Italian Flavor

Techniques for creating rich flavor are incorporated into everything we do at M’tucci’s. In Italy, these techniques are know as: battuto, soffritto and insaporire. These techniques and their ingredients are the base for pasta sauces, risotti, soups and stews.

A battuto traditionally consisted of lard and finely chopped onion and parsley. Depending on the dish; garlic, celery and carrot might be added. Recent cooking styles have replaced lard with olive oil or butter. A battuto is the beginning for most pasta sauces, risotti and countless meat and vegetable dishes such as our Five Pork Bolognese.

A battuto becomes a soffritto when it is sautéed until the onion becomes translucent, and the garlic (if you use it) turns a pale gold. This step is always completed before adding the main ingredients. If you add your battuto ingredients all at once, you won’t create the deeper flavors achieved by cooking in steps. Also, you must add the onion first and allow it to cook before adding fresh garlic. Cooking the two together means the onion will be undercooked or the garlic will brown (worse, it could turn black) and give the entire dish a bitter, burnt flavor. If you are using pancetta with or instead of olive oil, you would add the pancetta first. Below are photos showing the steps of a soffritto for sautéed greens.

Insaporire follows the soffritto step and means “bestowing taste” in Italian. It can apply to the vegetables or the meat for the recipe. Quite simply, the ingredient(s) are added to the soffritto at a high heat and cooked briskly until they have become completed infused with the flavor of the battuto.

According to the late Italian cookbook author, Marcella Hazan, “One can often trace the unsatisfying taste, the lameness of dishes purporting to be Italian in style, to the reluctance of some cooks to execute this step thoroughly, to their failure to give it enough time over sufficient heat, or to their skipping it altogether.”

You can bet your K-95 face mask that we don’t skip this step at M’tucci’s.

Porcini & Beef Tip Ravioli at M'tucci's Twenty-Five

Capicola Carbonara at M'tucci's Twenty-Five

Risotto Carnaroli di Pesce at M'tucci's Italian

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Kentucky Derby & Kentucky Bourbon Weekend

To celebrate Saturday’s running of the Kentucky Derby, all M’tucci’s locations will offer special Mint Juleps made with Woodford Reserve Bourbon from Friday through Sunday. A refreshing beverage for our unseasonal September weather. Read about some Derby traditions and some bourbon recipes by clicking here.

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Dinner, Drinks and Dancing at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five Friday night from 8:00 - 10:00.

All safety protocols will be enforced: masks, distancing and no drinks in the dance tent.

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Weekend Specials

M’tucci’s Italian

8 oz Hand Cut Herb-Rubbed Filet Mignon - Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Cherry Balsamic Reduction  $29

Pan-Seared Ono - Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichokes, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Cream Sauce $26

Sunday Only: Full Rack of Baby Back Ribs, Salt Water Potatoes, Sautéed Spinach and House BBQ Sauce for $27

M’tucci’s Moderno

24 oz Hand Cut NY Strip, Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Italian Salsa Verde $31

Pan-Seared Rockfish - Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichokes, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Cream Sauce $21

Pork Picatta - Spaghettini, Arugula, Diced Tomatoes, Capers, Lemon Butter Sauce $19

Sunday Only: House Made Lasagna with Herbed Ricotta, Five Pork Bolognese and Roasted Tomato Marinara. $16 (it’s large)

M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

Pan-Seared Amberjack, Grilled Escarole, Prosciutto Powder, Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Seared Artichokes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $24

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M’tucci’s @ Home

You will find our Artisan Bread and Ravioli Meals at your local Albertsons Market. Also, we have our Artisan Bread, Shrubs, cheese and cured meats in the deli counters at all M’tucci’s locations.

The deli case at M’tucci’s Italian holds Italian Salame and Parma Prosciutto, Imported Italian cheese, House Made Duck Prosciutto, Mozzarella, Mustard, and Pickles.

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Missing Italy

San Gimignano

Pontessieve

Siena

Siena

Thanks for reading. See you next Friday. Ciao!

Pan-Searing for Flavor

If you are a fan of M’tucci’s, you know that we love to pan-sear meat and seafood. It’s a classic method for sealing whatever you are cooking to lock in the flavor, then using the pan drippings for a sauce. Our weekend seafood specials all use the pan-sear technique, primarily for those reasons. You may be reluctant to use this technique at home because it does tend to make a mess of your cooktop or because you are creating more heat in your kitchen on a hot summer’s day.

M’tucci’s Bacon-Wrapped Pan-Seared Filet Mignon (this week’s Prep Kitchen entree)

Partner/Chef Cory Gray loves pan-searing meat, because it’s all about the flavor, and the flexibility to add different kinds of fat (olive oil, butter, pancetta, bacon, etc) and different liquids to deglaze your pan for the finishing sauce (wine, broth, water, rice wine vinegar, etc.). If you have purchased any of our Prep Kitchen kits that feature beef or pork, you’ll notice that the instructions usually begin with pan-searing, then the meat is finished in the oven. Continuing to cook the meat in the sauté pan would excessively brown (burn) the outside to reach medium rare and medium would result in an even more crusty product.

Italians use both the grill and pan-searing (which can be called pan broiling, although Joy of Cooking refers to pan broiling as a dry pan technique) for cooking beef and steak dishes. The most famous Italian steak dish is bistecca alla fiorentina, which is usually a 2-3 lb porterhouse cut from Chianina cattle, the largest cattle breed in the world. In Italy, this massive steak is traditionally cooked over a very hot wood fire built from oak or olive wood, with cooking temperatures exceeding 500 degrees. The steak is salted when it comes off the grill and the two cuts (filet and strip) are sliced and served. The indoor grill at Antica Macelleria Cecchini in Tuscany made for a really warm June (2019) dining experience, but the steaks were sensational.

Partner and M’tucci’s Italian GM Chris O’Sickey likes to grill his steaks, but still uses a similar technique, starting them out at high heat, then reducing the heat and closing the grill to achieve the proper temperature (145 degrees for Medium Rare). Don’t forget that your meat will continue to cook another 5-10 degrees after you remove it from the oven or the grill.

If you still have a few questions, watch this video of Chef Cory showing you how to pan-sear the filets. There are several videos on the M’tucci’s YouTube Channel that demonstrate pan-searing. So, heat those pans and let’s make a mess!

Patio Happy Hour(s) - Monday - Friday 3:00-6:00

Each restaurant has different specials, so you’ll need to try all three places. Here are my picks:

M’tucci’s Italian: I would order the Bruschetta made with the House Baguettes (slightly sourdough), Marinated Tomatoes, Fresh Basil, Shaved Aged Italian Parmesan, drizzled with Balsamic Vinegar and I would pair it with a glass of the New Zealand Matua Sauvignon Blanc

M’tucci’s Twenty-Five: So many great things to choose from, but I would go with the Bourbon Braised Mussels with Citrus Glazed Escarole, Bourbon Jalapeño Broth, Tucumcari Feta and Grilled Bread. Trey’s Sweet Tea is tempting, but I would go with the Ex Novo Mass Ascension IPA and a shot of Jim Beam, the classic American Boilermaker New Mexico-style.

M’tucci’s Moderno: I would pretend I’m in Venice and order the Calamari, Flash Fried in a Crispy Breading, with Spicy Marinara and Garlic Aoli. Order a glass of the Prosecco or an Aperol Spritz. So Italian!

Click on the name of the restaurant, then scroll down to see the full Happy Hour menu!

Weekend Specials

M’tucci’s Italian

M’tucci’s Bacon-Wrapped 8 oz. Filet Mignon - Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Balsamic Reduction  $29

Pan-Seared Ruby Red Trout - Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichokes, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Cream Sauce $21

Sunday Only: Full Rack of Baby Back Ribs, Salt Water Potatoes, Sautéed Spinach and House BBQ Sauce for $27

M’tucci’s Moderno

Pan-Seared Swordfish - Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Marinated Artichoke Hearts, Sautéed Arugula with Lemon Butter Caper Sauce and Prosciutto Powder $23

Beef Tortellini with Beef Tips, Fresh Tomatoes, Green Onions in a Spicy Rosa Sauce with Gorgonzola $19

16 oz Hand Cut Ribeye with Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Fresh Grilled Asparagusand Salsa Verde $29

Sunday Only: House Made Lasagna with Herbed Ricotta, Five Pork Bolognese and Roasted Tomato Marinara. Single portion for $16 (it’s large) and a double portion with a salad for $30.

M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

Pan-Seared Yellow Fin Tuna, Grilled Escarole, Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Grilled Escarole, Seared Artrichokes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce and Prosciutto Powder $27

M’tucci’s @ Home

Don’t forget to look for our Artisan Bread and Ravioli Meals at your local Albertsons Market. Also, we also have our Artisan Bread, Shrubs, cheese and cured meats in the deli counters at all M’tucci’s locations.

Just one More - Missing Italy

Small Canal - Venice

Grand Canal - Venice

Thanks for reading. See you next week, Ciao!

Salt: Sale (Italian), Sel (French), Sal (Spanish), Salz (German)

There is no kitchen ingredient more important than salt. It brings out a food’s natural flavors, it enhances a dish after cooking, we cure meat with it, preserve vegetables with it and use it with cocktails. The only rock that we eat, our bodies require it, civilizations have fought wars over it, and great cities were located near it’s source (Salzburg, Austria).

For many years, salt was a valuable trading commodity, even used as currency in some locations. In 1999, I followed the Tuareg people of Niger for three weeks across the Sahara desert while working on a book for National Geographic. They used a camel caravan to transport the salt that is harvested from evaporation pools in the Western Sahara desert. They would buy it in November, store it in their village, then take it to parts of Nigeria to trade in the Spring.

All of our chefs agree about its importance, some prefer to use only sea salt and a few like the ease of using Kosher Salt. Kosher salt was originally used in the production of meat in Kosher kitchens and is a course salt, easy to sprinkle with your hands. One brand that you are likely to find in any good kitchen is Diamond Crystal. Chef Cory advises caution when using Kosher salt, because it is easy to over use it. And, once something is too salty, you have to start over. Table salt is rarely used in our kitchens, since it tends to have a stronger salt flavor and is easy to overuse. Sea salt also has the added flavor profiles of other minerals depending on where the evaporation ponds are located.

PASTA OR VEGETABLE WATER: Chef Shawn suggests using sea salt in pasta water. How salty should it be? It should taste like the ocean and the only way to determine if you have added enough is to taste the water carefully (don’t burn your tongue!!). Marcella Hazan recommended a minimum of three quarts of water and 1.5 tablespoons of salt per pound of dried pasta, more if the sauce is mild and not salty.

If you would like to know more about the origins and uses of salt (making mummies in ancient Egypt), I highly recommend the book, “Salt: A World History” by Mark Kurlansky.

NEXT WEEK: PASTA TIPS

EVENTS COMING UP

M’TUCCI’S ITALIAN

April Prix Fixe Menu will be posted on Instagram and Facebook page Wednesday morning. Three courses paired with three wines for $25 per person.

April 7, 4:00 - Flight of the Four Seasons: Four-Course dinner paired with tea-infused cocktails at M’tucci’s Italian. Space is limited, reservations required - $55 per person (service not included). Please call 505-503-7327 for reservations.

Here is a video of the making of the first cocktail on the list, the Spring Fling.

M’TUCCI’S MODERNO

March 28, 7:00 - Oscar Butler live in our lounge

March 29, 8:30 - Lani Nash live in our lounge

M’TUCCI’S ITALIAN MARKET & PIZZERIA

May 31, 6:00 - Beer Week Collaboration with Dialogue Brewing. Four course menu paired with Dialogue’s European style beers. Tickets available at Dialogue Taproom, 1501 1st St NW. $40 per person.

ONGOING

Monthly Photo Contest - Win a $50 Gift Certificate!

Post a photo from M’tucci’s on your Facebook page or on your Instagram feed and use the hashtag #lovemtuccis. On the last day of the month, we’ll pick the best photo from the three photos with the most engagements (likes, shares and comments) and the winner will receive a $50 M’tucci’s gift certificate. Each month’s winner will be entered in the annual contest for the Grand Prize (tbd). Photos are being posted now for the April contest which ends on the last day of the month. Winners announced on May 2.

Pastry Specials at M’tucci’s Italian Market & Pizzeria

Our pastry chefs, Kelly, Lauren and Moriah create fresh goodies daily. You can almost always find baguettes, ciabatta, sourdough and rye bread; Lemon Ricotta cookies, Dulce de Leche Pecan Sandies, and brioche donuts - HoneyMaple Bacon or Lemon Meringue topped with toasted Almonds. Specials might include cream puffs, savory empanadas, fruit tarts or Lemon Bars with Citrus Chocolate Mousse.

Also, check out Facebook or Instagram on Thursdays for the Thursday Night Prix Fixe Menu.

Now online is the M’tucci’s You Tube Channel. See highlights of our three locations, watch the kitchen in action, and watch our talented pros make cocktails that they have created. Watch it here.

For daily specials, Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Click on the icons at the bottom of the page. To receive an email when each new Newsletter is published, you can subscribe at the bottom left of the page.

Buon Appetito!!