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.

The holidays are finally here and most of you have been decorating, shopping for gifts, and wrapping presents. Soon you will probably be wondering what to cook when your family and guests arrive for dinner. This Roasted Pork Loin with Fig Sauce is perfect for entertaining a large group because you can marinate the pork and prepare the sauce a day or two in advance, and just cook when the guests arrive. Because it is roasted, just pop it in the oven, warm up the sauce, and you are good to go!

Oil, Rosemary, Salt & Pepper rub for the Pork.

Seasoned Pork Loin ready for roasting.

Fig Sauce prior to blending.

My recipe is adapted from a book named Everyday Italian by Giada De Laurentiis. If you have a big crowd, just cook an extra loin and double up on the sauce. If some people in the crowd are adverse to eating pork, you can substitute a turkey seasoned with the rub, and make the sauce. Either way this dish easily serves a crowd and looks spectacular.  Giada says, the rich, velvety fig sauce will knock your guests socks off!

I suggest serving this Roasted Pork Loin with Fig Sauce with my Tuscan Herbed Potatoes and a vegetable. I hope this dish brings your family as much joy as it does mine and would personally like to wish you all a Happy and Peaceful Holiday season.

.

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Roasted Pork Loin with Fig Sauce

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 4 to 6 servings

Author My Global Cuisine

Ingredients

• FIG SAUCE
• 2 1/2 cups port
• 1 1/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 8 dried black Mission figs coarsely chopped
• 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter cut into pieces
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• **********************************
• PORK
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 Tbsp salt plus more to taste
• 1 4- to 41/2- pound boneless pork loin
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

Instructions

• FOR THE FIG SAUCE
• In a medium-size, heavy saucepan, combine the port, chicken broth, figs, rosemary, cinnamon, and honey. Boil over medium-high heat until reduced by half, about 30 minutes. Discard the rosemary sprigs and cinnamon sticks. (Remove any rosemary leaves that remain in the port mixture).
• Transfer the port mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. Blend in the butter, salt, and pepper. (The sauce can be made up to 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat before using.)
• ******************************************************************************
• FOR THE PORK
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Stir the oil, rosemary, 1 tablespoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoons of pepper in a small bowl to blend. Place the pork in a heavy, flame-proof roasting pan. Spread the oil mixture over the pork to coat completely. Roast, turning the pork every 15 minutes to ensure even browning, until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the center of the pork registers 145 degrees F, about 45 minutes total.
• Transfer the pork to a cutting board and tent with foil to keep warm. Let the pork rest for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, place the roasting pan over medium heat and stir in the chicken broth, scraping the bottom of the pan to remove any browned bits. Bring the pan juices to a simmer. Season with more salt and pepper to taste.
• Using a large, sharp knife, cut the pork crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange the pork slices on plates. Spoon the jus over. Drizzle the warm fig sauce around and serve immediately.
• Enjoy!
• Cook note: After I finish the fig sauce, I like to strain the pan juices, and add 1-2 tablespoons of the juice to the fig sauce. I find this creates a more balanced tasting sauce.

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This wonderful cookbook is written by my friend, chef and restaurant owner Ilson Goncalves. It contains traditional Brazilian recipes that are simple and full of flavor. If you are a fan of Brazilian cooking, I’m sure you will love his book. The book contains traditional Brazilian recipes showcasing Chef’s Ilson’s amazing creativity and perspective. Growing up in Brazil I sampled many of the dishes featured in this cookbook. My favorites are beef and chicken stroganoff, fried yuca, and codfish croquettes.

Today I am featuring his Baby Arugula, Mango and Caramelized Pistachio Salad. This salad is delicious and the colors will light up any table. It’s a great salad to serve as a side or you can add grilled shrimp and make it a complete wholesome meal.

Brazil is a tropical country and sweet mangos are readily available most of the year. Due to a strong global import/export market for mangos, most of you can also enjoy this Baby Arugula, Mango and Caramelized Pistachio salad at most times of the year. I love to make my own caramelized pistachios to use in this salad. I then use the leftovers as a topper on ice cream or to serve at a dinner party with dessert wine. You could also substitute the pistachios for caramelized walnuts or pecans. It will taste just as wonderful.

The version of the Baby Arugula, Mango and Caramelized Pistachio Salad posted here uses a different salad dressing than the one in Chef Ilson’s book. I wanted to pay tribute to this great salad and introduce my Apricot Vinaigrette which I find goes really well with this salad.

You can find Chef’s Ilson original Orange Vinaigrette recipe in his cookbook, which is available on Amazon.com or at his restaurant Samba Montclair in New Jersey. Enjoy!

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Baby Arugula, Mango and Caramelized Pistachio Salad

Course Salad

Cuisine Brazilian

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 6 to 8 servings

Author My Global Cuisine

Ingredients

• 8 cups baby arugula washed and dried
• 2 ripe mangos peeled and diced
• 1 1/2 cup homemade caramelized pistachios or store bought
• APRICOT SALAD DRESSING
• 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
• 1 Tbsp apricot jam
• 1 Tsp honey mustard
• 1/2 cup extra virgen olive oil
• 1 Tsp superfine sugar
• 1/2 Tsp salt
• 1/4 Tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

• If you wish to make the CARAMELIZED PISTACHIOS you will need a (nonstick vegetable oil spray), (1/2 cup sugar), (2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar), (1 1/2 cups whole pistachios) already included in the salad recipe.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a heavy rimmed baking sheet with foil. Spray foil with nonstick spray. Combine sugar and vinegar in small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes. Add nuts; toss to coat. Transfer mixture to baking sheet.
• Bake until nuts are deep brown and syrup thickens and coats nuts, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Cool completely on baking sheet. Break nuts apart. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)
• You could also substitute the pistachios for walnuts. This recipe was adapted from Bon Appetit.
• ********************************************************************************
• In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, apricot jam, honey mustard, sugar, and salt. While whisking, slowly add the olive oil until the salad dressing is emulsified.
• Place the arugula in a salad bowl and pour enough dressing on the salad to moisten. Plate the salads, add the mango and top with caramelized pistachios. Enjoy!
• This is Chef Ilson Goncalves salad recipe with Carla's original dressing.

Your comments mean a lot to me. If you like what you see, please leave a comment below. Thank you!

The post Baby Arugula, Mango and Caramelized Pistachio Salad appeared first on My Global Cuisine.

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

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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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