SWEET AND SPICY GRILLED CALAMARI

1 Lb. Fresh Squid
2-4 Hot Cherry Peppers Seeded and Thinly Sliced
1 Tomato Seeded and Diced
1/2 Small Red Onion 1/2 Inch Sliced
3 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1/2 Tbsp. Butter
1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
Juice of 1/2 Lemon
Pinch of Salt and Pepper
1 Clove Minced Garlic

Drizzle Calamari with Olive Oil, Lemon, Salt, and Pepper
Grill Calamari until cooked keeping them nice and tender
Heat olive oil and butter in sauce pan, add garlic until slightly brown, then add peppers, tomato and red onion. Sautee until mixture becomes soft, (8-10 min.) adding more olive oil if necessary. Add juice of lemon and balsamic vinegar and continue to mix. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.
Place grilled calamari over sautee and finish with drizzle of balsamic reduction for dipping.

Enjoy!!

Recommended Wine: Merlot

WORDS FROM A HAPPY CUSTOMER

If you’re looking for tasty casual Italian cuisine, then Gaetano’s is for you.

Before we were seated, we were first shown some of the available specials that were on display. They all looked very good. We were very impressed with the black fettuccini with swordfish and cockle clams, in fact I don’t think I’ve ever seen that on a menu at any restaurant I’ve ever been to.

The only disappointment for me was the inability to order Sangria by the glass. They only sell wine by the bottle or you can bring your own. I couldn’t justify buying a whole bottle as I’m not that big of a wine drinker nor is my other half.

Our first appetizer choice, Calamari Calabrese, was not available, so we went with the traditional fried calamari. No biggie. Either way we were set on having squid, so we were just glad to have at least one squid option available to us. The spicy Mediterranean Caponata sauce that comes with the calabrese version sounded really good, though. So I guess we’ll just have to go back and try that another time.

I chose their signature dish Lamb Osso Buco as my entree. It took a while to prepare, as the server warned me, but I was patient. Good things come to those who wait, right? In this case, yes! The lamb was succulent and tender while the pappardella pasta was right on. Together it was a hearty, satisfying dish and worth the $24.95. It was a lot of food so I needed a box. It will be a great lunch tomorrow.

He ordered the stuffed flounder special. Stuffed with all the seafood he loves - lobster, shrimp, scallops, and crabmeat - it was a hit! He noted the crispy potato “cake” that came with it was also very good.

It was a lot of food, so we could not even think about dessert. I’m sure they are wonderful, though.

In summary, we enjoyed our first dining experience at Gaetano’s and will definitely go back some time.

P.S. WE NOW HAVE THE CALABRESE 7 DAYS A WEEK!!

To read more of Marilyn's blog visit http://redbankblues.wordpress.com/

BLACK MISSION FIG SALAD

-12 oz. baby greens, washed and dried
-20 black mission figs
-Extra Virgin Olive Oil
-Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
-1/2 cup balsamic reduction
-8 slices prosciutto de parma

Place baby greens on four separate plates. drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Place slices of prosciutto over the greens. Slice figs in halves or quarters and place around the plate. Drizzle with balsamic reduction.

Balsamic Reduction:
Put 1 cup balsamic in sauce pan with 1/4 cup sugar
Heat until reduced by half
Set aside until it cools

ENJOY!!

GAETANO'S ASKS...

Are the Yankees in, or are the Yankees out?

Will the bullpen hold up? Will the Yankees bats stay hot?

Let us know how far you think the Yankees will go this season...

The person closest to the right outcome will be eligible to win a prize to be determined at a later date by the Gaetano's staff.

Simply leave us a comment with your best guess and the winner will be announced at the conclusion of the Yankees' season.

Will it be golf in mid-October for Joe and the crew, or will the Yankees be going all the way to the World Series?

Let us know and find out just what you can win!

WEEKEND REVIEW

THERE'S A BIT OF A CHILL IN THE AIR AS THE FALL SLOWLY SNEAKS UP ON US, BUT GAETANO'S CONTNUES TO BE A HOT SPOT EVERY WEEKEND NIGHT.

THE RESTAURANT WAS FILLED TO THE BRIM SATURDAY AS LINES OF EAGER CUSTOMERS FORMED DOWN WALLACE STREET WAITING TO JOIN US FOR DINNER.

CHEF DAGO TOOK US DOWN UNDER THIS WEEKEND WITH HIS AUSTRALIAN BARAMUNDI. IT'S A LIGHT FLAKY WHITE FISH SIMILAR TO TILAPIA AND IT WAS COMPLIMENTED BY A LEMON AND WHITE WINE SAUCE. LET'S JUST SAY THIS FISH WAS JUMPING OUT OF THE WATER AND IN TO PEOPLE'S BELLIES ALL WEEKEND LONG!

ANOTHER WEEKEND FAVORITE FROM THE SEA WAS THE GRILLED SWORDFISH SERVED WITH SHRIMP AND ROASTED RED PEPPERS IN A LEMON, BUTTER, WHITE WINE SAUCE. SIMPLE BUT DELICIOUS IS THE RESPONSE WE GOT.

AND IF YOU WANT TO TURN THE HEAT UP EVEN MORE, ALL OF OUR WEEKEND FISH SPECIALS ARE AVAILABLE IN A BLACKENED STYLE. RUBBED WITH AN ASSORTMENT OF FRESH HERBS AND SPICES AND SERVED OVER A BABY GREENS IT'S JUST WHAT YOU NEED TO GET YOUR TASTE BUDS GOING.

IN OTHER WEEKEND NEWS, LAMB OSSO BUCCO BEWARE, THERE'S A NEW MEAT IN TOWN.

THE CENTER CUT PORK SHANK HAS BEEN GETTING RAVE REVIEWS SINCE IT FOUND IT'S WAY TO OUR MENU LAST WEEK. IT'S SLOW COOKED AND BRAISED WITH ROOT VEGETABLES
THEN SERVED OVER A SUN DRIED TOMATO RISOTTO FINISHED WITH A RICH WHITE WINE TOMATO SAUCE.

SO IF YOUR TORN BETWEEN THE TWO, FLIP A COIN. IF IT LANDS ON HEADS GET THE PORK OSSO BUCCO THIS WEEK AND THE LAMB THE NEXT TIME YOU VISIT.

THEY'RE BOTH THAT GOOD!

CHECK BACK DURING THE WEEK FOR MORE GAETANO'S NEWS AND EVENTS.

WE HOPE TO SEE YOUR FACE IN OUR PLACE REAL SOON!

GAETANO'S REMEMBERS

IN MEMORY OF THOSE KILLED, INJURED, OR EFFECTED BY THE TRAGIC EVENTS OF SEPTEMBER 11TH 2001









OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE WITH YOU AND YOUR FAMILIES.

WEEKEND REVIEW

WELL LABOR DAY CAME AND WENT AND THE KIDS ARE HEADED BACK TO SCHOOL, BUT THE SUMMER STUCK AROUND FOR ONE MORE WEEKEND.

THE SUN WAS OUT, THE WEATHER WAS HOT, AND CROWDS WERE OUT AT GAETANO'S IN FULL FORCE FOR ONE LAST LATE SUMMER HURRAH.

THIS WEEKEND CHEF DAGO SERVED UP HIS NEWEST HOMEMADE HIT--ASPARAGUS FLAVORED FETTUCINNI WITH ROCK SHRIMP, SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS AND PLUM TOMATOES, IN A LIGHT GARLIC, OLIVE OIL, AND PARMESAN CHEESE SAUCE.

ANOTHER NEW SPECIAL, RIB VEAL CHOP MILANESE MADE IT'S WAY TO THE GAETANO'S WEEKEND MENU--THE SUCCULENT PIECE OF VEAL WAS BUTTERFLIED AND SEASONED WITH FRESH ITALIAN BREADCRUMBS AND SERVED OVER A BED OF ARUGULA WITH A WHOLE GRAIN MUSTARD VINAIGRETTE. IT WAS THEN FINSIHED WITH SOME DELICIOUS GRILLED SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS.

FANS OF OUR FAMOUS LAMB OSSO BUCCO WERE TREATED TO A TASTY ALTERNATIVE TOO--PORK OSSO BUCCO. THE CENTER CUT SHANK PLEASED PALLATES AND FILLED BELLIES ALL NIGHT LONG WITH IT'S DELICIOUSLY PLEASING SLOW COOKED FLAVOR SERVED OVER SUN-DRIED TOMATO RISOTTO AND FINISHED WITH A RICH WHITE WINE TOMATO SAUCE.

SO WHETHER YOU PLAN ON CATCHING UP WITH FAMILY, OR YOU'RE LOOKING TO CELEBRATE WITH A LARGE GROUP OF FRIENDS, MAKE GAETANO'S YOUR SPOT ANY NIGHT OF THE WEEK.

WE HOPE TO SEE YOUR FACE IN OUR PLACE REAL SOON!