Fish...glorious fish in bella Firenze

Ciao a tutti! The past week at Giglio Cooking School has been incredible. I spend three and a half hours every morning doing what I love…cooking!! But I’m doing so much more than just cooking. I’m learning completely new things, different techniques and preparations. The other day I cleaned and gutted a fish for the first time. I know I shouldn’t be as excited about that as I am, but I can’t help it. I love all aspects of food, from the prep to the final product. Next week we’re doing a full class devoted to one of my favorite pastas…GNOCCHI!! This past week we did a lot of fish so I wanted to share some of the lovely dishes we’ve made. Ciao ciao for now!!

 Steamed Shrimp with Shrimp Sauce

 

his is a lovely preparation for shrimp. The sauce is made with garlic, onion, olive oil and the shells and heads of the shrimp. Wine, a little water and parsley are added, as well as a little starch to thicken the sauce.

 

Risotto with Shrimp

 

A very classic dish, beautifully made risotto with some butter, wine, garlic, parsley and shrimp.

 

Shellfish Soup

 

If you grew up in an Italian household, odds are, at some point you had a take on this dish. Mussels and clams served in a light tomato broth served with crunchy, grilled bread.

 

Raw Marinated Salmon and Celery Root Soufflé

 

 

 

I have to admit, this take on salmon was completely new for me. I’ve never tried raw fish in this form, but I’m on an adventure and this is all part of it. The flavor was delicious. The salmon was marinated with oregano, fennel, salt, sugar, orange zest and peppercorn. I just don’t care for the texture of raw fish. This was served alongside a lovely Celery Root Soufflé that I can’t wait to add to my usual repertoire.

 

Sea Bream with Artichokes

 

This was a perfect fish for me, not very strong, just the way I like it. The fish was sautéed with olive oil, salt, parsley, garlic, white wine and artichokes which were cooked to perfection. I think I have learned the trick to preparing and cooking the perfect artichokes, I promise I will share it with you all soon!

 

BUON APPETITO!!