Pollo ~ Alla Cacciatora con Prugna Secca

Cacciatore means ‘hunter’ in Italian. In cuisine, alla cacciatora refers to a meal prepared ‘hunter-style’ with onions, herbs and usually tomatoes, often bell peppers and sometimes wine. Chicken cacciatore typically, but not always, includes base ingredients of onion, garlic, and tomato.

Not surprisingly, in Sicily you can have your cacciatore with fresh dried fruits, i.e. plums.  This is truly a hunter style for you have ever hunted the best plums from the tree, you know what I mean.

Chicken cacciatore with fresh tomatoes, onion and plums is a family and man's meal. Its true because of the wholesomeness of the dish and its preparation - hunter style. You will need to buy at least two larger chicken breasts with bone and skin on. Take your covered skillet and saute one large (peeled/chopped) onion and a half glove of (peeled/chopped) garlic in 3 tbs of olive oil and the same of coconut oil. I always like to add my seasonings to the oils as the melt and blend in together: dried rosemary, oregano and mint along with red pepper flakes and a pinch of sea salt.

Lay in your chicken once the onion has gone transparent. Brown your chicken breasts on both sides allowing the skin side to get a bit browner and crisping on the edges. Now you want to add either a small can of diced tomatoes or use your own fresh from the garden. Cover and let simmer for 20 min. or longer depending on the size of the chicken breasts. After twenty or so minutes, you should add as many dried plums as you like to the cacciatore ... just before serving. 

Hopefully, in the meantime, you started a salted water to boil your linguine pasta. Once the pasta is tender, drain and rinse and ladle into a low lipped serving platter. Lay over the pasta your chicken breasts and cover with the wonderful delicious sauce making sure a few prunes appear on top, grate some Parmesan and garnish. 

Tutti a Tavola!

Subiaco Chicken Skillet Parmsagini with Angel Hair Pasta

Price per serving for two: $2.84

The Subiaco Monastery in Italy is incredibly beautiful and serene. Angels seem to fly from the mountains as cloud thrust about in a rushing wind. Food in the mountains is always simple, spontaneous. If all you have is a skillet, you will do fine. For this dish, all you will need to buy a package of boneless and skinless chicken breasts.















If you don't have in the pantry, a small tube of tomato paste, and a package of angel hair pasta and don't have time to make pasta from scratch, then stop by the store. As an additional side, I prepared fresh sliced cucumber from the garden with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and a dollop of sour cream topped with fresh parsley.



Before cooking, prepare your cumber salad by washing, peeling and slicing your cucumber into a glass dish, drizzle with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and mix the sour cream on the end... before serving.

Now, take your covered skillet and melt in 4 tbs of olive oil to that add chopped garlic and a few sprigs of fresh rosemary. I also like to add some fresh dried oregano, red pepper and a pinch of sea salt. As soon as the oil and seasonings are hot, add your chicken, saute on high heat till browned on both sides.

Turn down the heat to med and add 4-5 tbs of tomato paste, blending with your oils/seasoning to cover your chicken. Cover and cook on low heat for 8 min. In the meantime, prepare water for boiling your pasta. When it begins to roll, add a few pinches of salt and add your pasta. Angel hair cooks rather quickly so keep stirring it and checking for tenderness. Once it is tender, drain and rinse and pour out to a low lipped dish. Your chicken and sauce will be ready to lay over the top. Of course, put on the Parmesan!

That's all there is to it.

Tutti a Tavola!

Pork Milanese with Creamy Lemon Sauce

Price per serving for two: $3.00

You will need to buy a package of pork tenderloin steaks or boneless center cut chops. For a side dish, you can prepare fresh from the garden zucchini and yellow squash. When I was a girl, I love to help my mother in the garden. My specialty from seed to table was squash. I loved all kinds then and I still do. This time of year, nothing tastes better than garden fresh vegetables.

Take your covered skillet and melt in 3 tbs of coconut oil and the same of olive oil. Sprinkle in your spices: red pepper flakes, garlic powder, black pepper, sea salt and some fresh herbs, rosemary, mint and oregano straight from the garden. Once the oils spit, lay in your pork. Brown on both sides on med. heat. When both sides have browned, squeeze some fresh lemon juice over the top of the meat, continue to cook on med. heat for a minute and then turn down the heat so that the sizzling subsides; finish off by adding 1/3 cup of heavy cream. Let this simmer for 8-10 min.

In the meantime, wash and slice your squash. On med. heat, in another skillet, melt in 3 tbs of olive oil and 2 tbs of coconut oil along with a generous dollop of fresh creamy butter. Toss in your squash and lightly salt. Saute, by letting them sizzle until they caramelize on the edges and then cover to cook for about 6-8 min on low heat, turning occassionally.

That's all there is too it.

Tutti a Tavola!

Firenza Fruittura! Carne bovina ~ di albicocca

Price per serving for two: 2.62

 

You will need to buy sirloin for stir fry, linguine pasta if you don't have it on hand and if you are not able to pick from the garden then stop by your favorite market for a few apricots, green and red pepper and a small slim zucchini. Take your covered skillet and melt in 3 tbs of coconut oil and the same of olive oil. Sprinkle in red pepper flakes, sea salt, garlic powder, onion powder and fresh dried herbs - oregano and mint.

Chop or slice your green and red pepper and zucchini. Add them to the seasoned oils in your skillet and stir fry on med. heat. In the meantime, slice your sirloin into think strips. And, get a stock pot of hot water going for your pasta. Once your veggies are browned, remove your skillet and set aside. Add an additional 1tbs of olive oil to the skillet and lay in your steak strips when the oil begins to spit a bit. Stir fry your sirloin until browned. Pour in 1/4 cup of apricot nectar and then reintroduce the veggies, heat up for 2 min covered; then turning off the heat while you tend to the pasta.

Once the water rolls in a boil, you can add your pasta. Don't forget a pinch of salt. On the side, prepare to saute and caramelize a few fresh apricots in butter and 1 tsp of olive oil.

When the pasta is tender, drain and ladle onto a large low lipped serving dish. Top with your stir fry and serve, garnished with apricots and fresh green parsley.

Tutti i Presenti!

Fruits Abound in Summer Sun! Nettare di Albicocca ~ Marmellata di Albicocche

Guest Blogger ~ My Mom

I really enjoy this time of year. Why? Because, I see the fruits of my efforts come to fruition.
No, I am not fruity but I love fresh fruit. Italians love to pick from the garden or orchard and go straight into the kitchen. So, I want to share with you my adventure making apricot nectar and marmalade. I have my own trees and this year it was a robust harvest. With the grand kids over, we were able to get quite a bit. Here are the recipes I followed.



Nectar ~ Nettare di Albicocca

• 1 quart apricots 
• 1/2 cup sugar 
• 1 quart water
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice

Wash and pit fresh fruit. Boil fruit and water 5 minutes. Strain. Add sugar and lemon juice and bring to a boil. Makes 1 1/2 quarts.I canned my apricot nectar in a hot water bath. In caner, bring water to boil, enough to cover jars by 1-inch of water. Put jars with hot nectar in caner and bring back to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes and remove.

Butter ~ Marmellata di Albicocche

• 24 Medium Apricots
• 3 Cups Sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice or Orange Juice
• ½ to 1 teaspoon each ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon (optional)

Wash and remove stems from apricots, cut in halves and remove pits. Cook apricots with skin on until soft, adding just enough water to prevent apricots from sticking (about ½ cup). Push through a sieve or food mill or place in blender. This should produce about 1-1/2 quarts apricot pulp. To prepare butter, combine apricot pulp with sugar. Cook until desired consistency, stirring frequently to keep fruit from sticking. Add lemon or orange juice and flavorings if desired. Butter can then be stored following proper canning process Follow the above process used for the nectar. Listen for the lids to pop. Then you know you have a seal.

*pictured here is my first batch, which tastes as good as it looks!

Melanzane Gulasch Il Pomodoro ~ Petto di Pollo

Price per serving for two: $3.50

You will need to buy two chicken breasts or as many as you need. I often do cook for two, but any brainy gourmet knows that you can double any recipe when you need to. Since its summer, my homegrown veggies are just starting to come in. This morning I picked fresh eggplant and purple peppers along with some fresh herbs: rosemary, mint and oregano. I also picked cucumber and Italian tomatoes.

Take your skillet and melt in 3 tbs of coconut oil and the same of olive oil. Chop one whole onion, a few cloves of garlic and either one whole green or purple pepper to add to the spitting oils in your skillet. Wash and cube your eggplant and add to the onion and pepper. Once these veggies have browned, you can add either fresh diced tomatoes or one small can of diced tomatoes. Let this simmer for 20 min. For additional flavor, add your fresh herbs and I like to put in a dollop of tomato/cheese pesto.

In the meantime, take another skillet and melt in 4 tbs of olive oil and 1 tbs of coconut oil. Season your oils with fresh herbs, powdered garlic, and red pepper flakes to taste. Lay in your chicken breasts and then when browned on both sides, pour in 1/2 cup of heavy cream. Let this simmer for 8 min. When your chicken is cooked through, remove and set aside. Take the delicious creamy sauce left in this skillet and add it to your eggplant/tomato goulash. If your rice is not yet ready, lay your chicken breasts back into the goulash and cover.
















For a side, prepare rice. Serve your chicken and eggplant/tomato goulash on top of the rice and garnish.

Chicken Breasts ~ Aglio Zenzero con Gusto di Limetta

Price per serving for two: $2.58

You will need to buy a package of skinless, boneless chicken breasts.  If you don't have on hand, linguine pasta, onion, green pepper, fresh lime and garlic and ginger, then pick some up at the store.














Start by sauteing chopped onion, garlic and green pepper in a skillet with 4 tbs of coconut oil and 2 tbs of olive oil. Once the edges are browned, lay in your chicken breasts. Generously sprinkle in sea salt, red pepper flakes, and fresh dried or even fresh herbs from the garden if you have; rosemary and mint are used for this dish. Cover and let this cook for 6-8 min on med. heat. When the breasts have browned on both sides, add 4 tbs of organic honey, as much fresh grated ginger and or dried ground ginger if you have. To that, stir in 2 tbs of balsamic vinegar and 2 tsp of lime juice. Let this caramelize on high heat and then reduce to low and cover for 4-5 min.

Prepare a rolling boil of salted water for your linguine. Once tender, drain and pour out onto a low lipped serving dish. Place your chicken breasts on top of the pasta and cover with the luscious sauce. Garnish!

Tutti a Tavola!

Place fresh halved limes out for dinner guests to squeeze for extra zing.