Serves 8 Herbed Polenta Makes 8 Servings
Grilled Vegetables with Mediterranean Sauces
4 Servings Grilled Vegetables Chef’s Note: You can use any of the sauces below to dress your grilled vegetables. Charmoula Chef’s Tip: Preserved lemon is an iconic ingredient of the region and has a very different flavor profile than lemon peel or lemon juice due to the salting and curing […]
Home School: Risotto (yes, it’s easy!)
Risotto is a dish we most often eat at restaurants, reinforcing the illusion that it’s difficult to prepare. Sorry to spill the beans, restaurant chefs of the world, but despite being creamy and decadent, risotto is actually really easy to make and not nearly as time consuming as you might […]
Homemade Pasta for Two on Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day is less about being in love and more about sharing love, whether that’s with a partner, a family member, or your very best friends. We may be biased, but here at The CIA, we don’t think there’s a much better way to show someone you care than to […]
Ingredient Spotlight: Basil
Basil comes in many different varieties: Thai, Genovese, holy, opal, purple, and more. No matter what specific type of basil you are using, be sure to smell it first. The basil should have a pungent, aromatic smell that almost “tickles” the inside of your nose. Basil can be simply cleaned […]
Insalata di Riso (Rice Salad)
Serves 8 to 10 Make this with whole grains such as brown rice, spelt, or barley if you prefer. Increase the cooking time for these grains and cook them long enough to be tender to the bite. Ingredients Kosher salt, as needed 1 lb (2 2/3 cups) Carnaroli or Arborio […]
Italian Rice Varieties
All varieties of rice can be divided into short-, medium- and long-grain varieties. All Italian rice are strains of a thick, short-grained rice called japonica (Oryza sativa japonica). They may not, to most palates, taste different, but they do behave differently when cooked. There are four grades of rice: Comune […]
Italian-Style Sub Sandwich
Makes 4 to 6 servings This is a classic summer sandwich, perfect for a backyard picnic or road trip to the beach. Substitute your favorite deli meats, like turkey, roast beef, or even tuna fish salad, but don’t miss out on the mayo + toppings spread that makes every sandwich […]
Lasagna With Eggplant, Tomato & Mozzarella
Serves 6 Fried Eggplant Ingredients 2 lb eggplant Kosher salt, as needed Extra-virgin olive oil, as needed for frying Tomato-Basil Sauce Ingredients 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 qt canned whole San Marzano tomatoes with their juices Kosher salt, as needed […]
Linguine alle Vongole (Linguine With Clams)
Serves 4 to 6 Ingredients 2 medium leeks 4 to 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, as needed 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 3 dozen Manila clams or littlenecks, scrubbed 1/2 cup dry white wine 1 fresh bay leaf, broken Kosher salt, as needed Freshly ground black pepper, as needed 1 […]
Linguine with Tuna and Anchovies
Serves 4 to 6 Look for high-quality anchovies and canned tuna imported from Italy, Spain, and Portugal (they really know their tinned fish!). You can make the sauce for this dish ahead of time, through Step 2, if you like. Reheat it before moving on to Step 3 the night […]
Lobster Ravioli with Corn Sauce
Makes 5 or 6 servings Striping the pasta is really fun, but also takes some time. You may want to batch it out and save some of the dough for later. When you make this, you may want to prepare extra ravioli and freeze them. The sauce will also freeze […]