Tag: July

Seasonal fish July recipes – Italian Cuisine

Mussels, anchovies, sardines, mackerels, sarago and swordfish: these are the protagonists that ignite the desire for the sea. Where tradition meets fantasy

You may have noticed: July is one of the months without "r". And therefore, as per tradition, one of the best times to savor the mussels, as well as May, June and August. And it is from this popular saying that recipes start with the fish (and also molluscs and crustaceans) of the July season. Watch out for eating them raw, because mussels are a kind of natural filter for sea water. And, in addition to the nutrients, they also retain a large amount of bacteria, which inevitably die during cooking. In addition to the typically Mediterranean mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis), mussel is also widespread in our seas hairy (Modiolus barbatus), particularly appreciated in Apulian gastronomy.

White versus red

On the best way to cook mussels, however, there is no agreement: the school ofpeppered mussels (or Mediterranean mussels, if without pepper), the white one, provides as condiments only extra virgin olive oil, garlic, pepper and parsley. No lemon: "The mussel must be fundamentalist", as he said Rocco Papaleo in the movie What a beautiful day.

The mussels tarantinathe red ones, on the other hand, also include tomato pulp, chilli pepper and white wine. But the mussel recipes are really many: starting from rice, potatoes and mussels (or tiella di mussels), one of the symbolic dishes of the Apulian cuisine; the gratin mussels; the stuffed mussels. Or again golden mussels with pepper; soup with cod and mussels; amberjack, mussels and prawns; black cabbage soup, beans and mussels. As for the first courses, the best known dish is certainly that of the spaghetti with tarantine, but the are also to try spaghetti alla chitarra with mussels and asparagus, or i fusilli with mussels and crusty bread.

A full omega 3

However, July is also the month of blue fish, so rich in beneficial substances like Omega 3: anchovies, sardines and mackerels, above all, that in this month they reach the peak of maturity and goodness. Anchovies, for example, we cook them in the first courses: among the summer recipes there are the Sicilians spaghetti with breadcrumbs and anchovies, or the linguine with courgettes, aubergines and anchovies, or even the orecchiette with anchovies and dried tomatoes.

For sardines, nothing better than two classics of Sicilian cuisine: the pasta with sardines and the Sarde A Beccafico, even if dishes like le should not be underestimated tagliatelle with sardines and peppers, or i tomatoes stuffed with sardines.

Mackerel, on the other hand, can be best exploited in asalad with avocado and mackerel, or in the mackerel rolls. The surprise? Mackerel with spring onion and crunchy crumb.

The prince and the outsider

However, the king of July is certainly him, the swordfish. A true joker in the kitchen, to be used in a myriad of recipes. A few examples? Sicilian swordfish, swordfish chops, spaghetti with tomato and swordfish. And then, why not? Linguine with bottarga and swordfish.

We close with the recipes of another seasonal fish in July, sometimes underestimated: the bream. You can taste it stuffed with mixed vegetables, but the bream is good too grilled with pepper sauce, or roasted with cherry tomatoes and olives.

It is on sale at Sale & Pepe in July – Neapolitan Churchill in pectore – Italian Cuisine

“Christmas 1948. With many good wishes. Pinuccia ". When I buy a used book I always have the curiosity to know who it belonged to or who was the person who gave it. In my case I will never know who Pinuccia was but surely the owner of the book was a history buff. Yes, because unwittingly, one day a few years ago, to deceive the wait for a train in considerable delay, I entered a small book store that was out of business inside the Termini Station and my eye has fallen on some volumes of the work The Second World War, written by Winston Churchill between 1946 and 1952.

The four books I had on my hands were only a part of those published, but they were too greedy to leave them on the library counter, also because they were all first editions of the work printed in Italy by Arnoldo Mondadori: 1948, 1949 and 1950.

So from Rome to Milan, so from Pinuccia's hands to mine. And in mine an unedited version of the statesman, that of a prolific nonfiction writer and Nobel prize for literature in 1953 "for his mastery of the historical and biographical description".

Churchill liked to write and also to paint but two other things attracted her: Italy and her food. In 1944 he was often a guest at Naples by General Maitland Wilson, supreme commander of the allied forces in the Mediterranean, who carried him with the admiral's spear to Ischia, Procida, Capri and Sorrento. The headquarters of the command was in Villa Rivalta, a splendid home from the late 1800s, requisitioned in 1943, after the armistice, by the English command. Located in the upper part of Posillipo, it enjoyed a large terrace and a magnificent view, where it is said that the English statesman enjoyed the sunset with his cigar in his mouth.

But it was not only the sunset that enchanted the prime minister, but also the Neapolitan cuisine, of which he especially loved the eggplant parmesan and macaroni alla puttanesca seasoned with oil, tomato, garlic, capers, Gaeta olives and parsley. At Villa Rivalta on 12 August 1944 there was also a secret meeting between the English statesman and General Tito, which ended with canapes stuffed with Neapolitan salami, homemade fusilli topped with fried tomato and eggplant, mackerel fillets with vinegar and oregano and baked apples, all washed down with Pozzuoli white wine.

And the parmesan? He did not eat it that day, but all the other times he visited Villa Rivalta, enjoying it alone. Maybe at sunset with the sea in front. Maybe already thinking about writing the history of the Second World War.

Laura Maragliano, director of Sale & Pepe
July 2020

STARS AND FOOD – LEONE – WEEK FROM 22 TO 28 JULY – Italian Cuisine

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lucky from the 23 July to 23 August

Special ingredient: Zucchini that in this period are well suited to be consumed cold marinated!

The chef recommends: The date of your new star travel is approaching, wishes! Meanwhile, in this beautiful moment you will have to deal with Mercury retrograde, a bit like if you went to a pizzeria, you order a capricious one and the waiter brings you four seasons! Don't worry though, since this week the Sun and Venus shine in your sky, bringing with it a load of positivity. Let yourself be invaded by the warmth of the Sun and enjoy the pleasure of a wrong pizza, your strength lies in this.

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Mussels, anchovies, sardines, mackerels, sarago and swordfish: these are the protagonists that ignite the desire for the sea. Where tradition meets fantasy

White versus red

A full omega 3

The prince and the outsider

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