Take me away to Salerno- please!!

Amalfi Coast

          Hello, friends! Sorry I've been missing in action this week, but our household seems to have been hit yet again. We've been working very hard preparing for Allie's Confirmation next week. We'll have guests from New York and we really wanted to get the Spring yard clean-up done and a few small projects around the house.

Spring has arrived at Casa Bramasole. What you are looking at is dessert tonight for the 2 dozen deer that will congregate in my yard and say "Oh, Pattie left us dinner!"

Mulch, mulch, mulch! Take note of the interesting shape of the Arborvitae- The local "barbers" (read DEER) have been giving the bottom half a haircut. I deliberately left out the written guarantee for the yucchy smelling spray the garden center sold me that says "Spray your plants with this and the deer won't touch them". Now somebody has to come and teach my deer how to read!

 And then it arrived- that nasty virus that has decimated so many in our neighborhood this week. Mr. Bramasole just picked Allie up at school after a call from the school nurse. I suppose the upside is that if she had to get sick, it's better done this week! 

One of my wonderful clients surprised me yesterday with a container of fresh lump crabmeat. We had been discussing the Amalfi Coast during a meeting this week and I had told her about the wonderful seafood I remember from visits there as a child.

From Wikipedia: The main town close to the Amalfi Coast is Salerno, the municipalities belonging to its coast are Vietri sul Mare, Cetara, Maiori, Tramonti,Minori, Ravello, Scala, Atrani, Amalfi, Conca dei Marini, Furore, Praianoand Positano. Very close to the territory of the coast (near Furore and Conca dei Marini) is it situated Agerola, located in the Sorrentine Peninsula and belonging to the Province of Naples.

Renowned for its rugged terrain, scenic beauty, picturesque towns and diversity, the Amalfi Coast was featured in Positano (1953) by American writer John Steinbeck.

Universita di Salerno

We often visited Salerno, Positano, and Tramonti and my parents spent part of their honeymoon in Maiori. Salerno is a relatively "small" city with a population of around 140,000. It dates from its establishment as a Roman town in about 194 BC after the wars with Hannibal the Great.  Salerno sits on a natural harbor which has facilitated trade from ancient times to the present, and which was used by the allied forces as a landing place during the Italian campaign in World War II.  Behind the city is a high rock surmounted by an ancient castle, the Castle of Arechi, which overlooks the city and the Bay.

The Port of Salerno

I found this picture online, but remember my Nonno taking one that was almost exactly the same! I need to dig through some boxes and find it!

Anyway.... I thought I'd share what I did with the salmon. It made a FABULOUS quick lunch. I pulled out some of my Peach/ Apple Salsa from last summer and mmmm, mmmmm, good!

Pattie's Crab Cakes Stuffed with Salmon

1 lb. fresh lump crabmeat, drained very well

about 1/3 cup chopped scallions or onions

1/2 cup chopped roasted peppers

1 rounded tablespoon prepared pesto (see note)

2 rounded tablespoons (about) mayo

sea salt and fresh ground pepper

2-3 ounces smoked salmon (I used some left from breakfast)

some Panko breadcrumbs mixed with some prepared dry breadcrumbs- season to taste

Canola Oil for frying

Stir together crabmeat, onions, peppers, pesto, mayo, salt and pepper. Form an even number of balls of mixture (I made 8 for a total of 4 crab cakes- it was perfect). Form each ball into a patty and sandwich 2 together with some of the salmon in the middle. Be sure to seal the edges. Coat well in breadcrumbs and fry till golden brown in hot oil. Drain on paper towels and serve. Excellent with guacamole, or fruit salsa.

Last night's dessert was a dear favorite of my Nonna Norma and now of my mother. I frequently make Panna Cotta (literally translated it's cooked cream) as it's so easy and quick to prepare. I do it as my Nonna did by steeping a vanilla bean in the cream, but I'm sure you could just as easily use vanilla extract

Panna Cotta

1 quart heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
2 packets Knox gelatin
6 tablespoons cold water

 Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the cream and add the bean pod. Heat the heavy cream and sugar in a saucepan till the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to steep for about 20-30 minutes.

Remove the bean and reheat the mixture to just below a simmer- very hot.

 Spray 8 ramekins with PAM

 Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water in a medium-sized bowl and let stand 5 to 10 minutes.

 Strain the Panna Cotta through a sieve over the gelatin and stir until the gelatin is completely dissolved.

 Pour into the ramekins, then chill until firm, at least two hours. Unmold and serve with fresh berries and a fine drizzle of honey, if desired. This can also be made in martini or sherbet glasses if you prefer not to unmold. This is rich, but oh, so good!