David's Italian Reds

To be updated regularly, consisting mainly of lighter Italian reds.

• Tenuta Mazzolino Pinot Nero Oltrepo Pavese Terrazze (Lombardia): from Pavia, a pinot nero that I absolutely love. Right up my ally with nice fruit and smooth.
• Ticino (Lugano): technically a swiss red; delicious Merlot.
• Aglianico (Campagna): a fun fizzy red for pizza from the Naples area
• Cenito (Campagna): Luigi Maffini's top red wine made from low yielding Aglianico, single block of older vines; a big wine that ages well, but doesn't feel full of sun. 

Tagliatelle, Sausage & Porcini

Andrea Fraire from Hong Kong's Grissini gave me this recipe verbally at the table. A couple week's later I see that it is in Crave, highlighted as one of its favorite dishes.

home-made tagliatelle
200 gr fresh porcini mushrooms
150 gr pork sausage
150 gr best quality cherry tomatoes
1 tblsp fond de veau
2 tblsp home-made chicken stock
1 clove garlic
1 sprig rosemary
2 tblsp white wine
grated parmesan
maldon sea salt
ground black pepper

1. peel the skin from porcini stems and wipe clean with a damp towel; cut the porcini into cubes 
2. chop rosemary
3. in a pan, lightly fry the garlic; add porcini and fry some more
4. add white wine and saute for three minutes
5. cut the cherry tomatoes in half and saute with the pork sausage in another pan
6. add the porcini and cook for 3-4 minutes
7. cook the tagliatelle
8. add chicken stock and tagliatelle to pan with sauce and saute one minute
9. add fond de veau, chopped rosemary and parmesan

The Barcelona List

Places to go in Barcelona, soon!

• Dos Palillos: ex-El Bulli Albert Raurich for Asian-Iberian small plates
• Rias de Galicia: higher end food, retro ambiance, but the best Galician seafood; lots of unusual shellfish, Tokyo-style!

The New York List

Places I need to go to in NY. Will keep updated per discoveries made.

• 15 East: modern Japanese, sushi master Shimizu-san apprenticed under Rikio Kugo in Tokyo
• Blue Ribbon Brasserie: been around, but haven't gone
• Benu: Corey Lee from the French Laundry; sounds like a bit too much gels and foams but curious

Scallops, Borlotti & Polenta

Another recipe from Ruth Rogers, who got it (as well as crab & artichoke recipe below) from Tuscan restaurant Da Ivo in Venice. Below portions could be reduced by half.

200 gr dried borlotti beans
3 fresh chillies
2 garlic cloves
16 scallops
4 lemons
250 gr polenta flour
3 tblsp EVOO

1. soak beans overnight; rinse then put them into a pan with one chilli and the garlic
2. bring to a boil, skim and simmer for 45 minutes; drain, season and add EVOO
3. keep beans warm
4. bring 1.2 liters of water and 1 tsp of salt to a boil; reduce to simmer and make polenta; reduce heat and cook for 45 minutes stirring occasionally; stir in EVOO
5. heat frying pan, season scallops and sear; remove and add a tablespoon of EVOO as well as two remaining chillies, sliced
6. squeeze over the juice of one lemon, shake the pan for a minute then add the beans
7. divide the polenta between plates, place scallops, beans and any sauce from the pan on top
8. serve with lemon

Crab & Artichoke

From one of the queens of the restaurant scene, Ruth Rogers. It doesn't get much better than this.

2 medium-sized artichokes, sliced lengthways very finely
200 gr white crabmeat
2 tsp brown crabmeat
2 tblsp chopped parsley
juice of half a lemon
2 tblsp EVOO
maldon sea salt
ground black pepper

1. clean and prep artichokes by removing tougher outer leaves, leaving only the pale tender center; trim the tops exposing the choke and remove with a teaspoon if rough or sharp
2. trim the stalks to 4 cm and peel with a potato peeler; rub with lemon to stop artichokes from discoloring
3. combine the white and brown crab with parsley, lemon juice and EVOO and season
4. slice the artichokes as thinly as possible and stir lightly through the crab to combine
5. season again and finish with a drizzle of EVOO

Antipasti Toothpick

Jotting this down before I forget. A great little retro appetizer that will get your palate excited. The fattiness of the mortadella, combined with the smokiness of the cheese, is wiped clean with the brine of the olives.

1/2 inch thick slice of mortadella 

smoked scamorza

best quality pitted green olive

1. cut the mortadella into 1/2 by 1/2 inch cubes
2. do the same with the scamorza
3. prick olive, then scamorza and mortadella with toothpick
4. stand upright on the mortadella cube

Thai Cashews

A quick and easy snack that would go so well with a Pelfort Brune!

300 gr cashews
1 lemongrass stem, tough outer layer removed
1 red chilli
1 tbsp sugar
sea salt

1. preheat oven to 180 C degrees
2. line a baking tray with greaseproof paper, arrange nuts on tray and place in oven for five minutes
3. remove from the oven, turn down to 150 C degrees
4. meanwhile in a pestle and mortar, bash together the lemongrass, chilli and salt until you have a coarse paste
5. transfer to a bowl, then add sugar and generous pinch of salt
6. mix well, then toss in the warm cashews to coat
7. tip the nuts back onto the baking tray and return to oven for five minutes until the coating has hardened slightly
8. leave to cool with an extra sprinkling of salt, if necessary

Cevizli Biber

One of my favorites of all Turkish mezes. A recipe from Stevie Parle who hails from London's Dock restaurant, ex-Moro and ex-River Cafe. Serve with warm pitta or flatbread.

350 gr jarred Spanish red peppers
70 gr walnuts, shelled
1/2 garlic clove
1 tbsp tahini
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 red chilli, finely chopped
juice of 1-2 lemons, to taste
70 gr dried breadcrumbs (actually I'd put less)
3 tbsp EVOO
maldon sea salt
ground black pepper

1. put all ingredients in a food processor except EVOO
2. blitz, stirring in oil at the end

Torino Observations

A city we've long tried to visit and finally we did. It didn't disappoint, nor did the food. Torino is a gastronomic destination where the Slow Food movement began. It is the home of Lavazza, vermouth, choclate and grand cafes. Barolo and white truffles come from nearby. Eataly, the famous global chain of Italian food and wine, is based here. Below are some highlights over our short 48 hour visit.

• Tre Galline: probably my favorite as this was the closest to a traditional trattoria. Highlights were my bollito misto, a bagna cauda with the usual veggies including cardoons (and interestingly about a tablespoon of beef tartare), and a fresh ricotta decorated with crisp leaves and herbs. I think our agnoletti were probably best here. 
• Dolce Stil Novo: one-star modern Italian in Venaria Reale outside of Torino in a lovely palazzo with garden. Chef Alfredo Russo moved from his two-star restaurant in Aosta a couple years ago to open this new restaurant. Highlights were a Russian Salad which I adored (a decomposed modern version), veal tongue with a bright green, cold herby veloute, rabbit & red cabbage, and a "white pasta" or lasagna of super thin pasta sheets almost like a borek.
• Ristorante Consorzio: a good trattoria with three gamberi from the Gambero Rosso, mainly traditional local dishes with a modern touch and carnivore slant. Sweetbreads with a sweet and sour sauce were particularly good.
• Trattoria Valenza: a very simple place on the other side of the tracks in Borgo Dora spilling over with character, particularly the pork-bellied owner. Agnoletti were very good here, particularly their emulsified meat sauce. Perhaps a bit rough around the edges, but I loved it. 
• Osteria Aniche Sere: unable to go but apparently good.
• Combal.zero: an El Bulli kind of place, had we been here longer we would have tried.

Chanterelles & Shellfish Salad

A tempting combo to make. Would be a great start to any meal. Stolen from Carluccio's mushroom cookbook on pop's bookshelf.

500 gr of chanterelles or other interesting mushroom (hen of the woods)
white wine vinegar
water
small raw prawns
scallops
crabmeat
EVOO
chopped coriander, parsley, dill
lemon
maldon sea salt
ground black pepper

1. cook mushrooms in vinegar, water and salt 2-3 minutes
2. drain and cool
3. shell prawns, cook in water until just pink
4. slice scallops
5. make vinaigrette using EVOO, lemon juice and herbs
6. marinate scallop ten minutes
7. mix mushrooms with prawn and crabmeat
8. add scallops, adjust seasoning and serve at room temperature

New Fennel Salad

This has always been a favorite, kept simple with an olive oil and lemon dressing. Here I've developed the dressing a bit adding white balsamic vinegar. The sweet of the latter and the spicy of the chili contrast very nicely with the fennel. This makes a lot of salad, so if making less best to keep the proportion of fennel to onion intact.

four fennel bulbs, including tops
one small red onion
EVOO
juice of half lemon
juice of a clementine
rice wine vinegar
white balsamic vinegar
chopped chives and parsley
1 tsp of chopped red chili
maldon sea salt
ground black pepper

1. slice fennel and onion with a mandolin
2. chop fennel tops finely
3. mix with other ingredients, including vinegars to taste
4. let marinate six hours before serving