POLENTA BITES WITH RICOTTA CHEESE & SUN-DRIED TOMATOES

Do you want something different, delicious, and easy to put together for an appetizer?  This is just the perfect little bite.

1 log plain polenta, cut into 12 rounds

Olive oil or avocado oil

¾ cup ricotta cheese

Grated zest of 1 lemon

3 T grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ (8-oz) jar sliced sun-dried tomatoes in oil

1 small bunch fresh basil, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

Using a 2-inch cookie cutter, cut each round of polenta to be bite-size.

Brush each with a little oil and place under the broiler for about 5 minutes each side, or until lightly brown.

In a small bowl, mix the ricotta cheese with the grated zest of a lemon.

Add the Parmigiano or Pecorino cheese and mix well.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

In another small bowl add the sun-dried tomatoes, basil, and garlic.

Spoon a tablespoon of cheese mixture on top of each polenta bite.

Top with a spoon full of the tomato mixture.

Makes 12

BRUSCHETTE WITH SWISS CHARD & PIGNOLI

This is a delicious way to get dark greens into an appetizer or lunch. I made only 6 slices and saved the rest of the chard for another day.

3 bunches Swiss chard, trimmed of tough stems and roughly chopped

½ cup pignoli (pine nuts)

Extra-virgin olive oil

1 shallot, thinly sliced

1 large clove garlic, thinly sliced

Italian bread, cut into 12 slices and browned in the broiler on both sides

Freshly grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Grated zest of ½ lemon

Rinse and spin dry the Swiss chard and set aside.

In a large skillet, dry toast the pine nuts until golden.

Watch them carefully because they burn easily.

Remove with a spoon to a small bowl and set aside.

Add oil to the skillet and sauté the shallot for 2 minutes.

Add the garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds.

Add the Swiss chard to the skillet and sauté another 4 minutes, stirring often.

Add the pine nuts and stir in.

Using a large fork, pile the chard upon each bread slice.

Sprinkle with grated cheese and season with salt and pepper.

Sprinkle each with grated lemon zest and serve immediately.

Serves 4 to 6

CLASSIC CAESAR SALAD

The Caesar Salad was created in the 1920s by Caesar Cardini, an Italian immigrant, and restauranteur. 

Lee's Kitchen Hints: To crisp up any limp lettuce, first soak the leaves in a bowl of lukewarm water for 5 minutes. This allows the cells (or pores) in the lettuce to soak up the water and become plump. Drain the lettuce and now soak in ice cold water for another 5 minutes. This allows the cells to close and the results will be crisp lettuce. Spin dry and place in a salad bowl. Any leftover lettuce can be refrigerated in a plastic baggie with a paper towel wrapped around the lettuce.

2 cups cubed (½-inch) crusty Italian bread

2 T olive oil

2 heads Romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces

Dressing
1 large egg yolk

3-4 anchovy fillets

1 large clove garlic, grated

2 T fresh lemon juice

1 t Dijon mustard

1 T honey

⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

⅓ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Lemon wedges, for serving (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the bread cubes with the olive oil. 

Spread in an even layer and season with salt and pepper.

Bake until golden brown, about 12 minutes.

Remove and transfer croutons to a plate and set aside.

Meanwhile, place the egg yolk, anchovy fillets, garlic, lemon juice, Dijon, and honey in a large salad bowl and whisk until smooth.  

Slowly add the oil, and whisk again until smooth.

Add Romaine into the bowl.

Add Parmigiano cheese, season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add the croutons, and toss again.

Divide between 4 salad plates and garnish with lemon wedges, if desired.

Serves 4

TOMATO & OLIVE SALAD

This is such a delicious and easy salad to make. Toss it all together in a bowl and serve.

1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1 cup black Cerignola or Kalamata olives, pitted

1 small red onion, cut in half and thinly sliced

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

1 bunch chopped Italian parsley

1 small bunch chopped basil

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Toss all of the ingredients together in a salad bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serves 4

CREAMY SCALLOPS & SHRIMP

Sometimes I can't make up my mind if I want scallops or shrimp over pasta. I love sun-dried tomatoes in anything and this was a hit with my husband.

6 sea scallops
12 large shrimp peeled and deveined

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 T avocado oil or light olive oil

1 large clove garlic, pressed or minced

½ t red pepper flakes

1 cup clam nectar

1 cup cream or half-and-half

½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced

½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Rinse scallops and shrimp and pat dry with a paper towel.

Season them generously with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Cook the scallops on each side for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden.

Remove to a plate and set aside.

Cook the shrimp on each side for 2 minutes, until pink.

Remove to the plate with the scallops.

Add the garlic and red pepper flakes to the skillet and cook about 1 minute.

Add the clam nectar, cream or half-and-half, sun-dried tomatoes, and Parmigiano.

Stir to combine, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 3 minutes.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Return scallops and shrimp to skillet and gently stir to combine and simmer another minute.

Serve with pasta or with crusty bread and a green salad.

Serves 2 as a main course

VINCENZIO GRECO & TERESA LAPETINA GRECO

22 April 1935

Portsmouth, Virginia

Wedding day for their daughter, Mary Geraldine Greco to Francis Boccardi.

CHICKEN CACCIATORE WITH POLENTA

This hearty meal was introduced to me by my mother-in-law, Marie Noviello Casazza.

Pollo alla Cacciatora in Italy actually means “chicken of the hunter's wife”. When the hunter came home his wife had a backyard chicken stew waiting for him but he would have hunted for a rabbit if he were successful. Cacciatore means “Hunter”. 
Chicken Cacciatore (with an e on the end), as it is called in North America, is standard of Italian-American home cooking.

2 (28 oz) cans whole peeled Italian tomatoes
¼ cup extra-light olive oil or avocado oil
2 T unsalted butter
1 whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces, bones and most of skin left intact
½ lb white or cremini mushrooms, wiped clean, trimmed and sliced 
2 medium onions, cut in half and sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 t red pepper flakes
½ cup dry red wine
1 t freeze-dried or chopped fresh oregano 

2 bay leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 T chopped fresh basil
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Pour tomatoes into a large bowl and hand-crush them, removing the hard center cores. Alternatively, use an immersion blender to chop the tomatoes.

Heat oil and butter in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and brown them on both sides in two batches. Transfer to a platter and set aside.
Add the mushrooms and onions; cook for 5 minutes.
Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook another minute.
Add the wine, crushed tomatoes, oregano, and bay leaves. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 
Stir to combine and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer 15 minutes.

Stir in the reserved chicken, cover and slowly simmer for 30 to 35 minutes, or until chicken is tender but not falling off the bones.
While the chicken is cooking, make the polenta.

Polenta
4 cups water
4 cups chicken stock
2 t sea salt
2 cups polenta or coarse yellow cornmeal
3 T unsalted butter
¼ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese 
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a large saucepan, bring the water and chicken stock to a boil, then add the sea salt.
Add the polenta to the saucepan in a gentle stream, whisking as you pour.
Reduce the heat and let the polenta simmer, whisking constantly for about one minute.
Reduce heat to the lowest setting and let simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring often to prevent it from sticking.
Remove from stove, add the butter and grated Parmigiano cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Set aside to keep warm.

To Serve
Add the fresh basil to the sauce. Spoon some polenta on plates, place 1 to 2 pieces of chicken on top and spoon on some sauce. Serve with grated Parmigiano cheese at the table.

Serves 4 to 6