Potato Dumplings Italian Style

Posted on December 19, 2016 by Ann Lovejoy
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Making Fabulous Gnocchi

I was recently longing for gnocchi but feeling too lazy to make my own. Our local grocery stores offer a pretty surprising assortment of gnocchi, from dried to frozen or “fresh”. My first sample was pretty awful, so I decided to try all I could find. Sadly, none tasted anything like the gnocchi I doted on during my student days in Italy. The dense, heavy, pasty, or chewy store-bought examples convinced me to try my hand at making them again. The gnocchi I remembered were light, almost fluffy, with a tender consistency that set off sauces to perfection. And maybe making them wasn’t really as complicated as I remembered…

In Perugia, where I spent several astonishing years, my Italian cookery mentor was Signora Savino, a grandmotherly woman who lived in an ancient palazzo, her apartment up several flights of stone steps. Once when I came for a lesson, she was toiling up those worn steps ahead of me, carrying a huge bundle of sticks on her back. At her apartment, she dumped them into a capacious woodbox beside a huge stone bread oven built into one kitchen wall. She had a modern stovetop and oven as well, but preferred the wood-fueled oven for slow cooking as well as baking.

Heritage Tools

Her modest kitchen also contained a long, slender table that had to have been built in place. A slot beneath the top held a cylindrical rolling pin that was as wide as the table. Signora S. used that skinny wand to roll out sheets of pasta thin enough to read through (if the print was big enough). She taught me to make quite a few family favorites, and when she made gnocchi, it looked like a very straight forward process. When I first tried it in America, I bumbled through trying various kinds of potatoes before figuring out that Russets, those classic baking potatoes, resulted in the best texture. Once I got the potatoes right, the actual making was indeed pretty simple. In fact, it’s a good dish to make with kids, who will enjoy giving the dumplings that special little pulling flip, gentle yet firm, that makes them curl up just right.

Perugina Potato Gnocchi

4 pounds Russet or any baking potatoes
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/3-1/2 cup unbleached white flour

Boil the potatoes whole and unpeeled in salted water until fork tender (30-40 minutes). Drain them, peel them, and mash gently with the salt until barely smooth. When room temperature, stir in the egg, then add flour 1-2 tablespoons at a time until a soft dough forms. Take pieces the size of a satsuma and roll them into sticks about as wide as your pointer finger. Chop the sticks into inch-long bits, then working on a lightly floured surface, give each one a tiny tug, pressing down while pulling forward with a flick of your finger, which makes them curl just a bit. Bring a big pot of salted water to a boil and drop in gnocchi a handful at a time. First they sink, then they bob up to the top; when they do, scoop them out with a slotted spoon and put them into a buttered dish in a warm oven. When all are cooked, serve them with sauce and grated cheese. Serves 4.

A Faster Pasta Sauce

When you don’t have time to simmer a sauce for hours, try this surprisingly full flavored version. The addition of several umami-rich ingredients give it amazing body and depth. Glossy, savory, and spunky, it’s great with ravioli, gnocchi, or penne, garnished with fresh parsley and grated Asiago or Pecorino cheese. For best flavor, use brined olives, not the canned ones (those are dyed black with iron). Nicoise or Kalamata are both good in this and many other sauces as well. To give this speedy sauce extra bounce, use a jarred puttanesca, arrabiata, or any favorite pasta sauce.

Rich Pasta Sauce

1 tablespoon fruity olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon fennel seed
6-8 pitted Kalamata or Italian olives, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
2 cups sliced brown field mushrooms
5 cups (2 cans) diced fire roasted tomatoes
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 tablespoon capers
4 cups puttanesca sauce (or any tomato sauce)

In a large pan, combine oil, garlic, and fennel seed and cook over medium high heat to the fragrance point (about 1 minute). Add olives and cook for 2 minutes. Add onions, celery, and mushrooms, cover pan and cook until soft (5-7 minutes). Add diced tomatoes, red wine, capers, and tomato sauce and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve over ravioli, gnocchi, or spaghetti, with grated cheese on the side. Serves 4-6.

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The Ancient Art Of Braising

Posted on December 12, 2016 by Ann Lovejoy
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First Sizzle, Then Slow And Low

For those of us who try to eat something fresh at every meal, the cole family is definitely our best friend in winter. When the markets are full of imported produce, it’s especially pleasant to wander out to my deck and pick a flavorful assortment of winter greens. Of course there are many kinds of kale, as well as mustard greens, chard, beet greens, turnip greens, collards, arugula, radicchio, and various choys. A leaf or two of each type of foliage is all it takes to make a lovely batch of greens for myself, and if company is coming, I can pick a handful of each.

My current preferred cooking method for winter greens is braising. Braising is a very old technique that developed when most cooking was done over a woodstove or even an open fire. In general, braising starts with searing something quickly at high heat, then reducing the heat to very low and simmering it until tender. I like to braise both greens and vegetables in their own juices, which makes for extremely concentrated and flavorful dishes.

Braising Greens

Many grocery stores now offer bulk bins of braising greens, which are generally dense, somewhat thick leaves. Flimsier ones can work; braised endive is a classic French side dish, though whole small endive heads are used rather than individual leaves. Here’s a lovely way to try braising greens:

Basic Braised Greens

1 teaspoon fruity olive oil
6 kalamata olives, chopped
2 cups per person mixed braising greens
(i.e. kale, collards, mustard greens, chard, and beet greens)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon cider vinegar (or any)
few grains freshly ground black pepper

In a wide shallow pan, heat oil and olives over medium high heat. Add greens, stir to coat, sprinkle with salt. Cover pan, reduce heat to low and simmer until tender (5-10 minutes). Sprinkle with vinegar and pepper and serve hot. Serves at least one.

Braised Onions, Garlic, and Leeks

The initial step of searing or browning whatever you plan to braise is important, because it has a delicious caramelizing effect, especially on vegetables. If you like a glazed effect on your veggies, use some butter as well as oil for searing. Cook any of these onion relatives alone or in combination for a very tasty treat.

1 tablespoon fruity olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 head garlic, peeled
2 white or yellow onions, peeled and quartered
4 leeks, sliced (white and palest green parts only)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
fresh lemon juice

In a wide shallow pan, combine oil and butter over medium high heat. Place onions in pan, sprinkle with salt and gently brown. Add garlic cloves and brown briefly (1 minute), turning several times. Add sliced leeks and brown (2 minutes). Cover pan, reduce heat to low and simmer until tender (10-12 minutes). Uncover pan, increase heat and reduce liquid to a glaze. Serve hot with a splash of lemon juice. Serves 4 as a savory side dish.

Braised Garlic

2 tablespoons fruity olive oil
2 heads garlic, peeled

Warm oil over medium low heat. Add garlic cloves, cover pan and simmer over lowest heat for 5 minutes. Uncover pan and simmer, stirring often, for 12-15 minutes or until garlic is soft and pale yellow. Serve with grilled fish or chicken or roasted vegetables. Store in a closed jar in the fridge for up to 3 days. Makes about 1/3 cup.

Braised Endive With Snow Peas

The crunch of pea pods makes a lovely contrast to tender endive.

1 tablespoon fruity olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 small head endive per person
1/4 cup snow pea pods per person
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 lime, quartered

In a wide, shallow pan, combine oil and butter over medium high heat. Add onion, sprinkle with salt and brown gently, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add endive, spritz with half the lime juice, cover pan and simmer over lowest heat until tender (8-10 minutes), turning endive heads several times. Add pea pods and pepper, cover pan and cook for 1 minute. Serve hot, spritzed with remaining lime juice.

Braise Whatever

You can braise all kinds of things, from carrots, parsnips, turnips, potatoes, and sweet potatoes to celery and broccoli. Thanks to the enticing combination of light caramelizing and slow simmering, everything you braise tastes fabulous, especially if sprinkled with minced fresh herbs as garnish. For variety, you can supplement the natural braising liquid with various kinds of vinegar, citrus juice, a dry wine, cider, or apple or pear juice. Apricot or mango nectar (unsweetened) also works nicely with sweet things like carrots and sweet potatoes.

Garnish braised greens or vegetables with fresh herbs, toasted seeds (sesame, pumpkin, fennel) or chopped nuts (peanuts, cashews, almonds, walnuts). A sprinkle of hard cheese (peccorino, Asiago, parmesan) is also lovely, as are crumbles of soft goat cheese.

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Healthy For The Holidays

Posted on December 5, 2016 by Ann Lovejoy
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Cold Season Is Coming

As winter arrives, so do a seeming host of unpleasant and communicable afflictions. This year has already spawned some particularly nasty colds as well as virulent flu, and indoor allergies abound. Staying healthy through the holidays can be challenging, but happily we can look to both traditional and brand new remedies for prevention and relief. When sniffles and sneezes make you reach for over-the-counter cold remedies, think twice; some can actually make symptoms worse when we stop using them.

Instead, stick to tried and true home remedies; extra vitamin C can indeed shorten or ward off colds, while hot, brothy soup relieves chest congestion. A spoonful of honey and a splash of lemon juice in tea or hot water can ease a sore throat, as will gargling several times a day with warm water with a pinch of sea salt added. For a stuffy nose, try daily nasal irrigation, again with warm, salted water (1/4 teaspoon sea salt/cup distilled or filtered water) and a neti pot or even a small bulb syringe (a child-sized ear syringe works best).

An Uncommon Cure For A Hacking Cough

Best of all, recent research shows that dark chocolate’s theobromines can sooth persistent coughs better than opiates. Most commercial or prescriptive cough suppressants are based on some form of codeine or similar narcotics, which in Britain and the EU are not recommended for anyone under the age of 18. The good news is that rather than suppressing a hacking cough, dark chocolate can actually stop it at the source. We cough when our throats are irritated, and conditions such as post-nasal drip can trigger the vagus nerve almost constantly, resulting in persistent coughing that just won’t quit.

When dark chocolate coats the throat, the thick, sticky theobromines soothe the vagus nerve and the crazy-making coughing stops. (Milk chocolate or hot chocolate don’t work, only dark chocolate has the power.) This research is fairly recent, but already, chocolate-based cough drops can sometimes be found locally (I found them at Rite-Aid) and more theobromine-rich medications are under development. In the meantime, try letting some dark chocolate melt very slowly in your mouth, one small piece at a time. You may need to be persistent, and you may need to try several kinds of dark chocolate to find the one that works best for you, but know that your experiment is founded on solid and replicated research. Onward!

The Wholesome, Healing Power Of Alliums

When cold winter winds bring colds and sniffles in their wake, we can look to the onion family for relief. And here’s some good news for vegetarians; when researchers learned that Mom was right and chicken soup actually can help help cure a cold, the benefit turned out to be largely due to the combination of steam and onions. From onions and garlic to shallots and leeks, the allium family offers phytonutrient compounds that boost the immune system and help fight infection naturally. Since they also add savor and warmth to almost anything, why not plant some extra garlic? Though October may be a more common time, many folks prefer to garlic plant in December, so go for it!

A Lighter, Fresher Onion Soup

French onion soup is lush and rich, but can be almost cloyingly sweet. This garlic-based Italian version has a similarly silky quality but packs a far more powerful punch. It tastes and smells heavenly, and is as good as Mom’s chicken soup for chasing away a cold or flu. A last minute addition of oil infused with raw garlic and parsley makes this soup especially lively; if it tastes too vivid, wait a minute or two to let the heat mellow the spicy garlic flavor before serving.

Zesty Garlic Soup

2 quarts vegetable broth (or any)
1/4 teaspoon dried hot pepper flakes
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 whole heads garlic, cloves peeled and lightly crushed
1 cup chopped Italian parsley (with stems)
2 tablespoons virgin olive oil
1 bunch spinach (about 8 ounces), coarsely chopped
1 thick slice crusty rosemary- or herb-bread, toasted and cubed
1/4 cup Asiago or Romano cheese, coarsely grated

In a soup pot, bring broth, hot pepper flakes, onion, salt, and all but 2 cloves of garlic to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium, cover pan and simmer for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, In a blender or food processor, puree remaining garlic with parsley and olive oil, set aside. Add spinach to soup and cook until barely limp (2-3 minutes). With an immersion blender, puree soup, then add olive oil mixture. Serve hot, garnished with toast and cheese. Serves 4.

Allium Soup Broth

To make a light, fresh tasting broth for your soup, combine the ends and loose skins and peels of the vegetables the recipe calls for in a pot with a pinch of salt and water to cover. Onions, garlic, leeks, celery, carrots, and potatoes are the classics; if you stick to these, your broth will be gently savory with a touch of sweetness. (Loose brown onion skins give the broth a lovely golden color as well.) Use cabbage and pepper family scraps with caution if at all, as they tend to be unpleasantly dominant. Simmer gently for 30-40 minutes; simmered broth stays clear but turns cloudy if allowed to boil.  Strain into a bowl and adjust seasoning to taste. Makes 1-2 quarts that last up to a week in the fridge or for several month if frozen.

Leek And Onion Soup

1 tablespoon fruity olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 organic lemon, juiced, rind grated
1 large onion, chopped
2 large leeks, thinly sliced (white and palest green parts only)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 stalks celery, chopped
4 cups thinly sliced kale (any kind)
1 quart fresh vegetable broth (or any)
1/2 teaspoon shoyu or soy sauce

In a soup pot, heat oil, garlic, and lemon rind over medium high heat to the fragrance point (about 1 minute). Add onion, leeks, salt, paprika and celery and cook for 5 minutes. Add 2 cups water, cover pan and simmer over low heat until vegetables are soft (10 minutes). Add kale, cover pan and cook until barely tender (5-7 minutes). Add broth and bring to a simmer, then stir in shoyu and fresh lemon juice to taste and serve. Serves 4.

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Savory Salty Seasonings

Posted on November 28, 2016 by Ann Lovejoy
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Salts Of Land And Sea

I’m mildly fascinated by the seeming conflict between health-inspired foods that offer reduced salt and the proliferation of salt-sparkled edibles. Even staid brands of canned beans offer versions containing trendy sea salt or none at all, and everything from dressings and rubs to chocolates and ice cream come in salt-free or salt-inspired flavors. If some of us fear salt, most of us love the stuff, and rightly so, since we literally can’t live without salt. True, around 27% of black folks and about 15% of white folks are salt-sensitive and really do need to monitor intake in order to keep their blood pressure levels stable. That said, the critical need for salt in the human diet is well established, though most health experts suggest keeping sodium intake to around 2,000 milligrams each day. Salt ferries nutrients into cells and regulates blood pressure and body fluid volumes, among other things. Salt is what butterflies are seeking when they land on roadkill and why sweat bees follow hard working people around.

Though there are dozens of kinds of salt in today’s markets, all salt is not created equal. Least healthful is common table salt (refined sodium chloride), found in almost every processed food on the grocery shelf. Chemically treated for appearance and pour-ability, concentrated sodium chloride is blended with aluminum, sugar, and calcium silicate to prevent clumping. Refined salt lacks the treasury of minerals found in unrefined sea salt, which contains a complex of over 80 components, including iodine, minerals such as potassium, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium, and a multitude of trace minerals.

Salt Of The Sea

Sea salts are increasingly popular, probably because unrefined salts have a soft, complex taste that enhances natural flavors without overwhelming them. Around here, true locavores use only locally sourced salt from Oregon (Jacobsen Salt Company) and Washington (San Juan Island Sea Salt), but many cooks prefer fast-dissolving kosher salt in hot foods, saving flavorful sea salts for last minute use. Each kind of salt has its own particular qualities, which is why lots of cooks keep around a dozen kinds on hand. For everyday cooking use, medium coarse sea salt and kosher salt are excellent, inexpensive and widely available. Flaked sea salts melt fast, providing more salty zing with less sodium. Natural “finishing” salts offer a specific, unique flavor, from black or red Hawaiian lava salt and Indian black sanchal salt to slightly sweet French grey sea salt.

Naturally occurring fleur de sel, delicate “sea flower” salt, is considered by lots of chefs to be the very choicest table salt (if they believe in table salt at all). Maldon and fleur de sel are prized finishing salts, as is flake salt from New Zealand, which has a particularly bright, sparking quality. Indian sanchal or black salt (actually a pinkish tan) has an unusual, distinctive flavor that adds authenticity to Indian food. Use fragrant black sea salt from Pakistan sparingly on salads, steamed vegetables, rice and pasta for a powerful taste experience. Smoked sea salt adds a delicious, tangy savor to grilled fish or roasted vegetables. Coarse, chunky Hawaiian red salt is colored by volcanically heated red clay, with a mild, subtle flavor. Coarse sea salt is perfect for crusting baked fish or blending with fragrant herbs for bath salts.

Making Salt Blends

Salty seasoning blends have been around forever (ask your mom), but it’s super easy and very rewarding to make your own. As a rule, you’ll need about a tablespoon of seasonings for each cup of salt. When experimenting, make smaller batches, using about a teaspoon of flavorings for a quarter cup of salt (in case the experiment bombs). For the most uniform results, the herbs, garlic, citrus rinds, peppercorns and so forth should be finely chopped, grated, or pounded in a mortar and pestle before blending with salt. Chunky, coarse sea salt is cheap, but melts unevenly both in food and in the mouth. A medium sized coarse or flaked salt is traditional for blends and looks most attractive (nice if you’re making gifts). Table salt can overwhelm seasonings with a flat, metallic tang, and very fine textured sea salts may need an extra boost of flavorings.

Many spices will gain potency if lightly toasted before grinding. I use a dedicated coffee mill for grinding peppercorns, smoked paprika peppers, roasted cumin seed, garam masala, and so forth, but a good blender works well too. Most food processors don’t really work efficiently on small amounts, but if it’s all you’ve got, add a few tablespoons salt to the herbs and grind them together until you get the right consistency.

Lemon Pepper Salt

1 teaspoon white peppercorns
1 teaspoon pink peppercorns
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 cup kosher or medium coarse sea salt
finely grated zest of 2 organic lemons

In a dry frying pan, toast all peppercorns over medium heat to the fragrance point (about 1-2 minutes). In a blender, grind peppercorns with 2 tablespoons salt. Add remaining salt and process until evenly ground, then stir in grated lemon zest. Store in a tightly sealed jar. Makes about 1 cup.

Italian Salt Blend

1 teaspoon toasted white peppercorns
1 cup kosher or medium coarse sea salt
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons stemmed and chopped rosemary
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

In a blender, grind peppercorns with 2 tablespoons salt. Add remaining ingredients and process until evenly ground. Store in a tightly sealed jar. Makes about 1 cup.

French Finishing Salt

1 tablespoon Herbes de Provence *
1 cup sea salt

Blend well and store in a tightly sealed jar. Makes about 1 cup.

If you don’t have Herbes de Provence, make some:

Though the blend is actually of relatively recent origin, making Herbes de Provence involves combining herbs traditionally used in Provencal cookery. Experiment freely to find combos that please your palate; leave out lavender if you don’t care for the flavor, or add other dried herbs. Some folks like to include oregano, parsley and savory, but I think too many ingredients muddle the mix.

Herbes de Provence

Combine 1 tablespoon each of dried lavender blossoms, thyme, rosemary, marjoram, basil, and fennel seed. Stir well to blend and store dry. Crumble with your fingers when adding to sauces, dressings, marinades, soups, etc. Makes about 1/3 cup.

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