stovetop toaster over high heat. Place the sliced bread on the broiler pan 4 inches from the heat (or on the stovetop toaster, if using) and grill about 1 minute per side until golden brown. Rub the garlic on both sides. Remove from the heat and drizzle generously with olive oil. Serve immediately.
BUTTER LETTUCE AND POMEGRANATE SEED SALAD
LATTUGA E SEMI DI MELAGRANA
SERVES 6
D: This salad always looks beautiful when care is given to its presentation: The supple butter lettuce and its petal-like visual, decorated with the tiny greens called mâche—or “lamb’s lettuce”—can make any plate look like a garden has just sprung up. With the slight edge in flavor from the shallot-infused vinaigrette, and the tang from the pomegranate seeds, this salad’s a real winner.
VINAIGRETTE
1 small shallot, finely chopped
3 tablespoons champagne vinegar
¹⁄³ cup extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
SALAD
2 small heads butter lettuce
4 ounces mâche greens
¼ cup pomegranate seeds
To make the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, combine the shallot and vinegar. Add the olive oil, whisking slowly to emulsify the mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
To make the salad: Arrange the butter lettuce on a plate. Sprinkle the mâche on top.
Just before serving, dress the greens with the vinaigrette and garnish with the pomegranate seeds.
IMPORTANTE! Dried cranberries make a fine substitute for pomegranate seeds.
PEACH AND FENNEL SALAD
INSALATE DI PESCHE E FINOCCHIO
SERVES 4–6
D: Peaches add a wonderfully juicy dimension to any salad. They’re sweet enough to be an ingredient but not overpowering enough to make you feel you’re just eating fruit. Combined with the licorice-like essence of fennel and the saltiness of the bresaola, which is a delicious cured beef, you have a lively summer salad with succulence and depth.
½ medium bulb fennel
¼ small red onion
3 yellow peaches, cut into thin wedges
Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Juice of 1 lemon
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ pound thinly sliced bresaola
4 big handfuls wild arugula
Using a mandoline, slice the fennel and red onion thinly.
In a medium bowl, combine the fennel, red onion, and peaches. Drizzle with olive oil and the lemon juice, then sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Toss the mixture with your hands.
Arrange the bresaola slices around the outside of a serving platter. Arrange the arugula in the center, then place the peach mixture on top. Add another drizzle of olive oil.
IMPORTANTE! Be sure to serve this salad immediately after plating. It can’t sit too long or the lemon juice will “cook” the bresaola.
BLOOD ORANGE SALAD
INSALATA SICILIANA
SERVES 4–6
G: We made this for actor Joe Mantegna and his wife one night as part of a unique themed dinner. Joe is of Sicilian heritage, and I wanted to help channel flavor memories for him of the food that comes from his homeland. This zestful Sicilian specialty that mixes oranges, fennel, and olives was a nostalgic hit for Joe. At one point, Joe even teared up. Nothing feels better than going that extra mile to make a guest feel special.
3 blood oranges, peeled and sliced into thin rings
¼ red onion, very thinly sliced
1 bulb fennel, thinly sliced
4 cups baby arugula
¼ cup oil-cured olives, pitted and roughly chopped
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a large bowl, combine the oranges, red onion, and fennel slices. Add the arugula and olives and toss lightly.
Just before serving, add the olive oil and lemon juice and toss. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve on individual plates.
SMOKED SALMON TROUT AND CUCUMBER SALAD
INSALATA DI TROTA AFFUMICATA E CETRIOLO
SERVES 4–6
D: This makes for a really nice light lunch. The smokiness of the fish marries beautifully with the olive oil, lemon, and shallot. It’s a wonderfully round flavor, full of character but not
BUTTER LETTUCE AND POMEGRANATE SEED SALAD
LATTUGA E SEMI DI MELAGRANA
SERVES 6
D: This salad always looks beautiful when care is given to its presentation: The supple butter lettuce and its petal-like visual, decorated with the tiny greens called mâche—or “lamb’s lettuce”—can make any plate look like a garden has just sprung up. With the slight edge in flavor from the shallot-infused vinaigrette, and the tang from the pomegranate seeds, this salad’s a real winner.
VINAIGRETTE
1 small shallot, finely chopped
3 tablespoons champagne vinegar
¹⁄³ cup extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
SALAD
2 small heads butter lettuce
4 ounces mâche greens
¼ cup pomegranate seeds
To make the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, combine the shallot and vinegar. Add the olive oil, whisking slowly to emulsify the mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
To make the salad: Arrange the butter lettuce on a plate. Sprinkle the mâche on top.
Just before serving, dress the greens with the vinaigrette and garnish with the pomegranate seeds.
IMPORTANTE! Dried cranberries make a fine substitute for pomegranate seeds.
PEACH AND FENNEL SALAD
INSALATE DI PESCHE E FINOCCHIO
SERVES 4–6
D: Peaches add a wonderfully juicy dimension to any salad. They’re sweet enough to be an ingredient but not overpowering enough to make you feel you’re just eating fruit. Combined with the licorice-like essence of fennel and the saltiness of the bresaola, which is a delicious cured beef, you have a lively summer salad with succulence and depth.
½ medium bulb fennel
¼ small red onion
3 yellow peaches, cut into thin wedges
Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Juice of 1 lemon
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ pound thinly sliced bresaola
4 big handfuls wild arugula
Using a mandoline, slice the fennel and red onion thinly.
In a medium bowl, combine the fennel, red onion, and peaches. Drizzle with olive oil and the lemon juice, then sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Toss the mixture with your hands.
Arrange the bresaola slices around the outside of a serving platter. Arrange the arugula in the center, then place the peach mixture on top. Add another drizzle of olive oil.
IMPORTANTE! Be sure to serve this salad immediately after plating. It can’t sit too long or the lemon juice will “cook” the bresaola.
BLOOD ORANGE SALAD
INSALATA SICILIANA
SERVES 4–6
G: We made this for actor Joe Mantegna and his wife one night as part of a unique themed dinner. Joe is of Sicilian heritage, and I wanted to help channel flavor memories for him of the food that comes from his homeland. This zestful Sicilian specialty that mixes oranges, fennel, and olives was a nostalgic hit for Joe. At one point, Joe even teared up. Nothing feels better than going that extra mile to make a guest feel special.
3 blood oranges, peeled and sliced into thin rings
¼ red onion, very thinly sliced
1 bulb fennel, thinly sliced
4 cups baby arugula
¼ cup oil-cured olives, pitted and roughly chopped
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a large bowl, combine the oranges, red onion, and fennel slices. Add the arugula and olives and toss lightly.
Just before serving, add the olive oil and lemon juice and toss. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve on individual plates.
SMOKED SALMON TROUT AND CUCUMBER SALAD
INSALATA DI TROTA AFFUMICATA E CETRIOLO
SERVES 4–6
D: This makes for a really nice light lunch. The smokiness of the fish marries beautifully with the olive oil, lemon, and shallot. It’s a wonderfully round flavor, full of character but not
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