Black Bean Mango Salsa Halibut

Serves 4

Halibut can get as big as nearly 500 pounds, but is typically harvested at about 50 to 100 pounds. The smaller the halibut the better the fish will be. The smallest halibut is about 10 to 20 pounds and is the best you can get. Of course the better the fish the more expensive it will be. When selecting fresh halibut look for a fish with a fresh odor (doesn't smell fishy), firm meat and a wet appearance. Halibut is easy to grill. The direct heat cooks fish fast, easy and without removing moisture. Grilled fish is flavorful and juicy. Make sure it doesn't stick. Whether you oil the cooking surface or brush the fish with a little oil, make sure that you have a non-stick surface to work with.

Ingredients

• 4-6oz Halibut filets
• 2oz olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground Pepper to taste
• 1 lemon, quartered

Salsa

• 1 cup cooked or canned black beans
• 2 ripe mangos, peeled and diced small
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced small
• 1/2 green bell pepper, diced small
• 1/2 red onion, diced small
• 3/4 cup pineapple juice
• 1/2 cup lime juice (about 4 limes)
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 2 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp minced red or green Chile pepper of your choice
• Salt and Fresh cracked black pepper

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients for the salsa and mix together well. Cover and keep refrigerated. This Caribbean inspired salsa is great with grilled or broiled fish and can be made a day in advance.
2. Place the halibut filets in a bowl, season them lightly with salt and freshly ground pepper, add the oil and marinate for one hour.
3. Preheat a grill or a broiler. With a brush, coat the surface of the grill with oil to prevent the halibut from sticking. Place halibut on the grill and cook for about six minutes on each side. You can tell it's done when the meat flakes easily with a fork.
4. Spoon the salsa onto four serving plates, place the halibut over the salsa, add a quarter of a lemon for garnish, and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Minestrone

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup dried white beans, soaked overnight
• 1/2 cup dried red beans, soaked overnight
• 2-1/2 quarts cold water
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 potatoes, peeled and diced
• 6 stalks celery, diced
• 1 head of escarole, washed and coarsely chopped
• 1 small zucchini, diced
• 1/4 lb fresh string beans
• 3 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped, or 1 small can plum tomatoes
• 1/4 cup peas
• 4 tbs olive oil
• 1/4 lb pasta (small cut, your choice)
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Put the pre-soaked beans in a heavy pot, cover with water, and cook for 1½ hours or until the beans are tender. Strain and set aside. In a large saucepan, sauté the onion with the olive oil until the onion is transparent, adding the carrots, potatoes, celery, and escarole. Simmer at a low heat for ten minutes, stirring gently, mixing the vegetables as they cook. Add the water, tomatoes, peas, zucchini, string beans, and the cooked white and red beans. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, add the pasta, and cook for ten minutes. Take note: it may be necessary to add more water to keep the pasta and vegetables well covered. Serve in your favorite bowl with the grated parmesan cheese on the side.
2. Recipes for Minestrone are based on interpretations which vary not only from region to region in Italy, but also from restaurant to restaurant. Other variations depend upon the prevailing regional produce and what the cook has available. It customarily implies vegetables in the soup, accompanied by a starchy supplement such as small pastina, cubed potatoes, dried beans, or rice. This hearty soup will serve you well as a start to your meal as this winter season approaches. Buon Appetito!

Mozzarella in Carrozza

Serves 4

In Italy Mozzarella in Carrozza, also called Spiedino alla Romana, is prepared differently depending on the region it comes from. The variation of this dish is found in the preparation of the sauce. Here is one of my favorite ways to prepare it:

Ingredients

• 8 thin slices of French or Italian bread
• 8 slices of fresh mozzarella cheese cut 1/2 inch thick and about the same size as the slices of bread
• 1/2 cup of milk
• 1 cup of all-purpose flour
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups of breadcrumbs
• 1 cup of vegetable oil (for deep-frying)
• For The Sauce
• 8 plum tomatoes, diced
• 2 tbsp of nonpareil capers
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped fine
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup of chicken stock
• 6 pitted green olives, sliced
• 6 pitted black olives, sliced
• Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Place the mozzarella cheese in between two slices of bread, making a sandwich. Sprinkle the undersides of the bread with a little milk, dust the bread with flour. Dip in beaten eggs and then in breadcrumbs, pressing the bread down firmly around the edges so that it will adhere and set aside.
2. Sautee the garlic in the butter; add the diced tomatoes and cook for three minutes over medium heat. Add the capers, chicken stock and sliced pitted olives, and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. In a separate pan, heat the oil to 375°. Fry the breaded mozzarella to a golden brown on each side (turning once). Place the remaining four pieces of the fresh mozzarella on top of the breaded sandwiches, baking until the cheese slightly melts. Place in a serving platter, cover with sauce and serve immediately.

Mussels Pepate

Serves 4

Mussels have finally made their mark and people of all walks of life are taking delight in gathering their own bounty, whether from the sea or the market place. With so many different people experimenting with what mussels have to offer, it’s understandable why there are just as many unique ways to prepare them. Mussels are particularly abundant along the Atlantic Coast and are gathered in the harbor of it’s seaports. Most of today’s mussels are “cultivated”. This cultivation process entails placing oak poles in long rows about three feet apart in areas where the mussels are exposed at low tide. This process allows the mussels to be thinned and harvested easily. This concept of farming seafood has been practiced in the Far East well before 500 B.C. Two of the most commonly harvested mussels are: the “Blue Mussels” (also known as the “Black Mussels”, served here), followed by the “New Zealand Green Shelled Mussels”. In preparation, mussels must be scrubbed under cold running water and the black “beard” pulled off. Particular care should be taken to ensure that mussels be alive before cooking. Discard any mussels whose shells do not close when given a slight tap.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs mussels
• 8 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 2 tbs fresh chopped parsley
• Freshly ground pepper (to taste)
• 3 tbs butter
• 4 pieces of crusty bread (Frizelles)

Instructions

1. Sautee garlic and butter in a large sauce pan over medium heat for one minute. Add the mussels and wine, cook for about four minutes until mussels open. Shake the pan occasionally while cooking. Add the fresh ground pepper and parsley. Continue cooking for two more minutes. Be sure to avoid evaporation of the broth. Serve in soup plates with broth over the crusty bread. Serves 4 as an appetizer, 2 as a main course.
2. Please note: It’s very important to discard any mussel whose shell does not open AFTER cooking.

Napa Valley Spinach Salad

The simplest and most popular salad is fresh greens dressed with oil and vinegar (or vinaigrette, which is 3 part oil to 1 part vinegar or lemon juice, may be varied according to taste) and seasoned with salt and pepper. In addition to salt and pepper, it may be seasoned with fresh herbs, mustard, garlic, shallots, meats, chicken, nuts, or fresh fruits, etc. The possible variations of seasoning are almost infinite. Greens for a salad should be always washed and completely dried before adding the dressing; a salad spinner is the best way to dry the greens. When the salad is dry, the leaf is crispier and flavorful. This is a perfect summer salad that combines fresh fruit, nuts, and vegetables. A salad worth trying!

Ingredients

Melon Vinaigrette

• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 4 oz of seedless watermelon
• 2 oz of sweet honeydew
• 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
• 4 oz of grape seed oil
• Pinch of ground coriander
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon of honey
• 2 oz of raspberry vinegar

Salad

• 3 cups of baby spinach leaf
• 4 tablespoon of your favorite dry nuts
• The remaining of the diced melon.

Instructions

1. Liquefy in a blender, 3 oz watermelon and 1 oz honeydew. Dice the remaining for garnish.
2. In a mixing bowl, add the liquefied watermelon and honeydew, honey, salt and pepper, chopped garlic, brown sugar, the coriander, and the raspberry vinegar. Slowly whisk in the grape seed oil and chill for 1 hour.
3. In a large salad bowl, add the baby spinach leaf, the dried nuts, and the diced melon. Add the watermelon vinaigrette and toss gently. To further enhance this salad you can also add shrimp, chicken, or pork.

Orecchiette Autunno

Serves 4

There are two categories of squash - summer and winter. One of the most popular is the butternut squash, a member of the winter category. This squash has a hard, thick skin and it is filled with seeds. Butternut squash is available during the early fall through winter. The squash can range in sizes from 8 to 12 inches long, about 3 to 5 inches wide, and weighing up to 3 pounds. The color of the butternut squash varies from a yellow to light tan. Inside, the flesh is orange and has a sweet flavor.

Ingredients

• 1 lb Orecchiette (or-ek-yet-te...means little ears) or your favorite cut pasta
• 1 medium butternut squash
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic, sliced thin
• 20 Gaeta olives (pitted)
• 5 sun-dried tomato or freshly chopped tomatoes
• 1 bunch broccoli florets
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper

Instructions

1. Peel squash and cut in half lengthwise. Remove center seeds and strings, and cut into 1-inch cubes.
2. In a large frying pan, sauté garlic in olive oil till golden, add the diced butternut squash, and cook for couple minutes, add the broccoli, Gaeta olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and the chicken broth. Season with salt and pepper and simmer for about ten minutes.
3. Cook orecchiette aldente, drain, place in large bowl, add the mix to the pasta, add cheese, and toss. Place in pasta bowls and serve.
4. This is a quick and healthy meal. With the holidays approaching, you can prepare this fall (autunno) dish for your company.

Orecchiette Barese

Serves 4

The orecchiette dish is deceptively simple, but the key to success is in the balance of the seasoning, (which is often the case in cooking.) Just allow enough time for the seasoning to take effect before you add more.

Ingredients

• 1 lb Orecchiette (little ears) Pasta
• 4 cloves Garlic, chopped fine
• 4 Tbs. Olive oil
• 2 Anchovy fillets, chopped fine
• 1 Cherry Pepper, sliced thin
• 3 Tbs. Grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 Bunches Broccoli Rabe chopped

Instructions

1. Boil 8 cups water with 2 Tbs. salt and add the pasta. When the water returns to boiling, add the broccoli rabe and cook until pasta is al dente.
2. While the pasta and broccoli rabe are cooking, sauté the garlic in oil over medium heat. When the garlic is golden, lower the heat and stir in the anchovies and cherry peppers with 4 Tbs. of water from the pasta.
3. Drain the pasta and broccoli rabe, add the grated cheese and garlic & cherry pepper mixture. Mix well and serve immediately.

Orecchiette Rizzuto

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 lb Orecchiette (little ears) pasta
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped fine
• 4 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 yellow zucchini, diced 1/4 inch thick (1 cup)
• 1 green zucchini, diced 1/4 inch thick (1 cup)
• 3 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese
• 2 bunches broccoli florets, chopped
• 1 yellow tomato, diced 1/4 inch thick (1 cup)
• 1 red plum tomato, diced 1/4 inch thick (1 cup)
• 12 medium shrimp, peeled and cleaned
• 1 cherry pepper, chopped (optional)
• Fresh ground pepper

Instructions

1. Boil 8 cups water with 2 tbsp. salt. Then add the pasta, stirring so it does not stick together. Cook for five minutes. Next, add the zucchini and broccoli florets and cook until the pasta is al dente (about five more minutes).
2. While the pasta and vegetables are cooking, sauté the garlic in oil over medium heat using a 10-inch skillet. When the garlic is golden-brown, lower the heat and stir in the tomatoes, cherry pepper, and shrimps. Sauté for 3 minutes, adding 4 tbsp. of water from the pasta.
3. Drain the pasta and add the garlic, cherry pepper, tomato, and shrimp mixture. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and mix well. Season to taste with salt and fresh ground pepper and serve immediately.
4. This recipe will enlighten your taste buds while pleasing your eyes with its combination of colors. Buon appetito!