Chocolate Cabernet Napa Snaps

A chocolately-rich sandwich cookie that's all grownnnnns-up!

Featuring Scharffen Berger Chocolate

Award-Winning, Rustic Strawberry & Prosecco Galette

 A Sexy Valentine's Day Treat!

Winner of the California Strawberries, "Most Romantic Recipe Photo Contest" !

Etruscan Design ~ I lived in a Medieval Museum for a week!

15th Century Dante Chair, walnut and leather. In Saints Ippolito and Cassiano Oratory, Toscana

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Pronti per Vinci? Andiamo!! ~ Ready for Vinci? Let's go!

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Ready... Set... Squeal with JOY!!!!!

I am delighted to finally announce that 

The Brooklyn Ragazza~

Cathi Iannone is DaVinci Wine's   

"CULINARY ARTS"

2012 DaVinci Storyteller!!

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Cioccolato Cabernet Gelato

Chocolate Gelato  +  Wine = Pure Sexiness!!!

My preference for gelato over ice cream goes back as far as I can remember, but it wasn’t until my college days when my Italian Language professor strutted into our Friday class with a generous, bagful of a variety of gelati half-pints to reward our class at the end of the semester, that I fully understood why I loved it so much.  Seeing the green packaging, I quickly darted over and claimed the pistachio, which was already starting to melt a bit. Prying off that rim, I remember thinking, this was the best professor on the planet!

As we dug our little, plastic paddles into the creamy-soft treat, our professor began to rhapsody about the famous, Medici Family of Florence, Italy, and how back in the 1500’s there was a contest held in Tuscany for the best dessert. The Medici’s commissioned the famous artist, Bernardo Buontalenti to prepare a lavish feast for the visiting King of Spain. Being the talented artist he was, Buontalenti came up with a gelato, a creamy, frozen sweet-treat. Before this challenge,  and dating back over 1000 years, only fruit juices were added to ice (that was brought down from high in the mountains), so from this challenge, Buontalenti is considered the inventor of gelato.  Molto grazie, Buontalenti!

 Gelato vs. Ice cream...What's the deal?

Da Vinci Chianti and Chianti Riserva

So, how is gelato different from ice cream, one might ask? One major difference is that gelato is churned at a much slower speed, so it has less air incorporated into it than ice cream, resulting in a creamier, much more intense flavor, coating the palette in a different way.  Actually, ice cream may contain as much as 50% air, with most gelato containing only 25%. Another difference, which some gelateria may take liberty with, is the ratio of milk, versus cream content.  Gelato is made with a greater proportion of whole milk to cream, so actually, gelato, traditionally, has a lower fat content than ice cream.  It is also appropriate that gelato be served at a warmer temperature than ice cream, resulting in a creamy, not completely frozen treat. So, it is advised that you let your gelato sit out for at least 5 minutes before you dig in to it, if you can wait, that is!

I must admit, a bit of liberty was taken with my gelato recipe. I didn’t have whole milk on hand, but I did have heavy cream, so that is what I used. I would, also, venture to try different cream-to-milk ratios and see what you like best. Slow churning the mixture for at least 30 minutes in my Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker gave it the thick, dense consistency I was looking for, just like my favorite gelateria!

This recipe delivers the perfect ratio of wine-to-chocolate robust, personality, and just a couple scoops is the perfect satisfying treat.  I still love my pistachio, but, I have to say, this flavor combination leaves a real knock-out flavor impression that will have your friends begging for the recipe!

In this gelato,  DaVinci Wine and chocolate were like two ships passing in the night that had a lusty, encounter and the love child resulted in this Cioccolato Cabernet Gelato. If you were ever curious as to what “sin” tasted like, this devilishly-rich gelato treat is, surely, it! This is, truly, a sexy dessert!  I think, both wine, and frozen-treat connoisseurs would agree!

 Spoon-feed some of this to your lover!

 

Ingredients:

2 cups of heavy cream

Chop chocolate into small pieces

1 cup of whole milk
1 cup of Cabernet Sauvignon Wine
½ cup of sugar
14 ounces of dark chocolate (chopped)
4 egg yolks
1 pinch of salt

Preparation:

1.) Heat the milk, cream and sugar in a 2-quart sauce pan until the sugar dissolves and milk starts to simmer. Add the wine and simmer again.
2.) Add the chocolate and whisk until smooth.
3.) Place the egg yolks in a small bowl and beat. Add about a ½ cup of the chocolate mixture to temper the eggs, so they do not scramble when you add them to the mix.
4.)  Pour the egg and chocolate mixture back into the 2-quart sauce pan and cook over low-medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened.  Do not allow mixture to boil!   

5.) Pour the mixture into a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and place in refrigerator to chill completely. (At this point it is considered  custard).

6.) After mixture has chilled, pour the custard into the bowl of an ice cream maker, and process according to manufacturer’s instructions. I let mine churn for about 35 minutes.
7.) Pour into pint-sized containers and freeze. Allow gelato to thaw slightly before serving.  

Buon Appetito!

** Cook's note**- Gelato is traditionally, and best made in SMALL batches, so I would not double the recipe. Make separate batches if you need more.  Also, may use Chianti if you do not have Cabernet Sauvignon.

My Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker available at Khols

Greens-Stuffed Haddock Wallets in a Sherry Pomodoro Sauce

Growing up in the Northeastern part of the United States, you have probably eaten haddock, over cod. They taste very similar, but in my personal opinion, haddock is the prettier twin.  In my hometown, and starting as a Catholic tradition of meat-abstinence on Fridays, going out for a haddock fish fry dinner every Friday was a ritual. The entire town smelled like a fish fry! From pubs to fancy restaurants, and even the American Legions, they all pumped out out fish fries every Friday, and everyone has their loyal favorite.

This is no fish-n-chips, people. It was a luscious, huge, flaky piece of haddock, as big as your forearm, fried crispy in a crunchy batter; it was thick and flaky, with that touch of silvery skin that tells you, I'm a sexy piece of haddock! It was divine!  I can tell you that the last time I flew home for a visit, as soon as we touched down at Hancock Airport, in Syracuse, NY, we made a beeline straight to a restaurant for a haddock fish fry!

Years ago, (and, still) most people got their fresh fish from a market in the "East End" of Utica, NY, down on Kossuth & Broad Streets, and when you called up to order, you would be greeted with the accent, "Kosutta fish!"  Kossuth Fish Market was THE place to get your fresh fish, and I am happy to they are still in business today, offering fish and seafood of the highest quality.

 Over the years, people have started to subscribe to a healthier lifestyle, including a hearty-healthy diet, and baked haddock is becoming a popular option on restaurant menus. Haddock Oregonata, or Haddock Parmigiana are two popular options.  The essence of Italian cooking lies in its straightforward  respect to the quality and beauty of the ingredients, so I didn't want to get too "fancy" with the recipe. But, given that Utica Greens are so popular in my hometown, I wanted to incorporate them into a baked haddock recipe. So, why not stuff the haddock with the greens? It delivers big flavors with its spicy, seasoned escarole stuffing, and baked in a rich, but simple, Sherry pomodoro bath.

 I absolutely love the result, and it really does rival my good ol' favorite fish fry without all the fried guilt.  Although, when I home, I'll probably still get a haddock fish fry, for old times sake...

Recipe makes six, 8 ounce pieces of haddock (or, cod fillets)

Serve with additional sauce and crusty bread.

GREENS:
3 heads of escarole(rinsed)
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 cloves of garlic (pushed through a garlic press)
5-7 Hot cherry peppers (roughly chopped; quantity depending on how much heat you like)
5 or 6 slices of Prosciutto, torn into 2 inch pieces
1 cup of plain bread crumbs, (not Italian.)
1 cup of artichoke hearts (quartered)
¼ cup of grated cheese (Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano) optional, but who doesn’t love cheese?

PREPARATION FOR POMODORO SAUCE:

Hot cherry peppers, roughly chopped ( 5, or so – depending how much heat you want)
28 ounce can of whole San Marzano  tomatoes
4 cloves of garlic  (smashed)
½  cup of grated Pecorino Romano cheese (plus more for topping)
1 cup of cooking Sherry wine (cut with  about ½ cup of water)
2+2 Tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil (separated: half for sauté, half for sauce)
4 Tbsp. of butter
¼ c of heavy cream
½ teaspoon of dried basil (plus, a few torn leaves of fresh basil tor tossing in pasta at  the end)
½ teaspoon of sea salt

PREPARATION FOR GREENS:

1. Cut the bottom of each escarole head, and chop into large (4 square-inch sized) pieces.  Steam the escarole in a wire basket over a large pot of boiling water (2 inches of water) for about 7-8 minutes, or until limp and still a bit firm.  It will reduce greatly as it steams. (Do not boil the romaine, as it may get to mushy)

2. Meanwhile, in a 12 in skillet, crisp the prosciutto, first.  Next, add the hot cherry peppers, artichokes, and garlic on low heat in the 2 tablespoons of olive oil

3. Next, with tongs, remove the escarole from the wire basket and add it to the sauté and toss, turning quite a bit so the ingredients incorporate.

4. Sprinkle in the bread crumbs liberally and toss, thoroughly.  (The breadcrumbs give a nice, fuller- bodied texture you want.)

5. Sprinkle in the grated cheese and toss again.

6.  Let sit for at least 15 minutes, so the dish can blossom.
 

PREPARATION FOR SAUCE: 

In a large pot heat extra-virgin olive on low heat with 4 smashed and chopped garlic cloves. This infuses the garlic into the oil before you add the tomatoes. Be careful that the garlic doesn’t get brown. It will be bitter. Add the whole tomatoes and Sherry Wine. Simmer for a few minutes. Add the butter, dried basil, chopped cherry peppers, and the sea salt. Allow to simmer on very low heat. Carefully, mash the whole tomatoes with a potato masher, then add in the Pecorino Romano cheese. (Do not add the cheese earlier, as it will stick to the bottom of the pot a little, and cling to the masher.)

TO ASSEMBLE HADDOCK WALLETS: 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Carefully cut a slit in the side of 6 pieces of haddock to open a pocket. Stuff about a half cup of greens in each pouch. Ladle the sauce in the bottom of a baking dish (enough so that the sauce will come up half-way once the fish is lined up in the pan. Line all the stuffed fish in the sauce in the baking dish so the stuffed top is facing up.  Sprinkle each stuffed fish with bread crumbs and bake for 20 minutes.  Serve immediately.

Garlic & Rosemary Roasted Warm Root Vegetable Salad di Mare

3rd Place Prize Winner for The Integrative Institute of Nutrition's "What's on Your Plate" Photo Contest

Savory Port Wine Tarte Tartin

                      2nd Place Winner for Valley Fig Growers Photo Contest, 2012

 A tarte tartin is a beautiful way to showcase the fig's beautiful colors and shapes. This rustic, French, "Savory Port Wine Fig Tarte Tartin" coaxes luxury out of everyday ingredients you probably already have around the pantry. Poaching the halved, dry Calimyrna figs in Port Wine lends a little acidity to the figs and serves to cut through the richness of the goat cheese filling. The addictive combination of the figs, toasted walnuts, goat cheese, and French Bayonne ham is tucked into a rich, buttery puffed pastry crust and baked until golden brown. It's charm is a bit rustic and romantic, and this recipe bends readily to adaptation with the use of different cheeses, wines, or other add-ins. All of the components are thoughtfully balanced in flavor and texture, and compliment each other well, but the real stand-out is the flavor of the chewy, Calimyrna figs.

Sausage & Gorgonzola Arancini

Arancini, (literally, means "little oranges," in Italian, for their shape) harkens back to the old street markets of Sicily, as the "fritto guy" would dole out newspaper cones filled with addictive, little, fried treats.

Italians have so many ways of using leftovers. Day-old risotto is a leftover’s dearest companion, as it is the best way to make arancini.  Traditionally, arancini are made with leftover risotto, and are meant to have a center-filling of either ground beef and peas, or simply a mozzarella center. But, I wanted the sausage to really shine by mixing sweet Italian sausage crumbles throughout the entire gorgonzola risotto mixture. The creaminess of the gorgonzola cheese is a nice counterpoint to the hearty sausage laced throughout.

The addition of the grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, breadcrumbs, and one beaten egg, will firm the mixture enough to shape into little, tennis ball-sized rice balls, and ready to fry in canola or pomace oil. The panko breadcrumbs and crushed, smoked almond coating results in an intensely flavorful and earthy crunch.

 I once made a five-course meal for friends, and these arancini were the star of the show! If you can make a simple, gorgonzola risotto, and add sausage, then you can replicate these little guys at home, like I did!

 

Ingredients for the Risotto:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cups uncooked Arborio rice
• 6 cups chicken broth
• ½ cup of  Pino Grigio
• ¾  cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese
• 4  beaten eggs (2 for risotto + 2 for breading)
• 1 ½  cups of browned Italian sausage
• 2 cups of panko breadcrumbs
• 3 cups of canola oil for frying

How to Make the Risotto:

1. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add chopped onion and cook until soft.
3. Add the 2 cups of rice all at once, add the wine, stir and simmer for a few minutes.
4. Add the broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring the rice until the broth has been absorbed between each addition.
5. In large sauté pan on medium heat, brown the sausage and transfer to a paper towel- lined plate.
6. Once the risotto is cooked and creamy, remove from heat, add the gorgonzola cheese and stir to incorporate.
7. Transfer the risotto to a large bowl, add the sausage to rice, add the beaten eggs, and mix well.
8. Allow mixture to cool.
9. Refrigerate until ready to use. Cold risotto will be easier to handle when shaping the arancini     
   
   
    To shape the Arancini, you'll need: 
   
   
   Ingredients: 
   2 egg, beaten 
   2 cups panko breadcrumbs ( or more) 
   1 cup of smoked almonds (crushed)
   cooking oil (vegetable or canola)

Method for shaping Arancini:

1. Beat the eggs in a medium bowl.
2. Add the breadcrumb/almond mixture to a large plate.
3. Line a large tray with paper towels.
4. Remove risotto from the fridge. Place 1/2 cup of rice in the palm of your hand and shape into a cup.
5. Roll the arancino in the beaten eggs and then in roll in the breadcrumbs.
6. Set on the tray.
7. Continue to make the arancini using this method until all the risotto has been used.
8. Heat the oil on medium high in a large fry pan
9. Carefully drop the arancini in the oil and turn to fry all sides.
10. Return to a paper towel-lined tray to absorb any oil.       
11. There should be 16-18 arancini