Friends of Italy Private Cooking Parties
Providing social catering to corporate catering

Friends of Italy • P.O. Box 3647 • Houma, LA 70361 • 985-226-0093

EMAIL US

CULINARY INSTITUTE

WORKSHOP

FRIENDS OF ITALY

Cajun Crusted Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients:

1 Swift pork tenderloin 1 pound

4 tablespoons of Chef Nino’s Adrenaline Seasoning

¼ cup Sal & Judy’s olive oil

Heavy duty aluminum foil, large cut to 18 inches

Instructions:

Prepare tenderloin by removing all fat and (silver). Season generously with Adrenaline Seasoning. Place directly on hot grill and sear for 2 minutes on each side turning once.  Remove from grill and place on sheet of aluminum foil. Spread olive oil over entire tenderloin and wrap tightly with foil. Cook on indirect heat for 45 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 155 degrees. Turn every 10 minutes.

Avocado Tomato Salsa

Ingredients:

2 medium avocados peeled and seeded

1/3 cup lime juice

2 medium vine ripe tomatoes, chopped

2 tablespoons red onion chopped finely

1 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons Sal & Judy’s olive oil

2  tablespoons chopped cilantro

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped

½ teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients in a 1 quart container with lid. Cover and toss gently to make sure all ingredients are fully mixed. Let sit in refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

 

Bruschetta

(Serves 5)

Ingredients:

1 Loaf of French or Ciabatta bread 10 slices

2 cloves garlic finely chopped

2 tablespoons Sal & Judy’s olive oil

5 large basil leaves cut up loosely

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt divided ¼ for bread and ¼ for tomatoes

5 vine ripe tomatoes, diced

½ stick butter

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon granulated garlic

Instructions:

Melt butter in small sauce pan, spoon over sliced bread

Place bread in baking pan sprayed with non stick spray

Sprinkle granulated garlic, salt and oregano over buttered bread

Bake bread in oven at 400 degrees for app. 10 minutes until toasty

In mixing bowl mix tomatoes, garlic, basil, remaining salt, and olive oil.

When bread is done baking, spoon tomato mixture over bread.

Easy Chicken Alfredo

(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts diced

2 tablespoons olive oil Sal & Judy’s

4 cloves garlic finely chopped

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

¼ cup white wine Pinot Grigio

1 pint heavy whipping cream

2 cups Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese

1 tablespoon Pillsbury shake and blend flour for thickening

Salt and pepper to taste

1 lb. of you favorite Gourmet Pasta

Instructions:

Sautee garlic in olive oil on medium heat for about 3 minutes until just starting to brown.

Add diced chicken breasts and cook until there is no sign of pink inside of the chicken pieces, about 8 minutes, stirring constantly. Add wine and lemon juice, salt and pepper and cook for another 5 minutes. Add heavy cream and Parmigiano Cheese and flour, whisk until sauce thickens.   Spoon over cooked pasta!

Mini Meatball Muffalattas

Ingredients:

Meatballs:

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef

1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt, or to taste

1 egg

1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs

3 tablespoons milk

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

2 teaspoons fresh parsley

15 Mini Muffallatta buns

1 jar Sal & Judy’s Roasted Garlic Marinara Sauce

7 slices provolone cheese cut to mini bun size

Instructions:

Mix Meatball ingredients, shape into small meatballs and brown in skillet or in oven on greased cookie sheet for approximately 30 minutes on 350 degrees;  Combine in a large saucepan  with sauce. Simmer meatballs in sauce for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Slice mini buns in half, spoon 1 tablespoon sauce and top with 1 meatball, place cheese on top and cover with bun.

Basil & Pine Nut Pesto

Ingredients:

40 fresh basil leaves, washed and dried OR ½ basil & ½ parsley (add parsley to turn it down a notch)

3 garlic cloves, crushed

¼ cup pine nuts (walnuts or pecans can be substituted)

½ cup parmesan cheese, finely grated

Salt & pepper

2 -3 Tbsp. olive oil Sal & Judy’s

1 lb. pasta

Instructions:

Put basil leaves, garlic, pine nuts and grated parmesan cheese into a food processor and blend for 30 seconds or until smooth.

Keep motor running and slowly add the olive oil.

Alternately, pound basil, garlic, pine nuts and cheese by hand using a motor and pestle.

Add olive oil drop by drop while stirring briskly.

Season with salt and pepper

Cook pasta in a lg. pot of boiling salted water until al dente.

Drain pasta and transfer to a lg. plate

Add pesto and toss to mix well

Serve immediately while still hot.

 

SHRIMP SCAMPI

(Serves 2)

Ingredients: 

4 tbsp. unsalted butter

2 tbsp olive oil Sal & Judy’s

3 large garlic cloves, minced

16 large Rouses wild caught Louisiana shrimp, shelled and de-veined, a pinch of  kosher or sea salt

2 tbsp. very finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus a few sprigs for garnish

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

lemon wedges

Instructions:

In a large skillet, melt the butter with the olive oil over medium low heat.  When the butter foam subsides, stir in the garlic.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is lightly golden, about 7 minutes.  Do not let the garlic brown.

Increase the heat to medium high and add the shrimp and salt.  Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, turning the shrimp once, until they are just pink.  Stir in the parsley and lemon juice and cook 1 minute more.

Serve garnished with lemon wedges and parsley sprigs.

Tasty crab stuffed mushrooms

Ingredients:

1 pound large mushrooms

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 green onions, minced

3 to 4 tablespoons minced red bell pepper

4 ounces jumbo lump crab meat

1 cup Italian bread crumbs

1/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt

1/4 teaspoon Pirogue Seasoning

1/8 teaspoon pepper

4 tablespoons Parmiggiano Reggiano cheese

1 extra large egg scrambled

Instructions:

Clean and trim the end of stems from mushrooms. Pop remaining stem out. Chop stems and set aside. Melt 2 tablespoons butter; brush over mushrooms. Spray a shallow baking dish (about 8-inches square, or one which will fit mushrooms in one layer) with butter-flavored spray or grease with butter.

Melt remaining butter in skillet; add reserved chopped stems, minced green onions and red bell pepper. Cook until vegetables are tender. Combine cooked ingredients with bread crumbs, egg, crab meat, and seasonings. Fill each mushroom piling up crab mixture. Sprinkle each mushroom with a little Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350° for 15 to 20 minutes, until hot and mushroom caps are tender.
Makes 16 to 20 stuffed mushroom appetizers.

Adrenaline Chicken Thighs

 

Ingredients:

4 trimmed skinless boneless chicken thighs

2 tablespoon of Adrenaline Seasoning

 

Instructions:

Sprinkle both sides of chicken thighs. Place on medium high grill and cook for 10 minutes on each side, or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.

Adrenaline Steaks

 

Ingredients:

1 steak, Filet, Rib-eye, Sirloin, or T-Bone

1 tablespoon Chef Nino’s Adrenaline Seasoning

 

Instructions:

Sprinkle Adrenaline Seasoning on both sides of steak.

Cook steak on medium high temperature on grill for 3-5 minutes on each side or until desired doneness is achieved.

Bayou Blackened Sockeye Salmon

 

Ingredients:

1 Wild Caught Sockeye Salmon filet with skin still on

2 tablespoons Chef Nino’s Adrenaline Seasoning

½ cup Sal & Judy’s Olive Oil

 

Instructions:

Sprinkle Chef Nino’s Adrenaline Seasoning on both sides of Salmon filet. In a large sauté pan bring olive oil to a simmer. Place Salmon filet skin side up and sauté for 2-3 minutes until just starting to brown. Flip Salmon filet and cook for another 2-3 minutes until desired doneness is achieved.