Posts tagged “italian”

Piquant Tonnato Sauce at Seattle’s Artusi Bar

Tonnato Sauce with Vegetables and Pan-Fried Halibut

A dab of tuna sauce peeked out from underneath a glistening pile of deep red beets. My mouth started watering in anticipation. At Artusi Bar in Seattle, “baby beets with salsa tonnata” tasted as good as it looked. The piquant Mediterranean flavors of tuna, anchovies, and capers were a brilliant ...

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Lime Green Romanesco Broccoli Has Great Flavor

Braised Romanesco Broccoli with Onions and Olives (Cavolfiore Seduto)

Vibrantly lime-green, with florets shaped like spiky Balinese temples whirling around a central core, Romanesco broccoli is an attention-grabber.

When I picked out a head at Saturday’s South Anchorage Farmer’s Market, the queries started immediately: “What’s that?” “What’ll you do with it?” “Is that any good?” Despite my enthusiastic assurances, some ...

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Bagna Càuda (Δύο Συνταγές για Μπάνια Καούντα)

Bagna Cauda

Last night, we had a hot olive oil bath and went to bed happy. We didn’t dive into olive oil; our dinner did.

Bagna Càuda, a specialty of Italy’s Piedmont Region, combines oil with anchovies and garlic to make a hot dip for vegetables and bread. Cooked over low heat, anchovies ...

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Tuscan-style Grilled Steak with Roquefort-Rosemary Butter & Oven-Roasted Potatoes

Steak on the Fire

It’s been snowing off and on for the last few days. In self-defense, we’ve kept a roaring fire going, a not-insignificant accomplishment since we’ve been burning green wood.By Saturday afternoon, we had an impressive bank of coals in the fireplace, just right for grilling thick Tuscan-style steak. We headed out ...

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Andrea Camilleri’s Montalbano with Recipe for Spaghetti with Eggplant and Tomato Sauce (Pasta alla Norma)

Andrea Camilleri

Andrea Camilleri, photograph by Pensiero

(From Greece)

English language books are hard to find on the island.

I carefully select those to bring with us, focusing on books we’ll both enjoy and want to reread. After several years, most books recede far enough into memory that rediscovering them is a pleasure. ...

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How to Harvest and Use Wild Dandelion Greens

Pile o' Dandelions

The dandelions are coming! The dandelions are coming!

Actually, the first dandelions of the season have arrived. They’re still few and far between, but I found enough to make a salad.

Dandelions are at their best in early spring, when their flavor is sweet and mild. As flower buds develop and blossom, ...

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