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Recipe: Golden Palate® Chef Angelo Elia’s Famous Veal Meatballs (Angelo Elia Pizza & Tapas Restaurants in South Florida)

Posted on June 24, 2016 by Fred Bollaci

Recipe courtesy of Chef Angelo Elia

As you probably know, I love a good meatball and am always seeking out the best and looking for new renditions. Angelo Elia’s veal meatballs are super moist, flavorful, and have a light, elegant feel and flavor profile! Serve in a San Marzano Tomato Sauce (olive oil, onion, San Marzano Tomatoes, fresh basil, salt and pepper), which is easy to make at home and can be done to perfection in an hour of simmering on the stove. You may also drop the meatballs directly into the simmering sauce to poach them. Enjoy with several ounces of pasta of your choice, crusty Italian bread, with a scoop of ricotta, or just as they are with some sauce, fresh basil, and extra grated cheese! Add a glass or open and share a bottle of Chianti Classico, Valpolicella, or Barbaresco! You will love them! Grazie, Angelo! Buon’ Appetito!

Veal and Pecorino Meatballs

Ingredients:
1 lb. Ground Veal
½ cup bread crumbs
½ cup Pecorino cheese (grated)
¼ cup milk
1 egg
2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
¼ cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon salt

Procedure:
* Preheat oven to 400

* In a separate bowl combine milk and bread crumbs, set aside for 5 minutes

* In a large bowl combine all other ingredients

* Add the milk and bread crumb mixture and mix until all combined
* Divide and form into 6 large balls

* Bake on a sheet pan with ¼ cup of water added for 20 – 25 minutes

Chef Angelo Elia and his family of restaurants are Golden Palate Partners of Fred Bollaci Enterprises! If you are looking for an authentic Italian meal in South Florida, visit any of the locations of Angelo Elia Pizza & Tapas, or Casa D’Angelo in Boca Raton, and the original in Fort Lauderdale, where you will often find Angelo in the kitchen and greeting guests! Once you experience his unique, authentic, rustic Italian cuisine, packed with mouthwatering flavor, you will be back!

Opening Angelo Pizza, Bar and Tapas restaurant was a passion of Salerno, Italy native Chef Angelo Elia, whose renowned Casa D’Angelo in Fort Lauderdale has delighted diners since 1998 and has earned numerous awards. Now with locations in Boca Raton and in Atlantis Paradise Island, Casa D’Angelo has been a place for him to showcase the depth of Italian technique and elevated the Italian dining scene in South Florida. After years of success, Angelo wanted to create a restaurant that felt more like the simple Italy he visits year after year where ingredients are at the forefront. Angelo Elia Pizza is a place where you can come and sit and nosh on small plates and pizza, as well as great specials, cocktails, wine, and happy hour with friends. Angelo Elia’s is all about friends and a good bottle of wine enjoyed in a contemporary, relaxed atmosphere. Once you experience it, this will be your “go-to” spot, a home away from home!

Posted in Fred Bollaci on Dining | Tagged angelo elia, atlantis, bahamas, boca, boca raton, casa d'angelo, florida, fort lauderdale, italian, veal, veal meatballs | Comments Off

Recipe: Tomato Stack Salad from Chef Keith Casey (K.C. American Bistro in Naples)

Posted on June 23, 2016 by Fred Bollaci

Savory Stack Tomato Salad

Recipe courtesy of Chef/Owner Keith Casey of K.C. American Bistro in Naples.

Vine-ripe tomatoes layered with sauteed spinach and Maytag blue cheese, drizzled with warm hickory-smoked bacon vinaigrette, garnished with oranges and microsprouts.

Warm Spinach & Vine-Ripe Tomato Salad

Ingredients:

4 vine-ripe tomatoes
8 oz. baby spinach
1 tbsp olive oil
6 oz. Maytag Blue cheese
1 Florida orange (segmented)
2 oz. micro sprouts
8 oz. apple wood smoked bacon
1 tbsp balsamic syrup
4 oz. rice wine vinaigrette (recipe below)
Method:

Begin by dicing the bacon into half inch pieces. Cook the bacon in a sauté pan over medium heat until crisp. While the bacon is cooking; core the tomatoes and slice them into rings about one half inch thick. You will need eight rings. Place four of the tomato rings on four separate plates.

Once the bacon is crisp remove the bacon and pat dry on paper towels. Discard the remaining bacon grease from the sauté pan and return to medium heat. Pour one table spoon of olive oil in the sauté pan and begin to sauté the spinach. Do not let the pan get too hot as the “fond” or bacon pieces left in the pan will burn. This will give the spinach an extra layer of flavor. Shallots, garlic or other spices may be added with the spinach to make your own unique recipe.

Once the spinach is wilted divide it equally on top of the four tomatoes. Place the other four tomato slices on top of the spinach. Finish by drizzling the dressing and balsamic syrup on the salad. Garnish with micro sprouts, orange segments, bacon and tomatoes.

Rice Wine Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

2 oz. rice wine vinegar
5 oz. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. dry mustard powder
Salt and black pepper to taste
Method:

Begin by whisking the vinegar and dry mustard in a bowl. Next slowly add the olive oil while continually whisking. Placing the bowl on top of a towel will assist in keeping the bowl from moving. Finish by seasoning with salt and pepper.

K.C. American Bistro, located in a shopping center near the Ritz Carlton on Vanderbilt Beach Road is a Naples area favorite for dinner, with the innovative, regional, seasonal cuisine of New England native, Keith Casey, a delightful, passionate, innovative chef! This recipe is especially great with ripe fresh, local tomatoes– people up north might be wondering– fresh, ripe, and local in the middle of winter? Well, yes, in Florida, the winter months are local tomato season, in places like Immokalee (just east of Naples), Ruskin (near Tampa), and farms in the agricultural reserve of Palm Beach County. You may try with heirloom tomatoes for a truly flavorful, colorful presentation!

Note: to lighten it up, reduce the amount of bacon and blue cheese by half.

KC American Bistro

885 Vanderbilt Beach Rd.

Naples, FL 34108

239.566.2371

Posted in Florida Golden Palate Partners | Tagged casey, kc american bistro, keith casey, naples, vanderbilt beach | Comments Off

Recipe: Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse Chopped Salad: My Light Version

Posted on June 21, 2016 by Fred Bollaci

Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse Chopped Salad–My Light Version

Serves 8

Ingredients:

8 cups packed iceberg lettuce, julienned
1 cup packed fresh spinach, cut into julienne strips
1 cup packed julienne strips radicchio
1/3 cup red onion, chopped into inch long pieces of the rounds
1/2 cup chopped green olives
6 ounces fresh mushrooms, washed and sliced
4 eggs, hard-boiled, chopped
1 (14-oz.) can chilled hearts of palm, rinsed, well-drained and sliced
1/2 lb applewood-smoked bacon, cooked to crispy, drained, blotted with paper towel and crumbled (optional for weight loss)
1 cup crumbled blue cheese (can use gorgonzola or Roquefort)
1/2 cup croutons (optional for weight loss)- make your own by taking several slices of baguette, lightly butter (optional), place on a baking sheet and toast at 350 in the toaster or oven until golden brown.
8 cherry tomatoes, halved
crispy fried onions, for garnish (optional for weight loss– you can purchase them or make your own, take 1 cup of thinly sliced yellow or Vidalia onion rounds, lightly toss in flour, salt, and pepper mix, and quickly fry in canola oil, drain onto paper towels, set aside)

Instructions:

In a large bowl, combine the ingredients. You may toss with dressing (recipe below) and allow guests to serve themselves and place optional garnishes on themselves, such as the bacon and crispy onions. Or, you can present the salads as they do at the steakhouse: they use PVC molds to assemble the salad mix that has already been tossed with dressing, then press the mix down into the mold, garnish with the crispy onions, and arrange sliced cherry tomatoes on each dish (as shown above). Either way works and is delicious, just depends how you want to present it.

Light Lemon Basil Dressing:

Ingredients:

1 cup light sour cream

1 cup light mayo (Hellman’s Light works)

1/4 cup fresh basil
Juice of 1 lemon
seasoned salt (I like Jane’s Crazy Salt)

Garlic powder (optional) to taste

freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients, and blend in a blender or food processor for about 30 seconds. Refrigerate until ready for use.

This popular Ruth’s Chris favorite can easily be made at home and is easily lightened up by using reduced fat ingredients in the dressing, and by controlling the amount of bacon, cheese, croutons, and crispy onions. I also like to mix it up further, adding roasted red peppers (cut into small strips), and avocado. The salad is also nice when served with the addition of grilled shrimp, salmon, seared tuna, grilled chicken, lamb, or slices of tenderloin–it makes a very satisfying meal!

Posted in Gourmet, Recipes | Tagged chopped salad, ruths chris | Comments Off

Fred Bollaci, “The Healthy Gourmet” Featured in “Edible Long Island” Summer 2016 With Keith Davis of The Golden Pear Café’s!

Posted on June 20, 2016 by Fred Bollaci

Fred Bollaci, known as “The Healthy Gourmet,” is an attorney, entrepreneur, gourmand, world traveler, sommelier, and international healthy gourmet lifestyle, food, wine, travel, and fitness expert, writer of the Golden Palate Blog, with his first book due out within the year on healthy gourmet dining and weight loss is featured along with Charter Member, Keith Davis and his famed Golden Pear Café’s, celebrating 29 years of excellent cuisine with four locations in the Hamptons.

“I am delighted and inspired by Fred Bollaci’s vision of educating the world about enjoying a healthy, gourmet lifestyle,” said Davis. “As part of Fred Bollaci Enterprises’ growing international family of healthy gourmet destinations, we at The Golden Pear, have a wonderful opportunity to educate and motivate people to make healthier, more responsible choices for themselves and their families.”

According to Bollaci, “The Golden Pear Café’s consistently excellent cuisine, coupled with Davis’ ongoing commitment to excellence and attention to detail at every level, makes it a natural choice for Charter Membership.”

To read the entire article, click here!

Posted in News and Interviews | Tagged Edible Long Island, Golden Pear Cafe, Keith Davis | Comments Off

Recipe: Cucina Palm Beach’s Famous Snapper Livornese

Posted on June 19, 2016 by Fred Bollaci

Cucina’s Famous Local Florida Snapper Livornese

Ingredients: (per person)
fresh, local yellowtail snapper filet (6-8 ounces) – blood line removed completely

Wondra flour (to coat fish)
1 tbsp. capers
1 tsp. fresh minced shallot
1/2 diced roma tomato
blended fresh tomato
1/2 cup pinot grigio
tbsp. unsalted european butter or very fine olive oil
several fresh basil leaves
several imported Italian black olives
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil to sauté

optional butter

Preparation:
While heating the olive oil over medium heat in a pan, pat the fish dry, lightly season and dust with wondra flour, shake it off
Place the fish – presentation side down – in the hot olive oil and cook until it’s lightly browned, then flip it over and drain some of the oil
Add the white wine, shallots, tomatoes, capers, and let simmer lightly for about 2 minutes.
*Add optional pad of butter (or drizzle of olive oil), basil and black olives and serve hot right away.

Cucina dell’Arte (affectionally shortened by locals to just “Cucina”) is a Palm Beach island favorite, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily, 365 days a year, it is a local’s “home away from home” which is always friendly, the food always fresh and good, and the atmosphere upbeat, with outdoor seating overlooking Royal Poinciana Way– Cucina is open late for dancing (3AM), though the kitchen closes earlier. The Snapper Livornaise is one of the most popular dishes on their extensive Italian-American influenced menu, and one of the best renditions I’ve had! It is very nice served with sautéed spinach, kale, escarole, broccolini, or broccoli rabe. For a lively and delicious taste of Palm Beach, visit Cucina!

Cucina Palm Beach

257 Royal Poinciana Way

Palm Beach, FL 33480

561.655.0770