Insalatd di Jicama

Longing for summer? YesYesYesYesYesYesYesSYesYesYesYesssssss!


Jicama, Pineapple & Mint Salad
for 4

jicama, medium size 2
fresh pineapple 4-5 slices, about 1/2 inch thick
shallot 1
lime 3
chili pepper, a Thai one, if possible 1
salt, fresh mint as needed

If you don't know jicama, you could:
a) read here, and here;
b) try to imagine a tuber similar in shape and color to a large, flattened potato, with the not-so-subtle difference that your jicama is best eaten raw, and what's more, it is sweet, crisp, and refreshing like an apple.
Jicama is grown widely in Mexico and Central America, where it is often consumed as an antidote to summer heat, cut into sticks and simply seasoned with chili, salt, and lime juice. Humbly good and refreshing.

Today, however, instead of sticks, I cubified it. How did that story go, about changing the order of the factors...? Or something like that, ah here, I think they say that despite everything, the result doesn't change. Sticks, fillets, cubes or parallelepipeds, who cares? Try it. Rain (worse) or shine (better), jicama won't let you down.

As for the so called recipe, simply peel the applepotato jicama and cut it into small cubes along with the slices of pineapple; mince the shallot, squeeze the limes, remove the seeds from the chili pepper and chop it fine (maybe try to remember washing your hands after touching the seeds and before rubbing your eyes), mix everything well in a pink, green or blue bowl, season with a pinch of salt and quite a bit of freshly chopped mint... and today also we can breathe a sigh of relief.

Raw Beet and Carrot Salad

I had an epiphany! One of those that (almost) hits you like a pan on the forehead: beets can be eaten raw. Olé!
Unfortunately for me, I always thought they were like potatoes, which, raw, may not be very successful. Instead I had a nice surprise, an epiphany induced by my new friend Mark Bittman, about whom I've already promised to talk a bit more in detail in the next few days.
But for now take this salad: fresh, crisp, and strictly raw. Now, tell me if this is no reason to be happy. Cheers!


Raw Beet and Carrot Salad
for 4

red beets, medium size 3
carrots 2
fresh ginger 1 piece, about 1" long
shallot 1-2
olive oil 2 tablespoons
Dijon mustard 2-3 tablespoons
lime 2
salt, pepper, fresh cilantro as needed

Peel beets and carrots and grate them into a bowl. Add grated fresh ginger, finely chopped shallots, salt and pepper. Prepare the dressing by mixing oil, mustard, and lime juice, and pour it over the vegetables. Mix well and sprinkle with a generous amount of chopped fresh coriander (mind you, make the amount truly generous...).

Octopus Salad with Citrus and Fennel

With this post I inaugurate Citrus Week (blog or not blog, you should know that behind the scenes I now have some difficulties closing the fridge, due to an undefined quantity of navel oranges, kara kara oranges, pomelos (hey, you know pomelos? they're as big as basketballs!), lemons, sweet lemons, blood oranges, yellow and pink grapefruit, tangerines, and tangelos. And I'm not kidding, which is nothing short of alarming...., but this uh .. well let's call it professional deformation would be subject for another post, and here I prefer to ignore it, even if the space for comments is always available below, in case you want to offer advices and suggestions on so-called infallible therapies, relieving mantras and/or DIY remedies.
We were saying, Citrus Week, in order to inflict oneself 7 days full of vitamins and to resign more or less happily to a winter that doesn't want to go away. To make things a little more classy (yes, I mean, I have a reputation to defend...), I went and fished out - I mean, literally - an old friend. Same fishmonger, same frozen octopus, same nightmare.
Winter is back even at these latitudes, demanding some justice. Let's surrender this way.


Octopus Salad
with Citrus and Fennel
for 4

whole octopus, cleaned 1 of about 3 lb
onion 1
carrot 1
celery 1 stalk
bay leaf 1
fennel 1 large or 2 smaller ones
mixed citrus as needed
(I've used a yellow grapefruit and 3 different types of oranges)
olive oil, salt, pepper, fennel leaves to taste

For the octopus, first I'd like to tell you that the second time around is much easier: you go to sleep and you almost forget that you left a shapeless creature to thaw in the sink. In the morning, with a little effort, it's even possible to feel the tentacles and check their tenderness while sipping coffee. And with the second cup you even get to chat, with the octopus, just like that, talking about the weather, taking the opportunity to apologize and to feel at peace with yourself. But we're digressing, this is material for another post, or even another blog (how about The Adventures of Superblogger? or The Spaghetti Chronicle? or perhaps The Good, the Bad and the Ugly?)... HELP!!

Bring to a boil a large pot of lightly salted water, season it with a bay leaf, the carrot, the onion and a stalk of celery, all cleaned and cut into large pieces, then put in the octopus perfectly thawed (btw, if you find it fresh, go ahead, and then maybe you'll tell me how to clean it while drinking coffee...). When it returns to boil, cover the pot and simmer for about an hour (cooking time varies depending on the size of the octopus; to check if it's ready and sufficiently tender, just lift it from the water and stick a tentacle with a knife, it should give up easily). Turn off the heat and let it cool in the same cooking water.
Meanwhile, clean the fennel and cut it into thin slices using a mandolin. Peel the citrus fruits , removing the white membrane, cut them into wedges, and collect the juice in a separate bowl. For the dressing, to the juice of oranges and grapefruits add few tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper, and some lemon juice if you'd like.
Mix fennel, citrus and octopus, cut into pieces, season with the dressing and sprinkle with a pinch of minced fennel leaves.

Arugula and Melon Salad

A shamelessly lazy post. In order not to lose my face with it, I play the universally valid card of the "With this hot weather, you don't really want to cook anything" (...and you don't need to know that here one would gladly use a wool hat).

Even more shamelessly, I even list you the ingredients:
- arugula;
- melon;
- goat cheese;
- salt, pepper, olive oil, balsamic vinegar.

With an act of extreme generosity, I spare you from the explanation of the difficult recipe. And if you're not convinced yet, take it as an excuse to equip yourself with the famous and super useful fruit baller.

Baby Zucchini Salad

It was better when we were worse off.
(Chinese proverb, approx. XXI century)

One day the inevitable happens: your Internet connection goes down for no reason, the world around seems to be collapsing all at once, and the meaning of life is dramatically put to test. The electromagnetic wave on which your life has been riding brave and fearless, has all of a sudden crashed against some unexpected cyberrock. You keep repeating yourself there's nothing tragic, it's only a return to prehistoric times, and yet why are you feeling so bad?

The idea of a dark, cold, and mute future starts taking shape, a slow journey into the unknown without the constant sound of your distant radio, a world where friendship cannot be confirmed or rejected by pushing a button, and where there isn't any cat playing the piano or wandering around the house on top of a vacuum cleaner. You start wondering if life will ever be the same without those embarrassing encounters on chatroulette, without feeling obligated to update your status on a thousand different places, and without the comfort of the weekly emails from Sacks, Apple and Abercrombie, who call you by name and just like old friends seem to know everyone of your weaknesses. Suddenly you start panicking 'cause you don't remember how to buy a movie ticket, flip through the pages of a newspaper, and search for a phone number.

You take heart and decide that the best cure for this anxiety is going to the farmer's market, walking of course, and letting yourself being seduced by the seasonal zucchini. Pure and simple, as nature made them. Two tomatoes, a drizzle of olive oil and few parmigiano cheese shavings, and there you go, the world starts turning in the right direction again.

Spring Salad. Asparagus, Green Peas and Fava

...it's a sunny day today
nothing can hurt me
[...] he bought a house
painted it with the colors of the rainbow
he saw on TV that even when it rains
somewhere else the sky is clear
it's a sunny day today
(L. Cherubini, Sunny Day)

There are certain things that make you feel good, no matter what. Small gestures, colors and thoughts that cherish your mind and make you smile. Waking up on a sunny day, buying daisy flowers, crossing a stranger's cheerful eyes. Ten minutes of happiness. Just like the beginning of the weekend, like singing under the shower or wetting your feet in the sea.
Just like eating strawberries or shelling peas. For few moments you forget about the uncertainties, the stress, the gas price increase, the bills to pay and the tooth ache. Life becomes as simple as a bike ride and you realize it's finally springtime.
It's a sunny day and nothing can hurt you.

Ehm...today I felt this way, what do you want me to say?


Asparagus, Fava Beans & Sweet Peas Salad
for 3

asparagus 500 gr.
fava beans, unshelled (otherwise, where's the fun?) 500 gr.
fresh sweet peas, to be shelled (see above) 500 gr.
salt, pepper, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, white wine q.b.
wild arugula 2 handfuls

Wash asparagus and cut the ends. Dress them with a tablespoon olive oil, salt, pepper and a splash of white wine. Place them on a baking pan and bake at 400 for about 20-30 minutes, until tender, turning them once or twice. Let them cool down, cut them in pieces about 1 inch long, keeping the tips intact. Set them aside. Meanwhile shell the peas and cook them in little boiling water for 4-5 minutes. Drain and cool them under cold water.
Shell the fava beans as well, blanch them for two minutes and then cool them under cold water. Discard the inner skin and set them aside.
Wash arugula, mix it with asparagus, fava beans and peas. Dress it with salt, pepper, olive oil and a little balsamic vinegar. If you wish, you can add some shaved pecorino cheese.

Sunday tip: don't discard the empty pea shells, but use them to make vegetable broth. Simply put them in a large pot, cover with water, add half a onion, one carrot, half celery stalk, few peppercorns and a pinch of salt. Bring to boil and let it simmer for about 30 minutes. Better than this!!!

...it's a sunny day today
nothing can hurt me.

Spinach Strawberry Salad

Not all strawberries end up in jam. And that's all I have to say for today, I think.


Spinach Strawberry Salad
for 2

baby spinach 2-3 handfuls
strawberries 8-10
goat cheese to taste
slivered almonds (you can also use walnuts, or pine nuts) to taste
orange 1
honey 1 tablespoon
shallot 1/2
olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper to taste

Wash spinach and put them in a bowl. Wash strawberries and thinly slice them. Toast almonds (or walnuts) in the oven for about ten minutes, without letting them become too dark.
Mince shallot and mix it with orange juice, honey, olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Let it rest for about half hour.
Right before serving, dress spinach with the vinaigrette, mix well and then add strawberries, crumbled goat cheese and nuts.

Caesar Salad

And let's give Caesar what belongs to Caesar: a couple of anchovies, garlic, Parmigiano cheese, one egg, lemon, and olive oil. And Caesar from his blender pulls us out one of the most popular, most imitated, and - sadly - most misused salads throughout California, and beyond. For me it's been a true revelation, it won me over more or less as soon as I passed through immigration control, and to this day I think I'm one of its biggest fan. Possible? Oh yes:


(Courtesy of Caesar Salad Fan Club, registered office One Girl's Kitchen)

Caesar Salad is so California, but - hear ye! - the inventor is a guy named Cesare Cardini, who was born in Italy and then immigrated to the U.S. early last century. Cesare (now known as Caesar) opened a restaurant in San Diego and one in Tijuana, Mexico, and it is said that on the evening of July 4th, 1924, tragically finding himself with an empty pantry, he decided to improvise and offer his guests the famous Chef's Special. Old bread, eggs, oil, Parmigiano cheese and lemon. Who doesn't have these ingredients readily available in their kitchen? Caesar simply combined them as best as he could, and yet what came out of his hands was a real treat. I wonder why I can never think of something that brilliant.

For the record I must say that the original recipe, the one from July 4th, 1924, had no anchovies. I'd also like to add that when I found that out, the bottom almost fell out of my world. Based on the original version, the taste of anchovy should only come from the Worcestershire sauce (which contains anchovies in its ingredients), but obviously over the years some daring chef wanted to horn in on the Caesar Salad's race to success, and decided to add some real anchovy fillets to the dressing.
Thus today the Caesar Salad Fan Club is split in two: those who Anchovies? No thanks, and those who simply can't live without. I belong to the second group.
Dear Caesar, I apologize.


Caesar Salad

For the dressing
egg 1
lemon juice 3 tablespoons
oil packed anchovy fillets 1-2 (depending on their size)
garlic 2 cloves
extra virgin olive oil 1/4 cup
Worcestershire sauce 1/2 teaspoon plus few more drops, to taste
grated Parmigiano cheese 3 tablespoons
salt, pepper to taste

For the croutons
day old country bread one large piece
olive oil, garlic

For the salad
hearts of romaine 3-4
Parmigiano cheese flakes, freshly ground black pepper

First, prepare the croutons. Cut the bread in more or less regular cubes, arrange them on a baking tray and toast them in the oven at 350 for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until they're slightly browned on all sides. Allow them to cool down. Crash one garlic clove and work it with a pinch of salt and a little olive oil until you have a smooth paste. Heat it up in a pan with another tablespoon of olive oil, add croutons and let them season on all sides. Alternatively, you can also toss the croutons with garlic, olive oil and salt before toasting them in the oven and skip the second step of the pan. But since croutons may be kept for long time in a tin box, I'd rather have a stock of unseasoned ones, in order to use them in different ways.

For the dressing, cook the egg for one minute in boiling water and cool it immediately under cold water. Break it in a mixer bowl, add the anchovies, garlic, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Parmigiano cheese, olive oil, salt and pepper. Blend until the dressing becomes creamy and smooth. Taste it and adjust the seasoning accordingly (easier said than done, I have to tell the truth. Although it's very simple to make, the problem of Caesar Salad dressing is finding the right balance between the ingredients; it must not taste too much of anchovy nor too much of lemon; the egg and the cheese are used to give creaminess, and the olive oil should not predominate over everything else. It's a very vague description, I admit... but, come on, at least I tried!).

To compose the salad according to Caesar's dictates, you should use only the crispy hearts of romaine lettuce, discarding the outer leaves and all the darker parts (but don't throw them away; maybe just use them for a less fundamentalist version of the Caesar Salad). Another rule would be to present the leaves whole on the plate, although to this day I know only two places where they do so, here and here (not by chance they compete for the title of Best Caesar Salad in San Francisco). It is also said that at Caesar's one would eat the salad with their hands, leaf by leaf. Yum .... I like that! In any case, whole or chopped, just toss the lettuce with the dressing, add some croutons, and sprinkle it with Parmigiano flakes and freshly ground black pepper.
If you want to join the Fan Club, give a whistle.



"This isn't the real Caesar Palace, is it?"
"What do you mean?"
"Did...ehm...did Caesar live here?"
"Ehm...no!"
"I didn't think so!"
(Z. Galifianakis, talking about the famous casino in Vegas, The Hangover, 2009)

P.S: The quote has little to do with the post (just like the anchovies with the Caesar Salad), but the joke made me laugh so hard I had to take this opportunity to remind you of it :)

Once Upon a Time, There Was Ragù

De Gustibus Est Disputandum.
(Anonymous)

Following The Revenge of the Meatballs, comes in a theater near you the highly anticipated sequel, Once Upon A Time There Was Ragù, loosely based on the adventures of Ragù alla Bolognese on American soil.
Directed and produced by One Girl In The Kitchen, with Ground Meat (in the role of Main Ingredient), Miss Pancetta, Diced Vegetables, and Tomato Paste.

The movie tells the story of Ragù, which, searching for fortune, landed in the New World along with its tagliatelle at the beginning of last century. Dense, aromatic and flavorful, Ragù soon wins the heart and the palate of the local population, thanks to the ingenuity and instinct for survival of the first generation of immigrants.
Before long Ragù's fame has grown enormously: from Mulberry Street to Beverly Hills, from Long Island to North Beach, everybody goes crazy for the sauce on top of spaghetti. And Ragù, under the stage name of Meat Sauce or Bolognese Sauce, is soon appointed Ambassador of Italian Cuisine in the world, along with its traveling companions Pizza, Lasagne and Eggplant Parmigiana.
Not a day goes by without the four friends, under the false guise of traditional Italian dishes, appearing on the menu of some new so-called "Italian" restaurant, masking the lack of flavor with generous quantities of garlic, cream, spices of every shape and color, and cheese slices made in Chile.
And just like the other three, Ragù, tired of being cooked for hours and forgetting about the quality of the ingredients, soon turns into a pale version of itself. Very little remains of the genuine and tasty boy that had landed several years before on the Atlantic shores. In a race against time, Ragù is often forced to deal with a conspiracy of carrots and onions chopped up in large pieces, treacherously allied with an army of militant garlic, a fleet of bottled tomatoes, and a brotherhood of spices at one's pleasure (including oregano, parsley, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, paprika and cayenne pepper, while of cloves not even the shadow). There are even days when Ragù, weary and tired, is prepared and placed on the lasagna in a little more than one hour (including the baking of the lasagna itself). This is really too much. Ragù, exhausted and disappointed, throws in the towel and walks away in the darkness.
The movie ends with a tribute to the protagonist, broadcast live from a small kitchen in San Francisco.

In an unpublished interview, the director and producer of the film, One Girl In The Kitchen, said: "I absolutely do not claim this independent production be the original, as described in the statutes of the Academy of Italian Cuisine and the Brotherhood of Tortellino. However, given the means available and the difficulty in finding the resources, I feel more than satisfied with the outcome. To all those who wish to make Ragù, I advice to plan the operation well in advance. Set aside all afternoon, carefully chop the vegetables, and most of all let it cook gently as long as it's necessary. The distinctive aroma that eventually spreads will be your reward".


Ragù - Chez Moi
for approximately 5 people

ground beef about 300 gr.
ground pork about 200 gr.
pancetta 1 slice, about 1/4 inch thick
carrots 2
celery stalk 2
onion 1
white wine about 1 glass
milk about 1 glass
butter, olive oil, stock, salt, pepper, cloves to taste

Finely chop carrots, celery, onion and pancetta. In a large pot, heat a little olive oil and a spoon of butter, add the vegetables and pancetta and cook for few minutes. Add the ground meat, and let it brown thoroughly, stirring often and "breaking it down" with a wooden spoon. Pour in the white wine, let it evaporate and then add tomato paste, dissolved in half a cup of hot broth, and 2 or 3 cloves. Season with salt and pepper.
Lower the heat and simmer gently for at least two hours, stirring occasionally and adding more broth if necessary. After the first half hour add the milk and stir. At the end the ragù should be dense, with characteristic color and aroma, that must be attributed to the meat and not the tomatoes.
If you can avoid being tempted by a sandwich with freshly made and still warm ragù (and how could you?), use it to dress some tagliatelle, or divide it in smaller portions and freeze it.

Warm Red Cabbage Salad

Tassajara is a Buddhist monastery two hours away from San Francisco, located in a valley in Central California, off the coast of Big Sur. Aside from being a well-known zen training center, Tassajara is also famous for its mountains, the hot springs and its vegetarian cuisine.
The following recipe is taken and adapted from The Complete Tassajara Cookbook, more or less a new entry on my book shelves.
It may be a deceptive effect, but I promise you that one feels less guilty when buying a zen cooking book. And even when licking the pan at the end of the meal.

Tassajara Warm Red Cabbage Salad
for 3 people

sunflower seeds 1.2 oz or 1/4 cup
sugar 1/2 teaspoon
red onion 1/2
garlic 2 cloves
red cabbage 3/4 pound
raisins 1 oz.
feta or goat cheese, crumbled 4 oz, or to taste
salt, olive oil, rosemary, balsamic vinegar to taste

Roast the sunflower seeds in a non-stick pan for few minutes, until they're golden brown. Sprinkle with sugar and a pinch of salt, stir briefly until sugar is dissolved, then remove from heat. Get the seeds out of the pan and set aside (at the beginning, they're all stuck to each other, but as soon as they cool down, it'll be very easy to break them apart with your fingers). Soak the raisins in a little bit of warm water.
In a large skillet, heat a tablespoon of olive oil, sauté the garlic and the chopped onion until this becomes translucent, adding some water if necessary so that it won't stick to the bottom of the pan. Add the cabbage, cut into thin shreds, stir and cook for few minutes. Add some fresh rosemary, minced, drained raisins, two tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and adjust the seasoning. Cover the pan and keep cooking for 3 or 4 minutes, until the cabbage is softer. Add the sunflower seeds and the crumbled cheese, stir and serve.
If you'd like, you can also add some shredded Parmigiano cheese and fresh parsley. Instead of raisins, you can also use another kind of dried fruit, such as pears, apricots or peaches, soaked in warm water and coarsely chopped.

Beet Salad with Parmigiano and Ginger

With 26.2 miles in my legs and the fifth marathon in my pocket, we slowly go back to the old habits.

Beside the medal, new aches and an undefined number of books that I purchased with no shame, this year I bring back again the memory of the notes of New York, New York that mark the start of the run on this side of the Verrazzano Bridge, of the sound of thousands of steps on Queensboro Bridge, of the screaming crowd that welcomes you warmer than ever at the entrance in Manhattan, of that 1st Avenue, slightly uphill, so long and exhausting, that you'd think it'll never end, of the excitement of entering Central Park feeling like you were the main hero, of the last 400 meters when you run through all your energies, and of the congratulations of people while you walk home in the late afternoon, wearing the unique medal around the neck.

To feel the excitement again and to be still under the illusion of living in Manhattan, I made myself this salad, tasted and tasted again in a very cool place in the Lower East Side. A pinch of ginger and the harmless addition of a little onion give a special touch that create the atmosphere of a calm New York night.


Beet Salad
with Parmigiano and Ginger
for two people

arugula and mix greens
beet, possibly of two colors(red and golden) 2
shaved parmigiano cheese
small red onion 1/2
freshly grated ginger to taste
salt, pepper, olive oil, balsamic vinegar to taste

Clean the beets by cutting the leaves and pairing the edges. Put them in a small baking pan, cover with water half way through and bake at 400 for about 45 minutes or until they are tender. While they are baking, turn them around every once in a while and add more water if needed. Let them cool off, then peel and cut them in small cubes. You can also boil them in water instead, but if roasted, the flavor is more intense.
Peel the onion and mince it finely. Add it to the greens and mix well. Prepare a vinaigrette by mixing olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and freshly grated ginger, and dress the salad greens with it. Cover with beet cubes and shaved parmigiano cheese. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper.

Avocado, Mango and Shrimp Salad

How delicious avocado is! I certainly list it among the best contributions of California to modern society, along with Apple, Levi's and Brad Pitt. Who cares if neither Brad Pitt nor avocados are originally from California, that is just a subtlety. California owns about 80% of US avocado market and fruits grown here are available 12 months a year. Sweet! As for Brad Pitt, do I need to say more?

Browsing the net, I found out that the name comes from Spanish explorers who ventured in Central America. Since they weren't able to pronounce Aztec word ahuacatl, they called it aguacate, from which comes the word guacamole. The most curious thing is that the Aztec ahuacatl meant testicle, and the fruit was called that way because of its shape....!!??!!? I'd say.....let's discuss this!

Even mangos, which are available in produce stores all year round, are one of the reasons why I can forgive this part of the world for not having a decent pizza and for having crafted a pink salad dressing.
Mango is delicious by itself, but I also love it in savory dishes. It's very nice in chicken sandwiches, great in Mexican salsa, or even as a side for certain types of fish and crustaceans.

But avocado and mango together, they are a blessing! Maybe it's because they have a very similar shape, or because they both have a large pit inside, or maybe it's their pastel color, I don't know, but to me they are simply made for each other. In short, almost like me and Brad Pitt....


Mango, Avocado & Shrimp Salad
for 4 people

ripe avocado 2
mango 1
shrimp 8
lime 2
shallots 2 or 3
salt, pepper, olive oil, fresh cilantro

Clean the shrimps, removing their head and taking them out of the shells. Discard the black vein, but leave the tail. Or, do like I did and buy them already cleaned ; )
Steam them for few minutes until they turn a nice pink color. Cool down by placing them on some ice cubes, and set aside.
Peel the mango and cut it into small cubes. Cut avocados in half, discard the pit and scoop out the inside, leaving some of the pulp attached to the edges of the skin. Cut the flesh in small cubes and add them to the mango along with the shrimps. Dress with lime juice, sliced shallots, salt, pepper and olive oil to taste.
Place salad inside the reserved avocado shells, sprinkle with minced cilantro and serve immediately.