SARSA DI CHIAPPAREDDI (King George Whiting presented with a sauce made with capers and anchovies)

I like to buy local, sustainable fish and my fish vendor tells me that these King George Whiting are from the coastal Gippsland village of Port Welshpool. The delicate texture of King George Whiting requires careful handling. These fish only need a little cooking, either on a grill or lightly pan-fried over medium to high … Continue reading SARSA DI CHIAPPAREDDI (King George Whiting presented with a sauce made with capers and anchovies)

RADICCHIO (Treviso) with polenta and tomato salsa

Surprisingly I bought this head of radicchio this week. Although it is spring and nearly the end of October in Melbourne, we have been experiencing winter temperatures and this has prolonged the season for radicchio – it prefers cooler temperatures and is generally at its best from May to September. My vendor says that radicchio … Continue reading RADICCHIO (Treviso) with polenta and tomato salsa

MEAT BALLS or POLPETTE (PURPETTI CU’ SUCU, Sicilian)

I love the Italian language – polpettine, polpette, polpettone, much better than small meatballs, meatballs and meatloaf. (Polpette from polpa, meaning flesh). The Sicilian word for meatballs is purpetti, and even better. I had bought some beef mince (my butcher selects the meat, shows it to me and then puts it through his mincing machine … Continue reading MEAT BALLS or POLPETTE (PURPETTI CU’ SUCU, Sicilian)

BRACIOLE (Meat rolled around a stuffing)

A braciola generally is a cutlet in Italian, but in the south of Italy (and In Sicily) a braciola is also a slice of fish or meat usually rolled around a stuffing. The smaller in size bracioli (Sicilian and plural) are sometimes referred to as braciulini and braciulittini. The most common cooking method is to braise them in a tomato salsa. Some of you may … Continue reading BRACIOLE (Meat rolled around a stuffing)

CALAMARETTI IN TEGAME – in Sicilian it is CALAMARICCHI ’N’TIANU (Small calamari braised with tomatoes and potatoes)

Calamaretti is the diminutive of calamari and Italians do mean small. This is a common recipe for braised calamaretti. In Australia it is often difficult to purchase small sized squid or cuttlefish, but do your best.  A tegame, is a shallow pan. The photo of this squid was taken in the fish market in Catania, … Continue reading CALAMARETTI IN TEGAME – in Sicilian it is CALAMARICCHI ’N’TIANU (Small calamari braised with tomatoes and potatoes)

PURPU VUGGHIUTU – POLPO BOLLITO (Italian). Boiled octopus or octopus salad.

In most Sicilian restaurants it is common to see octopus salad on menus. Generally it is in the antipasto section, and in many restaurants this is presented as a whole octopus on a plate. On some occasions I have eaten it as a warm salad simply dressed with oil, lemon juice, chopped parsley and spring … Continue reading PURPU VUGGHIUTU – POLPO BOLLITO (Italian). Boiled octopus or octopus salad.

PUDDASTRI CA PIPIRATA: POLLASTRI CON PEPERATA (Chicken with a sauce containing pepper and spices)

These beautiful chickens (and dogs) belong to friends. The chicken with the speckled feathers around her neck (in the front of the top photo/ and in the second photo at the bottom) won 1st prize at the Royal Melbourne show in 2009. My friends would not dream of eating their chickens. In the hot weather,  … Continue reading PUDDASTRI CA PIPIRATA: POLLASTRI CON PEPERATA (Chicken with a sauce containing pepper and spices)

CAPONATA of Potatoes(General information and recipe for Caponata di patate)

I am very pleased that one of my recipes (Caponata, Perfect for Christmas) has been published in the latest issue of Italianicious (Volume 5 issue 4, Dec 2009 -Feb 2010). This magazine is published in Sydney and has an Italian/Australian specific content with many recipes, articles and information about food, restaurants, wine and travel. That … Continue reading CAPONATA of Potatoes(General information and recipe for Caponata di patate)

SALADE COMPOSÉE (A French mixed salad)

The French seem to enjoy salade composée either as an entrée as a light meal. I know I am stereopyping and I hate it when others discuss food preferred by the Italians or the Sicilians, so I will begin again. When I was in Paris in September and while in the South West of France … Continue reading SALADE COMPOSÉE (A French mixed salad)

THE CHARLESTON Restaurant in Mondello (near Palermo)

Having been there on a previous trip to Sicily, we finally made it back to the famous Charleston Restaurant on the beach at Mondello. We did not enjoy our food as much as we expected. However I did find the conversation that I had at the end of the meal with the waiter very interesting. … Continue reading THE CHARLESTON Restaurant in Mondello (near Palermo)