Summer meas there is a fresh crop of seasonal vegetables ready to eat. Highlight them in side dishes from Lidia Bastianich's "Italian-American Kitchen."
My friend and cookbook author Lidia Bastianich cooks every dish with care. She insists on using the freshest in-season ingredients she can find.
Her introduction to the chapter “contorni” in Lidia’s “Italian-American Kitchen” sums up how she feels about authentic Italian cucina, especially where side dishes are concerned.
When I begin to cook, vegetables figure as prominently in the list of ingredients as meat, fish or poultry — if not more so. I personally like to cook with vegetables — and to eat them — but my practice goes beyond personal choice. Not only are vegetables used as contorni — side dishes — but one look at the antipasto, soup or pasta chapters will show you they are a major consideration in other dishes as well.
Summer is high season for local vegetables. For weeks I have been purchasing Jersey asparagus and produce grown on Pennsylvania farms.
My herb garden is brimming with fragrant lavender, basil, Thai basil, Italian flat leaf parsley, French thyme, oregano and marjoram. Even if a recipe does not call for fresh herbs, I snip some from my garden, wash it thoroughly and snip it into a dish.
Here are recipes for summer contorni from Lidia’s “Italian-American Kitchen.”
Ingredients:
1 pound of kale, approximately two medium heads, remove outer leaves if damaged or discolored, and cut off the bases of the stems
3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
6 cloves of garlic, peeled
1/2 cup of pancetta or bacon, cut into strips
Salt, to taste
1/4 teaspoon of crushed hot red pepper, or to taste
Directions:
Wash the kale leaves twice in cold water and drain. Cut crosswise into 1-inch strips.
Heat the oil in a wide heavy skillet over medium. Whack the garlic cloves with the side of a knife and toss into the oil. Stir in the bacon and cook, stirring until the bacon and garlic are light golden, about 4 minutes.
Stir as many kale leaves into the skillet as will fit comfortably. Cook, stirring, until wilted enough to make room for more kale. Continue adding the kale, a handful at a time, until all of it is in the skillet. Season lightly with salt and the red hot pepper.
Cover the skillet, reduce the heat to low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes. If all the liquid in the pan evaporates and the greens begin to stick to the pan, sprinkle a tablespoon or two of water over them. Taste the greens and season with additional salt and red pepper if needed.
Serve immediately.
Serves six.
Note from Phyllis: We think of kale as a winter green but the kale now in the market is fresh and tasty.
Article:
Meating plans
Article:
Dieting on Paula’s news
Article:
Spicing up the Year of the Dragon
Article:
Stocking up
Article:
Delivering Aid from Aida
Article:
Jazzed about 2012
Article:
Sister act
Article:
Igniting a Spanish spin
