FARRO

Farro has a long and glorious history, being the original wheat, it is the grain from which all others derive. Farro fed the Mediterranean for a few thousand years and was the breakfast of the Roman legions. Being very difficult to grow, as hybrids emerged, cultivation dwindled to just two valleys in Italy. Almost extinct, it became a haute grain in elegant restaurants in France and Italy. Although a dark horse in America it is gaining in popularity, mainly because of it's nutritional value and ease in digestion. It does contain gluten but a weaker form than our modern wheat, so it digests quickly and with ease.

Similar to barley, it is plump, chewy and nutty. Great hot or cold, in soups, salads or just mixed with vegetables. When purchasing you will see the whole grain and a semi pearled, although the semi pearled is quicker to cook, the texture and nutritional value are extremely better in the whole grain.

I will be selling a few salads through the summer at a few local Farmer's Markets and adding some traditional Tuscan soups in the fall. What that means is you aren't getting a recipe from me but stop and try a salad and if you like, I will be delighted to help you get started using this great grain.

So...be a trendy health conscious cook and eat farro, it's good for you! Buon Appetito!

GRILLED EGGPLANT WITH LEMON SAUCE

I know it's been a long time time since I've written...sorry. I received so many inquiries about the Grilled Eggplant that you have shamed me into being a responsible blogger and writing this article. Thank you, sometimes we all need some prodding!

Before the recipe, let's talk eggplant. Oddly, it's misunderstood and underrated. Because of it's pleasant but bitter flavor, many people think they don't like it! Fact is, you need to learn how to handle this great vegetable or purchase a dish from a restaurant that can take the time to prepare properly. You will find, most Mediterranean countries use eggplant regularly. It's interesting flavor really works as a balance ingredient in many recipe.

Eggplant is a member of the nightshade family which includes tomatoes and potatoes. It grows on a vine like tomatoes. Eggplant is very rich in fiber and potassium and contains about 80 minerals and vitamins. Although available all year, August to October is our actual growing season in the U.S. I'm going to be picking my first the end of this week!

Look for eggplant that is firm and has a smooth, shiny skin and fresh green stem end. It should be heavy for it's size, an indication the flesh is solid and without excess seeds. Mature eggplant with a dull skin and dark seeds will probably be bitter! Some of the large globe eggplant have a tough skin and need to be peeled, but if you are braising or boiling peeling is not necessary. Modern varieties are bitter free, the reason to salt is to draw out moisture. This is an optional step but one I always use. After letting stand for about 45 minutes to an hour, rinse and dry the eggplant. The dried piece will absorb less oil and have a creamy, mild texture. Sauteing in olive oil will add a richness in flavor, frying will become golden and intensified. Ok...so now are you ready to try your hand at cooking some eggplant? Nervous? Start with some Italian music and a glass of wine. Go to the store and buy the eggplant before you start drinking!!!

Eggplant Appetizer

1 large eggplant, sliced ¼ “ thick

4 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 Tablespoons parsley, finely chopped

2 Tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

Salt & pepper to taste

Salt eggplant slices and let drain for about an hour. Squeeze, Rinse and pat dry. Combine the remaining ingredients, mix and set aside. Again, it’s your option to cook on the grill or just use the stovetop. In either case, lightly oil your cooking surface and preheat. Lightly brush olive oil on both sides of eggplant and cook until tender. Arrange the cooked slices of eggplant on a platter, beat the lemon mixture and evenly pour over the eggplant. Cover your platter tightly with plastic wrap and allow to marinate at least 4 hours to overnight. Serve at room temperature. Put some nice garnish on the platter, like parsley and rosemary. A couple of nasturtiums adds the perfect color. That's it... Buon Appetito!

ESCAROLE & BEAN RISOTTO

I just picked my first head of escarole today! It was so incredibly mild and tender, I wish I had grown more. I'm going to give you my recipe as I have taught in my cooking classes but tonight I did something a little different. I had a beautiful fresh halibut and wanted something to really contrast the flavors, so...first I used cranberry beans instead of cannellini beans, then I used a dry red wine instead of white wine and beef broth instead of chicken. The stained rice looked great with the grilled halibut and the taste was great. This is just a really nice way to dress up such a simple and delightful dish. When I was young (long time ago!) my mother made escarole and bean soup, another quintessential Sicilian dish.

This dish is so good, you can eliminate the butter and cheese (use a buttery olive oil) and have light and refreshing low fat, gluten free meal. This is so good it can stand on it's own but makes a great side dish. Hard part, as a side dish you're not suppose to eat as much! I hope you'll give this a try, right now you can find escarole in the markets and Farmer's Market. If you don't always buy organic, this is a green that should be purchased organic. Make sure to wash your escarole at least twice or three times to get all the grit and dirt out. Buon Appetito!

RISOTTO WITH WHITE BEANS & ESCAROLE

6 Cups chicken broth

2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 Oz pancetta, finely chopped

1 Small onion, chopped

1 Stalk celery, chopped

2 Cloves garlic, finely chopped

4 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

1 ½ Cups Short grain rice, Arborio, carnaroli or vialone nano

1 Cup white wine

1 14 ½ oz jar cannellini beans, I prefer imported (or great northern)

(If you have the time prepare 1 cup dried white beans)

1 Head escarole, cleaned and chopped

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

½ Cup Romano or Parmesan, grated

Heat broth in saucepan to simmer, keep warm and covered. In large pot, heat oil over low heat. Add pancetta, cook until tender but not browned. Add onion, celery, garlic and 2 tablespoons of the parsley, cook until the vegetables are soft (4 to 6 minutes). Add rice and cook for 1 more minute. Raise heat to medium. Add white wine, cook, stirring occasionally (do not let rice stick or burn) until the liquid is just about all absorbed. Continue cooking and adding broth, about ¾ cups at a time. When rice starts to become creamy and tender, about 15 minutes, stir in escarole and continue ladling broth until the rice is completely tender and creamy. Add the beans and gently stir into the rice. Remove from heat and stir in butter and ¼ cup of the grated cheese. Cover and let stand for about 3 minutes. Serve on plates or bowls, garnish with remaining parsley and cheese.

BLOOD ORANGE SORBET

Blood oranges are part of Sicilian culture. From January to April, it is pretty easy to find blood oranges. The origin of the blood orange is rather unexciting, just a mutation of the sweet orange. The berry like flavor and color is just incredible. Mostly they are just eaten but you can make sauces from them as well as one notable antipasto where slices are placed in a dish topped with very thin slices of red onion then a drizzle of olive oil. For me I love the sorbet, it is so refreshing and light and easy to make. Blood oranges are now grown in California and are easy to find. This is the season, so keep your eyes open. I just bought some last week at a Farmer's Market. You can use regular oranges but it just isn't the same. Don't get me wrong, Blood Orange Gelato is out of this world but sorbet is refreshing and will save a few fat calories. "Taste makes waist".

BLOOD ORANGE SORBET

1 Tablespoon blood orange zest

1 ¼ Cups water

¾ Cup sugar

Enough blood oranges to make 2 ¼ cups puree (3 to 4 pounds)

Combine zest, water and sugar in saucepan, stir over high heat until sugar totally dissolves and comes to a boil. Remove from heat. Peel oranges, cut away all pith and seeds. Work over a bowl, so not to loose any juice, cut out membranes. Combine orange and it’s juices to make 2 ¼ cups, transfer to blender or processor and puree until smooth, about 45 to 60 seconds. Mix with reserved syrup , cover and refrigerate overnight. Process in ice cream maker. Transfer to container and freeze. You will need to soften for about 20 minutes before serving.

If you don’t have an ice cream maker. Prepare as above, but place liquid in a long flat container and place in freezer. About every half hour, take out and with the tines of a fork, run through mixture. Continue this process until frozen into crystals.

Buon Appetito!

PEAR TART

As winter comes to a close, I look in the mirror and can see...I've been eating too good the last few months! Although I am interested in losing the extra pounds this winter has blessed me with, I'm not so interested in giving up on my desserts. Below you will find a nice light tart and if you want to make gluten free just replace the breadcrumbs.

As for the extra weight...I've had to plan our menu a week at a time, so we can stay on course. I love my pizza and bread but for the next few weeks it is going to be whole grain flatbread. I'll give that great recipe in the next few weeks. I usually eat pretty well but it's the snacks that got me this winter. Anyway, right now the greens are incredible! Farmers Markets are loaded with great organic vegetables and my garden is reaping the reward of a little winter gardening! Hope you enjoy the tart.
Buon Appetito!

PEAR TART

1 Cup slivered almonds, roasted

½ Cup bakers sugar

¼ Teaspoon sea salt

½ Cup breadcrumbs, plain & finely ground

1 Egg while, lightly beaten

2 Tablespoons almond or olive oil

3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 Teaspoon lemon zest

3 Large ripe pears (Anjou’s are perfect)

2 Cups red grapes, halved and seeded

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly oil a 10” springform pan. In food processor combine almonds, 1/3 cup of sugar and salt. Pulse until fine ground. Add breadcrumbs and pulse to mix. Drizzle egg white and oil over breadcrumb mixture, pulse until mix is wet but still crumbly. Press 1 ½ cups of mixture into bottom of pan. Bake about 8 or 9 minutes, until firm. In large bowl combine lemon juice, zest and remaining sugar. Peel and core the pears, then slice lengthwise about 8 slices per half. Put the sliced pears into the lemon mixture as they are cut. Add grapes and toss to mix. Put the fruit mix on top of the crust. Sprinkle with the lemon mixture and top with the remaining breadcrumb

Mixture. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes (fruit should be tender and bubbling, if it browns to quickly, tent with some foil). Cool in pan on wire rack, at least 10 minutes. Loosen and remove. Serve warm or at room temperature.

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

As winter comes to a close, time to think about shedding a few of those "comfort food" pounds...no sense in giving up flavor, so how about one more squash soup. Good idea! Happy you thought of it.

Roasting the butternut squash with a little balsamic is going to give this soup an incredible flavor. Simple, hearty and healthy. This soup with a small salad makes a perfect light meal but feel free to serve as a first course. If you are unfamiliar with butternut squash, it has a hard flesh, so be careful with the knife. I suggest trimming the ends and using a good potato peeler to remove the skin. Slice in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds, then cut into cubes.
NOTE: If you are not using dairy, Almond Milk works nicely with this recipe.

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

½ Small onion, diced

1 Stalk celery, diced

1 Small carrot, diced

1 Cinnamon stick

2 Tablespoons toasted pine nuts

4 Cups chicken stock or broth, low sodium please

Salt & Pepper to taste

½ Cup Half & Half (or other heavy cream)

or substitute Almond Milk for the cream.

1 Recipe Roasted butternut squash, recipe follows

Roasted Butternut Squash:

1 Large Butternut Squash

4 Tablespoons butter

2 Tablespoons Fresh Rosemary, chopped

2 Balsamic vinegar

¼ Teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

¼ Teaspoon ground ginger

1 Teaspoon sweet ground pepper (or mild chili powder)

1 Tablespoon sugar

Preheat oven to 400. Heat butter in skillet until melted, pull off heat, add remaining ingredients, put back on heat and stir for about 1 minute. Place squash in large bowl, pour mixture over squash and mix well. Transfer to baking sheet in a single layer, place in oven and cook until very tender (about 40 to 45 minutes). Using a spatula turn at least once.

SOUP:

Heat oil in large pot or saucepan, add onion, celery, carrot and cinnamon, cook until soft, about 5 minutes, add pine nuts and chicken stock, bring to a boil, add squash and simmer for a few minutes. Take off heat, season with salt and pepper. Puree soup in blender or processor to a smooth consistency. Return to pot and simmer for another 10 minutes to let flavors meld. Remove from heat, stir in half & half, adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve hot. (In the summer, try serving at room temperature or with a slight chill)

RIGATONI WITH BROCCOLI & TURKEY SAUSAGE

We are getting close to spring but it is still comfort food time. I want something good, healthy and not heavy on the calories. With this recipe you will be giving up nothing. When I was young, this dish was done with rapini (broccoli rabe), pork sausage and heavy cream! With this recipe you don't have to give up any flavor while still enjoying a healthy meal.

If you don't eat dairy, replace the milk with chicken broth (use homemade or low sodium organic packaged. Your sauce won't be as creamy but very good! I usually only have non fat milk in my refrigerator, so that's what I usually use, again it is not as creamy but still very good! If you're not a broccoli fan, eat it anyway, it's good for you! Just a little note; I usually weigh my pasta as a means of controlling my calories. I find that 3 ounces of dried pasta is a reasonable amount and will leave room for the broccoli and sausage.

RIGATONI WITH BROCCOLI AND TURKEY SAUSAGE

3 Links hot turkey Italian sausage (about 3/4 pound)

2 Teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 Onion, sliced thin

2 Cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 Red pepper, sliced

2 Tablespoons flour

2 Cups 1% milk

1 Bundle fresh herbs (whatever you might have on hand,

such as rosemary, oregano, parsley, thyme, place in

cheesecloth or tie with string)

3 Cups broccoli florets

Salt and pepper

1 Pound rigatoni

Get started with the rigatoni, I will assume you know how to cook the pasta. Cook sausages in ¼ inch of water in uncovered large skillet until water evaporates, continue cooking until browned on all sides and cooked through. Transfer to cutting board and cut into ¼ slices, reserve. In skillet heat oil, add onion and pepper and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 more minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk, bring to a simmer, add herb bundle and cook, whisking constantly until thickened, about 5 minutes. Discard herb bundle. Meanwhile cook broccoli until bright green and still crisp, about 3 minutes. Add to sauce with sausage. Add salt and pepper to taste then add rigatoni, toss gently and serve immediately. Pass the cheese, please.

Buon Appetito!