Chef Chuck's Pickled Garlic

Aglio Marinato

Pickled garlic is a flavorful condiment that's delicious to eat straight out of the jar. It has a crunch to it and can be used in salads, or can be served with a variety of meats or cheeses. It's wonderful stuffed in olives! I grew so much garlic, that I am always looking for different ways to preserve it :)

Pickled Garlic
garlic, whole cloves
red bell pepper, cut small
bay leaves
whole peppercorns
dried oregano
red hot pepper flakes
salt
olive oil
white vinegar

Peel garlic cloves and place in a sterilized jar along with red bell peppers. Add a few small bay leaves, a few peppercorns, a pinch of oregano, a pinch of red hot pepper flakes,and a pinch of salt. Pour in about 2 tablespoons of olive oil and fill the rest of the jar up with white vinegar. Place in the refrigerator for 2 - 3 weeks for optimum flavor.

Chef Chuck's Beef Ravioli

Casonsei of Brescia


A beef ravioli recipe from Brescia, an ancient town in the beautiful Lombardy region, which lies in the famous Po Valley, in northern Italy. These delicate ravioli are filled with a beef and breadcrumb mixture, then gently sauteed in a butter and sage sauce.


Beef Ravioli


Filling
7 ounces ground beef
2 ounces butter
2 tablespoons beef broth
3/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
1/4 cup parmigiano cheese, grated
1 egg
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 garlic clove, minced
salt to taste


In a frying pan brown butter add chopped meat and beef broth, till cooked. Stir in breadcrumbs, parmigiano cheese and salt. Remove from heat add egg, parsley, garlic and garlic powder. Salt to taste.


Dough
1 2/3 cups flour
3 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt


Combine in a food processor till ball forms, or make a well with the flour add eggs in middle and mix till all combined and smooth. Wrap in plastic wrap and let rest for 1/2 hour.


Sauce
4 ounces butter
2 tablespoons fresh sage leaves, chopped


Saute in a large frying pan for a minute or two.

Roll out dough and make ravioli or any shape, using 1 tablespoon of beef in each ravioli. Place on a baking sheet sprinkled with semolina and cover with a towel, till all the ravioli are prepared. Boil in salted water for 3 minutes, then transfer to the butter and sage pan and serve with grated parmigiano cheese on top. Makes about 3 dozen.

Chef Chuck's Pork Kabobs

Spiedini di MaialeThese summer time pork kabobs are made with rosemary stems from the garden, which enhances the flavor of the pork and vegetables. I marinated the pork in an olive oil mixture overnight which really tenderized the pork. The vegetables and pork were placed on a stem of rosemary and grilled to perfection.

Pork Kabobs
Marinate
1 pound county style pork ribs, 1 inch cubes
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed
lemon juice
1 teaspoon dry oregano
salt and pepper


Wash and dry pork ribs, cut into one inch cubes. Combine all ingredients place in a large plastic bag add pork and marinate for at least one hour, I prefer overnight in the refrigerator.


Vegetables for Kabobs


1 red bell pepper
1 white onion, quartered
1 zucchini, skin on 1/4 inch thick
small finger potatoes


In a small pot boil potatoes till fork tender. Arrange kabobs I started with a potato, zucchini, red pepper, pork and onion.


Basting Oil


1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dry oregano
salt and pepper


Heat outdoor grill or I used my stove top grill made by, Olvida. Place kabobs onto grill and cook for a few minutes, brush the basting oil on. Then do a quarter turn till all sides are browned and caramelized. Check temperature on pork it should register 155 degrees.

Chef Chuck's Roasted Garlic Pasta

Pasta all'Aglio Arrostito
A robust pasta dish with our homegrown Italian garlic roasted to perfection, extra virgin olive oil, red hot pepper flakes, parmigiana cheese and fresh parsley. This garlic has flavor with meaning because we purchased it in Italy, and grew it our fields. It's harvest time in the garlic fields, so we will have lots more recipes with fresh garlic to come.


Roasted Garlic Pasta

1/2 pound pasta
2 garlic bulbs, roasted
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red hot pepper flakes
1 tablespoon fresh parsley
salt and pepper
parmigiana cheese, grated


Preheat oven to 400 degrees, prepare garlic by removing some of the paper and cut off tops, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Wrap in foil and bake 400 degrees for 35 minutes. Open up and let cool, meanwhile cook pasta in salted boiling water till al dente. While pasta is cooking heat up a large frying pan add olive oil and squeeze out garlic and crush with a wooden spoon, add red hot pepper flakes and simmer for a minute or two. Add the pasta with a little pasta water (1/4 cup). Toss and add grated cheese, salt, pepper and parsley.

Chef Chuck's Salted Cod with Tomatoes

Baccala alla Pizzaiola


Salted cod becomes so flavorful when marinated in this homemade tomato sauce. Planning ahead is a must, for this cod needs to soak in water to rehydrate for three days. The cod was tender and tasted so good especially with the mashed potatoes, and all that gravy. A comfort dish to enjoy anytime of the year.




Salted Cod with Tomatoes


1 pound dry salted cod
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large can tomato sauce
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried basil
salt and pepper

You must soak the cod in cold water for three days, changing the water 3 times a day. I keep it covered with plastic wrap. Pat dry and cut into large pieces, remove skin and any bones.
In a large frying pan heat olive oil and saute onions, carrots and celery for 5 minutes, add garlic for another minute. Add tomato sauce, oregano, basil, salt and pepper, simmer 20 minutes. Add chunks of cod, cover and simmer an additional 40 minutes. Serves 4
Ricette by Chef Chuck's Cucina

Chef Chuck's Roman Style Stuffed Tomato

Pomodori Ripieni di Riso


These Roman style tomatoes are stuffed with rice, garlic, herbs and capers. Drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and baked to perfection. The potatoes help keep the tomatoes in place. A delicious appetizer or a tasty side dish, these tomatoes can be served hot or cold.


Stuffed Tomatoes
4 organic tomatoes
1 cup rice, cooked al dente
1 garlic clove
1 tablespoon basil
1 tablespoon parsley
1 tablespoon capers
2 potatoes, peeled and sliced
salt and pepper
olive oil


Wash tomatoes cut bottoms off, using a teaspoon remove pulp. In a food processor combine pulp, garlic, basil and parsley, blend well. Place pulp in a bowl add cooked rice, capers, salt and pepper. Fill each tomato with rice mixture, place tomato lids on. Peel and cut potatoes, arrange around tomatoes, this will help the tomatoes stay in place. Drizzle olive oil over tomatoes and potatoes. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.

Chef Chuck's Spaghetti with Zucchini and Mint

Spaghetti con Zucchine e Menta

A spaghetti dish that suits the season, freshly picked zucchini, red peppers and fragrant mint tossed gently in spaghetti. This light and quick recipe is always satisfying on these hot summer days. Growing your own produce or buying local is guaranteed to be fresh and flavorful.

Spaghetti with Zucchini and Mint

1/2 pound spaghetti
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 medium zucchini
small red hot peppers
fresh mint, finely chopped
salt


Slice zucchini thin and salt, set aside. Cook pasta in boiling salted water till al dente. Meanwhile in a large frying pan heat olive oil add garlic and peppers and cook for 1 minute. Add zucchini and lightly fry on both sides. Drain pasta add to zucchini pan, toss gently. Plate up then and sprinkle on mint and drizzle with olive oil. Serves 2.

Chef Chuck's Steak Pizzaiola

Bistecca Pizzaiola


The New York strip steak was so tender, it broke with a fork, there is no need for a knife!
Organic beef and vegetables along with the slow roasting makes this dish a true comfort food.


Steak Pizzaiola


2 New York strip steaks
salt and pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 onion, sliced
3 carrots, slice large
3 celery stalks, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
8 large green olives
1 cup red wine
1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves


Preheat oven to 320 degrees. Bring steaks to room temperature, salt and pepper both sides. Use an oven proof pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and brown steaks 2 minutes on each side, remove and set aside. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and brown tomato paste for 3 minutes, stirring. Add onions, carrots, celery, garlic and olives saute an additional 3 minutes. Pour in wine and let simmer a minute or two. Pour in tomatoes and bay leaves stir all together. Place steaks on top of vegetables, put lid on, bake in oven for 3 hours.

Chef Chuck's Shrimp and Rice Soup

Minestra di Riso e Gamberi

These succulent shrimp have the saltiness flavors of the oceanic waters. Shrimp and rice soup is a unique way to enjoy soup. The shrimp were so plump and tender and the parsley added some garden freshness.

Shrimp and Rice Soup

1 pound shrimp, shells on
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/3 cup shallots, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup white wine
1 cup shrimp broth
3 cups vegetable broth
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
cooked rice


Peel shrimp, wash and set aside. Place shells and 1 cup water in a small sauce pan season with salt and pepper and simmer for 15 minutes. Strain and reserve liquid, this will be the shrimp broth. In a large pot heat olive oil and season the oil by cooking the garlic for 1-2 minutes, remove and discard. Then cook tomato paste for about 4 minutes. Add sun dried tomatoes, shallots and carrots and saute for a few more minutes. De glaze pan with the white wine and cook wine for a 2 minutes. Pour in shrimp broth, cover and simmer 15 minutes. Add whole shrimp cover for 3 minutes toss in parsley. Serve over rice.
Serves 4.

Chef Chuck Fried Spinach Balls

Palline di Spinaci Fritti

Fried spinach balls are a wonderful appetizer, creamy and crunchy, full of flavors. Fresh spinach from the garden, the best ricotta you can purchase, parmigiano cheese from Italy and pungent garlic, all these ingredients together are quite tasty.

Fried Spinach Balls
5 cups fresh spinach
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup parmigiano cheese, grated
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 eggs
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
salt and pepper to taste
light olive oil for frying


Wash and dry spinach leaves, chop and set aside. In a large bowl mix ricotta, parmigiano, garlic, 1 egg, 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs, salt and pepper. Add spinach and mix well, form in small balls. Dip in beaten egg then breadcrumbs. Heat oil to 350 degrees and fry 3 at at time till golden brown. Drain on cloth or paper towels, salt and serve.

Chef Chuck's Linguine and Garlic

Linguine Aglio Olio e Peperoncino

Pasta, garlic and peppers is a flavorful, quick and easy recipe to make. These ingredients are all homegrown from my garden which makes this dish close to my heart. All the flavors of Italy. I used red nubian garlic, which has a wonderful sweetness to it. I infused the oil with stromboli hot chile peppers, which originited from one of the great islands, any hot pepper will work.


Pasta and Garlic
1/2 pound pasta
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 tablespoons olive oil
red hot pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
parmigiano cheese, grated
2 stromboli peppers, whole

In a large pot of heavily salted boiling water, cook pasta of your choice till al dente. During the last minute of cooking the pasta, in a frying pan heat olive oil on medium heat. Add garlic, peppers and pepper flakes to infuse the oil, stir for 30 seconds to 1 minute, be careful not to burn the garlic. Add cooked pasta to oil, season with more red hot pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Grate parmigiano cheese over the dish, serves 2.

Chef Chuck's Lemon Chicken Scaloppine

Scaloppine di Pollo al Limone


A tender and very flavorful chicken recipe made with chicken breasts, lemons, capers and Marsala wine. An elegant dish so easy and quick to prepare. The mushrooms and the fresh parsley made the gravy rich and earthy, each flavor of the dish was well defined.


Lemon Chicken Scaloppine


2 organic skinless boneless chicken breasts,
cut in half
flour for dredging
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup Marsala wine
2/3 cup chicken broth
1 cup portabella mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons capers
juice of 1/2 a lemon
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
salt and pepper to taste


Wash and pat dry chicken then pound chicken to 1/4 inch thick, salt and pepper the flour and lightly dredge chicken. In a large frying pan heat butter and olive oil and brown chicken 1 to 2 minutes on both sides, remove from pan. Heat oven to 200 degrees, cover chicken and keep warm. In same pan de glaze with Marsala wine, then add chicken broth, and mushrooms cook for 3 minutes. Remove from heat add capers, lemon and parsley, place chicken back in pan and serve.
Ricette by Chef Chuck's Cucina

Chef Chuck's Spaghetti and Clams

Spaghetti alle Vongole

Spaghetti and clams (vongole) a simple and inexpensive delicious dinner. Using fresh tomatoes and parsley give this recipe a brighter taste. The baby tender clam juices coupled well with the white wine plus the aroma from the kitchen was like being in Italy's finest restaurants!


Spaghetti and Clams
1 1/2 pounds clams
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup white wine
3 garlic cloves, minced
6 ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
3/4 pound spaghetti
red hot pepper flakes


Soak clams in water for 1 hour. In a large pan heat 2 tablespoons olive oil add clams and wine cover and cook until shells open, eliminate those that have not opened. Strain the liquid and clams set aside. Add 4 tablespoons olive oil to pan cook garlic and tomatoes for 5 minutes. Add liquid, salt and pepper cover and cook for 15 minutes. Add clams and parsley for 2 minutes. Cook pasta in salted boiling water till al dente. Combine pasta to clams add parsley and hot pepper flakes mix and serve.

Chef Chuck's Taralli

Taralli

Taralli, are Italian biscuit rings, great for snacking anytime of the day. They are made of fresh dough, boiled and then baked. Hard, crunchy and hot with red hot pepper flakes, garlic and fennel. Great for dipping in a glass of wine. Plain taralli can be made for teething babies.


Taralli
2 teaspoons yeast
1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon sugar
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
fennel
red hot pepper flakes
garlic cloves, minced


Combine yeast, water and sugar and let rest for 5 minutes. In a mixer add yeast mixture, slowly add flour and salt till combined. Work dough on a floured board for just a minute or two, divide into 24 pieces. Roll into rope shapes and add fennel, pepper flakes and or garlic then make a circle and pinch ends, lay on a floured baking sheet. I make them this way so I can please everyone, some hot and some just with salt. Cover and let rise 15 minutes. Bring a pot of water to boil add 1 or 2 taralli at a time and cook for a few seconds or until they float. Remove and place on a kitchen towel continue boiling the rest. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Chef Chuck's Balsamic Vinaigrette Salad

Insalata Mista Verde


A fresh and healthy, light lunch for Saturday afternoon. Crispy greens, juicy tomatoes, crunchy onions and carrots drizzled with homemade vinaigrette is so good. The vinaigrette has a deep rich flavor from the balsamic garlic blend. The fresh squeezed lemon and Italian flat leaf parsley softens the vinegar and the honey sweetens the dressing.

Balsamic Vinaigrette Salad
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh parsley
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon honey
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
fresh ground black pepper
1 cup extra virgin olive oil


In a food processor combine all ingredients except olive oil. With processor running slowly drizzle in olive oil, taste and adjust salt and pepper to your liking.


Salad


fresh organic assorted greens
onions, sliced
carrots, sliced
tomatoes, quartered
stuffed green olives
parmigiano cheese, grated


Combine greens such as romaine, arugula, spinach, radicchio, butter or Swiss chard. Add all other ingredients, pour vinaigrette over greens toss gently and serve.

Chef Chuck's Lobster and Spaghetti

Spaghetti con aragosta

This lobster recipe is an elegant and light dish. A very simple Italian feast

with sweet and succulent lobster. Lobsters are found all over the world in many different colors. They are a deep water crustacean, that is a gift from the sea. Roasting the whole garlic releases a mild nutty flavor. The fresh basil adds to the delicate taste.

Lobster and Spaghetti

1 lobster 1/2 pound cut in half

1/2 pound spaghetti

3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

6 garlic cloves whole

2 tablespoons fresh basil chopped

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta in salted water till al dente. In a separate frying pan on medium heat

add olive oil and garlic cloves for 2 minutes. Cut lobster in half and add a third of the basil, salt, pepper. Turn pan on high heat with lid and cook for 3 minutes then add pasta, pepper flakes and the remaining basil.

Buon Appetito