Sunday, July 15, 2007

sunday lunch


This Sunday lunch was at the restaurant. Our nights have been so busy and late that we've needed to come in earlier than usual to prepare for the evening ahead. Today, Caleb needed to be in early to make a Bolognese sauce with the veal raised for us at a local farm, as well as a fish stew called Cacciucco, an antique recipe from Livorno, made with mussels, shrimp, hake, bass, tomatoes. All stewed with trout heads for extra flavor in the stock.


So lunch was filet of trout, pan cooked with rosemary and white wine, a little omelet stuffed with a Roman sheep's milk cheese, roasted potatoes. We sat on our porch overlooking the courtyard and the main street. The sky was cloudy, the possibility of violent weather threatening again on the weather radio. We shared a glass of rosato made from Refosco, the big red varietal from the Friuli north of Venice and on the Slovenian border. Dessert was cheese and fresh sweet cherries.


Rosemary Trout

(recipe for each trout filet)

1 trout filet
flour

white wine
extra virgin olive oil
a small handful of sprigs of fresh rosemary
salt and pepper


Rinse filet under cold running water, pat dry.
Season flesh with salt and pepper.
Dredge filet lightly in flour and shake off excess.
Heat extra virgin olive oil in skillet large enough to hold fish. (We like cast iron. The flame under the skillet should be set to medium-high.)
While the pan is heating, make a slit the length of the fish through the meat, but not cutting the skin. (This is for the rosemary.)

Put the fish in the skillet skin side up.
Sear for about a minute in the hot oil.
Turn the fish over, lower the heat to medium-low, put some of the fresh rosemary in the slit. Don't skimp.
Splash enough white wine to cover the bottom of the pan.
Scatter the remaining rosemary across the pan to infuse the sauce.
Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over the fish.
Cook for 3-5 more minutes depending on the size of the filet and until cooked through.
Serve immediately with reduced pan juices.












2 comments:

Labronicus said...

Hi guys I'm everyday more amazed to see how many restaurant out of Livorno cook Cacciucco. Altough I've been liveing in London for 4 years I'm from Livorno and I strongly suggest you to visit my city next time you're going to Italy. If you like know more about Livorno and its food check out my blog at labronicus.blogspot.com.
Keep it up
Marco

Deirdre Heekin said...

Ciao Marco--thank you for the encouragement to get to Livorno, and for checking out our blog. Cacciucco is such a great dish, I'm not surprised that you see it elsewhere. Have you eaten it in London? If so , where? We go back to Italia every spring, and it is on our list to visit Livorno (We have been to Genova). Will go check out your blog, and get hungry.

Tanti saluti,
Deirdre and Caleb