1 cup unflavored bread crumbs
Salt
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
OPTIONAL: a charcoal or wood-burning grill
1. Wash the unshelled shrimp in cold water, then pat thoroughly dry with cloth kitchen towels.
2. Using scissors, cut the shell of each shrimp along the back and for its entire length down to the tail. Run a single toothpick into each shrimp, inserting it between the flesh of the belly and the shell. This is to straighten the shrimp and to keep it from curling while it cooks so that when done it resembles cannocchie.
3. When all the shrimp is prepared, put it in a bowl and add all the other ingredients. Be liberal with both salt and pepper. Turn the shrimp to coat it thoroughly, forcing a little of the marinade under the shell where it is cut. Let steep at room temperature for at least ½ hour, or as long as 2 hours, turning it from time to time.
4. If using charcoal or wood, light the charcoal in time for it to form white ash before cooking, or the wood long enough in advance to reduce it to hot embers. If using an indoor gas or electric grill, preheat it at least 15 minutes before you are ready to cook.
5. If using charcoal or wood, put the shrimp in a hinged, double grill and close the grill tightly. If using an indoor broiler, place it on the broiler’s grilling pan. Cook very close to the source of heat, about 2 minutes on one side and 1½ minutes on the other, or slightly more if the shrimp is very thick. When done, serve at once, with plenty of paper napkins available.
Shrimp Fried in Leavened Batter
THERE ARE MANY frying batters, each suited to a different objective. For a thin eggshell-like crust of matchless crispness, try the flour-and-water batter. For a crisp coating that is also light and fluffy, try the yeast batter given below. It is a favorite of cooks from Rome down to Palermo who use it for frying small shellfish and vegetables.
Skewering each shrimp, or 2 at a time if very small, with a toothpick as described in the recipe is not absolutely necessary, but it has its advantages. If you are using tiny shrimp, which would be the most desirable ones for this dish, it keeps them from forming lumps of two or three as they fry and permits them to maintain a clearly defined and attractive shape. And it is very helpful to have one end of the toothpick to hold on to when dipping the shrimp in the batter.
For 4 servings
1 pound unshelled shrimp, as small as possible
OPTIONAL: round wooden toothpicks
2 eggs
Salt
½ package active dry yeast (about 1¼ teaspoons), dissolved in 1 cup lukewarm water
1 cup flour
Vegetable oil for frying
1. Shell the shrimp and remove their dark vein. Wash in several changes of cold water and pat thoroughly dry with cloth kitchen towels.
2. OPTIONAL: Bend each shrimp following its natural curve, causing the head and tail to meet and slightly overlap. Skewer it with a toothpick holding tail and head in place.
3. Break both eggs into a bowl, add a large pinch of salt, and beat them well with a fork. Add the dissolved yeast, then add the flour, shaking it through a strainer, while beating the mixture steadily with a fork.
4. Put enough oil in a frying pan to come ¼ inch up its sides and turn on the heat to high. To determine when the oil is hot enough for frying, plop a drop of batter into it: If it stiffens and instantly comes to the surface, the oil is ready.
5. Dip the shrimp into the batter, letting the excess flow back into the bowl, and slip it into the pan. Do not put in any more shrimp at one time than will fit loosely without crowding the pan. As soon as the shrimp has formed a rich, golden crust on one side, turn it and do the other side. Using a slotted spoon or spatula, transfer the fried shrimp to a cooling rack to drain, or place it on a platter lined with paper towels.
6. Stir the batter with the fork, dip more shrimp, and repeat the procedure described above, until all the shrimp are done. Sprinkle with salt and serve promptly.
Fried Tidbits of Swordfish or Other Fish
HERE WE HAVE an excellent Sicilian method to use when working with fish that tends to become dry. The fish is soaked for about 1 hour in an olive oil and lemon juice marinade, then it is fried. The cooking goes very fast because the fish is sliced thin and cut into bite-size morsels. When it comes out of the pan it is nearly as moist and tender as when it came out of the sea.
For 4 servings
2 pounds fresh swordfish OR other fish steaks, sliced ½ inch thick
Salt
Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons parsley chopped very, very fine
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 eggs
Vegetable oil for frying
1 cup flour, spread on a plate
1. Cut the fish steaks into pieces that are more or less 2 by 3 inches.
2. Put a liberal quantity of salt and pepper into a broad bowl or deep platter, add the olive oil, parsley, and lemon juice, and beat with a fork until the ingredients are evenly blended. Put in the fish, turning the pieces over several times in the oil and lemon juice mixture to coat them well. Let the fish marinate at least 1 hour, but no more than 2, at room temperature, turning it from time to time.
3. Retrieve the fish from its marinade, and pat the pieces thoroughly dry with paper towels.
4. Break the eggs into a deep dish, beating them with a fork until the yolks and whites combine.
5. Pour enough vegetable oil into a frying pan to come between ¼ and ½ inch up its sides and turn on the heat to high.
6. While the oil heats up, dip a few pieces of fish into the beaten eggs. Pick up one of the pieces, let the excess egg flow back into the dish, and dredge the piece on both sides in the flour. Holding the piece by one end with your fingertips, dip a corner of it into the pan. If the oil around it bubbles instantly, it is hot enough and you can slip in the whole piece. Dredge more egg-coated fish in the flour and add it to the pan, but do not crowd the pan.
7. When the fish has formed a light golden crust on one side, turn it. When crust forms on the other side, transfer the fish, using a slotted spoon or spatula, to a cooling rack to drain, or place on a large plate lined with paper towels. When there is room in the pan, add more fish. When it is all done, sprinkle with salt and serve at once.
Pan–Roasted Mackerel with Rosemary and Garlic
HERE FISH is cooked by the same method one uses for making a roast of veal in Italy, and for the same reasons. The slow cooking in a covered pan keeps the flesh tender and juicy, its flavor uplifted by the fragrance of rosemary and garlic.
For 4 servings
4 small mackerel, about ¾ pound each, gutted and scaled, but with heads and tails on
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, peeled
A small sprig of rosemary OR 1 teaspoon dried leaves, crumbled
Salt
Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
Freshly squeezed juice of ½ lemon
1. Wash the fish under cold running water, then pat thoroughly dry with paper towels. Make 3 parallel, diagonal cuts on both sides of each fish, cutting no deeper than the skin.
2. Put the olive oil and garlic in an oval roasting pan, if you have one, or a saute pan or other pot where the fish can subsequently fit side by side. Turn on the heat to medium, and cook the garlic until it becomes colored a pale gold. Put in the fish and the rosemary. Brown the fish well on both sides. Keep loosening it from the bottom with a metal spatula to keep it from sticking, and turn it over carefully to make sure it doesn’t break up. Put salt and pepper on both its sides.
3. Add the lemon juice, cover with a tight-fitting lid, turn the heat down to low, and cook for about 10 to 12 minutes, until the flesh feels tender when prodded with a fork. Serve promptly when done.
Sautéed Snapper or Other Whole Fish with Mushrooms
FISH AND MUSHROOMS in Italy hav
e a strong common bond, the garlic and olive oil with which they are customarily cooked. Both fish and mushrooms come together quite naturally in this recipe, but they are fully cooked independently and if you want to omit the mushrooms, the fish stands well on its own.
For 4 servings
FOR THE MUSHROOMS
½ pound fresh, firm white button mushrooms, cooked as described, with 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 1 teaspoon chopped garlic, 2 teaspoons chopped parsley, and salt
FOR THE FISH
A 2- to 2½-pound whole fish, such as red snapper or sea bass, gutted and scaled, but with head and tail on
1 large or 2 small garlic cloves
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons onion chopped fine
2 tablespoons chopped carrot
2 teaspoons chopped parsley
1 whole fresh bay leaf OR
½ dried, crumbled fine
⅓ cup dry white wine
1 flat anchovy fillet, chopped fine, to a pulp
Salt
Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
1. Wash the scaled and gutted fish under cold running water, then pat it thoroughly dry with paper towels.
2. Lightly mash the garlic with a heavy knife handle, just enough to split its skin and peel it.
3. Choose a saute pan just large enough to accommodate the fish later, put in the olive oil and onion, and turn on the heat to medium-low. Cook the onion, stirring, until it becomes translucent, add the chopped carrot, and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring thoroughly to coat it well. Add the garlic and cook it, stirring, until it becomes lightly colored. Add the parsley, stir thoroughly once or twice, then put in the bay leaf, the wine, and the anchovy. Cook, stirring frequently, mashing the anchovy against the sides of the pan with the back of a wooden spoon until the wine has evaporated by half.
4. Put in the fish, season both fish and vegetables with salt and pepper, and cover the pan, setting the lid slightly ajar. Cook for about 8 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish, turn it over carefully, using two spatulas or a large fork and spoon to keep it from breaking apart, sprinkling salt and pepper on the side you have just turned over. Cook for 5 minutes more, always with a cover on ajar, then add the optional mushrooms. Cover the pan, and let the fish and mushrooms cook together for no more than a minute. Serve promptly.
Sautéed Snapper or Bass with Finocchio, Sicilian Style
For 4 servings
2 small snappers OR sea bass, about 1¼ pounds each, scaled and gutted, OR an equivalent fillet of larger fish
2 large finocchi
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
1. Wash the fish in cold water, inside and out. If using a fish fillet, separate it into two halves, remove the bones, but leave the skin on.
2. Cut off the finocchio tops down to the bulbs, and discard them. Trim away any bruised, discolored portion of the bulbs. Cut the bulbs lengthwise into thin slices less than ½ inch thick. Soak them in cold water for a few minutes and rinse.
3. Choose a saute pan that can subsequently accommodate all the fish. Put in the olive oil, the sliced finocchio, salt, about ½ cup water, and turn on the heat to medium. Cover the pan and cook for 30 minutes or more, depending on the freshness of the finocchio, until it is completely wilted and very tender. If after 20 minutes, the finocchio appears still to be hard when prodded with a fork, add ¼ cup water.
4. When the finocchio is tender, uncover the pan, and turn up the heat to boil away completely any liquid left in the pan. Turn the finocchio slices frequently until they become colored a deep gold on both sides. Add a few grindings of pepper, turn the heat down to medium, and push the finocchio to one side to make room for the fish in the pan.
5. Put in the fish, skin side down if you are using fish fillet, sprinkle with liberal pinches of salt and grindings of pepper, and spoon some of the oil in the pan over it. Cover and cook for 6 to 7 minutes. Then gently turn the fish over, baste again with olive oil, cover, and cook another 5 minutes or so, depending on the thickness of the fish.
6. Transfer the fish to a platter and pour the entire contents of the pan over it. If using whole fish, you might prefer to fillet it before placing it in the serving platter. It’s not difficult to do: Separate the fish into two lengthwise halves, pick out the bones, use a spoon to detach the head and tail, and it’s done. Remember to cover with all the finocchio slices and juices from the pan.
Porgies or Other Small Fish Pan-Roasted with Marjoram and Lemon
PAN-ROASTING—the method that is neither sautéing nor braising, but something in between—is one of the basic techniques of the Italian kitchen for cooking fish as well as meat, chicken, and smaller birds. It is more controlled cooking than oven-roasting, combining the slow concentration of flavor that takes place in the dry air of the oven with the juiciness and superior texture one can achieve on top of the stove.
The recipe below is most successful with small, whole fish, but firm-fleshed, thick fillets with the skin on can also be used.
For 4 to 6 servings
4 small or 3 medium whole fish, such as porgies, bass, pompano, about ¾ to 1 pound each, scaled and gutted, but with head and tail on
3 garlic cloves
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup flour, spread on a plate
1 teaspoon fresh marjoram leaves OR ½ teaspoon dried
Salt
Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1. Wash the fish inside and out in cold water, then pat thoroughly dry with paper towels.
2. Lightly mash the garlic with a heavy knife handle, just hard enough to split the skin, and peel it.
3. Choose a lidded saute pan or deep skillet that will subsequently be able to accommodate all the fish without overlapping. Put in the butter and oil and turn on the heat to medium high.
4. When the butter and oil are quite hot, dredge the fish in flour on both sides, and put it in the pan together with the garlic and marjoram. If using thick fillets, put them in skin side down first.
5. Brown the fish for about 1½ minutes on each side. Add liberal pinches of salt, black pepper, and the lemon juice, cover the pan, and turn the heat down to medium. Cook for about 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish, turning the fish over after 6 minutes or so.
6. Transfer to a warm serving platter, lifting the fish gently with two metal spatulas to keep it from breaking up, pour all the juices in the pan over it, and serve at once.
Halibut or Other Fish Steaks Sauced with White Wine and Anchovies
For 4 servings
2 pounds halibut OR other fish steaks in slices 1 inch thick
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
⅔ cup flour, spread on a plate
1½ cups onion chopped fine
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
Salt
⅔ cup dry white wine
1 or 2 flat anchovy fillets (preferably the ones prepared at home as described), chopped to a pulp
Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
1. Wash the fish steaks in cold water, then pat them thoroughly dry with paper towels. Do not tear or remove the skin that encircles them.
2. Choose a saute pan that can subsequently accommodate all the fish without overlapping. Put in half the olive oil and turn on the heat to medium.
3. Dredge the fish in the flour on both sides. When the oil is hot, slip the steaks into the pan, and cook them about 5 minutes on one side and 4 minutes or less on the other. Take off heat, and draw off and discard most of the oil in the pan.
4. Put the remaining ¼ cup of oil and the chopped onion into a small saucepan, turn on the heat to medium, and cook the onion, stirring, until it becomes colored a very pale gold. Add the chopped parsley and a pinch of salt, stir quickly once or twice, then add the
wine and the anchovies. Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, using the back of the spoon from time to time to mash the anchovies against the side of the pan.
5. When most of the wine has evaporated, pour the contents of the saucepan over the fish in the saute pan. Add some pepper. Turn on the heat to medium, and cook for about 2 minutes, spooning the sauce over the fish to baste it once or twice.
6. Lift the steaks with a broad spatula or possibly two, one in either hand, gently transferring them to a warm serving platter, taking care that they do not break up. Pour all the contents of the pan over the fish and serve at once.
Sautéed Swordfish or Salmon Steaks with Capers and Vinegar, Stimpirata Style
IN SIRACUSA, Sicily, this flavorful preparation is applied principally to swordfish and occasionally to fresh tuna. When, many years ago, I began working with it, I looked for other fish, at that time more commonly available outside Sicily, that would respond to the savory stimpirata treatment. The most successful substitute was one most unlike the original Sicilian varieties, salmon. On reflection, one need not be surprised because no other fish has salmon’s ability to handle with aplomb such a diversity of flavors in its sauces, from the most shy to the most emphatic.
For this recipe, if you should decide to turn to salmon, you may use either thin steaks or fillets. Swordfish, tuna, or other fish such as shark, grouper, tilefish, or red snapper should be in steak form, sliced very thin.
For 4 to 6 servings
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup onion chopped very thin
6 tablespoons celery chopped very fine
2 tablespoons capers, soaked and rinsed as described if packed in salt, drained if in vinegar
Vegetable oil for sautéing the fish
Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking Page 33