Couscous alla Trapanese con Pollo e Salsiccia

This recipe is based upon a recipe by Chef Giuliano Bugialli, who wrote a cookbook of recipes from the Italian islands, like Sardinia and Sicily.  Couscous is an ingredient in Sicilian cooking, particularly in Trapani, which is both a city and a province in Western Sicily.  Trapani is near North Africa and, hundreds of years ago, Arabs ruled over this part of the island.  The Arabs brought, among other things, couscous.  Today, the couscous used in Sicilian cooking is usually Moroccan couscous rather than Israeli couscous.  In Trapani, couscous is made with fish, rather than with meat as it is in Northern Africa.

This is one of two couscous recipes that are being posted.  This recipe focuses on chicken and sausage.  While not the traditional ingredients used in Trapani couscous, it provides an alternative for those who do not eat fish and calamari.  This recipe is substantially revised from Chef Bugialli's recipe, primarily to make it easier to make.  One major revision is that the couscous is toasted in butter first.  This helps to develop the flavor of the couscous.  Another major revision is the use of canned tomatoes over fresh tomatoes, because they are easier to use and the puree that comes with the canned tomatoes can help to thicken the sauce.  (For those who like thicker sauces, you can add more puree.)

COUSCOUS ALLA TRAPANESE CON POLLO E SALSICCIA

Adapted from Chef Giuliano Bugialli
Serves 6-10

Ingredients for the Sauce:

1 large red onion

1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 pounds of canned whole tomatoes, seeded and

     cut into large pieces, with puree

1 large pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

1 large pinch of saffron

20 sprigs of flat leaf parsley, leaves only

6 large cloves of garlic, peeled

10 very large fresh basil leaves

4 tablespoons of tomato paste

3 cups of chicken stock

Ingredients for the Chicken and Sausage:

3 pounds or chicken

1 pound of mild Italian sausage

Salt, to taste

Ground pepper, to taste

Ingredients for the Couscous:

2 tablespoons of unsalted butter

2 cups of couscous

1 cup of water

1 cup of chicken stock

1 pinch of saffron

Salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. First begin preparing the sauce by heating the oil in a large saute pan.  When the oil is hot, add the onions and saute for five minutes, stirring constantly.  Add the tomatoes and cook for 15 minutes, stirring every once in a while.  Season with salt, pepper and hot pepper flakes.

2.  Finely chop the parsley and garlic together.  Add the chopped ingredients and the whole basil leaves to the saute pan and mix very well.  Cook for 5 minutes more.  Dissolve the tomato paste in the broth and pour it into the casserole.  Lower heat and simmer for 1 hour.

3.  Now prepare the couscous.  Heat the butter in a medium sauce pan over medium high heat.  When the foaming subsides, add the saffron and couscous and cook, stirring frequently until the grains are beginning to brown, about five minutes.  Add water, broth and salt, stirring briefly to combine.  Cover and remove pan from heat.  Let stand until grains are tender, about seven minutes.  Uncover and fluff grains with fork.  Season with ground pepper to taste.

4.  Taste the sauce for seasoning.  Start adding the chicken.  Cook the chicken for a few minutes and then add the sausage. 

5.  Transfer the couscous to a platter, pour the sauce over the couscous and arrange the chicken and sausage on top or on the side.  Sprinkle with parsley.  Serve hot.

ENJOY!

Couscous alla Trapanese con Pesce y Calamari

This recipe is based upon a recipe by Chef Giuliano Bugialli, who wrote a cookbook of recipes from the Italian islands, like Sardinia and Sicily.  Couscous is an ingredient in Sicilian cooking, particularly in Trapani, which is both a city and a province in Western Sicily.  Trapani is near North Africa and, hundreds of years ago, Arabs ruled over this part of the island.  The Arabs brought, among other things, couscous.  Today, the couscous used in Sicilian cooking is usually Moroccan couscous rather than Israeli couscous.  In Trapani, couscous is made with fish, rather than with meat as it is in Northern Africa.

This is one of two couscous recipes that are being posted.  This recipe focuses on the use of fish and calamari, in the traditional Trapanese style.  This recipe is substantially revised from Chef Bugialli's recipe, primarily to make it easier to make.  One major revision is that the couscous is toasted in butter first.  This helps to develop the flavor of the couscous.  Another major revision is the use of canned tomatoes over fresh tomatoes, because they are easier to use and the puree that comes with the canned tomatoes can help to thicken the sauce.  (For those who like thicker sauces, you can add more puree.)  

COUSCOUS ALLA TRAPANESE CON PESCE Y CALAMARI

Adapted from Chef Giuliano Bugialli
Serves 6-10

Ingredients for the Sauce:

1 large red onion

1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 pounds of canned, whole tomatoes, seeded and

     cut into large pieces, with puree

1 large pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

20 sprigs of flat leaf parsley, leaves only

6 large cloves of garlic, peeled

10 very large fresh basil leaves

4 tablespoons of tomato paste

3 cups of seafood stock

Ingredients for the Fish and Calamari:

3 pounds of fish

1 pound of calamari, heads and bodies, cleaned

Salt, to taste

Ground pepper, to taste

Ingredients for the Couscous:

2 tablespoons of unsalted butter

2 cups of couscous

1 cup of water

1 cup of seafood stock

1 pinch of saffron

Salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. First begin preparing the sauce by heating the oil in a large saute pan.  When the oil is hot, add the onions and saute for five minutes, stirring constantly.  Add the tomatoes and cook for 15 minutes, stirring every once in a while.  Season with salt, pepper and hot pepper flakes.

2.  Finely chop the parsley and garlic together.  Add the chopped ingredients and the whole basil leaves to the saute pan and mix very well.  Cook for 5 minutes more.  Dissolve the tomato paste in the broth and pour it into the casserole.  Lower heat and simmer for 1 hour.

3.  Now prepare the couscous.  Heat the butter in a medium sauce pan over medium high heat.  When the foaming subsides, add the saffron and couscous and cook, stirring frequently until the grains are beginning to brown, about five minutes.  Add water, broth and salt, stirring briefly to combine.  Cover and remove pan from heat.  Let stand until grains are tender, about seven minutes.  Uncover and fluff grains with fork.  Season with ground pepper to taste.

4.  Taste the sauce for seasoning.  Start adding the fish.  Cook the fish for a few minutes and then add the calamari.

5.  Transfer the couscous to a platter, pour the sauce over the couscous and arrange the fish and calamari on top or on the side.  Sprinkle with parsley.  Serve hot.

ENJOY!

Sicilian Chickpea and Escarole Soup

Photo courtesy of Nanther Thangarajah

When we were designing the menu for Guest Chef Night, both Clare's father, Frank, and I went through a few recipes trying to decide upon a primi or first course (after the antipasta or appetizer).  Initially, we thought about a pasta; however, we could not find a pasta recipe that would fit with the overall menu.

Frank found a recipe for Sicilian Chickpea and Escarole soup, which he had made for friends in the past and which had gotten great reviews.  The recipe includes an interesting selection of ingredients, including garlic, chickpeas, fennel, onions, escarole, anchovies and the Parmigiano Reggiano rinds.  We decided to do this soup for Guest Chef Night and, once again, it got rave reviews from the guests.

The recipe comes from America's Test Kitchen and calls for the use of chicken broth.  Both Frank and I wanted to make sure that this soup could be enjoyed by everyone, including my beautiful wife Clare who does not eat meat.  So, we modified the recipe to use vegetable stock.  When we made this soup for Guest Chef Night, we used a homemade vegetable stock that Frank carefully made over the course of a couple of days.  Homemade stock is always better than store-bought stock.  If you do not want to make your own stock, look for a vegetable stock that is low in sodium.

While I am not a big fan of vegetable soups, I love this soup.  So did everyone who came to the Guest Chef Night.   The use of the Parmigiano Reggiano rinds provides a depth and richness to this soup that complements the flavors of the fennel and anchovies.  I highly recommend this soup.   

SICILIAN CHICKPEA AND ESCAROLE SOUP

Recipes from Soups, Stews and Chilis, America's Test Kitchen at 148-149
Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 pounds of fennel bulbs, trimmed of stalks

     cored and chopped fine

1 small onion chopped medium

1 can of chickpeas

3 medium garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano leaves

     (or 1/2 teaspoons of dry oregano)

2 anchovy fillets, minced

1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes

7 cups of water

5 cups of vegetable broth

1 five inch long piece of Parmigano Reggiano rind

2 bay leaves

1 three inch long strip of zest from an orange

1 large tomato cored, and chopped medium

1 pound of escarole, tripped and cut into 1 inch pieces

Salt, to taste

Ground pepper to taste

8 to 10 slices of toasted garlic bread

1 cup of grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Directions:

1.  Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven or cast iron pot over medium heat until shimmering.  Add the fennel and onion.  Cook until the vegetables are softened, which should be about seven or eight minutes.  Stir in the garlic, oregano, anchovies and crushed red pepper flakes.  Cook until fragrant, about thirty seconds.

2.  Stir in water, broth, soaked chickpeas, Parmigiano Reggiano rind, bay leaves, and zest.  Bring the soup to a boil and then reduce to a gentle simmer.  Cook until the chickpeas are tender, which should take about one and one-half hours.

3.  Stir in the tomato and continue to simmer for twenty minutes longer.  Then stir in escarole and cook until wilted, which should take about five to ten minutes more.

4.  Remove from the heat.  Remove bay leaves and the cheese rind (scraping off any cheese that has melted back into the soup.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

5.  To serve, place the toasted garlic bread on the bottom of the bowl.  Ladle the soup over the top of the bread. Sprinkle grated Parmigiano Reggiano over the soup and drizzle lightly with additional olive oil.

ENJOY!

Mushroom Gratinate

I have made mushroom crostini for people several times using different recipes.  However, a recipe from Lidia Bastianich gets the best reviews.  It is like the "King" or "Queen" of mushroom crostini recipes, with the title of "Gratinate." This title is especially appropriate because the cheese used in the "Gratinate" is Parmigiano Reggiano, the "king" of Italian cheeses.

The recipe calls for garlic, sage, thyme and flat leaf parsley to be added while you saute the mushrooms. This mixture of herbs contributes a lot of flavor that complements the mushrooms themselves.  You do not have to limit yourself to these herbs, you could experiment by adding some rosemary, to underscore the earthiness of the dish, or some cracked black peppercorns, to provide a little bite. 

This dish was the first course of the four course dinner served at the Guest Chef Night.  We used eight pounds of mushrooms to create this course and went through all of the mushrooms.  Guests who tasted it both at the test kitchen and the Guest Chef Night really liked these crostini.  The recipe set forth below is designed to serve about twelve people, depending upon the size of the crostini or bread that you use.

MUSHROOM GRATINATE
Adapted from Lidia's Italy
Serves 12

Ingredients (for the mushrooms):

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2½ pounds mushroom, cleaned, sliced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
4 leaves fresh sage, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated

Ingredients (for the base and gratin):
12 slices hearty wheat bread, lightly toasted
3 tablespoons soft butter
¼ cup Italian parsley, freshly chopped
1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated

Directions:

1.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

2.  Heat the olive oil in the skillet over medium heat and saute the garlic, stirring, until the garlic just begins to color but well before it begins to brown. Add the butter and, when it melts, toss in the mushrooms, sprinkle on the thyme, sage, and salt.  Cook the mushrooms and other ingredients, stirring now and then, until the water evaporates and the mushrooms start to caramelize. Remove from the heat, then stir in the grated cheese.

3.  Lay the bread slices in one layer in the baking pan to cover the bottom completely. Spread the soft butter all over the bread and spoon the mushrooms evenly on top, pressing them down into the bread. Sprinkle the parsley on and top with grated cheese.

4.  Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese has browned and the edges of the bread are crisp. Let rest a few minutes, before serving.

ENJOY!

Guest Chef Night -- Some Last Thoughts

Photo courtesy of Clare

With some sleep and a lot of thought, I have had the chance to reflect upon Guest Chef Night.  I want to take this opportunity to sum up the Guest Chef Night, especially what I learned or what I was reminded of during this special event. 

First, I was vividly reminded that the role in which food plays in our lives.  The Guest Chef Night was billed as an opportunity for people to come and enjoy a four course meal designed by and cooked by Frank and myself.  I admit that I contributed to that billing through my blog posts.  But, in reality, Guest Chef Night should have been billed as an opportunity for family and friends to gather together and share, not only in the food, but also in our time together.

Over the course of one night, I had the opportunity to see many great people, including some who I had not seen since my wedding to Clare.  Although many months had passed since that time, it seemed as if we had just seen each other just the other day ... and perhaps the reason for that was this very night.  Family and friends had been following the developments of the evening, both by word of mouth and through this blog, so that the time and distance disappeared in a matter of moments.  I am very happy and grateful to have been able to share this night with all of them.

Second, food can not only bring together family and friends, but also create new friendships.  Over the course of the night, people who did not necessarily know each other nevertheless sat together at the same table or in vicinity of one another.  As they enjoyed the meal, they were able to talk about the one thing that they have in common -- being related to or friends of to those who brought them together to share in a special meal.

Third, cooking is -- and will always be -- a hobby for me.  It will never be a job.  While the Guest Chef Night was an amazing experience, and I think a very good success, food will always remain an outlet for me to escape the stress of other parts of my life.  The stress of cooking in a restaurant on a regular basis would probably rob me of what is most important in cooking for me ... an ability to escape from the daily pressures and pursue my own creativity in making my own dishes or learn about the cuisines of different cultures around the world. 

Fourth, I am very blessed to have family and friends who support me as I pursue my cooking generally, and events like Guest Chef Night in particular, but support me.  With in-laws like Frank and Geri, as well as my beautiful wife Clare, I was able to try my hand at a Guest Chef Night.  While my parents, Ken and Denise, as well as sister Kim and brother-in-law Jeff could not be there, they provided invaluable encouragement and support.  And, as I mentioned above, there are all those family and friends who came out for Guest Chef Night and had the dinner.  There are also my friends who helped me out with the test kitchen, when I practiced the dishes in anticipation of the big event.

I am also thankful for both Johnny and Bobby Lorino, the owners of Rag's Italian Bistro, who gave us the opportunity to be guest chefs.  They have a great little restaurant in Birmingham, Alabama and I hope that the Guest Chef Night will create and continue relationships with new and existing customers.

Finally, while the Guest Chef Night was a great experience, I am going to return to the focus of my hobby ... on my own cooking adventures.  Over the days, weeks and months ahead, I will continue making my own dishes, trying recipes of other cooks and chefs, and pursuing my culinary challenge Around the World in 80 Dishes. Maybe in a year or two, I'll be talking and planning another Guest Chef Night.  Who knows?  Until then...

ENJOY!

Guest Chef Night -- A Great Night and a Big Thank You

Well, the night is over and I am very tired.  I planned to say a lot about the Guest Chef Night, but, quite frankly, I am exhausted.  There are still a few things that have to be said.

First, I want to thank everyone who came out to join us for this special occasion.  It is my sincere hope that you all had a great time and a great dinner.  We worked to provide the best meal that we could and, while there was a little chaos at the beginning as we worked to get the flow in the kitchen, we were able to get our bearings and settle into a groove for the rest of the night.  It was great to see all of you and see how you enjoyed the meal.  I should note that there is something to be said about how good food can bring people together and make new friends.  And, for those who did join us, ten percent of the proceeds of your dinner went to First Light, which is a shelter for homeless women and children in downtown Birmingham, Alabama.

Second, I want to thank Frank, Geri and Clare, who all worked hard with me to make this night a success.  Together, we were able to put together a very complicated meal.  Both Frank and I worked in the Kitchen, while Geri and Clare provided valuable support.  Geri also baked the Almond Tortes that were the dessert and Clare expertly plated the dessert when we were a little backed up in the kitchen.

Third, I want to thank the kitchen staff, Wayne and Barry, who stepped up to help us as we worked to get out the orders.  Wayne is the cook at Rag's and his expert work at the stove helped during the busiest part of the night.  Barry did a great job at the front, helping to plate the dishes as they came up.

Finally, I want to thank Johnny and Bobby Lorino, the owners of Rag's Italian Bistro.  Without them, this opportunity would not be possible.  They were very gracious to open up their kitchen and, indeed, their restaurant for this evening.  Without them, this evening would not have been possible. 

Well, I am very exhausted at this point.  Once again, I want to express my gratitude to everyone who made this evening a success by saying ...

THANK YOU!

Guest Chef Night -- The Big Day

Today is the "big day," the day that I officially -- albeit temporarily -- step back into a restaurant kitchen to prepare a four course meal for family, friends and guests at Rag's Italian Bistro.  I will be joined by Clare's father, Frank, who is a great cook in his own right, and who provided a lot of assistance in crafting the menu for this special occasion.  I would also be remiss if I did not mention two other people who have contributed a lot to this occasion ... my wife Clare and her mother, Geri.  Together, this meal is not so much about me, but about family.  Together, we have all worked very hard to prepare and present a great meal for everyone.

Photo courtesy of Clare

However, as I sit here typing this post, I have to admit that I am still a little nervous.  I have been running the entire kitchen process through my head, especially with respect to the main course.  We have an ambitious dish ... Couscous alla Trapanese.  We are not making just one couscous, but two couscous dishes so that we can accommodate the eating preferences of our guests.  That means two sauces and two couscous pots.  I've spent a lot of time thinking about how we will prepare both couscous dishes at once.  I think I have it sorted out, at least in my mind, but only time will tell whether it will work.

Despite my nervousness, I have a lot of added motivation for making sure that this meal is a success ... ten percent (10%) of the proceeds from every meal sold will be donated to First Light, which is a shelter for homeless women and children in downtown Birmingham, Alabama.  The mission of First Light is a very important one ... to work with homeless women and their children to create hospitality in a safe and nurturing community, to encourage them to find hope, to seek opportunity, and to grow spiritually, thereby achieving their full potential.  During the year, both Frank and Geri donate their time to First Light to prepare meals for the women and children.  

Well, I need to get back to the preparations.  Usually, I limit myself to one post per day; but, given the special occasion, I may try my hand at micro-blogging using the blogger app on my phone or twitter/facebook to provide updates as we prepare and serve the meal.  All of that assumes that I will have time to make such updates.  More to come about that ...

ENJOY!

Guest Chef Night -- The Prep Kitchen

It is the day before Guest Chef Night, when Clare's father, Frank, and I will be presenting a four-course dinner at Rag's Italian Bistro.  All of the ingredients have been ordered, and, now everyone's attention is turning to the prep work.  We expect to have about thirty family members, friends and guests in attendance.   With the able assistance of Clare and her mother, Geri, we have spent a good part of the morning doing some basic prep work for some of the courses at home.  We then moved the prep work to the restaurant, where we continued our work to prepare for the special day.

This meal requires a lot of preparation.  The prep work started with grating Parmigiano Reggiano for the Mushroom Gratinate and the Chickpea and Escarole Soup.  The Mushroom Gratinate necessarily calls for a good amount of cheese, which is added to the sauteed mushrooms as they are spooned onto french bread and then topped with even more cheese before going into the oven in order to melt and crisp just a little around the edges.

So, I began to grate the cheese by hand.  I broke down one of the two big chunks of Parmigiano Reggiano that we have for the dinner, removing the rind as the first step and then cutting the cheese into several large pieces to grate.  When I was done, I had a small mountain of grated cheese, which was about six cups.  We will need about four and a half of those cups to use in making the Mushroom Gratinate.  The remainder, along with additional grated cheese will be in a bowl that a server will use to sprinkle over the Chickpea and Escarole soup as it is being served.  

While I was grating the cheese, Frank was busy working on other ingredients for the Chickpea and Escarole soup, such as chopping several pounds of fennel into small pieces for the soup.  As is the practice with most restaurants, we planned on making the soup ahead of time, leaving the final steps, such as the addition of tomato and escarole, to right before we have to serve the soup.  Frank cut a lot of fennel, which will provide a licorice flavor to the soup, adding to the complexity of the taste of this dish.

Photo courtesy of Clare

Then our attention turned to the green beans that will be used in our Green Beans with a Cherry Tomato Salad, which is a dish that has to be prepared ahead of time.  Once again, all four of us -- Frank, Geri, Clare and I -- confronted pounds of green beans.  The first task was to trim the beans, cutting off the ends where they had been attached to the stalk  After weighing the beans and determining the proper serving size, Frank, Geri and Clare worked on blanching the green beans.  Given the amount of green beans we were working with, they had to do three batches of beans.

While Frank, Geri and Clare worked on the beans, I turned my attention to six pounds of red onions, which had to be diced for the two sauces that we are preparing for the couscous.  One sauce will be seafood based and the other one will be chicken based.  The recipe calls for one big red onion.  However, we are tripling the recipe and doubling it again in order to make the two sauces.  That meant I had to dice six large, red onions.  Surprisingly, no tears.  Perhaps the lack of tears while cutting all of those onions comes from having cut a lot of onions in my time.  Anyways, the prep work was coming along at a good, albeit relaxed pace.

Once we got to the restaurant, we continued the prep work.  First, we finished the slicing and dicing of vegetables to make the Chickpea and Escarole Soup.  We diced onions and garlic and chopped anchovies.  With all of the prep work finished, at least for the soup, we began cooking.  We focused first on the soup, making the base of the soup so that those ingredients could be refrigerated overnight to help the flavors meld together.  Once we finished working on the soup, it was about 5:30 in the evening and we decided that it was a good time to stop.  We all knew that we would be back at it tomorrow morning.

So, that was the first part of our prep work.  We will be doing much more prep work tomorrow before the big night.  More to come about that....

ENJOY!

Guest Chef Night -- The Test Kitchen

With the Guest Chef Night rapidly approaching, I have to admit that I am getting a little nervous about the prospect of having to cook for thirty or more people.  The last time I worked in a restaurant was more than fifteen years ago, when I worked in a seafood restaurant to earn money during college.  I started out as a dishwasher, but quickly moved to the position of steam cook, which was a fairly easy job.  I stuffed pots full of blue crabs, spreading handfuls of Old Bay over the crabs as they go into the pot.  I also steamed lobsters, crab legs and all sorts of shellfish (oysters, claims, mussels, steamers, etc.).  Eventually, I was "promoted" to the saute and grill section, making sauteed soft shells, broiled fish and even strip steaks for tens if not more than a hundred guests a night.

However, I have not cooked for that many people since my days as a seafood cook.  The dishes that we will be making are far more complex than anything I made as a cook before.  The expectations are much higher, I think both for myself and the guests.  I have one thing going for me, in that Clare's father will be cooking with me, and he is a very good cook.

But, I felt that I needed to cook these dishes for a group of people before the Guest Chef Night.  So, I decided that I would turn our kitchen into a test kitchen.  While I wanted to invite a lot of people to serve as taste testers, I had to keep a couple things in mind, such as the size of our dining room and the cost of this little project.  I decided to invite a handful of good friends (all of whom I had not seen in a long time).  Clare and I gave our friends one task -- to provide feedback on each dish to help me as I prepare to make this meal on Guest Chef Night.  My friends provided very detailed feedback, which will certainly benefit the guests and diners who will be attending the Guest Chef Night. 

I've had an opportunity to review all of their comments, and, I thought I would share some of their observations, along with what I have learned from them. 

Mushroom Gratinate:  This is the first course, the antipasta.  Overall, everyone liked the course.  They noted the presentation, namely the toasted slices of wheat bread topped with soft mushrooms, sauteed in garlic and herbs, topped with grated Parmigiano Reggiano.  The guests liked the contrast in textures, crunchy crusts on the bread, surrounding a softer, buttery center topped with the mushrooms and cheese.  If there was something that I learned about this dish, it is to make sure that I focus on the contrast in textures, along with the balance between mushrooms and cheese.   

Sicilian Chickpea and Escarole Soup:  This is the second course.  Garlic toast is plated at the bottom of the bowl, with a soup made from onion, garlic, fennel, chickpeas and escarole.  Frank and I have modified the recipe a little bit, substituting vegetable stock for chicken stock.  I also did not use the anchovies because I wanted to make the soup so that everyone, including one of our vegetarian friends, could try it.  I also restrained myself when it came to adding salt, because I was concerned about the salt favors that the cheese rind would add to the soup.

Once again, everyone liked the course.  They liked the presentation, although one person suggested not fully submerging the bread in the soup.  All of the guests enjoyed the flavors of the soup, with one person noting there was a good balance between the ingredients, while another person noting that the flavor of the fennel really came out at the end of the soup.  Everyone also had the same observation ... the soup needed a little more salt.  They also noted that a little grated Parmigiano Reggiano gave the soup more depth.  The key for me is to monitor the level of salt, because we will be using anchovies in the soup at Guest Chef Night. 

Couscous alla Trapanese:  This is the main course.  Moroccan couscous served with either chicken and sausage or tilapia and squid that is cooked in a red tomato sauce flavored with saffron.  I decided that I would prepare the the couscous as originally called for in the recipe ... steaming the couscous with stock.  I had to make three different couscous with three different sauces.  In addition to the chicken and fish couscous, I also made a vegetarian version of this dish. In steaming the couscous, I had to jerry-rig my pots and colanders to make the couscous and that had an effect on the final product. 

I also had to improvise a little in making this dish in an effort to keep cooking times consistent so that the chicken and the fish would be done at the same.  We had some fairly thick chicken breasts, so I decided to chunk the breasts into even size pieces that would cook faster.  As it turned out, the fish still cooked faster than the chicken so I think that when we make the dish, we need to start the chicken before starting the fish.

Overall, people liked the dish, particularly the protein, whether it was the fish and shrimp or the chicken and sausage, although they thought I could have added a little more sauce.  As for the couscous, everyone noted that the couscous was a little dry or uneven.  Clare's dad suggested an alternative way to prepare the couscous, which will be the way that we prepare it for the dinner because, the more couscous we have to prepare, the harder it is to get the couscous to the desired, even consistency.

Fresh Green Beans with Romaine, Tomatoes, Oil and Lemon Dressing:  This is a cold vegetable dish that actually is quite tasty.  The beans are blanched, served on romaine and topped with onions that have been marinating in the oil and lemon dressing, along with a garnishment of tomatoes.  The one difficulty I had with this dish is that I needed two and a half pounds of green beans, but I had a problem finding that many green beans.  I should have reduced the amount of red onion, but did not do that.  And our guests picked up on that.  Everyone loved the presentation and a couple people especially noted the crunch of the beans.  In addition, everyone also loved the dressing.    The key for me with respect to the side dish is to maintain a good equilibrium between green bean and red onion.

Strawberry Banana Ice Cream: Although this was a special treat for our guests, I would be remiss if I did not note that everybody LOVED the ice cream.  Clare did an amazing job making the ice cream and it was a great way to end the night.

Overall, this test kitchen experience was a success.  Everyone provided very well thought, detailed comments that have provided a lot of assistance in terms of helping me to focus on what I need to do to ensure a great meal for the Guest Chef Night.

I want to thank everyone who participated in the test kitchen ... you know who you are.  I also want to think my amazing wife, Clare, for all of her help in preparing the meal.

The Guest Chef Night is about a week away.  Although everyone enjoyed the meal, I still have my work cut out for myself.   More to come about that ....

ENJOY!

Guest Chef Night -- Wine Pairing

Now that Clare's father, Frank, and I have a menu for Guest Chef Night, my mind has turned to wine pairing.  We will not actually be offering a wine pairing with the dinner; however, I really would like to provide recommendations for our guests to consider as they enjoy the food that we prepare.

Whenever I cook a meal, my mind inevitably turns to what beer or wine would go with the food that I have prepared.  However, in terms of food pairing, I am still very much a novice.  I read a lot about pairing various foods with wine -- such as Joshua Wesson's Wine & Food or Garrett Oliver's Brewmasters Table.   Given that we are preparing a meal inspired by Italian flavors and ingredients, I decided that I would focus on what wines could be paired with our courses.  

We are preparing a four course Italian meal: an appetizer of Mushroom Gratinate, a prima of Chickpea and Escarole Soup, a secondo of Couscous alla Trapanese (with chicken and fish), a side of Green Beans with a Cherry Tomato Salad and a dessert of Ricotta Cheese with Honey and Walnuts.  The five dishes incorporate a wide array of ingredients, which may make wine pairing a little tricky, especially for someone like me.

Rags Italian Bistro has a well defined wine list that touches upon all of the principal grapes: for the reds, there are Merlot, Sangiovese, Pinot Noir, Cabarnet Sauvignon; and, for the whites, there are Riesling, Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay.  Nevertheless, after doing my research, I think I have arrived at what could be some good wine pairings based upon the wines available at the restaurant and  the dishes that we will be making.

So. these are my thoughts and recommendations for guests who will be enjoying the meal that Frank and I will be preparing:

Mushroom Gratinate ... Thomas Henry Pinot Noir.  This is a very earthy antipasta, with not only the mushrooms, but also garlic, thyme and sage.  I think that a red wine is appropriate for this course, such as a Pinot Noir from California or Oregon.  So called "new world" Pinot Noirs, i.e., wines produced in the western hemisphere, tend to be smoother but still retain some of the earthiness that one would expect from a red wine.  The Thomas Henry Pinot Noir is from Napa Valley and, according to the winemaker, the wine has smooth tannins, which should mean that the wine itself is smooth in taste.   It should be a perfect match for the antipasta.

Sicilian Chickpea and Escarole Soup ... Due Torre Pinot Grigio.  I have to say that this course was the hardest one to pair.  There is a wide array of different ingredients that are used in the making of this soup. In addition to chickpeas and escarole, there is also also fennel, garlic, anchovies, crushed red pepper and Parmesan rinds, which are used to add flavor to the soup.   An earthy wine, like a Pinot Noir or Cabernet Sauvignon, may be a little much.  Instead, I think this course should be paired with a wine that is a little lighter in taste and body.  Such a wine would provide an interesting contract to the soup's richness of the ingredients and flavors in the soup.   A Pinot Grigio is a lighter, fruitier wine that is usually very fresh in taste and, generally speaking, Pinot Grigios pair well with vegetables.  Thus, this wine should be a good contrast to the primo. 

Couscous alla Trapanese ... Rocca di Castagnoli Chianti Classico.  This couscous dish is modeled after dishes made in towns across Sicily, like Trapani and others, where Sicilians have enjoyed couscous since the days when Arabs controlled the island.  Although typically associated with Tuscany, Sangiovese grapes are grown in Sicily and there are Sangiovese Sicilia wines.  Although not made in Sicily, the Rocca di Castagnoli Chianti is produced from Sangiovese grapes in the Chianti Classico area of Tuscany.  Still, a Chianti works well with this dish because it is a wine that traditionally pairs well with tomato sauce, which happens to be a key element of this couscous dish.  The red tomato sauce contains some rather bold ingredients, such as fresh basil, fresh parsley, crushed red pepper and saffron.  It makes sense to pair the dish with a wine that is traditionally served with tomato sauces.   This wine shoud be a great match with the main course or secondo.

Ricotta Cheese with Honey and Toasted Walnuts ... Firestone Riesling.  If after three course and three wines, guests are still looking for a wine to enjoy with dessert, then I would suggest the Firestone Riesling.  I would ordinarily recommend a dessert wine to go with a dessert; however, such wines usually have a lot of alcohol in them.  Given the meal and the other wine recommendations, I think it is better to stick with a sweet white wine.  Rieslings tend to be sweet and fruity, which are characteristics that I think will pair well with a cheese like ricotta.  A Riesling should also pair with the honey that is drizzled over the cheese.   I think this wine should be a good pairing with the dessert.

Well, these are just the thoughts of an amateur at wine pairing, but, it is a start.  Now, I have to get back to doing more trial runs at making the dishes.  More to come about that ....

ENJOY!

Guest Chef Night ... Creating the Menu

With less than a month to go before both Clare's father, Frank Savage and I will be guest chefs at Rag's Italian Bistro, we have been busily working on creating our menu.  I have to say that designing a menu of several courses for thirty or more people is a rather difficult task.  Some of the guests are vegetarians and do not eat meat; some eat seafood while others do not.  So, Frank and I have to design a menu that will appeal to a large group of people with diverse preferences. With all of in mind, Frank and I have put a lot of thought into each dish to ensure that the meal as a whole will be a great success.

And, with all of our planning, we are proud to announce our menu.  With Italy being our inspiration, we have designed a traditional meal beginning with an appetizer, a "prima" or first course, followed by a "secondo" or second course with a side, and finish with a light dessert. Although still subject to change, we will be serving the following menu at Rags Italian Bistro for the Guest Chef Night on Monday, February 21, 2011:

Antipasta: Mushroom Gratinate

Based on a recipe from Lidia Bastianich, this is not just your ordinary crostini.  A slice of fresh, lightly toasted bread that is smothered with mushrooms, garlic, and fresh herbs, and then topped with grated Parmigano Reggiano cheese. 

Prima: Chickpea and Escarole Soup

This Sicilian soup combines a lot of healthy and tasty ingredients together for a great experience.  Chickpeas and escarole cooked in vegetable broth with the rinds of Parmigiano Reggiano rounds.  This soup will provide a lot of flavor without filling you up. 

Secondo: Couscous alla Trampanese con il Pollo o i Pesci

This is a dish from the Sicilian town of Trampani, that brings together all of the culinary influences that have enriched the island of Siciliy. Frank and I will be making two versions of this couscous and offering guests a choice of the couscous with fish or couscous with chicken.

Contorno: Green Beans with a Cherry Tomato Salad

This is a cold side dish featuring cooked green bean with a cherry tomato salad tossed with a lemon vinaigrette dressing.  This side dish is based upon a recipe from Julia Child.

Dolce: Ricotta Cheese with Honey and Toasted Walnuts  

Fresh ricotta cheese, drizzled with honey and toasted walnuts.  A light way to end the meal.

Now, I'll turn my attention to possible wine pairings for this meal.  More to come ...

ENJOY!

I'm Going to be a Guest Chef at a Restaurant!

Rags' Italian Bistro is a great little restaurant in Birmingham, Alabama.  The name "Rags" was the nickname of the father of the two brothers who own the restaurant, Johnny Lorino and Bobby Lorino, who are also Clare's cousins.  "Rags" was a food and beverage manager at several Birmingham area restaurants and even owned his own hot dog restaurant, where he served the dogs with his own secret sauce.  Honoring their father, the Lorino brothers have included the hot dog with the secret sauce on the menu of Rags, as well as other family recipes drawn from their Italian heritage.

On Monday nights, Rags has "Guest Chef Night."   The restaurant provides an ambitious cook or chef with access to the kitchen to prepare a special meal for at least fifteen guests  When I was in Birmingham last year, I went with Clare and her parents to Rags' on a Monday night when someone was being a guest chef.   While I don't remember her name, the guest chef prepared a delicious meal that included a salad, a salmon dish and two options for dessert.  

After that night, the thought of being a guest chef both intrigued me and intimidated me.  Back in college, I worked as a cook in a kitchen of a seafood restaurant, but, I never led a kitchen.  I have also never cooked at a level where I prepared entire meals for a sizable number of customers.   And, as my wife can attest, I get very nervous when I am cooking for large crowds.  So, quite frankly, I am not sure that I could do a "Guest Chef Night" on my own.  However, Clare's Dad, Frank, is an excellent cook who has made some incredible meals. 

So, together, Frank and I will be teaming up again as chefs for Rag's Guest Chef Night on Monday, February 21, 2011, which is President's Day.  We are planning for a multiple course dinner (appetizer or soup, followed by a main dish and concluded with a dessert) for our family and friends, as well as other customers who stop by the restaurant that night. 

Now, all we need is a menu, which is in the works.  More to come ...