Biba's Northern Italian Cooking - Biba Caggiano [4]
Place bowl with mousse on a large, round dish and serve with toasted bread for spreading.
Variation
For a firmer mousse, use 1 teaspoon gelatin dissolved in 4 tablespoons water, then melt gelatin in a double boiler until it is clear of any lumps and stir it into mortadella mixture.
Tip
Mortadella can be found in Italian delicatessens and specialty food stores. Substitute baked or boiled ham if unavailable.
SWORDFISH CARPACCIO WITH ARUGULA
Carpaccio di Pesce Spada
Da Pippo, a small trattoria in Cesenatico, is where I enjoyed this delicious swordfish carpaccio. Pale pink flesh of thinly sliced swordfish had been marinated with shallots, lemon juice and olive oil, and was topped by small leaves of bright, green arugula. Make sure to choose the freshest fish, freshest arugula, and a flavorful, light, golden extra-virgin olive oil.
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
4 (¼-inch-thick) large slices swordfish, about ¾ pound
Salt to taste
1 to 2 tablespoons very finely minced shallots
Juice of 1 large lemon
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ pound arugula, thoroughly washed and stems removed
Place swordfish slices between 2 large sheets of plastic wrap, and pound them gently until they are thin, almost transparent. (Don’t pound them too thin or they might break as you pick them up.) Put slices on individual serving dishes. Season with salt and sprinkle with minced shallots. Dribble some lemon juice and about half of oil over each slice, cover plates with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours.
Put arugula in a bowl and season with salt.Toss salad with remaining oil and a few drops of lemon juice. Pile a small mound of arugula over swordfish and serve.
CALAMARI SALAD
Calamari in Insalata
Seafood salads are pretty much standard in restaurants and trattorie of Romagna’s seacoast. Whether they are made with one or several types of fish, they all have one thing in common: simplicity. The freshest seafood possible, the most flavorful olive oil, only a whiff of garlic and a few drops of lemon juice are all it takes to make this salad outstanding.
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
1 recipe Vegetable Broth, page 24
3 pounds calamari (squid), smallest you can find, cleaned as directed on page 107, or 2 pounds cleaned squid
1 garlic clove, peeled and halved
1½ cups diced, tender white celery stalks
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley
Salt to taste ¼ to ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 to 4 tablespoons lemon juice
Prepare Vegetable Broth. Strain it and set aside until ready to use.
When you are ready to poach calamari, bring broth back to a full boil. Add calamari, turn heat off and let them sit in hot broth about 2 minutes. Drain calamari and place in a bowl of ice water to stop cooking. Drain again, pat dry with paper towels, then cut sacs into ½-inch rings, and tentacles in half lengthwise.
Rub garlic all around inside of a salad bowl and add calamari. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator for about 1 hour.
Remove calamari from refrigerator. Add celery and parsley, season with salt and toss with oil and lemon juice. Leave salad at room temperature for about 30 minutes, taste, adjust seasonings and serve.
GRILLED MARINATED VEGETABLES
Verdure alla Griglia Marinate
Almost any vegetable can be used for this dish, which can be served as an appetizer or a side dish.
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
2 large red or yellow sweet peppers
1 small, firm eggplant
4 small zucchini
¼ cup red wine vinegar
½ cup olive oil plus extra for brushing
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
8 to 10 fresh basil leaves, finely shredded, or 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
Roast and peel the peppers as instructed on page 18. Cut peeled peppers into large strips and place them slightly overlapping in a large, shallow serving dish. Cut off the ends of the eggplant