Another recipe from the Chicago Botanic Garden’s Chef Series.

Today, Barilla USA Executive Chef Lorenzo Boni who shares another recipe he performed at the Chicago Chef Show: Rotini Pasta with Braised Fennel, Carrots and Spring Onions. Ready? Let’s go to the kitchen!

ROTINI WITH BRAISED FENNEL, CARROTS AND SPRING ONIONS

(Rotini integrali con finocchio e cipolline fresche)
A recipe by Chef Lorenzo Boni
(serves 4)

Preparation Time: 5 min
Cooking Time: 25 min
Season: Spring/ Summer

INGREDIENTS

- 4 tablespoons, Academia Barilla Toscano extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Cloves, Garlic
- 2 Fennel bulbs with tops
- 1 medium carrot
- salt, black pepper, to taste
- 1 bunch, spring onions
- 1/2 cup, Academia Barilla Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
- 1 tablespoon, Fennel frawns, chopped

PREPARATION

In a medium pan, sauté the minced garlic in the olive oil until it turns slightly yellow, about 3 minutes. Meanwhile, slice the fennel bulbs in half, then into thin slices.

Add the sliced fennel to the skillet, along with the carrot, sliced into roundels, about 1/8 inch thick. Braise the ingredients for about ten minutes over medium high heat, covered.

Season with salt and black pepper; cover with a lid and cook through stirring occasionally.

Slice the onions into 1/2 inch strips and stir them into the mixture and cook an additional three minutes.

Meanwhile cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package. Drain and toss with the sauce. Stir in the Parmigiano Reggiano and the fennel frawns before serving.

Thank you for sharing with us the recipe, Lorenzo. See you soon again on Italian Food Lovers!

As we already announced, we begin this blog post series with articles that are intended to make you wish you were here in Parma, at least for a week.

We took the inspiration from the calendar of events, initiatives and locations included in the 6-day Academia Barilla VIP guided gastronomy tour to Emilia-Romagna promoted by Frank DiMaria, so we decided to show you a little bit around beforehand.

Today’s post is dedicated to the discovery of Parma, which is the centerpiece of the Emilia-Romagna experience in this VIP gastronomy tour.
We wrote many blog posts about Parma in the past, being the capital of the Italian Food Valley and also home town to Academia Barilla and the Academia Barilla Culinary Center.

Last year we created a full virtual visit experience with slideshows, photo galleries and Google Maps, so we have plenty of content to tell you about our favorite city in the world.

With Frank DiMaria you will discover several aspects of Parma. Upon arrival, you will immediately discover Parma’s hospitality, landing at one of the best Hotel locations in town, the 5-star Sofitel Grand Hotel de la Ville, where a “welcome aperitivo” will be waiting the VIP tour participants at the lounge bar of the hotel on the opening night.

Grand Hotel de la Ville is a prestigious building, a place in which the longstanding traditions of hospitality of our charming Italian town, mingles with the most evolved life-styles and the most advanced technology, planned and designed by leading Italian architects of international repute with the extraordinary participation of the great architect Renzo Piano.

More Parma gourmet locations are in the agenda of Frank DiMaria’s guided gastronomic tour, starting with a course at the Academia Barilla Culinary Center, but we will dedicate a whole post to that.

The VIP tour guests will enjoy a gourmet group dinner at an authentic local well-known Parma Pizzeria, check out Frank’s notes about it:

One of the most classical pizzerias of Parma often populated by the local VIPs. Good choice, with a wood-burning oven the pizzas are always good, and even the other plates on the menu are a surprise…

Another gourmet surprise for the VIP tour guests is also a dinner at “Il Cortile“, a delightful local restaurant in the heart of Parma, amidst the picturesque winding streets of the city’s “left bank“. As Frank DiMaria describes it:

The restaurant, a symbol of the Old Parma that has retained its original appearance with its ample, inviting veranda. Il Cortile has remained faithful to its trattoria origins, but owner Mauro and his wife Maria have added a special touch to it.

The food, the food… but also the culture, the history, the architecture. The Academia Barilla VIP gastronomy tour includes a full walking guided tour of the city of Parma, with Frank DiMaria as your Cicerone. Thanks to Frank you will discover how undeniably unique Parma is. Culture yes, but you will be totally absorbed by the food pleasures… on one of the guided visits to Parma our tour guests will have the pleasure to discover also the colors and vibes of a local Parma outdoor food market.

Parma is rich in art, culture and history - founded by the Romans in 183 b.c, made famous in Europe by the Farnese dynasty, the Bourbons, and the enlightened Duchy Marie Louise of Austria, Parma is now known worldwide for its unmatchable wine and food traditions.

Do you want to discover a little bit more? Explore the Google Map we created last year - click all the Google Map placemark to see pictures (and random videos) of the several Parma locations (better interaction with a larger map by clicking the link below the map).

Click on this link for a better map interaction

Note: the program may be subject to some modifications - check out the program we published here and just stay tuned with Frank DiMaria for latest news and updates on this Academia Barilla VIP gastronomy tour. For more info and booking call Frank at +1 847 965-0672 or +1 847 417-7587, or email him at frankdimaria@comcast.net.

Next blog post of this series: cooking classes at Academia Barilla!

Be ready, as we have a hot series of recipes from the Chicago Botanic Garden Chef Show to share with you this week.

Let’s welcome Chef Mark Grimes, Executive Chef at Pinstripes, an intriguing venue located in Northbrook, IL. Basically Pinstripes is an indoor bocce ball destination with bowling lanes and a top gourmet restaurant. Check out their website at www.pinstripes.com and also this restaurant review we found online.

Chef Mark Grimes is a celebrity Chef, with 25 years of culinary pedigree and Corporate Chef positions at RDGChicago/Restaurants America, Fox Sports Grill, ESPN Zone/Disney, and previous experience at The Windsor Court Hotel and The American Club resorts, among others. Here below Chef Grimes is pictured during his Barilla Italian Cooking Weekend cooking demo.

Today we will share with you a gourmet recipe by Chef Mark Grimes, Lobster Bread Salad, a dish he prepared at the Botanic Garden Chef show (sorry we don’t have a good picture of the final dish, but we got you a nice picture of lobsters!).

LOBSTER BREAD SALAD
A recipe by Chef Mark Grimes
(serves 4)

INGREDIENTS FOR WHITE BALSAMIC DRESSING

- 1 oz shallots, chopped
- 1 cup white balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 3 cups Academia Barilla Riviera Ligure extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
- Salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

BALSAMIC DRESSING PREPARATION

Mix with hand blender the vinegar, mustard, shallots and honey, add an ice cube and slowly drizzle olive oil in to create an emulsion. Season with salt and pepper.

INGREDIENTS FOR BREAD SALAD MIXTURE

- 1 loaf of your favorite bread (brioche, sesame semolina), cut into 1 inch cubes
- 4 cups heirloom tomatoes, chopped
- 2 cups fresh corn
- 1 cup of homemade pickles, chopped
- 1 pound of cooked lobster or shrimp, chopped
- 2 cups of white balsamic dressing
- 1 oz roasted garlic, chopped
- 2 oz caper berries, chopped
- Academia Barilla Riviera Ligure extra virgin olive oil, to taste
- Academia Barilla Balsamic Must, to taste
- Salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

BREAD SALAD MIXTURE PREPARATION 

Mix all ingredients well and serve immediately as a salad or place on plastic wrap and mold into a roulade and let it sit 24 hours for Hor D’Oeuvres and then slice into rounds.

FINAL PREPARATION: ASSEMBLE

Take bread salad rounds and place on small plate or platter and garnish with crispy Academia Barilla Riviera Ligure extra virgin olive, Academia Barilla Balsamic Must and micro arugula.

Thank you Chef Mark Grimes and Pinstripes for sharing with us this recipe - you Italian foodies stay tuned, more gourmet recipes to come in the next days!

As a final post after the series dedicated to the Academia Barilla VIP gourmet tour organized by Academia Barilla Culinary School Alumni Frank DiMaria, we want to publish an email we received from Frank when we got all the info for his VIP gourmet tour to Parma and Bologna, Italy.

We publish this email to share Frank’s passion for Italian cooking, Italian gastronomy, and Italian food culture in general. No more words, here we go:

Ciao a tutti,

Our 2007 trip to Parma Italy and Academia Barilla was a huge success, because of that we have decided to do it again this year. This may become an annual event!  

For those of you who are not familiar with the tour, I have joined with Academia Barilla, the world’s premier culinary center dedicated to the art of Italian gastronomy, to personally escort you for 6 days and 5 nights in Parma, Italy’s Food Valley, for the ultimate culinary experience. Parma, a secret treasure tucked away in the heart of the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy, is one of Europe’s greatest food capitals.  

I have joined with Academia Barilla to offer a full emersion culinary experience in the breathtaking region of Emilia-Romagna. Academia Barilla offers 2 hands-on cooking classes in their state-of-the-art kitchens, and an opportunity to learn from the top local chefs.  

You will experience regional delicacies, authentic menus, exclusive tastings, one-of-a kind culinary tours to regional Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, Prosciutto di Parma, Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, olive oil and wine producers to learn the intricacies and traditions of true Italian foods.

You will also be able to explore authentic Italian markets and gourmet shops, observe the cultural street life, and enjoy the wonderful shops, cafés and restaurants that Parma boasts.  

You won’t want to miss this culinary adventure!

A presto,
Frank DiMaria

If you need more detailed info or need to book your exclusive VIP gourmet tour to Parma, see all details at our previous blog post, and get in touch with Frank DiMaria by calling +1 847 965-0672 or +1 847 417 7587. You can also email Frank at frankdimaria@comcast.net to reserve your space!

See you in Parma!

Here is the full program of the 6-day Academia Barilla VIP gastronomy tour of Parma, Bologna and Emilia-Romagna organized and guided by Academia Barilla Culinary Center Alumni Frank DiMaria.

Remember that tour dates are September 21-26, so you better call soon for your reservations. For more info and booking call Frank DiMaria at +1 847 965-0672 or +1 847 417-7587, or email him at frankdimaria@comcast.net.

Day one - Sunday, September 21

Arrival in Milano Malpensa. Pick up with private bus and transfer to Parma
Check in at Grand Hotel de la Ville (5-star) and relaxing time

06:00 PM - Evening welcoming “aperitivo” at the lounge bar of the hotel

07:15 PM - Group dinner in an authentic local well-known Parma Pizzeria

Day two - Monday, September 22

09:30 AM - After breakfast, welcoming to Academia Barilla
Tour of the culinary center
Morning cooking session
Lunch of what we cooked together

04:30 PM - Walking guided tour of the city centre of the town

07:30 PM - The tour will be concluded in a delightful local restaurant

Day three - Tuesday, September 23

08:30 AM - After breakfast, departure for a visit to a Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese producer

To follow, visit to a Prosciutto di Parma producer
Along the way, pictures’ time at the romantic Castle of Torrechiara

12:30 PM - Visit to a wine cellar, tasting of typical products and lunch

02:30 PM - Transfer to the province of Modena for the visit to the Ferrari Museum

06:00 PM - Visit to an authentic Acetaia of Balsamic Vinegar

08:00 PM - Dinner at one of the best restaurant of the area, famous for the use of traditional balsamic vinegar

Day four - Wednesday, September 24

09:00 AM - After breakfast, walking trip to the local outdoor market

To follow: cooking session at the Academia Barilla Culinary Center with concentration on the products viewed on the gourmet tour

01.30 PM - Lunch at Academia Barilla

Afternoon and evening: free time to relax, individual visits and shopping.
Dinner on your own (not included)

Day five - Thursday, September 25

08:30 AM - After breakfast, departure for an amazing half day gourmet tour to the largest city of Emilia Romagna: Bologna (08:30 AM - 02:30 PM)

Guided tour round the medieval market in Downtown Bologna
Visit to traditional bakery and pasta makers
Visit to mortadella producers and traditional chocolate makers
Lunch in a typical Bolognese osteria

Afternoon: visit to the Ferrari Museum
Evening: farewell group dinner and event at the Academia Barilla Culinary Center

Day six - Friday, September 26

Pick up from the Hotel and transfer to the Airport.

Note: the program may be subject to some modifications - just stay tuned with Frank DiMaria at the contacts above for latest news and updates on this Academia Barilla VIP gastronomy tour.