Down and Dirty Martini

Green beer for St. Patrick's Day?  

Not a chance!  Just way to "college party" for me!  

Give me a rich, deep, olive green dirty Martini any day to celebrate 'anything'!  Nothing could be finer!  Even while attending college, I never could get into all of the crazy partying on St. Patrick's Day.  Rather, I have always chosen to think of St. Patrick with reverence for his spiritual mission on earth.  

St. Patrick may have been a jolly Irishman, but I don't think he got crazy drunk.

If I am going to give a respectful salute' to St. Patrick (or to anyone), I shall do it with the infamous and venerable Martini in all it's perfect simplicity!  And on top of that, my Martini will be colored green from the addition of the delicious juices that come from green olives!

With at least three huge, jumbo olives tossed in, thank you very much!

Have you ever wondered about where this infamous cocktail originated?  Was it in Italy due to it's Italian name?  This would surely be a great trivia question at a cocktail party wouldn't it?   I did a little bit of research for all of us, because even I didn't know and was extremely curious.  

Originally made of gin (which now gives me a pounding headache), the Martini is now even more popular when mixed with a high quality vodka (note:  emphasis is on high quality), which Martini purists would call a "Bradford".

Originally mixed in 1862 in San Francisco, California, USA (that's right, it's not from Italy . . . but the vermouth is!), it was mixed with much more vermouth which has been significantly reduced today:  five (5) parts vodka or gin to one (1) part Italian vermouth, then shaken or stirred with ice (there's much debate over that process too), and is always served 'straight up' in a beautiful Martini glass named specifically for the Martini itself!

Many debate about the amount of Italian vermouth to add to the mix:  the drier the Martini, the less amount of vermouth is added.  I discovered that some mixologists will add the vermouth to the ice in the shaker, shake it up a bit and then strain out the excess vermouth so that it just graces the final mixture.  

Sounds good to me!

"Shaken, not stirred" stated the gorgeous eye-candy James Bond.   This debate is based on one band of Martini enthusiasts who believe that the shaken mixture 'bruises' the alcohol and waters down the final cocktail.  But others believe that all of that shaking and theatric drama adds life and oxygen to the cocktail, blends the vermouth in better, and ignites the final taste!

I totally agree . . . I'll have what James Bond is having!  Shake it until it is ice cold!  Mr. Bond also made the vodka Martini more popular.  Hey, he has been one smart guy!

Along with James Bond, the likes of Winston Churchill, Ernest Hemingway, Alfred Hitchcock, Clark Gable and "Hawkeye" from **MASH** (the hit American TV show) proclaimed to the other military doctors "I'm pursuing my lifelong quest for the perfect, the absolutely driest Martini to be found in this or any other world".

For whatever reason, the Martini lost popularity in the 70's and 80's, but became wildly popular in the last two decades with the explosion of the revived cocktail revolution today where there is a dizzying array of creative cocktails to choose from.  Along with olives, mixologists now add sun-dried tomatoes, slivers of lemons, herbs, and capers . . . the list of possibilities is simply endless!  With the creation of numerous flavored vodkas, the versions for the famous Martini are limited only to one's imagination!

Dirty Vodka Martini

lots of ice
3 shots Grey Goose vodka
1/2 shot of brine (juice) from cocktail olives
1 dash Italian Martini & Rossi extra dry vermouth
3 jumbo pimento/garlic/blue cheese stuffed green olives (provide a variety for your guest)

Fill a metal martini shaker with ice.
Add the vodka, vermouth and olive brine.
Close the shaker tightly and shake it for a long time until liquid condensates on the outside of the shaker.
Place 3 olives in the bottom of a martini glass.
Strain the vodka, olive brine and vermouth mixture into each martini glass over the olives.
Serve chilled immediately.

Double, triple or quadruple for your lucky friends and family to enjoy with you!

Salute' to St. Patrick!

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Simply Delicious For Spring! Fresh Pesto Caesar Salad

It is finally March in the Carolina's, which means that Mother Nature is starting to show her beautiful signs of spring!   Daffodils and pansies are in bloom, and day lilies are pushing their green leaves out of the warming soil.  After all of the grey days of the "uary" months (as my husband and I call them . . . Jan"uary" and Febr"uary"), we welcome the hints of green that begin to show us hope for spring and the coming warmer days ahead.  We spent the weekend cleaning out all of our gardens, tilling and preparing the soil, and mulching our flower beds.  

To some this seems to be nothing but work.  

Yet for me, it's just a joy to be outside again after feeling confined indoors for months.  

Spring is simply my favorite time of year!

the colors of vibrant blue and yellow just captivate the eyes!

joyful, happy, yellow daffodils announce springtime

and the happy faces of blue/purple pansies that show off this rarest of garden colors!

"Green" is also this month's theme for the March Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club hosted by Val from "More Than Burnt Toast".  A perfectly timed theme!  I chose to make a lighter version of the classic Caesar Salad and was wondering throughout the process how this salad could be 'outstanding' as described on the Cooking Light web-site.

Oh wow, does this salad live up to its definition!  After cleaning my salad plate, I ate the rest of the salad out of the mixing bowl!  

My husband had one piece of lettuce and immediately turned up his nose and said, "Ugh, I taste those little anchovies, but I suppose I could enjoy this."  He just dislikes anchovies like no other!

. . . poor guy!  I just don't know what I'm going to do with him sometimes!

But this salad is just incredible, despite it's reduction in calories thanks to the ingenious folks of Cooking Light magazine . . .  and I'll make it over and over again!  I made a few adjustments by adding a little more olive oil to thin down the dressing and added one more clove of minced garlic (I mean, "why not?").  I also used olive oil-based mayonnaise instead of canola mayonnaise.  After all, this is an Italian salad!

Pesto Caesar Salad

3 oz. Italian bread, sliced, then cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1-1/2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil (I doubled this, you need it!)
Italian-blend seasonings (I added this)

Cooking spray

2 ounces Parmigiana-Regiano cheese

1/4 cup canola mayonnaise (I used olive oil-based mayonnaise)

3 Tbsp. refrigerated pesto (I used my own home-made pesto)

4 tsp. water
2 - 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil (my addition)

2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. anchovy paste

1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard

1/8 tsp. hot pepper sauce (I used Tabasco)

1 garlic clove, minced (I doubled this to two cloves)

12 cups torn romaine lettuce
anchovy slices for garnish (my addition)
freshly cracked black pepper and sea salt to taste (my addition)

Take a fresh loaf of Italian bread

cut about 4 - 5 slices 1" wide, then cut into 1" cubes

place on a baking sheet in a 400 degree oven 

toast for 10 minutes 

(watch them carefully so the bread cubes do not burn)

toss the warm toasted bread cubes with the olive oil

I also added some 'Tuscan" Italian-blend seasonings

grate fresh Parmigiana-Regiano cheese

prepare dressing with olive oil-based mayonnaise

using pesto and the following fresh ingredients.

I freeze tiny little containers of basil pesto every summer 

(click on 'basil pesto' for the link)

this holds about 3Tbsp. of pesto . . . just perfect!

squeeze 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

mince 2 cloves of fresh garlic

in a medium mixing bowl, add all of the ingredients

add anchovy paste, Dijon mustard, Worcesteshire sauce, 

lemon juice, and minced garlic

place freshly cut romaine lettuce in a large salad bowl

add the dressing

toss well

add the toasted bread cubes, toss well

serve on pretty plates

garnish with grated Parmigiana-Regiano cheese

and anchovy fillets

Crack fresh black pepper and sea salt all over to taste!

Preheat oven to 400°.

Place bread in a large bowl; drizzle with oil. Toss to coat.
Arrange bread in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.
Bake at 400° for 10 minutes or until golden, turning once.
Grate 2 tablespoons cheese; shave remaining cheese to equal about 6 tablespoons. Set shaved cheese aside.
Combine grated cheese, mayonnaise, and next 8 ingredients (including the pesto, through garlic) in a medium bowl, stirring well with a whisk.
Combine croutons and lettuce in a large bowl.
Drizzle mayonnaise mixture over lettuce mixture; toss to coat.

Place individual portions of the salad on each plate.
Top each serving with 1 tablespoon shaved cheese.

Now here are the other "Green" and lighter, fresh recipes that the others brought to the Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club this month:

• Val of More Than Burnt Toast prepared a Creamy Feta Spinach Dip that is perfect served with flat pita bread.
• Susan of The Spice Garden prepared a Salad with New Hampshire Maple-Mustard Dressing.
• Sarah of All Our Fingers in the Pie brought the main entree of Shrimp in Green Sauce.
• Jerry of Jerry's Thoughts, Musings and Rants put together a delicious Salmon with Cucumber Salad and Dill Sauce.
• Sandi of Whistlestop Cafe Cooking accompanied the menu with refreshing Lemony Snap Peas. 

Here are some other delicious salads that I have prepared that I know that you will enjoy:

Panzanella Salad with Pancetta, Tomato and Basil

Spring Salad with Strawberries and Balsamico Vinaigrette

Prosciutto, Goat Cheese, and Cherry Summer Salad

and

Fresh Fig, Gorgonzola, Arugula and Balsamico Vinaigrette Salad

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Pork Chops alla Marsala with Risotto alla Milanese

Nothing is so fine as the flavor that is enhanced by the simple addition of Marsala wine!  It's distinctive sweet flavor when combined with the savoriness of a piece of meat, onions, and garlic is unbelievably memorable.  From the moment of first tasting a sauce with a Marsala base, you'll know that unique flavor forever!  I have to thank my blogging friend, Marie from Proud Italian Cook, for inspiring me to elevate some ordinary pork chops to some sublime pork chops in a Marsala sauce.  I never thought to substitute veal or chicken for pork chops and now I realize how much I have been missing out!  Thanks Marie!

Don't be intimidated by the name of this recipe.  I think that all in all, I prepared this entire dinner in less than one hour.  This recipe has all the elements that both chefs and cooks enjoy:  over-the-top flavor, ease and simplicity, beauty to the eye, and an aromatic aroma . . . plus it seems as if you spent countless hours and work in the kitchen for your family and/or guests!

With a few adjustments (more Marsala!) I combined this Pork alla Marsala entree with classic golden, creamy Risotto alla Milanese.  I had some precious saffron in the kitchen, the most expensive spice on the planet, since the 'threads' are picked by hand from each crocus flower.  I can't remember what the price was for the saffron, but I know that it was a splurge!

Totally worth the expense though!

a heavenly sight to one's eyes on the plate and 

the aroma and flavor is so incredible!

Pork Chops alla Marsala with Risotto alla Milanese

6  Tbsp. butter

2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, diced 

3 - 4 large cloves of garlic, minced

1 container of freshly sliced crimini mushrooms

salt and pepper

2 - 4 'bone-in' thick-cut pork chops

1/2 cup chicken broth + 3 Tbsp. beef bouillon (I use "Better Than Bouillon", but some recipes call for "brown sauce"

1 cup Marsala wine

3 Tbsp. Mascarpone cheese (some chefs use heavy cream).

freshly diced thyme

freshly diced Italian parsley

Melt the butter along with olive oil in a large skillet.

Add pork chops to brown on both sides; when finished, place the chops in a warm oven for the remainder of the process.

Add diced onions and garlic, saute for a few minutes.

Add mushrooms, saute' until brown and reduced in size.

Allow the mixture to thicken up a bit.

Add Marsala wine.

Add chicken broth plus beef bouillon or 'brown sauce'.

Add the Mascarpone cheese and blend well.

Add thyme and cook for a few minutes to blend all of the flavors.

In a medium-sized baking pan, place a little bit of the sauce on the bottom of the pan.

Place the pork chops on sauce.

Pour all of the remaining mushroom-onion-garlic sauce all over the top.

Place everything back in the oven and bake for 10 minutes or more, or place on low to simmer while you set the table or are preparing a salad or side dish.

Serve with a pretty sprig of fresh thyme and/or chopped Italian parsley.

Serve with Risotto Milanese.

saute' the pork chops until a nicely brown color is achieved in the melted butter and extra virgin olive oil

remove the chops and place on a warming platter in a warm oven 

while sauteing the onions and garlic

add the mushrooms and sauté until browned and cooked well, usually 5 - 10 minutes

add Marsala, other liquids and mascarpone cheese after mushrooms are cooked enough

cook the mushroom-Marsala sauce until thickened

in a pretty baking pan, place a little bit of the mushroom-Marsala sauce on the bottom

and place the browned pork chops on top

pour all of the remaining mushroom-Marsala sauce on top

bake in the oven at 350 degrees for about 10 - 15 minutes

.

Risotto alla Milanese, the creamy rice dish that achieves its vivid golden color and flavor from saffron, is the perfect pairing for Pork Chops alla Marsala.  This tremendously classic risotto recipe from the northern region of Italy became famous from it's golden color that was presented to guests in the year 1574, at a chef's daughter's wedding dinner during which he surprised everyone with 'golden' colored risotto in honor of gold, the ultimate of wedding gifts.

Risotto alla Milanese 

the classic Risotto Milanese gets its extraordinary flavor from 

beautiful reddish-orange saffron, the most expensive spice in the world

that is picked by hand from each flower.

Saffron crocus flowers thrive in the hot, dry summers of the Mediterranean.  To produce just ONE pound of dried saffron requires the harvest of 50,000–75,000 flowers; forty hours of labour are needed to pick 150,000 flowers!

6 cups chicken stock
1 tbsp. saffron threads
3 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 small yellow onions, minced
2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
½ cup grated Parmesan
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Heat stock and saffron in a 2-qt. saucepan over medium heat; keep warm. 
Heat butter in a 4-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. 
Add onions; cook until soft, about 4 minutes. 
Add rice; cook until lightly toasted, about 4 minutes. 
Add wine; cook until evaporated, about 2 minutes. 
Add ½ cup warm stock; cook, stirring, until absorbed, about 2 minutes. 
Continue adding stock, ½ cup at a time, and cooking until absorbed before adding more, until rice is tender and creamy, about 16 minutes total. 
Stir in Parmesan; season with salt and pepper. 

I sprinkle just a little more saffron in though!

Magnifico!

Here are some other risotto recipes that I've prepared that I know you will enjoy:


Creamy Risotto with Lemon, Asiago Cheese, and Rosemary

Risotto with Porcini Mushrooms

Risotto con Quattro Formaggio (with Four Cheeses)

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Lemon Polenta Torta with Fruit Compote

'Lemon Polenta Torta' with powdered sugar sprinkled on top just as it is served in Italy!

Winter and lemons?  This combination just doesn't seem very logical to many of us.  Lemons are more commonly associated with the hot days of summer when we quench our thirst with icy, cold lemonade or lemon sherbet.  But in the warmer regions of the world, especially in the Mediterranean areas, and the U.S. states of Florida, California, Arizona and Texas, lemons are at their peak.  Lemons and all citrus fruits are a delicious and healthy part of winter, especially for cooking lighter in the kitchen.  The vitamin C in citrus proves their worth by helping us in the cold and flu season also, another timely advantage to citrus in winter!

In Italy, vibrant yellow lemons are harvested three times a year along the Amalfi coast!   The flavor of lemons is a family favorite in desserts, from torte' to pies to icey granite'.   We also love adding lemon juice with butter and garlic for an added sophistication to fish or chicken sizzling on the grill.  Vinaigrettes and vegetables jazz up with the help of lemons as well.

Baking and cooking with fresh, fragrant lemons infuse the air of any kitchen and home with their hypnotic perfume.  So during these grey days of winter, it's a perfect time to prepare something lemony!   The theme for this month's Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club is perfectly timed for the winter season and the 'holiday of amore' . . . "Pucker up with Lemons (for Valentine's Day!)" hosted by Val on her blog, "More Than Burnt Toast".  Following the recipe for the Lemon Polenta Torta, you'll see what the rest of the group prepared with links to their recipes.

My husband seriously raved about this cake!  "Superb . . . very, very wonderful!" were his exact words!  Both of us thought that this cake was even better served warm, plain and simple without the compote.  We favored it with just a little sprinkling of powdered sugar on top as is the customary way to serve it in Italy.  Below is a photo of my sweet cousin, Silvia in Italy, who prepared an incredibly delicious classic Italian torta for us during our visit in October.

Silvia cuts fresh slices of Italian torta for us just minutes after entering the home!

perfectly moist and flavored, with a generous dusting of powdered sugar on top!

Lemon Polenta Torta with Fruit Compote
(adapted from "Cooking Light")

For the cake:

Cooking spray and parchment paper
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/4 cup sugar (I added the extra 1/4 cup due to my addition of lemon juice, below)
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup reduced-fat buttermilk
1/4 cup olive oil (I did not use extra-virgin because the taste is so much stronger)
2 large eggs (I use jumbo eggs)
juice from 1/2 of a lemon, fresh-squeezed (preferably from Meyer lemons) (my addition that I highly recommend)
2 tsps. grated lemon rind

For the winter fruit compote:

1 cup unsweetened apple juice
1/2 cup fresh or dried cranberries
1 3/4 cups chopped red-skinned pear (about 2)
1/2 cup golden raisins (I eliminated since my husband doesn't like raisins)
2 tsps. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp. sugar

To prepare the cake:

Preheat oven to 350°.
Coat an 8-inch round cake pan with cooking spray.
Line bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
Coat paper with cooking spray.
Set aside.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife.
Combine flour and all dry ingredients (except the lemon zest) in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk.
Make a well in center of mixture.
Combine buttermilk, oil, eggs, lemon juice and lemon rind, stirring well with a whisk.
Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture, stirring until moist.
Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool in the pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan.
Cool completely on wire rack.

To prepare the compote:

Combine apple juice and raisins in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat, and cook until reduced to 2/3 cup (about 4 minutes).
Add cranberries to pan; cook 5 minutes.
Add pear to pan; cook 2 minutes or until tender.
Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice.
Top slices of the lemon torta with the fruit compote.

If 'lighter' lemon dessert recipes are something that you enjoy, than you might want to check out the following luscious lemon treats that I've prepared before.  Both of these cakes are loaded with lemon flavor and you'd never, ever know that they are lightened up!

Lemon with Limoncello Layer Cake

Lemon Raspberry Cheesecake

All of the recipes contributed to this month's "Lemon" theme can be found at:

Val (More Than Burnt Toast) made a delicious main dish of Lemon Ginger Fried Chicken
Sandi (Cooking at The Whistlestop Cafe) concocted a strong batch of Limoncello 
Jerry (Jerry's Thoughts, Musings, and Rants) prepared a Fennel Salad with Meyer Lemon
Susan (The Spice Garden) made a hearty winter Chicken Rice Avgolemono Soup with Dill 
Sarah (All Our Fingers In The Pie) put together a healthy salad of Tomatoes with Avocado and Preserved Lemons 

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Nutella, Banana and Macadamia Nut Panini

Bananas and Nutella may sound weird to some, but the combo is simply incredible and irresistable once you try it.  I love this marriage of fruit and chocolate-hazelnut so much that I am exceptionally good at tricking my brain into thinking that I'm really eating something healthy when I indulge in a half of a banana dipped straight into a jar of Nutella.  Just who am I kidding?

But since today is World Nutella Day, I knew that I had to make our favorite dessert panini to celebrate the event and that highlights this favorite Nutella combination!

What makes these somewhat ordinary sounding dessert panini extra sweet and special is that they are grilled in a pool of butter, cinnamon and sugar, then sprinkled with chopped macadamia nuts, and dusted with powdered sugar.  Now that's a sweet treat!


I bet you can't eat just one bite!

And I bet you'll have a messy face . . . but messy with a big smile on your face!

After grilling the bread with butter, cinnamon and sugar

spread Nutella generously on one slice of bread per panino,

 layer with sliced bananas

and finally, sprinkle on diced macadamia nuts.

close the panini lid lightly to grill until the Nutella is melted.

all melted, nice and gooey before the final presentation

pretty powdered sugar dusts the panino, strawberries, and sliced bananas

Nutella, Banana and Macadamia Nut Panini

1-1/2 sticks of butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar mixed together with 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
 3 ripe bananas, sliced 1/4" thick
4 - 8 slices Ciabatta or Italian bread (depending on how many panini you want)
1 small jar of Nutella chocolate-hazelnut spread
1/4 cup chopped macadamia nuts (or hazelnuts)
3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
Whole strawberries, for serving

Heat panini griddle to medium-high or large non-stick pan over medium heat.
Place the butter on the griddle to melt (do not use all of the butter if doing this in batches).
Spread some soft butter on the outer sides of the bread slices.
Sprinkle both sides of the bread slices with cinnamon sugar mixture.
Place bread slices on the grill and cook for a few seconds so that the cinnamon sugar adheres to the bread (do not press the panini pressing top down while doing this).
Flip over and do the same for the opposite side of the bread.
Spread each slice of bread with Nutella, as thick as you like.
Place a layer of sliced bananas on top of the layer of Nutella.
Sprinkle with hazelnuts
Grill until the bread is golden brown on each side and the Nutella is melted.
Remove from the grill and sprinkle with the confectioners' sugar.
Sprinkle with more chopped macadamia nuts for pizazz.
Serve warm immediately with strawberries on the side.

If you enjoy Nutella recipes, here is another yummy one that you might like:

Nutella and Pumpkin Cheesecake Bites

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