It’s still cold, but the sun is so making everything bright. The blossoms are gradually appearing. Yes, the most wonderful moment of the year, the explosion of Spring. I know, asparagus is avalable during the whole year, but the local ones taste different, are more crunchy. Green asparagus is easy to clean. Just remove the … More A simple pasta to celebrate spring
Fresh Brussels sprouts in an Italian supermarket! Who buys them and who eats them here? While I was checking the packages, someone seemed really interested and I explained what they were and how to prepare them. My enthousiasm was probably overwhelming. The ‘someone’ thanked me and disappeared without sprouts. Clean and half 600 grams of … More Brussels sprouts in Italy
In between 4 weeks of laundry (the smell of Laos in Siena;-)) I take a quick look in my new cooking magazines and cook books. My shopping list is extensive and must deliver food for more than a week (occasional guests included). Donna Hay’s last book ‘Basics to brilliance’ is brilliant. The salmon niçoise with … More An extensive shopping list
It was hot in Italy. Fresh salads taste even better in this kind of weather. Start with the dressing. Mix 150 grams of Greek yoghurt with 2 table spoons of lemon juice, 1 spicy little pepper, 2 pickled anchovies, ½ teaspoon of mustard of Dijon, pepper and salt. Add 2 table spoons of chopped mint … More Fennel, cucumber and apple salad with white fish
For 2p chop 4 garlic cloves and 1 spicy little pepper. Fry and add 2 table spoons of dried raisins, 3 table spoons of pine nuts and 8 pickled anchovies. Stir. Add ½ glas of red wine and 4 table spoons of tomato puree, OR, add 2 table spoons of red wine vinegar and 5 … More Old Sicilian recipe, originally called ‘pasta for poor people’
Tomatoes in Italy are so delicious. Semi-ovendried their flavor will be even more intense. I always have tomatoes in stock, and sometimes too much. Rescue them on time : half them, put on baking sheet, add pepper, salt, a pinch of sugar, some dried oregan and put in the oven for 20 mins at 180° … More Tomato risotto
I’m not an expert in discovering eatable plants (although I try;-)), but wild fennel is an easy one with its combination of the typical smell and shape. Walking a few meters outside our living place here in Siena I discovered several little bushes of that fabulous wild herb. The edition of June 2017 of my … More Sardines, tomato, wild fennel and pasta? Real Italian!!!
This is a recipe which I prepare already since years. Serve it as appetizer, or serve the bell pepper without burrata as side dish (with meat, fish, as part of a barbecue buffet). Try to find similar bell peppers in different colors. Halve them and put in an oiled dish or on some baking paper. … More Bell pepper Piemonte with heavenly burrata, yummie…
‘Ottolenghi’ is a must in the library of passionate hobby cooks. The salad with aubergines and a dressing based on saffron is so delicious that I could eat it every week. Start with the dressing. Leave a pinch of saffron in 3 table spoons of hot water for 5 mins at least. Add 180 grams … More Beautiful colors after a wonderful day in the sun.
Start with a Bagna Cauda which probably has many variations. Perfect for sharing. In Torino we tasted the first real bagna cauda which is a dish filled with raw (or sometimes slightly cooked) vegetables and a warm sauce based on anchovies. Since then I serve it regularly as appetizer-first course for wider audience. Try to … More Can it be more italian?
Doc V's Healthy Kitchen 