June 26, 2002, The New York Times

ZABAGLIONE WITH STRAWBERRIES AND BALSAMIC MERINGUE

5 egg whites, at room temperature
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar (at least 12 years old)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 egg yolks, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar, approximately
1/3 cup prosecco or Champagne
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 pint ripe strawberries, rinsed, hulled and diced.

1. Heat oven to 250 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment.

2. Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites with salt until very foamy. Continue beating, adding the confectioners' sugar gradually, until stiff and shiny. Beat in 1 teaspoon vinegar and the vanilla. Spread meringue about 1/2 inch thick on parchment. Place in oven, and bake 2 hours. Turn off oven, and allow to cool in oven at least 1 hour, until crisp. Break into bite-size pieces, and store in dry place until ready to use.

3. Have a large pot of simmering water one to two inches deep on stove. Pot should be able to hold a large metal mixing bowl without the bowl's touching the water. Have a large bowl of ice water ready.

4. Place the egg yolks in mixing bowl away from heat. With a large balloon whisk, beat yolks and 1/2 cup sugar in bowl until yolks have lightened in color and start to thicken. Place bowl on pan of simmering water, and continue beating, gradually adding prosecco, until yolks have thickened to a custardy consistency, 10 to 15 minutes. When zabaglione is very thick and whisk leaves a trace in bottom of bowl, place bowl in bowl of ice water to cool. Stir once or twice, so mixture cools evenly.

5. Beat the cream until it just holds peaks. Refrigerate. When the zabaglione is cold, fold in whipped cream. Refrigerate.

6. Sweeten the strawberries with 1/4 cup sugar, or to taste. Fold in remaining balsamic vinegar. Divide strawberries among 4 old-fashioned glasses or goblets. Top with crumbled meringue, then with zabaglione. Garnish with a few pieces of meringue, and serve.

Yield: 4 servings.

July 3, 2002, The New York Times

SEAFOOD SALAD

1/2 pound cleaned calamari
1/2 pound sea scallops
3/4 pound cooked scungilli, sold in some fish markets
3 large cloves garlic, sliced paper thin
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 dried red chilies
3 large strands fresh seaweed
Zest of 2 lemons, finely slivered
Sea salt
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 pound cultivated mussels, scrubbed
12 littleneck clams, scrubbed and shucked, juice reserved
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup minced flat parsley leaves
1/3 cup minced mint leaves
1 teaspoon red chili flakes, or to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
Leaves from 6 sprigs parsley and 6 sprigs mint, for garnish.

1. Remove and reserve tentacles from calamari. Slice calamari in thin rings. Remove and discard hard nugget of muscle on side of scallops. Slice scallops horizontally. Cut scungilli in half and, with the point of a knife, pry out sac in middle of each half. Cut off any narrow dark rubbery protrusions. Place garlic in 2 tablespoons olive oil in small dish.

2. Place chilies, seaweed and half the lemon zest in a six-quart pot. Add 4 quarts water. Bring to a boil, then simmer 20 minutes. Stir in about 2 tablespoons sea salt.

3. Add scungilli, and simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon and drain. Set aside. Add calamari rings and tentacles to pot, simmer 1 minute, remove with slotted spoon, drain, and set aside. Add scallops, cook about 2 minutes, remove, drain, and set aside. Add shrimp, cook about 2 minutes, remove, drain, and set aside. Bring liquid to a boil, add mussels, and cook just until they open; remove, and drain.

4. In a small skillet, cook garlic in oil until softened. Place garlic and oil in large bowl. Add clams and juice, calamari, shrimp and scallops. Thinly slice scungilli, and add it. Add remaining zest, lemon juice, vinegar, onion, minced herbs, and 1/2 cup olive oil. Fold together. Add mussels in their shells and more oil to taste, chili flakes and black pepper. Set aside, covered, about 1 hour.

5. Toss ingredients. Add more oil and seasonings if needed. Spoon into serving dish. Bruise remaining mint and parsley between fingers, and scatter on top. Serve.

Yield: 4 servings.

July 10, 2002, The New York Times

SPAGHETTI WITH BOTTARGA AND BREAD CRUMBS

3 ounces bottarga (sold in some fish markets, fancy food shops and at www.esperya.com)
2 thick slices stale crusty Italian white bread, in chunks
7 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
4 1/2 tablespoons minced parsley leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 pound chitarra or spaghetti
1 dried red chili
2 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced.

1. Place bottarga, wrapped in plastic, in the freezer. Lightly toast stale bread under broiler. Process to fine crumbs in food processor or blender. You should have about 1/2 cup.

2. Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a small skillet. Add minced garlic, and brown lightly. Add lemon zest, cook 30 seconds, and add bread crumbs and 1 teaspoon parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season generously with salt, add pasta, and cook until barely al dente, about a minute less than manufacturer recommends.

4. While pasta cooks, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet. Add chili and sliced garlic, and cook until garlic is just beginning to color. Remove pan from heat. Remove bottarga from freezer, and slice paper-thin with a mandoline or a sharp knife.

5. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup cooking water. Pour water into skillet with chili and garlic, add drained pasta, return to medium heat, and simmer about a minute. Add remaining parsley and half the bread crumbs. Toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with remaining olive oil. Transfer to 4 warm shallow bowls, top each with remaining bread crumbs, and scatter with slices of bottarga. Serve at once.

Yield: 4 servings.

July 17, 2002, The New York Times

GRILLED SARDINES WITH CAPONATA

1 1/2 pounds eggplant, preferably 3 to 4 small ones
Salt
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, sliced
1/2 cup minced onion
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1 tablespoon capers, preferably salted, rinsed and dried
15 pitted Gaeta or calamata olives
1 tablespoon golden raisins
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
12 fresh sardines, gutted
2 lemons in wedges for garnish.

1. Remove green stems from eggplants and cut eggplants in 1-inch dice. Salt generously, toss and spread out to drain at least 2 hours on a rack placed over a baking sheet with sides.

2. Squeeze the eggplant dry with your hands, discarding juices. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a heavy skillet, add the eggplant and saute over high heat until lightly browned. Drain in a colander.

3. Add garlic and 1/2 tablespoon oil to skillet. Saute over medium heat until golden. Add onions and bay leaf and saute until onion is translucent. Add pine nuts and saute until they begin to color.

4. Add the capers, olives, raisins, brown sugar and vinegar. Stir, then add the drained eggplant. Saute, stirring until the mixture is thick and the liquid has evaporated. Remove from the heat and season to taste with pepper. Adjust the salt, taking care not to oversalt because the capers and olives are already salty. Set the caponata aside to cool to room temperature.

5. Heat a grill. Dry the sardines and brush with half the remaining olive oil. Season lightly with salt. Sear on very hot grill until lightly browned.

6. Place caponata in the center of a large serving dish. Surround with sardines. Using a sharp knife, cut a shallow slit lengthwise in each sardine and pour in remaining olive oil. Add salt to taste. Garnish platter with lemon and serve.

Yield: 4 servings.

July 24, 2002, The New York Times

BAKED BLUEFISH

2 medium ripe tomatoes
Salt
4 bulb onions or 8 scallions
2 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, sliced thin
2 cups fresh bread crumbs
1/2 cup loosely packed basil leaves
1/2 cup loosely packed flat parsley leaves
1 cup clam juice
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 3-pound bluefish, filleted and cut in 4 portions, or 4 bluefish fillets, with skin, each about 6 ounces
Freshly ground black pepper.

1. Core tomatoes and slice 1/4-inch thick. Place on rack over baking sheet and salt generously on both sides. Set aside 1 hour.

2. Heat oven to 350 degrees. If using bulb onions, trim roots and leave about 4 inches of stem. Cut each in half lengthwise. If using scallions, trim roots and leave whole. Brush onions or scallions with 1/2 tablespoon oil. Place on baking sheet and roast until tender, about 20 minutes. Set aside.

3. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in small skillet, add garlic, saute over low heat until barely golden, remove pan from heat and set aside.

4. Place crumbs, basil and parsley in food processor or blender and process until blended. In pan, bring clam juice and wine to a simmer and remove from heat. Increase oven heat to 500 degrees.

5. Using remaining oil, lightly oil baking dish that will hold bluefish in a single layer. Place bluefish fillets in dish skin side up. Place onions or scallions around fish. Place 2 to 3 slices tomato, slightly overlapping, on each fillet. Season with salt and pepper. Cover fish, tomatoes and onions generously with bread crumbs. Pour clam stock around fish and drizzle with garlic oil, with or without slices of garlic, on top. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until just cooked through and lightly browned. Serve at once.