Drinks And Snacks | familystyle food

Italian greyhound with rosemary sugar

Apr72011

It’s pretty close to a new season, when there’s not much better than lingering with a cocktail at the end of the day, celebrating the return of warm sun and longer days.

It also means that dinner gets cooked and eaten later than usual, but that’s all part of getting into summer mode. I stock up on chilled rosé for summer drinking, but every once in a while I like to start the night (or afternoon. Ahem) off with something a little lighter in alcohol.

A few weeks ago, Molly of Orangette wrote about a pretty salmon-colored drink she liked that included the liqueur Aperol, a brand of Italian bitters very much like Campari.

That drink, a Pamplemousse, is mixed with fresh grapefruit juice and white wine. But it reminded me how refreshing grapefruit juice can be in a cocktail, especially with gin in a warm weather drink, blended into Salty Dogs or Greyhounds.

After a short search around my local liquor stores, I rounded up a bottle of Aperol. As much as I love a simple Campari and soda with lime, Aperol might be even better to my taste. It’s not quite as bitter and has a tiny bit more sweetness and more complex hints of herbal-citrus flavors.

I made my Italian Greyhound and embellished it a little by rimming the glass with rosemary sugar – easily made in a mini food processor or spice grinder: 1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary and 1/4 cup sugar.

I love, love, love this drink! It makes me appreciate gin – a spirit I don’t usually drink- all those herbs, roots and botanicals get along so nicely together and it’s dangerously thirst-quenching.

Italian Greyhound with Rosemary Sugar

Yield: makes one drink

Ingredients

Rosemary Sugar

1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary

1/4 cup sugar

1 -2 ounces gin (depending on the time of day)

4 ounces freshly squeezed pink or red grapefruit juice

Splash Aperol

Instructions

Combine the rosemary and sugar.
Rub the edge of a glass on a wedge of fresh citrus - grapefruit would be perfect. Put some of the rosemary sugar on a plate and rim the glass.
Fill the glass with crushed ice. Add the gin and juice, and top with a splash or two of Aperol.
Swirl or stir gently - enjoy.

http://familystylefood.com/2011/04/italian-greyhound-with-rosemary-sugar/

34 Comments · Filed Under: drinks and snacks, familystyle, The Recipes: · Tagged With: Aperol, campari, Cocktails, drinks, gin, grapefruit, italian

Burnt-Sugar Mango Chutney & Goat Cheese Naanwich

Mar162011

I have a thing for flatbreads of any name and nationality – pita, roti, pizza, naan or chapati – you name it and I’ll happily eat it. Or make a sandwich out of it and then eat it.

Flatbreads are easy to make, but life gets busy. I grab them ready-made at my local international foods market or the grocery store. Naan are dependably available where I shop so I’ve been keeping them on hand lately.

You don’t have to use your own homemade mango chutney to make this simple sandwich; as our friend Ina Garten would say,”storebought is fine”…but once you see how little is involved in the recipe you might be tempted to make a batch.

The first time I made this chutney I was in a big, bad hurry and I didn’t read the recipe correctly. So I went on my merry way and caramelized the sugar before adding all the ingredients. It turned out to be one of those delicious mistakes.

I think of chutney as a gateway preserve for those with the itch to “put something up”, minus the need to fuss around with sterilizing jars, lids and giant pots full of boiling sugary fruit taking up every burner on the stove .

It keeps for forever in the fridge (Okay, maybe not forever. One year. A long time.) and it can be used in glazes, marinades, salad dressings or just as the delicious condiment it is.

9 Comments · Filed Under: drinks and snacks, fruit, preserves & condiments, The Recipes: ·

Asparagus in Bed

Mar132011

Should you be so lucky to have the pleasure of actually eating asparagus in bed I might have to ask where you live – I’ll be stopping by for a few days of delicious rest.

I have to admit that I don’t eat in bed very often. I’m sure I could enjoy it, but when the plate is empty I’d have to be the one cleaning the Parmesan crumbles from the sheets, which would put a damper on my few moments of pleasure.

Maybe I need to make some lifestyle changes. Because seriously, what could be more relaxed and sensual than nibbling tender spears of asparagus with your fingers, dipping into the creamy yolk of a softly poached egg and reclining comfortably; all at the same time?

The recipe is so named because of the way the tips of the asparagus spears peek out from beneath a “blanket” of egg and cheese. It appears in the cookbook Cucina Simpatica, inspired by Asparagi alla Bismark, a dish served at Bagutta, a very old restaurant in Milan.

The recipe in the cookbook calls for the asparagus to be quickly roasted at a high temperature – at the restaurant Al Forno where it’s made they cook in a super-hot wood burning oven – and topped with an egg fried in butter. When the soft yolk, butter and cheese commingle, they create their own sauce.

I made my version with blanched asparagus because it was morning, I was hungry, and I didn’t feel like waiting for the oven to get hot. I also poached my eggs rather than frying for the same lazy reason, but the thought of a buttery fired egg makes me go mmmmm inside. I might have to try that next time, just before I jump back into bed to eat.