Mediterranean Dishes For Cold Days

This week, we welcome back Jimmy Bradley as our Chef on a Shoestring.

He is the owner and chef at three New York City restaurants: The Red Cat, The Harrison, and Mermaid Inn. Each restaurant reflects the food Bradley grew up on -- rustic, Italian seasonal foods prepared by his grandmother.

Now it's his recipes that are getting the attention of diners and critics alike. He was just featured in the New York Times Magazine along with a few of his favorite recipes.

We invited Chef Bradley to create a delicious three-course gourmet meal for four on our budget of $30.

Bradley grew up in both Rhode Island and Philadelphia in a family where food was an integral part of family gatherings. He pursued a professional cooking career after attending the University of Rhode Island. He worked in Philadelphia kitchens and at some of Rhode Island's top kitchens before becoming the executive chef of Savoir Fare, a progressive Martha's Vineyard bistro.

In 1999, he opened The Red Cat, which features seasonal New American menu with Mediterranean influences. In 2001, he opened The Harrison, which features a more Italian menu. This year, he opened a very small restaurant, Mermaid Inn, which he describes a "New England clam shack with the funky urban East Village edge."

Bradley's menu as our Chef on a Shoestring: an appetizer of Shaved Fennel Salad with Grapefruit and Orange; an entrée of Pasta with Green Clam Sauce; and for dessert, Bosc Pears with Pecorino and Balsamic Vinegar.

Terminology:

Fennel: Bradley uses fennel in his salad instead of the usual mixed greens. Fennel is an aromatic plant that has a white bulb with green, celery-like stems and feathery, bright green dill-like foliage. You can use both the bulb and the stems in a variety of ways -- raw or cooked. There are several ways to cook fennel, such as braising, sautéing or in soups. The fragrant, graceful greenery can be used as a garnish or snipped like dill and used for a last-minute flavor enhancer. Some people compare the flavor of fennel to anise, but fennel is sweeter and more delicate.

Manila clams: Bradley uses Manila clams for the pasta. Manila clams are also known as Japanese littlenecks or just steamers. They are found on sand-gravel-shell beaches. Bradley says if you can't find Manila clams, you can use littleneck clams instead.

Balsamic vinegar: According to the "Food Lover's Dictionary," the exquisite Italian balsamic vinegar, made from white Trebbiano grape juice, gets its dark color and pungent sweetness from aging in barrels -- of various woods and in graduating sizes -- over a period of years. It should be noted that many balsamic vinegars contain sulfites, which are primarily added to inhibit the growth of unfavorable, flavor-detracting bacteria.

Pecorino Romano cheese: Bradley combines his pears with Pecorino Romano cheese. It is an Italian hard cheese made of sheep's milk. Bradley says Pecorino is great for grating and used mainly in cooking. You can use it in recipes that call for Parmesan.

Recipes

Shaved Fennel Salad with Grapefruit and Orange
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
1 small head frisee, cleaned, trimmed, and roughly chopped
2 ripe oranges, peeled and segmented, with all pith removed and any juices reserved
1 pink grapefruit, peeled, sliced crosswise, with all pith removed and any juices reserved
1 large pink grapefruit, peeled and segmented, juice reserved
1 large shallot, finely diced
1/4 cup fresh flat leaf (Italian) parsley
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Combine in a non-reactive bowl the fennel, frisee, orange segments, grapefruit slices, grapefruit segments, shallot, parsley, citrus juices, olive oil and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Toss well and divide the salad among four chilled salad plates.

Chef's note: Handle the oranges and the grapefruit over separate bowls to catch any juices from the fruit.

Pasta with Green Clam Sauce
Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 pound dry linguine
1/3 cup olive oil
2 bay leaves
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup dry white wine
30 Manila clams, cleaned
3 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh chives, finely chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
freshly ground pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Place the pasta in the boiling water. Cook the pasta for about 7 minutes. It should be cooked "al dente," that is with some bite to it, not soft and mushy, so be careful not to overcook it.

Heat the olive oil and bay leaves in a 10-inch saute pan. Add the garlic, onion and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook on high heat. When the onions and garlic start to brown, which will take approximately four minutes, add the wine, the clams, the parsley, basil and chives. Simmer for about one minute.

Drain the pasta and add it to the saute pan. Add the butter and the cheese. Toss gently to make sure the butter and cheese are well-combined. Remove from heat. Season with ground pepper; no salt is necessary. Serve in soup bowls.

Slices of Bosc Pears and Pecorino Drizzled with Aged Balsamic Vinegar
Serves 4

Ingredients:
3 ripe Bosc pears, peeled, cored and sliced 1/4-inch thick
8 ounces Pecorino Romano sliced thin
Aged Balsamic Vinegar to taste (the older and more syrupy the better)

Arrange the slices of pears and Pecorino on a serving platter. Drizzle with vinegar. Serve.