italian

Dining Outside the Home: La Spezia in Kōloa, Kauai 

Dining Outside the Home: La Spezia in Kōloa, Kauai. As you walk up the wooden steps of the quaint corner café, the faint aroma of savory herbs, sweet pastries, and cured gourmet meats entice you at the door. Before you ever turn the knob to go inside, a handwritten sign is stationed there with words printed in colorful chalk: “CIAO! Please wait to be seated.” Wooden benches line both sides of the porch. A Sunday Brunch of scramblers, Benedicts, and pancakes is popular so the café is bustling with excitement. Conversations linger over the Bloody Mary Bar where morning cocktails get personalized to taste. A carafe of tomato juice is surrounded by glass jars of celery sticks, kalamata olives, dill pickles, jalapeño peppers, and even caper berries. Fresh horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, red hot tabasco, and other condiments follow up nicely. No complaints here. The challenge arises when choosing between the Traditional Eggs Benedict and the Italian Benito Benedict. Grazie, grazie molto!

Dining Outside the Home: Café Portofino in Lihue, Kauai 

Dining Outside the Home: Café Portofino in Lihue, Kauai. The strings of a harp gently lure Italian-lovers to the private patio where the stunning view of a rugged coastline transports you to northern Italy. White linens further create an intimate setting amid candlelit lanterns and skilled European servers. As you savor this fabulous meal with a sip of bubbly moscato and olive oil-laden focaccia, gaze into each other’s eyes, linger awhile, and absorb the romance. 

Dining Outside the Home: Little Italy’s Civico 1845 of San Diego, California 

Dining Outside the Home: Little Italy’s Civico 1845 of San Diego, California! Nestled on the corner where the air is filled with aromas of Southern Italy is a quaint place to relax with a glass of wine and a plate of pasta. The exuberant staff at Civico 1845 is as passionate about their food as they are about family traditions. Everyone abounds in vitality as the steady stream of Italian floats from table to table overflowing through open-shuttered windows onto the terrace. The most difficult decision is choosing what to order, although the chef can modify any dish to appeal to personal favorites. Mine was the vegan potato gnocchi topped with spicy grilled shrimp in a fabulous white sauce that was to die for. My husband, on the other hand, ordered raviolo classico with a polpette (homemade meatball in neopolitan ragù) on the side. The flavors were just right. Favoloso!

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter L

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Second Helping of Linguine Chicken Salami! Sometimes it’s just not possible for me to get to a restaurant for one of my favorite dishes. That’s when I prepare the dish at home. A good friend of mine shared tips on putting together a great Italian marinara sauce. It’s all about taste buds and choosing the quality of herbs. If you don’t have the extra time, simply choose a store-bought alternative until you can perfect the right combination for you. 
LINGUINE CHICKEN SALAMI
Ingredients:

6-8 chicken fillets 

2 tablespoons lemon olive oil

1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper 

1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 Vidalia onion, sliced
28-ounce can peeled tomatoes in basil sauce

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon marjoram 

1/2 teaspoon basil

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon sugar

1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper 

1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 pound Italian salami*

6-ounces of spinach linguini 

6-ounces of angel hair pasta

1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded 

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

*Sliced pepperoni can be substituted for the Italian salami. 
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Pour lemon olive oil into a shallow skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken fillets seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Lower heat to medium. Sauté chicken until browned, about three minutes per side. Add sliced onions, cover, and cook on low setting until liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes longer. Set aside. 

For sauce combine cut-up tomatoes with sauce, oregano, marjoram, basil, garlic cloves, sugar, sea salt, and cracked pepper. (At this time, I add the cooked onions to the sauce.)

Spoon 1/3 of sauce into a casserole dish. In single layer, arrange chicken fillets. Slice salami into strips, using kitchen shears, covering chicken. Pour remaining sauce over all. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Remove lid and bake 10 minutes longer until cheese turns golden brown. 

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain. Spoon pasta into single servings. Carefully place one fillet over pasta, making sure to add extra sauce. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and serve. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter I

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen?  Italian Pasta Mediterranean!  This exotic colorful pasta dish will have you rolling your eyes in satisfaction over the hearty gourmet intensity. Its blend of gastronomic flavor tempts the taste buds to have a second helping of this culinary delight. 

ITALIAN PASTA MEDITERRANEAN 
Ingredients:
8 ounces penne pasta
Salt to taste
1/2 pound Italian salami, thinly sliced
1/2 pound asparagus spears
1/2 cup diced sun-dried tomatoes 
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon marjoram 
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
Parsley Sprig for garnish 
Instructions:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt. Add penne pasta and cook until al dente. Drain the pasta and transfer it to a large pasta bowl. 
Next to steam asparagus, place water in the bottom half of a steamer pan set. Bring to boil. Trim ends off the asparagus. Cut into quarters. Place in top half of steamer pan set. Steam for 5 minutes until tender. 
For dressing, mix olive oil, oregano, basil, marjoram, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes in small bowl. 
Combine penne pasta, asparagus pieces, diced sun-dried tomatoes, and salami rounds. Pour olive oil dressing over all. Gently mix. Add pine nuts. Garnish with fresh parsley sprig. Serve warm with garlic toast. This is an excellent side dish to Chicken Cacciatore.