Scallop Carpaccio Salad

Traditional Italian food is my absolute favorite food. Not the American version of Italian food, but the real Italian food that is made in Italy. Finding authentic recipes can sometimes be hard. That is why I was super excited to read The Al Tiramisu Restaurant Cookbook.

Discover the Beauty of Basilicata and the taste of Southern Italy, in this book. This book is complete with history, tips, recipes, and Italian cooking primer for home cooks, and wine pairing recommendations. 

"This unique collection of more than 100 mouthwatering recipes reveal [reveals] the history of Al Tiramisu, Washington, D.C.'s "most authentic" Italian restaurant, as well as the life story of its Chef/Owner Luigi Diotaiuti. The book welcomes readers to Al Tiramisu - sharing memories and favorite dishes of both celebrity diners and cherished clients. Chef Luigi then leads a culinary tour back to his homeland of Basilicata, Italy and shares secrets from some of the finest dining establishments around the globe where he began his career. The final chapter outlines Chef Luigi's life in America and includes recipes that he served at the James Beard Foundation and in cross-cultural culinary venues on both sides of the Atlantic. Each beloved recipe represents Al Tiramisu's "elevated" Italian cooking style and features an Italian cooking tip and a wine pairing." -source Create Space

Get yours here: http://www.altiramisu.com/

In the book I found a delightful classic scallop carpaccio dish that I knew my husband would be happy to come home to. It was so easy to make.  I was right, my husband loved the dish. Enjoy!

Scallop Carpaccio Salad

adapted from: The Al Tiramisu Restaurant Cookbook

serves 2

4 sea scallops

salt

1/2 Tbsp fresh squeezed orange juice

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp slivered almonds, toasted

1/2 Tbsp capers

1/2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh chives

1/2 tsp fleur de sel

micro greens

Place the scallops on a baking sheet lined with wax or parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for one hour. (I know you don't want to freeze amazing scallops, but this is only done so you can cut them super thin, do it, you won't be sorry. )

When the scallops are almost hard, remove them from the freezer, and with a sharp filleting knife, carefully cut the scallops width-wise into paper thin slices. Divide them between 2 plates. 

In a medium bowl whisk together a pinch of salt, the orange juice, and the lemon juice. Slowly add the olive oil, a bit at a time, and continue to whisk until you have an emulsified vinaigrette. 

Place micro greens on the plates with the scallops. top with almonds, capers, chives, and fleur de sel. Drizzle the vinaigrette over and serve. 

Bruschetta

 

Bruschetta is an antipasto from Italy that I absolutely love. I could eat it every day. I keep a big fresh plant of basil in my window planter year round specifically for this dish. Give me a glass of wine, a little cheese and this dish and I am one happy lady. Thankfully my husband shares my love for Bruschetta too. 

It is really simple to make! Give it a try!

Bruschetta for two
by Christi Silbaugh

3 tomatoes
1/4 cup fresh basil chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 loaf sourdough baguette
1 Tbsp. olive oil

Core your tomatoes and then dice them into tiny pieces. Add to a bowl. Add your chopped basil and minced garlic. Add 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar. Stir and salt and pepper to taste. 

Slice a piece of the baguette up into four slices.

Add Olive oil to a skillet and heat over medium heat. 

Add your baguette slices.

Toast over the olive oil until golden brown and crispy.

Top your toast with the tomato basil mixture and serve.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

A few weeks ago I was asked by Gaea if I'd be interested in reviewing some of their products. I am by no means an olive oil expert but I thought, heck why not, tasting products is always fun. Gaea specializes in extra virgin olive oil but they also make Greek food products like cooking sauces and tapenades. They sent me a free 17oz. bottle of their extra virgin olive oil and a bottle of their Myconos (tuna and kalamata olives) sauce.

By now, I’m sure everyone has heard that olive oil is good for you so I won't bore you with those details. An "extra virgin" olive oil is the highest quality and means that it has not been chemically treated or heated in the process of extracting the oil from olives. This is the kind you want to look for because it has the highest vitamins and antioxidant content and the most health benefits. "Cold pressed", olive oil obtained without the use of heat, is ideal but the term is unregulated and is used mainly as a marketing tool. "First press" is an obsolete misnomer also used for marketing because there is no second press nowadays. If it says something like pomace-olive oil it means that chemical solvents were used to extract the last bit of oil left in the olive paste (pomace) after extracting the oil mechanically. In Europe, the International Olive Oil Council (IOOC) regulates quality and authenticity of olive oils. However,the US is not part of the IOOC and the USDA has its own murky guidelines but we do have the nonprofit California Olive Oil Council. Their seal guarantees extra virgin olive oils that are mechanically extracted without chemicals or excess heat, less than 0.5% acidity aka free oleic acids (which is a measure of how much the oil has degraded, higher number = bad).

Unfortunately, none of the olive oils I list below are on the list of COOC certified olive oils. I bet the certified olive oils are expensive and possibly harder to find than bigger name brands. Olive oils can get pretty darn pricey. The price per ounce of extra virgin olive oils range from 20 cents up to well over a dollar an ounce.

After some online research, 3 brands came out on top in many reviews (prices are rough estimates):
Colavita: $9 for 16.9-oz. bottle, 53 cents an ounce
Columela: $16 for 17-oz. bottle 94cents an ounce
Whole Foods 365: $5 for 17.9-oz. bottle 28 cents an ounce
Kirkland Signature by Costco (don’t have the size or price but I imagine this is the cheapest)

I compared the Gaea extra virgin olive oil with the oil I currently have in my pantry, Trader Joe's Kalamata extra virgin, a decent oil in my opinion. First, I tasted the oils on its own and then with a small piece of bread. I wasn't hardcore enough to take a sip of oil by itself. The color of an olive oil doesn't correlate with the taste but just for kicks I compared the two side by side and the Gaea oil was slightly greener. The Kalamata oil smelled peppery, whereas the Gaea oil smelled very grassy. The flavor of the Kalamata oil was upfront, one note, and peppery just like it smelled. On the other hand the Gaea oil was milder, took longer to develop in the mouth, and much grassier, and slightly peppery. Of the two, Steven and I both preferred the Gaea but this tasting is far from thorough so take it with a grain of salt. I haven’t compared it with any of the recommended oils listed above, because frankly I don't have the time or money to spend on getting 4 different olive oils. I may switch to the Kirkland signature brand or Whole Foods 365 in the near future and compare with those.

As a side note, I wonder if companies who want food bloggers to review their products should provide some competing products along with their own.

When I buy an olive oil, I look for one that not only tastes good but is also budget friendly, which is why I bought the Trader Joe's kalamata oil. The 17 oz. bottle of the regular, nonorganic, Gaea runs for $10 (59 cents an ounce) and the D.O.P (Protected Designation of Origin) and organic Gaea oils will cost you around $15 (88 cents an ounce). At this point in my life (mired in student loans), I can’t justify spending that much on olive oil. While it’s great that Gaea is a carbon neutral company, it's too bad their olive oils are not the most budget friendly.

If anyone has tried the Gaea oil and would like to weigh in on that oil or offer their opinions about olive oils in general, please leave a comment. I'd love to hear what you think. What's your favorite extra virgin olive oil?


I added a chopped roasted red bell pepper and minced parsley

As for the cooking sauce, the tuna and kalamata sauce over pasta tasted like a puttanesca sans capers. It's made with real ingredients (tuna, olives, basil) without any funky flavorings, preservatives, or colorings. But the jar is pretty small so you will probably get one meal for 4 out of it.

Grapefruit Vinaigrette
1/4 C ruby red grapefruit juice (preferably fresh with no sugar added)
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 C olive oil
salt and pepper

If you can't get a grapefruit for freshly squeezed juice, use something like Simply Grapefruit with no added sugar. Sweetened grapefruit juice is too sweet in a dressing.

Blend or whisk the juice with the mustard and a pinch of salt and pepper. Slowly drizzle the olive oil and blend until emulsified.

This dressing is great in a salad with fresh dill, grapefruit segments, and toasted almonds.

Seared Sea Scallops with Yuzu Ginger Glaze on Greens with Miso Sesame Dressing

I'm slowly making progress on my list. I cooked scallops for the first time the other day and I didn't screw up and turn them into little hockey pucks! Hooray! I usually don't make these type of fancy-pants dishes with mile long names but this one was truly stellar. Now that I know how to sear scallops, I can make this dish for company because it looks and sounds super gourmet. ;) But just between you and me, it's as simple as plating some prewashed bagged greens, whisking together a dressing, and searing the scallops in literally 2 minutes. You don't even need the yuzu ginger glaze but it does add a nice "flavor profile". The dressing itself is my new favorite and it's a nice change from the vinaigrettes I usually make. After seeing how easy it is to cook scallops, now I don't have to pay $15 for a tiny plate of salad or deal with an inattentive waiter, I just get the beau to do the dishes.

Seared Sea Scallops with Yuzu Ginger Glaze on Greens with Miso Sesame Dressing
Serves 4 as an appetizer

1 1/2 pound sea scallops 10/20s (10 - 20 per pound)
Salt and pepper
Vegetable or canola oil

Yuzu ginger glaze
2 Tbsp yuzu marmalade
1/2 tsp grated ginger
Water

Miso Sesame Dressing
1 Tbsp miso (yellow or white)
1 Tbsp mirin
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 Tbsp mayo
1 tsp sesame oil

Salad
7 oz. salad greens: mixed greens, baby arugula, baby spinach, or watercress will all work (may not need the whole bag)
2 Tbsp sesame seeds (white, black, or combination), toasted in skillet

Since the scallops cook in literally 2 minutes, the prep for the rest of the dish must be done before you begin cooking the scallops. The dressing and glaze can be made ahead of time.

Season the scallops with salt and pepper and keep them sandwiched between two layers of paper towels in order to draw away any moisture from the scallops because they will exude a lot of moisture.

Even though the arugula I bought was prewashed, I like to give it one more wash, then spin dry in the salad spinner. Set aside to dry.

Meanwhile prepare the rest of the components for the dish. In a small saucepan, add the yuzu marmalade and 2 tablespoons of moisture. Bring to boil, lower to a simmer and simmer until it is your desired consistency. Whisk in the minced ginger, remove from heat and set aside.

In an empty skillet add the sesame seeds and toast over medium heat until they are golden brown, about 5 minutes. I use a 1:1 ratio of white to black sesame seeds. It's much easier to gauge the doneness of white seeds but a combination of the two give a better aesthetic appeal.

Plate the greens before cooking the scallops.

Heat a nonstick or cast iron skillet over high heat. You want the pan very hot in order to get a good sear on the scallops. The scallops are cooked in two batches so the liquid doesn't flood the pan and they steam and stew in their juice. Cooking for two is easier since you can divide the recipe in half and cook the scallops in one batch. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and pat the scallops dry right before you add them and add half of the scallops in the pan. The scallops should have plenty of room. Cook them on the first side for 1 - 2 minutes. They should have a golden brown crust. Remove the first batch to a plate, do not cook the second side yet. Wipe out the skillet by holding a wad of paper towels with tongs and add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan again. Wait for the oil to heat up and add the rest of the scallops, cooking them 1 - 2 minutes a side. Now flip these scallops over to the second side to sear and add the first batch back into the pan. Cook the scallops for only 30 seconds to a minute on the second side. The second side doesn't have to be cooked as long or seared for color, you only want to cook them through.

Divide the scallops onto the four plates, with the seared side up for presentation. To glaze the scallops, you can either spoon the glaze on each scallop or just toss all of them in the glaze to coat. I chose to spoon the glaze on, it was a bit more fussy and more work, but it looks a little better. :) Then drizzle the plate with dressing and sprinkle some sesame seeds on top.

Serve immediately.

Wilted Spinach Salad with Bacon and Oranges

To be honest, a wilted spinach salad doesn't sound all too appetizing. It conjures up the image of limp and lifeless greens smothered by a heavy dressing. But don't be fooled by the name, this is actually my new favorite salad. Baby spinach leaves are quickly tossed to prevent overwilting in a warm dressing. Add in some crisp bacon, orange segments, red onions and top with toasted nuts and egg slices, what's not to like?

Notes:
- After taking the photos , it occurred to me I forgot to add the egg slices! But I had already eaten my salad and it was too late. But the eggs are really a delicious touch so I wouldn't skip them (unless you hate eggs) :).
- The 6 oz. packages of prewashed baby spinach leaves are really convenient for this recipe.
- Only a small amount of bacon fat is used in the recipe to keep the dressing light.

Wilted Spinach Salad with Bacon and Oranges
3 eggs (can be optional)
6 oz. baby spinach (prewashed)
4 - 6 slices thick cut bacon
1/2 small or medium red onion
1 small clove of garlic, finely minced or pressed
1 orange
3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
Optional:
Some toasted pecans or almonds

Begin by hard boiling your eggs. Place the eggs in a small saucepan and fill with cold water, covering the eggs with an inch of water. Bring the water to a boil over high heat and once it boils, remove the pan from heat. Let the eggs sit in the pan for 10 minutes. If you like the yolks a little creamier, go for 8 or 9 minutes. Then transfer the eggs to cold water to stop the cooking. Peel the eggs. Cut them in half lengthwise then cut each half lengthwise again into thirds.

Transfer the spinach to a salad bowl and set aside.

Cut your bacon into 3/4 in pieces and fry in a skillet over medium heat to render out the fat. Cook until chewy or crisp depending on your preferences, about 10 - 15 minutes. (I like crisp bacon, Steven likes chewy bacon, but since I cook, crisp usually wins out over chewy.)

Meanwhile, slice your red onion into 1/4 in slices. Cut the onion in half and peel away the skin. Then cut the tip and root end off and slice from pole to pole.

Also cut your orange chunks. First cut the top and bottom of the orange off so you can stand it on the cutting board without it rolling away. Then cut the peel off, by cutting down the side with the curve of the orange. Do this all the way around the orange until you have exposed all of the flesh of the orange and cut away any residual pith. Next cut the orange in half then cut into 3/4 in chunks and set aside in a bowl.

When the bacon is done crisping, transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Keep the pan on medium heat. Pour out all of the bacon fat into a bowl. Then measure out 2 tablespoons of bacon fat and add it back to the pan. Add the onions and cook until it is barely softened, about 1 - 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Next add the oranges and any orange juice that have accumulated in the bowl and the red wine vinegar. The vinegar smell will be very pungent and strong. Quickly scrape up all the bacony browned bits that are stuck to the pan and add a little freshly ground black pepper. You don't want to cook the dressing, only heat it a bit.

Pour the dressing over the spinach and quickly toss the spinach to evenly distribute the dressing. Add the bacon on top and and divide onto servings plates. Add slices of egg and some toasted almond slices or chopped toasted pecans.

Strawberry and Blue Cheese Salad

Remember the strawberry and cheese scene in Ratatouille? Remy first takes a bite of the cheese, which creates an upbeat, robust swirl of flavor. Then he takes a bite of the strawberry and tastes a more delicate, twinkling ripple. But together, they create an exciting taste epiphany that ignites bright yellow and red fireworks that dance and sparkle. For me, my taste epiphany came with the combination of strawberries and blue cheese. The sweet and light summer berry paired perfectly with the strong salty flavors of the blue cheese, each with their own captivating fragrance. Now this may not be a combination for everyone, maybe it's just me (I hope it's not too weird combining blue cheese and strawberries), but I loved every minute of this salad. Sadly strawberry season is nearing an end or already over and this was one of the last dishes that I made with this year's berries.

Notes:
- At the time I only had Romaine lettuce but I think this salad would have worked much better with baby spinach greens, which are richer and can better handle the strong flavors in this salad.
- Strawberries are often paired with balsamic vinegar so naturally I made a balsamic honey vinaigrette
- I chose berries that weren't extremely sweet because I didn't want them to overpower all the other flavors in the salad.

Strawberry and Blue Cheese Salad

I don't have an exact recipe since salads are more of "throw stuff in" sort of dish for me but the main players are:
Greens: Baby spinach preferably (but Romaine pictured here)
Strawberries
Blue Cheese: I used Danish blue but I'm sure Gorgonzola would have worked also
Pistachios: they added a nice crunch and lively light green color

Optional:
Bacon: I love bacon, but this salad didn't need it (I used it here though)

Crisp your bacon if using, and set aside to cool on a paper towel lined plate. Crumble before serving.

Crumble your blue cheese, roughly chop the pistachios, quarter the strawberries.

Toss everything together with the vinaigrette.


Balsamic Honey Vinaigrette
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 - 1 tsp honey
Freshly ground pepper (no salt because there was enough from the cheese and bacon in the salad)

I add all the ingredients to a small clean jar and shake until everything is emulsified. I find this is the easiest way to make a small amount of dressing. Alternatively you can whisk everything together while drizzling in the olive oil.

Cool Link:
Check out how the tastes visualizations were developed for Ratatouille (the best movie of the summer if not the year, hands down).