Tupelo psychiatrist enjoys trying foods from different cultures
Nov. 2—TUPELO — Demetrio Prota says he's one-third Italian, one-third Dominican and one-third Spanish.
So it's no wonder he enjoys trying different cuisines, and experimenting with flavors that might not necessarily go together at first glance.
"I enjoy eating my way through cultures," said Prota, 39. "I enjoy understanding the history behind food."
Prota and his wife, Johanna Lu, were both born and raised in the Dominican Republic. They trained and practiced psychiatry in New York before moving to Tupelo in 2017; they have two young children, Matteo and Camila.
Prota first began cooking when he was a teenager. He didn't have the money to take girls out for dates, so instead he'd cook for them at home.
"I'd make a big mess in the kitchen, but the food was always good," he said. "My grandfather used to say, 'If you can eat this good at home, why would you go out?'"
Prota began discovering food profiles and spices when he would eat in restaurants.
"I'd want to recreate those flavors at home," he said. "I'd go home and say, 'Hmm, what is that taste that's different?' I started looking at copycat recipes to see what the flavors were."
By the time he got to medical school, he was no longer cooking just for taste. He was also cooking foods that nurtured his body and his mind.
"I was trying to find things that tasted good, people enjoyed, and I enjoyed making," he said.
Today, Prota cooks just about every day. On Sundays, he meal preps for the week, and he and Johanna either take lunch to work or run home for a quick bite.
In the evenings, the meals he prepares might look different for the adults and the kids. The last couple of years, he's been trying to eat fewer carbs at night, so he might make spaghetti with butter and Parmesan for the kids, while he Johanna might enjoy roasted salmon with sweet potatoes or Brussels sprouts.
"If it's been an easy day at work, and we're not on call that night, I might make something more elaborate," he said. "When I entertain, that' s how I show my appreciation for somebody."
That could mean a hearty ragout with homemade spaghetti, or his wife's favorite dish — Beef Wellington.
"I'm not a baker, so I buy the puff pastry, but everything else is homemade," he said. "It's my most elaborate dish. I probably make it once every two or three months. Somebody is always asking for it."
Prota usually tries a new recipe when he gets something stuck in his head that he just can't shake.
"If I see a commercial for deep-dish pizza, and that's what I want to eat, I'll research it and make it," he said. "I don't always use one recipe. I look at five or six of them. At this point, I can look at a recipe and know if it's going to turn out well."
DO YOU KNOW A GOOD COOK? Send your nominations to Ginna Parsons, Cook of the Week, P.O. Box 909, Tupelo, MS 38802. Or you can call (662) 678-1581 or email them to ginna.parsons@journalinc.com.
SPAGHETTI CARBONARA
Salt to taste
2 large eggs plus 2 large yolks, room temperature
1 ounce grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for serving
1 ounce grated Parmesan cheese
Coarsely ground black pepper
3 1/2 ounces slab guanciale, pancetta or bacon
1 tablespoon olive oil
12 ounces spaghetti
Place a large pot of lightly salted water (no more than 1 tablespoon salt) over high heat, and bring to a boil. Fill a large bowl with hot water for serving, and set aside.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, yolks, Pecorino Romano and Parmesan. Season with a pinch of salt and a generous pinch of black pepper.
Slice the pork into pieces that are about 1/4-inch thick by 1/2-inch square.
While water is coming to a boil, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the pork, and sauté until the fat just renders, on the edge of crispness but not hard. Remove from heat and set aside.
Add pasta to the water and boil until a bit firmer than al dente. Just before pasta is ready, reheat guanciale in skillet, if needed. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain pasta and add to the skillet over low heat. Stir for a minute or so.
Empty serving bowl of hot water. Dry it and add hot pasta mixture. Stir in cheese mixture, adding some reserved pasta water if needed for creaminess. Serve immediately, dressing it with a bit of additional grated Pecorino and pepper.
BEEF WELLINGTON
DUXELLES
1 1/2 pounds white button mushrooms
2 shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
BEEF
1 (3-pound) center-cut beef tenderloin (filet mignon), trimmed
Olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 thin slices prosciutto
6 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves only
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
All-purpose flour
1 pound puff pastry, thawed
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Minced chives, for garnish
To make the duxelles, add mushrooms, shallots, garlic, and thyme to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add butter and olive oil to a large sauté pan and set over medium heat. Add the shallot and mushroom mixture and saute for 8 to 10 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper and set aside to cool.
To prepare the beef, tie the tenderloin in 4 places so it holds its cylindrical shape while cooking. Drizzle with olive oil, then season with salt and pepper and sear all over, including the ends, in a hot, heavy skillet lightly coated with olive oil, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Meanwhile set out your prosciutto on a sheet of plastic wrap (plastic needs to be about a foot and a half in length) on top of your cutting board. Shingle the prosciutto so it forms a rectangle that is big enough to encompass the entire fillet of beef. Using a rubber spatula, cover evenly with a thin layer of duxelles. Season the surface of the duxelles with salt and pepper and sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves.
When the beef is seared, remove from heat, cut off twine and smear lightly all over with Dijon mustard. Allow to cool slightly, then roll up in the duxelles covered prosciutto using the plastic wrap to roll it up nice and tight. Tuck in the ends of the prosciutto as you roll to completely encompass the beef. Roll it up tightly in plastic wrap and twist the ends to seal it completely and hold it in a nice log shape. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to ensure it maintains its shape.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the puff pastry out to about a 1/4-inch thickness. Depending on the size of your sheets you may have to overlap 2 sheets and press them together. Remove beef from refrigerator and cut off plastic. Set the beef in the center of the pastry and fold over the longer sides, brushing with egg wash to seal. Trim ends if necessary then brush with egg wash and fold over to completely seal the beef. Save the pastry ends to use as a decoration on top if desired. Top with coarse sea salt. Place the beef seam side down on a baking sheet.
Brush the top of the pastry with egg wash then make a couple of slits in the top of the pastry using the tip of a paring knife — this creates vents that will allow the steam to escape when cooking. Bake at 425 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes until pastry is golden brown and beef registers 125 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. Remove from oven and let rest before cutting into thick slices. Garnish with minced chives.
AUTHENTIC RAGOUT
Olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 carrot, diced
5 ounces pancetta, chopped
8 ounces ground pork
1 pound ground beef
Salt and pepper
16 ounces tomato puree (100% tomatoes, nothing added)
1 cup white wine
1 to 2 cups warm water
Dried oregano optional
Fresh egg pasta, such as tagliatelle, cooked and drained
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, for serving
Heat 3 to 4 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven or large saucepan. Add celery, carrots and onion. Sauté for about 3 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft and tender.
Add the pancetta and ground pork and brown, stirring constantly to break up the meat. When the pork is finely crumbled, add the ground beef and brown in the same manner. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Add white wine and allow to simmer, partially covered, for 10 to 15 minutes (or until the smell of alcohol is gone). Stir in tomato purèe and bring to a simmer. Adjust seasonings. At this point, the ragout should resemble a thick chili.
Partially cover the pot and allow the sauce to gently simmer for about 2 hours. Stir occasionally, and add warm water whenever it thickens into a chili-like texture. Toward the end of the cook time, stop adding water so the ragout can thicken for serving.
When the ragout is nearing readiness, cook the pasta and drain. Return pasta to pot and add several ladles of sauce, just enough to coat the pasta. Stir all together over medium heat for a minute or two. Serve in individual bowls and top with a ladle of extra sauce and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.
GNOCCHI WITH GORGONZOLA CREAM SAUCE
2 large russet potatoes
Salt to taste
3 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 pound Gorgonzola cheese
Coarsely ground black pepper
Fresh basil or sage leaves
Walnut pieces or chopped walnut halves
Boil the potatoes, with the skin on, until you can easily stick a fork in them, about 30 to 45 minutes depending on the size of the potatoes. Drain the potatoes and allow them to cool while you prepare the sauce.
When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel them with a paring knife and mash them. You can do so with a potato masher in a pot, or using a potato ricer. Transfer the mashed potatoes to a large work surface and lightly season them with salt.
Sprinkle 2 to 3 handfuls of flour over the potatoes and begin kneading the dough together. Add more flour as necessary in order to achieve a dough that is soft but not too sticky. Taste a piece occasionally. If it sticks to the top of your mouth, you need to add a little more flour.
When the dough has the proper consistency, cut it into manageable chunks (about the size of a fist) and roll it by hand into finger-width strands. Use a small knife to cut the strands into 1-inch pieces.
To form the gnocchi, take each 1-inch piece and roll/press it gently down the surface of either a gnocchi board or a fork, using one finger. With gentle but firm pressure, your finger should create a depression in each gnocco while the board or fork should create a ridged pattern on the opposite side. These textures serve a very important purpose — they hold sauce.
Arrange the finished gnocchi on a well-floured baking sheet so that the pieces don't touch and stick together.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it generously, starting with 2 small handfuls. Drop the gnocchi into the boiling water and stir gently to keep them from sticking in the pot.
To make the gorgonzola cream sauce, bring the heavy cream to a simmer over medium heat and keep simmering until the cream is reduced in volume by about a third. Add the cheese in pieces, stirring until all the cheese melts and the sauce becomes smooth.
When the gnocchi float to the top of the water, they're done. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon and transfer into the sauce. Toss all together while allowing the sauce to simmer over medium/high heat for a few moments. Spoon the gnocchi onto a plate and top with black pepper, a little extra sauce and a few basil or sage leaves and walnut pieces. Serve immediately.
FARRO SALAD
1 cup whole-grain farro
2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 bay leaf
1/3 cup olive oil
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons honey
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups lightly packed arugula
1 green apple, chopped
1/2 cup shaved Parmesan
1/4 cup freshly chopped basil
2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley
1/4 cup toasted pecans, roughly chopped
In a medium saucepan, combine farro, broth, salt and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and let cook, stirring occasionally, until farro is tender and no broth remains, about 30 minutes. When farro is cooked, transfer to a large bowl to cool.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the oil, then add shallots. When the shallots begin to bubble, reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until shallots are golden and crisp, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove shallots from oil with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel-lined plate and season with salt. Let oil cool.
In a medium bowl, combine the cooled olive oil with vinegar, mustard, and honey, and season with salt and pepper.
To assemble, combine cooked farro, crispy shallots, arugula, apple, Parmesan, basil, parsley and pecans. Drizzle dressing over salad and toss to coat.
PENNE WITH CREAMY ROASTED RED PEPPERS
2 red bell peppers
1 onion
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
5 Calabrian chilis from a jar, plus 1 tablespoon of liquid
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 pint heavy cream
1 pound penne pasta
Salt
1 tablespoon cold butter
Pecorino Romano cheese, to taste
To remove the skin of the peppers, coat with a touch of oil and then place in the oven under the broiler and cook until the skin starts to char slightly, moving the peppers around until evenly charred all the way around. You don't need too much char for this. Once charred, place in a bowl and cover in plastic wrap and let it steam for 15 minutes. While that steams, prep the rest of the ingredients.
Slice the onion and garlic thinly, measure out the red pepper flakes, seed the Calabrian chilies and leave them whole along with a little of the oil they were packed in.
By now the peppers should be steamed. Using a knife, scrape the skin off the peppers, remove the seeds and stem, and cut them into thin slices.
Get a pot of salted water up to a boil, and heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add a few tablespoons of olive oil and the sliced onions. Season with salt. Once onions are softened and begin to turn translucent, add the peppers. Cook for a few minutes until the onions are fully translucent and soft and starting to brown slightly. Then add the garlic, red pepper flakes and Calabrian chilies and cook until the garlic softens and begins to slightly brown around the edges.
Add tomato paste, stir into the vegetables, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cream, lower the heat to medium and cook for about 5 minutes or until the cream has thickened. Let cool slightly and then blend until smooth.
Add the pasta to the boiling water. Return the sauce to the pan over low heat while the pasta cooks. Slowly melt in a tablespoon of cold butter and adjust the seasonings before adding the pasta. About 1 to 2 minutes before the pasta is perfectly cooked, add it to the sauce with a tablespoon or two of the pasta water, marry the sauce and the pasta until the pasta becomes perfectly al dente. Turn the heat off, toss in some Pecorino Romano until creamy and thickened and then plate with a bit more Pecorino cheese.
