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Gnoccho Fritto con Affetati

My mother taught me at a very young age how to eat and still maintain the integrity of one’s lipstick.  So when Signor Morandi served me my first plate of gnoccho fritto, and I picked up a knife and fork, you can imagine his expression.  He patiently showed me how to fold it, proving that the integrity of his gnocchi far outweighed the integrity of my lipstick.  

Gnoccho Fritto con Affetati - literally translated: knot or lump fried with salami.  

The more detailed translation: Small squares of dough that puff into light, hollow, airy pillows when deep-fried.  The crust is thin, golden and cracker-like, with a little give that consents to folding without crumbling.  These gnocchi are usually topped right out of the hot fat with thinly-sliced cured meats (prosciutto, prosciutto cotto and various salamis), which are then folded like a sandwich and eaten warm.  The heat slightly melds the fat-laced prosciutto with the warm pastry -- it’s quite a rich textural experience.

Not always getting great results with other recipes, I experimented a while and created a recipe I love.  It’s not for the faint-hearted, even with olive oil replacing the lard.  But, it’s a very easy process.  And good news for those who don’t have the best of luck with yeast-risen projects, gnoccho fritto is rolled and fried - no unforgiving rising sequence or rebellious gluten.  Just remember to leave the flatware in the drawer, gnoccho fritto tastes better folded over, plus, you don’t lose your salami.  

 

Broiled Grits with Smoky Bacon & Sharp Cheddar

Broiled grits is an excellent dinner party dish.  Made and topped in advance, this method lets you focus on your guests, not your grits.  When it’s time to serve, place them under the broiler for a few minutes to heat the grits and melt the cheese.  It’s also a great way to use up leftovers.

For an authentic touch, stir the grease from the bacon right into the grits at the end to dirty them up -- just don't tell your cardiologist.  If you don’t want the extra step of cooking bacon, a little chopped Kentucky ham is a delicious substitution.  

Southern Boiled Peanuts

“Fresh peanuts seem to occupy a space between snack food and a habit, like chewing tobacco.  As any diehard boiled peanut fan can attest, the salty, wet little beans inspire your mind to take a lazy walk while your hand shuttles between bag and mouth and your teeth do the chewing.”

--Matt & Ted Lee, The Lee Bros. Southern Cooking

Boiled peanuts can be a bit disconcerting upon the first encounter -- not unlike wondering who licked them all before you got there.  But once you get over the fact that roasting isn’t the peanut’s only path to the snack bowl, they can become very addicting.  They were definitely the conversation starter at our last dinner party.

Slow Weekend: Antinori, Fries & Coltrane

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Not much beats a slow weekend in the kitchen.  Pots simmering, chocolate things baking, crispy things frying, corks popping, spices wafting.  By yourself or with someone you love, slow weekend cooking is pleasurable.  Don’t forget to turn on a little Coltrane -- anything is gratifying with Coltrane.  Even sweeping is hot with John Coltrane.

The Fries:

This weekend, might I suggest French fries.  Deep-fried potatoes are delicious and good for your soul -- don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.  Deep-frying is actually quite easy to master.  Once you do, you’ll be deep-frying everything, trust me.  All you need is a heavy-bottomed pot, peanut or canola oil, a deep fat frying thermometer, a few potatoes and salt.  I defer to Anthony Bourdain for the perfect French fry instructions (recipe below).

Potato Latkes

I was enamored with Jewish traditions in my early twenties.  Admittedly, the fascination was mostly food oriented, luring me into every Jewish cookbook I could find.  But, since mine was a Gramma, not a Bubbe, there were no secret latke recipes passed down the family tree.  Luckily, the blogosphere brings a wealth of useful information, and with it, the perfect latke recipe.

Corn Dogs

Oh, for Pete's sake, don't give me that look -- everyone loves a good corn dog.  However, there are two main camps: ketchupers and mustardites (if you are an aiolian or “special saucier”, your just throwing your vote away).  I’m a nonjudgemental mustardite -- I likes it spicy.  Regardless of your position, this dog recipe is condimentally nonpartisan.  Fry up a batch for your holiday party.  There may be a few moderately judgmental glances at first, but trust me, they'll love you.

Mini Popovers

These mini popovers are a great appetizer idea -- they can be baked ahead of time without fear of deflation, and can be topped with anything.  This recipe bakes the cheese right in, which helps it settle into the popover, creating a small indentation to hold another topping (roasted tomatoes, onion marmalade, etc.); if the cheese is put on after the popover is baked, it has a difficult time staying on.

2001 Domaine Ste. Michelle Luxe Sparkling with Cod Tempura, Lemon Beurre Blanc & Grilled Cantaloupe

Squeeze every drop of enjoyment out of the last few summery days with a little something grilled, a little something fried and a little something bubbly. Cod tempura with a lemon beurre blanc, grilled cantaloupe, and avocado on a bed of lettuces should do the trick. And these flavors are quite fantastic with the 2001 Domaine Ste. Michelle Luxe Sparkling.

The Pairing:
Honestly, every ingredient just sings with the Luxe’s toasty, lush bubbles. The hot, crisp, rich battered fish is a delightful contrast in both temperature and texture; the unctuous avocado matches the Luxe’s lushness; the grilled cantaloupe’s smoky-sweetness is a delightful surprise; and the buttery lemon sauce not only goes well with the Luxe, but enhances the cod’s flavor and gives a refreshing, lemony lift to the entire dish.

The Luxe:
Luxe is Domaine Ste. Michelle’s premier sparkler, and rightly so. She’s got a toasty, apple and honey nose; flavors of pears, almonds & vanilla; and tight, everlasting bubbles. It’s a very food friendly wine with a great depth of flavor. Many chefs say, when in doubt, serve bubbly -- you couldn’t go wrong with this one.

The Salad:
Cod tempura - dip chunks of cod (dried well on a paper towel and lightly salted) into tempura batter (box-mix with Jean George’s addition of sherry vinegar, salt & sesame oil) and deep fry in 350° peanut oil until crisp, golden and cooked through.

Crab & Prawn Potstickers with Chipotle Crema and Ginger Martinis

Mixologists are the new hotties of the food world; and when they & restaurant chefs work symbiotically, we are all rewarded with fabulous, mind-blowing cocktail pairings.

Mixing cocktails is actually quite easy and gives you control of the overall flavor, thus, the overall pairing. Just decide on a dish, devise a flavor that goes well with it, use that as the cocktail's main flavor profile, and then play with the subtleties -- secondary flavors, acidity, sweetness, bitterness, etc.

Dreaming up food & cocktail pairings is pretty fun, then experimenting with flavors and textures is -- well, when you nail it, it can be extremely satisfying.

For my last dinner party I served shrimp & crab potstickers. I wanted a matching cocktail with simple, clean, refreshing flavors. Lemon really sings with seafood, fresh ginger went with the Asian theme, and both flavors are clean and refreshing. I tinkered around with a ginger martini recipe I found online, then added Lime Perrier for texture and to reduce the alcohol level, and lemon verbena to put it over the edge. I gave the combo a test run and that was it -- that was the match -- it was just the flavor profile I was looking for.

Crab & Prawn Potstickers with Chipotle-Lime Crema
(If memory serves, pretty close to what I did the other night -- and it made about 40)

Columbia Crest 2005 H3 Merlot & Meatball Crostini with Roasted Fennel

Ever had a wine that just wouldn’t give it up, but the next month its flavors are virtually leaping out of the glass?