohirabi and some cotenne, strips of pig skin. The pig skin may not sound very appetising, but they really boost the taste.

Although the kohlrabi are in there, they are very hard to see in this photo below. You can however see the causuneddi.

See post:

gnucchiteddi

Most of the time the Ragusani add borlotti beans as well. The causuneddi are added to the cooked and boiling soup like mixture last of all. It is like a wet pasta dish and very delicious. Of course, it is never bought to the table without having had fragrant extra virgin olive oil drizzled on top.

In Vietnam, I am also eating the leaves and tendrils of some sort of pumpkin. These greens are very much like tenerumi that the Sicilians love. In Sicily they are made into a soup.

Here in Hanoi they are stir fried with garlic and presented as greens.The photo below shows the pumpkin tendrils.

See other posts on tenerumi:

tenerumi 1

tenerumi 2

Although the vegetable markets in Hanoi may look different to those in Sicily, the produce is very fresh and like the Sicilians the Vietnamese shop daily.

MA2SBAE8REVW

SELZ, GRATTACHECCA and GRANITA (Icy drinks) )

2012-02-01T16:44:00.000-08:00

This photo is of the drink kiosk in Sicily directly opposite The Duomo (cathedral) in Palermo

The cathedral was founded by the Normans (1184) on the site of a Muslim mosque. There had been a Christian basilica on the site before that. If visiting Palermo it certainly is worth seeing to appreciate the various architectural styles of the Duomo. The cathedral is steeped with history: the decorative Islamic parts completed during the Norman times, added to which are Gothic, Catalan, Aragonese embellishments - various rulers of Sicily who built on rather than destroying and beginning to build again. I really love this aspect of Sicilian architecture.

This photo is of a kiosk in Catania.

There are drink kiosks all over Sicily and many are much older than the one above and they sell drinks such as coffee, drinks and Selsa (selz) – freshly squeezed lemon juice, seltzer water (sparkling) and a pinch of salt – great for hot weather and drunk since ancient times. Helping replenish the salt you lose when you sweat.

This photo was taken in Naples and this Napoletana (woman from Naples) is shaving a block of ice., which she then pours into a glass. She then asks you to select a syrup of your choice, pours it over the ice, and hands you the drink. This too is from ancient times. Once, of course, it used to be done with snow.

Some readers may be reminded of serbet (sherbet) which began with Ottoman Turks and was made from fruit juices or extracts of flowers or herbs, combined with sugar, water and ice. Serbet is still very popular today.

You may have seen people shaving ice in Rome - it is called a grattachecca (from word gratta – to scratch) and it is prepared with grated ice and topped with syrup or juice. it is different to granita – this is syrup and water which is then frozen and broken up (or churned) when it is frozen. Granita should have enough sugar in it to keep it crystalline. Alcohol also does the same trick and at the moment there is one in my freezer made of good quality, sweet (but gone flat) sparkling wine (Zibibbo), a good glug of St Germain (elderberry liqueur) and very little fresh thyme (from my balcony). I was not going to waste the wine. I present this granita as a palate cleanser - a between courses treat.

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SICILIAN SEAFOOD COOKING, media coverage

2012-01-27T15:01:00.000-08:00

SICILIAN SEAFOOD COOKING (New HollandPublication), events and media coverage, start date November 2011

Events:

MelbourneLaunch– Italian Museum – 6.11.11

TSAA(The Sicilian Association of Australia)

cookingclass and book signing 13/11/11

Signingevent – Readings Hawthorn,17.11.11

LaunchIl Mercato, Adelaide 20.11.11

AdelaideShowgrounds Farmers Market26.11.11

Radio Achieved:

PrimeRadio Network w Laurie Atlas Nov 2

Radio3AW/1593am w Tony Tardio Nov 4

ReteItalia Radio w Pino and Lina (Ivano Ercole) Nov 4

JoyFM ‘Cravings’ with Pete Dillon Nov 5

RadioMTR 1377 w Steve Vizard Major MetroNov 7

RadioAdelaide 101.5 w Bruce Guerin “Gastronaut’ Nov 23

ABCAdelaide w Carole Whitelock Major metro Nov 25

5AAAdelaide with Michael Keelan, Nov 27

ABCSouth East with Alan Richardson Nov 29

ABC RadioNational’s Breakfast Dec 12

GBSydney with Warren Moore Jan 2, 2012

5MU Power FmAdelaide Jan 30, 2012

SICILIAN SEAFOOD COOKING, printed media

SicilianCommunity newsletter – TSSA - October & December issue

Italianicious– January 2012

SeafoodNews x 2 issues, Oct and Nov

CanberraTimes

Leadernewspapers, various localities

NorthernWeekly

WestAustralian
Adelaide Review, February 2012

Online: 5

http://www.italianicious.com.au/people/article/marisa-raniolo-wilkins.

www.winefoodhotel.com.au

http://www.seafoodnews.com.au

http://www.ilmercato.com.au

www.weekendnotes.com.au

http://allthingssicilianandmore.blogspot.com/2011/11/normal.html

www.italianicious.com.au

www.australianwomenonline.com.au

http://www.facebook.com/NewHollandPublishers

ABC RadioNational’s Breakfast Dec 12

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OLD BLOG, NEW BLOG - ALL THINGS SICILIAN AND MORE

2012-01-24T16:41:00.000-08:00

I have changed the layout of my blog and although I am pleased that it looks cleaner and all of the text font is uniform, I have lost some of the old features and extra gadgets. I am not very clever with I.T. and the old look blog was the best I could do.

For example, there is no opportunity to include the header (above), nor for readers to see my list of followers or blogs I follow (I can see them but you cannot).

The other factor is that if you are searching for a particular recipe it does not come up - the reader has to scroll through the blog and find it. It will be highlighted in yellow. Boring I know.

Also readers are not able to see who is accessing the blog and where in the world (feedjit - live traffic). I quite liked this feature and also the opportunity to see a list of comments. Readers can still leave comments (I like receiving them) and they will still show at the bottom of each individual post.

In the meantime, I will keep on adding recipes once per week and thank you to all readers.
Regards
Marisa

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ITALIANICIOUS and Slow cooked goat in Nero D’Avola and READER’S FEAST Bookstore

2012-01-19T16:37:00.000-08:00

ITALIANICIOUS

This is the cover of the January - February issue of 2012 Italianicious magazine.

It is a beautiful bi-monthly publication about food and wine, Italian regional recipes, travel stories and features on Italian restaurants and chefs and cultural events both in Italy and Australia. The photos are also stunning.

The current editor, Danielle Gullaci, is continuing to develop the quality and look of the publication established by previous editor, Jane O'Connor. In the January-February issue Danielle has written a feature about me, with the headline

FUELLED BY PASSION.

And these are the two beginning paragraphs:

“Although Marisa Raniolo Wilkins spent most of her early childhood in Trieste before moving to Australia with her Sicilian parents, a love for Sicilian food and culture has remained close to her heart. Her first book, Sicilian Seafood Cooking, represents eight years of hard work and a lifetime of culinary experiences.

Despite the fact that her parents both hailed from Sicily, Marisa says that she was born on the Italian island “by accident”. Marisa’s mother had lived in Catania, Sicily, before moving to Trieste in northern Italy with her siblings; and her Sicilian father (from Ragusa) was stationed in Trieste during the war, learning to be a tailor. “

Article: http://www.italianicious.com.au/people/article/marisa-raniolo-wilkins.

I was also featured in Italianicious magazine in the November-December issue when Mary Taylor Simeti and I discussed a Sicilian Christmas at Dolcetti, Melbourne’s little gem of a pastry shop. Naturally Pastry Chef Marianna Di Bartolo contributed to the discussion and we ate some of her delectable sweets. The editor was Jane O’Connor (now group editor of all Prime Media magazines), the three camera shy women and the photographer Patrick Varney of Raglan Images all had a grand old time.

See: http://allthingssicilianandmore.blogspot.com/2010/12/per-natale-cosa-si-mangia-at-christmas.html

Mary and I also saw Gus at the Queen Victoria Market..

The time before that Italianicious published an article and my recipe for Caponata, that was in December 2009 – February 2010 and the editor was Glynis Macri now Director/Editor of The Italian Traveller - Food, Wine and Travel Consultant.

Website: http://www.italiantraveller.com/main/page_about_us.html

Caponata recipe:

http://allthingssicilianandmore.blogspot.com/2010/02/caponata-catanese-caponata-as-made-in.html

Italianicious also has recipes on line:

http://www.italianicious.com.au/recipes/

Here are the ingredients for one recipe. It is from the October 2011 issue. I have seen goat available at The Queen Victoria Market recently and the recipe uses Nero D’Avola – that marvellous Sicilian red wine.

If you want the full recipe:

http://www.italianicious.com.au/recipes/view/slow-cooked-goat-in-nero-davola

Slow cooked goat in Nero D’Avola

Serves 4

2kg goat consisting of shoulder cut into 150g pieces and 4 shanks
1.5 litres Nero d’Avola wine
3 onions, chopped roughly
200ml red wine vinegar
3 carrots, chopped roughly
3 celery sticks, chopped roughly
1 garlic clove, peeled
200g prosciutto fat
5 whole tomatoes, chopped
2L reduced beef stock
20 crushed whole peppercorns
3 bay leaves

For the garnish:
12 baby carrots, peeled and roasted with olive oil, garlic and rosemary
4 potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters, then roasted with olive oil, garlic, sliced lemon and rosemary.

Reader’s Feast Bookstore

The other nice thing that happened this week is that I went into Reader’s Feast Bookstore. Sicilian Seafood Cooking has been featured in their Summer 2002 Book Guide and has been written by Helen.

Helen is only one of the helpful, knowlegable and personable staff who has been working with Mary Dalmau at Reader’s Feast for a very long time.

“Our bookstore will be a place of interest and enjoyment, peopled by committed and enthusiastic staff, who present a range of books to suit all visitors” Mary Dalmau, 1991

Finally my cookbook of the year is Sicilian Seafood Cooking by Marisa Raniolo Wilkins.

This incredibly substantial cookbook takes

us on a culinary odyssey through Sicily; It is

a book of love celebrating seasonal produce,

traditional recipes, methods and techniques

while providing us non Sicilians with suitable

alternative ingredients. The food is delicious

and the advice is such that you are never

alone while preparing these recipes. It's as if

the grandmothers and aunts are beside you.

Happy Holiday Reading and Feasting.

Helen

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SHARK and BATTER (Pescecane or Squalo and Pastella) )

2012-01-12T17:55:00.000-08:00

In the weeks before Christmas, I received an email headed Sharks in Peril. It was sent by TooniMahto, MarineCampaigner from The Marine Conservation Society and was a call toaction to reduce shark fishing. The gruesome practice of catching sharks purelyfor their fins was a special focus of Tooni Mahto’s message. Having watched documentary footage ofsharks being hauled on deck and having their fins hacked off, before pitchedback into the sea to writhe and drown, I can’t imagine how anyone could sit downto relish shark fin soup.

Many shark speciesare listed as endangered by all of the conservation associations. And shark is caught and sold under a variety names, the mostcommon being “flake”, which disguise what is really on sale. Manyseafood customers are not aware that Fish and Chips shops, especially, useshark, sold as flake for their battered fish. King George whiting and flatheadtails are a sustainable and better tasting alternative to 'flake'. Even before I knew “flake” was actually shark, I never liked thetaste.

In Italy, shark is called pescecane (fish/ dog) but it is alsocalled squalo,however it also has other names (palombo, verdesca, smeriglio, vitella di mare)and Italians like the rest of the world may not know that they are eating sharkor an endangered species.

From Slow Fish, Italy:

Ipescecani non sono una minaccia per gli uomini, sono gli uomini che minacciano (e pesantemente) i pescecani!

Sharksare not a threat to men, it is men who threaten (and heavily) sharks.

The Sharks in Perilemail came with an invitation to cut out the shape of a globallyendangered hammerhead shark, and within the shape to write a message, whichcould be sent to the Australian Government. The photo above is my best effortto get the message across.

The following quotes have come from the Sharks in Peril Appeal and I hope that it will motivate you tolook at their website.

Walkinginto a supermarket or fish and chip shop the last thing you would expect to seeis an endangered species for sale. There would be outrage if tiger, whale orpanda were being sold. But you will find globally endangered hammerheadsavailable, right here in Australia.

Everyyear a staggering 100 million sharks are caught and killed across theglobe.

Hugeconsumer demand for shark fins and other shark products has made sharks amongthe most valuable fish in the sea.

Assilently as sharks slip on to the menu, their numbers slip towards extinction.

Whilemore and more nations are giving their sharks sanctuary, here in Australiawe’re finning,, filleting and battering them into oblivion.

But thisisn't a distant problem in a distant ocean. Australian fisheries catch hundredsof thousands of sharks each year, sending shark meat to our supermarkets andfish shops and contributing hundreds of tonnes of fins to the shamefulinternational trade in shark fin. Inconceivably this includes tens ofthousands of sharks caught from within the World Heritage listed Great BarrierReef including endangered species like the scalloped hammerhead.

From The Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) you can alsopurchase Australia's Sustainable Seafood Guide. You can also access the guide online from the AMCS site -the first online sustainability guide in Australia. Developed in response togrowing public concerns about the state of our seas, the online guide isdesigned to help you make informed seafood choices and play a part in swellingthe tide for sustainable seafood.

N.B. If you have a copy of the first AMCS guide there are somechanges to the classification of particular species of fish.

PASTELLA
Batter is called pastella in Italian and this particular one is mainly used to coat vegetables and fruit before frying, Using a heavy type batter is common for fish in Australia, however Italians generally use a much lighter batter to coat fish before frying ( light coating of flour or dipped in beaten egg first, then fine breadcrumbs).

Recipe from L'Artusi, La scienza in cucina e l'arte di mangiare bene (Pellegrino Artusi).

INGREDIENTS
100g plain flour,1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, 1 egg- separated, salt to taste, and a little water.

PROCESSES
Combine egg yolk with other ingredients (add as much water as necessary) and make a thick batter.
Rest for 2 hours.
When ready to use add beaten egg white (stiff).

MA2SBAE8REVW

CANBERRA APPRECIATED

2012-01-06T23:19:00.000-08:00

This beautiful platter is by a friend, Sarit Cohen, a Canberra ceramicist. I love its functional shape and I selected this particular one because the motif reminded me of a fish. Sarit was born in southern Israel and is of Turkish and Indian decent. She explained that the simple dark shape is a verse from the Old Testament written in Hebrew script. The Bible is filled with examples of man seeking advice from God about choosing the right path and this is one of them.

And the round motif that could have been interpreted as the eye of the fish is part of a delicate but complex decorative pattern shaped around the text all pointing to the sky. Sarit has further enhanced the upward shape by placing it within a carved motif reminiscent of Islamic architecture.

I was also impressed by some of the produce I found at The Kitchen Cabinet at Old Parliament House – what an ideal opportunity to promote a wide range of quality, local produce in this well visited location. Their 2012 calendar of events also looks very impressive and diverse, for example Marion Halligan telling table tales while guests eat some of Elizabeth David's recipes, or the Shiraz sunday lunch with Tim Kirk.

I bought some sourdough made by GingerBread Bakery, a meat terrine made by Kitchen Cabinet staff and a smoked trout from Cypress Valley near Grenfell – it was incredibly moist and delicate – apparently each trout is smoked one fish at a time using a traditional Swedish method. Each trout is then vacuum packed to preserve the taste and texture. Sarit’s platter was perfect for the above produce.

Ken Helm

Guided by two friends who have recently relocated to Canberra, I visited three exceptional wineries, all only minutes from Murrumbateman: Gallagher, Helm and Clonakilla, each of them highly respected for their cool-climate Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Riesling.

Perhaps it is no surprise, but I found the coincidence intriguing that two of these wineries, Helm and Clonakilla, were established by CSIRO scientists based in Canberra. The third, Gallagher, was just as driven by a passion for wine and dedication to research; some excellent cheese is made in-house by Libby Gallagher.

Greg Gallagher

Meeting and talking to Ken Helm and Greg Gallagher is as enjoyable as drinking their wines. Both were generous with their time and their wines.

Sadly, I didn’t get to meet John Kirk on my visit to Clonakilla’s cellar door, but did meet an enthusiastic staff member fresh from irrigating the vines to counteract the hot, dry spell of the last week.

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FISH BALLS IN SALSA – POLPETTE DI PESCE (PURPETTI in Sicilian)

2011-12-28T01:04:00.000-08:00

Purpetti is Sicilian for meatballs, but these purpetti are made with fish. (Polpette is the Italian word).

Polpette di sarde are made with sardine and are very popular in Sicily, however other types of fish can be used. In my version of fish balls I have used a combination of snapper and flathead (sustainable in Victoria), but any firm skinless, non-oily fish can be used. You will need a meat grinder or a food processor to mince the fish.

Polpette made with fish can be made with as many combinations of flavours and particularly common around Catania is the combination of grated pecorino, garlic and parsley, which is the same as for making meat balls. I like to add grated lemon zest and cinnamon as well. The polpette can be fried and served plain with a squeeze of lemon or poached in a tomato salsa as I have done on this occasion.

I presented them to friends simply served with bread and accompanied with some roast peppers and a green leaf mixed salad with radishes - perfect for a light lunch.

INGREDIENTS

fish, 500g, see above

grated pecorino cheese, ½ cup

currants, ½ cup

pine nuts, ½ cup

parsley or fresh mint, ½ cup cut finely

garlic, 2 cloves, chopped finely

salt and pepper to taste

cinnamon powder and lemon zest, ½ teaspoon of each

egg, 1

breadcrumbs,1 cup, made from fresh bread

PROCESSES

Cut the fish into chunks and mince using a meat grinder or food processor - I do not like it to be too fine.

Combine all of the ingredients - the mixture should be quite firm and hold their shape. Shape into small balls.

For the tomato sauce:

In a saucepan large enough to hold the polpette, heat ½ cup of extra virgin olive oil, add a clove of garlic, a little salt and 500g of chopped and peeled red tomatoes (canned or passata).

Heat the salsa to boiling then lower the heat and reduce to thicken slightly for about 5 minutes. Bring to boiling again.

Add the polpette to the tomato sauce, cover and braise for 8–12 minutes. Leave to rest in the sauce for at least 5 minutes - this will help them to set.

Serve hot.

MA2SBAE8REVW

BRACIOLINI O INVOLTINI DI PESCE – Small fish braciole stuffed with herbs

2011-12-11T22:25:00.001-08:00

Braciolini di pesce are easily picked up with fingers and are ideal for the festive season when guests are standing around with drinks in their hands.

Small fish braciole stuffed with herbs

These make wonderful little morsels on an antipasto platter. Because they are small bracioIe and the stuffing is light – only herbs and garlic are used –fillets of small fish (with skin on) are suitable: anything from mild-flavoured whiting, stronger tasting flathead or gunard to even stronger oilier fish such as mullet or sardines.

Adelaide Showground Farmers Market is for shoppers who enjoy fresh, seasonal and regional food. It is open each Sunday from 9am-1pm.The Adelaide Showground Farmers Market also has Demo Kitchen which offers chef demonstrations and tastings of produce and wine and on Sunday Nov 27th 2011, I was able to discuss Sicilian Seafood Cooking with RozTaylor who is the Demo Kitchen Host.

Roz prepared a simple recipe from the book while I talked about some of the fresh market produce that was used in the kitchen demonstration. I also discussed some of the recipes in Sicilian Seafood Cooking and interacted with the audience.

We used fillets of Coorong mullet from Coorong Wild Seafood (Trevor Bowden). He and his wife have a stall at the ASFM.

This is the recipe:

Ingredients
750g (1lb 12oz) fish fillets
fresh herbs (rosemary, flatleaf
parsley and oregano)
garlic, finely chopped
fresh red chilli, deseeded and sliced (optional)
about ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper

Method
Flatten each fillet; if using steaks, cut into small pieces.
Mix the herbs, garlic, chilli and seasoning with the olive oil. Place a little
of the stuffing at one end of each fillet and roll up. If using chilli, use about
1 slice per roll in the herb stuffing.
Secure each roll with a toothpick.
Saute in extra virgin olive oil. Add seasoning and (if you wish) herbs (rosemary, bay, oregano) or whole garlic cloves or 1 finely sliced onion. A few minutes before the end of cooking, add about ½ cup white wine and reduce. Remove herbs and garlic and serve.

I also took the opportunity to discuss some of the vegetable produce from Patlin Gardens (Pat D’Onofrio). HIs stall is laden with a large variety of Italian vegetables.

On that particular day, Pat had puntarelle, chicory, green radicchio (called biondo) and endives- all wonderful produce where the soft centre leaves can be separated to be used in a green salad and the coarse leaves can be braised.
He also had fennel bulbs complete with long stalks of fronds- the fronds are excellent for flavouring and are a substitute for wild fennel which is used extensively in Sicilian cooking.

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A SEAFOOD CHRISTMAS - BUON NATALE

2011-12-07T13:46:00.001-08:00

This morning I had the fantastic opportunity of being interviewed by Fran Kelly on ABC Radio National’s Breakfast program.

Fran asked me about how Sicilians traditionally celebrate Christmas and to suggest different menus featuring seafood and accompaniments that Australians could prepare as alternatives to the traditional turkey, chicken and ham, which are being replaced on our Christmas dinner plates.

When I am planning a Christmas lunch I consider:

Who am I feeding will they like this dish? How many? How much time do I want to spend cooking/ Hot day or cooler? What can I prepare before hand? What fish looks good at the market? Which is my focus ‘wow factor’/emphasis? (is it to be (antipasto) entrée, pasta( first course) or (second course) main?

Or would I prefer to present a selection of small courses?

In Sicilian Seafood Cooking there are many recipes that in Sicily are intended for swordfish and tuna. Although I have retained the name of the recipe I have also selected fish that are sustainable as preferable choices to endangered species.

Sicilians have simple starters – a plate of olives, some nuts and this is because they like to save their appetites for what is coming and therefore I have selected a light fish starter. They also enjoy eating pasta and this is why I have given several alternatives for the first course. For the first course there is also a rice alternative. By the time you get to the second course you may need a big rest, but I have provided two recipes.

Vegetables have not been included in this menu but they are and as well as important in Sicilian cuisine and there are very many interesting recipes in Sicilian Seafood Cooking and of course beautiful photos, not only of the recipes but as Fran said, also of Sicily.

Starter / antipasto: TONNO CUNZATO

Raw Marinated Tuna

The fish needs to be fresh and of excellent quality and sliced thinly. Keep it in the fridge while it is in the marinade. The recipes for marinating tuna suggest using a mixture of 7 parts vinegar to 3 parts lemon juice. I prefer to use just lemon juice or 9 parts lemon juice to 1 part vinegar. You may wish to experiment.

This dish is usually served as an antipasto.

Suitable fish:

The recipe is intended for bluefin tuna which is not sustainable. Any skinless fillet cut thinly can be marinated the same way.

Ingredients:

500g tuna or other thinly cut, skinless fish

Juice of 4 lemons

¼ - ½ cup white wine vinegar

Dried oregano to taste

2 spring onions (scallions) finely chopped

2-3 stalks celery (pale green stalks and leaves from heart) finely chopped

½ cup capers

¼ cup finely cut parsley

¾ cup extra virgin olive oil

Salt & freshly ground pepper

Method:

Marinate the fish in the lemon juice and vinegar, making sure that the fish is covered with the marinade. Add oregano and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.

For the dressing, mix together the spring onions, celery, capers, parsley, olive oil and seasoning. When ready to serve, remove the fish from the marinade and pour the dressing on top.

First Course: RAVIOLI DI RICOTTA CU NIURU DI SICCI

Ricotta Ravioli With Black Ink Sauce

Ingredients

2 ½ cups of ricotta

Salt to taste

Extras: sugar, citrus peel or finely cut marjoram

1 quantity pasta (recipe p45)

Black ink sauce:

600g squid or cuttlefish plus 2-3 ink sacs

1 medium onion &/or 2 cloves garlic

½ cup olive oil

100g ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped

1 large tblsp tomato paste

1 cup finely cut parsley

1 cup white wine

Salt

Chilli flakes or freshly ground pepper

Clean the squid or cuttlefish carefully and extract the ink sac. Cut into 1cm rings and set aside. The tentacles can also be used.

For the sauce, sauté the onion and garlic in the oil, add the tomatoes and tomato paste, parsley, white wine and sale. Bring to the boil and reduce until the salsa is thick.

Cook the pasta.

Add the ink and chilli flakes to the sauce and mix well. Add the squid rings and cook over a medium-high heat until the squid is cooked to your liking.

Method:

Drain the ricotta

Place it in the colander lined with cheesecloth and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Mix the ricotta with a little salt and any of the extra flavourings.

Make the ravioli

The most authentic and quickest way to cut the ravioli is by hand. There is no prescribed size- can be round or square or half-moon shaped.

To make individual ravioli, cut pasta into circles or squares. Place heaped teaspoons of stuffing in the centre of each, continuing until all the stuffing is used. For half-moon shapes fold the pasta over the filling. For others lay another circle or square over the top then moisten edges with a little water and press together carefully to seal properly.

Set the finished ravioli on a lightly floured cloth. They can rest in a cool place for up to two hours.

Cooking

Cook the ravioli as you would any pasta. Lower them into water a few at a time and scoop each out when it floats to the surface.

Dress them carefully with the black ink sauce so as not to break them. Serve as is or with a scoop of ricotta or some grate pecorino.

First course: RISO CON GLI ANGELI

Rice with angels

Ingredients

400g cockles

400g mussels

3 cups arborio, carnaroli or vialone rice

3 cloves garlic, chopped

½ cup finely cut parsley

¾–1 cup extra virgin olive oil

200g (7oz) prawns, shelled

and de-veined, cut into pieces; some left whole

200g (7oz) squid (small with tentacles), cut into slices

100g (3½oz) of one or a

mixture of: crabs, lobster, Moreton bay bugs, scallops (optional)

grated pecorino

salt and red chilli flakes to taste

Method

Clean the cockles and mussels (see pages 84 and 87). Steam in a covered frying pan coated with a little oil. Once opened, shell them, but reserve some mussels in their shells. Cut up the flesh and save the juice.

While you are preparing the seafood, cook the rice (add the rice to plenty of rapidly boiling, salted water). Drain and place in serving bowl.

In a wide pan, sauté the garlic and parsley in extra virgin olive oil. Add prawns, squid (and any other seafood) and season. Stir for a few minutes, then add the clam juice. Toss for a few minutes without reducing the liquid.

Add mussels and cockles (shelled and unshelled) and heat through.

Mix the seafood with the rice. Arrange some mussels in their shells on top to look like angels with open wings. Serve with grated cheese.

First course: SPAGHETTI CON L ’ARAGOSTA

Spaghetti with crayfish

The terms lobster and crayfish are often used interchangeably, but the marine
species are lobsters and the freshwater species are crayfish. There are many
types of lobsters known by a variety of local names.

Lobsters (aragoste) are popular around Trapani, although they are
expensive. When making pasta with aragosta, I often buy spiders (the legs) –
they can be quite meaty and very suitable for a pasta dish that requires cooked
lobster. When buying lobster, select a heavy specimen with a good strong
shell. They molt several times in their life cycle and, if they are pale with a
thin shell, they are not likely to have much flesh. As for size, anything less than
1.5 kg (3lb 5oz) is not worth buying – a lobster under that size doesn’t have
enough meat, especially from the spiders.
There is no comparison between the taste of a freshly cooked lobster and
one purchased already cooked.
This dish requires cooked lobster and it is added last. The other ingredients
are raw and pounded in a mortar and pestle (or pulsed in a food processor).
The raw ingredients can also be finely chopped and mixed together. Use fresh
ripe tomatoes.
Although this recipe is especially suited for lobsters, other crustaceans
can be used.
This pasta dish is fantastic for the hot weather and it could be part of a
celebratory lunch (such as Christmas in the Southern Hemisphere).

Ingredients

Lobster, no less than 50g (1¾oz) of meat per person

Juice of 3 lemons, plus grated zest of 1 lemon

about ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic

600g (1lb 5oz) ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and drained, chopped

1 small bunch of basil

½ cup finely cut parsley

½ cup capers; if salted soaked and thoroughly rinsed

500g (17½oz) spaghetti or spaghettini

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Method

Remove the flesh from the lobster, tear or cut into small portions and place it in a bowl with the juice of 1 lemon and some of the oil.

Use a mortar and pestle to combine the rest of the ingredients. Begin with

the garlic, then add the tomatoes, seasoning, and some more oil. Then stir in

the basil, parsley capers and, lastly, the zest of 1 lemon – stir these into the

pesto. Add some of the lemon juice, taste the pesto and add more if necessary

(you may not need all of the lemon juice).

Cook and drain the spaghetti. Arrange in a serving bowl, add the pesto

and lobster and mix it gently. I like to add more grated lemon zest on top.

Second Course: CALAMARETTI RIPIENI CON MARSALA E MANDORLE

Stuffed calamari with fresh cheese, almonds

and nutmeg braised in marsala

Ingredients

6 medium squid (or 12 small squid)

1 cup breadcrumbs, made from good-quality day-old bread, toasted in a little oil

2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, finely cut

¼–½ teaspoon nutmeg

150g (5oz) fresh cheese (tuma, pecorino fresco, mozzarella, fior di latte or bocconcini), cut into small cubes

1 cup dry marsala

½ cup almonds, blanched and chopped

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Method

Clean the squid: pull off the head and the inside of the squid and discard. Cut

off tentacles and save them for another time.

Mix the remaining ingredients except the oil together; check the seasoning.

Stuff the squid and secure each end with a toothpick.

Sauté each squid in olive oil – when the juice escapes it caramelises – turning once only during cooking. Alternatively, cover with foil and bake in a 200°C (400°F) oven for about 10 minutes. The squid will produce its own juice. To caramelise, remove foil and bake the squid for an extra 10 minutes.

Variation

Add chopped pistachio rather than almonds.

Second course: PESCE INFORNATO CON PATATE

Baked fish with potatoes, vinegar and anchovies

Ingredients

1–1.5kg (2lb 4oz–3lb 5oz) whole fish, or large pieces

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 onions, finely chopped a small bunch parsley, finely chopped

250g (9oz) potatoes, thinly sliced

3–6 anchovies, finely chopped (see above)

juice of 2 lemons, plus grated zest of 1 lemon

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Suitable fish

Any whole fish or large fillets of medium to firm fish, preferably with the skin

on. The fish is cooked whole and carved like meat at the table.

Method

If using whole fish or fillets with skin, make a series of slashes in the skin. Mix

the oil with the vinegar, onions and parsley. Add seasoning and marinate the

fish for about an hour, turning frequently.

Place the fish in an ovenproof dish, spoon half of the marinade over it and bake for 10 minutes in a 200°C (400°F) oven. Arrange the sliced potatoes around the fish. Sprinkle the potatoes and the fish with more marinade, the anchovies, lemon juice and grated zest. Bake for another 20–35 minutes, depending on the type of fish. Serve hot.

Variation

Place rosemary and bay leaves underneath the fish in the baking pan.

BUON NATALE A TUTTI , Marisa

MA2SBAE8REVW

FRITTATA (with wild fennel), READINGS event and ROCKY PASSES SYRAH

2011-11-30T22:07:00.001-08:00

Irecently made a wild fennel frittata and had it with a bottle of Rocky PassesEstate syrah - a very fine wine and the only bottle left over from the booksigning event held in Readings in Hawthorn (Sicilian Seafood Cooking).

FriendsVitto Oles & Candi Westneyown and run Rocky Passes Estate and they graciously donated the wine for theReadings event.

Vitto is the only male in the photo and Candi is wearing a white shirt and has a necklace.

Vitto is theviticulturist and wine-maker ofexceptionally good Syrah and Candi is just as important because she isresponsible for the entertainment – the music concerts, performances and artexhibitions. Both manage the cellar door and the range of appetisingArgentinian/Spanish inspired morsels (tapas) that are available when you visittheir winery.

RockyPasses Estate is at the spectacular southern end of the Strathbogie Ranges, nearSeymour in Victoria. If you look at their wine label you will notice two eagles– these birds are often soaring above their very attractive property.

Thewinery is relatively new and had its first vintage of Syrah in 2004 and everyvintage since has been highly rated by James Halliday. The winery is openSundays 11-5pm or by appointment and Tapas also served on the last Friday ofthe month as well as during art openings and special events.

I love wild fennel and when I find it Iuse it.

Ihave written about frittata in a previous post and as you see it is notdifficult to make. The fennel can be replaced by any wilted green vegetable,for example spinach, endives, spring onions or asparagus. Wild greens are superb or you can use bulb fennel, but keep the greens.

You can vary theamounts of vegetables but as a general guide I would use 3-4 eggs to a cup ofgreens. For this frittata I used 12 eggs and it fed 4 of us (we were greedy).

Remember to use a spatula to lift the cooked part of the frittata as it cooks and release the uncooked egg. Need I say that I only use free range eggs?

Then flip it over - I used a pizza tray.

Finally, slide the frittata out.

At the Readings book signing event I accompanied the Rocky passes with green Sicilian olives (olive schiacciate) and Marianna Di Bartolo from Dolcetti made more fish shaped biscuits for this occasion and once again these were perfectly matched with Brown Brothers Zibibbo.

And once again it was an other fine celebration for Sicilian Seafood Cooking.

MA2SBAE8REVW

BAKED BACCALÀ (Baccalaru ‘o fornu – Sicilian and Baccalà al forno- Italian).

2011-11-24T15:21:00.001-08:00

ADELAIDE LAUNCH OF SICILIAN SEAFOOD COOKING

Rosa Matto, Marisa and Grace Portolesi

After the excitement and satisfaction of the successful launch of my book, Sicilian Seafood Cooking, in Melbourne on 6 November, and book signing event at Readings Hawthorn on 17 November, I drove to Adelaide, for the launch of my book in South Australia.

The launch was hosted and organized by the team at Imma & Mario's Il Mercato, the Italian providore in the north-eastern suburb of Campbelltown, which is where my family settled after migrating from Italy. The local member and the State Minister for Education, Grace Portolesi, MP introduced the South Australian event on Sunday, 20 November.

I was thrilled and honoured that respected cook and cooking teacher, Rosa Matto, agreed to launch the book in my former hometown. Rosa and I have known each other for over many years and I have always admired her cooking skills, her generosity and her commitment to sharing her knowledge of food through her cooking classes.

The launch at Il Mercercato was very well attended. John Caporosa, the owner of the providore, had ordered 100 copies of Sicilian Seafood Cooking and on the day 99 were sold and signed.

I am immensely grateful to John and his team, especially Cynthia and Lina who helped to make the event a success and prepared a selection of food: there were white anchovies and arancini and Lina selected and cooked two recipes from Sicilian Seafood Cooking, the Caponata from Catania (pg 362) and the Baked baccalà (pg 193). It was presented on a ceramic spoon - practical and attractive and very suitable for this occasion.

Baccalà is cooked in many ways but this is probably my favourite - It is full of flavours and colours that can only be Sicilian. It can be presented as a main dish or as an antipasto. At Il Mercato it was served on spoons and everyone loved it.

Baccalà. has to soak for a couple of days before it is cooked, so begin preparations beforehand ( min. 24 hours but if it is extra salty it will need extra time. It can be purchased pre soaked in some stores which sell Italian and Spanish food :

INGREDIENTS

1–1.2 kg (2lb 4oz–2lb

12oz) baccalà, soaked

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 large onion, finely sliced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 cup finely cut parsley

500g (17.oz) tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped

(or canned)

2 tablespoons tomato paste

mixed with ½ cup water

flour for coating

½ cup salted capers, soaked and washed

½ cup sultanas or currants

½ cup pine nuts

1 cup white wine

½ cup black olives, pitted and chopped

salt and freshly ground pepper

METHOD

Cut the baccalà into square portions and leave to dry on a paper towel.

Heat ½ cup of oil in an ovenproof casserole. Add the onion, garlic and

parsley and cook until the onion is pale golden. Add the tomatoes, the tomato

paste and seasoning and cook until thickened.

Lightly coat the baccalà with flour and fry in hot oil.

Arrange the baccalà in the casserole with the capers, sultanas, pine

nuts and ½ cup of wine. Bake in a preheated 180C (350 F) oven for

30–45 minutes. Add the rest of the wine and the olives and bake for another

15–30 minutes until cooked (the fish should flake). During cooking, check to

see if it is dry and either add more wine or water.

Variation

Sprinkle with fresh basil leaves or extra pine nuts and serve with chopped chilli and a dribble of extra virgin olive oil.
Cook any firm-fleshed fish this way. Large thick pieces are best.

MA2SBAE8REVW

CHEAT FOOD: Marinaded white anchovies AND Olive Schacciate made with commercially prepared olives

2011-11-16T18:00:00.001-08:00

I am getting so many requests about the marinaded anchovies and the squashed olives (olive schiacciate, sounds much better). These were two of the spuntini (little mouthfuls/ tastes) that were available for the Melbourne launch of Sicilian Seafood Cooking at Coasit.

I thought I would include both of these recipes on my blog. They are both called my Cheat Recipes and you will see why.

I also made caponata, the Catanese version, which includes peppers. These little offerings, together with the generous food offerings by Fiona Louise, Dolcetti and Bar Idda were very much appreciated by those who attended the launch.

I have been pretty busy lately and taking shortcuts with preparations.

MARINADED WHITE ANCHOVIES

Ingredients and Processes

I used boquerones (white anchovies) from Spain (1 kilo pack)

Drain them (they are packed in oil and vinegar), add 4 cloves of finely chopped garlic, 1 cup of finely cut parsley and 3 spring onions and cover them with extra virgin olive oil.

Leave in marinade at least one day.

This recipe is nothing new. When we first come to Australia and could not buy fresh sardines (they were used a bait, like squid used to be) my father would buy Spanish sardines packed in salt, wash them carefully, drain them and dress them in the same manner. And he was Sicilian. Sometimes he added oregano or chopped fennel fronds, sometimes capers. The anchovies were stored in the fridge ready to be placed on a fresh piece of bread whenever anyone was hungry and they were also very useful if guests dropped in unexpected.

Accompanied with a cold glass of white wine or a glass of dry vermouth (or dry marsala if we had been able to buy some in the 60’s in small town Adelaide) these marinaded anchovies were very much appreciated. And we never made a brutta figura.

By tomorrow they will be superb. In two days time, they will taste even better.

Not everything need take a long time to prepare. And some of your guests may even like them more than eating fresh sardines treated the same way – some people squirm at the mention of fresh sardines.

OLIVE SCHIACCIATE

I asked my daughter Francesca to prepare the olives for me. The following is her writing:

With two book launches to promote, one book signing, menu preparation for two cooking demonstrations, sourcing wine, book promotion, writing her blog and launch speeches plus a family wedding interstate thrown in, Mum was in need of an extra pair of hands, those I could supply.

I was a little daunted, to begin with, when I learnt my ‘job’ was to prepare 7kg of olives. Not because 7kgs of olives sounded so much and they all had to be crushed in small amounts but I hadn’t made them before and what if they are awful? How embarrassed I would feel and would they come even close to the olives my mother dressed? But there is no cooking involved and I had my instructions - it would be hard to “stuff it up” so I did it.

INGREDIENTS
(for 1 kg of olives, double up for 2kg and so on)

Sicilian Green olives in brine (These were Nocellara brand)

Garlic 4/5 large cloves

Orange rind from 1 orange

Chilli flakes 2 tbls

Fennel seeds, 2 tbls

Bay leaves, 3-4

Wild Fennel fronds/ leaves/green stuff (failing this, use extra fennel seeds,1 tbs)

Extra Virgin olive oil, about a litre- you need enough to cover the olives

PROCESSES

Drain the brine from the olives, no need to rinse them. I used a mortar and pestle to crush the olives, a handful at a time and they don’t require much force.

Roughly chop the garlic and wild fennel fronds. Place the crushed olives into a jar or sealable plastic container and add the chilli, wild Fennel, bay leaves, orange peel and garlic and cover them completely with olive oil.

The olives need to be keep completely under oil at all times and should be stored in the fridge. I placed a plate over the olives to keep them under the oil level. The oil will solidify so the olives need to be removed from the fridge a couple of hours before eating and the oil drained off. Remember to keep and re-use the flavoured oil – great for salads and cooking.

These olives were presented at Coasit and at the event at Readings in Hawthorn- great compliments and many requests for the recipe- a cheat recipe but very successful.

Carlo Carli at launch of Sicilian Seafood Cooking

Event At Readings with Christine Gordon

MA2SBAE8REVW

SICILIAN SEAFOOD COOKING, Marisa Raniolo Wilkins – Pushing out the boat

2011-11-10T14:15:00.001-08:00

One upon a time, when people talked about “launching” something, they were usually talking about ships and the launch usually involved some celebrity smashing a bottle of champagne across the bow and standing back to watch the hull slide down the slipway and into the water! Or spectators crossing themselves and praying for the vessel’s safe voyages.

My feelings of anticipation, excitement and relief were just as intense when Richard Cornish launched my book, Sicilian Seafood Cooking, at the Museo Italiano in Faraday Street Carlton, last Sunday (6 November).

And while Richard didn’t crack a bottle of champagne over the lectern, and I did not make the sign of the cross, there was certainly plenty of wine, food and bubbles to float my book out into bookstores, and a great crowd of well-wishers who to lent a hand to see it on its way. All of them need to be thanked.

First, thanks to the staff of CoAsIt and the Museo Italiano [link to http://www.coasit.com.au] especially to Carlo Carli who is the Coordinator of the Museo Italiano, and Rosaria Zarro, Italian Education Officer at CoAsIt, who hosted the launch in the spacious and well-equipped conference room in Faraday Street, Carlton.

Special thanks to Richard Cornish, award-winning author and journalist. I have always admired Richard and his writing and I am deeply honoured and seriously grateful to Richard for launching Sicilian Seafood Cooking.

Richard [link to http://www.profiletalent.com.au/richard-cornish ] is best known to readers of Epicure (the Age) and Good Living (Sydney Morning Herald) for his articles on food, concentrating on ethical and sustainable production. Richard has also co-authored a series of books on Spanish cuisine with Frank Camorra, chef and owner of Melbourne’s Movida restaurants. The latest book MoVida Cocina is published in November 2011 so I know how busy he must be.

The Sponsors

Wine

The wine was generously provided by three producers – two of them, family companies, Coriole and Brown Brothers – and the other, a major producer of wines in Sicily, distributed by Arquilla Food and Wine.

Coriole [link to http://www.coriole.com] provided two varieties of Sangiovese, a wine whose Italian origins are most closely linked to Tuscany. Led by Mark Lloyd, Coriole has ventured further and further into the production of Italian varieties in their McLaren Vale vineyards, south of Adelaide. Coriole began with Sangiovese in 1987, and followed by Nebbiolo and Barbera. The experimentation has continued with plantings of Fiano (recently awarded Best McLaren Vale White Wine), Sagrantino and Nero d’Avola, which is yet to have a vintage – maybe next year.

Brown Brothers [link to http://www.brownbrothers.com.au] provided a sparkling Zibibbo, the Sicilian name for a grape originally named Muscat of Alexandria. You can never finish a meal in Sicily without being offered a glass of Zibibbo! [link to http://www.snooth.com/varietal/zibibbo/] Brown Brothers, who established their first vineyard at Milawa in the lower King Valley, grow the grapes for their Zibibbo at their Mystic Park Vineyard beside the Murray Valley Highway about halfway between Kerang and Swan Hill.

Arquilla [link to http://www.arquilla.com.au] supplied traditional Sicilian wines, Nero d’Avola and Frappato, produced by Feudi del Pisciotto. [link to http://www.castellare.it/eng/introFeudiPisciotto.html] I first tasted the Feudi Nero d’Avola at my favourite Sicilian restaurant, Bar Idda, [link to http://www.baridda.com.au] another fabulous family affair in the hands of Lisa and Alfredo La Spina, with Lisa’s brother Anthony managing the bar and the drinks.

Food

The book didn’t just float out on glasses of Sicilian wine. There was a selection of tasty finger-food (or as they are called in Italian, spuntini).

Fiona Rigg, who was the amazing food stylist for the book, made a Christmas caponata [made with celery]. Being very creative she made some sauces (cipollata and mataroccu) from the chapter Come Fare una Bella Figura from Sicilian Seafood Cooking. [link to http://www.fionalouise.com.au]

Lisa and Alfredo from Bar Idda contributed roasted peppers [link to http://www.baridda.com.au] l Iove to eat at their restaurant!

The highly capable pastry chef, Marianna DiBartolo, who owns Dolcetti, [link to http://www.dolcetti.com.au] a Sicilian-inspired pastry shop (pasticceria) in North Melbourne, made special fish-shaped biscuits for the occasion, which were perfectly matched with the Zibibbo.

I was really pleased to see the editors of two important publications at the launch: Agi Argyropoulos editor and publisher of Seafood News

[link to http://www.seafoodnews.com.au] which I contribute a recipe to every month. Agi held the publication so that he could include photos from the launch, which deserves a special thank you, and has given it a whole page in the November edition.

And Danielle Gullaci from Italianicious, [link to http://www.italianicious.com.au] the bi-monthly magazine which celebrates all things Italian, and which is publishing an article on me in the January-February 2012 issue.

Others I would like to thank for their contribution to the success of the launch, include:

UCG Wholesale Foods at 58 A’Beckett Street Melbourne for the Novara Mineral Water,

The Sicilian travel experts, Echoes Events [link to http://www.echoesevents.com] for the posters of Sicily and a special thank you to the photographers on the day,

David and Rilke Muir, directors and cinematographers for Making of Movies, [link to http://www.makingofmovies.com.au]

Valerie Sparks, [link to http://www.valeriesparks.com.au] and

Rita Price [link to http://www.weekendnotes.com/profile/125374/]

NEXT EVENT IN MELBOURNE

EVENT | Thursday 17 November 2011 at 6:30pm

Marisa Raniolo Wilkins

Readings Hawthorn: 701 Glenferrie Rd, Hawthorn, Victoria, 3122

Food, wine, book signing

*Entry is free but you must book before Monday by phoning: 9819 1917.

ADELAIDE

The Adelaide launch of Sicilian Seafood Cooking is at:

Il Mercato, 625 Lower North East Road, Campbelltown at 3.00pm

on Sunday 20 November.

Il Mercato specialises in Italian food, wine and culture.

If you wish to attend the launch please RSVP to Cynthia at Il Mercato:

CynthiaPorciello@ilmercato.com.au

Sicilian Seafood Cooking will be launched by Rosa Matto [link to http://www.rosamatto.com] – a great friend and a cook I’ve admired and respected for as long as I have known her.

Rosa and I will be introduced at the launch by the newly appointed Minister for Education and Child Development in South Australia, Grace Portolesi MP, the Member for Hartley (which includes Campbelltown).

AND A BIG THANKS TO ALL WHO ATTENDED

MA2SBAE8REVW

ORTIGIA FOOD MARKET, SYRACUSE (Sicilian Seafood Cooking)

2011-11-03T22:40:00.000-07:00

A Visitto the colourful, Ortigia food market in Syracuse

Introduction.

MyAustralian friend Sandi was going to Sicily. Her first big stop was Syracuseand she asked if there was anything she could do for me while she was there.

I gaveher some photos of some of the stall holders in the Ortigia market in Syracuseand said that if she found these people she was to tell them that they would bein Sicilian Seafood Cooking (New Holland, release date Nov 2011).

Sandihas just returned from Sicily and this is what she writes:

WhenMarisa learned of my intention to visit Syracuse to join my sailing friends sheasked me to deliver some photographs to some of the stall holders there. Marisaand her partner Bob had taken the photographs whilst they were visitingSyracuse. The photographs of the stall holders are among the many wonderfulphotographs of Sicily, it’s markets with their bountiful array of fruit,vegetables and of plenty of fish which are featured in Marisa’s book entitled “ Sicilian SeafoodCooking”. I was thrilled to be able to do so. I am always excited at theopportunity to revisit the richness of the market in Syracuse - one of myfavourite haunts.

It was easy to recognise the stall holders from their photographs despite thefact that the market as usual was crowded with locals buying the wonderfulfresh produce.One of my sailing companions spoke Italian and therefore was my translator. They were ecstatic to receive a copy of their photograph and acopy of the cover of Marisa’s book. They listened intently with sparkling eyesand smiles on their faces whist my friend explained who had taken thephotographs and why I was delivering them. They immediately remembered Marisawhen I showed them a copy of her photograph. As soon as they heard theexplanation they ignored the crowd of customers waiting to be served and rushedfrom one end of the market to the other waving their photograph and relatingtheir news to other stall holders excitedly. They even told the story to thosethat hadn’t been listening closely to my friends’ explanation.

All this despite the fact that they were busy with many customers. No one seemed to mind and all enjoyed the excitement. Two of the stallholders pinned their copy of the photograph proudly on the wall behind theirstall. If you visit you will see the photographs and I’m sure they will bepleased to proudly explain where they came from.

MA2SBAE8REVW

2011-10-29T03:11:00.000-07:00

SICILIAN SEAFOOD COOKING

Available from all good book stores $45.00 New Holland Publishers

EVENT | Thursday 17 November 2011 at 6:30pm

Readings Hawthorn: 701 Glenferrie Rd, Hawthorn, Victoria,

Marisa’s lovely new cook book, Sicilian Seafood Cooking offers an exciting collection of recipes bursting with authentic flavours, evoking the colours and smells of the island and celebrating the rich variety of a cuisine shaped by Greek, French, Arab and Spanish influences. Please join us for a glass of cold wine and a chat about all things delicious.

Free, but please book on 9819 1917.

Also see launch at CoAsIt:
Rita Price has published a new article Sicilian Seafood Book launch on WeekendNotes:

MA2SBAE8REVW

MOSTARDA and COTOGNATA

2011-10-23T16:31:00.000-07:00

When I was a child growing up in Trieste at a particular time of the year my father and I would go to the railway station and collect a parcel, sent by relatives in Ragusa, Sicily. In it were irregular, round and oval shapes of cotognata and mostarda - not something that could be found in Trieste.

Many are familiar with cotognata, quince paste that in Australia seems to have become very common on cheese platters. I have never eaten it with cheese in Sicily. Cotognata it is a sweet that has a relatively long shelf life and is traditionally kept for those times when unexpected visitors arrive. One cannot make a brutta figura and have nothing available at home to offer to guests.

A few of you may be familiar with mostarda but perhaps what you are thinking of is mostarda of Cremona, mustard fruits in mustard oil and sugar and traditionally served with bollito misto di carne (a variety of boiled meats). Cremona is not in Sicily. Or you may have known mostarda as an ingredient for pumpkin tortelli (large tortellini – pasta pillows, similar to ravioli). This mostarda is generally made with quince,

The Sicilian mostarda is similar and eaten in the same way as cotognata but it is made with grape must, wood ash, citrus zest and cornstarch. Some add almonds or pine nuts and raisins (as in the recipe by the goddess of all Sicilian recipes, Mary Taylor Simeti). Others add cinnamon, nutmeg and/or cloves.

The ingredients are cooked until the must becomes thick, almost solid. The mostarda is then poured into these type of moulds and dried in the sun. Like cotognata it is generally spread with granulated sugar when inverted and exposed again to the sun until they are completely dry.

Now to the moulds. These belonged to my great grandmother and my brother (who I am visiting in Adelaide) has them hanging on his wall in the kitchen. I have a few, fond memories every time I see them.

MA2SBAE8REVW

SICILIAN SEAFOOD COOKING

2011-10-13T22:32:00.000-07:00

The suspense is killing me!

Friends sent me this postcard from Holland.

I feel like the woman in the picture…waiting…waiting …waiting!

I’ve been expecting my personal copy of my book on Sicilian Seafood Cooking to be delivered from the publishers, New Holland in Sydney.

Sicilian Seafood Cooking is due for release in the first week of November - and for those of you who live in Melbourne it is about the time they run the Melbourne Cup!

The book combines social and culinary history, personal memoir, anecdotes and folklore. It has 383 pages with 120 authentic Sicilian recipes for fish and its many accompaniments: special sauces and vegetable contorni (side dishes). My editor, Mary Trewby, has done a brilliant job ensuring that the book is logically structured and clearly laid out: first courses (in Sicily this means pasta), second-course dishes (mains), sauces, food for feasts and vegetables. Some of the contorni (side plates of vegetables) also double up antipasti.

As I mentioned in an earlier prior post, there are some excellent photographs of the food I cooked in my very small kitchen. The credit goes to the New Holland photographer, Graeme Gillies, and the food Stylist Fiona Rigg – their team work and attention to detail is obvious when you look at the photos of the food. As well as styling food, Fiona who is based in Melbourne, has a gourmet service called FionaLouise.

The book also features a large selection of photographs of Sicily, especially of fish, fruit and vegetables in the markets of Palermo, Syracuse and Catania. These were mostly taken by my partner, Bob Evans. Some photos have been generously been given to me by friends, Angela (from Adelaide) and Barrie
(from Philadelphia).

Like all true Italian cooking, Sicilian cuisine is intensely regional and where it is appropriate I have provided information about the origins of recipes. Recipes come embedded with bits of folklore, quotes from literature and personal reminiscence. There is important information about the sustainability of fish species relevant world wide, and there are a variety of fish that can be substituted in each recipe.

And wouldn’t you know it – no sooner had I written that last paragraph, than the door bell rang – there was the courier with a box of books. Time to tear off the tape and open the covers.

MA2SBAE8REVW

PISCI AMMARSALATU – PESCE ALLA MARSALA (Fish baked with marsala and rosemary)

2011-10-07T00:15:00.000-07:00

Ammarsalatu is the Sicilian culinary term meaning with marsala; rosemary particularly compliments the caramel tastes of the marsala.

I really enjoy cooking savoury foods with dry marsala - buy the marsala fina or secca variety from Marsala, in north west Sicily.

I have used Kingfish for this recipe and on this occasion, I have chosen to present the potatoes separately. To decorate the fish I lightly pan fried some spring onions in a little oil.

Kingfish (sometimes called yellow tail) is mostly wild caught by handline, droplines and trawling.

The flesh of kingfish has a pink tinge and has a firm texture – like mackerel it can be a dry tasting fish, so I generally cook it in liquid or with moist ingredients and combine it with strong flavoured ingredients.

Kingfish is also farmed in Port Lincoln South Australia (called Hiramasa). It contains about 12 per cent body fat (compared with the wild version’s 5 per cent), is a superb sushi fish and very succulent when cooked. The company producing the kingfish are keen on maintaining a sustainable environment – a favourable selling point for this product. Farmed kingfish, is exported widely to many in European markets.

The following recipe is for 4 people.

INGREDIENTS

fish, 1 portion per person

extra virgin olive oil, ¾ cup or more

onion, 2, thickly sliced

rosemary, fresh, small sprigs, both to stuff the fish and for the potatoes

marsala (dry), 1 cup
fresh bay leaves, 3-4

salt to taste

lemon, ½, juice only

fresh chillies, 1-2 optional

potatoes, 4-6 peeled, cubed (optional)

PROCESSES

Preheat the oven to 220C.

Put onion, chilli, potatoes, bay leaves, salt and rosemary in about ½ cup of the extra virgin olive oil in a roasting tray and toss them around until the ingredients are well coated.

Bake on a low oven shelf – they should take about 30-40 minutes to turn crisp and golden.

Sprinkle a little salt on each slice of fish and insert a sprig of rosemary in each portion of fish.

Pan fry the fish in hot extra virgin olive oil – 2-3 minutes per side.

Place the fish on top of the potatoes and pour the marsala, juices and the oil from the fish over all of the contents.

Bake for an extra 5 -10 minutes or until the fish is cooked.

Remove tray from the oven.

Add lemon juice and serve.

For other cooking with marsala see also:

PESCE SAN PIETRO AL MARSALA (JOHN DORY IN MARSALA)

and KID WITH ALMONDS

MA2SBAE8REVW

PASTA WITH SARDINES AND PEAS (PASTA CA NOCCA – PASTA COI FIOCCHI)

2011-09-30T23:39:00.000-07:00

I am always fascinated by the literal and figurative use of languageespecially to describe particular dishes; for example, pasta ca nocca (Sicilian) ismade with peas and fresh sardines.

Nocca is a bow or ribbon in Sicilian. A colouredribbon or a bow in one’s hair is something to be admired – it looks attractive.This pasta contains peas, and the contrasting green against the pasta, is eyecatching and demands admiration, hence the name.

I make it even prettier by using farfalle shaped pasta (butterflies) although these look more like bows to me.

Anche l'occhio vuole la sua parte (Italiansaying)

Even the eyes want their part.

INGREDIENTS

pasta, 500g, short pasta (such as farfalle (butterflies), fusilli orshells)

sardines, 300g fillets

peas, 400g fresh, green, young and shelled

parsley, a small bunch, cutfinely

onion, 1 cut finely

extra virgin olive oil, ¾ cup

salt and freshly ground black pepper totaste

grated pecorino, to taste

PROCESSES

Soften the onion in the extra virgin olive oil.

Add the peas, seasoning and the parsley. Withoutthe lid, stir the contents gently over medium heat until the peas are well coatedwith the oil and the parsley has softened.

Add a splash of water (or white wine or vegetablestock), cover and cook gently until the peas have softened.

Add the sardines and continue to braise thecontents uncovered until the sardines have cooked (only a few minutes) andbroken up in the sauce.

As an alternative, I like to lightly fry the sardines separately andthen add them to the cooked pasta and the peas. This is not the traditionalmethod for this recipe, but I particularly like to taste individual flavours.

Present with grated pecorino.

VARIATIONS

In some households a little tomato salsa or passata is added tothe peas.
Others add wild fennel.
Some use anchovies instead of fresh sardines.

MA2SBAE8REVW

GRILLED CALAMARI (CALAMARI ‘NTA BRACI (Sicilian) – CALAMARI ALLA BRACE (Italian)

2011-09-22T18:43:00.000-07:00

Both calamari and cuttlefish (seppie)are very popular in Italy. Calamariis the Italian word for squid and it refers to those species of squid with long side fins; those withrelatively shorter side fins are seppie(cuttlefish). In Australia the two species are often sold interchangeably.

Cuttlefish is usually braised and is favoured formaking black ink sauces. As for squid, it is cookedand eaten in many ways, including raw but probably my favourite way of cookingsquid is alla brace (grilled over hotcoals); my gas fuelled Baby Webber does a good job too.

I prefer to grill squid on high heat for a short time; Italians (includesSicilians) generally prefer to cook it on medium–low heat for longer. When youcook it for a short time, the squid may still look a little shiny, but theresidual heat completes the cooking, the flesh will turn opaque but remainmoist.

I generally buysmall to medium sized squid (anything bigger than 400g each I consider to belarge squid.) Grilled Calamari are popular all over Italy, but the salmorigano dressing is Sicilian.

INGREDIENTS ANDPROCESSES

Season the squid with afine sprinkling of salt and leave it to rest for about 5 minutes. .

Baste the squid with alittle extra virgin olive oil; for extra flavour, use a strong sprig ofrosemary or oregano as a brush.

Brush a little oil onthe metal grill before cooking the squid and grill the squid for 4-8 minutes oneach side. This will depend on the size of the squid and how you like it.

Place them on a largeserving platter and rest it for about 3-5 minutes before covering it with alittle dressing.

SALMORIGANO

A simple, Sicilian dressing is salmorigano.Mix together some extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, a little driedoregano (it is stronger tasting than fresh), some finely cut flat leaf parsley andsome salt and pepper to taste. Some also add a clove of finely chopped garlic.

MA2SBAE8REVW

MIELE (Honey) e Biscotti di miele (Cosi aruci di meli)

2011-09-15T15:09:00.000-07:00

A bee is an ape in Italian

I use honey when braising apples or pears for a tarte tatin – it adds a deep colour to the fruit and intensifies the flavour. For the same reason, I also like it when I slowly bake quinces and I like it drizzled over fresh figs which I bake and serve with ricotta whipped with honey and cinnamon. I prefer this to using plain fresh cream (the usual accompaniment to many desserts in Australia).

I like to make honey and cinnamon ice cream and sometimes I use honey instead of sugar when making panna cotta. I flavour rice puddings with it and soak candied citrus peel in water and honey with a dash of orange blossom flavoured water – the taste the honey imparts to the peel reminds me of Grand Manier. I frequently do the same with dessert recipes that require raisins or sultanas.

I always add honey when I make lemon drinks, either to drink cold (with a mint leaf) or to enjoy hot. When I have a sore throat I let the hot drink slide slowly over my throat.

I visited Tuscany and Umbria a couple of years ago and I was introduced to eating fresh pecorino cheese spread with honey – very enjoyable especially with miele i fiori d’arancio (orange honey)

or miele di castagno (chestnut honey), and it is amazing how different these honeys taste from one another. It is just as easy to see the variation in colours and taste in Australian honey, for example honey from Iron bark is usually dark and highly flavoured, Acacia honey is clear and has a mild delicate floral taste and Leatherwood honey has a unique scent and strong floral flavour.

I am very lucky to have my very own honey supplier. Libby lives in Eden Hills in the Adelaide Hills of South Australia and has hives in her garden. The honey that she has given me over the years also varies in colour and taste; she expect her bees to be good pollinators for her garden as well as to travel far and wide so as to provide her with different tasting honeys. Her garden is full of nooks and the varieties of plants and trees are enormous. Libby’ honey is so good that she has won prizes at the Adelaide Royal Show and she very generously shares it with me.

Bee on echium

She is very passionate about her bees and bees in general and I remembered signing a petition that Libby had sent me some time ago to eradicate Asian Bees from Australia. Recently I read Richard Cornish’s article Sting in the tail in Epicure, The Age and sent it her.

Libby loves bees so much that she has stencilled and painted bees, swarming down one of the walls in her house.

Honey from the Iblei Mountains in Sicily is highly prized – when it is collected in July and August it has the taste and aroma of thyme and in September of calamintha (mint family). as for other Sicilian honey, Sortino (Syracuse) has a honey festival each October, the Agadi and Madonie Islands are also recognized for honey production as is Agrigento.

There are many regional Sicilian recipes for sweet things made with honey and the following recipe for biscuits is typical of the area of Messina. It is from Sicily Culinary Crossroads, one of Giuseppe Coria’s books translated into English for the American market (I have just purchased it).

For Australian cooks I have added C Temperatures. Substitute brewers yeast with fresh yeast and cake flour is plain flour. I never call biscuits cookies, lemon glaze is lemon juice and icing sugar and I would make this optional.

HONEY COOKIES

(Cosi aruci di meli)

Ingredients

3 cloves ground

Nutmeg

Cinnamon

Zest of 1 lemon

2 cups honey

2½ cups sugar

1 egg, beaten

1 cup almonds, ground

30g (1oz) brewers' yeast

¾ cup candied lemon and orange peel

Farina di maiorca [cake flour]

Process

In a mortar and pestle, grind the cloves to powder and add a pinch of nutmeg and

cinnamon to taste, together with the lemon zest.

In a saucepan bring about ¾ cup of water with the honey and sugar to a gentle boil until

melted. Let cool. When cooled, add the ground spices, egg, almonds, yeast and candied

peel.

Add the flour in a steady stream and mix until a dough has formed. Place the dough on

a cold, greased surface and roll out a thick sheet. Cut into small squares and place on a

greased baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 200C (400F) oven until golden. When cooked, remove from the oven and brush cookies with a lemon glaze.

Also see:

HONEY and Sicilian biscuits called nucatuli

MA2SBAE8REVW

ARANCINI (at Cafe`di Lido)

2011-09-08T16:12:00.000-07:00

I’d been told by that the best place to eat arancini in Melbourne is at Café di Lido. It sounds grand, but it is a beachside kiosk on Beaconsfield Parade in Port Melbourne. Sounded strange, but I went with Rita, my Sicilian friend whose tastes I trust, and she introduced me to Teresa and Diana, the proprietors of this distinctive establishment.

Teresa Matarazzo and Diana Di Mattina - Sicilian surnames that Melbourne people may recognize

True arancini are one of Sicily’s signature dishes, served especially as snacks; they are very popular at parties and social occasions. Sadly, arancini have been imitated and adulterated by people who don’t really appreciate just how rare and delicious they are when they are made properly. People often mistake suppli for arancini – suppli are Roman rice balls stuffed with cheese and ham. Arancini are Sicilian and stuffed with a sugo (ragout) made with tomato, minced meat and peas, and cheese. In Sicily they usually use a provola cheese (stringy type), but Teresa who makes the arancini uses provolone. She was to send a recipe, but I think that she may be concerned that other establishments (rather than home cooks) may use her recipe for profit.

Teresa and Diana have a richly deserved reputation among connoisseurs. Against all advice and dire warnings about going broke, the two women took over the tiny beachside kiosk almost a year ago and have turned it into mini-landmark along that busy beachfront stretching from St Kilda to Port Melbourne.

Not only do Teresa and Diana turn out brilliant arincini, Italian music, coffees and snacks – including Panini, lasagne, pasta and marinated olives – they seem to have created a charmed parking space along that busy parade. On one of my week-day visits to Café di Lido, right next to the kerbside tables, was parked a cute, canary yellow, Fiat Bambina. When the Bambina owner drove away (having lingered over a slow coffee and an arancino) a silver Masserati, whose owner had come from Catania a few years ago to be with his grandchildren, took the empty park. On my next visit there was another Bambina – this time a fiery, wannabe-Ferrari red. Before the driver left, he made sure that Teresa and Diana would reserve two arancini on the Saturday when he was returning with his wife – Teresa cannot make enough of them!

All of the drivers were regulars of the Café di Lido and it seemed like the charmed space was reserved for them. We should all be so lucky.

Does this look like an ordinary kiosk in Melbourne to you?

MA2SBAE8REVW

In Season, Melbourne, Victoria, September

2011-09-01T15:47:00.000-07:00

In Melbourne (Queen Victoria Market Stall no 61-63)

Some Links to Previous Posts

Make the most of:

Celeriac

Cavolo nero

Fennel

Artichokes

Radicchio

Witlof (Called chicory in London- photo courtesy of friends)

In London

Get ready for:

Cardoons
More cardoons

Asparagus

Broad beans

Radishes

Zucchini flowers

In Venice

MA2SBAE8REVW

FUSILLI ALLA SICILIANA (Pasta alla Siciliana - whatever that means)

2011-08-24T22:53:00.000-07:00

My daughter found this clipping. It was printed in the Herald Sun (Melbourne) on Friday 5th August 2011. The accompanying text is:

Samantha’s sister spotted this interesting pasta on a menu in a London Restaurant. “I hope No.10 is actually aubergines and not what it says”.

I wonder how many noticed the unfortunate faux pas. So often readers bring (during the reading process) what they expect to find in the text – by that I mean that as readers, we do not necessarily read every word carefully and because the word ‘aborigines’ looks a little like ‘aubergines' (eggplants), many would read it as such.

Call a particular dish alla Siciliana and immediately it may sound special to someone who may not know any better. I would not order it on principle – anything called alla Siciliana smells fake.

A recipe cooked alla siciliana could contain almost any ingredient from anywhere in the south of Italy, for example tomatoes, olives, wild fennel, anchovies, pine nuts, raisins. This restaurant has chosen a rich tomato sauce, mozzarella, grilled aubergines, a dash of garlic and parmesan cheese. I am not sure about the combination but here is a recipe for Fusilli alla Siciliana that is more to my taste.

It is a summer dish; tomatoes, peppers eggplants, basil – I do know that all of this produce seem to be available at the Queen Victoria Market even if it is out of season in Melbourne.

Fusilli: This strip of pasta is fashioned like a spiral and shaped like a big screw or a spring. The same shapes may be labelled spirali if made by a different manufacturer. To be more Sicilian you could use cavatelli or caserecci.

INGREDIENTS
eggplant, 1-2,

peppers,1-2,

pitted black olives, ½ cup

anchovies fillets , 4-5, chopped finely
pasta, 400 g (100g per person)

extra virgin olive oil, ¾ cup

garlic cloves, 3 chopped finely

chilli flakes, pinch or fresh chilli
salted capers, ½ cup - pre soaked
red tomatoes, 1 kg or good quality tinned

fresh basil leaves, 5-10
chopped parsley, 1 tablespoon salt to taste

PREPARATION:
Peel the eggplant and cut into cubes, soak in some salt water till ready to use. Put a weight on the cubes to keep them submerged. Drain and towel dry before cooking.
Roast/char peppers and remove the skins. Separate them into strips.

Make a tomato salsa: soften the garlic in some oil, add the tomatoes, a little salt and cook till reduced.
Heat more oil in a separate frypan and sauté the eggplants. Add anchovies, chilli, capers and parsley. Mix the ingredients together and cook for about 10 minutes. Add peppers and basil and heat through.

Use the sauce to dress the pasta and present it with grated pecorino cheese or ricotta salata.

See earlier post: THING YOU SEE I OWE TO SPAGHETTI (A tribute to Sofia Loren, pasta alla puttanesca and pasta alla ciociara)

MA2SBAE8REVW

FENNEL AND ORANGE SALAD (Insalata di Finocchio e Arancia Sanguina)

2011-08-18T16:26:00.000-07:00

Blood oranges are very much in vogue. A few years ago I could only buy them from a couple of stalls at the Queen Victoria Market but now they appear to be quite common.

Fennel bulbs have also become less exotic and this vegetable and above fruit combined make a great salad; both this vegetable and citrus fruit have been around for a very long time in Sicily.

I am not shy about presenting a salad as a side for a hot or cold main, but I always provide each guest with a separate plate for this contorno.

INGREDIENTS
fennel bulbs, 2 medium-sized (400- 500g approx.)
extra-virgin olive oil, ½ cup
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
blood oranges, 2-3

parsley, ½ cup finely cut

PROCESSES
Remove any outer layers of the fennel which look damaged, trim the base and top and discard. Keep any young, soft fennel fronds to add to the salad. Slice the fennel bulbs in half vertically and then continue to cut the fennels into thin slices.

Cut off the peel and pith of the oranges (use a sharp knife) then slice the orange crosswise into thin slices.

Combine the oranges with the fennel.

Mix olive oil, salt and pepper in a container and dress the salad.

Although fennel bulbs may look similar in shape there are two differently shaped bulbs and each is identified by its sex – the round are known as the maschi (the male fennel) and the slightly flattened shapes are the femmine (females).
See post : Fennel - Male and female shapes

MA2SBAE8REVW

SICILIAN MEAT OLIVES (Alivuzzi di carni-Olivette di carne)

2011-08-11T17:35:00.000-07:00

Braciola

Two of my most visited posts are the recipes for Braciole (Meat rolled around a stuffing) and Polpettone (large meat roll made with mince meat and with a stuffing).

There are many similar recipes of meat rolled around a stuffing, for example the Sicilian farsumagru (falsomagro, in Italian), involtini – or you may know them as saltimbocca or salti in bocca. Smaller in size are are ucelletti or ucellini (both words mean little birds in Italian) and olivette (little olives).

I found a recipe called Alivuzzi Di Carni (Sicilian for Olivette di Carne – meat olives) in my copy of Cucina Nostra by Maria Consoli Sardo, published in 1978, 1 edition.

olivette ready to fry

Translating recipes from the Italian always requires a poetic licence – ingredients, times, quantities are often missing, but the following cooking method and amounts of ingredients works for me.

INGREDIENTS

veal or young beef steaks 700g,

white wine, 1 cup

celery, parsley, onion, equal quantities of each to amount to ¾ cup, cut finely

salt and black pepper

extra virgin olive oil, ½ cup

hot water, ½ cup

For the stuffing:

Salame, sliced thinly 150g

formaggio fresco, 150g

pine nuts,150g

spring onion,1, finely chopped

PROCESSES

Trim and pound the steaks to about 5mm thick, each 5-6cm in size.

Spread some of the stuffing over each steak. Roll the steak around the filling and secure with netting (I use a toothpick or string). Sprinkle each olivetta (singular for small olive) with salt and finely ground pepper.

Place the olive oil in a large frypan and sauté the celery, parsley, onion until softened (over medium-high heat).

Add the rolls and lightly fry them until lightly browned on all sides.

Add wine to hot pan and evaporate for a few minutes.

Add water and cook gently with a lid until cooked.

MA2SBAE8REVW

POLLO ARROSTO (Sicilian) and POLLO ALLA DIAVOLA

2011-08-04T16:48:00.000-07:00

Butcher shop in Monreale, close to Palermo

Recently I had a conversation with friends who had just been to Italy for the first time and they were telling me how difficult they found ordering food in restaurants because of their lack familiarity with the language. They eventually found a restaurant where they felt comfortable and returned each night to eat various versions of bistecca – they knew this word.

My son, as a teenager would order pollo arrosto all over Italy and each time we ate in a restaurant. Pollo can be a young rooster (or cock) or a chicken (or chook); pollo arrosto is the generic term for a roast chicken. Alex ordered this not because it was his favourite food, but because he would get confused, and irrespective of what he discussed beforehand or waiters suggested, or what was written on the menu, he blurted out 'pollo arrosto'.

Interestingly pollo arrosto is not necessarily what many of us recognise as roast chicken; for a start, there are always odori, (smells=herbs as Italians call them), secondly it is likely to be pot roasted, grilled over a fire or if cooked in the oven, it may have a slurp of chicken broth and wine added to keep it moist and be cooked covered for part of the time.

Alex had trouble ordering roast chicken in Sicily, in fact I have eaten very little chicken on the island – if you are sick there is always gallina in brodo (the chicken in broth) or a young rooster (galletto) cooked with tomato. If you know someone from Ragusa you may have eaten the specialty, festive, braised dish called gallina ripiena (stuffed chicken).

Here is an unusual recipe for roast chicken reputed to be from Messina, (right, northern corner of Sicily); I found this same recipe in two sources: Anna Pomar’s La Cucina Tradizionale Siciliana and Giuseppe Coria’s Profumi Di Sicilia. Both are sketchy and I have filled in the details.

1. Pre-cook the chicken. Use only enough water to cover the chicken. Add odori (common for broth are celery leaves and a few sprigs of parsley; Add a little salt and one carrot and an onion). Bring to the boil and cook the chicken for 20-30 minutes.

2. Drain the chicken. Cool it so that you can handle it. Save the broth and use elsewhere.

3. Butterfly the chicken: either cut away the chicken's back bone or cut it along its back, spread the chicken flat (skin side up) and using your hands, press firmly to flatten it.

4. Brush the inside and the outside of the chicken with a mixture of extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon juice and chopped parsley. Make about 1 cup altogether, 1 lemon is sufficient.

5. Place on a hot grill and cook on both sides for 15-20 minutes (a moderate flame). An outside BBQ is perfect as there will be smoke. Keep on brushing the marinade over the chicken while it cooks.

POLLO ALLA DIAVOLA

The recipe above reminds me of pollo alla diavola. When I was a child growing up in Trieste we frequently went to country restaurants and this was my favourite way to eat chicken (like mother like son) and it is cooked in a very similar way. The differences are slight:

Use a small chicken (younger and small in size - approx 1 k). It does not need pre-cooking.

Once butterflied, marinade it for at least an hour.

Alla diavola means ‘as the devil cooks it’, therefore add about 1 teaspoon of ground pepper.

Once it is on the grill, to keep the chicken flat place a weight on top – a brick or wide frypan with a heavy bottom. The chicken will cook more quickly and evenly.

Contented chooks, Blackwood, South Australia

Missy and Muffy are my friend's chooks. She is never likely to kill them or to cook them in any way.

MA2SBAE8REVW

PESCE SAN PIETRO AL MARSALA (JOHN DORY IN MARSALA)

2011-07-28T16:18:00.000-07:00

PISCI SAN PETRU A LU MARSALA

What I particularly like in Sicilian fish recipes is the use of whole fish. In Sicilian kitchens it is common to either fillet the fish before cooking it and use the bones to make the stock (for the accompanying sauce) or what is more common, the whole fish is cooked and filleted when ready to serve. Either way, the bones contribute to the flavour of the dish.

In Australia so much of the fish sold is filleted, whereas in fish markets in Italy (includes Sicily) I have only seen whole fish – fish steaks from large fish, yes. Even in a pescheria (fish shop) there are very few fillets.

In the past few months, in the fish market where I shop I have noticed larger than usual quantities of John Dory (called pesce San Pietro in Italian and pisci San Petru in Sicilian). A common Sicilian way to cook it is with marsala – fina or secca of course (both dry). I found a version of this recipe in my copy of Sicilia in Bocca, Harel Edizioni.

And why is it called Pesce San Pietro (Saint Peter’s fish)?

The fish has a pair of dark spots on the sides of its large head that look like bruises left by two strong fingers.

The speculations are many; here are three:

At some stage Saint Peter, the fisherman, caught one of these fishes in the Sea of Galilee, held it and threw it back. Peter obviously squeezed too hard on this occasion and in the following situations.

Other stories are associated to a coin. It is a species of fish reputed to carry its young in its mouth and when there are no young it picks up, round pebbles or similar shapes. The fish that Saint Peter caught must have picked up a coin, the very one that Peter had to render unto Caesar, as directed by Jesus according to the Gospel of Saint Matthew.

Yet another idealized Christian conception relates to Saint Peter throwing the fish back, renouncing being a fisherman and his possessions to follow Jesus and share the bigger riches of Heaven.

For 2 people

INGREDIENTS

John Dory, 1 large fillet (750-800g) or 2 fillets, about 375-400g each

fish stock, ¾ cup (fumet – reduced broth – see below)

marsala (dry), 1 cup

extra virgin olive oil , ½ cup

salt and pepper, to taste

plain flour, a little

PROCESSES

Make fumet with head, bones, 2 bay leaves, 3 peppercorns,1-2 spring onions, a pinch of salt. Cover with water and reduce to ¾ cup. Drain and discard the solids.

Dip each fillet lightly in flour and a little salt. Lightly fry on both sides in the hot oil. .

Add the marsala and evaporate it – leave the fillets without turning to prevent breakage. The marsala will caramelize.

Add the fish stock and deglaze the juices. Add freshly ground pepper.

I served it with a salad made with fennel and blood oranges (new to the season), and a little mashed potato to soak up the marsala flavoured juices.

MA2SBAE8REVW

RED MULLET OR GARFISH with all the usual Sicilian suspects, and yet another PESCE AL FORNO (Fish Cooked In The Oven).

2011-07-21T19:00:00.000-07:00

Garfish are found right around the coast of Australia and in the freshwater reaches of some rivers. They have a sweet and delicate flavour, low oil content and a fine texture. They are best cooked whole and cooked quickly so the retain their moisture.

Unfortunately, numbers appear to have declined in certain parts of Australia (overfished in NSW and concerns in SA). They are a very popular fish in South Australia; having lived there and knowing some keen fishers, I am very familiar with using a rod and float-suspended baits to catch this fish – it responds well to a berley mix of pollard, crushed wheat or breadcrumbs, especially if a little fish oil is added and wiggly maggots on to small hooks (not my favourite). The Government of South Australia has now banned commercial netting of two Eyre Peninsula fisheries and in most of the coastal waters off Yorke Peninsula. At the time of writing, numbers are still reasonable in Victoria but we must take care that they are caught in a sustainable way.

When cleaning the fish the gut must be removed promptly to avoid staining of the flesh.

I particularly like garfish cooked whole. Usually I like to quickly fry or wrap them in foil and grill them over an open fire, but this time I want less fuss. I want to have them ready to cook when my guest arrives and slip them into the oven at the appropriate time.

Last time I cooked red mullet (trigle) using this recipe.

Recipe= 3 fish for 3 people .

INGREDIENTS

whole small fish, 3

extra virgin olive oil, ½ cup

anchovy fillets, 2 chopped

capers, 2 tbs

white wine, 2 tbs

garlic clove, 1 chopped,

parsley chopped, 2 tbs

pine nuts, ½ cup

salt and pepper, to taste

soft white breadcrumbs, 1 cup, toasted in a frypan with ½ cup of oil.

PROCESSES

Preheat the oven 200 C.

Mix all of the ingredients above except for the breadcrumbs and the wine.

Oil an ovenproof dish, place the fish in the dish and add the mixed ingredients.

Drizzle the white wine on top. Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes.

Remove foil, sprinkle with breadcrumbs and bake for 5 minutes more.

Trigle (red mullet) in Catania Fish Market

MA2SBAE8REVW

PESCE IN BIANCO (Plain fish). MAIONESE (Moyonnaise)

2011-07-18T16:14:00.000-07:00

Broth, boiled rice, boiled chicken, steamed white fish are considered to be mangiare in bianco – literally translated, food in white, in other words cooked plain, without colour and hence, without spices and is considered the perfect food for those of us who are feeling unwell.

I can remember my then my teenage son and I being violently ill after eating prawns in a restaurant in Puglia, in southern Italy. We were travelling from Trieste and making our way to Ragusa. In Australia, for this type of ailment the common procedure is to stop eating; he and I did just that.

When we arrived in Ragusa, my aunties, zia Mariannina and zia Niluzza were horrified that we had gone so long without food (six hours) and immediately wanted to feed us. Food seems to be considered the cure for everything by Sicilians. Salvo, my cousin’s son, had just graduated from medical school but was out when we arrived. We were looking forward to his return, thinking he too would agree with our decision to fast as a remedy, but this was not the case – when Salvo arrived, he immediately confirmed the aunties’ recommendation to begin the cure by eating in bianco.

Vindicated, the aunties stood around grinning. Salvo seemed very surprised that in Australia the cure for an upset stomach was to stop eating. Soon after, we were presented with riso in bianco (boiled rice with a little salt and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil). My son and I continued to eat an array of different foods cooked in bianco for a couple of days and the symptoms abated, either by the passage of time or by the diet.

The other prescribed remedy was cotognata (quince paste) and there was plenty of cotognata in their pantry – homemade, of course.

I bought this fillet of fish in the photo as ‘Rockling’ and I was told that it has come from Tasmania; if I can I prefer to buy local fish, but Tasmania is not far from Melbourne and this fish seems to be more plentiful in their waters.

Because of its mottled pink and orange skin I think that it is Pink Ling. Rock Ling and Pink Ling are closely related and apparently it is often sold in Melbourne under the name 'Rockling'; the grey skinned variety is more sustainable than the pink variety.

As you can see the fish has thick, firm, white flesh and it is well suited to most cooking methods; I chose to cook it in bianco. Even if you are in perfect health you can enjoy fish in bianco because this method of cooking will enhance the delicate, fresh taste of both these fish.

If your digestive system is not as good as it should be, Italians (this includes Sicilians) would only dribble a little extra virgin olive oil and a little lemon juice onto the fish, but for those of us who are healthy an excellent accompanying sauce is maionese – egg mayonnaise.

In this recipe the fish is poached just below boiling point and retains its delicate flavour and moisture. It can be eaten hot or cold.

The fish needs to be cooked in a pan with a lid and in a single layer to prevent the liquid from evaporating.

INGREDIENT

white fleshed fish, estimate 1 portion per person (200-220g each)

onion, 1 cut in half

salt to taste

fresh parsley or a little celery (complete with leaves) for the poaching water.

PROCESSES

Place the onion, parsley (or celery) and a little salt in a pan, which will accommodate the fish.

Position the fish on top of the vegetables; add a little salt and sufficient water to barely cover the fish.

Cover with a lid and cook on a very low temperature (just below boiling if possible) until the fish is cooked to your liking.

Remove the fish from the poaching liquid and coat with a drizzle your finest extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice. Save the stock for one other time and discard the vegetables.

MAIONESE (Mayonnaise)

Italians make mayonnaise with egg yolks, a little lemon juice and good quality extra virgin olive oil. My mother has never used a food processor to make mayonnaise; the mayonnaise will absorb about 1 cup of oil.

The way my mother makes mayonnaise:

Place 2 egg yolks (removed from the fridge – at room temperature) in a mixing bowl with a pinch of salt.

Use a wooden spoon and always moving in the same clockwise direction, stir the yolks and while stirring drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil slowly into the yolks until creamy. Ensure that the previously added oil has been incorporated completely before adding additional oil.

Add a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice once all of the oil has been incorporated.

I use a food processor or an electric wand to make mayonnaise:

Mix 1 egg with a little salt in the blender food processor, or in a clean jar (if using the wand).

Slowly add 1–1 ½ cups of extra virgin olive oil in a thin, steady stream through the feed tube while the blender or processor is running, Before adding additional oil, ensure that the oil, which has previously been added has been incorporated completely.

Add a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice when the mayonnaise is creamy. If you are not making the traditional Italian version, it is common to add vinegar instead of lemon juice and a teaspoon of Dijon mustard. As an alternative, the Spaniards like to add a little saffron (pre-softened in a little warm water).

MA2SBAE8REVW

SMOKED SALMON PASTA (Pasta al salmone affumicato)

2011-07-07T15:16:00.000-07:00

I was given a slab of Tasmanian smoked salmon recently, the type of brand that says grown in the pristine waters of Tasmania (there are several brands) but which fail to add that their method of farming (aquaculture) pollutes the pristine waters of Tasmania.

We ate much of the smoked salmon with rye bread, horseradish and salad (green leafs or celeriac, or fennel) and I used the left overs for a pasta dish, pasta al salmone affumicato. You may still see this on some Italian menus (all over Italy); if I go by my age, this dish has certainly been around for a long time.

Many of the recipes for this sauce include cream. I have always used good quality unsalted butter. Vodka is common, especially if it is made in the north of Italy, but more often than not I make it with white wine. Sometimes I add lemon juice and nearly always grated lemon peel.

I like to use ribbon egg pasta, for example taglierini or tagliatelle, but farfalle or penne are also common in recipes. In the north of Italy I have also eaten it with black poppy seeds sprinkled on top, my father used to say that this was the German influence.

The sauce is prepared very quickly and egg pasta does not take too long to cook.

INGREDIENTS

egg ribbon pasta, 500g

smoked salmon, thinly sliced , 250g

extra virgin olive oil, ½ cup

spring onions, thinly sliced, 6-8

parsley, chopped, 1 cup

unsalted butter, 200 g

vodka or white wine, ½ cup

salt and freshly ground, black pepper to taste

lemon, juice of 1 and grated peel

PROCESSES

Sauté the spring onion in the oil until golden.

Add the vodka (or white wine) and evaporate. Add the parsley and allow to soften. reduce or switch off heat.

Cook the pasta and just before it is ready (al dente) add the salmon to the sauce (to warm), butter ( to melt) and seasoning. Switch off heat.
Dress the pasta, add lemon juice, place on a serving platter and sprinkle grated lemon peel on top.

I am pleased to find that there appears to be a source of smoked salmon, which is sustainable. The farm is reputed to grow salmon in natural conditions, without chemicals or antibiotics, using environmentally sustainable practices.

www.41southtasmania.com

MA2SBAE8REVW

Sicilian cookbook- mine

2011-06-30T01:45:00.000-07:00

Cuscusu (not the photo that will be in the book)

I spent all of last week preparing and cooking for a photo shoot for my upcoming book on Sicilian cuisine that is being published by New Holland. It is due to be released in November 2011, in time for Christmas.

The book will feature recipes for fish(primi and secondi) and vegetables and at this stage will be called Sicilian Seafood Cookbook. The photography is by Graeme Gillies and food styling by Fiona Rigg, but the book will also have photos that were shot in Sicily over my many travels. There were approximately 70 dishes, cooked and photographed in 4.5 days. We were busy and the photographer and food stylist did an amazing job, as did the team of volunteer friends who were kitchen hands.

My apartment

The kitchen and dining room of my apartment was completely taken over by ingredients, implements, cutlery, crockery and decorative props for the week. Most of the furniture was shipped out and stored with friends and neighbours – so many people pitched in to help.

I source most of my ingredients from my favourite and ever-reliable suppliers in the Queen Victoria Market. But I also travelled to the Preston and Kingston Markets for some of the more exotic things such as sea urchins (ricci) – these unfortunately were suitable for the props only and were not very edible. I found Coorong mullets, urchin roe, wild/line caught species of fish (sustainable) from a couple of specialist, restaurant fish suppliers. I ended up buying about ten cuttlefish to extract the ink and ended up finally finding a live eel in an Asian food market in Adelaide.

Photographer and food stylist

Fishing the eel out of the tank was extremely dramatic. Several eels made a bid of freedom, slithering along the market floor, as the person serving me, tried his best to get to grips with one of these slippery creatures. Finally, after much wriggling and squirming, he succeeded. The vendor was ready to give me a live eel in a plastic bag until I told him that I had to fly back to Melbourne with it. I left the shop with a very fresh eel, which I only had to skin. But that is another story.

Eel- top two pieces are the skin

MA2SBAE8REVW

PESCE CUCINATO AL CRUDO FISH COOKED SIMPLY WITH TOMATOES AND MINT

2011-06-23T03:46:00.000-07:00

I love Flathead. My fishmonger prefers to sell it as fillets, but I prefer to cook it whole especially if I am braising it; it is an ugly looking fish, but the bones and head add taste to the braising liquid. Many eaters dislike picking out bones from whole fish, however if the spine is lifted out carefully and kept whole, this does not have to be a big problem.

For two people I used one Flathead (600g -700g) and this recipe can be adapted for fillets; use large sized fillets to prevent breakage.

Other white fleshed, medium flavoured and textured fish suitable for this recipe are: Snapper, Leatherjackets, Whiting and Garfish.

The fish is cooked very simply and al crudo (using all raw ingredients and all in the pan at the same time); it relies on the fish being fresh and the tomatoes being sun ripened and flavourful. Mint is rarely used in Italian cooking but it is often added to Sicilian cuisine.

These quantities are suitable for 1k of fish. If using whole snapper, which is a larger fish, increase the cooking time and add a little more liquid to the pan.

INGREDIENTS

fish (see above)

tomatoes, 500g peeled, seeded, and chopped

garlic, 4 cloves chopped finely

extra virgin olive oil, ¾ cup

salt and freshly ground pepper

capers, ½ cup, I prefer to use the salted variety, soaked and washed

fresh mint, 2 tablespoons, cut finely and more sprigs for decoration

PROCESSES

Arrange the fish and the tomatoes in a low saucepan so that the fish can be fitted in one layer.

Add seasoning, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, the finely cut mint and capers.

Cover the fish and cook on medium heat for 7-13 mins if you are cooking whole fish and about 5-7 minutes if they are fillets – this time will vary depending on the size of the fish and how much you like your fish cooked. Take off the lid and cook on brisk heat until the tomatoes have thickened. Avoid stirring or turning the fish to prevent breaking.

Decorate with fresh mint sprigs.

MA2SBAE8REVW

PESCE AL CARTOCCIO (Fish in a bag)

2011-06-16T15:05:00.000-07:00

Al cartoccio in Italian is the culinary term for cooked in a paper parcel or a paper bag and versions of this dish are cooked all over Italy. You may also have eaten pasta al catoccio and in fact, recently in a restaurant in Melbourne I ate a version of pasta made with braised mushroom.

Last time I was in Sicily I ate Fish in a bag in a restaurant in Sciacca (south west coast). They had added a little seawater and a few prawns and mussels to their version (see photo below); I have used black olives instead.

Traditionally the fish was wrapped in strong parchment-like paper, but metal foil has reached Italy and Sicily and has replaced the paper. I like to use foil, but I line the package with some baking paper – this prevents sticking and provides greater insulation. Adding seawater has been a common practice when cooking fish dishes and the restaurant called their version pesce in acqua di mare (fish cooked in seawater). If you live close to the sea, 1 tablespoon of seawater is sufficient.

Every time I have eaten this dish in a restaurant in Italy, the parcel was presented at the table and pierced by the waiter; he then separated the fish into fillets and served it on my plate.

I have used a whole Yellowtail Kingfish for this recipe and it was sufficient for two people.

INGREDIENTS

fish,

extra virgin olive oil, ½ cup

salt or (1 tablespoon of seawater)

flat leaf parsley or fresh basil or oregano to taste

garlic, 1-3 cloves, sliced

black olives (good quality), to taste

cherry tomatoes, 4-5 per fish

PROCESS

Preheat the oven to 220 C.

Clean the fish: scale, gut and wipe dry. Use a sharp knife to make shallow cuts in the outside of a whole fish – slash the fish but leave whole.

Use strong foil large enough to wrap the fish like a parcel. Place a piece of baking paper on the foil and the fish on the centre (with a little oil underneath)

Add other ingredients.

Fold the edges of the foil together tightly to make a neat package with an airtight seal.

My fish weighed just below 1 kilo and I cooked it for 25 mins.

The easiest way to see if it is cooked, is to check it after this time and cook it longer if necessary. Once you take it out of the oven, remember that the residual heat in the fish will cause it to keep on cooking, either keep it sealed if you wish it to go on cooking, or make a hole in the parcel to allow some of the heat and steam to escape.

Serve the fish with the juices from the package. At the time of serving it, I added a drizzle of my best, extra virgin olive oil to make it more aromatic.

MA2SBAE8REVW

PORK IN RAGUSA (I Ragusani mangiano molto maiale)

2011-06-09T14:57:00.000-07:00

The Sicilians from the southeastern corner of Sicily, especially from Ragusa, eat a lot of pork. One of their signature dishes is ravioli di ricotta al sugo di maiale. These are ravioli stuffed with slightly sweetened ricotta and dressed in a strongly flavoured, slow cooked, tomato ragù (ragout) made with pork meat, which includes some pork skins.

Another dish my relatives in Ragusa make are causuneddi, which is a Sicilian word with no Italian or English translation. Causuneddi are gnocchi-shaped pasta cooked with what Sicilians call broccoli which are, in fact, young kohlrabi complete with leaves. Strips of pork skin are added for flavour. My aunt Niluzza is a champion at making both of these.

Pork sausages are added to sugo (a meat tomato sauce used to dress pasta), eaten fried or grilled. I have included a photo taken when I was last in Ragusa of a length of coiled pork sausage being cooked on a rustic grill – the Sicilian version of a BBQ – in fact, an Italian BBQ. No fancy BBQs for Italians. The length of sausage has no links and it can also be cooked in a frypan. Done this way the sausage is poached in a little water, without a lid. When the water evaporates the coiled sausage begins to brown in its own fat.

This is another version of braciole di maiale, except that these are stuffed.

The braciole (see previous post) are farcite or imbottite (word for ‘stuffed’) mainly with a mixture of pork liver and pork sausages. You would have to ask your butcher to supply you with double pork chops with a slit in between them (as if you were cutting them into two chops) and then you can go home and stuff them.

My younger relatives (daughters of my cousins) would not dream of making them at home, they have a favourite butcher and he made these braciole for them. It was a different story for their mothers.

INGREDIENTS

pork braciole, (chops) 6 double

minced pork, 100g

pork liver, 100g, chopped finely

sausages, 100g, pork preferably made with fennel

pork salame, 100g, cut into very small pieces

fennel seeds, ½ teaspoon, crushed

white or red wine, 1 ½ cups

water or stock, 1 ½ cups

extra virgin olive oil, ½ cup

salt, and freshly ground pepper, to taste

onion, 1, chopped

PROCESSES

Mix liver, sausages (without skins) minced pork, salame, pepper, fennel seeds and a little red wine.

Stuff each double chop with some of this mixture.

Close the chops by sewing the edges.

Softened the onion in the oil, add the chops and sprinkle with the wine and water (or broth). Braise the chops (with lid) for about 30- 40 mins over low heat until cooked. You may need to add more water/wine - do not let them dry out.

MA2SBAE8REVW

BRACIOLI DI MAIALI O’ VINU (Sicilian for Pork Chops Cooked In Wine)

2011-06-02T14:59:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately the camera did not capture the image I wanted to use – I needed a video camera to record the action. The piglets’ mother seemed very gentle-natured and was allowing the piglets to climb all over her. The piglets were frolicking, leaping into the air, chasing one another, tripping each other over. I had never imagined that piglets were as playful as puppies or a litter of kittens.

These photos were taken in the North Island of New Zealand, on the way to Napier. They were not the only pigs we saw in pastures, foraging freely with plenty of space. We returned to take a photo of other pigs close to Greytown but unfortunately it started to rain and the pigs retired to their ‘kennel’ to shelter from the rain and cold.

Sadly, when my thoughts turned to food, I did think that the pigs would be supreme in taste and tenderness; as cute as these piglets are, I know that eventually they will have to face the butcher’s knife. Quality meat is achieved through keeping pigs in a stress free environment, able to graze their whole lives and free to roam. The care and quality of life that appears evident for these pigs points to a more humane end than what is apparent for the cattle or sheep that are being exported live to brutal and cruel slaughters in some other countries.

Last time I ate these braciole (Italian spelling) I was in Ragusa at the country house of one of my relatives - these are the equivalent of Australian holiday or beach houses or weekenders. At that time I can remember us discussing “il suino nero dei Nebrodi," the Sicilian Black Swine from Sicily's Nebrodi Mountains in northeastern Sicily, which are very similar in appearance to wild boars: they are small and black and bristly. My partner and I had just returned from Monreale (near Palermo) where we ate some salame (photo) made from Nebrodi swine which still graze and forage in wooded areas. On that particular visit to Sicily I was very interested in Carlo Petrini and the Slow Food Movement and the Nebrobi pig is listed in the Ark of Taste, an international catalogue of heritage foods in danger of extinction.

The recipe for cooking the pork chops is easy, but when made with proper pig, the chops are very tasty.

INGREDIENTS

pork bracioli (chops) 6
fennel seeds, 1 tablespoon
red wine, 1 glass

water, 1 glass

rosemary or oregano, fresh, 6 small sprigs

lemon juice, 2 lemons
salt, and freshly ground pepper

PROCESSES

Make a small incision in each chop and insert either rosemary or fresh oregano.

Place chops in a fry pan in one layer with a little water and the salt.

Braise the chops (without a lid) and when the water has evaporated and they begin to colour, add the wine, fennel seeds and pepper.

Evaporate the wine, add lemon juice and serve.

If the meat is too lean, you may need to mix a little olive oil with the lemon juice (salmoriglio).

MA2SBAE8REVW

SAFFRON RISOTTO WITH MUSSELS (Risu cu Zaffaranu e Cozzuli is the Sicilian, Riso con Zafferano e Cozze is the Italian)

2011-05-26T15:09:00.000-07:00

Green lipped mussels kept fresh and alive under jets of sea water

I have just returned from a two week stay in the North Island of New Zealand where there seemed to be a public awareness about sustainable fish and sustainable fishing and farming practices. Seafood seemed plentiful and well priced and I found fish sellers that clearly state their support for sustainable fish species and how they only procure stocks from sustainable resources. There was even information on restaurant menus such as line caught snapper or this fish was farmed in a sustainable way.

During my stay I ate many varieties of fish that I had not eaten before – I loved it all.

Green lipped mussels (such as the ones in the photo from The Fish Market in Auckland) were around $3.50 per kilo; I did not spot any on restaurant menus, but maybe this is because they mussels are so common. While I was in New Zealand I stayed in serviced apartments (not that I did much cooking), and on one occasion I bought some and steamed them lightly (just enough to open them) and enjoyed them with some lemon juice.

Green lipped mussel farming in New Zealand is sustainable; the government conducts research and careful monitoring into selective breeding, farming and harvesting methods.

A good way to eat mussels (any type) is with rice. Saffron is used in Sicilian cooking and in this recipe, the rice is simmered in fish stock – the more traditional and older way to cook risotto in Sicily.

INGREDIENTS

rice, 2 cups of aborio or vialone

fish stock, 6-7 cups

saffron threads, ½-1 small teaspoon

extra virgin olive oil, ½ cup

garlic cloves, 2 chopped finely

mussels, 2 k,

wine, ½ cup, dry white

parsley, ½ cup chopped finely

PROCESSES

Clean the mussels by rubbing them against each other in cold water (or use a plastic scourer). Pull the beards sharply towards the pointy end of the shell.

Heat the oil in a large pan (which can be used to cook both the mussels and the rice), add the garlic and soften.

Add the mussels and the parsley, toss them around in the hot pan, add a splash of wine, cover and cook until they open (about 4-6 minutes). Do not discard any mussels that don’t open - they just need more cooking.

Remove the mussels from the saucepan. Take out half of the mussels from their shells - the mussels with their shells will be used for decoration on top of the rice.

Add about 5 cups of the fish stock and saffron to the same pan and when it reaches boiling point add the rice.

Bring to the boil, cover and simmer over moderate heat, stirring now and again to ensure that the rice does not stick and the stock has been absorbed.

Taste the rice and season with salt if necessary. Add more stock or wine if needed - the rice is done when it’s al dente - just tender, but resistance can still be felt when you bite into it. (The rice will continue to soften).

Stir into the rice the shelled mussels. Place the mussels with the shells on top of the hot rice or gently fold them through the top layer of the hot rice (Italians are never fussy about eating food which is not piping hot).

Leave to rest for a few minutes for the flavours to meld before serving (the rice will also continue to cook and soften slightly).

Sustainable fish display in Auckland Fish Market

MA2SBAE8REVW

CASTAGNACCIO (A sweetened bread made with chestnut flour)

2011-05-19T19:36:00.000-07:00

Autumn is chestnut time.

Castagnaccio is made with chestnut flour, an ingredient that is easily obtained from stores that sell a large range of Italian produce. It can also be made with fresh chestnuts, but they have to be boiled first, removed from their shells, mashed and then combined with the ingredients in the recipe. I have never bothered to do this (and I cannot see how it can taste the same).

Castagnaccio is not Sicilian, it is a rustic Tuscan dish. I first ate it many years ago in Pisa and on that particular journey I ventured out from my base in Florence, and I also went to Gubbio and Assissi. It was a particularly cold and wet autumn season in most of Italy at that time of my visit and in each of the bars I visited I also consumed as many slices of panforte -my excuse was that I was interested to compare how different these tasted in each bar. As well as I can remember, I accompanied these Tuscan specialities with cups of thick, hot chocolate. My companion sampled the local amari (liquers- digestives).

Chestnut flour is not uncommon; it has been/is still used to make bread and pasta in various parts of Italy, and in fact I ate some excellent bread made with chestnut flour last time I visited Calabria. In Adelaide and in Melbourne I have purchased chestnut flour that has been packed by different Italian companies – each has a recipe for castagnaccio on the packet and all are different, but then again as we all know there can be many variations for the same recipe in all Italian cuisine .

Chestnuts and my brother’s photo from Pisa reminded me of this particular visit. As expected, I had spent time in Sicily before this.

It is like making a pancake mixture – it should be smooth and be as thick.

INGREDIENTS

chestnut flour, 500 g
water, 2 cups and perhaps a little more
sugar, 5 tbsp
pine nuts,100 g
raisins,100 g (pre-softened in a little water)

walnuts, 50 g
rosemary, fresh, sprigs
extra virgin olive oil, ¾ cup for the mixture and an extra 4 tablespoons

salt, a pinch

glace lemon peel, 2 tablespoons (optional)

cinnamon, 1 teaspoon (optional)

PROCESSES

Mix the chestnut flour with a little water. Add the salt and sugar and more water. Do this gradually to form a smooth paste (I begin with a spoon and continue with a whisk and a spoon).

Add the ¾ cup of olive oil. Mix until smooth.

Add to it the lemon peel, cinnamon and raisins and half of the pine nuts and walnuts.

Pour mixture into a large oven pan into which you have poured about 2 tbs of olive oil (the mixture should not be more than 2cm high). Spread it evenly.

Sprinkle with the rest of the pine nuts and walnuts and the rosemary leaves.

Pour onto the top about 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
Place into a pre- warmed oven (180C). Cook until a thin crust forms on top and there are cracks throughout the surface (about 40-50 minutes). The inside should be soft and moist.

When I take it out of the oven, I like to sprinkle a few drops of sweet wine (late picked, dessert wine) on top - the crust will slightly soften, but the aroma and flavours will be worth it.

Eat warm.

MA2SBAE8REVW

BACCALÀ MANTECATO (Creamed salt cod, popular in the Veneto region)

2011-05-05T15:42:00.000-07:00

Ortigia, Syracuse

According to my Sicilian relatives, only Sicilians know how to cook baccalà. Having lived in Trieste (north Italy), I was very familiar with this fish that is cooked in a variety of ways in this region. I particularly like baccalà mantecato, (boiled cod fish and then whipped or beaten with oil and garlic – one of the most representative recipes in Venetian cuisine). I tried to introduce my Sicilian relatives to this once, but they were not interested. Sicilians are particularly conservative about food that isn’t theirs.

Baccalà mantecato is not easily found in restaurants (most restaurants in Australia cook Southern Italian food) but I have eaten it at Guy Grossi’s, The Merchant –an osteria in Melbourne with typical food from the north-east of Italy. The menu is presented. Most of the food is presented as cichetti— bite-sized morsels.

I do like the food and it brings back many childhood memories, including the Veneto dialect used for the names of the offerings on the menu (very similar to that spoken in Trieste) .

Baccalà mantecato, has the thickness of a creamy, mashed potato. The fish is served cold and when I ate it in my youth we always spread it on crostini – thin slices of white bread, lightly fried till crisp in extra virgin olive oil. We never ate it as a main course and usually we did the spreading and passed it around to guests while they drank an aperitivo. Needless to say, a glass of prosecco or soave is a good accompaniment.

There are various recipes for how to make this and not all add milk. I was taught that the milk sweetened the taste and helped to preserve the white colour – I have so much accepted wisdom that I need to re-evaluate.

Thick pieces of salt cod (cut from the centre) are best. Leave the skin, but cut away fins and obvious bones. Cut into serving size pieces (7- 10cm). Rinse well in running water before soaking for 36-48 hours (over soaking will not spoil the fish, especially if the pieces of baccalà are thick). Keep it covered in a bowl in the fridge. Change the water at least 4-5 times.

INGREDIENTS
baccalà, 800g, pre soaked

garlic, 1-2 cloves chopped very finely (I use a garlic press)

extra virgin olive oil, at least 1 cup

salt, pepper

bay leaf, 1

parsley, finely chopped 1-2 tablespoons

milk, 2 litres

water, 1 litre

PROCESSES
Cover the pre soaked baccalà with cold water and milk, and bring it slowly to the boil. Add salt and a bay leaf.

Simmer gently for 30- 40 mins. Allow it to rest and cool in the liquid.

Remove the fish from the poaching liquid, pick out all the bones and remove the skin. Use a fork to break the flesh into small pieces.

Place fish in a bowl and add the garlic and about ½ cup of extra virgin olive oil. Begin to beat the fish with a wooden spoon and keep on adding oil as you would if you were making mayonnaise by hand. The mixture will look like a thick, white, fluffy cream. Keep on adding oil until the mixture will not absorb any more – it may absorb 1-1½ cups of oil.

The photograph of baccalà montecato was one of the entrées presented a couple of years ago as part of The Melbourne Food and Wine Festival; the event was called Around Italy in 7 Days – Travel north to south with a different gastronomic journey each night. Massimiliano Ferraiuolo was the chef (originally from Naples) who was visiting from Italy for a week's residence at Society Restaurant and cooking each evening. (This was the evening to celebrate food from the north of Italy).It was presented on a bed of mashed fresh peas with black toasted bread (black squid ink was used in the bread mixture), sprinkled with paprika, toasted almonds and a red autumn leaf .

MA2SBAE8REVW

PICKLING OLIVES using wood ash (OLIVE SOTTO CENERE)

2011-04-28T15:43:00.000-07:00

These olives in the photograph were picked from the same tree on the same day. Olives do not have the good manners to ripen all at the same time on the one tree; they will range in colour from green to violet to black (different degree of ripeness) and be of varying sizes.

There are many different recipes for pickling olives but I only have one small tree and in general I pick my olives when they are half ripened - no longer green, but not yet black - a violet colour. I continue to collect them in 2-3 batches over a week and pickle them by first soaking in fresh water and then in brine, but keep each batch separate and put each batch in brine in different jars. It is also not a good idea to process olives of different varieties in the same container even if they are at the same degree of ripeness - different varieties may require differing length of time for pickling and different methods. For example I prefer to cure ripe, black olives in coarse salt and then preserve them in extra virgin olive oil. For both recipes see, How to pickle olives

Sometimes to facilitate the water and brine to penetrate the olives more easily, I use a mallet to bruise them or make 2-3 slits on each olive or prick them with a wine cork and some sewing needles (see this home made implement in the photo above).These are called Olive schiacciate. I would recommend doing this with large olives.

These bright green, commercially processed olives in the photo below are called Sicilian olives in Australia. They are picked green and generally pickled with caustic soda (lye), but a kinder to one's body and more environmentally friendly process is to steep them in a mixture of wood ash and water (but do not expect the same bright green colour).

It is important to use ash from untreated wood - not wood that has been contaminated by paint or treated with chemicals and preferably from a fireplace or wood burning stove in your own home.

I found the following recipe, Olives Vertes a la Picholine, in Preserving, The Good Cook/Techniques and Recipes, Time Life Books. The recipe is taken from a French publication: Encyclopedie Hachette de la cuisine Regionale by Celine Vence.

Once the olives have soaked in the wood ash mixture they are steeped in clear water for another period of time and then stored in brine that has been flavoured with some aromatics: a bay leaf, coriander seeds, fennel sprigs and orange rind. Coriander is not a Sicilian spice and apart from just using salt, you may wish to add just bay leaves and/or replace the coriander with fennel seeds. It you have opportunity to use the stalks of wild fennel, half your luck.

I have never used orange rind in the brine and prefer to use it in the dressing.

You may wish to use the olives to make an olive salad.

INGREDIENTS

green olives, 2 k

wood ash, 2 k, mixed with hot water to make a thick runny paste, cool before using

Brine:

water, 2 litres

salt, 200g

bay leaf,1

fennel, sprigs, 2

coriander seeds, 24

orange rind, peeled in strips, from ½ an orange

PROCESSES

In a large bowl or crock mix the olives in the mixture of ash and water.

Leave them 10-12 days. Stir them a few times every day (the stone in the olives will begin to feel loose).

Rinse the olives thoroughly, cover them in clean water and allow them to stand for 10 days, changing the water each day.

Bring the brine ingredients to the boil, boil for 15 minutes, and cool. (If using fresh fennel sprigs or orange peel I would remove these in case they contaminate the olives).

Drain the olives, return them to the crock, and cover with the cold brine. Store for at least a week before using.

I prefer to store my olives in sterile jars; I keep the olives submerged with some plastic netting (from a plastic mesh roll or gutter guard mesh) and always cover my olives with about 5mm layer of olive oil on top – this seals the surface and prevents surface molds.

When I am ready to eat he olives, I drain them and dress them with some extra virgin, olive oil and any of the following aromatics: crushed garlic, some of the green, fresh feathery part of the fennel chopped finely, thin strips of orange or lemon peel, fennel seeds, fresh bay leaves, crushed dry chillies. Steep them in the aromatic mixture at least overnight and keep them in the fridge.

MA2SBAE8REVW

LAYERED SARDINES (CROSTATA DI SARDINE)

2011-04-20T02:08:00.000-07:00

I recently saw the vey impressive exhibition at The Gallery of Modern Art in Brisbane called 21st Century: Art in the First Decade (includes film, photography installations, sculpture, painting and drawing).

I sat in a darkened room mesmerised by a five-screen video installation, which seem to be about a treacherous sea voyage – tragic, worn out looking passengers on a small old boat, carrying nothing but themselves. I had entered this exhibit without first reading the information tag that accompanies each work and apart from recalling the plight of Australia’s asylum seekers and some of the terrible boat tragedies that have occurred, I was also wondering about other lands. The small, wooden fishing boats and the coastline looked very much like Sicily, the refugees could be North African, and the content relevant to Sicily’s present situation on Lampedusa (Isola di Lampedusa), an island in the Mediterranean Sea, part of the Province of Agrigento. And sure enough, it was Sicily – I recognized the stairway of one of the hotels in Palermo I had once stayed.

This very moving and deeply relevant installation is called WESTERN UNION: Small Boats and it is by Isaac Julien, an English artist and filmmaker. It was filmed in 35mm and transferred to video – it is an allegorical account of the hazardous sea journeys of North African illegal immigrants who often wash up dead on the shores of Sicily.

I found that photo of that amazing staircase and although Julien’s installation left me feeling sad, I also contemplated the beauty and excitement of Palermo: the eclectic architecture, which reflects several ruling cultures (Norman, Arab. Baroque); the street markets held in long, maze-like, narrow alleys, the piercing shrills of the sellers and the extraordinary array of produce.

It seems appropriate to have a recipe which reflects the of taste and fragrance of some of the cuisine of Palermo. I have chosen sardines.

There are many Sicilian recipes for baked, layered sardines and not all originate from Sicily.

In one of Ruth Rogers and Rose Grey’s Cookbooks, River Café Two, they call their layered sardine recipe: Strati di sardine (from strata, a layer). Their recipe is with breadcrumbs, zest of 2 lemons, pine nuts, extra virgin olive oil, chillies and parsley. In their recipe the sardines are not fried beforehand.

My recipe also has raisins and includes juice of a lemon and an orange and I call my layered sardines a Crostata di sarde. The stuffing is very similar to that of sarde a beccafico, but in this recipe there is no rolling of the sardines – much less arduous to prepare. A crostata is a tart and the sardines are topped with breadcrumbs; this forms a crust when baked (the word for crust in Italian is crosta).

There are plenty of sardines in Australia, they are wild-caught and mainly fished in WA near Fremantle, Hervey Bay in Queensland, and increasingly in South Australia – this makes them available for most of the year.

This crostata can also be eaten cold.

This recipe is for 4 people.

INGREDIENTS

sardines, fillets, double,12 - estimate 3 per person

extra virgin olive oil, ¾ cup

flat leaf parsley, 1 cup, cut finely

garlic, 3 cloves, chopped finely

salt and freshly ground, black pepper

fresh, bread crumbs, 150g , made from 1-3 day old good quality bread

lemon and orange, juice and zest from both

raisins, 50g
pine nuts, 150g
bay leaves, fresh, 10

PROCESSES

Mix the breadcrumbs, parsley, garlic, zest, pine nuts, seasoning and raisins together. Add a splash of olive oil.

Fry the sardines in some of the very hot oil, just enough time to crisp the skin. Do not overcrowd the fish in fry pan or they will poach rather than fry.

Drain on paper and set aside.

Oil a large baking dish that will accommodate all of the ingredients in three layers. Line it with 5 bay leaves.
Begin with a layer of the breadcrumb mixture; add a splash of oil next a layer of sardines (not overlapping and skin side up) then a splash of juice.

Cover the sardines with a sprinkling of the breadcrumbs mixture, and follow with a splash of olive oil.

Repeat with another layer of sardines and juices, finishing with the breadcrumbs and another splash of oil. Insert more bay leaves between some of the sardines.

Bake in a preheated oven (200°C) for about 20 minutes until a crust forms on top.

Bread shop in Palermo

MA2SBAE8REVW

RABBIT with cloves, cinnamon and red wine (CONIGLIO DA LICODIA EUBEA)

2011-04-14T15:55:00.000-07:00

Rabbit for Easter?

I have cooked rabbit a few times lately – there seems to be plenty of it about. They are breeding like rabbits seems a very appropriate term, given the excellent breeding conditions for them in most of Australia – good rainfall and abundant vegetation of good nutritional value.

Where possible I buy wild rabbit. I like to think that helping to reduce the rabbit population is a good thing for the environment – wild rabbits have contributed to the extinction of many plant species and by their selective grazing they deplete the high-quality feed for some native species and livestock. The loss of vegetation also contributes to soil erosion.

I found a version of this recipe in Pino Correnti’s Il Libro D’oro della Cucina e dei Vini di Sicilia. As is often the case in Sicilian recipes, there is very little detail about the method of cooking and there are no quantities given, but the following combination works for me. The recipe is from Licodia Eubea, a small town in the province of Catania. It is close to Vizzini and not far from Caltagerone – all are north of Ragusa.

In this recipe the rabbit is marinated in red wine before cooking. If I am cooking a wild rabbit I marinate it overnight, if it is a farmed rabbit 3 hours are plenty.

I have cooked this rabbit several times and each time I have added more personal touches - whole mushrooms or whole onions, more spices. On one occasion I presented it with fregola – this is the Sardinian version of couscous that is common in Southern Sardinia around Cagliari. It is cooked like pasta in boiling, salted water for about 10 minutes and drained. (I am not sure that the Sicilians would approve, or the Sardinians for that matter.)

I use one rabbit to feed four people (usually weighs just below 1 kilo).

INGREDIENTS

rabbit,1

red wine, 1½ cups

cloves, 6-8

bay leaves, 4-6

garlic, 2 cloves, each cut into halves

cinnamon sticks, 1-2

extra virgin olive oil, ¾ cup

salt and pepper to taste

tomato paste, 2 tablespoons, dissolved in a little water

rosemary sprigs, fresh 3-4

mint, fresh, 6-8 leaves

onions, whole,1-2 per person

PROCESSES:
Clean the rabbit and cut it into manageable sections at the joints.

Marinate it in the wine, some of the oil, bay leaves, cinnamon and cloves and turn it occasionally.

Remove the pieces of rabbit from the marinade and drain well. Keep the marinade with the bay, cinnamon and cloves for cooking.

Cut small slits into the flesh of the rabbit and insert the garlic into the slits (the recipe just lists garlic in the list of ingredients).
Add the rest of the extra virgin olive oil in a large frying pan and sauté the pieces until golden. Remove them and set aside.

Reduce the heat, add the whole onions to the oil and toss them around until golden.

Add salt and pepper, the diluted tomato paste, mint, rosemary, the wine marinade with the bay leaves, cinnamon and cloves (if you want to accentuate the taste of the aromatics you may wish to discard the old bay leaves and cloves in the marinade and add new ones).

Cover with a lid and simmer it gently until it is cooked (wild rabbit will take twice as long to cook as the farmed rabbit and you may need to add extra liquid).

Remove the lid and evaporate the juices if necessary.

I like to serve it with more fresh, mint leaves.

MA2SBAE8REVW