Olive Garden Creamy Polenta

Ingredients:
3 cups whole milk
1 cup water
Salt to taste
1 tsp rosemary, chopped + 1 tsp for garnish
3/4 cup coarse ground cornmeal
3/4 cup fine ground cornmeal
1/4 cup mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese + 1 Tbsp for garnish
Pepper to taste

Procedures:
Scald milk, water, salt, and rosemary in heavy bottom 2 quart saucepan. Turn heat to low, and with a wooden spoon slowly stir in cornmeal and cook for 10-20 minutes, stirring frequently. Polenta is done when it comes away from the side of the pan easily.

Remove from heat and stir in mascarpone and Parmesan cheese. Season with pepper to taste.

Garnish with rosemary leaves and Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

Serves 4

Lavo NYC Meatballs

Ingredients:
1 lb. Kobe, ground beef or freshly ground high quality beef
1 lb. Italian Sausage
1 lb. Veal, ground
6 oz. Onion , diced finely , sautéed gently in extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons Garlic, chopped fine, sautéed gently in extra-virgin olive oil
3 Whole. Eggs
4 oz. Progresso Bread Crumbs, Italian Style
6 oz. Pecorino Romano grated cheese
6 oz. Parmesan Reggiano grated cheese
1 bunch Italian Parsley, chopped fine
1 bunch Italian Basil, chopped
1 tablespoon Sea Salt or Kosher Salt
1 tablespoon Black pepper, table grind
1 cup Whole Milk
1 loaf Pepperidge farm white bread, remove crust
8 oz. extra-virgin olive oil
1 oz. extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup of cold water
32 oz. of your favorite marinara sauce

Procedures:
Remove all crust from the white bread and cut into small cubes and soak in the milk.

Set aside. In a sauté pan heat 1 oz. of olive oil and sauté gently and slowly garlic and onions, season with salt and pepper, set aside.

When onions are cool squeeze out excess liquid.

In a large bowl combine all ingredients except bread and milk mixture and olive oil.

Squeeze out milk from bread, discard milk, Add bread to all ingredients and gently fold and mix together.

Refrigerate meatball mix for one hour.

Line a sheet pan with cling film.  Form meatball mix into 3 oz. balls this recipe will yield 20 x 3 oz. meatballs. Place on sheet pan as you go.

Refrigerate until ready to cook to keep their round shape.

In a large sauté pan place the 8 oz. of extra-virgin olive oil and heat.

When oil is hot place meatballs in pan, side to side allow enough space so you can turn them easily and gently.

When all meatballs are evenly browned off remove from pan and set aside.

In a large clean pot arrange meatballs and cover with your favorite marinara sauce and one cup of cold water.

Slowly bring up to a boil and then allow to simmer covered for about 1 hour.

Meatballs should be removed from pot and cook the sauce to the consistency you enjoy.

Serve over your favorite pasta and season with Parmigiano Reggiano and Extra Virgin olive oil.

Salmon Nigirizushi Recipe

Ingredients:
For Nigirizushi:

2 cups of prepared Sushi rice (can be found in the Asian section of your local market)
1/2 lb. of fresh salmon fillet, sliced into strips of 4 cm by 3 cm.
1 tablespoon wasabi paste

For Tezu:

1 cup water
3 tablespoon Sushi vinegar (or rice wine vinegar)

Procedures:
Before you begin preparing nigirizushi, ensure that you wet your fingers in the tezu. Tezu is basically vinegar water and is essential for preparing this dish.  This is because, without the
vinegar water, the rice will get stuck on your hands. Just water will not work either as it may wash the vinegar off the Sushi rice, thereby affecting consistency and taste.

To prepare the tezu, just mix the 3 tablespoons of Sushi vinegar with the water in a bowl.

Dip your hands in the vinegar water. Take about a handful of the rice and press it tight as you make a fist. The nigirizushi should be shaped such that it resembles long but round, rectangular finger.

Take this rice lump and place it on a cutting board.

Now take a salmon strip and spread a bit of the wasabi on the inner side which will be facing the rice.

Press the salmon strip on the rice and you are ready to serve your nigrizushi.

Serves 4