Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Broccoli Rabe Escarole & Italian Greens

 
 
ITALIAN GREENS
 
If you don’t already know, green vegetables are without a doubt the single best thing you can put in your body. Green vegetables and water, that is. Yes, you’ve gotta have water too.
Yes, green veggies are quite healthy. Italians love all sorts, other vegetables and fruits too. And they prepare their vegetables in a multitude of ways.
Italians, and especially Italian-Americans, love our green vegetables, and we really love greens, like; Broccoli Rabe (Rapini) and Escarole, or Scarola. Any green vegetables that are simply sautéed in garlic and olive oil are great favorites. Along with being immensely beneficial to good health, looking good, and tasting great, these sautéed greens are quick and easy to prepare.
Sautéed greens are the perfect accompaniment to any meat, fish, or poultry entrée and are great on their own or with other ingredients in an antipasto or as bruschetta on grilled or toasted Italian bread. You can prepare Broccoli Rabe, Escarole, Swiss Chard, Green Beans, Broccoli, Spinach, or Beet Greens all in this manner.

 

SCAROLA !

Escarole, in Italian the word is “scarola.” In the Italian American dialect of my father’s generation the word is usually pronounced,”Schka-role.” Few are the young people these days that have ever even heard the word and I wonder how many have ever tasted this leafy green that many of us love so. “Schka-role” is of singular importance in the Italian-American cuisine. In the pantheon of Italian-American foods, escarole is way up there, along with Broccoli Rabe and Eggplant (melanzane). Escarole finds itself in soups, in recipes with beans and in stuffed versions, and sometimes on pizza.
      In our family, my sister Barbara and I are the ones who love sautéed escarole most. It’s simply sautéed with garlic, good olive oil, salt & pepper and “Basta,” that’s it, it’s done and it’s tasty as heck. This sautéed escarole is our favorite side-dish with roast chicken, pork chops, steak, and grilled fish.
One of the best uses ever for “Scarola” is in the whimsical Southern-Italian soup, Italian Wedding Soup with chicken broth, chicken, little meatballs and escarole, “It’s just divine.”
And did you know? “Scarola,” is slang for “Money” in Italian, as in “That car cost a lot of “Schka-Role!”
 
 

SAUTÉED ESCAROLE

Ingredients:
2 heads escarole washed and roughly chopped
7 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper, ¼ cup olive oil
1. Blanch escarole in boiling salted water for 2 minutes. Drain off water. Drain again and squeeze excess water from Escarole.
2. Sauté garlic in oil until it just begins to brown.
3. Add red pepper and escarole. Sauté escarole over medium heat for about 6 minutes. Season with Salt and black pepper and serve.
 
 
Excerpted from  SUNDAY SAUCE   by Daniel Bellino-Zwicke
[caption id="attachment_854" align="aligncenter" width="555"]RAPINI RAPINI[/caption]
 
 
 
SAUTEED ESCAROLE and Other Recipes in Daniel Bellino-Zwicke 's SUNDAY SAUCE
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
SECRET ITALIAN RECIPES
 
in SEGRETO ITALIANO
 
 
 
 
 

Sunday, November 16, 2014

JOHNS ITALIAN RESTAURANT East 12th Street



 
JOHN'S of 12th STREET
The MOVIE

WORLD PREMIER

SPECTACLE THEATER
Williamsburg, Brooklyn

New York



JOHN'S




East 12th Street

New York, NY


John's is one of the last of a dying breed of Old School Italian Red Sauce Joints .. John's has been a beloved East Village Italian New York Instituion since 1908, making it one of 
New York's oldest Italian Restaurants of which only a few of many remain. John's is one of them.
John's serves classic Old School Italian American food, including classics like; Clams Posillipo, Baked Clams Oreganata, Lasagna, Spaghetti & Meatballs, Manicotti, and more, including now rare items such as Speedino alla Romano and Veal Sweetbreads.

The wonderful Turn of The Century decor of John's has been lovenly and painstakingly preserved with its 1908 decor still intact. John's is lively and the old school waiters help round out the total picture of Italian Food with great old 1908 decor and animated service from the Black Bowtied Waiters.

Over the years John's has seen the like of; John Lennon, Joe Jackson, Ray Davies, Carol Burnett, Montgomery Clift, Ron Silver, Rockets Redglare, Tom Crruise, Mimi Rodgers, and many other celebrites pass through its doors. Why don't you pass through too? It's great old Italian New York experience.
 
 




LUCKY LUCIANO


 
SUNDAY SAUCE

by Daniel Bellino-Zwicke

SECRET ITALIAN RECIPES




 
 
JOE MASSERIA HITS VALENTI
 
LUCKY LUCINIO Does The DIRTY WORK 

Outside JOHN'S of 12th STREET

Smarting over the recent attempt on his life, which had left two bullet holes through his hat and another two holes through his coat, Joe Masseria plotted bloody revenge in epic Italian Renaissance fashion.
Chief Assassin
The target of his wrath was Umberto Valenti, a seriously wily character who had blasted those bullet holes through Masseria’s hat and coat. According to the New York Times in 1915, Valenti was:
A former Black Hand extortionist, it was rumored that Valenti had killed over 20 men, a number of whom had been Masseria’s closest advisors. The thirty four year old Valenti was the chief assassin of Salvatore “Toto” D’Aquila, the New York Mafia’s supreme ruler, a Mafioso who was locked in vicious mob war with Masseria and his chief strategist Giuseppe “the Clutch Hand” Morello.
However, Masseria’s seemingly supernatural bullet dodging powers had given the hard noised, but superstitious, Valenti second thoughts. Second thoughts that had him suing for peace and walking into an ambush in one of New York’s most storied Italian restaurants, John’s of 12th Street, on August 11, 1922, a restaurant that has been used as a set on Boardwalk Empire and the Sopranos.
Well Dressed Gunmen 
Whether or not Valenti sampled the chicken parmigiana before being croaked has been lost to the winds of history. However, some time around noon, Valenti and six laughing companions emerged from their luncheon. Walking eastward, smiles turned into frowns. Suddenly, Valenti spooked and bolted towards Second Avenue as two slick, well-dressed gunmen whipped out revolvers and fired. Gangland legend holds that one of the shooters was none other than Charley “Lucky” Luciano, Masseria’s newest protégé (the other shooter was probably Vito Genovese).



 

The FEAST of The 7 FISH

Italian Christmas


 
Pandemonium on East 12thStreet - In Front of JOHN'S Restaurant

As the shots flew, pandemonium broke loose on 12th Street. Whirling around, the feared assassin drew a revolver just as a bullet flew through his chest.
A teenage witness told the New York Times:
Luciano’s Escape
Despite Valenti’s death, the friendly Luciano and his pals weren’t done yet. A crowd formed to block the gunmen’s escape so the mobsters opened fire, hitting a street sweeper and a little girl visiting from New Haven Connecticut. The shots dispersed the crowd, and the hitmen disappeared into a nearby tenement.
Should I Bring Pajamas? 
Masseria was arrested for the murder.  During his arrest, he supposedly grinned and asked the police:
… whether he would need a nightshirt remarking, that the last time he slept in the station house they forgot to give him a pillow or pajamas.
For a job well done, Joe Masseria elevated Luciano to a leadership position at his headquarters in the Hotel Pennsylvania. All murder charges were eventually dropped, and Masseria, on his way to becoming Joe the Boss, set his sights on Valenti’s overlord, Toto De Aquila, New York’s boss of bosses.
However, John’s of 12th had another infamous last meal lined up twenty years later. The victim would be Carlo Tresca.
 
 
 
 
 
BASTA la PASTA !!!!
 
 
 

Monday, November 3, 2014

LEARN HOW to MAKE BAKED CLAMS OREGANATA

The FEAST of The 7 FISH
 
by Daniel Bellino-Zwicke
New Cover
 
 
Daniel Bellino-Zwicke's book THE FEAST of The 7 FISH is getting a New Cover ... The Feast of The 7 Fish, Italian Christmas by Daniel Bellino Zwicke is the # 1 Best Selling Book on Amazon of this genre of The Feast of Seven Fish Italian ritual Christmas Meal, known in Italy as La Vigilia or Feste di Sette Pesci .. 
The Feast of The 7 Fish is a wonderful Italian Christmas Tradition wereby you sit down to a meal (Feast) of 7 different fishes that represent The 7 Sacraments of The Holy Roamn Catholic Church .. This is a wonderful old tradition of The South of Italy which has been carried on by many Italian-Americans with Southern Italian roots, in particular families whose ancestry is from Naples (Napoli) and its invirons of Benevento and Avelino, as well as those Americans with Sicilain roots in their ancestry.
Yes, some have caried on this great tradition. Some make seven fish for the feast while some may make Baccala for the main course, and maybe some Baked Clams or Stuffed Calamari for an apetizer (antipasto). Some may just make the Baccala or some other fish for the main course and no other fish. Some make the whole seven fish fish, and some even make up to 11 different fish, though this is a rare meal. And it's perfectly fine to make just once fish, as long as you are having fish, you need not make a big elaborate meal but whatever you like, as long as you have a good time. And Daniel gives hints on how to make an easy seven fish feast without going through so much work, unless you really want to. It's all up to you.
 
 
BAKED CLAMS OREGANATA
Baked Clams are an All-Time Italian-American favorite, and for good reason, they are tasty as can be. There are two different styles of Baked Clams that we Italians love to eat, mostly at restaurants but at home as well. The two most famous baked clam dishes are; Clams Casino that have bacon, butter, garlic parsley, and minced Bell Peppers baked on top and Baked Clams Oreganata. The Clams Casino are quite good, but we will include the other Baked Clam dish, Baked Clams Oreganata for the Christmas Eve Fish Dinner as they do not contain any meat.
INGREDIENTS:
2 dozen Littleneck Clams
1 cup Bread Crumbs
5 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
3 tablespoons dry Oregano
1/8 Olive Oil
¾ cup water
½ teaspoon Black Pepper
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, washed, dried, and minced fine
 
 
1. Wash Clams in cold running water. Place in a large pot with water and 2 of the garlic cloves. Turn heat on to high. When water comes to the boil, add clams and cover pot. Let cook about 3 minutes, just until the clams start opening. We do not want the clams to cook here, but just to open.
2. Remove clams from pot and let cool, reserving the cooking juices.
3. In a mixing bowl, add all remaining ingredients and stir to mix. When the clam cooking liquid has cooled down, add little by little to breadcrumb mixture which should already by slightly moist from the olive oil. Add clam broth a little at a time. You want the breadcrumbs to be moist, but “Not Watery.”
4. Pry the top half-shell of the clam off, leaving the calm in the bottom shell and discarding the top shell. Place about 1 tablespoon of breadcrumb mixture over each Clam covering them all completely with the bread-crumbs.
5. Place the Clams on a sheet-pan and bake in a preheated 400 Degree oven for 6 or 7 minutes. Then place calms under a broiler for 20 to 30 seconds being careful not to let the breadcrumbs burn. They can have a slight char but not burned. The Clams are now ready for serving.
 
 
Note: Two to three clams will be sufficient per person if serving the full Seven Fish Dinner. If you are making this for another meal and serving as an appetizer, 5 to 7 clams is the preferred serving size. At a cocktail party, two clams per person is good.  
PS.. You can also make Mussels Oreganata in the same exact preparation, substituting Mussels for the Clams.
 
 
 
 
OLD COVER
 
 
 
 
SECRET ITALIAN RECIPES
 
SEGRETO ITALIANO
 
by Daniel Bellino-Zwicke
 
 
 
 SUNDAY SAUCE
 
 
 

Saturday, November 1, 2014

MILANESE alla SINATRA

Frank SInatra & Ava Gardner
 
"Mangia Bene"
 
 
 
VEAL MILANESE alla SINATRA
 
 
 
Veal Milanese? Now that’s Italian! Italian from Italy that is, and totally authentic to Italy and not an Italian-American invention. Veal Milanese is par-ticularly loved by New York and New Jersey Italian-Americans, but it’s a dish that is not often eaten at home. It is most often eaten in Italian Restaurants. Veal Milanese is a dish that when made in its most classic form and of the original recipe is made with a rib veal-chop that is pounded thin, then breaded, then fried in a combination of butter and oil to browned, crisp, and crunchy. It is put on a plate and topped with a salad of Arugala & Tomato. It is simple and delicious. Veal Milanese is simple and delicious, but cheap it’s not. This dish can cost you anywhere from about $29 to $42 a pop, with the average being about $39 in a restaurant. Not cheap! You can make it at home for about $10 or $12, considerably cheaper than 39 dollars. But guess what? Just like with our friend Veal Parmigiano, Veal Milanese can be made with chicken or pork. Yes, it’s no longer Veal Milanese, but Pork or Chicken Milanese. But guess what? It taste just as good, and it’s way cheaper. So if, you have a hankering for some Veal Milanese, but don’t want to spend $39 plus tip, plus tax, and you’ve got to have a least one glass of wine in a restaurant, that Veal Milanese with all the rest is gonna cost you about $65 or so. Dam! But you’ve got alternatives. You can make Veal Milanese at home for $10 to $12, or you can make Pork or Chicken Milanese for $3 or $4 a serving. Not a bad alternative.
Oh, and by the way, did you know that Veal Milanese was one of Frank Sinatra’s favorite dishes? Yes, ol Blue Eyes loved it, along with; a simple bowl of Spaghetti Pomodoro (Tomato Sauce), Clams Posillipo, Sausages, Meatballs, and of course Sunday Sauce. As many know, Patsy’s on West 56th Street in New York was Sinatra’s all-time favorite restaurant. He loved and adored the place, and ate there for more than 50 years. Frank liked his Veal Milanese at Patsy’s and he liked it a certain way, extra thin and extra crisp. Veal Milanese is already pounded thin to begin with, but Frank liked his even thinner, and at Patsy’s they always granted Frank’s request and gave him what he wanted, which was good-old, no-fuss Italian Food prepared to perfection. Basta!
 
 
 
Excerpted from SUNDAY SAUCE  by Daniel Bellino-Zwicke
 
 
 
Frank Sinatra
with 
Dean Martin
and Other Freinds
 
 
 
INGREDIENTS:
4 Veal Cutlets from your butcher, or pork or chicken 1-1/2 cups plain breadcrumbs
1 ½ cups flour
3 eggs, Salt & Black Pepper
4 cups Arugala, 1 cup cherry tomatoes cut in half
2 lemons cut in half
Vegetable Oil for frying and half stick of butter
2 lemons cut in half
6 tablespoons Olive Oil, Salt & Pepper to Taste
2 tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
Preparation:
1. Place four, eggs, and bread crumbs each in their own separate bowls.
2. Season cutlets with Salt & Pepper. Season eggs, Flour and breadcrumbs with salt & pepper
3. Dredge each veal cutlet in flour, and shake off excess flour.
4. Then dredge veal in eggs, shaking off excess flour before putting in to breadcrumbs.
5. Completely coat veal cutlets with breadcrumbs. Press bread crumbs in to the cutlets. Set Aside.
6. Heat oil over medium heat in a frying pan that is big enough to cook 2 cutlets at a time.
7. When oil is hot enough for frying, add butter and turn heat to high. Add 2 of the breaded cutlets and fry on each side to slightly golden brown. Remove fried cutlets to a plate with paper towels and keep warm.
8. Fry other 2 cutlets until golden brown on each side.
9. Place Arugala and Tomatoes in a mixing bowl. Olive Oil and Vinegar. Season with Salt & Pepper to taste. Toss Salad.
10. Place each cooked Veal Cutlet on a plate each. top each cutlet with salad. Place a half lemon on each plate and serve your Veal Milanese
 
Veal Milanese alla Sinatra and Other Great Recipes
and Stories in SUNDAY SAUCE  by Daniel Bellino-Zwicke
 
Mangia Bene !
 
 
 
 
SINATRA Dines with HUMPHREY BOGART
 
 
 
 
 
 
SECRET ITALIAN RECIPES
SEGRETO ITALIANO   by Daniel Bellino-Zwicke
FRANK
 
R.I.P.
 
"We Love You Frank"