Italian Comfort Food Night

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Stuffed Peppers

1/2 cup rice
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
6 ounces ground beef
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 cups crushed tomatoes
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon oregano
4 red or green bell peppers

In a 2 cup measuring cup combine rice and water and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Cook at 100 percent power for 4 minutes. Heat oil in 2 quart casserole dish uncovered for 2 minutes. Stir in onions and crumbled beef and cook uncovered for 5 minutes stirring once. Drain off most of fat, leaving 2 to 3 tablespoons in dish. Add 1 1/2 cups tomatoes, garlic, thyme and oregano and drained rice and stir to combine. Slice off tops of 4 green or red bell peppers and remove seeds. Divide stuffing among the peppers and replace tops of peppers. Place peppers in baking dish. Combine 1/2 cup crushed tomatoes, 1/4 cup white wine and 1/4 cup water and pour into bottom of dish. Cover tightly with heavy duty plastic wrap and cook for 20 minutes. Poke through wrap with knife after 10 minutes of cooking to let steam escape. Let stuffed peppers stand for about 5 minutes after cooking .


Braised Lamb Shanks

Ingredients

2 cups hot water
1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms*

2 large oranges
4 Turkish bay leaves
2 large fresh rosemary sprigs
4 whole cloves

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups finely chopped onions
6 1-pound lamb shanks
1 cup dry red wine (such as Barolo)
1/4 cup tomato paste

8 cups low-sodium chicken broth

Preparation

Combine 2 cups hot water and mushrooms in small bowl. Let stand until mushrooms soften, about 30 minutes.
Using vegetable peeler, remove peel (orange part only) from oranges in long strips. Squeeze juice from oranges; reserve peel and juice. Tie bay leaves, rosemary sprigs, and cloves in square of moistened cheesecloth.

Heat 4 tablespoons olive oil in wide pot over medium-high heat. Add onions; sauté until golden, about 12 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer onions to small bowl. Add 2 tablespoons oil to pot. Sprinkle lamb with salt and pepper. Add 3 lamb shanks to pot. Sauté until brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer to plate. Repeat with remaining shanks. Return onions to pot. Using slotted spoon, add mushrooms, then mushroom soaking liquid, leaving any sediment in bowl. Add orange peel and juice, herb bundle, wine, and tomato paste. Boil 5 minutes, scraping up browned bits.

Return lamb to pot, arranging in single layer. Add broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover; simmer 30 minutes. Partially uncover pot. Simmer until lamb is tender, turning every 15 minutes, about 1 1/2 hours longer.

Transfer lamb to bowl. Tilt pot and spoon fat off top of sauce. Boil until sauce is thick enough to coat spoon lightly and is reduced to 5 cups, about 35 minutes. Discard herb bundle and orange peel. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Return lamb to pot, spooning sauce over to coat. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Refrigerate lamb, uncovered, until cold, then cover and keep refrigerated. Rewarm over low heat before continuing.)

Serve over Creamy Polenta


Creamy Polenta
makes 2 large side portions

2 cups water
1/2 cup medium grain yellow corn meal
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup cream cheese (I used low-fat)
salt & pepper
olive oil & basil to garnish

Step 1: Bring the water to a boil in a medium sauce pan, add some salt, and quickly whisk in the corn meal. Step 2: Reduce heat to a simmer, add the butter, and stir the polenta until it begins to thicken. Mine was thick in less than 10 minutes. Step 3: When you are happy with the consistency, stir in the cream cheese, and season to taste. Step 4: Serve drizzled with olive oil.





Garlic Bread

4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large loaf French bread, halved lengthwise

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. (Bread can also be done on the grill or in a barbeque pit.)
Combine the butter, garlic, lemon juice, parsley, and black pepper in a small mixing bowl. Stir to blend well. Spread both halves of the bread with the mixture. Put the halves together, wrap in a sheet of aluminum foil, and place in the oven or on the grill until bread is heated through, about 15 minutes. Serve warm.

Reserve leftover bread for croutons.




Wedgie Salad

8 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
3 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup sour cream
6 tablespoons buttermilk
1 large head iceberg lettuce, cored, washed, and patted dry
8 slices cooked bacon
Leftover Garlic Croutons

Combine half of the blue cheese, the lemon juice, Worcestershire, hot sauce, salt and black pepper in a medium mixing bowl. Using the back of a fork, mash the mixture together to form a thick paste. Drizzle in the olive oil, stirring continuously with the fork until the mixture is creamy. Add the sour cream and buttermilk and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper, if needed.
Cut the lettuce into 4 wedges and place each wedge on a salad plate. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the dressing over each wedge. Crumble remaining cheese over each wedge and arrange 2 slices of bacon around each plate. Place croutons around each salad wedge. Garnish with additional cracked black pepper and fresh chives and serve immediately.


Leftover Garlic Bread Croutons:
2 cups leftover garlic bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Toss garlic bread with the olive oil in a large bowl. Season lightly with black pepper and salt if desired and spread bread onto a baking sheet. Bake until golden brown and crisped through, 10 to 15 minutes.




Zabaglione coi Frutti

Ingredients

2 oranges
2 tablespoons amaretti cookie crumbs
4 egg yolks
2 tablespoons confictioner (powdered) sugar
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier
1/4 cup Marsala
fresh berries for garnish
fresh mint for garnish

Preparation
Peel the oranges and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Divide the orange pieces and amaretti crumbs into 4 goblets. Set aside.
In a double boiler over low heat, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until frothy. Add the Grand Marnier and Marsala and continue to whisk constantly until the mixture is light and creamy. Spoon the mixture over the oranges and amaretti crumbs. Top with fresh berries and mint. Serve immediately.

And of course there are these which you should pick up at your local Italian Pastry Shop



"Leave the Gun, Take the Cannolis" Peter Clemenza

For the Cannolis, try Venieros's Pastry Shop and Caffee at 342 East 11th Street (btwn 1st & 2nd Ave) New York


or

Caffe Palermo
148 Mulberry Street
New York, New York







Source: Food Network
Bon Appetit
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