Cucina Bernadina

Cucina Bernadina

RECIPE

Serving for 6

Ingredients

6 Artichokes (look for firm “male” artichoke are the ones with a narrow sharp point at the top of each leaflet referred to as the Washington Monument versus the Lincoln Memorial or as the straight point versus the curvaceous point) —you get the “point” — no pun intended of course.

2 tbls. Minced Garlic

½ to ¾ cup of melted Organic Butter

1 large Minced Onion

½ cup of chopped Celery

1 Bunch of Fresh Italian Parsley

1 tbls. Fresh Oregano chopped

1 tsp. Salt

1 tsp Pepper

1/8 cup Grated and Aged Parmigiana Cheese (Parmesan)

2 Free Range Organic Chicken Eggs

2 cups Seasoned Italian Breadcrumbs like Progresso from the grocery store (or you can refer to recipe to make seasoned breadcrumbs from scratch)

1 cup (+/-) Dry White Wine (I enjoy sipping a Pinot Grigio and sharing it with my recipes) White wine is used to moisten the stuffing.

Instructions

Wash and then Snip all the thorns off each leaf and the stem is cut.

Steam artichokes in a pot full of water that covers the artichokes and cook until al dente (enough to soften choke so that it scoops out with a spoon) but is not mushy—time will depend on size of artichokes and pot but expect it to take from boiling point 15 minutes.

Extract Artichokes from water and cool slightly in the sink. Carve out the center including the “choke”

Now you are ready to add the stuffing fill the center of the artichoke and then spoon into each leaf a spoonful of stuffing pushed gently down into the leaves.

Bake for 375 for 30 minutes

Leave uncovered.

Cooking Instructions

The Stuffing:

Sauté garlic, onions and celery in butter until translucent

Add a pinch of salt and pepper

Fold in breadcrumbs and mix.

Remove from heat and add whisked eggs to mixture along with white wine to moisten

Add grated cheese mixed with chopped fresh Italian Parsley and Oregano

*********************************************************************

Place stuffed artichokes in either a Pyrex or Ceramic ovenproof casserole pan.

Fill pan with enough water to cover the pan (approx. ¼ inch) equally but not more than what will touch the bottom of the artichoke—splash of white wine and freshly chopped Italian parsley and Oregano provide a steamed infusion as the artichokes cook.

Bake at 375 for 30 minutes or until you can easily pull a leaf with stuffing away with the fleshy part of the stem still in tack.

Serves 6 - Serve in preferably a white shallow bowl with a side smaller bowl for discarded leaves and remember small butter dishes for dipping – butter needs to be melted and hot when served. Heat butter dishes just before serving or there are individual candle heated butter dishes that you can buy and use that keeps butter hot.

A dry Italian white wine or a fruity Bardolinos can enhance this dining experience.

Mangiare alla sua salute!

(Source: cucinabernadina)

Recipe Serves 8

INGREDIENTS

2 Roasting Hens (approximately 6 lbs. each)
½ cup Virgin Olive Oil
2 tbls. Crushed Garlic
1 tsp. Sea Salt
2 tsp. Crushed Black Pepper
2 cups Shifted Flour
1 cup Italian Breadcrumbs
½ cup Grated Romano and Parmesan Cheese
3 tbls. Fresh Parsley (chopped)
3 tbls. Fresh Rosemary (chopped)

PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS

Wash Hens with cold water, remove any neck, liver and/or gizzards and set aside. Then pat dry with paper towel

Using a sharp knife cut Hens into serving size pieces (split straight down breastbone, cut again in half between thigh and wing – leaving 4 pieces of chicken per Hen)

Rub with Olive Oil and crushed garlic

Rub with dry rub — Combine sea salt, pepper, parsley and rosemary to make (dry rub)
Place two pieces of chicken at a time into dusting coat — Combine flour, grated cheese and Italian breadcrumbs to make (dusting coat)

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Prepare cast iron skillet or large frying pan with remaining olive oil and heat on med. high.

Place 2 – 4 pieces of chicken in pan to brown nicely on each side until all pieces are browned (approximately 4 minutes per side depending on temperature)

Place browned chicken pieces in either a Pyrex or ovenproof pan large enough to hold 8 pieces of chicken.

Bake at 325 for 45 minutes or until you can easily pull meat away from bone with no traces of blood

Serves 8 - Serve with a tossed mixed green salad or potatoes salad and side of chilled or cooked green beans (see recipes in other blogs for salads and vegetables)

This meal goes great with a very cold glass of Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio

Mangiare alla sua salute!

RECIPE

Serving for 2

Ingredients

2 large Flour Tortillas

1 large Chicken Breast (boneless and skinless)

½ Cup of Grated Parmesan and Romano Cheese

½ Cup of Tomato Sauce

1 Can of Artichokes

1 Fresh Ball or ½ pound of Shredded Mozzarella

Fresh or Dried Parsley, Basil, Oregano (1-2 Tbls of each finely chopped)

3 Tbls Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Instructions

Cut up Chicken Breast in small bite size pieces, then seasoned lightly with 1 Tsp. of granulated garlic or 1 clove chopped and 1 Tsp of Herb mixture, 1 Tbls Olive Oil and set aside

Drain water from can of Artichoke and mince

Using a large cookie sheet, spray nonstick olive oil on the pan, then place both Tortillas side by side on the sheet (fold edges that meet in the middle slightly up)

Spread ¼ Cup of Tomato Sauce on Tortillas leaving 1/8 of Tortilla without sauce around the edges.

Gently spread ½ can of chopped Artichokes on each Tortilla

Sprinkle remaining herbs on top (sparingly )of each Tortilla

Take half of the mozzarella and evenly toss on top

Add ½ Cup of Chicken on top

Drizzle 1 Tbls. of Extra Virgin Olive Oil on top

Cooking Instructions

Preheat Oven at 400 degrees

Bake at 400 for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is all melted and edges are toasted

Let cool for 3.5 minutes and then slice with Pizza Cutter into 4 slices

Serves 2 – Sprinkle grated cheese as desired on top

Serve with a mixed green salad with sliced pears and walnuts with virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar dressing

Sommelier’s choice a Banfi “Chianti”

Mangiare alla sua salute!

Serving for 4

Ingredients

4 Cod Fillets (2 halves of 2 fish) (fish should not smell fishy and should be firm to touch never mushy)

½ Cup of Grated Parmesan and Romano Cheese

½ Cup of Progresso Breadcrumbs

2 Eggs (beaten with a tsp of water and a dash of salt and pepper and a pinch of garlic powder)

Parsley, Rosemary, Oregano (1-2 tbls. of each finely chopped)

2 Lemons

Instructions

Rinse Cod Fillets in cold running water and pat dry with paper towel (set aside)

Beat Eggs with ingredients above in separate bowl dip fillet to coat entire fillet one at a time

Mix breadcrumbs and fresh herbs in separate bowl place fillet on top and press gently, flip fillet over and do the same so fillet is coated on both sides again one at a time

Place fillets flat on cooking sheet lightly sprayed with olive oil to prevent sticking

Cut lemons into 4 wedges

Cooking Instructions

Bake at 325 for 10-15 minutes or until fillets are white (not transparent) and flaky (check fish at 10 minutes)

Serves 4 – Place lemon wedge on each plate for those that would like the citrus taste of lemon added to their fish.

Serve with fresh-crusted baked Italian bread and a mixed green with virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar dressing and a side of steamed vegetable of choice.

Sommelier’s choice a chilled “Pinot Grigio”

Mangiare alla sua salute!

Upside Down Penuche Cake

INGREDIENTS

1 Cup of Butter
1 Cup firmly packed Brown Sugar
1¼ Cup Light Cream
¾ Cup sliced Pecans
1 Cup flaked Coconut
3 Eggs
1 ¼ Cup Sugar
2 Cups sifted Flour
3 Tsp. Baking Powder
½ Tsp. Salt
1 Tsp. Vanilla

INSTRUCTIONS

Melt ½ Cup of Butter in Pan, add 1 Cup brown sugar, add ¼ Cup light Cream, add ¾ Cup sliced pecans, and add ½ Cup of flaked Coconut – stir until well blended and sugar is melted – set aside.
Beat 3 egg whites in small bowl until foamy. Gradually add 1/4 Cup of sugar – continue beating until stiff peaks form.
Sift Together into Large Bowl: 2 Cups Sifted Flour, 1 Cup Sugar, 3 Tsps. Baking Powder, and ½ Tsp. Salt.
Add to Large Bowl: ½ Cup Butter and 1 Cup light Cream then
Beat 1 ½ Minutes then add remaining 3 Egg Yolk and 1 Tsp. Vanilla then
Fold in Egg Whites

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes in a 13X9 inch Cake Pan.

Serves 6 – 8

Mangiare alla sua salute!

I am not sure how Upside Down Penuche Cake made its way into our Cucina – most likely from making New England fudge and then experimenting with the ingredients. Penuche is a fudge-like candy made from brown sugar, butter and cream with a hint of vanilla. If eaten as fudge it has a tan-like color.

image source

Linguini with White Clam Sauce

Recipe

SERVING FOR 4-6

INGREDIENTS

1 Can of Progresso White Clam Sauce
2 Cans of chopped Clams
1 doz. Cherrystone Clams or Mussels – cleaned
1 Cup of Virgin Olive Oil
1 Cup of Dry White Wine
2 pats of butter or heart healthy butter
Handful of fresh Parsley and Basil chopped fine
1 Fresh Lemon
½ Cup grated Romano and Parmesan Cheese
1 tsp Sea Salt and Ground Pepper
6 Cloves of Garlic (minced)
1-2 pounds of whole wheat or buckwheat pasta linguini
Loaf of Fresh Italian or French Bread heated in the oven so the crust is hot and toasted.

INSTRUCTIONS

Wash and clean clams and mussels – make sure none are staying open after handled (toss those that are because they are bad). Make sure mussels do not have beards coming out, although a little bit is fine. My mom and dad taught me to tap clams together and if they don’t close up after a few taps they might be dead (if in doubt do without my mom always said). Mussels are similar, however, they tend to be open more so than clams. Place both mollusks in cold water with a bit of sea salt and gently stir around – do not leave them under water for long or they will drown, yes, in your sink they will drown. However, the limited time underwater encourages them to spit out any sand they are holding on to.
Mince garlic set aside
Chop parsley and basil set aside
Cut lemon into wedges and remove seeds
Open cans and set aside

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

You will need two pots. One to cook the pasta in and the other for the clam sauce. Fill pasta pot with water, splash of olive oil and sea salt. Cook al dente, drain in colander and keep in sink.

Use a large deep skillet and pour some olive oil in put on medium to high heat.
Add garlic and sauté but not brown your garlic.

Add butter and melt (watch the temperature so that it is not too hot but hot enough - medium)

Add canned items (clam sauce, clams)

Sauté and add White Wine

Bring to bubbling heat and toss clams and mussels in and cover quickly – cook on high a couple minutes and then turn heat back to medium

When clams and mussels open – add remainder of oil and ¼ cup of grated cheese – stir gently.

Squeeze lemon juice in and stir.

Done – now turn off stove and run hot water over pasta to loosen it up, drain and put in pasta bowl deep and big enough to hold pasta and clam sauce.

Add clam sauce (or if your skillet is big enough you can simply use that to put your pasta in and serve) – however, a bowl is prettier.

Sprinkle top with grated cheese and fresh basil and parsley and serve!
Open a bottle of very chilled Pinot Grigio and hot bread from the oven!

Mangiare alla sua salute!

This is my very favorite recipe and my guests always request me to make it so it must be as good as I say it is!