Park City, Utah

April 6, 2008

Change of pace today! No food talk, no recipes ... well at least not for the moment—maybe later. Since this is "A Writer's Blog" right now I wanted to share a scenic view so you can see what inspires me to write when I've parked my duff in Utah for a bit. (John Dufresne’s First Rule of Writing is: “Sit your ass in the chair!”) While I was revising out west in February and March, for instance, I needed a winter scene for my novel.


This novel isn't set in the US west, it's actually in the East—the FAR EAST—China to be exact. But snow is snow and winter is winter and there you have it. I can look out any window and see splendid nature. As I was struggling with this snowy section of the manuscript, lo and behold if the Universe didn't conspire to give me precisely what I wanted—a view—actually several views, but for now this is all I'm posting.

Photo : Stefan Scimone

Leonard Nash & Nina Romano last Saturday night

On March 29th , Leonard Nash (the handsome athletic one, not the one who just lost 10 lbs and still looks chunky in PINK!) read from his short story collection, You Can't Get There From Here, winner of the 2007 Florida Book Awards Silver Medal; and yours truly read from her collection of poems, Cooking Lessons at Murder on the Beach Mystery Bookstore in Delray Beach to an amazing little crowd that posed evocative questions Leonard and I were happy to answer and made the small event memorable and fun!

Photograph courtesy of Emily Goldstein

Thank you, Leonard, for the lovely reading and and thank you, Joanne Sinchuk, owner of this delightful book shop. and a special, heartfelt thanks to all those who attended!

Meat Sauce (with photo) in the Wasatch Mountains

Okay, folks, you see I'm into posting pictures of late—no genius, I'm deficient technologically speaking, so I fudged and had help from the young attorney. (http://www.sakalaw.com/)

I’m confessing another truth—these blogerino recipes with ingredients, trust me, they ain't ever exact. I try is all I can say on that score. Proceed with caution.

(Photograph courtesy of Stefan Scimone)

So about the above snapshot—here I am in the new kitchen in the house tucked into the hills and trails of Jeremy Ranch in Park City, Utah, making a hefty pot of tomato sauce loaded to the brim with chunks of steak, hunks of fillet mignon, thick cuts of pork tenderloin, Italian sausage (both hot and sweet) meatballs (the way grandma used to make them—ours are never round golf balls but more like hockey puck disks) and hefty slices of country style pork chops. This is all stewing in a passato tomato sauce (about 6 lbs) that is, a liquefied sauce that has no pieces of tomato or seeds.

Please notice the gorgeous ceramics in back of my raised elbow all purchased from: Jane Brownley at www.plainjanescloset.com These lovely ceramics from Casafina in the background are not just show pieces but beautiful decorative dinnerware to grace any table.

For exact instructions for this sauce large enough to feed between a basketball team and a soccer squad, or several teenage boys, friends included, contact: ninsthewriter@gmail.com

HINT # 1: There’s enough sauce for a large baked lasagna and a large baked eggplant parmigiano, or a huge platter of two lbs. of pasta and then serve the meat separately with a mixed green salad.

HINT # 2: This sauce contains the following ingredients, besides the meat, if you want to brave it and have a go at it on your own. I say, be adventurous. TRY IT! You can't mess up if all the ingredients are good. Don't quote me on that.

Ingredients ... your own for measurements!
6 lbs of tomatoes—San Marzano
1 large chopped onion
7 cloves of garlic
fresh basil
fresh parsley
white wine
olive oil—by now you know the kind I use!
hot pepper
salt

Put it all togehter it spells: sugo di pomodoro!

Zuppa di Cozze (Mussels soup)

Yes, indeedy! If this looks delish to you--take my word for it, it is! This deep fry pan contains 5 lbs of fresh mussels. (Photo is courtesy of Stefan Scimone: Hall Custom Paint, Tuscon, AZ)

The important thing to remember when preparing with seafood is that it must be very fresh. So you pop the mussels into very cold water and wash them thoroughly, changing the water several times. Scrub mussels with a brush or a nylon sponge. If any are open--toss them. some have what I call a "beard" hanging out the side--you can yank this in a downward swipe from small to larger rounded end. Next you drain them of any water. Here's all you need to make a wonderful "zuppa did cozze"

Ingredients

2 to 5 lbs of mussels

1/2 cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

5 cloves of garlic (at least!)

1-2 hot peppers

a bunch of chopped parsley or cilantro

1 cup of white wine--for this one I used Chardonnay

one loaf of Italian bread to toast

Zuppa di Cozze

Open the mussels on high heat—no water, just cover. They kick out their own liquid.
Take the mussels out if they are too many and throw away one of the shells or clean of their shells completely and leave about ½ whole. Filter the liquid. I use a paper towel in a medium to small sieve. Conserve this liquid with the mussels.

In the same big fry pan—now clean because you rinsed it! pour in the olive oil add the garlic and hot pepper.

Variables: you may use chopped onion if you want a sweeter taste, or you may use lemon if you are opposed to cooking with vino. In case of the onion—put it in with the garlic and pepper.

When the garlic gives out its lovely aroma, perfuming your kitchen till you and your guests wilt with hunger, and turns a sepia golden brown—add the wine. On high heat, let the alcohol burn off. Add the mussels, juice, and all the chopped parsley or cilantro your little old hearty desires. Swoosh the mussels all around still they're steaming hot and serve with brushcetta—toasted Italian bread. Hearty appetite!

Succulent Shrimp

March 30, 2008

Picture Courtesy of Stefan Scimone

Succulent Shrimp: a lovely quick luncheon for a rainy Sunday

3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
½ red onion, sliced
4 large garlic cloves, sliced
1 hot pepper
½ glass of whit wine

1 teaspoon of paprika
1 handful of cut up fresh cilantro
2 lbs. of large shrimp, cleaned and deveined (I used 2 lbs of large tiger shrimp, but you can use large white shrimp or any kind really).

In the bottom of a large fry pan I put in 3 tablespoons of butter and 3 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 4 sliced garlic cloves, sliced onion and the hot pepper. Use high heat. When the garlic and onion wilt and start to turn golden, place shrimp around the bottom of the pan and flip them quickly as their transparent look begins to color. They cook fast so a few minutes only or they toughen. I would say total cooking time about 3 minutes. sprinkle in the paprika, stir and then fling in the vino and keep the gas on high for another ½ minute or so until the alcohol burns off and the good taste remains. Turn off heat. Salt to taste and add the cilantro. Cover immediately and bring to the table.

This may be served with bruschetta and makes a lovely antipasto or a second dish after rice or pasta, or it also can be tossed with spaghetti or linguini for a first dish. Severs 4-6 depending on appetites and what else you’re serving with it!

Hint: it takes more time to clean the shrimp than to actually prepare them! but I'd still rather do it myself.

Other than today, the last time I made this as a luncheon dish was when my cousin Stefan from Arizona visited us out in Utah at the end of February (only then I doubled the recipe and first served a humongous 5 lb. zuppa di cozze with brushetta first and then the succulent shrimp came with a big mixed green salad.

Tune in tomorrow for the zuppa di cozze (mussels soup) … and another picture courtesy of cousin Stefan!

Tiramisu (to die for!)

TIRAMISÚ
(to die for!) Serves 6
Lovely for a Sunday dessert or an after dinner delish surprise for guests.

Tiramisú: literally translates to “pick-me-up” (I should warn you, it’s a zillion and a half calories!)

Things needed:

1 yanga (as in big) package of Alessi (14 0z.) or Bellino (17 0z) Savoiardi (Ladyfingers)
or Gilda—a French brand name 2 X (7 0z.) packages

7 to 9 of the freshest eggs (check out the date, and don’t used cracked eggs)

16 oz. thingbee of Marscarpone Belgioioso (Publix sells the 8 oz size, you’ll need 2 of
them)


7 generous, never skimpy, tablespoons of sugar, or about a tablespoon for each egg.

6-7 cups of strong, sugared, cooled espresso (don't even think of using brown or American coffee--shame on you!)

Any and all of the following liquors: Cointreau. Grand Marnier, Triple Sec, Sambuca,
or whatever booze you like! (If you make this dish for recovering alcoholics use anice per acqua or anise for water--it has the taste of Sambuca but is non-alcoholic)


One large square or oblong Pyrex glass dish (sides should be high enough, maybe 3 in. to layer
the Ladyfingers) you may use Italian or Portuguese ceramic or porcelain dishes if you are lucky enough to possess them (Casafina Stone may be purchased online at plainjanescloset.com)

A large bar of Lindt, or some other dark chocolate bar that you like. Grate half, and nick off the rest into silvers, pieces, and chunks. Put aside.

A can of Ghirardelli (double chocolate) hot chocolate powder (you'll need about 3 tablespoons)


1 hand mixer (but if you are fed up with this electronic age, you can skip this, I know, because I made Tiramisú on a boat crossing from Sardegna to Corsica with a small hand beater.

Make sugared coffee, and put into a large bowl, and set aside

Marscarpone and eggs should be at room temp


Directions:
Separate the eggs and beat the yolks with the sugar till it is a delightful thick cream.


Beat whites till they are peaky little moguls and ready slopes for a downhill ski race.

Add marscarpone into the yolk cream, smoosh around for an even texture—be careful not to “beat” this mixture, and then fold in the whites and douse with liquor (up to individual how much—I like mine pretty soused and I mix the booze!

Dip each of the cookies into the caffé and layer the bottom of your glass dish, tightly, one
kissing the other.


Pour the blended mix over to cover and then dust generously with Ghirardelli powder and
sprinkle with the grated chocolate and fling in some of the bigger bits.


Repeat this process until the whole dish is filled. Top layer should be smothered with powdered chocolate and bits. Cover and pop it in the fridge for several hours to cool. My be served with fresh whipped cream for total hedonistic overkill.

One more note, and that is if you have a non-coffee lover in your family as I do—I make two glass dishes—one smaller one with the cookies dipped into cold chocolate instead of coffee. And that’s why when you find yourself with extra cookies from the delightfully large economy package of Ladyfingers from your local Italian deli, you'll be able to make this non-coffee extra!

Obviously you will need more of the above mentioned ingredients to make this second dish. Spend the money! you and your family and guests are worth it!

Polpetone and Baked Ziti

Okay, okay, okay! So if the poetry was too much to bear for you hungry hearts, here's a recipe for Polpetone (one large meatball or meatloaf Italian style) followed by Baked Ziti.
Great to eat after reading poetry!

Polpetone

2 lbs lean chopped beef (add more if not using other meat)
¼ - ½ lb chopped veal (optional)
¼ - ½ lb chopped pork (optional)
3 eggs
½ loaf of hard Italian bread loaf—soaked in water, but squeeze excess water out!
(some people use milk)
¾ cup parmigiano grated
¾ cup seasoned breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons red tomato sauce—home made or otherwise
3 cloves of minced garlic
½ large or 1 small minced onion
salt, pepper to taste
fresh parsley
1 teaspoon of oregano
3 hard cooked eggs, if desired

salt and pepper to taste

In a large baking pan place a little olive oil and then form the meatloaf, and if desired, distribute the hard cooked eggs in the middle—whole—so that when you slice the meat, you’ll see the egg in the center!

I like to place sliced potatoes and sliced onions around it and on top and then drench the meat with tomato sauce and drizzle some olive oil all over it and on the potatoes and onions—remember to season the vegetables also.

Place in a hot, preheated oven (450) to bake, and lightly cover with a tent of aluminum foil for 10 minutes. Remove the cover and reduce the heat to 350 for 35-45 minutes. If desired, you can toast it a little bit at the end of the cooking—last 5-10 minutes—put up the heat high to broil a few minutes longer. (Remember in high altitudes you need to cook for a longer period of time.)

What’s nice about this dish is–if there’s any meat leftover you can break it up and use it for a bastardized shepherd’s pie with other veggies and covered with mashed and smashed potatoes—or use the meat in a lasagna or baked pasta dish, sans pommes de terre! which is what I did precisely over the holidays. (See the Baked Ziti dish below )


Baked Ziti for a large crowd—we were 15 seated for Christmas! (but it's not the way my Grandma made it!)

Ingredients:

3 pounds of slightly undercooked Ziti (cool immediately)

6 pounds of sauce—I made a meat sauce into which I put lamb chops, beef fillet, or steak, and skinny Sicilian sausages—hot and sweet, country style pork ribs and pork fillet. No, I don't know how much I used, but it was a lot! Say a total of 7-8 lbs of meat. The meat is braised first (unless of course you have some already cooked meat or cooked and frozen to add to your sauce.

1 cup grated and/or 1 cup shaved parmigiano (if you have both, use both, if not add more grated!)

3 lbs of ricotta beaten with two eggs

½ quart of heavy cream

1 lb to 1 & ½ lbs of grated mozzarella or cut up fresh—do not use buffalo—too expensive if not eating it fresh and the taste will be masked by the other cheeses anyway, and it also kicks out too much liquid!

Steps involved:
1. In a huge baking pan, coat the bottom with sauce, but no meat. Place a fat layer of pasta and cover with mozzarella, parmigiano and sauce. Be generous—the more you put in, the more you will find to taste!

2. Another layer of pasta, cover with the ricotta mix and meat from the sauce and the leftover polpatone—which means, large meatball—or meatloaf—as discussed above. Cover with grated cheese and sauce and some cream.

3. ETC! all the way to the top--you can mix and combine any of the layers--you can't make a mistake if you use all good ingredients! and then cover with sauce and grated cheese and mozzarella.

Bake in a heated oven lightly covered with a tent for 35 minutes on high (400 degrees) and then uncovered under the broiler for 10 minutes or until the top is crispy crusty.

Remove and let stand to cool at least 10 minutes before cutting. Always serve with extra sauce and cheese for those who care to overdo it.