| Ale Cuisine

Fish "Brodetto" ( Brodetto di pesce)

The Fish "Brodetto" is a recipe from the Abruzzi's central cost region, elsewhere it will be called Fish Soup (Zuppa di Pesce). Be careful, it is not a soup the way we mean it in Northern Europe. Brodetto (which means literally:" little broth") is made of different varieties of Mediterranean fish (Mullet, red mullet, codfish, Tub Garnard, Anglerfish etc...) and seafruit (clams, moussels , shrimps, Mantis shrimps etc...) just the ones you will find at the fish market the day you will go buy. Obviously the taste will vary depending on what you use. Today I went to my favourite fish shop and I was so lucky to find some fantastic Italian clams, codfishes and red mullets just arrived from the Adriatic sea....then...Brodetto! This dish is one of those in Italy we would prepare for the Christmas Eve dinner, when, by tradition, we celebrate the "Vigilia" and we just eat fish. The making of this dish is a little complex but, believe me, it is worth to try... This a perfect dish to celebrate your Christmas the Italian way!

Serving 4
Ingredients:
1 Codfish
2 medium Red Mullets
8 small Red Mullets
2 handfuls of small Italian Clams
1 big cup of red cherry tomatoes
4 Galric Cloves
1 Bunch of fresh parsley
1 Small glass of dry white wine
Unrefined grey sea salt to taste
1 piece of red hot chili
10 Tbs Extra virgin olive oil
Pepper to taste
1/2 carrot
1/2 small onion
1/2 celery rib
2 cups of water

Place the clams in a bowl full of water and let them rest.
1) Prepare the fish broth: wash and clean the fish, entrails should be removed.

Cut the head and the bones of the Codfish and Mullets (see photos)

Cut the fish in pieces and set apart. Use the head and the bones to prepare the fish broth.

Pour 3 olive oil Tbs in a pan, add the finely cut carrot, celery and onion, let it fry few seconds. Add the fish bones and half galss of wine. when the wine evaporates add 1 cup of water, cover and let it cook. When boiling add another cup of water and salt to taste. Cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, take off the fire and filter the broth. Take off the fish bones.

Keep the fish broth aside.

2) Precook the clams. Drain the clams. Add 2 Tbs of olive oil in a small pan, one finely cut garlic clove and few small pieces of hot chili. When frying add the clams and the left white wine. Cover and let it cook. After few minutes add 1 Tbs of finely cut parsley. Cover and cook till all the clams are opened. Set aside
3) Prepare the Fish "Brodetto"

Finely chop garlic, chili, parsley and cut the cherry tomatoes in small cubes.

Pour 4 Tbs of olive oil in a large pan, add 3 finely cut garlic and red chili.

Add the tomatoes. Add salt mix and cook for few minutes.

Cook till well melted, add pepper to taste.

Add the fish and the parsley. Bring to a boil.

When almost boiling add the fish broth, one ladle at the time. Untill all the broth is melted with the rest.

When the fish is almost cooked add the clams together with their cooking water. Mix carefully, try not to break the fish. Cook few additional minutes. Add some more parsley. Your Fish "Brodetto" is ready!

Serve it with 2 slides of toasted Italian bread and few drops of olive oil. Buon appetito!

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Artichoke Risotto (Risotto con carciofi)

Artichokes are probably my favourite vegetable, my mother knows it and when I am back in Italy artichokes are the first dish she prepares for me ! Thank you Mom! I love artichokes fried (Italian way....will post the recipe soon!) with pasta, in the Timballo.... They are fantastic also with rice, a very simple artichokes risotto it's the recipe I want to share with you today. I didn't use onions in this risotto recipe, but only garlic because it tastes better with Artichokes and extra virgin olive oil instead butter because I wanted to keep it as healthy as possible. Also the final "mantecatura" has been made with Parmigiano Reggiano and Olive oil (instead butter).

ingredients:

8 small artichokes
350 gr Italian rice "Vialone nano"or Arborio" or "Carnaroli"
6 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
60 gr Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (or grated hard vegan cheese)
2 Garlic cloves
1 cup finely cut parsley
1 lt vegetable broth or meat broth
1/2 Cup white wine
1 lemon
Unrifined grey sea salt to taste
Pepper to taste

Clean and cut the artichokes in very small pieces.

Place them in a bowl with water and the juice of a lemon. Drain and wash before to cook.

Pour 4 tbs oil in a pan, finely cut the garlic, add it in a pan and cook till it turns golden, add the artichokes. Add half of the finely cut parsley. Half cook them, about 5-10 minutes. Add the rice, mix it with the artichokes, let it toast.

Add the wine and make it avaporate completely. When wine has evaporated start to add the broth little by little: one ladle at the time. Add one ladle, stir well and let cook, add a second one only when the first has been absorbed and so on till the rice is cooked. This process makes all the difference in a risotto cooking. Taste for salt.

When the risotto is well "al dente", proceed with the final step: the "Mantecatura". Add the parmigiano Reggiano all in once, add the left olive oil, mix it well. Take out from fire, cover with a thik kitchen towel and let it rest for few minutes. The risotto will finish the cooking and melt (Mantecare) well.

Your Artichokes risotto is ready. Serve it warm with a sprinkle of parsley and pepper. Buon appetito!

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Quick & Easy Scarola Pie with olives (Torta rustica veloce con scarola e olive)

Not much time left for cooking and your guests will be there in a moment? This is the recipie for you! A "quick&easy made" version of the Italian Scarola (endive) Pie, also perfect as appetizer. I used black olives and added few cherry tomatoes and anchovies to give more taste, you can skip them if you like or use green olives.

Serving 6-8

Ingredients:
2 Packs ready rolled puff pastry
1 Bunch Scarola (Endive)
1 Cup pitted black olives
1 Garlic clove, finely chopped
2 or 3 Cherry tomatoes, cut in quarters
Red chili (to taste)
3 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 or 2 Anchovies
Salt to taste
1 Egg for glazing

Preheat the oven at 180C°. Cut and Wash the scarola. Bring to a boil a pot of salty water.

Add the scarola in the water and cook for just one or two minutes.

Drain the scarola in a small colander and cut it in pieces with a kitchen scissor.

Pour the oil in a pan add garlic, chili, anchovies, let it fry then add tomatoes olives et scarola, in the given order. Cook for few minutes. Check for salt. Take off from fire. Keep aside and let it cool.

Unroll one puff pastry in a round baking (24cm) pan.

Fill with the scarola mixture.

Cover with the second puff pastry roll and decorate as you like. Make sure to make some holes on the top. Glaze with the beated egg and place in the preheated 180C°oven for about 30 minutes.

Take out from the oven and make it cool. Your scarola pie is ready. Eat warmish. Buon appetito!

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Spicy Marinated Chicken with Lemon, Ginger and Coriander (Pollo speziato marinato al limone, zenzero e coriandolo)

This marinated chicken is one of my favourites. Very spicy and full of flavours it will delight your guests! I preferably use organic or farm chicken, much more tasteful and less fat. You will need 1 kg of chicken cut in pieces to serve 4 people.

Serving 4
Ingredients:
1kg Chicken in small pieces
1 bunch of fresh coriander
1 piece of fresh ginger peeled
2 garlic cloves
4 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
The juice of one lemon
1 Teaspoon ground pepper
1 Teaspoon ground tumeric
1 Teaspoon ground sweet paprika
1 Teaspoon of "5 spices" (Mix of ground cinnamon, cloves, star anice, fennel and Sechouan pepper)
Unrifined sea salt to taste

Cut and clean the chicken, place it in a large mixing bowl.

Add all the other ingredients, oil, lemon and salt included, in a food mixer and mix to obtain the marinate.

Pour the marinate into the bowl and mix well to cover the chicken completely. marinate for minimum 1 (or more) hours.

When well marinated, place the chicken in a oven pan. Place it in the oven at 180°C (convection oven or 190°C Normal oven) for about 1 hour.

After 1 hour, you chicken is ready, place it on a serving plate, pour the cooking sauce on the top and decorate with fresh coriander and lemon zests. Buon appetito!

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Orecchiette with Cime di Rapa (Orecchiette alle cime di rapa)

This new recipe is dedicated to my friend and best Italian guitarist ever, Rocco Zifarelli... Rocco ecco le tue 'recchiett' cim' d' rap'.... :-) This recipe is from Puglia where "Cime di Rape" are originally from. There is no English translation for "Cime di rapa", it is a vegetable from the same family as Broccoli, but with a different taste, green leaves and a small flower which looks like a small broccoli.

Cima di Rapa isn't an easy veggie to find in Northern Europe, but at this time of the year sometimes I am very lucky to come accross in my favourite Moroccan grocery shop. Yesterday it was my lucky day. So today I can finally propose this fantastic traditional recipe to you all. I made fresh Orecchiette (a traditional handmade pasta from Puglia, shaped as a small ear, from this his name) myself, but you can easily find dried Orecchiette pasta in every Italian grocery shops, or you can wait and learn how to make it in one of my next posts, or if you live in Belgium/ NL you can participate to one of my Pasta making workshops, dates will be published soon... stay tuned!

Serving 4
Ingredients:
400g Fresh (or dried) Orecchiette Pasta
1kg Cime di rapa
5Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Garlic cloves
1 Italian red hot Chili
2 Achovies
Salt to taste

Clean the Cime di rapa, taking out the hard branches and keeping only the tender leaves and flowers.

Wash them well and give a short boil in a big pan full of salted boiling water.

After only few minutes of cooking, drain the cime di rapa in a small colander and keep the cooking water to cook the pasta.

Let cool the Cime di rapa.

When cool cut them in small pieced, finely cut garlic, anchovies and chili pepper. Bring back to a boil the Cime di rapa cooking water.

Pour the oil in a large frying pan, add the garlinc, anchovies and chili. let them fry for few seconds.

Add the Cime di rapa. The water must be now boiling, add the Orecchiette.

If you use hand made fresh Orecchiette you have to know that they are cooked when coming at the surface. If you use normal dried Orecchiette pasta, follow the cooking instruction but always take them out very "al dente": the pasta will finish his cooking in the sauce pan. Always reserve a cup of the cooking water.