briciole

finocchio / fennel

Some time ago, I mentioned finocchio as one of the elements of a traditional Italian appetizer called verdure in pinzimonio, which includes a selection of raw vegetables (carrots, celery, fennel, radishes, etc.) to be dipped into a sauce made of olive oil, salt and pepper, and possibly vinegar or lemon juice. Each guest gets his or her own small plate of sauce. Growing up, I ate fennel salad often, the bulb cut into bite-size pieces and seasoned with the usual combination of oil, vinegar and salt. You can slice the fennel thinly instead: I like the bite-size version, because each morsel... Read more →

cavolo napa / napa cabbage

(here you can read other names used to refer to this vegetable). I must admit that, until recently, I had not used this type of cabbage. Then, one day, a beautiful head of it stared at me from the shelf of the grocery store and I could not refuse its proposal to hop on my cart. I started my acquaintance with napa cabbage by cooking it very simply. The recipe I created was inspired by one in the book If the Buddha Came to Dinner by Halé Sofia Schatz: Braised (Napa) Cabbage, Fennel and Leeks (stufato di cavolo napa, finocchio e... Read more →

porcellana / purslane (or porcelain)

From a December 1992 article in Agricultural Research: It's known as purslane - a plant that is a troublesome weed in many U.S. crops, especially vegetables. But recent research findings confirm that purslane is also a rich source of fatty acids, vitamin E, and other key nutrients - making it a prime candidate as a new vegetable crop. There are about 200 species of purslane, the common name for a group of plants known as Portulaca. Scientists have focused on one annual species, P. oleracea, found around the world and in all 50 states. It is known for its persistence -... Read more →

asparago / asparagus

Asparagus officinalis is a perennial plant, whose tender shoots (or spears), also called asparagus, are eaten as a vegetable and, as it is well known, much appreciated. Asparagus have actually been prized since ancient times. The aerial stems of asparagus arise from rhizomes, which, together with the roots, constitute the underground portion of the plant. The Italian words are asparago (the plant; plural: asparagi), turioni (the edible shoots; singular: turione), rizomi (rhizomes; singular: rizoma), radici (roots; singular: radice). I must admit that I have never heard the word turioni in everyday language: I have always used asparagi to refer to the... Read more →

cappero / caper

Before delving into the official topic of the post, I would like to thank Ilva of Lucullian Delights and Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen for mentioning briciole in the context of Blog Day: grazie infinite per la squisita gentilezza. And now a few capers about capers. I have always liked capperi, tiny green bubbles that burst in your mouth and tingle your taste buds. Adding a tablespoon or two of capers to a dish enlivens it. One of my mother's aunts, who lived outside Split, in Croatia, would gather capers and preserve them, pickled, in lovely jars: a true labor of love.... Read more →

fagiolino / snap bean

Phaseolus vulgaris Fagiolino is a diminutive of fagiolo (bean) and it is most often used in the plural, fagiolini. I have always called fagiolini green beans here, but a recent post by Lisa of Champaign Taste featuring the purple and yellow varieties, besides the green one, made me decide to consult the dictionary. As a result, from now on I will try and call them snap beans, a term previously unknown to me. I have always loved fagiolini, even as a vegetable-averse child and teenager. The day of the first written test at the end of high school, after six hours... Read more →

cavolfiore / cauliflower

(Brassica oleracea var. botrytis) As a child I hated cooked cavolfiore no matter how it was prepared. I could smell cavolfiore bollito (boiled) and minestra di cavolfiore (soup) even before entering the house. Not that my reaction had any deterrent effect on my mother: she continued to cook those two dishes regardless of my opinion. I still have problems with the boiled version, but I love cauliflower roasted and as an ingredients of stews. As for raw cauliflower, that has never incurred my dislike. I even like the core: after I cut the florets, I reserve the torso, minus the tough... Read more →

melanzana / eggplant

(Solanum melongena) One of my favorite vegetables ever. Its color (light or dark purple, or white), its texture, its versatility: what's not to love about eggplant? The only moment of tension that ever occurred between me and my friend melanzana was the day I decided to make baba ganoush and forgot to pierce the skin of the plump specimen I had selected for my experiment before putting it into the oven. After some time, I heard a soft plopping sound, which I almost dismissed. I opened the oven door and found what is probably the worst kitchen disaster that ever happened... Read more →

cavolino di Bruxelles / Brussels sprout

Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera, also called cavoletto di Bruxelles. The plural form, which is almost always used, is cavolini and cavoletti, respectively. I was 22 years old and living in Milan the first time I ate cavolini di Bruxelles alla parmigiana at a friend's house, steamed and lightly seasoned with butter and parmigiano. I liked them then and still do. I am aware that in this country they get mixed reviews. I believe the trick is to offset their soft nature (when steamed) with something crunchy, like toasted hazelnuts or almonds, or to enhance their flavor with cheese (like, for example... Read more →

ruchetta (rucola) / arugula (rocket)

Ruchetta or rucola is one of those names that are used to indicate more than one thing, which is a recipe for confusion. First there is rucola selvatica, Diplotaxis tenuifolia. Before moving from Italy to The United States of Arugula, I only knew ruchetta as an ingredient of my salad days. Memory #1: both my mother and my aunt Lucia would gather ruchetta in uncultivated patches of land around where they lived, then add a few leaves to a salad of mixed greens to spice it up: and spicy it was! Memory #2: at any of the colorful, noisy and lively... Read more →