Black & White Wednesday - Week # 27

I had a very busy and cahotic day

(all schools in Verona were evacuated around 10am after two minor earthquakes, 

but we had a major one in the middle of the night) *

and realized only in the afternoon it was Wedsneday,

so I took a simple shot with the first things I saw on my counter.

But when I downloaded the picture 

I was surprised and liked the reflection of the fruits on the table.

a couple of shots for a couple of bananas

* luckily no damage to persons or buildings, so scared but everything is back to normal,

tomorrow schools still closed for buildings' control inspections: boys and girls are happy! :-)

This picture goes to Susan from The Well-Seasoned Cook for BWW,
the successful weekly culinary photo event she launched a few months ago.

See you next week!

Weekend Herb Blogging # 318 Hosting Announcement

Many thanks to Simona from Briciole who hosted last week both Italian adn English edition,

I am so glad to announce I will be hosting Weekend Herb Blogging # 318,
  English edition.

WHB was created in October 2005 by Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen, you will find history here. This event has become popular in the years thanks to all bloggers participating with recipes and informative posts about new ways of cooking with herbs or unusual plant ingredients.
Since November 2008 Haalo of Cook (almost) Anything At Least Once has been managing this weekly event, all recaps here.

Simple and clear rules, youn can read also here:

- Post about any herb, fruit, flower, plant or vegetable.
- Entries must be written specifically for WHB, no other post-crossed events allowed.
- Post must contain the phrase Weekend Herb Blogging, a link to the host of the week and her site, a link to Haalo and Kalyn too.
- You can blog anytime in the week but email your post by:

• 3pm Sunday - Utah Time
• 9pm Sunday - London Time
• 10pm Sunday - Rome Time
• 8am Monday - Melbourne (Aus) Time

(you can use this converter to find corresponding time in your location)

When your post is blogged, please email me at cmc AT cindystar DOT it with WHB#318 in the subject line including the following details:

• Your Name
• Your Blog Name/URL
• Your Post URL
• Your Location
• Photo: 300px wide

Recap will be on line on Monday, 30th January.

If you would like to be a WHB's host in the future please read Haalo's instructions here.

Puré di mele - WHB # 317

Non è propiamente un puré nel vero senso della parola, non è propiamente una salsa non avendone la giusta consistenza, ma è un insolito accompagnamento per carni, specialmente quelle di maiale, che rinfresca il palato e pulisce la bocca da sapori forti o grassi, come per esempio salsicce & co. Ma sarà perfetto anche con il più tradizionale tacchino delle feste o con l'arrosto della domenica.

L'utilizzo della cipolla rossa, meglio se di Tropea, gli conferisce questo bel colore rosato, quasi raro nelle preparazioni salate. Facile e veloce, si conserva in frigo per qualche giorno, io lo preferisco servito appena tiepido o meglio a temperatura ambiente.
La ricetta viene dal corso Frutta Golosa di Gianfranco delle Tamerici.

Ingredienti:

• 2 mele, sbucciate e affettate
• 1 cipolla rossa, affettata
• olio extravergine di oliva
• burro
• sale/pepe
• vino bianco

 

In una padella mettere una noce di burro e un filo di olio. Aggiungere la cipolla e soffriggere qualche minuto, poi aggiungere le mele, far insaporire, salare e pepare e sfumare con mezzo bicchiere scarso di vino bianco.

Portare a cottura (circa 15 minuti) controllando che non bruci e asciughi troppo, ma nel contempo che non resti acquoso (eventualmente far evaporare i liquidi a fiamma vivace per un paio di minuti).

Trasferire in un mixer e frullare bene. Servire formando delle quenelle coln l'aiuto di due cucchiai.



This recipe is my personal entry to WHB # 317

hosted by Simona from  Briciole

both for Italian and English edition.

     Thanks again to Haalo who manages greatfully all events,
and to Bri for the Italian edition.
Thanks again to Kalyn for her successfull idea!

Who's hosting

WHB Rules

Mashed Pot-Apples

Not properly a real sauce, it has not the right texture, but an unusual accompaniment to any kind of meat, especially pork, which refreshes the palate after strong flavors or fats, such as sausages, for example. But it will suit also traditional turkey or Sunday roast.

Red onion, better Tropea ones, gives this beautiful brilliant pink color, almost rare in savory preparations. Easy and fast, it can be stored in the fridge for a few days. I prefer to serve it barely warm or better at room temperature.

Ingredients:

• 2 apples, peeled and sliced
• 1 red onion, sliced
• extravirgin olive oil
• butter
• white wine
• salt/pepper

Pour a knob of butter and a drizzle of oil in a large pan, add onion and sauté a few minutes, then add apples, give a mix and sautè a few minutes, season with salt and pepper and add half a small glass of white wine.
Cook about15 minutes or until well softened, making sure it does not burn and/or dry out too much, but in the meantime not watery (if necessary let evaporate any liquid over high heat for a couple of minutes).

Blend well in a mixer. Serve shaping the mix into quenelle (oval or egg shape) using two tablespoons.

Black & White Wednesday - Week # 26

Well,  my cooking life is getting easier,

English and Americans recipe are not a nightmare anymore,

no trouble and boring calculations

to convert funny measurements in standard metric grams ...

... these brilliant cups & spoons, a lovely gift from the States,

are my salvation and joy :-).

Last week Gingerbread was an unexpected success.

And out of the kitchen they also worked out pretty well 

to prepare my body scrub, an appreciated Christmas gift.

 

This picture goes to Susan from The Well-Seasoned Cook for BWW,

the successful weekly culinary photo event she launched a few months ago.

 

See you next week!

Ripieno o terrina di pane speziato - Gingerbread Stuffing - WHB # 316

Amo molto il contrasto dolce/salato e questa ricetta di Nigella ha saputo accontentarmi in pieno. L'avevo vista l'anno scorso (o forse erano 2 anni fa?) per televisione e l'ho poi ritrovata con piacere sul suo libro Feast (ma è anche pubblicata sul suo sito). Fa parte delle sue  ricette natalizie che per la maggior parte seguono la tradizione di casa. E' il ripieno ideale per un bel tacchino (che sia il caso di cambiare la mia supercollauata ricetta di sempre? :-), ma adttabilissimo anche per un arrosto di maiale (ed infatti è stato l'abbinamento che ho servito la settimana scorsa ai miei ospiti). Serve il pandolce speziato (il classico Gingerbread) che per l'occasione ho dovuto fare di sana pianta non avendolo trovato in vendita (cosa alquanto difficile nei paraggi :-), ma del quale ho trovato in rete una ricettina facile e simpatica che mi ha dato proprio soddisfazione.  La sua dolcezza ed il suo aroma speziato ben si sposano a con le cipolle, le mele e la pancetta trasformandosi in un mix equilibrato di profumi e consistenze.  

Nigella suggerisce anche che qualsiasi pane dolce aromatizzato, come il nostro classico  panettone, può essere usato con successo nell'impasto.

Ingredienti: 

• 3 cipolle medie, tritate finemente
  
• 2 mele sbucciate e senza torsolo, a piccoli pezzettini
  
• 45 g di burro
• 1 cucchiaio di olio extravergine di oliva
• 750 g di pancetta affumicata (bacon)
• la scorza di 2 clementine o di un'arancia
• 450 g di pan di gingerbread, sbriciolato grossolanamente
  
• 2 uova sbattute
  
•  ½ cucchiaino di pepe macinato fresco 

 

- Mettere il burro e l'olio in una padella larga a fuoco medio e soffriggere le cipolle e le mele finchè risultano tenere, circa 10/15 minuti. 
- Tritare finemente la pancetta nel robot, o a mano, e aggiungerla al compopsto in padella. Cuocere il tutto, mescolando spesso, per circa 5 minuti. 
- Aggiungere la scorza delle clementine/arancia, togliere dal fuoco e lasciare raffreddare prima di unire il pane sbriciolato. Questa mix può essere preparata in anticipo, se necessario, e conservato in frigo ben chiuso. 
- Poco prima di cucinare il ripieno, aggiungere le uova sbattute e il pepe: utilizzare questo mix per farcire il tacchino (o il maiale), oppure cuocere il tutto in uno stampo da plumcake imburrato,  30x12 cm (io l'ho anche spolverizzato con del pangrattato) oppure in una terrina da forno.
- Cuocere in forno caldo a 200 ° per circa 45/50 minuti. Se cotto da solo, meglio coprire con un foglio di alluminio per i primi 30 minuti (ecco perché il mio ripieno è così scuro, non ho seguito il suggerimento :-). 
- Lasciare riposare poi il ripieno nella terrina per un buon 10 minuti fuori dal forno prima di rigir arlo sul piatto di portata e tagliarlo. O più semplicemente prenderlo con un cucchiaio direttamente dallo stampo piatto, sicuramente sarà meno stressante.
 - È possibile fare il ripieno, con le uova e il pepe, e congelarlo per un massimo di 2 settimane. Scongelare poi una notte in frigorifero.

This recipe is my personal entry to WHB # 316

hosted by Simona from Simona’s Kitchen 

both for Italian and English edition.

     Thanks again to Haalo who manages greatfully all events,
and to Bri for the Italian edition.
Thanks again to Kalyn for her successfull idea!

Who's hosting

WHB Rules

Nigella's Gingerbread Stuffing

This recipe appears in Nigella's book Feast and on her site too and it's a seasonal recipe for the festive time. It can be a real stuffing for tutkey or pork, but can also be baked in plumcake mold and serve aside. Crumbled gingerbread cake replaces breadcrumbs, and the sweetness but spiced aroma of it well suits with onions, apples and bacon and create a balanced mix. I had to make my own gingerbread (and found a very nice easy recipe on the web) as it is very hard to buy it here, but Nigella suggest that any sweet, spiced bread, such as panettone, would work well too. It was love at first bite! :-)

Ingredients:

• 500 g (3 medium-sized) onions, finely chopped
• 2 eating apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
• 45 g butter
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 750 g streaky bacon
• zest of 2 clementines or an orange
• 450 g gingerbread loave, loosely crumbled
• 2 eggs, beaten
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

- Put butter and oil in a large wide saucepan over a medium heat and fry onions and apples until soft, about 10–15 minutes.

- Finely chop the bacon in the processor, or by hand, and add to the softened onion and apple mixture. Cook everything, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes more. 

- Add the zest of the clementines or orange, take the pan off the heat and let it cool before mixing in the gingerbreadcrumbs. This mixture can be prepared in advance if necessary and stored in the fridge.. 

- Just before you want to cook the stuffing, add the beaten eggs and pepper: use this mix to stuff the cavity of your turkey (or pork), or cook all of it (or what’s left afterstuffing your bird) in a buttered baking dish (it will fill a 30x12 cm plumcake mold). 

- Bake it in a hot oven 200°C with your turkey for about the last 45 minutes. If the stuffing’s going into a full oven – which it no doubt is – there should be no need to cover the dish. If the oven is less full, and therefore hotter and less steamy, you could cover with foil for the first 30 minutes (that's why my stuffing is darker, because I didn't follow the suggestion :-). 

- Let the cooked stuffing sit in its terrine for a good 10 minutes out of the oven before turning it out and slicing it. Or just spoon from the dish if that’s less stressfull.
- You can make the stuffing, with the eggs and pepper, and freeze for up to 2 weeks. Thaw overnight in the fridge.