Mediterranean Women Stay Slim, Too: Eating to Be Sexy, Fit, and Fabulous! (14 page)

Tapas Tastings

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Try any of these tapas-style recipes for a quick snack or light lunch. A collection of eight or nine dishes will serve a family of four for an easy supper. And don’t limit yourself to the recipes in this chapter. Many other recipes throughout this book can be tapas. Keep them simple and keep portions to just a few bites.

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Traditional Antipasto

S e r v e s 4

√In Italy, the antipasto platter is typically a selection of cold foods for snacking. You can use leftovers or put out purchased foods that are easy to find in any store. Mix fresh herbs into purchased products like marinated artichokes or red pepper strips to freshen the flavor. This makes a fun, quick lunch. Feel free to improvise, but here are some ingredients that would make up a traditional antipasto. You could also include other recipes from this chapter.

One 4-ounce jar high-quality

and eggplant slices

marinated artichokes mixed with

4 ounces cubed lean ham, preferably

your own fresh, chopped herbs

prosciutto

stirred in

4 ounces cubed mozzarella or sliced

1⁄2 cup roasted red pepper strips,

mozzarella di Bufala

homemade (see page 67) or jarred,

4 ounces fresh sheep’s milk or goat’s

sprinkled with a little red wine

milk cheese

vinegar

1⁄2 cup vinaigrette for dipping

1 cup assorted Mediterranean olives

1⁄2 cup extra-virgin olive oil for

mixed with orange zest and fresh,

dipping

chopped thyme

1⁄2 cup hummus or white bean dip

2 cups assorted raw vegetables such as

(homemade—page 61—or

celery, fennel, and radish

purchased)

1 cup assorted roasted vegetables such

8 toasted pita wedges or toasted

as mushrooms, zucchini spears,

baguette slices

Assemble all the ingredients on a large platter and serve cold.

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Frico

M a k e s t w e l v e 4 - i n c h w a f e r s

√Frico are crisp, lacy wafers traditionally made with Montasio cheese. Montasio is a cow’s milk from Friuli–Venezia Giulia, ad-jacent to the Asiago cheese–producing area, where there is a pasture-terraced mountain called Montasio. It was awarded DOC (Denominazione de Origine Controllata) status in 1986.

At that time, legal boundaries were established for the produc-tion of the cheese and the milk used to make it. It took the farmers thirty years to earn this valuable distinction. Montasio cheese is pressed, not heated or cooked. Aged from four months to two years, generally the product we see in the United States is about nine months old. You can substitute Asiago, Parmesan, or even Gruyère in this recipe. If you mix the cheese with the optional risotto, it makes a thicker crepe-like wafer with a creamy inside. This is a good way to use up leftover risotto (if your household ever experiences such a thing as leftover risotto!).

5 ounces Montasio cheese, grated on a

1 ounce cooked risotto (optional)

fine to medium grater

1.
In a medium bowl, toss the cheese with the risotto, if using.

2.
Heat a 7- or 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle 11⁄2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture into the pan to form a circle about 4 inches in diameter.

3.
Cook until the cheese is melted. When it starts to bubble and turn golden, slide it out of the pan and onto a piece of paper towel to drain, patting both sides of any excess oil. Hold at room temperature on a cooling rack to keep the wafers crisp.

You can rewarm them or serve at room temperature.

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4.
You can fill these wafers when warm, folding them over, or shape them into crisp baskets by pressing the warm wafers into greased muffin tins and letting them cool. Fill them at the last minute with ratatouille, caponata, fresh asparagus wrapped in prosciutto, a sausage and potato mixture, herbed goat cheese, or fresh greens such as arugula.

Tapas Tastings

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Alici Marinata

S e r v e s 4

√This unusual recipe is tastier than you might think if your only experience with anchovies is as an unappealing pizza topping.

Serve on bruschetta—grilled or broiled bread brushed with olive oil—or on top of a green salad with some shaved fennel and olives.

1⁄2 cup red wine vinegar

16 fresh good-quality Spanish “white”

1 garlic clove, peeled and cut into thin

anchovy fillets

slivers

1⁄2 teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs such

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

as basil or tarragon

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

1.
Combine the vinegar, garlic, and herbs in a shallow glass baking pan.

2.
Add the anchovy fillets, making sure they are coated in the marinade. Let them sit for 20 minutes. Shake the bowl or pan to make sure the vinegar is under the anchovy fillets.

3.
Drain the anchovies. Add the sea salt, olive oil, and oregano, tossing to coat.

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Ricotta-Stuffed Squash Blossoms

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√This beautiful dish uses the bright yellow flowers from your squash or zucchini plants. And yes, those are squash blossoms in the picture of me on the back of the jacket of this book. You can buy squash blossoms in farmers’ markets or pick them out of your own garden. You won’t need to let every flower turn into a zucchini, anyway—most gardeners get far more than they need. If you can’t find sheep’s ricotta, you can use regular ricotta made from cow’s milk or goat’s milk. If you can’t find pecorino, use finely shaved Parmesan. You can serve these squash blossoms in several ways. They are good with the Charred Squash Salad (page 87) topped with Watercress Coulis (page 92) and Red Pepper Oil (page 91), or serve them as part of an antipasto or as a tapas dish along with sliced fresh tomatoes sprinkled with coarse sea salt and drizzled with balsamic vinaigrette.

8 squash blossoms

1⁄4 cup grated pecorino cheese

1⁄2 pound fresh sheep’s ricotta, drained

Pinch of nutmeg

2 egg yolks

Salt and pepper to taste

Zest of 1 lemon

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1.
Clean the squash blossoms by rinsing them lightly in cold water and checking to be sure they are free of bugs and foreign objects. Remove the center pistil out of each blossom by loosening it with your fingers and carefully pulling it out.

2.
In a medium bowl, mix all the remaining ingredients except the olive oil and stir to combine. Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary.

Tapas Tastings

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3.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Carefully stuff the squash flowers with the cheese mixture. You can do this with a spoon, but I prefer to use a pastry bag and pipe it in. Don’t overfill the flowers. Pinch the ends closed.

4.
Brush the stuffed flowers with the olive oil and sprinkle with a little more salt and pepper. Bake for 15 minutes, or until lightly brown. Serve warm.

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White Bean Brandade

S e r v e s 4

√Technically, a brandade is a French dish made of pureed salt cod, but I like this version made with white beans. It is easier and very good for you, plus it has protein and fills you up without overloading you with salt and fat. Use it as a dip or as a side dish for grilled chicken or fish.

One 15-ounce can white beans

1 large red bell pepper, charred on an

(preferably cannellini), rinsed and

open flame, skinned, seeded, and

drained

diced (see page 67)

11⁄2 cups extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

1 medium onion, peeled and diced

Salt and pepper to taste

1 fennel bulb, diced

2 cups water or vegetable broth

6 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano

1.
Divide the beans in half. Set aside.

2.
In a large sauté pan, heat 1⁄2 cup of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and fennel and cook until they are softened but not browned, 5–6 minutes. Add half of the garlic and cook 2 more minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

3.
Add the red peppers, 1⁄2 cup of the remaining olive oil, and the vinegar to the bowl. Add half of the beans and toss well. Add salt and pepper. Set aside.

4.
Puree the remaining beans with the remaining garlic in a food processor. Add salt and pepper to taste and the remaining 1⁄2 cup of oil. Add the water or vegetable broth a little at a time during the processing until a mashed potato–like consistency is reached.

5.
Thoroughly combine the pureed beans with the unpureed bean–vegetable mixture. Garnish with oregano and serve at room temperature.

Tapas Tastings

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Corn Relish

S e r v e s 4

√This recipe may sound more American than Mediterranean, but that’s exactly the point—corn is available fresh in the United States in the summer, so making this relish is in the real spirit of the Mediterranean because you are preparing food that came right from where you live. Try it as part of an antipasto, or for lunch with a green salad topped with poached fish or chicken.

This also makes a good picnic dish.

6 ears fresh corn on the cob, husks

1 medium red onion, peeled and diced

removed

2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced

1⁄4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin

(leave some seeds if you want the

olive oil

relish to be spicy)

1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded,

1 tablespoon minced fresh sweet

and diced

marjoram

1 large yellow bell pepper, cored,

1⁄4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

seeded, and diced

Dash of green Tabasco sauce

1 large green bell pepper, cored, seeded,

Salt and pepper to taste

and diced

1.
Using a sharp knife, cut the corn kernels off the cobs and put them in a bowl.

2.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the corn and cook 3–4 minutes until it brightens in color. Set aside in a bowl to cool.

3.
In another bowl, combine the red, yellow, and green peppers, onions, jalapeños, and marjoram. Add the cooled corn, lime juice, Tabasco, remaining 1⁄4 cup olive oil, salt, and pepper. Stir well and serve at room temperature or chilled.

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Prosciutto, Fennel, and Pear Salad

with Persimmon Vinaigrette

S e r v e s 4

√This elegant salad uses some classic Mediterranean tastes: prosciutto (Italian ham), fennel (with its taste of anise), fresh pears, and crisp greens. The vinaigrette is truly unique and this salad makes a light meal on its own, or serves as a beautiful component of an antipasto or as one of several small tapas dishes.

6 ounces prosciutto, sliced paper thin

1 Anjou pear (ripe but not mushy)

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Persimmon Vinaigrette (recipe

6–8 cups crisp greens

follows)

1⁄2 bulb fennel, trimmed

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1.
Arrange the prosciutto in a ring around the outer rim of a platter. Cover with a moist paper towel if not using immediately.

2.
When you are ready to assemble and serve the salad, drizzle the olive oil over the prosciutto. Set aside.

3.
Put the greens in a large bowl. Shave the fennel very thin and toss with the greens. Peel and julienne the pear and toss with the greens.

4.
Add the vinaigrette, tossing everything together well. Place the salad on the platter in the center of the prosciutto ring.

Sprinkle with the pepper.

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Persimmon Vinaigrette

M a k e s a b o u t 2 1/2 c u p s

√This vinaigrette will keep in the refrigerator for about a week. If you can’t find persimmons, use ripe plums.

2 small shallots, peeled and minced

3⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1⁄4 cup white wine vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

2 Hachiya persimmons (very ripe), or

plums

1.
Put the shallots in a small bowl and cover with the vinegar.

Set aside.

2.
Cut each persimmon in half and discard the seeds. Scoop out all the pulp with a spoon. Coarsely chop the pulp and add it to the shallots and vinegar.

3.
Whisk in the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Are you inspired to try some tapas creations of your own? A meal of tapas can be very easy. You don’t even have to cook if you have fresh fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, and cheese in your refrigerator. I’d like you to remember
little tastes
—
little,
because you don’t need very much to get pleasure from your food; and
taste,
because if you don’t sit down and pay attention to taste what you are eating, then you’ve just wasted an opportunity to indulge yourself in true Mediterranean fashion. Let yourself taste. Just a little. And reclaim the joy of eating again, without guilt, without regret. With unbridled passion.