cooking with nick stellino

7/25/2019 Cooking With Nick Stellino

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The companion cookbookto the popular television series

CREATIV E DIRECTION AND BOOK DESIGN

Lisa Moore

PHOTOGRAPHY

Therese Frare

ADDITIONA L PHOTOGRAPHY

Nanci Stellino

PHOTO PAGE

2012 Cesar Aristeiguieta

EDITOR

Pat Mallinson

2012 Nick StellinoStellino ProductionsSherman Oaks, Caliornia

ALL RIGHTS RESERV ED.

ISBN 978-0-9740286-5-1

PRINTED IN SOUTH KOREA

No part o this book may be reproduced in any orm or by any

electronic or mechanical means, i ncluding inormation storage

and retrieval devices or systems, without prior permission om

the publisher, except that brie passages may be quoted or review.


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I would like to dedicate this book to my wie, Nanci.

When Nanci and I first started on this adventure some 20 years ago,

we really had no idea where it would take us. Ive always believed

that money is simply paper and that real happiness doesnt come

om having money but om living your lie and working to make

your dreams come true. Nanci and I have been partners in that

endeavor or a long timeand each time I pursue a new enterprise,

I have no doubt about the act that none o what Ive achieved would

exist i it were not or her.

To me, lie is a continuous sequence o dreams and opportunities.

Nanci is the light that brightens my heart during my most perilous

moments. She is the piece o my soul that once was missing.

She makes me whole; she is my world, and so much more.


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table of contents

SALADSShallot, Arugula & Spinach Salad 14

Tuna, Tomato, Olive & Caper Salad 77

Trio o Salad Greens with

Creamy Black Cherry Dressing 80

Roasted Shrimp, Watermelon

& Goat Cheese Salad 109

SOUPSButternut Squash Soup with Confit o

Peppers, Asparagus & Spicy Sausage 88

Pea Soup with Confit o Peppers & Shrimp 91

PASTA

Pasta with Sausage & Butternut Squash 16Pasta with Sweet Sausage Rag 19

Rigatoni with Bolognese Rag 23

Baked Pasta with Bchamel & Bolognese Sauce 24

Pasta with Shrimp, Basil, Parsley & Wine 31

ENTRESChicken Provolone 12

Pork Chops with Apple & Whiskey Sauce 42New York Steak with a Vodka Martini Sauce 44

Stuffed Meatloa 46

Veal Chops with Port & Gorgonzola Sauce 50

Steak Tartare 53

Grilled Steak with Coffee Rub 58

Terrine o Roasted Eggplants 64

Grilled Shrimp with Stewed Peppers 72

Braised Chicken Meatballs with Peppers 98Shrimp with Garbanzos, Arugula & Sundried

Tomatoes & a Chardonnay Sauce 104

Halibut with Tequila & Jalapeo Sauce 106

Black Cod with Mango & Ginger Sauce 110

Crab Cakes with Shrimp Sauce

& Confit o Peppers 112

Salmon with Curry & Ginger Sauce 116

SIDESSauted Green Beans with Garlic 67

Sauted Spinach with Garlic & Red Peppers 69

Baked Asparagus 71

Roasted Potatoes 71

Stewed Peppers 74

Fried Green Tomatoes 78

Risotto with Zucchini, Goat Cheese

& Prosciutto 95

Risotto with Shrimp 96Truffled Confit o Peppers 115

BREADMagic Cornbread 100

DESSERTSPineapple Upside-Down Cake 121

Chocolate Butter Cake with Rum Cream Sauce 122Ricotta Cheesecake with Coffee & Chocolate 127

Pears in Marsala Wine Sauce 129

Apple Crumble 132

Strawberries in Balsamic Vinegar 137

Strawberries with Zabaglione

& Orange Liqueur 138

THE BASICSChicken Stock 142

Tomato Sauce 145

Bchamel Sauce 146


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Turn your homeinto your favoriterestaurant!

Some people might ask, I this is a cook-

book, what is a picture o Nicks orangepants and shoes doing on the cover?

Good question. I just do not have a greatanswer.

You see, I would like to tell you that therewas some kind o genius-like process,ueled by the search or an innovative

design strategy and deployed with style,vision and panachea true vision quest,a revelation o some kindthat was involvedin the making o this iconic decision.

Some o you might even think that all othis was aimed at making you want this bookeven more because it was written by a truly

gifed and quirky character such as mysel.The truth, unortunately or me, is arless exciting.

It happened this way: My book designer,Lisa Moorea real, quirky character in herown right, one who makes me look normalunder most circumstanceswas working

late one night and was at her wits endor a creative proposal to appease myunrelenting requests or a book cover.Out o sheer desperation, she stuck apicture o my orange pants and socks onthe cover o the book, just to shut me up once and or all.

I am happy to say her strategy did not work.I did not shut upno, sir, I did not! I wenton and on, somewhat amused, irate, curious,dumbounded, and finally happy.

Happy? you might ask. Why?


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I cant explain why, exactly. I would compare

the sequence o these events to what happenedwhen I first met the woman who became my wie.Our meeting was not by design; rather, it was anaccidental occurrence in which I turned rightinstead o turning lef, and there she was.

The first thing I noticed were her eyes, beautiulbrown eyes; then her long, gorgeous, shiny hair anda smile that filled my soul with hope or an impossibleuture. The act that she was disheveled and dressedin the most unashionable hospital uniorm did noteven seem to enter the realm o my first impression.That is saying a lot, especially or a man like mewho has a streak o ormality, enormous sartorialsel-awareness and enough vanity to go around the

world twice.

All o the aorementioned considerations wentright out the window. I did not care. I elt her gazego right through me, and in spite o the act she didnot want to speak to me, I was inescapably smittenwith her. I did not care about what she was wearing;I only understood how she made me eel, with justone glance.

Still, what does this have to do with this book cover?I used the word happy beore, when describingmy reaction to this book cover, remember? I elthappy because or the first time in almost 18 yearsand many cookbooks, I finally decided to do what istruly me and not to go with what a ocus group orsome publishing executive thinks my cover shouldlook like.

Those are my orange pants on the cover. The wildsocks are mine as well; so are the quirky shoes, andI wear them ofen, with joyul panache.

I love color, I love lie, I love cooking, I adore my wie.

I you are looking or the typical cookbook, then put

this one down, because this aint your cup o tea.This book is not about cooking. This book is aboutdreamingdreaming about all that you can do when

you stop being scared o what can go wrong.

This book is a parallel o lie as I know it, a beautiulthing that turns around on you when you least expect it.This book is about you as much as it is about me. Thisbook is about cooking with no ear, about cooking with

your soul and not with your mind. This book is aboutthe eedom o believing that you can do anything youset your mind to ... when you finally do.

The act that I speak with a unny accent and thatI wear many colorul shirts and pants as I walk youalong the avenue o my colorul culinary dreams ...

well, thats just a bonus.

Next time someone asks you, What makes you happy?I hope your first response is, Lie is beautiul!Grab lie while you can. Use this opportunity tomake your dreams happen, and when it comesto your kitchen and my recipes, think about this:It is never about what someone else says; it is alwaysabout whoyouare and what you do with your lie!

This book is about celebrating that inner colorulyou, the one that you keep hidden because you areaaid o what someone else might say about you.Next time youre tempted to do that, think aboutme. I might be the guy with orange pants, but whenI cook, I cook with my soul. And that, my iend,is what this book is all about.

Maybe my iend Lisa Moore really did know whatshe was doing when she put a picture o my orangepants on the cover. But enough o this. Now go to

your kitchen and make something beautiul happen.Turn your home into your avorite restaurant!


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my favorite cheeseYou talk to most people, and when the conversation concerns cheesespeciically,their avorite Italian cheesemore oten than not, you will hear them say,

Parmigiano! I love Parmigiano, but that is not my avorite Italian cheese.

You can stop taking notes now, because what I am about to reveal has nothing todo with some hidden secret about the art o cheese making, nor is it a prooundobservation based on empirical research. I have a theory that the lavors we avormost are oten related to some happy moment in our childhood. I know that ishow it happened or me, especially when it comes to cheese.

Mine was a amily o armers. I, however, grew up in the big city o Palermo,

the capital o Sicily. Think o Manhattan, only louder, more crowded and withmuch better ish. My ather always wanted to make sure we would not orget theact that our amily came rom the country. We are and always will be the prouddescendants o a dynasty o armers.

Our Sunday outings to the country were unorgettable. It was a privilege to accompanymy ather as he went to buy the reshest produce, butter, cheese and olive oil directly

rom the armers who produced it. It was on one o these occasions that I ell in lovewith the taste o provolone. Maybe it was because I was in the company o my dad,maybe it was the romance o the moment, or maybe it was the explosion o lavorthat seemed to buzz about like sparkles o live electricity.

Waves o lavor danced sinuously, sensuously across each papilla o my tongue

whilst holding me in a kind o culinary trance. Some people talk this way whendescribing their perect kiss. I am much more mundane than that; I talk like thiswhen I describe the taste o provolone!


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TO PREPARE THE CHICKEN PROVOLONE SAUCEPour the tomato sauce and the chicken stock into a blender and processuntil the mixture reaches a smooth consistency, about minute.

Saut the garlic and the red pepper flakes in the olive oil over medium-lowheat or 2 minutes.

Add the chopped onion and cook or 3 more minutes, stirring well.

Add the tomato-sauce-and-stock mixture and bring to a boil over high heat.Reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer or 20 minutes.

Add the salt, pepper, chopped basil and sugar. Stir well and cook or 5 moreminutes. Set aside and keep warm.

TO PREPARE THE CHICKEN PROVOLONEPreheat the broiler.

In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and the cream.

Dip each o the scaloppine in the egg mixture and then the bread crumbs;make sure both sides are coated evenly. Place the scaloppine on a tray until

youre ready to use them.

Pour hal o the extra light olive oil into a large saut pan and cook overhigh heat or about 2 minutes, until it starts to sizzle. Add hal o thebreaded scaloppine and cook over medium heat, minute per side.Place the cooked scaloppine on a tray lined with brown paper.

Clean the saut pan and dispose o the oil. Cook the second batch oscaloppine in the remaining oil, ollowing the same directions as above.Cover and keep warm.

Lay the ied chicken scaloppine on a nonstick, oven-sae tray, and topeach serving with 2 tablespoons o sauce and 2 ounces o shaved or gratedprovolone cheese.

Broil in the oven until the cheese starts to brown, about 3 to 4 minutes.

TO SERVELayer the bottom o each serving dish with the sauce, then place the chickenscaloppine on top o it. Serve with a side o Shallot, Arugula & SpinachSalad (see recipe on page 4) with shaved provolone cheese and plenty obread to dip in the sauce.

Chicken ProvoloneSERVES TO CHICKEN PROVOLONE SAUCE

cups tomato sauce cup chicken stock6 cloves garlic, thickly sliced teaspoon red pepper flakes tablespoons DaVinci

Extra Virgin Olive Oil cup chopped white onion

teaspoon salt teaspoon pepper tablespoons basil,

eshly chopped teaspoon C&H or

Domino sugar

CHICKEN PROVOLONE eggs tablespoons whipping cream pounds chicken scaloppine,

pounded to about -inchthickness

cups Italian-style bread crumbs

tablespoons DaVinci ExtraLight 100% Pure Olive Oil,divided

8 ounces shaved or gratedprovolone cheese
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Mix the shal lots and the vinegar in a bowl and marinate at roomtemperature or about 30 minutes to hour.

Using a slotted spoon, take the shallots out and reserve them or later.

Add the onion powder, garlic powder, paprika and sugar to the vinegar,

then add the olive oil in a thin stream and whisk well until the mixtureemulsifies into a thick dressing.

In a larger bowl, combine the salad greens, peppers and reserved shallots,and dress with the dressing to your liking.

Place the salad in serving dishes and top with shaved provolone.

Shallot, Arugula

& Spinach Salad

SERVES

tablespoons chopped shallot tablespoons white wine vinegar teaspoon onion powder teaspoon garlic powder teaspoon paprika teaspoon C&H or Domino

sugar tablespoons DaVinci Extra

Virgin Olive Oil ounces baby arugula salad ounces baby spinach salad tablespoons red bell pepper,

seeded and cut into -inch dice tablespoons yellow bell pepper,

seeded and cut into -inch dice

ounces shaved provolone cheese
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Pour tablespoon o olive oil into a large skillet (2 inches), and cook overhigh heat or 2 minutes. Take the sausage out o the casing and add it tothe hot oil. Cook or about 3 minutes until it browns. Using the back oa wooden spoon, break the sausage up into small, bite-size pieces while itis browning.

Turn off the heat. Using a slotted spoon, place the sausage in a bowl;cover and set aside. Keep about tablespoon o the oil and at lef in thepan, and discard the rest.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons o olive oil to the pan, and cook overmedium heat or 3 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, basil and sage, andcook or 4 minutes, stirring well, until the onion and garlic start to brown.(I you like it really spicy, add the optional teaspoon o red pepper flakes.)

Add the reserved sausage and cook or 2 more minutes, stirring wel l. Addthe wine and deglaze the pan. Cook or 5 more minutes, stirring well todislodge the brown bits at the bottom o the pan.

Add the diced butternut squash and cook or 2 minutes, stirring well.

Add the chicken stock, bring to a boil over high heat, and then reduce theheat and allow to simmer or 30 minutes.

While the sauce is cooking, bring a large pot o water to a boil. (I you wish,

add the optional 2 tablespoons o salt.) When the water reaches a rollingboil, add the pasta and cook according to the instructions on the package.When the pasta is cooked, drain it well in a colander over the sink. Pourthe pasta back into the pot, add the sauce, and cook over medium heat or3 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove the pan om the heat, add theoptional Parmesan cheese and the sofened butter, and serve.

Pasta with Sausage

& Butternut Squash

SERVES TO

tablespoons DaVinci100% Pure Olive Oil, divided

pound Italian hot sausage cup chopped onion garlic cloves, thickly sliced tablespoon chopped basil tablespoon chopped esh sage teaspoon red pepper flakes

(optional) cup white wine cups butternut squash, peeled,

seeded and cut into -inch dice cups chicken stock

tablespoons salt (optional)

pound DaVinci pasta: seashells, penne rigate or rigatoni tablespoons Parmesan cheese

(optional) tablespoons sofened butter


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TO PREPARE THE RAG DI CARNEHeat the olive oil in a large saucepan set on high heat until sizzling,about 2 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes, celery, carrot, onion,garlic, bay lea and basil, and cook or 2 minutes, stirring constantly.Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook 5 minutes more, stirring

occasionally.Raise the heat to high and add the sausage; cook, stirring constantly,or 2 minutes, breaking the sausage up into small pieces with theback o a wooden spoon. Add the wine, reduce the heat to medium,and let cook until most o the wine has evaporated, about 5 minutes.Raise the heat to high, add the tomato sauce and stock, and bring toa boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook or 45 minutes,stirring twice.

I you like your sauce thicker, remove the cover o the pan duringthe last 5 minutes o cooking. When its done, remove the bay leaand taste or salt and pepper.

TO SERVEBring a pot o water to a boil, add the pasta, and cook according tothe package directions. When the pasta is cooked, drain it well andput it back into the pot. Add hal o the sauce and stir well whilecooking over medium heat. Serve the pasta in individual dishes;top each serving with some o the remaining sauce and some gratedParmesan cheese as per your liking.

Pasta with

Sweet Sausage Rag

SERVES

RAG DI CARNE

(SWEET SAUSAGE RAG) tablespoons DaVinci

100% Pure Olive Oil teaspoon red pepper flakes cup finely chopped celery cup finely chopped carrot cup finely chopped onion

garlic cloves, thickly sliced large bay lea tablespoons chopped esh basil pound Italian-style sweet

sausage, out o the casingcup red wine cup tomato sauce

cups chicken or bee stockSalt and pepper to taste

pound DaVinci pasta:radiatori, rigatoni orpenne rigate

Grated Parmesan cheese to taste


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TO PREPARE THE BOLOGNESE MEAT SAUCEHeat the olive oil in a large saucepan set on high heat until sizzling,about 2 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes, celery, carrot, onion,garlic, bay lea, sage and basil, and cook or 2 minutes, stirringconstantly. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook 0 minutesmore, stirring occasionally.

Raise the heat to high, and add the optional prosciutto, and the veal,pork and bee. Cook, stirring constantly, or 2 minutes. Add the wine,reduce the heat to medium, and let it cook until almost evaporated,about 5 minutes. Raise the heat to high, add the tomato sauce, tomatopaste and stock, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer,cover, and cook or 30 minutes, stirring well every 5 minutes.

Add the peas and simmer or 5 more minutes.

I you like your sauce thicker, remove the cover during the last5 minutes o cooking. When its done, remove the bay lea and tasteor salt and pepper.

TO SERVEBring a pot o water to a boil, add the pasta, and cook according tothe package directions. When the pasta is cooked, drain it well andput it back into the pot. Add hal o the sauce and stir well while

cooking over medium heat. Serve the pasta in individual dishes;top each serving with some o the remaining sauce and some gratedParmesan cheese as per your liking.

Rigatoni with

Bolognese Rag

SERVES TO

BOLOGNESE MEAT SAUCE

Makes 4 cups

tablespoons DaVinci100% Pure Olive Oil

teaspoon red pepper flakes cup finely chopped celery cup finely chopped carrot

cup finely chopped onion garlic cloves, thickly sliced large bay lea tablespoon chopped esh sage tablespoons chopped esh basil ounces finely diced prosciutto (optional) pound ground veal pound ground pork pound ground bee/cup red wine cup tomato sauce tablespoons tomato paste cups chicken or bee stock pound ozen peasSalt and pepper to taste

pound DaVinci rigatoni pastaGrated Parmesan cheese to taste


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SERVES TO

cups Bolognese Meat Sauce(See recipe on page 23.)

quarts water pound DaVincipasta: penne,

rigatoni or elbow pasta cups grated provolone cheese

cups Bchamel Sauce(See recipe on page 46.)

Make the Bolognese Meat Sauce (recipe on page 23) and keep warm.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Bring the water to a boil in a large pot and cook the pasta according to thepackage directions. Drain the pasta. In a large bowl, mix the pasta withhal o the Bolognese Meat Sauce.

Choose a baking dish large enough to hold all o the pasta. Spread halo the remaining meat sauce over the bottom o the dish. Pour hal o thepasta-and-sauce mixture over the sauce. Sprinkle hal o the grated provolonecheese on top o the pasta mixture. Also add hal o the remaining sauce ontop o the pasta.

Pour the remaining pasta mixture into the baking dish and repeat thesame layering with the remaining grated provolone and meat sauce.

Make the Bchamel Sauce. (See recipe on page 46.)

Cover the top layer o the pasta mixture with a light coating o theBchamel Sauce, and bake or 25 to 30 minutes. Then place underthe broiler or about 3 to 4 minutes until the top begins to brown.

Remove om the oven and let sit or 0 minutes beore serving.

Baked Pasta

with Bchamel& Bolognese Sauce


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my home is myfavorite restaurantI really do not eel like going out tonight, my wie said.

What do you mean? I asked, ull o anticipation.

Well She started to say something, but it was too late.

Heading to the ront door, I turned around, looked straight into her eyes, and said,Fine. Well do it your way. But this will cost you. You owe me big!

In reality, she didnt, but dont tell her that. I igured that just like any husband,I needed to rack up some points on my side o the equation. This is one o thethings you do as a husband, since you know that somehow, somewhere, you aregoing to mess things up without even knowing it. At such times, its good to havea Get Out o Jail Free card. Yes, sir. Cooking saves my lie every day.

So whatcha wanna eat? I asked with the best Brooklyn accent I could muster.Even though I am not rom there, this accent works really well or me, especially

on occasions such as this. My wie is not the only good actor in the amily.

I went out the ront door and headed right or my local supermarket. When you geta chance like that to rack up points, you make sure it doesnt get awayespecially

when you live or cooking the way I do. My ideal pastime is an evening at home,relaxing with a couple o drinks by the ireplace, our cats running around thehouse, a bit o winter chill in the air. Who wants to go to a noisy restaurant and

wait or some rubber chicken to come out o the kitchen?

My home is my avorite restaurant. So on that cool winter evening, I made pastawith shrimp. I did the cooking, and my wie made the martinis.


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Bring a pot o water to a boil or the pasta.

Mix the salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika and optionalsugar together. Sprinkle the spice mixture over both sides o the shrimpand set aside. In a large saut pan, cook the olive oil over high heat untilit starts to sizzle, about to 2 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook or

2 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, lif the shrimp out o the pan and place on a traylined with paper towels to absorb the excess oil. When the shrimp arecool enough to handle, cut them into -inch pieces and set aside.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion and garlic to the pan,stirring well. Cook or 2 to 3 minutes, until the onion starts to sofen.

Add the wine, increase the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Cook,

stirring, or 3 minutes.

Add hal o the basil-and-parsley mixture and the chicken stock,and continue cooking over high heat. Stir well and bring to a boil.Cook or minute, continuing to stir well, then cover the pan andreduce the heat to a simmer, cooking or 0 more minutes.

While the sauce is simmering, add the pasta to the boil ing water andcook according to the directions on the package. While the pasta iscooking, add the shrimp to the sauce. Stir well, cover again, andcontinue to simmer or 3 to 4 minutes.

Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Pour the sauce over the pastaand cook it over medium heat, stirring, or 2 to 3 minutes. Add theremaining basil-and-parsley mixture and the sofened butter. Toss well,and serve. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

CHEFS TIPSTo make this dish with less salt, use low-sodium chicken stock.

While many other Italians do not like Parmesan cheese on their seaoodpasta, I love it, so I add plenty o grated Parmesan to this pasta.

SERVES TO

teaspoon salt, plus more to taste teaspoon pepper, plus more

to taste teaspoon onion powder teaspoon garlic powder teaspoon paprika teaspoon C&Hor Domino

sugar (optional)

pounds shrimp, shelled anddeveined

6 tablespoons DaVinciExtraVirgin Olive Oil

onion, finely chopped6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced cup white wine

tablespoons chopped basil,mixed with tablespoonschopped parsley, divided

cup chicken stock(See Ches Tips.)

pound DaVincipasta:radiatori, penne rigate orspaghetti

tablespoons unsalted butter, sofened

Pasta with Shrimp,

Basil, Parsley & Wine


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I

lovecolor!


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Lets be free ofthe boring whitebusiness sHiRtWhen most o us men go shopping or clothes, we become awareo the monochromatic trend in mens ashion today. It is just ablur o navy, blue, brown and black suits hanging around likeundertakers uniorms.

I do not care what some designer thinks I should wear, darn it!I love color, and that is how I live. Give me yellow, orange, purple,pink or greenI will ind a way to wear it with elegance, panacheand style.

Colors make me happy! When I dream, I do not dream in blackand white. So why should my lie not be draped in the colors omy passions?

As or what others think ... they have a right to their opinions;

however, Im going to wear the colors that make my heart sing.


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Mr. AcamporasHaberdashery

La Sartoria Acampora wasin a small vicolo(side street)in the old part o the city,near the historic church oCasa Professa.

Abiti su misuracustom-madesuitspromised the sign out-side. The wording was etchedin black on a gleaming ovalbrass plate aixed to the wallbeside a beveled glass door.

Distinguished, I thought.

I did not know it then, but Iwas about to enter one o thelast bastions o a dying art.It was an old-school haber-

dashery eaturing the kindo hand-cut clothing or menthat is hard to ind today.

The space was large enoughor its purpose, but notextensive. A long, brown

chesterield-style leathercouch occupied one sideo the room, with a largepainting o some pastoralscene hanging languidlyabove it.


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A set o ornate, heavy draperies in red damaskwas affixed precariously over a set o large win-dows overlooking a small garden below. There

was a ountain in the middle o the garden, butsupposedly it had not worked in years. Like allthings in Palermo, this sanctuary o the sartorialarts also had a ew oddities o its own.

Customers gathered there or the companyand the conversation. It was not just a tailoringenterprise, it was a social club. There was an

older gentleman, the chie assistant, who ofendisappeared behind the heavy curtain thatseparated the atelier, as Mr. Acampora liked tocall it, om the cutting room. He always broughtespressos and pastries to the waiting customersom the coffee bar next door.

The head tailor, principal designer, master cutter

and showman par excellence was Mr. Acamporahimsel. Inside this atelier o his was a universein which one could be peaceully cocooned.Outside, there was the roar o the citya ragingassault on the senses, a screaming cacophony osounds om its incessant traffic.

It was the late 60s. Things were happening,businesses were prospering, and there were cars

everywhere. Consumerism was growing; we allwanted the American liestyle. Yet, there stoodthis antique outpost o delicious civility.

The haberdashery o Mr. Acampora still heldonto a slowly receding group o modestly pros-perous businessmen who loved style more thanmoney. What made Mr. Acamporas store so

special was the way he made his customers eelinside, the moment they wore their (bespoken)garments or the first time.

Tall, at, short, slimit did not matter to him;he treated them all with equal respect as he went

about taking measurements. There was never across look, a malicious comment; it was all aboutthe garb. Mr. Acampora recited aloud a litany o

options, ranging om the type o stitching, tothe canvas or the interacing, to the lining, thebuttons, the shape o the lapels, the cut o theshoulders, the rise o the collar, etc. He went onand on, with much more than I can remember;it was magical to hear him talk.

I grasped only a ew things, but I was curious to

know how this man could deploy his magic andmake his suits hang with such a precise cut andelegant drape. Mr. Acamporas handmade gar-ments carried with them a sortilege, or sorcery,o some kind. The wearer became more con-fident, his body seemed to change, and all hisflaws were hidden as he gazed at his own reflec-tion. Mr. Acampora did not just make clothes;

he also draped the souls o his customers.

There is an art in the making o a custom suit;it is a orm o applied mathematics, mixed withthe purest orm o perceptive design. It starts

with a series o exact measurements, ollowedby a succession o exacting cuts to carve out thepattern that has been marked on the cloth, and

finally the assembly o the suits various parts.What happens in between is a myriad o individualprocesses carried out with military precision orthe sole purpose o achieving the perect cut andthe ideal drape.

Somewhere in the midst o all this, the essenceo mathematics melds with an artistry that turns

numbers into stitched miracles, until the suitemerges. Finally, the cloth drapes sofly overthe body, not tugging against the problem areas;rather, it caresses our physical flaws with a gentlepromise o a better look.


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When you wear a properly crafed custom-madesuit, it is as i you are wearing nothing over

your body. You move unhindered by the pullingand tugging o cloth. It eels as i your body haslearned to walk eely or the first time.

I did not understand any o these things then,but later in lie I came to comprehend all themysterious words Mr. Acampora proffered soeely as he took each and every measurement.

Some men sell and some men paint pictures withwords, using each word as a masterul brushstrokethat helps to depict a landscape filled with thepossibility o a better reality. But Mr. Acamporadid more than that; he delivered the goods.

He had a melodious voice and always spoke inSicilian dialect. While, in its raw orm, it couldbe construed as the lesser language next toproper Italian, Mr. Acampora connected his

words together the way musicians put togetherthe notes o a pentatonic scale to make musiccome alive. He was a true Sicilian poet.

I loved being at the haberdashery; I loved every-thing about the place. I especially loved the

ceremony o picking up the cloth or the suit, thedescription o the wool, the selection o style and lets not orget about the spezzatura.

Italians subdivide a successul outfit into a series oindividual touches. While seemingly independento each other, these sartorial choices define ourresults and are akin to the penmanship o our

written signature. These little pieces (piccolipezzi), assembled together, create a look. Two mencould plausibly wear the same suit, cut by thesame tailor and paired with the same ties, shoes,cuff links and shirtsyet both men could looktotally different.

The concept o spezzaturais the display o ourinner artistic sel through the assembly o seeminglyinnocuous decisionswhen these small choices,like the lining o our jackets, the style o tie knot

we use, the type o collar we choose or our shirts,the length o our jacket sleeves and, most criticalo all, the break, where our pants meet our shoes,all come together. Think o each o these detailsas a single brushstroke aimed at creating the

perect painting o a landscape. By themselves,the brushstrokes seem irrelevant, but together,they paint the picture.

As good as it might be, an idea, a concept, i notcommunicated properly, is nothing more thana gust o wind. But Mr. Acampora possessed theinnate nature o a storyteller. He painted picturespeople could relate to. He was able to describethe proper sartorial choices to hide a flaw or toenhance the look o an outfit. Those men, hiscustomers, all powerul decision makers intheir own right, listened to him intently as heguided them gently through the corridors ofine-haberdashery theories, straight to the bestlook to fit their image and their own innerexpectations. This tailor might have been seenby others as a simple tradesman, but to me he

was a genius. Even as a small child, I knew I wasin the presence o someone special.

I never had a suit made by Mr. Acampora. Heretired long beore I became an adult; however,I oten snuck into my athers closet when he wasaway at work and tried on his suits. I assembled

them rom scratchshirts, ties, jackets and pantsand whilst they all hung on me like a potato sackbecause o my childish small rame, in the mirror,I saw mysel handsomely garbed, just as I knew Icould look, one day in the uture.


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Even now, when I am in the presence o my tailors here in Caliornia or back in Italy, I thinko Mr. Acampora, and I smile. So it should come as no surprise to you to know that in a recentinterview, when asked, I you had not chosen to be a che, what would you like to be? I stolea glance at mysel in the mirror and responded, A tailor!


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Why tie yourpork chops?

Let me start by saying thatI have always liked my oodto look pretty. This bit oirrational inatuation withculinary design has to be

shared; otherwise nothingelse I say will make sense.

By tying the pork chop andthen marinating it in abrine, we ensure two things:moisture retention, which

will prevent excessive dryingo the meat during cooking,and a orced shape thatensures a homogeneity oorm so that when exposedto heat, the chop will cook

equally on both sidesandas a value-added achievement,it will look beautiul.


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Trim the pork chops; save the trimmings or the sauce. Place the chops in aresealable plastic bag. (To help them retain a uniorm shape and make themeasier to work with, tie a piece o kitchen twine around the sides o each chopbeore placing it in the bag.) Place the water, sugar and salt or the marinadein a small bowl, stir well to incorporate, and pour over the pork chops inthe bag. Seal the bag shut and marinate the pork chops in the reigeratoror at least 5 hours, preerably overnight.

Make the W hiskey Sauce (see directions below) and keep warm.

Preheat the barbecue. I using a gas model, set all the burners to high andclose the cover until the internal temperature reaches 500 degrees.

Take the chops out o the marinade; pat dry with a paper towel. Discard themarinade. Sprinkle the chops with salt and pepper to taste. Brush each sideo the pork chops with the extra light olive oil. You dont need to use all o it.

Reduce the heat on the grill to medium and cook the chops or 3 to 4 minutesper side with the cover down. (Alternatively, you can cook the chops in ahot saut pan with tablespoon extra light olive oil over medium-high heator 3 to 4 minutes per side.) Place the chops on a tray and cover with oil.

Bring the Whiskey Sauce to a boil in a saucepan large enough to hold all othe chops. Add the chops and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook the chops,basting them with the sauce, or 2 to 3 more minutes over medium-low

heat. Once theyve finished cooking, remove the twine.

Place each chop in an individual serving dish. Bring the sauce to a boilover high heat, and cook or to 2 more minutes until it thickens to thedesired consistency. Add the optional butter, swirling it in the pan untilit melts completely. Pour the Whiskey Sauce over the chops, and serve.Baked asparagus (see recipe on page 7) and mashed potatoes make perectaccompaniments.

TO PREPARE THE WHISKEY SAUCEPour the extra virgin olive oil into a large saucepan and cook over high heatuntil it starts to sizzle. Add the optional red pepper flakes, the onion, carrot,celery, apple, esh herbs and pork chop trimmings; reduce the heat tomedium and cook, stirring well, or 3 to 4 minutes until the onion startsto sofen. Add the garlic and the tomato sauce, and cook or more minute,stirring well.

SERVES

pork chops, bone-in, center-cut,

totaling to poundsSalt and pepper to taste tablespoons DaVinci Extra Light 100% Pure Olive Oil tablespoons sofened butter

(optional)

MARINADE

cups water tablespoons C&H or Domino sugar tablespoon salt

WHISKEY SAUCE

tablespoons DaVinci ExtraVirgin Olive Oil

teaspoon red pepper flakes(optional)

cup diced white onion cup diced carrot cup diced celery Granny Smith apple, peeled,

cored and cut into -inch cubes

(The tartness o the GrannySmith results in better flavor.)

tablespoons esh basil, chopped tablespoons esh rosemary

leaves, loosely packedPork chop trimmings garlic cloves, finely chopped

cup tomato sauce cup whiskey tablespoon Worcestershire sauce cups apple juice cups chicken stockSalt and pepper to taste

Pork Chops with

Apple & Whiskey Sauce


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Add the whiskey and the Worcestershire sauce, and increase the heat to high. Stir well unti l reduced by two-thirds, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the apple juice and chicken stock; bring to a boil, and cover. Reduce the heatto low and cook or 45 minutes.

Strain the sauce through a fine sieve, pushing the pulp through with a rubber spatula and trying to extractas much liquid as possible.

Bring the strained sauce to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and cook or 8 to 0 minutes,until the liquid reduces by about one-third and reaches a thick consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.Keep the sauce warm until youre ready to use it, or store, covered, in the reigerator once it cools down.The sauce can be made up to 2 days ahead.


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SERVES

New York steaks

(totaling approximately pounds), cut approximately inch to inch thick

teaspoon salt teaspoon pepper tablespoons DaVinci Extra

Light 100% Pure Olive Oil

tablespoons butter(Needed only i Option Twois used or cooking the steaks;see recipe directions.)

VODKA MARTINI SAUCE

tablespoons DaVinciExtra Virgin Olive Oil

cup diced onion cup diced carrot cup diced celery tablespoons esh parsley leaves,

loosely packed cup eshly squeezed lemon

juice garlic cloves, chopped thick slices bacon, cut into

-inch pieces cup tomato sauce cup vodka cup dry vermouth cups veal or chicken stock tablespoons sofened butter

8 pimiento-stuffed olives,cut into thin rounds

Start by making the Vodka Martini Sauce. (See directions below.)Keep warm.

TO PREPARE THE STEA KSSalt and pepper the steaks to your liking, and prepare using one o themethods below.

OPTION ONEBrush the steaks with the extra light olive oil and grill on the barbecue onmedium-high heat, about 5 to 6 minutes per side. Afer grilling, place themeat on a tray and cover with oil; let it rest.

OPTION TWOIn a pan large enough to hold all the pieces o meat, preheat the extra lightolive oil over high heat until it starts to sizzle. Add the meat, reduce the heat

to medium, and cook or about 5 to 6 minutes per side, basting the steakswith the olive oil and juices om the bottom o the pan. Afer turning thesteaks to cook on the second side, add tablespoons o butter or basting.Place the cooked meat on a tray and cover with oil; let it rest.

TO PREPARE THE VODKA MARTINI SAUCEIn a saucepan, cook the extra virgin olive oil over high heat or minute.

Add the onion, carrot, celery and parsley leaves; reduce the heat to medium.Cook or 4 minutes, until the onions have sofened. Add the lemon juice

and cook or 2 more minutes, stirring well.

Add the garlic, bacon and tomato sauce. Stir well; cook or more minute.Increase the heat to high, and add the vodka and the vermouth. Cook or2 to 3 minutes, stirring well. Add the stock, bring to a boil, then reduce toa simmer. Cover the pot and let the sauce simmer or 45 minutes. Strain thesauce and discard the solids.

Bring the sauce to a boil over medium-high heat and cook or 8 to 0 moreminutes, until it thickens. Store the sauce in the reigerator until youreready to use it. It will keep or 2 days.

Reheat the sauce beore serving and reduce once again on high heat or3 to 5 minutes, until it coats the back o a spoon. Turn off the heat and add2 tablespoons o the sofened butter to thicken the sauce even more. Use therest o the butter i you like a richer sauce.

New York Steak with

a Vodka Martini Sauce


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TO SERVEPour some o the Vodka Martini Sauce around the meat and decorate the sauce with the thinly slicedpimiento olives. Bring the rest o the sauce to the table in a sauce boat.

Mashed potatoes and broiled asparagus or roasted carrots with Parmesan make great accompanimentsor this dish.


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SERVES TO

cups chicken stock

cups tomato sauce

MEATLOAF MIXTURE

cup day-old bread cup milk pound ground veal pound ground pork

pound ground bee cup Parmesan cheese cup chopped onion teaspoon salt teaspoon pepper egg

STUFFING thin slices ham boiled eggs cup grated provolone cheese

Pour the chicken stock and tomato sauce into a large pot and bring to a boilover medium heat.

TO PREPARE THE MEATLOAF MIXTURETo a bowl, add the bread and the milk. Let the bread steep in the milk or20 minutes. Then, using your hands, squeeze out the milk and discard it.

Add the moistened bread mixture to a larger bowl along with all the other

ingredients or the meatloa mixture. Mix well, using your hands, until theingredients are homogeneously mixed.

Lay out several sheets o cheesecloth, one on top o the other, and flattenthe meatloa mixture on top o them. The mixture should be about inchthick. Place the slices o ham lengthwise over the middle o the mixture.Place the eggs in a line down the center, and sprinkle the provolone cheesealongside the eggs.

Using the cheesecloth as a guide, delicately roll the meat mixture over the

center stuffing and orm it into a log shape. Wrap the meatloa tightly withthe cheesecloth. Tie a knot at each end o the cloth and then tie the log uplike a salami, using some kitchen string.

Place the stuffed meatloa into the boiling tomato sauce mixture in the pot.Cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Let simmer or 45 minutes, turningthe meatloa every 20 minutes. Then let it rest in the pot until it is coolenough to handle; overnight in the reigerator would be best.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.Using a pair o scissors, careully cut the cheesecloth and the kitchen stringto unveil the meatloa. Cut into slices about inch thick.

Bake in a covered baking dish or roughly 45 minutes, or until the loareaches an internal temperature o 55 degrees. While the meatloa iscooking, bring the sauce to a boil and cook or 5 more minutes until itreduces by a third. Reduce heat to low and keep warm.

Take the meatloa out o the oven. Serve each slice o meatloa with somesauce on the side.

Stuffed Meatloaf


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PolpettoneFarcito

There are meatballspolpetteand then thereis the mother o them all,il polpettone farcito(the stued meatloa).

We Sicilians are knownor this kind o excess.

Forget oie gras, orgettrules and crme brle.I am a polpettoneman!

As with everything else inmy lie, I just had to putmy own spin on this recipe.

Take a careul look at thephotographic sequenceshowing the rolling o

thepolpettone, because thesecret o its texture dependson how you roll it.


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SERVES

veal chops (totaling about

pounds), cut approximately inch to inch thick teaspoon salt teaspoon pepper tablespoons DaVinci Extra

Light 100% Pure Olive Oil

MARINADE

cup diced onion teaspoon Tabasco Sauce tablespoon C&H or

Domino sugar tablespoons esh rosemary tablespoons DaVinci Extra

Virgin Olive Oil

garlic cloves, chopped tablespoon salt teaspoon pepper cup port cups water

PORT & GORGONZOLA SAUCE

tablespoons DaVinci Extra

Virgin Olive Oil cup diced onion tablespoons esh rosemary,

loosely packedVeal trimmings garlic cloves, chopped thick slices bacon, cut into

-inch pieces cups port cups veal or chicken stock ounces crumbled Gorgonzola

cheese tablespoons butter

Start by trimming the meat om the bone o each veal chop (enching thebone). Set aside the trimmings or making the sauce.

TO MARINATE THE VEAL CHOPSWhisk all o the marinade ingredients together and pour into a resealableplastic bag containing the meat. Marinate in the reigerator at least 5 hours

or overnight. Make the Port & Gorgonzola Sauce. (See accompanying recipe.)The sauce can be made the day beore and stored in the reigerator.

Take the meat out o the marinade; discard the marinade. Salt and pepperthe meat.

TO COOK THE VEAL CHOPS

OPTION ONE

Brush with the extra light olive oil and grill on the barbecue on medium-high heat, about 5 to 6 minutes per side. Afer grilling, place the meat ona tray and cover with oil; let it rest.

OPTION TWOIn a pan large enough to hold all the pieces o meat, preheat the extra lightolive oil over high heat until it starts to sizzle. Add the meat, reduce the heatto medium, and cook or about 5 to 6 minutes per side, basting the chops

with the olive oil and juices om the bottom o the pan. Place the meat ona tray and cover with oil; let it rest.

TO PREPARE THE PORT & GORGONZOLA SAUCEIn a saucepan, cook the extra virgin olive oil over high heat or minute.

Add the onion, rosemary leaves and veal trimmings, and reduce the heat tomedium. Cook or 4 minutes, until the onion has sofened. Add the garlicand bacon, and stir well; cook or more minute. Increase the heat to highand add the port. Cook or 2 to 3 minutes, stirring well. Add the stock,bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover the pot and let the sauce

simmer or 45 minutes. Strain the sauce and discard the solids.

Bring the sauce to a boil over medium-high heat and cook or 8 to 0 moreminutes, until it thickens. Store the sauce in the reigerator until youreready to use it. It will keep or 2 days.

Veal Chops with PoRt

& Gorgonzola Sauce


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When youre ready to serve the dish, in a clean saut pan large enough to hold all the pieces o meat, bringthe sauce to a boil over high heat. Add the cooked veal chops and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook or2 to 3 minutes, basting the meat.

Place the meat on individual plates. Increase the heat to high and cook the sauce or to 2 more minutesuntil it thickens. Add the crumbled Gorgonzola cheese, stirring wel l until it has all melted into the sauce.Turn off the heat, add the butter, and stir well until completely melted.

TO SERVEPour some o the Port & Gorgonzola Sauce over the meat and bring the rest to the table in a sauce boat.Broiled asparagus or roasted butternut squash with Parmesan makes a great accompaniment or this dish.


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Steak Tartare

Semplice

SERVES

GRILLED TOAST

-inch-thick slices countryFrench bread

tablespoons DaVinciExtraVirgin Olive Oil

STEAK TARTARE

pound New York steak,trimmed o all at and cutinto -inch dice

tablespoon DaVinci100% PureOlive Oil

egg yolk teaspoon salt, plus more

to taste teaspoon pepper, plus more

to taste tablespoon whole-grain mustard tablespoon esh-squeezed

lemon juice tablespoons chopped shallot tablespoons chopped parsley tablespoons drained capers teaspoon chopped garlic teaspoon anchovy paste teaspoon Worcestershire sauce drops Tabasco Sauce

TO PREPARE THE GRILLED TOASTBrush the sliced bread with 2 tablespoons o olive oil, and toast in theoven under the broiler or grill on the barbecue until toasted, about minute per side.

TO PREPARE THE STEAK TARTARE

Mix the steak and al l o the other ingredients together in a stainlesssteel bowl, stirring well to incorporate the flavors. (This should not bedone until right beore you are ready to serve the tartare.) Taste, andadjust the salt and pepper to your liking.

TO SERVEPlace the steak mixture into a 3-inch cookie-cutter ring about 2 inchesdeep, pushing firmly to give the mixture a compact consistency.

Careully lif the ring off; the steak mixture wi ll stay in the shape o asmall cylinder on the plate.

Serve with a side o arugula salad with shaved Parmesan cheese andthe gril led toast.

CHEFS TIPGarnish the tartare with shaved Parmesan, i desired.


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A SicilianCowboy wholoved steakand espresso

Like every Sicilianboy who grew up in the

1960s, I wanted to be acowboyan Americancowboy, to be exact,and not one o thoseunny-looking guysin the spaghettiWesterns.


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Every cowboy ate steaks hot rom the barbecue and drankespresso coee. Actually, real cowboys had no idea what anespresso was, but that was something that was lost on thetranslators who dubbed the English spoken in the AmericanWesterns into Italian.

For as long as I lived in Italy, I thought that John Wayne spokein Italian and that he would know how to make a mean plate opasta with aglio e olio. Ater I moved to the States, it did not takeme too long to ind out that was not true. That was a very sad

moment or me.Nonetheless, I kept grilling steaks and making coee, alwaysstriving to be better at those things than I was. So it was that oneday not too long ago, as I started experimenting with dry rubs,I came up with the idea o actually using espresso grounds inthe mix.

I never got to meet John Wayne, but I am quite sure he wouldhave loved this special steak o mine.


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Mix the ingredients or the Coffee Rub. Rub each o the steaks on bothsides with the rub. Let them rest in the reigerator or at least 30 minutesand up to 4 hours.

Oil the gri ll rack, then grill the steaks, covered. Cook or 9 minutes totalover medium heat or medium-rare. Let the steaks rest on a cutting board

or 5 minutes.

Serve with Roasted Potatoes and Fried Green Tomatoes.(See recipes on pages 7 and 78.)

Grilled Steak

with Coffee Rub

SERVES

rib-eye steaks, approximately

ounces each recipe Coffee Rub

COFFEE RUB

tablespoon ground espressocoffee

tablespoon onion powder

tablespoon paprika teaspoon salt teaspoon pepper teaspoon chili powder tablespoon C&H Golden Brown

or Domino Light Brown sugar


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I come froma family offarmers!

As much as I like tothink o mysel as aman o the arts

culinary arts to bespeciicI really amthe product o a amilyo armers. For as longas I can remember,nearly all o myrelatives have beenarmers. My atherwas the irst one

who broke out o thistradition and went outon his own, withoutany help rom his ownather, to pursue a

uture in business,away rom arming.


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For many years, that is exactly who he was: an entrepreneur, a businessman.

He did not cultivate, tend to or care or a garden o any kind.It was almost our decades later that upon his retirement, whilst his body was stillable, he ell in love with arming once again. Well, maybe arming is too big a

word, since the piece o land in question was a small plot o about 20 eet by 20 eet,but under his expert hand, it was transormed into an urban terrestrial paradise,exploding with the most delicious bounty, rom tomatoes to zucchini to onions,

rom garlic to basil. The man was unstoppable.

I came to think o my ather when I was in Seattle at the P-Patch communitygardens. It was as i I had stumbled into the domain o dozens o people aspassionate and proliic as my dad was. For a moment, I thought o him and hisabulous zucchini. He proudly held them up or me to see once. I did not reallyunderstand it then, but there is something primal and enormously satisying

about being able to grow rom our earth such a bounty o oodreal ood, trulyorganic and grown the way it was supposed to be.

The more I age, the more I come to understand my ather. At times he seems tobe every where I look. I am sure right now he has a big plot in the sky where he isgrowing all o his avorite vegetables, and I am sure he is holding some great

dinner parties, too. You could never keep that man out o the kitchen!


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Cut the stem ends off all the eggplants. Cut 3 eggplants in hal lengthwiseand score the flesh with a sharp knie, making sure you dont cut throughthe skin. Rub the cut suraces o the eggplants well with tablespoon othe salt. Set the eggplant halves aside on paper towels, cut side down, and

let them drain or 20 minutes.Cut the ourth eggplant in hal lengthwise and cut into -inch lengthwiseslices. Sprinkle with the remaining salt. Lay the slices on top o one anotherin a colander. Place a dish on top and weight it with about pounds.(A can o tomatoes will do.) Let drain or 20 minutes.

Line the bottoms o two 8 x 3-inch baking sheets with parchment paper.Dry the cut suraces o the six eggplant halves and brush a thin film o oilover the parchment and the entire cut surace o each eggplant hal, using

3 tablespoons o the olive oil. Place them on the baking sheets, cut sidedown, and bake in the preheated oven 45 to 55 minutes. The eggplants arecompletely cooked when they dent easily as you poke the skin. Do not cookthem more than hour, as they burn easily once they are cooked. Removethem om the oven and let cool or a ew minutes.

Meanwhile, dry the eggplant slices with a paper towel. Line another sheetpan with parchment paper. Brush the paper and the eggplant with theremaining olive oil and cook or 25 to 35 minutes, until golden brown.

Set aside.

Using a large spoon, scoop the cooked flesh out o the roasted eggplanthalves. Discard the skin and place the flesh in a colander with a bowlunderneath to catch the juices. Let drain or 40 minutes, stirring once.Save cup o the juices that have drained om the eggplant to use in thesauce. Discard the rest or save it or other uses.

Now were ready to assemble our terrine.


Separate the 4 eggs. Mix the yolks, Romano cheese and cup o the breadcrumbs with the roasted eggplant flesh. Beat the egg whites until they ormstiff peaks, then old them gently into the eggplant mixture.

Terrine of Roasted

Eggplants

SERVES TO

eggplants, about pounds each

tablespoon salt, divided tablespoons DaVinci1% Pure

Olive Oil, divided eggs cup grated Romano cheese cups Italian-style bread

crumbs, divided

tablespoon butter pound crumbled goat cheese

ROASTED EGGPLANT SAUCE

cups tomato sauce cup reserved roasted eggplant

juice teaspoons C&Hor Domino

sugar tablespoons chopped esh basil tablespoon DaVinci1% Pure

Olive Oil tablespoons finely diced celery


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Rub the inside o a standard glass loa pan (8 x x 2 inches) with the butter and coat with the remainingbread crumbs. Line the bottom o the loa pan with the 2 largest slices o the reserved eggplant; place the

remaining slices around the edges, standing up and overlapping slightly. They should extend above the rimby about a third o their length so that you can old them over the roasted filling.

Put hal the eggplant mixture into the pan as the first layer and top it with the goat cheese as the middle layer.Cover with the remaining eggplant mixture and old over the overlapping eggplant slices. Bake in the pre-heated oven or 45 minutes.

This dish can be served right away by inverting it onto a serving tray and cutting it at the table, but I stronglyrecommend that you let it rest at least overnight in the reigerator. When ready to serve, invert it onto acutting board, cut into serving slices, and reheat in a preheated 350-degree oven on a parchment-lined sheetpan or 25 minutes. It can be prepared up to 4 days in advance.

TO PREPARE THE ROASTED EGGPLANT SAUCELiquey the tomato sauce and eggplant juice in a ood processor or about 2 minutes. Strain through a wire-mesh strainer into a saucepan. Add the sugar and basil, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce theheat to medium-low and cook or 0 minutes, stirring twice.

Heat the olive oil in a nonstick pan set on high heat until sizzling. Add the celery and saut until brown.Drain well and add to the simmering sauce. The sauce is now complete. It can be made up to 4 days in advanceand kept in the reigerator. Heat through beore serving. Pour a pool o the hot sauce on each dinner plateand place a slice o the eggplant terrine on top.

acebook.com/nick.stellinoFollow me on Facebookor demonstrations o this

and other recipes.


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Bring a large pot o water to boil over high heat and add 3 teaspoons( tablespoon) o salt. Once the water reaches a boil, add the greenbeans and cook or 3 to 4 minutes until al dente. Take the beansout o the cooking water and place in a bowl with ice water to stopthe cooking.

Once the beans are cool enough to handle, take them out o the coldwater, dry them with a towel, trim them, and cut them in hal.

In a large saut pan, cook the olive oil over high heat. When it beginsto sizzle, add the red pepper flakes. Stir or a minute, then add thegreen beans and cook, stirring well, or 2 minutes. Add the choppedgarlic and cook or more minute.

Sprinkle with teaspoon each o salt and pepper, and stir wel l.

Serve the beans while they are still hot.

Sauted Green

Beans with Garlic

SERVES

teaspoons salt, divided

pounds green beans tablespoons DaVinci Extra

Light 100% Pure Olive Oil teaspoon red pepper flakes tablespoon chopped garlic teaspoon pepper


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In a nonstick saut pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.

Add the bell pepper and cook, stirring well, or 2 minutes. Add thegarlic and cook minute more. Add the spinach and cook or anotherminute, tossing well to amalgamate all the ingredients.

Add salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

Sauted Spinach

with Garlic& Red Peppers

SERVES

tablespoons DaVinci

100% Pure Olive Oil red bell pepper, seeded and

cut into -inch dice cloves garlic, finely chopped pound esh spinachSalt and pepper to taste


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Cook the potatoes or 2 minutes in rapidly boiling salted water.Drain and let air-dry.

Once the potatoes are dry, toss them in a bowl with salt, pepper andextra virgin olive oil. Roast in a 400-degree oven or 20 to 30 minutesuntil golden and crispy.

Roasted Potatoes SERVES TO russet potatoes, peeled,

quartered lengthwise andlarge-diced

Sea salt, fine

Black pepper cup DaVinci Extra Virgin

Olive Oil


Trim the bottom 2 inches om the asparagus spears, then peelthe stalks.

Place the asparagus in a bak ing dish. Drizzle with the olive oil;add the butter and the stock. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper.

Bake or 5 to 20 minutes. Take out o the oven and serve.

Baked Asparagus SERVES pounds asparagus

tablespoon DaVinci ExtraLight 100% Pure Olive Oil

tablespoon buttercup chicken stock teaspoon salt teaspoon pepper


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SERVES TO

pounds large shrimp, peeled

and deveinedDaVinci Premium Extra Virgin

Olive Oil or drizzling

MARINADE

peeled garlic clovescup Peperonata

(See recipe on page 74.) cup loosely packed parsley teaspoon paprika teaspoon onion powder cup sherry teaspoon pepper teaspoon salt teaspoon red pepper flakes

teaspoon dried oregano ounces DaVinci 100% Pure

Olive Oil

Make the Peperonata (see recipe on page 74) the day beore.

Mix the marinade ingredients in a ood processor and process to a cream-like consistency.

Mix the shrimp with the marinade and let rest in the reigerator, covered,or 30 to 45 minutes. Grill on a hot barbecue or 8 to 0 minutes (depending

on the size o the shrimp), turning afer the first 5 minutes. Alternatively,broil in the oven or saut in a hot grill pan.

Serve the shrimp over the Peperonata and drizzle with premium-qualityextra virgin olive oil.

Grilled Shrimp

with Stewed Peppers


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SERVES TO

tablespoons DaVinci

Extra Virgin Olive Oil yellow onion, peeled and cut in

hal, then cut into thin slices red bell peppers, seeded and

cut into -inch strips yellow bell peppers, seeded and

cut into -inch strips teaspoon salt, plus more to taste teaspoon pepper, plus more

to taste cup tomato sauce tablespoons chopped esh

parsley, divided garlic cloves, chopped tablespoon balsamic vinegar

teaspoons C&H orDomino sugar

Pour the olive oil into a medium nonstick skillet on medium heat and cookuntil the oil gets hot.

When the oil is ready, add the onion, bell peppers, salt and pepper, andcook on medium heat or 2 minutes, stirring well.

Add the tomato sauce and 2 tablespoons o chopped parsley, and stir well.

Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and simmer or 20 minutes.

Stir well, add the remaining parsley and the garlic, and cook over low heator 5 more minutes, stirring well every 5 minutes.

Add the vinegar and the sugar. Increase the heat to medium-low and stir.Cook, uncovered, or 5 more minutes.

Adjust salt and pepper to your liking. Serve right away, or allow the

Peperonata to rest overnight in the reigerator and enjoy it the next dayat room temperature.

Stewed Peppers

Peperonata


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Mix all the dry spices and the sugar, then sprinkle over both sides othe sliced tomatoes and let them sit or about 5 minutes.

TO PREPARE THE VINAIGRETTE DRESSINGPlace all the ingredients into a bowl and whisk well until they are allamalgamated into a delicious salad dressing.

TO ASSEMBLE THE SALADPlace 3 tomato rounds on each serving plate. Top each round with2 teaspoons o the dressing.

According to your own liking, pile on top o the tomatoes the drainedcapers, the sliced olives, the sliced red onion and finally the pieces otuna. Dress the salad and serve, drizzling each plate with some o theremaining dressing.

Tuna, Tomato,

Olive & Caper Salad

SERVES

teaspoon onion powder

teaspoon granulated garlicpowder

teaspoon cayenne pepper teaspoon salt teaspoon pepper teaspoon C&H or

Domino sugar

pounds esh tomatoes, cutinto -inch rounds recipe Parsley & Basil

Vinaigrette Dressing(See accompanying recipe.)

tablespoons drained capers cup cured black olives, pitted

and cut in hal

red onion, thinly sliced andmarinated in cup chilledwater and tablespoons whitebalsamic vinegar or at least30 minutes, then drained

cup tuna (preerably Ventresca)packed in olive oil, drained

PARSLEY & BASILVINAIGRETTE DRESSING

tablespoons esh parsley,chopped

tablespoon basil, chopped tablespoons white balsamic

vinegar teaspoon salt teaspoon eshly ground

black pepper6 tablespoons DaVinci Extra

Virgin Olive Oil


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Mix al l the dry spices together.

Sprinkle the spice mixture on each side o the tomatoes and let them restor about 5 minutes; pat them dry beore you proceed.

In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and the cream.

Dip each o the tomato slices in the egg mixture and then the bread crumbs;make sure both sides are coated evenly. Place the breaded tomato slices on

a tray until youre ready to use them.Pour hal the extra light olive oil into a large saut pan and cook over highheat or about 2 minutes until it starts to sizzle.

Fry the basil leaves or about a minute, turning them once gently. Thenplace on a paper towel to rest.

Add hal o the breaded tomato slices to the pan and cook over mediumheat, minute per side. Place the cooked tomato slices on a tray lined with

brown paper.Clean the saut pan and dispose o the oil. Cook the second batch otomato slices in the remaining oil, ollowing the same directions as above.Cover and keep warm.

TO SERVEPlace a ied tomato slice in the middle o each serving plate. Top each othe slices with a piece o mozzarella burrata. Garnish with the ied leaveso basil and drizzle with premium-quality extra virgin olive oil.

Fried Green TomatoesSERVES teaspoon paprika

teaspoon onion powder teaspoon granulated

garlic powder teaspoon salt teaspoon pepper eggs tablespoons whipping cream

8 slices firm green tomato,cut inch thick (Slices ored tomato may be substituted.)

cups Italian-style bread crumbs tablespoons DaVinci Extra

Light 100% Pure Olive Oil,divided

6 leaves basil

-ounce balls mozzarellaburrata, each cut in hal(or a total o 8 pieces)

DaVinci Premium Extra VirginOlive Oil or drizzling


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TO PREPARE THE PARMESAN-GLAZED CROUTONSPreheat the oven to 200 degrees.

Mix al l the ingredients, using tablespoon o the Parmesan or this step

and reserving the remaining tablespoon. Be sure to coat the croutons well.

Place the croutons on a baking tray and bake in the oven or hour.Turn off the heat, pour the croutons into a bowl, and mix with theremaining Parmesan.

Place the croutons back on the tray and let them rest in the warm oven or more hour. Now they are ready to be served.

TO PREPARE THE CREAMY BLACK CHERRY DRESSINGPlace all the ingredients into a ood processor and process or to 2 minutes,until they are all amalgamated into a delicious salad dressing.

TO ASSEMBLE THE SALADCombine the arugula, romaine and radicchio. Add the croutons and theslices o red onion to the salad greens and dress with ha l o the dressing.

Divide the salad among 4 serving plates, decorating the top o each salad

with a tablespoon o crumbled eta cheese. Drizzle each plate with some othe remaining dressing, and serve.

Trio of Salad Greens

with Creamy BlackCherry Dressing

SERVES

recipe Parmesan-Glazed

Croutons (See accompanyingrecipe.) red onion, thinly sliced and

marinated in cup chilledwater and 2 tablespoons whitebalsamic vinegar or at least minutes, then drained

ounces baby arugula salad

ounces heart o romaine, cutinto -inch pieces

ounces radicchio, cut into-inch pieces

recipe Creamy Black CherryDressing (See accompanyingrecipe.)

tablespoons crumbled etacheese

PARMESANGLAZEDCROUTONS

cups day-old bread, cut into-inch cubes

tablespoons grated Parmesan

cheese, divided teaspoon dried oregano teaspoon garlic powder teaspoon onion powder teaspoon paprika teaspoon pepper tablespoons DaVinciExtra

Virgin Olive Oil


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CREAMY BLACK CHERRYDRESSING

tablespoons black cherry jam

or just regular cherry jam tablespoons crumbled etacheese

tablespoon shallot, chopped tablespoon basil, chopped teaspoons C&Hor Domino

Organic Blue Agave Nectar, or tablespoon C&Hor Domino

sugar tablespoons balsamic vinegar teaspoon salt tablespoons DaVinciExtra

Virgin Olive Oil


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My Fiat 500It might have been just a our-cylinder,

but to me, that little engine roared like a

Ferrari V8!

It is amazing how the vivid imagination o a

child can change the perception o reality.It was an older car, a used one, and it was

all my amily could aord at that time.

There were a ew dings here and there, but

we loved our little Fiat.

She was our baby. To me,

she was as big as anAmerican Cadillac and

rode like a Rolls-Royce.

Some o the happiest mo-

ments o my youth were

spent inside that dream

machine. She carried meto school, she took us to

the beach, we went shop-

ping with her, we took amily trips with

her. We lived our lives in that car, and

she took care o all o us with unre-

lenting pep and determination. I loved her.I know: Our Fiat was just a car, made o

metal, pistons and rubber. But or me, she

was a magic starship, a mythical chariot.

She was my irst car, and she stole my heart.

It might seem unbecoming or a man o my

stature6 eet 2 inches and 215 poundsto

rhapsodize, and in such whimsical terms,

about a tiny little car that by Americanstandards seems to be impossibly small,

and underpowered. Yet I have learned in

lie that its not about what you see on the

suracerather, its about

whats inside. And in this

particular case, there ismore to this little vehicle

than what you see.

The irst question every-

one asked me when I

pitched the idea or the

opening sequence or mynew TV series was, Are

you nuts? Its a Fiat 500.

Youll never it in it! My own wie, who has

always been my strongest supporter, was

somewhat mied at the possibility o driv-

ing around Seattle, where we were shootingthe series, in such a tiny car. Nick, listen.

It will never make it up Queen Anne Hill

[one o Seattles more ormidable hills]


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with both o us in it. Are you sure about this?

I must have looked like a crestallen little boy, because right ater she said that, sheadded, But you know, why dont we give it a try? Who knows; it might not be so bad.

But youre going to drive it, right? Im araid o small cars in the city. And with that,

she turned around and walked away. I said nothing. My sad-puppy look had worked

once again. But all I cared about was that Id gotten my 500!

When we inally arrived at the Rairdons Fiat dealership in neighboring Kirkland to

pick up my new baby or our TV shoot, I heard in the back o my mind an annoying littlevoice that said, Careul what you wish or. You just might get it.

Nah, I quipped inside my own head. I did not listen to that little voice. All I could do

was stare at the car. She stood right there in ront o me, a red convertible with black

leather interior. Mamma mia, che bella macchina (what a beautiul car)! I said, not

even realizing I was speaking Italian. I donned my sunglasses, blasted the radio, and

took the long way back to the TV studios, smiling widely, singing along, and eeling

like a 6-year-old inside.

For the rest o the time I spent in Seattle ilming my TV series, I never got to drive

my red Fiat 500 again. Instead, my wie took over the keys and drove the car every day.

She told me it was or my protection. I had too much going on, and I needed not to

worry about driving around town. She said a lot o things, but none o them were true.Just like me, she had allen in love with that car, and she just could not get enough. She

loved running up Queen Anne Hill with the top down, zipping along with a huge smile

plastered on her ace. She, too, had allen in love with our little red rascal.

When people would stop us in the street and ask us about the car and why we loved it so

much, I would say, This is not a car. It is a time machine. It takes me back to a time in

my lie when everything was beautiul and joyous. A time when lie seemed perect.

A month later, we were done with our ilming, and I returned the car to the dealership.

Ater I returned the keys, and while everybody was inside inalizing the last bit o

paperwork, I spent a moment alone with her (the car, that is), and sotly I whispered,


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Bye, bye, my bella bambina! I must coness that a little tear sneaked out unexpectedly.

I wiped it away quickly, beore anyone could see it. Instinctively I knew tears would not

be good or my macho image. I still think o her when I am stuck in traic or riding

in the back seat o a limousineand always, without exception, I ind mysel smiling.


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Why do you needto strain yoursoups and sauces?

It is my opinion (and I dont think its an unreasonable one) that when I sit downto eat, my ood has to look as good as it tastes. I I expect it rom others, it has tobe like that or me, even or something as simple as a plain soup.

The process o straining accomplishes two main things: It holds back all thesmall impurities that would cloud the soup (or the sauce), and it allows you toconcentrate the lavor even urther to achieve a more complex intensity, whilst

yielding a most elegant textureand in my mind, the texture o ood shouldlook as good as a ine couture dress or a custom-made suit.

Do not be ooled by your search or a better look, though, because i your ood hasno lavor, then its nothing more than just a pretty picture. A ool in a ine customsuit is still a ool. Clothes dont make the man, and pretty pictures on a plate do notmake the ood taste better.

So think o the straining process, either or a soup or a sauce, as nothing more thanan unnecessary step or the busy cook; however, think o it as a mandate or a manlike me, who is always looking or a way to do it better.

Is this kind o perectionistic behavior ever going to stop? I do not think so!

SERVES TO Butternut Squash Soup


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SERVES TO

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

tablespoons DaVinci ExtraLight 100% Pure Olive Oil garlic cloves, thickly sliced,

divided8 esh sage leaves white onion, chopped celery stalks, chopped medium carrots, peeled and

cut into -inch rounds teaspoon dried thyme teaspoon red pepper flakes cup brandy or sherry pounds butternut squash, peeled,

seeded and cut into -inch pieces6 cups chicken broth

CONFIT OF PEPPERS,ASPARAGUS & SPICY SAUSAGE

tablespoons DaVinci ExtraVirgin Olive Oil

white onion, finely diced cup spicy smoked sausage,

cut into -inch dice

cup esh asparagus, peeled andcut into -inch rounds

small red bell pepper,finely diced

garlic cloves, finely chopped teaspoon red pepper flakes tablespoons brandy

tablespoons sofened butterSalt and pepper to taste teaspoon truffle oil (optional,

or an extra kick)

cup shredded Parmesan cheese

TO PREPARE THE BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUPIn a stockpot, heat the extra light olive oil over high heat. Add 4 cloves osliced garlic and the esh sage leaves, and cook over medium-low heat or to 2 minutes. Add the onion, celery, remaining garlic, carrots, thyme and

red pepper flakes to the pot. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring well,until the onion begins to sofen, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the brandy or sherry, bring to a boil, and stir well to dislodge thebrown bits at the bottom o the pot. Cook until the brandy or sherry isreduced by hal, about 3 minutes.

Add the pieces o butternut squash and the chicken broth, and bring toa boil; reduce the heat to medium-low and cook or 40 to 45 minutes,stirring well every 5 minutes. Add the soup, in batches, to a ood processorand process it to a smooth, cream-like consistency. Strain, place the soupback in the stockpot, and keep warm.

Serve the soup in bowls and garnish with the Confit o Peppers, Asparagus& Spicy Sausage. Top with a generous sprinkle o shredded Parmesan cheese.

TO PREPARE THE CONFITCook the extra virgin olive oil over high heat until it sizzles, then lower theheat to medium-low. Add the diced onion, stir well, and cook or 2 minutes,

then add the sausage, asparagus and bell pepper, and mix together. Increasethe heat to medium-high and cook, stirring well, or 2 more minutes.

Add the garlic and the red pepper flakes, and stir well or minute. Then addthe brandy and cook more minute.

Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the butter, and stir well until completelymelted. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add the optional truffle oil, stirring

well beore serving.

Set the confit aside and keep it warm until youre ready to use it.

Butternut Squash Soup

with Confit of Peppers,Asparagus & Spicy Sausage


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Pea Soup SERVES 6 TO 8


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TO PREPARE THE PEA SOUPIn a stockpot, heat the extra light olive oil over high heat. Add theonion, celery, garlic, carrots, thyme and red pepper flakes to the pot.Cook over medium-high heat, stirring well, until the onion begins

to sofen, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the brandy or sherry, bring to a boil, and stir well to dislodge thebrown bits at the bottom o the pot. Cook until the brandy or sherryis reduced by hal, about 3 minutes.

Add the ozen peas and the chicken broth, and bring to a boil; reducethe heat to medium-low and cook or 40 to 45 minutes, stirring wellevery 5 minutes. Add the soup, in batches, to a ood processor andprocess it to a smooth, cream-like consistency. Strain, place the soupback in the stockpot, and keep warm.

Serve the soup in bowls and garnish with the Confit o Peppers &Shrimp. Top with a generous sprinkle o shredded Parmesan cheese.

TO PREPARE THE CONFITCook the shrimp or prawns in teaspoon o the extra virgin olive oilor minute. Using a slotted spoon, place the cooked shrimp or prawnsin a bowl.

Cook the remaining olive oil over high heat until it sizzles, then lowerthe heat to medium-low. Add the diced onion, stir well, and cook or2 minutes, then add the peppers and mix together. Increase the heatto medium-high and cook, stirring well, or 2 more minutes.

Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, and cooked shrimp or prawns, andstir well or minute. Then add the brandy and cook more minute.

Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the sofened butter, and stir well

until completely melted. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add the optionaltruffle oil, stirring well beore serving.

Set the confit aside and keep it warm until youre ready to use it.

Pea Soup

with Confit ofPeppers & Shrimp

SERVES 6 TO 8

PEA SOUP

tablespoons DaVinci ExtraLight 100% Pure Olive Oil white onion, chopped celery stalks, chopped8 garlic cloves, thickly sliced medium carrots, peeled and

cut into -inch rounds teaspoon dried thyme

teaspoon red pepper flakes cup brandy or sherry pounds ozen peas6 cups chicken broth

CONFIT OF PEPPERS & SHRIMP

cup diced shrimp or prawns

(/) tablespoons DaVinci Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided white onion, finely diced small red bell pepper,

finely diced small yellow bell pepper,

finely diced garlic cloves, finely chopped teaspoon red pepper flakes tablespoons brandy tablespoons sofened butterSalt and pepper to taste teaspoon truffle oil

(optional, or an extra kick)

cup shredded Parmesan cheese


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I love making risottoLie is never about what you get; rather, it is always about what you see.

To some, risotto is nothing more than rice and chicken stock with some spicesthrown in. Technically thats true, but that is not what I see. I see adventureand opportunity; I see poetry and comedy; I see love, passion, patience, hope,

determination and drive in each and every kernel o rice I mix into my lot.To me, making risotto is like making love. You cannot hurry it. I you want todo it right, you must take your time. You do not stir risotto; rather, you gentlycaress it along its course. You do not splash it with hot stock; rather, you batheit sensually, a ew drops at a time, and you watch it shimmer under the lights asit slowly pus into the perect consistency.

You do not orce spices into the mix; you gently introduce them and stir themabout with the ease o a sot kiss.

You do not check your watch and you do not think about tomorrow, because lie,the best o what you know, is right here in ront o you. It moves with the elegantlow o a gentle brook, kissing each grain o rice along the way. The ensuing lavor

is that o a rare delicacy which, when done right, will draw you into a state oculinary rapture and a state o mind that will orever appease your need to rush.

I risotto is made right, it makes time low at a slower pace, it makes lie taste better,and with each bite you take, it makes you believe that lie can be as beautiul as

your dreams. Every once in a while, when you inally can stop or a moment andtake it all in, you come to realize you actually know what you are doing in the makingo risotto, and that moment alone opens up your lie to a world o possibilities.

Yes, I love making risotto.


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Risotto SERVES


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Bring 6 cups chicken stock to a low simmer.

In a large, deep saut pan, brown the zucchini in 4 tablespoons oolive oil over medium heat. To the same pan, add the red pepperflakes and garlic; cook, stirring well, or more minute.

Add the onion a

cooking with nick stellino

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