Skinny Italian: Eat It and Enjoy It (5 page)
Read Skinny Italian: Eat It and Enjoy It Online
Authors: Teresa Giudice,Heather Maclean
Tags: #food.cookbooks
PURE •
A pretty useless word that can mean anything. It’s supposed to tell you that there are only olives in the bottle, but since they don’t have to talk about the chemicals they used to get there, or what shape the olives were in when they used them, “pure” can be ignored.
NATURAL •
Of course it’s “natural.” What’s the alternative to using a “natural” olive? Using a fake, plastic one? Ignore this word. It’s completely meaningless.
REFINED •
While
refined
sounds like it has fancy manners or something, it really means the olive oil has to be produced using chemicals, filters, and heat that could end up putting toxins in your body instead of antioxidants. Refined oil usually has a funky taste and smell, too. No good for cooking. No good for anyone.
BLENDED OLIVE OIL •
We only want extra virgin olive oil, not our precious oil blended with who knows what from who knows where. Blended is good for drinks, bad for olive oil.
OLIVE POMACE OIL •
Pomace is the mushed-up olive skin and pits left over after pressing. Using the pomace (and lots of chemicals) to create some olive oil is like using the hair caught in your vacuum cleaner to make your own extensions. Nasty. Avoid, avoid, avoid.
LIGHT OLIVE OIL •
The same guys who’ll try to sell you the Brooklyn Bridge are trying to trick hyper-dieting Americans into buying crappy oil. Since all olive oils have exactly the same amount of calories and fat per serving, there is no such thing as a “light” olive oil in terms of calories or fat. Somebody at some crappy company realized that if they took inferior olive oil (which is lighter in color because it’s so crappy) and called it “light,” referring to its color, they might trick people into buying this kind of oil. You’re far too smart for this con.
FIRST PRESS •
Completely unnecessary. If it’s extra virgin, it’s first press (and most of them aren’t even really “pressed” anymore). You can ignore this.
COLD PRESSED •
Same as with “first press.” Ignore.
Fresco e naturale
ULTRA, PREMIUM, OR ULTRA PREMIUM •
These are just show-off words. They don’t really mean anything except that the company thinks its olive oil is great. It might be, so you don’t have to avoid these words. Just don’t let them sway your shopping decision.
TRADITIONAL •
I think this label is hilarious because it’s not a regulated word; anyone can stick it on anything. I saw it on a bottle that also had “composed of refined olive oils and virgin olive oils” on it. What’s traditional about mixing junk in with the good stuff to stretch your profits?
Niente!
ESTATE GROWN •
What estate, where? And are the olives all from the same estate or from a bunch of different estates in skievy places? Meaningless.
UNFILTERED •
You can find this on extra virgin olive oil, and basically it just means they didn’t strain out every single little piece of olive skin or pulp from the oil. Some people say this makes the tastiest oil. Some people think it makes the oil expire faster. If you don’t mind little specks floating in your oil, go for it. Me, you know I’m all about cleansiness.
HANDPICKED •
This is supposed to tell you that they treat their olives with TLC, which is fine, but there are also nets and rakes and some machines that are used that do just as good a job getting the best olives off the tree. Handpicked is sweet, but it might mean you’re paying more for the oil because their labor costs are higher.
Made in Italy, Imported from Italy, 100 percent Italian •
These all sound good, but you have to look at the other writing on the bottle to figure out how good it really is. Ideally, you want an extra virgin olive oil that is made in Italy with only Italian olives from the same property. Most bottles I’ve seen with “made in Italy” on them go on to tell you that it was also made with olives from Spain, Greece, Turkey, and Italy. Why is this bad? First of all, I’m biased, but Italian olives are the best. And since olives are tastiest when they are handled carefully and pressed within twenty-four hours, the thought of a bunch of ragtag olives being shipped in from different countries on boats and trucks and stuff doesn’t really appeal to me.
The Very Best for My BFFs
We’re clear that extra virgin olive oil with 100 percent Italian everything is the best way to go. You’ll still have a dozen different choices, though.
Looking for the premium pick to impress your in-laws, your frenemy, or that freakin’ guy from the IRS that won’t stop knocking on your door even though you explained to him a million times that pretending to make giant purchases in cash was just a joke for your TV show? Like wine, the best stuff comes from small companies that grow, harvest, press, and bottle their olive oil all at the same place. These are usually family companies with a long history and reputation to protect. Try a few to see which one you like best and enjoy!
No More Bottled Salad Dressing . . . Ever!
Now that you’re all olive oil savvy, it’s time to take the solemn oath of Italian eating. Repeat after me:
I promise that I will never, ever again, as long as I live or expect to be friends with Teresa, purchase creamy, crappy, fatty, chemical-filled, already-mixed salad dressing. I will instead save money, love my heart, worship my body, and live like an Italian by making my own, which will in turn impress my friends, make my neighbors jealous, and make me that much sexier to the love in my life.
I’m so proud of you! Of course, you need a kick-ass, homemade, authentic Italian salad dressing recipe now. And I just happen to have the perfect one.
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
You’re looking for measurements, right? Now’s when you’re going to have to jump in and be a hands-on Italian cook with me. For most things, we just eyeball the ingredients, adding more and less of what we like.
Here’s how I make my salads: I get the lettuce all ready in a big bowl (and add cranberries or whatever else I want in it), then I get my bottle of olive oil and just pour it over the top (probably for 2 seconds). Next, I pour balsamic vinegar over the top (about 1 second of pour). Then, instead of using salt, I sprinkle Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese over the top. (Some people also use black pepper, but my dad can’t eat it, so I never use black pepper in anything.)
Now stick your fingers in and mix the salad up with your (clean, washed) hands. Massage the oils and cheese all throughout the salad so you get the flavor in every bite. Sexy and delicious! (Now go wash your hands again.)
What’s What and Who’s Who
In college, there are certain classes you have to take that you know are gonna kill you. If you’re a communications major, you dread the science requirements. If you’re a football player, math is probably not your thing. So to save their students’ GPAs, most universities have beginner classes specially designed for the nonexpert. Even though the class might just be listed as Geology 101 in the course catalog, the students know the awesome nicknames that tell it like it really is: Rocks for Jocks, Physics for Poets, and my favorite, Math for Plants.
I didn’t go to culinary school and I’m assuming you didn’t either. But since we’re probably not going to go now, and we’ve got a mess of Italian food to whip up, we need a beginner course on the spices, herbs, and special flavors used in Mediterranean cooking.
Herb or Spice?
How do you know if something is an herb or a spice? Scientifically there is a difference (but barely, and those science guys are still arguing about it): herbs are supposed to come from the leafy part of the plant, and spices from the seeds, fruit, bark, or roots.
The better question is: should you say the
h
in
herb
like they do in London, or use the
h
-less
erb
like they do in Paris?
Herb
comes from the Latin word
herba
, which means “grass,” but I asked around, and basically, in America, you can say it however you want.
In New Jersey, at least my friends and I, we vote for Paris. I say
erb
. Jacqueline says
erb
. My friend Edel says
erb
. Caroline had my favorite answer, though. She tells me that in Brooklyn, where she was born, it’s
hoib
.
Love it!
Welcome to Vines for Virgins.
So that you never again just grab the bottle called “Italian spices” and shake it over your chicken, I’m going to teach you what these wonderful ingredients are for, how they taste, how to cook with them, and even how to store them.
T
eresa’s
T • I • P
Using a salad spinner is a fast, easy way to gently wash and dry fresh herbs.
At the end of each section, as a reward for being a good student, I’m going to give you one of my delicious and juicy recipes that star the herb you just learned about.
Basil
-
B
ASILICO
T
eresa’s
T • I • P
Another fun way to use frozen basil ice cubes is to just remove them from the freezer and then use a cheese grater. Grate right over your prepared dishes, and the basil will defrost instantly and you’ll get a great taste as well as a great puff of aroma!
Looks like:
Green leaves, kind of like peppermint.
Tastes like:
Spicy sweet, with a bit of anise (licorice-like) flavor.
Dry or fresh:
Dry basil doesn’t have any taste, so only use fresh. (Those bottles of dried basil in the grocery store are a joke. You might as well crumble dead leaves from your doorstep over your food.) Good fresh basil leaves are healthy-looking and dark green. Don’t use one with dark or yellow spots.
Where to get it:
Grow it yourself, or buy it fresh at the market. It’s usually only available fresh in the summer months, but you can easily freeze it to thaw whenever you need it.
How to prep it:
Wash leaves gently since they can bruise easily. You can use both the leaves and the soft stems. You can slice, chop, mix in a food processor, or just pop whole leaves or a whole sprig into your dish.
How to eat it:
You can eat fresh basil raw or cooked in just about anything. Whole leaves and soft stems are also edible.
How to cook with it:
Too much cooking will break down basil’s flavor, so you should add basil at the end of the cooking process.
How to store it:
Fresh •
Do not put fresh basil in the fridge unless you like black, slimy things. Instead, treat fresh basil (from your garden or the grocery store) like you would cut flowers: trim the end, and stand them upright in a jar of water. If you keep them out of direct sunlight and change the water every day, fresh basil can last like this for weeks! (Keep it in there even longer, and eventually it will sprout roots and you can plant it in your garden.)
Frozen •
There are two methods for freezing basil: leaving it whole, and chopping it into ice-cube trays. To freeze it whole, you first have to blanch the plant, which means dipping sprigs in boiling water for fifteen seconds, and then in ice-cold water (this toughens the skin to survive the freezing process, otherwise it will turn black again). Dry the leaves well on paper towels, line them up on a plate or pan, and put them in your freezer. Once they are frozen, take them out and wrap them in paper towels, put the bundle in a plastic freezer bag, and remove as much as you need throughout the year. To use ice-cube trays, finely chop the basil leaves on a cutting board or use your food processor with a little olive oil drizzled in. Put 2 teaspoons of the chopped basil in each ice-cube space, and add water. Once the cubes are frozen, you can pop them out and put them in plastic freezer bags for easier storage. To use the cubes in recipes, either let them thaw in a strainer (to drain off the water), or pop them right into your soups and sauces.
Dried •
I just told you not to use dried, so don’t.
Best in:
Pesto, tomato pairings (add to tomato soup—yum!), with olive oil, in sauces, over meats. Joe even eats big, fresh basil leaves on his burgers instead of lettuce. Phenomenal!
Fun fact:
In ancient times, the Greeks and Romans thought that to get basil to grow well, you had to curse like a maniac while you were planting it (I think I’d be a great basil farmer! “Grow, you prostitution whore! Grow!!!”). In French, the way to say someone is raving, like foaming at the mouth with all their b.s., is
semer le basilic
, which literally means they are “sowing basil.”