Good gelato is a great ending to an Italian meal. Especially if the main course is something like my Italian Meatballs in Tomato Sauce (Polpette al Sugo). Lemon gelato is even better. Light, fresh, and tangy. With the right equipment and some secrets, you can come pretty close to the Italian experience. After much...
Continue readingShepherd’s Pie with Tomatoes
Shepherd’s Pie with tomatoes is basically a lamb stew with a nice crunchy potato top. My research into this topic revealed a straightforward pattern to classify the Shepherd’s/Cottage pies. It works this way: lamb (Shepherd’s) or Cottage (Beef), then there is the issue of adding tomatoes or not. Lastly, the issue of do you...
Continue readingCottage Pie with Chanterelle Mushrooms
To use the formal British terminology, the difference between Cottage Pie and Shepherd’s Pie is substituting beef for lamb. Basically, both are ground meat and vegetable stew covered with mashed potatoes and baked. Researching posted recipes shows a tendency to add more to the flavor profile when using beef. The use of flavorful Chanterelle...
Continue readingBanana Gelato with Chocolate Chips and Pecans
Banana bread is not the only use for ripe bananas. Consider taking the chocolate chips, pecans, and bananas and making gelato. With the right equipment and some secrets, you can come pretty close to the Italian experience of gelato. After much research and much trial and error, I have developed some tips for successful...
Continue readingStrawberry Gelato
This strawberry gelato can be considered a starting point for any fruit gelato. You may have always thought that authentic gelato sadly is out of reach short of traveling to Italy, but you will be pleased with how close you can come. With the right equipment and some secrets, you can come pretty close...
Continue readingHomemade Stracciatella Gelato
Stracciatella Gelato is always a favorite. And yes you can make a good version at home. In fact, it is a good starting point for learning to make gelato. With strands of chocolate running through it, it resembles an Italian soup of the same name made with strands of egg and cheese. After much...
Continue readingGelato For those not in Italy
Should you make your own gelato? If you live in Italy, then the answer perhaps is, “if you want to.” If you don’t live in Italy and if you want the next best thing, then the answer is “yes.” It is not really hard, it really doesn’t take much time. But it does require...
Continue readingTomato Mustard Tart
I never was much of a tomato fan. With the exception of cooked tomatoes I usually took a pass. But now with all the new (actually old varieties) are available my opinion has changed. What once seemed sour and mealy is now varied and interesting. Now in late summer I cannot grow tired of...
Continue readingRadish Sprout Pesto
Inspired by David Lebowitz’s idea of Radish Leaf Pesto I made a pesto out of radish sprouts. They are generally more available for me. I cover how the thoughts about this pesto in more detail in my Radish Sprout Pesto Pasta. The pasta is served with a light cream tomato sauce. All the flavors...
Continue readingRadish Sprout Pesto Pasta
David Lebowitz shared the idea of Radish Leaf Pesto. It is a brilliant idea allowing us to utilize a part of the plant that is usually discarded. Unfortunately, young radishes are not available in my market right now. I am, however, able to get radish sprouts. I have used them before as a tasty...
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