Last indulgences of winter

The days are getting longer. The spring equinox comes at the end of March, but it is still plenty cold outside. Take the chill out of the late winter evenings with this warm and comforting dish of pasta, radicchio and rich Alpine Fontina. Nutmeg is typically used in dishes with cream and cheese. freshly grated is best. Use a Microplane grater. Try using white peppercorns if you happen to have some on the spice shelf.

Schiacciata is the Tuscan version of focaccia. Schiacciata means “pressed down”. You press down on the dough with your fingertips, to give it an uneven surface that makes it more fun to eat. Make one of the breads the traditional way with sea salt and rosemary. Be more extravagant with the second one and top it with halved cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced onions, zucchini or mushrooms. You could even make a sweet version with grapes or figs and a sprinkle of sugar.

This salad seems to vary from town to town and evolve with the seasons along the Riviera dei Fiori. Some authors call it a tomato salad, and others barely include tomatoes. Some have potatoes, some do not, anchovies appear to be optional, as are capers and celery. Unlike Salade Niçoise, no one calls for artichokes.

This makes a wonderful first course for two or an individual serving for one diner.  Chill your serving plate in advance of preparation.  A long sharp knife makes the slicing easy. You can briefly freeze the tuna to facilitate slicing.  You can pound the tuna between two sheets of plastic wrap to make it even thinner.  Use peppery microgreens like radish, arugula or watercress.

You will love the combination of citrus and fennel in this dish.

Here is a slightly unconventional take on a raspberry bar cookie topped with a buttery, old fashioned streusel topping made with oats.   Instead of raspberry jam, the filling is made with fresh or frozen raspberries cooked down with A L’ Olivier’s Raspberry Vinegar (made with raspberry puree).   This is a nice recipe to make with the kids for Valentine’s Day.  Good for gifting.

This is the peak season for Myer lemons. This is inspired by a dish served in Taormina with no green garnish or grated cheese. It is unusual and extra special. lt takes only minutes to prepare. Pass grated Parmigiano if you will. It makes a great first course before simply grilled fish.

Cocoa and chocolate. Flour, sugar, butter and cream. Elegant in its simplicity. The pastry can be made ahead and refrigerated or frozen for that matter. The pastry shell is baked “blind,” that is, unfilled. Best served at room temperature.

Palak paneer is a classic Indian dish, often found in northern regions; however, love for this dish reigns throughout the country. Palak paneer has been a staple dinner in countless Indian homes for centuries. It has more recently been adopted by Indian restaurants globally. This vibrant green dish is typically made as paneer cooked in a spicy spinach gravy enriched with heavy cream. Although Palak Risotto is a modern take on this age-old dish, it is still reminiscent of the comfort and reminder of home many find in the original dish. Instead of cooking paneer in spinach gravy, the Campanini Arborio Rice simmers in a spinach vegetable broth with traditional Indian spices. The spinach adds a silky quality to the dish, and the cream mellows the aromatics, allowing each bite to melt in your mouth.

Emilia -Romagna is renowned for its cattle, Parmigiano Reggiano DOP and Tradizionale DOP.  This recipe uses all three in a combination that is unbeatable. This is a great recipe to use for Father’s Day (if Dad is a carnivore). Dry-aged steaks will make this a memorable gastronomic event.

Here is a welcome relief from bland, mayonnaise-based potato salads. It is hearty, flavorful and it is loaded with bacon. Makes for a nice filling fare as Autumn approaches. We quarter the potatoes and keep the skins on for color and rustic appeal. The sharpness of red wine vinegar, whole grain mustard, and onions are mellowed with a bit of sugar and brightened with a handful of sweet herbs. Use a non-reactive sauté pan or enameled cast iron. 

Hot cherry peppers are what make this dish of pork and peppers “Calabrese”. If you don’t like spicey, go ahead and omit them. Our lips are sealed. This is a great dish for this time of year when the markets are heaped with peppers.

Curry powder is the building block of Indian cooking. It’s responsible for bringing color and depth to countless dishes. This Curry Risotto Salad with Campanini Organic Brown Rice makes use of the depth curry powder provides. It is mixed with herbed squash, pomegranate, walnuts, kale, and a cumin-dill yogurt dressing and pulls on flavors from Dahi Chaat, an Indian roadside snack made with fried dough puffs, spiced yogurt, smashed chickpeas, and sweetened chutney. Street vendors all over Mumbai, India, are the masters of making this typical snack. Like Dahi Chaat, this Curry Risotto Salad is full of spices, crunch, and notes of sweetness from the pomegranates. In both dishes, a yogurt dressing unites these elements and adds a hint of tang to soften the spices. While this Curry Risotto Salad could pass for another winter kale salad, the rice cooked in the curry powder sets it apart from its winter salad counterparts. The curry powder adds a unique quality to the dish and ties it to Indian cuisine.

Paneer Makhani, a strikingly bright buttery dish, is made with an aromatic tomato sauce, paneer, and butter. The word “makhani” means enriched with butter; it adds a deep flavor to the recipe. Paneer Makhani became popular in the 1950s in Northern India. Since then, more often than not, you will find Makhani as Butter Paneer at Indian Restaurants. For me, Paneer Makhani is a meal for special occasions. This dish is tied to spending time with my family and celebrating Indian holidays. Makhani Risotto is a spin on the original recipe. It’s made with Vialone Nano Campanini Rice and cooked in an aromatic tomato gravy with spices like garam masala and turmeric. Transforming this recipe into a fusion Risotto-style meal for any weeknight offers a way to commemorate the original dish while bringing feelings of home and family Paneer Makhani represents to everyday dinners.

This is a beautiful fall dessert that is elegant in its simplicity. If you want to be fancy leave the pears whole.  Remove the core from the bottom.  Pare the fruit, leaving the stem intact. Serve them on a bed of Crème Anglaise and drizzle with the wine and honey reduction.

Here is a great dessert to serve all Fall and Winter long. A good splash of applejack over the apples would not be a bad idea. Serve these on their own or with vanilla ice cream.

You are looking for an original starter for your festive meal? We have concocted a delicious balanced recipe for you. The aromatic black truffle olive oil is added at the end of cooking these delicious stuffed mushrooms. Something to delight your guests with a simple and quick recipe.

Recipe by Sharon Rigsby 

@gritsandpinecones 

Fudgy brownie cupcakes iced with dark chocolate buttercream are topped with chocolate shortbread cookies decorated with the phases of the moon that will leave you spellbound. Celebrate the night.

We modified and used @amedeitoscana Italian chocolate for this recreation.
Thank you @butternutbakery for this recipe- we enjoyed recreating it!

Recipe by Jenna Barnard @butternutbakery

The typical version of this cocktail calls for tequila and grapefruit soda. Ours is a bit more elaborately concocted. You will find it refreshing and quite irresistible in this heat.

Salt stimulates the appetite and thirst.  Rimming your cocktail glass with salt enhances the flavors inherent in the potion and may provoke the desire for a second round.

In the markets of Sicily, you can conveniently buy roasted peppers right off the grill. Back in the USA, we must roast them ourselves. They make a great addition to an antipasti spread. as a topping for bruschetta or to round out a sandwich. Try them with sword fish or tuna. Make these the next time you fire up the grill.

Vinegar with Passion Fruit; this blend has an exotic freshness that evokes seafood recipes and takes our senses on a delicious journey.  Have a sip with your favorites from the raw bar or with tacos dressed in a cilantro lime slaw.

A cauliflower steak and a side salad is a lighter version of this traditional meat and potatoes meal. Dress your cauliflower up with an Edmond Fallot Dijon Mustard sauce that will make your taste buds say oo la la! Garnish with fresh herbs and serve with your favorite salad blend. 

We’ve given this luxurious century-old classic Cognac cocktail a slight cosmetic makeover. Typically, the glass for this cocktail is rimmed with sugar. We are using a blend of fleur de sel, sumac and sugar to enhance the balance of sweet and sour inherent in the drink.

The Old Fashion was developed near the dawn of the 20th Century, so called because it harked back the style of cocktail in vogue in the early 1800’s. We substitute Villa Manodori "Artigianale" Balsamic Vinegar of Modena IGP for the usual Angostura bitters with great results.

When life gives you peaches, grill them! Make room on the rack for desserts this summer. Grilled peaches for a sweet parfait. Layers of Greek yogurt and honey, granola, and caramelized peaches will put the 'master' in grill master. 

Summer grilling calls for grilling more than just meats and vegetables. Charring pineapple creates a lovely caramelized texture because of the high sugar content. We pair with vanilla gelato and a drizzle of Cavalli Condimento Balsamico for a sweet and savory dessert for those perfect picnic days.

If you have the inclination and some time on your hands you can make your own ravioli.  A good brand of store-bought is fine.  It is well worth patronizing an Italian specialty store in your area. Lifting the ravioli out of the boiling water with an Asian-style spider or slotted spoon rather than pouring them into a colander will keep them from tearing. The sauce is basically a mushroom sauté with Balsamico.  Many grocery stores are now offering a mix of wild mushrooms in one container.

In some neighborhoods this is called grain pie. We are using pasta frolla made with butter for the crust. Some people use lard and bake it in a 10” springform. The dough is crumbly and tender, easy to make and foolproof to work with. If you tear it, just pinch the edges together. This pie is traditionally served at Easter. It is loaded with symbols of renewal, the grains of wheat, eggs and fresh ricotta. Orange and cinnamon are traditional flavors. Sometimes people use orange flower water, some add candied orange peel. We use orange zest.

An olive oil cake, made with yogurt and redolent of oranges and spices Sensational for the brunch table.  Perfect at teatime.

Start your Labor Day festivities off with a preview of fall’s flavors.  There are teetoatler and spiked versions.