In fact,  rabbit is one of the icons of traditional Ligurian cuisine born, as often happens, from necessity. The Ligurian territory of course is not suitable for intensive cattle breeding so in Liguria red meat has always been a luxury for a few or for those living in the city. The meat consumed (very little compared to other Italian regions) was therefore mainly white and came from the courtyards: poultry and rabbits, above all, and some lamb. Occasionally a pig, bred with dedication and then slaughtered in the autumn to make sausages to last all year long.

Every valley in Liguria has its own rabbit recipe but all, to tell the truth, are similar in the main ingredients, in addition to the rabbit of course: pine nuts, Taggiasca olives, aromatic herbs, extra virgin olive oil and wine.

On the wine that accompanies, season and enhances the dish there are two great currents: those who cook it with white wine and those who pour red wine.

In Western Liguria, where this dish is really common, it is prepared with red wine: Rossese di Dolceacqua red wine in the extreme west, Ormeasco in Alta Valle Arroscia and in the area of Albenga. In the rest of Liguria it is more common to see it prepared with white wine, maybe Pigato or Vermentino. In our family  we are in the white side!

Tradition would like, also, that rabbit is cooked in a crock saucepan only dedicated to it (I used a normal pan, I beg your pardon).

You will see that in the recipe I suggest to prepare a quick rabbit broth to wet the meat in cooking. It’s a really interesting tip that I learned from the starred and proudly Ligurian chef Giuse Ricchebuono, who made the Ligurian rabbit revisited its flag.

The post Ligurian braised rabbit, from courtyard to table. appeared first on A Small Kitchen in Genoa.

And finally Christmas has come and with it the time to plan the menu for celebrating.

My Genoa Christmas menu (but for the starter, which is a family recipe) looks back on what the Genoese folks have always brought to their tables on such a special occasion, but I choose just some dishes among the almost endless number of courses they were used to.

Here it is:

Dill marinated salmon
Natalini in capon broth
Genoese cima
Roots salad
Pandolce
Anicini
Dried and candied fruit and chocolates

Recipes below are for 6/8 servings. But given the number of courses you will probably feed 10 people, or have left overs for relaxing a couple of days!

In the mean time, if you are curious about old Genoa Christmas traditions you can have a look at my post “Genoa Christmas traditions and two floral video tutorial” , where I also share two video tutorial for hand making traditional decorations for your table and your house.

DILL MARINATED SALMON

Salmon, sliced and layered on buttered toast is very common on Italian Christmas tables. This is not, though, a Genoa traditional Christmas dish. However this is one of my favorite course and a traditional recipe of my family which my mum prepares since years, so I want to share it with you. It is very easy to prepare, it prepares by its own actually, and you can serve it on Christmas but also for many days onwards.

Ingredients

1,5 kg of fresh salmon1 celery stick
50 g or rock salt1 small onion
1 bunch of fresh dill
1 glass (100 ml) of marsala wine

Instructions

• Cut the salmon in two halves longwise, remove bones and entrails being careful to keep the skin attached to the meet.
• Chop roughly the dill and mix with rock salt and marsala wine.
• Spread the mix on both fillets, keeping the skin down side.
• Put one fillet on the other (meat on meat) keeping the skin outside.
• Wrap tight in aluminum paper, close between two plates and put a weight (ab. 2 kg) on top.
• Let marinate for at least 48 hours, turning it upside down after the first 24 hours.
• Before serving drain very well the exceeding water.Cut in thin slice and serve with unsalted butter and toasted bread.

NATALINI IN CAPON BROTH

Genoese macaroni in broth are so connected with Christmas that in Genoa they are also called Natalin or Natalini (“Natale” meaning Christmas in Italian).

They are a typical Liguria shape of pasta and very very ancient too (documents backdates the existence of macaroni in Genoa in 1300). They differ from other Italian macaroni for their particular shape: they look like “penne” but are 20-25 cm long.

There are other versions, however, that want capon broth enriched with finely chopped vegetables, a handful of dried mushrooms and a couple of spoons of tomato paste. The recipe that I follow is instead more “minimal” with the broth is clear.

Ingredients

1 capon (cleaned without entrails, legs and head)
500 g of lean beef
1 carrot
1 celery stick
1 small onion
300 g of Genoese or Natalini macaroni (20 cm long and smooth macaroni)
150 g of sausage
grated Parmesan cheese
salt

Instructions

• Boil at least 3 liters of water in a large saucepan, toss the vegetables, a pinch of coarse salt and when the water reaches a boil, add the capon and the beef.
• Cook until the meats are tender, then take them out and set aside.
• Strain the broth. If you want to degrease it you can prepare it the day before, leave it to rest in the refrigerator overnight and then remove the fat that will have firmed on the surface. Or you can directly pass the broth in a colander where you will have placed a layer of cotton wool which will retain all the fat contained in the liquid.
• Extract the sausage meat from its casing and cut it into small balls.
• Pour the broth into a large clean pot, bring to a boil and then throw in the Natalini and the sausage balls.
• When the Natalini are cooked, serve them with their broth and the sausage balls and sprinkle with grated Parmesan

CIMA GENOVESE (stuffed beef belly) 

Cima genovese, according to someone the “king of cold dishes”, was born as a poor dish.

In fact, it is a bag made with beef belly stuffed with eggs, few cheese, few vegetables and offals, like sweetbreads, brain and back- since ever considered pieces of scraps of little value. When brought to the table, however, in its abundant roundness, it looks like a roast of fine meat, showing off even on the most modest tables. It is served cut in slices like a roast beef.

The dish, also for its laboriousness, was generally reserved for festive lunches. Some people, like me, prepare it at home for Christmas, others cook it for the Easter lunch. However you can find it in Genoa butchers and deli all year long.

Leftovers are extremely good too. You can cut your cima in small cubes and serve it again soaked in meat jelly. Or even better you can cut it in thicker slices which you will soak in egg, bread and then deep fry. Moving.

My recipe does not include traditional offal, which is difficult to find (unless you have booked them it in time by your butcher) and that few people like nowadays. I replace it with baked ham and mortadella. However, if you want to follow the traditional recipe just replace the cold cuts in my recipe with a mix of brain, back and sweetbreads.

Ingredients

1 kg of beef belly
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
2 carrots
100 gr of shelled peas
1 courgette
1 artichoke
10 eggs
150 gr of cooked ham cut into small cubes
150 gr of mortadella cut into small cubes
2 spoons of pine nuts
4 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon minced marjoram
nutmeg
pepper
salt
1 celery stick
1 small onion

Instructions

• Sew the beef belly with some kitchen thread to obtain a rectangular bag with the shorter side open (you can ask the butcher to do it for you).
• Clean and cut one of the two carrots and the courgette into small cubes. Clean and cut the artichoke into very fine strips.
• In a large pan where you have poured 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, fry the carrots, courgettes, peas and artichokes for a couple of minutes, making sure that they do not fall apart (they must remain firm). Remove the vegetables from the heat and let them cool.
• In a bowl beat the eggs and then add the Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, sautéed vegetables, ham and diced mortadella (or offal diced in small pieces and previously sautéed in some butter) and minced marjoram. Mix and flavor with nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste.
• With the help of a ladle, pour the mixture obtained in the bag of veal, filling it up to half. Then sew very the open side with thread and kitchen needle. To be more sure that the mixture does not come out of the bag, wrap it in a gauze or napkin and tie it with kitchen string.
• Put a large saucepan on the fire with salted water, the remaining carrot, the celery stick and the onion. When the water is lukewarm dip the cima and slow cook it for 2 hours.
• When cooked, take it out and put it to cool in between two plates with a big weight on top which will press squeezing out any broth left inside.
• Serve cold cut into thin slices of about 1 cm.

SCORZONERA SALAD

Roots of Chiavari, also known as “scorzonera”, are tubers very common in Liguria. They look like carrots, but are pointer, withe and with long green leaves on their head. Their taste is bitter.

The traditional salad is very easy to prepare. After having cleaned them very well from the soil, you cut them into rounds ab 2cm thick and boil for 10-15 minutes in water and white wine vinegar in equal parts. Then you drain them and season with oil, salt and few black pepper.

PANDOLCE

Since few years I handmade the traditional Genoese pandolce following the recipe of the Genoa historical pastry shop Pasticceria Villa – Profumo.

I bake pandolce twice in December. At the beginning of the second week I prepare 6 to 8 small pandolci, which I then wrap as present for friends. Then I bake it again three / four days before Christmas, this time halving the doses of my recipe, and shape 2 medium pandolci which I will bring of the table on Christmas Eve and on Christmas day. I prepare them few days in advance so the flavors mix and mingle better and the cake gets the right crumbliness.

You can find the recipe of pandolce basso on the blog, with a video of my experience in Villa Profumo laboratory and step-by-step recipe.

ANICINI

A proper celebrating meal cannot end without a glass of meditational wine in which to dip dry biscuits that greedily absorb the liquid. You eat them one after the other, chatting with your fellows, and the serving plate get empty without even realizing it.

Homemade anicini are the perfect example of a Christmas tradition that matches this little passion of mine. You prepare them prepare easily, they are excellent and last for a long time. To keep in mind not only at Christmas!

DRIED AND CANDIED FRUITS AND CHOCOLATES

Bringing dried and candied fruit to the table on Christmas is a centuries-old tradition in Genoa. Dried and candied fruit, due to their exotic nature and to the high price, have always meant prosperity and luck and therefore has always been very auspicious on the tables of the Genoese. In old specialized Genoese shops, such as Fratelli Armanino or Romanengo the queue under Christmas is mileage!

You can indulge in the choice! Figs and walnuts, almonds, dates, dried apricots, pineapples, blueberries, and the more the merrier!

Even for chocolate, maximum freedom of choice. I love to prepared some very simple and very cheerful chocolates. I melt dark and withe chocolate, pour them in a baking tray mixing them with a tooth pick to create a nice pattern and then I pour on top some pieces of green pistachios, orange dried apricots, red dried cherries and walnuts. I let it cool down and then I cut it roughly in triangles with a sharp knife.

If you are going to prepare my menu, here you are the .pdf file of the Italian Riviera Christmas feast menu here below that you can print and put on your Christmas table for your guest!

The post My traditional Genoa Christmas menu appeared first on A Small Kitchen in Genoa.

Eating lamb at Easter is an ancient tradition spread throughout Italy if not in all Christian countries. Consuming lamb at Easter symbolized the sacrifice of the innocent, of Jesus  in the Christian religion.

In Liguria lamb is often served with artichokes, a vegetable that in early spring reaches its peak in Liguria.

It’s a really simple recipe, very few ingredients because the combination artichoke/ lamb is so winning that requires little more.

I recommend to choose very well your main ingredients, lamb and artichokes. For lamb you have to rely on your butcher or to go to a butcher specialized in lamb. For example, I go to the sheep meat counter at the Oriental Market in Genoa.

For artichokes, look them in the face before buying them. They must be beautiful, beautiful as a flower (which is what they are). Turgid, full, arrogant and intractable with their leaves stretched out, green, large and firm.

It’s a dish that requires little but proper attention. Concentrate on a good browning of the pieces of lamb, you have to feel them sizzle cheerfully and you have to turn them  from time to time. Pour the white wine, better if cold, and fades with relief, carefully scraping the bottom of the pan (these are the sugars of the meat that have caramelized and will  give taste and character to the dish).

Let it cook for long, don’t rush. The lamb is superb when it melts in the mouth like artichokes, together, at the same time, melting and confusing.

Do not let it dry too much, the sauce that will be created is delicious and can also be brought to the table separately to enrich the dish.

A Liguria Easter menu?

What do I prepare with lamb and artichokes if I want a traditional Genoese table for Easter?

At Easter in Genoa as a first course we make stuffed lettuce in broth.

Together with the lamb (baked with potatoes, or stewed with artichokes) usually we prepare also the famous “Cima” a bag made of meat stuffed with eggs, peas, prosciutto or ofals.

Torta Pasqualina (Easter pie)  is never missing, she is the undisputed queen of the party. Tradition wants it made only with chards, in my family we have it with artichokes (just because in spring we had plenty of artichokes available).

We finish the meal with Cavagnetti, small baskets of sweet pastry with the egg in the center and with  the inevitable Quaresimali, cookies made of marzipan and flavored with orange blossom water (I will try to post the recipe before Easter, not sure to get it though…)

For now, Happy Easter!

The post Lamb with artichokes, a great simple classic. appeared first on A Small Kitchen in Genoa.

Is braised chicken healthy? Yes, it’s a perfect balanced main course with a lot of flavor and few calories. The few are from extra-virgin olive oil which is a very healthy source of vegetable fat.

What to serve with braised chicken? I usually prepare some spinaches sauté in the pan with pine nuts and raising (another very traditional Ligurian side dish). But also roasted potatoes or mashed potatoes will be a good companion as they will perfectly combine and mop the sauce.

Every time we prepare Liguria braised chicken it my guests are amazed. There is no time I haven’t seen a sparkling light in the eyes at the first bite. So, this is the time to share it on the blog too!

The post Italian Riviera braised chicken, so easy so tasty! appeared first on A Small Kitchen in Genoa.

Gently massaging the poultry skin with a mince of freshly chopped aromatic herbs, oil and salt and then letting the beast rest in the fridge to marinate for some time. Hand mixing the filling of sausages, apples, dried prunes and walnuts until smooth and then stuffing it inside the turkey. Sewing the holes with care and patience to preserve the juices of the stuffing. Layering the bacon on top of the turkey paying attention to overlap each slice to cover all the surface and at the same time to create a nice looking pattern. And then looking after your creature slowly roasting in the oven for about three hours, checking from time to time, wishing to obtain a juicy meat inside and a perfectly crunchy skin outside.

And eventually the moment when you present it on the table holding the heating pan in your hands, a big smile on your face. What a great feast!

The showing of part is quite important, I would say, because then there is the cutting part which is far less romantic, unless you are a skilled butcher! Better doing it in the kitchen, where you will prepare the plates with a slice of turkey breast wet with some meat juices remained the pan, a slice of crunchy covering bacon and a scoop of stuffing. To season all, soma sauce made blending the vegetables (carrots and onions) you have let roasting in the pan with your turkey.

To accompany the dish, you can prepare a classic smash potatoes purée or a a simple salad of roasted Brussels sprouts which you have baked in the oven jointly with the small turkey.

For your Christmas lunch, for Easter, for your Thanksgiving or for any other special occasion, here my recipe of a roasted small turkey stuffed with sausage, apples, dried prunes and walnuts (in Italian “tacchinella arrosto ripiena” in Genoese dialect “bibinna pinna“) ! Have a lot of fun in the making and take your time to appreciate it.

Link love:

If you are looking for more ideas for Christmas or for a big dinner with friends Italian Riviera style, you can have a look at my traditional Christmas menu.

For some traditional Genoa sweets to prepare in big occasions, here the recipe for the Genoese pandolce and for Italian Riviera classical pastries called Gobeletti.

And for better understanding Genoese traditions and how we used to decorate our table and home for Christmas, here my post on Genoa Christmas traditions and two floral video tutorials.

The post Roasted small turkey, stuffed with sausage, apples and prunes appeared first on A Small Kitchen in Genoa.

They are one of the most famous main dishes of Genoese cuisine, perhaps also for the piece of history that they bring with them.

It is said, in fact, that in the year 1800 when Genoa was suffering one of the harshest periods of famine in its history – with the French invaders barricaded in the city tightened by the English from the sea and the Austrians from the inland – a dish of steaming and appetizing ‘Tomaxelle’ was served to a captive group of Austrian officers, which left them in awe. It was in fact a device, common in history, aimed at discouraging the besieging enemy: in this way it was shown that the besieged were still strong and far from capitulating for starvation.

Tomaxelle, therefore, as a symbol of the richness of Genoese cuisine and strength of the Genoese people.

Some tips for preparing tomaxelle

When you prepare tomaxelle there are some small tips that I suggest you for a better result.

First of all, brown the meat which will go in the filling very well. When the meat golden it takes out its juices that caramelize on the surface and give an intense and full flavor to the meat. Scratch the bottom of the pan very well when you remove the meat and put it in the filling, even those are caramelized and tasty juices!

The traditional recipe includes also veal chest and sometimes even veal sweetbreads. They are parts of the animal very fat and tasty, but difficult to find ready at the butcher. You can safely omit them or … order them in advance!

Try to have a dry and compact filling. Squeeze very tight, though, the  breadcrumbs soaked in the broth and the dried mushrooms. If it turns out to be too liquid, add half a tablespoon of breadcrumbs (it would be better if it is grated fresh).

Pay attention to the nutmeg, a pinch (or a scratch if you use it whole) is enough. It must participate in the symphony of flavors but not cover them all. This is my recurring problem when I use nutmeg in a distracted way.

When you spread the filling on the slices of meat, leave a little free edge. It will be easier for you to roll up the roll overturning the edges on the filling as you roll them. If you want to see how, this video on youtube – even if related to another recipe – is very clear and well done.

For cooking, tomaxelle can be done in white or with sauce. In the first case after having browned the rolls in butter and soaked them with the white wine, add half a cup of broth and let them simmer. In the second case, instead, or you add to the broth a tablespoon of tomato paste dissolved in a little water, or use ready tomato sauce.The most famous Genoese recipe books, such as  “La Vera Cuciniera Genovese” recommends this last variant, providing for the addition, to finish cooking, of the so-called “sauce for dishes”. My favorite “sauce for dishes” is an all-purpose veggie ragù , rich and tasty as if it were made with meat.

Finally, take care not to dry the sauce too much during cooking. The rolls are good if soft and moist and, above all, if you can mop the bread in the sauce when they are finished! Therefore add, if necessary, a couple of tablespoons of water to slow down the evaporation of the sauce.

Here is the recipe, revised on the basis of traditional Genoese recipe books.

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The post Tomaxelle, the Genoese veal rolls appeared first on A Small Kitchen in Genoa.