Giuliano and I always hoped to grow a home garden.  We love the idea of harvesting the bounty of our own yard and placing it on our table, and there is nothing quite as delicious as food you’ve grown yourself.  Unfortunately, neither of us were born with a green thumb.  We have been able to maintain a small kitchen herb garden, and our fruit trees are lovingly harvested by the critters who live in our tropical yard; however, a full fledged garden with tomatoes, beans and squash still alludes us.

We are nothing if not optimists in our home.  Every few years we try to grow our garden again.  One of my favorite foods is fried zucchini squash blossoms, and nearby friends and neighbors have so much luck growing the squash that they have overflow.  Such is not the case with us, we are lucky to get one or two forlorn flowers.  I even brought back seeds from Italy to no avail.  Mint too, we’ve been told is incredibly easy to grow.  Not so for us, although, it is not for lack of trying.  One mint plant was mistakenly “weeded”, another was murdered by a wayward soccer ball; and another drowned during a Florida torrential down-pour.  We are trying again, please send your hopeful thoughts to this poor plant.  We really don’t want to get the reputation of becoming plant murderers.  Happily, we are able to grow basil.  It is our pride and joy.  Although we don’t get huge plants of it, we often add it to our dishes, and when it is in great form we even have enough to make pesto.

A dish we would love to make with our freshly harvested vegetables would be sautéed zucchini with fresh mint and basil.  It is refreshing and satisfying.  The flavors balance each other and are a wonderful accompaniment to a hearty meat dish.  This easy recipe is so good, that you will find yourself sneaking some before serving, and there are rarely any leftovers.

Of course this dish is fabulous with farmer’s market or store bought items too.  We just have dreams of growing our own produce and would welcome any of your suggestions for success.

ZUCCHINI SAUTEED WITH FRESH MINT AND BASIL

From Every Night Italian by Giuliano Hazan

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic

1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

1 1/2 pounds small to medium zucchini

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon fresh mint

1 tablespoon fresh basil

1.  Wash the zucchini thoroughly under cold running water.  Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise and in wedges about 1/4 inch thick and about 1 1/2 inches long.

2.  Put the olive oil, garlic and parsley in a sauté pan large enough to hold all the zucchini over medium high heat.  As soon as the garlic begins to sizzle, add the zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini are tender, about 8-10 minutes.  It is best not to stir too often to allow the zucchini to brown lightly.

3.  While the zucchini are cooking, coarsely chop the mint and finely shred the basil.  When the vegetables are tender, season with salt and pepper and add the fresh herbs.  Stir for about 30 seconds then remove from the heat and serve at once.

Photo by Dana Gallagher

Italians usually buy local whenever possible, particularly when it comes to fish. Salmon is not native to Italy so it’s rarely seen on restaurant menus and tends to be one of the least popular fishes at the market.  It’s unfortunate because salmon lends itself perfectly to the Italian style of preparation: a simple cooking method with a light-handed use of flavors and herbs.  Salmon’s rich, almost unctuous flavor make herbs an excellent accompaniment for it.  I like poaching salmon and serving it with a savory green sauce of parsley, capers, anchovies and olive oil.  I also often teach it baked in a foil with fresh tomatoes, parsley and oregano, which I’ve dubbed “Aromatic Salmon in a Pouch”.  But most often I grill it and top it with a parsley, thyme, lemon and olive oil sauce.  Michela, our six-year old daughter, loves “salmon fish” as she calls it, and this is one of her favorite dishes.  It is so simple, and yet so satisfying.  I coat the salmon with a little olive oil and sprinkle it with fine dry breadcrumbs before grilling it.  It gives it a tender crust while keeping the inside moist.  To make the sauce, I first whisk the salt and lemon juice together to dissolve the salt, then add the herbs and olive oil.  It’s a dish Lael and I enjoy with a young, fruity red wine, such as a Dolcetto, a Valpolicella, or a Morellino di Scansano.  What are some of your favorite ways to prepare salmon?

Grilled Salmon with Thyme and Parsley Sauce

(From How to Cook Italian by Giuliano Hazan)

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Salt

2 pounds salmon fillet

2 tablespoons flat leaf Italian parsley

2 teaspoons fresh thyme

5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

2-3 tablespoons fine dry breadcrumbs

1.  Preheat a charcoal or gas grill.

2.  Put the lemon juice with 1 teaspoon salt in a small bowl.  Mix together thoroughly, with a small whisk or a fork, until the salt has dissolved.  Chop the parsley and thyme and add it to the bowl.  Whisk in 4 tablespoons of the olive oil until emulsified

3.  Season the fish with salt and pepper and coat it with the breadcrumbs.  Drizzle the remaining olive oil on the salmon and place it on the grill.  Cook the fish for a total of about 5 minutes per inch of thickness, turning the fillets halfway through the cooking time.  When salmon is done it should flake but still be somewhat pink in the center.  Transfer to a serving platter, pour the sauce over it and serve at once.

Our family has a particular fondness for intensely chocolaty chocolate ice cream.  Our favorite chocolate ice cream is the decadent chocolate gelato the Cipriani Hotel makes, as opulent as the hotel itself.

Italian gelato is a bit different than American ice cream.  It is made with less sugar and is often made with milk rather than cream.  It has a more intense flavor.  Italians like their flavors to “pop”, melon tastes like melon, not melon and cream.

Ask any Italian and they will, of course, say that their neighborhood gelateria is the best.  They will also tell you that the concept of ice cream is Italian in origin.  Some believe that it was invented during the time of Emperor Nero.  It is undisputed that Italians had it long before the French.  It was Caterina de Medici who brought it to the French court and it was there that founding American father Thomas Jefferson had ice cream for the first time.  He then brought a recipe home with him and introduced the concept to the fledgling United States.

When we are in Venice, one of our favorite excursions is to take the Cipriani launch from San Marco Square to the luxurious and beautiful hotel.  As one pulls away from Venice proper and navigates through oncoming gondolas and cruise ships and approaches the hotel, it is as if one were ushered into another realm.  Arriving at the Cipriani is always full of pomp and circumstance.  A bell person assists you out of the launch and through the pergola-covered walkway that is the entrance to one of the most exquisite hotels in the world.  We like to eat our ice cream alongside the outdoor pool, one of the only pools in Venice and a perfect location to relax and enjoy an afternoon.  Of course, one has to transcend the shock of receiving the bill.  Eating ice cream at the Cipriani hotel is expensive.  However, one is never rushed at the Cipriani and you can nurse the feeling of decadence all afternoon.  Also the launch back has one of the best views of Venice.  It is the view on all of the postcards and tapestries, The Doge’s palace grows larger as you get closer to San Marco, and one can see on a pedestal the magnificent winged Lion that is the symbol of St. Mark and the Serrinessima, Venice herself.  It  almost makes the price of the ice cream seem reasonable.

If  Venice is not in your travel plans anytime soon, and  you can’t  partake of the amazing Cipriani experience, here is the recipe for the famous ice cream so you too can enjoy it at home.  This is actually a long guarded Cipriani secret.  Fortunately, my mother-in-law, Marcella Hazan, had asked the chef for the recipe many years ago.  It is a recipe that we teach to our students at our cooking school in Italy.  The secret is that into the dark chocolate mixture one drizzles very dark caramel.  The caramel enhances the flavor of the chocolate creating an incomparable combination.

The intense velvety texture of this gelato evokes reminiscences of Venice.   You will likely have no leftovers, only a lovely magical memory, much like a visit to Venice herself.

Chocolate Ice Cream

(Adapted from Marcella’s Italian Kitchen by Marcella Hazan)

4 egg yolks

2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

2 cups milk

3 1/2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate

1 1/2 ounces high quality unsweetened cocoa powder

1. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler. Heat the milk until it just begins to boil.

2.  Use an electric mixer to whip the egg yolks and 2/3 cup of the sugar until they form creamy pale yellow ribbons.

3. Add the hot milk slowly to the whipped eggs and sugar while mixing with the electric mixer.

4.  Add the melted chocolate and mix it in well.  Add the cocoa and mix again.

5.  Put the remaining two tablespoons of sugar and 2 teaspoons of water in a small pan over high heat.

6.  Transfer the chocolate mixture to a saucepan and place it over low heat and stir constantly with a whisk .  When the sugar in the pan has turned to a dark caramel, add the caramel to the chocolate mixture and mix it in thoroughly with the whisk until it dissolves.

7.  When the mixture has cooled completely, freeze in an ice cream maker following the manufacturer’s instructions.

We love ribs.  What’s not to like?  Especially when they are fall-off-the-bone tender and coated (not drowned) with a perfectly balanced sweet and tangy BBQ sauce.  You’d be surprised, however, how unappealing that mouthwatering (we hope) description would be to an Italian who has never been exposed to American BBQ.  The combination of meat with sweet flavors is completely foreign to an Italian palate.  I confess when I was a boy and I had my first encounter with BBQ sauce I was quite taken aback. In fact, I still have not learned to like cranberry sauce with turkey or mint jelly with lamb.

You may not think that ribs are an Italian dish, but they are definitely part of northern Italy’s culinary repertoire, in particular the region around the Dolomites and the northern Veneto.  So if you are in the mood for ribs and want to try something different, here’s a recipe for succulent baby back ribs braised with tomato and sage.  In the unlikely event you have leftovers, you can make an excellent pasta sauce.  Remove the meat from the bones (it will practically fall off by itself), cut it up and mix it with the sauce and serve with a sturdy pasta shape such as rigatoni or maccheroni.

Italian Baby Back Ribs

© 2010 By Giuliano Hazan

A full rack of pork baby back ribs (about 3 pounds)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 medium clove garlic

6 large fresh sage leaves

1/3 cup dry white wine

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 cups canned whole peeled tomatoes with their juice

1.  Cut the rack into individual ribs.  Put the olive oil in a braising pan that will accommodate the ribs snugly, some overlap is fine.  Place over medium high heat.  When the oil is hot, put the ribs in, brown them on all sides, then remove them, set them on a plate and season with salt and pepper.  Take the pan off the heat.

2.  While the ribs are browning, peel and finely chop the garlic.  Coarsely chop the sage leaves.

3.  After removing the pan from the heat add the garlic and sage and stir for about 15 seconds.  Return the pan to a medium high heat and add the white wine.  Let it bubble away for about 30 seconds to allow the alcohol to evaporate then add the vinegar.  Let the vinegar bubble for 30 seconds then add the canned tomatoes, cutting them into small pieces with a wooden spoon.  Season the tomatoes with salt and put the ribs back into the pan.  Once the tomatoes are bubbling, lower the heat to medium low and cover the pan with the lid slightly askew.  Cook until the ribs are very, very tender, 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and a half, turning them about every 20 minutes.  If all the liquid in the pan evaporates before the ribs are ready, add some water.  If the sauce is too liquid when the ribs are done, remove the cover, raise the heat, and reduce the sauce.  Serve hot with good, crusty bread.

Feel like a steak but it’s just too hot to go outside and grill?  Here’s a great recipe for pan-seared beef tenderloin steaks.  It is a quick and easy preparation that is also impressive and great to use if you are having a small dinner party.  I confess I’m not a big fan of filet mignon which, especially when grilled, I find bland.  I’d rather have a well-marbled rib-eye steak grilled to rare perfection any day.  This is one time that tenderloin really works for me, though. It’s the sauce that makes it.  Fresh tomatoes cooked briefly in the pan the steaks were seared in, fragrant with thyme and enriched with thin slices of pancetta, make a perfect accompaniment to these delicate melt-in-your-mouth steaks.

The keys to success with this dish are simple:

• To keep the steaks juicy and get a good crust, season with salt only after searing, to avoid drawing moisture out of the meat.
• Pat the steaks dry and put them into very hot oil, then do not move them for about 4 minutes, if using 1 ½-inch thick steaks.  Although the meat will stick to the pan at first, once a good crust is formed the steaks can be loosened easily from the bottom of the pan.
• Do not overcook them!  Following the directions in the recipe will result in tender, moist steaks with a warm red center.

Beef Tenderloin with Fresh Tomatoes and Pancetta

(From How to Cook Italian by Giuliano Hazan)

Serves 4 people

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

4 (6 to 8 ounce) beef tenderloin steaks

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 small yellow onion

3/4 pound ripe tomato

1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme

8 thin slices pancetta

1. Put the olive oil in a skillet large enough to accommodate the steaks comfortably and place over medium high heat.  When the oil is hot, put the steaks in and cook without moving them for about 4 minutes, until well browned.  Turn them over and cook for another 3-4 minutes for medium rare.  Remove them from the pan and set aside on a platter.  Season with salt and pepper.

2.  While the steaks are cooking, peel and finely chop the onion.  Peel the tomato and coarsely chop it.

3.  After removing the steaks, lower the heat to medium and add the remaining tablespoon olive oil.  Put in the onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until it softens and turns a rich golden color, 3-5 minutes.

4.  While the onion is sautéing, chop the thyme.  When the onions are done, add the thyme and tomato and season lightly with salt.  Add the pancetta, raise the heat to medium high and cook until the tomato has reduced and is no longer watery, 10-15 minutes.

5. Return the steaks to the pan and turn them in the sauce.  Cover the pan for about a minute to allow the meat to heat through.  Serve at once, topping each steak with 2 slices pancetta on top of each steak and some sauce

This is a sauce for which you either harvest your own well loved tomatoes or purchase  them from a local farmers market.  No watery, flavorless tomatoes will do here.

For the ultimate rendition, use very well drained buffalo mozzarella, which adds a creamy richness to this refreshing dish.

Watch a video of Giuliano Hazan preparing Spaghetti alla Checca on the TODAY show.

Giuliano was named Cooking Teacher of the Year in 2007 be the International Association of Culinary Professionals.  Recently, we have opened our home to intimate hands on interactive classes.  If you are in the area we would love to have you join us, our next class in June 26th.

Spaghetti with Raw Tomatoes, Herbs and Mozzarella

(From Giuliano Hazan’s Thirty Minute Pasta by Giuliano Hazan)

Serves 4 people

2 pounds fresh plum (or Roma) tomatoes

8 ounces fresh whole milk mozzarella

Salt

1 pound spaghetti

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

6-8 fresh basil leaves

4-5 sprigs fresh oregano

3-4 springs fresh thyme

Freshly ground black pepper

1.  Fill a pot for the pasta with about 6 quarts of water, place over high heat, and bring to a boil.

2.  Peel the tomatoes, remove the seeds, and cut into small 1/4” dice. Put the tomatoes in the serving bowl you’ll be serving the pasta in.

3.  Add about 2 tablespoons salt to the boiling pasta water, put in the spaghetti, and stir until all the strands are submerged.  Cook until very al dente (about 30 seconds less than you normally would).

4.  While the pasta is cooking, put the olive oil in a small saucepan and place over medium heat.  Heat until the oil begins to smoke then remove from the heat.

5.  While the oil is heating, cut the mozzarella into small 1/4” dice.  Coarsely chop the basil.  Chop enough oregano to a medium fine consistency to measure about 4 teaspoons.  Finely chop enough thyme to measure about 1 teaspoon. Add the herbs to the bowl with the tomatoes and season well with salt and pepper.   When the oil is hot, pour it into the bowl and mix thoroughly.

6.  When the pasta is done, drain well, and toss it with the ingredients in the serving bowl. Add the mozzarella, toss again, then cover the bowl and let stand for about a minute to allow the cheese to melt a bit.  Uncover the bowl, toss one last time, and serve at once.

Julia Child once told me that making a good roast chicken is the mark of an accomplished cook.  Perhaps it is because making simple dishes taste delicious is really what it’s all about.  This is a foolproof recipe that has become a staple in our house.  The breast comes out incredibly moist, and the entire chicken is infused with rosemary and garlic flavor.  Here are a few tips to ensure success:

• Begin roasting the chicken with the breast side down to keep it moist.
• Roast on the “bake setting” for two thirds of the total cooking time, then switch to “pure covection” and raise heat for the final third. This will ensure deliciously crispy skin while keeping the chicken moist.
• Collect and discard all the fat that melts away as the chicken cooks. Then place the roasting pan over the stove, add little water, and loosen the “tasty bits” to make a delicious sauce to coat the chicken with after it’s carved.

This is also ideal for summer because the leftovers are just as good cold and perfect for a picnic.

Roast Chicken

(From How to Cook Italian by Giuliano Hazan)

1 (3 ½ pound) chicken

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

3 medium cloves garlic

2 fresh rosemary branches

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1.  Preheat the oven to 375° on the regular bake setting.

2.  Pat the chicken dry with paper towels.  Sprinkle some salt and pepper inside the cavity.  Lightly crush and peel the garlic cloves and place them inside along with one of the rosemary branches.  Close the cavity on both ends with toothpicks.

3.  Rub the olive oil over the skin of the chicken.  Chop the remaining rosemary and sprinkle it all over the chicken along with some salt and pepper.  Put the chicken in a roasting pan with the breast down and place in the oven.  Calculate approximately 25 minutes cooking time per pound (1 1/2 hours for a 3 1/2 pound chicken).  After one third of the cooking time has passed, about 30 minutes, turn the chicken so the breast is facing up.  After the chicken has baked for two thirds of the total cooking time, about another 30 minutes, switch the oven setting to convection heat and raise the temperature to 400°.  If your oven does not have convection heat, simply raise the temperature to 425°.

4.  To check if the chicken is done, pierce the flesh near the leg joint to see if the juices run clear.  If they do not, roast for another 10 minutes and test again.  Remove from the oven and let the chicken stand for 5 minutes before carving and serving.

Photo by Joseph De Leo

One of my favorite pasta dishes is tortelloni (the square ones, Romagna style) filled with Swiss chard and ricotta.  My fondness for the dish was evident from the time I was a small boy and my grandmother made them for me while my parents were away.  After polishing off a generous adult portion, I proceeded to collapse on the table, terrifying my grandmother who promptly called the doctor.  After examining me, the doctor pronounced me “happy and asleep”.

It seems like we often end up with more filling than we have pasta for and one time we decided to have the extra filling as a pasta sauce.  It was delicious!  So much so, that I adapted the filling to make a spinach and ricotta sauce for penne that has become a family favorite.

Watch this video for a tip on how to easily finely chop an onion, with little or no tears!

Penne with Spinach and Ricotta

(From Giuliano Hazan’s Thirty Minute Pasta by Giuliano Hazan)

Serves 4 people

Salt

6 ounces fresh baby spinach

1/2 medium yellow onion

2 tablespoons butter

3/4 cup whole milk ricotta

1/3 cup heavy cream

1/8 teaspoon freshly grated whole nutmeg

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

1 pound penne

1.  Fill a pot for the pasta with about 6 quarts of water, place over high heat, and bring to a boil.

2.  Put about one inch of water in a pot large enough to cook the spinach in.  Place it over high heat.  When the water boils, add a teaspoon of salt and put in the spinach. Cook until the spinach is quite tender, 5-6 minutes.  Drain in a colander and squeeze out as much water as possible by pressing on the spinach with a spoon.  Transfer the spinach to a cutting board and finely chop it.

3.  While the spinach is cooking, peel the onion and finely chop it.  Put it with the butter in a 10” skillet and place over medium high heat.  Sauté the onion until it turns to a rich golden color, about 5 minutes.

4.  When the pasta water is boiling, add about 2 tablespoons salt, put in the penne, and stir well.  Cook until al dente.

5.  When the onion is ready, add the spinach and sauté, stirring often, for about 5 minutes.  Add the ricotta, cream and nutmeg, and cook until the ricotta has heated through and the cream is reduced, 2-3 minutes.  Taste and adjust for salt and season with pepper, then remove from the heat.

6.  When the pasta is done, drain well, toss with the sauce and the Parmigiano-Reggiano, and serve at once.

Summer is the traditional time to travel and what could be more fun than traveling with your entire family?  OK, I heard that!  Traveling with kids can be: exhilarating, anxiety-producing, joyous, excruciating, eye-opening, fearful, and downright fun!  Recently, our family spent a marvelous day in Venice.

For this trip to Venice we had a mission: to eat and then go to the great square of Piazza San Marco and play.  Venice is rich in museums, churches, and history.  Just taking the vaporetto, the city waterbus, down the Grand Canal allows one to see the great gothic palazzi that fill so many postcards.  Getting lost in Venice is a fabulous experience. Every turn exposes new treasures: beautiful door handles, exquisite glass chandeliers that often hang from the decorative ceilings on the noble (second) floor, and intricately carved water wells that are the focal point of even the smallest square.

Venice is magnificent. No matter how long you stay, it never seems long enough . We only had one day for this trip and our first stop was at Fiaschetteria Toscana, one of our favorite restaurants in Italy.  They are known for their fritto misto (assorted fried seafood), as well as the proprietor Mariuccia’s, incredible desserts. Italy is a country that loves kids. Even though the restaurant would be considered fancy by American standards — polished silver, multiple glasses, starched linen, etc — well-behaved kids are always welcome.  The waiters, servers (there are multiple layers of service), and owner kept coming by to see the children. Knowing children get antsy at the table, to keep them entertained our waiter brought to the table a couple of the small local soft shell crabs – moeche – that are alive until cooked.  We later found out that we were seated at the table next to the Queen of Norway and that there was a princess eating inside the restaurant, yet it felt like it was our children who were being treated like royalty.

One of the items that delighted our children was fried squash blossoms.  They so enjoyed them we had to order two servings.  These flowers are delicate, and when simply, lightly battered, and expertly fried, they are so delectable they are impossible to resist.  Although we can’t get moeche in America, we sometimes can get squash blossoms and the children adore them when we make them.  Below is our recipe.

After an amazing lunch we headed off to Piazza San Marco to play.  Piazza San Marco is one of the most beautiful squares in all of Italy.  A large open area, it is book-ended by the Museo Correr, that houses an impressive collection of works that highlight the art and history of Venice, and the incomparable Basilica di San Marco with its four Greek horses pawing the air.  To one side is the Torre dell’Orologio, the most important clock in the city, and dominating the square is the campanile, (bell tower) from which one can get an incredible view of Venice.

Spending the afternoon playing in the piazza is a wonderful experience. People-watching is incomparable.  It is fun to watch those dressed in haute couture navigate the uneven sidewalks as well as the myriad of tourists trying to balance their binoculars, guide books, and cameras. Waiters at the famous cafes languidly wait on the mostly tourist crowd willing to pay five times the normal cost of a cup of coffee to snag a table on the square where dueling pianists and violinists create sonorous music.

Just as we were getting comfortable sitting on the steps, we heard sirens go off.  We realized they were alerting Venetians of the arrival of acqua alta (high water).  For those who may not know, Venice is built on a series of islands connected by bridges in a fairly shallow lagoon.  Most of the buildings were constructed on closely spaced wooden piles that don’t decay if covered by water.  Unfortunately, nearby artesian wells that drew water for the mainland industries depleted the aquifer and the sinking of Venice began.  Those wells are no longer used, and there is controversy as to whether or not Venice is still sinking.  However, in early spring and autumn, Venice still regularly gets acqua alta that usually reaches at least three feet in height.  When acqua alta occurs the residents of Venice move about on raised planks and continue with their lives.

It was fascinating to be there when the water was rising.  We heard a gurgling sound but at first could only see a little bit of puddling at the low point in the square.  Along with many others, my children took off their shoes and started dancing in the water.  Later the water turned into lakes as the waiters at the grand cafes around the square scrambled to move the chairs and tables to higher ground.  There was no fear, only fun.   However, with the water rising, we realized that it was time to leave, looking forward to returning to the magical city soon.

Fried Zucchini Blossoms

Copyright 2009 by Giuliano Hazan

Serves 4 as a side dish

1 dozen zucchini or squash blossoms

1 cup water

2/3 cup flour

Vegetable oil

Salt

1.  Remove the stamens from the blossoms and make sure the petals are open.

2.  Put the water in a medium bowl and gradually add the flour while whisking to keep the mixture smooth.  When all the flour has been mixed with water, the batter should have the consistency of buttermilk.  Adjust by adding more flour or water if necessary.

3.  Pour enough oil into an 8-inch skillet to come 3/4 inch up the slides, and place over high heat.  The oil is hot enough when a drop of the batter in the oil will sizzle and float to the surface.   Dip a blossom into the batter to coat it well, lift it out letting any excess batter drip back into the bowl, then gently place the blossom in the hot oil.  Repeat with as many blossoms as will fit loosely in the skillet. When a light brown crust forms on the bottom turn the blossoms over.  When the other side is also light brown, lift them out of the pan, gently shaking any excess oil back into the skillet, and transfer them to a cooling rack to drain or to a platter lined with paper towels.  Repeat the process with the remaining blossoms.  It’s best to replace each blossom in the pan rather than waiting until the pan is empty before frying the next batch, as this will maintain a more constant oil temperature.  When all the blossoms are done, sprinkle with salt and serve hot.

I sliced the king oyster mushrooms but just cut off the root of the others and used them whole.  I sautéed them with olive oil, onions, garlic, and parsley, then cooked the risotto.  It was a hit and thoroughly enjoyed by the entire family along with a Morellino di Scansano (for Lael and me, of course).

Risotto with a Mushroom Medley

Copyright 2010 by Giuliano Hazan

Serves 4 people

12 ounces assorted mushrooms (hen of the woods, beech, and oyster mushrooms)

½ medium yellow onion

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 large clove garlic

5 to 6 sprigs flat leaf Italian parsley

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 ¾ cups rice for risotto (Carnaroli, Vialone nano or Arborio)

5 cups homemade meat broth or 1 beef bouillon cube dissolved in 5 cups water

1 tablespoon butter

1.  Cut away the root of the hen of the woods and beech mushrooms.  Slice the oyster mushrooms.

2.  Peel and finely chop the onion.  Put it with the olive oil in a 5 to 6 quart heavy bottomed braising pan and place over medium high heat.  Sauté until the onion turns to a rich golden color, about 5 minutes.

3.  While the onion is sautéing, peel and finely chop the garlic.  Finely chop enough parsley leaves to measure about 2 tablespoons. When the onion is ready, add the garlic and parsley and sauté for 30 seconds.  Add all the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper.  Add ½ cup water and cook until all the liquid evaporates and the mushrooms are tender and lightly browned, about 10 minutes.

4.  While the mushrooms are cooking, put the broth in a pot over high heat and bring to a boil, then lower the heat to maintain a very gentle simmer.

5.  When the mushrooms are ready, add the rice and stir until it is well coated.  Add about 1 cup of the hot broth and continue stirring.  Add only enough broth to produce the consistency of a rather thick soup and wait until all the liquid is absorbed before adding more.  Continue until the rice is al dente, 15 to 20 minutes.  Remove the risotto from the heat, add the butter, stir well and serve at once.