Saturday Beefcake: James Guardino

Temporarily existing in West Hollywood reminds one that a community by and for gay people often brings about much needed candy for one's eyes. Today's subject however might very well be an East Coast denizen--no matter seems like he'd fit in anywhere



Recipes chosen are on the main site and may have appeared in earlier posts. If they have, consider them pleasant reminders.

Zuppa di Lenticchie (Lentil Soup)

1.5 tbsps fruity Olive Oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 medium onion, diced
1 small fennel bulb, diced
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup lentils, rinsed, etc.
2 tsps. salt
pepper to taste
2 tbsps chopped fresh basil

1. Heat half the olive oil in large pot.
2. Add garlic, onion and fennel. Saute until soft [5 minutes]
3. Add the broth and lentils. Bring to a boil.
4. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until lentils are tender [about 45 minutes]
5. Serves 6 people. Drizzle olive oil over each serving and garnish with basil.




Lasagne Con Melanzane e Zucchine

Fresh Lasagne 200 grams
Eggplant, two long
Summer Squash or Zucchine, four
Scallions
Scamorza Affumicata (Smoked Mozzarella) 400 grams
Parsley
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 30 grams
Caraway Seed, two teaspoons
Vegetable Broth, a cup and half
Sweet Butter, 50 grams
Nutmeg
Flour about 50 grams
Sea Salt, Freshly Ground Pepper
Extra butter for the baking dish
Oven preheated 350F

1.Cut the squash and eggplant lengthwise, salt them and let them "rest" over paper towels for about thirty minutes.
2. Cut half of the scamorza into small cubes and the other half into slices.
3. In a bowl place the cheese cubes with chopped parsley, the white part of the scalion -- all chopped very finely and then mixed with the caraway.
4. Delicately dry the vegetables and saute them in a skillet with about 20 grams of the olive oil
5. Place them on a platter and distribute on each some of the cheese mixture and roll them up.
6. Cook the fresh lasagne 2-3 rectangles at a time in boiling water -- very important that they are al dente -- put them aside to cool off.
7. Melt the butter in a casserole, add the flour and let ti bronw slightly and then add the broth a littel at a time, stirring constantly until it thickens.
Salt and Pepper to taste with a few gratings of nutmeg.
8. Arrange the rectangles of lasagne in a buttered baking dish and then spread the sauce over them.
9. Then arrange half the vegetables over them.
10. Then spread another layer of the sauce and then cover it with one third of the scamorza slices and then add another layer of pasta.
11. Then another layer of the vegetable rolls and then more sauce and another third of the sliced cheese.
12. Finally another layer of pasta and then cover with the remaining slices of cheese.
13. Bake for fifteen minutes. Serve room temperature.




Broccoli Soffriti

For broccoli di rape, a vegetable often used in conjunction with sweet Italian sausage.

Fresh Broccoli di Rape with leaves, 750 grams
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, a cup or so
Garlic, eight cloves halved
Red Onion, thinly sliced
Anchovy fillets, marinated eight roughly chopped
Sea Salt [or Kosher Salt] and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Bread Crumbs, toasted, about a cup

1. Trim the broccoli into long stalks, removing the bottom two inches and retaining the leaves. Bring to boil six quarts of water.
2. Add the olive oil to a saute pan (c. 12 inches) over medium-low heat, adding the garlic, onion and anchovies. Cook for five minutes. Stir often and cook until garlic is golden.
3. Throw the broccoli into the boiling water and cooking it only for one minute.
4. Drain the broccoli and place it in the saute pan. Cook for about twelve minutes or until the broccoli is tender, but still maintaining its shape.
5. Stir and remove from heat. Season aggressively with the pepper and timidly with the salt.
6. Serve hot or room temperature sprinkled with the bread crumbs.





There should be enough here for a fine evening of dining and entertaining. Of course, some of you are thinking about other appetites and different kinds of entertaining. Not that there's anything wrong with that.



Salmon with Ginger Salsa
(Agapita Beninati)

Mangos, 2 diced
Tomato, 1 large diced
Scallions, 4 chopped
Cilantro, 2 teaspoons chopped
Ginger, fresh, two teaspoons finely minced
Lemon or Lime Juice, from one lemon or two limes
Salmon Steaks, four about six ounces each
Vegetable oil spray


1. Mix the first six ingredients to make a salsa
2. Heat up the grill and spray it with the vegetable spray
3. Sprinkle the salmon with the juice.
4. Grill the salmon on each side for 5/6 minutes
5. Remove and top with the salsa.







Depression Cake
This makes a super moist, super tasty inexpensive cake.

1.5 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
3 well rounded tbsp cocoa
1/2 cup oil
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp vinegar
1 cup cold water

1. Put all ingredients into a mixing bowl and mix well.
2. When well blended pour into a greased floured 9 inch pan.
3. Bake for 35-40 minutes in a pre-heated 350 degree oven.
4. Remove from pan and cool.

> [check out recipes for frostiing or just dust with confectioner's sugar]





Shamelessly stolen from cyber friend Justin Van de Kamp of Televisionista fame:
"James Guardino of Major Model Management in New York obviously knows the importance of a healthy diet and regular exercise. The male model with one of the most enviable torsos in the industry sure has a knack for promotion of swimwear and underwear."

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