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Category Archives: Italian Food

New (To Us) Bistros

02 Friday Nov 2018

Posted by Bob and Robin in Acme Bake Shop Breads, Acme Bakery, Bistro, Bistro - Caffe Luciano's, Bistro - Push and Pour, Breakfast, Classic Cuisines, Cooking Styles, Eggs Poached, Italian Food, Local Harvests, Local Markets, Photos By: Bob Young, Push and Pour, What's For Dinner?

≈ 1 Comment


Yes – New to Us. But not necessarily new to the area. The area being in Garden City in the vicinity of the Boise River. The first place we visited was Push & Pour at 214 E 34th St., Garden City, Idaho 83714 – they do not have a web page but they are on Facebook.
And if you know Luciano’s Restaurant on Overland, Caffe Luciano’s at 3588 N. Prospect Way, Garden City, Idaho 83714, phone (208) 577-6010‍‍‍, is a “…Companion restaurant to the original Luciano’s in Boise, ID…Caffe Luciano’s is developing a new riverside concept for our scratch made, classically inspired dishes based on old world recipes from Northern and Southern Italy…Our location right on the Boise River Greenbelt and beautiful patio are the best in the Treasure Valley, so come enjoy your friends & family as you all dine on our amazing food in a modern, open atmosphere, Caffe Luciano’s is Boise’s only Riverside Italian Caffe…Inspired by our love of authentic Italian cuisine. Our classic recipes are presented in a modern fashion that reflects our location, clientele and philosophy. As an independently owned cafe and wine bar, we strive to present the best we have to offer in the style of our main location Luciano’s Boise.” [www.caffelucianos.com]
Both places are bright, clean and friendly. They have adequate seating and I believe WIFI. Here are some photos I got this morning. Let’s start with Push & Pour. Left-Click any of these photos to see them enlarged.

Push & Pour frontage

Happy and very pleasant servers.

Specials menu

Everyday these items are on the menu.

And here is Caffe Luciano’s.

Front sign

Neat and clean interior service counter. They do have patio seating, in season.

Here is a map of the Garden City newly developed area. Enjoy!

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Spaghetti with Housemade Meatballs and Marinara

07 Wednesday Sep 2016

Posted by Bob and Robin in Basil, Beef, Boise Area Food Adventures, Boise Farmers Market, Captain's Shack, Classic Cuisines, Classic Sauces, Cooking Styles, Desert Mountai Grass Fed Beef, Dinner At The Captains Shack, Dinner For Robin, Food Photos, Garlic, Herbs, Housemade Marinara, Housemade Meatballs, Housemade Sauces, Idaho Beef, Idaho Eggs, Idaho Pork, Idaho Vegetables, Italian Food, Local Farmers Markets, Meadowlark Farms, Onion, Photos By: Bob Young, Pine Nuts, Pork, Raisins, Recipe By: Bob Young, Recipes, Recipes - Italian, What's For Dinner?, Wine and Food, Wines - Italian

≈ 3 Comments


26Feb2016_1_Sushi-Joy_Robin_Right-FacingI’ve been looking for an acceptable marinara for quit sometime now. Years, min fact. Never was able to duplicate my Mothers, and it was awesome. Took her most of the day. But I came across this recipe from an Italian restaurant in New Jersey. And it is super. Think I’ll keep it. Takes about two hours to make and then dig in. The recipes for both the CS Marinara and the CS Meatballs is in the recipe file on this blog. (The link is in the header and by the photos below.) Here are some photos. Most ingredients used were from local farmers.
Note: I just received this (Sept 8, 2016) from Dave G here in Boise. “Oh my gosh! We cooked these meatballs and sauce up last night for dinner! Amazing! Everyone who loves spaghetti and meatballs has to give this a try. Wow! Thank you so much for posting.”

CS Meatballs. They are baked, not fried in oil.

CS Meatballs
(Recipe)

They are baked, not fried in oil.

CS Marinara

CS Marinara
(Recipe)

The plated dinner of Spaghetti, Meatballs and Marinara with Shaved Pecorino

The plated dinner of

Spaghetti, Meatballs and Marinara
with
Shaved Pecorino

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Special Food – Special Family

18 Monday Jan 2016

Posted by Bob and Robin in 4-Stars, Boise Restaurants, Breakfast With Robin, Buy Idaho, Captain's Shack, Comfort Food, Dinner With Family, Eggs, Eggs Poached, Flying Pie Pizza, Idaho Bacon, Idaho Eggs, Idaho Grains, Idaho Polenta Floriani, Idaho Pork, Italian Food, Local Farmers Markets, Meadowlark Farms, Next Generation produce, Party Time, Photos By: Bob Young, Pizza, Pizza and Brew, Restaurants, Salad, Special Dinners, Special Events, What's For Dinner?

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Tags

Flying Pie Pizza


03Nov2015_1g_Richards-Cafe-Vicino_Red-WineWell, tomorrow at this time who knows where I’ll be. Open heart surgery to start at 0530. Do people actually move around at that hour? But I am so thankful for Marnie, Mac, Carlynne – Robin’s sister who came to help all the way from Delaware – Chris and my Super RN’s who are always in my thoughts – Robin, Roli and Cristi. They will hold my hand as will my sister Peggy and my brother Alex, although they will be long distance.
But one must eat first. Carlynne took us all out for pizza last night at Flying Pie Pizza and it was super, although I think the service is really getting slooooooow. The pizza is still great; The service is not. Thanks Carlynne for this treat. I also came across this chart which helps to figure out recipes if you must change the size and servings. A conversion chart of sorts. Enjoy and I will see you all in about a week. Cheers! Left-Click any of these photos to see them enlarged.
Recipe-Converter

Idaho Breakfast Idaho Polenta with Idaho Poached Eggs Falls Brand Bacon (Twin Falls) Blueberries (not from Idaho)

Idaho Breakfast
Next Generation Polenta

with
Meadowlark Farms Poached Eggs
Falls Brand Bacon

(Twin Falls)
Blueberries
(not from Idaho)

Flying Pie Pizza White Pizza with Artichoke and Cheese Variety

Flying Pie Pizza
White Pizza

with
Artichoke and Cheese Variety

Flying Pie Meat and Vegetable Pizza

Flying Pie
Meat and Vegetable Pizza

Tonight? Seafood dinner by Marnie, Mac and Carlynne. Homemade and good! Cheers!

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What is “passata”?

26 Monday Oct 2015

Posted by Bob and Robin in Boise Farmers Market, Boise Food Adventures, Captain's Shack, Classic Cuisines, Classic Sauces, Comfort Food, Ethnic Foods, Heirloom Tomatoes, History of Food, Italian Food, Local Harvests, Passata, Recipes, Recipes - Sauces, Tomatoes, What's For Dinner?

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

passata, Pomi, tomato


Bob and Robin Halloween 1In the normal course of events of a daily schedule, we usually try to watch the Rachael Ray Show, just another in our long list of cooking shows we watch. Inquiring minds need to know. So today, she was making a tomato sauce and she used passata. We had no idea what this was, except it looked like tomato. It is. Uncooked, processed and strained to remove seeds and skins. Simply stated – passata is not cooked and it is made from fresh, de-stemmed and cored tomatoes. I did find this link on the web, What is Tomato Passata? on The Kitchn website.

It seems as if passata is an uncooked tomato puree that has been strained of seeds and skins. It originated in Italy but is used throughout Europe. Some passatas are chunkier and some are smoother, depending on the brand. Some people claim that passata can also be cooked, but most agree that it is uncooked. You will also see it spelled passato and passata di pomodoro … How is passata different from tomato sauce or tomato paste? Well, both the sauce and paste are cooked tomato products to begin with. Tomato sauce often has other ingredients such as carrots, onions, garlic, etc. And tomato paste is cooked down and much thicker. You would not want to substitute either product if passata is called for in your recipe. If you cannot find it in your store, take plain canned tomatoes and run them through a sieve or a food mill. While most passatas are just plain tomatoes, some are sold with additions, such as basil, so read your label carefully if this is an issue … In general, passata is considered to be a superior product to canned tomatoes, using higher quality tomatoes and processing methods. I’m really looking forward to giving it a try!

Pomi Strained TomatoesAccording to some sources, passata is rarely used in the USA and can be hard to find. However, Robin and I have found it – sold as Pomi – at Albertsons Grocery Stores and at Whole Foods. You can also try World Market Cost Plus. Whenever we come across a tomato recipe that calls for tomato sauce, a passata is what we use. And we use the brand Pomi. We like the richness and thickness of this product. Plus, it tends to be low in the sodium content. But then too, you can make your own if you so desire. Cheers and enjoy!

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Fire Pie Pizza at Houston Winery

07 Sunday Jun 2015

Posted by Bob and Robin in 5-Stars, Baking, Basil, Boise Adventures, Buy Idaho, Chardonnay, Cheese, Classic Cuisines, Comfort Food, Cooking Styles, Dinner With Robin, Dinner With The Winemaker, Healthy Eating, Heirloom Tomatoes, Herbs, Herbs and Spices, Housemade Pie Crust, Idaho Chefs, Idaho Wine, Idaho's Bounty, Italian Food, Local Harvests, Locavore, Main Dish, Merlot, Organic Foods, Party Time, Photos By: Bob Young, Release Parties, Smoking and Grilling, Special Events, Special Information, Spice Blends, Tomatoes, Vegetables, What's For Dinner?, Wine and Food, Wine Tasting, Wines - Idaho

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Basil Pizza, fire pie pizza, Fresh Margarita Pizza, Houston Wine, Houston Winery, release party


FirePiePizza_logoSuch a great Idaho afternoon with great Idaho pizza and some great Idaho wines from Houston Winery in Caldwell, Idaho – it was their Merlot release party. Superb Merlot was released today and it is well worth buying some. It went very well with the Fire Pie Pizza made by Jamie and Kitty Martin of Hagerman, ID. (See their link in the sidebar.) If you are looking for a treat at your next party, be it family or work, try Firepiepizza! Fresh made. Local products – and you know how I am with Buying Local – cooked in a fire oven. They will make any kind of pizza that you want, providing they have the supplies on hand. Enjoy these photos of the afternoon. Cheers!

06June2015_3_Fire-Pie-Pizza_Flyer-106June2015_3_Fire-Pie-Pizza_Flyer-2

Firepiepizza Banner

Firepiepizza Banner

Kitty Martin creates a masterful pizza. And all from scratch and using local products, especially the vegetables.

Kitty Martin creates a masterful pizza. And all from scratch and using local products, especially the vegetables. Jamie Martin tends the oven.

Pizza making

Pizza making

An extremely hot oven completely designed and built by Jamie Martin.

An extremely hot oven completely designed and built by Jamie Martin.

Pizza is ready!

Pizza is ready!

More orders are coming in!

More orders are coming in!

Fresh Tomato and Basil Pizza!

Margherita Pizza ! Add a glass of Houston Wine and Yummers!

Fresh Margarita Pizza

Fresh Pepperoni and Sausage Pizza. I need more wine!

Robin discusses wine.

Robin discusses wine.

Gregg Algers, Winemaker at Houston Winery,  Larry and Elaine Gibson, TVWS members all enjoy the pizza and the wine.

Gregg Algers, Winemaker at Houston Winery, Larry and Elaine Gibson, TVWS members, all enjoy the pizza and the wine.

There was a great crowd at this release party.

There was a great crowd at this release party.

More fire baked pizza, please!

More fire baked pizza, please!

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Let’s Make Some Pasta!

17 Sunday May 2015

Posted by Bob and Robin in Arugula, Bacon, Basil, Boise Farmers Market, Captain's Shack, Cheese, Classic Cuisines, Dinner For Robin, Dinner With Robin, Eggs, Ethnic Foods, Heirloom Tomatoes, Herbs and Spices, Housemade Pasta, Idaho Greens, Italian Food, Kitchen Adventures, Local Farmers Markets, Local Harvests, Local Markets, Meadowlark Farms, Olive Oil, Pasta, Peaceful Belly Farms, Photos By: Bob Young, Recipe by: Robin and Bob Young, Recipe Writing, Recipes, Recipes - Pasta, Tomatoes, What's For Dinner?, Wine and Food, Wines - Idaho

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Kitchen Adventures, pasta, pasta machine, spaghetti


21sept2013_2_robins-bday-captains-shack_gumbo_getting-happyFresh pasta! So very good and cooks so fast. If you make your own pasta – and we’ll show you how in this article – just think of the variations you can make and the ingredient control you have. For instance, we use only local, farm raised and free range eggs from Meadowlark Farms (they are at the Saturday Boise Farmers Market at 10th and Grove.) Even your flour source can be local.
The recipe we use is an adaptation of Chef Anne Burrell’s. We use garlic infused olive oil and semolina. Both of which are not in her recipe. Here is the recipe for Pasta that we have adapted. There are several pasta makers on the market. Manual Pasta MakerSome relatively inexpensive and others somewhat more expensive. We have and have used a manual one like at this link – and pictured here – from Walmart, which we still have. About $30.00. Some people have this “thing” about Walmart. No problem. Pasta Maker Bed Bath and BeyondYou can get a good one from Bed, Bath and Beyond that is still a manual one and works very well. These sell for about $35. This one is a slightly different construction and design, but you will end up with the same product when you are finished. You can also get one direct from Italy for around $500.00 and others that are commercial grade for around $1900.00. But why when the home Chef can get a good quality product for much less, unless you are into brand recognition.Pasta Maker KitchenAid Bed Bath and Beyond 149The one we use nowadays is an attachment to our KitchenAid, as pictured here and I love working with it. With this package you get a set of three presses: a flat one for lasagna or the beginning press for spaghetti or fettuccini; a spaghetti die and a fettuccini die. About $150.00. So your choices are wide and varied. Get the one that suits your needs. Now on to making the pasta. Enjoy! I have placed a link to the Pasta Recipe above. Print out a copy and follow along.

Basically four ingredients: Flour or semolina as pictured here and eggs with oil and water. You will need a clean and fairly large working area.

Basically four ingredients: Flour or semolina as pictured here and eggs with oil, salt and water. You will need a clean and fairly large working area. I like to pre-mix the eggs, water, oil and salt in a bowl. Then I don’t “splash” the eggs mixing them in the “well”.

The semolina "well" The process is the same if you use flour.

The semolina “well” The process is the same if you use flour.

Pulling the semolina into the egg mixture using a fork. Work carefully.

Pulling the semolina into the egg mixture using a fork. Work carefully.

The dough is starting to form.

The dough is starting to form.

The pasta dough is ready to knead. Notice the pastry knife used to help in the kneading process.

The pasta dough is ready to knead. Notice the pastry knife used to help in the kneading process.

The pastry dough is kneaded and ready to rest for at least 1 hour.

The pastry dough is kneaded and ready to rest for at least 1 hour.

Spaghetti noodles from the dough. Dust with flour to keep them from sticking.

Spaghetti noodles from the dough. Dust with flour to keep them from sticking.

Spaghetti Carbonara made from the pasta dough we made. Except for the pancetta, most of the other ingredients are all from the Boise Farmers Market./

Spaghetti Carbonara Recipe and pictured here, made from the pasta dough we made. Except for the pancetta, most of the other ingredients are all from the Boise Farmers Market. Serve this with a 2012 Sawtooth Winery Trout Trilogy Petite Sirah. Awesome!

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A Visit To Da Vinci’s Italian in Eagle

06 Friday Feb 2015

Posted by Bob and Robin in 3-Stars, Boise Restaurants, Capers, Classic Cuisines, Cooking Styles, da Vinci's Italian, Dinner With Robin, Green Salad, Italian Food, Pasta, Photos By: Bob Young, Restaurant Reviews, Restaurants To Try, Salads, Salt, Tuscan Cuisine, What's For Dessert?, What's For Dinner?, Wine and Food, Wines - Idaho

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Da Vinci, Tuscan cuisine, veal, veal marsala, veal picatta


05Feb2015_1a_DaVincis-Eagle_SignOverall, a good visit and meal at da Vinci’s Italian in Eagle, ID last night. Overall good flavors in the food and good wines. My only negative comment is that there seemed to be an overuse of salt. Things were salty. But the layers of flavors – after you got by the salt – were very good. Had it not been for the overuse of salt, we would have rated da Vinci’s a 4-Star restaurant. Instead, we rate this as a 3-Star (out of 5-Stars) restaurant. You can see their menu at Yelp. From their website, “All Full Size Entrees Include Our Bottomless House Salad Bowl With Da Vinci’s Homemade Italian Dressing And Freshly Baked Tuscan Bread, Or Substitute A Caesar Salad For An Additional $2.95.all Chicken And Veal Dishes Are Complemented With A Side Of Angel Hair Pasta With Aglio Olio Or Tuscan Tomato Sauce. Add Extra Chicken $2.50 Add Extra Veal $4.50” Here are some photos from the evening. Enjoy!

The "party" area.

The “party” area.

Art on the walls.

Art on the walls.

Table ambiance.

Table ambiance.

Robin had

Robin had,

Veal Piccata
Veal scaloppini sauteed with lemon, white wine, capers and garlic

Bob had -

Bob had –

Veal Marsala
Veal scaloppini sauteed with sweet marsala wine and mushrooms

The 2010 Terra Nativa Cabernet Sauvignon went very well with this veal. The wine was light enough that it did not overpower the subtlety of the veal and the marsala sauce did not interfere with the wine. Good paring.

We shared -

We shared –

Homemade Tiramisu
Coffee and rum-soaked chocolate sponge cake layered with mascarpone cream, dusted with cocoa, and garnished with chocolate pieces

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Let’s Make Some Pasta!

28 Wednesday Jan 2015

Posted by Bob and Robin in Bacon, Bolognese Sauce, Captain's Shack, Classic Cuisines, Comfort Food, Garlic, Heirloom Carrots, Housemade Pasta, Italian Food, Main Dish, Party Time, Photos By: Bob Young, Sofritto, Special Events, Tuscan Cuisine, What's For Dinner?

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Bolognese sauce, homemade pasta, pasta, sauces for pasta, sofritto, Tuscan cuisine


Robin-Bob-In-Kitchen_Looking-RightPasta. Ever think about how it is made? Really not hard to do. A little flour, some eggs, a little oil and water. That’s all there is. Oh yes. Then mix it all and not in a mixer. On a flat surface. Don’t get any on the floor! Here is a recipe from Chef Anne Burrell. Pasta. OK. So now I have made the pasta, and not to much of a mess.
Now what? Try a Bolognese Sauce with your pasta. The Bolognese is a very Tuscan style of sauce. We made all of this to take to the Treasure Valley Wine Society Board meeting last night. I think they liked it! Let me take you through the process of making the pasta. Here we go!

First. Make a hole in the center of your flour - I used Semolina. Add the eggs and the egg yolk, oil - I used a garlic infused olive oil - salt and 1 or 2 T water.

First. Make a hole in the center of your flour – I used Semolina. Add the eggs and the egg yolk, oil – I used a garlic infused olive oil – salt and 1 or 2 T water. Use a fork to mix the eggs. Start to bring the sides into the egg mixture and slowly mix.

It should start to look like this.

It should start to look like this.

Once it is all mixed and blended, you should have a ball of dough like this.

Once it is all mixed and blended, you should have a ball of dough like this.

Knead it for 8 to 10 minutes by hand. When done, the dough should look very smooth and feel almost velvety.

Knead it for 8 to 10 minutes by hand. When done, the dough should look very smooth and feel almost velvety.

Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour,m if you are not going to use it immediately.

Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour, if you are not going to use it immediately.

Remove from the refrigerator and flatten out. Flour well. Cut into thirds, or even quarters - I used quarters.

Remove from the refrigerator and flatten out. Flour well. Cut into thirds, or even quarters – I used quarters.

Start on setting 1 on your pasta machine. The one pictured here fits on our Kitchen Aid. But there are other mechanical ones the fit on a counter top. They both do the same thing, except the one for the mixer does not require hand turning, obviously.

Start on setting 1 on your pasta machine, speed on mine set at 4. The one pictured here fits on our Kitchen Aid. But there are other mechanical ones that fit on a countertop. They both do the same thing, except the one for the mixer does not require hand turning, obviously.

Increase the setting to number 2, and runn the dough through the machine again. And Voila! Fettucin

Increase the setting to number 2 (the higher the number, the thinner the pasta.), and run the dough through the machine again. And Voila! Fettuccine.

27Jan20015_1_Captains-Shack_Making-Pasta

Fettuccine processed and floured to keep it from sticking.

Fettuccine processed and floured to keep it from sticking.

Sofritto cooking for the Bolognese. See the recipe above.

Sofrito cooking for the Bolognese. See the recipe above.

Bolognese Sauce.

Bolognese Sauce.

Wine for the Bolognese. This is what I used in the sauce.

Wine for the Bolognese. This is what I used in the sauce.

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Tailgate Food?

04 Sunday Jan 2015

Posted by Bob and Robin in Avocado, Bigwood Bread, Black Beans, Brunch, Captain's Shack, Chicken, Comfort Food, Dinner With Robin, Egg Salad, Eggs, Fruits, Italian Food, Meadowlark Farms, Party Time, Photos By: Bob Young, Raspberries, Special Dinners, Vegetables, Watercress, What's For Dessert?, What's For Dinner?

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

avocado, Bigwood Bread, Bigwood Sourdough, black beans, watercress


03Jan2015_1d__Captains-Shack_Robin-Bronco-HatRobin has made some awesome “tailgate” food in the past several days. Here is the Tiramisu recipe from Giada De Laurentiis on the Food Network. Raspberry Tiramisu. The photo here is Robin wearing her new BSU Bronco hat! You can Left-Click any of these photos to see them enlarged. Enjoy!

Robin constructing the tiramisu.

Robin constructing the tiramisu.

Completed tiramisu.

Completed tiramisu.

Want a slice? Left-Click to enlarge.

Want a slice? Left-Click to enlarge.

Black Bean, Corn and Avocado Salad. Another yum offering.

Black Bean, Corn, Chicken and Avocado Salad. Another yum offering.

Egg Salad on Sourdough with Water Cress. Corn, Chicken, Avocado and Black Bean Salad.

Egg Salad on Sourdough with Water Cress. Corn, Chicken, Avocado and Black Bean Salad. The Acme Bake Shop Sourdough was not available at the COOP when I went there, so I tried the Bigwood Bread Sourdough out of Sun Valley. This sourdough was a lot denser than the Acme sourdough. Not bad, but I prefer Acme Bake Shop. Hard to overcome that bias! Just a personal preference.

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Mirepoix. What is it?

02 Thursday Oct 2014

Posted by Bob and Robin in Cajun Food, Classic Cuisines, Classic Herb Blends, Classic Sauces, Cooking Styles, Ethnic Foods, French Foods, German Food, Italian Food, Mirepoix, Polish Food, Puerto Rican Food, Spanish Food, Traditional Food, What's For Dinner?

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Cajun trinity, mirepoix, soffritto, sofrito, suppengrun


Robin-Bob-In-Kitchen_Looking-RightWell, the simple answer is a combination of onions, celery, either the common pascal celery or celeriac and carrots. Mirepoix is a flavor base used widely in stocks, soups, stews and sauces. These ingredients are also known as aromatics. Traditionally, the ratio of these ingredients is 2-1-1, that is, 2 parts onion, 1 part celery and 1 part carrot. And if you want a white stock, or fond blanc, substitute parsnips for the carrots to maintain the pale color. There. I have added one variation. There are many and we will get to that in time.
OK. So where did this come from? Wikipedia says that,

Though the cooking technique is probably older, the term mirepoix dates from the 18th century and derives, as do many other appellations in French cuisine, from the aristocratic employer of the cook credited with establishing and stabilizing it: in this case, Charles-Pierre-Gaston François de Lévis, duc de Lévis-Mirepoix (1699–1757), French field marshal and ambassador and a member of the noble family of Lévis, lords of Mirepoix in Languedoc since the 11th century. According to Pierre Larousse (quoted in the Oxford Companion to Food), the unfortunate Duke of Mirepoix was “an incompetent and mediocre individual. . . who owed his vast fortune to the affection Louis XV felt toward his wife and who had but one claim to fame: he gave his name to a sauce made of all kinds of meat and a variety of seasonings”: The term is not encountered regularly in French culinary texts until the 19th century, so it is difficult to know what a dish à la mirepoix was like in 18th-century France. Beauvilliers, for instance, in 1814, gives a short recipe for a Sauce à la Mirepoix which is a buttery, wine-laced stock garnished with an aromatic mixture of carrots, onions, and a bouquet garni. Carême, in the 1830s, gives a similar recipe, calling it simply Mire-poix; and, by the mid-19th century, Gouffé refers to a mirepoix as “a term in use for such a long time that I do not hesitate to use it here”. His mirepoix is listed among essences and, indeed, is a meaty concoction (laced with two bottles of Madeira!), which, like all other essences, was used to enrich many a classic sauce. By the end of the 19th century, the mirepoix had taken on its modern meaning and Joseph Favre in his Dictionnaire universel de cuisine (c. 1895, reprinted 1978) uses the term to describe a mixture of ham, carrots, onions, and herbs used as an aromatic condiment when making sauces or braising meat.

Basic Mirepoix

Basic Mirepoix


Cajun "Holy Trinity" Onion, celery and green pepper.

Cajun “Holy Trinity” Onion, celery and green pepper. Just one variation to a mirepoix.

OK. That’s great. But what is the Cajun variation? Here, from Wikipedia, we find one explanation.

The holy trinity, Cajun holy trinity, or holy trinity of Cajun cooking is the Cajun and Louisiana Creole variant of mirepoix: onions, bell peppers, and celery in roughly equal quantities. This mirepoix is the base for much of the cooking in the regional cuisines of Louisiana. Variants use garlic, parsley, or shallots for one of the three. The preparation of Cajun/Creole dishes such as étouffée, gumbo, and jambalaya all start from this base. Origin of the name – The name is an allusion to the Christian doctrine of the Trinity. Louisiana is a strongly Roman Catholic region. The term is first attested in 1981 and was probably popularized by Paul Prudhomme.

And here are some other variations, mostly from Wikipedia. Enjoy!

  1. Not to be confused with Italian Soffritto, which is a kind of Mirepoix. Sofrito being prepared in Spain. Sofrito or refogado is a sauce used as a base in Spanish, Portuguese, and Latin American cooking. Preparations may vary, but it typically consists of aromatic ingredients cut into small pieces and sauteed or braised in cooking oil.
    In Spanish cuisine, sofrito consists of garlic, onion, paprika, peppers, and tomatoes cooked in olive oil. This is known as refogado or sometimes as estrugido in Portuguese-speaking nations, where only onions and olive oil are often essential, garlic and bay laurel leaves being the other most common ingredients.
  2. Italian Soffritto. The Italian version of mirepoix is called soffritto (not to be confused with the Spanish sofrito). According to the American reference work The Joy of Cooking, an Italian soffritto is made with olive oil, especially in Southern Italy, rather than butter, as in France or in Northern Italy, and may also contain garlic, shallot, leek, and herbs. From Tuscany in central Italy, restaurateur Benedetta Vitali writes that soffritto means “underfried”, describing it as: “a preparation of lightly browned minced vegetables, not a dish by itself.” It is the foundation on which many Tuscan sauces, and other dishes are built. At one time it was called “false ragout”, because soffritto was thought to vaguely recall the flavor of meat sauce…According to Vitali, mastery of the soffritto is the key to an understanding of Tuscan cooking. Her classically restrained Tuscan soffritto is garlic-less and simply calls for a red onion, a carrot, and a stalk of celery—all finely minced by hand and slowly and carefully sauteed in virgin olive oil in a heavy pan until the mixture reaches a state of browning appropriate to its intended use.
  3. German Suppengrün. Suppengrün means soup greens in German, and the Dutch equivalent is soepgroente. Soup greens usually come in a bundle and consists of a leek, a carrot and a piece of celeriac. It may also contain parsley, thyme, celery leaves, rutabaga, parsley root and onions. The mix depends on regional traditions as well as individual recipes. The vegetables used are cold climate roots and bulbs with long shelf lives. Suppengrün act as herbs and impart hearty, strong flavors to the soup or sauce, providing a foil for other strong tasting ingredients such as dried peas and beans or pot roast. Large chunks of vegetables are slow cooked to make flavorful soups and stocks, and are discarded when the vegetables have given up most of their flavor. Finely chopped suppengrün are browned in fat and used as a basis for a finished sauce. The vegetables may also be cooked long enough until they fall apart, and may become part of the sauce or pureed to form the sauce.
  4. Polish Włoszczyzna. Włoszczyzna is the Polish word for soup vegetables or greens. The word literally means “Italian stuff” because Queen Bona Sforza, who was Italian and married Polish King Sigismund I the Old in 1518, introduced this concept to Poland. A włoszczyzna may consist of carrots, parsnips or parsley root, celery root or celeriac, leeks and savoy or white cabbage leaves, and sometimes celery leaves and flat-leaf parsley. The most typical, prepackaged combination is celery root, parsley root, carrots and leeks. Włoszczyzna is usually chopped up and boiled to form a flavour base for soups and stews.

And if you are still hungry for information and maybe a recipe or two, try CIA – Professional Cook link. Much information here. Hoipe you enjoyed this article. Good luck with your mirepoix!!

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