POLPETTE E PEPERONATA

Meatballs, meatballs, meatballs, hmm!

I always like meatballs, whatever they are made from: pork, lamb, veal , turkey etc.

This time I made lamb meatballs (polpette), along with some sweet peppers stew (peperonata).

This is not your "30 minutes meal", but it's a quick one to made, and makes a good appetizer, as well a main dish.

4 persons servings

Polpette :

1 lb of fresh ground lamb

1/2 tbs of fresh chopped garlic

chopped parsley

1 pinch of Herbs de Provence ( rosemary, marjoram, basil, thyme, bay leaf)

sea salt

fresh pepper

flour

canola oil for frying

Heat up the oil in a pan.

In a bowl, mix all the ingredients together, than form the meatballs, any size you prefer.

Dust them with flour and fry them .

When they are ready, take them out of the oil and leave them on the side on top of a paper towel,.

Peperonata

3 bell peppers (different colors gives a better look )

1 medium size onion

1/2 tbs of capers

salt

pepper

olive oil

Clean up the onions and the peppers, julienne cut them and saute them with olive oil for 5 minutes, until soften up a bit , then add the capers, salt and pepper and cook just a little longer.

Once the peperonata is ready, add the meatballs and toss them together.

This dish can be served hot or at room temperature.

A nice glass of wine will be a Canonnau di Sardegna "Le Bombarde"

from Santa Maria La Palma winery.

This wine is youthful with aromas of blackcurrants, black cherries and pepper

As well is dry, with medium acidity & low tannin.

You find in its palate: black currant, pepper, raspberries.

ROMANIAN STYLE EGGPLANT SALAD

Living in New York I am exposed to many different culinary style, but sometimes I go back to my roots, cooking some old world dishes, that I grew up with in Romania.

This eggplant salad is one of my favorites, never missing from our family table.

On this version, I am reconstructing the dish, my way.

For 4 people you need :

2 large eggplants

3 scallions

2 red bell peppers

2 cloves of garlic

lemon

1/2 cup of vegetable

Cut an X on the head of each eggplant, insert the garlic cloves, then wrap them in aluminum foil.

Put them inside the preheated oven at 350 degrees.

Wrap the bell peppers in aluminum foil, then place them in the oven as well.

The peppers will be ready in about 25 minutes, but the eggplants will take up to 45 minutes, in order to be done.

Just make sure that they are nice and soft before taking them out.

Once the peppers are done, you can unwrap them, remove the skin and the seeds,Julienne cut them and put them aside.

When the eggplants are cooled , cut them in half (lenght wise) and scoop the flesh out,

setting them in a drainer to release the water. Chop them on a cutting board before placing

in a mixing bowl along with the chopped scallions, the peppers, salt and ground pepper.

Stir the mixture pouring slowly the vegetable oil mixed with the juice of 1/2 lemon.

Serve the salad with grilled bread and some tomatoes on the side.

This is not a quick recipe, but is worth trying to make it.

Feel free to comment.

Bon appetit!

MELON, APPLE AND CUCUMBER SALAD

LATELY I AM INTO FRESH SIMPLE SALADS, AND I MAKE THEM AS OFTEN I GET A CHANCE.

THIS SUMMER I SEEM TO INCLUDE A LOT OF MELON IN MY COOKING.

YOU CAN USE FOR THE FOLLOWING RECIPE ANY TYPE OF MELON YOU COME ACROSS TO.

I USED THIS TIME THE CASABA MELON (CUCUMIS MELO).

THE FLESH OF CASABAS IS USUALLY THICK, AND EITHER WHITE, YELLOW, OR ORANGE. ALTHOUGH GENERALLY SWEET- FLAVORED, ITS FLESH IS NOT AS SWEET AS A HONEY DEW.

YOU CAN SERVE THIS SALAD AS A LIGHT APPETIZER, OR IN BETWEEN COURSES.

FOR 4 PORTIONS YOU NEED: ONE APPLE (GRANNY SMITH PREFERABLY), 1/2 SMALL CASABA MELON, CANTALOUPE OR OR HONEY DEW, AS WELL 2 SMALL GARDEN CUCUMBERS.

CUT YOUR INGREDIENTS THE WAY YOU LIKE IT.

PREPARE A LEMON VINAIGRETTE (LEMON SQUEEZE, OLIVE OIL, SALT, PEPPER), THEN POUR IT

OVER THE SALAD .

SPRINKLE GENEROUSLY FRESH CHOPPED DILL ,THEN TOSS THEM TOGETHER.

I WOULD ACTUALLY PAIR THIS DISH WITH A GLASS OF PROSECCO SERVED ON ICE FLOATED WITH A DASH OF ST.GERMAIN (ELDERFLOWER LIQUEUR) AND FEW MINT SPRIGS.

ENJOY!