Last night, we had a pleasant and easy Italian dinner with a Tuscan entrée and a Sicilian side dish. The entrée I prepared was Pan-Fried Sausage and Mushrooms (Tegamata di Salsiccia e Funghi) and the side dish was Green Beans with Tomato and Bell Pepper Sauce (Fagiolini alla Peperonata). Both dishes were delicious.
The wine we had was a Spanish wine - 2008 Cap Blau Montsant, which is a mix of 3 grapes - 40% Mazuelo, 40% Syrah, and 20% Garnacha. It was very nice, and retails for about $17.
1. Pan-Fried Sausage and Mushrooms
This recipe is from the cookbook, Tuscany the Beautiful Cookbook, by Lorenza de' Medici, descendant of the famous de' Medici family. The recipe is from the Grosseto part of the Maremma area of Tuscany. The Maremma is sort of the Wild West of Tuscany. The sausage used in the Grosseto area is wild-boar sausage - not easy to find in Florida, so I used mild Italian sausage.
Since the recipe serves 6 and just my wife and I were having dinner, I cut the recipe in half. One substitution I had to make was fresh shiitake mushrooms for fresh porcini mushrooms. I would love to have been able to use porcini. The recipe is on page 151 of the cookbook. It is very easy to make. The following is the version of the recipe that serves 6.
1&1/4 lb of fresh porcini (or shiitake or button) mushrooms
2 lb wild-boar sausage or sweet Italian sausage
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
3 garlic cloves, chopped
salt
1 tbsp thyme or fresh mint. (I used thyme. I don't think I'd like mint with this dish.)
Directions
a. Clean the mushrooms by rubbing them with a damp cloth. Do not wash them. Trim the mushroom stems, slice the mushrooms, and set them aside.
b. Prick the sausages with a fork. In a skillet over moderate heat, warm the olive oil. Add the sausages and fry until they start to turn brown, about 5 minutes. Remove some of the cooking fat and pour in the vinegar. Continue cooking until the vinegar evaporates, about 5 minutes.
c. Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook for another 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt, sprinkle the thyme or mint, and stir well.
d. Serve hot.
2. Green Beans with Tomato and Bell Pepper Sauce
This Sicilian recipe is from the cookbook, Italy the Beautiful Cookbook, also by Lorenza de' Medici. It is on page 186. As I've mentioned before, this excellent cookbook was a gift from a friend.
This recipe also serve 6, so I cut three of the ingredients in half - the bell peppers, the green beans, and the oregano. The following is the version that serves 6.
Ingredients
2 ripe tomatoes
2 yellow bell peppers (I used a red bell pepper)
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 onion sliced
2 garlic cloves sliced
1&1/4 lb green beans
salt & freshly ground pepper
2 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
Directions
a. Drop the tomatoes into a saucepan of boiling water for a few seconds (I do it for 30 seconds), then peel & chop them. Halve and seed the peppers, then cut them into strips.
b. Heat the oil in a skillet, add the onion, and garlic, and sauté until the onion is golden. Add the peppers and cook gently for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook over medium-low heat for 30 minutes.
c. Meanwhile,, trim the beans and cook for two minutes in a large pot of boiling salted water. Drain and add to the other vegetables. Season with salt and pepper, and finish cooking for a few more minutes. Transfer to a serving plate, sprinkle with the oregano, and serve.
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