Mediterranean Tips & Recipes

Fennel with Parmesan Cheese

Courtesy: The Complete Cookbook

4 fennel bulbs
1 clove garlic crushed
½ lemon sliced
2 T olive oil
1 t salt
3 T butter melted
2 T grated Parmesan cheese

Cut the top shoots and base off the fennel and remove the tough outer layers. Cut into segments and place in a pan with the garlic, lemon, oil and salt. Cover with water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes until just tender.
Drain well and place in a heatproof dish. Drizzle with the butter. Sprinkle with the cheese and season to taste.
Place under a preheated grill until the cheese has browned. Best served piping hot.

Broccoli Raab with Honey and Grapes

Courtesy: The Farmer's Kitchen

1 bunch broccoli raab
2 t olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t red pepper flakes
1/2 t ground cumin
1 c grapes, cut in half
2 T honey, or more to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste


Trim the ends off the broccoli raab and chop coarsely. Wash and drain, then dry in a clean dish towel or salad spinner.

Heat a large pan over high heat. Add the oil, then the garlic, and cook for 30 seconds until aromatic. Add the chili flakes, Aleppo pepper and cumin, and cook for 30 seconds more to toast them. Add the raab, and cook, stirring frequently, until it turns bright green. If the pan seems dry, add 1/4 cup of water.

Stir in the grapes and honey, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Veal Rolls with Fennel

6 veal steaks (schnitzel)
3 medium fennel bulbs
2 bacon rashers, chopped
45g butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 c water
1 clove garlic crushed
¼ c chopped parsley
¼ c grated parmesan cheese
1/3 c plain flour
2 T oil
1 T cornflour
1 small beef stock cube, crumbled
2T brandy
2 t French mustard
¼ c cream

Pound steaks until thin. Cut fennel into strips. Cook bacon in frying pan until just crisp, add half the butter and onion, cook stirring until onion is soft, add fennel and cook 5 minutes. Add 1T water, garlic, 1T parsley and cook 2 minutes. Sprinkle one side of each steak evenly with cheese, top with fennel mixture, roll up and secure with skewers. Toss rolls in flour. Heat oil and remaining butter in large frying pan, add rolls, cook until golden brown. Drain and place rolls in single layer in shallow oven proof dish. Blend cornflour with remaining water and stock cube, add brandy and mustard and pour over rolls. Cover and bake in moderate oven for one hour or until rolls are tender. Baste and stir mixture several times during the cooking time. Remove rolls, stir cream and remaining parsley into dish. Serve sauce over rolls.

Pinzimonio

This is more of a suggestion than a recipe. Pinzimonio can be, depending upon the occasion, either a vegetable or a tasty antipasto. It's wonderful either way.

Vegetables, Olive Oil, Salt and Pepper

Prepare a big bowl of fresh tasty vegetables, cut into strips or pieces. Whatever you prefer that doesn't sag, e.g. peppers, cauliflower, artichokes, celery or carrots.
Serve olive oil and vinegar on the table along with salt & pepper. Give your diners small bowls in which to mix up a sauce with the olive oil and vinegar, seasoning to taste. They then dip their veggies in their sauce and eat.

You could also have other condiments handy (perhaps mustard) for those who want to make richer dipping sauces.

Peperonata

1/4 c olive oil
2 red bell peppers, seeded, sliced into long strips
2 yellow bell peppers, seeded, sliced into long strips
2 orange or green bell peppers, seeded, sliced into long strips
1 large onion, sliced into half-circles
4 garlic cloves, sliced thin
1 T dried oregano
1 T sugar
4-5 Roma or other plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 c fresh basil, leaves torn roughly
Lemon juice


Heat olive oil in a large pan on medium high heat. When the oil is almost smoking, add the onions. Sprinkle with a little salt and sauté for 2-3 minutes, until the onions just begin to colour.

Add the peppers and stir well to combine with the onions. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring often. The peppers should be al dente—cooked, but with a little crunch left in them.

Add the garlic and sauté another 1-2 minutes. Sprinkle a little more salt over everything and add the sugar and dried oregano. Cook 1 minute. Add the diced tomatoes, and cook just one minute further.

Turn off the heat and mix in the torn basil. Grind some black pepper over everything. Right before serving squeeze a little lemon juice over the dish.