Michaels Antipasti Recipes

MICHAEL'S ANTIPASTI

Steps:

• 1. If using anchovies packed in salt, cover in water and soak in a glass bowl for 30 minutes. Drain well. Using a paper towel, remove the outer skin. Split the fillet to remove the bone. Place the anchovies in a small bowl and add red pepper flakes. Pour over olive oil to cover. If using anchovies packed in oil, simply remove the anchovy fillets from the oil and transfer to a small bowl. Add red pepper flakes and pour over fresh olive oil. Set aside.
• 2. Meanwhile, roast peppers on their sides on racks of gas burners and turn flame on high. (Or broil on rack of a broiler pan about 2 inches from heat.) Roast, turning with tongs, until skins are blackened, 5 to 8 minutes.
• 3. Transfer roasted peppers to a bowl, then cover and let steam 10 minutes. Peel, seed, and cut into strips. Set aside.
• 4. In a large bowl toss eggplant, zucchini, and red onions with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Grill vegetables over medium heat on a grill pan or grill in batches on a rack set about 4 inches over glowing coals, turning them, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until tender.
• 5. Arrange roasted peppers, grilled vegetables, and olives on a large platter. Place the bowl of anchovies on the platter. Serve with crusty bread.

CALABRESE ANTIPASTO

Steps:

• Place all of the prepared and drained vegetables in separate bowls and reserve their juices.
• In a large saucepan, combine ketchup, Worcestershire, horseradish, tomato sauce, tarragon vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, lemon juice, and cayenne. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Season, to taste, with salt.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it generously. Blanch the cauliflower for about 2 minutes; it should still be crisp. With a skimmer, transfer the florets to a tray to cool quickly. Repeat with the carrots and then with the celery, cooking them just long enough to remove their raw taste; they will be cooked more later. Add the white wine vinegar to the water and blanch the mushrooms for 1 minute (the vinegar will keep the mushrooms white). Drain and spread the mushrooms on a tray to cool quickly.
• Add the cauliflower, carrots, celery, and mushrooms to the sauce. Add the juices from the canned and jarred vegetables. Add the pepperoncini, olives, pickles, onions, and artichoke hearts and toss well.
• In sterilized canning jars, place 1 teaspoon tarragon vinegar (this will guarantee freshness). Load the sauced vegetables into the jar, using a wide-mouthed funnel to avoid a mess.
• In one of the large pans that you have used, add olive oil, tuna, and anchovies and mix well. Top each jar with some of the tuna mixture. Cover and refrigerate, or allow to cool on the counter before serving. This will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

ANTIPASTI SALAD WITH CAMPFIRE DRESSING

Steps:

• Prepare a grill for indirect heat. If using a charcoal grill, build the hot coals on one side only. If using a gas grill, heat one side only to medium-high heat.
• Using a fork or paring knife, prick the onion all over to allow the smoke to penetrate. Place the onion directly onto the coals and cook until charred and softened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the coals and when it is cool enough to handle, peel and finely chop.
• Add the onions, garlic, oregano, olive oil and red wine vinegar to a glass jar with a lid. Season with salt and pepper, then shake vigorously and set aside.
• Add the lettuce, chickpeas, salami, provolone, tomatoes and pepperoncinis to a large bowl. Dress with some of the smoky red wine-oregano vinaigrette and toss to coat. Add the Parmesan all over the top and serve with freshly cracked black pepper.

MICHAEL CHIARELLO'S PICKLED ANTIPASTO

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine 1/2 cup of water with the tomato sauce, ketchup, lemon juice, olive oil, tarragon vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, brown sugar and garlic.
• Add the cayenne pepper and season with salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer for 20 minutes.
• Transfer the marinade to a large bowl to cool.
• In a large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the cauliflower until barely tender, about 2 minutes.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cauliflower to a baking sheet to cool.
• Bring the water back to a boil.
• Add the carrots and celery, blanch for 2 minutes and transfer to the baking sheet to cool.
• Add the white wine vinegar to the saucepan and return to a boil.
• Add the mushrooms, simmer for 1 minute and drain well; transfer to the other vegetables and let cool.
• Add all of the cooled vegetables to the marinade, then add the remaining ingredients.
• Toss gently but thoroughly, cover and refrigerate overnight.
• MAKE AHEAD The recipe can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.