Photography by Jennifer Silverberg
Frank Gabriele prepares to dig into Il Bel Lago’s osso buco.
Peppe Profeta,Peppe’s Apt. 2
“Peppe’s Veal! It’s an inside thing, not on the menu. It’s a thin slice of veal with truffle-oil bread crumbs, charbroiled for 30 seconds on each side, then served with lemon butter. It’s addicting. I’ve been eating it for 30 years. Sometimes, I eat it every day for a whole month.”
Fabrizio Schenardi, Cielo
“Cioppino, the seafood soup. My family in Liguria used to make it all the time for holidays and special events. You start with a good, flavorful fish; make a fish broth; add red wine and veg-
etables; cook for six hours; run it through a food mill; and then add snapper, clams, calamari, shrimp, prawns—whatever you feel like. It becomes like a fish stew. We serve it with grilled bread, with a spread made from an emulsion of extra-virgin olive oil, potatoes, saffron, and roasted garlic.”
Vito Racanelli, Mad Tomato
“Lamb meatballs: ground lamb with spinach, goat cheese, herbs, and garlic roasted with potatoes, peppers, olives, garlic, onions, wine, basil, and olive oil. Light and hearty at the same time, it’s good Calabrian food—good ‘Mom food.’ I like to eat it with our house-made focaccia. I’m gonna have some of it for dinner right now.”
John Mineo, John Mineo’s Italian Restaurant
“Bow-tie pasta with South African lobster tail, prosciutto, peas, asparagus, roasted red pepper, Romano, Parmigiano, and a light cream sauce. I won an award with it at a restaurant convention in Las Vegas.”
Frank Gabriele,Il Bel Lago
“In the winter, it’s our osso buco veal shank, braised for three to four hours, with vegetables and a little white wine and served over a bed of truffled risotto. It’s Italian comfort food, and the meat just falls off the bone. If you eat this, you won’t go home hungry.”
