Verdure: Simple Recipes in the Italian Style

by Gioietta Vitale, Robin Vitetta-Miller

Overview

One hundred healthful and delicious Italian recipes centered on the best fresh, seasonal produce


From artichoke frittata to zucchini soup, Vitale offers simple and nutritious recipes dedicated entirely to vegetables. Providing tips on selecting fresh ingredients and bringing out each dish’s unique flavor, Verdure represents the best of northern Italian cuisine, and is a must-have for anyone seeking no-frills meals using the best that any local produce market has to offer.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781453246320
Publisher:	Open Road Integrated Media, Inc.
Publication date:	03/13/2012
Pages:	182
Product dimensions:	7.50(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Gioietta Vitale is the author of Riso (1992) and Verdure (2001), celebrated cookbooks for timeless Italian dishes focused on rice and vegetables. Born in Milan, Vitale is a former chairwoman for the American Italian Cancer Foundation and devotes much of her time to raising money for cancer research. She currently lives in Palm Beach, Florida.

Read an Excerpt

Raw Baby Artichoke Salad Insalata di Carciofi Crudi

Serves 4

12 baby artichokes 4 lemons 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 12 teaspoons salt

The baby artichokes in this salad are eaten raw, and they are so delicate and tasty—like the petals on a rose. Serve this delightful salad as a first course or as a side dish with veal scaloppini or sauteed chicken.

Slice off the top 14 to 12 inch from one artichoke to remove the thornlike tips, if necessary. Slice the stem end so it's even with the base and pull away any dry or tough outer leaves. Transfer to a large bowl of cold water and add the juice from 1 lemon. Repeat with remaining artichokes.

Drain the artichokes and cut each in half lengthwise. Place halves cut side down on a cutting board and thinly slice lengthwise.

Place the artichoke slices in a large bowl and add the juice from the remaining 3 lemons, olive oil, and salt. Toss to combine. Serve immediately.

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Asparagus Salad with Potato-Anchovy Dressing Insalata di Aspˆragi con Patate Condite con Salsa di Acciughe

Serves 4 to 6

2 pounds thin asparagus spears, woody ends trimmed 1 large potato, peeled and diced 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 8 whole anchovies, chopped 12 cup chopped fresh parsley 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice Salt and freshly ground black pepper

An interesting blend of salty anchovies, starchy potato, and fresh sweet asparagus. This side dish pairs perfectly with sauteed or grilled chicken and steak. If desired, you can make the dressing in advance and refrigerate. Reheat in a small saucepan over low heat until warm.

Blanch theasparagus in a large pot of rapidly boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes, until crisp-tender. Drain and immerse in a large bowl of ice water to prevent further cooking. Drain and set aside.

Cook the potato in a small pot of rapidly boiling water for 10 minutes, until fork-tender. Drain and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the anchovies and potato and, using the back of a spoon, mash the two together until blended. Saute 2 minutes, until hot. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, transfer the asparagus to a serving plate and spoon anchovy dressing over top.

Copyright 2001 by Gioietta Vitale with Robin Vitetta-Miller

What People are Saying About This

Diana Shaw

A perfect gem! Compact, thorough . . . a celebration of simplicity from an uncompromising authority and inspiring enthusiast.
— (Diana Shaw, author of The Essential Vegetarian Cookbook and Almost Vegetarian)

John Ash

Verdure captures and illustrates what makes Italian food so great and that is its delicious simplicity. This is a wonderful book for cooks of all skills but is especially appropriate for those who are early into their cooking experiences. Gioietta patiently and clearly explains how easy it is to prepare food with great flavor.
— (John Ash, Culinary Director of Fetzer Vineyards and founder of John Ash & Company Restaurant in Santa Rosa, CA)

Editorial Reviews

"This cookbook will appeal to the many who want to grace their tables with vegetables Italian style.” —Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

The Barnes & Noble Review
Italians, and northern Italians in particular, are justly famous for knowing how to get the most out of vegetables by doing the least to them. For everyone who has overplanted the garden at home or been tempted by the produce at a farm market and brought way too much home, this elegant little book with its 100 recipes, from artichokes to zucchini, provides plenty of inspiration.

Thoughtfully organized by vegetable, each chapter in Verdure offers a handful of tasty recipes plus basic advice about selection and cooking times for steaming, sautéing, boiling, microwaving, or roasting. Vitale also points out compatible flavors for each vegetable, which is highly useful for devising impromptu menus. (Spinach, for example, has great affinities with butter, olive oil, mild and sharp cheeses, pastry, garlic, smoked meats, walnuts, pine nuts, nutmeg, and more.) From Artichoke Fritatta and Baked Fennel with Béchamel Sauce to Raw Zucchini Salad with Parmigiano-Reggiano, the recipes all look simple and delicious. (Ginger Curwen)

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