This is where I’m going for the next three weeks.

I can’t wait. My family, Mamma Cream Puff, the sun, the stars so close you can touch them, the sea and the mountains.

And the food.

I won’t be posting while I’m away so take care of yourselves and enjoy the rest of August!

I leave you with a little something to whet your appetite for when I return …

Ciao!

Hey! It’s Magazine Mondays but starting this week, until September 14th, MM is being hosted by the gracious Wandering Coyote of ReTorte.

Check out her site for all the MM results and remember, if you want to participate, just send her a link to a magazine recipe that you’ve posted about. You can e-mail her at: wandering_coyoteATyahooDOTca.

Have a great week, everyone!

Ciao!

It’s Daring Cooks time and the August 2009 challenge was hosted by the gracious Olga of Las Cosas de Olga and Olga’s Recipes.

I’m always a bit in awe of people who have not one blog but two so I tip my hat to you, Olga. Of course I would tip it to you anyway for this incredibly delicious challenge.

The challenge date was, of course, August 14th, but I was having some issues and couldn’t post.

I’ll get right to it. This is just delicious. From start to finish it was a lovely recipe to make that was actually surprisingly quick (considering some of the Daring Bakers’ challenges take … like … four days!).

Without question my favourite part of the recipe was the sofregit, which was a thick, almost paste-like mixture of tomatoes, onions, mushrooms and garlic, used to enhance and flavour the rice. I loved the sofregit so much I ended up spreading some of it on bread and just eating it that way!

I loved cooking the rice in the rich liquid consisting of some white wine, water (you could have also used fish stock) and a bit of the sofregit. The cuttlefish was delicious in this dish and the artichokes and mushrooms were also very good (confession: I used artichokes canned in water.).

The only element of the challenge I didn’t make was the allioli, which is a thick, custard-like sauce meant to accompany the dish. I really wanted to make the traditional allioli, which would have required a mortar and pestle. I don’t have those. Yet.

I could go on and on, but I won’t. I really hope you try this recipe out as it’s scrumptious.

Thank you so much for broadening our horizons, Olga!

Ciao!

If you’re interested in the recipe, you can find it here.

Today is Daring Cooks’ reveal day and as you may have noticed, there’s a little something missing around here like … ohhhh … the challenge!

Never fear! I have done it but am experiencing some difficulties in posting. Will have it up as soon as I can.

In the meantime, please head over to The Daring Kitchen to check out the incredible August 2009 Daring Cooks’ challenge results.

Speaking of, have you joined The Daring Kitchen yet? If not, what are you waiting for?!

And remember, all the cook kids are wearing DK merchandise so don’t forget to stop by the store!

Ciao!

I love walking.

Next to baking, there is no act for me that is as calming and therapeutic as walking.

I’ve been walking a lot lately. Summer is the season to walk, after all. Despite the odd weather we’ve been having, most nights have been clear and cool, which are the perfect conditions for a walk.

When I head out, I don’t meander. I live in a busy neighbourhood and while there is a park nearby, I wouldn’t venture there by myself. Instead, I stick the main roads and while I wouldn’t say I strike out on a mission, I do walk purposefully.

My purpose is to talk to myself. No. I don’t mean actually have a dialogue with myself out loud. What I mean is that the purpose of my walk is to think, to feel, to sort out tangle of thoughts at the end of another day.

Over the course of my walk, I will think about many things, some good and some bad. I might think of a problem at work or at home, or about a task I have to accomplish, or maybe about the groceries that I need to pick up the next time I’m at the store.

I like to walk alone. Part of me feels badly writing that, because I wouldn’t want anyone to think that I don’t enjoy their company, but of all the activities in my life, walking is the one I prefer to do alone.

On my own, I’m free to follow my mind’s course, whatever that may be. Mostly, I’m free to think about any subject, something you can’t always do when others are around.

Invariably, as I make my way back home, my thoughts turn to food. It’s this quiet time, where I am by myself, that I think most about what I want to cook and bake. There’s very little as pleasurable to me, as scanning my food horizon, waiting for a glimpse of what’s there.

In these last few weeks, as I’ve found myself in the doldrums, my walking has been a constant source of relief. And lately, I’ve found myself thinking more and more about food, and less and less about other things. That’s good.

I’m not sure why, really, but about a week ago, I thought of arancini. For those of you that are unfamiliar, arancini are rice balls that are breaded and fried. Depending on what part of Italy you’re in, the arancini might be plain or filled with some sort of mixture ranging from cheese to meat and vegetables.

Strangely, arancini are not part of my family’s cooking tradition. My mother never made them and as far as I know, no one on my father’s side of the family prepares them. Growing up, I’d often hear some of my Italian friends refer to them, but I was always a bit mystified.

I was probably in my 20s before I finally tried arancini, and the first ones that I had weren’t very good. I would have had them at some restaurant or another and they were probably the size of soccer balls and filled with horrid frozen peas and who-knows-what-else.

Since then, I’ve tasted some very good arancini, thankfully. I think I’ve made them once or twice before but recently, while walking, I was gripped with the urge to make them again. It was like I had this deep, deep need to get into the kitchen and make these little treats.

Strange. But I’ve learned not to question what comes of my walks. I just go with the flow.

Ciao!

This is a recipe that I created myself, so if it is unlike any traditional arancini recipe, or if I offend any arancini purists with it, I apologize in advance. I’ve assembled a photo journal of the process, with the recipe following.

I start the process by quickly sauteeing some arborio rice in a few teaspoons of olive oil to toast the rice slightly.

I use chicken stock to make the rice base, and I cook the rice in the same way I would a risotto. I begin by adding enough hot stock to the uncooked rice to cover it, and slowly let it simmer until absorbed.

Once absorbed, I repeat the process by adding more stock. I continue doing this, adding stock, until the rice is cooked.

Unlike risotto, I let the rice cook a bit longer so that the liquid is completely absorbed.

I gather some rice and form a ball in the palm of my hand and then I make a small indentation.

I place a cube of fresh mozzarella in the indentation.

I carefully close up the ball (use some more rice if needed) and mold it gently with my hands until I have a round rice ball.

Once all the rice balls are done, I bread them by dipping them first in egg and then in bread crumbs. I line all my rice balls up on a tray lined with waxed paper.

Using canola oil or vegetable oil, I fry the rice balls, browning them until they are golden on all sides.

I drain them on paper towels, making sure to sprinkle just a bit of sea salt over them as soon as they come out of the frying pan. I let them cool slightly, and the I dig in.

Arancini, My Way
Makes 20 to 25 arancini depending on how big you make them (mine are about 2 inches in diameter).

Note: I always use homemade chicken stock, which I salt. As a result, I do not put salt in the rice as I cook it because the stock is salty enough. I usually make the rice the night before and let it sit in the refrigerator. I find the cold rice much easier to handle. I also make these relatively small (never larger than 2 inches in diameter). When forming the rice balls, I find it’s a good idea to keep a large bowl of water close by to rinse your hands. The starch in the rice can sometimes make your hands very sticky. Some people like to serve these with tomato sauce but I like them simply, on their own. Leftover rice balls can be kept well-wrapped at room temperature or you can store them in the refrigerator and reheat them.

8 cups prepared chicken stock (homemade is best, of course)
1 cup arborio rice
olive oil
20 to 25 1/2-inch cubes of mozzarella (preferably fresh)
3 eggs
2 cups bread crumbs
sea salt, to taste

Place the chicken stock in a pot and heat gently so that it’s hot, but not simmering or boiling. Make sure that the pot is close to the pan that you will cook the rice in.

In a wide, shallow pan, drizzle in a few teaspoons of olive oil and then heat over medium heat for a minute or so.

Add the uncooked rice to the pan and sauté for two minutes, stirring constantly. You don’t want to burn the rice but you do want to toast it slightly.

Add two cups of chicken stock to the rice. The rice should be covered by the stock. Keep the heat on medium, unless you notice that the stock begins to boil. If that’s the case, lower the heat. You want it to simmer gently, but not boil.

Stir the rice occasionally, ensuring that it doesn’t stick. Keep doing this until the rice has absorbed almost all the chicken stock.

When the rice looks almost dry, add another two cups of chicken stock and repeat the process. Stir occasionally to ensure that it’s not sticking.

At this point, taste the rice. It will still be slightly firm, but you should notice that it’s beginning to soften.

Once it looks dry again, add two more cups of chicken stock.

Cook until the stock has been absorbed. Taste the rice again. By this point it should be almost cooked. At this stage, you want to ease up on how much stock you add. If the rice is still a bit undercooked, just add another cup of stock and keep cooking.

Once the rice is done (it’s soft and plump), cook it until the liquid is absorbed (but be careful not to burn it).

Take the rice off the heat and let it cool to room temperature (or refrigerate overnight).

Once you’re ready to make the rice balls, have your mozzarella cubes in a plate close to where you’re working.

Form the rice balls by gathering a bit of rice in your hand and forming an indentation in the centre. Place a mozzarella cube in the indentation and close the rice over it. If necessary, pick up some more rice to cover the mozzarella cube. Place the rice ball in a plate.

As you form the rice balls, if your hands get sticky, just rinse them in a bit of water and continue.

Once all the rice balls are formed, beat your eggs in a large, shallow plate. Place the bread crumbs in another plate and begin breading by dipping the rice balls first in the egg and then rolling them in the bread crumbs.

In a large frying pan, heat about two inches of canola or vegetable oil. When it’s hot enough (test it by throwing in some bread crumbs - if they start to sizzle you’re good-to-go), place four or five of the rice balls in the pan. Don’t overcrowd them or they won’t fry up nicely.

Gently turn the rice balls so that they fry evenly on all sides. This should take four to five minutes.

Once they’re done, remove them to a plate lined with paper towel and immediately sprinkle with a tiny bit of sea salt.

Serve these hot or at room temperature.

Enjoy!

Another Monday here already! It’s hard to believe that we’re almost midway through August. Just the other night I was out for a walk and noticed that night has begun to fall earlier.

Soon, the days will shorten even more and we’ll start thinking about pumpkins and frost again.

But that never depresses me. In fact it’s just the opposite. I love the Autumn and just the idea of it, around the corner, fills me with anticipation. It feels good to be anticipating something.

Not that I should complain in that department because in a little over a week I’m heading to Italy to visit my family for three weeks. I’m so excited that I’ve actually forced myself not to be excited. So much so that I’ve been downplaying my trip quite a bit. But now that it’s looming, I am genuinely anticipating seeing my family again and spending some time getting to know my roots again.

I will most definitely not be posting while I’m away. For those of you dedicated to participating in Magazine Mondays, have no fear. Wandering Coyote of ReTorte (the most dedicated Magazine Mondays follower!) has kindly agreed to host MM beginning on Monday August 17 all the way through Monday September 14. She’s a true MM enthusiast so if you post any magazine recipes, be sure to e-mail her at wandering_coyoteATyahooDOTca.

As for me, I leave you with this lovely bar/cookie as my last MM post for awhile. A few months ago I was looking for a recipe that called for almond paste as I had some hanging around that I wanted to use. Almond paste tends to harden quickly so it’s not something you want to keep for months and months. While searching Epicurious, I came across a recipe for Almond Bar Cookies that appeared in the December 2004 issue of Gourmet. I had all the ingredients so I gave them a go and was not disappointed.

These are so rich. They’re definitely decadent thanks to the buttery flavour and the sweetness imparted by the almond paste. If you’re an almond fan, though, you should give them a try. Just be sure to cut the bars into smallish squares as too big a square will be almost too much. That’s how rich they are!

Here are my fellow bloggers that have joined me for this week’s edition of MM:

Wandering Coyote of ReTorte made Pumpkin, Orange and Raisin Muffins from Canadian Living.

Janie of Panini Girl made Poblano Peppers Stuffed with Potatoes from Bon Appétit.

Have a great week, everyone!

Ciao!

Remember, if you want to participate in Magazine Mondays between August 17th and September 14th, e-mail Wandering Coyote of ReTorte at wandering_coyoteATyahooDOTca .

When I first flipped through Urban Italian: Simple Recipes and True Stories from a Life in Food by Andrew Carmellini and Gwen Hyman, I of course started with the dessert section. And the recipe that made me stop was this one: Nero Cookies.

At first I smiled because I thought “mmm … chocolate cookies … word for black in Italian is nero and these cookies are so lusciously dark and black … mmm”.

Forgive me. I’m not up-to-speed on my Roman history so much these days.

Once I read the headnote to the recipe, I discovered that the cookies were named Nero Cookies because the cracks that develop in the cookies as they bake reminded the author of the ancient walls in and around Rome. Being that the cookies are dark and dense, he called them Nero Cookies after one of Rome’s most notorious emperors.

Consider me worshipful.

Hail, Cookie!

Ciao!

These are an intense and delicious version of crinkle cookies. I’m sure you can find a version of Chocolate Crinkle Cookies in many different baking books. Here’s a version that I found on-line that you might enjoy: Chocolate Crinkle Cookies.

As I’ve written previously, I’m just trying to keep it simple these days.

In that vein, I must tell you, there are very few simpler menu items for me, nor more comforting, than a good burger. Add a side of onion rings and I’m pretty much in a state of bliss.

This may sound odd because of course there is a certain amount of work involved. You have to peel and slice the onions and fry them (messily, in my case). And you’ve got to make the hamburger patties and grill them.

And yet, a good burger with something fried on the side just hits the spot.

Of course you can’t go wrong with Bobby Flay’s Burgers, Fries, and Shakes, which has been sitting, all by its lonesome, on my desk for quite some time.

I dusted it off and plunged into the joy of a good burger. Delicious, all the way around.

This is a really, really good book. Straight to the point, meaty (sorry … couldn’t resist) and just happiness-inducing (if you count looking at gorgeous food photos amont the things that make you happy).

Thanks to this worthwhile little book, I made an amazing burger and some pretty amazing onion rings. My only regret is that because I don’t own a blender, I didn’t have the chance to try any of the shakes as it has been a childhood wish of mine to have burgers and fries accompanied by a good ol’ milkshake. I continue to dream.

I must say, keepin’ it simple sure is tasty.

Ciao!

I’d like to thank everyone for all of the wonderfully kind comments I received to my last post about how I’ve been experiencing a bit of a lull in the kitchen department recently.

Trust bloggers to always cheer you up!

As a way out of the doldrums, I’ve decided to keep things simple and to just go with what I want.

And at this time of year, I want berries!

An abundance of blueberries and strawberries at my weekly trip to the farmer’s market had me really inspired for the first time in a long time. I came home and as luck would have it, I had a loaf of brioche left from a recent trip to Rahier. Immediately, I remembered this recipe, which I’d bookmared in the May 2008 issue of Food & Wine.

This was so easy to make and so incredibly delicious. It restored a little bit more of my faith.

As you know, this is Magazine Mondays, which means I’m happy to share links from other bloggers who have tackled their magazine pile. Here’s the list of brave souls:

Allie of Zucchero Dolce made a Coffee Cheesecake with Nutella Swirl on a Brownie Base. Swoon!

Margaret of Tea and Scones was a busy bee as she made Watermelon Sorbet and Swedish Meatballs with Buttered Noodles from Martha Stewart Living. Wow! Last week she made Basic Yellow Butter Cupcakes also from Martha Stewart Living.

Tamy of 3 Sides of Crazy made Shredded Vegetable Chicken Egg Rolls with Blackberry Pineapple Dipping Sauce and Spicy Gingersnaps!

Janie of Panini Girl made Blueberry Corn Muffins from Country Living to celebrate summer.

Sharon of fiberdoodles is participating in her first Magazine Mondays with a Georgia Peach Barbecued Chicken recipe!

Thanks to everyone for sharing their magazine recipe adventures!

Have a great week, everyone!

Ciao!

My Magazine Mondays submission is the luscious Berry-Brioche Bread Pudding from the May 2008 issue of Food & Wine.