Rapini Anyone? Two Delicious Originals!

This next post is written by my sister Peggy, who actually authored "Mangia e Taci." She involved the whole family in the book with recipe testing and commentaries. Our mom, Antonietta D'Orazi, was the inspiration and for the cookbook and the source for all the recipes. I'll tell you more about her later. 

If you are lucky enough to live in an area where there is a year round farmer’s market, the challenge to eat seasonally and locally is somewhat diminished. I live in the rainy NW, which, in spite of the weather, is one of the most abundant areas in terms of local and sustainable ingredients, from the Dungeness crab to various fungi, fruits, and vegetables. There are a few die-hard growers that continue to challenge Mother Nature through the winter to provide these local provisions. And I am very appreciative that my local farmer’s market made a commitment to the community to continue their efforts through the winter.

My recent trip provided me with local grass fed beef and pork, a variety of pears and apples, and my first bunches of spring broccoli raab (know as rapini in Italian)—and they were bright and beautiful! Spring greens excite me because I not only love them, but somehow feel they are an important source of the vitamins and minerals that the winter root vegetables and gray days have not provided.

I tend to keep preparation simple, and one of my favorite dishes with rapini is to combine them with garlic, olive oil and pasta. From here multiple variations are possible (i.e. I added a couple anchovies to the last prep), but I think it is important to warm the garlic in the oil first then add the greens and seasonings; and by all means do not over cook the greens—they should remain bright green. The flavor of rapini is slightly bitter, which I like, but for those that don’t, the addition of some dried tomatoes, or winter squash would add some sweetness.

So, support your local market and vendors and you will not only help your own health, but the health of your neighborhood economy. Maybe it’s time for ‘trickle up’ economics…

My other sister, Betty, just sent me the following very simple recipe for rapini...

Instead of cooking the rapini, wash them and cut off the toughest part of the stems.  Spin them in a salad spinner to get the excess water out.  Then put them in a salad bowl and drizzle olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper, and maybe some flavored salt if you like.  Let them sit for several hours.  The rapini will begin to wilt and become tender.  When you're ready to eat them, taste for seasoning and adjust to taste.  Yum!!!

It's Artichoke Season - Bet you've never had them like this!

Here's our first recipe post from our Northern Italian family cookbook Mangia e Taci. It's called Carciofi Al Tegame, which means "Artichokes in a Pot." It creates a broth that is lemony with a hint of anise and garlic. You should be sure to have some nice, dense French bread on hand to soak up the broth.

Carciofi Al Tegame

Artichokes In A Pot

Although you could serve this as an appetizer or first course, especially if you use smaller artichokes, we always ate it as our main course. Mom always used large chokes in season, and with the addition of salad and plenty of bread, it was a substantial meal. There would always be a couple of large bowls on the table to accommodate all the leaves we had dunked in the broth and scraped across our teeth in our efforts to reach the treasured heart at the bottom. I am still delighted by this dish because for me it is not work to eat an artichoke, but an adventure. An artichoke prepared this way is not as rich or calorie laden as one served with melted butter or mayonnaise, yet, in my opinion, it is much more satisfying. I have made this with a couple tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese added to the egg and lemon mixture, even though the recipe doesn’t call for it, and it was very good—I love parmesan!

4 medium to large very fresh artichokes (they should be firm and not overly mottled)

2 cups good quality chicken broth (homemade is best)

1 cup cold water

3 tablespoons dry breadcrumbs

2 egg yolks           

2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice           

3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced

¼ cup minced Italian parsley (about ¾ cup leaves)

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Olive oil to drizzle

Trim and wash artichokes thoroughly. To prevent discoloration, place them in a bowl of cold water with some lemon juice in it as you clean them. Drain the chokes and place tip side down in a pot with the broth and cold water. The pot should hold them comfortably so that the liquid reaches about half way up the chokes. Cover and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 10 to 15 minutes. Turn the chokes over so that the bottoms are now submerged, cover and continue to simmer 20 to 25 minutes, or until a leaf is easily pulled from the base. Cooking time will depend on the size of the artichokes. Remove the chokes from the broth and set aside. Keep the broth simmering and add the bread crumbs. Beat the yolks with the lemon juice. Stir 2 or 3 tablespoons hot broth into the yolk mixture then add the entire mixture to the broth in the pot. Add the garlic, parsley, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Return the artichokes to the pot, bottoms down, then spoon the broth over the tops and drizzle them with olive oil. Cover and simmer another 10 minutes. Serve in soup or pasta bowls with the broth ladled over the top and plenty of good bread to soak up the juice. Serves 4.

Welcome to Mangia e Taci

Eat and Shut Up. That's what "Mangia e Taci" basically means. It was something our dad would say at the dinner table when his 7 children were all making a bit too much noise and disrupting his dinner. He wasn't mean, but had a way of getting to the point with very few words. ("Now listen!" was another phrase that worked well.)

At any rate, this blog will contain recipes from our D'Orazi Family Cookbook "Mangia e Taci" and other musings and original recipes. I hope you will enjoy reading, cooking and eating. Your feedback is always welcome.