Category Archives: Vegetarian

Grilled Eggplant

September 20, 2022 robiulo Leave a comment

Grilled Eggplant

I know people who said they didn’t like eggplant until they tried it done like this. Grilled eggplant can be served room temperature or chilled as a part of an antipasto, side dish or on a sandwich.

Ingredients:

2 medium to large eggplants
2 garlic cloves, chopped
¼ cup olive oil
Salt, black, and red pepper
1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
1 tbsp chopped fresh mint
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 lemon, zested and juiced

Trim the stem ends off the eggplants and slice lengthwise, about ¼-inch thick. Lay the eggplant slices on paper towels and sprinkle salt on both sides. Wait 15 minutes and blot up moisture.

Prepare the marinade:

Heat the oil in a small pan, add salt, black and red pepper and lightly sauté the chopped garlic. Add the herbs, lemon zest/juice, and the garlic/oil mixture to a blender, food processor or if you need the exercise use a mortar and pestle.

While you heat your grill (charcoal, gas, or a grill pan), use a brush to lightly coat each eggplant slice with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the eggplant slices on the grill oil side down and add oil, salt, and pepper to the top side of the eggplant. After you get nice grill marks on one side, turn and grill the other side. They cook fast so watch them.

Prepare a large serving platter with some of the marinade on the bottom. Layer the eggplant slices as they are done and spoon some of the marinade on each layer. Leave them for an hour at room temperature to marinate, then cover and refrigerate.

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Sides, Vegetarian

Grill Pan Lemon Broccoli and Peppers

May 13, 2022 robiulo Leave a comment

Grill Pan Lemon Broccoli and Peppers

This is a big recipe. You can serve half of it hot, and the next day serve the remainder as a salad.

Ingredients:

2 broccoli heads (about 1 ½ lbs.)
Olive oil for frying and drizzling
1 red bell pepper cut into thin strips
6 cloves thinly sliced garlic
1 tbsp. anchovy paste or 5 anchovies
1 large lemon cut into 8 thin rounds and 1 tbsp. juice
2 tbsp. chopped parsley

Trim the broccoli into small florets with some stem remaining. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the broccoli. Blanch the broccoli for 5 minutes, drain and set aside.

Bring about 5 tbsps. of oil to medium heat in a frying pan and add the peppers. Fry for 10 minutes, add the garlic and anchovy paste. Blend and cook for 5 more minutes. If you’re using whole anchovies, cook until they break down.

Heat a well-oiled grill pan. Toss the blanched broccoli with 3 tbsps. oil. Once the pan is hot, grill the broccoli, turning so there are grill marks on both sides.

Grill the lemon slices for 1 – 2 minutes on each side to get a nice char. Chop the slices and add to a bowl with the parsley, 1 tbsp. lemon juice and 2 tbsps. olive oil.

Place the broccoli in a large bowl and add the pepper mixture and the lemon/parsley mixture and toss.

Arrange in a serving platter and serve hot or if you prefer, chill and serve as a salad.

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Seafood, Vegetarian

Seared Scallops

April 16, 2022 robiulo Leave a comment

Sea scallops are found in deep, cold ocean waters—up to 200 meters deep—around the world. In the U.S., they are typically caught in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean, from Newfoundland to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. Sea scallops are up to three times larger in size than bay scallops, with some reaching up to two inches in diameter.

Seared Scallops

Seared Scallops Ingredients:

1 tbsp. butter
1 olive oil
1 lb. sea scallops
Salt and black pepper
1 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

For The Lemon Butter Sauce:

2 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
Juice of ½ lemon & ¼ cup white wine or chicken broth
Salt and black pepper
1 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Rince scallops in cold water and dry. Season with salt and black pepper. Add 1 tablespoon each of butter and olive oil in a frying pan over high heat. Working in batches, add scallops to the pan in a single layer and cook, flipping once, until golden brown – about 2-3 minutes per side. Don’t crowd the pan. Set aside and keep warm.

For the lemon butter sauce, melt 2 tablespoons butter in the skillet. Add garlic and cook, stirring for about 1 minute. Stir in lemon juice, wine, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve scallops with lemon butter sauce and garnished with parsley.

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Soup, Vegetarian

Roman Grain and Greens Soup

April 8, 2022 robiulo Leave a comment

Roman Grain and Greens Soup

Every so often I make a recipe with my doctor in mind. She always tells me, “Less meat and more grain and greens.” Roman Grain and Greens soup is just what the doctor ordered. In addition to barley, lentils, split-peas, and chickpeas there are 5 kinds of greens.

Roman Grain and Greens Soup

Ingredients:

1⁄2 cup pearled barley
1 cup yellow split peas
1 cup lentils
10 cups water or more
1 14 oz. chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1⁄2 teaspoon ground fennel seed
2 Tablespoons coloratura de alici
1 large or 2 smaller leeks, white part and 3 inches of green part, split, rinsed and chopped
3 cups coarsely chopped Savoy cabbage, packed
1⁄4 cup chopped parsley, packed
1⁄4 cup chopped fresh dill, packed
1⁄4 cup chopped fennel leaves, packed
1⁄2 cup olive oil

Place barley, peas and lentils in a heavy pot. Rinse and drain. Add water and bring to a boil. Skim off foam. Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are becoming tender. Add water if too thick.

Meanwhile, prepare leeks, cabbage and greens. In a frying pan, cook them gently in olive oil until wilted.

Add the chickpeas, salt, oregano, oregano, ground fennel and coloratura de alici to the soup. Simmer 5 minutes.

Stir the greens into soup. Simmer, stirring frequently, just until cabbage is tender, about 10 minutes.

Taste, and add salt as needed.

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Pasta, Vegetarian

Roasted Broccoli Pasta

March 10, 2022 robiulo 2 Comments

Roasted Broccoli Pasta

I know that lots of people don’t like broccoli and this recipe is for them. Roasting it gives it a crisp flavor that makes the difference. This is adapted from Melissa Clark’s recipe in the New York Times.

Ingredients:

2 ½ lbs. broccoli cut into bite sized florets
2 tbsp. olive oil plus more for drizzling
Salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes
12 oz. small pasta
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup plain breadcrumbs
1 tbsp. lemon zest
12 oz. whole milk ricotta

Pre-heat your over to 425^o.

In a bowl, toss the broccoli, 2 tbsp. oil, salt, black, and red pepper. Place it in a large sheet pan and roast for about 10 minutes, toss and roast for another 10 minutes until edges start to lightly brown. Remove, set aside, and set the over to broil.

Cook the pasta according to package instruction, drain and set aside.

Mix together the Parmesan, breadcrumbs, lemon zest, salt and pepper in a small bowl.

In the large bowl, mix together the broccoli, cooked pasta, and ricotta. Add the Parmesan mix and combine.

Spread the pasta and broccoli evenly in the sheet pan, drizzle with oil and broil for 2 to 4 minutes until pasta is lightly crisped and serve.

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Seafood, Vegetarian

Breaded Flounder Filets

November 12, 2021 robiulo Leave a comment

Breaded Flounder Filets

I grew up with a kid named Vinny. We’d eat with each other’s families often. This was as close as I could come to his grandmother’s recipe for breaded flounder filet. I think I did it justice.

Ingredients:

1 lb founder fillets
Salt and black pepper
1 cup flour
2 eggs
2 cups plain breadcrumbs
3 cloves of finely minced garlic
2 tbsp. chopped parsley
1 tsp. oregano
Olive oil for frying
Lemon for serving

Cut the filets into portion sizes. Season with salt and pepper and set aside to come to room temperature.

Prepare three dishes – one with flour, one with the beaten eggs and one with the breadcrumb mixture containing the garlic, parsley, and oregano.

First dredge the filet in the flour, shaking off any excess. Then coat it with the beaten egg letting any excess drip away. Dredge the filet in the breadcrumbs, pressing it so it sticks. Put the filets aside for 20 minutes to let the coating stick.

Add about ¼ inch of oil to a frying pan and heat to medium. Fry each side until golden brown. Don’t crowd the pan. Drain the filets and paper towels and serve with sliced lemons.

If there’s any egg wash and breadcrumbs left over make a breadcrumb polpette.

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Sides, Vegetarian

Marmite Roast Potatoes

November 5, 2021 robiulo Leave a comment

A while back I did a post on umami and at the time, I had never tasted Marmite and didn’t include it. Their advertising slogan is “Love it or hate it,” and I wondered which way I’d go. I tried it in a recipe that I adapted from Karen William’s Marmite Roast Potatoes on Delish – a British cooking site. Maybe I don’t love it yet, but it works for me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Vegans, Love It or Hate It, You’re Going to Need It”

“New ways with Marmite: top cooking tips”

Marmite Roast Potatoes

Ingredients:

2 lb white potatoes
2 oz. butter
1 tbsp. Marmite
1 tbsp. bourbon
Thyme leaves (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400^o.

Bring a pot of water to boil. Place the peeled and cut into 2 inch potatoes and boil for 10 mins. Drain, shake well to rough-up the edges and leave them in the pot, covered, for 10 minutes.

Melt the butter in a small pot and whisk in the marmite and bourbon until blended.

Put the potatoes into a baking tray and pour the marmite over them. Turn potatoes to coat. Cook for 20 minutes, turn the potatoes, and cook for another 20 minutes.

Sprinkle with black pepper, thyme leaves and serve.

Based on Melissa Clark’s suggestion. I tried Marmite on a scrambled egg sandwich. Very good but if you try it, don’t add any additional salt.

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Pasta, Seafood, Vegetarian

Tinned Fish

September 21, 2021 robiulo Leave a comment

Tinned Fish

It’s been around for a long time but suddenly it’s become a thing – tinned fish. When I was growing up if I wanted a snack, I could always open a can of sardines, squid, or tuna. It’s a very old way of preserving food. It doesn’t need to be refrigerated, and isn’t perishable until it’s opened.

Here’s an informative post from Epicurious –

The Can of Food That Makes Dinner Parties Delicious, Easy, and Insanely Fast

The easiest dinner party you’ll ever throw is the one where all you do is make a few salads, open a few tins of fish and put out a few baguettes. The reason you aren’t throwing this party already is because you think that tinned fish is cheap, acrid, odorous stuff that you’d never serve to company, much less yourself. But that line of thinking stops now.

Click logo for full article –

Tinned Fish Pasta

Here’s a recipe that works with almost any type of tinned fish. I used sardines.

Adapted from Bon Appétit

Ingredients:

1 cup unseasoned toasted breadcrumbs
¼ cup. olive oil
2 finely chopped garlic cloves
2 cans sardines packed in olive oil
1 tsp. lemon zest
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. chopped capers
Salt and black pepper
1 lb. spaghetti or linguini
Chopped parsley for serving

Lightly sauté the garlic in olive oil in a small pan until it’s fragrant. Don’t let it brown.

Put the garlic and oil it cooked in, sardines, lemon zest and juice, capers, salt, and pepper in a heat proof bowl. Place the bowl on top of a pot of boiling water to gently heat the ingredients. Remove the bowl and cook the pasta in the same boiling water.

When the pasta is done add it to the bowl with 1 cup of the pasta water and the parsley. Mix and serve with a sprinkling of the toasted breadcrumbs.

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Seafood, Vegetarian

Mussels with Red or White Sauce

August 11, 2021 robiulo Leave a comment

Mussels with Red or White Sauce

Wash the mussels in cold running water and pull off any of the beard that might be attached to some of them. Discard any mussels that don’t close when tapped.

Either of these recipes can be served as a sauce for linguine or spaghetti but I prefer them simply with a loaf of good Italian bread.

Mussels in White Sauce

Ingredients:

1/3 cup olive oil
1 small shallot diced
2 garlic cloves minced
Salt to taste
1 cup dry white wine
2 lbs. cleaned mussels
2 tbsp. butter
½ cup chopped parsley

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the shallot until it’s translucent. Add the garlic and stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add ½ teaspoon of salt. Add the white wine and raise the heat. When it boils add the mussels and cover the pot.

Shake the pot and check after 5 minutes. The mussels should be starting to open. Cover and wait until they’re all opened and discard any that didn’t.

Remove them with a slotted spoon to a serving dish leaving the sauce in the pot. Discard any mussels that haven’t opened.Whisk the butter and parsley into the sauce. Check for seasoning and pour the sauce over the mussels and serve. If you’re serving with pasta, add one cup of the pasta cooking water to the sauce.

Mussels in Red Sauce

Ingredients:

1/3 cup olive oil
3 cloves of minced garlic
Salt and black, and red pepper to taste
½ cup dry red wine
1 – 28 ounce can of chopped tomatoes
2 lbs. cleaned mussels
¼ cup chopped parsley

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add salt, black, and red pepper.

Add the red wine and tomatoes, and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the mussels, cover the pot and steam for about 15 minutes, shaking the pot or stirring from time to time. When the mussels have opened, stir in the chopped parsley, and serve. Discard any mussels that haven’t opened.

It works with pasta too.

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Seafood, Sides, Vegetarian

Shrimp Fried Rice

July 23, 2021 robiulo Leave a comment

Shrimp Fried Rice

This is a fast-cooking recipe so have all the ingredients prepared and ready to add to the pan. In place of, or in addition to the peas and carrots use what ever vegetables you like – broccoli, mushrooms, asparagus. Instead of shrimp try this with a boneless pork chop cut into small pieces. Someday I think I’ll make it with pancetta for a Chinese-Italian fusion.

Ingredients:

6 oz shrimp (small shrimp or large cut small)
Salt & black pepper
2 tbsp. peanut or vegetable oil
2 tbsp. toasted sesame oil divided
½ chopped onion
¾ cup peas & carrots
1 large egg
2 cups cooked rice (cold)
1 tbsp. each soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, oyster sauce
3 tbsp. chopped green onion

Preheat a large fry pan or wok to medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon of sesame oil. Sauté the shrimp with salt and pepper. Cook the shrimp for 2-3 minutes until they start to color. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Add the onion, peas and carrots and cook until the onion starts to turn translucent. Slide the onion, peas, and carrots to the side (if you pan isn’t big enough, temporally remove the vegetables) and pour the beaten egg onto the other side. Cook the egg, break it up mix it with the vegetables.

Add the rice and mix thoroughly with the egg and vegetables. Then add the shrimp. Pour in one tablespoon each of the soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, and oyster sauce. Stir and fry until everything is combined. Add chopped green onions and serve.

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Grilled Eggplant

Ingredients:

Trim the stem ends off the eggplants and slice lengthwise, about ¼-inch thick. Lay the eggplant slices on paper towels and sprinkle salt on both sides. Wait 15 minutes and blot up moisture.

Prepare the marinade:

Heat the oil in a small pan, add salt, black and red pepper and lightly sauté the chopped garlic. Add the herbs, lemon zest/juice, and the garlic/oil mixture to a blender, food processor or if you need the exercise use a mortar and pestle.

Prepare a large serving platter with some of the marinade on the bottom. Layer the eggplant slices as they are done and spoon some of the marinade on each layer. Leave them for an hour at room temperature to marinate, then cover and refrigerate.

Grill Pan Lemon Broccoli and Peppers

This is a big recipe. You can serve half of it hot, and the next day serve the remainder as a salad.

Ingredients:

Trim the broccoli into small florets with some stem remaining. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the broccoli. Blanch the broccoli for 5 minutes, drain and set aside.

Bring about 5 tbsps. of oil to medium heat in a frying pan and add the peppers. Fry for 10 minutes, add the garlic and anchovy paste. Blend and cook for 5 more minutes. If you’re using whole anchovies, cook until they break down.

Heat a well-oiled grill pan. Toss the blanched broccoli with 3 tbsps. oil. Once the pan is hot, grill the broccoli, turning so there are grill marks on both sides.

Grill the lemon slices for 1 – 2 minutes on each side to get a nice char. Chop the slices and add to a bowl with the parsley, 1 tbsp. lemon juice and 2 tbsps. olive oil.

Place the broccoli in a large bowl and add the pepper mixture and the lemon/parsley mixture and toss.

Arrange in a serving platter and serve hot or if you prefer, chill and serve as a salad.

Seared Scallops

Seared Scallops Ingredients:

For the lemon butter sauce, melt 2 tablespoons butter in the skillet. Add garlic and cook, stirring for about 1 minute. Stir in lemon juice, wine, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve scallops with lemon butter sauce and garnished with parsley.

Roman Grain and Greens Soup

Roman Grain and Greens Soup

Ingredients:

Place barley, peas and lentils in a heavy pot. Rinse and drain. Add water and bring to a boil. Skim off foam. Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are becoming tender. Add water if too thick.

Meanwhile, prepare leeks, cabbage and greens. In a frying pan, cook them gently in olive oil until wilted.

Add the chickpeas, salt, oregano, oregano, ground fennel and coloratura de alici to the soup. Simmer 5 minutes.

Stir the greens into soup. Simmer, stirring frequently, just until cabbage is tender, about 10 minutes.

Taste, and add salt as needed.

Roasted Broccoli Pasta

I know that lots of people don’t like broccoli and this recipe is for them. Roasting it gives it a crisp flavor that makes the difference. This is adapted from Melissa Clark’s recipe in the New York Times.

Ingredients:

Pre-heat your over to 425o.

In a bowl, toss the broccoli, 2 tbsp. oil, salt, black, and red pepper. Place it in a large sheet pan and roast for about 10 minutes, toss and roast for another 10 minutes until edges start to lightly brown. Remove, set aside, and set the over to broil.

Cook the pasta according to package instruction, drain and set aside.

Mix together the Parmesan, breadcrumbs, lemon zest, salt and pepper in a small bowl.

In the large bowl, mix together the broccoli, cooked pasta, and ricotta. Add the Parmesan mix and combine.

Spread the pasta and broccoli evenly in the sheet pan, drizzle with oil and broil for 2 to 4 minutes until pasta is lightly crisped and serve.

Breaded Flounder Filets

I grew up with a kid named Vinny. We’d eat with each other’s families often. This was as close as I could come to his grandmother’s recipe for breaded flounder filet. I think I did it justice.

Ingredients:

Cut the filets into portion sizes. Season with salt and pepper and set aside to come to room temperature.

Prepare three dishes – one with flour, one with the beaten eggs and one with the breadcrumb mixture containing the garlic, parsley, and oregano.

First dredge the filet in the flour, shaking off any excess. Then coat it with the beaten egg letting any excess drip away. Dredge the filet in the breadcrumbs, pressing it so it sticks. Put the filets aside for 20 minutes to let the coating stick.

Add about ¼ inch of oil to a frying pan and heat to medium. Fry each side until golden brown. Don’t crowd the pan. Drain the filets and paper towels and serve with sliced lemons.

Marmite Roast Potatoes

Ingredients:

Preheat the oven to 400o.

Bring a pot of water to boil. Place the peeled and cut into 2 inch potatoes and boil for 10 mins. Drain, shake well to rough-up the edges and leave them in the pot, covered, for 10 minutes.

Melt the butter in a small pot and whisk in the marmite and bourbon until blended.

Put the potatoes into a baking tray and pour the marmite over them. Turn potatoes to coat. Cook for 20 minutes, turn the potatoes, and cook for another 20 minutes.

Sprinkle with black pepper, thyme leaves and serve.

Based on Melissa Clark’s suggestion. I tried Marmite on a scrambled egg sandwich. Very good but if you try it, don’t add any additional salt.

Tinned Fish

The Can of Food That Makes Dinner Parties Delicious, Easy, and Insanely Fast

Tinned Fish Pasta

Here’s a recipe that works with almost any type of tinned fish. I used sardines.

Ingredients:

Lightly sauté the garlic in olive oil in a small pan until it’s fragrant. Don’t let it brown.

Put the garlic and oil it cooked in, sardines, lemon zest and juice, capers, salt, and pepper in a heat proof bowl. Place the bowl on top of a pot of boiling water to gently heat the ingredients. Remove the bowl and cook the pasta in the same boiling water.

When the pasta is done add it to the bowl with 1 cup of the pasta water and the parsley. Mix and serve with a sprinkling of the toasted breadcrumbs.

Mussels with Red or White Sauce

Wash the mussels in cold running water and pull off any of the beard that might be attached to some of them. Discard any mussels that don’t close when tapped.

Either of these recipes can be served as a sauce for linguine or spaghetti but I prefer them simply with a loaf of good Italian bread.

Mussels in White Sauce

Ingredients:

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the shallot until it’s translucent. Add the garlic and stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add ½ teaspoon of salt. Add the white wine and raise the heat. When it boils add the mussels and cover the pot.

Shake the pot and check after 5 minutes. The mussels should be starting to open. Cover and wait until they’re all opened and discard any that didn’t.

Mussels in Red Sauce

Ingredients:

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add salt, black, and red pepper.

Add the red wine and tomatoes, and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the mussels, cover the pot and steam for about 15 minutes, shaking the pot or stirring from time to time. When the mussels have opened, stir in the chopped parsley, and serve. Discard any mussels that haven’t opened.

Shrimp Fried Rice

Ingredients:

Preheat a large fry pan or wok to medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon of sesame oil. Sauté the shrimp with salt and pepper. Cook the shrimp for 2-3 minutes until they start to color. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Add the onion, peas and carrots and cook until the onion starts to turn translucent. Slide the onion, peas, and carrots to the side (if you pan isn’t big enough, temporally remove the vegetables) and pour the beaten egg onto the other side. Cook the egg, break it up mix it with the vegetables.

Add the rice and mix thoroughly with the egg and vegetables. Then add the shrimp. Pour in one tablespoon each of the soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, and oyster sauce. Stir and fry until everything is combined. Add chopped green onions and serve.

Reveries and Recipes

Pre-heat your over to 425^o.

Preheat the oven to 400^o.