How to Make Branzino

Whole Roasted Branzino with Lemon, Garlic and Fennel

An elegant, healthy and timeless dish fit for a Mediterranean emperor. Making roasted Loup de Mer or Branzino will surely make you feel as if you have traveled to Provence, France, or the Amalfi Coast of Italy for a day! This classic combination of fennel with the delicately sweet and flaky Loup de Mer makes for a glorious culinary experience. Enjoy this amazingly delicious dish with a glass of white wine from Santorini Greece, or a Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley of France.

Ingredients:

2-3 Whole cleaned Branzino fish (about 1 pound each)

2 Lemons, Sliced 1/4 inch thick, horizontally.

1 Bulb of Fennel, Sliced 1/4 inch, horizontally

5 Sprigs of Thyme or Rosemary

2 cloves of garlic, sliced 1/8 inch

1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Method:

1. Dry the Fish on both sides with a paper towel.

2. Season each side of the fish with salt and pepper. Season the inside as well.

3. Place 3-4 Lemon Slices, sprigs of thyme, garlic slices inside each Branzino

4. Drizzle a liberal amount of Extra Virgin Olive Oil on both sides of each Branzino

5. Place the Fish in an oiled Roasting Pan (again, preferably olive oil) and scatter the sliced fennel around the fish.

6.  Place Roasting Pan into a 375 degree oven for 30-35 minutes, or until cooked through.

Local Artisans Series: The Iron Monk

A true pioneer of the food world known as the “Iron Monk,” Chef Kevin Tran has been dishing up absolutely delicious, satisfying vegan food for years at his celebrated Vietnamese restaurant Vinh Loi Tofu. As much as we love a standard curry duck soup or curry beef udon, Chef Tran's batch-made artisanal tofu-based dishes are just as flavorful, complex and savory as any meat we’ve ever had -- really nothing like the tofu most people are familiar with from the supermarket.

Most of all, Vinh Loi Tofu is one of those gem institutions that puts enormous pride and perfectionism into both the raw materials and finished product it serves to its customers. Dining at Kevin's restaurant is like having a world-class chef and personal nutritionist team up to cook you meals designed to make you live a very long, healthy, active life----all at wonderfully modest prices. Needless to say, this remarkable little restaurant has an enormous cult-like following of foodies, tri-athletes, and people who just love a perfectly executed Vietnamese feast. True originals like Kevin epitomize the values of the Alfi brand, and we are honored to have our products in the hands of such an artisan.

Poached Pears in Riesling

Poaching Pears is a truly elegant preparation that is sure to impress any guest. Our favorite pear variety to poach is the Bosc pear, due to its remarkable aroma and ability to hold its shape after cooking. Spices such as cinnamon and vanilla complement the flavor of this wonderful dish. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

- 3 Bosc Pears, peeled and cored.

- 4 Cups of German Riesling Wine

- 1 Cup of Sugar

- 2 Sticks of Cinnamon

- 1 Vanilla Bean, split lengthwise

Method:

1.     In a 2 QT All-Clad Stainless Steel Sauce Pan with Lid, stir together Riesling, sugar, cinnamon sticks, and vanilla bean. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

2.      Place Pears in Liquid, cover the pan with lid, and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer pears for about 20 minutes, or until a thinly-bladed knife inserted into the pears meets with little resistance.

3.     Allow the pears to cool in their poaching liquid for about 30 minutes.

4.     To serve, place 1 pear in each of 4 bowls, and spoon over some of the strained poaching liquid.

Caramelized Onion Curry Shrimp

This is a dish that has become a perennial favorite of ours as it is simply bursting with sweet, sour, and salty notes as well as a superbly refreshing aroma and complexity, stemming from the deeply caramelized onions, garlic, and ginger, to the chopped cilantro and lime juice that is added once the dish is complete. Basmati rice would perfectly complement this succulent shrimp dish as would a nice chilled glass of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc or Alsatian Gewürztraminer. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 lb. deveined shrimp

2 lb. Sliced Yellow Onion

6 ea. Garlic Cloves (Minced)

1 oz. Ginger (Minced)

1 cup, dry white wine

4 Tbsp. Vegetable Oil

2 Tbsp. Curry Powder

2-3 each, Cardamom Pods.

3 each, Dried Cloves

2 oz. Cilantro (Roughly Chopped)

Salt and Pepper, to taste

Fresh Lime Juice, to taste

Method:

1. Heat oil in a hot pan on med-high heat. Once pan is hot, add onion until it starts to brown. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Add minced ginger and garlic, cardamom, cloves, and curry powder, and cook this mixture on med-low heat until onions become fully caramelized with a deep brown color.

3.  Once onions are fully caramelized, add white wine, return heat to medium-high, and allow the wine to reduce by half.

4. Season shrimp with salt and pepper on both sides and then add to pan. Cover with lid and allow shrimp to simmer in the sauce until they are fully cooked.

5. Add lime juice to taste, sprinkle with cilantro, and serve!

World’s Creamiest Heart Healthy Heirloom Tomato Soup!

This tomato soup is incredibly flavorful, rich, and creamy despite not having one drop of cream or butter in it! Brimming with vitamins and the powerful antioxidant known as lycopene, tomatoes are firmly believed to reduce the risk of certain types of cancer. Studies have shown that cooking tomatoes, as we do in this soup, actually increases the amount of lycopene absorbable to the body. This soup is one of those rare treats in this world that is both unbelievably good for you and unbelievably tasty!

Ingredients:

3 lbs. Heirloom Tomatoes (sliced ½ inch thick)

½ lb. Sliced Yellow Onion

6 ea. Garlic Cloves (Sliced)

1 oz. Basil (chopped)

4 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2-3 Sprigs of Thyme

Salt and Pepper to taste

Ideal Equipment for recipe:

       Tomato Corer: http://www.alfi.com/product_p/ljts-2e538.htm

Soup Pot: http://www.alfi.com/product_p/ac540418.htm

Roasting Pan: http://www.alfi.com/product_p/hl460660-00.htm

Method:

1.     Preheat the Oven to 375 degrees F.

2.     Pour 2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil onto a baking pan and spread evenly. Arrange the Tomato Slices on the pan, and season with salt and pepper. Flip over and season the other sides. Placed thyme sprigs on tomatoes.

3.     Roast tomatoes in the oven for 35-40 minutes, making sure that they do not burn.

4.     While tomatoes are roasting, sauté the sliced onions in the remaining olive oil until they just begin to brown. Season with salt and pepper.

5.     Add the sliced garlic to the sautéed onions, and cook until the garlic begins to brown as well.

6.     As soon as the tomatoes have finished roasting, add them to the sautéed onion-garlic mixture and continue to cook for 5 minutes.

7.     Puree this mixture in a blender and add water to obtain your preferred consistency.

To Serve: Garnish Tomato Soup with chopped Basil and ENJOY!

Baked Papardelle Pasta with Fresh Mozzarella and Tomato Sauce

So last weekend I decided to treat the family to something simple (we all love pasta for its simplicity) but something different than the normal spaghetti or alfredo I tend to make.

So I asked Arik, our resident culinary school educated co-worker to give me something new. And this is what he gave me. So he recommended I try the baked papardelle pasta dish, and my whole family was delighted with the results.

If you want to try, here's how:

Ingredients:

2 lbs. Papardelle Pasta

½ lb. Yellow Onion (small dice)

½ lb. Sliced White Button Mushrooms

5 ea. Garlic Cloves (minced)

2 lbs. pureed Roma tomatoes (canned or fresh)

1 oz. Basil (chopped)

4 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

5 oz. Fresh Mozzarella Cheese (Sliced into 1” pieces)

3 Tbsp. Parmigian Reggiano Cheese (grated)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Ideal Pasta Pan Options:

1. http://www.alfi.com/product_p/ac5404.htm

2. http://www.alfi.com/product_p/ac5406.htm

4. http://www.alfi.com/product_p/ac5403.htm

Method:

1.       Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2.       Bring a large pot of Salted Water to a boil. Cook papardelle pasta in the boiling water until tender, yet still slightly firm to the tooth (al dente). Strain and Reserve Pasta and 1 cup of the Pasta cooking water.

3.       In another pan, sauté onion and garlic in extra virgin olive oil until slightly browned. Season with salt and pepper.

4.       Once onion-garlic mixture begins to brown, add sliced mushrooms and adjust seasoning. Cook until mushrooms have browned.

5.       Add pureed tomatoes and cook over medium-high heat for about 15-20 minutes. If necessary, add some reserved pasta cooking water to adjust consistency.

6.       Add cooked papardelle pasta to the finished tomato sauce and mix thoroughly. Top with sliced mozzarella cheese.

7.       Place pan in the oven, and bake for about 5-7 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.

8.       Sprinkle finished pasta with chopped basil and grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and Enjoy!

Delicious Cranberry Relish

Before:

Ingredients:

4 Cups Fresh Cranberries

1 Cup Sugar

¼ Cup Orange Juice

½ Tbsp. Orange Zest

Ideal Pan for Cranberry Relish: http://www.alfi.com/product_p/ac5404.htm

Method:

1.     Combine all Ingredients in the saute pan.

2.     Bring up to a Boil, and then lower to a Simmer.

3.     Simmer until the mixture becomes thick.

4.     Enjoy!

After: