Baked Fennel

This post - I admit - should have been the last entry of Citrus Week, which against all odds ended after three, pathetic, episodes.
But what can I do? Do you know how many impediments are there for a poor foodblogger? Error, conditio, photos, cognatio, etc ... etc ...
WHL (= What a Hard Life).


Baked Fennel
with Orange, Pine nuts & Raisins
for 4-5

fennel 2
orange, large 1
raisins, pine nuts 1 handful each
salt, pepper, olive oil, fennel greens, bread crumbs

Clean fennels, cut them in half and slice them not too thin. Season with salt, pepper, olive oil and the juice of the orange, and set aside. Toast pine nuts in a nonstick pan for a few minutes. Mix few tablespoons of bread crumbs with the chopped fennel greens and grated orange zest.
Grease a baking sheet with a little olive oil and sprinkle the bottom with bread crumbs. Make a layer with the prepared fennel, pour half of the liquid over it, sprinkle with pine nuts, raisins and more bread crumbs. Cover with the rest of the fennel and the remaining juice, another handful of pine nuts, plenty of bread crumbs and sprinkle with olive oil (don't put the raisins on top because they'll burn and become bitter).
Bake at 400 for about 45-60 minutes until the fennel is tender. If it starts browning too much while baking, cover the pan with aluminum. Serve warm, even better if the next day.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

What if I started a new weekly column? I could call it Lazy Sunday Cooking, or, better yet, Recipes for Dummies. What do you think?
Yes-yes-yes-yes-yeeeeesssss? Well then, let's begin!

P.S: Before I start ranting about the extremely difficult execution of this recipe, I must confess that I am a sucker for the use of fruit and/or nuts in savory dishes. I'm just telling you, en passant, in case one day you had this great idea of inviting me over for dinner.


Roasted Brussel Sprouts
with Pomegranate and Hazelnut
for Dummies

Brussel sprouts about 2 lb.
pomegranate 1/2
hazelnut, peeled 1 handful
red onion 1/2
garlic 2 cloves
salt, pepper, olive oil to taste

Wash Brussel sprouts, cut the hard ends and discard the outer leaves. Cut the bigger ones in half, and leave the smaller ones whole, so that you'll end up with pieces of pretty much the same size. Drizzle with 1-2 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper (if you'd like, you can also add a couple of tablespoons of pomegranate syrup, and if you're not that lucky to have a Middle eastern specialty store around the block, well, you can always make it yourself; don't worry, it'll still be a Recipe for Dummies).
Place Brussel sprouts on a baking pan lined with parchment paper, add garlic cloves, peeled and cut in half, and the onion, sliced thinly.
Bake at 400 for about 30-40 minutes, until Brussel sprouts are roasted on all sides.
Meanwhile, roast the hazelnuts in the oven for few minutes, rub them with your hand to eliminate the inner skin as much as possible, and chop coarsely.
Mix Brussel sprouts with pomegranate seeds and hazelnuts, and serve.

Stuffed Eggplants

Reluctantly, at some point I had to resign myself and put a right end to my eggplants.


Stuffed Eggplants
for 4-5

baby eggplants about 8
black olives 6-8
salt-packed capers one handful
sun dried tomatoes 3
salt-packed anchovies 2
garlic 1 clove
bread crumbs 1-2 tablespoons
parsley, basil, olive oil, salt, pepper to taste

Wash the eggplants and cut them in half lenghtwise. Scoop out about two thirds of the pulp and dice it. Lightly season the eggplant shells with salt and keep them aside.
Chop garlic clove, capers, anchovies, rinsed from their salt and bones removed, olives, basil and parsley. Add the mixture to the diced eggplant pulp along with the bread crumbs, adjust the taste with salt and pepper, and mix well.
Mound the stuffing in the reserved eggplant shells, place them on a baking pan and drizzle with olive oil. Bake at 375 for about 45-60 minutes, until eggplants are soft. Serve them warm or at room temperature.

Roasted Garlic

Yesterday tomatoes, today garlic (... and what do you think, tomorrow basil?). Yesterday I gave you Neruda, today you have to deal with myself. But don't worry, I won't pass you any Ode to Garlic that I wrote, also because, to be honest, I'm not really a big fan of it. To clarify, I find places such as The Stinking Rose, with their best sellers like garlic martini or garlic ice-cream, a little intimidating. What can I do?

Yet, even garlic, usually so harsh, pungent, and even a little fetid, deep in its heart has a creamy, soft, and sweet soul. You just need to know how to rub him up the right way, and you'll see that even if he's mad and furious, you can shut him up.


Roasted Garlic

heads of garlic, whole
olive oil, salt, pepper, fresh thyme to taste
vegetable stock if necessary, to drizzle

Slice off the top of the garlic heads, about 1/4 inch from the top, but without separating the cloves. Place them on a baking pan, season with salt, pepper, and fresh thyme sprigs, and drizzle with olive oil. Bake at 375 for about 45-60 minutes, until garlic gets soft. If it darkens too soon, cover it with a sheet of aluminum. If necessary, pour some vegetable stock in the pan, so that garlic won't stick to the bottom.
Once cooked, squeeze the cloves one by one and you'll get a sweet and totally innocent cream. It's excellent as an appetizer, spread on top of crostini, along with a slice of brie or other semi-soft cheese.
And if you find yourself eating a whole garlic head, don't say I didn't warn you.

Pickled Asparagus

The post is superfluous and the recipe non-existent, they are driven only by the necessity of showing off those three cast iron gadgets, which I bought in a fit of madness an unspecified number of years ago.
All done, now I feel better and the gadgets can fall back into oblivion, as it should be. And if you really care for the asparagus... there you go.


Pickled Asparagus
for approximately 3 jars

asparagus, net 700 gr. circa
white wine vinegar 750 ml
water 750 ml
juice of two lemons
salt 2 teaspoons
sugar 2 teaspoons
coriander seeds, fresh dill to taste

Clean asparagus trimming most of their ends, so that they can stand in the jars up to about 2 cm from the edge (use the cut ends to make risotto or for a vegetable stock). Get the jars and the lids ready, sterilizing them for few minutes in boiling water.
In a large pot mix vinegar, water, salt, sugar and lemon juice and bring to boil, stirring to dissolve sugar and salt.
Put half teaspoon of coriander seeds and a dill sprig in each jar, and then fill them with the raw asparagus, trying to pack them as tight as possible. Cover with the hot vinegar up to about half cm from the edge and then close tightly with the lids.
Let jars boil for about 10 minutes (calculate the time from when water starts boiling again), turn off the heat and let them cool down slightly. Take them out of the water and let stand until vacuum is created.
Place in a cool spot and let rest for about two weeks before opening.

Sweet and Sour Roasted Onions

And here we are averting the fear of onions. But only if you use the sweet kind, otherwise I do not guarantee, don't call me responsible, I know nothing.

NOTE: in reality, this poor quick post is just an excuse to wish everyone a good week-end, to those who are single, to those who are in a couple, to those who have been married for decades, to those who don't even think about it, but MOST OF ALL to those who are about to do it..... :-)

But in your opinion, what kind of rice should be used for a foodblogger bride?


Sweet and Sour Roasted Onions
for 4

sweet onions 4
garlic 1-2 cloves
vegetable broth 1 cup
red wine vinegar 3-4 tablespoons
sugar 2 tablespoons
olive oil, salt, pepper, thyme, bay leaves to taste

Peel and quarter the onions. Place them on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt, pepper and some olive oil. Add garlic cloves cut in half, a couple of bay leaves and some fresh thyme sprigs.
In a small saucepan, heat broth with vinegar and sugar and let it simmer for about 2 minutes. Pour hot broth over the onions, and cover them half way. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake at 400 for about one and a half hour, until onions are tender and liquid is reduced. About half way through, stir the onions and discard aluminum foil.
These onions will last for few days when refrigerated. They're excellent as a side dish, but also thrown in a salad or in the middle of a sandwich!

Honey Roasted Eggplants

Today I'll go directly to the point. No long, useless speeches, just a simple little recipe for a sweet but spicy week-end.


Roasted Eggplants
with Honey & Green Chilies

eggplants, long 3
fresh green chilies 4
extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons
honey 3-4 full tablespoons
salt, pepper to taste

Cut the eggplants in few pieces, then cut each one in half lengthwise. Cut chilies in half and discard the seeds. Toss with olive oil, honey, salt and pepper. Place vegetables on a baking sheet and bake at 425 for about half hour, turning them after 15 minutes.