Tortino con gli Asparagi – Asparagus Flan

Ingredients:

• 1 LB  Asparagus (fresh)
• 2  Eggs
• .5 C   Milk (whole or 2% – use high quality milk as it is a key ingredient)
• 2 TB  Lucini Organic Stravvechio Parmigiano Reggiano
• 2 TB  Lucini Extra Virgin Olive Oil (plus enough to oil your small pan)
• Salt (to taste)
• Nutmeg (just a pinch)
• Breadcrumbs to line the pan

Preparation:

Wash the asparagus spears and trim away the fibrous white section at the bottom with a peeler, then boil in lightly salted water for about 10 minutes, or until they soften but retain some crispness. Remove them to a plate, and, as soon as they’re cool enough to handle cut them into inch-long lengths, setting the tips aside.

Preheat your oven to 375.  Liberally oil a small pan and then coat the insides with the breadcrumbs.

Beat the milk, eggs, nutmeg, oil and grated cheese in a bowl. Pour the mixture into the pan and add the asparagus stalks (they’ll float).  Bake the mixture for about 10 minutes, then add the tips, sprinkling them over the top, and bake for another 20 minutes, or until it has firmed up throughout.  Cool in the pan and then serve warm.

Mustard

Ingredients:

• 4 TB  Mustard Seed
• .25 C  Lucini Pinot Grigio Vinegar
• .25 C  White Wine
• .5 tsp  Salt
• 1 TB   Shallots (optional)
• 2         Allspice Berries (optional)

Preparation:

Combine all of the ingredients, making sure the solids are submerged in the liquids.  Allow to marinate overnight.

Blend well.  Ready to serve.

Cauliflower & Broccoli Pasta

Adapted from Chez Panisse Vegetables

Ingredients:

• 1  Cauliflower (whole head, core removed, quartered and cut into small florets)
• 1  Broccoli bunch (remove bottom of stalks and then cut into small florets and similar sized chunks of soft stalk)
• 2 C       Onion (sliced 1/4 inch, lengthwise)
• 1/4 C  Garlic (chopped fine)
• 1 tsp   Rosemary (fresh, chopped fine)
• 1 TB    Lucini Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 TB    Lucini Fig Balsamic Vinegar
• 2 TB    Lucini Chili-Infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 TB    Golden Raisins
• 1/2 C  Walnuts (toasted)
• 1/4 C  Parsley (chopped fine)
• 1 C       Lucini Organic Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese (grated)
• Salt (sea or kosher)

Preparation:

Boil a large pot of salted water.   Saute the cauliflower and broccoli in olive oil in a large saute pan.  When the cauliflower begins to soften, season with salt and pepper and add the onion.   Saute over medium high heat until the vegetables are brown and tender.   The cauliflower and broccoli should still be slightly crunchy and should not look steamed.  Add the garlic and rosemary and remove from the heat, tossing and stirring so the garlic doesn’t burn; if it starts to brown, add a splash of water.  Add the chili oil, vinegar and the pine nuts.  Taste and correct the seasoning for salt, chili oil and vinegar.  When the pasta is done, drain and add to the cauliflower, adding enough extra-virgin olive oil to coat the pasta thoroughly, then add the parsley and cheese, toss together and serve.

Menestra (Bean Stew)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 LB  Beans (dry, soaked overnight – kidney, black, etc.)
• 2 TB      Lucini Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/2 C    Red Onion (chopped small)
• 1/4 C    Garlic (fresh, minced)
• 1/2 C    Lucini Organic Peeled Tomatoes
• ½ tsp   Paprika  (or achiote)
• 1 tsp     Cumin (ground)
• 2 tsp     Chili Powder
• 4 C        Water
• 2 TB      Cilantro (chopped leaves)
• Salt
• Black Pepper (fresh, ground)

Preparation:

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large saucepan or pot.   Add the diced onions and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes, until you can smell the garlic.  Add the tomatoes, paprika,ground cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper.  Cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the water and bring to a boil.   Add the soaked beans (and enough to cover the beans) and simmer for about 2 hours, until all of the liquid has been reduced.   Mix in the chopped cilantro.

“Healthy” Chicken Wings

Buffalo wings are never going to be a healthy proposition, but this preparation replaces the butter and veg oil with extra-virgin olive oil, limiting the amount of bad fats and aactually adding tocopherols and other anti-oxidants to the equation.

Ingredients:

• 2 LB  Chicken Wings (organic, free-range are highly recommended)
• 2 TB  Lucini Extra-Virgin Olive Oil (plus additional oil for frying the wings)
• 2 TB  Lucini Chili-Infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2-3 TB  Hot Sauce (Frank’s is traditional, but use your favorite)
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
• 1/4 tsp Smoked Paprika
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric

Preparation:

Mix the oils, hot sauce and spices until you have a consistent emulsification.

Heat enough olive oil to come halfway up the sides of a large saucepan or deep fryer and heat to 350 F.  Add the chicken wings in batches (never crowd anything you are frying) and fry, turning, until the wings are golden brown and float in the oil, 7-9 minutes.  Drain well on paper towels.  Add the wings to a bowl, toss with the sauce and allow to sit for a few (3-4) minutes.  Serve with Lucini Delicate Cucumber & Shallot Dressing or your favorite buffalo wing dip.

Lemon-Maple Walnuts

Ingredients:

• 1 C     Walnuts
• 3 TB  Maple syrup
• 1 TB  Lucini Lemon-Infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/8 tsp  salt
  

Preparation:

Cook the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the walnuts, maple syrup and salt.  Stirring the walnuts frequently until syrup is caramelized and the walnuts smell toasted – about 4-5 minutes.  Cool to room temperature and serve.

Salmon with Pomegranate Salsa

I love to prepare healthy fish dishes in the winter, particularly recipes that use fruit (so I can pretend it isn’t freezing outside).  This is one of my favorite fish/fruit preparations and find it is best with salmon, although firm white fish will also work.

Marinated Salmon

Ingredients:

• 1LB     Salmon fillets (4 fillets, preferrably wild salmon, can substitute bass, cod or snapper)
• 2 TB    Lucini Garlic-Infused Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 tsp   Cayenne Pepper (can substitute chili powder or paprika)
• 4 TB    Lime Juice (fresh, can substitute orange juice)
• 1/3 C  White Wine
• Salt
• Black Pepper
• 1 C       Pomegranate arils (seeds)
• 1 TB    Jalapeno Pepper (seeded and chopped small)
• 1/2 C  Yellow Bell Pepper (chopped small, can substitute red or green, but yellow is the best visually)
• 1/4      Onion (chopped small, if you have time, allow the onion to sit for 10 minutes in ice-water, then drain well)
• 1/4 C  Cilantro (fresh leaves, chopped small)
• 2 TB    Lucini Basil-Infused Olive Oil
• 2 TB    Lucini Pinot Grigio White Wine Vinegar
• 3 TB    Lucini Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

Preparation:

Combine the garlic-infused olive oil, garlic, cayenne pepper, 2 TB lime juice, white wine and salt.  Mix well in a bowl large enough to hold the fish.  Add the fish and allow to fish marinate for 1 to 2 hrs.  Meanwhile to prepare the pomegranate salsa — combine the pomegranate,  2 TB lime juice, onion, cilantro, jalapeno peppers, vinegar and basil olive oil.  Add salt, pepper and more lime juice to taste.  Mix the salsa well and let it rest refrigerated until ready to use.  Heat the remaining 3 TB olive oil over medium high heat in a large sauté pan, add the salmon fillets and cook until browned on each side and cooked, about 3-5 minutes per side depending on the thickness of the fillets.   Serve with the pomegranate salsa.

Cacciucco Livornese – Fish Stew (Feast of the Seven Fishes)

The idea here is to use 2 pounds total of a variety of fish, so if you cannot find (or don’t like) one of the fishes below, just replace it with something that works for you.  When preparing a variety of dishes, a great time/effort/stress saver, is to include a stew.

Ingredients:

• 1             Onion (medium, peeled, chopped coarsely, about 3/4 C)
• 3 TB      Garlic (peeled, chopped coarsely)
• 1/4 C    Parsley (remove most of the stems)
• 3 TB      Basil leaves
• 1/2 C    Lucini Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/2 C    dry white wine
• 2 C         Lucini Organic Tuscan Plum Tomatoes (chopped coarsely)
• 2 C         Stock (fish or seafood stock would be optimal, but vegetable and poultry will work as well)
• 2 TB      Lucini Pinot Noir Vinegar
• 1/2 tsp Salt (sea)
• 1/2 LB  Squid (cleaned very well, cut into 1-inch rings, octopus or even shucked clams can substitute)
• 1/2 LB  Swordfish (skin removed, cut into 1-inch cubes)
• 1/2 LB  Shrimp  (shelled – I use U/20)
• 1/4 LB  Scallops
• 1/4 L B Sole (or another firm white fish, cut into 1-inch pieces)
• 2 TB  Lucini Lemon-Infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 TB  Lucini Chili-Infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 8        slices of Bread (1-inch tick, toasted)

Preparation:

Mince the onion, garlic, parsley and basil together.  Heat the oil in a heavy-duty pot and stir in the minced vegetable mixture.  Cook over low heat until the ingredients soften (about 5 minutes).  Raise the heat to high, pour in the wine and cook until reduced by half.  Lower heat and stir in the tomatoes, stock and salt.  When bubbles just begin to appear on the sides of the pot, add the fish and then cook just until the fish turns opaque or whitish looking and flakes easily with a fork, and the shrimp have turned pink.  Meanwhile, toast several slices of bread and rub them with a garlic-infused oil.

Stir in the chili and lemon oils and correct the salt, pepper and vinegar, if necessary.  Once the fish is done, line the bottoms of your bowls with the toasted bread, ladle the cacciucco over them, and serve.

Broccoli Rabe – Broccoli Rapa Strascinati

This Broccoli Rabe preparation is a traditional Italian Christmas side dish.  It is quick & easy to prepare, tasty and colorful.

Ingredients:

• 1 LB    Broccoli Rabe (wash well, trim roots and coarsely chopped)
• 1/4 C  Lucini Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1          Garlic clove (chopped fine)
• 1/4 tsp  Salt
• 1 TB   Lemon Juice (fresh – orange juice can substitute)
• 2 TB   Lucini Chili-Infuse Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2         Anchovies  (rinsed well, dried and chopped fine)

Preparation:

Blanch the rabe in lightly salted boiling water for five minutes.  Drain well and squeeze lightly to dry.   Sauté the garlic in the oil for 1 minute then add the rabe and salt to cook, stirring often, for about 10 minutes.  Season with the lemon juice, chili-infused oil and anchovies (if you are using them) for the final 2 minutes.  Add lemon juice, chili-infused oil, salt and pepper to taste before serving.

Mon Petit Chou Soup

How to make a big batch of green, healthy, starch free, gluten free, sugar free, low fat vegan soup for the cold season.

Ingredients:

• 6 LB        Brussels Sprouts (ends removed, halved)
• 1              Green Bell Pepper (seeded, chopped large)
• 1              Red Onion (chopped, large)
• 6              Garlic cloves (halved)
• 1 1/2 C   Lucini Premium Select Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 1/2 C   Lentils (preferably brown)
• 4oz          Savory (fresh, cut off stem, chopped rough)
• 4oz          Thyme (fresh, leaves removed from stem)
• 4oz          Rosemary (fresh, leaves removed from stem)
• 1 bunch  Italian flat-leaf Parsley (stems removed)
• 1 QT         vegan Stock (if available – if not substitute water)
• 3 QT         Water
• 1 TB          Black Pepper (fresh, cracked)
• 2 TB         Sea Salt
• Chili Pepper (optional, fresh, dried)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 450.  Toss the Brussels in a large roasting pan with 1/2 cup of the Extra Virgin Olive Oil and roast until slightly browned – about 30 min.

Heat 1/4 cup of the Extra Virgin Olive Oil in large stock pot on high heat.  Add the garlic, onion and bell pepper and cook until just soft.  Add the herbs and parsley (you can substitute any other fresh herbs you choose, but dried herbs will be overpowering) and stir well.  Add the roasted Brussels Sprouts, approx 2 tbs sea salt and 1 tbs cracked pepper.  Stir well.  Add the lentils, stock and water.  Stir again.  Add the chili pepper (if desired).

Bring to a rapid boil.  Cover and reduce the heat to simmer.  Cook for approximately 35 min (stirring often) until the sprouts are very soft (upon test).  Taste, and adjust for seasoning, if necessary.

Use immersion blender to process into a smooth soup.  Allow to cool to a safe-to-eat temperature, then serve warm.