Recipes for the week.

This beautiful watercolor by Marc Lacaze is from Simply Tusan.

Monkfish and Fennel Consommé
Thin Egg Noodles with White or Black Truffles
Braised Quail and Caramelized Shallots with Soft Polenta
Sautéed Broccoli Rabe
Radicchio Garnished and Scented with Oranges

Monkfish and Fennel Consommé

Serves 2

For the fish broth:
1½ pounds fish bones (from white-fleshed, as opposed to oily fish), rinsed
1 leek, white and green parts, carefully cleaned and cut into big pieces
1 stalk celery, cut into big pieces
5 mushrooms (caps only if the stems are dirty)
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
10 sprigs fresh Italian parsley
5 cups cold water
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

For the consommé:
7 ounces monkfish fillet, skin removed
7 ounces bulb fennel, plus fennel fronds for garnish
¼ cup olive oil
2 cups water
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

MAKE THE BROTH:
Place all the broth ingredients except the salt and pepper in a deep saucepan. There should be enough water to cover the solids. If not, add enough additional water to cover. Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes, skimming the foam frequently. Pour the broth through a fine mesh sieve or strainer. Season with salt and pepper.

MAKE THE CONSOMMÉ:
While the broth is cooking, slice the monkfish as thinly and broadly as you can. Remove and discard the toughest outer fennel layer and slice what’s left lengthwise, again very thin. In a sauté pan over medium heat warm the olive oil. Add the fennel and cook for 2 minutes. Add the water, bring it to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, and cook for 3 minutes, until the fennel is just cooked. Drain the fennel and season it with salt and pepper.

Arrange the sliced fish and the fennel in 2 bowls. Pour the piping hot fish broth on top. (The hot broth will cook the thinly sliced fish, so be sure the broth is as hot as indicated in these directions.) Garnish each bowl with a fennel frond.

This recipe is from Simply Tuscan.

Thin Egg Noodles with White or Black Truffles

salt
black pepper
butter
Parmesan cheese, grated
tagliolini (fresh, if available)
fresh white or black truffles

Boil tagliolini in salted water until al dente. Melt a generous portion of butter in a large pan. When pasta is done, drain well and add to pan. Stir enough to lightly coat the tagliolini. Very quickly, thinly slice the truffles over the pasta, reserving some for garnish. Mix the butter, tagliolini, and truffles quickly, adding just a touch of Parmesan – go very easy on the Parmesan so it doesn’t overwhelm the truffles. Season to taste with salt and pepper. The mixture doesn’t have to cook; it only needs to be warmed through. Serve on a warm plate with additional truffle shaved over the top.

This recipe is from my first cookbook, A Tuscan in the Kitchen.

Braised Quail and Caramelized Shallots with Soft Polenta

Serves 4

For the polenta:
4½ cups water
salt to taste
1 cup polenta
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

For the quail:
4 cleaned quail, breastbones removed
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
4 bay leaves
4 slices pancetta
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ cup dry white wine
½ cup chicken stock
16 whole shallots, peeled and blanched in boiling water for 30 seconds

MAKE THE POLENTA
You can either follow the instructions on the package or use these instructions: In a deep, heavy pan, bring the water, lightly salted, to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium. Beating continually with a whisk, add the polenta slowly and gradually. Stir constantly as you cook the polenta until it reaches the consistency of a creamy porridge, about 5 minutes. Stir in salt to taste and a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, then cover and set the polenta aside in a warm place until you are ready to serve.

MAKE THE QUAIL
Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Season the quail inside and out with salt and pepper, and place a bay leaf inside each one. Wrap each quail in a slice of pancetta, securing it with a toothpick. In a wide, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Cook the quail until they are lightly browned with crisp skin, 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Sprinkle the wine over the quail. When the wine has evaporated, add the chicken stock and the shallots. Cover the pan with foil or an ovenproof lid and place it in the preheated oven. After 5 minutes, uncover, then cook for another 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven. Remove the quail and set them aside in a warm place. Skim the fat from the pan, then let the remaining juices simmer over low heat until they are reduced by half and the shallots are brown and burnished, 15 to 20 minutes, stirring up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.

To serve, divide the polenta among 4 wide soup bowls. Place a quail on top of each bed of polenta and spoon the shallots and sauce over the birds.

This recipe is from Simply Tuscan.

Sautéed Broccoli Rabe

olive oil
crushed red pepper
salt
garlic, smashed
broccoli rabe

Cut the long stems off the vegetable, leaving the leaves and flowers. Wash the broccoli rabe well in a lot of cold water, but do not dry it.

Put the garlic, about 2 cloves per person, in the bottom of a deep pan with enough olive oil just to cover the bottom. Turn the heat up high and when the oil is so hot that you can see the fumes from the oil, stand back and toss in the drained broccoli rabe, being careful that the oil doesn’t splash. Add the red pepper and salt to taste, toss, and cook only long enough to wilt the leaves. Serve immediately.

This recipe is from my first cookbook, A Tuscan in the Kitchen.

Radicchio Garnished and Scented with Oranges

olive oil
red wine vinegar
salt
black pepper
fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
orange juice
Lillet apéritif
radicchio
oranges, sliced

Make a dressing of the oil and vinegar and add orange juice and Lillet to taste. Season with salt and pepper.

Place whole radicchio leaves on a chilled plate, top with a slice of orange, and drizzle with the dressing. Sprinkle with parsley, if you wish.

This recipe is from my first cookbook, A Tuscan in the Kitchen.

Thanksgiving menu

Creamless Mushroom Soup
Pear, Pecorino and Speck Tart
Roasted Stuffed Capon
Dried Sour Cherry Compote
Mashed Potatoes with Leeks
Brussels Sprouts with Oranges
Spaghetti Squash with Tomato, Olive Oil, and Basil
Roasted Mushroom Salad with Butternut Squash, Pearl Onions and Chestnuts
Upside Down Warm Apple Tart

Creamless Mushroom Soup

Serves 4 to 6 as an appetizer

IL CLASSICO
Cacciucco di funghi is a dish made by Tuscans who live too far from the coast to obtain fresh seafood. They apply the principles of a cacciucco to a hearty soup that replaces shellfish with mushrooms, something they have in great abundance.

LA MIA VERSIONE
This recipe adds potato to the recipe for cacciucco di funghi to create a thick and creamy mushroom soup without any cream.

Oven-Dried Tomato Puree:

2 pounds plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
2 tablespoons fine sea salt
2 teaspoons sugar
3 fresh rosemary sprigs
6 fresh thyme sprigs
6 garlic cloves, sliced
12 fresh basil leaves, torn by hand

Preheat the oven to 300˚F and keep the door slightly ajar with a cork or other flameproof item to help circulate the air.

Line a rimmed cookie sheet with parchment paper and arrange the tomato halves on it in a single layer. Mix the salt and sugar together in a small bowl and sprinkle the tomatoes with the mixture. Then sprinkle with the rosemary, thyme, garlic, and basil.

Place the rimmed cookie sheet in the oven and bake for 90 minutes, until the tomatoes are dried but not shriveled.

Remove the cookie sheet from the oven. Use tongs to pick off and discard the garlic and herbs. While the tomatoes are still warm, puree them in a food processor. Set aside while you make the soup.

Soup:

extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
pinch of hot red pepper flakes
1 large Idaho potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
fine sea salt
5 cups vegetable stock, simmering in a pot on a back burner
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1 fresh rosemary sprig
1½ pounds mixed wild mushrooms, such as chanterelle, black trumpet, and pleurote, stems removed, large ones quartered, small ones halved or left whole
freshly ground black pepper

Pour enough olive oil (approximately 2 tablespoons) into a flameproof casserole to generously coat the bottom. Warm over medium-high heat. Add the onion, minced garlic, and red pepper and cook until the onion is browned, about 4 minutes.

Add the potato, season with salt, cook for 2 to 3 minutes, then stir in the tomato puree. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the simmering stock. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Cook until the potatoes are cooked through, about 5 more minutes.

Blend the soup with an immersion blender or ladle it into a blender or food processor and process until creamy. (Be sure to leave the top piece of the blender out to allow steam to escape and be very careful when blending this, or any, hot liquid.) Return to the casserole and set aside.

Pour enough olive oil (approximately 2 tablespoons) into a wide deep skillet to coat the bottom. Warm the oil over medium-high heat. Add the sliced garlic and rosemary and sauté until the garlic is browned, about 1 minute. Stir in the mushrooms, season with salt and black pepper, and sauté until the mushrooms are wilted, about 3 minutes. Use tongs to fish out and discard the rosemary, then add the mushrooms to the soup.

Place the casserole over low heat and let the soup simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Taste, adjust the seasoning if necessary, and finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Ladle into bowls and serve hot.

VINO:
This recipe, inspired by the cuisine of the southern tip of Tuscany, suggests a fairly dry red wine, so go with a Morellino.

This recipe is from La Mia Cucina Toscana.

Pear, Pecorino, and Speck Tart

Serves 10 to 12

10 ounces pecorino Toscano sheep’s milk cheese, diced (a young manchego could substitute)
2 eggs
2 ounces fresh goat cheese
2 tablespoons heavy cream
3 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
12 ounces puff pastry
3 good pears, not too soft
5 ounces smoked prosciutto (speck), thinly sliced
3 tablespoons shelled pistachios

In a food processor, pulse the pecorino with the eggs, goat cheese, cream, thyme, and salt and pepper until well mixed, but not pureed. Grease an 11-inch tart pan with butter. Preheat the oven to 300˚F.

Roll out the puff pastry into a circle ¼ inch thick, and arrange it to cover the bottom and sides of the pan. Cover the dough with foil and weigh it down with pie weights or a couple of handfuls of dry beans. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.

While the crust is baking, halve and core the pears and cut each one lengthwise into 8 wedges. When the crust is parbaked, remove the foil and pour half the cheese-egg mixture into the pie shell. Drape the prosciutto slices over the cheese-egg mixture and arrange the pears on top. Finish by pouring the remaining cheese-egg mixture over the pears. Bake at 300˚ for another 20 minutes, or until the top is golden.

This recipe is from Simply Tuscan.

Roasted Stuffed Capon

red wine
salt
black pepper
butter
capon, with interiors
fresh chestnuts
fennel seeds
sweet Italian sausage
fresh sage

Preheat the oven to medium. Rub the inside of the capon with butter. Place chestnuts in a pot of water and add fennel seeds and red wine for flavor. Boil until chestnuts are done – when they can be penetrated with a fork. Start checking them after about 10 minutes, because you don’t want them to get too soft. Let the chestnuts cook, then peel and cut them into pieces.

Remove the skin from the sausage and cut it into sections. Place the sausage in a pan and, as it cooks, break it into small pieces. Season with salt and pepper. When the sausage is done, remove it to a bowl, leaving the grease behind.

Sauté the interiors in butter and sage until cooked, then chop them. Add the interiors and chestnuts to the sausage and mix well. Stuff this mixture inside the capon, place capon in the oven, and roast for about 1 hour per pound. If you see that the capon is getting too dry as it cooks, add water.

Variation: This capon is also good stuffed with Polenta and sausage.
This recipe is from my first cookbook, A Tuscan in the Kitchen.