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Pan-Seared Salmon (Recipe serves 4) Blistered Tomato Ragoût, Ricotta Gnudi, Wild Mushrooms,& Balsamic-Scented Watercress by Michael’s on East, Sarasota, Florida

Posted on December 2, 2020 by Fred Bollaci

Recipe courtesy of Michael’s on East

Pan-Seared Salmon (Recipe serves 4)
Blistered Tomato Ragoût, Ricotta Gnudi, Wild Mushrooms,& Balsamic-Scented Watercress

For the Gnudi

Ingredients:

1 Cup Ricotta Cheese
3/4 Cup All-Purpose Flour, divided
1/2 Cup Freshly Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 Egg Yolks, Lightly Beaten
1/4 Teaspoon Freshly Grated Nutmeg
2 Teaspoons Freshly Ground White Pepper
2 Teaspoons Sea Salt, or More to Taste
½ Lemon, Juiced (optional)
Method:

Mix ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup flour, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, egg yolks, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Add white pepper, and salt; mix until gnudi mixture is well-combined.

Dust your hands with remaining 1/4 cup flour and form gnudi mixture into small balls.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add lemon juice. Boil gnudi in batches until they float to the top of the water, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain and set aside.

For the Dish

Ingredients:

4-7 oz Salmon filets
1-Pint Heirloom Cherry Tomato
6 each Sliced Garlic Cloves
1 Cup White Wine
4 oz Unsalted Butter
2 Tablespoon Chopped Parsley
1.5 Cups Ricotta Gnudi
2 Cups Sliced Wild Mushrooms (Shitake, Trumpet, and Oyster)
2 oz Olive Oil
1 Lemon Juiced
1 Teaspoon Aged Balsamic
Kosher Salt and Black pepper for seasoning
Method:

Preheat oven to 425F. Season and sear salmon put in the oven and cook to medium about 5-6 minutes. In a separate pan sauté mushrooms until they start to color. Add Gnudi garlic and tomato sauté until tomatoes start to pop. Add wine and reduce 2/3 down and emulsify butter. Finish with parsley. In a separate cold bowl mix lemon juice balsamic and watercress season with salt and black pepper.

To Plate:

Mound Ragu in the center of 4 pasta bowls. Place salmon on top of Ragu and garnish with watercress salad and serve.

Posted in Florida Golden Palate Partners | Tagged gnudi, michaels on east, salmon, sarasota | Comments Off

Chilled Cantaloupe Soup with Fresh Chantilly Cream- A Perfect Summer Starter or Dessert!

Posted on July 8, 2020 by Fred Bollaci

Chilled Cantaloupe Soup

This delicious, refreshing soup works great as a starter, as well as for dessert, especially during the summer months when the weather is hot and the likelihood of finding a ripe, sweet, delicious melon is greater.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 cups of peeled, de-seeded, diced ripe cantaloupe melon (Note: honeydew is another option)

1 cup whipped cream (instructions for making your own below)

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons chopped basil

juice of 1 lime

1 cup water

2 teaspoons mixed seasonings (see note)

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Sprigs of fresh basil or mint leaves as a garnish (optional)

Instructions:

Put the diced cantaloupe, balsamic, basil, lime juice and water in a food processor or blender and process into a smooth, creamy consistency.

Add mixed seasonings and the olive oil and process into the soup.

Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Mixed Seasonings:

Combine 1/2 teaspoon each of ground nutmeg and cinnamon with a pinch of salt, a pinch of sugar, and an optional pinch of cayenne.

Chantilly Cream Recipe:

Ingredients:

1 cup heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

optional 1/2 vanilla bean

Instructions:

Place a metal mixing bowl and metal whisk in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Split the vanilla seam lengthwise with the tip of a sharp knife, hold then pod open and scrape out the seeds into a bowl for use.

Add sugar to mixing bowl, then add the heavy cream. Start whisking, then add the vanilla, continue to whisk just until the cream reaches stiff peaks. Store any unused portion as long as overnight. Re-whisk for 10-20 seconds when ready to use.

To serve, pour the chilled soup into soup bowls or pasta dishes. Top with the prosciutto chips and a dollop of the Chantilly cream and optional fresh basil or mint as a garnish. Note: a tablespoon of vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt of your choice also works nicely.

Note: to make this a more savory starter, you can crisp up several thin slices of prosciutto di parma or pancetta in a saute’ pan with a drizzle of olive oil, allow both sides to brown lightly. Remove from the heat onto paper towels, let dry and cool off a few minutes, and break the now crunchy slices into small bits to sprinkle on top as a garnish when you are serving. To complement that, consider a dollop of sour cream or creme fraiche instead of the sweeter Chantilly whipped cream.

Posted in Desserts, Fred Bollaci on Dining, Soups|Salads | Tagged cantaloupe, cantaloupe soup, chantilly cream, chilled cantaloupe soup, chilled soup, dessert, honeydew, melon, soup, summer, summer soup, whipped cream | Comments Off

Pasta with Smoked Salmon Pink Sauce, Perfect for Brunch!

Posted on July 8, 2020 by Fred Bollaci

Pasta with Smoked Salmon Pink Sauce

Perfect for Brunch!

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

1/2 pound imported Italian pasta (or fresh pasta)

1 tablespoon butter

4 ounces Smoked Salmon

1 cup tomato sauce (previously made or store bought)

handful fresh basil

1/2 cup heavy cream (option for fat free half and half for lighter preparation)

pepper

dash cayenne pepper (optional)

freshly grated parmesan cheese at end (optional)

Instructions

Heat a large pot of water to a rolling boil, salt generously, drop the pasta.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a large saute’ pan over medium/high heat, add the salmon, break into pieces and stir, don’t let get too dried out, add the tomato, and some of the basil, let simmer while stirring as needed. As the pasta cooks, add the cream, pepper, and cayenne, and let thicken, stirring often to help prevent from sticking and to help amalgamate the flavors.

When the pasta is still more al dente than you would eat, drain and add the pasta to the sauce, reserve a cup of the cooking water, add a splash or two as needed to help the sauce expand and not dry out, but don’t let it get too watery. You want to stir the pasta and sauce with the splash of water for a couple minutes, the end result should be velvety, it should coat the pasta generously, and not be at all watery.

Plate and serve immediately with grated parmesan if desired, and garnish of additional fresh basil. Note: a sprinkle of capers on each dish when plating is another nice option. If using salt-packed, be sure to rinse them well first.

Posted in Entrees, Fred Bollaci on Dining, Pastas and Sauces | Tagged brunch, pasta, pink sauce, salmon, smoked salmon | Comments Off

Pasta “Scampi” with Ripe Tomatoes and Shrimp

Posted on July 6, 2020 by Fred Bollaci

Pasta “Scampi” with Ripe Tomatoes and Shrimp

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

1/2 pound imported Italian pasta

1/2 pound Shrimp, peeled, deveined.

2 cups ripe cherry or grape tomatoes

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, additional for drizzle off the heat at the end.

4 cloves garlic, chopped

sea salt and pepper to taste

red chili flakes (optional)

fresh basil

4 ounces dry white wine

1 tablespoon butter

Heat a large pot with plenty of water to a rolling boil for the pasta. Meanwhile, in a large saute’ pan, heat oil with the chopped garlic, mix around, don’t let the garlic brown, after about 1.5 minutes, add the tomatoes, sprinkle of sea salt, pepper, and chili flakes, and continue to toss on medium/high heat for about 10 minutes, until the tomatoes burst (you can assist them with your cooking utensil as they soften). Add the basil and shrimp and let simmer for about 3 minutes. Remove the shrimp and set them aside. The reason to cook the shrimp now and remove them is you want to get the flavor from the shrimp into the sauce, as well as the flavors from the sauce absorbed into the shrimp, but you don’t want to overcook the shrimp. Shrimp cook and dry out very quickly, this is why it is important to remove them now.

At this point, drop the pasta in the boiling salted water. Cook until shy of al dente, reserve a cup of the cooking water. Add the white wine and turn up the heat to let the sauce come together. Then add the swirl of butter. When the pasta is shy of al dente (harder than you would eat), drain and add to the sauce, toss for several minutes with a splash or two of pasta cooking water as needed to help form a luscious sauce that is abundant, yet not at all runny and does not overpower or drown out the pasta. It should be dressed like a salad. About 1 minute prior to serving, add the shrimp back in and continue to toss.

Serve immediately.

Notes: this is nice with added fresh basil or freshly chopped parsley. A drizzle of a good quality olive oil off the heat when serving adds another layer of complexity. Another nice variation is to add a slice of orange rind to the sauce while cooking to give it a slightly sweet and citrusy flavor reminiscent of Florida. Italian seafood pastas typically don’t call for cheese, if you have your heart set on something, go for a few scant shavings of ricotta salata so as not to overpower the dish.

Posted in Entrees, Fred Bollaci on Dining, Pastas and Sauces | Tagged italian, pasta, scampi, shrimp | Comments Off

Penne Alla Vodka: A Glamorous, International Celebratory Pasta Dish, Cooking Tips and Variations

Posted on June 19, 2020 by Fred Bollaci

Penne alla Vodka

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1/2 yellow onion or equivalent amount of shallots, finely chopped

Pinch red pepper flakes (to taste), optional

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

*Optional 4 ounces diced pancetta or bacon (can also add sausage removed from the casing or shrimp as an alternative)

1 cup tomato puree (Mutti or an imported Italian brand)

1/2 cup good quality vodka (something you would drink)

1/2 cup heavy cream

sea salt

1 pound Penne Pasta (or Pennette)

1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

handful fresh basil leaves (optional)

Instructions:

Sauté the onion/shallots in butter over medium heat. (Note: if you are cooking pancetta or bacon with the sauce, add it with the onion and allow it to cook down and render, but not get crispy. If you are adding shrimp, add the shrimp at this time, but remove them and set them aside while the sauce and pasta cook, return them to the sauce at the very end with the pasta).

Add the tomato puree, reduce heat to low and cook for several minutes. Add the vodka and cook down for 15 minutes. (Note: it is ok to flambe the vodka, just make sure to have the bottle away from you when you ignite the pan). Let sauce cook cook down until there is no longer any strong smell of vodka, and the alcohol is burned off. Then add the cream and continue to simmer, stir as needed.

Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil, add generous amount of sea salt, then drop the pasta, stir, and cook to very al dente (less time than indicated on the package). You should plan to drop the pasta after you add the cream to the sauce and the sauce with the cream is simmering.

Strain the pasta, reserve a cup of the cooking water. Add the pasta and a splash of cooking water to the sauce and turn up the heat to high for 1-2 minutes. Add in some basil leaves and stir, making sure to coat the pasta well with the sauce and allow the pasta to cook a little. You want it to still be al dente when you serve, but it should cook a minute or two with the sauce to combine and adhere. This step which Italians (but not all Americans) do, combining the pasta and sauce and stirring together to finish cooking together for a hot pasta dish, and simply tossing well like a salad for a room temperature dish, like Pesto works wonders to get the flavors to marry. Remove to a serving bowl, add the grated cheese and stir together. The result will be a creamy, velvety sauce, a total crowd pleaser. Serve immediately with additional grated or shaved Parmigiano Reggiano and red pepper flakes.

Note: In the event you don’t wish to cook with vodka, you can always deglaze the sauce with white wine or Cognac. If you prefer not to include alcohol, you will still have a luscious, velvety pink sauce that will be delicious. The only caveat is if that is the case, and you are cooking it with pancetta, bacon, or sausage, you should cook that separately and remove the meat from the rendered grease and then add it to the sauce, as the deglazing with alcohol helps to burn off fat. You will still end up with a very flavorful sauce. If you are looking to cut calories, you can also use fat free half and half, though use less of it, and the sauce will still come out pinkish, but not quite as creamy, though the cheese will help. The best Parmigiano Reggiano from Italy is a must here, as it is a critical component of this dish. In fact, any Italian dish that calls for “Parmesan” cheese must include the real thing from Italy, grated fresh the day of use preferably. There are many products out there claiming to be “Parmesan” cheese, some with clever packaging that would make one think they are from Italy and the real deal. Caveat emptor. It must say Parmigiano Reggiano, and it is not cheap. Cheeses that sell for under $10 a pound or pre-grated in a container are likely not the real deal, and will dramatically affect the end result of your dish. This is one place you cannot substitute or skimp. A Grana Padano is a reasonable substitute. A Pecorino Romano is a wonderful cheese, but suitable in certain dishes, as it is sharper and saltier, I wouldn’t use it here.