Erica De Mane

Recipes:

Italian Sausages with Grilled Grapes and Rosemary
Grilled Zucchini a Scapece
Potato Salad with Summer Garlic
Cantaloupe with Sweet Marsala

Italian Sausages with Grilled Grapes and Rosemary

Buy two or three Italian pork sausages per person. Place them on a medium grill about 3 or 4 inches from the flame, and grill them, turning them several times, until they’re browned all over and cooked through, about 10 minutes. While the sausages are grilling, place a large handful of seedless red grapes, a few small sprigs of chopped rosemary, a drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of salt, and a few grindings of black pepper on a large piece of aluminum foil. Close up the foil, and place the package on a low-heat area of the grill. Heat just until the grapes are fragrant and starting to soften but not fall apart, about 4 minutes. Place the sausages on a serving platter, and pour the grapes on top, along with any juices they’ve thrown off. Serve hot.

Grilled Zucchini a Scapece

The Sicilian term a scapece refers to a method of cooking where you sauté something, usually a vegetable, and then marinate it in vinegar, garlic, mint, or basil, or sometimes hot chilies. You then serve it at room temperature. For a grilled version, cut 4 medium-sized zucchini horizontally into approximately 1/4-inch slices (you want long, thin strips), brush them with olive oil, and grill them on a low area of the fire just until grill marks appear, turning once, about 2 minutes per side. Lay the slices on a platter. Sprinkle them with a bit of chopped fresh garlic, salt, and black pepper. Drizzle on a bit of good white wine or champagne vinegar (not more than about 1/2 teaspoon), and add a drizzle of fresh olive oil. Scatter on chopped mint leaves. Let the dish sit for about 15 minutes before serving, so it can develop flavor.

Potato Salad with Summer Garlic

I often wrap little new potatoes or fingerlings in aluminum foil and throw them on the grill, but making a simple potato salad with fresh herbs and summer garlic is easy enough too, and I love that. What you want to do is cut about 1 1/2 pounds or so of small potatoes in half and place them in a pot of warm water with a generous amount of salt. Put the pot on the hottest part of the grill and bring it to a boil. Cook until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain very well, and place the potatoes in a serving bowl. Sprinkle about a tablespoon of white wine over the potatoes and give them a toss. Let them sit for a few minutes, soaking up the wine. Place a heaping tablespoon of bottled mayonnaise into a small bowl, along with about a teaspoon of Dijon mustard. Add a finely minced summer garlic clove and a thinly sliced shallot. Now slowly drizzle in about a tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil, whisking to blend it well (it’s amazing how a bit of good olive oil can make jarred mayonnaise taste like homemade). Season with salt and black pepper. Add a few chopped sprigs each of flat-leaf parsley and tarragon, and mix everything well. Pour this over the potatoes and toss. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Cantaloupe with Sweet Marsala

Here’s an amazing flavor combination I learned about in Sicily. Take a ripe summer cantaloupe, seed it, and cut it into small cubes (you can use a melon baller if you have one). Place the cantaloupe in a serving bowl, and pour on about 1/2 cup of sweet Marsala. Toss and let sit for a few minutes to develop flavor before serving. Garnish with mint sprigs, if you like.