Free Giada at Home: Family Recipes From Italy and California by Giada de Laurentiis Page B

intervals around the roast, secure the bacon in place.
    Place the pork in a 9 × 13-inch baking pan and roast for 1 hour. Cover the pan loosely with foil and roast for another 10 to 20 minutes, until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the pork registers 160°F. Remove from the oven. Cover the pan with foil again and allow the pork roast to rest for 20 minutes. Remove the kitchen twine and slice the meat into ¼-inch-thick slices.
    For the salad: While the pork is resting, in a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and oil until smooth. Season the dressing with salt and pepper.
    Arrange the arugula on a large platter and drizzle with the dressing. Lay the pork slices on top and serve.
     

     

    Roasted Branzino with Lemons
     

    Cooking a fish whole is the best way to ensure it will stay moist and flavorful, and the process is a lot less intimidating than it looks. Branzino is a small Mediterranean sea bass with a mild flavor and delicate texture, enhanced here with a bright, fresh stuffing of fennel and lemon. Todd says he always feels like he’s on a diet when he eats fish, so I cook it with some pancetta to hearty up the dish a bit. Do watch out for small bones when you serve the branzino.
    2
teaspoons olive oil
8
ounces pancetta, cut into ¼-inch dice
Vegetable oil cooking spray
2
(1½-pound) whole branzino, striped bass, or red snapper, scaled and gutted, head removed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2
lemons, zest grated, thinly sliced
1
medium fennel bulb, fronds coarsely chopped (about ¼ cup) and bulb trimmed and thinly sliced
2
tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
½
cup dry white wine
    Place an oven rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
    In a small skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until brown and crispy, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Set aside.
    Lay a piece of heavy-duty foil on a baking sheet. Spray the foil with vegetable oil cooking spray. Lay the fish in the center of the foil and cut two 2-inch diagonal slits on each side of each fish, taking care not to cut through the bone. Season the cavities with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, mix together half of the lemon zest, the fennel fronds, and thyme. Divide the mixture in half and place in the cavities. Stuff the fish with the lemon and fennel slices, reserving 4 lemon slices to place on top. Scatter any remaining fennel and the cooked pancetta around the fish. Pour the wine over the fish and arrange2 lemon slices on top of each. Lay another piece of foil on top and crimp the edges of both pieces of foil together to form a packet.
    Roast the fish for 30 to 35 minutes, until the flesh is flaky and cooked through. Let rest for 5 minutes. Carefully remove the top piece of foil. Transfer the fish to a cutting board. Remove the fennel and lemon slices and arrange on a platter. Pull back the skin from the fish. Using a sharp knife, separate the two top fillets from the backbone. Using a metal spatula, transfer the fillets to the platter. Lift the fish backbone from the bottom fillets (the backbone should come off easily) and discard. Using the spatula, transfer the two remaining fillets to the platter. Sprinkle with the remaining lemon zest before serving.
     

     

    I love the look, flavor, and textures of this delicate and pretty dish. It’s a perfect way to spotlight the flavors of spring, when fava beans are in season. Other times of the year you can substitute frozen lima beans for the favas; either way the purée is bright from the mint and satisfies your starch cravings. Just be careful not to overcook the beans, as they can turn an unattractive gray. Red snapper, with its pinkish hue, is a quite flavorful white fish that works perfectly with the fava beans. Finish it off with a drizzle of really good-quality extra-virgin olive oil.
    4
cups (1 quart) low-sodium chicken broth
3
pounds fresh fava beans, shelled, or 1½ pounds