The Roman Way

Since we returned from Italy, all I've been researching is how to make a Roman pizza, that crackery, crispy crust, light on the tomato sauce, REAL CHEESE, a sprinkle of oregano or basil and a hot hot oven.  I realized from my research I need a pizza stone, and chose the Emile Henry pizza stone; into the oven, can be used on the grill and it's dishwasher safe---for the laziest woman in North San Diego county, this is a winner. 

The flour and rising also contribute to what makes a Roman (good) pizza, and so I decided to start my research with a combination of cake flour and all-purpose flour and less yeast than I'd been using and an overnight rise in the fridge.  This makes a lovely dough that is simple to work with.

So I've got it rolled out, then realized I have no pizza peel--this made for an interesting transfer to the red hot pizza stone---read that as @#$%^& how do I move this darn thing onto the hot stone............

Toppings:  marinara, whole milk mozzarella for melting, Pecorino Romano for salt and a sprinkle of dried oregano.  No video of me transferring this thing into the oven............it would have made the highlight reel on worlds' funniest home videos!

Looking good---couldn't stop myself from taking this photo.  We are at T-minus 2 minutes and counting till I can take it out. 

We decided it was good; not thin enough, and I need to rework how I get them onto the stone.  I'll have a definitive recipe when I've tried a few other doughs and combinations, until then, Dr. C. and I are going to wear our "fat pants"!  Wishing you a buona notte from San Diego.

Crabby Mac

On Father's Day I steamed King Crab legs and corn for Dr. C and I .  And, since I can never have enough there was enough left over crab and corn for the ultimate Mac and Cheese with crab and sweet corn.  This is actually simple, can be done ahead of time, and even frozen.  I'm freezing these babies for Dr. C. to warm up while I'm out on tour with the next book.  Ta Dah!










This recipe is terrific for using up leftover lobster, shrimp or crab, and you could sub. in chicken if you really wanted to, but it's not as luxurious.  I like making the sauce with reconstituted lobster stock from Superior Touch, Better than Bouillon brand.  It keeps in the fridge for up to a year and makes awesome seafood soups and sauces....and the first ingredient is lobster, not salt, as many of its counterparts are huge parts sodium to some lobster "flavor".  I also love using Barilla elbows--they have ridges and soak up the sauce really well.

Crabby Mac and Cheese with Sweet Corn
Serves 8

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup finely chopped shallot

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups lobster stock

2 cups heavy cream

1/4 cup cream sherry

1 1/2 cups shredded sharp white cheddar cheese (I like Cabot Farms---not the low fat, please!—it doesn’t melt)

1/2 cups grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

3 to 4 cups cooked crab or lobster meat, cut into bite sized pieces

1 to 2 cups sweet white corn, cut from the cob, or frozen and defrosted

1 pound Barilla elbow macaroni or cavatappi cooked 3 minutes less than al dente

1 cup fresh bread crumbs

1/2 cup finely shredded sharp white cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

3 tablespoons olive oil

1.   Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and coat the inside of a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. 

2.   In a 3 to 5-quart saucier, melt the butter and sauté the shallots for 2 minutes, until softened.  Add the flour, and whisk for 3 minutes.  Slowly add the stock, and bring the mixture back to a boil.  Add the cream, and sherry, and continue to whisk until bubbling. 

3.   Remove from the heat and stir in the cheddar, Parmigiano and crab meat and corn.  Taste the sauce for seasoning and adjust using salt or a dash of Tabasco in place of pepper.

4.   Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan.

5.   Do-Ahead:  At this point the Mac and cheese can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours, or frozen for up to 1 month.  Defrost and bring the casserole dish to room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes before baking. 

6.   In a small bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, cheese, parsley and oil, until the crumbs are moistened.  Sprinkle evenly over the Mac and cheese and bake for 30 to 45 minutes until the crumbs are crispy and the sauce is bubbling. 

Cook’s Notes:

·        There is not a lot of cheese in this Mac because we don’t want to overpower the delicate flavor of the lobster.

·        If you are on a budget, cooked shrimp, or a combination of crab and shrimp can be used instead.  Lobster is the ultimate

·        Other cheeses: Havarti, Emmenthaler, Gruyere, Comte—in place of the cheddar. 

 Since I'm putting these in the freezer, I don't have a finished photo, but just imagine pure bliss when you bring these from the oven!

Wishing you a delicious weekend from San Diego. 

Another Day in Paradise

My sink at 3:50 p.m.  I'd been home for about 45 minutes, trying to get a dinner together and to get some crab and corn mac and cheese together for the freezer.....I'd made the sauce for the mac and cheese yesterday but didn't have the bread crumbs, so today was the day. 

I had some zucchini that I'd picked up from Specialty Produce and wanted to try and replicate the stuffed zucchini that my sorrella, Daniela had made while we were in Spello.  So, trim the zucchini and split in half.

Take the innards out; I used a melon baller, but an apple corer would be ideal.
Chop the innards. 

In 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil saute 1 small shallot, or about 2 tablespoons of chopped onion,the chopped innards, and 1 garlic clove for 2 to 3 minutes until the veggies are softened. 

Add 2 tablespoons of tomato puree, and a handful of chopped basil. 

I microwaved the zucchini boats for 2 minutes, and they were softened.  I added about 1/2 cup of fresh bread crumbs, and added salt and pepper to taste.  The mixture should be moist, add a bit of oil if needed.  Re-stuff, and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.

At this point, they can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.  Place in an oiled pan, or on a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking liner, drizzle the zucchini with a it of olive oil and bake for 20 minutes, at 350 degrees, until the filling is golden brown.    Serve warm or at room temperature. 

tomorrow I'll give you the recipe for the crab and corn mac and cheese, it's really amazing, and so simple to make.  Wishing you a great night from San Diego.

And You Can Take Me to the Fair............

Summertime where I live is defined by two events that happen (literally) in my backyard.  One is the San Diego County Fair and the other is the racing season at the Del Mar Race Track.  They follow each other every year, and the traffic, and odd couples that show up in our community disrupt the harmonic convergence that is laid back So. Cal.  What I'm saying is that I hate this time of year!  Not hate, actually, but it's not fun.
Tuesdays are $3 days at the fair and last week the traffic was off the charts crazy.
We've lived here for 24 years and in that time I've been to the Fair twice, and vowed never to go again; my mother, of course, who was always right always said, "never say never."
There is nothing that interests me less than a parade of processed food, deep fried into oblivion and watching people eat it!  And the gadget guys and guys who demo the sledge-0-matics...............oh well, they do have to make a living.  When a friend asked if I'd go and look through the garden exhibits, the art (her nephew, a great artist was exhibiting his work) and the home arts, I said yes because I love Robert and his work, but only if we didn't have to eat any food.  The trouble with fair food, is that it smells better than it actually tastes, and I'll get to that in a minute.
So the day began at the parking lot where we bought our tickets and got on a bus for the 10 minute drive to the fair grounds---I can see the fair grounds from my house, but this is a lot better than paying for $10 parking when you are only staying for 90 minutes.

Right as we walked through the gates, we are assaulted with the food booths............this one looked pretty good......

Look at those legs!

I should note that a lot of these vendors travel the country to different fairs --- I once taught a class in Pennsylvania and one of the students told me she and her family come to Del Mar for the fair every year.  

Hey let's get a corn dog!

this young lady had taken two bites of this cinnamon roll and told me it tasted like it wasn't quite cooked--kind of like cookie dough.

I find the animals are fun to watch and totally support the 4-H'ers.  These two goats were so cute!

Get a load of this behemoth!  Must be eating Wheaties!

Shave and a haircut!

I'm fascinated by the number of booths with food---they are everywhere!

This is what I think about when I think of a county fair, pony rides for the kids.

The midway---I think--hard to tell where it began and ended.

The theme this year is "race to the fair" and there are a lot of classic (and not so classic) cars here. 

Finally, the garden exhibits!

We are all concerned with water conservation here, and this is a great way to utilize an old fountain....plant succulents!

How cute is this?? My HOA wouldn't like me growing petunias out of a Fiat Cinquecento!

Succulents on the wall.

More food, grilled corn--looks great, right??

 Wrong!  Burned to a crisp---and one fellow bought an ear, I watched as he ate half and tossed the rest....as I said the aromas are seductive, the reality is something else.

Not bad.........

I've always loved the uniforms on the girls at Hot Dog on a stick--look at those hats--haven't changed in 100 years---i bet they wore them at the Chicago World's Fair!

This is my daughter's favorite at the fair.

Plastic facsimiles of the food, if this doesn't send you away nothing will!

Yes indeed, this says it all!

This poor zucchini never had a chance

Sushi master was busy making an octopus out of a butternut squash.

finally got to the home arts, and found the "collections"---these are all Christmas tree pins---duh.

Loved the holy rollers!

Robert Roulettes' painting..........awesome!

More food shots.............I can't help myself!

Deep fried heaven...........Kool Aid????

And the big daddy of deep fried heaven, Garlic butter bacon fries, fried in oil and bacon fat (what about the trans fat ban?) or you can have chocolate covered bacon.............it's all there at the fair!

 Not on your life!!!  Have a great day!