Recipe Corner

For readers of Frances Mayes's bestselling phenomenon "Under the Tuscan Sun" comes "The Tuscan Sun Cookbook," in which Mayes and her husband Ed celebrate the ease of the Tuscan kitchen and the joys of the table with more than 125 recipes, stunning food and lifestyle photography, and Frances and Ed's delicious stories.

Here are a couple of samples;

Fiorella's Red Pepper Tart

Serves 8

1 Yellow onion, thinly sliced

3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 Medium zucchini, thinly sliced

1 One inch flaky pastry piecrust

3 Eggs

½ Cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

½ Teaspoon salt

½ Teaspoon pepper

1 Red bell pepper, cut into slivers

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

In a medium skillet, sauté the onion in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil until translucent, about 3 minutes, over medium heat, then add the zucchini and let them cook together for 3 or 4 minutes more, until they are barely tender. Arrange the sautéed vegetables in the piecrust.

Break the eggs into small bowl and whisk with the cheese and seasonings. Pour this over the onion and zucchini. Swab out the bowl, and toss the bell pepper into the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Arrange the slices in a spoke pattern, pressing them down into the eggs a little. Bake for 30 minutes, until the center has domed and the pastry is flaky and browned. Serve immediately.

 

Sea Bass in a Salt Crust

Baking a fish in salt crust is about as much fun as you can have in the kitchen. Don't expect a salty fish-the briny crust seals in the juices and only slightly penetrates. If sustainable sea bass isn't available, try red snapper.

Serves 6 to 8

1 Large sea bass, 3 ½ to 4 pounds, or 2 two-pound fish, cleaned and prepared for cooking

1 Lemon, thinly sliced

A few springs of thyme, plus a teaspoon or so of leaves

3 or 4 Fresh rosemary wands

Juice of 2 lemons

5 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

½ Teaspoon pepper

1 Handful of plat-leaf parsley, chopped

3 to 5 pounds coarse salt

½ Cup all-purpose flour

2 Egg whites

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Dry the fish well and stuff the inside with slices of lemon, rosemary, and a few springs of thyme. In a small bowl, mix the lemon juice with the olive oil and brush the fish all over, keeping half of the oil mixture for later. Season the fish on both sides with pepper and half of the parsley and thyme leaves. To the remaining olive oil and lemon mixture, add the rest of the thyme and parsley.

Layer the bottom of a baking dish large enough for the fish with an inch of salt. Place the fish on top, then mix the rest of the salt with the flour, egg whites, and just enough water to make a snowy moist mixture. Spread this over the fish, completely covering and smoothing it with a knife.

Bake for 40 minutes, or until the salt looks toasted. Present the fish at the table, cracking or sawing into the hard crust, just for the fun of display, then take it back into the kitchen. In a small pan over low heat, warm the reserved olive oil and lemon mixture. Remove the salt from the fish and discard it, then peel away the skin. Take off the top layer of the fish, extract the bone, and remove the rest to a platter for serving. Pour on the warm sauce. Serve immediately.

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY

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