[senior citizen]

Just found a great recipe for Christmas Eve "Seven Fishes" from a recent rebroadcast of Anthony Bourdain's visit to Sicily.


Below is for those who like sardines and fennel......two very nostalgic ingredients from our childhoods. Our grandparents cooked simply, but all of their dishes were tasty and fragrant. See "Pasta con Sarde" recipe below:


http://eatocracy.cnn.com/2013/10/10/savoring-sicily/
Sicilian food to soothe the soul


World-renowned chef, author and Emmy-winning television personality Anthony Bourdain visits Sicily in the next episode of "Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown,"

Mangia! Mangia! Anthony Bourdain follows Michael Corleone's footsteps to savor the Sicilian way of life.


The usual suspects are there: wine, salume, olives, cheese and, of course, pasta. In this case, tossed with a fresh haul of sardines from the Mediterranean.


Pasta con Sarde
Recipe reprinted courtesy of Mario Batali
2 pounds fennel bulbs, greens removed.
3 pounds whole fresh sardines
Semolina flour, for coating
1 1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, minced
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pound dried spaghetti
7 saffron strands or 1/2 teaspoon powdered saffron


Boil the fennel in salted water until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain, reserving ¾ cup of the cooking liquid. Finely chop the fennel and set aside. Remove the heads of the sardines and pull out the backbones and entrails. Select several sardines for garnish. Season the sardines to taste with salt and pepper and coat them with the semolina flour. In a small saucepan, heat the ½ cup of olive oil over medium heat. When the oil begins to smoke, cook each flour-coated sardine until a light golden brown, about 1 minute on each side. Using a slotted spoon, remove the sardines from the pan and set them aside to drain on a paper towel.


In a 3-quart saucepan, heat the remaining oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the minced onions and cook until soft and a light golden brown, about 8-10 minutes. Add the fennel, anchovies and nutmeg. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring the sauce briefly to a boil and then lower to a simmer. Add the remaining sardines and cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until the sardines have broken into pieces and are thoroughly mixed into the sauce, about 10-15 minutes. If the sauce appears too thick at this point, add a little of the reserved fennel water.


Bring 6-quarts of water and two tablespoons of salt to a rolling boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until tender but still al dente. Drain the cooked pasta, and pour into the pan with the sardines and oil. Toss quickly over high heat until combined. Pour into 4 warmed pasta bowls and top with the fried sardines.


　
Maybe it's time to re watch "The Godfather" Part One or either hum the **theme from the movie , which is **hauntingly beautiful..........
　
　

[jblum315]

I used to make something like this for myself when no one else was home, but I made it with canned sardines.
Where on earth (or where near here) would you find fresh sardines?