Giusto Gusto

Things have been busy in the Giusto kitchen, but that’s hardly an excuse for neglecting to tell you what kind of hooch I’ve been drinking lately. I forgot to mention it in February so consider todays booze/recipe duo my slurry apology.

Our irrational, unpredictable, no-sense-making cluster*ck of a weather system continues to push the limits of my patience. Not because it’s cold, because I’m sick of wearing shoes and eating soup. Last weeks KitchenTunes had me dreaming of warm waves but the winds want to wip, so I’m coping in new ways: Chianti and stolen recipes.

Let’s start with the salad. Pizzeria Toro, new to the downtown Durham circuit, is an overwhelmingly awesome place to grub out on Napolitano style pizzas with toppings both traditional and trendy. The pizza’s great, the drinks are top notch, the antipasti are lipsmacking, but something about their kale salad keeps me going back for more. That sounds hippy as shit, I realize, but it’s rare that a salad sticks with you after 2 hours of pizza, pints and profanity.

The following is my  attempt at recreating the dish at home, a great late winter meal coupled with warm bread and plenty of Chianti:

Insalata di Cavolo Nero alla Pizzeria Toro
serves 2

1 Head Cavolo Nero (Tuscan Kale, black or dino work as well but the smaller the leaves the better)

2 Red Chiles (serrano or red hot, habanero if you’re feeling nuts)

1/4 Cup Pine Nuts (toasted)

Handful of Italian Olives

Wedge of Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano

1 Lemon, honey, olive oil, salt and pepper for dressing

Start first by slicing your Kale into 1/2″ ribbons, this makes the woody green much easier to eat raw. Add to a bowl and cover with water, the ribbons will float to the top and the dirt will sink to the bottom. Drain, rinse, and dry thoroughly. Add to a large bowl.

Slice your chile into super-thin slices and add to the salad. Toast your pine nuts lightly and add to your salad. Try not to burn them when toasting, it happens to the best of us…

Grate 1/4 cup of the pecorino right onto the salad as though it were pasta, this will act as the salt for the dish.

For the dressing, whisk together the juice of 1 lemon, equal parts extra virgin olive oil, 1 tsp of honey, and a lot of cracked black pepper. Add to the salad, toss everything together and allow the salad to sit at room temp for atleast 15 minutes. This helps to soften the kale and take away some of it’s earthy bitterness.

Toss once more before serving, adding the olives and shaving additional Pecorino or Reggiano over the top. Serve with crusty warm bread and….

Chianti Classico

Product Details: From the province of Chianti in Tuscany. Marked on the bottle with a pink DOCG label and a black label with a rooster insignia. No rooster, no Classico.

Appearance: Not as deep, velvetty red as it’s Barolo or Barbera cousins to the north, Chianti is pale purple with intense clarity and originally bottled in a whicker-wrapped ‘fiasco’. Sadly, that tradition is long gone from the American wine merchant scene, leaving only piss-poor phonies in whicker bottles now.

Aroma: It’s aroma is all it’s own, a unique and bold waft but hard to describe in words. Opening a bottle of Riserva Classico from 2003 or earlier smells like rubbing wine grapes together in your hand. Deep, earthy, and full of the rich fruity pungency of Sangiovese grapes. There’s something almost dry or tongue-snappingy clean to it.

Taste: At it’s youngest, Chianti Classico is uniform, dry, and spicy just like the olive oil of the region. But invest in a Riserva, time to decant and you’ll experience something all-together enlightening. At it’s best, the flavors range from sharp black pepper and muddled fig to black currant, raisin and plum. The variety is it’s signature because each hill, valley, farm and family mixes and ages their Chianti as they see fit. The best way to learn is to just start drinking, so start drinking!

Food Pairings: Follow Tuscan tradition – tagliatelle with boar ragu, bistecca alla fiorentina, ribollita, spinach ravioli in browned butter, minestrone or funghi bruschetta.

Price: Your average, 3-5 year old Classico will cost anywhere from $12-24, but a respectable Classico Riserva for a special occasion could run up to $50. I prefer the $15 bottles for a balance of both age and humility.

Overall: The cyclical trends of wine and food always seem to ignore Chianti. I don’t know if it’s the fact that it’s so well known, that it’s been around since the 1700′s, or people’s poor experiences with lesser impostor Chianti’s. Whatever it is, it’s nonsense, and I hope Chianti’s from smaller family vineyards will become more redolent in the local restaurant scene.

As I learned from my friends and family in Italy so long ago, Chianti is the life-blood of Tuscans and whether it’s a baby or a riserva, a good bottle is enjoyed no matter what the menu – most of all at the end of the night, dipping the remains of crusty bread into small glasses, sopping up every last drop.

Salute e buonappetito!

One day late, I know, but no way I’m letting my birthday month slip by without a Boozey finish.

Let me also apologize for the lack of writing lately. Besides a harrowing start to the new year, there’s been a fury of excitement around Vesta Headquarters. For those who don’t know, Vesta is a spicy topping created by my Pops over 10 years ago and something we’ve been producing and selling as a jarred product for the past 5.

It’s been a grass-roots production since it’s inception but there’s big news on the horizon that’s required my full and undivided attention. So again, I apologize, but I guarantee your patience will be rewarded.

And considering things are heating up on the home-front, I thought it only fitting that this month’s Booze of the Month be spicier than Beyonce’s half time performance. On second thought, nothing can compare to the bodacious pelvic thrusts and bootylicious sways of Sasha Fierce, but it’s a close second:

Sriracha Bloody Mary

2 Shots Vodka

1 Cup Zing Zang Bloody Mary Mix (or your preferred mix)

1-2 Tbs Sriracha (depending on how hot you want to go)

Vesta & Celery Heart Stalk for Garnish

Start by dipping the rim of your glass in water, then rolling in Vesta to coat the rim. I go “Hot” for this because the “Very Hot” Vesta variety will burn your taste buds before you get to the drink. But that’s just me.

Next, fill the glass with large ice cubes. Add the Vodka, Sriracha and Bloody Mary Mix and stir to combine thoroughly. Add your celery heart stalk and an extra dash of Vesta on top to finish.

The Vesta-lined lip adds a quick hit of pure chile before sipping the deep, sriracha laced tomato-yness of the bevvy. It’s bright, exciting, and hotter than a full booty drop in 6″ stilettos.

Word to the wise, keep sipping these bad boys because things are only going to get spicier. Vesta 2013 or bust!

There are a lot of things to celebrate this week: GiustoGusto turns 3, another installment of Booze of the Month, and the holiday vacation officially begins. Apparently there’s some sort of Mexican-Apocalypse-thing that’s happening this week too, but that’s on the back burner. I have way too many things to eat and drink to worry about the armageddon, Bruce Willis will handle that ish for everyone.

To kickstart the holiday festivities I thought I’d share an oldie but goodie from the Italian-American guidebook to Christmas: Stuffed Shells.

Any combination of Marinara, Ricotta, and Pasta is going to be delicious, from Manicotti to Baked Ziti or the all-encompasing Timbale. But Stuffed Shells, or Conchiglione, hold a special place in my heart. Both my mother and father’s families had their own versions, as well as my in-laws, but no matter how you put the three together Stuffed Shells were always on the Christmas Day table. Baking trays packed tight with lightly golden pasta shells glistening with oily marinara and oozing ricotta, piping hot and sprinkled with fresh basil. It’s a small labor of love, a couple hours at least, but the holidays for us are as much about the preparation as they are the dining.

Grab a Negroni & some counter space and lets make this happen:

Stuffed Shells (Conchiglione Ripieni)
serves 4

1 lbs Large Shell Pasta (conchiglione)

1 large can San Marzano Tomatoes

4 Garlic Cloves, smashed

2lbs Ricotta

1lb Spinach

1 Cup Pecorino Romano, grated

1 Handful Chopped Basil

2 Eggs

E.V. Olive Oil, Salt, Pepper, Red Chile Flakes

To start, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

On another burner while you wait for the water to boil, place a large sauté pan on med-high heat. Add enough oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan and add your smashed garlic. Lightly brown the garlic on all sides, then add your crushed San Marzano tomatoes, basil and season to taste. Reduce heat and allow the sauce to simmer until you’re ready to coat your pasta.

When your water comes to a boil add all of the spinach and cook until just wilted, 1 minute tops. Drain and set aside to continue draining.

Add your pasta to the same boiling water and cook until al dente, 7-8 minutes. Drain, toss with a little olive oil to keep from sticking and set aside.

When the spinach has cooled, squeeze out as much water as humanly possible and chop roughly. In a large bowl combine the ricotta, spinach, pecorino, 2 eggs, plenty of black pepper and a large pinch of chile flakes. Whip with a spoon to combine until fluffy.

In a large baking tray spread enough of the red sauce to thinly coat the bottom so the pasta doesn’t stick. Using a spoon, and pinching the flat ends of each pasta shell, fill each shell with the ricotta mix. Add just enough to fit inside the shell, not spilling out over the top.

When all of the shells have been filled and line the baking tray in one layer, spoon a little of the red sauce on top of each shell but do not completely cover them with sauce.

Sprinkle with a little extra pecorino and bake for 25-30 minutes on 450 or until the sauce becomes sticky and the top of the shells just start to turn golden brown.

Serve with an extra drizzle of good olive oil, chopped basil, and grated pecorino.

SPARK NOTES: 1. BOIL SPINACH AND PASTA 2. MAKE A QUICK MARINARA 3. MAKE THE FILLING 4. STUFF AND BAKE, THEN MANGIA!

And who could forget everyone’s favorite: Booze of the Month!

Caffe’ Corretto means simply ” Coffee Corrected.” A truer fact I could not find. In Italy, this typically means a shot of espresso served with a tazo (or tiny cup) of either Grappa, Limoncello, or more common after dinner – Sambuca. This richly-licorice flavored elixer is not subtle, so if you’re no fan of black licorice steer clear. However, after taking a few sips of your espresso and then combining the Sambuca in with the rest yields a strong, aromatic punch to the tastebuds that helps refresh the palate after a holiday gorging.

The following is more of a routine than a recipe, but it’s a free country so drink as you will:

Caffe’ Corretto alla Sambuca

1 Shot Espresso (or a double if you’re feeling faint)

1 Shot Sambuca (chilled in the freezer)

3 Espresso Beans

1 Lemon Peel

1 tsp Sugar

Pull your espresso shot and add the sugar and lemon peel. Stir until sugar’s melted.

Fill a shot glass with your chilled Sambuca and drop in the 3 espresso beans. This is a good-luck charm for the upcoming new year, but it also looks cool as the beans always meet in the middle of the shot.

Sip your espresso until it’s roughly half-empty, then add your Sambuca and stir to combine the two. Remove the lemon peel and beans, sip and repeat! The strong flavors of chocolatey espresso and fragrant licorice jolt you back from your reclined position just in time for dessert.

And so, join me in a cyber cheers to GiustoGusto’s 3rd Birthday and have a delicious holiday season. Buon Natale tutto, seeya in 2013 so long as the Mayans don’t ruin the party! (get it)