Sauteed Mussels

Source : Italianfoodforever

Cozze ~ Simple, yet delicious. This recipe is so easy it is hard to believe it tastes so good!

:Serves 4:

by Deborah Mele

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To ensure the best result, use the freshest mussels you can find. To clean, scrub under running water removing the "beards" or vegetation attached. Keep the mussels in a bowl in the fridge in a little water until you are ready to use them. Don't leave them in a closed plastic bag or they will die before you have a chance to cook them.


3 Tbs. Olive Oil

1 Medium Onion, Chopped

2 Stalks of Celery, Chopped

3-4 Cloves of Garlic, Minced

Salt & Pepper to Taste

1/2 Cup Dry White Wine

1 Cup Water

1 (14 oz.) Can Chopped Tomatoes

3 Pounds Mussels, Scrubbed with Beards Removed

1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Parsley


Heat the oil in a large saucepan and sauté the onion, celery and garlic until translucent. Add the tomatoes, salt and pepper and cook 5-10 minutes or until the sauce begins to thicken. Add the wine and cook an additional 10 minutes, adding as much water as needed if the sauce bevomes too thick. Add the cleaned, drained mussels, cover, and cook until the shells open, which should be about 5 additional minutes. Add the parsley just before serving. You can serve this dish on grilled garlic bread, spooning the juices over the bread in a shallow bowl, or serve with a good crusty bread on the side.

Fave Bean And Shrimp Salad

Source : Italianfoodforever

A perfect spring or summer starter when fave beans are in season. It's colorful appearance is particularly attractive.

:Serves 4:

by Deborah Mele

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This light, tasty recipe is a perfect summer starter. Although fava beans are generally early spring vegetables, I have been seeing them in our stores during the summer months. You could substitute any other fresh, summer vegetable if you cannot find fresh fava beans.


1/2 Pound Medium Shrimp, Peeled And Deveined

1 Pound Fava Beans

1/2 Pound Small Green Beans

2 Heads of Fennel

1/2 Cup White Wine

1/2 Cup Chicken Broth

1/2 Lemon

1 Large Tomato, Finely Diced


Sauce:

1 Tablespoon Of Lemon Juice

2 Tablespoons Of White Wine Vinegar

1/4 Cup Olive Oil

1/4 Cup Fresh Basil Leaves

1 Tablespoon Capers

Salt & Pepper To Taste


Shell the fava beans, discarding the pods. Cook in boiling water until tender. Drain and place in an ice water bath. Prepare the green beans in the same manner, set aside. Poach the shrimp in boiling water for 2 minutes, remove.

Remove the tops from the fennel, as well as any brown outside pieces. Slice thinly lengthwise. Place in a large pan with the white wine, lemon, chicken broth, and enough water to barely cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Set aside. Make the sauce adding all the ingredients into a blender and pulse. On each of four plates, arrange first the fennel slices, then the shrimp, and beans in an attractive manner. Scatter the diced tomato around the plates and then drizzle each plate with some of the dressing. Decorate with some fennel fronds, and serve.

Fried Calamari

Source : Italianfoodforever

Crispy rings of tender calamari are great as an appetizer served with a spicy tomato sauce or garlicky mayonaise.

:Serves 4:

by Deborah Mele

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Calamari need to be either cooked quickly on high heat, or cooked for a long period on a slow simmer. Anything in between can lead to a chewy result. Fried for just under a minute in hot oil as in this recipe results in tender, crispy rings of calamari. Use your favorite dipping sauce to serve, although I like to use a simple tomato sauce spiced up with a pinch of red pepper flakes. If you have never cleaned squid before, you might find their appearance a bit intimidating, however they are actually quite easy to clean.


2 Pounds Cleaned Squid (Instructions Below)

1 Cup Flour

1 Cup Cornmeal

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

1/2 Teaspoon Pepper

Vegetable Oil For Frying


Suggestions For Dipping Sauce:

Quick Tomato Sauce, Or Garlic Mayonnaise


Cleaning Squid: To clean the squid, first pull out the tentacles and head. Set these aside. Remove the cartilage that runs down the back, and anything that is inside the tube. Run under cold water. Pull off the two wing pieces, and remove the skin. Slice the cleaned tube into 1 inch rings. Take the tentacles and cut off the head just below the eyes, and discard this. Remove the hard beak inside.

Place the cleaned calamari in the freezer for 5 minutes before cooking. Put 2 inches of oil into a pot, and heat to 375 degrees F. Mix the flour, cornmeal and spices together in a plastic bag. Drop in the calamari and shake well to cover with the coating. Drop the calamari into the hot oil, and cook for just under a minute, until they are golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve with your favorite dipping sauces.

Cooks Note: A great way to serve fried calamari, is to put a handful on top of a dish of spaghetti already dressed with a good spicy tomato sauce. If you prefer a crispier crust to your calamari, dip them in beaten egg before dropping them into the coating.