Spinach spaghetti with flounder, fresh tomatoes, garlic, basil, and white wine in a light olive oil sauce. An elegant Italian-style fish pasta ready in 30 minutes.
Polpettone Italian stuffed meat steaks sandwich ham and melted mozzarella between two herbed beef-and-veal patties, breaded crisp, then baked under tomato sauce and more cheese. The Italian-American answer to chicken cordon bleu.
Homemade lamb stock from leftover leg-of-lamb bones simmered with celery, carrot, onion, tomato, and herbs. The kitchen-fundamental that turns a roast carcass into the base for stews, soups, and sauces.
Plump sweet raisins marry well with turkey meat, the pork mince adds richness and moistness and the generous quantity of fresh herbs lifts this stuffing out of the ordinary.
Grilled sirloin tip kabobs with zucchini, yellow squash, red pepper, and onion marinated in Italian dressing. Served over bright lemon-parsley rice for a colorful dinner for two.
Manhattan-style fish chowder with grouper, fresh tomatoes, green peppers, and saffron simmered in sesame oil. A tomato-based seafood soup ready in under an hour.
The victual of choice to be served with vodka is of course caviar but other kinds of seafood and various salty morsels are also good choices.
Simple curry-spiced yeast bread with garlic and parsley for aromatic flavor that pairs beautifully with Indian curries, soups, or as unique sandwich bread.
Stuffed pitta breads loaded with spice-rubbed roasted lamb, herbed couscous, griddled eggplant, and black olives in a balsamic-ginger dressing. A make-ahead meal that starts with an overnight marinade.
Cold pasta shell salad with chunky tuna, red kidney beans, olives, red onion, and red wine vinaigrette finished with grated Asiago. Protein-packed make-ahead lunch or potluck side.
Kakavia is the Greek fisherman's soup built from homemade fish stock, whole fish pieces, lobster tails, and shrimp simmered with tomatoes, leeks, and potatoes. A traditional seafood soup served with crusty bread and lemon wedges.
Kakavia is the Greek fisherman's soup built from homemade fish stock, whole fish pieces, lobster tails, and shrimp simmered with tomatoes, leeks, and potatoes. A traditional seafood soup served with crusty bread and lemon wedges.
A very nutritious salad and tastes refreshingly delicious.
Vegetarian penne pasta with fresh Roma tomato sauce, broccoli, zucchini, sugar snap peas, carrots, and Parmesan. A colorful one-pot weeknight dinner.
Pressure cooker tuna loaf with rice, buttered bread crumbs, pimento, and celery salt. Dense, savory, and cooked in just 30 minutes. A vintage comfort food main dish worth rediscovering.
Minestrone casalinga: a homestyle Italian vegetable soup packed with white beans, leeks, cabbage, zucchini, and orzo. Rustic, layered, and exactly what cold weather calls for.