When the weather starts to warm and we begin to spend more time outdoors in the heat, our bodies naturally start to crave lighter and fresher foods. We don’t need to be comforted by heavy soups, stews, or sauce covered pastas. The same is true for folks all around the world, and in Italy the summer is a time of great celebration of the harvest of the freshest fruits, vegetables, and the bounty of the seas. This is part of the reasons the fine dining Orlando experts at Christini’s is featuring a delicious summer menu.
Leggero, which means “light” in Italian, is the way to prepare and serve food during the hot days of summer. Food is primarily served either slightly warmed or completely chilled. This helps to keep the kitchen cool and the cooks from overheating. Fresh salads made with lettuce and vegetables drizzled with olive oil, fresh lemon juice, and zest are a hit at most meals. The classic Insalata Caprese–garden-fresh tomato slices layered with hand-made thick slices of mozzarella, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of salt, and fresh basil leaves is absolutely heavenly.
Seafood salads are very popular during this time of the year. Fish and shellfish cook and cool quickly, making an easy, light, and flavorful addition to any vegetable or cold pasta dish. They also serve as a fantastic stand-alone protein accompanied by grilled vegetables. Calamari, shrimp, and fish can all be prepared with a quick pan stir fry or grilled to perfection. Tossed in light vinaigrette or served with a delicate aioli, they are sure to be a crowd pleaser. Eating like an Italian during the summer months means that you will avoid heavy mayonnaise based dishes, focusing instead on salads that will not spoil quickly in the heat.
Picnics are a favorite pass-time in the Italian summer. Hard cheeses, breads, cold cuts, fruits, and nuts are easy to pack and keep without chilling. Pasta salads dressed with olive oil, fresh herbs, and splashes of balsamic or red wine vinegar are palate pleasing and very summer-appropriate. Pasta salads are often prepared with lightly grilled vegetables, fresh diced tomatoes and mixed with a favorite shape of pasta. Add some cubes of mozzarella, or one of a host of Italian cheeses, and you have a perfect summertime meal.
Cold rice dishes are also very popular during the heat of the summer. You can toss it with grilled or sautéed vegetables, fresh peas, cheeses, olives, lemon juice; almost anything you can think of will make a cold rice salad amazing. Try substituting orzo for rice in your recipe. You will be happy with the results.
If you really want to beat the heat this summer, come and visit the fine dining Orlando restaurant, Christini’s Ristorante Italiano, and let our chefs whip up some of your favorite authentic Italian dishes. If you’ve never experienced an authentic Italian summer favorite, share this post with a friend who has, and ask them what they think.
