chilled.
Â
----
* * *    Scungilli    * * *
S cungilli , also called whelk, is a sea snail in a beautiful shell. Itâs a very Italian ingredient, closely related to the conch thatâs popular in the Caribbean and West Indies, where they eat it deep-fried, steamed, and curried. If youâve never tried it, nowâs the time. Like octopus, itâs usually only found fresh or frozen at specialty or Italian grocery stores, although you can get it cannedâjust donât tell my mother!
You can buy it cleaned or with its black âfootââthe part that acts as a door to shut its shellâstill attached. My recommendation: go for fresh, already cleaned. Almost any way though, and itâs delicious!
Another reason to give it a try? Scungilli is supposedly an amazing aphrodisiac. Youâve been warned.
----
Â
----
* * * The Great Wine Cork Debate * * *
I talians, especially Italian mothers and grandmothers, always add a wine cork to the water to tenderize octopus. Itâs supposed to have something to do with the enzymes in the cork. Itâs never been scientifically proven or disproven, but my mother swears by it and so does Mario Batali. If anything, it gives you an excuse to open a bottle of wine.
----
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Summer Salad with Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette
Makes 6 to 8 servings
Itâs no secret that I love garlic, but I love-love-love roasted garlic. It just somehow tastes different; the roasting gives the garlic a mellow, almost nutty flavor. And it makes a great salad dressing. This is another one of my favorite summer salads. The combination of the sweet berries and spicy basil mixed with the mellow dressing is fabulicious!
Roasted Garlic:
1 full head of garlic, husk removed and separated into individual cloves
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Pinch of salt
Dressing:
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Salad:
1 (5-ounce) bag of mixed baby greens
2 cups sliced strawberries
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1 cup packed whole basil leaves
â cup pine nuts, toasted (see page 192 )
1. To roast the garlic in the oven: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the garlic cloves in a large custard cup or small baking dish, drizzle with oil, and sprinkle with salt. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake until the garlic is dark beige and very tender, about 45 minutes. Uncover and let the garlic cool completely.
To roast the garlic on a grill: Preheat the grill for indirect cooking with medium-high heat (400°F). Place the garlic cloves on a 12-inch square of aluminum foil, drizzle with oil, and sprinkle with salt. Fold the foil to enclose the garlic into a packet. Place on the turned-off area of the grill and close the lid. Cook until the garlic is very tender, about 45 minutes. Open the foil and let the garlic cool completely.
2. To make the dressing: Squeeze the flesh from each cooled clove into a blender. Add the vinegar and lemon juice and process until the garlic is pureed. With the machine running, gradually add the oil through the hole in the lid. Season with salt and pepper. (The dressing can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day.)
3. To make the salad: Toss the baby greens, strawberries, tomatoes, basil, and pine nuts with the dressing. Serve immediately.
Â
Tomato and Baby Bocconcini Salad with Pesto Dressing
Makes 4 to 6 servings
This salad has all of the flavors of a Caprese salad, but this version is even more fun to eat because of the miniature tomatoes and bite-sized mozzarella balls. When you can find them, multicolored cherry tomatoes really make this salad look spectacular. The mixture is delicious with just about any kind of salad greens, but the peppery flavor of arugula makes it an Italian classic.
2 tablespoons Homemade Pesto ( page 161 )
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pint cherry
Â
----
* * *    Scungilli    * * *
S cungilli , also called whelk, is a sea snail in a beautiful shell. Itâs a very Italian ingredient, closely related to the conch thatâs popular in the Caribbean and West Indies, where they eat it deep-fried, steamed, and curried. If youâve never tried it, nowâs the time. Like octopus, itâs usually only found fresh or frozen at specialty or Italian grocery stores, although you can get it cannedâjust donât tell my mother!
You can buy it cleaned or with its black âfootââthe part that acts as a door to shut its shellâstill attached. My recommendation: go for fresh, already cleaned. Almost any way though, and itâs delicious!
Another reason to give it a try? Scungilli is supposedly an amazing aphrodisiac. Youâve been warned.
----
Â
----
* * * The Great Wine Cork Debate * * *
I talians, especially Italian mothers and grandmothers, always add a wine cork to the water to tenderize octopus. Itâs supposed to have something to do with the enzymes in the cork. Itâs never been scientifically proven or disproven, but my mother swears by it and so does Mario Batali. If anything, it gives you an excuse to open a bottle of wine.
----
Â
Summer Salad with Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette
Makes 6 to 8 servings
Itâs no secret that I love garlic, but I love-love-love roasted garlic. It just somehow tastes different; the roasting gives the garlic a mellow, almost nutty flavor. And it makes a great salad dressing. This is another one of my favorite summer salads. The combination of the sweet berries and spicy basil mixed with the mellow dressing is fabulicious!
Roasted Garlic:
1 full head of garlic, husk removed and separated into individual cloves
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Pinch of salt
Dressing:
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Salad:
1 (5-ounce) bag of mixed baby greens
2 cups sliced strawberries
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1 cup packed whole basil leaves
â cup pine nuts, toasted (see page 192 )
1. To roast the garlic in the oven: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the garlic cloves in a large custard cup or small baking dish, drizzle with oil, and sprinkle with salt. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake until the garlic is dark beige and very tender, about 45 minutes. Uncover and let the garlic cool completely.
To roast the garlic on a grill: Preheat the grill for indirect cooking with medium-high heat (400°F). Place the garlic cloves on a 12-inch square of aluminum foil, drizzle with oil, and sprinkle with salt. Fold the foil to enclose the garlic into a packet. Place on the turned-off area of the grill and close the lid. Cook until the garlic is very tender, about 45 minutes. Open the foil and let the garlic cool completely.
2. To make the dressing: Squeeze the flesh from each cooled clove into a blender. Add the vinegar and lemon juice and process until the garlic is pureed. With the machine running, gradually add the oil through the hole in the lid. Season with salt and pepper. (The dressing can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day.)
3. To make the salad: Toss the baby greens, strawberries, tomatoes, basil, and pine nuts with the dressing. Serve immediately.
Â
Tomato and Baby Bocconcini Salad with Pesto Dressing
Makes 4 to 6 servings
This salad has all of the flavors of a Caprese salad, but this version is even more fun to eat because of the miniature tomatoes and bite-sized mozzarella balls. When you can find them, multicolored cherry tomatoes really make this salad look spectacular. The mixture is delicious with just about any kind of salad greens, but the peppery flavor of arugula makes it an Italian classic.
2 tablespoons Homemade Pesto ( page 161 )
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pint cherry
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