Soup and Spaghetti Clams and Mussels

Minestrone Soup (Abruzzi style)

Spaghetti with Clams and Mussels (Milanese style)

Minestrone Soup (serves 6 )

Ingredients

50 ml olive oil plus 25 ml

1large red onion cut large dice

1celery stalk cut large dice

1 carrot peeled and cut large size

100 gr chunks or prosciutto large dice

4 medium tomatoes cut same as above vegetables

15 ml fresh cut Italian parsley

1 ½ Lt vegetable stock

salt and fresh ground pepper

4 small zucchini diced

200 ml arborio rice

2 yellow peppers or orange bell peppers roasted and cored and skinned cut int strips

Choppered parmigiana-reggiano

50 ml fresh chopped parsley

Method

1 in a soup pot ,heat 50 ml oil over medium heat until hot, but not smoking.

2.Add the onion and cook, stirring for 1 minute.

3.Lower the heat to low, and add the celery, carrots and garlic.

4.Allow to simmer over low heat until the vegetables begin to soften, about 10 minutes.

5.Add the ham pieces and cook 2 more minutes, stirring occasionally.

6.Add the tomatoes and the parsley. Cook for 5 more minutes so that the flavuors meld.
7.Add the hot stock and season with salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, and add the zucchini and the rice.

8.Bring back to a boil and then lower the heat so that the liquid is simmering. Let simmer gently until the rice is cooked, about 40 minutes. Remember to stir the soup occasionally. Add more stock, if necessary.
9.When the rice is cooked, add the roasted peppers and remove the soup from the heat. Stir in Parmesan, to taste, and top each serving with some chopped basil,and sprinkle pop,s spices.

Spaghetti with Clams and Mussels: (serves 6 )

Ingredients

125 ml olive oil
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 kg canned tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped
Sea salt and black pepper
500 gr Manila clams, scrubbed
500 gr mussels, scrubbed
125 ml white wine
500 gr spaghetti
100ml Italian parsley, leaves finely chopped

Method

Bring 1 ½ lt of water to a boil and add 30 ml salt salt.

1.In a saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat, and add the garlic. Cook 2 minutes, then add the tomatoes. Raise the heat and cook until the tomatoes give off their juices, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and add the mollusks and white wine. Cook, stirring and tossing, until all of the mollusks have opened, about 10 minutes. Discard any that have not opened.

2.Meanwhile, cook the pasta in the boiling water until tender yet al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain and add to the pan with the sauce. Cook over high heat 2 minutes, adding the parsley and adjusting the seasoning with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve immediately.

Holiday Antipasto

Antipasto Italiano

Ingredients

250 ml. olive oil

6 cloves garlic chopped

500 gr chopped Spanish onions

1 stalk of celery chopped

250 gr chopped carrots

700 gr chopped fresh tomatoes

1 kg chopped fresh jalapenos

500 ml tomato juice

100 gr chopped fresh parsley

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Heat olive oil and sauté all vegetable less the parsley for about 20 minutes not soft until very crispy.

2. Add tomato juice bring to a boil and add parsley season with salt and pepper and let cool down

3. Best served cold

Thinking about Christmas Appetizers

Some Christmas  Appetizers

Bruschetta alla melanzane (eggplant bruschetta )

Ingredients

60ml olive oil

1 large eggplant, cut into 5 mm – thick slices

75 ml. Shredded fresh mint

60 ml extra virgin olive oil

15 ml red wine vinegar

1 garlic crushed

2 Ciabatta bread char grilled to serve

Method

1. Heat 60 ml.olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat.

2. Cook eggplants for 4 to 5 minutes each side or until golden brown and tender.

3. Tranfer to a plate lined with paper towel and season.

4. Meanwhile combine the mint, olive oil, red vinegar and garlic in a dish.

5. Add the grilled eggplants and toss to combine.

6. Set aside for 1 hour to marinate then serve with sliced char grilledCiabatta bread

Marinated Greek feta

Ingredients

500 gr. Greek Feta Cheese

300 ml. Olive oil

3 ml. Fresh ground pepper

3 ml. crushed oregano leaves

1 bay leave

500 gr marinated Greek kalamata olives

Crusty bread to serve

Method

1. Cut the feta into 2 cm cubed. Place in a dish or bowl. Combine oil, pepper, oregano and bay leave in container Mix well.

2. Pour over the feta cheese .Cover and refrigerate overnight or longer

3. Serve with crusty bread or hard crackers

Basil and smoked trout crostini

Ingredients

1/2 day-old French bread stick (baguette) cut into 20 thin slices

Olive oil

110 g pkt goats cheese

30 ml thick cream

75 ml chopped fresh basil

500 gr. sliced smoked trout

Small fresh basil leaves, to serve

1. Preheat oven to 170°C. Line 2 baking trays with non-stick baking paper. Place the bread on the trays. Sprinkle with oil. Bake, turning once, for 15 minutes or until crisp. Set aside to cool completely.

2. Meanwhile, combine goat’s cheese, cream and chopped basil in a bowl

3. Spread the crostini with goats cheese mixture. Top with trout and basil leaves.

Ttruly Canadian Antipasto Recipe

This has to be one of my best antipasto recipes ever.( for a large party )

500 gr. Olives, ripe, sliced

500 gr Olives, green, sliced

2 heads cauliflower florets, small
500 gr.small picked opinions
110 ml olive oil
500 gr sliced mushroom
2 green peppers, chopped
500 gr. green beans cooked, chopped
500 ml. ketchup

750 gr, cooked small shrimps tails removed

300 gr. tuna in water

500 gr dill pickles chopped

150 ml vinegar

Method

1. Mix first 5 ingredients in large pot. Boil 3 minutes.
2. Add next 4 ingredients, boil 5 minutes.
3. Add balance of ingredients. Try not to break up shrimp and tuna too much. Bring to just boiling.

Marinate for a few hours or until cold and ready to serve

Grilled Antipasto Platter

Ingredients

GARLIC AND HERB OIL:

225 ml. Olive oil

6 cloves garlic chopped

4 spring’s fresh rosemary chopped

4 spring’s thyme chopped

Salt and freshly ground pepper 10 baby artichokes

2 lemon halves

225 ml extra virgin olive oil more if needed

2 medium eggplants sliced thick

4 medium zucchini sliced

4 red peppers halved and cored

1 bunch scallions or green onions

5 tomatoes halves

225 gr. Green olives pitted sliced for garnish

150 gr ricotta for garnish

Fresh basil for garnish

Method

1. To make the Garlic and Herb Oil, put all the ingredients into a small saucepan and put it over low heat. Cook for about 5 minutes, just until it becomes aromatic. Set aside and allow the oil to cool.

2. Bring a pot of water to a simmer. Squeeze in the juice from 1 lemon and throw the lemon halves in as well. Trim and halve the artichokes and remove the chokes. Put them into the pot and cook them until they are tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

3. Heat the grill to low. Have a large shallow dish filled with 225 ml olive oil. Coat the eggplant, zucchini, peppers, artichokes, scallions, and tomatoes separately with the oil. Grill the vegetables, basting generously with the Garlic and Herb Oil, until tender and soft: about 10 minutes for the eggplant, 8 minutes for the zucchini, 15 minutes for the peppers, 10 minutes for the artichokes, and 5 minutes for the scallions and tomatoes. Arrange them on a large platter and garnish with the olives, cheese, and herbs. Squeeze over the remaining lemon juice and drizzle with a bit of olive oil.