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 

DELMONICO POTATOES

Delmonico Potatoes originated in the famous Delmonico Hotel restaurant in lower Manhattan, New York City, in the mid 19th century. I serve these potatoes with Delmonico steaks and sautéed mushrooms.

5 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut in half lengthwise

1 T avocado oil

½ medium yellow onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 T unsalted butter

1 T avocado oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ t grated nutmeg

½ cup chicken stock or broth

¼ cup half-and-half

½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

In a food processor, fitted with a coarse grater, grate the potatoes.

In a large skillet, sauté the onion in the tablespoon of oil until soft, about 5 minutes. 

Add the garlic and sauté another minute. 

Spoon into a bowl and set aside.

In the same skillet add the two tablespoons of butter and one tablespoon of avocado oil. Cook the potatoes over medium heat for about 10 minutes until a little golden.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Add the onion and garlic mixture to the potatoes and mix through. 

Add the nutmeg and chicken stock and cook another couple of minutes. 

Add the half-and-half and half of the grated cheese and mix through.

Pour into a shallow baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining grated cheese.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. 

Serves 4 to 6

GRILLED DELMONICO STEAKS

Delmonico Steaks are grilled 1½ to 2-inch rib-eye steaks. Don't marinade the steaks for more than 20 minutes because the bourbon will cook the steaks. You don't have to go to Delmonico's Restaurant in New York City to have their famous steak and my version of Delmonico Potatoes. To test steaks for doneness, use an instant-read thermometer.
Rare - 125-130 F
Medium-rare - 130-140 F
Medium - 140-150 F
Medium well - 150-155 degrees F

2 (6-8 oz) bone-in or boneless rib-eye steaks

Marinade for Steaks

3 T bourbon

1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
1 T extra-light olive oil or avocado oil

1 T honey

2 t Worcestershire sauce

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Mix marinade ingredients together in a small bowl.

Place steaks in a shallow bowl, fitted with a top.

Pour marinade ingredients over steaks and let marinade on your counter top for 20 minutes.

Turn the steaks over after 10 minutes.

Herb Butter

½ stick unsalted butter softened

½ t minced chives

½ t minced parsley

½ t minced thyme

¼ t minced rosemary

1 T minced shallot

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place all of the herb butter ingredients in a small bowl and mix thoroughly.

Place on wax paper in a row and roll into a log, twisting the ends closed.

Refrigerate until ready to use and then cut a pat for each steak.

You can do this in the morning or a couple of days before you grill the steaks.

The butter also freezes well for future use.

If using a charcoal grill, prepare a pile of coals on one side of the grill.

Sear the steaks over the hot coals for 2 minutes on each side.

Move them to the cooler side of the grill and continue to cook for another 10 to 12 minutes.

Do not flip over again.

When done, place on a platter and cover with aluminum foil for about 5 minutes.

Place the steaks on plates and pour the accumulated juices over each.

Add a pat of Herb Butter on top of each steak and serve.

Serves 2 to 4 (if thickly sliced into pieces)

ASPARAGUS, MUSHROOM, & CHEESE FRITTATA

If you would like to add a few breakfast sausage links to the frittata. Cook the sausages until done then cut into small pieces and add to the egg mixture. This frittata will serve 4 people. Add a fruit salad and toast and you have a complete breakfast.

10 asparagus, ends trimmed off and cut into 2-inch pieces

1 T extra-light olive oil or avocado oil

8 cremini or white mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

2 shallots, diced

½ red bell pepper, diced

8 eggs

½ cup chopped basil

½ cup grated asiago cheese

½ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a non-stick skillet, add ½ cup water and blanch the asparagus pieces for 3 minutes.

Remove with a slotted spoon to a large bowl and set aside.

Pour out the water and add the oil to the skillet.

Cook the mushrooms over medium heat until golden brown.

Add the shallots and bell pepper and cook another 3 to 4 minutes.
Turn off heat and set skillet aside.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the eggs, then stir in the basil, grated cheeses, and asparagus.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Pour the egg mixture into the skillet with the mushroom mixture.

Place the skillet into the oven and bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Cut into wedges and serve.

ITALIAN ANISETTE COOKIES

My husband's grandmother, Elisabeth Greco Noviello, always made these cookies at Christmas time. She colored the icing and formed the cookie dough into circles and 'S' shapes. I like the simple ball shapes with white icing and red and green sprinkles. My husband said it brings back his childhood when he smells them baking.

¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 ¼ cups granulated sugar

1 t anise flavoring

1 t lemon zest

½ t salt

3 large egg yolks

1 large whole egg

3 cups all-purpose flour

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine butter and sugar. 

Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. 

Beat in anise, lemon zest, and salt. 

Add yolks and whole egg, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Reduce speed to low and add flour, 1 cup at a time, beating until fully combined.

Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Roll dough into 1-inch balls.

Transfer to a cookie sheet. 

Repeat with remaining dough. 

Bake until firm and lightly golden, 12 to 14 minutes. 

Transfer to a cool cookies sheet fitted with a wire rack to cool.  

Place a wire rack on the baking sheets to catch any icing drips.

Royal Icing

2 cups confectioners’ sugar

1 egg white

1 to 2 T milk

1 t anise flavoring

Red and green sprinkles

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine all ingredients on low speed until smooth. 

You can also do this in a bowl using a wire whisk.

Dip cooled cookies into icing and add sprinkles while icing is still soft.

Let icing harden and then store in an airtight container.

Makes about 6 dozen cookies