Tomato, Arugula & Fresh Mozzarella Salad

I know it looks like any salad, but this is from my garden, at least the arugula and tomato are:
So, it is very simple, arugula, italian tuna in olive oil, fresh mozzarella, garden tomatoes cut up and extra virgin olive oil. You know the rest. Oh, one more thing some great bread goes perfect with this. Once you tomatoes from your garden it is so difficult to eat them in the winter months.

Grilled Potato Rosemary Pizza

I love grilling pizza and do it often. I use a natural hardwood charcoal and the pizza is so delicous. You can do this with a gas grill also.
1 pizza dough (you can get this at your supermarket, oh and it freezes great)
olive oil
fresh rosemary cut up
new potatoes cut into rounds, blanch the potato rounds in water, remember to put the potatoes into cold water and once it comes to a boil remove them
asiago cheese grated
Heat your grill to medium high, I do it so that when I put my hand over the grill I can only hold it there for about 3 seconds.
Roll out the dough, put it on a pizza peel that has either flour or cornmeal and make sure that the dough moves on the peel.
Roll it onto the grill and let it sit for a few minutes, it will begin to bubble, peak and when it is getting grill marks you can flip it. Once flipped, brush off the excess flour, pour olive oil over not too much, then add your potatoes, asiago cheese and rosemary, close the cover to your grill and let it cook, you will see the cheese starting to melt, check the bottom of the pizza so that it does not get too dark.
Remove and serve immediately. Any questions contact me

Grilled Mussels with Mango Salsa

Great and easy and delicious. I grilled New Zealand green mussels and served them with a spicy mango salsa.

Chorizo, Cannellini Bean Pasta

My sister was on vacation and brought back this delicious Chorizo, instead of having it with crackers, I made it with fusilli, beans, it was delicious. All I did was saute onion with the chorizo, added a can of beans, then added it to the cooked pasta, that I topped with a tomato sauce and grated parmigiano cheese. This was different but really yummy!

Grilled Pork Chops w/ Compond Butter

I love grilling and do so as much as I can weather permitting, even in the winter. Today, I made brined pork chops with a wonderfull compond butter. I use natural charcoal which make the food taste wonderful (don't use that chemical stuff). Anyway the recipe is easy, you can adjust as you wish with seasoning, but here is a recipe for those that wish.

I used:

4 center cut pork chops with bone in

2 scallions, chopped

1 garlic, minced

1/2 cup of cilantro, minced

salt & pepper

100 grams (3 oz) unsalted butter, softened

1 teaspoon corainder seeds

1/3 teaspoon of chili flakes, more if you like the heat

1/2 teaspoon of paprika

olive oil

1. I used a pestel and mortar to combine the scallions, garlic, cilantro sat & pepper, butter, corriander seeds, chili flakes and paprika, you can use a food processor. Mash it all up

2.I brined the pork chops overnight. Take the pork chops and dry them off, salt & pepper them and rub a little olive oil on both sides of the chops.

3. Get the grill hot, I use charcoal and grill the chops, when finished, spread the butter mixture over the chops. These are moist and really delicious!

Really easy and delicious! I served grilled eggplant and grilled poatatoes

Fava Bean Pesto on Crostini with Mozzarella

I just love fava beans and pesto, so here is my version of fava bean pesto on crostini with mozzarella and arugula. The arugula and mint are from my garden. This is very easy to make, I love my pestel and mortar but you could use a food processor (try the pestel and mortar, you will love it). Taste as you go with salt and pepper. I used:

2 cups of cooked and shelled fava beans

1/2 cup of freshly grated romano cheese, you may need more, it's to your taste

3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, you want the consistency to be smooth like a basil pesto

salt and pepper to taste

4 fresh mint leaves

1 garlic clove cut in half

french ficele bread, cut about 4 or however many you want and toast the bread and rub the garlic while it is hot
In you mortar put the fava beans and begin to mash the beans with the pestel, this takes a few minutes, it will begin to mash quickly, add some of the grated cheese and mix that in, then salt & pepper and some olive oil. Adjust to your taste, but be sure to make it so that it is smooth.

Toast the crostini and while hot rub the garlic over the bread

Take the crostini and place about a large teaspoon or more to cover the bread, break up the mozzarella and add that on top, and finish with a nice topping of arugula.

Remember that it's all about taste so taste as you go.....enjoy!