Tag: Zogghiu

THE MANY VERSIONS OF CAPONATE and grilled food

Cooking and eating is greatly influenced by the seasonal variations in weather and the available seasonal produce.

Abundant in summer are eggplants, tomatoes, zucchini and peppers/capsicum and I enjoy making the most of these vibrant ingredients during this time.  Summer is also a time for grilled food that adds both char and depth of flavor to food.

Celebrating what’s in season enhances the taste of our dishes and allows us to connect more closely with nature’s cycles.

There are recipes in this post for grilled sardines and squid. Also grilled zucchini,  eggplants and peppers and a version of caponata as baked in the oven. A celery caponata makes a perfect and easy accompaniment for grilled food.

I particularly like grilled fish, especially sardines.

And squid tastes fantastic grilled, the charring adds so much flavour and character.  The tentacles are good too and apart from having a more intense flavour they offer a different texture. Squid will not need much cooking, especially if it has been marinading beforehand for an hour or so. Cook the squid quickly – about 5 mins on one side, flip it over and cook the other side for less. The marinade can be as uncomplicated as a little extra virgin olive oil, salt and a few herbs of your choice. To the marinade this time, I also added a splash of white wine.

A simple drizzle of good, extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice could be sufficient as a finishing dressing, especially it you are accompanying the squid with some flavourful side dishes.

There are also two accompanying,  Sicilian green, traditional sauces  –  Salmoriglio and Zogghiu to accompany all grilled food.

As for the accompanying dishes, I made two different Sicilian caponate (plural of caponata) and a green salad.

Caponate also make good starters and they taste better if cooked days before, making them an easy option. They are always served at room temperature: take them out of the fridge about 30 mins before serving.

Caponata as cooked in the oven

I cooked one of the caponate in the oven and used eggplants, onions, celery and peppers/capsicums. To make it different,  apart from baking the vegetables, I also added fennel seeds, plenty of basil and garlic as well as the customary green olives, capers, sugar, vinegar and pine nuts.

I definitely prefer the traditional method of sautéing  of each of the vegetables in hot oil because although I roasted the vegetables at high temperatures, they released far too many juices. I drained the liquid and evaporated in a saucepan and then pour it back into the oven tray. In the end it did taste good, but the flavour took far too long to fix.

Cool the caponata. Place the basil and toasted pine nuts on the caponata at the time of serving.

The caponata in the photo below is made with celery.  This caponata is very quick to cook and the addition of sultanas accentuate the sweet taste. The vinegar (present in all caponate) provides the sour taste and this cooked salad tastes very much like a pickle.

This celery caponata has the addition of toasted almonds rather than pine nuts.

The celery and onions are the only two vegetable ingredients and they can be sautéed in the same pan at the same time. Once they are slightly softened, add the drained and plump sultanas that have been soaking in water for an hour or so.  Add a little sugar and once the sugar begins to caramelise, add a splash of vinegar and evaporate.

Friends also enjoy the chocolate version of caponata. Pieces of dark chocolate are added in the final stages of cooking the eggplant version of caponata that is characteristic of Palermo and its region.

The caponata that includes peppers is typical of Catania and its region.

GRILLED CALAMARI (CALAMARI ‘NTA BRACI (Sicilian) – CALAMARI ALLA BRACE (Italian)

SARDINES, grilled or barbecued with Sicilian dressings

SALAMURRIGGHIU – SALMORIGLIO (Dressing made with oil, lemon and oregano)

ZOGGHIU (Sicilian pesto/dressing made with garlic, parsley and mint)

ANTIPASTO – GRILLED SUMMER VEGETABLES AND A SCOOP OF SALADS

CAPONATA FROM PALERMO (made with eggplants)

CAPONATA Catanese (from Catania) made easy with photos

CAPONATA DI NATALE (Christmas, winter caponata made with celery, almonds and sultanas)

For more recipes for different versions of Caponata, use the search button.

DELICIOUS ITALIAN SUMMER FAVOURITES – Zuppa Inglese etc

Over summer and the Christmas period I did make a few favourite standout dishes that were requested time and again: Zuppa Inglese and Caponata Catanese seem to have left such a lasting impression on my friends and family that they’ve become favorites for special occasions.

Egg Mayonnaise and Zogghiu (a green sauce made with garlic, mint, and parsley) are incredibly versatile sauces that pair wonderfully with almost anything.

November and December are always my busiest months, and while I spend a lot of time cooking, there’s rarely a moment to take photos or write about it. The Christmas period was no different.

Though I don’t tend to stick to traditional holiday foods, for family and friends some special dishes are memorable.

I had three requests for Zuppa Inglese, one was for this year’s shared Christmas lunch. I topped it with Chantilly cream, preserved cherries soaked in Maraschino, and bits of Torrone with pistachio. Instead of the traditional sherry used in an English trifle, the  Savoiardi biscuits are soaked with Alchermes, the ancient Florentine liqueur. I also spooned the traditional rich egg custard between the layers, te results are a decadent and obviuosly memorable dessert.

Caponata Catanese, a Sicilian dish from Catania, is another favorite. This version features eggplant, red and green peppers, celery, onion, and green olives and I also added capers. Each vegetable is cooked separately in olive oil, then combined after caramelizing some sugar and evaporating white wine vinegar. Finally, tomatoes are added and simmered until the sauce thickens to a creamy consistency. The result makes a memorable antipasto that’s best served cold or can be placed as one of the choices if having salads with grilled food.

The essential ingredients of my Caponata Catanese, a Sicilian caponata from Catania, are eggplant, red and green peppers, celery and onion with green olives (I also added capers). Each of the vegetables in the caponata are separately cooked in olive oil and not mixed together until some sugar is caramelised before adding white wine vinegar that is evaporated and finally some tomatoes that are cooked till reduced to a cream.

I scattered this one with fresh leaves of basil, pine nuts and breadcrumbs toasted in some extra virgin olive oil. The breadcrumbs added the crunch.

Two other staples I often prepare are homemade Egg Mayonnaise and Zogghiu The green sauce is especially good with grilled meats, and it was fantastic with both crayfish and grilled squid this season. Egg mayonnaise is particularly good with asparagus.

I also enjoy a hearty meat broth, and one dish I hadn’t made in a long time was Stracciatella. This simple yet delicious Roman soup is quick to prepare and incredibly satisfying. The name “Stracciatella” refers to the delicate, shredded pieces of egg that form as you stir them into the hot broth. To make it, simply bring meat broth to a boil, then whisk in beaten eggs, fresh parsley, nutmeg, and Parmigiano, cooking over low heat until it thickens to your desired consistency.

Although the Christmas season has passed, all the recipes I’ve shared here are perfect for the summer months. I hope you enjoyed your holiday season, and I look forward to sharing more delicious recipes with you in the future.

Recipe for Zuppa Inglese:

ZUPPA INGLESE, a famous, Italian dessert

LONG LIVE ZUPPA INGLESE and its sisters

ALCHERMES/ALKERMES (The liqueur used to make Zuppa Inglese)

Recipes for Caponata:

CAPONATA Catanese (from Catania) made easy with photos

A MOUNTAIN OF CAPONATA  two days before Christmas

CAPONATA SICILIANA (CATANESE  Caponata as made in Catania)

Recipes for sauces – Egg Mayonnaise and Zogghiu :

ZOGGHIU (Sicilian pesto/dressing made with garlic, parsley and mint)

GRILLED CALAMARI (CALAMARI ‘NTA BRACI (Sicilian) – CALAMARI ALLA BRACE (Italian)

PESCE IN BIANCO (Plain fish). MAIONESE (Mayonnaise)

Although the Christmas period is over, all of the recipes I have provided are summer recipes.

FISH POACHED IN A FISH KETTLE in bouillon

As you can see this poached whole Atlantic Salmon looks very impressive and it tasted fabulous.

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The method of slowly poaching a whole fish in a fish kettle is easy. The poaching liquid in this case was salted water, whole parsley – leaves and stalks, black peppercorns, lemons and onions cut into  thick slices.

The poaching liquid (bouillon) can be a combination of  salted water and white wine and contain some aromatics of your choice to flavour the stock. Common are whole black peppercorns, fresh fennel, or fennel seeds, dill stalks or seeds, carrots, celery, fresh bay leaves, thyme, but it is important not to use too many ingredients to flavour the liquid because the strength of cooking the fish in this way is to taste the natural taste of the fish.

The greatest advantage in using a fish kettle is that it contains a perforated insert on which the fish sits, enabling it to be easily lowered into and raised from the poaching liquid. Placing some of the ingredients (if not all) to flavour the fish underneath the perforated insert can be advantageous and keep the bottom side of the fish from being over flavoured. Some of the flavourings can also be placed in the centre of the fish.

I do not have a photo of the fish kettle that was used to poach the Atlantic Salmon (it belongs to my friend), but in this photo below is of my fish kettle. It is much smaller but it can easily hold two fish. The 1k flathead is sitting on the perforated insert.

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Unfortunately giving precise information is not possible because it depends on the size  and species of the fish and how cooked you like it. We are talking about poaching the fish on low heat. Don’t bring your pot to a boil, or to simmer. It needs to reach the required temperature slowly.

If you have thermometer the fish will need to be poached at a temperature of 80-85 °C.

If you do not have a thermometer observe how small bubbles will gently rise and break on the surface. This is your indication that it has reached the required temperature.  . 

Procedure:

Place aromatics into the fish kettle, place the fish on the perforated insert, add the liquid to cover the fish (it must be covered).  Cover with a lid and wait till the temperature reaches of 80-85C or till the small bubbles rise to the surface. Leave it for about 5 minutes.

This large fish was about 4k and it took about 30 mins for the bubbles to rise to the surface or to reach the poaching temperature. 

Switch off the heat and allow the fish to stand in the water until it is at room temperature.

Test the fish by inserting a skewer or fork into the thickest part of the fish – undercooked fish resists flaking and is translucent, cooked fish is opaque and flakes.

Remove it from the poaching liquid and the fish will be ready to eat. It is best eaten at room temperature.

A herb salad or a simple dressing made with extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice and fresh herbs is perfect. Any of the following soft herbs: parsley, dill, tarragon, chervil, fennel.

If you need to refrigerate the fish or have fish left over and want to serve it the next day it could be served with a stronger sauce.

Alternative dressings:

SALAMURRIGGHIU – SALMORIGLIO (Dressing made with oil, lemon and oregano)

ZOGGHIU (Sicilian pesto/dressing made with garlic, parsley and mint)

PESCE IN BIANCO (Plain fish). MAIONESE (Mayonnaise)

 

 

 

SARDINES, grilled or barbecued with Sicilian dressings

Many people do not like the taste of sardines, they find them too fishy. Being an oily fish they are strong flavoured, and like other oily fish (for example salmon and mackerel) they are rich in omega-3s – this could provide enough incentive to begin eating them and learning to enjoy them. Because of their oil content the taste becomes even fisher if they are left so they need to be eaten fresh. When they are very fresh I like to eat them raw marinaded in lemon juice and olive oil.

FILETTI DI SARDINE CON VINO E LIMONE (Sardines with wine)

Sardines are a resilient species and with favourable conditions they reproduce successfully and in large numbers; they are therefore sustainable.

One of the ways that I really enjoy to eat oily fish is by grilling on a griddle or char-grilling in a BBQ. Presented with a simple dressing that contains lemon juice (for example the Sicilian Salmoriglio (salt, oregano, lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil) they taste less fishy.

I also like to present them with Zogghiu (a Sicilian pesto-type accompaniment strongly flavoured with mint). I say ‘pesto-type’ because I  mostly use a food processor and do not pound the ingredients with a mortar and pestle (pesto = from pestare = to pound using a mortar and pestle) .

 

Sardines are small fish with soft flesh and therefore require gentle handling and short cooking times. I only turn them once when they are being cooked, whether I am barabecuing, grilling or pan-frying. If I am baking them (as in Beccafico- stuffed with Sicilan/ Arab flavours ) or cooking them in liquid I do not turn them at all.

Sardinia – sardines…. is there a connection? Maybe… sardines were once very plentiful around the island of Sardinia and it is thought that their name is likely  to have originated from ancient times.

Cooking on a BBQ is simple. This time I cooked them on a griddle lined with foil.

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To clean sardines:

Remove the scales by scraping with your fingers against the grain (towards the head) and back again – the flesh is too delicate to use a knife.

Use pointy scissors or a sharp pointy knife to cut the fish open along the belly from tail to head.

Gently  push the innards out of the body.

Gently rinse the fish inside and out under the tap with gentle- running water, being careful not to break the skin

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INGREDIENTS

sardines, left whole, scaled and gutted

a sprinkling of salt and some extra virgin olive oil and to brush over the sardines

PROCESSES

Wash the sardines and pat dry – be gentle.

Sprinkle with a little salt, brush them with a little olive oil and grill quickly over high heat in a griddle plate.

Cook them 3–4 minutes on either side – turn only once very carefully. The skin will be slightly charred- this will also help to mask the oily taste.

 

I presented them with this salad:

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