Italian's Insight to Travel Italy

Monday, May 21, 2007

Carne Chianina The king of the Bovine for the king of Steaks - The Florentine

written by David Anderson limited rights reserved ViewItaly.blogspot.com

Gourmet foods, great wines and beautiful lands are not the only reason to visit Tuscany. For those of us in the Southwest there is an additional attraction, the king of the bovine world, the Chianina. The origins date back well into the Roman Empire over 2200 years ago. The noble and maestros Chianina paraded with the Roman Legion. Their powerful stature leading the carts added to the air of dominance of the Empire itself. The porcelain white mantel made this beast of the farmlands a favorite among both the Etruscans and Romans. Two thousand years of breeding have not eliminated the prehistoric characteristics. The largest on record of this animal weighed in well over 4,000 lbs and was eight feet high.

Still today many farmers use the Chianina bulls in the deep valleys of Tevere and Chianina to till the lands where mechanical means cannot operate. No hormones are allowed in these animals and the animals graze for 3 to 7 years on the free range before making it to the butcher’s shop. Local recipes proudly indicate that they use Chianina. It is known world wide for its lean meat and sweet flavor. Others may have tasted Chianina without knowing it. The famous Florentine Steak can only be made from the Chianina.

The Florentine, or Fiorentina, in the US known as the T-Bone in its original dimensions can only be cut from a large animal. The steak must be a minimum of 2 lbs while the thickness is less the two fingers (about 1 inch). It is in the festival of the Tears of San Lorenzo in Florence that we find the origins of the steak. During the festivities the Fiorentini would roast veal quarters over an open pit flame as part of the celebration.

The preparation of the Fiorentina is simple. No marinating, no poking with a fork or pounding, just use a spatula and lift from underneath. Just before cooking prepare the steak with a bit of salt and pepper on each side. Over a vivid heat source, hot but not flaming, a steak is placed on the grill. The steak is seared and cooks on that side until the upper surface starts to glaze. The Fiorentina is then flipped and allowed to cook until the desired doneness is achieved. Let the steak sit for about 3 minutes before serving. Do not turn it back over, do not overcook. This method will lock the natural juices in the meat, accentuating the flavor.

Some great wines to accompany the Fiorentina are:

- Borgonero – Borgo Scopeto 2001 – Super Tuscan
- Brunello di Montalcino - Coldisole 2000
- Brunello di Montalcino – Manachiara Silvo Nardi 1997 DOCG
- Chianti Classico – Castello di Monastero 2001

Labels: Entrees, Gourmet Foods, Italian Recipes, Meat, Tuscany

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Thursday, May 17, 2007

Osso Buco with red sauce

written by David Anderson limited rights reserved ViewItaly.blogspot.com

I know that most just want to read the recipe, know where it came from or why there are several versions of the same dish but I think food is part of life. As if our existence had several crossed together with weights on the ends. There we are, in the middle, trying to stay upright while the platform tilts one way or another. Food, wine, friends, work, travel, culture, education and relax are all things that make the platform swing. Recipes are tied to events, dinners with friends, or just time when we can quietly enjoy rich flavors and each other’s company. We are from Milan. In our section of the woods Osso buco is made with a white sauce and served with a bit of Risotto alla Milanese. When we told our cooking buddies that we intended to make Osso Buco, they immediately told us of how much they loved Osso Buco and the marvelous, velvety red sauce.

This is a sacrilege, although the traditional Milanese Restaurant Gran S. Bernardo prepares Osso Buco with red sauce. We cook, more than for the pleasure of preparing the perfect recipe, more for the enjoyment of our friends. Thus, out comes the Cucchiaio di Argento, the bible of traditional Italian recipes, and we look for a version of Osso Buco with red sauce. Several recipes were scanned and after a bit of discussion and hodge podge mix and match we came up with something we felt we be appropriate. No it is not significantly different from our traditions. Lemon is not part of this recipe and a bit of tomato sauce is added.

Ingredients:

4 Osso Buco
Flour to cover the Osso Buco
Salt
Pepper
50 g ( ½ stick )Butter
1 Onion
1 Carrot
1 stalk Celery
2 cups Full Bodied Red Wine
2 cups Chicken or Beef Broth

8 oz. Tomato Sauce
50 g dried Mushrooms (250 grams fresh mushrooms)

Preparation:

Flour the Osso Buco and set aside on a pan.

Dice the Onion, Celery and Carrot. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onion, celery and carrots until the onions are transparent but have not begun to change color.

Turn the heat to medium high. Add the Osso Buco. Cook for about 3 minutes on each side to give the meat a lightly brown color. Add the red wine. Reduce the heat to medium and add the tomato sauce, the mushrooms and ½ the broth. Salt and pepper

Once the liquid comes to a slight boil, reduce the heat to low. The Osso Buco should just simmer. Turn the meat every 15 minutes and cook for about 2 hours. Add broth as necessary. Taste occasionally for salt and pepper.

Remove the Osso Buco from the skillet. Pour the sauce into a mixer or use a soup mixer (boat motor) to reduce the mushrooms and any other vegetables still intact. Return the sauce to the skillet along with the meat and simmer for another 5 minutes.

Presentation:

Serve on a bed of Risotto alla Parmigiana or alla Milanese and sprinkle with chopped Italian Parsley (not necessary but look good).

Serve with a complex, full bodied red wine. Some great choices are Barbaresco, Barolo, Nebiolo, Amarone, or Refosco.

Tags: Italian Recipes Entrees Veal Osso Buco Gourmet Foods Travel Italy

Labels: Entrees, Gourmet Foods, Italian Recipes, Lombardia, Meat, Milan

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Saturday, February 24, 2007

Beef Filet with Mushrooms - Filetto di Manzo ai Funghi

written by David Anderson limited rights reserved ViewItaly.blogspot.com

This recipe is said to be originally from Novara in the area around Lago Maggiore. This is a pre-Alpine region northwest of Milan known for the lake, magnificent views and mushrooms. Raffaella and I are of simple people. Our passions reflect who we are. Mushrooms are part of those things we are passionate about. It is not enough to have mushrooms on the plate. They need to be nurtured and their flavor exalted and served with something equally as flavorful. A beautiful Beef Filet and the port sauce meet the requirements. I was looking for something special for Valentine’s Day and thinking about this dish it reminded me of our relationship. Individually strong, but when together, the balance kicks in, the resulting union is exponentially magnifies the individual characteristics.

The flavors are simple but decisive. The quality of the ingredients is paramount. The method of preparation will significantly change the resulting balance. Many of the local recipes will prepare the mushrooms first and then in the last minutes cook the filet separately. I think the end result is like a couple of two passionate people who are not passionate about each other. You can feel their passion, they fascinate and please but they are two separate entities. The matriarchs of Varese taught me a different way to prepare this dish and that is the recipe I am presenting here.

Our wine for this dinner: Produttori del Barbaresco Pora' Reserve.

Our side dish: Patate Arrosto con Rosmarino.

Ingredients:

1 lb (450 g) Beef or Veal Filet (cut into two or four pieces)
1 lb (450 g) Mushrooms (the original uses fresh porcini – I used Shitake)
2 tbsp chopped Italian Parsley
½ stick (50 g) unsalted sweet cream Butter
¼ cup Port or Dry Marsala
1 cup Dry White Wine
Salt and Pepper

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.

Brush the mushrooms with a kitchen brush to remove any remaining dirt. Slice the mushrooms about ½ inch thick and set aside. Chop the parsley tops and set aside.

Melt the butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add fresh cracked pepper and a sprinkle of salt to the butter. Sear the filet for two minutes on each side (this is rare). Remove the filets to a baking pan and place in the oven to keep warm. Since most people cook the meat directly from the refrigerator this will also assure that the internal temperature is not cold.

Pour the port into the skillet and quickly deglaze the skillet. Add the mushrooms and chopped parsley. Reduce the heat to medium low. Stir for about two minutes, coating the mushrooms with the base sauce. Add the glass of white wine and salt and pepper to taste. Reduce the sauce about ¾, this will take about five minutes. Return the filet to the reduced mushrooms sauce for 1 minute and serve.

To serve: Place the filet in the center of the plate. With a ladle, place the mushrooms and sauce ½ on the meat and ½ on the plate.

Tags: Gourmet Foods Beef Mushrooms Main Dishes Italian Recipes Food and Wine Travel Italy

Labels: Beef, Entrees, Gourmet Foods, Meat, Mushrooms

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