Giada's Kitchen: New Italian Favorites (19 page)

Most people don’t consider a meal a meal unless it includes some sort of fish, poultry, or meat. What’s most important for our diets, though, is that we eat a variety of foods, both proteins and other types. My solution is to serve some of them at every meal, eating small portions of each so that I never have to feel like I’m missing out—or getting weighed down.

Like most people, I include chicken, turkey, and fish as staples, and I’m often asked how to change up those poultry and fish recipes to keep weeknight meals exciting without adding to the stress of the day. You’ll find plenty of great options here, from the easy braised Turkey Osso Buco, redolent with aromatics and wine, to a more decadent dish like Chicken Scaloppine with Saffron Cream Sauce. Fish and shrimp get makeovers, too, with lots of veggies and accents, such as fennel and grapefruit salsa for a grilled halibut fillet. And never fear that I have forgotten the meat-lovers. Beef and Butternut Squash Stew and Lamb Ragù with Mint will make you want to curl up on the couch with a glass of wine and hunker down to a cozy dinner.

I’m really in love with butternut squash these days and I have been finding lots of new ways to use it. Here it brightens up beef stew, which can be a bit dreary looking, turning a tired old standard into something more unexpected and elegant.

4 to 6 servings

In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, rosemary, and thyme and sauté until the onion is tender, about 4 minutes. Combine the salt, pepper, and flour in a medium bowl. Add the beef cubes and toss to coat with the seasoned flour. Turn up the heat under the soup pot to medium-high and add the beef. Cook until the beef cubes are browned and golden around the edges, about 5 minutes. Add the Marsala and use a wooden spoon to gently stir up all the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the butternut squash and sun-dried tomatoes and stir to combine. Add enough beef broth to just cover the beef and squash. Bring the stew to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour. Season the stew with additional salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley. Serve with crusty bread alongside.

Like a lot of men, my husband thinks entertaining begins and ends with grilled steaks, so I’m always looking for different ways to jazz them up and keep it interesting. This bold vinaigrette fits the bill and really stands up to the strong flavor of beef. Make the vinaigrette in advance, throw some steaks on the grill, and you have a great dinner; if you have a veggie friend, you can serve the same versatile vinaigrette over warm pasta.

4 servings

Preheat an outdoor grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat the beef with the olive oil and sprinkle with the herbes de Provence, salt, and pepper. Grill for 6 to 8 minutes per side, or until the meat is medium-rare. Transfer the meat to a cutting board to rest before slicing, tenting it with foil to keep it warm.

To make the black olive vinaigrette,
combine the olives, red wine vinegar, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper in a blender and blend until mixed. In a small pitcher combine the olive oil and vegetable oil. Drizzle the oil into the blender with the machine running. Transfer the vinaigrette to a serving dish. Stir in the parsley.

To serve,
cut the steaks in 1-inch-thick slices and serve with the vinaigrette.

When you roast tomatoes along with beef it gives the dish a slightly acidic edge that cuts the rich, unctuous quality of the meat. The softened tomatoes go straight into the food processor with some vinegar and parsley for a sauce that is both lighter and tangier than the typical brown gravy. Serve with buttered egg noodles.

4 to 6 servings

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Season the beef with salt and pepper. Season the tomatoes with salt, pepper, and herbes de Provence.

Heat the olive oil in a medium, heavy roasting pan or Dutch oven over high heat. Sear the beef on all sides until browned. Place the seasoned tomatoes around the seared beef and place the pan in the oven. Roast until a meat thermometer inserted in the beef reads 130°F for medium-rare or 135°F for medium, 30 to 40 minutes. Tent the roast loosely with foil and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes. The internal temperature of the meat should rise 5 degrees more and the juices will redis tribute into the roast.

While the meat rests, place the parsley and garlic in a food processor and pulse until the parsley is finely chopped. Add the red pepper flakes, ¾ teaspoon salt, the red wine vinegar, and the roasted tomatoes and process until puréed. With the machine running, add the extra-virgin olive oil in a steady stream.

To serve,
slice the roast and arrange on a serving platter. Drizzle a little sauce over the meat. Serve the remaining sauce in a small bowl alongside.

If you’ve cut back on burgers because you don’t want to eat the bun, here’s your solution. These well-seasoned patties get wrapped in a piece of prosciutto, making them extra juicy. Use your hands to combine the meat mixture; you are less likely to overmix this way.

4 to 6 servings

In a large bowl, combine the bread crumbs, parsley, egg, milk, cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Add the lamb and work with your fingers until incorporated. Divide the mixture into 6 portions and pat each portion into an inch-thick burger. Place the prosciutto slices on a cutting board or piece of parchment paper. Place 1 lamb burger in the center of each slice of prosciutto and wrap the prosciutto around the burger.

Place a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and heat for 2 minutes. Place the lamb burgers in the pan, prosciutto-covered side down, and cook over medium heat until the prosciutto is golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Turn the burgers and finish cooking, 6 to 8 minutes more.