Category Archives: Vegetarian

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

Some things are too good to go overboard with. Scallops are one of them. They can’t be beat if served with a simple lemon butter sauce.

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, 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 through a strainer over the scallops, and serve. Don’t strain it if you want the sliced garlic in the sauce.

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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 should make her happy. 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. This is authentic Cucina Povera, the cooking of the poor.

Ingredients:

¼ cup olive oil
2 head escarole – washed and cut into 1-inch slices
4 cloves sliced garlic
Salt, black, and red pepper – to taste
½ cup chicken stock
1 – 15-ounce can 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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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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Pasta, Vegetarian

Roasted Poblano Pasta

November 23, 2022 robiulo Leave a comment

Roasted Poblano Pasta

This recipe is adapted from Gretchen McKay | The Seattle Times. She calls Roasted Poblano Pasta a “an Italian-meets-Mexican fusion dish,” and I agree.

Ingredients:

5 poblano peppers
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin, or more to taste
12 ounces fettuccine pasta
½ cup packed parsley
½ cup chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream, divided
1 minced garlic clove
Pinch or two crushed red pepper flakes optional

Char poblano peppers on all sides over a gas flame until skin is blistered evenly all around. (If you don’t have a gas stove, char them under the broiler.) Once all of the peppers are roasted, place in plastic bag and let them sit for 5 minutes. This helps loosen the skin to make them easier to peel. When they’re cool to touch, rub the charred skin off with the back side of a knife blade. Remove stem and seeds.

While the peppers are sweating, bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until just shy of al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain, reserving about ½ to 1 cup of the starchy pasta water. Set aside.

While pasta is cooking, add 3 peppers, parsley, cumin, garlic, chicken stock and ½ cup heavy cream to a blender or food processor. Process until smooth. Slice 2 remaining peppers into thin strips.

Once drained, add the poblano cream sauce to the pasta, along with the remaining heavy cream, minced garlic, ½ teaspoon salt and red pepper flakes. Sometimes poblanos can be very hot, so taste before adding any more pepper. Taste and add more salt or cumin, if desired. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer until slightly thickened and the pasta absorbs some sauce, about 3-4 minutes.

Add the sliced peppers and cook until pasta has absorbed sauce. Stir to combine and give one final taste to see if you need more salt and/or pepper.

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Condiments, Sides, Vegetarian

Cubanelles

October 25, 2022 robiulo Leave a comment

Cubanelles

Generally known as Cubanelles, some people refer to them Italian green peppers and my mother called them “frying peppers.” They’re easy to prepare and are good as a side dish, with fried eggs, and cold or room temperature in an antipasto or in a sandwich.

Cut the stem end off the peppers and remove the core and seeds. Slice them in half or quarters lengthwise.

Heat the oil and add the two crushed garlic cloves. Season with salt and pepper and sauté until the garlic starts to brown.

Discard the garlic and place the sliced peppers in the pan. Weigh them down to flatten them. You can use a dish and tomato can (or whatever weight you like) and fry for a few minutes on each side.

When they’re done, place them in a container layered with the sliced garlic clove. Add a little extra oil if it’s to dry. It’s good to let them marinate in the refrigerator overnight before serving.

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Condiments, Sides, 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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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

Some things are too good to go overboard with. Scallops are one of them. They can’t be beat if served with a simple lemon butter sauce.

Ingredients:

Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Stir in garlic, salt, and pepper and cook for a few seconds.

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.

Crab Sauce

Roasted Poblano Pasta

This recipe is adapted from Gretchen McKay | The Seattle Times. She calls Roasted Poblano Pasta a “an Italian-meets-Mexican fusion dish,” and I agree.

Ingredients:

While the peppers are sweating, bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until just shy of al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain, reserving about ½ to 1 cup of the starchy pasta water. Set aside.

While pasta is cooking, add 3 peppers, parsley, cumin, garlic, chicken stock and ½ cup heavy cream to a blender or food processor. Process until smooth. Slice 2 remaining peppers into thin strips.

Add the sliced peppers and cook until pasta has absorbed sauce. Stir to combine and give one final taste to see if you need more salt and/or pepper.

Cubanelles

Cut the stem end off the peppers and remove the core and seeds. Slice them in half or quarters lengthwise.

Heat the oil and add the two crushed garlic cloves. Season with salt and pepper and sauté until the garlic starts to brown.

Discard the garlic and place the sliced peppers in the pan. Weigh them down to flatten them. You can use a dish and tomato can (or whatever weight you like) and fry for a few minutes on each side.

When they’re done, place them in a container layered with the sliced garlic clove. Add a little extra oil if it’s to dry. It’s good to let them marinate in the refrigerator overnight before serving.

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.

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