Nothing says romance like a home-cooked meal, but what if you don’t know what to cook? Fear not, the Scottos, of New York City’s Fresco restaurant, show you how to cook with love with this next set of recipes. Check out the meal full of heart below.
ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP (MEATBALL SOUP)
(6 servings)
INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons olive oil
18 small meatballs
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced onions
1/2 cup diced zucchini
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper
1 1/2 quarts chicken stock
6 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
Salt to taste
To Prepare Meatballs (makes 18)
1 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 pound ground veal
1 egg
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon kosher salt
DIRECTIONS
To make the meatballs, place the bread crumbs in a large bowl and combine the egg, parsley, garlic, cheese and salt, and using your hands, mix thoroughly. Divide the mixture into 18 small balls.
PROCEDURE
In a large stockpot, heat the oil on a medium-high heat. Add the meatballs, garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for about 12 minutes, until the meatballs are lightly brown. Remove meatballs and set aside. Add the chicken stock to the large pot and bring to a boil. Add the carrots, celery, onion and zucchini and reduce to medium heat. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Add the meatballs, simmer 5 more minutes, add the cheese and season to taste with salt.
MASHED POTATOES WITH SEVRUGA CAVIAR (6 SERVINGS)
Mashed Potatoes
2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes
1 cup heavy cream
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
Kosher salt to taste
Topping for each serving
1 tablespoon mascarpone cheese
1 teaspoon sevruga caviar
FRIED OYSTER SALAD (1 SERVING)
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups of frying oil
5 oysters, out of the shell
4 cherry tomatoes cut in half
1/2 ounce mixed baby greens
1 tablespoon of crisp bacon
1/4 ounce fennel, julienne
1/4 ounce of baby string beans, blanched
Batter
3 tablespoons of all purpose flour
1 egg white
1/2 cup beer
Salt and pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped walnuts
PROCEDURE
Combine the flour, egg white, beer, salt and pepper. Mix the dried ingredients and whisk well. Set aside. Open the oysters. Save the shells. In a bowl combine the baby greens, bacon, fennel, string beans, tomatoes, salt and pepper, walnuts, olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and toss. Set aside. Soak the oysters in the batter and heat the frying oil to 375 degrees and fry the oysters till crisp on the outside.
ASSEMBLE
Put 3 oysters back on the shell. Set salad on plate and top with 2 fried oysters. Garnish with 3 oysters, on the half shell, around the plate.
PIZZA MARGHERITA
FRESCO Pizza Crust
1 1/3 cups lukewarm water
1 tablespoon molasses
1 teaspoon fresh yeast
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups bread flour
1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
PROCEDURE
In a bowl, combine the water, molasses, and yeast and stir gently to mix. Set aside for 5 minutes, until bubbling. Add the salt and olive oil and stir to mix. In another bowl, whisk together the flours. Add the yeast mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until a dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Form the dough into 2 or 6 balls and transfer to a lightly oiled bowl. Turn to coat with oil and then dab about 1 teaspoon of oil on top of each ball of dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 20 minutes. Prepare a charcoal grill. The coals should be very hot. Oil a rimless baking sheet and flatten 1 ball of dough into 12 inch round, about a 1/4 inch thick. Using your finger tips, gently lift the dough and drape it onto the grill. Within 1 minute, it will puff slightly, and the underside will stiffen. Using tongs, immediately flip the crust over onto the coolest part of the grill. Brush it with olive oil and proceed with your topping.
Topping
1 cup grated Pecorino Romano
1 cup grated Bel Paese
1 cup Pizza Sauce
SPAGHETTI ALLA CHITARRA WITH LOBSTER RAGU
Lobster Ragu
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
3 lobsters, cook in hot water for 3 minutes
3 cups white wine
1 can tomato puree
2 ounces julienne fresh basil
4 cups lobster stock
Lobster Stock
Roast lobster shells with onions and tomato paste for 15 minutes. Add lobster shells and white wine to a pot of water and boil for 30 minutes.
30 ounces Spaghetti all Chitarra, cook in boiling water for 3 minutes
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
2 ounces extra virgin olive oil
6 cups lobster ragu
2 lobsters, meat chopped
3 ounces fresh julienne basil
1/2 teaspoon pepper flakes
Salt to taste
PROCEDURE
Sauté chopped garlic in olive oil until lightly brown and then add lobster ragu and simmer until hot. Add the cooked pasta, fresh basil and lobster meat. Add a small amount of extra virgin olive oil, pepper flakes and salt to taste.
HERB AND LEMON ROASTED CHICKEN WITH CONTADINA POTATOES
INGREDIENTS
5 half chicken, semi boneless
4 ounces chopped thyme
2 ounces lemon pepper
2 pounds peeled and diced golden Yukon Gold potatoes
4 tomatoes peeled and blended
2 julienne onions
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
Juice from 1 lemon
2 ounces extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste
To prepare chicken
Take chicken, clean skin, leave the last bone from the leg intact. Mix chopped thyme, lemon pepper, salt, garlic and lemon juice. Spread the mix on the chicken then fold it, putting the breast inside the leg like a cone form, hold it together by inserting toothpick across the skin. Put chicken on a tray. Preheat oven 450F and cook for 25 minutes.
To prepare contadina potatoes
In a large sauté pan, heat extra virgin olive oil and cook garlic onions till golden brown. Add potatoes, tomatoes and thyme. Let cook until potatoes are tender. Add salt and pepper to taste.
CHOCOLATE WALNUT BROWNIES
INGREDIENTS
20 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1 pound butter
6 eggs
3 cups sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups walnut pieces
PROCEDURE
In the top of a double boiler, melt chocolate and butter, set aside. Whip eggs and sugar until pale yellow and tripled in volume. Fold in flour and baking powder then chocolate, followed by chocolate chips and walnuts. Bake in greased, floured 9 x 12 inch pan at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Recipes by Executive Chef Stefano Battistini and Pastry Chef Chris Smreker.