Giada's Kitchen: New Italian Favorites (23 page)

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Authors: Giada de Laurentiis

Tags: #Non-Fiction, #Reference

BOOK: Giada's Kitchen: New Italian Favorites

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To make the broth,
in a medium saucepan, heat the 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and cook for 1 minute. Add the garlic and artichokes and cook until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the white wine and stir, scraping the brown bits off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the chicken broth, tomatoes and their juices, thyme, and salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

While the broth simmers, place a ridged grill pan over medium-high heat. Grill the shrimp until just cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes per side.

Ladle the artichoke tomato broth into shallow bowls. Top with the grilled shrimp and serve immediately.

Looking for fancy food made really easy? Look no farther. For this suave little number the pesto is purchased and the puff pastry is from the freezer. You will be amazed at what a spectacular dish you can make in about fifteen minutes with just five ingredients.

4 servings

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed

2 (10- to 12-ounce) center-cut salmon fillets

Salt and pepper to taste

¼ cup sliced almonds

¼ cup purchased pesto

2 tomatoes, sliced

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Unfold the puff pastry sheet on a cutting board and use a sharp paring knife to cut 4 4½-inch squares. Prick each square all over with the tines of a fork. Arrange the pastry squares on one end of the baking sheet, about 1 inch apart. Cut the salmon fillets in half crosswise to make 4 pieces about 3 inches square. Season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper and arrange them on the other end of the sheet. Sprinkle each piece of salmon with 1 tablespoon of the sliced almonds. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed and golden brown and the salmon is firm.

To serve,
place a piece of puff pastry on each plate. Top the pastry with 1 tablespoon of the pesto. Arrange 2 slices of tomato over the pesto and top with the salmon. Serve immediately.

When I meet with fans I often hear this recipe mentioned as a favorite. People really seem to enjoy the bright combination of flavors in the salsa topping.

4 servings

2 ruby red grapefruits

1 fennel bulb, trimmed

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons pitted Niçoise olives, halved

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

1 teaspoon salt

⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes

4 (6-ounce) pieces halibut

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

With a zester or fine grater, remove 1 teaspoon of zest from one of the grapefruits. Use a large, sharp knife to trim away all the peel and pith from both grapefruits. Hold the peeled fruit over a bowl and cut in between the membranes to free the grapefruit segments; you should have about 1 cup. Squeeze the membranes over the bowl to extract the juice; you want ¼ cup. (Reserve any extra for another use.) Add the zest and segments to the bowl.

Halve the fennel bulb lengthwise, slice it thin, and add it to the bowl with the grapefruit segments. Add the olive oil, olives, parsley, ½ teaspoon of the salt, and the red pepper flakes. Stir to combine.

Meanwhile, place the fish on a parchment-lined roasting dish. Sprinkle with the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt and the black pepper and bake for 10 to 12 minutes depending on thickness.

Gently transfer the fish to a serving plate. Top with the grapefruit and fennel salsa and serve immediately.

This dish is a perfect embodiment of the way I like to eat. The colors just say spring, it’s light, and everything tastes really fresh and bright.

4 servings

Lemon Brodetto

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 shallot, diced

2 lemons, one zested and both juiced

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves

Pea Purée

2 cups frozen peas, thawed (about 10 ounces)

¼ cup fresh mint leaves

1 garlic clove

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Salmon

¼ cup olive oil

4 (4- to 6-ounce) salmon fillets

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

To make the lemon brodetto,
warm the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot and sauté until tender, about 7 minutes. Add the lemon zest and juice, and the broth. Bring to a simmer, cover, and keep warm over low heat.

To make the pea purée,
combine the peas, mint, garlic, salt, and pepper in a food processor and purée. With the machine running, add the extra-virgin olive oil in a steady drizzle. Transfer the pea purée to a small bowl and stir in the Parmesan. Set aside.

To make the salmon,
warm the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over high heat. Season the salmon pieces with salt and pepper. Sear the salmon on one side until a golden crust forms, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip the fish and continue cooking until medium-rare, about 2 minutes more depending on the thickness of the fish.

To assemble the dish,
stir the tablespoon of chopped mint into the lemon brodetto and divide among 4 shallow bowls. Place a large spoonful of pea purée in the center of each bowl. Place a salmon piece atop each mound of pea purée and serve immediately.