Aunt Menina's Leaves & Potatoes (Foglie e Patate)

Prep time: 30 to 35 minutes

Serves: 4 to 6

While living in Avellino, Italy, my Aunt Menina sometimes came to spend the day with us. These visits stand out because Menina was great at creating exquisite dishes from my Nonna's vegetable garden. And she would introduce us to recipes from her husband's village, Pietrastornina (that's a mouthful, ain't it?).

Today, Menina and Antonio Urciuolo serve a fav of mine, Foglie e Patate (Italian for "Leaves and Potatoes) at their restaurant, La Locandina (located in Pietrastornina).

Although my recipe is delicious, whenever I have this vegetarian dish at La Locandina, it's as though I'm tasting it for the first time. The main ingredients of this recipe are rapini (the leaves) and potatoes.

Make it - I'm sure you'll love it as much as I do!

Ingredients:

2 pounds Russet potatoes (about 3 large potatoes)

1/3 cup fine quality extra virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic, peeled & sliced

1 bunch rapini, washed, drained and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 teaspoon salt

Dash ground black pepper & nutmeg, to taste

Place potatoes in a 5 or 6-quart saucepot and cover them with cold water. Cover and bring to a boil. Cook potatoes on medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes or until fork-tender. Drain the potatoes and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, in a 10 to 12-inch skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic cloves and fry on medium heat until the cloves are golden. Add the rapini to the oil and garlic. Cook rapini on medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, occasionally tossing with thongs, until crunchy-tender. Stir in the salt and set skillet with rapini aside.

Peel the cooled potatoes and mash them in a large bowl; set aside.

Return the skillet with rapini to a burner set on medium heat. Heat the rapini until they are hot.

Stir the mashed potatoes into the rapini. Stir and cook until Leaves and Potatoes are warmed through. Season with a dash of black pepper & nutmeg.

Serve in 4 bowls as a vegetarian meal or as 6 side dishes to chicken, fish or meat.

Wine pairing suggestion: Pinot Noir or Cabernet Sauvignon (red).

Text & Photographs ©2012 Nancy Real

Nancy's Tastes & Trips - Julienne

The gastronomic discovery of the year is Julienne, a French bistro located in San Marino (close to Pasadena).

There's nothing like starting your day with a gourmet breakfast in a quaint indoor or outdoor setting reminiscent of Provence.

Presenting French Toast Julienne with Pure Maple Syrup.

With such a rich atmosphere and the feeling of having escaped to the south of France, we're beaming, aren't we?

It's not until one of us decides to go powder our nose that a magical discovery is made behind the restaurant. There it is - the bakery and store that'll flabbergast any foodie!

Now that Valentine's Day is right around the corner, go and check out the beautiful gift items on display at Julienne.

But pour moi, the true essence of this establishment is found in the fine gourmet items that can make a cook go wild. What I mean is that once you spot the variety of "moutardes" or mustards,

olive oils

or fine wine, you'll forget all a bout your budget. No worries - with such high quality tastes on their palates, you'll impress 'em all. Unfamiliar with wine? Just pick any bottle and ask Kate, the general manager, to advise you on it.

Check out Julienne's cookbook - it's pretty amazing. This is a great item to bring home with the wine. If you don't want to cook, simply choose from a wide variety of freshly made savory foods, salads and fantastic vegetables (no photos - just go there and see for yourself).

Finally, for the grand finale of the French dinner you'll host, pick up some awesome macaroons

and marzipan. With these two items on your dessert table, you've just outdone yourself.

And it's all thanks to Julienne!

Julienne Fine Foods & Celebrations

2651 Mission Street

San Marino, CA. 91108

626-441-2299

http://juliennetogo.com/