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martedì 28 gennaio 2014

How to prepare tuna fritters

Here's our weekly recipe!!! written version here below

lunedì 27 gennaio 2014

TUNA FRITTERS

Appetizer or entree - Lactose free




1 5.8oz (160gr) can Italian Tuna in olive oil, high quality
1/2 cup boiled potatoes
1 or 2 eggs
1 tbsp Italian green olive spread
1 tsp Italian capers, packed in salt and rinsed
few parsley leaves
Plain breadcrumbs
Italian extra virgin olive oil to fry

Drain tuna and smash it with a fork, transfer to a bowl. Force potatoes through a ricer and add to the tuna, together with the egg.

Chop parsley and capers and add those too, along with olive spread, to the bowl.

Stir to combine, until you obtain a nice soft mixture. Make small "balls" about the size of a walnut and dredge in breadcrumbs, then do it a second time.

Warm the olive oil in a small, deep skillet and fry the "balls", a few at a time, until golden on both sides.

Remove them and lay on paper towels to absorb excess oil.

Serve immediately.

With these quantities I made 15 pcs.



- Don't add any salt: capers, tuna and olives are salty enough.
- It's lactose free
- It's great in and appetizer or even as entree, served with fresh or steamed/sauteed vegetables

mercoledì 22 gennaio 2014

How to prepare lactose free lemon custard

Here is our new weekly video recipe.... ENJOY!!

LACTOSE FREE LEMON CUSTARD

Dessert - Lactose free - Can be Gluten free (read notes at bottom)



1/3 + 1/8 cups sugar (90 grams approx)
2 tbsp flour (Soup spoons, well full)
3/4 cup water (1/2 + 1/4 cup divided - 120 ml/grams + 60 ml/grams)
1/4 cup lemon juice (1 lemon)
1 lemon rind (only the yellow part because the white is bitter)
2 egg yolks


In a small saucepan combine sugar, 1/2 cup water and the lemon peel, bring to a boil and let it boil about 1 minute. Remove from heat.

In the meantime, in another saucepan, combine flour, yolks, lemon juice and the remaining water; whisk well in order to avoid lumps.

Slowly stir the warm water in the yolk mixture, whisking. Cook, on medium heat, until it thickens. Discard lemon rind.

Pour the custard into individual bowls and let it cool down, then refrigerate until the moment to serve it. Cover it with plastic wrap because custards tend to absorb all odors!!!

This recipe makes 2 individual bowls.



- You can serve it with thin crisp cookies or layer it with ladyfingers dipped in fruit juice.
- It can also be served with strawberries.
- It is dairy free and, if you use corn starch instead of flour, it's also gluten free!
- You can discard lemon rind when you remove water from heat, if you like. This way, lemon flavor will be slightly less strong.
- You can find our video here

martedì 14 gennaio 2014

How to prepare stuffed calamari

And here is the video of our weekly recipe!!!! Written version in the post here below

ITALIAN STUFFED CALAMARI

Entree - lactose free



1 lb frozen whole calamari, thawed
1 tbsp capers, packed in salt, rinsed and chopped
2 tbsp Italian green olive spread
2-4 slices bread, crust removed
1/3 onion, chopped
1 1/2 cup Italian San Marzano peeled tomatoes, roughly chopped
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp parsley, chopped
1 cup dry white wine
Salt, hot pepper flakes

If you're using fresh calamari clean them: gut the squid, remove beak eyes and cartilage, detach the sacks from the tentacles that will be chopped. If you can find already cleaned squids, that would save you lots of time.

Prepare the stuffing: soak bread in water; combine tentacles, capers, olive spread and parsley in a bowl. When bread is soaked, squeeze it to remove excess water and add it in the bowl, mix well to combine all ingredients.

Prepare the calamari: stuff the sacks with the mixture and close with a toothpick.

Put a saucepan over medium heat and warm the olive oil, sautee onions, with hop pepper flakes, until translucent. Arrange calamari in the saucepan and deglaze with the white wine.

Let evaporate, then add tomatoes and stew over medium-low heat, covered, for about 15-20 minutes, until tender (it also depends on the size of the calamari, the ones used in our video were quite small).

Serve hot with its sauce and some fresh salad or mashed potatoes.

Serves 2-4



- You can add peas to the tomatoes.
- Season with salt at the end, when you can check if it really needs it: remember you're using olive spread and capers, which are quite salty.

lunedì 6 gennaio 2014

How to prepare Italian Peperonata

Here's the video of our weekly recipe: Peperonata!!! A nice side dish, perfect almost for everything!!!!

PEPERONATA (Bell peppers side dish)

Side dish - lactose and gluten free - vegetarian and vegan




3 big bell peppers (same colors or assorted ones - no green peppers)
1 big onion, cut in wedges
1 14-oz can Italian San Marzano tomatoes, crushed
1 tbsp capers, packed in salt and rinsed
2 tbsp Italian extra virgin olive oil
Salt and chopped parsley.

Wash bell pepper, halve them and remove seeds and inner white ribbings, then slice them.

In a large saucepan with lid, over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. When ready add onions and sautee a couple of minutes, then add bell peppers slices and stir. Sautee, on medium heat, for about 3-4 minutes.

Then add capers to the peppers and stir in tomatoes. Season with salt. Cover with lid and lower heat to low.

Cook about 25-30 minutes, or until pepper are soft.

Stir in chopped fresh parsley and serve immediately.




This recipe serves 4.

- If you don't rinse capers, wait until the end of cooking time to season with salt.
- You can add a few Italian dried black olives to your peperonata (when you add the capers): again, watch the content in salt...
- You may need a few tbsp of warm vegetable broth, if the peperonata is too thick.
- This recipe is gluten and lactose free, vegetarian and vegan.