Just in time for the holidays, a time for family, friends, home cooking, and celebrating in Italian-American culture, I am thrilled to present to my family of followers three incredible fish recipes from one of my favorite restaurants in Connecticut, Finalmente Trattoria in Westport, one of my newest Golden Palate Partners! Finalmente, owned by the Iodice family exemplifies what it means to be a Golden Palate Partner– hands on, family run, passion, commitment, freshness, quality, treating customers like they are family in your home! That is Italian, Italian-American, it is how I was raised, and what you will find when you visit Finalmente!
As I said last year, Christmas Eve in Italian and Italian-American culture is all about seafood. Called the “Vigilia di Natale” in Italy, and colloquially “The feast of the seven fishes” in Italo-Americano culture, Christmas eve is essentially a seafood feast, a time to be home with family and close friends, enjoying the fireplace, the tree, some holiday music, some libations, celebrating being together, and the season. I love these three recipes, each one unique, and beautiful– start with the freshest fish available locally, and any of these can be used for a main course for your Christmas Eve dinner, or any night. The nice thing about Italian seafood dishes is the quality and freshness of the fish is the key– the preparation is usually simple, few ingredients, not much time involved, these can be made even by busy professionals on a work night eating at home, they don’t have to be for a holiday celebration, though despite how light and low calorie they are, you feel like you are celebrating when you prepare and enjoy them!
At home, to make life simple, any of these fish recipes would be excellent with a seafood salad, perhaps shrimp cocktail, or stone crab claws (one of the best things about winter in Florida), and a “primo piatto” or first course of a small serving of pasta (with seafood, of course). Try with a dry white Italian wine, such as Vermentino, or Greco di Tufo. For aperitifs, if you are enjoying the Halibut with prosecco, for instance, why not start with a bottle of prosecco for you and your guests? Enjoying the Salmon with Gin? Keep it consistent with a Negroni (a favorite Italian drink with equal parts of Campari, Gin, and Sweet Vermouth, with a twist, on the rocks), or perhaps a simple Gin and Tonic with fresh lemon. With the Grouper and white wine–stick to the white wine– chill a couple bottles and enjoy with your company, sipping while you prepare the fish!
Finalmente: “From Isola Di Ponza Italy to Westport, CT”
Andre Iodice’s dream of opening a family owned and operated regional Italian restaurant is alive with Finalmente Trattoria! Located in downtown Westport, CT just blocks away from the Westport Playhouse – it’s the perfect place for an intimate dinner before or after the show.
While growing up in in Isola Di Ponza, Italy, off the coast of southern Lazio, south of Rome, Andre learned about food and culture by watching his family members in the kitchen concocting and tasting family recipes. Ponza is an island retreat of influential Romans who want to escape without the “see and be seen” aspect and crowds of Capri. Surrounded by pristine Mediterranean waters, the island is naturally known for exceptional seafood! This is where Andrea’s passion for the culinary arts was born.
His father brought him from Isola Di Ponza to New York in 1970, and the rest of his family followed. His first job in the culinary industry was at a local butcher shop in the Bronx. He spent five years learning how to properly prepare and cut all types of meats and then moved on to cooking in restaurants.
Andre went on to work as a pizzaoilo, a pizza artisan at a restaurant in Greenwich. This region of Italy, especially nearby Naples is famous for its pizza and style of pizza making, and is credited with introducing pizza to the world. Pizza is now made and consumed worldwide, but there is pizza, and then there is pizza in the style of southern Italy–a light touch, the best ingredients, and a roaring hot oven. Growing up in this part of Italy, it was in Andre’s DNA. Many of the customers would ask if Andre was making the pizza that night because they loved the way he made them! After about ten years of food preparation, he started to manage restaurants.
Andre met his wife Mary at a little Italian restaurant in Norwalk 18 years ago. Andre always wanted a family operated business – His son, Salvatore who has worked at Finalmente since he opened the restaurant in 2006, daughter Jaclyn and Mary’s son Daniel are all part of the Finalmente team. And we can’t forget his grandson Luke who is not old enough to work yet! Andre is proud to be celebrating 35 years in the restaurant business, and is honored to share his life’s passion for authentic Italian cuisine and warm, genuine “family-style” hospitality with his “family” of guests who come to enjoy Finalmente and the hospitality of the Iodice family, who have created an Italian gem in Westport.
Andre and Mary frequently travel back to Italy to visit family and explore different regions and their customary recipes to bring new ideas to Finalmente. His brother Augusto traveled from Italy to Westport to teach Andre how to make their Tuscan cheesecake recipe. He experimented with the recipe and had it on the menu as a special. By popular demand, it is now a favorite of the Finalmente dessert menu.
Hence the name – Finalmente means finally or at last he built his own restaurant! All the years of passion for the restaurant business paid off. A true Italian-American success story, his dream has come true! “Dreams are not something to wait for; they are something to work for.” This is Andre’s motto and he lives by it every day.
I am proud and honored to recognize Finalmente Trattoria as a Golden Palate Partner, and an ambassador of my philosophy of quality, freshness, authenticity, and hospitality. Go see for yourselves what it is all about, and in the meantime, enjoy these exquisite recipes at home this holiday season, from our families to yours!
“Squaletto Isolano” (Halibut with Sundried Tomatoes, Artichokes, Capers, Olives, & Prosecco)
1 x 6-8 oz. Filet Halibut
2 Marinated artichoke hearts
3 Sundried tomatoes
1 Tablespoon Capers
1 Tablespoon Gaeta olives
¼ cup Fish broth
½ cup Prosecco
Pinch of salt and pepper
Italian Parsley
Start with 2 table spoons olive oil and salt and pepper in a sauté pan. Brown the halibut filet on both sides, discard excess oil. Add ½ cup prosecco wine, capers, olives, artichokes and sundried tomatoes and sauté 5-7 minutes. At the end add fish broth and bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Finish with minced Italian Parsley to garnish.
Salmone al Gin (Salmon with Gin)
1 6-8oz. filet Salmon
1/2 cup wild mushrooms
¼ cup caper berries
½ lemon zest
¼ cup fish stock
¼ cup of gin
1 shallot
Pinch of salt and pepper
Fresh parsley
Start with 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, fine chopped shallots. Brown salmon filet on both sides for 5 minutes. Add gin, sauté until gin evaporators. Add caper berries, wild mushrooms and sauté till mushrooms are tender. Add fish stock and bake for 10 minutes or depending on how well you like it cooked. Finish with fresh parsley.
Grouper Termolese (Per Person)
1 6-8 8oz. Grouper Filet
½ cup cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped Gaeta olives
1 tablespoon fine chopped garlic
Pinch of hot pepper flakes
1 tablespoon butter
¼ cup dry white wine
Pinch of salt and pepper
Fresh basil leaves
Start with 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil in sauté pan. Add garlic and lightly brown until lightly golden. Add grouper filet and sauté both sides for 5 minutes. Add cherry tomatoes, chopped olives and hot pepper flakes. Then add white wine, and sauté until half of it evaporates. Add a tablespoon of butter (may reduce or omit for weight loss purposes, or substitute with extra virgin olive oil) and bake in oven for 10 minutes. Finish with fresh basil leaves.
Fred Bollaci with Andre and Mary Iodice, owners of Finalmente Trattoria in Westport, CT.
Wishing you a Buon’ Natale (Merry Christmas), Buone Feste (happy holidays), and Buon’ Anno Nuovo (Happy New Year)! Enjoy this special time of year, eat well, laugh, enjoy the company of family and friends, and don’t forget to take care of yourself with sufficient exercise and rest! And if you are anywhere near Westport, please visit my friends at Finalmente Trattoria, and be sure to say that I sent you!
Finalmente Trattoria
165 Post Road East
Westport, CT 06880
203.226.8500
