iEats Blog

Figs, Goat Cheese & Proscuitto A New iEats Recipe!

Follow the link to see Chef Marco prepare this delicious dish from the AGO kitchen at the Hard Rock Hotel in  Las Vegas!

Arancini is a typical dish from the isle of  Sicily. I’ve found the best way to eat them is with your hands.

Delicious treats from the isle of Sicily

Serves 4

Ingredients:

for rice:

1/2 cup diced onions
3 crushed garlic cloves
extra virgin olive oil
2 cups uncooked arborio rice
chicken stock
3 pinches of saffron
salt
pepper
1 cup cooking white wine
for meat mixture:
1/4 cup finely chopped white onions
1/4 cup finely choppedcelery
1/4 cup finely chopped carrots
1 1/2 cup ground beef
1/4 cup green peas
1 cup cooking white wine
salt
pepper

1 cup flour
3 large eggs, beaten

canola oil (frying)

In a pot, add chicken stock the saffron and heat. In a seperate pot, stir and cook the onion and garlic in extra virgin olive oil to soften.
Add rice and stir with a wooden spoon at low temparture for about 3 minutes. Add the wine. Keep cooking and stirring until the wine is absorbed.
Then add the hot broth to the rice a little at a time. If the broth you are using is not seasoned, you can add a  little salt and pepper .
Stir and cook for about 15 minutes until al dente allowing the rice to absorb all of the broth. Place the rice
into a large plate and let it cool off. Stir and place in the refrigerator.
In a pan, cook and stir the onions, celery, carrots  and meat at medium temperature. When the meat is cooked, add the white wine and peas. Continue to stir and cook until wine is evaporated. When wine is absorbed, let cool.
Remove rice from refrigerator and start creating a riceball.

Spoon some of , about 2 tablespoons of the rice into your hand, place about a tablespoon  of the meat mixture on top of the the rice, add more rice to cover meat. Form into a ball, with the meat completely covered by the rice.

Once you have a perfectly formed ball, roll it lightly in flour, then dip in egg wash, then evenly cover in bread crumbs by rolling it gently.
Fry in canola oil until golden brown.  Set on plate with paper towels to collect any extra oil.

Serve warm or room temperature.

This makes 4 servings. Easy, looks and taste great…not to mention is light and healthy!

2 Avocados
1/4 cup Corn
1/4 cup Cucumber, diced no skin
1/4 cup cherry Tomato , quartered
juice of 1 lime about 1 tablespoon
1 tablespoon cilantro chopped

FOR THE SHRIMP:
4 large Shrimp, cut about 1/2 cup
1 stalk Celery, cut about 1/4 cup
1 Carrot, cut about 1/4 cup
1/4 cup Onion
1 Bay leaf
1 dash Salt
1/4 teaspoon whole peppercorn

Place the celery, onions, carrot, black peppercorn, salt and bay leaves in a pot and add enough water to
cook the shrimp. Once the water boils, let cook for about 5 minutes add the whole shrimp skin on and
cook for about 3 minutes. Be sure not overcook the shrimp. Drain and place aside.
While the shrimp are cooling,prepare the cucumber by removing seeds, skin and dicing. Place it in a bowl
add tomatoes, corn, cilantro.
Peel the shrimp, chop and add to the bowl. Squeeze the lime juice being careful to not get seeds in. Add salt and
pepper to taste. Mix well and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Cut avocado in half and remove seed. Cut the bottom off of the halves, so they can sit easily. Using a spoon, scoop
the avocado out leaving a quarter inch of thickness.
Chopped the removed avocado and add to mixture. Spoon mixture into avocado halves and serve.

Enjoy with a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, Arneis or a White Bordeaux.

Buono Appetito !

Shrimp & Avocado Salad...Simple, Light & Delicious!

Perfect with Vermentino!

Warm weather has arrived and we are all thinking about eating light. In my native Sardinia, seafood reigns supreme. The Mediterranean Sea offers an enormous variety of fish.  These Baked Tomato Crabcakes are my spin on the traditional. No deep fried food here… this is light and delicious.  Like all of my recipes, you can make them your own. I hope to give you the tools to ignite your ‘inner chef’!

Use mouth sized tomatoes to create the appetizer or larger tomatoes for a main course. Don’t pick overly ripe tomatoes and make sure you don’t overcook them!

I’m here to your questions and comments ….the ‘accesible chef’. Get help with any of my recipes on iEats….or any others!

Buono Appetito

Chef Marco

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