This refreshing Italian Seafood Salad (Insalata Frutta di Mare) features tender calamari, shrimp, and scungilli tossed in a bright lemon and olive oil dressing. It’s a classic antipasto that lets the quality of the seafood shine through with minimal fuss. The simple dressing of fresh lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, and parsley enhances the…
It is a tradition with many Southern Italian families to celebrate Christmas Eve with an elaborate fish banquet, Il Cenone di Vigilia. Sometimes referred to as The Feast of the Seven Fishes, not everybody sticks to exactly seven; some go up to 11 or 12, predominantly shellfish. This tradition actually started out as a gesture…
Sole Piccata is a good example of a light and tasty seafood dish that is easy to prepare. When my father made sole (or chicken) piccata at his restaurant he didn’t typically put capers in it, but many chefs do. I am a big caper fan, especially with fish, so I like to include them…
Summer weather is finally hitting us here in Connecticut, and when it’s this hot I like to keep my cooking as simple as possible, preferably outside on the grill, while still maximizing flavor. These Swordfish Sandwiches certainly check off all of the boxes. Perfectly grilled swordfish steaks on crusty Italian bread with peppery arugula and…
Fragrant and flavorful with olives, capers and a light tomato sauce, Red Snapper Livornese is a seafood lover’s dream and may even make a few converts. A wonderfully pungent dish from Livorno on the western coast of Tuscany, Red Snapper Livornese, was a mainstay on my Father’s menu and one of the first recipes I…
I first had this dish at a small restaurant in Positano on the Amalfi Coast called O’Capurale and was blown away by how flavorful yet light it was. Pesce all’Acqua Pazza means Fish in Crazy Water. Many American interpretations of this dish seem to take this translation extremely literal. They really accentuate the “crazy”, using…
Whenever possible I like to feature Sicilian inspired dishes here for a couple of reasons. First, my family is Sicilian in origin. Although my parents met here in America, both of their families are from the same town in Sicily, Francavilla di Sicilia. Second, and more importantly, Sicilian cooking is awesome and unique! In it you can…
Swordfish Sicilian Style is kind of a deceiving name for this dish, considering that swordfish is prepared so many different ways in Sicily. Dishes like Stuffed Swordfish Rolls and Swordfish coated in breadcrumbs and grilled are also very typically Sicilian just to name a couple. But, this tasty lemon, oil, garlic and white wine sauce just never fails to…
In 2005 Sandy and I took a two week trip to Italy. We started in Venice and worked our way down through Tuscany, Rome and The Amalfi Coast to Sicily. We were married less than two years at the time and didn’t have children yet, so it was the perfect time in our lives for…
