Pesce crudo (Italian for “raw fish”) and Japanese sashimi both rely on ultra-fresh seafood, but that’s where the similarities end. Italians near the coastline have been eating raw fish for a long time. In particular, fisherman with their returning catch helped themselves to some raw fish dressed with a little olive oil, lemon and salt for lunch. Sashimi, on the other hand, is really just about the fish, excellent presentation, and the tiniest amount of soy sauce and wasabi as an accent.

Continue reading Pesce crudo – Don’t call it Italian sashimi! at Our Italian Table.

Seafood salad is served all over Italy: anywhere near the sea and with ready access to seafood, which is most of the country. This is also a traditional dish for Christmas Eve, but in the case of a hot day in Los Angeles, it’s the perfect light dinner. The “southern Italian” part is that seafood salads in the south of Italy are much simpler than elsewhere in Italy. They are often made of just marinated seafood on a simple salad with some bread to soak up the juices, with lots of lemon and a bit of the Mediterranean region—capers and olives.

Continue reading Southern Italian seafood salad (Insalata di mare) at Our Italian Table.

Lentils for an Italian at the holidays are all good luck. Lentils look like tiny coins and eating them at the holidays is sure fire way to bring good fortune in the new year (or at least that’s what is said).

This dish combines a wonderful herbed lentil side dish with seared on the spot prosciutto-wrapped scallops. The lentils can be made ahead and served at room temperature if under 2 hours before.

Continue reading Prosciutto-wrapped scallops with lentils: Capesante avvolto in prosciutto con lenticchie at Our Italian Table.

Another treat from our Seven Fishes menu – prosciutto-wrapped scallops on a bed of roasted asparagus. Simple and delicious. These scallops are larger than one normally finds in the local fish market but they grow them big in California and boy, were they tasty!  Make sure and let the prosciutto crisp up when you saute them…the crunch of the prosciutto marries well with the creaminess of the scallops and smoky flavor of the roasted asparagus. 

Continue reading Prosciutto-Wrapped Scallops on a Bed of Roasted Asparagus at Our Italian Table.