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Cooking fish in a parchment wrap is essentially a method of steaming. Francesco urges that the whole fish, not just fillets or steaks, be use. “You need the bones and it has to be thick so you can get all the succulence and flavor,” he says. The touch of citrus […]
“When you cook slices of eggplant that are mostly skin,” Francesco explains, “they come out looking like sauteed mushrooms, which is why this dish is called eggplant mushrooms.” Melanzane al funghetto 1 large eggplant (aubergine) 1/4 cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil 2 cloves garlic Salt to taste Hot […]
Although this is a dish one can find in Venice today, it is essentially a recipe from the south, around Naples. “Things move around more now than they did when I was growing up,” Francesco says. “And with the wonderful clams we have in Venice, there’s no reason we shouldn’t […]
Before Francesco handles artichokes, he rubs lemons all over his hands. “This is the way I learned to keep the artichokes from darkening,” he says. It is actually more effective than merely rubbing the artichokes with lemon after they have been cut. In this recipe the artichokes are baked until […]
Francesco calls these sour potatoes – in Venetian, patate all’agro. Something is lost in translation. In the Veneto the notion of a “sour” flavor has none of the negative connotations that it does in English. In fact, it implies a taste that is lively, appealing, and appetite-whetting. These “sour potatoes,” […]
This is the richest of the basic stocks in Francesco’s repertory. Built on a base of fish stock, it makes a delicious risotto and a wonderful seafood stew. “The aroma makes me think of Venice and the Rialto market, where so much comes from the sea,” he says. Obtaining the […]
At Remi this vegetable stock is used as a base for many of the risottos, especially the ones made without meat or fish. “We have many people coming into the restaurant who are vegetarians,” Francesco explains, “and we want to be able to accommodate them. When it’s well made, a […]
“Fish and seafood are so important in Venice,” says Francesco, “that when making fish stews and risottos with fish, we prefer a fish stock. For shrimp, lobster, and crabs a shellfish stocks is better.” None are complicated to prepare. Fish Stock 4 pounds head and bones of a (2-kg) white […]
Americans think of squid and its ink as the essential ingredients to make the black sauce that is served in Venice with polenta, risotto, or pasta. But Francesco points out that the sea creature with the most ink is the cuttlefish, which is a little larger than squid. Many fish […]
In Tuscany the white bean (cannellini) is king, but Venice prefers the variegated pinto or borlotti bean. “We never saw white beans in Venice when I was growing up,” Francesco says. In this dish a puree of the beans becomes the velvety, herb-infused sauce for meaty seared scallops. Sea Scallops […]