How to tell if Great Italian Restaurant

Many establishments hope to lure you in with pasta and pizza mainly because they are low overhead high profit entrees. These are NOT a good indication of fine Italian cuisine. When I am looking for Great Italian is expect to see classic dishes that quintessentially say the chef has mastered great cuisine. When I am looking, the best is regional cuisine such as romano, or toscano, etc. Often the menu in Italian will be different than the one in English. Don't be afraid to order off the Italian menu with the waiters help. Many speak English. Here are some criteria for suspecting a superb dinner.

It is a great sign if some or many of these appear on the menu:

Carciofi Romano(Artichokes - roman style)

Cannelloni ala Romano

Osso Buco

Veal Piccata

Animelle (sweetbreads)

Abbacchio al Forno

Spinach Gnocchi

Frito Misto

Mellanzani al Forno

Suppli ala Telefono

Branzino

Cacciucco

Bucatini all’amatriciana

Coniglio all a Cacciatore

Fettucine Alfredo (popular with Americans mainly)

Puntarelle (Chicory - anchovy sauce)

Oxtails

 

If none of these items appear on the menu, I am pretty sure this is some American Restaurant that maybe mediocre or perhaps not really Italian.

 

High-end places may include:

Chianina Beef - Bistecca alla Fiorentina

Aragosta Americana

Roman Entrées on the menu are a very good sign that you should try the offerings. Some of these might be bread soup, panzanella salad, puntarelle salad, fried zucchini blossoms, mellanzani (eggplant lasagna)

It a good sign if they have a carafe of excellent house wine. (Want to see an excellent roman menu where the menu changes for each day of the week, try http://feliceatestaccio.it/roma/ )

They must have espresso and cappuccinos on the menu. The desserts may include zabaglione, Panna cotta, and tiramisu. They should offer a digestive alcoholic drink, such as Limoncello, amaro, or grappa

Frijoles Negros- Black Beans

A staple of Mexican cuisine  Frijoles negros are easy to make, a great side dish to any Mexican meal or a filling for black bean burritos. One cannot compare the results of homemade to those that come from a can. Black beans do not need to be soaked.

1 Pound dried goya black beans

1 Spanish onion,chopped

2 Cloves garlic, crushed

1 Teaspoon dried oregano

1 Teaspoon dried summer savory³

Optionally, Aji Dulce, chopped¹

4 Bay leaves

1/2 Teaspoon crushed red pepper

2 Tablespoons flavorful rendered pork lard

2 Sprigs of dried epazote² (6 inch long) added the last 30 minutes of cooking

½ Sweet onion, chopped finely added the last 10 minutes of cooking

Salt and pepper to taste

Added as a garnish, Chopped cilantro

Notes:

1. Aji Dulce looks just like the fiery red habanero, but without the heat! Fruits grow to 1.5", with a wrinkled skin, just like the habanero. Retains the fruity flavor of the habanero making this pepper extremely popular in Central and South America for dishes needing that classic habanero flavor without its sometimes overpowering heat. 
2. Epazote (akaWormseed) is an annual herb, native to tropical regions of Central and South America.  Its green jagged leaves emit aromas of petroleum and citrus while its flavor is pungent, lemony with a sharp finish that increases with age. Epazote is used in many traditional Mexican dishes (especially in Yucatecan dishes.) including tamales, mole de olla, salsa, traditional black beans, pinto beans and enchiladas. It is also a carminative, which means it reduces the gas associated with beans. To maximize flavor, the herb is added during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
3. Summer savory is an herb that belongs to the mint family. It is the dark green, narrow leaves of a bush grown widely throughout Yugoslavia and the United States. Savory is one of the most versatile herbs and enhances almost every dish from soups, stews and bean dishes to succotash, cabbage and sauerkraut.

1. Aji Dulce - Sweet Chillies

Aji Dulce Sweet Habanero - A True Venezuelan Heirloom Pepper

When we mention “Aji” we naturally think of Peru the origin of many South American chiles  but today, Venezuela is supplying a seasoning pepper with a Sweet Habanero flavor. Ají dulce (South American Spanish ají, "chili" + Spanish dulce, "sweet"), aji cachucha or ajicito, is any of a variety of sweet perennial peppers found in Latin America and the Caribbean. It is most widely known in Venezuela, where it refers to a specific native variety of Capsicum chinense related to the habanero, but with a much milder, smoky flavor. In the english speaking Caribbean it is known as Seasoning Pepper and essential for a variety of traditional dishes. Taste: Sweet, spicy and pungent, absolutely delicious, with only a mild trace of heat! This is a fruity pepper with a sweet, spicy flavor without the heat.

Aji Dulce  Pepper #1

The rarer of the main aji dulce's, this variety bears flattened, pendant shaped pods that ripen to red. The wrinkled pods look like habanero's, but lack the heat. Flavor is very mild, with a little bit of heat, but with an aromatic and unusual taste that combines fruit and spice. The plants themselves bear well and are very ornamental when in fruit.

Aji Dulce  Pepper #1

Aji Dulce  Pepper #2

(Capsicum chinense) 15 seeds per pack. Looks just like the fiery red habanero, but without the heat! Fruits grow to 1.5", with a wrinkled skin, just like the habanero. Retains the fruity flavor of the habanero making this pepper extremely popular in Central and South America for dishes needing that classic habanero flavor without its sometimes overpowering heat. 

Aji Dulce  Pepper #2