Lisa Pardo Kitchen : Tuscan cooking

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Tuscan cooking

I have in my mind, drifted far from where I live. Drifted, to a land with beautiful mustard colored fields beautiful sunny, warm days. A land of fennel, Ragu, and Minestrone. A place where no doorbells or telephones ring with requests, but rather, with invitations. A place where people walk rather than ride around in cars or SUV’s . I am not sure why all of a sudden I am in this place in my mind, except to say that I was reminded by a family member the other day about some of our Northern Italian family roots.

It helps, of course, that I have actual memories of the Northern Italian countryside. I lived in Florence for half a year and traveled a bit around the countryside. I have fond memories of the area as well as a sort of “food memory” – a taste memory, if there is such a thing. All of my memories were recalled vividly this morning as I opened a jar of Porcini. The smell that came forth was heavenly. The earthy smell, hearty and warm.

I took the jar and used its contents to create a lovely Risotto. It was everything a good Risotto should be. Creamy but with no cream added. I plan to serve it later with spicy lobster.

I look forward to the months of fall here in my kitchen. Love, I do, the ways that dishes like pork braised in milk (this is both Italian and French), Ragu Bolognese, and panna cotta seem even more delicious and comforting.

I am torn though, as my heart is also in the French countryside- in the land of prunes steeped in Armagnac and hearty Cassoulet, as well as duck confit. Hmmm, what to make next…..

2 comments:

Cerpts said...: Hello from a passing stranger,

I was sitting here in Officeland aimlessly googling when I suddenly had the urge to search for Julia Child's Spinach Twins recipe. I have made this wonderful recipe in the past; as a kid in the 80's I taped the episode on TV and I own the original cookbook from whence it came. Imagine my surprise when my search directed me to your wonderful blog and your "Spinach Twins" post of last August.

I've been perusing (or should I say devouring) your wonderful blog for the rest of the day and I love it! I'm a major foodie myself (strictly amateur status) and love not only the recipes but also your extremely comfortable, engaging and welcoming way of writing. I particular like the descriptiveness you use when writing about the dishes and, in particular, the lovely way you evoked Tuscany in this very post. I really appreciate the vividness with which you illustrate the deeper meaning of these recipes; they're more than just "what's for dinner".

I can also relate very much to the treasure trove of your mother's recipes and your wish to preserve them. My mother also has a large accumulation of old recipes she keeps in her 1962 High School binder! Filled with newspaper clippings, handwritten recipes and detached pages of magazines from 1963, this is also in great need of archiving. While my own blog is mainly concerned with movies, I'm now seriously considering doing a similar "food blog" of my own after seeing your wonderful project.

I wonder if you would mind if I placed a link for your blog on my blog? Quite a few of my blog-frequenters are also confirmed foodies as well and I'm sure they would love to see your wonderful blog. And those pictures. . .Wow!; September 22, 2008 at 1:08 PM
Lisa Pardo said...: Hi,
I am so pleased to hear that you enjoy my blog. Please feel free to put a link onto your blog page. I love the feedback and wish you the best.; October 28, 2008 at 6:58 AM

Some terms

Baste- To spoon butter or fat or liquid over food
Beat- To mix foods vigorously, with your stand mixer!- or sometimes a whisk
Fold- to delicately blend
Fumet- Fish Stock
Gratine- to form an "upper crust" by placing breadcrumbs or cheese on top of food then, most often placing food under broiler
Pan Roast- To cook on stovetop then sometimes to finish in oven, in both cases you must baste often durning cooking
Poach-submerge food in cooking liquid (water, wine, oil)and simmer it to cook, over very low heat
Reduce- boil down a liquid such as wine to concentrate flavor or thicken
Saute-To brown food in fat, over high heat, to jump in the pan
To coat a spoon- napper la cuillere, if you dip a wooden spoon in liquid then run your finger across the liquid the lline that is made by your finger should hold

Stage 1 of cooking - going to the market

I once remember finding a beautiful recipe for fresh figs- I planed it into my menu. The following day while shopping I realized that figs were not in season. Very frustrated, I had to go back to the drawing board. The opposite is true also. We are often told by chefs, usually residing in the sunny south of France, that we ought to prance about the marketplace looking for things which are in season, to cook for dinner. Obviously, they are not shopping with small, fussy, impatient children. My hope here is to compile a somewhat comprehensive list of things often in the market. Mention what they are and how they are used, and lastly the season in which they are found.

The Organic Cooks Bible, By Jeff Cox, The Bread and Circus whole food bible by Christopher Kilham, and Whole grains by Lorna Sass are my references here- I am not a
Farmer but I am giving my best shot at helping you to navigate your way through the market and perhaps this may even help you plan ahead.

Amaranth-a grain like Quinoa, work well mixed in with soups and risottos- toast grain for a minute or two in the pot then add water cook as you would rice for 7-10 minutes- 1 cup dry grain to 1 ¾ cups water

Barley-barley, and pearl barley differ in the processing method the latter is sometimes less nutritious depending on wow it is processed. Nearly is the same grain only the outer layers fall off by themselves so it is similar to pearl barley but requires no hulling process. Cooking- bring 3 cups water to boil add 1 cup dry grain and simmer semi covered 40 minutes until tender (give or take 10 minutes either way depending on the processing method of the grain

Barley grits- sliced faster cooking barley for cooking add 3cups water, 1 cup dried grain and oil or butter, salt – add everything to pot- boil then reduce to simmer and simmer semi covered 16-20 minutes- I like to add cream at the end of cooking

Corn on the cob- boil it or take it off the cob and sauté it in the skillet

Hominy – in the corn family, I buy it cooked in cans in the regular grocery store, also known in Spanish as posole, look for it in both French style soufflés as well as many Latin dishes- if you cant find it at first with the canned goods try looking in the ethnic isle

Masa Harina- flour, which is used for making South American dough’s such as empanada dough-

Cornmeal-corn flour- this is just more of a flour texture as opposed to polenta that is slightly grainier

Polenta-cornmeal ground medium fine, there is instant and regular – one takes a bit longer to cook – served soft and creamy, or allowed to harden and sautéed or grilled- sometimes when serving it in its hardened state you will find recipes which use corn meal and corn flour in the same manner about 1 cup dry to 4 cups liquid- the liquid is milk and or cream or plain water- sometimes there is a base of sautéed fresh herbs or garlic then the polenta or cornmeal is added and stirred frequently over low heat for 20-30 minutes

Quinoa- called the mother grain of the Incas because it is high in protein- actually a seed but found in along with grains in upscale markets1 cup dry to 2 ½ quarts water (about, drain at the end to be sure as you would pasta but through a finer strainer) Bring to a boil and cook semi covered for about 15 minutes

Rice

Basmati, Jasmine, black rice/forbidden- rinse and then cook in rice cooker or pot as you would regular white rice- sometimes water amounts may vary check package instructions

Wheat-
Wheat berries- often used in salads, soak grain in water overnight before use- to cook- 1 cup dry to 21/2 cups new water, after water boils add it to pan with grain, and place in the oven at 350 for 30 minutes

Farro- often used in Italian cooking-usually in soups or salad, 1 cup dry grain to 13/4 cups water bring to boil then cook semi covered 20-30 minutes

Bulgur- used in mideleastern cooking, 1 cup dry to 2 cups water- boil water then add bulgur, cook for 10 minutes on low while semi covered, more if necessary or until tender

Couscous- 1 cup dry grain to 2 cups boiling water- combine off heat and cover- allow to steam then fluff. Use in tagines or just mix with cooked vegetables or lamb

Farina- very important, my son has this often for breakfast it is a wheat cereal mix 3 tablespoons with ¾ cup water or milk and a dash of salt- microwave for about 2 minutes or until it thickens, you might want to add more grain as I do if it looks wet- once it looks like mashed potatoes when its stirred I add in a bit of cream and fresh fruit

Finding produce

All year-
Artichokes, Bananas, bock choy, Avocados depending on type, carrots, celery coconuts, eggplant, garlic, ginger, kiwi, lemons, limes, button mushrooms, onions, parsley, snow peas, pineapples, baking potato’s, radishes, scallions watercress, leeks, mache or lambs lettuce, though cool weather radishes can be found all year, (seaweed- Kelp or kombuused for soup or dashi, nori used for sushi, dulse sued as a relish all found dried all year), tomatillo- grow year round in Mexico and sold here, watercress, plantains, citrus, grapes, tomatoes are sold all year but look for canned or fresh cherries or grape tomatoes in the mid to late winter- they are at their best in late august/ September and sometimes into October, melons are also sold all year but look for them in July- august, olives, papaya, pineapple, strawberries are found all year but best in June

January-
Broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, Chinese cabbage, cauliflower, chicory, fennel grapefruit, mandarin oranges, and kale

February-
Broccoli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, celery root, grapefruit leeks, shallots, kale

March-
Artichokes, Arrugula, asparagus, avocados, beets, broccoli, cabbage, Chinese cabbage, cauliflower, celery root, fennel, grapefruit, leeks, peas, rhubarb, spinach shallots

April-
Artichokes, Arrugula, asparagus, avocados, beans, beets, broccoli, cabbage, Chinese cabbage, chard, cauliflower, celery root, chili peppers, chives, cucumbers, leeks, papaya, peppers, rhubarb, shallots, spinach, summer squash, turnips

May-
Artichokes, Arrugula, asparagus, Basil, beans beets, berries, broccoli, cabbage, chard, chili peppers, chives, cucumbers, figs, lettuce leeks, papaya, mangos, oranges, papaya, peas, peppers, rhubarb, shallots, sorrel, summer squash, watermelons, cherries

June-
Strawberries are at their best, Apricots, arrugula, basil, beans, beets, berries, cabbage, cherries, chili peppers, chives, chard, cumber, lettuce, mangos, okra, papaya, peppers, plums, sorrel, summer squash watermelons, cherries, Nectarines

July-
Apricots, arrugula, basil, beans, berries including black berries boysen berries and loganberries, blueberries, red raspberries, beets, cherries, chili peppers, corn, cucumber, chard grapes, mangos, melons, nectarines, peaches, plums sorrel, summer squash, tomatoes, watermelons, baby leeks, seasonal potatoes, nectarines

August-Apricots, arugula, basil, beans, berries including black berries boysen berries and loganberries, blueberries, red raspberries, cherries, chili peppers, corn, cucumbers, chard, figs, grapes, mangos, melons, peaches, plums, sorrel, summer squash tomatoes watermelons, baby leeks, seasonal potatoes, salsify, asian pears, nectarines, passion fruit and sometimes figs

September-Arrugula, beans, beats berries, cabbages, cauliflower, corn, cumbers, chard, crosnes, dates, figs, grapes, wild mushrooms, pears, shallots, summer squash, tomatoes and watermelon, lima beans, seasonal potatos, salsify, Asian pears, nectarines, passion fruit

October-
Apples, beets, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, celery root, chicory, chili peppers, cranberries, crosnes, cumbers, dates fennel, figs, grapes, kumquats, leeks, lettuce, wild mushrooms, peppers, permissions, pomegranates, prickly pears, shallots, spinach, star fruit, sweet potatoes and winter squash, lima beans

November-
Apple, Broccoli, bussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, celery root, chicory cranberries, cumbers, dates, fennel grapes, greens, kale, kumquats, leeks, lettuce, mushrooms, oranges, parsnips, pears, persimmons, pomegranates, prickly pears, quince, shallots, spinach, star fruit, sweet potatoes, and squash.

December-
Apples, Broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, celery root, chicory, dates, kale fennel, grapefruit, greens, leeks, wild mushrooms, oranges, parsnips, pears, quince shallots, spinach, star fruit, sweet potatoes, winter squash

Note to self- Figs are both early summer and late fall

These notes on chili peppers below are probably and editor’s nightmare. Please do not hold me accountable for precise information on chilies- Honestly I can barely grasp all the different names and find my self incredibly frustrated when I go shopping. Almost never, do they have exactly what the recipe in my hand calls for. I have made this list as more of a cheat sheet. If you would like absolutely precise info on chilies you may want to consult other sources, although people seem to often disagree on chili names and origins. To complicate matters the same chili from different regions may be renamed and chili-dried verses the same chili fresh may have two different names. Please use this list as I do. It is a helpful guide for shopping rather than precise scientifically correct information. This is to encourage you to cook with chilies rather than to loath or fear them, Best of luck.

Chili peppers-
Anaheim-long narrow and mild
Ancho- a dried poblano, very hot- also found dried and ground- ancho and pasilla are often confused and sometimes used in the same sauces
Bird- also known as Thai chili
Caribe-yellow Caribbean chili
Cascabel-small, round dark red, medium heat- sometimes found dried
Cayenne-red and hot- most often used dried in powder form
Charleston hot-similar to cayenne
Cherry pepper- small, round, mild to medium heat
Chilaca- fresh form of pasilla, can substitute pablanos, long and narrow called big horns, fruity flavor, substitute poblanos if unavailable
Chipotle- a dried smoked jalapeno- most often found in a can with adobo sauce
De arbol- slender, often toasted and ground into powder look for them in Latin markets
Fresno-small and green, medium to hot
Guajillo- a dried, red chili, very hot- also sold ground into powder, very popular in us, often confused with cascabel
Habanero-very strong yellow pepper, can substitute scotch bonnets for heat
Hungarian wax-greenish yellow, medium heat
Italian Peppers- called Italian Frying peppers, commonly available
Jalapeno-small green or red chili of medium heat, smaller version called chili mora
Jamacian Hot- very hot red chili
Mazano-Found in Latin America, Texas but not widely know
Mulatto-dark brown fruity chili used to make mole
Pasilla (also often called chili Negro)-dark brown black dried chilaca
Peperoncini- sweet and pungent often sold pickled
Pequin-Tiny, hot and smokey flavor, look for fresh or dried
Piquillo peppers- small red Spanish peppers usually sold roasted and canned- substitute roasted red peppers from your Italian market if you can’t find them
Poblano-Blackish green and used for chilies relleno, used as a stuffing chili
Puya- similar to guajillo, and used in a similar manner
Santa fe greande-yellow to red and medium hot
Scotche bonnet- similar to habanero in apperance and taste
Serrano- very hot little chili with green, red or yellow skin
Thai chili- very small and pungent chili, often sold dried and in big bags in Asian, markets

Tograshi-small, medium hot Japanese chili

Chili Negro, rojo, Amarillo, - special chillies, very hot people often substitute guajillos because they are hard to come by

Chili costero, rojoy, Amarillo- used in sauces, look in Latin markets

Chili chilacate-often used with anchos, sometimes sold as guajillo

Italian red pepper flakes- little jars of these are found in almost every pizza place in New York. I love to keep some handy in my kitchen because they will add heat to a dish with almost no fuss whatsoever. I suppose that’s why real chefs use other chilies instead- can you imagine being able to find everything you need for a dish in one grocery store? hah!

Edible other stuff-
There are edible flowers, although, I consider these to be more in the category of food friendly garnish- for example lavender, Johnny jump ups, violets, squash blossoms for stuffing, lemon verbena, and hydrangea leaves to garnish platters with.

Nuts and seeds-
Almonds, brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, Macadamia nuts peanuts, pine nuts or pignollie, pistachio, walnuts, pumpkin seed, sunflower seed- most are found all year in the market and at their best if placed in a dry skillet or toaster oven and heated or toasted until just fragrant

Herbs and spices- I like all herbs fresh, cilantro/coriander, basil, opal basil, lemongrass, mint, oregano, marjoram, parsley, chervil, chives, dill, ginger, horseradish-some fresh herbs keep well frozen during winter months, like rosemary and thyme

Star anis-a spice used in Asian cooking, caraway, cardamom, cumin, and annatto, bay leaves, Mexican bay leaves, dried kaffir lime leaves, Korean chili threads see www. Savory. Com for unusual spice

Meat eggs and dairy-

Well, I am not about to try to tell you what to do here. I like to buy some organic products, especially organic eggs, lemons, limes, oranges, apples, peppers, celery, cherries, grapes peaches pears, berries, and all lettuce- if you are using the zest from citrus fruits this is particularly important.

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Saturday, September 13, 2008

Tuscan cooking

2 comments: