Taglio di Costata di Manzo

The Tuscans have marked their place in Italian cuisine and have done so in many ways. However, one truly unique way in which they have done so surrounds a particular type of cattle. It is the large, white Chianina. This particular animal served important functions, both in the Tuscan economy and society. For centuries, Chianina cattle provided the means of power in agriculture (until replaced by mechanized means). Twice a year, every year, Chianina cattle pull the Carroccio, the cart that carries the banner for the Palio, the horse race that takes place in the center of Siena.

The meat produced by the Chianina is prized and even has its own special designation, IGP Vitellone Bianco dell'appenino Centrale. That meat features prominently in the most Tuscan of dishes: Bistecca Fiorentina. That dish features a porterhouse steak, whose thickness cannot be less than two human fingers in measurement, that is grilled simply with salt until it is a bloody rare. If you cook it beyond rare, you will offend every Tuscan everywhere.

Yet, Tuscans use Chianina beef to prepare other dishes, like Tagliata di Manzo. That dish often uses an entrecote or strip steak cut in its preparation. Tuscans like that preparation to be rare as well, but Tagliata does not have the same place in the heart -- or cuisine -- as Bistecca Fiorentina. I say that to say that there may be some room for forgiveness if the Tagliata comes out medium rare, instead of rare.

I decided to prepare a rib roast in the fashion of a Tagliata, which gave me some more leeway to work with this rather large piece of meat. I prepared a rub using garlic, salt, pepper and fresh rosemary. I then prepared the roast like I would for any prime rib. (If it had been a little warmer outside, I may have tried to grill it to bring the dish closer to a Tagliata at least with respect to preparation.) Still, a couple of hours at 350 degrees Fahrenheit ("F") got me to where I needed to be: around 125 degrees F internal temperature. 

There is something about Tuscan preparations of meat that lift them above many other meat-centric cuisines. For years, I have been preparing turkeys in the style of Tuscan pork roasts (arista-style). Now, I may simply use the Tuscan Tagliata style for all of my beef recipes, especially prime rib roasts. There will always be one exception: Bistecca alla Fiorentina, which can only be prepared one way. 

TAGLIO DI COSTATA DI MANZO

Recipe adapted from several sources

Serves at least 6

Ingredients:

• One prime rib roast with 2-3 ribs, about 5-6 pounds
• 16 ounces of arugula
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
• Kosher salt
• Rosemary, chopped 
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 6 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pint of grape tomatoes, halved
• Olive oil
• Parmigiano Reggiano or other hard cheese

Directions:

1.    Prepare the rib roast. Lightly brush the roast with olive oil. Season the roast on all sides with first with the minced garlic, then the salt and pepper and finally with the rosemary. Place the roast in a roasting pan and let the roast stand for 30 minutes at room temperature.

2. Cook the roast. Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the roast in the oven and cook for approximately 1 3/4 to 2 1/4 hours, until the internal temperature of the roast reaches at least 125 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the roast from the oven, cover loosely with foil and it rest for 30 minutes. The internal temperature should rise to 130 to 135 degrees Fahrenheit, which would be medium rare. 

3. Prepare the arugula. Place the arugula in a bowl. Dress the arugula with a drizzle of olive oil and the lemon juice.

4. Slice the roast. Slice the roast to remove the bones by placing the roast on its side and cutting along the bones at the bottom of the roast. Cut between the bones and set aside. Place the roast upright and slice at the desired thickness.

5.    Finish the dish. Place a slice of roast on the plate, add a handful of arugula salad, and garnish the salad with tomatoes and thin slices of Parmigiana Reggiano.

PEACE.

White Mushroom & Cilantro Soup

"Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without."

-- Siddhartha Gautama

Those words came to mind as I stared down at this bowl of soup. A warm broth, infused with miso and sesame flavors, full of mushrooms and garnished with cilantro leaves. 

In the hours that led to this bowl of soup, I had a conflict. I was standing in the aisle of my local supermarket, staring down at a bottle of miso. That bottle cost $12.99. That was a lot of money for one bottle of an ingredient that I do not normally use in my cooking. Truth be told, I am not even much of a fan for miso soup, which I often skip if it is served as part of a meal at a Japanese restaurant.

However, I really wanted to make a particular soup -- White Mushroom & Cilantro Soup -- which I found on the website of the International Buddhist Society. I had all the ingredients that I needed -- white mushrooms, cilantro, soy sauce, sesame seed oil and even Korean barbecue sauce (which was far cheaper per bottle) -- but the miso. I searched up and down the shelves, looking for any other bottle of miso that was less than $12.99. I had to have searched at least two or three times, but to no avail. I was on the verge of returning those ingredients and giving up with preparing the soup. 

Then my eyes trained on something else ... a $2.99 package of red miso soup mix. That package had more than just red miso. It had dried bits of tofu and seaweed (the usual ingredients one would expect in a miso soup). I thought that if I could sift those bits out, I could have dried red miso, which I could make into a paste with a little water.  I bought the package and headed home. 

I prepared the soup, using the sifted and picked through red miso powder, which I made into a paste. The end result was an absolutely delicious soup that was stunning in its presentation. (And, presentation is one of my weaker qualities as a cook.)

Once I finished the preparing and eating the soup, I realized that the struggle I found myself was not going to be answered by anything on a grocery store shelf. It would only be answered by myself, relying upon my own ability and creativity to come up with a solution. To find the peace that I needed to prepare this recipe. 

WHITE MUSHROOM & CILANTRO SOUP

Recipe from International Buddhist Society

Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces of white mushrooms, sliced
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 1 tablespoon sesame seed oil
• 3 teaspoons miso
• 1 tablespoon black soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon vegetarian barbecue sauce

Directions:

1. Prepare the mushrooms. Heat a wok over medium high heat. Add the oil. Add the sliced mushrooms. Sauté the mushrooms for a couple of minutes. Set aside.

2. Prepare the broth. Bring 8 bowls of water to a boil. Add the miso, black soy sauce and barbecue sauce. Stir well. Add the mushrooms. Cook for 2-3 minutes. 

3. Finish the dish. Stir in the sesame oil and cilantro. Remove from heat. Serve immediately.

PEACE.

Advieh

Longtime followers of this blog may (or may not) remember a dish that I prepared 11 years ago -- Advieh-e Spiced Chicken Kebabs. That dish was my attempt to use an iconic spice mix from Iran in one of my favorite preparations, namely, kebabs. In that effort, I talked about the spice mix. I also ended my post by noting one truly special ingredient: dried rose petals. At the time, I did not have that ingredient and I decided to substitute a few drops of rose water. Improvisation that worked, but it was not truly Advieh. 

Time has passed and I now have dried rose petals among the many herbs and spices at my disposal. So, it was time to return to Advieh, to prepare it properly and to learn more about its place in Persian cuisine. 

Although no one has been able to trace the history of advieh to its origin, the use of this spice mix, or one very similar to it, can be found in recipes that can be dated as far back as 2,000 years ago. It should be noted that the history of the spice trade routes dates back as far as 1,000 B.C.E. One of the routes of the spice trace wound its way through what is now northern Iran. That trade route most likely provided the cinnamon, coriander, nutmeg, and cardamom used to prepare advieh. Over time, this spice mix has become what one described as a "cornerstone" or a "bridge" for Persian cuisine. 

As for the ingredients used to prepare advieh, there is no one definitive recipe. Like most recipes, there are variations that have developed over time and with different cooks. I tried to find a typical advieh recipe that includes the most commonly used ingredients. Each ingredient has a purpose: cinnamon, for its "sweet warmth"; cardamom, for its "minty undertones"; cumin, which adds earthiness; coriander, which supplies citrus notes; nutmeg, which gives a "spicy sweetness"; and, of course, rose petals, which provide a floral scent to the mix. Other recipes may add ingredients such as black pepper, cardamom or even saffron. 

I used this spice mix to prepare some roasted halibut for my beautiful Angel. Fortunately, because I had rose petals, she was able to experience advieh as it truly should be made. She loved the dish very much; and, I have some leftover mix to use on something more traditional, like chicken kebabs.

ADVIEH

Recipe from Meljoulwan

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 geaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon grond nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 teaspoon ground rose petals
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Instructions:

Combine all of the spices in a small bowl and mix well. 

PEACE.

No Man's Land Frog Legs

This recipe represents a further dive into what was once known as No Man's Land, an area in western Louisiana that, for a brief period, was free from the law and order of the times. Many people of differing races, national origins and backgrounds settled there. Cajuns and Creoles looking to establish farms; enslaved Africans seeking freedom. As they settled, they broght their own cultures and traditions, which were able to continue to develop on their own. 

In a nod to the diversity of this time and region, I took a standard creole seasoning and introduced some elements from other cultures in the area. Most notably, I added sundried tomato powder and ground crawfish powder, both of which can be traced to the knowledge and skills that enslaved Africans brought with them to thois country. 

Building upon the layers and depth created by this cultural diversity, I sought to use my No Man's Land seasoning in dishes from the region. The first such dish involved an ingredient that has an iconic place in French cuisine, which is the backbone of both Cajun and Creole cuisine. That ingredient is frog's legs. There is a long history of frog's legs recipes generally, as well as in particular with respect to both the cuisine of the Acadians and enslaved Africans in Louisana.

I tried to find some background or history surrounding the preparation and consumption of frog's legs in what was No Man's Land. My efforts met with little success. However, there is a much broader history of frog's legs in the State of Louisiana, particularly in the Acadia Parish. There is the town of Rayne, which proudly boasts of being the "frog capital of the world." French immigrants who settled in the town brought their culinary tradition of preparing and eating frog's legs, which flourished with the large numbers of frogs in the surrounding areas. The local residents soon began farming frogs, and harvesting the legs, not just for local consumption but also for restaurants in New Orleans and elsewhere. By the 1920s, frog legs from Rayne made it as far as New York City and even to France.

Turning to the recipe, it is a basic frog's legs recipe. I substituted the No Man's Land seasoning for cajun or creole seasoning. As for the preparation, the recipe calls for a basic pan saute of frog's legs, which have been dredged in a combination of corn meal and flour. I still have to work on the dredging and ensuring that it stays on the frog's legs, but it was not a bad effort.

NO MAN'S LAND FROG LEGS

Recipe adapted from a few sources

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 12 pairs frog legs
• 2 cups buttermilk or milk
• 1/4 cup Crystal hot sauce or Tabasco sauce) or to taste
• 2 cups flour
• 2/3 cup corn meal
• 2 tablespoons No Man's Land Seasoning (with dried crawfish powder)
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne
• 2 eggs
• Peanut oil, if frying

Directions:

1. Prepare the frog legs. Combine the buttermilk or milk with the hot sauce. Add the frogs legs and soak for 1 hour. Remove and pat dry. 

2. Prepare the breading. Combine the flour and corn meal, mix thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper. Beat the two eggs and then add the creole seasoning, garlic powder and cayenne powder.

3. Fry the frog legs. Heat the oil to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Fry the legs 4-5 minutes per side. Alternatively, heat an air fryer to 350 degrees. Fry the frog legs for 9-10 minutes or until fully cooked ( that is, an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit).

PEACE.