Restaurants

Pastai – a pasta bar

March 24, 2017 robiulo Leave a comment

Pastai – a pasta bar

Pastai means ‘pasta makers.’ The perfect restaurant for a Saint Joseph’s Day (March 19^th) dinner. In addition to great appetizers, they served pasta con sarde (sardines) and sfigne de San Giuseppe, a traditional pasta dish and pastry that my Siciliana friends always had on Saint Joseph’s Day. It may not be exactly like your grandmother made but still very good. And their wine list includes some excellent Sicilian selections.

Pasta con Sarde

Sfigne de San Giuseppe & Coffee

A Week at Hollywood Beach, Florida

March 17, 2017 robiulo Leave a comment

A Week at Hollywood Beach, Florida

Hollywood Beach is on the Florida Gold Coast between Miami and Fort Lauderdale. It’s surrounded by restaurants, beaches, nature preserves, casinos, jai alai and two race tracks. Whatever you need to make a great vacation is within reach.

John U. Lloyd State Park

Lunch at Rocco’s Pizza just off the Broadwalk

Breaded eggplant layered with tomatoes and mozzarella at

Capone’s

Billy’s Stone Crab

Taco Spot on the Broadwalk

Little Havana – Calle Ocho

El Pub

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Restaurants

Buleria Restaurant

March 10, 2017 robiulo Leave a comment

Buleria Restaurant

I found Flamenco on Hollywood Boulevard. Not that Hollywood Boulevard, the one in Hollywood, Florida. Buleria is a small Spanish restaurant with a large tapas menu. We ate there twice on our last visit to south Florida. You can get a table, snack at the bar or sit outside. There’s friendly service, a relaxed atmosphere and entertainment.

Tapas are appetizers or “snacks” that are served cold or hot and can make up an entire meal. The idea is to have lots of different dishes to be shared by the whole table.

Since I wrote this review Buleria has closed.

2051 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, FL | 954-362-7026 |

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Seafood, Vegetarian

Stewed Baccala

March 3, 2017 robiulo Leave a comment

Stewed Baccala

Coat the bottom of a baking pan with oil. Layer the onions then the baccala, celery, potatoes, olives and capers. Cover with the crushed tomatoes. Sprinkle the oregano over the top. Jiggle the pan so the tomatoes get to the bottom. Sprinkle with olive oil and add ½ cup of water. Cook in a 350⁰ over for 45 minutes, mixing every 15 minutes.

* Buy boneless baccala. Try to get frozen packaged rather than dried. It’s easier to desalt. Place the baccala in a bowl or pot and cover with cold water for 24 hours. Change the water 3 or 4 times.

It’s an Italian site but the pictures are great – Territori Coop

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Poultry

Chicken Pilaf

February 17, 2017 robiulo Leave a comment

Chicken Pilaf

Variations of pilaf are served from the Middle East to the steppes of Central Asia. Rice is sautéed in oil and then cooked in seasoned broth or stock. Onions or garlic and other vegetables, dried fruits and spices can be added and it may also contain meat or fish. This version is made with chicken, raisins and pine nuts and can also be done with game birds, rabbit or lamb.

Season chicken pieces with salt and black pepper and bring to room temperature. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil and butter and brown the chicken in a pot.

When done, remove chicken, lower heat and drain fat except for no more than 2 tablespoons and add flour and blend.

Add garlic and chicken stock. Bring to a boil and stir and deglaze pot.

Remove the meat from the 2 breast bones and cut it into bite sized pieces. Return legs, wings, thighs, back and cut up breast pieces, lower heat and simmer on low and covered for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a separate pan fry the rice in 1 tbsp. of oil. Keep stirring so it doesn’t burn but begins to brown slightly. When done remove it from the hot pan or it will continue to cook.

After the chicken simmers for 15 minutes, add the sautéed rice, pinoles and golden raisins.

Bring to boil, lower heat and simmer for another 20 minutes for a total of 35 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is done.

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Restaurants

Merrior – Rappahannock Oyster Co.

February 10, 2017 robiulo 2 Comments

Merrior – Rappahannock Oyster Co.

Located near the mouth of the Rappahannock River on the Chesapeake Bay, Merrior specializes in oysters. The restaurant is located just yards away for the water where the Rappahannock Oyster Co. harvest their oysters. We were there for lunch on a chilly day in February so we didn’t sit outside on the oyster shell patio but the restaurant was warm and cozy.

Although specializing in local oysters by the piece, half-dozen or dozen, the Merrior menu goes way beyond that.

The Rappahannock Oyster Co. across the parking lot for Merrior.

A tasting platter with native bay Olde Salts, Sitingrays and Rappahannock River oysters.

784 Locklies Creek Rd, Topping, VA 23169, Phone: (804) 758-2871

Winter hours – Sun-Thu, 11:30am – 8pm, Fri-Sat, 11:30am – 9pm

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Meat

Red Rice and Sausage

February 3, 2017 robiulo Leave a comment

Red Rice and Sausage (with a twist)

Red rice and sausage is a one pot wonder. A Gullah dish that’s comes from the Sea Islands off the Carolina coast, it’s typically made with smoked sausage. I didn’t have any so I substituted soprasade. It worked.

Lightly fry thickly sliced soprasade (or you can stick to the traditional and use smoked sausage) in oil and remove. Sweat peppers and onion in oil and season with salt and black pepper.

Add tomato paste and stir. Return soprasade to pot & 2 sliced garlic gloves. Add rice and stir and coat. Add crushed tomatoes, 2 cups of water and bring to boil.

Lower heat and simmer covered for 20 minutes or until the rice is done. (Optional red beans – you can add beans at the last 10 minutes.)

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Meat

Irish Lamb Stew

January 27, 2017 robiulo Leave a comment

Irish Lamb Stew

I got this recipe in the New York Daily News a while back. They published it a few days before Saint Patrick’s Day and I’ve always wondered how authentic it really is with olive oil, tomato paste and red wine as ingredients. Authentic or not it’s a tasty hearty stew.

Season room temperature lamb with salt and black pepper and coat with flour. Sear until browned and remove from pot. Add more oil and sweat onions, garlic and carrots – S&P.

Make a hot spot and caramelize tomato paste then mix. Add barley, stirring constantly for 5 minutes. Deglaze pot with wine.

Return lamb, stocks and bouquet garni (3 sprigs each rosemary and thyme wrapped around 3 bay leaves.)

Simmer low for 45 minutes, covered. Check for seasoning. Remove bouquet garni and add potatoes and pearl onions and cook for another 30 minutes or until potatoes are done.