Calabrese Pork Ragu

Calabrese Pork Ragu
Here’s another one Grandma made for my Calabrese grandfather – Calabrese Pork Ragu. It doesn’t take too long to prepare but there’s three hours of simmering so plan ahead. It’s so thick and meaty you can almost eat it as a stew without the pasta.

Calabrese Pork Ragu

Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat and add the sausage. Break it up and brown it. Add the pork, mix and brown it.

While the meat is browning, finely chop onion, carrot, celery, garlic and ¼ cup of the parsley.

When the meat is done remove it, leaving the liquid in the pot.

Add the vegetable mixture to the pot with the oregano and red pepper flakes and cook for a few minutes until most of the liquid evaporates.

Calabrese Pork Ragu

Add the tomato paste and wine. Cook, deglazing the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until liquid has almost evaporated, 6-8 minutes.

Add the browned meat, crushed tomatoes, and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 3 hours, adding more water as needed to keep meat covered with the sauce. Check for seasoning.

Calabrese Pork Ragu
After 3 hours of simmering.

Cook pasta reserving 2 cups pasta cooking liquid.

Add pasta and 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid to sauce; stir to coat. Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup parsley. Stir, adding more pasta cooking liquid as needed. Serve with grated cheese.

Calabrese Pork Ragu

Calabrese Pork Ragu


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Robert Iulo – Writing Site  and  Yelp

Poached Shrimp Scampi

Poached Shrimp Scampi
I have some problems with Shrimp Scampi. First, there’s the name. Is scampi a method of preparation or the name of what you’re eating? Is a scampi a shrimp or is it a langoustine, crayfish, a prawn or maybe even a Norwegian lobster? If it is a shrimp then when you say the name of the dish, Shrimp Scampi, you’re really saying “Shrimp Shrimp.”
I’ll let that go and deal with my real problem with this dish. It’s too garlicky and oily and not shrimpy and saucy enough. I’ve adapted this recipe from America’s Test Kitchen and with less oil, the addition of stock, poaching instead of frying and sliced instead of chopped garlic, it’s a lot better.

Poached Shrimp Scampi

Poached Shrimp Scampi

Start by heating 2 tbsps. olive oil in a pan. Add the shells and stir until they begin to color – about 5 minutes. Add the wine and simmer for another 5 minutes. Strain out the shells and save the stock.Poached Shrimp Scampi
Wipe out the pan and add the remaining olive oil. Add the garlic, black and red pepper. Simmer the garlic slowly and on a low flame for a few minutes, then add the reserved stock. Add the shrimp, cover and simmer for 5 minutes on medium heat.Poached Shrimp Scampi
While it’s simmering, mix the lemon juice with the corn starch. Remove the shrimp from the pan. Add the lemon-corn starch mix and 4 tbsps. butter. Whisk until it’s smooth. If it’s too thick add a little water and continue to whisk.
Check for seasoning. Return the shrimp to the pan, add the parsley, stir and simmer for 5 minutes and serve.Poached Shrimp Scampi

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Some More Cocktails Made With American Whiskey

Some More Cocktails Made With American Whiskey
There’s Scotch, Irish and Canadian whiskey and in America we have Rye and Bourbon. Here are three more cocktail ideas.

 Derby
There are at least three different cocktails called the “Derby.” This is the one associated with the race held at Churchill Downs in Kentucky.Some More Cocktails Made With American Whiskey

Some More Cocktails Made With American Whiskey

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with a lemon peel. Some More Cocktails Made With American Whiskey

Whiskey Crusta
A New Orleans classic, invented in 1850.Some More Cocktails Made With American Whiskey

Some More Cocktails Made With American Whiskey

Shake with ice, strain into a sugar rimmed cocktail glass and garnish with an orange peel. The glass should be prepared in advance so the sugar can harden.Some More Cocktails Made With American Whiskey

Scofflaw
This rye whiskey drink was invented in Paris while America suffered through Prohibition.

Some More Cocktails Made With American Whiskey

Some More Cocktails Made With American Whiskey Shake with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

It was invented in Paris so, of course they used French vermouth. Try it with Italian vermouth – much better.Some More Cocktails Made With American Whiskey


Robert Iulo – Writing Site and  Yelp

Some Cocktails Made With American Whiskey

Some Cocktails Made With American Whiskey
There’s Scotch, Irish and Canadian whiskey and in America we have Rye and Bourbon. Here are three classic cocktails made with American whiskey.

Vieux Carré
This one was invented at the Monteleone Hotel in New Orleans, and is named for the “The French Quarter” – le Vieux Carré (“Old Square”).

Mix all the ingredients in a rocks glass with ice.


Bourbon Smash
Not unlike a Mint Julep but with a bit of lemon added to offset the sweetness.
 Muddle the lemon and 3 sprigs of mint in a shaker. Add the bourbon, simple syrup, ice and shake. Strain into a rocks glass filled with crushed ice and garnish with a mint sprig.

 Sazerac
My wife Bridget and I went to four bars in the New Orleans’ French Quarter to try Sazeracs and take away the best recipe. This was our favorite but after four Sazeracs I could only remember the recipe and not the name of the bar where I got it – maybe the Hotel Monteleone? Put ½ shot of Anisette in a small rocks glass. Coat the sides of the glass with it and then add some ice. In another small rocks glass add: a few dashes of Peychauds Bitters and 1 tsp of simple syrup. Mix, add ice and stir. Add a shot of rye and stir. Empty ice and excess Anisette from 1st rocks glass and strain mix of Peychauds, syrup and rye into it. Float a few dashes of Angostura on top.

*Simple syrup – Heat one cup of sugar in one cup of water. Stir until it’s clear and liquid.


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Rhythm and Power

Rhythm and Power

Salsa in New York – now until November 26, 2017Rhythm and Power

ILLUMINATING SALSA AS A SOCIAL MOVEMENT FROM THE 1960s TO TODAY

The story of New York salsa—an up-tempo performance of percussive Latin music and Afro-Caribbean-infused dance—is one of cultural fusion, artistry, and skilled marketing. Rhythm & Power: Salsa in New York illuminates salsa as a social movement from the 1960s to the present, exploring how immigrant and migrant communities in New York City — most notably from Cuba and Puerto Rico — nurtured and developed salsa, growing it from a local movement playing out in the city’s streets and clubs into a global phenomenon. The exhibition also looks at the role of record companies and stores in supporting and promoting the movement, and salsa’s often-overlooked ties to activism in the city. Rhythm & Power features dance costumes and musical instruments from some of salsa’s leading figures, as well as audio and video that bring the sounds and movement of salsa to life.

Rhythm and Power

I donated some of my photos from the early days of Salsa in New York for use in the exhibit and on promotional literature.
Rhythm and Power
Eddie Palmieri and Patato at the Beacon Theater, NYC – 1977

Jamming on Bethesda Terrace

Rhythm and Power

Go to the Museum’s website for full program details.


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Robert Iulo – Writing Site and  Yelp

Roast Chicken and Tomatoes

Roast Chicken and Tomatoes
A fairly simple recipe with just a few ingredients but when it’s done it has complex flavors. And it looks like you put a lot more effort into it than you actually did.

Roast Chicken and Tomatoes

Roast Chicken and Tomatoes

Preheat the oven to 450° with the rack toward the top. Finely chop 1 garlic clove and place it in a bowl with salt, black pepper and red pepper, oregano and 1 tbsp olive oil.  Thoroughly coat the room temperature chicken with this mixture.

Depending on their size, cut the tomatoes in halves or quarters. Cut the remaining garlic in half lengthwise. Add salt, black pepper and ¼ cup of olive oil and toss until coated. Arrange in an even layer in a pan.Roast Chicken and Tomatoes

Cut each breast in half and place the chicken pieces on top of the tomato garlic layer. Roast until done –  about 40 to 50 minutes – then 5 minutes under the broiler.  Let chicken rest for 10 minutes and serve.Roast Chicken and Tomatoes


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A Buttered Roll

 Buttered Roll
A Buttered Roll
I didn’t realize it until I read it in the New York Times this morning that one of my standard breakfasts is something typically New York. You can get a buttered roll and coffee at any street cart or deli and what more would you need to start your day? A buttered roll isn’t sticky like a Danish or greasy like an egg sandwich and it doesn’t make crumbs like a muffin. So, it’s the perfect breakfast.
Here it is in the Times

 

Buttered RollButtered Roll


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