Tag: Sicilian Seafood Cooking

PESCE CRUDO, raw fish dishes in Sicily

PESCE CRUDO,RAW FISH IN SICILY, AND THE ISLAND’S FISH MARKETS

Eating  raw fish- pesce crudo – is a serious business in Sicily – of course, it is also cooked in many ways.

Pesce Crudo in Sicily

Pesce crudo has long been part of Sicily’s coastal food culture. Fresh fish is treasured on the island and enjoyed in countless ways—grilled, baked, fried, stewed and, increasingly, served raw.

Today, raw seafood appears on menus throughout Sicily, but traditionally it was rarely eaten completely untreated. Instead, it was first marinated in fresh lemon juice before being dressed with extra virgin olive oil. This simple preparation is known as condito in Italian or cunzato in Sicilian, allowing the freshness of the fish to remain the star.

One of the best examples is fresh anchovies. After being cleaned, filleted and trimmed, they are left to marinate in lemon juice for several hours. The acidity of the lemon gently changes the texture of the flesh, a process often described as “cooking” the fish without heat.

In Sicily, these marinated anchovies are sometimes called anchive cotti d’a lumia—anchovies “cooked by the lemon”. Once drained, they need little more than a generous drizzle of excellent extra virgin olive oil to become a perfect antipasto.

Fresh sardines
Beyond Tuna and Swordfish

For generations, tuna and swordfish were the fish most commonly served raw in Sicily, particularly as appetisers. Today, however, Sicilian chefs are embracing a much wider range of seafood.

Influenced by international cuisines and contemporary dining trends, they prepare many varieties of local fish and shellfish as pesce crudo. Yet the philosophy remains unmistakably Sicilian: start with exceptionally fresh seafood and treat it with restraint.

Writing About Sicilian Pesce Crudo

I was commissioned to write an article on Sicily’s pesce crudo for Great British Chefs, a food multimedia company that publishes recipes and other culinary content via its website. Great British Chefs has expanded into Italy with Great Italian Chefs, and the article published on their website is titled PESCE CRUDO.

No matter how beautifully the fish is presented, it all begins with extraordinary ingredients.

Palermo Fish market, swordfish and tuna are among the treasures of Sicily’s fish markets
Sicily’s Fish Markets

One of my greatest pleasures in Sicily is wandering through its fish markets. They are lively, colourful places where fishermen, fishmongers, chefs and local shoppers gather each morning in search of the day’s catch.

Although there are excellent fish markets throughout the island, the famous market beside Piazza del Duomo in Catania is one of Sicily’s finest. The sounds of vendors calling to customers, the scent of the sea and the dazzling displays of seafood create an unforgettable experience.

The stalls are filled with remarkable variety—from octopus, squid, cuttlefish and shellfish to sea urchins, edible seaweeds and the celebrated gamberi rossi (Sicilian red prawns). Buckets teem with live seafood, shells glisten in the sunlight and every display reflects the freshness that Sicilian cooks insist upon.

Swordfish and tuna remain the undisputed centrepieces. Whole swordfish are often displayed upright, their long bills pointing skyward, while enormous tuna are expertly broken down before customers’ eyes. Every cut is carefully displayed, reflecting the Sicilian respect for using the whole fish and providing unmistakable proof of its freshness.

Whether you enjoy pesce crudo in a seaside restaurant or prepare it yourself at home, Sicily reminds us that outstanding seafood needs very little embellishment. Freshness, good olive oil, lemon and restraint are often all that is required.

The famous fish market in Catania, where Sicily’s freshest seafood arrives each morning.

I have always enjoyed fish markets in Sicily.

Fresh Squid as sold in Markets in Sicily

This is a small segment from the article PESCE CRUDO:

PESCE CRUDO: http://www.greatitalianchefs.com/features/pesce-crudo-sicily

Walking through the fish markets in Sicily is always a joy; the hustle and bustle of locals seeking out the best produce among the colourful stalls and traders is what makes the island such a charming place. There is more than one fish market in Catania, but the principal market in the southwest of the Cathedral Square is one of the largest in Sicily. However, wherever you are on the island will never be too far from fresh fish.

Sicily’s fish markets have vast, colourful, varied displays of exotic specimens such as sea urchins and edible algae to the more conventional octopus, squid, tuna and swordfish. Small, live fish swim circles in buckets of sea water, snails crawl about and all types of shellfish, especially the gamberi rossi (red prawns of Sicily), look dazzling. You know the fish is fresh – their shells and scales glisten in the sun.

Swordfish and tuna, the traditional staples of Sicilian cuisine, are the centrepieces of the market stalls. They are often displayed whole, the swordfish bill like a spear thrusting upwards. At other times, their massive round carcasses lie like a trunk on the fishmonger’s bench, while the tuna is sliced vertically and horizontally before being filleted along the length of its spine, while all its parts are laid out, testifying to its freshness.

Links:
Great British Chefs web site: http://www.greatbritishchefs.com/
Great Italian Chefs:  http://www.greatitalianchefs.com/
PESCE CRUDO: http://www.greatitalianchefs.com/features/pesce-crudo-sicily
From my blog recipe for marinaded sardines: SARDINE CRUDE E CONDITE CON LIMONE
Sword fish in Fish markets is sold in the open

The photos in this article were taken over my numerous trips to Sicily (Thank you also to Bob Evans and Angela Tolley). Some of these photos are in my book Sicilian Seafood Cooking.

Catania Fish Market
Fish can be presented in an elegant manner.

STOCKFISH and SALT COD -The differences between stoccafisso and baccalà and recipes.

baccala seller Syracuse c copy

I have had a request  from a reader for how to cook stockfish (stoccafisso  or pescestocco in Italian and piscistoccu in Sicilian). She plans to cook it for Good Friday.

There are two recipes for how to cook salt cod (baccalà) on the blog already (see links below) and these recipes can also be used for stockfish (stoccafisso).

What I have not done on my blog is to  say what the differences are between stoccafisso and baccalà. The photo above  was taken in Syracuse. The seller is selling baccalà (the large fillets of white fish).

Stoccafisso and baccalà are popular all over Italy, from north to south.

Baccala`is cooked all over Sicily, but stoccafisso is particularly popular in Messina (n0rth-eastern corner of Sicily).

Although at times stoccafisso and baccalà are used interchangeably in recipes, they are different.

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Stoccafisso is air-dried, without salt, and the fish can be cod, haddock or hake. It is dry and hard and usually sold as a whole fish, complete with bones and skin.( In the photo above Stockfish is hanging from the top of the counter at Mercato in Adelaide).

Baccalà is salt-cured cod. In Spanish it is bacalao, in Portuguese bacalhau, in French morue, and it is made from various varieties of cod: cod, ling, saithe and tusk. It is relatively moist and tender and usually sold cut into sections rather than a whole fish. It is skinless, boneless and white. Although baccalà may appear initially to be more appealing, there are no added ingredients in the processing of stoccafisso and it has a more delicate flavour than baccalà.

Stoccafisso and baccalà can be cooked many ways and were usually eaten on days of abstinence (Fridays and during Lent, especially on Good Friday ) when meat was not to be eaten by Catholics. Christmas Eve is also  a very popular time to eat stoccafisso or baccalà .

To prepare both the stoccafisso and baccalà rinse well and soak it in cold water for 20–24 hours, minimum, depending upon its thickness (refrigerate it in hot weather). Change the water 2–3 times daily. I have seen recipes that suggest soaking the fish for 48 hours – time you soak it depends on the quality and age of the fish, but it will not suffer too much if it is soaked for longer.

Once it has soaked, rinse the fish well. If it is stockfish, skin it, pick out the bones and cut it into large pieces (130mm) and it’s ready for use.

Baccalà generally takes longer to cook than stoccafisso but it will depend on the thickness of the fish.

Stoccafisso and baccalà require soaking in water before cooking: stoccafisso needs soaking for several days to rehydrate it and baccalà requires an equal amount of time to remove the salt. Most Italian and Spanish food stores sell pre-soaked stoccafisso or baccalà and is ready to use.  Remove cartilage, bones and skin of the stockfish before cooking.

This photo was sent to me by a friend. They are the racks used to dry stockfish near Honningsvåg in  Norway.

Stokfisk-hjell-near-Honningsvåg-e1427600449516

Carmela, one of my parents’ friends, cooked stoccafisso alla ghiotta for me many years ago in Adelaide. Originally from Messina, Carmela came to Australia as a young woman. Her version had tomatoes in it, but it can be cooked without tomatoes as well and called in bianco (white/ without tomatoes).

INGREDIENTS

stock fish, 1 kg
tomatoes, 500g peeled, seeded, and chopped (or 1 cup passata)
extra virgin olive oil, ½ cup
celery heart, 2-3 pale green stalks and leaves, chopped
onion, 1 large chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
flat leaf parsley, cut finely, 4 tablespoons
green olives,1 cup, pitted, chopped
capers, ½ cup salted variety, soaked and washed
potatoes, 500g peeled and cut into large chunks

Baccala while soaking

Soak the stockfish and prepare it according to the instructions above.

For la ghiotta:

Add the celery and onion to hot, extra virgin olive oil. Use a pan large enough to accommodate all of the ingredients, and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir frequently to cook evenly.
Reduce the heat to medium; add the capers, olives, and flat leaf parsley and stir well.
Add the tomatoes, season with salt and freshly ground pepper, stir, and cook for about 10 minutes to blend the flavours.
Place the fish in the sauce (preferably in a single layer) and spoon some of the sauce over it.
Reduce the heat to very low – the fish should not be stirred or it will flake. Cover, and cook for about 20 minutes before adding large chunks of potatoes. If you are using baccalà instead of stoccafisso you may need to cook it a little longer.
Add 1–2 cups of water and leave undisturbed to cook, but occasionally adding a little more water to keep the ingredients moist and until the fish and potatoes are cooked to your liking.
This dish is always served hot, but can easily be reheated if cooked beforehand.
Recipes are from my first book: Sicilian Seafood Cooking:
Baked baccalà 
Aggiotta di baccalà in bianco

Photo below was taken in Macau where I saw many baskets of cod drying in the street.

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ARTICHOKES from the growers

I collected 30 fresh artichokes from a grower in Werribee ….freshly picked.

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To my kitchen bench….

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Into a container…

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To Waratah Hills Vineyard Tasting Room for a culinary event on Saturday 20th September 2014

I am so looking forward to it.

For recipes, use the search button on the blog and key in “artichokes”

Marisa

 

 

 

 

 

 

CULINARY JEWELS OF SICILY – A Spring event at Waratah Hills Vineyard

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On Saturday, 20 September 2014  I will be at Waratah Hills Vineyard conducting a lunch time masterclass of Sicilian cooking .

Waratah Hills Vineyard is located on the road to the iconic Wilsons Promontory National Park. It is one of the southern most vineyards on the Australian mainland. The cool, maritime climate wine region is acknowledged as one of the best Pinot Noir producing areas in Australia.

Waratah Wine & hills 1

The owners are Judy and Neil Travers. They have a  simple philosophy is to do everything possible to produce grapes of the highest quality. The artisan approach to detail involves hand picking by clones in small batches at just the right intensity of ripeness.

Waratah Wine & hills 2

Waratah Hills Vineyard was planted 17 years ago in the burgundy style of low trellising and close planting.

It is a beautifully sited vineyard with two acres of Chardonnay planted on a north south slope and seven acres of Pinot Noir separated by a band of trees into two distinctly different areas of the property.

In 2012 Judy and Neil Travers we were delighted to receive the Victorian Tourism Minister’s Encouragement Award for New and Emerging Tourism Businesses.

Waratah Wine & hills 4
This is the information on the flyer:

Culinary jewels of Sicily

On Saturday, 20 September Waratah Hills Vineyard is hosting a lunch time masterclass of Sicilian cooking conducted by Marisa Raniolo Wilkins.

Marisa has written two books on Sicilian cooking; Sicilian Seafood Cooking and Small Fishy Bites.

She is a vivacious fusion of cultures and experience. Her food is very much driven by a curiosity of exploring her cultural origins. The recipes and ingredients of Sicily reflect the influences of the Mediterranean from ancient times to the modern day.

Born in Sicily and raised in Trieste before migrating to Australia with her parents, she regularly visits her extended family in Italy and Sicily; each visit adding to her knowledge of first-hand wonderful food experience.

Places are limited for this hands on three-course cooking, eating and drinking experience at $120 per head. Course notes and recipes are provided for you to take home.

Marisa portrait 2

The 20th September is in Spring and the menu will feature Spring produce and recipes.

I hope to see you there.

What could be better than a very pleasant experience in this beautiful  part of the world!

Check out their wines – you will not be disappointed:

Waratah Hills Winery

http://waratahhills.com.au/

Marisa

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SPAGHETTI CHI RICCI – SPAGHETTI CON RICCI DI MARE (Spaghetti with sea urchins)

Sicilian 289 Sphaghetti w Sea Urchins.tif.p
When in Sicily eating Spaghetti With Sea Urchins (Spaghetti chi Ricci) is a must.

Pasta con i ricci di mare, a Sicilian dish, captures the essence of the sea in a single mouthful. Its delicate yet intense flavour is characterised by a combination of sweet, briny, creamy and unmistakably marine.

They are relatively unknown culturally in Australia and have been next to non-existent commercially.

Sea urchins are considered a delicacy in many parts of the Mediterranean, particularly in Italy, France and Greece, and they are also highly prized in Japan. In Italy they are known as ricci di mare – “sea hedgehogs”. Ricci also means curly – the spines of sea urchins are curly at the ends.

What we commonly call sea urchin “roe” is not actually roe in the strict sense. The edible yellow-orange lobes are the reproductive organs, or gonads, of both male and female sea urchins. “Roe”, however, remains the more appetising and commonly used culinary term.

Sicily

When I was a child visiting Sicily, I remember finding sea urchins under rocks on the beach — family and friends wrapped their hands in newspaper and went looking for them at low tide. Most of the time it was very easy to find 4 to 6 sea urchins for each of us to eat raw — the urchins were simply cut in half using a very sharp knife, revealing the yellow-orange roe that was easily removed with a teaspoon and eaten from the spoon with a squeeze of lemon juice.

The next favourite method of eating them was as a dressing for pasta.

In my book, Sicilian Seafood Cooking there is a recipe for this. I had great trouble finding sea urchins to cook (and to be photographed) for my book that was published November 2011.

Sicilian 285 Sphaghetti w Sea Urchins.tif.p
Fresh sea urchins, or ricci di mare, are prized in Sicily for their rich, sweet and intensely marine flavour.

Australia’s relationship with sea urchins

Australia’s relationship with sea urchins has changed considerably since then. In some southern waters, particularly Tasmania, the long-spined sea urchin has become an ecological problem because expanding populations can graze heavily on kelp forests, creating areas known as urchin barrens.

This has produced an intriguing convergence between environmental management and food culture: harvesting edible sea urchins can provide a commercial seafood product while also contributing to efforts to reduce pressure on vulnerable marine ecosystems.

 I found it surprising that there are about 42 species of sea urchins found in Australian waters and although they can be found in many locations, only a few are good tasting. Most are exported to Japan. The market price for fresh, chilled sea urchin roe varies considerably depending on colour and texture.A creature once relatively unfamiliar on Australian tables has gradually acquired a much higher profile.

The Tasmanian sea urchin fishery is now the largest in Australia and I purchased Tasmanian roe from a specialist sea-food vendor (Ocean Made) who deals mainly with restaurateurs. I found some whole sea urchins at the Preston Market but when I opened them I found them very inferior in quality.

In the photographs (from my book Sicilian Seafood Cooking) you see the work of the photographer Graham Gilles and food stylist Fiona Rigg. I was the cook. The photo of the boats at Mondello  (Sicily, close to Palermo) is by Bob Evans.

Pasta con i Ricci di Mare – Pasta with Sea Urchin Roe

Spaghetti are traditionally used for this recipe, but I also like ricci with egg pasta, either fresh or dry  — narrow linguine  — a delicate taste, which in my opinion complement the sweet, fresh taste of the roe.

I ate my best ever pasta with sea urchins in a restaurant in Mondello (close to Palermo) and I am sure that this included lemon – grated peel and juice so I have included these in the recipe.

And one last thing — the sea urchins are not cooked and are mixed with the hot pasta at the time of serving. The aroma is indescribable. Bottarga is sometimes grated on top of the pasta and anchovies are commonly added to the sauce to accentuate the taste, but this is optional.

Ingredients

For 6 people

spaghetti, 500g. If I am using fresh pasta, I use 600g
sea urchins, 3-8 per person
garlic, 4-5 cloves, chopped finely
extra virgin olive oil, ¾ cup
salt and freshly ground black pepper or chili flakes
parsley, ¾ cup cut finely
anchovies, 3 cut finely (optional)
1-2 red fresh chilies cut finely

finely grated lemon peel of 1 lemon, and the juice

½ cup of your best quality, extra virgin olive oil to drizzle on top of the pasta at the end.

Preparing Whole Sea Urchins

If using whole sea urchins, handle them carefully because of the spines.

Using sturdy kitchen scissors or a short, very sharp knife, cut into the underside of the shell around the mouth opening. Open the sea urchin and carefully remove the edible yellow-orange roe with a teaspoon.

Discard the shell, internal liquid and other contents. Place the roe in a bowl and gently separate any larger pieces. It is very soft, so handle it as little as possible.

Method

Cook the pasta and while the pasta is cooking prepare the sauce.
Heat the ¾ cup of olive oil, add the garlic and over slow heat cook the garlic slowly until it becomes translucent.
Add chili and anchovies – the anchovies will dissolve in the hot oil.
Add this mixture of oil to the hot just drained pasta at the same time as the sea urchins and toss quickly to coat.
Add the parsley, lemon peel and the juice. Toss well to combine. Serve immediately and top each portion with a drizzle of your best olive oil – this is best done at the table.

*Do not return the pasta to the heat – the ricci should be warmed by the pasta, not cooked.

Final notes A Delicacy Worth Rediscovering

For me, pasta con i ricci di mare carries much more than the flavour of sea urchins. It recalls Sicily, childhood summers, people searching among the rocks, newspaper wrapped around their hands, and sea urchins opened and eaten almost where they were found.

It is also interesting that a seafood once so difficult for me to source in Australia has become part of a much larger conversation about our marine environment.

Yet the best way to understand why Italians prize ricci di mare is still the simplest: good pasta, excellent olive oil, a little garlic and parsley, and fresh sea urchin roe added at the very last moment.

Finally there has been some interest in eating Sea Urchins:
  • I was pleased to see that sea urchins will be featured in a dinner called The Delicious Pest at The Melbourne Food & Wine Festival on March 9, 2014.
  • An article in The Age (Melbourne newspaper). Date with plates sends chills down urchins spine:
Sea urchins, sometimes called sea hedgehogs, are the black, spiky creatures that lurk at the bottom of the ocean.
They prey on the kelp beds that are a vital habitat for the rock lobsters and abalone of the north-east coast of Tasmania and are considered one of the state’s worst marine pests. But have you ever thought of eating them?

Diver and seafood exporter Dave Allen has helped pioneer the sea urchin export industry in Australia and, in the process, has set about saving the reefs from being stripped bare by these pests.
Laura Banks. From Sunday Age, March 2, 2014.

RICCI, the curly ones (SEA URCHINS)

SEA URCHINS; how to clean and eat them (RICCI DI MARE)

 

 

PESCE ALLA GHIOTTA (Sicilian Fish, a recipe to satisfy the gluttons)

Wendy is a friend who lives in Ardrossan, a small town on the east coast of the Yorke Peninsula (about 150 km from Adelaide). She and her husband have a boat and they often go fishing. I too have gone fishing on their boat and watched them catch fish, mainly King George Whiting, Squid and Garfish.

To make me jealous and as a subtle way to suggest I should go to visit them, she sent me a photograph of a large Australian Salmon she caught recently; she then sent me more photos of how she cooked it.

Australian Salmon belongs to the perch family (surprisingly it is not a salmon). As you can see from the photo Wendy has filleted the fish. Some people find this fish very fishy, but it lends itself to recipes with strong accompanying flavours.

Wendy chose a recipe from my book, Sicilian Seafood Cooking. The recipe is Fish alla ghiotta from Messina and is cooked with tomatoes, green olives, capers, pine nuts and currants (AGGHIOTTA DI PISCI A MISSINISA – PESCE ALLA GHIOTTA ALLA MESSINESE).

 

There are many variations of this dish and this one contains Sicilian flavours in excess –  it is sure to satisfy the gluttons.

Sicilians use piscispata (Sicilian for swordfish; pescespada is the Italian), but any cutlets of firm, large fish cut into thick slices or thick fillets are suitable. I like to buy sustainable seafood and  have used: Flathead, Trevally, Kingfish, Snapper, Mackerel and Barramundi. Obviously Australian Salmon can now be added to this list but in Victoria I have not seen much of this fish.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 x 200g (7oz.) fish steaks or
cutlets
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 onion, finely sliced
¾ cup salted capers, soaked and washed
1 cup green olives, pitted and chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
½ cup currants, soaked in a little warm water for about 15 minutes
½ cup pine nuts
2 – 3 bay leaves
500g (17oz.) tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped (tinned are OK)
salt and freshly ground black pepper

PROCESSES
Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a wide pan, large enough to accommodate the fish in one layer. Shallow-fry the fish for a couple of minutes on both sides over medium-high heat to seal. Remove from the pan and set aside.

For la ghiotta, add the celery and onion to the same oil, and cook until softened, about five minutes. Stir frequently. Reduce heat to medium, then add the capers, olives, garlic, currants, pine nuts and bay leaves and stir well. Add tomatoes, season, stir, and cook for about ten minutes until some of the juice from the tomatoes has reduced.
Arrange the fish in the sauce in one layer and spoon some of the sauce over it. Cover, and cook on moderate heat until the fish is done.

Thank you Wendy for all of these wonderful photos and I am so glad that you enjoyed it.

MA2SBAE8REVW

MERCATO, Sicilian Seafood Cooking, Cooking class

 

MERCATO

625 – 627 Lower North East Road CAMPBELLTOWN

Mercato is market in Italian.
If you are in Adelaide, you must visit this store. It provides all lovers of things Italian with a wide selection of small goods and cheeses, grocery items and produce, packaged sweets and biscuits, wine, cooking implements, crockery, cookery books and cookery classes and more. It is the perfect store for cooks and lovers of food and wine .
I will be conducting a cookery class at Mercato in November.

MERCATO

 
mercato
The Mercato shop

Last year we had the wonderful Marisa Raniolo Wilkins launch her new cookbook
“Sicilian Seafood Cooking” at Mercato, to rave reviews.

We had such a great response to Marisa’s book that this year she is coming back to
Mercato for an exclusive cooking class to be held just for our valued customers!

Sicilian Seafood Cooking Class

Join us on
Friday, 9th November 2012
in the Mercato Demo Kitchen
625 – 627 Lower North East Road CAMPBELLTOWN
as Marisa cooks up a Sicilian storm!
She will be showcasing some of her favourite recipes from the cookbook
such as Pasta con la Sarde and even a Cassata for dessert.

Please call Mercato on (08) 8337 1808
or you can simply book online by clicking on the link below
BOOK NOW
                                                                                                                                             
Have you joined us on Facebook or Twitter?
A great fun way to keep up to date with what’s happening
at Mercato on a regular basis.

          

 
mercato
Trading hours:
Mon-Fri 8.30am – 6.30pm
Sat-Sun 8.30am – 5pm
Public Holiday 9am – 3pm

 

 

 

MA2SBAE8REVW

RICH FISH SOUP FROM SYRACUSE COOKED IN THE OVEN

Review of Sicilian Seafood Cooking from PSnews by Christine Salins:

A Sicilian-born Australian cook creates a deliciously hearty winter soup, writes Christine Salins…

Seafood feast by Christine Salins

I’ve only just discovered Marisa Raniolo Wilkins’ blog, All Things Sicilian and More, but I’ve had great fun reading about her passion for food, especially the cuisine of Sicily, the island of her birth.
Marisa spent her early childhood in Trieste before moving to Australia with her Sicilian parents, but clearly the childhood memories have never left her.
She is, by all accounts, a generous home cook who is passionate not only about using fresh produce but also about sharing her knowledge of food and its traditions.

Food photography Graeme Gillies, stylist Fiona Rigg

 

Sicilian Seafood Cooking by Marisa Raniolo Wilkins.

Her mother’s surname was Leone, or lion, and there’s a Sicilian proverb that, loosely translated, says “every dog feels like a lion in his own house”.
Marisa describes herself as a lion in control of her own kitchen and she is certainly a fierce advocate of Sicilian cuisine and culture.
So much so that she has now produced a beautiful book, Sicilian Seafood Cooking (New Holland, $45) celebrating the great diversity of Sicilian food and the role that seafood plays in both Sicilian cooking and its economy.
Not only does she draw on her own personal recollections and family traditions, she also takes readers on an historical journey, showing how the cuisine has been shaped by Greek, French, Arab and Spanish influences.
She canvases some of the issues around the sustainability of seafood, and there are some wonderfully evocative illustrations of dishes and Sicilian scenes.
But it’s the recipes, along with the huge number of immensely knowledgeable tips and suggestions, that are the real star, and if you love seafood, you’ll be delighted as I am to join in her culinary journey.
The following recipe reproduced from her book is a deliciously hearty soup for winter. Zuppa di pesce from Syracuse is reputed to be the best in Sicily. Here it is
baked, leaving the fish undisturbed so it does not break up.
You need large chunks of boneless fish – either buy a whole fish, fillet it
yourself and use the heads and bones for the stock, or make the stock from fish carcasses.

Rich Fish Soup from Syracuse Cooked in the Oven

  2kg mixed seafood
 1 cup dry white wine
 2 cups fish stock
 500g tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
 ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
 2–3 celery hearts (pale green stalks and leaves), chopped
 3–4 bay leaves
 10 cloves garlic, finely chopped
 2 tablespoons finely cut flat-leaf parsley
 Fronds for fennel, finely cut
 1 tablespoon fennel seeds, crushed
 Zest of 1 orange, peeled thinly and cut into large pieces
 Salt and freshly ground pepper
Cut the boneless fish into chunks.
Clean shellfish, molluscs and squid and cut the squid into mouth-sized pieces.
Arrange the fish in an ovenproof pan that will fit all the ingredients.
Add the wine and cover the fish with the strained stock. Add all the other
ingredients. Cover the pan (use foil if you do not have a lid) and place in a
200°C oven for 30 minutes.
Serve with oven-toasted bread.
 

To find out more about Christine Salins click here.

MA2SBAE8REVW

SICILIAN ROMANCE AT HOME Epicure, The Age

Epicure, The Age

A friend suggested I share this with readers.

http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/restaurants-and-bars/sicilian-romance-at-home-20120716-225h9.html

Sicilian romance at home

Date July 17, 2012
Jane Holroyd

 Sicilian Seafood Cooking cover

Marisa Raniolo Wilkins, author of Sicilian Seafood Cooking.

Why did you start a blog at the age of 60? My long-time friend Janet Clarkson (of blog The Old Foodie) suggested blogging as a way of promoting myself and my Sicilian manuscript. I was thrilled when the blog reached 20 readers in the first week. Now I have more than 1000 hits every day.

My mother always told me … That my father’s family knew nothing about cooking. There was always rivalry between the two families. My mother was from Catania (mid-eastern coast of Sicily) and my father from Ragusa (south-eastern Sicily). Although Sicily is not a big island, there is a lot of regional variation in its cooking.

On inner-city living … In South Australia, I lived very close to the Adelaide Central Market and as a child growing up in Trieste I also lived in an apartment near the market. I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. I like to have a strong rapport with market vendors.

marisa5twma

Favourite stalls at the Queen Victoria Market? For Italian greens and lesser-known vegetables, Gus and Carmel’s, Stall 61-63 B shed; The Green Generation, I shed, especially for mushrooms and fresh herbs; Mick’s in H shed for fun and Australian produce; Happy Tuna Seafood; Nifra Poultry. For good-quality meat (Black Angus, Wagyu ) try the Greek butcher in the meat hall, first on the right from the Elizabeth Street entrance.

Best 10-minute meal? Salad, soup, pasta or frittata made from leftovers. My fridge is never empty and in my freezer you will always find jars of broth and pulses. Right now I’ve got cooked pine mushrooms collected from the Mornington Peninsula and some bottarga (tuna roe), ready for that moment.

Blogs are great as … A springboard – sharing ideas, sharing recipes for seasonal produce or writing about something unusual that I’m cooking and think others may enjoy. It doesn’t pay. I do it because I always have something to share.
Your greatest inspiration? Mary Taylor Simeti is an American living in Sicily. I’m inspired by how well she has written about its culture and history. I always recommend her books to travellers, especially On Persephone’s Island.

Most underrated ingredient? I’m cooking a lot of artichokes, cime di rape (similar to broccoli) and cardoons.
Favourite ingredient? Whatever is freshest. And I like the taste and colour of saffron.

Fat – love it or loathe it? I like duck fat for roasting potatoes and butter for mashed potatoes, finishing off sauces and making pastry. If lard was easier to get, I would use it for making pastry. Extra-virgin olive oil is also a fat, and I use heaps of this. I also like the taste of oily fish.

First food memory? In Trieste, I remember kraffen, which are like jam-filled doughnuts.

See Wilkins’ blog at zany-king.wpcomstaging.com

The article in Epicure says that I was born in Trieste. This is not the case, but it is very easy to assume this.

My parents met and lived in Trieste (North Italy). 10 days before I was born they caught the train to Ragusa (Sicily) and I was born in my grandmother’s bed and the same bed my father was born in.

10 days after I was born my parents caught the train back to Trieste, their home and my home. I spent my childhood in Trieste before going to Adelaide. About 10 years ago I moved to Melbourne.
Marisa

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Epicure, The Age

Epicure is the longest running weekly food and wine guide in Victoria and one of the most popular sections for both Age readers and those in the hospitality industry.
Published every Tuesday, Epicure appeals to ‘foodies’ (those who make food, wine and entertaining central to their lifestyles), casual or ‘big occasion’ diners and also those looking for information about fresh produce or new wine to try.
Written and edited by noted food and wine writers and columnists, Epicure features everything from industry news and restaurant, bar and wine reviews to recipes, the latest kitchen gadgets and topical food related feature articles.

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La Trobe University- Ancient Mediterranean Studies, Conference: South Italy, Sicily and the Mediterranean at COASIT

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The Ancient Mediterranean Studies Centre at La Trobe University conference: South Italy, Sicily and the Mediterranean.

Hosted by the Centre for Greek Studies and the A.D. Trendall Research Centre for Ancient Mediterranean Studies at La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia, this conference will focus on the movement of people and interactions of culture in the region of Southern Italy and Sicily from antiquity until the present. The conference will run from 17th to the 21st July 2012.

Cooking demonstration for this Conference was held at COASIT  in Carlton, Melbourne (A non-profit organisation for Italians and Australians of Italian descent).

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South Italy, Sicily and the Mediterranean: Cultural Interactions conference.

Greek and Roman Cultural Interactions: Teacher Professional Development Day

‘Sicilian Cooking Workshop’ – presented by Marisa Raniolo Wilkins, author of the book Sicilian Seafood Cooking. Sicilian cuisine has been shaped over centuries by Greek, French, Arab and Spanish influences. In this class, participants will cook fish in the traditional Sicilian. Marisa will share her experience in the kitchen and love of Sicilian cuisine so that participants learn about Sicilian culture while they cook a delicious meal to share after the class.

This conference has been convened by La Trobe University’s Centre for Greek Studies and the A.D Trendall Research Centre for Ancient Mediterranean Studies and will be held at the Museo Italiano in Carlton. On the last day of the conference a professional development day has been integrated into the program which will be of particular relevance to teachers of Italian, Greek, History, Ancient History, Philosophy and Classics. The conference and the professional development day both seek to explore the connections between Roman and Greek cultural and ethnic identity and the movement of people in the Mediterranean region of Southern Italy and Sicilian antiquity until the present.

During the morning participants will attend lectures delivered by academics on the cultural interactions between ancient Greece and Rome. After lunch participants have the option to either attend a material culture workshop or a Sicilian cookery workshop.

The menu for this workshop included:

Baked ricotta
Marinaded sardines
Olive salads and marinaded olives
Crostata di sarde
Pasta with cime di rape and pecorino/ salted ricotta.
Trigle (red mullets) in marinade, cooked on BBQ and presented with salmoriglio
Stuffed artichokes
Baked fish with anchovies
Baked fish with meat broth
Edible weeds
Green salad with Italian leafy greens