Sunday At the Giacomettis

Could there be anything easier to prepare for Sunday lunch?  A popular dish in south central Italy,  the ribs are wrapped tightly and  precooked overnight in a low, slow oven.  After a few minutes on broil, the ribs are left to cool.  In the time it takes to saute some shallot and garlic, the ribs can be shredded.   Reserve some of your bones to place in your sauce.  Remove the bones before serving.   Begin this recipe the night before.    Preheat your oven to bake/ 250F. Salt and pepper your ribs liberally.  Lay them on several sheets of foil and wrap tightly.  Place in the oven for approximately 5-6 hours.  This is very dependent on the size of your ribs. Make your calculation by estimating a pound an hour at this temperature.  I actually set my alarm at 5am to remove them from the oven. I left them to cool for an an hour or two before opening the wrapper and broiling them for 4-5 minutes. ...

When these beef rolls or Braciole, started showing up in markets at such a  ridiculous price, I felt the overwhelming desire to share with you a little secret.   They are incredibly easy to make.  They can also be made a day ahead.   Once they're assembled, a little olive oil and white wine is all you need to make a delicious dish.  Don't forget to remove the string before serving.   Once cooked, your rolls will hold together nicely, regardless of the string.   Buon Appetito! Ingredients:   Ingredients: 2 pounds London broil (look for a good piece of beef with plenty of marbling).  3 teaspoons of salt (plus a little more for the plates) 2 teaspoons of pepper   1/2 pound provolone cheese sliced thin Several cups of spinach/ washed/dried One large skillet 3 tablespoons of olive oil plus more for drizzling.  1 cup of white wine String    Assembly: 1.  Pound your slices ...

This is a very rustic and delicious dish, normally served in the winter in Italy. It goes an incredibly long way, feeding many if you like.  I planned to be home most of the day, Holiday decorating.  I decided early on that this dish was going to be the best way to end my day.  I had some stew meat in my freezer that needed to be used and some good Organic Vegetables left in the refrigerator.  It was so wonderful to smell this cooking all morning.  Beef stew is so good re-heated.  When I got home from late afternoon grocery shopping, all I had to do was warm the plates, and heat the stew just  a little bit, some crusty bread and serve.  Ingredients: four 4 people 2 pounds of beef chuck roast cut in small 1 inch pieces One stalk of celery diced. 3 large carrots diced 1/2 Spanish onion diced 2 cloves garlic diced about 8 small red potatoes cubed 3 turnips cubed (optional, from the broccoli rabe family) one teaspo...

This light sauce cooks up in a hurry.  How could this sauce have so much flavor?  The pork chops here are browned and caramelized ahead and set aside.   Shallot and garlic is added to the pan along with some additional tablespoons of olive oil.   Tomatoes are cooked on a slow simmer until it begins to stick to the pan.   Pork chops are returned and the sauce spooned over the meat to finish off the cooking.  The lovely sauce is a nice addition to pasta.   I served the pasta ahead of the meat as a first course.   If you prefer to use beef, go right ahead.  My mother would make this with thin beef slices.   My father was never a fan of pork.  On occasion, I like to use thin rib eyes.  Fat adds flavor. Be sure and have your butcher not trim the meat to much.  Buon Appetito!  Ingredients:  4 people 4 center cut pork chops about 1 inch thick 3 teaspoons salt 2 teaspoons black pep...

I love creating a stir on my Facebook page.  Who knew string beans would create such excitement?  We are always excited about String beans in my house. This is what happens when you find a bag of blanched string beans in your freezer.   Don't worry, in my freezer, they haven't been there long.  I had a few grape tomatoes in my basket to use up and there is always garlic around en.this kitchen.    This dish is also called   "Saltati in padella" or tossed in the skillet, referring to a quick toss or two and they are ready.  It's the perfect side dish for any meat.   Keep things as simple as possible. Ingredients:  3 tablespoons of good olive oil large skillet to accommodate your beans One pound Blanched string Beans (If they are coming out of your freezer, give them a quick rinse under cold running water, to restore them to room temperature). One teaspoon or so of salt  (to ta...

Truth be told, I have been in a cooking funk lately.   Perhaps it's the hectic everyday schedule called life, or just not feeling inspired.   Today, it's about baking a chicken.  Not just any chicken, but an antibiotic free chicken from Whole Foods. Given the investment in possible perfection, I thought about a wonderful bread stuffing to go literally alongside.   Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against stuffing the bird.  I am not one of those people who thinks everything is going to kill me.   I have survived this long haven't I?  Instead, I was more focused on the possible result.   I didn't want a soggy mess of stuffing.   I wanted to maintain the crispy bread some, along with adding fabulous flavor.  I started with an herbed sofritto in one large pan that could accommodate everything.   I wasn't disappointed.  You won't be either.   At least I hope not.   Buon Ap...