This dish has just a few ingredients and is perfect for summer barbecues or to take along to a get-together. Some years ago I recall going to a potluck brunch and tasting this Orecchiette with Spicy Sausage and Broccoli Rabe. It was delicious and I immediately asked who made the dish! One of the women in attendance said she prepared the dish and that she found the recipe in Giada De Laurentiis new cookbook, Everyday Italian. As soon as I left the party I went straight to Barnes & Nobles and I got myself a copy of her book. I have been making it ever since.

It’s a perfect dish for entertaining because it’s great when served hot and just as delicious at room temperature.

Cook’s notes: When making this Orecchiette with Spicy Sausage and Broccoli Rabe I recommend cutting the broccoli stalks lengthwise into one inches pieces. Cut the larger stalks into halves or quarters to keep them delicate.

Use a good quality extra virgin olive oil and the freshest Parmigiano Reggianoano cheese you can find. I shave mine over the top of the hot pasta so that it melts just a bit. For those of you who wish to skip the pork, you can substitute spicy turkey sausage.

I hope you enjoy this Orecchiette with Spicy Sausage and Broccoli Rabe recipe and that your guests love it! Happy Summer!!

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Orecchiette with Spicy Sausage and Broccoli Rabe

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Author My Global Cuisine (Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis)

Ingredients

• 2 cups of broccoli rabe approximately one big bunch, stalks trimmed and quartered crosswise 2 inches piece size
• 13 ounces or 376g dried orecchiette pasta or other small shaped pasta
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 pound spicy pork sausage casings removed
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• Pinch of dried crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the broccoli rabe and cook until crip-tender, about 1 minute. Strain the broccoli rabe with a slotted spoon or spatula, reserving all the cooking liquid. Place the broccoli rabe inside a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking process and set aside. Cook the orecchiette in the same pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, al dente, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes or according to the package instructions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
• Meanwhile, in a large, heavy skillet, heat the oil over a medium flame. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until the sausage is brown and juices form, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove the broccoli rabe from the cold water, add to the skillet and toss to coat. Add the pasta and enough reserved cooking liquid, about 1/4 cup and stir to moisten. Stir the Parmesan cheese, salt to taste, and pepper into the pasta mixture. Transfer to pasta bowls and serve. Enjoy!

Your comments mean a lot to me. If you made any of my recipes or are considering making them, please leave a comment bellow. Please choose a star rating too. Thank you. Carla!

The post Orecchiette with Spicy Sausage and Broccoli Rabe appeared first on My Global Cuisine.

Italians living along the coast have a bountiful variety of seafood available to prepare their meals. It is not uncommon for them to include seafood in an appetizer, an antipasto, and an entree.  I love this Pasta al Pomodoro with Shrimp for its versatility. It has a short list of ingredients, and you can easily substitute virtually any and all available fresh seafood. I prepared this Pasta al Pomodoro with Shrimp, but feel free to get your Italian on and experiment!

Italians regularly grow their own vegetables, forage for mushrooms, and visit local markets to obtain fresh meats, seafood, and vegetables. They are experts at taking a basic recipe and making it special by using whatever ingredients are seasonal and fresh. The secret to success, as with all Italian cooking, is to prepare the dish with the best ingredients possible.  A quick walk around any town in Italy will quickly reveal a few things. Italians love their food, they eat pasta virtually every day, and they are fit! Given the low-carb craze in the US, I often wonder how this is possible. While there are many theories here, my observations tell me that they eat their pasta mainly at lunch which permits the body to use that energy when it’s active. Breakfast and dinner are much smaller meals, so the body is mainly living off calories consumed during the afternoon siesta.

Feel free to try the Italian method of staying slim, or if you are eating the dish in the evening, you could even substitute carrot or zucchini pasta to keep it low-carb and light.

To begin the dish, prepare the sauce as directed. Then, boil the pasta ensuring it is a minute prior to al-dente when complete. This will allow you to finish cooking the pasta in the sauce and for it to absorb the flavor. Saute the shrimp in olive oil, garlic and a pinch of salt. Don’t overcrowd the pan as the shrimp will steam as opposed to fry. Use a very large skillet leaving room to add the sauce and pasta later.

Cook’s notes: If you are a garlic lover feel free to add extra garlic to the shrimp and pomodoro sauce or red pepper flakes for more heat!

When the pasta is almost complete, add some sauce to the pan with the shrimp.

Drain the pasta reserving 1/2 cup of the liquid to add as needed to the sauce. Mix the pasta into the pan and add a splash of white wine or the pasta water until sauce is at desired consistency.

Garnish and serve.

I hope you love this Pasta al Pomodoro with Shrimp as much as I do. Enjoy!

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Pasta al Pomodoro with Shrimp

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 4 servings

Author My Global Cuisine

Ingredients

• GARLIC PASTE - OPTIONAL
• 2 big heads of fresh garlic or 3 small ones 1 ounce extra virgin olive oil, 1 Tbsp salt
• **********************************
• SUGO AL POMODORO SAUCE
• 4 cups cherry or grape tomatoes cut in half
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 6-7 slivered or minced garlic cloves or 2-3 teaspoons garlic paste
• 1/8 tsp to 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes or Italian Peperoncino
• 1 splash or 2 tablespoons white wine or fish stock
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 small bunch approx 4 Tbsp fresh basil chopped julienned
• **********************
• FOR THE SHRIMP
• 1 pound extra large shrimp cleaned tails on
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 6-8 cloves of garlic peeled and lightly crushed or 3 teaspoons garlic paste
• salt and pepper to taste
• ***********************
• PASTA: 1 LB Spaghetti or linguine

Instructions

• FOR THE GARLIC PASTE
• Peel the garlic heads. Add to a blender with the extra virgin olive oil and blend it until it becomes a paste. Add the salt. Blend it for a second. Remove from the blender and store inside a covered glass container. The garlic paste can be refrigerated for up to 3 weeks.
• ********************************************************************************
• FOR THE SUGO AL POMODORO - TOMATO SAUCE
• In a sauce pan, on a low fire heat up the olive oil.
• Add garlic and red pepper flakes. Sauté until garlic becomes fragrant, about 15 seconds.
• Add tomatoes and stir. Bring to a boil. Bring fire to a medium and cook for 15 minutes stirring from time to time. After 15 minutes add a splash of white wine or fish stock. Cook for a minute or two. Add sugar, salt. Stir. Add basil and turn off fire. Let basil sit in the sauce in order to infuse with the tomato flavor.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta until al dente. Follow package instructions for accurate cooking times and remember to remove pasta a minute prior to become al dente in order for the pasta to finish cooking in the sauce.
• ***********************************************************************************
• FOR THE SHRIMP
• Bring a large skillet to a medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons olive oil. Add 3-4 garlic cloves or 3 teaspoons garlic paste. Sauté the garlic until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add half of the shrimp. Do not overcrowd the pan. Cook the shrimp for 1 and half minute. Turn shrimp and cook for another minute and a half. Remove shrimp from pan and transfer to a plate.
• Discard the garlic cloves and oil, and add another 3 tablespoons of oil to the skillet. Add the remaining garlic, cook until fragrant and add the remaining shrimp and cook again for a minute and half on each side. Add a pinch of salt and some extra red pepper flakes for more heat to taste.
• Add desired amount of tomato sauce to the skillet, desired amount of pasta and cook the pasta in the sauce with the shrimp for another minute. Add extra basil and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Your comments mean a lot to me. If you made any of my recipes or are considering making them, please leave a comment bellow. Please choose a star rating too. Thank you. Carla!

The post Pasta al Pomodoro with Shrimp appeared first on My Global Cuisine.

My friend Laura Kennedy is a fantastic cook. I used to stop by her house on my way out to the Hamptons. It made a great pit stop after been on the road for two hours. One time I stopped by her house on my way back to the city. It was lunch time and I was starving. She asked if I was hungry, opened up her freezer and started to pull stuff out. Within minutes she served me this delicious Chili Con Carne. I couldn’t believe that something that just came out of the freezer tasted that good. Imagine how it tasted when was just made. I had to have the recipe. Laura graciously agreed to share her wonderful recipe and I have been making it ever since.

Like her, I always make enough Chili Con Carne so that there are some leftovers to freeze for those nights that I don’t feel like cooking, or just don’t have the time to do so.

Everyone loves this recipe, adults, children alike. I often serve this Chili Con Carne at Super Bowl parties and it is always a big hit.  Try this recipe at your Super Bowl party, or make it as a week night meal and don’t forget to freeze the leftovers for the next time guests drop in unexpectedly.

Enjoy!

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Chili Con Carne

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 50 minutes minutes

Servings 8 -10 servings

Author My Global Cuisine

Ingredients

• 3-4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 package 12 ounces 340g beef smoked (Kielbasa) sausage diced into quarter pieces
• 3 pounds ground beef
• 2 medium yellow onions chopped
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 1 tablespoom raspberry jam or strawberry jam
• 1 28- ounce can 794g crushed tomatoes
• 1 28- ounce can 794g diced tomatoes drained
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2-3 cups beef broth
• 1 28- ounce can 794g red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 11- ounce can 312g sweet corn, rinsed and drained
• 1 large bay leaf or 2 small ones
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon thinly sliced scallion for garnish optional
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro for garnish optional

Instructions

• In a Dutch oven over medium heat, add one tablespoon of oil. Add sausage and saute until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Drain on paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Increase the heat to medium high, add the beef and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel lined bowl using a slotted spoon. Discard the remaining liquid; wipe out the pan. Heat 2 tbsp of oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic saute for 30 seconds. Add the beef back to pan and mix well with the onion and garlic. Add the chili powder and stir. Add the cumin, oregano and jam. Continue to stir. Add the sausage back to the pot and stir. Add the tomato sauces. Mix well then add one and a half cup beef broth. Stir well together and bring to a boil. You can start with one cup and a half first of the broth first, and add more as needed.
• Turn heat to low. Cover pot and cook over low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. After 30 minutes, uncover the pot and add beans, corn and another half cup of beef broth if the chili is too thick. Cook for another 30 minutes stirring occasionally.
• Taste the chili and add the salt and pepper. Ladle chili into bowls and garnish with cilantro and scallions if using it.
• Serve with grated cheese, sour cream, tabasco, guacamole and chips. Can also be served over rice or pasta. Enjoy!

Your comments mean a lot to me. If you made any of my recipes or are considering making them, please leave a comment below. Please choose a star rating too. Thank you!

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I was first introduced to Chicken Adobo by my Filipino friends Linda and Citas. I was studying in Amsterdam at the time and they invited me to dinner at their place. It was love at first bight! This became my favorite home cooked meal and one that was affordable on a students budget. Of course, the problem I had it at the time was to decide which Chicken Adobo was better, Linda’s or Citas.

Linda made her Chicken Adobo with onions and garlic while Citas added only garlic to hers. They both tasted equally good to me, but both Linda and Citas claimed their version was superior and this became the topic of discussion many evenings. I, on the other hand, was just happy to enjoy a homemade meal and the company of two wonderful friends. Naturally, I stayed out of this culinary debate and maintained that both dishes were excellent!

Linda and Citas also introduced me to a number of other Filipino dishes as well as some from Thailand and China. I learned a lot from them at the time since they were both great cooks. They taught me the importance of cooking with love and just this eventually led to my career as a chef.

Here are the steps to this wonderful dish!

Begin by adding all the ingredients to a Dutch oven or large saucepan and let it marinate for at least an hour. Here you can see the ingredients in the pot ready for stewing.

While the chicken is cooking chop the garlic and the scallions as shown.

As the chicken is boiling, turn once being careful not to break up the chicken pieces. I recommend using two spatulas as shown.

After 45 minutes, In a large skillet, add the oil and gently fry the garlic until fragrant, for about 15 seconds. Transfer the chicken pieces to the skillet and fry in the garlic oil turning once for about a minute on each side. Transfer the gravy to the skillet and bring to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes, turning once.

Here is the dish braised and ready to be served.

On my left, my Filipino friend Linda, and on my right, my friend Citas. We have been best friends forever!

This Chicken Adobo dish brings me back so many wonderful memories. I think time spent around the dinner table in the company of wonderful friends and family is the best. I hope you enjoy making this Chicken Adobo, and that it becomes a staple at your dinner table. The beautiful thing about this dish is that only requires a few ingredients, and most of them are probably already in your pantry.

Enjoy!

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Chicken Adobo

Course Entree

Cuisine Filipino

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 4 -6

Author My Global Cuisine

Ingredients

• 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
• 4 bone-in skin-on chicken drumsticks
• 1 medium sweet yellow onion sliced
• 8-10 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 5 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 cup water
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 1/2 teaspoons black peppercorns
• 3-4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon scallion finely sliced (garnish, optional)
• Steamed jasmine rice for serving

Instructions

• In a Dutch oven, add the all the ingredients, except the garlic and vegetable oil. Mix ingredients together and let sit at room temperature for at least an hour. After one hour or more, turn on the fire and bring the chicken to a boil. Stew on low fire for about 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat up the oil, add the chopped garlic and cook on a low fire until the garlic is fragrant for about 15 seconds. Then add the chicken and fry in the garlic oil mixture for about a minute. Turn the chicken pieces over and fry for another minute ensuring the chicken is coated with the garlic and oil mixture.
• Remove remaining liquid from the Dutch oven, and add to the frying pan to deglaze. Bring the fire up to high and cook for approximately 5 minutes. For a thicker sauce, cook for another 5 minutes.
• Serve the chicken with steamed jasmine rice, and garnish with the scallions.
• How to cook Jasmine Rice: Rinse rice thoroughly in 2-3 changes of water. Drain. For softer rice, use 1 cup rice to 1 3/4 cups of water; for firmer rice, use 1 cup rice to 1 1/4 cup water.
• Chef's Notes: Filipinos make this dish with white vinegar. I prefer the taste of balsamic vinegar instead. It's a bit sweeter and it balances the flavor of the dish better than white vinegar.

Chef’s Notes: When making this recipe, I like to let the kitchen marinate in the sauce outside the refrigerator at least an hour. This way it won’t release any water during cooking. Cold meats release water during cooking, which can make the meat tough.

Filipinos make this dish with white vinegar. I prefer the taste of balsamic vinegar. It’s a bit sweeter and I believe it balances the flavor of the dish better than the white vinegar.

You can also use a whole fryer cut up for this recipe.

YOUR COMMENTS MEAN A LOT TO ME. IF YOU MADE ANY OF MY RECIPES OR ARE CONSIDERING MAKING THEM, PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW. PLEASE CHOOSE A STAR RATING TOO. THANK YOU!

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As the holiday season approaches, I am sure you have just one question on your mind. What to serve with all those amazing entrees. For every entree you create you will need a nice dish to serve alongside, and these Roasted Asparagus and Mixed Mushrooms are the perfect choice. They are healthy and light, and taste delicious. The flavor of the vegetables is enhanced by the high heat of the oven which caramelizes the natural sugars in the vegetables creating a taste that is impossible to match when steaming or boiling. It’s my go-to side dish during Thanksgiving and Christmas. I have served this dish many times to my family and friends, and they all love it!

If you are looking for something to go along with your holiday turkey or ham, try serving these Roasted Asparagus and Mixed Mushrooms alongside my Tuscan Herbed Potatoes. Have the guests bring dessert, or make a French Yogurt Cake with Marmalade and you can be virtually done before the first guest walks through the door.  You can find the other recipes mentioned on my blog in the side dish and desert sections .

These Roasted Asparagus and Mixed Mushrooms can also be served alongside beef or pork tenderloin, turkey, or lamb making this dish the ‘swiss-army knife’ of side dishes.

Enjoy!

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Roasted Asparagus and Mixed Mushrooms

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 10 servings

Author My Global Cuisine

Ingredients

• 2 pounds fresh asparagus trimmed
• 1 pound mixed fresh mushrooms such as button, shiitake and/or crimini, and oyster cut in half
• 3 large cloves fresh garlic sliced thinly
• 1/2 Tsp salt
• 1/2 Tsp black pepper
• 1 Tbsp butter melted
• 1 Tbsp extra virgen olive oil
• 1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley - optional

Instructions

• Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Arrange asparagus and mushrooms on aluminum foil-lined 15X10X1-inch baking pan. Sprinkle garlic, salt and pepper on top. Drizzle melted butter with olive oil over vegetables.
• Bake, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender and lightly browned.
• Remove from oven.
• Transfer the vegetables to a serving dish and sprinkle the parsley on top, if using it.
• Serve immediately.
• Enjoy!
• Recipe adapted from Land O Lakes Recipe Collection

The post Roasted Asparagus and Mixed Mushrooms appeared first on My Global Cuisine.

Caribbean Curried Chicken is a popular take-out dish served at restaurants throughout Trinidad, Guyana and Surinam. It is sometimes served with rice but more commonly served with Roti. Roti (also known as chapati) is a flatbread originating from the India. These countries all have culinary traditions rooted in cuisine India, China and Creole thanks to the many immigrants who have come to the countries over the years.  I have eaten Caribbean Curried Chicken at restaurants in Trinidad and Surinamese restaurants in Amsterdam. Surinamese restaurants are popular in Amsterdam and were responsible for providing delivery services long before take out and delivery was popularized. Prior to becoming an independent state in 1975, Suriname was ruled by the Netherlands and as a result, many Surinamese people migrated to The Netherlands.Suriname is is located between Guyana and French Guiana on the North coast of South America. It is considered to be a culturally Caribbean country, and is a member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

I have always loved this dish and longed to cook it at home. As it turns out, finding the right balance or curry powders, and liquid in the stew was not an easy task. Although a good curry powder will enhance the flavor of any dish, finding the right balance of spices takes practice. As the origins of this dish are ancient, many recipes out there fail to give you the exact quantities, and as a result you ended up with either a bland or overly spicy stew. It took me some time to perfect the right balance between the spices and liquids, but I’m so glad I did so I could pass along this knowledge to you. I am sure you will find this a delicious curry dish, that will remain in your family for generations to come.

This Caribbean Curried Chicken is also a perfect dish for entertaining  because you can make it in advance and heat it up when company arrives. Just be careful to not over cook the potatoes and carrots. I usually turn off the fire 10 minutes prior to finish cooking, and then cook for another 10 minutes right before serving it. In some caribbean islands they serve this Caribbean Curried Chicken with potato roti or rice and toppings such as shredded coconut. I prefer mine with hot white rice since there are already potatoes in the stew.

Here are some of the steps I took it to make this Caribbean Curried Chicken.

I chopped the onions on widely slices and the rest of the ingredients finely chopped.

I sear the chicken to seal in moisture and release chicken flavor into the pan, where it can be deglazed and incorporated into the stew. Just make sure that you dry the chicken in paper towels prior to sear in order to avoid splattering over the stove or you.

The final result. A beautiful chicken stew that will be sure to satisfy your tummy and your guests. Enjoy!

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Caribbean Curried Chicken

Course Main Course

Cuisine Caribbean

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Servings 8 servings

Author My Global Cuisine

Ingredients

• 1 lemon squeezed
• 2 Tsp of salt
• 1 Tsp of pepper
• 1 5- pound chicken cut out or 6 chicken thighs and 6 drumsticks
• 3 Tbs of canola oil
• 1 large onion thick sliced
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 3 cups low-salt chicken broth
• 1/4 cup curry powder
• 1 cup chopped thinly sliced scallions about 8 small
• 2 Tbsp parsley chopped- set aside 1 teaspoon
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 5 small red potatoes peeled and halved or 3 large ones cubed
• 3 large carrots peeled and sliced
• 2 Tsp of brown sugar

Instructions

• Clean and wash the chicken. Place inside a large bowl and add 1 Tsp of salt and the squeezed lemon juice. Rub it all over the chicken with the salt. Let the chicken sit at the kitchen counter and marinate it for one hour.
• Remove the chicken from the lemon juice and pat dry with paper towels. This will prevent the chicken from splattering when you sear it.
• In a Dutch oven or large thick pot, add the oil and place it on high heat. Once the oil is hot, sear the chicken skin side down then flip it over. This is just to seal the juices in the chicken, so it will still be raw. Don't overcrowd the chicken, do a few pieces at a time. Once seared, remove the chicken pieces from the pot. Rest aside. Add sliced onion to the pot with a pinch of salt. This will prevent the onion from burning. Sauté the onion until soft and beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for only 20 seconds. Add wine.Turn up the fire, bring to a boil and cook until wine is reduced and the onions and garlic sit in a thick gravy for about a minute or so. Add the chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Add the curry powder. Stir well. Add the scallions, 1 Tbsp parsley, thyme sprigs and the bay leaf. Stir. Add the chicken pieces back to the pot. Pour in any of the cooked chicken juices. Bring to a boil, reduce fire to low, cook for 30 minutes with the pot partially closed.
• After 30 minutes, stir the chicken, add the potatoes, the carrots, the brown sugar, and the remaining 1 Tsp of salt. Stir well. Cook for another 30 minutes.
• Taste the chicken. Add more salt and pepper to taste if necessary and the remaining parsley. Remove the thyme sprigs and discard them. The potatoes and carrots should be tender at this point and the chicken should pull easy from the bone and have a nice gravy to it.
• If you prefer your gravy thicker, remove a ladle full of gravy, place inside an skillet and boil it on high fire for about a minute and pour back into the Curried Chicken. Transfer to a bowl. Sprinkle some finely chopped parsley on top and serve with potato roti or hot white rice. Enjoy!
• Note: In some Caribbean Islands, it is customary to add hot pepper sauce to this dish. If that is your preference feel free to add a 1/4 teaspoon or more according to taste.

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Having recently returned from my summer trip to Europe where I was able to spend four weeks sampling food in Italy in the village of Guardia Sanframondi or Guardia (as it is known) is a small medieval village in the Campania region. Each year, Guardia is host to an amazing wine and food festival called Vinalia. During the festival I was able to sample many traditional Italian dishes from the Campania paired with delicious wines from the region.

On a day trip to Naples which is about an hours drive from Guardia, I had the most amazing Spaghetti with Clams. This reminded me of my love for this dish and inspired this post on Spaghetti with Clams. In Naples they serve Spaghetti with Clams with a very special Clam called Vongole Veraci, which can only be found in the mediterranean sea near Italy. They are smaller in size between 3 and 5 cm, and are bursting with flavor. In the United states, chefs often substitute Cockles for the Vongole as they are a smaller sweeter clam.

Step one: Cook the garlic in olive oil for about 3 min. Add the wine and cook until reduced by half, about 2 to 3 min. Add the red pepper flakes. Set aside.

Step 2: While the pasta is cooking add the clams to the garlic, wine, olive oil mixture, cover the skillet and cook on high heat, shaking the pan a couple of times.

Step 3: Once the clams open, add the butter and flour mixture to it. Shake the pot and give it a minute until the butter melts.

Step 4: Reserve some of the pasta water and then drain the spaghetti on a colander. Place the pasta on the top of the clam sauce and mix gently. If the pasta gets too dry add some of the reserved cooking water.

Step 5: Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately!

Some restaurants in Italy will also serve Spaghetti with Clams with fresh tomatoes or tomato sauce. I personally prefer the white sauce as I feel that the tomatoes tend to dominate the delicious flavor of the clam, olive oil and garlic. I could go on and on about the reasons I love this dish so much but I would rather let you try and be the judge.

Enjoy!

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Spaghetti with Clams- Spaghetti alle Vongole

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Author My Global Cuisine

Ingredients

• 3 pounds littleneck clams
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 5 garlic cloves finally chopped
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes or 3 small Italian peperoncinos crushed
• 1 pound spaghetti or linguini
• 2 tablespoons of butter cut into small pieces
• 1 teaspoon of white flour
• 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley leaves

Instructions

• Place all the clams in a bowl and fill it with with cold salted water. Let the clams sit for 30 minutes to an hour. During this time, they will spit out the sand from inside their shells.
• Place your clams in a colander in the sink and run them under cold water. Rinse them to get rid of any debris on their outer shells. Set them aside.
• In a large saucepan or skillet heat the olive oil and sauté the garlic on a low fire for about 2 minutes. Add the wine and the salt and increase the heat so that the wine boils and reduce by half, about 2 to 3 min. Add the red pepper flakes. Remove from the heat.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta according to the package instructions until just al dente.
• While the pasta cooks, add the clams to the garlic-wine-olive oil mix, cover the skillet and cook on high fire. Shake the pot a couple of times until the clams open, around 5 to 7 minutes.
• Remove from the heat. Discard any unopened clams. Mix the butter and flour together and add it to the clam sauce. Shake the pot until the butter melts.
• Reserve some of the cooking water and then drain the pasta in a colander.
• Using a kitchen tongs place the pasta on top of the clam sauce and mix gently. Add a splash of the reserved pasta cooking water if necessary, to loosen up the sauce. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately!
• Buon appetito!

The post Spaghetti with Clams – Spaghetti alle Vongole appeared first on My Global Cuisine.

I learned to make these Tuscan Herbed Potatoes while at cooking school in Tuscany. During the lesson we roasted a loin of pork and served it alongside these Tuscan Herbed Potatoes. Oh and there was red wine, lots of it. That evening we also prepared tiramisu, the recipe for which I will post in the near future. I remember smelling the aroma from these Tuscan Herbed Potatoes and thinking to myself, these are going to be good! There is something earthy and wonderful about the aroma that comes from roasting the garlic, sage and rosemary that transports me back to my childhood when my grandmother cooked for us on Sundays.

I love these Tuscan Herbed Potatoes so much that it has became a staple on my weekly menu. Until I tried these, I was not a big fan of potatoes. I tend to find them a little boring unless they are served with a nice sauce. This recipe is special and one that I am planning to keep and pass down to my children, and hopefully they to their children.

Here is a photo of the raw potatoes and herbs in a mixing bowl.

On the parchment paper ready to go into the oven.

I hope you will enjoy making them for your family and guests as much as I do.

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Tuscan Herbed Potatoes

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 8 -10 servings

Author My Global Cuisine

Ingredients

• 3 pounds mini red and gold potatoes unpeeled and cut in half or any potatoes of your liking
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 8 cloves of garlic chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped sage
• 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
• Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees or 200'C.
• Wash and dry the potatoes. Cut them in half and place the potatoes into a mixing bowl.
• Add the olive oil, garlic, rosemary, sage, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Toss well to ensure the potatoes are evenly coated with the ingredients.
• Line a 9X12 baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Transfer the potatoes to a baking sheet and bake them for 20 minutes. Turn the potatoes and bake for another 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Toward the end of the cooking time, you will want to broil them for a few minutes until lightly brown and crusty. Keep a close eye so as not to burn the potatoes.
• Taste the potatoes and adjust the seasonings if necessary.
• Enjoy it!

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But don’t take my word for it, make it for your family and friends and see what they have to say. Make it for your grandmother, even if she is Italian, I dare you! I have served this to my friends in Italy, my family and my friends here in the US and they all say the same thing…this is the Best Marinara Sauce EVER!

This recipe is Italian cooking at its best and in its purest form. It uses a few fresh ingredients which are carefully prepared and the results are incredibly delicious. Did I say delicious? I am just coming off my personal holiday eating bonanza. The Christmas cookies and fruit cake are now gone and for the last month I have been on my protein and veggie diet with very few simple carbs. Well that all ended today when I made this dish for you. This dish is always good, but sometimes you hit it just right and WOW! I found myself saying…this is the Best Marinara Sauce EVER!

Ideally, you would be preparing this dish when the tomatoes are in season and you can walk out to your garden and pick some fresh basil. But these days, thanks to our global economy, we can often find great ingredients year-round. When I prepared this dish in Italy, I got up early and went to the market to get fresh tomatoes, basil, fresh pressed olive oil, and fresh cut parmigiano-reggiano cheese. Even if that’s not your world today, do the best you can to gather good ingredients. It will make a difference! Here are some of the fresh ingredients used in this dish.

So, let’s get started. Personally, I prefer not to see pieces of garlic floating in my sauce. To avoid that I prepare this amazing garlic paste. It is simple to make. You do so by peeling two garlic heads and combining them in a blender with an ounce of extra virgin olive oil and a tablespoon of salt. Once the three ingredients are blended together, you can use in in your sauce and store the remainder in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. I use a small glass Tupperware container. You can use the paste in any dishes requiring garlic. Just make sure that when you add your garlic paste to a pan keep the heat low to ensure the paste will not burn.

There are two things to secrets to making a great marinara sauce, or as many Italians call it, gravy. As you may have guessed secret one is to ensure the ingredients are fresh. The second secret is in the preparation. The preparation of this dish begins by carefully infusing the oil with the garlic paste and peperoncino by simmering the mixture at a low temperature. Once the oil has been infused with the flavors of the garlic and peperoncino, it is time to add your tomatoes. With the tomatoes now in the pan continue cooking them until they are partially dissolved into the oil and begin to break down. You will want to the tomatoes to retain some of their shape as it is part of the dishes signature. Below you see the tomatoes cooking in the pot.

Next add the chopped basil.

Continue cooking the sauce over low heat for 1-2 minutes ensuring the flavor of the basil is absorbed into the sauce.

After the pasta is cooked and drained and add 1/2 of sauce to the pasta pot and mix with the pasta. Cook the pasta and sauce together for another minute. This will ensure the flavor of the sauce is absorbed into the pasta. Place the Pasta in a serving bowl, or individual plates and top with additional sauce before serving. Garnish with Basil and cheese. I am sure that once you try it you too will find yourself saying…this is the Best Marinara Sauce EVER!

Enjoy!

Special thanks to Chef Paolo Monti. You are my hero!

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The Best Marinara Sauce EVER!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 4 to 6

Author My Global Cuisine

Ingredients

• 1 LB package fettuccine or spaghetti
• 1.5 LB or 4 cups of cherry or grape tomatoes cut in half
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Italian dry peperoncinos smashed or 1/8 TSP of Red Pepper Flakes
• 3-4 garlic cloves slivered thin or minced or 1 1/2 teaspoon garlic paste
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 small bunch approx 4 TBSP of fresh basil julienned chopped
• 4 ounces grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• Optional: If making a garlic paste 2 big heads of fresh garlic or 3 small ones, 1 ounce extra virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon salt

Instructions

• TO MAKE THE GARLIC PASTE: Peel the garlic heads. Add to a blender with the extra virgin olive oil and blend until it becomes a paste. Add salt and blend for a second. Transfer the paste to a covered glass container. The garlic paste can be refrigerated up to 3 weeks.
• ************************************************************************
• In a sauce pan on a low fire add 4 TBSP of extra virgin olive oil.
• Add peperoncino or red pepper flakes and garlic. Sauté until garlic becomes fragrant about 15 seconds.
• Add tomatoes, cover the pot and cook at medium-low heat stirring from time to time for about 15
• minutes.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for the pasta.
• Once the tomato sauce has been cooking for at least 15 minutes add one tablespoon of sugar to it. If the tomatoes were sweet to begin with, you won't need any more sugar. If they were not, add another teaspoon of sugar. Add salt. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of the extra virgin olive oil. Stir. Add fresh basil. Turn fire off.
• Cook pasta according to the package instructions, but make sure to cook until the pasta is al dente. If the package says 9 minutes, cook up to 7 minutes. You will need the extra minute in order to simmer the pasta together with the sauce.
• Reserve half cup of the cooked water and drain the pasta in a colander and mix the desired amount of pasta with the sauce. Add two ounces of grated parmesan cheese and cook together for a minute in order for the pasta to absorb with the marinara sauce flavor. If the pasta becomes too tick add a splash of the reserved cooked water to it. Place the desired amount of pasta on individual pasta bowls, and pour some extra sauce on top. Garnish with basil and serve with extra parmesan cheese and freshly ground pepper. Enjoy!

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This Grilled Zucchini, or as they call it in Italy zucchini gligliate, is a popular Italian dish that can be served as a side dish, or as an appetizer. At home I serve as a side dish, alongside my previous recipe, Chicken Escalope with Lemon Sauce. The first time I tried grilled zucchini made this way I was in Italy, and I thought to myself, how could something so healthy taste this good? The secret is in the dressing, which I will also share with you in this recipe. You can just grill the zucchini and serve that way, but in my opinion, the dressing really makes this dish. This grilled zucchini is also a great side dish to have with grilled steak or chicken or to add to a sandwich. If you are not into zucchini, you could substitute for eggplant, or grill both together. The technique is the same. When making this grilled zucchini, keep in mind that you must let the zucchini sit in salt for at list 30 minutes in order to extract the water.

Once the zucchini releases the water,  wash them well, and pat dry with paper towels. Grill afterwords.

I hope you enjoy making this grilled zucchini dish as much as I do. I made a big batch last night and I had leftovers for my sandwich today. You can refrigerate the dressing, but make sure you bring to room temperature before serving again. Enjoy!

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Grilled Zucchini

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 40 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Author My Global Cuisine

Ingredients

• 4 large zucchini
• 1 TBSP of salt
• 4 garlic cloves finely chopped
• 1 handfull of Italian parsley - flat leaved parsley roughly chopped
• 3 TBSP of extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Italian peperoncino or 1/4 TSP or less of red pepper flakes crushed
• a pinch of salt

Instructions

• Slice the zucchini length ways into (1/4 inch) strips than cover them generously with salt for 30 min before rinsing and drying them. Grill the zucchini on a griddle pan in a single layer in pan, or under the grill. Grill for 4 minutes, turning after 2 minutes. For tender zucchini slices, grill for an extra 1 minute on each side.
• To make the dressing: On a cutting board, chop together the garlic, parsley and peperoncino. Transfer to a small bowl. Stir in the olive oil, and add a pinch of salt. Serve on top of the zucchini or on the side.

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