Archive for the ‘meats’ Category

OK, you’re going out for the evening.  You ask your host “Can I bring anything”  They say, sure,

how about an hors d’oeuvre or some munchies?  You think…WHAT CAN I BRING that’s not “chips n’ dip”

So here’s the solution….create a beautiful antipasti platter.  You won’t need that much and it won’t break

the bank. You’ll need a good sized platter….oval are great. OK now, go to your local deli or Italian specialty

shop. I use the following…..a little less than 1/4 lb of each of these salumi (all prepared meats are called salumi in Italy)

1. Capicollo (sweet), 2. finnochiona or spressatta, 3. regular Genova salami, 4. Mortadella…..all sliced very thin. Next you’ll need some olives. Try about ten of each, calamata (pitted), regular domestic black pitted olives, maybe a couple alphonsos, greek (pitted). Next a small punch of grapes, some nice broad green leaf lettuce and some mint or chives for garnish. OK….ready to create.

Cut all the salumi in half. Start with the finnochiona and place each half along the rim of the platter, next do the same with the coppicollo halves. Now break off about four or five big lettuce leaves and put them in the middle of the platter. Add the grapes to the middle. Now, take each half of the Genova salami and make little cones out of them. (The fat from the salami will stick them together)  Place these (5-6) at both ends of the platter, then arrange various olives in the spaces remaining. Finish with the mortadella halves that you can just bunch up and stick them in the remaining spaces. Now to finish , stick a bunch of the mint sprigs into the space in the bunch of grapes and sprinkle the chopped chives all over the whole thing. Just look what you have created….look at the colors and textures!  People with think you are a culinary genious…and now you are!

Braised pork cutlets with porcini
Slow cooked pork cutlets  with porcini mushrooms

3- 4 pork cutlets
½ cup  red onions (chopped)
2 toes garlic (minced)
2 TBS tomato paste
2 portabella mushrooms (large slice))
½ cup  porcini mushrooms (reconstituted) save liquid
3/4 cup red wine
3/4 cup brodo (stock)
2 TBS flour for sprinkling
2 TBS oyster sauce
½ cup chopped parsley
3 TBS olive oil

1. In heavy skillet heat olive oil, brown cutlets, remove & set aside
2. Add onions , garlic, tom paste & oyster sauce,  sprinkle with flour
3. Cook mixture for 3-5 minutes until thick
4. deglaze pan with wine, deduce to half, add mushrooms, then brodo
5. Place pork back in pan  (stock should be half up sides of cutlets)
6. Put top on and bake in 275- oven for one or two hours until tender
7.  Check to see that sauce has not become too thick, the sauce should be
very dark and rich, thin with water if needed
8.  Add chopped parsley to sauce, transfer to plates, garnish with more parsley

Cooking with Cordier