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Chef2Chef Recipe Club - Volume 4 Issue 81 - April 21, 2003 Chef2Chef Recipe Club Member Forum: http://forums.chef2chef.net Un/Subscribe: Un/Subscribe: http://chef2chef.net/news/subscribe.htm -------------------------------------------------- Hello Recipe Club, This week we get a rare treat from Italian Chef Giovanni Astronomo. Born and raised in Italy, he'll give us a "Virtual Tour of Italy" First a short introduction from Chef Giovanni and then your first day of the tour. Buon Appetito! -------------------------------------------------- My name is Giovanni Astronomo and I am originally from Naples Italy. I have been residing in the States for the last 9 years. I have worked in Italy, Spain, Brazil, California, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. I have had the privilege and the honor of cooking for many famous people such as the late King Hussein of Jordan, and many actors. I am a graduate of the University of Culinary Arts of Naples, I have a B.A. in Culinary and a minor in History. My affair with cooking started back when I was 8 years old, when my mom Pasqualina taught me how to make chicken soup on a cold winter night. Since then I have developed an obsessive passion for "traditional" Italian food and dishes that go all the way back to the Medieval times. All my menus bear both the Italian name of the dish as well as the English translation. So, I hope that you enjoy this virtual journey, I'll try to make it as authentic as if your were actually there....it'll be like going to Italy without paying for the airfare. Buon Appetito! Sincerely, Giovanni Astronomo -------------------------------------------------- Interested in having New York's most popular chefs and wine connoisseurs enlighten you about their passion of the culinary world? With informative articles, innovative recipes and tricks of the trade revealed, your kitchen will become a gastronomic feast that will impress all. Explore http://www.exclusivelygourmet.com to see for yourself and enter the world of culinary delight. Note: I've seen both the print and online version of this magazine. There is a special offer on the above link, buy 1 year and get another one for free. You will receive two years of the printed version for only $15 and the online version is only $6. Both include an e-book with over 80 recipes that is worth the subscription price alone! -------------------------------------------------- Today's menu comes from the great region of Piemonte or Piedimont. The capital of Piedimont, Turin, has a long and honorable gastronomic tradition. It remains one of the few Italian cities where the population still seems to find enough time to sit in cafés during the afternoon or before heading home from work, nibbling on sweets and sipping on an espresso.This region is well known for its truffles, which grow spontaneously in the clay soil and only the most experienced truffle hunter will succeed in finding it since there are no clues to its presence. The Alpine slopes, by which three sides of the region are bounded, fertile plains between the Dora Baltea and the Dora Riparia and between the Po and Tanaro rivers, ensure an aboundance of meat and game. A meal worthy of the name of this region should end with a dessert of the same quality, my favorite, as well as one of the specialties created in the golden environment of the Court of Savoy is the Zabaglione and other custards. The wines of Piedimont, noble by origin and tradition, are worthy of a book in themselves.Barbera, from the valley of Tignone near Asti, is a strong red wine particularly great with roasts and red meat in general. Then there is Barolo, another excellent wine produced in the region of Langhe, is also great with roasts and or with veal. We have Nebbiolo whose name comes from "Nebbia" meaning fog is my favorite for game. The sparkling wines from Asti would require a chapter of their own, since most people know that vermouth was invented in Piedimont. So go ahead and savour a typical Piedimontese meal. Alla vostra salute "To your Health". Minestrone D'Asti ( Vegetable Soup Asti Style) Filetti Di Tacchino Al Marsala ( Turkey Breast in Marsala Sauce) Spinaci Alla Piemontese ( Spinach Piedimontese Style) Zabaglione ( Egg Custard) -------------------------------------------------- Culinaryhost.com offers those in the culinary industry an affordable solution for hosting their website! Culinaryhost.com offers a fantastic website hosting package for $12.95 per month which includes 10 email accounts, FREE monthly search engine submissions, plenty of website space and great support! Put your website in the hands of experts in your industry! Host with the best, Culinaryhost.com! For more information please visit http://www.html.chef2chef.net/goto.php?id=322 ! -------------------------------------------------- Minestrone D'Asti Ingredients: 1/2 lb of white beans soaked overnight covered in water 4 quarts of water 1small cabbage, shredded 2 medium sized potatoes, peeled and diced 1 carrot, diced 2 stalks of celery, chopped 4 oz of pancetta or lean bacon, diced 2 cloves of garlic, minced 1/2 lb Ditalini 3-4 sprigs of parlsley, finely chopped 1 cup parmesan cheese salt and white pepper to taste Procedure: Ditalini, are thimble shaped noodles. Put the beans in a large pan, cover with the water, bring to a boil and cook them slowly for 1 hour. Add the cabbage, potatoes, carrots, celery and salt. Continue to cook for another 40 minutes. Add the ditalini and cook for 8 minutes. Meantime pound the pancetta or the bacon to a paste with the garlic, parsley and basil, using a food processor, the more traditional mortar and pestle or the famous "Mezzaluna", add the grated cheese, and dilute it with a little stock. Pour the mixture into the soup, stir well, season with a little freshly ground white pepper and serve immediately. Serves 4 to 6 -------------------------------------------------- Filetto Di Tacchino con Marsala 4 Turkey fillets cut from the breast, pounded (See note below) flour 4 oz butter 2 leaves of fresh sage 1 cup Marsala wine 1 white truffle, sliced paper thin (Optional) salt and pepper Note: An 8 lb Turkey breast will give you 8/10 good sizes fillets so you can use half and freeze the other for nex time you want to make this again. Season the fillets with salt and pepper, and dredge them lightly in flour shaking off the excess. Heat 3 Tablespoons of the butter in a skillet and brown the fillet gently on both sides. Take care not to keep the flame too high or the butter will burn. Cook the fillets for 5 minutes on each sides, then transfer to a heated serving dish. Keep warm in oven. Stir 2 tablespoons of the butter in the pan, scraping the bottom and add the sage, then add the Marsala wine. Stir well, add the remaining butter, stir and cook until all of the butter as been incorporated into the Marsala. Check for salt & pepper. Pour the sauce over the fillets and sprinkle with truffles if using. As a wine I suggest a Fresa from Piedimont, failing this, a young Riesling will do. Serves 4 -------------------------------------------------- Sign up for a FREE Subscription to Food Arts Magazine. The Magazine for the Foodservice and Hospitality Industry. U.S. residents only. Click Here: http://html.chef2chef.net/goto.php?id=242 -------------------------------------------------- Spinaci Alla Piemontese 2 lb spinach salt & pepper 2 tbsp butter 2 anchovie fillets 1 clove of garlic Parmesan cheese to taste. Wash the spinach carefully, tear off the leaves from the rib, heat up the butter on medium heat add the clove of garlic and the anchovie fillets. Sauté for a minute then add the spinach, cover and cook until tender and wilted. Serve sprinkled with parmesan cheese. Serves 4 -------------------------------------------------- Athens Foods is the world's largest producer of fillo dough and fillo products. We produce more fillo than anyone, everyday, all over the world! With over 40 years of experience in perfecting the fillo dough process, we are committed to continually creating new recipes and fillo appetizers, desserts and delicacies. Athens creates the highest quality, most flavorful and easiest to use fillo dough pastry sheets in the world. Athens® and Apollo® products include Fillo Dough, Mini Fillo Shells, Baklava, and new Ready to Go Fillo Dough for chefs and home cooks. http://html.chef2chef.net/goto.php?id=121 -------------------------------------------------- Zabaglione Zabaglione is surely the most famous of all Italian puddings. It is served in glasses either hot or cold, and eaten with a spoon. Zabaglione requires no recipe. For each egg yolk you will need about 1 tablespoon of sugar and 2 tablespoon of Marsala. Put these in a double boiler and beat until well blended. Make sure that the boiling water does not touch the bottom of the pan. Keep on beating unti the zabaglione is thick, light and fluffy. it may be flavored with liqueurs, I suggest Grand Marnier and a little grated orange zest! -------------------------------------------------- QUESTIONS, Comments, Technical Support: http://forums.chef2chef.net |