TUSCAN SEAFOOD STEW - Cacciucco

This traditional seafood stew (pronounced cah-choo-co) is popular in the western port town of Livorno in Tuscany, Italy.

It is similar to San Francisco's Cioppino, but less expensive to make, because it doesn't contain Dungeness Crab.  It is also less expensive to make than French Bouillabaisse, because it doesn't contain saffron.

Use your favorite shell fish and fish, whatever is available at your local fish market.

This morning I bought beautiful, shrimp, clams, and cod at our local country store and seafood market. 

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

½ yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

1 t crushed red pepper flakes

½ cup dry red wine

1 can (28 oz) crushed Italian tomatoes

¼ cup minced fresh Italian parsley

1 T chopped fresh oregano

1 t chopped fresh rosemary

½ t sea salt

½ t freshly ground black pepper

1 bottle clam broth

1 cup water

1 carefully washed orange, orange part peeled with a vegetable peeler

1 T chopped fresh basil

12 little neck clams, soaked in cold water for 15 minutes

12 large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 ½ lbs cod or haddock fillets, cut into 2-inch chunks

Crusty Italian bread, cut into slices, toasted in the oven and drizzled with olive oil

In a Dutch oven or paella pan, heat oil over medium-low heat, cook onion for 10 minutes.  

Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook another minute.  

Stir in wine and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.  

Add tomatoes, half of the parsley, oregano, rosemary, salt, and black pepper.  

Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.

Stir in clam broth, water, orange peel, and basil.

Add clams, cover, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until clams begin to open.  

Add shrimp and fish and cook until fish is opaque in center, about another 5 minutes.

Discard any clams that do not open.

Cover and let sit for 5 minutes.

Remove orange peels and ladle into warm soup bowls.

Sprinkle with remaining parsley and add a couple of toasted slices of bread.

Serves 2 to 3

BIG MAMMA 1881-1970

 

This is Big Mamma (Teresa Lapetina Greco) on her front porch in Portsmouth, Virginia.

I can almost smell her Sunday Gravy simmering away on her stove.

CASAZZA QUICK & EASY SPAGHETTI & MEATBALLS

It is sometimes difficult to find a good bowl of spaghetti and meatballs in Italian-American restaurants. Usually, the sauce (gravy) is too acidic and the meatballs are gray in color. I make Big Mamma's Sunday Gravy once or twice a year with Italian sausages, meatballs, ribs, and occasionally braciole. It simmers on the stove for 5 hours, but this recipe is much faster and lighter. If I had an Italian restaurant, this would definitely be on the menu. 

Meatballs

½ cup plain bread crumbs 

1 ½ lbs lean ground beef

½ lb ground pork

2 large eggs

¼ cup minced Italian parsley

1 t granulated garlic

½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a large bowl, combine the bread crumbs with the milk and stir to combine.

Set the mixture aside until the crumbs have absorbed the milk.

Add the remaining ingredients, and with dampened hands, shape into 1 ½-inch balls.

In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, heat a little extra-light olive oil until hot, but not smoking.

Adjust heat to medium-low and slowly fry the meatballs in batches until brown on all sides.

Do not attempt to turn the meatballs until they are thoroughly brown on one side and easily release from the bottom of the pan. Be patient with this step or you will have odd-shaped meatballs.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a large bowl and set aside while frying the rest.

“Quick Sunday Gravy”

1 T extra-virgin olive oil (for slowly cooking the onions & garlic)

1 large onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

½ cup dry red wine

½ t red pepper flakes

3 (28 oz) cans crushed Italian tomatoes

2 t granulated sugar (optional)

1 t freeze-dried or chopped fresh basil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 lb spaghetti

Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

In the same large heavy pot or Dutch oven, pour out some of the excess fat (but not the brown particles) and add the extra-virgin olive oil.

Over medium-low heat, sauté the onion for 10 minutes.

Add the garlic and continue to sauté another minute.

Add the wine, red pepper flakes, simmer a few seconds.

Pour the crushed tomatoes into the pot and scrape up any browned particles from the bottom of the pot.

Add the sugar, and basil.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Partially cover and simmer 1 hour.

Add the meatballs and simmer, partially covered another 45 minutes, gently stirring occasionally.

Boil the spaghetti in salted water for 7 to 8 minutes, until al dente.

Drain well, then add the spaghetti back into the pot.

Mix in some of the sauce to color the spaghetti and serve with a little more sauce, some meatballs, and grated cheese.

Serves 4

* You should have 30 to 35 meatballs with extra sauce for for one or two more meals.

HEIRLOOM CAPRESE SALAD WITH OLIVES - Insalata Caprese

There are beautiful heirloom-style cherry tomatoes available in the market these days, including varieties like sun gold, chocolate cherry, and red and yellow pear. They are a symphony in your mouth with their amazing flavors. Pair them with cherry or pearl bocconcini (fresh mozzarella cheese) and sweet basil. I added Italian black olives to this salad which was so delizioso!

Sicilian cherry tomatoes are also called Pachino, like the Sicilian town where they grow. Caprese con Pomodorini.

2 cups mixed heirloom-style cherry tomatoes

1 tub (8 oz) cherry or pearl bocconcini, drained
½ cup pitted and chopped Italian black olives   

1 bunch basil

Extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper 

Cut tomatoes in half and place in a bowl.  

Add the drained bocconcini and olives.

Tear or chop leaves of basil and add to the bowl.  

Drizzle with some olive oil, and season to taste with salt and pepper and gently toss.

Let sit for at least 15 minutes before serving to let the flavors develop.

Serves 2

ITAIAN GIANDINIERA

Italian Giardiniera can be served as a small salad or spread on grinders, subs, hoagies, heroes, or muffuletta sandwiches. This is so easy to make and so very delicious! Golden Peperoncini can be found in a jar in your supermarket near the olives and pickles.

To save time, there is also Deli-Sliced Golden Peperoncini.




1 small head cauliflower

1 medium onion

4 medium carrots, peeled

4 stalks celery

2 red bell peppers, stems and seeds removed

2 green bell peppers, stems and seeds removed

1 12 oz jar Golden Peperoncini or Deli-Sliced Golden Peperoncini

1 12 oz jar pimento-stuffed green olives

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 T freeze-dried or dried oregano

1 t red pepper flakes

1 ½ cups white vinegar

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 t sea salt

2 t ground black pepper

Using a large cutting board, cut the core off of the cauliflower, remove the florets, cut or break into small pieces, and transfer to a large bowl.

Dice of the onions, celery, red bell peppers, green bell peppers, and transfer to the large bowl.

Pour the juice of the jar of peperoncini into the bowl.

Cut off the stems and chop the peperoncini, (if using the whole Golden Peperoncini) then transfer to the bowl.

Drain the olives and discard the juice.

Slice the olives and transfer to the bowl.

Add the garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Stir to combine and transfer the salad, using a large slotted spoon, into 3 sterilized quart size jars with seals.

Evenly divide the juice between the three jars.

Wipe off rims with a clean cloth and screw on tops.

Store in your refrigerator for at least 3 days for flavors to develop.
Bring to room temperature for olive oil to return to its original consistency.
Shake to combine, before using.

Makes 3 quart size jars or 6 pint size jars