Brainy Tuscan Pork Loaded with Olives of Tuscany...

 

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Oh the taste of Italy...Do you know that Tuscany grows four main types of olives: Frantoio, Moraiolo, Leccino, and Pendolino. Frantoio is a Tuscan native, but because of its high demand, it is now grown all over Italy, and in parts of Australia, North Africa, and California.

Now, for a good 'cooking' green olive, the Castelvetranos are very tasty. They are bright-green olives grown in sunny Sicily. 

For this dish you will need: one and half pound pork tenderloin, vermicelli pasta or linguine, beef stock, jarred sun dried tomatoes, green olives, dried plums, heavy cream, garlic, purple onion and dried herbs.

To begin, chop and saute one whole onion in olive oil along with one clove of minced garlic. As the onion browns, thickly slice the pork loin into medallions. Push aside the onion and garlic to lay in the medallions... browning on both sides.

Next, pour in 1/4 cup of beef stock and then add as many sun dried tomatoes and dried plums as you like and 1/4 of green olives. Sprinkle in the dried herbs: rosemary, mint and oregano. If you are brave, also sprinkle in some red pepper flakes, garlic powder and paprika.

Lastly, spoon in 4 tbs of heavy cream and simmer while you cook the vermicelli...

~ Tutti a Tavola!

Brainy Gourmet goes to Calabria...

 

 

 

Everyone knows that the best olives and olive oil from Calabria. The climate has a lot to do with that outcome; just the right blend of sun and moisture creates a perfect blend of taste in the olive.

You will need to buy a package of boneless, skinless chicken thighs (one per guest). You should also have on hand or buy: tomatoes, green and black olives, purple, green and red bell pepper (s), garlic, fresh rosemary and fresh dried herbs:basil, oregano and mint.

Prior to cooking this wonderful Southern Italian dish, you will need to marinate the boneless thighs by pressing them in a simple wash of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, sprinkled with sea salt, fresh dried herbs and fresh chopped rosemary, let sit for about 1 hr.

To begin cooking, take a covered skillet and pour in 4-5 tbs. of olive oil and saute on med. half of each pepper and one clove fresh garlic. When you see browned edges on the peppers, push them aside and lay in the thighs to sear the meat on both sides. Top with any remaining herbs from the marinate cooking for about 5-6 min.

Next, add 1/2 cup of fresh diced tomatoes and their juices along with a few green and black olives; allow to simmer for 25 min. covered. While the chicken simmers, prepare a delicate risotto. Boil about 2 and 1/2 cup of chicken stock, adding 2 cups of rice to gently simmer on med heat. Once the rice is tender having absorbed the stock almost completely, add a dollop of butter, 3/4 cup of diced tomato and 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese. Cover and set aside.

 

When you are ready to serve, put out the risotto (or pasta or polenta) into a separate serving bowl and the chicken with olives onto a large low lipped serving platter.

~ Tutti a Tavola ~ 'everyone to the table'!

Chicken Riggi or Utica Riggies... Italian American Pasta Dish

 

Chicken Riggi... what's that? Chicken riggies or Utica Riggies is an Italian American pasta dish which came into existence somewhere in the Utica-Rome area of New York State. There are plenty of varieties out there and that's good. 

Every cook has to be brainy in their own way. Some versions this dish add hot and or sweet peppers to the spicy creamy and tomato sauce which is poured over ... Rigatoni, of course!

You will need for this dish: chicken breasts (1 per guest), 1-2 pkgs. of Rigatoni or Penne (dependent on number of guests), one whole onion, one or two good size sweet red peppers along with heavy cream, butter, chicken stock and Italian herbs. 

To begin, chop one whole onion along with the red pepper and saute gently in olive oil in a large deep skillet. Cut the chicken breasts into chunks and add to the onion/pepper mix. Once the chicken meat is white, add 4 tbs of butter, 1 cup of heavy cream and 1/4 cup of stock. Toss in a hefty dash of dried Italian herbs and let simmer while you boil the pasta.

~ Tutti a Tavola!

Harvest Time with a Brainy Good Pork Loin with Blackened Veggies....

The title or name of this dish says it all!

Basically, all you need to whip this up in about 45 min is a 1 lb boneless pork loin, beef stock, a few dried plums, mushrooms, one onion, one carrot, one parsnip, and fresh string beans

To begin: open the pork loin (cut down the middle and gently spread open) to lay out flat until you have a fillet (do not pound). Season with Himalayan sea salt, garlic powder and dried herbs. Sear the loin on all sides in a skillet of olive oil. Once you have done that, remove the seared loin and set it aside to rest.

Next, chop one onion and half pound of mushrooms. In another skillet brown the onions/mushrooms in olive oil and a dollop of butter. Once browned, remove from the heat.

Turn your attention back to the loin, add the mushrooms and lay in as many sun dried plums as you can fit. Top with a 3/4 cup of beef stock and let simmer while you prepare the root veggies and fresh green string beans.

Wash the beans and cut off stem tops if needed. Peel the carrot and parsnip, then julienne slice.  Using the onion/mushroom skillet, add olive oil, 2 dollops (tbs) of cold pressed coconut oil and a sprinkle of sea salt. Stir fry the veggies until just tender and slightly blackened. As the pork is nearly finished, get ready to serve on a low lipped plate, pouring out the rich liquid with mushrooms and plums.

~ Tutti a Tavola!

Brainy Eggplant Lasagna... So so good!

 

Did you know that the name "eggplant" was given to the fruit by Europeans sometime in the mid-18th century; originating in Naples? The size and shape of the fruit was similar to those of goose eggs. At the time, the eggplant was more white and yellow than today's purple-skinned fruit, leading to an even closer comparison of the eggplant to an egg.

For this eggplant dish you will need: at least two large ripe eggplant, one purple onion, bread crumbs, canned crushed tomatoes, mozzarella and parmesan cheese.

To begin, chop onion and saute in skillet until browned, then remove and set aside. Next, wash and slice the eggplant length wise. Simmer in shallow amount of soup stock (chicken or beef) in the same skillet used for the onion. Likely, you won't get all the slices in at once so just do three or four at a time. Doing this, softens the eggplant and cuts down baking time in the oven.

Layer in a glass baking dish in this order: olive oil to coat the dish, eggplant slices, olive oil drizzle, sprinkle of bread crumbs, spoon of tomato sauce to each slice, grated cheese and dash of dried herbs (rosemary, mint and oregano). Put only one layer of onion... just before top layer.

Top off with sauce and grated cheese... bake on 375 until bubbling

 ~ Tutti a Tavola!











 Online source ~ https://oureverydaylife.com/different-names-for-an-eggplant-12080443.html

Brainy Northern Italian Polenta...

 

Polenta is made from cornmeal. It can be eaten as a hot mush, or chilled then fried as a thick slice of yumminess. Northern Italians like polenta very much. It is often served with mild Italian sausage or a thin rolled braised beef called Braciole.

For this dish, you will need to have: olive oil, one onion, yellow cornmeal, chicken stock, Parmesan and butter.

Polenta -
2 tbs of olive oil
one whole onion chopped
2-4 cups of chicken stock
2 cups of yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup of grated Parmesan
4 tbs of butter or 1/2 stick

Heat oven to 350F. On the stove, saute your onion in the olive oil in a deep oven safe pot until browned on all edges; then, add your stock (use 2 for thicker) and 5 cups of water. Heat to boiling on high and slowly whisk in the cornmeal. Then cover and bake for 45-50 min.with an occasional stir - about every 10 min. Remove from the oven, add the butter and Parmesan for one last stir, then let it set covered.

 












Spoon the creamy polenta onto a plate, making a kind of thick pancake. Let is sit for a min or two. Then top with a sausage and a lite creamy tomato sauce. Or just serve and eat the sausage with the polenta alone... perhaps with only a pat of butter or cheese on the side.

 ~ Tutti a Tavola!  

Brainy Atlantic Salmon with Ratte Potatoes and Asparagus...

 







 

The benefits of farm raised Atlantic salmon include higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids. Why? Its due to the regulated diet of farm-raised salmon, they have more nutrients. What about wild-caught? Well, in case you didn't know, all Atlantic salmon on the public market is farm raised. Guess, if you want 'wild' you have to go wild... and go fishing ;-)

A package of two large fresh caught Atlantic salmon fillets cost 7.75; that means for two people the cost was 3.87. Roasted potatoes for two people (six rustic cut skin on potatoes) cost only .90 cents. Half a package of fresh green asparagus cost 1.50 cents. Do the math and you will see that this dinner cost less than 6 dollars per person. There is no restaurant in America where you can get this dinner for that price. Cooking at home is Brainy delicious and frugal!!!!

Of course, I did buy a 2 lb bag of potatoes @ 2.49 and using only about 6 out of that bag was figured somewhere around the amount given above. The full package of asparagus cost 3.00; hence, half used gave us 1.50. I did not include the cost of the white wine which was six dollars for the bottle and we each had one glass so about 1.00 dollar there per person. A squeeze of fresh lime @ .25 cents and half stick of butter is another .50 cents. We are still not over eight dollars per person.

 ... food like art

You will need to buy two salmon fillets; unless you want to feed the family. Then you may want to buy an entire side fillet at the cost of 15.00 divide that by 4 and you have 3.75. Begin by roasting as many rustic cut ratte potatoes as you need in the oven on 375. Use a cookie sheet drizzled with olive oil, garlic powder and rosemary. 

Top the potatoes with Himalayan pink salt (or any kosher salt or sea salt) and bake for 35 min. As the end of that time approaches, sear on high heat the fillets in olive oil and spices: garlic powder, red pepper flakes, Himalayan pink salt and black pepper.

Once seared to blackened, you can turn down the heat and add 2 pats of butter and let simmer while you prepare the asparagus. Next, wash and cut the asparagus, push aside the salmon and add the spears. The potatoes should be finishing up, ladle onto a serving plate, lay on the salmon fillets (skin side up). Take a quick minute now to blacken the asparagus.

~ Tutti a Tavola!