Mamma Agata

Italian food is like eating heaven - wonderful, flavorful, satisfying and so easy....last night we had a pork loin roast - fresh sage and rosemary tied onto to the roast with cooking twine and then browned in olive oil and butter - add some white wine and veg and let it simmer - simply devine. Serve with roasted new potatoes and a cauliflower side dish that had an Italian flair - black olives, olive oil and proscuitto, finely sliced.



It was the first recipe I've cooked from Mama's cookbook - I intend to make my way through the entire book. She teaches a cooking class in Italy on the Amalfi Coast and it is my dream to go there and learn from her one day.



Italian food is also good for the soul. Too many things are going on right now that are sad, depressing and worrisome....cooking this simple food and enjoying it with Erika and Bruce last night was a really refreshing break from anxiety....of course the white wine didn't hurt.

ARROSTO DI MAIALE
Serves 4

1 (2 - 2 1/2 lb.) pork loin
8 sage leaves
2 rosemary sprigs
3 1/2 T. butter
5 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 c. white wine
1 medium white onion, roughly chopped
2 carrots, roughly chopped
1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
2 T. sea salt (I used less)

Wrap the outside edges of the loin with fresh sage leaves and rosemary sprigs, using kitchen twine to hold the herbs in place.

In a large pan, melt the butter and oil over a low flame. Add the loin and sear all sides of the meat to seal in the flavor. Add a portion of salt to the loin as you brown it. Continue turning the meat until all sides have been browned.

Once the meat is brown on all sides, pour the white wine over the meat. Cover and cook over a low flame for about 2 minutes.

Add the vegetables to the pan. Cover and cook over low heat for one hour, gently turning the pork every 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let it sit 10-15 minutes before serving. The vegtables can be served as a side dish or pureed and served over the top of the meat.

Sick of Fish

Ok - we did have pizza on Sunday but only because my hubby, Bruce, requested it. He had been at the coast fishing and we could have dined on lovely, fresh fish but as he put it, "I'm sick of fish," so pizza it was. We get ours delivered from Pie Works - very tasty and not anything like Papa Johns or Dominos.



Last night we did have fish - fish tacos. They were great and simple. Bruce dunked them in milk and then lightly breaded them with flour (seasoned with chili powder, salt and pepper). He "woked" them. Warmed up some corn tortillas on the grill pan and served the tacos with garnishments of chopped cabbage, monterrey jack cheese, slicced black olives, sliced green onions, guacamole, jalapeno peppers, fresh salsa and a mix of sour cream/plain yougurt. In hindsight, I would have "spritzed" the fish with some fresh lime juice.



Tonight's dinner is already in the works (at noon). Chuck roast, covered with thick slices of onion, topped with peeled potatoes and carrots, and a bayleaft - in the crockpot. When all is cooked to my liking, I will drain off the juice and remove the fat and then thicken it with flour for gravy. I will quickly saute some mushrooms and add them to the gravy.



Served with fresh bread, sliced apples and some slices of good cheese. I think all food groups are covered here and now I will go and do something more fun than cooking - I'm going to go to Great Harvest for some nice, freshly baked bread.