Ric Orlando, Hudson Valley Chef

Ric’s Not Quite Ibarra Chocolate Cake
Ok so this cake is delish, but does not have the Mexican Ibarra chocolate in it. It has the components of Ibarra chocolate, which is fine by me!
Makes a 9 inch round cake.
Preheat oven to 325
1 tbls cinnamon
small pinch ground cloves
1 tsp red chile powder
zest of two oranges
4 tbls bittersweet chocolate, minced
1 1/2 cups peeled almonds, toasted and grind to a fine powder
4 eggs, separated
1/2 cup sugar, divided
2 tbls fresh orange juice
Patron Citronage, Gran Marnier or triple sec
Grease, flour, paper and grease your cake pan.
Combine the cinnamon, clove, chile powder,orange zest, chocolate and almonds in a mixing bowl.
Beat the yolks with 1/4 cup of the sugar and orange juice until smooth and shiny.
In another bowl beat the whites to soft peaks while gradually adding in the sugar. Now combine the yolk mix with the chocolate-almond mix. 
Carefully add half of the whipped the whipped whites. When incorporated add the other half.
Spread into the cake pan and bake…

Cingale con Tutti gli Odori (Wild Boar with All of it's Aromas) This is a very cool, ancient style dish and and the essence of Pulgia in many ways. It represenst the hunter/forager roots of the region. This is a recipe designed to break down and neutralize the gaminess of wild boar, but a pork shoulder will work just fine here as well. The hermetically sealed pot will trap the steamed released from the animal, conatining “all of the aromas” or Tutti Gli Odori”.This dish is great as a ragout over pasta, farro or rice or served on the table in a big family style bowl with sides of roasted potatoes andgood bread.
Serves 6-8 with leftovers .1 large frying rabbit sectioned into: 1 4-6 lb wild boar shoulder or pork picnic roast, cut into large chunks 2 tablespoons olive oil tutti gli odori—all of the herbs and aromatics: 1 tablespoon fresh basil 1 tablespoon fresh thyme 6 juniper berries 1 tablespoon black peppercorns 1 tablespoon fennel seeds 1 tablespoon fresh sage 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary 2 t…

--> Orecchiette with Arugula sauce and “olio santo”. Orrecchiete and cavatelli are the true pastas of puglia. As is tradition, the women make pasta by hand, but there are some nice authentic brands on line and in better Italian markets too. The pasta is special there as they use real local semolina flour. It makes a nice rich and chewy pasta that holds the “Condiment” well. This dish features arugula Rustica.which is foraged and also cultivated. It is more bitter and intense than our California version. Get some arugula sylvetta seeds and grow it! You’ll love it. Here is a link- http://www.seedsavers.org/sylvetta-organic-arugula

Serves 4 1 lb artisan orecchiette pasta or home made
For the sauce. 4 cloves garlic, sliced thinly 1/4 cup good olive oil pinch of salt 1 can high quality plum tomatoes, squished by hand, reserving the juice too Generous handful chopped basil 1 lb arugula 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano cheese plus more for the table.
Bring a pot of generously salted water to a rollin…

A Taste of Puglia Puglia is the “Heel of the Boot” of Italy. Known as the bread basket of Italy, it is a highly agricultural region and at the same time is on the Adriatic coast. The seafood, grains and vegetables there are super local andfresh and are eating seasonally. Want a zucchini is spring? Not in Puglia. Non é la stagione! The Pugliese are very set in their ways. They eat simple food, withclean flavors that change with the season. These recipes are extremely minimal, yet beautiful. It is true Italian “Piatti povere” cooking
They celebrate the true flavors of the products used and have set the trend for many chefs styles in America today.



Mussels Gratinata Did I mention that the Pugliese are…frugal? Through necessity, they have developed many recipes that stretch the meal using bread. These mussels are deliciously baked with a simple bread and and garlic topping. So simple yet so delicious.
Serves 4 -8 2 lbs mussels ( about 40) 1 glass of dry white wine 2 cups or more bread crumbs 2 t…