MARCELLA MONDAY: FRICASSEED CHICKEN WITH BAY LEAVES

I am sharing Marcella's recipe for Fricasseed Chicken with Bay Leaves. She obtained the recipe from a Venetian friend of hers. Marcella says that the "spirited" flavor of this dish derives from robustly sauteing aromatics - onion, parsley, celery, and garlic - in olive oil, so their flavors infuse the oil and later, the chicken.  Without the addition of more herbs and spices, the bay leaf's delicate, herbal flavor shines and its eucalyptus-like fragrance portends the savory dish to come. Read More for the recipe.

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WHAT BIRDS TEACH US ABOUT LIFE (AND ITALIAN WHITE CHICKEN CHILI)

It’s been raining for days. The small birds flow onto the lawn to peck at the sunflower seeds I’ve thrown and then ebb into the trees. The blue jays and crows, on the other hand, spiritedly make their presence known regardless of the downpours, alighting on the rail outside my den and looking sideways in at me as I write. If I ignore them, they hop closer in, onto the planter boxes. One came so close as to balance on the door molding and tuck its head over so it could laser-eye me. Cue Tippi Hedron. 

The birds remind me that routine can be restorative, even rejuvenating.  Change and challenge are good, but it’s the present-think that grounds us. The simple, and the “slow,” and the everyday.

Here’s a recipe for Italian White Chicken Chili that’s a cinch to put together. As it bubbles on the stove, pick up that book or your knitting. Maybe give a grateful nod to another day well-lived. Namaste. READ MORE FOR RECIPE.

 

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4 PM FIX : BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND, WHITE BEAN AND SHRIMP STEW

Ciao'd while watching a dozen robins on the lawn. 

Garlicky Shrimp with White Beans and Sausage was one of the first recipes I posted when I started my blog six months ago. It remains one of the most popular and most requested recipes to date. Redolent with a riot of complementary flavors - garlic, smoked paprika, and tomatoes to name a few - the stew is a family and friend favorite no matter what time of year you serve it.

So why not a throwback to this comforting dish during the cold winter season? Those of you who just joined the Ciao Donata party may have missed the recipe, so it's new for you. I think you'll like it. And did I mention, it's SUPER easy and quick to prepare? Indulge here.

MARCELLA MONDAY (CHANNELING THE GREAT MARCELLA HAZAN)

I never had the pleasure-slash-privilege of meeting Marcella Hazan, yet I can attest to her companionship in my kitchen for 25-plus years.  I came upon her first cookbook, The Classic Italian Cookbook, when I was living in Spain, of all places, and interning at an Italian restaurant, of all places.  I spent a lot of time at Alambique in Madrid, the cooking school and cookware store owned by my friend, Clara Maria Amezua de Llamas. One day I was helping unpack a shipment of books, and the cookbook revealed itself in all its Italian glory.  And it was written in English! READ MORE...

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