Black Cod in Sicilian Olive Sauce (Merluzzo Nero alla Olive Ghiotta)

Black Cod in Sicilian Olive Sauce

I went to Sicily.  Give me a second, I just want to read that last sentence and breathe deeply.

 

Yeah, I went to Sicily.  Wow.  First, the food - as you've probably heard before- amazing. Second, the people were so friendly.  They were so open.  They were so patient while I mangled the Italian language.

There was inspiration everywhere I visited and I covered a lot of country.  My husband and I are thankfully alike in wanting to see as much as possible on vacation.

 

We never stop.  It's upsetting to many of the hotel, apartment and agriturismo owners that we meet in Europe. They always ask, "why do you stay only one night, why not stay more, relax?"  They often look hurt that we aren't soaking in their lovely city and homes for longer. I love them for that spirit.  It's just not how we're engineered.  We want to see it all, do it all and we only have a limited time, so it's go, go, GO.

 

The upside is we eat at a lot of different places and experience classic and modern takes on their traditional dishes. Then I return with ideas and passion for creating them myself.

One of the terms used a lot in Sicily was "ghiotta" [ghee-OH-tah.]

There was Pesce alla Ghiotta, and Tonno alla Ghiotta, and even Panna Cotta alla Ghiotta.  At first I thought it just meant a well-known Sicilian collection of tomatoes, olives and capers (sometimes with raisins thrown in, too.)  After returning to the States and asking my fav Italian teacher (Lorena Bignamini) and a scholarly buddy that teaches Italian at UCLA (Erika) about the word, "ghiotta", I'm ready to pass along these really fun facts:

** Ghiotto and Ghiotta are adjectives that can mean curiosity or interest in something scrumptious.

** It can also mean gluttonous person, but in Italian it means in a good way.

** Our literal translation could mean glutton, but in Italian it's only positive - meaning something like a person really liking something.  Lorena said you could be "ghiotta di Nutella, ghiotto di proschiutto, ghiotta di dulce and on and on.."

** If someone is a "ghiottone" it means they really appreciate food, like a gourmand, or a foodie (yay!) Although literally in our language it means a little wolverine.  Hahaha.

I've decided the best way to remember this is to think of our slang "Gaga" for something.  If you are "Ghiotta" for something you are "Gaga" for it.  Capisce?

Sicily, having a history of being owned by so many different countries along the way, is a mixture of Arab, Africa, Greek, French, Italian and many other influences.

 

A meal may have olives in one dish and cinnamon in the next.  Sweet pastries are combined with savory spices, sausages are soaked in onions one dish, and fruits the next.  The country is covered in rolling hills, but dotted with palm trees too.

 

A city may be buzzing with commerce and just outside of it looms the ruins of a Greek temple built before Christ.

But, this is definitely Italy and almost every hillside has olive trees and every table a bottle of wine.

One of the "ghiotta" dishes that inspired me was enjoyed in Palermo at Trattoria Biondo.

Just before I left for Sicily, the sweet folks at Lindsay Olives sent me a few cans and jars of their Natural and Sicilian collection of olives.

It was wonderful timing and I was excited to return and play with my food (what a Ghiottone, huh?)

I'm using Black Cod because it's so easy to cook with and a good sustainable choice.  I'm using two different kinds of Lindsay Olives for a very full flavored sauce.  I minced the black olives to use instead of capers for a really nice tang and balance to the fish.

Until you or I get to return to Sicily, I hope you'll visit through your kitchen with this recipe:



Black Cod in a Sicilian Olive Sauce- (Merluzzo Nero in Olive Ghiotta)

1 Fillet Black Cod (cut into large pieces)
1 small Onion (cut in thin slices)
3 Garlic Cloves (peeled and smashed)
Olive Oil
1/2 Cup White Wine
2 large Tomatoes (cut in chunks or 6 strawberry tomatoes halved)
2-3 Cups Tomato Passata (Tomato Puree or Stock)
1 cup Lindsay Black Natural Olives (drained and minced)
1 cup Lindsay Sicilian Olives (drained and hand torn)
1/2 cup Fresh Parsley (chopped)
1/4 cup Fresh Basil (chopped)
salt/pepper
*Crushed Pistachios for garnish*

1)  In a large pot, add a nice layer of Olive Oil to the bottom and heat on Med.
2)  Add onions and garlic and cook gently until soft (about 8 mins.) ** optionally a few slices of slivered Fennel is delicious, too**
3)  Add the White wine and continue to cook down for about 10 mins.
4)  Place the Fish pieces in a single layer on top of the onions. Sprinkle in the minced Olives. Hand tear the Sicilian Olives and distribute those in the pot also.
5) Add the Tomatoes, Parsley, Basil and season with salt and pepper.

6)  Pour in the Tomato Passata. Increase heat just til it simmers, then cover and reduce heat to low.  Cook for about 30 minutes.  Now and then, gently stir a bit and move fish around to cook evenly.
7) Remove Fish, ladle sauce into bowls, then top with Fish and garnish with Pistachios.

Chef Becky Selengut (author of GOOD FISH) gave this buying tip for Black Cod (also known as Sable Fish): Buy pieces that are center cut rather than tail because it's thicker and more resistant to over cooking.

Bacon Studded Polenta with Tomato Gravy - Ciao, Yawl!

Bacon Studded Polenta with Tomato Gravy~

Some of us were born to color outside the lines, inside the lines and sometimes draw our own lines.  Combining Italian Polenta with crispy bacon bits, then smothering it with a deep Southern Tomato Gravy is one of those meals where the lines between the countries get blurred.  What comes out of this marriage of "Ciao and Chow" is good country eating, no matter what country you're talking about.

And speaking of countries, this month the Lets Lunch Bunch (my virtual lunch buddies from all over the globe) are celebrating a very special debut of a new cookbook:

Cowgirl Chef: Texas Cooking with a French accent.

Ellise (Cowgirl Chef) is a true Texan who has been living, learning, teaching, growing and loving in Paris, France for the last few years.  Her story of how she embraced her authentic and true self, talents and dreams by meeting the challenge of a brand new environment is inspiring (and the recipes are down right "must-makes.")  Ellise is one of the original foodbloggers to start our unique monthly lunch meeting online several years ago.  I was there for the very first one and we all made our own versions of a BLT sandwich.  It's a great example of one of the good things that come from our tech-driven journey.

This month's challenge was to create and share a meal that represented our own past experiences and another country, too (ala: Texas and France.)  

Picking something Italian was a no-brainer for me.  I've been obsessed with all things Italian for many years and will be fortunate enough to be packing this week to visit our good friends in Cossignano, Italy and stay at their Organic Agriturismo (Fiorano.)  Paolo and Paola are part of the Slow Food Movement and are very active in Organic wines, foods and conservation. 

Agriturismo Fiorano in Le Marche

I speak a little Italian from years of studying and soaking it up, although it seems to be with a good ol' Southern twang no matter how hard I try to pretend.

My grandmothers in North Carolina made Tomato Gravy and poured it over biscuits, toast, rice and grits.  It's a poor man's marinara sauce and it's packed with tomato bits, bacon flavor and rich roux.

Polenta is ground corn meal and considered an Italian comfort food.  Depending on the region, it's served warm and loose like soupy grits, or thick and cut into sections or even baked.  If you've seen the pre-made tubes of something they call Polenta in grocery stores, please don't judge Polenta by that gross congealed yellow tube food product (smiling, but serious.)  

Making Polenta is as easy as rice. There are just a few tips for making it successfully:

1)  When the liquid begins to simmer, rain in the Polenta grains.  This means do NOT pour it all in (that makes it clump.)  Rain it in, sprinkling it gradually and stirring while it goes.

2)  Reduce heat and stir often so not to scorch the Polenta.

3)  Keep in mind, it's easy to add a little more liquid if it's too thick, but not so easy to make it thicker if you add too much liquid too quickly.

4)  Adding butter makes it a little bit looser, cheese will make it a bit thicker.

The liquid used in Polenta, like rice, can be water or stock, milk, or something in your imaginative recipe developing "coloring book."

When I made this Bacon Studded Polenta smothered in Tomato Gravy, I also ate almost the whole plate of it.  So, be careful. :D

Check below to see the many varied and delectable recipes of country fusion cooking from other Let's Lunch pals: 

Chery's Goin Pork Curry Tacos at Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan
Eleanor‘s  Wok Picadillo at Wok Star
Ellise‘s Salty Lime Sablés (Margarita Cookies) at Cowgirl Chef
Emma‘s Kimchi Bulgogi Nachos at Dreaming of Pots And Pans
Felicia‘s Mexican-Lebanese Hummus at Burnt-Out Baker
Grace‘s Taiwanese Fried Chicken at HapaMama
Jill‘s Southern Pimento-Stuffed Knishes at Eating My Words
Joe‘s Grilled KimCheese Sandwich at Joe Yonan
Karen‘s Ukrainian-German Cabbage Rolls at GeoFooding
Leigh‘s Venezuelan-Italian Cachapas Con Queso at Leigh Nannini
Linda‘s Project Runway Pelau: Rice & Beans Trinidad-Style at Spicebox Travels
Linda‘s Edible Salad Totes at Free Range Cookies
Lisa‘s Sunday Night Jewish-Chinese Brisket at Monday Morning Cooking Club
Lucy‘s Coconut Rice Pudding with Mango at A Cook And Her Books
Nancie‘s Chili-Cheese Biscuits with Avocado Butter at Nancie McDermott
Rashda‘s Mango Cobbler at Hot Curries & Cold Beer
Renee‘s Asian-Spiced Quick Pickles at My Kitchen And I
Steff‘s Chicken Fried Steak at The Kitchen Trials
Vivian‘s Funky Fusion Linguini at Vivian Pei
*********

Recipe: Bacon Studded Italian Polenta-

3-4 pieces of Bacon

1 cup Nonfat Milk

1 cup Water

2 Tbls. Butter

salt, pepper

1)  In a skillet, cook the bacon on Med. until crispy, remove and chop into small pieces. Pour off the fat/grease and save for the Tomato Gravy.  Save the bacon coated skillet for cooking the gravy in also.

2)  In a deep saucepan, bring the water, milk, salt and pepper to a low simmer, stirring so the milk doesn't curdle.

3)  Rain in the Polenta, stirring constantly until the Polenta is creamy.  

4)  Reduce the heat to low, stir often so it doesn't scorch.  Now is when to add a bit more liquid if needed. Stir in the bacon pieces now.  Cook and stir often for about 15 minutes.  The Polenta should be thick for this recipe.

5)  Stir in the butter and turn out into a buttered 8x8 baking pan. Leave to room temp or chill for later.

Press into a buttered baking dish

6)  Before serving, cut into squares and triangles and broil or fry for just a couple minutes until crisp on the outside. *It can also be used without this step.

Recipe:  Tomato Gravy

1/4 cup Bacon fat (use butter if there's not enough bacon fat)

1/4 cup Flour

2-3 Tomatoes (peeled, chopped)

2 cups Stock (veggie or chicken) warmed

salt/pepper

1) Using the same pan the bacon was cooked in, add the bacon fat/butter and the flour, salt and pepper.  Cook and whisk on Med. until light brown and a nice roux has been created.

 

2)  Add the chopped tomatoes and any reserved juice from chopping.  Lower heat to Low/Med and Whisk together.

3)  Slowly whisk in the warmed stock and continue cooking on Low for about 15-20 minutes.  If it's too thick, add a little water or more stock a little at a time.  Season to taste.

4)  Serve poured over the Polenta or biscuits, rice or scrambled eggs. Mmmmm.

Congrats to Cowgirl Chef!  Hope to see you on tour!

Couscous w/ Fresh Corn, Garden Tomatoes & Arugula Pesto

I've been known to polish off a coffee cake in one sitting. I will seek out chocolate like a truffle pig. I can hardly start the morning without some kind of bread/muffin/biscuit/scone thingy. Yet, if I had to pick my favorite plate of food it would be a collection of salads made with Quinoa, Couscous, Farro, Mushrooms, Nuts and Vegetables. Does that make me "Bi-Palate"?

Israeli Couscous w/ Fresh Corn,
Heritage Tomatoes and Arugula Pesto

One reason I love entertaining is the challenge of crafting the event and the food around what or whom is being celebrated. My goal is always to Feed-The Fun! This past weekend, it was a Bridal Shower. The gorgeous lady-of-the-day is an actress, a yoga instructor, a baker and very intelligent about food. Her shower was vibrant with laughter and retro-games mixed with original games thought up by her circle of long-time girl friends (including a Newly Wed game that involved an interview with the groom-to-be on screen.) It was stylish and there were a lot of gorgeous people in one place.

(original photography by KhaliMacIntyre.com)

The sparkling bride-to-be loves and appreciates baked goods, so I made Lavender Cupcakes w/Lavender Frosting and Lemon Curd Filling.

She prefers healthy and mostly meatless meals, so I made Quinoa w/dried cherries in Lettuce Cups.

She enjoys eating seasonal, farmer's market foods, so I made Israeli Couscous with Fresh Corn (cut off the cob), and my very own garden Heritage Tomatoes, with home made Arugula Pesto.The next day, I made it again -- for me. Today, it was lunch -- for me. Send help, I'm Crazy-for-Couscous. Every bite of these tiny pasta pearls are dressed with peppery Arugula Pesto. Then, they get bejeweled with Heritage Tomatoes.Every spoonful is dotted with caramelized onions and sweet corn.

I have 2 ears of corn left and maybe one more apron-full of summer garden tomatoes. I have a long airplane ride ahead of me this week and you can bet I will have a little carry-on tub of this to munch.

The standard Couscous (originally from Northern Africa) that we buy in bulk or box in America is sometimes mistakenly thought of as a grain. Actually, it's pasta. It's made from hard semolina, and anciently from the durum (hard grain of the wheat.) It is a process that includes grinding, rolling, drying, and pre-steaming. A simplified version of it is done when you make Fregola Pasta. Using the boxed versions allows us to skip that part and gives us a filling and healthy dish that only takes a few minutes to cook. Like rice, Couscous easily takes on the seasonings and flavors that you add to the broth or cooked pasta. It can be served hot, warm or chilled and also makes a great thickener for soups and stews.

Israeli Couscous is similar to the standard Couscous, but the pasta rounds are larger. It was created during a time when rice was hard to come by in Israel. The wheat based dish was a great substitute for the daily consumption of rice (for anyone who could eat gluten.)Regular Couscous is generally cooked by adding 1 part dried couscous to 1.5 parts liquid, bringing it to a boil, covering it and taking the pan off the heat for about 5 minutes.

Israeli Couscous does better, I think, when you stir the dried grains in a bit of oil or butter to coat them, then stir to toast just a bit. Then, you add the liquid, bring to a boil, cover and reduce the heat while it cooks for about 10 minutes.

Either kind of Couscous is so versatile and easy to store that it makes an easy go-to life saver in your pantry.

RECIPE: Israeli Couscous with Fresh Corn, Heritage Tomatoes and Arugula Pesto

1 cup fresh corn (about 2 cobs)
1/2 onion chopped
1 Tbls. butter
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbls. Olive Oil ( + more for drizzling)
Pinch of Garam Masala
3 cups fresh Arugula
1/4 cup pine nuts (toasted)
3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano Cheese
3 cups diced Heritage tomatoes
2 cups Israeli Couscous (or standard - just follow pkg. directions)
salt/pepper

1) In a skillet on Med. heat, melt 2 Tbls. butter and 2 Tbls. Olive oil, add the onions and fresh corn. Season and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring a few times. Add a pinch of Garam Masala and stir to heat through and distribute amazing flavor.

2) Scrap the corn/onions into a bowl to cool and hold til later. Using the same pan (with a tiny drizzle of oil if needed) saute the Arugula just until wilted. Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool.3) In a blender - add the sauteed Arugula, the toasted pine nuts, 3 cloves garlic, 1/4 cup grated cheese, 1/2 cup Olive Oil, and a pinch of salt. Puree into a smooth pesto. Adjust seasoning to taste.

4) In a large saucepan, heat a drizzle of Olive Oil and add the Israeli Couscous. Stir to slightly toast the couscous for about 5 minutes, then add enough water to cover double the height of the Couscous. Heat to boiling, cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for about 10 minutes til the Couscous is tender. Drain and spread out on a sheet pan to cool.

5) Transfer the Couscous to a large serving bowl. Stir in the Pesto, then fold in the Corn, Tomatoes and garnish with more Arugula and Grated Cheese.

Couscous is an easy base to your imagination. I hope you'll discover some of your own combinations of flavors and additions to this easy and healthy pasta. I'd love to hear about them. Enjoy and thanks for stopping by~

Easy Granola Made Your Way - Simple Saturday

What do you take on a plane to eat? I'm taking this Easy Granola.

Easy Granola Made Your Way

Those early morning flights are the hardest to prepare for, I think. I can easily end up eating an oily muffin (for three times it's worth) from a glass case with a faux French name in the airport, if I'm not careful. Also, I'm a "muncher", it soothes my nerves and gives me something to do for the hours I have to remain in one seat with my knees touching the back of another seat. If I don't prepare for that, it turns into me buying a turbo size bag of peanut M&Ms just because they're close to the water I have to buy after I'm past the security check point. So, this time I'm ready to go. I have a bag of this Granola and I can't wait to munch. I've made this (or these granola bars) each time using whatever I have in the cupboard or feel like mixing in. It's always so good, crunchy and filling. I don't use processed sugar for this, but if you don't like or have maple syrup, brown rice syrup or honey - you can try brown sugar instead. RECIPE: Easy Granola Made Your Way

2 1/2 cups oats
1 1/2 cup sweetener (I used 1/2 cup maple syrup and 1 cup brown rice syrup)
Few pinches of seasoning (I used pinch cinnamon, pinch fresh grated nutmeg, pinch of salt, and 1 teaspoon vanilla)
1 1/2 - 2 cups crunch (I used 1/2 cup toasted almonds, 1/2 cup toasted pecans, 3/4 cup toasted coconut and a handful of toasted pepitas)
1 cup dried fruit (I used cherries, apricots and raisins)

1) Heat your sweetener in a saucepan with any liquid flavoring (such as vanilla, almond, coconut, etc.) til it boils, stir and remove from heat.

2) In a large bowl stir all dry ingredients together (except dry fruits), then stir in warm syrup. 3) Spread granola out on a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet and bake at 350F for about 20-30 minutes, stirring in the pan once or twice through.

4) Remove from oven, stir on pan and allow to cool, then stir in dried fruits before packaging.

This makes great gifts presented in little paper bags, or a healthy bag of munch for traveling. If you keep it sealed well, it will last for weeks.

CampBlogAway & Spicy Avocado-n-Bacon Frozen Magarita Recipe

I went to Camp and all you got was this

Spicy Avocado Bacon Frozen Margarita recipe.

Why would anyone drive hours from home into the mountains of California and sleep in a cabin to talk about food blogging?

Because it's FUN, people, it's FUN!

Not only was CampBlogAway fun, it was inspiring. Yeah, I know that word can be overused. But when you leave a place with the feeling of energy and renewed focus because of other people's lives, viewpoints or challenges they overcame - what else can you call it?

Joy (Joy the Baker), an extremely successful gal, let us in on her secret to a great Food Blog: Write from the heart, be yourself, give your best and they will come.

Cheryl (5 Second Rule) and Susan (Food Blogga) reminded us that building a "community" and reaching out to others, paying attention to who reads our blogs, and staying accountable for what we put out there will result in a larger community and a better planet.

I call that inspiring.

Not only was CampBlogAway inspiring, it was informative.

I didn't know that Idaho Potatoes are naturally capable of being crisp on the outside and firm, but fluffy on the inside because of the Volcanic minerals in the soil of Idaho.

I didn't know that Fiji Water was helping villages receive water supplies for themselves, as well. I didn't know you could buy eggs (SafeEggs) that are pasteurized, therefore no worries of deadly salmonella.

I didn't know that fondant is so easy, anyone can create beauty. I didn't know that Wente Vineyards have such a light, crisp Chardonnay. I didn't know the inside of a California Avocado (next to the shell) has the most nutrients.I didn't know that Patti (Worth the Whisk and camp captain) was a Virgo (structured, yet nurturing, humorous and inventive). I didn't know that Rachel (LaFujiMama) and Dara (CookinCanuck) could talk and laugh until 2:30 in the morning, just like me.

I call that informative.

CampBlogAway was like being a teenager, away at camp with buddies......except there's wine and better food.
A special thanks to Diane (CreatedBy-Diane) for the buttery Lemon Poppy Seed cookies that got me through my afternoon munchies.

To cap off my adult adventure and use one of the perfect avocados I got from camp, and to send us into Cinco de Mayo - here's a savory, almost healthy (wink, wink) cocktail. SPICY AVOCADO & BACON FROZEN MARGARITA: (serves about 4)

1 ripe Avocado (peeled and chopped)
1/2 Jalapeno (chopped)
6 Slices of Bacon (cooked crisp)
3 oz. Tequila (can use Vodka)
2 oz. Triple Sec or Cointreau
4 oz. Lime Juice or Sour Mix
ICE

1) In a blender, start with a little ice, then add the avocado, jalapeno, 1 slice of the bacon, the Tequila, Triple sec (I used Cointreau) and lime juice. Puree this, then add more ice until it reaches the consistency you like.

2) Taste along the way and increase the lime juice or ice as needed.

3) Separately, grind 3-4 slices of crisp bacon into dust for garnishing the glass edges and use the rest of the bacon pieces as swizzle sticks. This is a savory tasting cocktail, not sweet like the fruity ones. Serve immediately for a creamy texture or hold in refrigerator and stir briskly for a more liquid version.