Carne Arrustuta

Years ago, I would spend a lot of time researching recipes for a specific weekly event: Steak Night. I would find various beef and steak recipes from around the world, and, prepare them for my own dinner. It was my dinner because, for one thing, my beautiful Angel does not eat red meat, and, for another, that night I ate alone because she had a weekly work obligation in the evening. 

If one were to go back and look at the record (my prior posts), the would discover that Steak Nights often featured massive cuts of beef, like the Chef Bolek's Two-Pound Ribeye. They would also see that I often served a sauce alongside that hunk of meat, like the chimichurri sauce that I served alongside my Smoked Ribeye Roast, Uruguayan Asado Style. Sometimes, I would finish everything in one sitting; other times, the leftovers would be lunches for the next day. 

However, I stopped posting Steak Night recipes back in 2018. I did so for a few reasons. First, those massive steaks were expensive (and are even more so today). Second, I decided to reduce my own red meat intake by limiting the occasions in which I prepared beef or steak. That, along with an increased focus on projects like my Around the World in 80 Dishes and Beyond Borders, led my cooking in other directions.  

However, I return to my Steak Night tradition with this dish, Carne Arrustata, which is Italian for "roasted meat." It is a Sicilian grilled steak recipe. The history of this dish is unknown, as there are few recipes with even fewer details about the dish. Yet, the raising of cows, along with their products, whether milk, cheese and beef, has a long history in Sicily, going as far back as the sixth millenium B.C.E. Indeed, the raising of cattle -- whether it is the Cinsara breed or the Modicana breed (one of the best triple purpose cattle breeds [that is, cattle for milk, meat and draft power]) -- in what is now known as Sicily goes back centuries. Yet, it does not get the same attention as, for example, the raising of Chianina cattle in Tuscany. Nor do Sicilian beef dishes garner the same attention as, for example, the Tuscan Bistecca alla Fiorentina. 

Modicana cattle (Source: Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity)

I have made that bistecca recipe on many occasions, and, on this particular, one, I wanted to do something different. So, for this Steak Night, I decided to make Carne Arrustata. I also had another reason for taking Steak Night to the most southern reaches of the Appenine peninsula: salmoriglio. It is a sauce featured in the cuisines of Sicily and Calabria that is prepared with, among other things, parsley, oregano, lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil and water. The combination of steak and this sauce seemed natural for two reasons. First, the recipe for carne arrustuta called for marinating the meat in a marinade that included lemon juice and lemon zest, which creates ties between the steak and the sauce. Second, salmoriglio got me really thinking about Argentine and Uruguayan chimichurris. There are similarities, as chimichurri recipes feature the combination of green herbs like parsley and oregano; and there are differences, namely, salmoriglio lacks the heavy emphasis on garlic that are found in chimichurri sauces. Those differences make salmoriglio a lighter, brighter sauce that (admittedly) would probably go better with chicken or seafood. Yet, the oil and herbs do enough to complete even grilled beef dishes, like Carne Arrustata. 

Finally, as with many of my recipes, I like to think of the journey embodied in the recipe. While I have been to Italy, I have never made it as far south as Sicily. Yet, as I prepared this dish, I like to picture myself as a cook in Sicily who was preparing the dish for guests, whether in a small restaurant down an  side street of a Sicilian village or at an agritourismo located out in the Sicilian countryside. I still fondly remember my visit to Montestigliano, an agritourismo in the hills of Tuscany, where I had an equisite dinner prepared by a local chef. Those memories provided the inspiration that led to my renewed love to cook, as well as the idea of creating this blog.  

CARNE ARRUSTUTA

Recipe from A Sicilian Peasant's Table

Serves 4

Ingredients (for the steak):

• 1 (1.5 pound) top sirloin, London broil, ribeye or any other cut of steak
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• Sicilian sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
• 2 teaspoons green onion, finely sliced (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
• 2 dried bay leaves (crumbled)

Ingredients (for the arugula salad):

• 3 cups arugula
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon red wine or balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup shaved parmesan cheese (substitute Pecorino Siciliano or Maichino if you want to use Sicilian cheeses and can find them)
• Sicilian sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Marinate the steak. Wipe the steak dry with a paper towel and place in a small baking dish. Crush the garlic clove with a garlic press or mash a small amount with salt on a wooden board using the flat side of a chef knife. Rub half of the olive oil and garlic evenly on each side of the steak. Drizzle the lemon juice on both sides and season with salt and pepper to taste. Then sprinkle half of the lemon zest, oregano, bay leaves, green onion and red pepper (if using) on each side of the steak. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours. Remove the steak from the refrigerator 1 hour before you cook it. 

2. Grill the steak. Preheat a gas grill on medium high or prepare a medium high charcoal fire. Grill approximately 8 to 9 minutes on each side for medium rare or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 125 degrees Fahrenheit. Transfer the steak to a cutting board and cover loosely with foil. Let rest for 10 minutes. the steak will continue to cook. Cut into thin slices.

3. Prepare the salad. Combine the arugula, olive oil and vinegar in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Toss in the shaved parmesan. Transfer to a serving platter. Top with sliced steak.

*     *     *

Post-Script: I decided to ask AI for an image of a Sicilian farmhouse agritourismo with Carne Arrustata on its menu. AI gave me the following picture: 

Created by AI

A nice picture but I am sure that it pales in comparison to the actual experience of visiting an agritourismo nestled in the coutryside. 

PEACE.

Salmoriglio

Its history is lost to time. That happens sometimes when a recipe has been around for so long, that people forget where it came from. Take, for instance, salmorigio (which comes from the Sicilian word, salmurigghiu, a lemony sauce made with parsley, oregano, and olive oil that has been used as a marinade or served alongside dishes for centuries in kitchens and restaurants across Calabria and Sicily. (Although one could indirectly date the sauce back to at least the 9th century C.E., when Arabs brought lemon trees to Sicily during their colonization of the island.)

When I first came across a recipe for salmorigio, my mind immediately associated it with the chimichurri sauces of Argentina. Fresh green herbs, combined with garlic, and then blitzed or mixed with olive oil and, in the case of salmoriglio, a little bit of water. 

As I would come to learn, salmorigio is separate and distinct from chimichurri sauce. For one thing, the prominent taste element in salmorigio is lemon, which is infused two-ways into the sauce: first, through the addition of lemon juice; and, second, through the use of lemon zest. The result is a sauce that features the citrus first and foremost, unlike a chimichurri, in which much more garlic is used to create sauce. The difference is notable: salmoriglio is a thinner, smoother sauce that has a lighter, fresher flavor.  

That texture and flavor may explain why Calabrians and Sicilians use salmoriglio as a sauce, dressing or marinade with chicken and seafood. I, on the other hand, decided to use it with beef. I came across a recipe for Carne Arustuta, which is a Sicilian grilled steak recipe. The recipe calls for marinading the beef with, among other things, lemon juice and lemon zest. I thought that those ingredients, which are shared by both salmoriglio and carne arustuta, could be what ties the two recipes together. And, it did. In this sense, the salmoriglio worked like a chimichurri, perfectly complementing the grilled meat. 

SALMORIGLIO

Recipe from Forager Chef

Ingredients:

• 1 cup packed flat leaf parsley, leaves only
• 1 cup packed fresh oregano leaves (or bee balm leaves)
• 1 large clove garlic
• 1/2 cup light olive oil
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• Zest from one large lemon
• Kosher salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Prepare the oil and herbs. Mix the two oils together. Bring a quart of salted water to a boil. Add the parsley and cook for 5 seconds. Remove the parsley and refresh in cold water. Squeeze the parsley dry and reserve.

2. Prepare the sauce. Add the garlic, lemon juice, water, oregano, and parsley to a blender. Begin pureeing the mixture, drizzling the oils until the sauce is smooth and emulsified. Double check the seasoning for salt and pepper and then transfer the finished sauce to a container. Stir in the lemon zest and refrigerate. 

PEACE.

Ciambotta

I spent a fair amount of time planning the Savage Boleks' Christmas Eve dinner. The centerpiece of the dinner would be an Arista-Style Turkey with Tuscan Chestnut Stuffing. That recipe has become my signature dish; and I was looking for regional Italian dishes that could complement the meal. The focus was more on vegetable dishes, because I needed vegetables to balance the protein and the starch from the main course. 

As I was perusing a wide range of Italian dishes, I got to thinking about ratatouille.  That dish serves as an excellent example of la cuisine pauvre. It emerged during the 18th century, when peasants and poor farmers in Provence would cook what was left of their summer vegetable harvest for hours until they produced a chunky stew. Indeed, the name, ratatouille, comes from the Occitain word, ratatolha, which basically means chunky stew. Over time, the dish became popular among restaurants, first in cities like Nice and then across France and beyond. 

While I could make a ratatouille as a side dish for our meal, I began to wonder if there was an Italian version of the dish. Sure enough, the Italians have ciambotta. The dish parallels ratatouille on many levels. Just as ratatouille emerged as poor person's cuisine in the south of France, ciambotta similarly emerged among the peasants and poor farmers of Italy's southern regions. While its exact origins are unknown (unlike ratatouille, which emerged from area around Nice in Provence), much of the literature traces the dish to the region of Campania, where it goes by many different names, such as ciauliello in the town of Cilento, ciaurella in Sapri, ciamardola in Torre Orsaia, or, once again, ciambotta in places such as Campora, Roscigno, and Bellosguardo.

As one would expect with a dish that goes by many names, there can be many different variations of the dish. Yet, all of the variations are tied together by some fundamental basics. Every dish uses seasonal fruits -- like tomatoes, eggplants and peppers -- as well as the remainder of the summer vegetable harvest, such as squash, potatoes, and more. Basic fruits and vegetables because, regardless of the city in which it is prepared, it is a a subsistence dish. 

I found an excellent recipe for ciambotta from The Forked Spoon. This recipe not only drew its inspiration from southern Italian cooking, but it also incorporated some of the keys to making a good ratatouille. These keys include using equal proportions of bright, colorful vegetables and cooking those vegetables separately. This recipe incorporates a fair amount of the rainbow when it comes to (fruits and) vegetables: bright red tomatoes;  red/orange/yellow bell peppers; yellow squash; green zucchini and dark eggplant. Ciambotta also uses a "pesto" of fresh basil, oregano and garlic, along with some crushed red pepper if you like some heat, to help further brighten the dish. 

CIAMBOTTA

Recipe from The Forked Spoon

Serves 8

Ingredients (for the herb pesto):

• 1/2 cup fresh basil, packed
• 1/3 cup fresh oregano leaves
• 8 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

Ingredients (for the ciambotta):

• 1 large eggplant, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
• Salt
• 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 large russet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
• 2.5 cups water
• 1 can whole peeled tomatoes, with juice (tomatoes roughly chopped)
• 2 large fresh tomatoes, chopped
• 2 large zucchini, seeded and chopped
• 1 yellow squash, seeded and chopped
• 2 bell peppers (yellow, red or orange), stemmed, seeded and diced

Directions:

1. Make the herb pesto. Add the basil, oregano, garlic, olive oil and red pepper flakes to a small food processor and blend until finely processed, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Set aside. 

2. Prepare the eggplant. Transfer the eggplant pieces to a large bowl. Sprinkle with 1-2 teaspoons of salt and transfer to a large plate lined with paper towels. Microwave, uncovered for 5-8 minutes or until the eggplant is dry to the touch and starting to shrivel. 

3.  Prepare the onions, potatoes and eggplant. Heat a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and onions to the pot, mixing well to combine.  Add the potatoes and eggplant and cook, stirring frequently, for 4-6 minutes, or until the onions are softened and the surface of the potatoes are translucent (they will not be fully cooked. 

4. Add the tomatoes.  Push the potatoes and onions to the side of the pot. Add the tomato paste and 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the other side. Cook the tomato paste, whisking continuously, until a brown fond forms on the bottom of the pot. This will take approximately 2 minutes. Still stirring, add the water scaping the brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the canned tomatoes with their juice and the fresh chopped tomatoes. Mix well and bring to a boil. 

5. Simmer. Reduce heat and bring to a simmer. Cook until the potatoes are tender and soft and the eggplant is broken down, approximately 25 minutes. 

6. Prepare the zucchini and pepper. While the stew is simmering, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to a large skillet over high heat. Allow the skillet to get really hot before adding the zucchini, yellow squash and bell pepper. Sprinkle with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until just softening. 

7. Add the herb pesto. Create a well in the middle of the zucchini and bell pepper. Add the herb pesto and cook until fragrant before stirring to combine with the zucchini and bell peppers. Remove from the heat. 

8. Finish the dish. Once the potatoes are soft, add the zucchini and bell pepper mixture to the pot. Remove from the heat and mix well to combine. Cover and allow flavors to combine for at least 10 minutes before serving. Serve with freshly toasted bread. 

PEACE.

Chef Bolek's Picanha with Chancho en Piedra

My love for churrasco -- that is, beef grilled over an open fire -- often leads me to places like Fogo de Chao or Texas de Brazil. It also leads me to seek out smaller, family owned churrascarias or other Brazilian and Argentinian restaurants. Those dining experiences, especially the ones at the large chain restaurants, often involve one server after another carrying a skewer of grilled meat.  There is the server with costela (or beef ribs), followed by the server with beef ancho (or ribeye), the server with fraldinha (bottom sirloin), the server with alcantra (top sirloin), and then the server with filet mignon. However, there is always one server that I try to find in the restaurant ... the person with the picanha or what is also referred to as the sirloin cap or cullote. 

However, my efforts to find picanha outside of a national chain restaurant, or even a smaller family-run restaurant, had encountered some difficulty. This particular cut is not one that is typically stocked on the shelves of a supermarket. One has to dig a little deeper and work a little harder to find it. This work necessarily involves identifying a trusted butcher. Fortunately, for me, there is one -- Chop Shop Butchery -- which I highly recommend. A simple question - do you have picanha - led to the purchase of a very nice cut of meat. 

That cut is identifiable by the strip of fat along the top, which, when grilled properly, helps to baste and  flavor the meat. The story of picanha can be traced back to the Bixziga neighborhood of Sao Paulo, Brazil during the 1950s. The cut did not make its way onto a menu until Dinhos offered a roasted picanha. The cut took off in Brazil and eventually made its way (along with Brazilian immigrants) to Portugal and then to the United States. 

The preparation of picanha is rather simple: flaky sea salt is really all that is needed before cooking the meat. The meat is roasted on a spit in Brazil or grilled in Argentina, and, either way, it can be cut into smaller pieces or the whole cut could simply be roasted. Given it was my first time, and recognizing that I probably did not have the right skewers to spit roast the meat, I decided to roast the whole cut. I seasoned the cut with sea salt, but I also used some merken especial, a chile rub used by the Mapuche, to provide a smoky kick to the meat. I grilled it to 135 degrees, well short of the 145 degrees for medium rare, given the shape of the cut. This approach ensured that the narrower edge of the cut would not be overcooked. 

My version of Chancho en Piedra

Finally, when one serves picanha or any grilled meat as part of a churrasco, it is accompanied by a chimichurri sauce.  I have made many a chimichurri sauce in my time. There are a few recipes on this blog, like this one and these two. So, I can say that a chimichurri is my own go-to sauce for grilled or roasted meats. However, for this occasion, I wanted to do something different. 

My search led me to pebre, which is a Chilean condiment made with cilantro, olive oil, onion, garlic and chiles. If one adds freshly chopped tomatoes to their pebre, it becomes chancho en piedra (which translates to "pig on a rock"). This salsa-like side is traditionally prepared using a molcajete or a mortar and pestle to create a consistency that looks more like a sauce. However, I have seen versions where the chancho en piedra has more texture, akin to a chunky-like salsa. I generally prefer the latter when it comes to salsa, so I opted with that approach. I also substituted one of the green chiles for 1/2 tablespoon of merken especial to tie the side with the grilled meat. These modifications resulted in a side that seemed, in my humble opinion, was a better accompaniment for slices of grilled picanha. 

CHEF BOLEK'S PICANHA WITH CHANCHO EN PIEDRA

Picanha recipe adapted from Barbecue Bible

Chancho en Piedra receipt from Food Comas

Serves several

Ingredients (for the picanha):

• 2 pound slab of picanha (top sirloin) with 1/2 inch of fat on top
• Merken especial
• Coarse salt (sea or kosher)

Ingredients (for the Chancho en Piedra)

• 1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 2 green chiles, seeded and finely diced or 1 tablespoon Merken
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1 tomato, peeled and finely diced
• 1/2 lemon, juiced

Directions:

1. Prepare the Chancho en Piedra. In a bowl, add the oil, garlic, onion, coriander, tomatoes, chiles (or merken) and veingar. Add the salt and pepper to taste. If necessary, add a tablespoon of olive oil. Set aside.

2. Prepare the picanha and the grill. Cut the picanha crosswise (across the grain) into slices that are 1.5 inches thick. Dust the picanha with merken on all sides. Set aside while you set up the grill for direct grilling. Heat the grill to high. Brush and oil the grill grate.

3. Grill the picanha. Arrange the meat pices fat side down on the grill. Direct grill until fat is partially rendered, crisp, and brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Turn each piece of meat on its side and grill until brown, about 2 minutes per side. Grill the bottom the same way. You are looking for medium rare. An instant read thermometer inserted into the narrow end to the center of the meat should read about 125 to 135 degrees Fahrenheit.

4. Finish the dish. Transfer the picanha to a cutting board, fat side up and let rest for a couple of minutes. Carve it into thin slices across the grain, including a bit of fat and a bit of meat in each slice. Serve with the Chancho en Piedra.

*     *     *

Postscript: While writing this post, I discovered that there is also Chancho en Piedra, the Chilean experimental, funk band. Their music is actually pretty catchy. My only regret - apart from not being able to speak Spanish - is that I did not learn about this band earlier. I could have played the music in the background while preparing chancho en piedra, the sauce.

PEACE.

Chicken Savoy

Recently, I have joked with friends and colleagues that my personal cooking blog, Chef Bolek, has become the means through which I have applied my undergraduate degree in International Relations. My posts have explored a range of cuisines and dishes across the globe. At the same time, it seems that posts about American cuisine have become few and far between. 

This post brings me back to the United States, and, in particular, to the State of New Jersey. The town of Bellville, New Jersey to be exact. That is where one can find the Belmont Tavern, an Italian restaurant that became the home of a truly American dish ... Stretch's Chicken Savoy.

The story takes us back to 1967, when the owners of the tavern brought in Charles "Stretch" Verdicchio to work as the cook. Stretch introduced the owners and the customers to a dish consisting of a whole chicken broken down into its constituent parts, rubbed with a mixture of herbs and cheese, and baked in a very hot oven. The chicken is finished with a splash of red wine vinegar that, when cooked down, becomes a sauce that can be spooned over the finished dish. The dish became a regional hit in northern New Jersey.

The actual recipe for Chicken Savoy is a closely guarded secret within the Belmont Tavern, much like the recipe for Oysters Rockefeller is locked away at Antoine's in New Orleans. Yet, there are commonalities among the versions that have emerged at local Italian restaurants throughout northern New Jersey. All involve the use of whole chickens, broken down into their constituent parts. All involve the use of a mixture consisting of dried herbs (dried oregano and dried thyme), finely grated cheese (pecorino), garlic and olive oil. And, all of the recipes involve the use of red wine vinegar, which provides a tangy aroma and taste to the dish. 

This dish is very simple to make. The hardest part (to the extent any part of this recipe can be deemed difficult) is the breaking down the whole chicken. Yet, one could make this recipe buying a package of chicken breasts and chicken thighs, which saves time. That results in a recipe that could easily become a weekday meal for a very busy family with little time to do prep work. 

CHICKEN SAVOY

Recipe from Saveur

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 3-4 pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces
• 1/3 cup finely grated pecorino
• 1/4 cup olive oil divided
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 cup red wine vinegar
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Prepare the chicken. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Season the chicken generously with salt and set aside. 

2. Prepare the paste. In a small food processor, or a mortar and pestle, blend the pecorino, 3 tablespoons of the oil, the oregano, thyme, and garlic to a paste. 

3.  Begin cooking the chicken. To a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the remaining tablespoon of oil. Add the chicken, skin-side down and cook until browned on one side, about 6 to 8 minutes. Turn the chicken, then use a spoon to smear the skin with the paste. Bake until brown and cooked through, about 20 to 25 minutes. 

4.   Finish the dish. To the hot pan, add the vinegar and spoon it over the chicken until reduced slightly, about 1 minute. Serve the chicken from the skillet or transfer to a platter. 

PEACE.

Arista, Patate Rosse Arrostite, Cavolo Nero

It was Florence, Tuscany. The year was 1430.  The Byzantine patriarch, Bessarion, was visiting the city, which was the center of an oligarchic republic at time.  The visit of the patriarch was an occasion to celebrate. Accordingly, along with the other bishops and cardinals, Bessarion was treated to a feast that included a roasted pork dish.  After eating some of that roast pork, the Bessarion exclaimed, "aristos!" His Tuscan hosts looked at him and then at each other.  After all, what the Byzantine patriarch said was Greek (literally). The Tuscan hosts thought Bessarion was shouting the Greek word for pork; instead, he was really saying "best" or "excellent." 

This is a great story, but it is most likely a culinary myth. "Arista" goes back at least one century before Bessarion set foot in Florence.  Records apparently include references to the roast pork dish going back to the 1200s.  Regardless of when it first appeared, the dish has become one of the culinary cornerstones of Tuscan cuisine.

Indeed, arista is in many ways the porcine equivalent to Bistecca alla Fiorentina, another Tuscan culinary classic.  Like bistecca, arista combines garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper into a crust that infuses those flavors into the meat.  Arista can also be made using a crown roast or a rib roast, which are probably as close to a bone-in cut like a porterhouse.  However, most recipes for arista focus more on cuts like the pork tenderloin than roasts.  Moreover, unlike bistecca, arista works best when it is roasted slow rather than with a sear over extremely hot coals.  

Most arista recipes are relatively the same.  This recipe is a Chef Bolek original insofar that I have taken what I liked from dfferent arista recipes, including some of my own additional ingredients, like the crushed red pepper. 

For this dish, I decide to pair the roasted pork with side dishes of roasted red potatoes (patate rosse arrostite) and sauteed black kale (cavolo nero).  The red potato recipe is rather basic, drawing upon the fundamental ingredients of the rub for the pork roast (rosemary, garlic, salt and black pepper) to underscore the complementary nature of the roasted potatoes.  As for the kale, I am not a big fan of the leafy cabbage.  Still, I am a big fan of balsamic vinegar, which provides some sweetness to balance out the bitterness of the kale. 

In the end, I was just cooking for myself, not a feast for bishops and cardinals.  Yet, as the picture shows, it was nevertheless a personal feast.  Just a couple of bites of the roasted pork is all the explanation one needs for why this recipe has survived over at least 800 years. 

ARISTA, PATATE ROSSE ARROSTITE, CAVOLO NERO

A Chef Bolek Original

Serves 6-8

Ingredients (for the pork loin):

1 boneless pork loin roast (about 3 pounds)

4 springs of fresh rosemary, chopped finely

4 cloves of garlic, minced finely

1 tablespoon sea salt (or more if desired)

1 tablespoon of freshly ground black pepper (or more if desired)

Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

3 or 4 tablespoons of olive oil (or more if desired)

1 cup of water or white wine

Ingredients (for the red potatoes):

2 pounds of red potatoes, washed, cut into large pieces

1 tablespoon of fresh rosemary, chopped finely

1 tablespoon of garlic, minced finely

Sea salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons of olive oil

Ingredients (for the kale):

1 bunch of Tuscan kale (or kale), 

     leaves and stems roughly chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced finely

1 shallot, minced finely

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Balsamic vinegar 

Directions:

1.  Prepare the pork loin.  Brush the pork loin with the olive oil.  Salt and pepper the pork loin generously on all sides.  Then add the minced garlic and rosemary on all sides.  Allow the pork loin to rest for 30 minutes or overnight in the refrigerator.  

2.  Prepare the red potatoes.  In a large bowl add the potatoes, olive oil, garlic and rosemary.  Salt and pepper the potatoes.  

3. Roast the pork.  Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Place the pork loin roast in the center of a lightly oiled roasting pan.  Add the potatoes around the pork loin roast.  Cook uncovered for 45 minutes.  Check the loin roast and the potatoes. Raise the heat to 450 degrees and cook for another 30 minutes to brown well.  Remove the roast when the internal temperature reaches around 150 degrees Fahrenheit.  Allow the roast to rest for 10 minutes before carving. 

4.  Prepare the kale. Heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the stems, garlic and shallots.  Season with salt and pepper.  Reduce heart to low and cook, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes or until the stems soften.  Add the kale leaves and increase the heat to high.  Cook, stirring the leaves until they have wilted, about two to three minutes.

5.  Finish the dish. Carve the roast into thin slices and serve with the potatoes and kale.

ENJOY!  

Grilled Broccoli

I hate broccoli.  I really hate broccoli.  I hate it so much that I find myself repeating how much I hate broccoli.  If I could, I would ban broccoli from plates across the country.  That desire is the one and only position that I share in common with the 41st President, George Herbert Walker Bush.  

Over 15 years ago, President George H.W. Bush banned broccoli from the plates served at the White House.  According to the New York Times, President Bush not only declared that he did not like broccoli, but he stated, "And I haven't liked it since I was a little kid and my mother made me eat it. And I'm President of the United States, and I'm not going to eat any more broccoli!"  Many a time I have made that same declaration!

But alas, I live with my beautiful Angel, who loves the flowering cabbage that the Italians call "broccolo" and, hence, what we call "broccoli."  She has rightfully pointed out that I do not eat enough vegetables (a fact that is somewhat reflected in this rather meat-centric blog).  Broccoli has a lot of health benefits, including the ability to help lower cholesterol, as well as provide some important vitamins and phytonutrients.

I think that my opposition to broccoli comes from eating steamed broccoli.  I have never really been a fan of the taste of steamed broccoli.  Even knowing the health benefits of broccoli cooked in this fashion, I still figuratively hold my nose whenever I eat it.  

Nevertheless, I wanted to make some broccoli for my beautiful wife, so I went searching for a recipe.  That search led me back to the the New York Times.

Sam Sifton of the New York Times provided a very simple recipe for grilled broccoli.  Just a few ingredients -- balsamic vinegar, tamari or soy sauce, olive oil, and salt -- come together for a very interesting "marinade" that goes on the broccoli just before grilling.  This recipe produces some very tasty broccoli that ultimately led to a caveat to my previous declaration: "I am not going to eat any more broccoli, unless it is grilled." 

GRILLED BROCCOLI

A recipe from the New York Times

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 head of broccoli, about 2 pounds, cored and cut 

     into 1 inch florets

3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons of tamari or soy sauce

1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1 tablespoon of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

Kosher salt, to taste

Flaky sea salt (optional)

Directions:

1.  Prepare the grill. Heat the grill, either charcoal or gas, to high.

2.  Prepare the "marinade." In a large bowl, whisk the tamari or soy sauce and the balsamic vinegar together. Add the olive oil while whisking vigorously.  Add the broccoli and toss to coat.   Sprinkle lightly with kosher salt.

3.  Grill the broccoli.  Place a grill basket on the grill and add the broccoli to it.  Grill, tossing frequently, until the florets are crisp and tender with just a little bite to them, approximately 10 to 12 minutes.  If you don't have a grill basket, lay the florets out on the grill in a single level and use tongs to turn them frequently.  More work, same result.

4.  Finish the dish.  Transfer the cooked broccoli to a platter or bowl, drizzle with a little olive oil, sprinkle with parsley, and, if using, a pinch or two of sea salt.

ENJOY!  

Grilled Leg of Lamb

A few weeks ago, I prepared a special, three-course menu for my parents.  I have already posted about the first two course ... Grilled Apricots, Burrata and Arugula Salad, followed by Grilled Calamari with a Red Pepper Sauce.  When it came to the main course, I had a decision to make.  I made that decision as I strolled the aisles and stands of the West Side Market in Cleveland, Ohio.  I debated different cuts of beef, such as a rib roast or strip steaks, as well as whole chickens and legs of lamb or goat. 

I ultimately decided on a portion of a leg of lamb.  A whole leg of lamb could easily weigh six to seven pounds, with the bone.  I was feeding three people (my beautiful Angel does not eat lamb), so that much meat was simply too much.  One of the vendors had a three pound piece that was perfect.  I had the piece de-boned, because, given I was going to grill the lamb, I wanted to be able to adjust cooking times.  I could lay the piece out flat, to cook it faster, or roll it up into a roast-like form, to slow down the cooking.  I had the meat, and, along with my family, we returned home to decide on how best to grill the lamb.

I recalled a story told by my mother about the leg of lamb that used to be prepared by my great grandmother whenever my mom and my dad would visit her.  My great grandmother emigrated to this country from Abruzzo and, in preparing the lamb, she would insert whole cloves into the meat before roasting the leg.  Rather than put whole cloves in this leg of lamb, I inserted garlic slices throughout the meat.  I also marinated the lamb in a garlic-herb marinade for an hour or two to help add flavor to the meat.

When it came to grilling the lamb, I grilled for a very short period of time over direct heat and then moved the lamb to a cooler part of the grill, using indirect heat to finish the grilling.  However, the lamb still cooked much quicker than I thought it would.  I was shooting for medium rare, which would have been 145 degrees Fahrenheit, but I pulled it off at about 150 degrees Fahrenheit.  By the time the lamb rested, the temperature probably pushed about 160 degrees, which is medium.  In the end, it did not matter.  My parents like their lamb cooked medium to medium well.  More importantly, the lamb was still juicy and tasty.  A success!

GRILLED LEG OF LAMB

A Chef Bolek Original

Serves several

Ingredients:

1 boneless leg of lamb, about three pounds

6 cloves of garlic, sliced

4 tablespoons of rosemary, chopped finely

4 tablespoons of thyme, chopped finely

1 tablespoon of salt

1 tablespoon of freshly ground black pepper

1/2 tablespoon of crushed red pepper

Extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1.  Marinate the leg of lamb.  Make slits in the thicker parts of the leg of lamb and insert slices of garlic.   Add any remaining garlic to a bowl, along with the rosemary, thyme, red pepper, black pepper and salt.  Add olive oil until the mixture becomes a paste.  Add the paste on all parts of the leg of lamb.  Let the lamb marinate in the refrigerator for at least an hour but preferably three or four hours.  

2.  Grill the lamb.  Heat the grill to about 275 to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.  Cooking times will vary depending upon the size of the leg of lamb, but cook the lamb to about 145 degrees Fahrenheit, which is medium rare.  Remove the lamb from the grill, allow it to rest fifteen to thirty minutes.  Slice the lamb and serve immediately. 

When it comes to pairing a wine or beer with this lamb, there are a lot of options.  The ingredients in the marinade -- rosemary, thyme, garlic -- immediately suggest a red wine from Italy.  The easiest choice would be a Chianti, but other Tuscan wines such as a Vino Nobile di Montepulciano or a Morellino di Scansano could work as well.  When it comes to Spanish wines, a wine produced with varietals like Tempranillo or Garnacha would work well. 

If you are not into wine, this lamb could also pair well with beer.  The most obvious pairing is an India Pale Ale.  I would choose an English IPA over an American IPA, because the English beers tend to a little more balanced, with a good dose of hops but a developed malt backbone. Another option is a Czech style pilsner, something that, like the English IPA, would complement the flavors of the meat rather than compete with them. 

ENJOY!

Agnello al Fiorentino

Bistecca alla Fiorentina is a standard of Florentine cooking. Traditionally, the steak is a t-bone or porterhouse steak from either the Chianina or Maremma breed of cattle.  Most recipes call for each steak to be at least two pounds. Those recipes also call for a rub consisting of black pepper, salt, rosemary and thyme. 

At least for me, it is perhaps the best way to grill a porterhouse steak.  It can also be the best way to grill any meat.  I put that to the test recently when I bought some lamb t-bones.  These t-bones were miniature in size, weighing about 1/3 of pound or more.

Although the lamb t-bones were good enough on their own, I decided to make a simple mushroom sauce.  The reason for the sauce is that I wanted to incorporate mushrooms into the dish.  I suppose I could have just sauteed the mushrooms and then topped the t-bones with them. However, I wanted to try my hand at a basic sauce.  A very basic sauce ... stock, butter, garlic, oregano and, of course mushrooms. I think it worked out well for something to do on a whim.

AGNELLO AL FIORENTINO

A Chef Bolek Original

Serves 2

Ingredients (for the lamb):

4 lamb steaks

1 tablespoon of rosemary, finely chopped

1 tablespoon of thyme, finely chopped

1/2 tablespoon garlic powder

1/2 tablespoon of salt

1/2 tablespoon of ground pepper

1/4 tablespoon of crushed red pepper

1/4 tablespoon of dried oregano

1/2 cup of olive oil

Ingredients (for the sauce)

8 ounces of portabello mushrooms, sliced

1/4 tablespoon of dried oregano

3 tablespoons of butter

2 cloves of garlic, diced

1/4 cup beef stock

Salt, to taste

Ground pepper, to taste

Directions:

1.  Marinate the lamb steaks.  Combine the rosemary, thyme, garlic powder, salt, ground pepper, crushed red pepper, oregano and oil in a bowl or a zip lock bag.  Mix the ingredients.  Add the lamb steaks and make sure all of the steaks are covered with the marinade.  Cover and refrigerate for about one-half hour.

2.  Grill the lamb steaks.  Heat a grill to medium high heat (about 400 degrees Fahrenheit).  Clean and oil the grates.  Add the lamb steaks.  Cook for about four minutes, turn ninety degrees.  Cook for four minutes more.  Flip and cook for four minutes.  Turn ninety degrees and cook for four minutes.  Remove from the heat, cover and set aside.

3.  Make the sauce.  Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add the mushrooms and saute for about six to eight minutes, until the mushrooms have released their moisture.  Stir or shake the pan occasionally to prevent the mushrooms from burning.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.  Add the beef stock and 1 tablespoon of butter.  Season with salt and pepper.  After the butter has melted, add another tablespoon of butter.  Stir until the butter is melted and add the final tablespoon of butter.  Once it has melted, remove from heat.

4.  Plate the dish.  Place 2 lamb steaks on the plate.  Spoon some of the mushrooms over the steaks and then some of the sauce around the steaks.

Although the sauce worked well, I don't know that I would use it every time I make these lamb t-bones.  If I do use it again, I may try improving the sauce.  One way would be to  sear the lamb t-bones in the skillet before adding the mushrooms, and then using the stock to deglaze the pan.  The lamb t-bones could be finished under the broiler. This is the great thing about cooking, there are always way to improve what you make. 

ENJOY!

Moroccan Raw Carrot Salad

According to one source, carrots originated in Afghanistan or Iran, where there is still a wide variety of wild carrots growing today.  Initially, people cultivated carrots for their leaves and seeds, not their taproots.  Eventually, people realized that those roots are edible and, as with many things, the planting and cultivation of carrots spread around the world.  The references to carrots in Europe can be found as early as the 11th and 12th centuries, when people like Ibn al'Awwam, an Arab Andalusian agriculturist, wrote about red and yellow carrots in his treatise, Kitab al-Filaha, which is considered to be an important medieval work in the field of agriculture.

This raw carrot salad recipe is inspired by the cuisine of peoples who reside just south of Andalusia ... in Morocco. I made this recipe as part of a dinner that I prepared for Clare's parents during a recent visit. The main dish was Djej Mechoui, a whole grilled chicken marinated in a Moroccan spice rub.  I also needed a side dish or sald.  I perused several cooking websites looking for Moroccan side dishes.  I came across a recipe for a raw carrot salad, which is kind of like a combination of a side dish and a salad. 

This use of raw carrots intrigued me.  Personally, I am not a big fan of the taste of a raw carrot and, if I can avoid eating them, then I do.  However, the use of spices (cumin, ginger, cinnamon, coriander, pepper and allspice), along with the citrus juice, transformed the raw carrots in this dish.  They provided a range of flavors that mask the flavor of the raw carrot, making the root vegetable more palatable.   In the end, I really liked this salad.

MOROCCAN RAW CARROT SALAD

Recipe from Bon Appetit

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Pinch of ground cloves

1/3 cup olive oil

1/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup lemon juice

3 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped 

1 pound of carrots, peeled, coarsely grated

4 cups mixed baby greens

1 small sweet onion, thinly sliced

Directions:

1.  Make the dressing.  Combine the first seven ingredients (cumin, ginger, cinnamon, coriander, cayenne, allspice and cloves) in a non-reactive bowl.  Whisk in the olive oil, orange juice, lemon juice and mint.

2.  Add the carrots and greens.   Add the carrots and greens.  Toss the ingredients.

3.  Plate the dish.  Plate the carrots and greens.  Garnish with the onions.

ENJOY!

Radicchio Grigliata (Grilled Radicchio)

While reading a past issue of  La Cucina Italiana, I came across a recipe for grilled radicchio.  With white spines and red leaves, radicchio is a leaf chicory with a bitter taste.  There are a few types of radicchio.  One type is Radicchio di Chiogga, which is a round, grapefruit size of head of leafy radicchio.  Another type is Radicchio di Treviso, which resembles Belgian endive.  The former (di Chiogga) is the most common type of radicchio in the United States, while the latter (di Treviso) has its own protected status, commonly referred to as "IGP" or Indicazione Geografica Protetta.  (The "IGP" is the protected status provided by the European Union to an agricultural product or food stuff that is of a certain quality or reputation within a particular geographic region.)

After having read the recipe, I decided to make grilled radicchio as a side.  So, I picked up a couple of tuna kabobs and a couple of heads of radicchio from a local supermarket.  I went home and planned how I would prepare the radicchio.  The recipe called for the use of Radicchio di Treviso; however, I had Radicchio di Chiogga.  This required some alterations in terms of how I was going to grill this vegetable.

Traditionally, grilled radicchio is prepared by brushing the leaves with olive oil and then placed onto the grill for about twenty-five to thirty minutes, which would result in brown leaves and tender spines.  I wanted to retain some of the red color in the leaves, along with some of the crunch of the spines.  So, I decided to modify the recipe a little by shortening the grilling time and by placing the radicchio onto the grill without bathing the leaves in oil.  (This helps to prevent flareups from the dripping oil that would simply scorch the leaves.)  I saved the oil for another use, namely as an impromptu dressing by whisking lemon juice with the olive oil and adding a very little pinch of crushed red pepper.  I then drizzled the lemon and olive oil over the leaves just before serving.

In the end, the radicchio retained much of its redness, with browning along the edges.  The dressing provided a nice citrus note, which contrasted with the radicchio's bitterness.  If you do not like bitter vegetables, consider doubling the amount of the lemon-olive oil dressing.

RADICCHIO GRIGLIATA (GRILLED RADICCHIO)

Adapted from La Cucina Italiana, May 2010, page 47
Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 heads of radicchio, halved

2 lemons, juiced

Salt, to taste

Ground pepper, to taste

1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil 

1 very small pinch of red pepper flakes

Directions:
1. Clean the radicchio.  Wash the heads of radicchio.  Use one lemon half and rub down the edges of the radicchio that were cut.

2.  Prepare the dressing.  Whisk the olive oil into the lemon juice.  Add salt and ground pepper to taste.  The add the red pepper, continuing to whisk the ingredients.

3.  Grill the radicchio.  Oil the grate well with extra virgin olive oil.  Place the halved heads of radicchio on the grill.  Cook for about eight to ten minutes.  Flip the radicchio and continue to grill for about eight to ten more minutes.  Remove from the heat and peel the leaves from the core.

4.  Plate the dish.  Place the leaves on a dish and drizzle the dressing over them.  Plate whatever meat or fish you will be serving in the center of the radicchio.

ENJOY!

For more information about radicchio, check out Wikipedia. 

Nicaraguan-Style Churrasco

I was searching for a good beef recipe and I came across one recipe for Nicaraguan-style Churrasco.  For most people, the word "Churrasco" conjures images of Brazilian or Argentinian barbecue, with "gauchos" walking around with endless skewers of meat.  That, of course, is sort of an Americanized version of Churrasco brought to life as "Brazilian barbecue."  More to the point, however, the cuisine of many Latin American countries include Churrasco, usually with their own twists.  There are versions of Churrasco in Ecuador, Paraguay, Guatemala and Nicaragua.

Generally, Churrasco is grilled meat and, in Latin America, the meat is beef.  (Interestingly, there is a version in Portugal -- Frango de Churrasco --  that involves chicken.)  In Nicaragua, Churrasco is typically cuts from a beef tenderloin, topped with a chimichurri sauce.  The recipe I found calls for a five pound tenderloin.  While I love meat and can eat a lot of it, five pounds is a little to much for me.  I was planning for a steak night, not Man v. Food.  So, as I was standing at the meat counter at my local grocery store, I decided to go with a grass-fed, bone-in ribeye.  People who follow this blog know my love for grass-fed beef.  In the end, while the Churrasco may be Nicaraguan in style, the cut of beef is all Chef Bolek. 

I made a couple of revisions based on the comments left by people about the recipe.  The original recipe calls for the use of jalapeno peppers and oregano in making the chimichurri sauce, but a comment left from someone from Managua said that, in Nicaragua, they do not use those ingredients.  Instead, he said that Nicaraguans just use olive oil, salt, garlic, vinegar and parsley.  So, I followed the comment when making the chimichurri.  In the end, the chimichurri has a nice garlic flavor to it (which you could reduce by leaving out one or two cloves) and is a perfect complement to the grilled meat.

NICARAGUAN-STYLE CHURRASCO

Adapted from Food Network
Serves 2

Ingredients (for the Beef):

1 1.5 to 2 pound bone in ribeye steak
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste

Ingredients (for the Chimichurri):
6 cloves of garlic

1 1/2 tablespoons salt

1/2 cup of flat leaf parsley

1/2 cup of curly parsley

1/4 cup of distilled white vinegar

1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil

Ground pepper to taste.

Directions:

1.  Preheat the grill.  Preheat the grill on medium-high heat.

2.  Make the chimichurri sauce.  Combine the garlic, flat leaf parsley, curly leaf parsley, salt and some black pepper in a food processor.  Process the garlic and parsley, adding first the vinegar and then the oil.  Taste the sauce and adjust the seasonings (salt and/or pepper) as desired.

3.  Grill the ribeye.  Lightly oil the grill grates and add the ribeye.  Cook for about four to five minutes and turn ninety degrees.  Cook for another four to five minutes.  Flip the steak.  Cook for an additional five minutes and turn ninety degrees.  Continue to cook for a few more minutes.

4.  Plate the ribeye.  Cut the meat into strips.  Plate with the bone and spoon the chimichurri sauce over the meat.  Pour the remaining sauce into ramekins for guests.

The cooking times are for one steak and should produce an end result between medium rare and medium. If you use two three-quarter to one-pound steaks, simply cut the cooking times in half (about two to two and a half minutes for each step).

Overall, this is a great dish and I particularly like the simplified version of the chimichurri sauce.  I need to work on the sauce a little, which is okay for me because that means I'll be having steak again.  I may use that five pound tenderloin and invite a bunch of people over as guests to share in the experience.

ENJOY!

For more about Churrasco, check out Wikipedia.