Turkish Roast Chicken

March 24, 2023 robiulo Leave a comment

Turkish Roast Chicken

I got this Turkish Roast Chicken recipe from a friend, who didn’t happen to be Turkish, but is a great cook. It works well with or without the marinade.

Ingredients:

3 – 4 lb. chicken
Salt & black pepper
2 tsp. olive oil
2 pats butter
4 smashed cloves of garlic.
2 tbsp. honey
2 tsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. mustard
1 tbsp. tomato paste
1 tbsp. paprika
1 tsp. coriander

Chicken

Cut open the chicken through the breast to the backbone. Spread and flatten with your hands and then push it flat using a rolling pin. Season both sides of the chicken with salt and black pepper.

Heat the oil and butter in an oven proof pan and sauté the garlic until golden. Remove the garlic and add the chicken skin side down. Cover with a dish and exerting downward pressure with the dish, cook on medium high for 4-5 minutes. Turn the chicken over and cook the same way for another 5 minutes. Keep applying pressure as it cooks to flatten the chicken. Remove the chicken from the pan and pour out all but 2 tablespoons of grease.

Marinade

Mix the honey soy sauce, mustard, tomato paste, paprika and coriander into a paste. Brush the chicken on both sides with the marinade. Return to the pan, cover with foil and roast at 400^o for 45 minutes. Uncover and roast for another 10–15 minutes.

Allow to cool for 10 minutes, cut into quarters and serve.

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Lunch/Snacks

French Ham Sandwich

March 17, 2023 robiulo Leave a comment

French Ham Sandwich

I recently was about to take a road trip with some friends when we stopped in a deli for some sandwiches to bring along. The orders were turkey, roast beef, Swiss cheese, etc. Everyone asked for mayo on their sandwiches except me. I got mustard. When I was growing up in New York the delis were either Italian or Jewish and the choice of condiment on your sandwich was either mustard or no mustard. Mayo wasn’t a choice. I still prefer mustard and wouldn’t consider mayo. I guess it all depends on what you’re used to.

I used to live near a great German restaurant called the Bavarian Inn. The kitchen closed at 11pm but they continued to make sandwiched until 1am. No matter what sandwich you ordered, the bread was buttered. If you wanted mustard, you got that too. Mayo wasn’t a choice. So, it’s mustard for Italian and Jewish sandwiches and the addition of butter the German ones. Now let’s get to French sandwiches. I recently read an article by Florence Fabricant. It was all about a classic and simple sandwich consisting of bread, ham, and butter or jambon beurre — ham on a buttered baguette.

It made me hungry and reminded me of my Bavarian Inn sandwiches, so I tried it. Ham, baguette and butter, no mustard, and it was terrific.

The foundation of any exceptional sandwich lies in the quality of its ingredients. For the perfect French Ham Sandwich, start with a crusty baguette. Get the ham freshy sliced at your local deli. I prefer BoarsHead Brand, and finish it with unsalted or salted butter, it’s up to you.

Florence Fabricant‘s Th e Proustian Ideal of a Ham Sandwich

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Poultry

Pepin Roast Chicken

March 10, 2023 robiulo Leave a comment

Pepin Roast Chicken

Jaques Pepin is one of my favorite TV chefs. Pepin Roast Chicken is an easy recipe that can be served as is or dressed up with a simple sauce.

Ingredients:

3 – 4 lb. chicken
Salt and black pepper
2 tbsp. butter

Heat the oven to 425^o.

It’s not absolutely necessary but it’s a good idea to truss the chicken. It holds its shape better and cooks more evenly.

Add 2 tablespoons of butter to a pan and season the chicken with salt and black pepper – inside and out.

Start with one side and roast the chicken in the oven for 20 minutes. Switch to the other side and roast another 20 minutes. For the last 20 minutes, put the chicken on its back, breast facing up. During this last 20 minutes you should baste the chicken with the pan juices (melted butter and chicken fat) every 5 minutes. Lift the chicken and if the juices run clear it is done. If not, roast for another 10 minutes.

You can stop right now for a perfectly roasted chicken or you can make a simple sauce.

Sauce Ingredients:

½ cup chicken stock
1 tsp. soy sauce

Pour out all but 2 tablespoons of pan juice from the pan and add ½ cup chicken stock and deglaze the pan. Add 1 teaspoon of soy sauce and heat for a few minutes. Strain the sauce into a small saucepan and if it needs thickening add 1 teaspoon of flour or potato starch that has been dissolved in 2 ounces of cold water.

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Pasta, Vegetarian

Fresh Tomato Sauce with Rusks

March 3, 2023 robiulo Leave a comment

Fresh Tomato Sauce with Rusks

Fresh tomato sauce with rusks, inspired by a Greek friend, is a dish that brings together the flavors of ripe tomatoes, olive oil, and the unique crunch of rusks. Rusks are not a vegetable but rather dry, hard biscuits or twice-baked bread, lending a distinctive texture to this dish.

Ingredients:

4 or 5 ripe tomatoes
¼ cup olive oil
3 cloves sliced garlic
Salt, black pepper, and red pepper
1-2 cups crumbled rusks
1/2 lb. pasta

Start by bringing a pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta. The sauce is quick to make, ensuring it’ll be ready by the time the pasta is cooked to perfection.

Using the large side of a box grater, grate the ripe tomatoes and set aside.

In a large pot, sauté the sliced garlic in olive oil until it starts to darken. Add the grated tomatoes to the pot, incorporating salt, black pepper, and red pepper to taste. Allow the mixture to simmer for about 20 minutes, letting some of the liquid evaporate and the sauce thicken.

As the sauce simmers, cook the pasta in the salted water until it reaches your desired level of doneness. Once almost done, transfer the pasta to the sauce to finish cooking, allowing the flavors to meld.

Using a mortar and pestle or the bottom of a small frying pan on a cutting board, crush the rusks to yield approximately one cup of crumbles.

Plate the pasta and sprinkle the crushed rusks on top. Add the tomato sauce on top of that.

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Lunch/Snacks, Vegetarian

Roasted Chickpeas

February 24, 2023 robiulo Leave a comment

Roasted Chickpeas

Chickpea is English, ceci is Italian, and garbanzo is Spanish – whatever you call them, this s a great snack.

Ingredients:

Chickpeas – one 15 oz. can, rinsed, drained, and dried
Olive oil – about 3 – 4 tbsps.
Salt – to taste
1 to 2 tsps. of any 2 of the following spices (I’m using garlic powder & ground oregano)
- Chili powder
- Curry powder
- Cajun seasoning
- Garlic powder
- Oregano
- Paprika

Preheat the oven to 350˚F

Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Leave the chickpeas on a towel until they’re thoroughly dry.

Place the ceci in a roasting pan and roast for 10 minutes. Shake the pan and roast for another 10 minutes. Sprinkle with the seasoning of your choice, let cool and serve.

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Seafood, Vegetarian

Scallops with Lemon Butter Sauce

February 17, 2023 robiulo Leave a comment

Scallops with Lemon Butter Sauce

A few simple ingredients and not much time and you have a seafood restaurant quality meal.

Ingredients:

6 pats butter
Salt & black pepper
2 sliced garlic cloves
1 lb. large sea scallops
Juice of 1 lemon

Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Stir in garlic, salt, and pepper and cook for a few seconds. Add the scallops in a single layer in the pan and cooking and turning until they begin to color.

Transfer scallops to a serving platter, reserving butter in the skillet. Whisk in the lemon juice, pour the sauce over the scallops, and serve.

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Soup, Vegetarian

Escarole and Beans

February 8, 2023 robiulo Leave a comment

Escarole and Beans

Escarole and Beans is cheap, easy to make and healthy. My doctor always tells me to eat more greens and beans so this recipe is perfect. Escarole, scarola in Italian, looks like lettuce but with wider, wavy leaves. It’s in the chicory family, and like endive and radicchio it has a slightly bitter taste when eaten raw.

Ingredients:

– 1/4 cup olive oil

– 2 heads of escarole – washed and sliced into 1-inch pieces

– 4 cloves of garlic – thinly sliced

– Salt, black pepper, and red pepper – according to your taste

– 1/2 cup chicken stock

– 1 can (15 ounces) of cannellini beans – drained and rinsed

Heat the oil in a large pot with salt, black and red pepper. Sauté the garlic on low heat until it’s soft but not brown.

Wash (drain but leave it wet) the escarole and cut it into one-inch slices removing the base and add it to the garlic and oil. It may seem like too much, but it will wilt and reduce in about ten minutes. Cover the pot until the escarole begins to wilt and toss it to coat it with the oil.

Add a half cup of stock (or water) and the rinsed beans. Add some hot water if you’d like it thinner. Simmer ten minutes and serve.

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Sides, Vegetarian

Ceasar Salad 2

January 27, 2023 robiulo 2 Comments

Caesar Salad 2

In 1924 Caesar Salad was created by an Italian American chef, Caesar Cardini, at the Caesar Hotel in Tijuana. It’s possible that anchovies weren’t used in the original recipe but there was definitely no mayonnaise or vinegar. I posted a Caesar Salad recipe in the past but this one is a little more authentic.

Ingredients:

1 clove of garlic
½ tsp black pepper
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
5 anchovies finely chopped
2 tbsp of lemon juice
1½ tbsp. of Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup Parmigiana cheese
1 egg yolk
½ cup of extra virgin olive oil
A day-old loaf of Italian bread
3 tbsp olive oil for croutons
Salt and pepper to taste
2 medium heads of romaine lettuce with the outer leaves removed
Extra Parmigiano Reggiano cheese to grate onto the salad

Dressing: (ingredients 1 to 9)

Mash the garlic clove, black pepper, mustard and anchovies in a mortar and pestle until it forms a paste. When it’s well mashed, add in the Parmesan a bit at a time until well incorporated. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and mix in the lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce.

In another bowl, separate the egg yolk from the egg white and beat the yolk.

Mix the beaten egg yolk in with the rest of the ingredients that you’ve already mixed together. Mix in the ½ cup of olive oil into the other ingredients.(You can double the amount of ingredients and refrigerate half of the dressing for use at another time.)

Croutons: (ingredients 10 to 12)

Cut or tear the bread into ½ to 1-inch cubes and place in a bowl (about 3 cups). Add the 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Mix the bread with the oil, tossing until it is all well coated.Spread the coated bread in a single layer in a pan and cook over medium high heat, shaking the pan a few times, for about 5 to 8 minutes until the bread pieces are crisp and slightly browned.

Assembly: (ingredients 13 & 14)

Remove some of the outer leaves and cut the Romaine into one-inch strips. Add it to a salad bowl and pour in enough of the dressing to coat the lettuce. Add the croutons, some grated cheese, toss again and serve.

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Poultry

Savoring Sicily: A Culinary Journey with Chicken Agrodolce Recipe

January 13, 2023 robiulo Leave a comment

Welcome, food enthusiasts! Today, we embark on a culinary adventure to the heart of Sicily with a dish that encapsulates the region’s rich flavors – Chicken Agrodolce. This Sicilian delight, meaning sweet and sour, is a symphony of tastes that dance on your palate. Join us as we delve into the art of crafting this masterpiece, perfect for a main course after a delightful plate of pasta.

Ingredients

4 large bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs – about 3 -4 lbs.
Salt and black pepper
Flour for dredging
1/3 cup olive oil
1 cup Italian trinity
1 tbs. sugar
2 bs. white-wine vinegar (or more according to your taste)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
2 tbsp. capers, rinsed
2 tbsp. chopped fresh mint

Our journey begins with the star of the show – 4 large bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. Seasoned with a touch of salt and black pepper, these thighs are lightly dredged in flour, creating a perfect canvas for the flavors to unfold.

The Symphony of Flavors

Olive Oil Elegance:

Heat a pot over medium-high, adding a generous 1/3 cup of olive oil. Brown the chicken thighs to golden perfection, setting them aside for the magic to continue.

The Italian Trinity:

Lower the heat and introduce the Italian trinity – a harmonious blend of onion, celery, and carrot. Sauté until soft, around 6-7 minutes, creating a flavorful base.

Sweet and Sour Alchemy:

Add 1 tablespoon of sugar and 2 tablespoons of white-wine vinegar, letting them weave their magic for about a minute. Return the golden chicken to the pan, ensuring each piece is coated in the delectable symphony.

Wine-infused Euphoria:

Raise the heat and pour in 1/2 cup of dry white wine, allowing it to dance and flirt with the other ingredients until almost evaporated.

Simmering Serenity:
Introduce 1 cup of chicken stock and a bay leaf, cover the pan, and let the symphony simmer on low heat for 30-35 minutes. The chicken, now almost tender, absorbs the flavors, turning each piece into a succulent delight.

Finishing Touches:

Raisins, Walnuts, and Capers Ballet:

Add 1/4 cup of golden raisins, 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts, and 2 tablespoons of rinsed capers. Let them perform a ballet of flavors for an additional 5 minutes, infusing the dish with textures and tastes.

The Balance Act:

Taste for the perfect equilibrium between sweet and sour. Adjust with a pinch of salt, a dash of pepper, a splash more of vinegar, or a hint of sugar to ensure each bite is a harmonious blend of flavors.

Presentation

The grand finale – arrange the golden chicken on a large serving platter. Pour the tantalizing sauce over the chicken, and for a touch of freshness, sprinkle 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh mint.

As we conclude our culinary journey through Sicily, Chicken Agrodolce stands as a testament to the region’s passion for flavors that sing and dance. So, gather around the table, raise your glasses, and savor the symphony that is Chicken Agrodolce.Ready to embark on your Sicilian culinary adventure? Have questions or want to share your experience? Contact us for a taste of Sicily in every bite!

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Seafood, Vegetarian

Crab Sauce

December 31, 2022 robiulo Leave a comment

Crab Sauce

I got this recipe from an old friend. I personally think crabs are a lot of trouble to eat. It seems to me that it’s too much work cracking those shells for just a tiny bit of meat. Nevertheless, they make a delicious crab sauce.

(You can have your fish market clean the crabs or you can do it yourself.)

Ingredients:

¼ cup olive oil
3 cloves of garlic sliced
Salt, black, and red pepper
6 crabs
2 – 28 oz. cans crushed tomatoes
1 pound spaghetti or linguine

Slowly simmer the garlic in the oil in a pot on low eat or until it begins to color. Discard the garlic and season the oil with salt, black and red pepper. Add the crabs (broken in half) and toss in the oil for 8 minutes.

Add the crushed tomatoes and 1 tomato can full of water. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 2 hours.

Cook the pasta al dente, add the sauce and crabs and serve.

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Turkish Roast Chicken

Ingredients:

Chicken

Cut open the chicken through the breast to the backbone. Spread and flatten with your hands and then push it flat using a rolling pin. Season both sides of the chicken with salt and black pepper.

Marinade

Mix the honey soy sauce, mustard, tomato paste, paprika and coriander into a paste. Brush the chicken on both sides with the marinade. Return to the pan, cover with foil and roast at 400o for 45 minutes. Uncover and roast for another 10–15 minutes.

Allow to cool for 10 minutes, cut into quarters and serve.

French Ham Sandwich

It made me hungry and reminded me of my Bavarian Inn sandwiches, so I tried it. Ham, baguette and butter, no mustard, and it was terrific.

The foundation of any exceptional sandwich lies in the quality of its ingredients. For the perfect French Ham Sandwich, start with a crusty baguette. Get the ham freshy sliced at your local deli. I prefer BoarsHead Brand, and finish it with unsalted or salted butter, it’s up to you.

Florence Fabricant‘s The Proustian Ideal of a Ham Sandwich

Pepin Roast Chicken

Jaques Pepin is one of my favorite TV chefs. Pepin Roast Chicken is an easy recipe that can be served as is or dressed up with a simple sauce.

Ingredients:

Heat the oven to 425o.

It’s not absolutely necessary but it’s a good idea to truss the chicken. It holds its shape better and cooks more evenly.

Add 2 tablespoons of butter to a pan and season the chicken with salt and black pepper – inside and out.

You can stop right now for a perfectly roasted chicken or you can make a simple sauce.

Sauce Ingredients:

Fresh Tomato Sauce with Rusks

Fresh tomato sauce with rusks, inspired by a Greek friend, is a dish that brings together the flavors of ripe tomatoes, olive oil, and the unique crunch of rusks. Rusks are not a vegetable but rather dry, hard biscuits or twice-baked bread, lending a distinctive texture to this dish.

Start by bringing a pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta. The sauce is quick to make, ensuring it’ll be ready by the time the pasta is cooked to perfection.

As the sauce simmers, cook the pasta in the salted water until it reaches your desired level of doneness. Once almost done, transfer the pasta to the sauce to finish cooking, allowing the flavors to meld.

Using a mortar and pestle or the bottom of a small frying pan on a cutting board, crush the rusks to yield approximately one cup of crumbles.

Plate the pasta and sprinkle the crushed rusks on top. Add the tomato sauce on top of that.

Roasted Chickpeas

Chickpea is English, ceci is Italian, and garbanzo is Spanish – whatever you call them, this s a great snack.

Ingredients:

Preheat the oven to 350˚F

Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Leave the chickpeas on a towel until they’re thoroughly dry.

Place the ceci in a roasting pan and roast for 10 minutes. Shake the pan and roast for another 10 minutes. Sprinkle with the seasoning of your choice, let cool and serve.

Scallops with Lemon Butter Sauce

A few simple ingredients and not much time and you have a seafood restaurant quality meal.

Ingredients:

Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Stir in garlic, salt, and pepper and cook for a few seconds. Add the scallops in a single layer in the pan and cooking and turning until they begin to color.

Transfer scallops to a serving platter, reserving butter in the skillet. Whisk in the lemon juice, pour the sauce over the scallops, and serve.

Scallops with Lemon Butter Sauce – Better than a restaurant and cheaper too.

Escarole and Beans

Ingredients:

Heat the oil in a large pot with salt, black and red pepper. Sauté the garlic on low heat until it’s soft but not brown.

Wash (drain but leave it wet) the escarole and cut it into one-inch slices removing the base and add it to the garlic and oil. It may seem like too much, but it will wilt and reduce in about ten minutes. Cover the pot until the escarole begins to wilt and toss it to coat it with the oil.

Add a half cup of stock (or water) and the rinsed beans. Add some hot water if you’d like it thinner. Simmer ten minutes and serve.

Caesar Salad 2

Ingredients:

Dressing: (ingredients 1 to 9)

Mash the garlic clove, black pepper, mustard and anchovies in a mortar and pestle until it forms a paste. When it’s well mashed, add in the Parmesan a bit at a time until well incorporated. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and mix in the lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce.

In another bowl, separate the egg yolk from the egg white and beat the yolk.

Mix the beaten egg yolk in with the rest of the ingredients that you’ve already mixed together. Mix in the ½ cup of olive oil into the other ingredients.(You can double the amount of ingredients and refrigerate half of the dressing for use at another time.)

Croutons: (ingredients 10 to 12)

Assembly: (ingredients 13 & 14)

Remove some of the outer leaves and cut the Romaine into one-inch strips. Add it to a salad bowl and pour in enough of the dressing to coat the lettuce. Add the croutons, some grated cheese, toss again and serve.

Ingredients

The Symphony of Flavors

Finishing Touches:

Presentation

Crab Sauce

Reveries and Recipes

Mix the honey soy sauce, mustard, tomato paste, paprika and coriander into a paste. Brush the chicken on both sides with the marinade. Return to the pan, cover with foil and roast at 400^o for 45 minutes. Uncover and roast for another 10–15 minutes.

Florence Fabricant‘s Th e Proustian Ideal of a Ham Sandwich

Heat the oven to 425^o.