ekscrunchy, koreaprincess and franco invite you to join them expanding on the secrets of Italian cuisine
Jun 25th, 2007, 01:43 PM
#222
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I love it too..it has been very good here in the New York area in the last few weeks! Very nice on grilled bread topped with scamorza cheese...or have I said that already?? Also good with some olive oil and balsamic and a little salt...
Jun 25th, 2007, 01:51 PM
#223
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I coasely chop it. Then I saute shallots or onions in olive oil, addd chopped garlic, throw in sliced portobellos and some cherry or grape tomatoes, halved.
I add the rapini, saute it all, and add a bit of chicken broth at the very end. Then I toss it with a small pasta (orchiette, etc) and finish with freshly ground pecorino romano and a big grind of black pepper. Yumm!
Last weekend I threw in some rock shimp and cooked them til pink in with the veggies and tossed in the rest. My guests were appreciative and the leftovers were awesome!
I add the rapini, saute it all, and add a bit of chicken broth at the very end. Then I toss it with a small pasta (orchiette, etc) and finish with freshly ground pecorino romano and a big grind of black pepper. Yumm!
Last weekend I threw in some rock shimp and cooked them til pink in with the veggies and tossed in the rest. My guests were appreciative and the leftovers were awesome!
Jun 25th, 2007, 03:44 PM
#230
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Comfy, the Bel Canto Society is a group of self-described "opera fanatics" based here in New York City. Here is their website:
http://www.belcantosociety.org/pages/about_us.html
http://www.belcantosociety.org/pages/about_us.html
Jun 25th, 2007, 07:57 PM
#231
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And "Bel Canto" means, literally, "beautiful song" or "beautiful singing". It's an Italian style, not surprisingly!
Bel Canto opera (as a style) includes the works of Bellini and Rossini.
Some excellent practitioners include Maria Callas and today's Renee Fleming.
There's a rather tasty novel called Bel Canto, about an American singer caught in a hostage situation in South America. The heroine was said to have been inspired by Renee Fleming herself, and in fact, Fleming bought an option to make a movie, but it seems nothing happened with it. The story would actually make a good, tense and romantic film.
Bel Canto opera (as a style) includes the works of Bellini and Rossini.
Some excellent practitioners include Maria Callas and today's Renee Fleming.
There's a rather tasty novel called Bel Canto, about an American singer caught in a hostage situation in South America. The heroine was said to have been inspired by Renee Fleming herself, and in fact, Fleming bought an option to make a movie, but it seems nothing happened with it. The story would actually make a good, tense and romantic film.
Jun 26th, 2007, 03:57 AM
#232
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I should explain the reference to the Bel Canto Society. My cousin is the founder of this group and also a singer of some notoriety. Somehow this fact came up here at Fodors and Franco happened to know of him (my cousin)...
I am hoping to see Norma at the Met next season, as this is my favorite opera. I realize none of this has any relevance to Italian food....although there ARE some dishes with names connected to opera: Pasta alla Norma for one. And eggplant season is ahead!
I am hoping to see Norma at the Met next season, as this is my favorite opera. I realize none of this has any relevance to Italian food....although there ARE some dishes with names connected to opera: Pasta alla Norma for one. And eggplant season is ahead!
Jun 26th, 2007, 12:12 PM
#234
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Is anyone familiar with a dish from the Amlfi coast called 'zucchini all scapece"? I have a recipe for it and it is essentially fried zucchini coins tossed with olive oil, wine vinegar and fresh mint. I want to make it and I am wondering if I could use eggplant (the smaller slim ones, like zucchini) as well. Anyone ever had eggplant sliced and fried in olive oil like zucchini alla scapece?
Jun 26th, 2007, 12:25 PM
#235
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Eggplant tends to absorb a great deal of oil when fried, so I do not think it would be a good substitute for zucchini in the recipe you describe. When eggplant is fried in Italy, it is almost always dipped in flour or batter.
Jun 26th, 2007, 12:39 PM
#237
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I often make an eggplant dish which is sauteed in olive oil with no flour or batter. Marcella Hazan calls this eggplant al funghetto, in the style of mushrooms. It is one of my favorite ways to use eggplant in season. More or less:
Cut peeled eggplant into one-inch cubes
Salt and let drain for at least an hour. Dry well.
Saute garlic in olive oil in a frying pan until golden. Add eggplant and turn heat to medium high. Stir often until eggplant soaks up the oil. Then lower flame to medium, cook 15 minutes, add parsley. Add black pepper. Cook 20 minutes more until tender.
Cut peeled eggplant into one-inch cubes
Salt and let drain for at least an hour. Dry well.
Saute garlic in olive oil in a frying pan until golden. Add eggplant and turn heat to medium high. Stir often until eggplant soaks up the oil. Then lower flame to medium, cook 15 minutes, add parsley. Add black pepper. Cook 20 minutes more until tender.
Jun 30th, 2007, 05:51 AM
#238
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Dining in Venice?
New York Times article by Mark Bittman
"News on the Rialto is About Seafood As Good as Ever"
http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/07/01...html?th&emc=th
New York Times article by Mark Bittman
"News on the Rialto is About Seafood As Good as Ever"
http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/07/01...html?th&emc=th
Jun 30th, 2007, 07:22 AM
#239
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Scrunchy, Slightly different versions of the egg plant dish you described are found in a large number of countries (I bet you know it). I found out when a Greek woman made it for me and tried to tell me it was a greek dish, and I vehemently disagreed because I am not greek and my mom has been making it since I remember!
Here is a link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baba_ghanoush
Here is a link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baba_ghanoush
Jun 30th, 2007, 09:19 AM
#240
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Comfy, thanks for the link but the eggplant dish I mentioned is not baba ganoush...it is really just sauteed eggplant in olive oil with your own spices added in...but I do love baba ganoush, too and you have given me a reminder to try and make some as soon as eggplant season is upon us.
Thomas, of course I read that article before I read the front page! It makes me want to revisit asap. But honestly..those prices! 100 Euro per person seems to be the going rate at the places he mentions. But then again, we can always splurge when we are there and eat more frugally at home! I am sorry he does not give his choices for the "swell places to stay" that are not expensive.. Of the places he mentions the only one I have been to is Fiaschetteria Toscana. I thought it was great! I was a little dismayed at the huge number of farmed fish I saw in the Rialto market, though. I guess the trick is to ask when you order if you want to avoid those... I do like Bittman's writing; he seems to have a healthy appreciation of food that only slightly verges on the fanatic, and he is not swayed by lots of extraneous elements like decor..I use his yellow cookbook often.
I would love to read comments from people who have eaten at the resaurants described in the article. Interesting that he does not include Alle Testiere..
Thomas, of course I read that article before I read the front page! It makes me want to revisit asap. But honestly..those prices! 100 Euro per person seems to be the going rate at the places he mentions. But then again, we can always splurge when we are there and eat more frugally at home! I am sorry he does not give his choices for the "swell places to stay" that are not expensive.. Of the places he mentions the only one I have been to is Fiaschetteria Toscana. I thought it was great! I was a little dismayed at the huge number of farmed fish I saw in the Rialto market, though. I guess the trick is to ask when you order if you want to avoid those... I do like Bittman's writing; he seems to have a healthy appreciation of food that only slightly verges on the fanatic, and he is not swayed by lots of extraneous elements like decor..I use his yellow cookbook often.
I would love to read comments from people who have eaten at the resaurants described in the article. Interesting that he does not include Alle Testiere..
