Mains

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

The first time we tasted Spaghetti alla Carbonara it was in Nice, yes Nice, France. Who knew we would find some of the best Italian food there. Carbonara is simple but timing is crutial. Have your mise en place done before you start and to achieve an authentic Italian flavor be very generous with the freshly ground black pepper. In Italy they use more black pepper when they cure their pancetta.

Polenta with Gorgonzola, Poached Egg and Truffles

Creamy polenta and a few bits of sweet Gorgonzola topped with a poached egg and shaved truffles. It is simple and lavish at the same time. You could serve it as a first course for a multi-course dinner or as a main course for something lighter.
Serves 6

Polenta
8 cups water
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 cups fine ground polenta
4 tablespoons unsalted butter

Emperor’s Salmon (Green Tea Rub)
I love the elegance and clean flavors of the rich salmon combined with the bitterness of the matcha tea. Matcha is the best way to receive all the nutrients from green tea. Matcha is the entire leaf ground to a fine powder. If you can’t find matcha then use 2 green tea bags containing matcha to coat the salmon. Add some matcha to your favorite aioli recipe for a quick sauce for the salmon.

Serves 4
4 x 4 ounces salmon on fillets, skin on
1 teaspoon matcha tea and 2 tablespoons fleur de sel sea salt mixed together
Olive oil
Cilantro sprigs

Pork Tenderloin in the Style of Porchetta
The perfect little roast special enough for company, without much work. In Tuscany, you find porchetta at many celebrations, made using the loin and belly. That makes much too much for a small dinner at home, but this recipe approximates it, on a small scale. I love the flavor of the pork and herbs roasted together. I’ve also used a whole boneless chicken breast with the skin on. Omit the pancetta if you like and cook in the same manner just cook until it is 160F, while it rests it will continue to cook to 165.
Serves 2-3, depending on the sides.

Top 10 Rules for Great Tasting Steaks

1. Buy top quality: Sustainable Prime or Choice aged beef at least one-inch thick.

2. Buy your steaks a couple days before you plan to cook, store loosely wrapped in waxed paper or plastic wrap to allow evaporation and concentrate the flavors.

3. Season with kosher salt at least 90 minutes before cooking (longer for cuts 1” thick or thicker). Refrigerate.

TAGLIATA INSALATA-
GRILLED STEAK MARINATED with NAM PLA and HERBS de PROVENCE and ARUGULA SALAD
This is a twist on Italian classic tagliata which means sliced, with a marinade includes fish sauce. The fish sauce is a secret flavoring agent for many chefs, move your Worcestershire Sauce to the back of your pantry...the new taste is in town. You will wonder how you ever cooked a steak without it. Flank and flat iron work well with this too. Use the best-quality aged balsamic for drizzling over the dish just before serving.
Serve with a Syrah and crusty country style bread.
Serves 6

STEAK DIANE
A romantic and retro steak dinner cooked and served in a candle-lit room with “It Had Better Be Tonight” playing the background. Excitement and drama fill the room when the cognac is ignited and the flames dance in mid-air. (A word from my attorney- “It would be a good idea to have a fire extinguisher nearby”). To make it really extraordinary splurge for a black truffle to slice over the top. Serve with Yukon Gold potatoes, that have been boiled and then sautéed in clarified butter and mushrooms or sautéed spinach.

TUSCAN KALE PESTO
Serves 6
Cavolo nero, black leaf kale, dinosaur, or laciniato kale is used extensively in Tuscan cuisine. It is at its sweetest after the first frost. Look for leaves between 12 and 18 inches long that are dark and even in color.

1 large bunch Tuscan kale, center rib removed
kosher salt
3 garlic cloves peeled, 2 whole and one minced
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/2 cup grated pecorino Tuscano
2 tablespoons walnuts, chopped
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon chili flakes

ASPARAGUS PESTO with FUSILLI
Top this with a poached or fried egg and you have the perfect spring supper. My husband likes to add crispy bacon; everything is better with bacon. Right?
Serves 6 as part of a multi-course meal or 4 for a main course

1 pound dry pasta, fusilli style
1 pound fresh asparagus
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon tarragon leaves packed
1/4 cup walnuts
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/16 teaspoon dried chili flakes
1/3 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated (25 grams or 3/4 ounce)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

One of my personal favorite's is to make papillotes, and fill them with seasonal treasures. It's a sensual presentation a foil packets cut open to reveal the tasty bits it holds. It makes it's own sauce and cooks in minutes. This works with scallops, fish, or chicken. Serve with Bourassa Chardonnay and crusty rench bread to savor every last bit of the sauce.

Serves 4

Couscous:
1 cup Israeli couscous
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups water

4 teaspoons safflower or other vegetable oil

20 large fresh shrimp (white shrimp from Georgia)