Firenze--day one {travelogue}

i should really keep a food journal

not in the way that you think

i don't want it to scold myself

but to

extol the pleasures of each and every bite

lovely lines filled with prose

explanations of the blissful moment

that fork meets mouth

i would show it to my internist

as i step on the scale

so he might be so wrapped in envy

he'd forget to scold

fat chance

literally

today was our first full day in italy

we rented an apartment

both for economy and luxury

i like to fill a fridge

beverages

fresh fruit

yogurt

and other simple provisions

so each meal isn't eaten out

and

we can enjoy lazy mornings reading the local paper

or catching up on email

those gorgeous hotel breakfasts served in europe are mostly lost on me

i like to ease into my day

and an apartment in the heart of the city 

affords me that luxury

and

as luck would have it

for longer stays the cost savings can be quite extraordinary

we dropped in to the local market last evening and stocked the fridge

this morning, i popped down to our local bakery and fruit stand to pick up a couple of things for breakfast

i made a pot of coffee

set up breakfast on the veranda

and enjoyed our

beautiful view of the duomo

these incredible fragoline

(wild strawberries from sicily)

are tiny and pure white on the inside

and are sweet as they are small

with pure strawberry flavor

we are drying a few on the counter

so we can bring them back home to plant

hopefully they will germinate

post breakfast we walked, and walked, and walked some more

this town is crowded

people everywhere

i was in school here in the 1980s and for the last decade or so

i've tried to make it back every year

each time

there are larger crowds

the secret is definitely out

but

i do still feel the charm of a city i loved in my youth

speaking of the secret being out

we had lunch at one of my favorite spots

it used to be a sleepy little place

in a lesser known square on the oltroarno

partly by my own fault (telling anyone who would listen)

partly because of it hitting the guidebook circuit

it has become very, very popular

surprisingly

the prices remain low

and 

the quality high

osteria santo spirito

is a true gem

with simple yet delicious food

i always get the gnocchi tartufo

(small portion--still enough to share)

with a small salad

gnocchi

salad

the restaurant shared with me the ingredients for the gnocchi..but not the recipe.  i have successfully duplicated the sauce  both with pasta and potatoes. i may be persuaded to share!

mike went with the rabbit cacciatore

which was equally delicious

on our way back to the apartment

we stopped in at the gallileo museum

it is a relatively small space

filled with the most amazing instruments

used in applied sciences

like this early thermometer

which beautifully marries

form and function

it also houses

gallileo's mummified finger

if you are looking for a draw for your teenage son

or 

fully grown husband

the day progressed with more walking

an afternoon relax

and

this

ginormous steak

bistecca fiorentina

it is over 2lbs of dry aged beef

fired grilled

3 inches thick

medium rare on the exterior

and 

blood rare inside

juicy and tender

a must try

while just about everyone serves a version of this steak in florence

not everyone does it well

if you find a bargain

it may just taste like a bargain

it is a treat

so treat yourself

skimp tomorrow

we enjoyed ours at

buca mario

an old establishment

with cloth napkins

and attentive service

they are lovely

and the food is delicious

pair with a nice barolo

and

dig in

*be nice while you are there, and they may give you a restaurant apron...just like the one they gave me!

tomorrow we are off on a day trip to pisa and lucca

historic sights and olive oil

what more is there in life?

besides

meals

lots more meals

and i will share them all with you

but if you run into my doctor

just mention you heard i was doing a lot of walking

oh

and drinking lots of water

that's a good distraction

civediamo!

beef and potato samosas

on a trip to india

i was slightly obsessed with street food

i had convinced myself

i would find authenticity and flavor

only imagined

what i hadn't considered

was

how difficult it would be

to convince others

to stop the car

and

dig in 

one afternoon

while sitting in the hotel bar

overlooking the taj mahal

i inquired if the kitchen could fix us a few snacks

typical of what locals might eat

surprisingly

they couldn't accommodate

unless

we took the meal 

in our room

you see

my request of samosa, pakora and the like

wasn't upmarket enough for the hotel

if we ate it in secret

they would fix it

fine.

by.

me.

lounging on our hotel room balcony

watching the sun set over the taj

while sipping cocktails

is a treat

doing it while

enjoying a loaded platter of savory treats

with

spicy chutneys

is an experience i won't soon forget

 

beef and potato samosas

(printable recipe)

(while the samosas served did not contain beef, i find it a great addition)

1 lb ground beef (max 15% fat)

1 1/2 cup russet or yukon gold potatoes--peeled and cubed

3 Tbs vegetable oil

1 cup onion--finely chopped

1 tsp garlic--finely minced

1 tsp ginger--peeled and finely minced

1 tsp thai bird chili--finely minced

juice of half a lime

2 Tbs fresh cilantro--finely chopped

square wonton wrappers (small for appetizer size)*

oil for frying

MASALA

1 Tbs whole coriander seed--toasted and ground

1 tsp whole cumin seed--toasted and ground

1/4 tsp cayenne

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1/4 tsp turmeric

small pinch cinnamon

1 tsp kosher salt

Boil potatoes in salted water. Mash and set aside. Saute onion in vegetable oil until golden.  Add ginger, garlic, and chili.  Stir for about 3 minutes.  Add Masala and continue to stir.  Add ground beef and continue to cook until no longer pink. Let cool. Stir in lime juice, cilantro and mashed potato.

Make a cone with the wonton wrapper, sealing sides with water.  Again using water to seal, close the cone and set on a cookie sheet, lined with parchment paper and dusted with cornstarch.  You may refrigerate for several hours at this point, or freeze for future use.

Heat oil in  heavy bottom pot to 350F.  Drop samosas in a few at a time, careful not to crowd the pan.  Cook until nicely browned.  Serve warm or room temperature with raita and a variety of chutney.

*you may make your own samosa wrappers, as i do on occasion when i want larger portions...but i find the wontons, while not authentic, perfectly delicious and very convenient.

Samosa Wrappers

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp kosher salt

1/3-1 cup water

sift flour, add salt.  add water a little at a time and mix until you have a soft, but not sticky dough.  cover and let sit for about 30 minutes.  divide dough into 6 portions.  flatten each portion into a disk.  roll each disk to a 6" circle.  cover and let rest about 15 minutes.  roll each circle further into a 12" circle.  heat a griddle and toast each circle slightly (but do not fully dry out).  cut each circle into quarters.  fashion each quarter into a cone and fill.  use water or egg wash to seal the edges and close the wrapper over the filling.  fry in 350F oil until golden brown.

corned beef and cabbage

one of my food bloggie friends made this a few weeks ago

in celebration of her friend

an actor

and his new show

mike and mollie

which is adorable, by the way

if you watched it

did you happen to notice paula deen's possible future daughter-in-law... as the trampy sister?

bless her heart

back to the point..if i can find one

cooking underwriter's post

(she makes a roasted version)

reminded me that i really like cabbage that is cooked with corned beef

soft and buttery, it is truly perfect

the best part?

hubster will eat my portion of the beef in hash and sandwiches

i thought i would be really fancy and corn my own brisket

and found a great recipe from alton brown

but then saw that i had to find saltpeter

huh?

 yeah...i thought the same thing

i didn't want to buy it

so i purchased an already corned beef

which probably has some very bad things in it

but i closed my eyes and soldiered on

Corned Beef and Cabbage
(printable recipe)

3-4 lb corned beef or brisket if you are d.y.i.-ing it

1 large head green cabbage--cut into thin wedges, leaving the core intact

7-9 small yukon potatoes

cold water to cover the brisket

little packet of pickling spices that come with the corned beef (optional)

this is so simple. take a large pot, place the corned beef in it and cover with water to about 2" above the top of the meat. bring the pot to a boil and then immediately, reduce the heat to a simmer and cover.  the meat will take approximately 50 minutes per pound.  about 45 minutes before the meat is planned to be finished, layer top the corned beef with the cabbage wedges and potatoes. make sure the potatoes get immersed in the liquid.  when the meat is fork tender, remove from the liquid and let sit covered for 30 minutes.  you can continue to cook the potatoes and cabbage if they aren't done to your liking.  

slice the corned beef against the grain and serve with the veggies and hot and spicy mustard.

and perhaps some irish soda bread

i am linking to tuesday night supper club

and 

tasty tuesdays

had i made my own corned beef, i would link up to

hearth and soul which has some amazing food, you should check it out 

Tuesday Night Supper Club--Grilled Steak with "Pizza Tomatoes"

when the tomatoes are bursting off the vine

i can't help but try and work them into every dinner

tonight is no different

i call these pizza tomatoes 

because, well

your kitchen will smell like a pizzeria

you might want to have some good bread handy for a taste test

Grilled Steak

keeping it simple is the story of the day. i let my steak come to room temperature for about an hour. before throwing the steak on the grill, i rub it with a smashed garlic clove and drizzle a bit of olive oil on it.  i season with a bit of salt and pepper and then grill it to a nice medium rare.  just as it comes off the grill, i squeeze a bit of lemon on it. 

Pizza Tomatoes

as many small tomatoes as you can get your hands on

a handful of garlic cloves-peeled and smashed

lots of fresh herbs

oregano, thyme and rosemary

olive oil

 kosher or sea salt

pepper

balsamic vinegar (optional)

throw the tomatoes, garlic and herbs onto a sheet pan.  drizzle with olive oil..be generous but don't let them swim in it. sprinkle on some salt and pepper and then pop into a 350F preheated oven.  let cook until they burst and are all soft and gooey.  remove from oven and then drizzle with just the tiniest bit of balsamic vinegar (if using).  

you can eat these hot or room temperature. they are great with beef, chicken or even a nice piece of fish.

EAT UP!

and don't forget. beginning next week we start the Tuesday Night Supper Club link-up. share your favorite go-to meal of the week. check out the how-to's here.

Tuesday Night Supper Club--Taco Salad

as the days get 

warmer

i look forward to my food getting

cooler

there are days when

even i

don't like to be in a warm kitchen

growing up,

come summer

there was always a crowd

at our table

this salad was 

my mother's summer standby

it was one of those dinners

that every body loved

and tastes surprisingly good

with a tall cold glass of milk

or

a tangy margarita 

(click it..it is a great recipe)

i really love it

and

hope you do too

Taco Salad
(printable recipe)

1/2 cup chopped onions

1 lb lean ground beef (or turkey)

1 Tbs taco seasoning

olive oil

1 large head romaine lettuce

tomato

avocado

1 can kidney beans--drained and rinsed

cilantro

cucumber

black olives (the kind in a can)

shredded cheddar or "mexican blend" cheese

girard's champagne dressing

or

combination of equal parts sour cream and salsa mixed into a dressing

tortilla chips

(i have an aunt that uses nacho cheese doritos and swears by it--i like tortilla strips)

Heat olive oil in a saute pan.  Cook onions until they are translucent and start to brown around the edges.  Toss in the ground beef and cook through, breaking up into pieces.  Scatter in the taco seasoning along with 3 Tbs water.  Stir to coat, let cool.  

Meanwhile, chop lettuce and toss in all ingredients into a large salad bowl...including chips.  Once the meat is cooled, toss into salad and add dressing. Serve immediately.

EAT UP!

Tuesday Night Supper Club

It's Tuesday...so here I am....

I needed to do something easy because we are up at the cabin doing renovations and I don't have a lot of time to fuss about.

...so I went with brisket

I served it with warm rolls, baked beans and a green salad.

And tomorrow it will make a perfect beef dip sandwich for our arriving guests.

Easy Brisket

brisket--trimmed

 generous use of spice mix

 a few glugs of olive oil

325 degree oven

To Make the Spice Mix

mix together: 1 Tbs kosher salt, 2 tsp black pepper (i used pepper with worcestershire flavor combo i found at the market), 1/2 tsp cayenne, 2 tsp ground cumin, 1 Tbs dried oregano, 4 1/2 tsp garlic, 2 Tbs chili powder, 2 Tbs brown sugar. Keep in airtight jar.

Dry the brisket with paper towels.  On all sides, lightly coat with olive oil.  Just a bit so the spice will stick.  Then rub with spice mix.  It will make a bit of a paste...be generous.

Place in a roasting dish or casserole...something with a bit of room.

Pop in oven. For a 3lb piece, I put it in the oven for about 4 hours. 

Let rest for 15 minutes or so before slicing.

Eat Up! 

Tuesday Night Supper Club

When  I was a kid, on Halloween my mom would serve meatball sub sandwiches.  I don't remember exactly, but I think the tradition started  because the kitchen was under construction and rather than cooking another meal on the hot plate, she picked up meatball subs from Shakeys.  Each year, I think about that tradition, and wish that I was carrying it on.

But we spend Halloween away from home, and I am not so bold as to suggest to our host, what to serve  for halloween dinner. 

At least not yet. I'm still young.

Rewind to this past Halloween. I was in half-costume and hungry.  I ran to a local sandwich shop to pick up a couple of italian subs and what do I see?  A meatball  sub and it looked so delicious.  I thought, next time, that is what I am getting.

And a couple of days later I did.

And it was terrible.  

Not like anything I remember or want to eat again. I am not even sure the balls were meat.

And right then I decided meatball subs were going in the rotation...and soon.

So, tonight, Tuesday night, I made them, with homemade bread, and they were pretty darn good.

Meatball subs are easy.  Especially if you do a bit of planning and use store bought rolls (which I suggest doing unless you are obsessed like me). 

I made Sunday Sauce, on Monday and I loaded it with meatballs in preparation for tonight's dinner. 

Sunday Sauce

1/2 large onion--finely chopped

1 medium carrot--finely chopped

1 celery stalk--finely chopped

3 cloves of garlic--finely chopped

olive oil

1 1/2 lbs beef short ribs-bone in

1 lb country style pork ribs--boneless

3 links italian sausage cut in half

as many meatballs as you please

2 sprigs rosemary

2 sprigs thyme

1 heaping tsp dried oregano

2-14oz cans crushed tomatoes

2-14 oz cans tomato puree

1 cup white wine

salt and pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in large pot.  Toss in onion, carrot, and celery.  Do not let them brown, but cook until they begin to soften. Add garlic.  Add meat in batches to brown (not the meatballs).  Pour in wine and let it sizzle a bit and scrape up browned bits from the bottom of the pan.  Dump in the tomato puree and crushed tomatoes.  Add herbs.  Put burner on low, cover and let simmer.

Meanwhile, prepare the meatballs.

Meatballs

I usually add raisins and pignoli nuts to my meatballs, but since I knew I was using them for the sandwiches, I omitted this step.

ground beef

ground pork

eggs

milk

grated parmesan cheese

bread crumbs (if you use store bought go for the seasoned one)

salt

pepper

I mix the beef and pork together half and half.  Use 1 egg per pound of meat.  Put the meat in the bowl and break the eggs on top.  Shake the breadcrumbs over the top of the meat so it covers the expanse of the meat, but only a dusting.  Do the same with the parmesan, but a bit more than a dusting..but don't dump. Pour enough milk on top so that it can moisten the bread crumbs, but you don't want mush.  I would say about 1/4 cup per pound of meat.  Add salt and pepper...add a bit and then fry up just a smidge to test the seasoning.  Bottom line, you can always add salt to your meatballs when you are eating them...it's not like you are cooking in a restaurant and people are judging you...or people who are paying that are judging you.

Have a gentle hand and mix all together. Form into balls--the size is your choice.  

Heat a frying pan over medium heat.  Put a bit of olive oil on the bottom and fry the meatballs until the outside is browned evenly. The meat will not be fully cooked, which is the point.  As you take the meatballs out of the frying pan, place them in the sauce to finish cooking.  Both the sauce and the meatballs benefit from this process...trust me.

Continue cooking the sauce under simmer until all the meat is cooked well. The rib meat should be falling off the bone and the meatballs should be firm.

When you make the sandwiches--toast the bread and then be generous with the meatballs and sauce.  Top with provolone cheese and pop in the oven or broiler to make the cheese nice and melty.

On Sunday I made a tart and I had a bit of  the custard in the fridge.  I had been promising the hubster that I would make ice cream for him, so I had to make good. My word is my bond you know.

Ice Cream in a Pinch

I took about 1 cup of custard and added to it  1 cup of milk chocolate chips melted in about 1/4 cup of cream making it a bit of a ganache. I threw in a shot of very strong espresso and whisked it all up.  The mixture was cool, so I didn't have to chill it in the fridge and I dumped it right into the ice cream machine.  30 minutes later I had a mildly chocolate, minimally coffee flavored, very smooth ice cream.  As I packed it into the tub for future eating, I swirled in nutella...for nutella ripple ice cream. 

While the ice cream was freezing, I made a quick hazelnut brittle

Hazelnut Brittle

1 cup sugar

water

1 Tbs honey

hazelnuts

Put sugar in a saucepan.  Add enough water so the sugar has the consistency of wet sand.  Add honey and put over low heat.  Let cook away until the sugar and honey is melted and the mixture starts to turn color.  Once you see the color beginning to amber, swirl the pan....to even out the color.  I like mine a soft amber, so a few minutes into coloration, I throw in the hazelnuts and swirl a couple of times. Don't be vigorous...just do it a bit to move the contents around.  Pour the hot sugar on a silpat or parchment lined cookie sheet.  Let cool. Be very careful..hot sugar is like molten lava...it will burn, and burn bad.  Let the brittle cool and then break into pieces

Eat Up!

Poor Service, Really? {balsamic short ribs}

I am questioning where the media is getting their information. While I may flippantly say, " I thought we were in a recession", every time I can't get a parking space at the mall, a reservation at a restaurant, or a return call from a service provider, I am starting to wonder what the heck is going on.

Because I work from home, I am spared the issues with traffic and busy grocery stores, lunch lines and crowded banks. But alas, never spared the recession proof, poor service. So here's my beef...jobs are scarce...businesses are closing every day...wouldn't it be obvious that if someone stumbled into your business, you would at the very least provide good service?

Customer service has always been a beef of mine. I remember being young, probably 10 or 12 and in a store in Palm Desert. I was shopping with my mom and one of her friends. The clerk was a man, probably in his 20's and he was on the phone. My mother was trying to buy something and he was VERY rude. He turned his back and continued his obviously personal call. We waited about 10 minutes and then my mom put the item down and walked out the store. She was fine, I was outraged and stayed behind. When he finally hung up the phone, I gave him the what for. I was puffed up like a rooster, he was laughing. I'm happy to report that shop no longer exists.

The other night, Mike and I and two friends went to a fancy dinner at The Water Grill in downtown Los Angeles. From the moment we were seated, we knew this would be a wonderful dining experience. Our waiter came right away to offer us cocktails. We declined the cocktails but did ask for the wine list. Well, that must have been the kiss of death, as we didn't see him again for about an hour. A bus boy was kind enough to bring a wine list..then ply us with bread and water. Good bread, cold water...fancy indeed! We got our wine and more bread. Finally our waiter appeared...unapologetic and actually a bit rude. I didn't let it go. I offered explanations for him...we thought you quit, we htough you died, we thought there would be mass first...but he didn't bite. "Order please" was all I heard. Oh and the ever patronizing "excellent choice!". God, I hated him.

End of story...food was wonderful, I had a starter of seared scallops with pear and celery root puree and foie gras ravioli that satisfied my soul. I followed with a wonderful piece of fish. One of our dining companions ordered a fillet and short ribs. He was unhappy with the short rib...you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him eat fish.

I make short ribs. I created a recipe that is wonderful in the cold dark of winter. However, with the exception of the 2 days after Christmas, Los Angeles doesn't have winter. What a wonderful memory I have of those 48 hours! Point being, I hardly make them. But in the gloaming of a great meal, I was inspired to make short ribs.
Although these are not difficult to make, I do like to make them in advance so I can skim the fat.

Balsamic Short Ribs

4 Lbs short ribs (with or without bones--trimmed)

black pepper

kosher salt

1 large onion--finely chopped

2 large carrots--finely chopped

3 ribs celery--finely chopped

3 cloves garlic--thickly sliced

3 cups chicken broth

1/2 bottle cabernet (make it a decent bottle)

3/4 cup balsamic vinegar (not expensive)

1 can tomato paste

4 sprigs fresh thyme

1-3 Tbs Brown Sugar---to taste really..

once you pull the ribs out of the oven, put a bit of brown sugar a bit at a time until you balance the vinegar flavor

Season short ribs with salt and pepper and place on a sheet pan. Place in a 425 oven and cook for about 15-18 minutes. This process sears the meat. If you would prefer to sear them on the stove top, you may, in a bit of olive oil. But this saves time and allows you to do other things. I stole this part of the method from Ina Garten..just recently. It's a real time saver and produces great results. What you are looking for is the meat to begin caramelizing on the outside. Don't put too many short ribs on one sheet pan. They should not touch and they should have plenty of room between them. Otherwise you are steaming the meat, rather than baking it.
Meanwhile, continue with the recipe. In a large dutch oven heat enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. When hot, add onion, carrot, celery and garlic. Let cook 3-4 minutes until the vegetables start to sweat and soften, but not brown. Add tomato paste, thyme, wine, and chicken broth and give it a good stir. Put short ribs in the pot and top with balsamic vinegar. Put top on the pot and palce in 350 oven for 2 hours. Remove top and cook for additional 45 minutes. Transfer the meat to a baking dish and discard the bones as they fall off. Place the sauce in a bowl and refrigerate both overnight, separately. The next day, skim off the fat and pour sauce over meat. Reheat in hot oven.
Enjoy with freshly mashed potatoes, creamy polenta or cauliflower puree.