Cook Like a Rock Star (12 page)

I LOOOOVE appetizers. Nothing’s easier than walking into a restaurant, getting a glass of wine, and saying, “Let’s grab some apps!” They’re usually crispy and crunchy, gooey and cheesy, or bright and refreshing. They give you just enough of a taste to really appreciate how all the flavors work together, and the really good appetizers leave you wanting more.

I discovered the beauty and creativity of the first course when I was studying in Italy. I was going to school in Piedmont, way up in the northwest, the land of white truffles, Barolo, and Barbaresco. But Piedmont is also the land of antipasti—the Italian word for appetizer. Needless to say, it was quite an education.

When I’d go to a restaurant, the waiter would ask how many antipasti we wanted, three or four? I was in heaven! Antipasti are the beginning of the journey—they’re the first flavors you experience, they excite your taste buds, but they don’t fill you up; they’re just a few small bites to get your juices going before you move on to what’s next. Great appetizers are sometimes the most satisfying part of the meal. They’re small, there’s a huge variety, and they’re sexy!

As a chef I find that appetizers also offer a ton of room for creativity. In fact, when I go out to dinner I often order just two appetizers—one to start and one for my main—because they’re frequently the most interesting dishes on the menu. I think you’ll find these recipes will help you on your way to loving the first course as much as I do.

Calamari Noodles with Fingerling Potatoes & Black Olives

Garlic Steamed with Pimentón Aïoli

Ricotta-Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms with Panzanella (a.k.a. Yummy Bread Salad)

Grilled Pizzetta with Stracchino, Sausage, Arugula, & Chili Oil

Escarole Salad with Walnuts, Pecorino & Pickled Onions

Grilled Porcini with Poached Egg & Parmigiano

Heirloom Tomato Salad with Warm Goat Cheese

Grilled Shrimp with Chickpea Fries, Zucchini & Pine Nut Salad

Grilled Sea Scallops with a Watermelon Three-Way & Dandelion Greens

Grilled Soft-Shell Crabs with Asparagus, Arugula & Spring Onion Salad with Aïoli

Spiced Chickpea Soup with Crispy, Crunchy Croutons

Oysters on the Half Shell with Prosecco “Sno-Cone”

Pumpkin Soup with Allspice Whipped Cream & Fried Leeks

Raw Asparagus, Red Onion & Pecorino Salad

Roasted Beet & Many-Herb Salad

My Big Fat Chicken Soup

Parmigiano Flan

Sugar Snap Pea Salad with Crispy Prosciutto & Mint

Calamari Noodles with Fingerling Potatoes & Black Olives

SERVES: 4 • TIME: ABOUT 30 MINUTES

I’m always looking for new things to do with calamari. It’s inexpensive, and if you buy it already cleaned—which I HIGHLY recommend—it’s super Q&E (quick and easy) to use. This recipe is fun because it takes minimum effort and you get maximum kudos at the dinner table.

MISE EN PLACE

1 pound cleaned calamari, tubes and tentacles (or only tubes, if you prefer)

Extra virgin olive oil

3 or 4 cloves garlic, smashed, plus 1 whole clove

Pinch of crushed red pepper

4 fingerling potatoes, unpeeled and cut into ¼-inch rounds

Kosher salt

1 cup dry white wine

¼ cup kalamata or gaeta olives, slivered

4 thick slices of rustic Italian bread

2 cups baby arugula

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, for garnish

1
Cut each calamari tube into ¼-inch strips lengthwise. If using the tentacles, cut into segments.

2
Coat a large sauté pan generously with olive oil. Add the smashed garlic cloves and red pepper and bring to high heat. When the garlic is golden brown and very aromatic, 2 to 3 minutes, remove it from the pan and ditch it—it has fulfilled its garlic destiny!

3
Add the potatoes to the garlic-infused oil and bring to medium-high heat; cook until brown on one side, about 5 minutes, then turn and brown the second side. Remove the potatoes from the pan and reserve.

4
Add the calamari to the pan and toss it in the hot oil. Season with salt and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until it turns opaque. Add the wine and the olives and continue to cook until the wine has reduced by about half, 3 to 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.

5
While the calamari is cooking, toast or grill the bread until charred on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes total. Rub the bread with the remaining garlic clove and drizzle generously with olive oil.

6
Divide the arugula between four serving bowls. Spoon the reserved potatoes, calamari, and the pan juices over the greens. Cut each piece of bread in half on the bias and lay it on top of the calamari; garnish with chives and serve.

What a noodle!

When it comes to cooking with wine—use something you would feel comfy drinking.

Garlic Steamed Mussels with Pimentón Aïoli

SERVES: 4 • TIME: ABOUT 15 MINUTES

Mussels are the unsung heroes of the shellfish world; they’re cheap, fast, and satisfying. (I wish more things in life were like this!) My favorite part of making a big pot of mussels is dipping a hunk of crusty bread in the broth. That’s why I add this lovely aïoli to the mix right before serving. This sexy sauce drips down into the mussel juice, giving it a spectacular flavor and the illusion that it’s a cream sauce. It’s super-dunkable!

MISE EN PLACE

FOR THE AÏOLI

2 egg yolks

2 cloves garlic, smashed

3 tablespoons sherry vinegar

1½ tablespoons pimentón (smoked paprika)

Kosher salt

1½ cups peanut or other neutral-flavored oil

FOR THE MUSSELS

Extra virgin olive oil

6 to 8 cloves garlic, smashed

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper

3 pounds mussels, debearded and rinsed

4 or 5 sprigs of fresh oregano, leaves coarsely chopped

3 bay leaves

1 bottle dry white wine

1 baguette, cut into 1-inch slices on the bias

3 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced on the bias

FOR THE AÏOLI

Put the egg yolks, garlic, vinegar, pimentón, and a sprinkle of salt in a food processor and purée until the mixture is homogeneous. Then, with the machine running, VERY slowly drizzle in some of the oil until the mixture is thick and smooth. When it starts to look like mayonnaise, the rest of the oil can be added in a thin, slow stream; season with salt. You want relatively thin aïoli here. If it’s too thick, add a few drops of water to thin it; or on the flip side, if it’s too thin, add more oil. TASTE for seasoning, adjust if needed, and refrigerate until ready to use.

FOR THE MUSSELS

1
Coat the bottom of a large pot (big enough to hold all the mussels) with olive oil. Add the garlic and red pepper and bring to medium-high heat; cook until the garlic is golden and very aromatic, 4 to 5 minutes.

2
Add the mussels, oregano, and bay leaves and stir to coat with the oil; add the wine and cover the pot. Steam the mussels for 5 to 6 minutes; if not all the shells are open, continue to cook them all a little longer. While the mussels are steaming, grill the bread.

3
Serve the mussels in bowls with lots of juice from the pot (as much as you like!). Generously drizzle each bowl with the aïoli, garnish with the scallions, and serve the toasted bread alongside.

Holy aïoli!

When it comes to cooking shellfish, the ones that don’t open are the freshest—continue to cook them until they give up!

When you buy mussels, or any shellfish for that matter, make sure you buy them in mesh bags—remember, these guys are alive and they need to breathe! They also need to stay cold, so don’t be afraid to ask your fishmonger for a bag of ice to toss in your shopping bag. Scrub the mussels well and refrigerate them until you’re ready to cook (but do not put them in a bowl of water!). If any shells are cracked or broken, toss them. The rule is: When in doubt, throw ’em out.