Ringing in the New Year!

For the new year Mario and I set course for our most ambitious project to date. Now, I should clarify what was so ambitious about our new journey. Put plain and simple, the cost. For some time now, one recipe has stood out, but the occasion never seemed appropriate until now. In Simple Family Meals, our Captain introduces us to Roasted Rack of Veal with Orange and herbs (page 217). To be fair, as the book title states, this is a fairly simple meal. All you need is a few ingredients and of course the 6 bone rack of veal.

With Angela's mom and dad visiting for the holidays we had an excuse and a reason to justify such an expedition. We all decided that we would head out early to Eataly on New Year's eve to beat the crowds, grab a bite to eat and collect all of our ingredients. This would be the first visit for Manize (Grandma's nickname, which was given to her by Mariesa at the ripe age of two) and Grandpa to the market. They were both, or should I say Manize, full of anticipation.

We arrived as the store opened and with hardly a soul in sight, it left plenty of room to peruse and describe each of the sections to our guests.  As we made our initial loop around the market we decided on La Pizza & La Pasta to grab a bite to eat. I think the appeal was that this usually bustling restaurant with long wait times was empty. They had just opened for lunch and we pounced on the opportunity to finally sample some of their selections.

We were not disappointed. For the antipasti we started with Formaggi Misit - an assortment of artisinal cheeses, Anglea and I shared a Salsicciotta pizza, Manize selected the Pasta al Forno al Pesto and Grandpa had the Tagliatelle al Ragu di Manzo. We all shared tastes and I have to say the tagliatelle was superb!

After lunch we headed over to the butcher counter. As mentioned earlier the price had always been a deterrent, not so much because we couldn't afford it, but because the pressure of not preparing it correctly and disrespecting the animal. Silly? I suppose. With Angela and her parent's encouragement I placed the order and made the commitment.

The rack was a thing of beauty, all the oohs and awes were a testament to its allure and quite frankly added pressure to get it right. We started by creating the rub, which was made with garlic, fresh rosemary, thyme and basil, orange zest, olive oil, salt and pepper. We rubbed the mixture all over the veal racks, took some photographs, wrapped it up and placed it into the fridge to marinate overnight.

The next evening my heart pounded with anticipation. I pulled out the rack, unwrapped it and the kitchen suddenly filled with the sweet aroma of orange and rosemary. I studiously followed the directions and placed the rack into the oven. For a side dish Mario and I decided on a previous reciepe, Patate al Forno, roasted potatoes with garlic. It is funny how our books have become like old friends, knowing our tastes and preferences, spines easily cracking open revealing trusted recipes.

The allotted time passed, I verified with our thermometer and we were ready to server. The table was alive with chatter and everyone was visibly impressed with our accomplishment. After a period of rest, I sharpened my knife and began the first, second, and third cuts... a success! 

Ciao,
Mario & Mario
The Three Tocayos  

Los Tres Tocayos

Just like you stuff a gordita with flavorful fresh ingredients such as carne molida con papa, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese and chile, so has this summer been filled with great memories, sounds and smells. The third tocayo, the  patriarch, also know as "Grandpa Chief" arrived this summer to complete our crew and for the first time since we started the blog all three of us were at work in the kitchen together. We also had another special guest, the heart and soul of the family, Nana. With both Grandpa and Nana at the helm this summer we knew that our vessel would safely be navigated to island coves of delicious food and good times.

For our first meal we asked Captain Batali for permission to cook something outside of his personal library, and were granted approval. With our new orders in hand we swiftly maneuvered to the galley to prepare a family favorite, gorditas. A gordita (Spanish pronunciation: [gorˈdita]) in Mexican cuisine is a corn cake made with masa harina (cornmeal) and stuffed with cheese, meat or other fillings. Gordita literally means "little fat one" in Spanish and is typically fried in a deep wok-shaped comal.

Grandpa Chief quickly took command and showed Mario how to prepare the masa harina, and how to create the small pancake shaped gorditas. The smells, music, and my parents brought back wonderful childhood memories of the family gathering together to cook, eat, play games and celebrate the night away. Once the groditas were formed into the right shape and given the okay by Grandpa they were carefully laid into a pan to fry where Nana watched them carefully not to over or under cook them.

While the gorditas were cooking, we continued to prepare the other ingredients. We julienned the lettuce, diced the tomatoes, shredded the cheese and finished with Nana's spicy green chile salsa. To compliment the main dish we prepared the sides of frijoles refritos and arroz español. The house was buzzing with conversation, music and a wonderful aroma that I can only recall as home. The dinner bell was rung and we all sat down to enjoy this first of many delicious meals.

As the summer days past, Nana wanted to visit the Connecticut coast on her visit, and we quickly charted a course on our map to satisfy the master chef. What other blog could segue from gorditas to lobster rolls? Luckily, I discussed our planned journey with my coworker Nancy and she recommended this quaint seasonal restaurant called Abbott’s Lobster in the Rough at the waters edge.

Now who could visit Connecticut and not have a lobster roll? Mario's eye quickly zeroed in on the quarter-pound lobster roll on Abbott’s menu. He was not disappointed in their succulent, buttered lobster meat, sculptured into a perfect round patty and served on a seeded hamburger roll with a side of potato chips. Grandpa ordered the oysters on a half shell and Mario quickly took a liking to those as well. Poor Mariesa could only look away, but don't feel bad for her, she swiftly devoured a whole lobster and licked her fingers in satisfaction. The next week while reading the New York Times they featured the Connecticut coast with the article On Connecticut’s Quiet Coastand which featured Abbott's.

At the end of the day Angela and I were able to find a quiet bench and enjoy the sweet smell of the Long Island Sound and each others company. Now this is what a vacation is all about.

Ciao,
Mario and Mario

The Three Tocayos

Gorditas

Abbott's Lobster in the Rough

And the winner is...

Rising Up To The Challenge Of Our Rival

Aw, so you think mine are pretty?

Ahoy mates, those of you who are still out there. We must apologize for the long delay, or should I say, I must apologize for the delay. Although my sous is always willing... alas the head of this galley has been somewhat lethargic the last few weeks. But no need for worries as I have caught the bounty of the spring winds and filled my sails with the promise of green grass, budding flowers and full glasses of fine wine.

This past week my degrees of separation from our Captain have decreased significantly as I met one of the silent partners of Eataly. While at lunch with my boss (Craig) at Eataly (between client meetings) sharing a slice of focaccia and a cold beer we ran into one of the partners and Craig introduced me. We quickly discussed the blog and the abundance of selections at Eatlay. As my heart raced I thought of Mario (my son) and of how cool I was going to look in his eyes that night.

The silent partner, Craig and I discussed the beef cheeks and I knew this would be the headliner of our weekend dinner. Later that week as I approached the butcher and asked for the beef cheeks I was told I would have to order them 48 hours in advance! Oh, the agony of defeat, shaking my head back and forth. But the glass always being half full I picked up some prosciutto, olives and peasant bread as appetizers for Saturday's feast!

With our appetizer selected Mario and I had to come up with an alternative to the beef cheek ravioli. We selected the Asparagus and Ricotta Ravioli (page 125 Babbo Cookbook). This would be our second attempt at making pasta and although we were successful the last time we tried, it had been so long ago that our confidence was low. We plowed ahead and prepped the flour, eggs and olive oil. After our dough rested for 30 minutes we began the process of rolling out the pasta and creating the asparagus/ricotta filled ravioli. This is where the night took a dark turn.

As we carefully cut, scooped and trimmed off the access pasta from our raviolis, I noticed through the corner of my eye a stowaway! She slowly crept in and stole all of the trimmings. I left her alone as my curiosity got the best of me, what could this dark shadow be up to? To our amusement she was creating her own "Frankenstein" ravioli, careful not to scope up any asparagus in the ricotta mix. She was a pasta vampire and asparagus was her garlic. Below is the gruesome evidence of her evil plot.

As the sun came up or should I say the lights came on in the dining room we served up the ravioli and we all enjoyed a great meal. Mariesa confessed that she wanted hers to look as pretty as mine, which I replied "Aw, so you think mine are pretty?" We agreed it had been too long since our last Three Tocayo adventure and promised to meet again next week.

Ciao,
Mario & Mario

The Three Tocayos

Toy Story Sophomores

Ahoy fellow shipmates! We have finally returned from our long voyage of crazy deadlines, a huge mural project, trips to the ER and late nights of swabbing the deck after hours. As a family we have been burning the candle at both ends which left little wiggle room for our blog.

We are all very excited about coming to shore to restock on supplies and return to the galley. In the meantime we created a little video of Mariesa's mural project. This was done to support her Sophomore Class in her high school's 2012 Spirit Week competition. We hope you enjoy and we'll see you next week as Mario and I get back to the kitchen.

Ciao,
Mario & Mario

The Three Tocayos

Dessert of the Gods

This week we are introducing a guest author - Angela. In the weeks to come you will also see other articles written by Mariesa and Mario. We hope you enjoy.

For our main course this evening we decided to revisit our Captains recipe Pollo Aceto e Funghi - Chicken Thighs with Mushrooms and Balsamic Vinegar (Mario Cooks! App). Yes, we decided to hornswaggle a little bit this week by featuring a new dessert from the Babbo Cookbook -Walnut Shortbread Cookies (page 319) while revisiting an old favorite chicken entrée.

We first attempted the Pollo Aceto eFunghi on December 9^th and the flavors once again did not disappoint. This savory dish was such a huge success that we have decided to add this recipe into our family’s “coffer”. The simplicity, taste and affordability has won our hearts.

Mario agreed to wash up the dishes for me so that I could start prepping the ingredients for the Walnut Shortbread Cookies. He wasn’t excited about doing the dishes, but he was eager to taste the cookies, which motivated him slightly.

I started out by roasting 4 cups of walnuts in the oven for about 7 minutes. The aroma of roasted walnuts emerging from the oven was divine, which makes absolute sense knowing that walnuts were once considered the nuts of the Gods. Then I began to mix the butter, brown sugar, and confectionary sugar together until it was a smooth, creamy consistency.

Once the walnuts were cooled, I transferred them to a food processor and pulsed until they were a fine-grained texture. I then combined the sifted flour, finely grained walnuts and salt together. Slowly, I began to add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture while beating it to form a soft dough. The dough was then wrapped up and placed into the refrigerator for approximately 30 minutes.

Once the dough was chilled I divided the dough into two pieces and rolled one piece out. I used a small wine glass as a cookie cutter and placed the cookies on a baking sheet, then sprinkling granulated sugar on the top before popping them into the oven for approximately 15 minutes. They came out of the oven, and although the Gods may have dined on walnuts centuries ago, tonight we are enjoying them in the form of a delectable cookie! 

Ciao,

Angela

The Three Tocayos

Wascally Wabbit

After celebrating our one year anniversary last week, Mario and I conferred with our Captain and charter a new course for this new year. We wanted to start off on the right foot and show our Captain how far we have come along. We decided on the Coniglio ai Peperoni - Braised Rabbit with Red and Green Peppers (Molto Italiano- Page 378).

We started our new adventure at Eataly in NYC and purchased the two whole rabbits at the Marcelleria. The butcher informed us that because it was almost closing time and the tables had been cleaned, she would not be able to break them down for us. This actually worked in our favor and gave us the opportunity to learn ourselves. As we walked out and felt the cold NYC air, we joked how Elmer Fudd would have been so proud of us, we finally caught that "wascally wabbit"!

I think we all joked about it because we were somewhat hesitant at actually eating a rabbit for the first time. For one, we all know them as those cute, furry, cuddable creatures and secondly, poor Angela owned rabbits as a kid. But we collected ourselves and wanted to make sure we respected the rabbit and did our best breaking them down. We had to view a couple of videos before we dove in, and found one that we could use as a guide.

I broke down the first rabbit with Mario watching closely. It went very well and we were very excited on how well it went. Mario stepped up to the plate and started the second rabbit. He was a champ, and out did me! We marinated the pieces of rabbit in a white wine vinegar mix for one hour and then dried them off with paper towels.

Earlier that day we decided to treat ourselves to a new knife and a stainless steel pan. We were like two kids in a candy store and as he read through all the comparisons and warranty info I was happy to see how involved he was in the selection process of our new tools. "We" decided on a 5 quart Calphalon stainless steel pan and an 8" Calphalon chef knife.

We browned the rabbit, removed from the pan, added in the onions, browned with white wine and replaced the rabbit for about half an hour. While the rabbit and onions cooked we fired up another pan and slowly cooked the red and green bell peppers. We combined all ingredients and seasoned with salt and pepper. We rang the dinner bell and served up the rabbit with a side of Angela's mushroom risotto.

It was delicious, and Mario and I couldn't believe how much confidence we had in the kitchen. We reminisced about our first attempt at following our Captain and were proud of how long we have come.

Ciao,
Mario and Mario
The Three Tocayos

It's Our Anniversary

Above is a collection of photos over the past year ending with our celebration lunch at Tarry Lodge this past weekend. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and we couldn't think of a better way to celebrate our one year anniversary. We've come a long way from that first attempt at lobster risotto and as we scanned through these photos Mario and I had a blast, we hope you enjoy them as well.

The whole family would like to take our hats off to our Captain for providing guidance throughout our journey and providing us the opportunity to sit down at least once a week (no matter how crazy it gets) as a family and enjoy one great meal after another.

We'll be back next week with some new cookbooks in hand as we and our Captain continue our journey with some special surprises along the way.

Ciao,
Mario & Mario
The Three Tocayos

O Tannenbaum

It's the start to the most wonderful time of year and The Three Tocayos and family headed out last Saturday to a tree farm and cut down a Christmas tree for the first time. The day before, we had to decide what meal would accompany our busy evening of decorating. Mario and I both agreed it had to be simple and quick and picked the Pollo Aceto e Funghi - Chicken Thighs with Mushrooms and Balsamic Vinegar (Mario Cooks! App). I purchased the ingredients at Chelsea Market on Friday and pulled out the frozen chicken thighs from the freezer when I arrived home later that evening.

Late Saturday morning, with the temperature cooling down we bundled up and with some coercion, I agreed to take our smallest (and cutest) member of the family, Roxanne. We set our course to Battenfeld Christmas Tree Farm in Red Hook, New York and in a couple of hours we arrived at our destination and were quickly swept up into the Christmas spirit with a bagpipe marching band providing the soundtrack and Clydesdale pulled sleds providing the transportation! Mario and Mariesa picked our tree and Mario got to work chopping (or should I say "sawing") it down.





On the way home both kids changed the menu and requested a family favorite, Pozole, a Mexican soup that is perfect on a cold evening. I obliged and we cooked the Pollo Aceto the following day. We all loved the chicken and mushrooms and thanks to our Captain it was a simple, quick, but savory dish.

Ciao,
Mario & Mario

The Three Tocayos

Happy Thanksgiving

Did you know that turkeys have heart attacks and can drown if looking up while it's raining? When the kids were younger they would ask what happen to the turkey before we bought the bird at the store. So, I would come up with all sorts of elaborate tall tales and they would feel better before eating our Thanksgiving feast. Now, they just ask "Is it ready Mom?"

This week Mario and I gave our captain a well needed break and handed over the helm to Angela. Knowing that the ship was in good hands we assumed the role of sous chefs, gave the deck a good swabbing and began to prep the kitchen for the bounty of food.

The night before Thanksgiving Erica and Angela put on their orange Crocs and commenced to baking. The exact count, 2 pumpkins, 1 cherry, and 1 pecan pie... and all were homemade.  I was very impressed with the fortitude at which they displayed their pastry skills. Mariesa even commented that she could not believe that these were the same pumpkins that were just in the pumpkin patch weeks ago and could not wait to taste a slice.

The next morning Angela got up early and made the stuffing using the onions and celery that Mario and I had diced for her the night before. She placed the turkey in the oven, timed it  perfectly to be ready an hour before the Dallas Cowboy football game (she knows how to make these sous chefs feel loved) and a few hours later the rest of the menu was completed with the traditional fixings of mashed potatoes, mac-n-cheese, stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce, and Nana's cream cheese. The sounds throughout the house were filled with conversation and laughter. With tummies filled we gathered around the big screen and watched our Boy's win the game with seconds left on the clock!
 
We are thankful for all the blessings in life and the precious time shared with family. We thank all of our current and past heroes fighting overseas who have sacrificed so much allowing us to enjoy this holiday.

Ciao,
Mario & Mario
The Three Tocayos

P.S. Although we have not blogged the past two weeks we did prepare two delicious meals. The Zuppa Veloce di Fagioli - A Fast White Bean Soup (Mario Cooks! app) and Dry-rubbed Rib-eye steaks (The Babbo Cookbook page 227) with Patate al Forno - Potatoes roasted with garlic cloves (Molto Italiano page 440).