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Recipes From Our Kitchen

December 2012

Click here for Past Recipes

Recipes From Our Traveling Christmas Kitchen  

Hop on the Cooking Vacations sled as we travel from the North to the South around the boot for a Christmas dinner that will dazzle your table!

 

Antipasto a Venezia ~ Appetizer in Venice

Raddicchio Rosso di Treviso al Forno ~ Roasted Radicchio Treviso-style

Number of servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 1 ¼ lb Radicchio Rosso
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Salt and Pepper

Instructions

  • Wash and cut radicchio in half or quarters.
  • Pat dry and layer in an ovenproof dish.
  • Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
  • Set oven to broil and cook radicchio in upper half of the oven.
  • Turn radicchio frequently or until it is tender yet slightly crispy on all sides.
  • Serve hot.

Cooking time: 20 minutes

 

Primo in Toscana~ First Course in Tuscany

Pasta in Brodo ~ Pasta in Broth

Number of servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 1 large Onion, cut in quarters
  • 1 medium Carrot, cut in 3 in. pieces
  • 1 stick of Celery, cut in 3 in. pieces
  • Salt
  • 2 lbs. quality Beef cuts such as chuck, shoulder, rump and round, cut in medium sized pieces
  • Fresh small Pasta, such as tortellini or cappelletti

Instructions

  • In a large pot, add the vegetables and salt and fill to more than half with water.
  • Cover and cook over medium heat, bringing the water to a boil.
  • Once the water begins to boil, lower heat and add the beef cuts.
  • Cook partially covered for about an hour.
  • Remove meat pieces from the broth (this can be served alongside the broth, sliced thinly).
  • Pour the broth through a strainer removing all the vegetables.
  • In a separate pan, bring the broth or brodo back to a boil.
  • Add your fresh pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until pasta floats to the surface of the broth.
  • Ladle equal portions of pasta into bowls.
  • Ladle the hot broth on top of the pasta, top with grated Parmesan.

Cooking time: 1 hour 10 minutes

 

Secondo nel Lazio ~ Second Course in Lazio

Agnello al Forno ~ Baked Lamb

Number of servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 3 lb. Lamb, cut in pieces
  • Salt
  • Herbs, chopped (parsley, sage, thyme, marjoram, rosemary)
  • 2-3 Garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 cup White Wine
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400° F.
  • Place the pieces of lamb in a baking pan, add salt, chopped herbs, garlic, white wine, and a generous drizzle of olive oil.
  • Allow to marinade for 1 hour.
  • Bake covered with aluminum foil for about 1hr and 15-30 minutes depending on oven.
  • Towards the end of the cooking time remove the foil and finish cooking until brown.
  • Allow the lamb to rest before cutting.
  • Serve warm!

Cooking time: 1 hour 30 minutes

 

Dolce in Campania~ Dessert in Campania

Struffoli ~ Christmas Fried Dough In Honey

Number of servings: 8

Ingredients

  • 6 Eggs
  • 1 cup Granulated Sugar
  • 4 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
  • 2 tbsp Baking Powder
  • 1/2 lb Butter, room temperature
  • 4 Vanilla Beans
  • Vegetable Oil, enough to fill large pot halfway
  • 12 oz. Honey
  • 1 Candy Sprinkles, small jar

Instructions

  • Whisk the eggs and pour them through a strainer to ensure they are mixed properly.
  • Add sugar to eggs and mix immediately to prevent the sugar from burning the eggs.
  • In a separate bowl add the flour and baking powder.
  • Flake butter into the flour mixture.
  • Split vanilla beans and scrape out the seeds and add them to the sugar/egg mixture.
  • Pour into a mixer bowl and using a dough hook blend while slowly adding the flour.
  • Let dough rest in a cool dry place.
  • Roll out the dough into long 1/2-inch coils and cut 1/2-inch nuggets from the coils.
  • Place them onto a baking pan.
  • Put vegetable oil into a large pot and bring to 350° F or 180° C.
  • Fry small quantities of the nuggets in the oil and when golden brown, place onto a baking pan lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil.
  • When all dough is fried, let it cool to room temperature.
  • In a saucepan, heat the honey (not to a boil) and add small quantities of the fried dough to the pan.
  • Stir lightly with a large slotted spoon.
  • Remove from saucepan and place onto a serving plate and decorate with candy sprinkles.

 

Vin Brulé ~ Mulled Wine

Number of servings: 4

Ingredients

  • One bottle of full-bodied Red Wine
  • 1 4” Cinnamon stick
  • 8 Cloves, whole
  • Peel of 1 untreated Orange
  • Peel of half an untreated Lemon
  • 6 oz Brown Sugar
  • Pinch freshly ground nutmeg

Instructions

  • Place all ingredients in a pan and bring slowly to the boil, stirring constantly so the sugar dissolves.
  • Simmer for a couple of minutes, then take off the heat.
  • Brave souls can now attempt to set the surface of the wine alight to burn off the alcohol, but the wine it also perfectly good without this last step.
  • Strain off spices and peel and serve hot in tall glasses.