simplicity

I know that i've been bragging a lot about italian foood and italy in general, but over the past few months, there is one motto i try to keep to which is : THE SIMPLER, THE BETTER.
Life can get so damn complicated sometimes - for all the unnecessary reasons - that is is really worth while wasting time in finding easy solution the hard way and picking up at the same time a whole batch of stomach ulcers ?
So, yes, i say FUCK it all.
Italians are lucky beacause their products are so good, so they don't need tons of spices, additives, taste enhancers, bits & pieces & sauces to make things taste good...
From that, i can only deduce the fact that if a product is good, the dish will be hard to screw up.
Respect the seasons, and the product will taste good.
A tomato needs the sun, like a chicken needs space...
So keep it simple. Let the product do the "work"...

Chop some tomatoes, add some chopped basil and pour in some olive oil.
Crunch some salt and pepper.
Done.

Saffron sunsets

A quick pasta dish. devinely sexy.
for 3 guests and yourself.
Chop up 1 big onion, 3 cloves of garlic, 3 courgettes, and peel 3 ripe tomatoes, and 4/5 prawns per person.
fry up the onions + garlic on high heat. Add the courgettes, a small glass of white wine a minute later, and a teaspoon of saffron another minute later. everything should be boiling by now. add the prawns and stir fry for about 3 minutes. Stir in a tablespoon of cream per person. season before throwing in the very al dente pasta for another minute before serving.
enjoy

italy, my love

ok, i may have had a problem with Italy, but that will be the subject of another post on another blog...
my problem now with this beautiful country is coming to terms with the incredible gastronomic resources it has to offer.
Like chinese food, italian food is family food. It is prepared and food cooked with friends and family.
For it to be good there is only one criteria : the quality of the products used. Because of this unique criteria, italian cooking entertains a very intimate relationship with nature, which must be respected, and followed. It is not innocent that movements such as SLOW FOOD come from Italy. The abundance of products has blessed ths country with a rare luxury : the possibility to eat an incredible variety fresh productsaccording to the seasons.
The dishes are so simple, there is no need to hide/mask/disguise the true value of a product with a thick sauce, zillions of different spices...
If ever you go to Florence go here ...
Ask to meet the mama, and et her to talk about the food she produces.
It's all completely natural and delicious. Unfotunately, she will not sell any of her products as "it is forbidden to sell good things here"...
i did manage however to get this recipie off her. I haven't tried it yet, but i will until i get it right, as few things have blitzed my palet as much as this :

Marmalada al peperoni (pic above) :
750g. red pepper
250g. ginger
1kg. sugar
2 glasses of cider vinegar.
Wash the peppers. Cook them in the vinegar with the ginger.
Once cooked, throw the liquid away and purée the peppers.
Put the purée in a pan and add the sugar. Bring the lot to a boil for 3 minutes.
And there you have it ... easy no ?