Christina Cooks: Back to the Cutting Board

Is it easy to be vegan AND Itali Si, si, si.

Not only is it easy and delicious, but there's so much history around healthy eating, dating back to ancient Rome.

Yup You heard me.

Ancient Rome, where they feasted on lentils, millet, farro, seasonal vegetables and whole grain bread, along with some wine.

Mind blown right?

We'll talk about the Italian history of food and ve-gan today on Christina Cooks The Macroterranean Way.

Underwriting for Christina Cooks is provided by Suzanne Specialti offering a full line of alternative vegan and organic sweeteners and toppings.

Suzanne Specialties, sweetness the way Mother Nature intended.

Jonathan's Spoons.

Individually handcrafted from cherry wood.

Each designed with your hand and purpose in mind.

Additional funding is also provided by.

Hi, I'm Christina Pirello and this is Christina Cooks, where each week we take fresh seasonal ingredients and whip them into amazing dishes.

Will they all be plant based?

Yeah.

Will they all be delicious?

Yeah.

You know, what's really interesting to me is that we talk a lot in our country about self-care.

And the easiest to take care of yourself, which is self-care, is to eat well.

We look at people like Italians How are they so healthy?

They're the second healthiest country behind Spain in the world.

How do they do that?

They eat real food and they live active lifestyles.

So we're going to make a soup today.

To start with that I am obsessed with.

I would make this soup every day of the week if I can get away with it, but I don't because we need variety.

But I love the soup.

So we're going to take some extra virgin olive oil, a couple of tablespoons in the bottom of a soup pot.

And we're going to add to that a whole clove of garlic.

A big mistake we make in Italian American cooking is that we use so much garlic and we chop it up and the dish just tastes like garlic.

In Italian cooking, the flavors are more subtle.

They use the whole clove and then they either take it out once it browns a little bit or they leave it in as part of the dish because it's nice and soft, you can do what you like.

I tend to leave it in because then somebody gets to fish it out of the soup and spread it on their bread and it's a really nice thing.

So while the garlic starts to cook, we're going to add to it some diced red onions.

Now, when you make soups, you want to cut your vegetables in small pieces.

And the reason you do that is so that there's lots of surface area bleeding into the broth to make the soup sweet.

Right.

The job of soup when we eat is to help us to digest.

When I was a kid, my mother used make pasta fagioli almost every Friday.

My father loved it, growing up Catholic, you didn't eat meat on Friday I despised it.

I spent probably an hour every Friday night picking every bean out of the pasta fagioli so that I could just eat the pasta in the now cold soup.

But it didn't matter because that's what I wanted.

So next we're going to add some I'm not making a huge amount of So many use half a stalk.

And what you do is cut your celery, cut it into spears.

and then cut across to make your dice, try to keep your dicing even.

This isn't about being fast.

It's about getting things uniform.

So they cook evenly in your soup Okay, now, when you make a bean soup, don't add tons of pinches of salt.

or you beans will never get soft So, you got to be careful with that.

Next, we'll take a carrot.

This is a really, really big carrot.

So we're going to use only part of it and cut again into spears and then cut along those spears to dice.

Now, when you're cooking, you know, most people really panic when it comes to the prep part.

And that's the hardest part of cooking is the prep.

So if getting you to the place of cooking, so you start your path to wellness means you have to use a food processor to chop your veggies, then go ... ahead?

But I really would prefer that you buy a good knife and you learn how to use it.

It will make your life in the kitchen so much easier.

There's something really zen and peaceful about chopping veg.

So now your vegetables are in and as soon as they're shiny with oil.

We'll add some pureed or crushed tomatoes.

I don't use fresh tomatoes in the soup very often because I really want a nice pink color you'll see later.

And then we're going to add cannellini beans, which are white Italian kidney beans that have a nice creamy finish to them but are also clinically proven to be heart healthy.

Then we have chickpeas which help us to feel grounded and centered, but also will bring a sweetness to the soup.

And we'll kind of stir those in.

Then as we get ready to add water, We're going to take and start to cook our pasta in salted water.

You want to cook your pasta separately for this dish because if you put your pasta in, it becomes too soft.

And your soup is sort of starchy and your pasta's overcooked.

Now I'm going to add water to just cover the ingredients.

And the reason I'm doing that is I want my soup to be thick.

I can always add water, but I can't thicken it.

So you want to start with a little bit more water.

We're going to cover it and let it cook for about 35 minutes and then we'll put the whole thing together.

(Music Playing) So the soup has finished cooking We're going to season it with a little bit of salt, not a ton of salt, because the pasta has been salted in the pasta water.

So let's not get too carried away.

Now we're going to take an immersion blender.

You can use a food processor, you can use a Shinwa.

I tend to use these because I can do it right in the pot.

And I don't want to waste a lot of time and dirty a lot of other dishes.

So I tend to just use this and you're not going to puree this into a bisque, you're just pureeing it to get out all the big chunks of veggies an sort of a coarse, textured soup.

And there's a reason for that, which you'll discover in a moment.

They didn't have immersion bumpers in Pompeii, so.

Okay, so once you have a nice, coarse texture like this.

Yeah, that's good.

Then get a ladle, a nice serving bowl.

I'm telling you, I'm obsessed with the soup.

So this would be a serving for me.

Goes into the bowl like this, then we take pasta, our finished cooked pasta, and rather than stir it in like pasta fagiolli, it goes right in the center in like a little mound.

Then take a little parsley, garnish the top, drizzle it with a little olive oil.

And there you have a creamy past fagioli with the pasta as the main attraction.

So this simple soup is well, it reminds me of Pompeii, where they had things called hot tables, where the population ate soups and stews made from beans and whole grains It was the most ama .... You know what?

Why don't we go and discover the foods of Pompeii?

Andiamo.

(Music) Antonio: Here we are.

Christina: Wait, wait, so where are we?

Antonio: Not far away from the ruins, Antonio: basically because we are just on Antonio: the other side of the amphitheater.

Antonio: Just in the back.

Christina: So on the other side of the hill Antonio: Straight over there Antonio: A few Meters on the other side of the hill Antonio: there are the ruins, basically.

Christina: Let's go look.

Antonio: Let's have a look.

(Music) Christina: So I'm here at a tomb ruins on the property of Bosco de Medici on the Road to Pompeii with Antonio Moskow.

Tell me about the food that they because the food they ate is very similar to the food that I eat now.

Antonio: Honestly, most of the people, they eat something cheap, something easy to catch?

you know, a loaf of bread could be enough for one day.

A soup could be enough for one day Christina: with Orzo Antonio: Foods with farro.

So cooked in the salty water Christina: And they ate beans.

Antonio: They had a sort of bean and not the beans, which we normally because they're right.

The beans we eat normally actual now are from your continent.

Christina: That's true.

Antonio: Basically, like some of food, like tomatoes, like, you know, some of the food, they ate later, like potatoes.

They're... like eggplant, they're not like currants.

But plants are serious.

For example, I know you're probably you know about the gladiator soup the so-called gladiator soup it's something made something of energetic with carbs thanks to the barley.

Christina: Yeah, Antonio: normally mixed with the parsley.

So lentils, we found lentils in Pompeii.

We found barley in Pompeii Christina: right?

Antonio: We found the millet in Pompeii.

Christina: So we know that they ate those foods.

Christina: Gladiators and not.

Antonio: And not, of course.

Also some athletes ate that food some other people but, because was a good energizer.

Christina: Right.

So kept them strong.

Antonio: So plenty of proteins.

Christina: Because they worked a lot.

Antonio: Usually say.

Christina: They had no computers to sit behind.

Antonio: No, I would say no.

Christina: (laughs) Christina: And is it true they had restaurants?

Antonio: They did have restaurants.

Christina: A lot?

Antonio: Plenty Christina: Really?

Antonio: I if can remember.

we already counted something like 88.

Christina: 88 restaurants.

Antonio: Little taverns Christina: And what did they ... Antonio: We often say fast food.

Antonio: We often say fast food.

Christina: Fast food.

Antonio: Looks strange, looks too modern Looks too much modern Antonio: Most of the restraunts which where on the streets, along the streets, we're relaxed fast food.

So our place for a quick lunch.

Christina: Okay, like?

Antonio: Like a soup.

there were some terracotta pots into the counters normally.

So often they used to cook the food apart.

in a kitchen on the floor, sometimes okay with some fireplaces and going on them.

Christina: And they kept it hot in these counters Antonio: Basically, yes, because the terracotta can keep the heat Christina: yeah, yeah, yeah Antonio: the room temperature.

So the food that were inside was warm for some hours, basically.

Christina: And they served it with bread or wine or.

Antonio: Yeah, imagine this.

Imagine a glass of wine.

A piece of bread.

Christina: I learned so much from you every time I'm with you.

Christina: Thank You (in Italian) Antonio:Thank you.

So you were great.

Christina: Thank you.

(Music) (Speaking Italian) Christina: I was just talking to Antonio about ancient foods.

(Speaking Italian) Giacchino: The gladiator soup.

Christina: Wow gladiator soup.

(Speaking Italian) Giacchino: today we we use the these ancient grains.

Christina: So this grain gladiators ate before they went into battle.

Bravo.

Orzo or farro.

Giacchino: Orzo.

This area is very rich of the vegetables.

Christina: Right.

Giacchino: And we start to prepare the vegetables for you on the...Si, si.

Okay.

Giacchino: You start with the ce Christina: How do you want dice (Speaking Italian) (Speaking Italian) Christina: So we're just dicing some celery because this soup is filled with vegetables and whole grains (Speaking Italian) Christina: Okay, so we're not using the leaves just yet.

Just all of the celery stalk.

Okay, you know, I'm doing the carrot the same way.

Just a dice, because, like all soups, you want to make your vegetables small, so it's sweet.

(Speaking Italian) [Inaudible] start to boil the vegetables.

So while I'm preparing, Giacchino's boiling the ones that are already done and how long?

Giacchino, How long (Speaking Italian) Giacchino: Half an hour.

Christina: Half an hour.

Giacchino: 30 minutes, yeah.

Christina: Okay, so the orzo cooks for 30 minutes.

This is a wonderful recipe.

You can serve it cold or warm.

So in the summer you can also have it cold.

Okay.

(Speaking Italian) So now I'm doing the zucchini in the same way.

And if you notice, Giacchino's boiling the vegetables in an order so that their tenderness is equal.

Okay.

Okay.

So.

(Speaking Italian) So the zucchini cooks the least amount of time.

It's soft.

So he's going to put that in sort of as we finish, I spotted you whole.

Giacchino: Whole, because it's a Christina: too strong.

Christina: Yes.

Giacchino: Yeah.

Christina: So the asparagus is being that's part of this is being cooked whole because if you chop it the flavors too, it'll overpower the entire ... Giacchino: If you need to cut that we cut later.

Christina: Later.

Giacchino: Yes.

Christina: Yeah, you.

Can cut it But when it's cooking, it's far too strong.

Okay, (Speaking Italian) (Speaking Italian) Okay.

(Speaking Italian) Christina: So just a pinch of salt to make the vegetables sweet and the broth sweet.

Giacchino: Okay, well, some of that is going to get to it.

Christina: Okay.

(Speaking Italian) Christina: Okay, so the vegetables are going to cook all together now that they're all in about 3 to 4 minutes.

Simple (Speaking Italian) Okay.

(Speaking Italian) So this is an ancient vegetable that Giachinno has called Agrett (Speaking Italian) (Speaking Italian) So this grows in the entire zone around Pompeii.

But it's an ancient sort of (Speaking Italian) (Speaking Italian) Christina: It's I thought it was an herb but it's more of an ancient vegetable, not a delicate herb.

(Speaking Italian) So this will cook really quick because it's like a more delicate green.

(Speaking Italian) (Speaking Italian) Giacchino: When the vegetables are ready.

Christina: Okay.

(Speaking Italian) So now that the vegetables have cooked, they're coming out of the broth and the orzo in the broth?

Giacchino: No, (Speaking Italian Okay, because the vegetables are so fresh, everything smells so intense and delicious and like they actually are, which is (Speaking Italian) (Speaking Italian) So everything that we're using today is from the area local and so the soil from Vesuvius plays a very big role in how mineral rich the vegetables and how intense the flavors.

Giacchino: Okay, now you can cut this.

Christina: Okay.

So we're chopping the asparagus, but only up to the top of the tips which will be used for garnish.

You don't want to eat your vegetables overcooked because they maintain their nutrition If they're less cooked.

(Speaking Italian) (Speaking Italian) (Speaking Italian) Okay, so this is the cooked here let me show you.

This is the orzo before it's cooked and this is the orzo after it's cooked you see how it puffed and it's really beautiful now and tender.

Okay.

Giacchino: Okay.

(Speaking Italian) Christina: So once you add the cooked orzo, now we add a little or a generous amount of olive oil mix, (Speaking Italian) Christina: The basil Giacchino: is important The basil you have to cut with the hand.

Christina: No, No with a knife?

Giacchino: No.

with a knife.

So Giacchino saying it's more im that you tear basil because it's a very delicate leaf.

If you cut it, you bruise it and the flavor is not so good.

Okay.

Wow.

(Speaking Italian) (Speaking Italian) Christina: Okay, okay.

Giacchino: Okay.

(Speaking Italian) Okay.

So Giachinno prepared some sauces to decorate the plate.

Okay.

(Speaking Italian) Okay, so this is like a red pepper coulis.

Giacchino: Yeah.

So.

And we have a yellow pepper.

Christina: Yellow pepper coulis.

Giacchino: And we have a little Fava.

Christina: Fava, some some cooked fava beans, also local to the area and ancient beans.

Giacchino: The ancient bean, because it's the first bean that we have in the Pompeii area Christina: Is the first bean they discovered in Pompeii.

Wow.

Really?

Giacchino: Yeah.

Giacchino: And a little bit of zucchini.

Christina: A little bit of zucchini cream.

Giacchino: And we finish.

Yes.

(Speaking Italian) Christina: Then a bit of a (inaudible) on top.

(Speaking Italian) (Speaking Italian) So he said this dish is not only beautiful, but it's rich in vegetables, minerals, grains, protein, but it's rich in vegetables, minerals, grains, protein, the perfect dish to make you strong.

(Music) I always learn so much when I'm in Pompeii with Antonio and Chef Giacchino.

Mamma mia.

Isn't he the best?

Okay, so now we're going to make a simple side dish, dish, since we're keeping things simple.

Since you're beginning your journey to wellness, we take some extra virgin olive oil, which is a staple in my kitchen, and I seem sort of incapable of cooking without it.

Nor would I want to.

We turn on the flame.

And now we're going to take whole cloves of garlic again.

Remember, I want this just to be a little more garlicky though.

So I'm using a lot of garlic, but whole cloves, and we're going to leave them in and they'll get nice and soft and have a nice bite to them.

Now we're going to take some pine nuts and we're going to let them toast in with the garlic.

Now, can you separately toast your pine nuts?

You can.

Absolutely.

Why would I dirty another pan?

Seriously?

So we're going to let these toast in the oil which will enrich their flavor and give them nice crunchiness.

Right?

Perfect.

Now we have golden raisins.

Now the raisins have been soaking in apple cider vinegar to help to lessen the sugary aftertaste, make them more digestible and add a little bit of acidity to this dish, which is going to kind of lift the rich flavor of the pine nuts and I don't know, just create this whole festival of yumminess in your mouth.

And what I'm doing is just squeezing the raisins so that I don't want the vinegar in the dish.

Because if you overcook vinegar for like more than 30 seconds to a minute, it turns metallic and unpleasant Right now, we're just going to get a lovely little sour taste.

I'm going to stir those in.

We have a nice sizzle building.

Remember, don't burn the garlic in this dish.

You want it to not turn real, real dark because then it goes from garlic to bitter to what was that?

This is escarole.

This is serious escarole.

Escarole is in the family of bitter greens, which helps your liver to do its job better.

So you're a happier camper.

And when you're a happier camper everybody around you is a happier camper too, because you're not cranky.

So bitter greens are meant to be bitter.

Don't blanch them before you saut them to take out the bitterness.

That's missing the point.

And in Italian cooking, we even have sayings about how valuable bitter is.

You can't have the bitter without the sweet.

It's like, amazing.

So we're going to take this escarole since it's so big, we're going to cut it in half.

We're going to use part of it.

When you cook with escarole, you have to make sure that you get way down in the leaves when you're cooking it so that you wash all the sand out before you cook it.

And now we're just going to cut into bite sized pieces.

It doesn't matter how even you're cutting is here because it's going to wilt.

Escarole is sort of like spinach in that it wilts The only thing that makes it like spinach is that it wilts down to almost nothing So, this is going to go in to our skillet.

Pile it in there.

You don't need to cover it.

You can if you're really in a hurry and you really need to wilt the greens, you don't have like a minute.

You could probably go ahead and cover it.

And we're going to cook this until it wilts.

(Music) So as you can see, the escarole has wilted.

Now you don't want to cook it until it's dark and mushy.

This is perfection.

You just want it to wilt.

So then we're going to take and plate it.

When you make greens, especially delicate greens, you got to get them out of the pan and into a plate so that they don't overcook.

So what are you waiting for?

Let's get back to the cutting board and I'll see you next time on Christina Cooks The Macroterranean Way.

Underwriting for Christina Cooks is provided by Suzanne's Special offering a full line of alternative vegan and organic sweeteners and toppings.

Suzanne's Specialties, sweetness the way Mother Nature intended.

Jonathan's Spoons individually handcrafted from Cherrywood, each designed with your hand and purpose in mind.

Additional funding is also provided by.

You can find today's recipes and learn more by visiting our website at Christina Cooks.com and by following Christina on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest The Companion Cookbook, The Macroterranean Way Volume Two combines the Mediterranean diet with the ancient wisdom of Chinese medicine, allowing us to understand how food affects us so we can cook deliciously while creating the wellness we want.

To order your copy for $19.95 plus handling call 800-266-5815.

Add Back to the Cutting Board, And Christina's Iconic Glow, a prescription for radiant health and get all three books for $49.95 plus handling.

Call 800-266-5815.