Notes about Recipes in this book

• Clams with oregano and bread crumbs

  • fprincess on October 21, 2015

    This is a bit of work, so it's probably best not to use the smallest clams. But all the work is done in advance and the clams can be cooked at the last minute. Delicious.

• Linguine with clams

  • fprincess on December 04, 2012

    After frying sliced garlic in olive oil until golden brown, the clams were added and cooked (lid on) with white wine and chopped canned tomatoes, together with the juice of the tomatoes and some red pepper flakes. I used fresh squid ink linguine which I boiled for a couple of minutes, and then cooked for an additional minute with the clams over high heat. I added chives at the end because I did not have any parsley on hand. It was delicious and ready in 10 minutes or so. The recipe called for only 1 pound of clams for 4 to 8 people. We love clams and had this as our main course, so I increased the amount to 2 pounds for the two of us. We were happy with the portion size. Photo here: http://forums.egullet.org/topic/131552-cooking-with-the-babbo-cookbook/page__p__1900052#entry1900052

• Salt cod with capers, mint and chiles

  • Rella on May 21, 2013

    I made this recipe today and used 1 teaspoon instead of 1 Tablespoon as called for in the recipe. It was spicy enough.

  • Ndesousa on March 11, 2017

    Agree on cutting back on crushed red pepper...while it was delicious it was a bit much on the heat and I actually like spicy food.

• Shrimp in "Crazy Water"

  • fprincess on May 29, 2013

    The aromatic base uses diced onion & fennel + sliced garlic and hot chiles (I used dry chile de arbol). They are lightly browned in olive oil, and then a can of tomatoes is added with a generous amount of white wine and some salted water. The broth is simmered for about 10 minutes, then the shrimp are added. This is a very quick dish (less than 30 minutes total) with a ton of flavor. I used a Pouilly Fuisse for the broth. Fennel fronds are used as a garnish with fresh cracked pepper. Photo here: http://forums.egullet.org/topic/131552-cooking-with-the-babbo-cookbook/?p=1915381

• Grilled lobster with lemon oil and arugula

  • fprincess on October 25, 2012

    The lobster is cooked whole on the grill initially, which seems to prevent it from drying out, then cut in half and replaced on the grill. The best part of the recipe is the infused marjoram oil that is used to season the lobster before serving. It's made with a mixture of olive oil, lemon juice and zest, and limoncello infused with marjoram for an hour. This oil has a fantastic flavor. I had forgotten what marjoram tasted like and it's phenomenal with lobster - herbal with citrus undertones, but delicate at the same time. The marjoram sprigs are tied together to form a brush that is used to season the lobsters before serving them on a bed of arugula. I've made this recipe twice and it's immediately become a favorite. As a side note I recommend detaching the claws when killing the lobsters, and leaving them on the grill longer than the body, otherwise they won't be cooked through. Photo here: http://tinyurl.com/8v6v53y

• Potato cake

  • Breadcrumbs on January 01, 2014

    p. 71 – Always delicious. I buttered and then dusted a deep-dish pie plate with dried breadcrumbs since my springform pan was working elsewhere in the kitchen and this worked like a charm. Omitted the sopppressata since other meat was being served. Everyone loves this cheesy dish and it was especially nice with the crispy breadcrumb crust. I bumped up the ricotta somewhat this time, likely doubled the amount as I wanted to use it up. I’d definitely do this again next time. Delicious dish. Photos here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/929581#8548095

  • twoyolks on May 03, 2016

    We weren't hugely impressed by this. The salami tends to over power the more delicate flavors of the cheese. It also didn't set up such that it could really be cut.

• Fresh ricotta, anchovy and oregano toasts

  • Breadcrumbs on January 16, 2011

    p. 87 - Looking over recipes for the holidays, these seemed like a quick and easy antipasti, perfect for the season of never-a-minute-to-spare! Fresh ricotta is mixed w black pepper and fresh oregano and spread on prepared crostini which are then topped w an anchovy. Crostini are broiled until cheese starts to ooze. Indeed a simple and delicious nibble reminiscent of antipasti in Italian enoteche. Will definitely make these again.