Everyday Italian_ 125 Simple and Delicious Recipes Part 47

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

Bring a Large Pot of salted water to a boil. Add the Brussels sprouts and cook until crisp-tender, about 10 minutes. Drain. Place the Brussels sprouts in a large bowl of ice water to cool completely. Drain again. (The Brussels sprouts can be prepared up to this point 8 hours ahead. Dry thoroughly and refrigerate in a resealable plastic bag.) of salted water to a boil. Add the Brussels sprouts and cook until crisp-tender, about 10 minutes. Drain. Place the Brussels sprouts in a large bowl of ice water to cool completely. Drain again. (The Brussels sprouts can be prepared up to this point 8 hours ahead. Dry thoroughly and refrigerate in a resealable plastic bag.) Meanwhile, in a large, heavy skillet, heat the oil over a medium flame. Add the pancetta and saute until it begins to crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until pale golden, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta mixture to a large serving bowl. Add the Brussels sprouts to the same skillet and saute until heated through and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the broth, teaspoon of pepper, and teaspoon of salt, and simmer until the broth reduces just enough to coat the Brussels sprouts, about 3 minutes.

Transfer the Brussels sprout mixture to the pancetta mixture, and toss to combine. Season with more salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

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EVERYDAY CAPONATA.

Caponata is one of the great Sicilian vegetable dishes, often eaten as a relish alongside pork roast or fish. The eggplant-based recipe features a wonderful sweet-and-sour taste, one of the hallmarks of Sicilian cooking-a combination of sugar and vinegar that provides a tingling push-and-pull sensation in the mouth. In my family, we often ate caponata as an antipasto, spooned over toasted bread, and used any leftovers for wonderful sandwiches. It can be eaten hot, cold, or at room temperature, making it the ultimate vegetable dish for a casual party.

6 SIDE-DISH SERVINGS.

cup olive oil cup olive oil

1.

celery stalk, chopped celery stalk, chopped

1.

medium eggplant, cut into -inch cubes medium eggplant, cut into -inch cubes

1.

medium onion, chopped medium onion, chopped

1.

red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into -inch pieces red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into -inch pieces

1.

(14-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices

3.

tablespoons raisins tablespoons raisins .

teaspoon dried oregano leaves teaspoon dried oregano leaves .

cup red wine vinegar cup red wine vinegar

4.

teaspoons sugar teaspoons sugar

1.

tablespoon drained capers tablespoon drained capers .

teaspoon salt, plus more to taste teaspoon salt, plus more to taste .

teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste Fresh basil leaves, for garnish teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

In a Large, heavy skillet, heat the oil over a medium flame. Add the celery and saute until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Add the eggplant and saute until beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the onion and saute until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the red pepper and cook until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes with their juices, raisins, and oregano. Simmer over medium-low heat until the flavors blend and the mixture thickens, stirring often, about 20 minutes. Stir in the vinegar, sugar, capers, and teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Season with more salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the caponata to a bowl, garnish with the basil leaves, and serve. heavy skillet, heat the oil over a medium flame. Add the celery and saute until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Add the eggplant and saute until beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the onion and saute until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the red pepper and cook until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes with their juices, raisins, and oregano. Simmer over medium-low heat until the flavors blend and the mixture thickens, stirring often, about 20 minutes. Stir in the vinegar, sugar, capers, and teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Season with more salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the caponata to a bowl, garnish with the basil leaves, and serve.

BROCCOLI AND GREEN BEANS.

In this recipe, I blanch the broccoli before sauteing it. I love vegetables sauteed in olive oil that's fragrant with garlic, but too often, these sautes can turn fresh, crisp produce into something greasy and soggy. So for some thicker-cut vegetables like broccoli florets, the blanching step really helps: By boiling, you cook the veggies most of the way through, and then you finish with the saute more for flavor and texture than to get the broccoli fully cooked. Less time in the oil, less chance of sogginess.

4 SIDE-DISH SERVINGS.

Salt

8.

cups of broccoli florets (about 2 pounds including the stems) cups of broccoli florets (about 2 pounds including the stems) .

pound green beans, trimmed pound green beans, trimmed .

cup extra-virgin olive oil cup extra-virgin olive oil

2.

garlic cloves, thinly sliced garlic cloves, thinly sliced 1.

teaspoons dried crushed red pepper flakes, plus more to taste teaspoons dried crushed red pepper flakes, plus more to taste .

teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste .

teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

Bring a Large Pot of salted water to a boil. Add the broccoli and cook just until the color brightens, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the broccoli to a large bowl of ice water to cool completely. Drain the broccoli and set aside. of salted water to a boil. Add the broccoli and cook just until the color brightens, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the broccoli to a large bowl of ice water to cool completely. Drain the broccoli and set aside.

Cook the green beans in the same pot of boiling salted water just until the color brightens, about 4 minutes. Drain, then add the green beans to another large bowl of ice water to cool completely. (The vegetables can be prepared up to this point 8 hours ahead. Dry thoroughly and refrigerate in a resealable plastic bag.) In a large saute pan, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. When almost smoking, add the garlic and 1 teaspoons of red pepper flakes, and saute just until fragrant and the garlic is pale golden, about 45 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, remove the garlic from the oil and discard (do not overcook the garlic as it will impart a very bitter taste to the dish). Add the broccoli, green beans, and teaspoon each of sea salt and black pepper to the oil, and saute until the vegetables are heated through and crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Season with more red pepper flakes, sea salt, and black pepper to taste. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and serve immediately.

SMASHED PARMESAN POTATOES.

I love mashed potatoes as much as the next person, but most recipes take a long time-and a lot of elbow grease-to make. So I smash the unpeeled, cooked potatoes with a fork to save time, and I add olive oil and Parmesan cheese to make them rich and velvety. And that's it!

6 TO 8 SIDE-DISH SERVINGS.

3.

pounds red-skinned potatoes, unpeeled, quartered pounds red-skinned potatoes, unpeeled, quartered