Gennaro Contaldo's love letter to his Amalfi Coast home.
Ask a foodie about the Amalfi Coast and lemons immediately spring to mind. The sweet, aromatic, large and thick-skinned sfusato Amalfitano is the extraordinary and delectable citrus fruit that Gennaro Contaldo grew up with.
Lemons were and still are a part of daily life for locals of the Amalfi Coast, and Gennaro continues this tradition in his everyday cooking. From a sliver of zest in his morning espresso to helping with minor ailments and even household chores, lemons have a wealth of uses. No part of the lemon is wasted―flesh, pith, and skin are chopped into salads, juice is drizzled over meat, fish, and veggies, while the aromatic zest adds a complexity to a dish's flavor. Even the leaves are used to wrap meat, fish and cheese for extra flavor, or finely chopped and made into a tea infusion.
Lemons can cleanse, refresh, preserve, “cook,” and add a vibrant flavor to dishes, giving color and an uplifting aroma. Through vibrant recipes like Ravioli with Ricotta, Lemon, and Mint; Sicilian Chicken Involtini; Lemon Cookies; and Coffee and Lemon Semi-Freddo, this is a beautiful and inspiring homage to the most revered of fruit.
Chapters include:
- The Amalfi―a little history including stories of Gennaro’s childhood
- Lemons in the kitchen
- Salads & Appetizers
- Pasta & Risotto
- Meat & Fish
- Veggie & Vegan
- Dressings & Sauces
- Desserts
- Drinks