A little dinner for Carmine

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There is no doubt in my mind that my great friend, Carmine Trubiano, was reincarnated from the Renaissance times — if not from the Roman times.  He speaks Latin.  He makes epicurean meals appear with the same ease that others heat up leftovers.  And do you not agree with me that his profile would look good on an ancient coin?  

One typical evening — very typical — he invited me over for "leftovers." The "leftovers" that he served me: An onion and zucchini omelette; a salad with romaine lettuce and homemade picked eggplant; minestrone; roast pork with Sicilian ciambotta; savoy cabbage; homemade meatballs (veal and pork) and sausages in a tomato sauce; thick garlic bread; white wine; red wine; white grapes from Argentina ...

Another time, I appeared on his doorstep uninvited.  He absolutely did not know I was coming.  No problem.  He went into the freezer.  He took out some homemade pasta.  While it was boiling he opened a can of plum tomatoes.  He made a sauce.  He went back to the freezer, took out a truffle, cut a little slice off of it, and put it in the sauce.  That was the first course.  For the second course, he went to the fridge and took out hamburgers – but not of beef, of meat from a deer that he himself shot. (This really happened!  I'm not making it up!)  Meanwhile, he went down to the cellar and brought up a bottle of excellent wine.  Then later, a "digestivo" which he himself made from vodka and little Japanese oranges ... You get the idea.

Every so often I like to reciprocate, even if I am not able to create banquets like he creates.  But this evening, I think that I offered a little dinner that was slightly opulent. 

PRIMO
Whole-wheat orzo, with chicken thighs, pepperoni, tomatoes, etc., cooked in the Creuset (click here for the recipe)

SECONDO
Pork cutlets in a juniper sauce (click here for the recipe)

CONTORNI
Three vegetables, prepared in the Avellinese style (oil, garlic, chili pepper, and homemade chicken stock) (click here for the method)
1. Savoy cabbage
2. Red Swiss chard
3. Red dandelion greens

FORMAGGI
Tomato-basil chèvre
Applewood-smoked cheddar
Stoned wheat crackers

FRUTTA

CAFFÈ
George Howell

VINO
Chateau du Trignon, 2010