Recipes By Emiko
27 recipes found
Kabocha Squash (Japanese Pumpkin) Braised in Milk
This Japanese Pumpkin braised in milk is a recipe that you could imagine in a lunchtime bento box or as a side dish to some grilled salmon or roast pork.
Chicken in Butter
Inspired by Elizabeth David's description for 'Florentine chicken breast' from “Italian Food” (1954) and the signature dish of Trattoria Sostanza in Florence, I can't emphasise how important it is for such a simple dish to obtain top quality ingredients. I recommend using organic, non-factory farmed chicken, so that it's as tender as can be, and unsalted butter. Try a European-style cultured butter (note: You can find locally made European-style butter too, it doesn't necessarily mean that it has to be from Europe!). If you really wanted to add something else here, you could dip the floured chicken breasts in a beaten egg, as they do in Sostanza, or throw in some fresh sage leaves together with the chicken or a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten the sauce just before serving. However, simplicity is part of the beauty of this dish.
Lemon Marmalade (Marmellata di Limoni)
The Lemon Marmalade recipe requires first boiling the lemons whole (oh, the perfume of citrus!) rather than chopping peel, sieving out the pith, or any of that.
Endive with Pecorino and Honey
This is a delicate (not to mention quick and easy!) appetizer or antipasto inspired by one of my favourite toasted sandwich fillings (from my cookbook, Florentine). It's a wonderful balance of sweet, bitter, salty, and creamy. Choose firm, crisp, bright witlof, avoid ones with any browning of the leaves. If you can't get a young, creamy, quite mild pecorino (aged versions are decidedly saltier and firmer), try asiago or provolone dolce instead. A delicate, fragrant honey (something not too sweet) is my preference for this, in Italy one would use locust honey. As a second, something more balsamic like a dark chestnut honey is also interesting.
Cauliflower Crostone with Anchovy and Caper Sauce
This sauce is a classic from central Tuscany and known as Salsa del Valdarno, a variation of acciugata that uses capers in place of garlic. It's most often used to dress a thick, t-bone steak that's grilled over charcoal but left bloody in the middle. It's also a wonderful partner to cauliflower, in any way. I often toss the sauce with steamed or roasted cauliflower as a side dish, without the bread—but serving it on toast (as a crostone), turns this into a quick, satisfying-yet-light meal. You can also try the sauce spooned over eggs—boiled and halved, fried, scrambled or poached. Tuscans like it on fried beef or veal, too. For a quick and thrifty lunch, my husband's nonna used to stir it into spaghetti.
Mosto Cotto (Grape Must Syrup)
A one-ingredient, versatile Italian condiment, mosto cotto, only gets better with age. Also known as sapa, saba, or vincotto, you can use this recipe for almost everything.
Bagna Cauda (Hot Garlic and Anchovy Sauce)
This bagna cauda, hot garlic and anchovy sauce, is a traditional autumn recipe from Piedmonte. As a fall dish, it usually features typical seasonal vegetables.
Melon Jam
This is a jam recipe made in Sicily with canary melon (melone giallo). Inside this jam you'll find the sweetness of pear and the flavor of honeydew melon.
Homemade Ladyfingers (Savoiardi)
Ladyfingers are nothing more sponge cake, piped into finger forms. This recipe uses whites and yolks whipped separately and then folded together.
Homemade Cedrata (Citron Drink)
This recipe is essentially a citron syrup made with citron and sugar, topped with sparkling water. Mint is a good addition to this fragrant, refreshing drink.
Torrone Siciliano (Sicilian Almond Brittle)
This sticky, torrone recipe for almond brittle in hard caramel is a Sicilian specialty, symbolic of all holidays and festivals, from Carnival to Christmas.
Piadina Romagnola (Thin, Rustic Italian Flatbread)
The humble piadina romagnola recipe is a round, rustic, tortilla-like flatbread that is much-loved all over Italy. It bakes a beautiful, ancestral bread.
Watermelon Pudding (Gelo d'Anguria)
Made with a simple preparation, this pudding recipe relies only on three main ingredients: fresh watermelon juice, cornstarch, and sugar. Simple but delicious.
Lemon Granita (Granita al Limone)
Lemon Granita recipe is very easy to make at home— just a couple of ingredients, barely any cooking to do, and most of the work happens in the freezer.
Caffè Shakerato
Some variations to consider for this Shakerato recipe: Spice things up by spiking the coffee with a dash of something alcoholic. Try rum, sambuca, or amaretto.
Arrosticini (Barbecued Lamb Skewers)
Using a branch of rosemary in this recipe to brush the olive oil on the cooked Arrosticini is a very traditional way to transfer a little aromatics to the meat.
Carrara-Style Frittata with Lardo (Frittata di Lardo alla Carrarina)
Lardo in Italian is pork back fat that has been carefully cured in marble vats. In this recipe it goes into a rustic frittata, the way they do it in Carrara.
Focaccia di Recco
As legend has it, when the citizens of Recco where in hiding during the Crusades, they created this focaccia di recco recipe with what little they had.
Livorno Punch (Ponce Livornese)
Think of this warm drink recipe as a variation of a caffè corretto or even of a hot toddy that substitutes tea for strong coffee. This ponce drink is delicious.
Braised Whole Belgian Endives (Indivie Intere a Crudo)
This is a Roman recipe from Ada Boni's Italian Regional Cooking, a 1960s cookbook. It's a classic side dish to go with some roast beef or other roast vegetables. Extremely low maintenance, just throw everything together in a pot and cover -- just cook it very, very slowly and gently, and remember to take a peek every now and then. Mint is a really typical Roman herb, but you could basil or fresh oregano for the mint leaves. You can prepare this ahead of time and simply warm it up gently in the same pot before serving.
Carciofi alla Giudia – Roman Jewish-Style Artichokes
In this Carciofi alla Giudia recipe, the trick to getting the combination of crisp leaves – nutty and golden – and a tender interior comes from frying twice.
Gluten-Free Sponge Cake
This light as a feather sponge cake is made with just three ingredients - potato starch, eggs and sugar. Try the gluten-free recipe for your next dessert.
Baci di Dama (Chocolate-Filled Hazelnut Cookies)
There is really only one way to make a Baci di Dama recipe, if you're going the traditional way and you want melt in the mouth results (and you should).
Torrone Sardo (Sardinian Nougat)
It's a simple, relaxing Torrone recipe. No watching of thermometers, no scalding syrup or defining moments. Just a gentle heat and slow, continuous stirring.