A16 Food + Wine

Named after the Italian motorway, A16, that runs from Naples to Canosa in Puglia, their popular San Francisco restaurant specializes in the bold, rustic, irresistible flavors of Campania. Diners pack the house for chef Nate Appleman's house-cured salumi, textbook Naples-style pizzas, and gutsy slow-cooked meat dishes. Wine director Shelley Lindgren is committed to handcrafted southern Italian wines.

A16 Food + Wine is not your typical cookbook. In fact, the recipes don't even start until page 64 because the first part of the book is devoted to the wines. Italian wines are much more than Chianti! Indeed, in Campagna two-thirds of the native grapes are white, not red. The authors teach about the characteristics of such white varietals as Bombino Bianco to Falanchina to Pecorino (yes, it's not just a sheep's milk cheese, but a citrusy, flinty, crisp wine, as well).  Reds are not forgotten. You'll learn what pairs best with such reds as Aglianico and Magliocco. Appleman and Lindgren share the source of their inspiration. From chile-spiked seafood stews and savory roasts to delicate antipasti and vegetable sides, the recipes are beguilingly rustic and approachable. Lindgren's vivid profiles of the key grapes and producers of southern Italy provide vital context for appreciating and pairing the wines. Stunning photography captures the wood-fired ambiance of the restaurant and the Campania countryside it celebrates. Here is a small sampling of the recipes.

1. Neapolitan-Style Pizza
2. Pizza Bianca
3. Pizza Pomodoro with Ricotta
4. Summer Vegetable Cianfotta
5. Pork Loin Spiedino with Pine Nut, Garlic, and Currant Soffritto
6. Minestra Maritata
7. Cheese Brodo
8. Prosciuto Brodo
9. Chicken Meatballs
10. Monday Meatballs from A16
11. Pistachio and Almond Cake w/ Orange Salad
12. Eggplant Parmigiana
13. Arugula Salad with Almonds, Green Olives, and Tangerines
14. Braised Halibut with Pistachios, Preserved Meyer Lemon, and Capers
15. Bruschetta with Ricotta and Peperonata

A16's recipes for Pizza Bianca and Pork Loin Spiedino A16_recipes.pdf easy to print!

Ingredients

Serves 6 as a first course, or 4 as a main course
Coarse salt
4 ounces (1/2 bunch) dandelion greens, coarsely chopped
1 bunch (6 ounces) rapini, tough stems removed and coarsely chopped
6 cups coarsely chopped cabbage (about 1/2 head)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
2 ribs celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 ounce pancetta, chopped (about 1/4 cup)

2 cups Cheese Brodo (see recipe)

1 cup Prosciutto Brodo (see recipe)

Chicken Meatballs (see recipe)

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add dandelion greens and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or a wire skimmer, transfer greens to a colander to drain. Add rapini to boiling water and cook until soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or a wire skimmer, transfer rapini to a colander to drain. Add cabbage to boiling water and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Drain and set greens aside.
2. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add celery, garlic, bay leaf, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until celery and garlic are soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally until lightly browned and crisp, about 3 minutes. Stir in greens and both brodos. Let simmer until greens are tender, about 10 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Add meatballs during the last 5 minutes of cooking, if desired.
3. Ladle soup into warmed bowls; drizzle with olive oil and serve immediately.
   

Chef Nate Appleman of popular San Francisco restaurants A16 and SPQR joins Martha to make chicken meatballs from his new book, "A16 Food and Wine." Part 1. First published: February 2009 URL http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.fc77a0dbc44dd1611e3bf410b5900aa0/?vgnextoid=684297a20074f110VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default

Cheese Brodo

Ingredients
Makes 1 1/2 quarts
2 quarts water
6 ounces grana cheese rinds
1 bay leaf

Directions
1. Combine 2 quarts water, cheese rinds, and bay leaf in a large pot and bring to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring frequently to keep rinds from sticking to pot.
2. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the broth has a nutty, creamy flavor, about 1 1/2 hours.
3. Strain broth through a fine mesh strainer into an airtight container; let cool. Cover and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months.

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/cheese-brodo

Prosciutto Brodo

Ingredients
Makes 8 to 9 cups
8 ounces prosciutto trimmings and ends, plastic hooks and strings removed, coarsely chopped
Directions
1. Place prosciutto in a large pot with 12 cups water; bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, skimming surface occasionally, until the fat from the prosciutto is rendered into the broth, about 2 hours.
2. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into an airtight container; let cool. Cover and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months. Before using, bring broth to a simmer and stir to reincorporate fat.

Chicken Meatballs [Minestra Maritata] [Cheese Brodo] [Prosciuto Brodo]

Ingredients

Serves 6
Extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 tablespoon coarse salt
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, sinew removed and discarded, or 2 pounds ground chicken thighs
6 ounces fatback, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
6 ounces day-old country bread, torn into chunks
1 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, very finely chopped
2 tablespoons dry white wine
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat 2 rimmed baking sheets with olive oil. Place a meat grinder and a large bowl in the freezer to chill.
2. In a spice grinder or using a mortar and pestle, grind together fennel seeds and peppercorns. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in salt; set spice mixture aside.
3. If grinding your own meat, pass chicken through a grinder fitted with a coarse plate directly into chilled bowl; if your meat is already ground, place chicken in chilled bowl. Place, fatback, bread, parsley, and garlic in bowl with spice mixture; pass through grinder into bowl with chicken. Add wine and eggs; using your hands, gently mix until well incorporated.
4. Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Flatten a pinch of chicken mixture into a small disk and cook in skillet, for tasting. Season chicken mixture with salt, if desired.
5. Form chicken mixture into 1-inch balls and place on prepared baking sheets. Transfer baking sheets to oven and roast, turning baking sheets halfway through, until meatballs are lightly browned and cooked through, 18 to 20 minutes.
6. Drizzle meatballs with olive oil and serve immediately.
First published: January 2009

Ingredients

1 large globe eggplant (about 1 pound)
-- Kosher salt
2 large beefsteak tomatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds total)
-- Extra virgin olive oil
6 slices prosciutto cotto
6 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into 6 equal slices
1 ounce grana, coarsely grated (about 1/4 cup)
6 fresh basil leaves

Directions

1. Cut off the green top of the eggplant and trim both ends. Using a vegetable peeler, peel off lengthwise stripes of the skin so the finished surface is covered with alternating stripes of skin and flesh. Cut the eggplant crosswise into 3/4-inch-thick slices. You need 12 slices total.
2. Place cooling racks on 2 baking sheets. Arrange the eggplant slices on the racks and season lightly with salt. Turn the slices over and season the second side. Set the slices aside for 20 minutes.
3. Prepare a medium fire in a charcoal grill, spreading the coals evenly for direct-heat cooking.
4. Meanwhile, slice the broadest part of each tomato into 3 thick slices, so you have a total of 6 slices. Season the slices lightly with salt and set aside. Cut the remaining tomato trimmings into chunks. In a food processor, combine the tomato chunks and a pinch of salt and pulse until the tomatoes are nearly smooth. Pour the tomatoes into a small bowl and top with a generous stream of olive oil. Taste the tomatoes and add more olive oil and salt to suit your taste. Set aside.
5. Pat the eggplant slices dry and brush both sides with olive oil. Place the slices on the grill rack and grill, turning once, for about 3 minutes on each side, or until the slices are cooked through and golden brown. Transfer to 1 or 2 platters, brush with olive oil again, and set aside to cool to room temperature.
6. Preheat the oven to 500°.
7. To assemble the stacks, pair half of the eggplant slices with other eggplant slices of similar width. For each pair, use the large slice as the bottom half. Top the bottom slice with a prosciutto slice, followed by a tomato slice, a mozzarella slice, a generous pinch of grana, and 1 basil leaf. Complete the stack with the matching eggplant slice.
8. To take the chill off the mozzarella, place the eggplant stacks in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and place in the oven for about 5 minutes, or until the eggplant is warm and the mozzarella is slightly melted on the edges. This dish should not be served bubbling hot from the oven.
9. Arrange the eggplant stacks on a platter. Spoon the reserved tomato sauce on top and drizzle it around the sides. Serve immediately.
   

Per serving: 334 calories, 11 g protein, 11 g carbohydrate, 28 g fat (8 g saturated), 31 mg cholesterol, 398 mg sodium, 3 g fiber.

Source: A16 Food + Wine by Nate Appleman and Sarah Lindgren. Ten-Speed Press. Page 104
Posted San Francisco Chronicle Cook's Books: "A Campania primer by way of A16" by Amanda Gold, Chronicle Staff Writer Wednesday, August 20, 2008
URL http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/19/FDCM12BCGO.DTL

Serves 6

One of the challenges of writing recipes for the dishes we serve is that they’re never static. When Pixie tangerines start arriving in the late winter months, we like to pair the juicy segments with peppery arugula. But when the short winter Fuyu-persimmon season is in full swing, we swap in shaved persimmons for the tangerine segments, exchange arugula for escarole, and use walnuts instead of almonds.

Ingredients

4 ounces arugula
3/4 cup green olives, pitted and sliced
1/2 cup almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped
1/4 fennel bulb
4 tangerines, peeled and separated into segments
1/4 cup extrafreshly squeezed lemon juice
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Ricotta Salata, for grating

Directions

1. Place the arugula, olives, and almonds in a large bowl.
2. Cut the fennel quarter in half lengthwise, and then cut away the core. Using a mandoline or a sharp knife, shave the fennel lengthwise into paper-thin slices. Add the fennel slices and tangerine segments to the bowl.
3. Drizzle the olive oil and lemon juice into the bowl and season the salad with pinches of salt and pepper to taste. Using your hands, toss the salad gently, mixing well.
4. Transfer the salad to a large serving bowl. Using a Microplane or other fine-rasp grater, grate a generous amount of Ricotta Salata over the top. Serve immediately

Source: A16 Food + Wine by Nate Appleman and Sarah Lindgren. Ten-Speed Press. Page 101
Posted Leite's Culinaria
URL http://leitesculinaria.com/1566/recipes-arugula-salad-almonds-olives-tangerines.html

Ingredients

2 1/2 pounds halibut fillet, divided into 6 (6 1/2-ounce) portions, each about 1" thick
Kosher salt
1 cup unsalted pistachios, lightly toasted (or use salted)
1 tablespoon salt-packed capers, soaked
2 wedges preserved Meyer lemon, pith and flesh removed, soaked and minced (or use the "meat" of 2 wedges of standard lemon, with all pith and skin removed) Note that A16 has a recipe for preserved lemons.
1/4 teaspoon dried chili flakes
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for finishing
Leaves from 1/2 bunch flat-leaf parsley (about 2 cups loosely packed)
1 fresh lemon, cut into wedges

Directions

1. Season the fish portions evenly with a few generous pinches of salt. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours. About 30 minutes before serving, remove the fish from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 400.
2. Combine the pistachios, capers, preserved lemon, and chili flakes in a food processor or a mortar. Pulse a few times or crush with a pestle until coarsely blended. With the processor running, drizzle in the olive oil, or drizzle in the olive oil as you crush the ingredients with the pestle. Add the parsley and pulse a few more times or crush with the pestle just until combined. Taste for seasoning and add a pinch of salt if needed. The fish is seasoned and the capers are salty, so you may not need to add any salt.
3. Place the fish in a baking pan and divide the pistachio mixture evenly among the tops, covering each piece and pressing lightly so the topping adheres. Add enough water to the pan - about 1/2 cup - to come halfway up the sides of the fish, and transfer to the oven. Braise the fish for 10- to 15 minutes or until firm and just cooked through.
4. Using a slotted spatula, transfer the fish portions to a warmed platter. Finish with a generous drizzle of olive oil. Serve immediately with a side of fresh lemon wedges.

Source: A16 Food + Wine by Nate Appleman and Sarah Lindgren. Ten-Speed Press. Page 175
Posted Two Blue Lemons blog
URL http://www.twobluelemons.com/2009/05/a16s-braised-halibut-with-pistachios.html

Serves 6

Bruschette is a great way to highlight a seasonal item or make use of an abundant ingredient. At home, if you have pasta sauce or braised vegetables left over from the night before, use it on bruschetta with an added element or two, such as arugula, shaved pecorino, or olives. That's the best part about bruschetta: it's hard to go wrong if you have great ingredients on hand.

Ingredients

brushette (recipe below)
1 1/2 cups fresh ricotta, at room temperature (I used part-skim ricotta)
Kosher salt
2 cups peperonata (recipe below)
Extra virgin olive oil

Brushette:
Extra virgin olive oil
6 slices country bread, 1/2 inch thick
1 clove garlic, halved

Preheat oven to 450.
Brush olive oil evenly over both sides of each bread slice. Arrange the slices on a baking sheet and toast for 3-5 mintues, until golden brown. Flip them over and toast for 3 minutes. Rub each toasted slice on one side with the cut side of the garlic, and top immediately.

Peperonata:
4 peppers (mix of red, orange, and yellow)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for roasting the peppers
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons capers
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 red onion, diced (about 1 cup)
1/2 fennel bulb, cored and diced
1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Preheat the oven to 400
In a bowl, toss the peppers with a dash of olive oil and a pinch of salt, coating them evenly, and then arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast the peppers, turning once about halfway through cooking, for 20-30 minutes, or until the skins have started to blister and pull away from the flesh. Remove from the oven, place in a bowl, and cover tightly with plastic wrap-this creates steam, which will loosen the skins-until cooled enough to handle.

Directions

1. Taste the ricotta, If it seems bland, mix in a pinch of salt.
2. Divide the ricotta evenly among the brushette, and then top with spoonfuls of peperonata.
3. Serve immediately.

Source: A16 Food + Wine by Nate Appleman and Sarah Lindgren. Ten-Speed Press. Page 97
Posted Two Blue Lemons
URL http://www.twobluelemons.com/2008/12/bruschetta-with-ricotta-peperonata.html