Lidias Italy Strangozzi With Veal And Chicken Liver Sauce Recipes

STRANGOZZI WITH VEAL & CHICKEN LIVER SAUCE

Steps:

• For the sauce: Drop the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic into the food processor, and mince finely to an even-textured pestata. Crumble the ground veal into a bowl, breaking up any clumps of meat.
• Pour the olive oil into the big skillet, and set it over medium-high heat. Scrape in the pestata, spread it around the pan, and let it cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to stick to the pan bottom, about 5 minutes. Lower the heat a bit, and scatter the ground veal in the pan, crumbling apart any clumps. Season the meat with 1 teaspoon salt, and stir the meat and pestata together. As the veal starts to sizzle and release its juices, raise the heat, and cook, stirring often, until all the liquid has evaporated and the meat is dry and lightly caramelized, about 10 minutes.
• Clear a space in the center of the pan, dump in the chicken livers, and cook them in the hot spot for a minute or two, until they're all sizzling and lightly colored, then stir the livers and veal together.
• Pour in the white wine, bring it to a boil over high heat, and let it cook until almost completely evaporated. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and 2 cups of slosh water (used to rinse the tomato can and bowl), season with the remaining teaspoon of salt, and stir with the meats.
• Bring the sauce to a boil, adjust the heat to keep it bubbling steadily, and let it cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes or so. Lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, and cook the sauce for another hour, or until it has good flavor and is reduced to a consistency you like for dressing pasta. You can use some of the sauce right away-you'll need half of it to dress strangozzi-or let it cool, then refrigerate or freeze for later use.
• For cooking and dressing the strangozzi: Bring a large pot of well-salted water (at least 6 quarts water with 1 tablespoon salt) to a rolling boil. Heat half the meat sauce, about 3 cups, to a bare simmer in a wide skillet or sauté pan (if you've just made the sauce, use the same pan). If the sauce has cooled and thickened, loosen it with some of the pasta water.
• Shake any excess flour from the nests of strangozzi, and drop all the pasta into the pot, stirring and separating the strands. Rapidly return the water to a rolling boil, and cook the strangozzi for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until barely al dente.
• Lift out the pasta quickly, let it drain for a moment, and drop it into the simmering sauce. Over low heat, toss strangozzi and sauce together for a minute or two, until all the strands are coated and perfectly al dente. (Thin the sauce, if necessary, with hot pasta water, or thicken it quickly over higher heat.)
• Turn off the heat, sprinkle a cup or so of grated cheese over the strangozzi, and toss well. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil, toss again, and heap the pasta in warm bowls. Serve immediately, passing more cheese at the table.

LIDIA'S ITALY - STRANGOZZI WITH VEAL AND CHICKEN LIVER SAUCE

Steps:

• For the sauce: Drop the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic into the food processor, mince finely to an even-textured pestata. Pour the olive oil into the big skillet, and set it over medium-high heat. Scrape in the pestata, cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to stick to the pan bottom, about 5 minutes. Lower and scatter the ground veal in the pan, crumbling apart any clumps. Season the meat with a teaspoon salt. As the veal starts to sizzle and release its juices, raise the heat, and cook, stirring often, until all the liquid has evaporated and the meat is dry and lightly caramelized, about 10 minutes. Clear a space in the center of the pan, dump in the chicken livers, and cook them in the hot spot for a minute or two, until they're all sizzling and lightly colored, then stir the livers and veal together. Pour in the white wine, bring it to a boil over high heat, and let it cook until almost completely evaporated. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and 2 cups of slosh water (used to rinse the tomato cans and bowl), season with remaining teaspoon salt, and stir with the meats. Bring the sauce to a boil, adjust the heat to keep it bubbling steadily, and let it cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes or so. Lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, and cook the sauce for another hour, or until it has good flavor and is reduced to a consistency you like for dressing pasta. You can use some of the sauce right away-you'll need half of it to dress strangozzi-or let it cool, then refrigerate or freeze for later Cook the strangozzi for about 5 minutes until barely al dente and drop it into the simmering sauce & toss strangozzi and sauce until all the strands are coated. Turn off the heat, sprinkle a cup or so of grated cheese over the strangozzi, and toss well. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil, toss again, and heap the pasta in warm bowls. Serve immediately, passing more cheese at the table.

CHICKEN LIVERS AND ONIONS, SAUTEED (LIDIA BASTIANICH)

Steps:

• FRYING THE ONIONS:.
• Put the raisins in a bowl with warm water to cover, so they plump up for a few minutes.
• Slice the onions in half and then crosswise into 1/4-inch thick half moons.:).
• Put 2 tablespoons of oil and 2 of butter in one of the skillets and set it over medium heat.
• As the butter melts, stir in the onions, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt, and drop in the bay leaves.
• Shake the pan and turn the onions as they heat and start to sizzle, then lower the heat slightly and cook the onions slowly as they gradually wilt and start to color, stirring and tossing them occasionally.
• After 15 minutes or so, when the onions are deep gold all over, raise the heat a bit, pour in the 2 tablespoons of vinegar and cook for a minute, stirring the onions in the vinegar as it steams and evaporates.
• Drain the raisins and gently squeeze out the excess liquid; scatter them in the skillet and toss together with the onions.
• Now lower the heat and continue cooking the onions until they're as dark and caramelized as you want them be.
• Turn off the heat and let the onions rest in the hot pan.
• CLEANING & FRYING THE LIVERS:.
• While the onions are cooking, clean the livers (I do this on paper towels): with a paring knife remove all the fat, veins and membranes and slice the livers into separate lobes.
• Rinse them well then pat dry with fresh paper towels.
• Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon salt and grind pepper on all surfaces of the livers.
• Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 of butter in the second skillet, over medium-high heat, until the butter is melted and foaming.
• Before the butter begins to color, lay the livers in the pan, without crowding them.
• With the heat high, cook the livers for 2 minutes or a bit more, until they're browned and crisped on the underside, then turn them over (in the order in which you put them in the pan).
• Cook about 2 minutes on the second side until they are nicely crisped all over and lift them-a couple at a time-with a spider or slotted spoon, let the oil drain off and place them in the first warm skillet, next to the onions.
• Don't overcook the livers: they should still be slightly pink inside when you move them.
• Taste a piece and season with more salt and pepper if you want.
• If you will be serving right away, heap the onions on top of the livers, then spoon onions and liver together onto warm serving plates.
• If serving is delayed, leave the onions and livers in separate parts of the pan so the livers don't get soggy.
• Smother the livers with onions when you serve with white fluffy rice with almonds or I prefer, broad noodles with parslied butter.
• Yum!

CHICKEN AND MEAT STOCK (LIDIA'S RECIPE)

Steps:

• Rinse the poutlry pieces in a colander under cold running water and drain them well. Place them in an 8- to 10-quart stockpot. Pour in the cold water and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil for a minute or two and you will see foam rising to the surface. Skim off and discard the foam, lower the heat to a strong simmer, and cook 1 hour, occasionally skimming the foam and fat from the surface. Add the remaining ingredients excep the salt to the pot. Bring to a boil, then adjust the heat to simmering. Cook, partially covered, 2 to 3 hours, skimming the foam and fat from the surface occasionally. Strain the broth through a very fine sieve, or a colander lined with a double thickness of cheese cloth or a clean kitchen towel. Season lightly with salt. To use the stock right away, wait a minute or two and spoon off the fat that rises to the surface. The last little traces of fat can be "swept" off the surface with a folded piece of paper towel. It is much easier, however, to remove the fat from chilled stock-the fat will rise to the top and solidify, where it can be easily removed. Meat Stock For a rich meat stock, simply substitute 3 pounds meaty veal and beef bones-like beef shin, veal shank bones, and/or short ribs-for 2 pounds of the chicken/capon bones and all the turkey bones. Continue as described above.