Chef2Chef Recipe Club Member Forum: http://forums.chef2chef.net -------------------------------------------------- Hello Recipe Club, If you are loving these recipes as much as I am, don't forget to send in your email address to win a free autographed copy of Anna Maria Volpi's cookbook, The Timeless Art of Italian Cuisine, Centuries of Scrumptious Dining. Send me your email here: dnelson@chef2chef.net?Subject=rc-drawing No marriage proposals…please! Under the Sign of the Lily - The food of Tuscany With its enchanted landscapes and rolling hills Tuscany is the Italian region in every foreigner's dreams. During the Renaissance, this magic land gave birth to some of the most influential characters in Western civilization. These include Amerigo Vespucci, the navigator who gave America its name; Leonardo; Michelangelo; Lorenzo de' Medici "The Magnificent"; Brunelleschi; Galileo; and Dante, to mention only a few. After the year 1000 the northern Italian cities became the center of production and commercial power. The food of the time was simple and meager; dishes were based on grains or chestnuts, and were merely flavored with herbs: breads such as focaccia, and Pane Ramerino (bread with rosemary) come from those times. At the end of the twelfth century Florence grew to be independent and the most powerful city of Tuscany. The lily became the symbol of Florence and its supremacy. Towards the middle of the 1300s, economic recovery set the basis for the supremacy that the gastronomy of Tuscany and Florence would hold for the first few centuries that followed. Lorenzo "The Magnificent," succeeded his father at age twenty. He ruled Florence with great determination and liberalism. Lorenzo surrounded himself with a large court of painters, artists, architects, writers, and poets, and made Florence the liveliest center of the time. He was also an enthusiast of good food, and a good cook himself. Lorenzo's death in 1492 ended an era—on the same year as the discovery of America, which would bring so many changes to the gastronomy of the West. A lesser-known figure of the Renaissance, Caterina de' Medici (niece of Lorenzo), unwillingly became one of the most influential people in culinary history. In 1533, at age fourteen, she was married to Henry of Orlčans, the future king of France. Her life was difficult because Henry married her only because he was forced by political reasons. Only after the death of Henry was she able to affirm her abilities as a strong ruler and wise politician. When she moved to France, a crowd of friends, servants, and waiters accompanied her. The Florentine cooks who went with her brought the secrets of Italian cooking to France, including peas and beans, artichokes, duck in orange (canard a l'orange), and carabaccia (onion soup). But especially the pastry makers demonstrated their innovative genius with sorbets and ice creams, marmalades, fruits in syrup, pastry making, and pasta. Everyone in France was amazed by the Florentine elegance Caterina introduced: gracious table setting and dining, embroidery and handkerchiefs, light perfumes and fine lingerie, as well as luxurious silverware and glasses. The French were also introduced to the new protocol of the table and the rules for good conduct, one area in which Florence far surpassed the rest of Europe. Caterina introduced to France the use of the fork. At that time, French cooking already was a rich discipline, and the presence of the new style profoundly influenced French cuisine for the next centuries. The French cooks improved and magnified the Florentine contribution, and made them into an international cuisine. With the decadence of the Medici family, the Grand Duchy of Tuscany slowly faded away. From 1865 to 1871, Florence was the capital of Italy. Florentine cuisine in those years seems to have forgotten the Tuscan way of cooking; the official dinners only proposed French dishes and wines. French cuisine dominated in Italy and added a lot to the language of cooking. Many French words remained in everyday use, such as menů, dessert, and buffet, just to mention a few. The French also brought back to Italy many dishes of the grand cuisine that originated in Italy, were taken to France by Caterina de' Medici, but had fallen into disuse—for example, the bčchamel (balsamella) and crepes (crespelle). But while French cooking dominated official cuisine, the taste for genuine Tuscan cooking was kept alive in more modest environments. The strong traditions of Tuscan cooking soon made a great comeback, thanks to many gourmets who used the antique flavors, followed the old recipes, and treasured the genuine, gastronomic dishes of Tuscany. Tuscan cooking today is characterized by simple food, not covered in heavy sauces. Cooking is done with olive oil. Beans are a staple. Sage, rosemary, thyme, and marjoram are popular herbs. -------------------------------------------------- BIG NEWS, I've just been told that Signature Secrets Culinary Thickener is now available at the King Arthur Flour, Bakers Catalogue site, packaged in 8 ounce containers for consumers! And it's only $3.95! Use this link and use what the chefs' use! Click Here http://www.kingarthurflour.com/cgibin/start/catalogue/linkin3.html?whichprod=2808~ -------------------------------------------------- Pasta e fagioli Bean Soup serves 4 11 oz (approximately 300 gr.) dry Borlotti beans 1 quarter gallon (approximately 1 liter) water 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 oz (60 gr.) un-smoked bacon, finely chopped 1 medium onion, finely diced 1 stick of celery, finely diced 4 oz (100 gr.) carrots, finely chopped 2 tablespoons fresh ripe tomatoes finely diced, or tomato sauce 2 cups homemade broth, or one bouillon cube dissolved in 2 cups warm water Salt and pepper 5 oz. (150 gr.) short ditali pasta, or spaghetti broken in 1/2-inch (1-2 cm) pieces Clean and wash the beans the night before, place them in a container and cover with fresh water. Leave the beans in the water overnight. Drain the beans the next day when you are ready to cook. In a stockpot put water and beans and boil for about 20 minutes or until the beans are tender. Put in a stockpot the extra-virgin olive oil, and turn the heat to medium. Add the bacon, onion, celery, carrot and sauté for 2 or 3 minutes, until the onion becomes soft. Stir in the tomato. Mash approximately one third of the beans using a potato masher. Add the beans with their cooking water, the broth and bring to boil. Salt lightly and add pepper to taste. Cook for about 15 minutes, until the ingredients are well blended. Add the pasta and cook for the time indicated by the manufacturer, but taste frequently until pasta is al dente, (firm but not too soft or overcooked). Adjust the salt if necessary. Place the soup in a bowl or single serving dishes. Add 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil on the soup if desired. Serve warm. -------------------------------------------------- Recipe Club, Get your own Holiday Presents at Chef2Chef.net GatewayGourmet, we would like to offer you the opportunity to win 6 pucks (1.5 oz containers) of More Than Gourmet's Classic Stock Reductions. 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U.S. residents only. http://html.chef2chef.net/goto.php?id=242 -------------------------------------------------- Arrosto di Maiale alle Erbe Pork Roast with Herbs Serves 6 1 garlic clove, finely diced 2 tablespoons rosemary leaves, finely chopped 3-4 sage leaves, finely chopped 1 tablespoons thyme leaves, finely chopped 2 cloves, ground salt and pepper 2 lb. (approximately 1 kilogram) pork roast 4 - 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 cup dry white wine 1/2 tablespoons corn starch Mix garlic, rosemary leaves, sage, thyme, cloves, salt and pepper. With a sharp knife make some incisions on the meat and fill with the herbs. Rub the surface of the meat with the rest of the herb mix. Tie the meat piece together with a kitchen rope. In a saucepan of adequate size put the extra-virgin olive oil and turn heat to medium. When the oil is hot, place the meat in the pan and brown lightly on all sides for few minutes. Add wine, turn the heat to high, and when the wine is evaporated, add ½ cup water or broth. Cover and simmer on moderate heat for about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Occasionally turn the meat to cook on all sides and add a little warm water or broth if necessary. Remove the meat from the pan. In a small bowl mix together the corn starch and 2-3 tablespoons water. Add the cornstarch mixture to the pan, scraping the bottom to incorporate the gravy. Stir and cook until thicker. Cool the meat at room temperature, slice and serve dressed with the warm sauce. -------------------------------------------------- Venison America Premier Supplier of American Farm-Raised Gourmet Game and Specialty Food. http://html.chef2chef.net/goto.php?id=149 -------------------------------------------------- Fagioli all'Uccelletto Sauté Beans with Sage Serves 4 1 lb (450 gr.) dry "cannellini" beans 4-5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 garlic cloves, crushed whole 5-6 sage leaves Salt and pepper 4 oz. (115 gr.) fresh peeled ripe tomatoes, diced Clean and wash the beans the night before, place them in a container and cover with fresh water. Leave the beans in the water overnight. Drain the beans the next day when you are ready to cook. In a stockpot put water and beans and boil for about 20 minutes, or until the beans are tender. Drain the beans and reserve. Put in a skillet the extra-virgin olive oil and turn the heat to medium. Add garlic and sage and sauté until the garlic will start coloring to a very pale brown. Add the beans, salt and pepper. Sauté on low heat for about 2-3 minutes then add the tomatoes. Cook uncovered on low heat for about 20 minutes, or until the beans are tender and the sauce thicker. Stir occasionally adding a small quantity of water if necessary. -------------------------------------------------- QUESTIONS, Comments, Technical Support: http://forums.chef2chef.net |
