An Italian Dinner

Some menu items from an Italian-themed party I threw last year..

Caprese Salad (Insalata Caprese)

There are only four major ingredients, so this is a simple starter but so very delicious and satisfying.   And because there are so few ingredients, buy the best you can find or afford.

4 large Hothouse tomatoes, sliced fairly thick

Fresh Mozzerella Cheese, sliced

Fresh Basil, one small bunch

1 cup Balsamic Vinegar

Coarse ground pepper and sea salt

First, place the balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan over very low heat.  You will be reducing this very slowly until it reduces in volume until it is the consistency of syrup.  This will take about an hour.  It is important to monitor the heat so that it doesn't burn or scorch.  In the end, the balsamic will be the correct consistency when you dip a spoon into the liquid and run your finger over the back of the spoon, the line remains clear and the liquid doesn't move into the line.  This is a French term known as "nappe",  and a good test for when a sauce is ready in terms of thickness.   Let this cool, then refrigerate.

De-stem the basil leaves and roughly stack them.  Take the stack and roll tightly.  Then with a sharp knife, start slicing the roll from one end.  This will result in thin ribbons of basil (chiffonade),  which I prefer..  It's a smaller amount in the mouth, rather than using whole leaves. 

Alternate the sliced tomatoes and sliced mozzerella around the plate.

Sprinkle with the ribbons of basil.

Season with coarse-ground fresh pepper and a sprinkling of sea salt.

Drizzle the cooled balsamic reduction over the salad.

 Ossobucco

Italian for 'bone with a hole'.  Osso (bone) + bucco (hole).  This refers to the fact that the marrow cooks out of the shank bone, resulting in hollow bones.

This is a cozy, delicious dish..  Informal yet special, your guests will know that you spent a lot of time and effort (although it is truly easy).  There are many different flavors and they all mesh perfectly.   One of my favorite Italian dishes

4 Veal Shanks, sliced thick (ask your butcher)

Flour for dredging

Olive Oil and Butter for browning the veal

1 Onion, finely chopped

2 Carrots, peeled and diced

2 Cloves garlic, finely choppped
2 stalks celery, sliced

2 tomatoes, peeled seeded and chopped (or small can italian peeled tomatoes)

1 cup dry white wine

1 cup veal stock (or chicken or beef)

Salt & Pepper

You will be cooking this all in one pot.  Select a large pot or dutch oven with a lid.  If you don't have a lid, cover while cooking with tin foil or a baking round or baking sheet

Pat the shanks dry with paper towels.  Put olive oil and a bit of butter in pot and heat.   Dredge shanks in flour and brown one side, then turn and brown the other.

Once browned, remove shanks to a dish.   Add a bit of olive oil to the pot if needed.  Add the onions, carrots, celery and cook until softened.  Add garlic, stir, and cook for a few minutes.  Add the tomatoes and wine, stir to release anything stuck to the pan.  Bring to a simmer.  Put the shanks back in and push to the bottom of pot.  Cover and cook for two hours or more, until the  veal is tender and coming away from the bone.  I cook it until the veal falls off the bone, but this is not necessary.   Check periodically that the heat is not too high, it should be a very low simmer.  If there is too much liquid towards the end, remove the lid to let it cook down.  If you need more liquid, stir in a bit of wine or stock during cooking.

Optional: Gremalata garnish

I skip this part..

Zest of 1 lemon

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/4 cup chopped parsley

Mix all ingredients.  Sprinkle as much as preferred over the Ossobucco

Brown Derby's Grapefruit Cake

This recipe is from the famed Brown Derby restaurant, which remains a symbol of the iconic Golden Hollywood era.   This restaurant also created the Cobb Salad, named for one of it's owners.

My sister and I went to The Brown Derby at Disney Studios and tried this cake.  It is a tender cake layered and covered with cream cheese frosting.  The sweetness is nicely offset with tartness of grapefruit and lemon zest.  

When you visit the restaurant they give you a card containing the recipe, below:

 Yield: 4 to 6 portions

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs (separated)
3 tablespoons grapefruit juice
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350º F. Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into mixing bowl. Make a well in center of dry ingredients.

2. Add water, oil, egg yolks, grapefruit juice, and lemon rind. Beat until smooth.

3. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar separately, until whites are stiff but not dry.

4. Gradually fold egg whites into the cake batter, folding gently with a rubber spatula until just blended. Do not stir the mixture.

5. Pour into an ungreased 10-inch cake pan. Bake at 350º degrees for 25 to 30 minutes, or until cake springs back when lightly touched with a finger. Invert pan on cake rack until cool. Run spatula around edge of cake. Carefully remove from pan. With a serrated knife, gently cut layer in half.


Grapefruit Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

2 six-ounce packages of cream cheese
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
3/4 cup powdered sugar (sifted)
6 to 8 drops yellow food coloring
1 one-pound can grapefruit sections (well-drained), reserving 2 tablespoons of juice OR 3 fresh grapefruits, peeled, sectioned, and drained, reserving 2 tablespoons of juice.

Method:

1. Let cream cheese soften at room temperature. Beat cheese until fluffy.

2. Add lemon juice and rind.

3. Gradually blend in sugar. Beat until well blended. Add food coloring.

4. Add reserved grapefruit and blend into frosting.

5. Divide the frosting evenly into two bowls. Roughly chop 2/3 of the grapefruit sections and add them to half the frosting. Spread this mixture on the bottom half of cake. Top with several grapefruit sections. Cover with second layer of cake. Frost top and sides. Garnish with remaining grapefruit sections.