Lobster Spaghetti
6 oz. spaghetti
1 spiny lobster (1.5lbs)
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. chopped garlic
1 tsp. chopped shallot
¼ C. white wine
1 tsp. brandy
3 oz. fresh tomato puree
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. chopped Italian parsley
salt and chili flakes to taste
½ C. vegetable broth
Cut lobster in two (length wise), under running water and remove dark membrane from inside the head. In a sauté pan, add garlic, shallots, chili flakes, olive oil and lobster. Sauté for a few minutes; add white wine and brandy. Let evaporate then add tomato, salt and vegetable broth. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes. In a pot with boiling salted water cook spaghetti al denté about 6 minutes. Drain and add to sauce. Let pasta cook into sauce for about 1-2 minutes. Add parsley and the extra virgin olive oil and serve immediately. Serves 2.
Fettuccine with Mushrooms and Prosciutto
1 pound fettuccine
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup minced onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound assorted mushrooms, such as shiitake, cremini and oyster, stems trimmed, mushrooms thinly sliced
1/4 pound thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into thin strips
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3/4 cup mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the fettuccine until al dente. Meanwhile, in a large, deep skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook over moderate heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and prosciutto in an even layer, season with salt and pepper and cook undisturbed over moderately high heat until browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Cook, stirring, until the mushrooms are tender, about 3 minutes longer. Drain the fettuccine, reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. Add the fettuccine to the skillet. Stir in the mascarpone and the reserved pasta cooking water and toss the pasta over low heat until the sauce is creamy. Stir in the 1/4 cup of Parmesan and season the fettuccine with salt and pepper. Transfer the pasta to shallow bowls, sprinkle with the chopped parsley and serve with extra Parmesan cheese. Serves 6.
Porcini Mushroom Salad with Parmesan
This recipe makes more dressing than you need to dress the salad; save the remaining in the refrigerator for further use.
Oil and lemon dressing:
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
Mushroom salad:
4 fresh porcini mushrooms, about 2 ounces each
2 cups baby arugula
6 Tablespoons Oil and Lemon Dressing
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Shaved Parmesan cheese to taste
For dressing: Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
For salad: Clean mushrooms and slice very thin. In a mixing bowl, add arugula, sliced mushrooms, and dressing. Season with salt and pepper. Toss well and plate on 4 dishes. Sprinkle shaved Parmesan cheese over top. Serve immediately.
Wine Pairing: An earthy Chianti such as the Fattoria di Felsina 1999 Chianti Classico.
Penne all'Arrabbiata
1 pound penne
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
Freshly grated pecorino cheese, for serving
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the penne until al dente.
Meanwhile, in a large, deep skillet, heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper and cook over moderate heat until golden and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, oregano and a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced, about 8 minutes.
Drain the penne, reserving 1/3 cup of the pasta cooking water. Add the penne to the skillet and toss well. Add the reserved pasta cooking water, the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the parsley, season with salt and stir well. Transfer the pasta to shallow bowls and serve with the pecorino cheese. Serves 6.
Search for easy-to-find light, spicy pinot grigio
Gemelli with Shrimp and Green Peppercorns
1 pound gemelli or fusilli
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 small shallot, minced
1 tablespoon brined green peppercorns, drained
1/3 cup brandy
1 cup bottled clam juice
2 plum tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 pound shelled and deveined medium shrimp
Salt
3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the gemelli until al dente.
Meanwhile, in a large, deep skillet, melt the butter. Add the garlic, shallot and peppercorns and cook over moderately high heat until golden, about 2 minutes. Add the brandy and use a long match to ignite it. When the flames die down, add the clam juice and simmer for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 1 minute. Add the shrimp, season with salt and cook over moderate heat, stirring a few times, until the shrimp are just white throughout, about 2 minutes.
Drain the gemelli, add it to the shrimp and peppercorn sauce and toss well. Stir in the parsley and olive oil and season with salt. Spoon the pasta into bowls and serve.
Mushroom Risotto
12 ounces Arborio rice
1 tablespoon chopped shallots
2 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons butter
12 pieces dry morel mushrooms
2 ounces dry porcini mushrooms
4 medium fresh shitake mushrooms
4 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon mascarpone cheese
½ cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley
vegetable broth
salt and pepper to taste
The Sauce
Two hours before cooking, soak dry mushrooms in warm chicken broth. Remove mushrooms and save broth. Squeeze liquid from the mushrooms, chop and put aside. In a saucepan add two tablespoons butter, shallots, garlic, dry mushrooms and fresh shitakes. Sauté for about 3 minutes, then add 1 cup of vegetable broth, cook for another 5 minutes and set aside.
The Risotto
Melt butter in a pan over medium heat, add rice and stir without stopping until grains are coated. Add white wine. Let wine evaporate and keep adding vegetable broth ½ cup at a time while stirring. Add mushroom sauce, salt and pepper to taste. (Cook 18-20 minutes after adding wine). Remove pan from heat; add parsley, marcarpone and Parmesan cheese. Mix well. Serves 4.
Eggplant Souffle in Tomato-Basil Sauce
1 cup Grated parmesan cheese
2 tbs Bread crumbs
7 Japanese eggplants
2 Eggs
1 Zucchini
1 tbs Butter
1 Sweet red pepper tomato-basil sauce
¼ c Olive oil
2 tbs Olive oil
1 med Potato; thinly sliced
½ tbs Chopped onion
½ med Onion; thinly sliced
3 c Diced tomatoes
4tb Chopped fresh basil
Salt
1 tsp Chopped fresh oregano
1 tbs Butter
TOMATO BASIL SAUCE
Salt
1tb Flour
1 Tomato; seeded and peeled
1 tbs Chpped Basil
Peel eggplants, cut into cubes and set aside. Cut whole zucchini into quarters. Remove centers and discard. Cut remaining zucchini into cubes and set aside. Repeat process with pepper and set aside. Heat oil in sauté‚pan, add eggplant cubes, potato, onion, basil and oregano and season to taste with salt. Sauté‚until golden. Add tomato and cook approximately 10 minutes. Pour eggplant mixture into food processor and blend until smooth. Add Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs and eggs into processor and blend 5 seconds. Lace 8 (6-ounce) timbals with butter. Cover bottom of cup with chopped zucchini and pepper and fill rest of cup with processed eggplant mixture. Cook in bain marie at 350F 40 minutes.
For Tomato-Basil Sauce: Place olive oil and onion in saucepan and sauté‚until golden. Add tomatoes, basil and season to taste with salt. Cook 10 minutes on low heat. Melt butter in separate pan, add flour and mix well. Add butter- flour mixture to tomato sauce and cook few more minutes. Remove basil leaves from sauce and blend sauce in blender until smooth and creamy. Makes 2 cups
Remove timbals from oven and let stand in warm place 15 minutes. When ready to serve, spoon small amount Tomato-Basil Sauce on individual serving plates, then flip souffle cups onto top of each plate. Serve warm. Makes 8 servings.
Drago serves these individual souffles as appetizers at his restaurant. It's a wonderful use of eggplant, one of the most commonly used vegetables in Sicily. It's essential that you use good Parmesan - the cheese is what rounds out the flavor.
Panettone - Italian Bread Pudding
1 pk (1 lb) Italian panettone bread
1 c Nutella chocolate-hazelnut cream
2 c Whipping cream
1 c Milk
4 Eggs
3 Egg yolks
3/4 c Sugar
4 ts Vanilla extract
Cut panettone into 16 (1/3-inch-thick) slices and toast lightly. Spread Nutella on toasted panettone. Arrange slices in slightly overlapping single layer in greased 13x9-inch ceramic baking dish. Bring whipping cream and milk to boil in saucepan. Beat eggs, egg yolks, sugar and vanilla with electric mixer until mixture starts to ribbon. Remove milk mixture from heat and add to egg mixture. Mix well. Strain custard mixture and pour over bread slices in baking pan to cover. Bake bread pudding in water bath (place baking pan in larger pan with hot water halfway up sides) at 350F degrees for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest before serving.
