LILY AND GENEROSO’S VIET-ITALO KITCHEN

Generoso’s Bizarre Take On Rollatini di Melanzane

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We have all had some kind of mutant version of eggplant rollatini.  Just think of all of the times where you have been accosted with this faux traditional Italian delight at work potlucks, elderly birthday parties, and bizarre down home small neighborhood baby showers (I hear that’s where this dish really lives).  Well, I have been the recipient of many of these attempts and have been making my own version for years, but soon after a visit to a Ethiopian restaurant I had the idea to add a couple of bizarre ingredients into my ricotta filling: spinach and cinnamon.  I eventually loved the way those products broke up the acidity of the tomatoes and I have been using them ever since.  Hopefully, you will love this taste as well.  You will need three long eggplants, 20 ounces of unflavored bread crumbs, four cloves of garlic, one can of crushed tomatoes, two 32 ounce containers of WHOLE MILK ricotta, 4 cups white flour, olive oil, salt, pepper, ground cinnamon, grated parmesan, and one bunch of fresh spinach.  Let me know how yours turned out! Music: Cell sonata in D, from 12 Sonatas, Op 6 by Pietro Locatelli

 

 

Lily Makes Her Vietnamese/Chinese Cabbage Rolls

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Lily has no idea of the origins of this dish. She simply remembers eating cabbage rolls with soup ever since she was a young child. She suspects that it is a dish completely invented from the necessity to feed a family and the availability of cabbage, ground pork, and the standard pantry of a Vietnamese-Chinese household.

In this video, she shows you how to make her version of cabbage rolls, a dish that requires a fair amount of work but is perfect for the cold winters.

Music by Karl Goldmark Symphony No. 1 “Rustic Wedding,” Opus. 26

Enjoy! Let us know how your cabbage rolls turn out!

Generoso Finally Makes Spaghetti and Meatballs!

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As I stated very early in this video, I think that the hidden desire within everyone who knows an Italian who cooks is; When will that man or woman make me spaghetti and meatballs!”  This has been told to me over the years by several people whom I presented a plate of the aforementioned family favorite dish.  The length of time that this takes you in entirely dependent on who sweet you would like your tomatoes to be.  The longer the cooking time, the more mellow the tomato will be.  For this dish you will need two pounds of a ground beef and pork mix that cannot be less than 80% lean, two cans of puree tomatoes, two eggs, ten gloves of garlic, fresh parsley, oregano, salt, pepper parmesan cheese and of course, spaghetti.  Please let us know how yours turned out!  Music: Giuseppe Torelli’s Trumpet Concerto in D ‘Estienne Roger 188.  Enjoy!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iV8FeOkBRoE

 

 

 

Lily Does Her Chao Right! (Vietnamese Congee)

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A simple version of congee with an onion broth and fish sauce and Lily will show you how to make it! It can be eaten on its own or with a meat and veggie of your choice. Finish it off with pepper and sesame oil to make it extra special 🙂  Please let us know what you think of it if you make your own!  Music by Edvard Grieg, Peer Gynt Suite no. 1, Op. 46

 

Generoso and His Beloved Linguine Carbonara

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Generoso will teach you how to make this classic dish that originated in Lazio, Italy his way.   Quick to cook, linguine carbonara has a modest list of ingredients: Pecorino Romano cheese, eggs, bacon, parsley, garlic, light cream, salt, pepper, olive oil and of course linguine. A quick dish that is great for cold winter nights. Let us know how yours turned out!  Music:  Ottorino Respighi’s Suite no. 1 from Ancient Airs and Dances.

 

Lily Creates Her Irresistible Bo Kho (Vietnamese Beef Stew)

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Bo Kho is an anise charged, lemongrassed fueled Vietnamese beef stew that we love to have here in the Fierro home the moment the thermometer dips. For this slow cooked dish, you will need about 2 pounds of beef, star anise, garlic, fish sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, black and cayenne pepper, ginger, olive oil, one can of puree tomatoes, and a packet of Vietnamese beef stew seasoning which you can get in almost any Asian grocery store.   Enjoy and let us know what you think when you make yours!!

Music is by that Beethoven guy, Violin Concerto in D, Op. 61.  Enjoy!

Make Spezzatino (Italian Beef Stew) with Generoso

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Spezzatino (Italian beef stew) is one of those hearty Northern Italian dishes that is rarely served in restaurants in the States but one that is perfect for the fall and winter. Most commonly served with potatoes, I prefer to serve it on a bed of orzo. This quick to prepare dish will only require, beef, tomato puree, garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, onions, peas, carrots, and olive oil. Should take about 90 minutes from prep to table. Music is the Cello sonata in D, from 12 Sonata, Op. 6 by Pietro Locatelli.  Enjoy!!!

 

Learn To Make Lily’s Sweet and Savory Pork Char Siu

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Lily has been making an improvised char siu ever since she returned to eating meat. Generoso loves char siu. Lily thinks that her version is not traditional enough, but it is mighty delicious. Lily shows you how to make her version of char siu in this week’s edition of Cooking with Generoso and Lily. The recipe lies primarily in the marinade, and once that’s prepared, the rest is quite easy.  Enjoy!  Music: Muzio Clementi’s  Piano Sonata ‘Didone Abbandonata’, Op. 50 no. 3

Generoso Makes Spaghetti Bolognese Much To Lily’s Delight!

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This dish is a must in the Fierro household as Lily has admitted on many an occasion that she “could and will eat this several days a week without a complaint.”  This class Italian dish of course comes from Bologna and its first appearance is said to be around 1891.  Spaghetti Bolognese first made its appearance here in Somerville for Lily in 2011, and it has been a blast to make ever since.  It is a fast dish (taking less than 2 hours to make from prep to plate) and you will only need the following ingredients to make more than enough for six people: Two boxes of spaghetti, one pound of fatty ground pork, one pound of fatty ground beef, four large carrots, a can of tomato puree, a bulb of garlic, salt, pepper, oregano and olive oil.    No need to write this down, I will show you how to make this step by step below.  Let’s me know how yours has come out!  Music from Giulio Regondi’s “Etude no. 6” and then Tommaso Giordani’s “Guitar Sonata in Cm.”

 

Lily Cooks Up Delicious Yu Choy and Oyster Sauce

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Yu Choy is similar to Chinese broccoli. Oddly, in the northeast, it is more readily available than broccoli. As a result, the Fierros eat it a lot.

The key component to this week’s dish, Yu Choy with Oyster Sauce, is the Mushroom Oyster Sauce that tops the Yu Choy. Lily will show you how to make the sauce and how to prepare the greens! This is one of her few one pot dishes, so it is a fast and simple recipe. Feel free to use the sauce for other dishes as well. It is a pretty tasty base sauce for egg noodles!

Enjoy!

Music courtesy of Antonin Dvořák, String Quartet no. 12 ‘American’, Op. 96 in F.