Food and Recipes

[Moxie]

The advantage od living in US and particularly NY is that most of the ethnical cuisine type of places/restaurants will be very good. I mean in my place it all mostly sucks. They can't even get an italian restaurant with authentic and good food. Highest standard of ethnical restaurants in my place is japanese for which I can say it's up to standard.

The truth is that yes, I have an embarrassment of riches in terms of authentic regional cuisine in the NYC area. Some friends have discussed trying to "eat our way around the world" in the NYC area. We've done a decent job of it. Cuban food in Union City, NJ. Portuguese food in Newark, NJ. There is this amazing tamale place in Corona, Queens, (not far from where they play the US Open,) which is also around the corner from a 100+ year old Italian deli that makes their own mozzarella. You go in there, they'll tell you the whole family history.

 

[don_fabio]

The truth is that yes, I have an embarrassment of riches in terms of authentic regional cuisine in the NYC area. Some friends have discussed trying to "eat our way around the world" in the NYC area. We've done a decent job of it. Cuban food in Union City, NJ. Portuguese food in Newark, NJ. There is this amazing tamale place in Corona, Queens, (not far from where they play the US Open,) which is also around the corner from a 100+ year old Italian deli that makes their own mozzarella.

Where is a jelous emoji? And even if you don't eat out and want to make almost any regional recipe you want at home you'll be most likely able to get the ingredients.

You go in there, they'll tell you the whole family history.

I see what you mean. I like that.

 

[Moxie]

Here's a recipe I want to share. It's for celery soup. I will start by saying that I don't like celery. I find it necessary in certain recipes, for soups and stews, and stuffing, but you won't find me crunching on it. So, when I found myself with a bulk of it, and not wanting it to go to waste, (did I mention that I'm cheap?) I found this recipe. One of the reviews said, "I like this soup so much I would bathe in it."

Celery Soup

Celery stalks finally get their main-character moment in this creamy celery soup recipe.

www.epicurious.com

Not only do I love it, it's flexible for summer and winter. It's a great cold soup in summer. Great hot in winter. I add a little extra dill in summer, because the flavors are mellowed by the chill.

My variations on the recipe, so you know: I don't use cream. I substitute non-fat yogurt, and I like it better. The yogurt gives a tang that I like. I use less butter than it calls for. And I'm happy to add an extra small potato. If you don't use broth, but vary the salt, you get a very elegant green color. It makes a lovely starter for a dinner party.

PS: The absolute KEY thing is that you have to strain it.

 

[Moxie]

Where is a jelous emoji? And even if you don't eat out and want to make almost any regional recipe you want at home you'll be most likely able to get the ingredients.

That's the other thing. We have amazing spice shops and access to lots of ingredients. I basically don't have to leave my neighborhood.

I see what you mean. I like that.

I'll elaborate. One time, we went to the tamale place, and planned to go back by the Italian deli. We arrived just after they'd closed. We pressed our noses to the window and looked sad, and they opened the doors for us. I just wanted some mozzarella. They gave us tastes. Gramma was calculating the days take on some old-school adding machine. And they gave us the whole family history of the marble counter, and etc. It was charming. And the cheese was amazing. So was the prosciutto,

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Goodness me you people are been busy with talk of food and recipes since I was called into work for an emergency'
I adore fresh sardines lightly grilled with some olive oil on a barbeque or grill
If I could retire in Italy it would be Florence, which I simply adore

When I have time shortly will will post my recipe for Swordfish in Ink Pasta if you cant get Ink Pasta.I also have a wonderful recipe for Chick Pea Bolognese with tagliatelle pasta instead of lasange sheets, I dont eat a lot of red meat if I do it is a small steak with no fat.I eat a lot of legumes, lots of veggies and fish, I am not that fussed on chicken.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Squid Ink Pasta with Sword fish ( if you cant buy Sword Fish, tune marlin or kingfish will do)
Serves 4 people,
I packet (400 g) squid in pasta, if you can buy squid ink pasta, any think pasta will do, please do not put olive oil in a saucepan when boiling pasta, put in salt.
2 tablespoons olive oil
400 gram Swordfish cut into 1.5cm cubes,
1 long red chilli de-seeded and finely chopped
1/2 red onion, finely sliced
1 punnet of cherry tomatoes, finely chopped
1 bunch parsley, roughly chopped
50 grams Kalamata olives, de-seeded and halved
1 tablespoon capers
Anchovy fillets, finely chopped about 6 fillets
75ml olive oil
1 lemon zest and juice
salt and pepper
Method,
Boil a large pot of heavily salted water, add the squid ink pasta cook until al dente, strain the pasta and set aside
Place a large frying pan on high heat, add the oil and swordfish and season heavily.Cook the swordfish for about 2 mins and take care not to over cook
Take the pan off the heat and set aside, add the chilli, red onion, cherry tomatoes,parsley, olives, capers anchovies, olive oil, lemon zest and juice, salt and pepper.Add the pasta, toss and serve immediately.

 

[don_fabio]

Here's a recipe I want to share. It's for celery soup. I will start by saying that I don't like celery. I find it necessary in certain recipes, for soups and stews, and stuffing, but you won't find me crunching on it. So, when I found myself with a bulk of it, and not wanting it to go to waste, (did I mention that I'm cheap?) I found this recipe. One of the reviews said, "I like this soup so much I would bathe in it."

Celery Soup

Celery stalks finally get their main-character moment in this creamy celery soup recipe.

www.epicurious.com

Not only do I love it, it's flexible for summer and winter. It's a great cold soup in summer. Great hot in winter. I add a little extra dill in summer, because the flavors are mellowed by the chill.

My variations on the recipe, so you know: I don't use cream. I substitute non-fat yogurt, and I like it better. The yogurt gives a tang that I like. I use less butter than it calls for. And I'm happy to add an extra small potato. If you don't use broth, but vary the salt, you get a very elegant green color. It makes a lovely starter for a dinner party.

PS: The absolute KEY thing is that you have to strain it.

Never tried and never tought of a celery in that way. In my place we use root of celery much more than stalks. I like the fact that you don't use cream. Too many recipes are calling to use a cream and I mostly always avoid it. Isn't it also a big no no for the chefs?

I love pumpkin soup. I'm ok with broccolli soup, but I like to add some croutons and parmegianno regianno for extra flavour. I love seasonal porcini mushroom soup. Full of flavour.

 

[don_fabio]

Squid Ink Pasta with Sword fish ( if you cant buy Sword Fish, tune marlin or kingfish will do)
Serves 4 people,
I packet (400 g) squid in pasta, if you can buy squid ink pasta, any think pasta will do, please do not put olive oil in a saucepan when boiling pasta, put in salt.
2 tablespoons olive oil
400 gram Swordfish cut into 1.5cm cubes,
1 long red chilli de-seeded and finely chopped
1/2 red onion, finely sliced
1 punnet of cherry tomatoes, finely chopped
1 bunch parsley, roughly chopped
50 grams Kalamata olives, de-seeded and halved
1 tablespoon capers
Anchovy fillets, finely chopped about 6 fillets
75ml olive oil
1 lemon zest and juice
salt and pepper
Method,
Boil a large pot of heavily salted water, add the squid ink pasta cook until al dente, strain the pasta and set aside
Place a large frying pan on high heat, add the oil and swordfish and season heavily.Cook the swordfish for about 2 mins and take care not to over cook
Take the pan off the heat and set aside, add the chilli, red onion, cherry tomatoes,parsley, olives, capers anchovies, olive oil, lemon zest and juice, salt and pepper.Add the pasta, toss and serve immediately.

This sounds delicious Margaret. It is similar in some ways as our Black Risotto that we eat in Croatia. I can't get enough of that dish.

Black Risotto

Our cuisines are not that far away, it's mostly some variations to the dish and the way of preparation that makes dishes different, but ingredients are often the same/similar.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

This sounds delicious Margaret. It is similar in some ways as our Black Risotto that we eat in Croatia. I can't get enough of that dish.

Black Risotto

Our cuisines are not that far away, it's mostly some variations to the dish and the way of preparation that makes dishes different, but ingredients are often the same/similar.

That sounds yummy Don, I will try it, love Risotto

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

This is my Chick Pea Bolognese
Serves 4-6 people, just halve the quantity if you want it for 2 people
Ingredients,
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 large carrot, finely chopped
1 white onion finely chopped
1 fennel finely chopped
3 garlic cloves
1/2 bunch each rosemary, and thyme leaves. finely chopped
1 bunch sage leaves, finely chopped
400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 cuo (150g) semi dried tomatoes
700ml tomato sugo ( seasoned tomato passata)
1/2 cuo ( 125ml) red wine
2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
400 g tagliatelle, cook according to packet instructions, I always cook my pasta al dente
some grated parmesan cheese to serve, I like to use pecarino cheese grated it has more bite to it.

Method,
Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat.Add carrot, celery, onion and fennel with 1 tsp salt flakes and cook stirring for 15 mins, or until softened and lightly
camamelised.Add garlic and herbs, and cook stirring for 2 mins or until fragrant.Add chickpeas and semi-dried tomatoes.
Add sugo,wine 1/2 cup of water and worcestershire sauce and reduce heat to low.Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 25 mins or until thick and reduced. Season to taste.
Stir cooked pasta through sauce and scatter with freshly ground black pepper and parmesan, to serve.

 

[Horsa]

I'm interested. I would love to share a few recipes but I've been so busy with work and courses I'm doing for work recently as well as writing and editing the longest poem I've ever written I haven't got time for anything else. (When I was studying book-keeping, computerized accounts, accounting and payroll I had more time. This customer service one is more time-consuming and harder though it shouldn't be. I've got 148 questions to answer with answers expected to be 1 3/4 of a page each, lots of research to do as well as other reading and writing to be done, videos to be watched and games to be played until I win.) I look forward to posting a recipe soon. I'll also read the recipes posted and respond to people if that's o.k.

 

[don_fabio]

I see a love for chickpea is strong around here Speaking of it, I like this easy and quick Chickpea Tuna Salad.

It's also good for hot summer days. All ingredients you might have at home and no need for special shopping.

 

[Horsa]

Fun (and silly) question: Favorite three cuisines, by ethnicity?

For me I'll have to go Indian, then probably Italian and Ethiopian. I hate leaving Thai (among others) off, but...

English, Italian & American.

My favourite food is cauliflower cheese followed by macaroni cheese and ham & mushroom or chicken & mushroom pizza though I love Margarita pizza too. I also love roast beef & Yorkshire puddings & stew and dumplings. That's not mentioning fish & chips or desserts. I love a nice dessert. Apple crumble and custard is my favourite dessert.

I said I loved Italian as I love pizza & pasta as well as a nice lasagne.

I don't like spicy foods so said American because I love home-made burgers and hotdogs as well as K.F.C. (I used to like burgers out until the horse-meat crisis. Since then I've only eaten burgers I've bought from the butchers or made myself from meat from the butchers unless they were lamb, chicken or sausage burgers.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

English, Italian & American.

My favourite food is cauliflower cheese followed by macaroni cheese and ham & mushroom or chicken & mushroom pizza though I love Margarita pizza too. I also love roast beef & Yorkshire puddings & stew and dumplings.

I said I loved Italian as I love pizza & pasta.

I don't like spicy foods so said American because I love home-made burgers and hotdogs as well as K.F.C. (I used to like burgers out until the horse-meat crisis. Since then I've only eaten burgers I've bought from the butchers or made myself from meat from the butchers unless they were lamb, chicken or sausage burgers.

Being an Italian the Margarita is one of my favorites, we dont put a lot of toppings on our pizza just a few fresh ingredients
When we came to Australia my dear Papa nearly fell off his chair when he saw Pineapple on a pizza lol! that is a Big No No where we come from
Naples has the best pizza in the world, the home of pizza, their dough is light and fluffy, not like the usual flat pizza that is served in other parts of Italy eg Roma
and also here in Australia
I found a family from Naples that made the traditional Naples pizza they imported the special ovens from Roma to make their pizza's properly.It is the only place my family will eat pizza's in Sydney

 

[Horsa]

Being an Italian the Margarita is one of my favorites, we dont put a lot of toppings on our pizza just a few fresh ingredients
When we came to Australia my dear Papa nearly fell off his chair when he saw Pineapple on a pizza lol! that is a Big No No where we come from
Naples has the best pizza in the world, the home of pizza, their dough is light and fluffy, not like the usual flat pizza that is served in other parts of Italy eg Roma
and also here in Australia
I found a family from Naples that made the traditional Napples pizza they imported the special ovens from Roma to make their pizza's properly.It is the only place my family will eat pizza's in Sydney

Lol. I've never tried a pizza from Naples so don't know. (The nearest I've been to Italy is Malta. I like Maltese food. It's a mish-mash of English and Italian foods as well as seafood which I love.) I don't like pineapples on pizzas either. Pineapple is for seafood salads or other desserts. (I like tuna & sweetcorn on pizzas as well as the other toppings I mentioned.) I think of Naples & I also think of ice-cream. My favourite ice-cream is just strawberry ice-cream though.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Lol. I've never tried a pizza from Naples so don't know. (The nearest I've been to Italy is Malta. I like Maltese food. It's a mish-mash of English and Italian foods as well as seafood which I love.) I don't like pineapples on pizzas either. Pineapple is for seafood salads or other desserts. (I like tuna & sweetcorn on pizzas as well as the other toppings I mentioned.) I think of Naples & I also think of ice-cream. My favourite ice-cream is just strawberry ice-cream though.

If you ever go to Tuscany in Italy about 1 hours drive north from Florence they have the best ice cream, they have won awards world wide, it is only little , it attracts soo many people you can wait in the line for over 1/.2 and more especially on the weekends
Gelato is big in Italy and there is a place near the Trevi Fountain in Roma that has the best
Goodnes me I better shut up I am sounding like a travel agent for Roma lol!

 

[Horsa]

If you ever go to Tuscany in Italy about 1 hours drive north from Florence they have the best ice cream, they have won awards world wide, it is only little , it attracts soo many people you can wait in the line for over 1/.2 and more especially on the weekends
Gelato is big in Italy and there is a place near the Trevi Fountain in Roma that has the best
Goodnes me I better shut up I am sounding like a travel agent for Roma lol!

Thank you very much for the recommendation. I love strawberry flavour best. (I also love caffe latte's and mochas. I'd love to try the proper Italian version.)