Roast Pork with Vinegar and Bay Leaves

Ingredients

For 6 servings

1. 2 tablespoons butter 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2. 2 pounds pork loin roast, boneless, OR Boston butt, in one piece
3. Salt
4. 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
5. 3 bay leaves
6. ½ cup good red wine vinegar

Method

1. Choose a heavy-bottomed or enameled cast-iron pot into which the pork can fit snugly. Put in the butter and oil, turn the heat on to medium high, and when the butter foam subsides, put in the meat, the side with the fat, if it has any, facing down. Brown the meat deeply all over, turning it when necessary. If you see the butter becoming colored a dark brown, turn the heat down a little.

2. Add salt, turning the meat to sprinkle all sides. Lightly crush the peppercorns with a mallet or meat pounder or even a hammer, then put them in the pot together with the bay leaves and vinegar. With a wooden spoon, quickly scrape loose browning residues from the bottom and sides of the pot, but do not let the vinegar simmer long enough for it to evaporate. Turn the heat down to low, cover the pot tightly, and cook, turning the pork occasionally, until the meat feels tender when prodded with a fork. If during this period the liquid in the pot becomes insufficient, replenish with 2 or 3 tablespoons water.

3. Transfer the pork to a cutting board. Let it settle for a few minutes, then cut it into slices about ⅜ inch thick or slightly less, and arrange them on a warm serving platter.,

4. Tip the pot and spoon off most, but not all of the fat, and all the bay leaves. Add 2 tablespoons water, turn the heat on to high, and while the water boils away scrape loose with a wooden spoon any cooking residues from the bottom and sides. Pour the pot juices over the pork and serve at once.

Turkish eggplant and tomato; patlican salatasi

Ingredients

1. 500g eggplant
2. sea salt, pepper
3. 3-4 tbsp olive oil
4. 1 red onion finely chopped
5. 1-2 garlic cloves crushed
6. 2-3 bay leaves crushed
7. 1 large tomato blanched peeled and diced
8. 1 tbsp snipped flat leaf parsley
9. 1 tbsp snipped coriander, basil or mint
10. freshly grated zest of half an unwaxed lemon

Method

Place the aubergines in a large bowl, cover with some cold water, add 1-2 tablespoons of salt and stir to dissolve. Leave for one hour, then drain, rinse and pat dry with kitchen paper

Heat 1-2 tablespoons of the oil with in a heavy saucepan over a low heat. Add the eggplant, onion, garlic and bay leaves then season to taste and stir well to mix. Cover and cook on a low heat, stirring frequently for 30-40 minutes until the eggplant is just cooked but still retain their shape.

Remove the bay leaves, stir in the tomato, parsley and the remaining oil. Cook, stirring for ten minutes until the tomato has wilted.

Remove from the heat and stir in the coriander and lemon zest.

Moroccan green bean saute recipe

Also from this Moroccan recipe site.

Recette : Entrée Chaude aux Haricots Verts. Une entrée simple, rapide et très délicieuse. Les haricots sont bouillis dans l’eau et par la suite ajoutés aux tomates, ail, et épices. Voici les ingrédients nécessaires ainsi que les étapes de préparation.Entrée Chaude aux Haricots Verts

Ingrédients :

1. 500 g. d’haricots verts coupés en 3
2. 3 tomates râpées
3. 2 c. à soupe de persil haché
4. 2 c. à soupe de coriandre hachée
5. 1/2 c. à thé de cumin
6. 1/2 c. à thé de paprika
7. 1 c. à thé de sel
8. 4 gousses d’ail hachées
9. 1 c. à soupe de jus de citron
10. 3 c. à soupe d’huile végétale
11. 3 c. à soupe d’huile d’olive

Préparation :

1. Étape 1 : Lavez les haricots et les couper en 3
2. Étape 2 : Faites bouillir à l’eau salée jusqu’à ce qu’elles soient cuites. Égouttez et laissez de côté
3. Étape 3 : Dans une poêle prpofonde, versez l’huile végétale et olive et ajoutez les tomates râpées
4. Étape 4 : Ajoutez ensuite les haricots, persil, coriandre et ail
5. Étape 5 : Terminez avec les épices ainsi que le jus de citron. Remuez le tout et faites cuire quelques minutes avant de retirer du feu

Chicken tagine with cauliflower

The recipe comes from this excellent Moroccan recipe site. below.

ingredients

1. la moitié d’un poulet - chicken
2. 1 oignon haché finement - one onion finely minced
3. 1 tomate râpée one tomato chopped
4. 3 c. à soupe d’huile d’olive - 3 tablespoons olive oil
5. 3 gousses d’ail hachées - three cloves of garlic chopped
6. 1 c. à thé sel - one teaspoon of salt
7. 1/4 c. à thé paprika - 1/4 teaspoon of paprika
8. 1/4 c. à thé cumin 1/4 teaspoon of cumin
9. 1/2 c. à thé poivre 1/2 teaspoon of pepper
10. pincée safran - a pinch of saffron
11. 1/2 c. à thé gingembre - half a teaspoon of ginger
12. 1 chou-fleur - one cauliflower
13. 2 c. à soupe coriandre hachée two tablespoons of chopped coriander
14. 1 c. à soupe jus de citron - one tablespoon of lemon juice
15. 250 ml d’eau - 250ml of water

1. Étape 1 : Versez l’huile d’olive dans une casserole et ajoutez l’oignon, la tomate et l’ail put the olive oil in a casserole and cook with the onion, tomato and garlic
2. Étape 2 : Ajoutez ensuite les épices et le poulet coupé en morceaux then put in the chicken pieces
3. Étape 3 : Remuez afin que le poulet soit bien imbibé de la sauce et faites cuire pendant environ 5 minutes. Versez ensuite l’eau et faites cuire à la pression pendant 25 minutes
4. Étape 4 : Entre temps, faites bouillir le chou-fleur coupé en gros morceaux dans l’eau salée pendant 15 minutes. Égouttez par la suite
5. Étape 5 : Lorsque le poulet est cuit, retirez-le et placez-le dans votre assiette ou tagine. Versez le jus de citron et ajoutez la coriandre hachée. Remuez le tout
6. Étape 6; Incorporez le chou-fleur cuit à la sauce et remuez délicatement
7. Étape 7 : Couvrez le poulet de chou-fleur et versez la sauce par dessus et autour du poulet

Yellow Split Chickpeas with Spinach Channa Dal Sai- Bhaji

Makes 4 to 6 servings

My niece, Mini, who grew up in Mumbai (Bombay), makes this dish and shared it with me. A specialty of the Sindhi community settled in Bombay (they were originally from northwest India, an area that is now in Pakistan), this dish ( sai- bhaji ) is almost a one- pot meal, traditionally served with steamed rice. It is very simple with the pressure cooker, and although this recipe calls for frozen spinach, it turns out all the more delicious when you use fresh.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 large clove fresh garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon peeled minced fresh ginger
• 1 ⁄ 2 cup yellow split chickpeas (channa dal), sorted and washed in 3 to 4 changes of water
• 1 large tomato, finely chopped, or 1 ⁄ 2 cup canned tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1 ⁄ 2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste 1
• (8- ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed
• 1 ⁄ 2 bunch ( 1 ⁄ 4 cup) fresh dill, finely chopped
• 1 small russet potato (or any kind), peeled and finely chopped
• 1 small carrot, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime or lemon juice
• Finely chopped fresh cilantro

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large pressure cooker over medium- high heat and add the cumin seeds; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the onion, garlic, and ginger and cook, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the dal and cook, stirring, about 5 minutes. Then add the tomato (or tomato sauce), salt, and cayenne pepper, and stir about 2 minutes.

2. Add the spinach, dill, potato, and carrot, stir about 5 minutes then add the water. Secure the lid and cook over high heat until the regulator indicates high pressure, then cook 30 seconds more. Remove from the heat and allow the pot to depressurize on its own, 12 to 15 minutes. Carefully open the lid, add the lemon juice, and stir well, mashing some of the dal and vegetables with a ladle or a spatula. Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with the cilantro, and serve.

Lebanese mixed salad

• One romaine lettuce, shredded
• One cucumber, seeded and diced
• Two tomatoes, diced
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat leaf possibly
• Half a red onion thinly sliced
• Juice of half a lemon
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Method

Put the lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, and onion into a bowl. Drizzle with the lemon juice and olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss well.

Jumbo shrimp, spicy sausage, Lebanese bread

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Two large shallots, finely chopped
• Four garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 200 g of spicy sausage, sliced
• 100 ML White wine
• Half a teaspoon of chili flakes
• 800 g jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
• One bunch parsley, chopped
• To Lebanese flat breads
• Salt and pepper
• Lebanese salad

Method

Heat the only boil in a large saucepan, add the shallots, and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for four to five minutes until softened but not browned.

Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Adr the sausage slices I'm to cook until they release their oil. Add the white wine and cook for one minute, then stir in the chili flakes and and the prawns.

Cover the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, for about five minutes until all the shrimp turn pink. Just before serving, add the chopped parsley and season well with salt and pepper. Then cut the flat bread into bite-size pieces and add to the pan. Stir again and serve immediately with the Lebanese salad

Pork with peppers p386 vefas kitchen

Ingredients

• 250 ML of olive oil
• 1 kg boneless pork shoulder cut into serving pieces
• Four onions, coarsely chopped
• three garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 400 g canned chopped tomatoes
• Six allspice berries
• Two bay leaves
• Half a teaspoon of cayenne pepper
• Salt and pepper
• 1 kg of red bell peppers halved and seeded

Method

Heat the oil in a wide, shallow pan. Add the meat and cook over medium heat, turning occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes until lightly browned. Add the onions, garlic, vinegar, tomatoes, allspice berries, bat leafs, and cayenne pepper. Season with salt and pepper. Stir well, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for about one hour or until the meat is tender.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a skillet or frying pan, add the peppers and cook over low heat, turning occasionally for eight minutes or until softened.

Remove from the frying pan and drain on paper towels. When they are cool enough to handle, peel off the skin and put the flesh into the pan, around and between the pieces of meat. Do not stir. Simmer for 15 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced.

Grape and lettuce salad

Ingredients

• 200 grams romaine lettuce leaves
• 200 grams radicchio leaves
• 100 grams of small seedless green grapes
• 25 grams of parmesan cheese

For the dressing

• 60ml olive oil
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard

Method

Trim and separate the salad leaves, rinse and pat dry. Tear the leaves into bite size pieces and combine in a large salad bowl. Arrange the grapes on the surface and sprinkle with the parmesan cheese shavings. Just before serving, whisk together or shake the dressing ingredients until blended and pour over the salad. Toss and serve immediately

Spinach with rice

Ingredients

• 1 and a half kilograms of spinach coarse stalks removed
• 120 ml olive oil
• 1 small onion finely chopped
• 4 spring onions
• 250ml tomato juice or hot water
• 4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
• salt and pepper
• 80 grams medium grain rice
• lemon to garnish
• black olives or feta cheese to serve

Method

Roughly chop the spinach leaves and rinse well, then put them into a pan and cook over medium heat stirring frequently for a few minutes until wilted. Drain and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large heavy pan. Add the onions and scallions and cook over low heat stirring occasionally for 4 to 5 minutes until softened and translucent. Pour in the tomato juice or water, add the spinach and dill, season with salt and pepper, and stir well.

Using a wooden spoon, spread the spinach mixture evenly over the base of the pan and make hollows at random with the back of the spoon. Boon small amounts of rice into the hollows and cover them with the spinach mixture. Cover and simmer over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes until the rice swells and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Do not over cook and do not stir during cooking.

Turn off the heat and place a fixed layout of paper towels between the pan and the lid to absorb the steam for 10 to 15 minutes. Take off the lid sprinkle with pepper and served garnished with lemon and accompanied by black olives or feta cheese.

It is still delicious served at room temperature the next day.

Chicken stew with chickpeas

Ingredients

• 300 grams of chickpeas
• 450 millilitres of vegetable stock
• 5 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 and a half kilograms of chicken cut into pieces
• 1 large onion grated
• 1 small leek white part only finely chopped
• 1 large carrot diced
• 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
• 1 red pepper, seeded and cut into 1 centimetre squares
• 1 yellow pepper seeded and cut into squares
• 400 grams of canned tomatoes
• 1 cup of chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• half a teaspoon of dried oreg
no
• 2 tablespoons of parsley
• 1 teaspoon of chili flakes
• salt and pepper

Method

Put the chickpeas into a bowl, pour in water to cover, stir in 1 tablespoon of salt, and let soak overnight.

Drain and rinse the beans and put them into a pan. Add the vegetable stock, bring to a boil and cook for 30 minutes then remove from heat.

Meanwhile heat the oil in a large pan add the chicken and cook over medium heat turning frequently until golden brown all over.

Add the onion, leek, carrot, garlic, and bell peppers and cook stirring frequently 45 minutes until softened. Stir in the tomatoes, chicken stock, sugar, oregano, and parsley and chilli flakes. Add the chickpeas together with their cooking liquid and adjust the salt and pepper if necessary. Simmer for 35 to 40 minutes until the chicken and beans are tender. Serve hot sprinkled with basil parsley.

Jumbo shrimp coated in za'atar and coriander

Ingredients

• 12 uncooked jumbo shrimp
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons za'atar
• juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons chopped coriander
• salt

Method

Put to the shrimp, olive oil and za'ater into a bowl and turn to coat. Let marinade for 20 minutes. Heat a large heavy frying pan. When it is hot add the shrimp and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until they have turned pink and cooked through. Add the lemon juice and coriander and toss to mix. Season with salt and serve immediately.

Mushrooms and coriander

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 250 grams of chestnut mushrooms quartered
• 100 grams of white mushrooms
• 3 garlic cloves crushed
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
• half a teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh coriander
• zest and juice of half a lime
• 1 tablespoon of natural yoghurt salt and pepper

Method

Melt the butter with the oil in a large frying pan, and all the mushrooms and garlic, and cook for a few minutes. Add the thyme and rosemary season well with salt and pepper, and cook over low heat stirring frequently, for five minutes until the mushrooms have cooked down.

Add the coriander lime zest and juice and mix well. If serving with flatbread warm the bread and place the mushrooms on top with a spoonful of yoghurt. Page 108, the lebanese kitchen

Lebanese chicken and pomegranate

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 spring onions chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, grated
• 100 ml pomegranate juice
• 1 tbsp clear honey
• 1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• Half teaspoon ground allspice
• half teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Half a teaspoon of grated nutmeg
• pinch of ground cloves
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 5 thyme sprigs
• salt and pepper
• Pomegranate seeds and chopped fresh coriander to garnish

Method

Preheat the oven to 190 degrees centigrade. Brush the chicken with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Heat a frying pan, add the chicken, skin side down, and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes until golden brown, then turn and cook for another 2 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the pan and put into an oven proof dish. Put all the remaining ingredients, except the pomegranate seeds and coriander garnish into a food processor and process until thoroughly combined. Pour the sauce over the chicken and cook in the oven for 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

Garnish with pomegranate seeds and chopped coriander and serve. Page 288 the lebanese kitchen

Comment

Not bad but not quite up to high expectations. Worth another try.

Potatoes roasted with lemon or tomato

Ingredients

• 2 kilograms of potatoes cut into wedges
• 5 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice or 500 grams of tomatoes peeled and pureed
• A pinch of dried oregano
• 1 garlic clove finely chopped
• salt and pepper
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 65 grams of butter

Method

Put the wedges into a bowl. For lemon roasted potatoes add the lemon juice, oregano, and garlic, season with salt and pepper, coat well, then let stand for 1 hour.

Meanwhile preheat the oven to 180 degrees centigrade. Transfer the potato mixture to an oven proof dish, drizzle with the oil, and dot with butter. Cover with aluminium foil and roast for 1 hour.

Remove the aluminium foil and continue roasting, basting occasionally with pan juices for 30 minutes more until the potatoes are tender and lightly browned. If necessary, add some water during cooking.

For tomato roasted potatoes, mix the potatoes the pureed tomatoes, oregano, and garlic and season salt and pepper. Transfer the potato mixture to oven proof dish, drizzle with the oil, and dot with butter. Cover the dish with aluminium foil and roast for 1 hour. Remove the aluminium foil and continue roasting for 40 minutes more until the potatoes are tender and the sauce has reduced.

Comments

Easy and should be a regular

Stewed Potatoes and Green Beans, Extremadura Style V Patatas y Judías Verdes a la Extremeña

Makes 4 servings

Spain is credited with bringing potatoes from the New World and introducing them to the various countries of Europe. This is a stewed casserole that combines potatoes with green beans, onions, tomatoes, green peppers, and garlic. The bay leaf and parsley add the perfect accent of flavor. This recipe originated in Extremadura.

Ingredients

• ½ pound green beans
• 2 medium to large potatoes (about ¾ pound), peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped (about ⅔ cup)
• 1 medium tomato, finely chopped (about ⅔ cup)
• 1 medium green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• Salt Freshly ground black pepper

Method

¼ cup olive oil In a medium earthenware casserole dish or Dutch oven, combine the beans, potatoes, onion, tomato, and bell pepper. Add the bay leaf, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix in the oil. Cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour or until the vegetables are tender. Remove the bay leaf. If using earthenware, serve hot in the dish or transfer to individual plates.

Comments

Difficult to time OK - but can't remember what gets overdone. Was enough water.

Sautéed Red Peppers V* Pimientos Morrones Salteados

Makes 4 servings

This is a classic Spanish accompaniment to grilled or sautéed meat or chicken. All you need to do is stir-fry them for a minute or so in olive oil, garlic, and a bit of broth. If you don’t want to work with fresh chiles, jarred prepared piquillo peppers can usually be found in well-stocked supermarkets and specialty food stores. Make this recipe vegetarian with vegetable broth.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 ½ pounds fresh red chile peppers, cored and seeded, or ¾ pound (jarred) piquillo peppers, cut into thin strips
• Salt
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup chicken broth, vegetable broth, or water

Method

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the peppers and cook, stirring, about 5 minutes (about 2 minutes for piquillos, if using).

Add salt and stir in the garlic and broth. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook about 20 minutes more or until the peppers are softened, stirring occasionally and adding a little more broth if the pan dries out. Serve hot.

Comments

Was rather disappointing, possibly because of the poor quality of the chicken broth or possibly because not roasted peppers. With checking alternative recipes if such a classic dish.

Pork loin with Pomegranate Syrup Lomo de Cerdo en Jarabe de Granada

Makes 4 to 6 servings

The Balearic Islands, where this recipe originated, was home to the Moors for over five hundred years, and many of their local dishes reflect that influence. Meat is often combined with fruit, and pork marinated in pomegranate syrup is a classic dish. Spain has a long history with the pomegranate dating back to 1492 when the Moors were finally expelled from Granada. Pomegranates were incorporated into the Spanish coat of arms to signal the end of Moorish rule in Spain.

Prepare at Least 2 Hours in Advance

Ingredients

• 2 large pomegranates
• ½ medium onion, slivered
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves, crumbled
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary or ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• ¼ cup dry white wine
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• One (2-pound) boneless pork loin

Method

1. Cut the pomegranate into quarters, remove the seeds, and place them in a food processor. Blend 2 to 3 seconds, just long enough to break the seeds and release the juice. Pass through a fine-mesh strainer — there should be about 1 ½ cups juice. Place in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and cook until reduced by half. Let cool completely.

2. In a deep medium bowl, combine the pomegranate syrup and all remaining ingredients except the pork. Add the meat and turn to coat. Let marinate in the refrigerator at least 2 hours, turning occasionally.

3. Preheat the oven to 375 ° F. Transfer the pork to a roasting pan, scatter the onion from the marinade around the pork, and add just enough of the marinade to moisten the pan. Roast about 1 hour 10 minutes (about 35 minutes per pound), adding more marinade occasionally to keep the pan juices from burning, until a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the pork reads 145 ° F. Remove from the heat, cover with foil, and let stand 10 minutes until the thermometer reads 150ºF. By the time the meat is done, you should have added all the marinade (if more liquid is necessary, add chicken broth or water). Remove the bay leaves.

4. Cut the pork into ¾-inch slices and spoon the sauce over the pork. Serve hot.

Comments

Was a little disappointing. From 1000 Spanish Recipes

Lamb with bulgar wheat

Ingredients

• 1 cup 175gms coarse bulgar wheat
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 700g boneless stewing lamb cut into large cubes
• 1 onion finely chopped
• Half teaspoon dried thyme
• Half teaspoon dried rosemary
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup tomato juice
• 500g pearl onions or shallots blanched
• Half teaspoon cayenne pepper

Method

Put the bulgar wheat into a bowl, pour in 250 ml of water and set aside until it has absorbed all of the water. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large pan. Add the meat and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, for about 8 minutes until lightly browned all over.

At the chopped onion garlic, rosemary and thyme, season with salt and pepper, and cook stirring frequently for five minutes.

Pour in the tomato juice, add the onions, cover, and simmer, adding a little water if necessary, for 1 and a half hours, until the lamb and onions are tender.

At the bulgar wheat and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes more, then remove from the heat, and serve immediately.

Note that there is a more interesting Lebanese version of this dish!

Comments

From Velfas Greek Kitchen - pretty good and easy to make.

Peas with garlic and pancetta

Ingredients

• 1 ten-ounce package frozen tiny peas, thawed
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons prosciutto OR for a less salty taste, pancetta, diced into ¼-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons parsley chopped very fine
• Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
• Salt

Method

1. If using fresh peas: Shell them, and prepare some of the pods for cooking by stripping away their inner membrane, as described. Try to do about 1 cup of pods.

If using frozen peas: Proceed to the next step.

2. Put the garlic and the olive oil in a saute pan, and turn on the heat to medium high. Cook and stir the garlic until it has become colored a light nut-brown, then take it out, and add the diced prosciutto or pancetta.

Stir quickly 5 or 6 times, then put in the fresh peas with their stripped-down pods or the thawed frozen peas, and turn them over completely once or twice to coat well.

Add the parsley and a few grindings of pepper, and, if you are using fresh peas, ¼ cup water. Turn the heat down to medium and put a lid on the pan.

If using frozen peas, cook for 5 minutes. If using fresh peas, it may take from 15 to 30 minutes, depending entirely on their youth and freshness. If the liquid in the pan becomes insufficient, replenish with 1 or 2 tablespoons water as needed.

When the peas are done, there should be no water left in the pan. Should the pan juices be watery when the peas are cooked, uncover, turn up the heat, and simmer them away.

Taste and correct for salt, stir well, then turn the entire contents of the pan onto a warm platter and serve at once.

Comments

Works fine every time! Much better.

Spinach with Lemon, Garlic and Almonds [ spinaci al limone e mandorle ]

SERVES 4 AS A SIDE DISH

• 250g spinach leaves (weight without hard stems)
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
• Juice of ¼ to ½ a lemon
• Salt and pepper
• 25g butter, cut into pieces
• 2 tablespoons blanched almonds, coarsely chopped

In our supermarkets we get very young spinach with very thin small stems – these you do not need to take off. Wash the leaves and drain well. In a large saucepan heat the garlic in 1 tablespoon of the oil, stirring until the aroma rises, then put in the spinach with only the water that clings to the leaves. (If you have bought them in a bag ready washed, pour about 5– 6 tablespoons of water in the pan.)

Put over high heat with the lid on until the water begins to boil then lower the heat and steam for about 2– 3 minutes, until the leaves wilt.

Add a good squeeze of lemon, the butter, cut into pieces, and some salt and pepper and stir well until the butter melts.

In a small frying pan, sauté the almonds in the remaining ½ tablespoon of oil. Serve the spinach hot, sprinkled with the almonds.

Black and White Macerated Grapes

THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL bowl of fruit. The purple spheres of the black grapes are divided in half and seeded, and the seedless elongated ovals of the white grapes are left whole. Macerated with orange juice and lemon peel, their fragrance and freshness are irresistible.

• For 6 to 8 servings
• 1 pound seedless white grapes
• 1 pound large black grapes, not the pale purple seedless ones
• The peel of 1 lemon grated without digging into the white pith beneath
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• The freshly squeezed juice of 3 oranges

1. Detach all the grape berries from their stems and wash them in cold water. Put only the white ones into a serving bowl.

2. You must halve the black grapes to extract their seeds. (Seedless red grapes are very bland and are not recommended for this dish.) Hold each berry with the stem end facing up. Use a sharp paring knife, or preferably a small vegetable knife with a serrated blade, to cut the berry horizontally around its middle, cutting it all around, but not all the way through. With your fingertips, hold the upper half of the grape, and with your other hand twist off the bottom half. From the exposed center of one of the halves seeds will protrude; pick them out, and add both halves of the seeded berry to the bowl. Repeat the procedure until all the black grapes are done.