Watermelons are a typical, and beloved, conclusion to an American summer grill party. In Sicily, watermelons are also popular eaten in their raw state as well as being the main ingredient in an amazing sweet pudding for dessert. The main ingredients of this Sicilian gelu ‘i muluni, watermelon pudding, were all introduced by Arab farmers […]
Swordfish for Summer Grilling
June 16, 2018 by Leave a Comment
Xiphias gladius is the only member of the family Xiphiidae. Swordfish are found in the world’s ocean especially in warm and temperate waters. It is a game fish and prized in many cuisines of the world but probably none more so than in the Mediterranean, most especially Sicily. It can be as large as 1,000 […]
Summertime Squid, Grilled the Sicilian Way
August 22, 2016 by 2 Comments
Calamari Ripieni Print Prep time 25 mins Cook time 40 mins Total time 1 hour 5 mins For ease, buy the squid already cleaned but make sure they include each of the squid’s tentacles. Eight squid should weigh about 1¼ pounds, and that size is ideal for grilling in this recipe. You can […]
Using History to Create Inventive Dishes–Stuffed Lamb with Amaretti
November 30, 2015 by Leave a Comment
I first became fascinated with the role of the Arabs in Sicily after a trip to that island in 1983. There were noticeable Arab influences in everything from palaces, to bridges, to woodwork, to architecture, as well as a curious feeling to the local Sicilian food—not all of it, but some of it—which felt “Arab” […]
Grilling Roll-ups the Italian Way
May 19, 2014 by Leave a Comment
You can grill anything! Or just about anything. I learned this while writing my book GRILL ITALIAN that was published in 1996 (wow, that’s almost 20 years ago). Throwing a steak on the grill, or some vegetables in that new vegetable griller you may have gotten for your birthday is fine–and easy–but with a little […]
Seafood Rice Salad for a Midsummer Evening
July 15, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Along the northern coast of Sicily in the province of Messina are some wonderful beach towns and one, San Gregorio, was where after a day of strenuous skin diving a meal al fresco was in order. The local restaurant served this rice salad called riso al mare followed by grilled fish. The restaurant used a few […]
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