Week11: Mirepoix

As we go into February, the winter drags on and we settle into our kitchens to pass time next to the warm oven. To start most braises, sauces, soups, you prepare your flavor base.  Depending on the cuisine you’re cooking from, the flavor base will have different ingredients, in classical french form it is made of carrots, celery, and onions. It’s the first decision you make with your dish- do you roast it, sweat it, get it caramelized, which fat will you cook it in? How does each choice impact the flavor and end result of the final dish?

In Italy the flavor base is called a soffritto, it is made of the same three ingredients with 50% onion, 25% carrots and celery each; it differs from the french mirepoix because each ingredient is minced as small as you can get, increasing surface area for caramelization. Essential in a ragu or soup this flavor base is just that: a base.  Chef Missy very often adds garlic and fennel at this stage- how will you adjust this base to fit your taste?

Week10: Italian Geography

Italy is an ancient land with the coliseum, the valley of the temples, and palatine hill. These remarkable vestibules which pushed the boundaries of engineering and were social theaters of the time are a remarkable present that withstood the rise and fall of many built environments. Back then, Italy wasn’t a single civilization across the same land mass but instead was inhabited by many different civilizations as time went on. All defined by their own customs and cultures, all who passed through Italy shared one common obstacle: the natural environment. 

Italy has the defining Alp mountains in the north, and at the bottom of them runs the Po River which is accompanied by the Po Valley. Running down the length of the country are the Apennine Mountains and in the South are the many fishing and beach towns. The main distinction between food cultures within the state is that northern cuisine is driven by the land (meat, dairy, hearty starches to fight the cold) and the south is driven by the sea (fish, beans, fruit + vegetables). When learning about Italian food it can be confusing because the cannon includes foods across the whole country. Understanding how the climate impacts the food culture helps to understand the different foods within Italy and the flavors it is known for. 

Week9: The World of Potatoes

Mainly farmed for American consumption in Idaho, the potato has a hidden, impressive history that travels far beyond that state. Indigenous to the Andes, they have a range of more than 4,000 varieties.  Each variety is similar but distinct to another and between all of them, there are hundreds of flavors and textures, the main two being waxy and starchy.  As a staple across the world, they have the “hometown homage” for many chefs, especially for Francis Mallman and Virgilio Martinez (Check out their Chef’s Table episodes!)

In Italy, potatoes are more common in the North near the mountains where heartier dishes reign. Waxy potatoes will hold their shape better and can be used for extra crispy roasting or even gratins, while starchy potatoes are prime for just about everything else. They, like pasta, are a blank slate that nicely accompany many sauces ie. cacio e pepe potatoes. You can also use it as a base for a delicious bolognese sauce, use it as pasta by making a potato filling for ravioli, or take on a longer project with potato gnocchi. 

Week8: Fennel

Fennel is a wondrous vegetable which taste just like the candy licorice. This vegetable is one of my moms favorite. It can have a very subtle flavor when cooked but is more active when eaten raw. It is a perennial with a pale green color and small flowers of white. The flavor isn’t exclusive to the vegetable- it’s found in spice form and the fronds at the end are herbaceous. It can also be used as fennel pollen, an expensive but exhilarating exhibit of the flavor. 

The vegetable was originally from the shores of the Mediterranean, but often isn’t included in crudite platters- one of the many continuing crimes against humanity. Sweet Italian sausages are filled with fennel seeds but it’s also utilized in salads with other ingredients ubiquitous to Italy and that region, like blood oranges. The flavor of fennel can be sweetened with careful caramelization and roasting. Try it added into mirepoix, or use the spice the next time you make spaghetti and red sauce! 

Week7: Winter Citrus

Italy grows dozens of different varieties of citrus, with many being relegated to certain areas to ensure the IGP label, just like Radicchio. In the South, where mountains are slighter and temperatures warmer, citrus is a major player in Italy’s economy. The arable land around the seas set up an ideal environment for production. Originally more sour, the citrus plants have shifted over time to grow sweeter fruits. The most beautiful, in my eyes, is the blood orange with deep red, orange, and purple coloring and a berry-like flavor. 

Winter Citrus are the bright, sweet spheres of joy I turn to during the dreary winter days.  And these days it feels like I need it at least once a day. Their sweetness is balanced by the tart or sour of the juice- if you want just the sweet aromatic flavor, use only the zest.  Citrus is varied and has so many uses.  Try grapefruits with sesame oil or in salads with kale. Oranges are great with beets and fennel to accompany a beautiful piece of fish.  Lemons are fantastic in desserts or try it zested with green olives, potatoes, and aioli.  Don’t be shy and make sure to try as many varieties as you can, they each have their own personality. All are perfect in a vinaigrette or squeezed for juice!

Week6: Apples

I’d never heard of Sugarbee Apples, then I got to try one and wow, highlight of my week. The sugarbee is crisp, juicy, and so sweet it calls to the apple’s heritage in America as the original taste of sweetness. And sweetness was only the beginning. The world of apples travel the globe, with 7,500 varieties it is subject to lore (ie. Johnny Appleseed) and a botanical curiosity (Apple seeds are uniquely diverse). Authors like Michael Pollan and @pomme_queen work to ensure the world of apples is not off limits to anyone. 

Different Varieties are good for different uses in the kitchen.  It’s common to find Granny Smiths in baked goods, Sierra Beautys sauteed with pork and cabbage, or a Gala sliced on a sandwich with ham and brie. All varieties are perfect eaten alone or even with a spoon of peanut butter. A sweet and good-for-you snack (I once heard enzymes in apple skins fight bad breath!), make sure to keep them in your fridge for best storage. 

Week5: New Years Celebration

With each new year we hope for joy, riches, luck, health, and more! In Italy, they feast, hoping that the dishes they eat will usher in the positive energy they want to see in the new year. A bowl of lentils, much like a bowl of hundreds of coins, hopes to bring prosperity often eaten with a fatty (abundance) and rich (wealth) meat: pork. Another traditional dish is risotto, as the rice swells and grows in the pan, much like you’d wish for your wealth in the coming year!

Regardless of which dishes were cooked, Italians enjoy some grapes after dinner. The ability to save some from harvest is representative of their frugality that will help maintain their riches in the new year.  Although Italy’s symbolism seems tightly tied to money, monetary riches are hardly the wealth Italians treasure most. With their large families and close communities we know it’s the wealth of a full room and warm stomachs that they treasure the most. Happy New Year, let’s hope it’s filled with more joy and happiness than this past one!

Week4: Meyer Lemons

This week when out and about, try to see if you can find Meyer Lemons. These became popular in the 70’s by Martha Stewart, our queen.  They are smoother, rounder, more vibrant, and less acidic than regular lemons. These Meyer Lemons, with major flavor powers, aren’t just another ingredient, they’re often the main star in a dish! Some very popular Italian dishes that highlight lemons are limoncello, pasta al limone, and lemon cookies. While Italians like to act as if they have a monopoly over citrus, many nations, including Israel, Morroco, and Iran use preserved meyer lemons in their dishes.

Meyer Lemons specifically add a brightness and depth to dishes. They can be used in dressings or even chopped and as a condiment for an incomparable flavor pop. This can be amplified when preserving the lemons with salt. When preserved, the lemons can last for up to 6 months. Preserved Lemons are great for that extra zing in marinades and dressings. But, if you want to use them right away, Meyer Lemons can be used in any way a regular lemon might be!

Week3: Broccoli VS. Rabe

Cime di Rapa is the Italian name for Broccoli Rabe and it means “Tops of Turnips” because... Broccoli Rabe is not a Broccoli at all! Broccoli is part of the cruciferous family and is essentially a large edible flower, which is where it’s entomology stems from. Although the two have similar coloring and florets at the end of their stalks, Broccoli has tighter, larger florets and Broccoli Rabe is leafier and more slender. Broccoli began its cultivation in the 6th century BC (during the Roman Empire) and has been brought around the world since. 

Broccoli Rabe, also called rapini, (Yes, three names. Yes, confusing) is more bitter and can be used like other leafy greens.  It is perfect when blanched or sauteed and goes great with a sweet + fatty meat like pork, and also with lots of garlic, parmesan, and spice. Broccoli tastes more vegetal and can be eaten raw or cooked, though overcooked broccoli will turn sulfuric. It is extremely versatile but truthfully my favorite is eating it like I did as a kid: steamed with ketchup. If you’re looking to finesse, think back to the Roman Empire and have the vegetable travel time and space onto your plate today.

Week2: Radicchio

The beautiful red globes spotted in the grocery store is named Radicchio (ruh-DEE-key-oh) a species of chicory. They are grown in a plethora of nations and states, but the Italians claim they do it best. To reinforce this, chicories that are grown in Italy have the IGP Italian certification, which stands for Indication of Geographic Protection. They claim that since it was grown on Italian land that the taste is sweeter, the bitterness sharper, and the crunch crunchier. I’ve never had the opportunity to eat an Italian grown IGP Radicchio so I can’t say if the claim is baseless or not. But the ones I have eaten in NYC are best from November to February when the bitterness is not as harsh. 

The bold flavor of Radicchio is best met with other bold flavors. The bitter Radicchio can be the perfect addition to balance the flavors of a dish, or it can come on too strong. In these cases, balance by adding something sweet, salty, and sour. Fight fire with fire. Toss with pasta, nuts and bacon, or try it with squash, feta, red onion, and pine nuts, even a bold anchovy vinaigrette will challenge the radicchio. 1 small head of Radicchio can last in the fridge about 10 days, just pick off the wilted leaves when ready to eat. Mix with other salad greens when inspiration slows.