skillet-cooked asparagus with eggs — a simple combination, a delicious dish
(placemat by La FABBRICA del LINO)

Our current Cook the Books Club selection is Relish: My Life in the Kitchen by Lucy Knisley¹. This was my first time not only choosing a graphic memoir (or novel) for our Club, but also reading one. I thoroughly enjoyed following Lucy’s life adventures and her connection with various foods. The graphic medium lends itself nicely to Lucy’s stories and the recipes ending the chapters come to life in her drawings.

I prepared mushrooms according to her mother’s recipe (after Julia Child) and the result was excellent. While I will continue to bake chocolate-chunk cookies according to my recipe², Knisley’s recipe inspired me to include some unsweetened coconut flakes: I liked the result. I didn’t feel compelled to follow other recipes, but was inspired by her mother’s garden bounty to prepare asparagus, whose season has recently started here.

asparagus and egg — the marriage of two foods I love
(placemat by La FABBRICA del LINO)

I’ve always loved asparagus, and was delighted when my mother prepared them. She boiled them then dressed them with a lemon and olive oil vinaigrette. She never veered from that recipe, while my father never failed to mention eating asparagi alla Bismarck when visiting Turin for work. I found the idea of a sunny-side up egg (uovo all’occhio di bue) on a bed of cooked asparagus quite appealing, but my my mother didn’t share my view.

I have no idea how the dish became associated with the Prussian Chancellor Otto von Bismarck. I know though that the Accademia Italiana della Cucina includes various recipes featuring asparagus and eggs, which tells me the combination is rooted in Italian food traditions.

In recent years, I’ve cooked asparagus many times, always in the oven, usually topped with sesame seeds (semi di sesamo). I somehow forgot my desire to eat asparagus with eggs until a recipe for asparagus cooked in a skillet in a recent Saveur newsletter³ made me want not only to try the method but also to finally put an egg on top.

The dish requires minimal preparation and a short cooking time. You can skip the cheese, if you’d like a lighter dish: the result is still excellent.

Print-friendly version of briciole’s recipe for Skillet-cooked asparagus with eggs

Ingredients:

1 pound / 450 grams asparagus
1 tablespoon / 15 grams unsalted butter
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 ounce / 30 grams freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or other cheese of choice that melts well (I use locally made gouda)
1/2 tablespoon / 7 grams unsalted butter
2 large eggs from pastured poultry

Rinse the asparagus and snap off the fibrous bottoms.

Warm up a large (12-inch / 30-cm) cast-iron skillet on medium heat, then add the butter. When the foam subsides, add the asparagus to the skillet and shake it to coat the spears. Cover the skillet, turn down the heat to medium-low and cook the asparagus for about 3 minutes, then uncover and continue cooking until the asparagus is tender to the tip of a blade, 5 to 10 minutes (depending on the thickness and freshness of the asparagus).

When the asparagus is a few minutes from being ready, warm up a small skillet on medium heat, then add the butter and swirl it to coat the bottom. Gently break the eggs into the skillet, making sure they stay separate. Turn down the heat to low and cook until the white is set. The yolk should remain runny.

Sprinkle some sea salt and black pepper, to taste, on the asparagus. Sprinkle some sea salt on the eggs, if desired.

Divide the asparagus onto 2 plates, sprinkle half the cheese on each portion, then gently deposit one sunny-side up egg on the cheese. Serve immediately.

Serves 2.

I am fortunate to have access to eggs of excellent quality (from pastured poultry), so I can indulge in one of my favorite foods: a runny yolk over vegetables. A dish does not need to be complicated to be delicious.

¹The book’s page on the author’s website
² From briciole’s archive: Brown butter chocolate chunk cookies
³ Recipe for Skillet asparagus in Saveur, adapted from Edna Lewis

Click on the button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post

Cook the Books logo This is my contribution to the current selection of our Cook the Books hosted by me, Simona of briciole. (You can find the guidelines for participating in the event on this page.)

The roundup of the event.

FTC disclosure: I have received the table linen free of charge from the manufacturer (la FABBRICA del LINO). I have not and will not receive any monetary compensation for presenting it on my blog. The experience shared and the opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own.

savoy cabbage with egg and cheese / pipetto (verza con uovo e formaggio)

February 17, 2024March 5, 2026 | Simona

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versione in italiano

savoy cabbage with egg and cheese — version with purple savoy cabbage
(placemat by La FABBRICA del LINO)

Pipetto¹ is a comforting side dish from Crema (a city in Lombardy, northern Italy): savoy cabbage with a mix of spices (noce moscata, pepe nero, cannella, chiodi di garofano), egg and cheese, perfect for winter. I found different recipes for it and below is my rendition.

As the photo shows, I have made the dish with both green and purple savoy cabbage and both were excellent.

I steam the savoy cabbage before cooking it with the egg and cheese, frittata-style, and like I do with frittata, I finish cooking it under the broiler. The original recipe calls for Grana Padano cheese, which is hard to find here and rather expensive, so I substitute it with cave-aged Gruyère.

Print-friendly version of briciole’s recipe for Savoy cabbage with egg and cheese

Ingredients:

1 pound 9 ounces / 700 grams savoy cabbage (weighed after removing, if necessary, the external leaves)
1 large egg, possibly from pastured poultry
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 1/2 ounces / 100 grams Grana Padano cheese, freshly grated (I used cave-aged Gruyère)
1 ounce / 2 tablespoons / 30 grams unsalted butter
1 garlic clove

Quarter the savoy cabbage and cut away the tough central core. Halve each quarter lengthwise, then slice each eighth into 1/4 inch strips.

Steam the savoy cabbage until tender (8-10 minutes), if necessary, half at a time to ensure even cooking. Transfer the savoy cabbage to a large bowl.

Break the egg into a small bowl, whisk it with a fork to blend yolk and white, then add the salt and all the spices and whisk briefly. Add the cheese and stir, then pour onto the savoy cabbage and stir well to incorporate. Let rest for 2-3 hours.

Warm up a 10-inch / 25-cm skillet. Add half the butter and, when melted, add the garlic clove, peeled and halved. After a minute, remove the garlic and swirl the butter to coat the bottom of the skillet.

Transfer the savoy cabbage to the skillet and distribute it evenly. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes.

In the meantime, turn on the broiler. (In a broiler drawer, use the low setting. In a regular oven, place the rack lower than the middle.)

Melt the remaining butter and drizzle it on the savoy cabbage. Place the skillet in the oven for 3 minutes, leaving the door ajar.

Take the skillet out of the oven (don’t forget that the handle is hot) and let rest for a few minutes, then slide the savoy cabbage onto a serving plate, cut and serve immediately.

Serves: 4-6

¹A version of this recipe (as Spiced cabbage with egg) can be found in the cookbook La Cucina: The Regional Cooking of Italy by the Italian Academy of Cuisine

Click on the button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post

FTC disclosure: I have received the table linen free of charge from the manufacturer (la FABBRICA del LINO). I have not and will not receive any monetary compensation for presenting the product on my blog. The experience shared and the opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own.

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pipetto (pipèto o nusèt): verza con uovo e formaggio

Ho trovato la ricetta per questo piatto, tipico della zona di Crema, a base di verza sul sito dell’Accademia Italiana della Cucina.¹ Poi ne ho trovate altre² e quella che vi presento è la mia versione, basata sulle ricette e sui miei esperimenti. Sulla versione in inglese del post potete vedere la foto di una varietà di verza con le foglie screziate viola che mi sembra di capire non si trovi in Italia (e che non va confusa con il cavolo rosso).

Sulla pagina di Wikipedia dedicata a questo contorno³ il nome pipèto deriva dal metodo di cottura (stufatura lenta) e nusèt dall’uso della noce moscata per insaporire il piatto.

Ingredienti:

700 grammi di verza (pesata dopo aver rimosso, se necessario, le foglie esterne)
1 uovo codice 0
1/2 cucchiaino di sale fino
1/4 cucchiaino di cannella in polvere
1/4 cucchiaino di chiodi di garofano in polvere
1/4 cucchiaino di pepe nero macinato fresco
1/8 cucchiaino di noce moscata in polvere
100 grammi di Grana Padano grattugiato fresco (io ho usato Gruyère stagionato poiché qui non trovo Grana Padano di qualità ad un prezzo accessibile)
30 grammi di burro
1 spicchio d’aglio

Tagliate la verza in quarti e rimuovete il torsolo. Tagliate ogni quarto a metà per lungo e poi ogni ottavo a listarelle larghe mezzo centimetro. Cuocete la verza al vapore fino a quando sia tenera (8-10 minuti) metà per volta se necessario. Trasferite la verza in un’insalatiera.

Rompete l’uovo in una ciotola e sbattetelo leggermente con una forchetta, poi aggiungete il sale e le spezie e mescolate. Aggiungete il formaggio versatelo e mescolate. Infine, versate il tutto sulla verza e mescolate bene per incorporare. Lasciate riposare per 2-3 ore.

Scaldate su fuoco medio una padella di 25 cm di diametro. Mettete metà del burro nella padella e, quando è fuso, aggiungete l’aglio tagliato a metà. Dopo un minuto, rimuovete l’aglio e distribuite il burro sul fondo della padella.

Versate la verza nella padella e distribuitela in modo da formare uno strato uniforme. Cuocete su fuoco basso per 10 minuti.

Nel frattempo, accendete la parte alta del forno. Posizionate la griglia al di sotto alla metà.

Fondete il resto del burro e distribuitelo sulla superficie della verza. Mettete la padella nel forno, lasciando lo sportello socchiuso, per 3 minuti.

Tirate fuori la padella (fate attenzione: il manico scotta) e fate riposare un paio di minuti, poi trasferite il pipetto su un piatto, tagliate e servite subito.

Porzioni: 4

¹ La ricetta del pipetto dell’Accademia italiana della cucina
² Un’altra ricetta e una terza
³ Wikipedia: pipèto

Un mondo d'ingredienti logo Contribuisco la mia versione del pipetto, contorno a base di verza della tradizione cremasca (Lombardia), alla lettera V di Un mondo d’ingredienti evento creato dall’instancabile Aiu’ di Trattoria Muvara

FTC disclosure: Ho ricevuto gli articoli di lino gratuitamente dall’azienda produttrice (la FABBRICA del LINO). Non ho ricevuto e non riceverò alcun compenso per presentarli sul mio blog. Le opinioni espresse nel post sono interamente personali.

spinach pie with pine nuts and raisins / tortino di spinaci con pinoli e uvetta

January 27, 2024March 5, 2026 | Simona

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versione in italiano

spinach pie with pine nuts and raisins — a lot of dark leafy greens go into this dish (2^nd version)
(placemat by La FABBRICA del LINO)

Our current Cook the Books Club selection is Undercooked by Dan Adhoot¹. The book is described as “a collection of hilarious essays about how food became one man’s obsession and coping mechanism, and how it came to rule—and sometimes ruin—his relationships.” It was the first time I listened to an audio book read by the author: it was interesting, and in this case, a necessity, I think. I am afraid I didn’t find the essays hilarious, rather mostly sad. Two essays I enjoyed listening to. In the first, Adhoot talks about his grandparents, Iranian Jews who emigrated to the U.S. Adhoot’s grandfather was treated horribly because of his religious heritage, but didn’t let that cow him. His grandmother was a great cook, who prepared sumptuous meals for the family as a way of sharing Persian food traditions and expressing her love. When Adhoot describes the grandparents’ relationship, he holds his usual jokes and finds moving words. I felt I was finally listening to the person, not the comedian.

In the second essay, Adhoot talks about living with his parents during the pandemic. It is around food that their relationship heals. One truly funny moment of the book is the phone conversation with his mother whom he called to ask for a recipe. It reminded me of surreal conversations with my mother on the same topic.

(L to R) beet greens, turnip greens, tatsoi from the farmers market
(placemat by La FABBRICA del LINO)

Adhoot lists a number of Persian dishes his grandmother used to cook, all meat-centered — not for me. He also talks about the lengthy process used in Iran to cook basmati rice. For a previous Cook the Books Club edition, I wrote about Kuku Sabzi, a kind of herb frittata traditionally prepared for Nowruz, the Iranian New Year that is celebrated on the spring equinox² so that was out from my list.

I then looked at the Jewish side of his heritage for inspiration. Some years ago, I acquired a book of Jewish Italian cuisine: La cucina nella tradizione ebraica, a rich collection³ of recipes, succinctly described and without photos. There I found tortino di spinaci, described as being an old Italian recipe (I decided it is a cousin of kuku sabzi). It uses raisins, pine nuts, anchovies (acciughe) and capers (capperi).

The original recipe calls for spinach, which I could not find at the farmers market when I first decided to make my version, so I used a combination of beet greens (foglie di barbabietola), turnip greens (foglie di rapa) and tatsoi. As usual, I adjusted the quantities to suit my taste. The result was excellent — but I didn’t take a photo.

baby turnip greens, spinach, pink radicchio, celeriac, golden turnip, pink daikon — baby turnip greens and spinach from the farmers market
(placemat by La FABBRICA del LINO)

For the next rendition, I used spinach and baby turnip greens from the farmers market. The flavor was different, as was to be expected, still excellent. The color was different as well, as the previous version included the stems of beet greens, which gave the dish a reddish tone.

Washing, chopping and cooking the leafy greens takes a bit of time and patience. However, once the greens are ready, the dish takes only some assembly, then the oven does the rest.

Print-friendly version of briciole’s recipe for Spinach pie with pine nuts and raisins

Ingredients:

1 pound 10 ounces / 740 grams spinach OR a combination of spinach and other dark leafy greens, including beet greens, turnip greens, tatsoi
3/4 ounce / 20 grams raisins
3/4 ounce / 20 grams pine nuts
4 tablespoons / 60 ml extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 anchovy fillets
1/2 ounce / 15 grams drained small capers
1 garlic clove
1 large egg from pastured poultry
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Wash the spinach and other greens, if using, carefully and drain them, letting a small amount of water cling to the leaves.

If you are using beet greens, tatsoi, or another dark leafy green with relatively thicker stems, separate those from the leaves and chop them.

Place the raisins in a ramekin and pour 1 tablespoon warm water on them and stir. Set aside.

Toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet. Do not walk away from the skillet and keep the pine nuts moving in it: they are small and delicate and burn easily. Set aside.

A handful at a time, chop the leafy greens. I make a small pile and slice it at 1/2 inch / 1.25 cm intervals. Transfer the chopped greens into a large bowl.

Warm up a large skillet over medium heat, then add 1 1/2 tablespoons / 22.5 ml of the olive oil. If you have them, add the chopped stems, stir well, cover, and cook them for 5 minutes or until tender. Add half of the chopped greens, stir well, cover and cook until the greens are tender (8-12 minutes, depending on the greens), stirring every now and then. Transfer the greens into a bowl to cool.

Repeat with the same amount of olive oil and the rest of the greens.

Mince together the parsley, anchovy fillets, capers and garlic, possibly using a mezzaluna.

Warm up a small skillet over medium heat, then add the remaining 1 tablespoon / 15 ml of the olive oil. Add the minced ingredients and cook for a minute or so, making sure the garlic does not turn brown. Remove from the heat, add to the cooked greens and stir well. Add the raisins and stir.

Roughly smash the pine nuts with a mortar and pestle. Add to the vegetable mixture and stir.

Heat the oven to 350 F / 170 C.

Oil the bottom of a 9.5″ / 24 cm glass pie plate. Dust it with fine breadcrumbs and remove the excess.

Break the egg into a small bowl, whisk it with a fork to blend yolk and white, then pour it onto the vegetables and stir to incorporate.

Sprinkle the salt and pepper, stir well and empty the bowl into the prepared pie plate.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Take the plate out of the oven. Serve immediately (it will cool slightly when you cut it and transfer onto plates).

Serves 4-6.

This is an excellent way to prepare greens. The result has is a bit sweet, a bit nutty, a bit savory: each bite a small surprise.

¹The book’s page on the publisher’s website
²From briciole’s archive: kuku sabzi
³ The cookbook’s page on the publisher’s website (in Italian)

Click on the button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post

Cook the Books logo This is my contribution to the current selection of our Cook the Books hosted by Debra of Eliot’s Eats. (You can find the guidelines for participating in the event on this page.)

The roundup of the event.

FTC disclosure: I have received the table linen free of charge from the manufacturer (la FABBRICA del LINO). I have not and will not receive any monetary compensation for presenting the product on my blog. The experience shared and the opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own.

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tortino di spinaci con pinoli e uvetta

Un’altra cosa che tenevo a fare nel nostro viaggio era un piatto della tradizione culinaria ebraica in Italia. Nel libro La cucina nella tradizione ebraica, una ricca collezione¹ di ricette descritte in modo succinto e senza foto, ho letto la ricetta per questo tortino che oltre a pinoli e uvetta utilizza acciughe e capperi.

La ricetta originale utilizza gli spinaci che io però non ho trovato al mercato il giorno che ho deciso di preparare la mia versione della ricetta. Allora ho utilizzato un misto composto di foglie di barbabietola, foglie di rapa e tatsoi (cavolo cinese). Come mio solito ho adattato le dosi degli ingredienti al mio gusto personale. Risultato eccellente ma non ho fatto una fotografia.

La volta successiva ho utilizzato foglie giovani di rapa e spinaci. Sapore diverso, come mi aspettavo, comunque ottimo. Anche il colore è diverso, dal momento che la versione precedente comprendeva anche gli steli delle foglie di barbabietola che hanno dato al piatto un colorito rosso.

Lavare, tagliare e cuocere le verdure a foglia verde richiede un po’ di tempo e pazienza. Ma una volta che le verdure sono pronte, ci vuole poco tempo per terminare la preparazione, poi il forno fa il resto.

Ingredienti:

740 grammi di spinaci, o un assortimento di spinaci e altre verdure a foglia verde, come foglie di barbabietola, foglie di rapa, tatsoi
20 grammi di uvetta
20 grammi di pinoli
4 cucchiai / 60 ml olio extra-virgine di oliva
2 cucchiai di prezzemolo fresco tritato
1 1/2 filetti di acciuga
15 grammi di piccoli capperi scolati
1 spicchio d’aglio
1 uovo codice 0
1 cucchiaino di sale fino
1/4 cucchiaino di pepe nero macinato fresco

Lavate bene gli spinaci e le altre verdure (se le usate), scolateli, lasciando un po’ d’acqua sulle foglie.

Se utilizzate le foglie di barbabietola o la tatsoi o altre verdure che hanno steli relativamente spessi, separateli dalle foglie e tagliateli a pezzetti.

Mettete l’uvetta in una tazzina, versateci sopra 1 cucchiaio d’acqua calda, e mescolate. Mettete da parte.

Tostate i pinoli in una padellina a secco. Metteteli da parte.

Una manciata di foglie alla volta, tagliate le verdure. Io faccio un mucchietto e taglio fettine larghe 1-1,5 cm. Trasferite le verdure tagliate in un’insalatiera capiente.

In una padella grande scaldate a fuoco medio 1,5 cucchiai / 22,5 ml dell’olio. Se li avete, aggiungete gli steli tagliati a pezzetti, mescolate bene, coprite la padella e cuocete a fuoco basso per 5 minuti o fino a quando siano teneri. Aggiungete metà delle verdure tagliate, mescolate bene, coprite la padella e cuocete a fuoco basso fino a quando siano tenere (8-12 minuti, a seconda del tipo di verdure), mescolando di tanto in tanto. Trasferite le verdure in un’insalatiera.

Ripetere con la stessa quantità di olio e il resto delle verdure.

Tritate insieme con la mezzaluna il prezzemolo, i filetti di acciuga, i capperi e l’aglio.

In una padellina scaldate a fuoco medio il resto dell’olio (1 cucchiaio). Aggiungete gli ingredienti tritati e cuoceteli per un minuto, assicurandovi che l’aglio non imbrunisca. Togliete dal fuoco, aggiungete alle verdure cotte e mescolate bene. Aggiungete l’uvetta e mescolate.

Tritate grossolanamente i pinoli con mortaio e pestello. Aggiungete alle verdure e mescolate.

Scaldate il forno a 170 C.

Oliate leggermente il fondo di una tortiera di vetro da 24 cm e spolverizzatelo con pane grattato, poi rimuovetene l’eccesso.

Rompete l’uovo in una ciotola e sbattetelo leggermente con una forchetta, poi versatelo sulle verdure e mescolate bene per incorporare.

Salate e pepate, mescolate bene e versate le verdure nella tortiera.

Cuocete in forno per 30 minuti.

Sfornate e servite immediatamente (il piatto si raffredda leggermente quando lo tagliate e trasferite le porzioni sui piatti).

Porzioni: 4-6.

Questo è un ottimo modo per preparare le verdure a foglia verde. Il risultato è un po’ dolce, un po’ salato: il gusto di ogni boccone è una piccola sorpresa.

¹ La pagina del libro sul sito web dell’editore

Un mondo d'ingredienti logo Contribuisco il mio tortino di spinaci con pinoli e uvetta, piatto della tradizione ebraica in Italia alla lettera U di Un mondo d’ingredienti evento creato dall’instancabile Aiu’ di Trattoria Muvara

cauliflower Cavour / cavolfiore alla Cavour

March 18, 2023March 17, 2026 | Simona

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versione in italiano

cauliflowr Cavour — a pretty dish to bring to the table

While searching for a traditional Italian dish using cauliflower, I found a recipe from Piemonte, whose name references the first prime minister of Italy, Camillo Benso, conte di Cavour (count of Cavour, usually referred to simply as Cavour¹). In reading the details, I was intrigued by the combination of cauliflower, cheese, egg (uovo) and anchovies (acciughe) and decided to try it.

cauliflower at the farmers' market — beauties on display

Cauliflower Cavour has an interesting flavor, the cheese, egg and anchovies all providing a note, without anyone being overwhelming, is fairly easy to prepare and uses a widely available vegetable.

The recipe I read in Il cucchiaio d’argento (and other online sources)² is rich for my taste, so I prepare a lighter version inspired in part by Marco Bianchi’s rendition³ using olive oil instead of butter and only one egg instead of two. I also steam the cauliflower rather than boiling it.

the sauce for cauliflower Cavour — the sauce
(placemat by La FABBRICA del LINO)

If you taste the sauce, you’ll probably taste the strong flavor of anchovy. When you add the sauce to the cauliflower dressed with olive oil or butter, and cheese, the flavor is more balanced.

Print-friendly version of briciole’s recipe for Cauliflower Cavour

Ingredients:

1 medium cauliflower, possibly organic (1 pound 2 ounces / 500 grams clean weight)
2-3 tablespoons / 30-45 ml extra-virgin olive oil (original recipe: 3 1/2 tablespoons / 50 grams unsalted butter)
2 ounces / 56 grams Grana Padano, freshly grated (see Note below)

for the sauce:

1 hard-boiled egg (original recipe: 2 eggs)
2 small anchovy fillets in olive oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley (OR fresh dill, my idea)
1/2-1 tablespoon / 7.5-15 ml extra-virgin olive oil (original recipe: 2 tablespoons / 30 grams unsalted butter, melted)
1 teaspoon / 5 ml fresh lemon juice

Note: it’s hard for me to find Grana Padano, so I use a locally made cheese.

Hard-boil the egg and set it aside.

Trim the cauliflower and cut it into bite-sized florets. Steam the florets for about 10 minutes, until just tender. (The tender, inner leaves and the stalk, peeled and cut crosswise into coins can be used in other recipes.)

Heat the oven to 350 F / 177 C.

Heat up the olive oil or butter in a skillet and add the cauliflower. Sauté for a few minutes stirring constantly.

Transfer the cauliflower into a baking dish a sprinkle the cheese on top.

Bake for 9-10 minutes.

In the meantime, peel the hard-boiled egg, mince it in a small bowl, then add the anchovies, minced, and the parsley or dill. Drizzle the olive oil or melted butter, season with the lemon juice and stir.

Take the dish out of the oven and distribute the sauce on the cauliflower. Serve immediately.

Serves 3.

¹ Wikipedia entry for Cavour
² “Cavolfiore alla Cavour” in “Il cucchiaio d’argento”
³ “Cavolfiore alla Cavour” by Marco Bianchi on the Umberto Veronesi Foundation’s site [the recipe is no longer accessible on this site]

Click on the button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post

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cavolfiore alla Cavour

Alla ricerca di una ricetta italiana per il cavolfiore, ho incontrato questa, il cui nome mi ha incuriosito per il riferimento storico. Leggendo poi i dettagli, ho deciso che volevo assaggiare il connubio formaggio, uovo e acciuga.

Un articolo che ho letto¹ parla di Cavour come buongustaio e fa riferimento al libro “Il gastronomo moderno” di Ernesto Borgarello (1904), che a pagina 52² cita ben 5 piatti “alla Cavour” (nessuno dei quali però è il cavolfiore).

Origine a parte, il cavolfiore alla Cavour è un piatto gustoso e non complicato da preparare, che utilizza un ortaggio facilmente reperibile.

La ricetta su “Il cucchiaio d’argento” (e altre pagine web)³ è molto ricca per i miei gusti, quindi io ne faccio una versione più leggera ispirata in parte alla versione di Marco Bianchi sul sito della Fondazione Umberto Veronesi,⁴ utilizzando olio d’oliva al posto del burro e diminuendo le uova. Inoltre cuocio il cavolfiore al vapore invece di bollirlo.

Importante: se assaggiate la salsina probabilmente sentirete forte il sapore dell’acciuga. Quando però la aggiungete al cavolfiore condito con olio o burro e formaggio, il sapore si attenua.

Ingredienti:

1 cavolfiore medio, possibilmente bio (500 grammi puliti)
2-3 cucchiai / 30-45 ml di olio extra-vergine di oliva (ricetta originale: 50 grammi di burro)
60 grammi di Grana Padano grattugiato (vedi Nota in basso)

per la salsa:

1 uovo sodo (ricetta originale: 2 uova)
2 piccoli filetti di acciuga sott’olio
1 cucchiaio di prezzemolo fresco tritato (oppure aneto fresco, idea mia)
1/2-1 cucchiaio / 7,5-15 ml di olio extra-vergine di oliva (ricetta originale: 30 grammi di burro fuso)
1 cucchiaino / 5 ml di succo di limone fresco

Nota: dove sono il Grana Padano non lo trovo facilmente e quando lo trovo non è buono come in Italia, quindi io uso un formaggio di produzione locale.

Preparate l’uovo sodo e mettetelo da parte.

Mondate il cavolfiore e tagliatelo a cimette. Cuocetele al vapore per circa 10 minuti finché siano appena tenere. (Potete utilizzare in altre ricette le foglie tenere interne e il gambo, pelato e tagliato a rondelle.)

Scaldate il forno a 180 gradi.

Scaldate l’olio o il burro in una padella e aggiungete il cavolfiore. Fate dorare le cimette per qualche minuto mescolando continuamente.

Trasferite il cavolfiore in una pirofila e cospargete con il formaggio grattugiato. Mescolate delicatamente e brevemente.

Infornate per 9-10 minuti.

Nel frattempo, sgusciate l’uovo sodo, tritatelo e ponetelo in una ciotolina con le acciughe sminuzzate e il prezzemolo o l’aneto. Versate l’olio a filo o il burro fuso, insaporite con il succo di limone e amalgamate bene.

Tirate fuori dal forno la pirofila e condite il cavolfiore con la salsa. Servite immediatamente.

Serve 3.

¹ “La cucina che tanto piaceva a Camillo Benso” su Piemonte Top News
² “Il gastronomo moderno” di Ernesto Borgarello (1904), pagina 52
³ “Cavolfiore alla Cavour” su “Il cucchiaio d’argento”
⁴ “Cavolfiore alla Cavour” di Marco Bianchi sul sito della Fondazione Umberto Veronesi [la ricetta non è più accessibile sul sito]

Un mondo d'ingredienti logo Contribuisco il mio cavolfiore alla Cavour dall’Italia alla lettera C di Un mondo d’ingredienti evento creato dall’instancabile Aiu’ di Trattoria Muvara

red beet, carrot, apple and egg salad / insalata di barbabietole rosse, carote, mela e uovo sodo

March 30, 2022 | Simona

jump to Recipe

Colorful salad: the view from above
(placemat by La FABBRICA del LINO)

Our current Cook the Books Club selection is the spy novel Red Sparrow by Jason Matthews¹. I chose this book for our Club in early June 2021. I had no idea that by the time I started reading it, it would feel like current events. It was hard to believe the book was published in 2013².

While I am an avid reader of mystery novels, this was my first experience reading a spy novel. I was attracted to it because each chapter ends with a short recipe (ricetta): more a list of ingredients and a sketch of the preparation than a real recipe. Still the contrast is intriguing.

The author is a former officer of the CIA’s Operations Directorate, so he wrote the novel from a place of personal experience. I was interested in the language (acronyms and some spy jargon) and the window the novel opens on the mechanics of some secret operations. I found the main characters in the novel interesting, in terms of how they end up doing what they do and also with respect to the question: how do they keep their humanity? How do they maintain friendships, marriages? Those relationships are rooted in trust, openness, sincerity, and yet the spy’s main role is to dissimulate and violence, some of it quite brutal (torture, murder) is part of the job.

salad ingredients ready to be tossed together
(placemat by La FABBRICA del LINO)

As the story travels to different countries, the recipes span a number of culinary traditions. When the novel moved to Helsinki, I looked for Finnish recipes, since an important part of the novel takes place in the Nordic capital: that’s where Dominika meets and falls in love with CIA operative Nate, and befriends fellow Russian Marta, whose disappearance pushes Dominika to step over to the other side. In my search, I read about rosolli, a salad

made of cooked, diced root vegetables, especially beetroot, carrot and potato, often combined with one or more of pickled cucumber (of either the vinegar or brine type), raw onion and apple. Variations may also include additional ingredients such as pickled herring or boiled egg…³

Then in chapter 40, I read:

On the way back to Tallinn, Benford stopped at a highway café grill, to see how the Lada would react. Surveillance proceeded two hundred meters and waited on the side of the highway. Benford made himself stretch out a lunch of boiled sausages, pickles, herring, Baltic rosolje salad, black bread, dark loamy beers.

and a recipe for Estonian Beet Salad—Rosolje appears at the end of the chapter, signaling that various versions of this dish are typical of the larger Baltic region. In fact,

Similar dishes are found throughout northern Europe, from the Low Countries across Scandinavia to Russia. Especially the Russian vinegret is very similar to the Finnish rosolli.³

The salad I made is a free interpretation: I roasted red beets and carrots, omitted potatoes, pickles, herring and the “cooked beef or pork” mentioned in the book’s version, used my homemade mayonnaise (maionese) as dressing and added blue cheese (formaggio erborinato). The combination is quite nice: sweet, tender vegetables, crisp apple, egg, a hint of sharpness in the cheese. You can roast the vegetables ahead of time, then assemble the salad right before the meal. I imagine preparing the ingredients and allow the guests to make their own salad, which can be served also as an appetizer (antipasto).

Print-friendly version of briciole’s recipe for Red beet, carrot, apple and egg salad

Ingredients per person (to be multiplied as needed):

2 small red beets
2 small carrots
1 large egg, from pastured poultry
1/2 medium apple
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste
A pinch of freshly ground black pepper
A splash of sherry vinegar, to taste
1-2 tablespoons / 15-30 ml mayonnaise, possibly homemade, to taste
1/2 ounce / 15 grams Point Reyes Bay Blue⁴ OR other sweet blue cheese

Note: I recommend you purchase a bunch of red beets with their greens. Cut off the greens about 1 inch / 2.5 cm from the root and consume them as soon as possible like you would other types of dark leafy greens.

Heat the oven to 375 F / 190 C.

Scrub the red beets well. Scrub the carrots well and scrape the surface with a blade to remove a thin layer of skin. Wrap each in foil and place them on a baking sheet. Put in the oven and roast the vegetables until easily pierced with a blade. Check the carrots after 30 minutes and the beets after 45 minutes and gauge the cooking time remaining for each.

Let the carrots cool until easy to handle, then slice them (half the slices if the carrot is wide) and set them aside. Let the red beets cool until easy to handle, then slip off the skin. Cut the beets in bite-sized pieces and set them aside.

In the meantime, hard-boil the egg, let it cool, then peel it and dice it. Crumble the cheese. Just before assembling the salad, dice the apple (peeling optional).

Compose the salad using the vegetables, apple and egg. Season with salt, pepper and vinegar and toss. Add the mayonnaise and toss, then add the blue cheese, toss one last time, and serve.

¹ The book’s page on the publisher’s website
² A review of the novel on the NY Times
³ The wikipedia article about rosolli and a recipe for rosolli on the Finlandia Foundation website
⁴ Point Reyes Bay Blue cheese, “a rustic-style blue cheese with a natural rind. It is known for its mellow flavor and sweet, salted caramel finish.”

Click on the button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post:

insalata di barbabietole rosse, carote, mela e uovo sodo

or launch the insalata di barbabietola rosse, carote, mela e uovo sodo audio file [mp3].

[Depending on your set-up, the audio file will be played within the browser or by your mp3 player application. Please, contact me if you encounter any problems.]

This is my contribution to the current selection of our Cook the Books hosted by me, Simona of briciole. (You can find the guidelines for participating in the event on this page.)

The roundup of the event.

red beet, apple, carrot, egg, salad

Persian herb and greens frittata / frittata persiana di verdure ed erbe

March 15, 2020 | Simona

Persian herb and greens frittata / IMG_3163

green to celebrate spring
(placemat by La FABBRICA del LINO)

Our Cook the Books Club selection this time brings us to Ireland (Irlanda), yet the flavors are those of Iran (whose cuisine we savored also in a recent edition¹). The novel Pomegranate Soup, by Marsha Mehran² (zuppa di melograno), follows the adventures of the three Aminpour sisters, who escape from political turmoil in their native country to the UK and ultimately settle in the small Irish town of Ballinacroagh, where they open a small café serving dishes from their home country.

The novel's cast includes the sisters' landlady, the town's priest, a young man with a passion for astronomy and other colorful characters. The author expertly weaves past events into the present narrative, so that as the story progresses we learn what pushed the sisters to run away from their home.

Marjan, the eldest Aminpour sister, is the main force behind Babylon Café: she watches as many locals come to appreciate the dishes she creates, their appealing aromas and comforting flavors. The book mentions many dishes and includes a recipe at the end of each chapter. I was particularly intrigued by the description of "a good apple khoresh, a stew made from tart apples, chicken and split peas" (page 60 of the hardback edition), but while I was searching for a recipe for that, I read about Kuku Sabzi, a kind of herb frittata traditionally prepared for Nowruz, the Iranian New Year that is celebrated on the spring equinox. I am a lover of greens, so I decided to try this recipe. I read a number of renditions³ and below is a description of what I made.

In terms of greens, I went with what I found fresh at the farmers' market, namely spinach (spinaci) and dill (aneto). Parsley, thyme and lovage (prezzemolo, timo e levistico) come from my garden. The idea is that you can use greens and herbs you like and have available. A different combination means a different flavor, so this is a recipe that can be repeated without becoming boring.

When I tasted the first bite of my rendition, my first reaction was: why have I not tried making this before?

Print-friendly version of briciole's recipe for Persian herb and greens frittata (Kuku Sabzi)

Ingredients:

4 1/2 ounces / 130 g leek, white and light green portion, clean weight (set aside the dark green portion to make broth or stock)
4 tablespoons / 60 ml extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 bunches / 14 ounces / 400 g fresh spinach
2 cups of finely chopped fresh herbs: in my case mostly dill (thick stems removed), some sprigs of parsley, leaves of a handful of fresh thyme sprigs and 2 sprigs of lovage
5 large eggs from pastured poultry
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

Cut the leek in half lengthwise and slice into 1/8 inch / 3 mm half-moons. Rinse well in a colander, then place in a bowl and fill it with cold water. With your hands, swirl the leek pieces to clean them well, then scoop them out of the water with a sieve or slotted spoon and drain them in a colander.

Warm up a 10-inch / 25 cm skillet over medium heat, then add 2 tablespoons / 30 ml of the olive oil. Add the leeks, stir well and cook for a couple of minutes. Cover the skillet and cook on low heat until the leeks are soft (12-15 minutes), stirring every now and then, making sure nothing burns. Transfer the leeks to a plate and clean the skillet.

Wash the spinach carefully and drain. Discard the roots and thicker stems and chop the rest finely. This is a bit tedious but it makes cooking easier, because the amount of eggs is small with respect to the amount of greens.

chopping herbs finely

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, the salt, pepper, and turmeric. Add the cooked leeks, the chopped spinach and herbs and mix everything well. A silicone spatula works well for this step, which requires patience.

Heat the broiler: if your oven allows it, use the low setting; otherwise, move the oven rack down one level.

Heat again the skillet and pour into it the remaining 2 tablespoons / 30 ml of the olive oil, then swirl to coat. Empty the bowl into the skillet and use the spatula to spread the mixture evenly across. Cover the skillet and cook the frittata on low heat until the bottom is just set: check it after 8 minutes and estimate the remaining cooking time.

Uncover the skillet and broil, watching carefully, until the top is set, 1-2 minutes. Let the frittata cool slightly, then slide it onto a platter and serve.

Serves 4-8

Persian herb and greens frittata / IMG_3158

why have I learned about this dish only now?

The intense green of this dish nicely points at the coming spring season. The flavor is a treat for lovers of greens.

¹ My recent post featuring another Persian-inspired recipe: eggplant and yellow split pea stew
² The book introduction on the author's website
³ Some recipes: on Bon Appetit (with useful video), the Kitchn, the Splendid Table

Click on the button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post:

frittata persiana di verdure ed erbe

or launch the frittata persiana di verdure ed erbe audio file [mp3].

[Depending on your set-up, the audio file will be played within the browser or by your mp3 player application. Please, contact me if you encounter any problems.]

This is my contribution to the current selection of our Cook the Books hosted by me, Simona of briciole. (You can find the guidelines for participating in the event on this page.)

The roundup of the event.

This is also my second contribution to the 38th edition of Novel Food, the literary/culinary event that Lisa of Champaign Taste and I started 12 years ago and that I continue to host.

The roundup of the event.

frittata, spinach, dill, parsley, thyme, lovage, eggs, Persian cuisine

popiah: fresh spring rolls with jicama / involtini primavera con patata messicana

March 8, 2019 | Simona

popiah fresh spring rolls with jicama / IMG_1659

composite flavor and texture

I read Crazy Rich Asians¹ by Kevin Kwan, the current selection of the Cook the Books club, in just a few days. It is a modern version of a Victorian novel set mostly in Asia, particularly the island state of Singapore.

When Rachel and Nick, the protagonists, arrive in Singapore, they are greeted by Nick’s bet friend, Colin, and his fiancée, Araminta. Together, they go to eat at one of Singapore’s hawker centers. I have never been to Singapore, but I learned about hawker centers and the characteristics of Singaporean food thanks to the paper Lucey Bowen wrote for the 2017 Oxford Food Symposium: “Singapore: Landscape of Loss, Cuisine of Comfort.” I was therefore not surprised by the heated discussion that erupts among the friends when deciding where to go to offer Rachel her first taste of Singaporean food.

Fittingly, the novel ends with another heated discussion about the same topic, this time between Nick and Peik Lin, Rachel’s Singaporean college friend. Rachel’s mother is at a loss about the exchange, but Rachel reassures her: “Let them be, Mom. Let them be. This is just how they all are.”

The intensity of feelings reminded me of food discussions in Italy: food is at the heart of our identity. That is one reason why I approach preparing a dish from a different tradition with as much respect as I can, not only as a set of ingredients prepared in a certain way, but also as the celebration of a culture. I don’t have a baseline flavor nor an emotional connection to the dish: I know that what I create is a personal version, infused with the joy of discovery.

popiah fresh spring rolls with jicama / P1030957

freshly rolled and quartered

In reading about Singaporean dishes with a focus on vegetarian options², I was taken by popiah, fresh spring rolls with jicama³, a dish whose preparation brings people together. As the rolls should be assembled and eaten right away, I imagined a group of friends around the table making popiah and eating while debating whose mother had the best recipe. Then, I read the following regarding the movie based on the novel:

In a scene that didn’t make the movie, Rachel has a popiah-making party with Peik Lin’s family, which Kwan says shows how “communal and intimate cooking can be, and how close their family is.” He explains popiah as “beautiful rice pancakes that are thin and filled with various delicious things, like meat, vegetables like carrots and jicama, shrimp, egg, ground peanuts, and cilantro.” Then they are rolled up like a “sleek little burrito,” Kwan explains. “You make and eat them during a big, family-style feast. Everyone sits around a table and makes their own.“⁴

I had to make my own, right? I read a number of recipes for popiah filling and settled for something I knew I would like: lots of vegetables, eggs and tofu (tante verdure, uova e tofu). “The filling for this dish must have turnip (also known as jicama or yam bean). Beyond that, the choice of other ingredients is based on your personal preference.”⁵

The dish requires some investment of time, but you can prepare the various elements ahead and then place them on the table for the fun part: assembling, rolling and eating.

some of the popiah ingredients: sprouts, roasted peanuts, frittata, tofu, spring onions (placemat by La FABBRICA del LINO)

I made more vegetable filling than I needed, knowing that I could use it also in other ways (for example, I turned some of it into filling for a delicata squash). I made a smaller amount of other ingredients, knowing that my popiah-making party would be a party of one. Adjust the quantities to your needs and don’t worry about leftovers. It is more important to pay attention to some details I learned during my experience.

Print-friendly version of briciole’s recipe for Popiah (fresh spring rolls with jicama)

Ingredients:

12 popiah wrappers or Chinese spring roll wrappers or lumpia wrappers: choose ones that are labeled “paper thin”
12 ounces / 340 g jicama
5 ounces / 280 g carrots
5 ounces / 280 g Savoy cabbage (or green cabbage)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons / 30 ml coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt (to season the vegetable filling)
2 eggs from pastured poultry
1 tablespoon / 15 ml water
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt (to season the eggs)
A pinch of freshly ground black pepper (to season the eggs)
Extra-virgin olive oil and coconut oil
Firm tofu
One head of butter lettuce
4 spring onions
4 garlic cloves, minced
Sunflowers sprouts
A handful of peanuts, roasted and finely chopped
Chili sauce

Important notes about the ingredients I used:

Wrappers: You can make your own (I will do that next time). If you buy frozen lumpia wrappers, take them out of the freezer several hours before using them. I was able to separate what I needed so did not have to thaw the whole package. Keep them in a sealed bag so they don’t dry out.

Butter lettuce: I chose this type of lettuce for its larger leaves and thinner ribs.

Sprouts: the recipe calls for bean sprouts tailed and blanched. I bought fresh sprouts at the farmers’ market, a first for me. They were so fresh and tender (the vendor harvested them in front of my eyes!) that I used them as is. She did not have bean sprouts, but had pea sprouts. However, my tasting made me opt for sunflower sprouts (germogli di girasole).

Firm tofu: I bought some baked mushroom tofu, cut into (approximately) 3.5 x 3.5 inches slices 1/2 inch thick (9 x 9 cm slices 1.25 cm thick).

Spring onions: rather than shallots (in the original recipe: sliced and fried crisp), I used spring onions, which are in season now and available at the farmers’ market.

Sauces: I used hot sauce I had and forwent sweet sauce: I stay away from anything that has sugar as a main ingredient. Also, carrots are sweet and I used some coconut milk in the filling.

Prepare the filling
Peel the jicama with a potato peeler. Slice each half thinly then cut into matchsticks. One of the recipes I consulted³ prefers this method over shredding to preserve some texture and I agree.

Note: when cutting the vegetables and other filling ingredients, keep in mind that while different textures are important, large or rigid pieces make the rolling difficult and may tear the wrapper.

Scrape and rinse the carrot. If they are fresh and thin, halve them lengthwise then slice them into half moons. If they are large or not so fresh, grate them using the extra-coarse side of your grater.

Quarter and thinly slice the cabbage.

Warm up a wok over medium heat. Add the olive oil and, when warm, the garlic. Cook for 1 minute while stirring, then add the jicama. Stir well, then add the carrots, stir again, cover and turn down the heat. Cook on gentle heat, stirring now and then and making sure the vegetables do not stick to the bottom. Add a bit of water if they do. Here I depart from the original recipe in not adding liquid, so that then I don’t need to drain the filling.

After 30 minutes, add the cabbage, then cover to let it wilt slightly. After 1 minute, uncover, stir, then pour the coconut milk, stir well, cover and continue cooking, stirring every now and then, until all the vegetables are tender. When ready, sprinkle the sea salt and stir well. Taste and adjust the salt to taste.

the vegetables are ready

Break the eggs in a small bowl and whisk them lightly with a fork until just blended. Add the water, then the salt and pepper and whisk briefly.

Warm up a well oiled 10-inch / 25-cm skillet on medium heat. Pour the eggs slowly into the skillet and roll the skillet to spread evenly. Cook over low heat until the eggs are set. After the edge is set, run a spatula under it to ensure the bottom does not stick to the pan. When the top is set, flip the frittata and take the skillet off the heat. Transfer the frittata onto a plate. When cooled, roll it and cut into thin strips. Set aside.

Warm up a bit of olive oil or coconut oil in a small skillet. Pan-fry a slice of the tofu on both sides until golden. Transfer onto a plate, then slice thinly and cut into matchsticks. Set aside.

Wash and drain the lettuce leaves, then cut off the thickest portion of each leaf’s rib, for ease of rolling. Set aside.

Cut off roots from spring onions, then thinly slice the white and light green portion (reserve the green top for another use). Warm up a small skillet, add a bit of oil and, when warm, the onions. Cook on gentle heat, while stirring, until tender (a few minutes). Set aside.

Warm up the skillet again, add a bit of oil and, when warm, the garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes while stirring until it smells aromatic. Set aside.

Assemble the popiah
Place all the ingredients in suitable containers on the table.

To make one roll, place one wrapper on a plate. If square, have a corner pointing at you. With a brush spread a thin layer of hot sauce on the central part of the wrapper. Spread a bit of fried garlic on the bottom half of the wrapper.

Note: as you start layering the filling, restraint is required: or you will have difficulty rolling the popiah and the wrapper may tear. (If that happens, you can still eat it.)

popiah: fresh spring rolls with jicama / IMG_1656

assembly in progress

Layer the filling on the bottom half of the wrapper, close to the corner towards you. Place a lettuce leaf crosswise, then spread 2 tablespoons of vegetable filling on the lettuce. Place a few strands of frittata and of tofu, some sprouts, all crosswise, top with a sprinkling of the spring onions and peanuts.

popiah: fresh spring rolls with jicama / IMG_1657

three sides are folded: time to roll

Fold the bottom corner towards the center, then the right and then the left to make an envelope shape. Fold the popiah starting from the side closest to you, gently tucking the filling, and rolling away from you.

Bite into your roll or slice into quarters and eat (see photo at the top of the post).

Serves 4-6.

Freshly tasting, a medley of flavors and textures (tender, crisp, crunchy), this was a tasty reward for a fair amount of work. I cooked jicama for the first time, tasted sunflower sprouts for the first time and overall had a great time. Next step: making my own fresh wrappers.

¹ The book’s website
² Veggie-friendly Singapore dishes
³ A recipe for popiah from the What To Cook Today site
⁴ Source: Bon Appetit
⁵ This site has a detailed description on how to make popiah and includes some good advice, which I followed. The recipe includes shrimp and meat, which I did not use.
Another recipe for popiah from Rasa Malaysia blog

Click on the button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post:

involtini primavera con patata messicana

or launch the involtini primavera con patata messicana audio file [mp3].

[Depending on your set-up, the audio file will be played within the browser or by your mp3 player application. Please, contact me if you encounter any problems.]

This is my contribution to the current selection of our Cook the Books hosted by Claudia of Honey From Rock. (You can find the guidelines for participating in the event on this page.)

The roundup of the event.

This is also my contribution to the 35th edition of Novel Food, the literary/culinary event that Lisa of Champaign Taste and I started 11 years ago and that I continue to host.

The roundup of the event.

spring rolls, popiah, jicama, carrots, cabbage, eggs, tofu, Singaporean food, Chinese food

mushroom and egg salad / insalata di funghi e uova

July 7, 2017 | Simona

a pretty bowl of mushroom and egg salad

I simply loved Anya von Bremzen's Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking: A Memoir of Food & Longing¹, the current selection of our Cook the Books Club. The story is interesting: von Bremzen describes her and her family's life in the context of the political changes in Russia, the Soviet Union, then Russia again. Her style of writing is engaging — with the right balance of humor and seriousness. The food she describes is intriguing: even when we don't feel like we want to taste it, the emotional context comes alive in her words. I remember the more recent historical events von Bremzen describes, but I was looking at the Soviet Union from outside. Her account describes the perspective and experience of one living on the other side of the Iron Curtain (cortina di ferro).

Towards the end of the book, von Bremzen talks about writing Please to the Table: The Russian Cookbook² together with her then partner, John Welchman. I had already put that book in my wish list, after browsing it in search of the recipe for a Russian dish³. At this point, I was ready to get it. Now, when I read a recipe titled "my mother's Salad Olivier" I know something about the person she refers to. While Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking considers Soviet history also through the lens of food, Please to the Table considers more closely its geography and culinary culture. It's a pleasure to read through it.

a close look before slicing them

One dish caught my attention immediately: Salat iz Yaits i Gribov (page 120-121). It uses mayonnaise (maionese), a condiment that has a special place in Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking and one I liked as a child, in part because I ate it rarely. Nowadays I make my own and can have it whenever I want. I halved the original recipe to make a smaller salad. I also changed some of the quantities because, while I like mayonnaise, I do so in moderation. Finally, I added a mix of baby spinach and arugula to the mushrooms, to create some flavor variety.

Print-friendly version of briciole's recipe for Mushroom and egg salad

Ingredients

1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces / 225 g white button or cremini mushrooms or a mix of the two kinds, cleaned and sliced
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup / 2 ounces / 55 g minced fresh red onion
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill (aneto)
2 hard-boiled eggs (uova sode), roughly diced
1/4 cup / 60 ml mayonnaise, possibly homemade
2 teaspoons yellow mustard (the original recipe has Dijon mustard)
1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 ounce / 30 g baby spinach
1 ounce / 30 g arugula

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and add the mushrooms. Cook, stirring often, until browned, about 15 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to a bowl and set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the skillet and add the onion. Cook on gentle heat, stirring often, until soft and slightly caramelized, about 12 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the mushrooms. Add the dill and the eggs.

In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard and lemon juice. Add to the mushroom and egg mixture and toss until evenly distributed; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Line a serving bowl with the baby spinach and arugula. Spoon the mushroom and egg salad on the bed of greens. Before plating, toss to mix in the greens.

Serves 2.

up close and personal

I loved the book, which I recommend, in particular if you like history mixed in with personal stories. I loved the salad, which I have made several times, using ingredients I get at the farmers' market.

¹ The book's page on the publisher's site
²Please to the Table: The Russian Cookbook by Anya Von Bremzen, John Welchman
³ My post and recipe for eggplant caviar (ikra) / caviale di melanzane

Click on the button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post:

insalata di funghi e uova

or launch the insalata di funghi e uova audio file [mp3].

[Depending on your set-up, the audio file will be played within the browser or by your mp3 player application. Please, contact me if you encounter any problems.]

This is my contribution to the current selection of our Cook the Books hosted by Simona of briciole. (You can find the guidelines for participating in the event on this page.)

The roundup of the event.

This is my second contribution to the 30th edition of Novel Food, the literary/culinary event that Lisa of Champaign Taste and I started some time ago and that I continue to host.

The roundup of the event.

I am contributing my salad also to Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammies) Sundays, a weekly event created by Cook the Books club co-host Deb of Kahakai Kitchen.

The roundup of the event.

salad, mushrooms, eggs, mayonnaise, Russian cuisine

eggs nested in leafy green vegetables / uova in nidi di verdura

September 28, 2016 | Simona

eggs nested in leafy green vegetables / DSC_7997

simple, rustic and richly good

Restarting where I left off. In a recent post I shared the recipe for Cranberry Beans with Rhubarb¹. Here I will talk about the leafy greens you saw in that post's photos.

a deeply flavored dish, though maybe not photogenic
(tablecloth by La FABBRICA del LINO)

The current Cook the Books selection, The Secret Book of Frida Kahlo by F. G. Haghenbeck, made me think a lot about what we need/want to know about an artist's life. In this case it is actually two artists: Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. My encounter with the work of both happened at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art² almost 20 years ago. I learned there a bit about their life, enough to complement my appreciation of their paintings. I admit I was more impressed by Rivera than by Kahlo. Rivera's The Flower Carrier³ is in the museum's permanent collection and I look at it every time I visit.

The novel didn't add to my appreciation of Kahlo⁴ or Rivera and it goes into some areas of their life where I was not eager to go. In reading what is described as "a fictional account" of Kahlo's life, it was tricky to suspend my disbelief. I found that I prefer to be either in fiction land or in biography land, not some place in between. Once again, I am thankful to be a member of our special reading club, because I would not have chosen this book on my own, and reading it stimulated some interesting thoughts and pushed me to be clear with myself about the reasons why it didn't resonate with me.

While I was reading the book, I thought about how in the kitchen I use ingredients a bit like a painter chooses his/her colors. I usually follow a recipe, but sometimes I just use what I have and see (taste, actually) if it works. This is particularly true with recipes that use leafy green vegetables, which grow according on their own plans in my serendipitous garden: Red Russian kale, collard greens, rainbow chard (bietola). I harvest them weekly pretty much year round and try to cook them in various ways. My husband is not wild about them, preferring spinach, while I love them. One evening that I had some of my tomato sauce (sugo di pomodoro) made with roasted tomatoes, I tried pairing them and liked the result, which you see in the photo above with the beans. Then I thought I could arrange the greens into a nest a cook an egg inside. The result is currently my favorite way of eating the greens.

various shades of greens

What I like about this recipe is that it can be made in separate steps. I can harvest and cook the fresh greens (which would otherwise wilt quickly) and store them in the refrigerator until I need them. I make tomato sauce often enough that I always have some handy and fresh eggs (uova fresche) are permanent inhabitants of my refrigerators. The final step of putting it all together takes a short time.

Print-friendly version of briciole's recipe for Eggs nested in leafy green vegetables

Ingredients:

A bunch of leafy green vegetables, 3/4-1 pound: kale, chard and/or collard greens in the proportion you prefer
Tomato sauce (my recipe is in this post⁵)
Fine sea salt
Fresh eggs, preferably from pastured poultry

Wash the greens and separate the leaves from the stalks. (Set aside the chard stalks and make something with them, like a gratin⁶.) Make a stack of leaves, then roll it into a tight roll starting from the base of the leaves. Hold the roll with one hand and with the other cut thin slices across (as if it were a salame).

Place the pile of cut green in a large skillet and cook them in the water they hold until wilted, then cover the skillet and cook on gentle heat until tender, 8 minutes or so. Stir every couple of minutes and make sure there is enough water to prevent sticking. Salt to taste.

At this point you can continue or let the greens cool, store them in a cover container in the refrigerator for a day or two.

When ready, take a portion of the greens per person to serve and either cook them all together in a larger skillet or make individual portions in smaller ones: 2 ounces / 55 g of cooked greens per egg is the amount I use, enough to make a nice nest. Prepare only what you will consume. Oil the skillet and warm up the greens. Add the tomato sauce and stir well: 2 tablespoons (30 ml) per 2 ounces / 55 g of cooked greens is the amount I use. When everything is nice and hot, spread the greens evenly and make an indentation for each egg.

Break an egg into each indentation and cook on low heat until the yolk is cooked to your liking. Sprinkle a tiny amount of salt on each egg. I stop the cooking when the white is set and the yolk is still running, because that is how I like it.

Serve immediately in bowls, to keep the nest from spreading too much. Immediately I break the yolk and mix it with the greens, like a painter mixing colors.

I eat this and think it is superb, as the bitter nuance of the greens cuts slightly into the sweet yolk and the latter binds the greens into a satisfying texture.

eggs nested in leafy green vegetables / DSC_7998

I break the runny yolk and mix it with the greens

Admirers of Frida Kahlo may also enjoy this illustrated biography of hers⁷.

¹ Rhubarb and berbere cranberry beans (with recipe)
² San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
³ Diego Rivera: The Flower Carrier
⁴ Frida Kahlo: Frieda and Diego Rivera
⁵ Post including my recipe for tomato sauce, which uses my strained roasted tomatoes
⁶ Gratinéed chard stalks
⁷ Frida Kahlo: An Illustrated Biography by writer Zena Alkayat and artist Nina Cosford

Click on the button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post:

uova in nidi di verdura

or launch the uova in nidi di verdura audio file [mp3].

[Depending on your set-up, the audio file will be played within the browser or by your mp3 player application. Please, contact me if you encounter any problems.]

This is my contribution to the current selection of our Cook the Books hosted by Debra of Eliot's Eats. (You can find the guidelines for participating in the event on this page.)

The roundup of the event.

This is also my contribution to the 28th edition of Novel Food, the literary/culinary event that Lisa of Champaign Taste and I started some time ago and that I continue to host.

The roundup of the event.

FTC disclosure: I have received the linen free of charge from the manufacturer (la FABBRICA del LINO). I have not and will not receive any monetary compensation for presenting it on my blog. The experience shared and the opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own.

greens, eggs, kale, chard, collard greens

celery omelette / omelette con sedano

June 14, 2016 | Simona

[cliccare il link per andare alla versione in italiano]

celery omelette topped with some mashed avocado
(tablecloth by La FABBRICA del LINO)

Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson called out at me from a table at a library book sale and just like the country in which is it set, Norway, it grabbed me immediately. The sky, the woods, the water, everything is expansive in Norway, majestic, yet quiet. Petterson’s prose is like that. Life’s familiar themes—friendship, love, loss, betrayal, coming of age, aging—play a role in the story of Trond Sander, the 67-year-old protagonist.

I imagined to be sitting in front of a fireplace or wood-burning stove on a long Norwegian winter’s night, listening to the narrator, Trond himself, tell his life’s story slowly and methodically, the way he does things in and around his cabin in the woods. Even when he describes episodes that are emotionally intense, Trond’s tone remains calm, but the pain of his losses is quite visible just under the surface.

I didn’t read the novel in one sitting, but the image of Trond spending the last portion of his life living alone (his wife had died in a car accident from which he emerged unscathed three years before the story starts) haunted me. The novel describes in details what Trond does during his days: getting up, getting dressed, making coffee, walking his dog Lyra, reading. He puts on a white shirt to eat dinner, because

It is important not to be careless about supper when you are alone. It is easily done boring as it is to cook for one person only. There must be… no sitting down in your working clothes.

the simple beauty of diced celery on the cutting board

While I love the aroma of celery and use it to make soffritto, until recently I hadn’t looked at it as an ingredient on its own. One morning, thinking also about Trond, I decided to make it the protagonist of an omelette for one. The result was a variation on a classic that was appreciated at the table, so it has been served often for breakfast (colazione) ever since. It is a quick and easy dish to prepare, and nutritious, perfect for Trond especially on a morning when he plans to do some intense physical work to get his cabin in shape for the fast approaching winter. Of course, the recipe can easily be doubled if there are other people at the table (like Trond’s neighbor, Lars, or his eldest daughter, Ellen).

Print-friendly version of briciole’s recipe for Celery omelette

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon / 5 ml extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons / 10 g unsalted butter, divided in half
60 g celery, diced small
1/8 teaspoon sweet paprika
2 large eggs, possibly pastured
1 tablespoon / 15 ml water
2 small pinches of sea salt
1/4 ounce / 7 g Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated

omelette in progress

Heat up the olive oil and half the butter on medium heat in a 8 1/2 inch / 21.5 cm skillet. Add the celery, stir well and turn down the heat to medium-low. Sprinkle the paprika on the celery and stir. Continue cooking for 5-6 minutes stirring often.

In the meantime, break the eggs into a small bowl and whisk lightly to blend yolks and whites. Add the water and a small pinch of sea salt and whisk lightly to blend.

Add the remaining butter to the celery and swirl it around the skillet. Pour the eggs into the skillet (use a soft spatula to scrape every last drop from the bowl) and move the celery around to ensure it is distribute evenly.

Cook on gentle heat until the surface is almost set.

Sprinkle the cheese on the surface, then with a spatula, lift the omelette on one side and fold it into half onto the other side.

Remove the skillet from the heat, plate the omelette and serve immediately.

In the top photo, the omelette is topped with mashed avocado, the way my husband likes to eat it. In the photo below, it is shown plain with a side of seed crackers, a recent addition to our table of which we are both fond. You will find the recipe in the previous post: gluten-free seed crackers.

celery omelette served with seed crackers
(tablecloth by La FABBRICA del LINO)

After reading Out Stealing Horses I will definitely look for other novels by Per Petterson. And I will continue my habit of visiting library sales: I always find interesting books there.

¹ A review of the book in the New York Times
² Wikipedia entry for Per Petterson

Click on the button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post:

omelette con sedano

or launch the omelette con sedano audio file [mp3].

[Depending on your set-up, the audio file will be played within the browser or by your mp3 player application. Please, contact me if you encounter any problems.]

This is my contribution to the 27th edition of Novel Food, the literary/culinary event that Lisa of Champaign Taste and I started some time ago and that I continue to host.

The roundup of the event.

omelette, celery, eggs, breakfast, gluten free

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omelette con sedano

omelette con sedano con sopra dell’avocado schiacciato
(tovaglia de La FABBRICA del LINO)

Questa omelette è stata ispirata dal romanzo Fuori a rubar cavalli dello scrittore norvegese Per Petterson¹. Se state facendo la lista dei libri da leggere in vacanza, vi consiglio di aggiungerlo.

la semplice bellezza di un mucchietto di sedano a dadini sul tagliere

Mi piace l’aroma del sedano e lo uso nel soffritto ma fino a poco tempo fa non lo consideravo un ingrediente capace di fare da protagonista. Una mattina ho deciso di usarlo per fare un’omelette e il risultato è stato apprezzato a tavola e da quel giorno questa omelette, facile e veloce da preparare, appare spesso sul menu della colazione.

Ingredienti:

1 cucchiaino / 5 ml olio extra vergine d’oliva
10 g burro, diviso a metà
60 g sedano tagliato a dadini
1/8 cucchiaino paprika dolce
2 uova codice 0
1 cucchiaio / 15 ml acqua
2 pizzichini di sale fino
7 g Parmigiano-Reggiano grattugiato fresco

durante la cottura

Scaldare a fuoco medio l’olio e metà del burro in una padellina di 21,5 cm di diametro. Aggiungere il sedano, mescolare bene e abbassare il calore a medio-basso. Distribuire la paprika sul sedano e mescolare. Continuare a cuocere per 5-6 minuti mescolando spesso.

Nel frattempo rompere le uova in una ciotolina e sbattere leggermente per mischiare tuorli ed albumi. Aggiungere l’acqua e un pizzichino di sale e sbattere leggermente per mischiare.

Aggiungere il resto del burro e farlo girare per distribuirlo sul fondo. Versare le uova nella padellina (pulire bene la ciotolina con l’aiuto di una spatola morbida) e muovere il sedano in modo che sia distribuito in modo uniforme.

Cuocere a fuoco dolce fino a quando la superficie sia quasi rappresa.

Distribuire il formaggio sulla superficie e poi con una spatola sollevare un lato dell’omelette e piegare l’omelette a metà.

Togliere la padellina dal fuoco, impiattare l’omelette e servire immediatamente.

Nella foto in alto l’omelette è presentata con dell’avocado schiacciato spalmato sopra, come piace a mio marito. Nella foto in basso è presentata con i cracker di semi (senza glutine) descritti nel post precedente.

omelette con sedano servita con dei cracker di semi
(tovaglia de La FABBRICA del LINO)

Questa omelette è stata ispirata dal romanzo Fuori a rubar cavalli dello scrittore norvegese Per Petterson¹.

¹ Wikipedia: Per Petterson

FTC disclosure: Ho ricevuto la tovaglia gratuitamente dall’azienda produttrice (la FABBRICA del LINO). Non ho ricevuto e non riceverò alcun compenso per presentarla sul mio blog. Le opinioni espresse nel post sono interamente personali.

briciole

Simona Carini serves recipes and Italian words related to food

Egg Dish

skillet-cooked asparagus with eggs / asparagi in padella con le uova

savoy cabbage with egg and cheese / pipetto (verza con uovo e formaggio)

pipetto (pipèto o nusèt): verza con uovo e formaggio

spinach pie with pine nuts and raisins / tortino di spinaci con pinoli e uvetta

tortino di spinaci con pinoli e uvetta

cauliflower Cavour / cavolfiore alla Cavour

cavolfiore alla Cavour

red beet, carrot, apple and egg salad / insalata di barbabietole rosse, carote, mela e uovo sodo

Persian herb and greens frittata / frittata persiana di verdure ed erbe

popiah: fresh spring rolls with jicama / involtini primavera con patata messicana

mushroom and egg salad / insalata di funghi e uova

eggs nested in leafy green vegetables / uova in nidi di verdura

celery omelette / omelette con sedano

omelette con sedano