SARDINES - Why They Are Good for You

I believe it’s never too late to treat your body right.  And one way I treat my body right is by eating healthy.  As we grow older, one of the foods important for brain function is oily fish like Sardines or Anchovies.

Fresh sardines - Sarde fresche

The essential fatty acids found in sardines can help prevent "senior moments" by protecting the membranes that cover our brain cells. The fatty acids can also reduce the occurrence of cardiovascular disease and may also help lower blood sugar levels. They are also a good source of vitamin D, calcium, B12, and protein.

All fish, but especially sardines because they contain fat, if not fresh the flavor is altered.
Signals to recognize that fish is fresh even for the less experienced:
The skin must be humid and shiny
The scales must be compact
The body must be rigid and have an ocean smell

Sardines will preserve all flavors if the cooking is fast and simple.

Broiled or grilled fresh sardines with garlic, parsley, black pepper and a good drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil

If a good fishmonger is not nearby, look for canned, smoked, or pickled sardines. When buying them canned, look for the ones packed in their own oil, olive oil, or water rather than in soybean or cottonseed oil.

Canned Sardine Salad

In my household, we also love salted sardines or anchovies.

      One of my favorite brands of anchovies

Another dish which I have bee eating since childhood, is
Cabbage with Cornbread and Fried Sardines - Verza con Pizza di Granturco e Sarde Fritte

1 cabbage
2 cloves chopped garlic
1/2 cup olive oil (fry sardines or anchovies in it and later pour over cabbage).  See below.
2 chilies or red pepper flakes
Pinch of black pepper
Adjust salt if necessary

Cornbread recipe.    Cook cabbage and set aside.

Fried sardines and peppers

Fried Sardines
Ingredients for 2 persons
8 sardines or anchovies
2 tablespoons of flour
1/2 cup olive oil

Being that sardines or anchovies are salted, they must be rinsed and sit in water for an hour.  Water should be changed often to remove salt.  Drain and pat dry.  Dust sardines with flour and fry in hot oil about 5 minutes.  Set aside.  In the same oil, add chopped garlic, few hot or sweet chilies, black pepper and simmer for 5 minutes and pour over the cooked cabbage.  Serve with cornbread and fried sardines or anchovies.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/15/dining/sardine-recipe.html?_r=0

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/11/health/nutrition/11recipehealth.html

http://www.msn.com/en-us/health/healthtrending/eating-this-food-can-ease-a-painful-condition-affecting-millions/ar-BBEioM7?ocid=ob-fb-enus-280

FARFALLE con Scamorza

                              

                 

Summer ... is a pleasure to eat fresh, light food but also quick to prepare and tasty to eat. 

Butterflies are a type of pasta well suited for this recipe. Fresh and tasty flavors like cherry tomatoes, basil and scamorza make this summer dish perfect for hot days!

Ingredients

1 pound farfalle

1 cup diced scamorza or mozzarella di buffalo

2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in a half

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup of shredded basil

Salt and black pepper

• PREPARATION

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil with salt.  
• In a small saucepan add olive oil, tomatoes, basil and scamorza and gently cook until cheese melts a bit.

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• When the water boils, cook the pasta until tender.  Drain and return to pot over low heat.
• Stir in the scamorza sauce and a good dose of black pepper. 
• Stir to combine all ingredients and serve immediately.

1.  

Minestrone of beans, rice and cabbage - Minestra di fagioli, riso e verza

Minestrone or minestra is a light and healthy dish prepared throughout Italy with many variations depending on the region.  The preparation for this particular variation is quite simple but rather long and laborious.  It requires cleaning, cutting and cooking various ingredients (cabbage, dry beans and brown rice), but once you taste it, you will realize that it was time well spent.  Did I mention that besides being nutritious, it's low cost?

I fed 6 persons for less than $5.00 and enough leftover cooked beans and cabbage to freeze for another meal.

 

Ingredients

1 cup cooked beans
2 cups cooked brown rice
Small Savoy cabbage (cooked and cut into shreds)
1 cup chopped tomatoes or 1 can of tomatoes
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, chopped
1 potato, cut into small chunks
1/2 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup of grated Parmigiano

The night before cook the dry beans.  Do not drain.
(I like to use Great Northern beans.)

Wash and cook the cabbage.  Save some of the cooking water.




Cook the brown rice.

• In a deep pot, add the oil, chopped onion and garlic, cook until golden. 
• Add the chopped tomatoes, salt and pepper.  Simmer for few minutes and add the potatoes. 
• Cook for 10 minutes.  Add the cooked cabbage and simmer for 5 minutes. 
• Add the cooked beans and cooked brown rice.  Continue to simmer for 10 minutes. 
• Add some of the saved cooking water from the beans or cabbage.  Simmer for few more minutes and serve. 
• Add grated or shaved Parmigiano.

You may also like:

http://casa-giardino.blogspot.com/2010/11/cabbage-and-brown-rice-verza-con-riso.html

http://casa-giardino.blogspot.com/2010/10/meatless-monday-spinach-and-brown-rice.html

http://casa-giardino.blogspot.com/2010/10/ceci-alla-pignata-chick-peas-and.html

Melanzane Sott'Olio ( Pickled Eggplant)

Yesterday, we picked our first crop of Italian eggplants. Usually, I make them stuffed or parmigiana or simply fried.  Today, I decided to make them sott'olio (pickled) so that we can enjoy them all year round. 

Ideal for appetizers and side dishes or filling for sandwiches. 

Ingredients

2 pound eggplant, peeled and cut into sticks or round

Kosher salt

2 cups white-wine vinegar

1 cup fresh celery, coarsely chopped

4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon finely chopped oregano or mint (optional)

Red peperoncino for color (optional)

About 1 1/2 cups olive oil (approximate)



All photos - Copyright - ©-La Casa e Il Giardino


Preparation

Toss eggplant with 1/4 cup salt and drain in a colander set over a bowl.

Cover the eggplant with a plate and a weight (such as a gallon of water), at room temperature for 4 hours or more.  (Eggplant will turn brown.)  Discard liquid in bowl.

Gently squeeze all of the eggplant and place in a bowl.

Cover with vinegar at room temperature for 2 hours or so.

In the meantime, chop garlic, celery, peperoncino, oregano or mint

Drain in colander, then set colander over a bowl and cover eggplant again with a plate and the weight.

Discard liquid in bowl.

Gently squeeze handfuls of eggplant to remove excess liquid, then pat dry with paper towel. 

Stir together eggplant, garlic, oregano and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

Transfer to a 1-quart jar or smaller containers with a tight-fitting lid.  Use a wooden spoon to press eggplant so as to omit pockets.

Add just enough olive oil to cover eggplant.   After a day, oil may drain down the jar, add more oil, if needed, to cover eggplant.

The jars may be kept in the pantry or closet.  Refrigerate once jar is opened.

Melanzane sott'olio



Orecchiette Alla Rucola



Arugula (Rucola)



In 15 minutes you can prepare this exquisite dish originated in Puglia with the classic orecchiette and the aromatic arugula.

Orecchiette with Arugula

All photos - Copyright - ©2012- La Casa e Il Giardino

Ingredients

1 lb. orecchiette

1 lb. arugula

1/2 cup pignoli (pine nut)

1/2 lb. cherry tomatoes

1 clove of garlic, minced

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and Pepper

Clean and wash the arugula. 

Wash and cut in half the cherry tomatoes. 

Toast the pignoli in the oven. 

Cook the orecchiette in salted water. 

In a pan, add the oil and brown garlic.
Add the arugula (except for 1/2 cup), cherry tomatoes and cook over a medium-high flame for few minutes. 
Add salt, pepper and toasted pignoli.  Drain the orecchiette and mix with  the prepared sauce.
Add a little oil, remaining arugula and mix well.

Saint Nicholas and Fava Beans - San Nicola e Fave Secche

The feast of St. Nicholas, patron of shepherds, is an event linked to the ancient cult of St. Nicholas, patron saint of Italy.  According to tradition, the saint would have saved the people of Pollutri (a village next to my birthplace), during a terrible famine, by being able to feed everyone just with a handful of fava beans.  

Since then, every year in memory of the event on the evening of December 5, on the main square are placed nine cauldrons in which fava beans are boiled and then distributed along with the bread and wine to all present.  On the morning of December 6, a solemn procession with the statue of the saint takes place.

Fave cooking in caldrons - (Photo: Raffaella Valori)

Keeping with tradition, last night I cooked fava beans (fave secche).

Fave secche
All photos - Copyright - ©2011 - La Casa e Il Giardino

INGREDIENTS:
- 1 1/2 lb. fava beans
- 1 potato
- 1 onion
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 tomato chopped or 1/2 canned
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste

PREPARATION:

The day before soak the fava beans. The next day, rinse the fava beans under running water.  Place the beans in a pot together with the chunks of potatoes, chopped celery, chopped garlic, tomato and salt.  Cook for 45 minutes over low heat.  As soon as foam appears, remove it with a wooden spoon.  Add additional hot water as liquid evaporates.  Stir occasionally and cook slowly until the beans transform into a puree.  At this point, close the flame, add the oil and adjust the salt and pepper.

Serve with rustic bread.

You Tube: http://youtu.be/PiZDQfIVHnY

Cauliflower and Shell Pasta - Cavolfiore e Pasta

Cauliflower is one of the most popular winter vegetables in Italy.

Cauliflowers are rich in vitamin C, folic acid and potassium. Low in sodium, which makes it a good choice for those on low-salt diets, and low in calories. Whether they are white, green or purple, they are simply healthy.

  

 

Cauliflower and Shell Pasta

All photos - Copyright - ©2010 - La Casa e Il Giardino - picasaweb

Ingredients

1 large head cauliflower
1/2 lb. pasta shells
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 medium onion chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup chopped tomatoes
Shaved Parmigiano Reggiano
1 tablespoon parsley
Salt and black pepper to taste

Procedure

In a pan, add oil, chopped onion and minced garlic.  Saute' briefly, add tomatoes and simmer for 15 or so.

 

In the meantime, fill a large stockpot with water and bring to a boil; add cauliflower and salt. Cook for about 5 minutes, until cauliflower is half-cooked and not yet fully tender. Drain the cauliflower.  Reserve some of the cooking water.  Separate the cauliflower florets and add to the tomato sauce.  Continue to simmer an additional 10 minutes until cauliflower is tender.  Salt and black pepper to taste.

In another pot, bring water to a boil, add pasta and cook al dente.  Drain pasta.  Add cauliflower sauce over pasta.  Sprinkle the chopped parsley and add an abundance of shaved Parmigiano.  If dry, add some of the reserved cooking water.

A great dish for a Meatless Monday.