Bresaola with Rocket & Parmigiano Reggiano


Another heat wave is cursing us to stay indoors, turn on the air conditioners and limit my cooking to the minimum.  It produces too much heat and no one at home wants that, especially me, who has to stand in front of the oven and stove.  I did yesterday to bake some bread and I how I wished I was Plastic Man with elastic arms.   The heat emitted by the oven was so intense that it seemed like all my hair stood up.  Or maybe they really did.  With panic to open and shut the oven door as swiftly as I could, I was too frazzled to understand what was going on.  My bread came out so well that I can't wait to share it with you.  But that's another story. 


I avoid cooking as much as I could in summer.  Prior to having kids, I literally closed down my kitchen and prepared everything cold.  I couldn't stand the heat emitted by cooking intertwined with the high temperature of summer.   In between stirring the pans, you would find me reclined on the couch fighting bouts of nausea. 


Nowadays, with two kids to please, I get to do a bit of cold plates and a bit of quick cooking.  One cold plate that doesn't evoke any shrill "pasta", "pizza" and what have you from my kids is this one.  It's my personal favorite.  It's a classic Italian summer dish that's full of flavors.  


Bresaola, an aged, air-dried salted beef, is mixed with shavings of Parmigiano Reggiano and rucola (rocket).  They take up the limelight in this plate with the help of a big squeeze of lemon and extra virgin olive oil.  It's one of those cold plates that I can prepare in advance and just leave in the fridge.  In some occasions, I have taken them to picnics too. Here is an old post (excuse the quality of the pictures) where I prepared them in rolls. 


The weekend is already finished for me and a new week is starting.  Time flies so fast when you are having fun. I hope you all had a good weekend too! 


 

Bresaola with Rocket & Parmigiano Reggiano


Ingredients:
Serves 2
  • 12 - 16 slices of bresaola
  • Lemon, juice only
  • Handful of rocket or rucola
  • Parmigiano Reggiano shavings
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt 
  • Pepper
Directions:
  1. Place the bresaola on the plate.
  2. Put the rocket on top (as much as you want).
  3. Sprinkle the Parmigiano Reggiano shavings (as much as you want).
  4. Drizzle with the extra virgin olive oil.
  5. Season with salt, pepper & lemon.