ChezShaitan

Save the planet, Act now! (yes, this is not a recipe)

chezshaitan — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 00:16:27 +0000

We can still save Earth – and ourself! changing bad habits, and forcing our rulers now in Copenhagen to ACT!

sign the petition: here!

World Vegetarian Week – day 5 – Lentils of Monte Castello, rosemary scented

chezshaitan — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 16:58:20 +0000

Ingredients (serves 2):

Green lentils (Monte Castello variety, dried) 250 g
Carrots 4 medium
Celery 1 medium stalk
Tomatoes 2 medium
garlic 3 cloves
chili pepper (green) 2 small
rosemary (fresh) 2 branches
bay 2 leaves
EVO oil 4 tbsp
salt

Directions:
Heat the oil in an earthenware saucepan, and fry the finely chopped vegetables (carrot and celery) until soft, then add the minced chili pepper (remove the seeds and the white parts), the bay leaves and the garlic. Peel and chop the tomatoes and add them too in the saucepan; cook for 5 minutes on medium heat and then add the green lentils, stirring for a minute; then reduce the heat to low, add a glass of water, cover the pan with a lid and let the lentils cook for an hour (checking and stirring every 10 minutes or so – add more water if needed). When the lentils are nearly tender put in the whole rosemary branch – it’ll give a fresh and wonderfully tender buttery scent to the lentils – and let cook for another few minutes.

Serve with some pieces of pane carasau and the remaining rosemary branch to garnish.

World Vegetarian Week – day 4 – Pumpkin gnocchi with tomatoes and bay

chezshaitan — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 10:12:35 +0000

For this fourth day I’m posting a recipe with fresh italian pasta, the gnocchi, made with pumpkin.

ingredients (serves 4):

for the pasta:
pumpkin 1 kg
wheat flour 200 g
parmesan (grated) 50 g
egg 1
salt

for the sauce
tomatoes 3
leek 1/2 cup
dried tomato 1
sage (fresh) 1 tbsp
bayleaves 3-4
EVO oil 3 tbsp

directions:
For the gnocchi: cut the pumpkin in slices (5 cm large) and put them in the oven – preheated to 180°C – for half an hour; remove the skin and mash the flesh with a fork; then let it cool down and add the egg, salt, pepper, the parmesan and the flour; knead the dough until the consistency is elastic, then, with your hands sprinkled with flour, roll the dough into small balls (the gnocchi) – the process is a bit long, therefore is useful to put the gnocchi on a well floured plane to avoid they stick together.

For the sauce:
On a skillet, heat the oil and stir-fry the finely chopped leek and the dried tomato until the leek is of a golden color, then add the chopped tomato and the bay leaves and cook at low-medium heat for ten minutes, stirring often. When tha sauce is nearly cooked add the fresh chopped sage.

Cook the gnocchi in abundant salted boiling water – they will emerge from the water surface when cooked; drain with a skimmer and quickly sauteè in the skillet with the sauce.

Serve with a little bit of freshly ground black pepper.

(thanks to Linda for this recipe!)

World Vegetarian Week – day 3 – Tagliatelle with almond and rocket pesto and cherry tomatoes

chezshaitan — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 14:03:59 +0000

The main dish of the third vegetarian day is a pasta dish: tagliatelle in almond and rocket pesto with cherry tomatoes!

Ingredients (serves 2):
tagliatelle 200 g
rocket (arugula) 80 g
almond (peeled) 70 g
garlic 1 clove
lemon (zest) 1
EVO oil 3 tbsp
cherry tomatoes 3
chili pepper (ground) 1
salt
pepper

Directions:
Put the rocket, almonds, garlic and the lemon zest in a blender or food processor (traditional pesto sauce are made in a marble mortar, pounding the ingredients with a wooden pestle, but to save time a blender can be useful – I used it!); drizzle in the oil and blend until the mix reaches the desired consistency (according to your taste – I like it not too creamy, to feel the crunchy texture of almonds). Season with salt and pepper.
Cook the tagliatelle in boiling salted water (3 lt.) until al dente. Drain the pasta and mix in the pesto (use 1/2 cup of the cooking water to blend), then serve with the chopped cherry tomatoes and ground chili pepper to taste.

(thanks to my sister for this recipe!)

World Vegetarian Week – day 2 – Crisp chard filled with bulgur-quinoa mix and leek

chezshaitan — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 00:05:24 +0000

Second day, second recipe!

Ingredients (serves 4):
Young chards 1 small bunch
bulgur 100 g
quinoa 100 g
egg 1
sage (fresh, chopped) 1 tbsp
leek half cup
breadcrumb 1/4 cup
tomato (peeled and chopped) 1
EVO oil 1 tbsp
salt
pepper

Directions:
In a large cup, soak the bulgur-quinoa mix with enough boiling water (salted) to cover – just as in the previous recipe;
when it’s soft, remove the water in excess – if any – then add the beaten egg, the sage, the breadcrumbs and the leek finely chopped.
Wash the chard leaves and drain them; then put a tablespoon of the mixture over every leaf and fry them on a skillet with the hot oil. They’re done when the leaves are crispy and the mixture has thickened.

Serve in a long plate along with the chopped tomato and ground pepper.

World Vegetarian Week – day 1 – Bulgur and bell peppers (full palette)

chezshaitan — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 08:25:17 +0000

To be or not to be (a vegetarian)?
No need for a definitive answer, but for a week, just give it a try (I’ll do it)

And every day of this vegetarian week I’ll post a veg recipe, and for the first day (yep, I know it was yesterday, but I decided just now) it’s:

Bulgur and Bell peppers (full palette)

Ingredients (for 4):

bulgur 300g
bell peppers 3 small (1 red, 1 yellow, 1 green)
onion 1/2
tomato 1 large
lemon 1 small
parsley 1/2 bunch, finely chopped
extravirgen olive (EVO) oil 4 tbsp
salt
pepper

Directions:
In a large cup, soak the bulgur with enough boiling water to cover – remember that bulgur is parboiled and doesn’t need cooking; it will absord the water like a sponge, so add more if needed.

Enjoy the smell and colors of bell peppers when you roughly chop (or cut in strips) them. Stir fry the peppers in a skillet or wok with the hot oil, then add the chopped onion and let cook until tender.
When the bulgur is soft drain it from water, add salt and pepper and mix it with the lemon juice and the parsley, then sautè it in the skillet with the peppers, stirring for a minute or two, and then adding the grated lemon zest.
If you like add a few drops of oil and serve!

Calamarata con pancetta, capperi e zucchine croccanti

chezshaitan — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 19:56:46 +0000

Coming soon

Salsiccia alla birra e riso con zafferano e basilico

chezshaitan — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 17:01:11 +0000

ingredienti:

200 g salsiccia di suino, possibilmente in forma di verzini o toscanelli

¼ bicchiere di birra chiara (10 cl)

100 g riso basmati

basilico (1 mazzetto)

1 bustina di zafferano

preparare il basmati al vapore al solito modo ma miscelando all’acqua lo zafferano; quando è pronto aprite il coperchio, mettete sopra il riso metà delle foglie di basilico e richiudete per far assorbire l’aroma.

Nel mentre, riscaldate la piastra, e tagliate le salsicce lungo l’asse (senza separarle) e grigliatele poi così “aperte”. A cottura quasi terminata insaporire la salsicce versandovi sopra la birra.

Disponete sul piatto decorando il riso con il resto delle foglie di basilico.

Arrosu cun buttariga (risotto alla bottarga)

chezshaitan — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 16:38:13 +0000

ingredienti:

½ lt brodo di pesce

100 g riso carnaroli

3 cucchiai d’olio

2 spicchi d’aglio

20 g bottarga di muggine (intera)

prezzemolo

2 pomodori

½ bicchiere di vino bianco

burro

In un tegame ampio soffriggere l’aglio nell’olio sino a doratura, quindi eliminarlo e versare il riso sfumandolo col vino bianco; prosehuire la cotture aggiungendo pian piano il brodo. Nel mentre spellare i pomodori, tagliarli a tocchetti e metterli con un pizzico di sale a scolare (in un colino) sino ad estrarne tutto il succo (schiacciate i pomodori con una forchetta); aggiungere il succo di pomodoro al riso e proseguire sino a cottura; al termine mantecare con una noce di burro.

Grattugiare la bottarga direttamente sul piatto e disporne anche alcune fettine intere per decorazione, spolverare di prezzemolo tritato e servire.

Basmati all’alloro saltato con verdure

chezshaitan — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 16:21:39 +0000

Ingredienti (abbondanti per una persona):

100 g di riso basmati

2 carote

1 costa di sedano

¼ di finocchio (comprese le barbe)

3 foglie di alloro

1 cucchiaio di curcuma

olio extravergine di oliva

sale

Tritare grossolanamente le carote e più finemente sedano e finocchio, e soffriggere il tutto in due cucchiai d’olio a fuoco medio alto. Successivamente aggiungere mezzo bicchiere d’acqua e la curcuma, abbassare il fuoco e lasciare ammorbidire le verdure.

Contemporaneamente preparare il basmati al vapore:

in un tegame versare il riso, ricoprirlo d’acqua a filo e aggiungere un pizzico di sale e le foglie d’alloro. Quando inizia a sobbollire mettere un coperchio (di vetro, in modo da tenere sotto controllo il riso e valvolato in modo da far sfiatare) e lasciar cuocere; il riso è cotto quando tutta l’acqua è evaporata e iniziano a formarsi dei “crateri” nella superficie del riso.

Quando il riso è cotto saltarlo rapidamente in padella assieme alle verdure mescolando bene per colorarlo e insaporirlo. Successivamente decorare e profumare con le barbe di finocchio.