Son of the Queen

I always think of Lydia Bastianich as the Queen of Italian cooking. Marcella is the God-mother, the original; Mario is the earthy adventurer; Giada is the lovable, accessible principessa. But Lydia’s comprehensive knowledge, instinctive taste, and real-Italian demeanor (she exudes both peasant and royalty, somehow) make her the real deal.

Last night I made her super-easy salad of chopped celery, thinly sliced mushrooms, shaved Grana Padano, salt, pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice (that’s all!). My mouth is watering again, thinking of the tangy dressing over the textures of crunch and smoothness. My 13-year-old could not be enticed, but the rest of us devoured it.

Since I love Lydia, I was intrigued by this month’s Food & Wine feature on her son, Joe Bastianich, a restaurant owner (of “Babbo”, with Mario Batali) Joe, an avid runner, shares his healthful favorites.

His Soy Milk Arborio Rice Pudding with Poached Figs (p. 102) was my first project. What a score for me! I am eating as many fresh organic figs as I can possibly stomach right now while they are in season. (I love them cut in half with a splash of heavy cream – YUM!) And I’ve been trying very hard to drink soy milk, purported to be beneficial for women my age (and that’s all I want to say about that). The recipe was as easy and even quicker than billed. A for accuracy.

Joe eats it for breakfast, which seemed a little rich for me. But I loved it for dessert or an afternoon snack. So did my 17-year-old, a risotto fan. I saved time by not bothering to poach my perfect figs; I just cut them up on top. This one’s a keeper and a healthy alternative to my rice pudding recipes that use whole milk and cream.

Then tonight I made Joe’s Grilled Salmon with Preserved Lemons and Green Olives (p. 100). Things began poorly when the grill lit and then immediately snuffed out. Surprising. That usually happens to me when I have a house full of company for dinner. I couldn’t find preserved lemons at my store, so I used a fresh lemon by peeling off the yellow rind, discarding all the white pith, and chopping up the inner lemon pulp. Probably harsher than preserved lemon would be, but I figured my family likes the acidity of lemon.

I had planned on taking a picture for my blog (I had the camera ready on the kitchen counter), but it smelled and looked so delicious, that we ate it up in nothing flat, forgetting completely about the photo op, until nothing remained in the serving plate but salmon skin and lemon pulp! It was that good. The green olives were a surprisingly unique contrast to the buttery salmon. My daughter asked for seconds! Another accurate recipe that was fast and healthful. Joe is 2 for 2.