Rice Dish

vermicelli di riso fatti in casa / homemade bun rice noodles

| Simona

[cliccare il link per andare alla versione in italiano]

homemade bun rice noodle soup / IMG_2887

western-style broth meets eastern-style rice noodles

The eighth stop of our World Culinary ABC1 is Vietnam. To celebrate our virtual visit I made bun rice noodles from scratch. Making an Asian pasta had been on my to-do list for a long time. Having found a detailed recipe from a reputable source2, I went to work: the process was interesting and the result quite nice. 

The original recipe calls for a pound of rice flour, but I applied the rule I repeat in each of my pasta posts3 and quartered the quantities. Please, read carefully the note about flour below.

Ingredients for the noodles:

  • 4 ounces / 113 g white rice flour (see Note below)
  • 210 ml / 1 cup – 2 tablespoons water (#1)
  • water #2 (see recipe for details)
  • 2 teaspoons /  10 ml grapeseed oil, or other flavorless vegetable oil
  • 1 ounce / 28 g tapioca starch (tapioca flour is a synonym)
  • 1/2 tablespoon coarse salt

Ingredients for the soup:

  • Homemade chicken broth
  • Fresh chives

Update: Note about the flour. I originally used white rice flour I had at home, bought some time ago from the bulk section of my local grocery store (flour #1). The recipe I followed says to use Thai white rice flour (which reportedly is ground finer than American white rice flour). When I was able to find it, in a grocery store in Oakland's Chinatown, I made a comparison between that (flour #2) and the white rice flour I bought again from the local store, since I had depleted my original cash (flour #3).

After repeated tests, I can say that Thai white rice flour gave the same result as flour #1, which I originally used. They performed better than flour #3. The difference is barely noticeable if you consume the noodles immediately. The noodles made with flour #3 tended to stick together if not used right away, a tendency that got worse with time. 

Hence, I also recommend to use Thai white rice flour, if you can find it. If not, try using a finely ground white rice flour and make a small batch like I did. Do not use sweet rice flour (a.k.a., glutinous rice flour).

Prepare the batter the day before
In a small bowl, whisk together the rice flour and water #1 until smooth. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand for for 24-28 hours in a draft-free place (I put it on top of the refrigerator, my fermentation station). The batter should ferment a bit and develop a slight tang, but if that doesn't happen, it won't affect the recipe, so you can proceed.

How to make the dough
When you are ready to make the noodles, uncover the bowl. You should see that the flour has settled at the bottom and that there is a layer of water over it. Pour off that water slowly so as not to disturb the flour. When I used flour #1 (see Note above), this measured 1/4 cup / 60 ml or so. When I used Thai white rice flour and flour #3 it measured 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons / 90 ml. If you removed the lesser amount, add 2 teaspoons / 10 ml water to the batter. If you removed the larger amount, add 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon / 20 ml water to the batter. Stir well to make a smooth batter.

Fill a 4 quart / 4 liter pot with 3 quarts / 3 liters of water and heat it up, so it will be boiling by the time you are ready to cook the bun rice noodles.

Put the oil in a 1 quart / 1 liter saucepan and heat on high. When the oil is hot, pour the rice flour batter into the saucepan. Turn down the heat to medium and stir the batter with a wooden spoon, making sure you scrape the bottom and sides of the pan. If you've ever made pâte à choux, this passage will feel familiar. The batter will quickly thicken as you stir it. Turn down the heat and keep stirring until the dough becomes so stiff that the wooden spoon can stand up in it.

Transfer the dough to a clean bowl, let it cool slightly so you can handle it. Sprinkle the tapioca starch on it and knead to incorporate it. When almost all the starch has been incorporated, empty the bowl on a working surface lightly sprinkled with tapioca starch and knead the dough until it is smooth, a minute or so. The dough is supple but not sticky.

homemade bun rice noodle dough / IMG_2842

the dough ready to be extruded

How to make and cook the noodles
Prepare an ice bath in a bowl: fill it in half with water and add a dozen ice cubes. Place it near the stove.

Prepare the potato ricer (schiacciapatate). Use a kind that has holes on the bottom only and not on the sides. Mine has two changeable disks and I use the one with the smaller holes. 

When the water in the pot is almost boiling, add the coarse salt and stir. Bring water to a rolling boil.

bun rice noodle dough / IMG_2843

another use for the potato ricer

Place the dough into the potato ricer (see photo above). Working over the pot, press the potato ricer to extrude the noodles directly into the boiling water. Lower the potato ricer so that the bottom almost touches the water surface and jiggle it to break off the noodles (see Andrea's video2).

bun rice noodles cooking / IMG_2853

bun rice noodles cooking

Keep the water at a low boil. The noodles surface and then gather to one side of the pot. Take the noodles out of the water with a spider strainer or similar tool and place them straight  into the ice bath. Be gentle as the noodles are delicate. When the noodles have cooled, drain and rinse under running cool water to remove the excess starch. Drain well.

If you make more than one batch of noodles, I recommend you clean the potato ricer in between uses.

drained bun rice noodles / IMG_2854

drained bun rice noodles ready to be used

My recommendation is to eat the noodles soon after they are made.

In the top photo, you can see the soup (minestra) I made by simply heating up some of my homemade chicken broth and adding bun rice noodles and a sprinkling of snipped fresh chives. (My broth is never clear because I put a lot of vegetable trimmings in it, besides the chicken.) With the bun rice noodle recipe above you can make 4 bowls of soup served as an appetizer.

bun rice noodles with beans / IMG_2852

a fun pairing: bun rice noodles and fresh cannellini beans

In the photo above, I paired bun rice noodles with cannellini beans I bought fresh last summer and froze straight out of the pod. I also made some rolls with vegetables, bun rice noodles and chopped toasted peanuts (no photo). The soup was the most successful use for the noodles.

Now I am ready to make at home some other type of Asian pasta.

1 The World Culinary ABC kick-off post.
2 Andrea Nguyen's post on Viet World Kitchen is quite detailed and includes a video where you can see how the noodles are extruded into the boiling water. Her source is Charles Phan’s recipe for rice noodles which I actually read before Andrea's post. Phan's reference to pâte à choux is spot on: that's exactly how the process of cooking the dough feels. The thing that intrigued me in Phan's recipe was the dough fermentation. After reading Andrea's experiences, I've always fermented my dough 24-28 hours.
3 My collection of handmade pasta.

drained bun rice noodles / IMG_2854-2

monochrome

I contribute my bun rice noodles to the 8th installment of the Abbecedario culinario mondiale (World Culinary ABC), an event organized by Trattoria MuVarA that will bring us to visit 27 countries of the world using the alphabet as guide. H like Hanoi (Vietnam) is hosted by Sabrina of Les madeleines di Proust.

The list of recipes contributed to the event and their slide show.

Our-growing-edge-badgeI was a bit worried about failing in this adventure, but pushed myself to try and I am glad I did. I am contributing my first adventure in homemade Asian pasta to Our Growing Edge. This event aims to connect food bloggers and inspire them to try new things. This month the event is hosted by Cynthia from Eat Munch Love.

The roundup of the event.

New bww logoThe bottom photo is my contribution to edition #160 of Black and White Wednesday – A Culinary Photography Event created by Susan of The Well-Seasoned Cook, now organized by Cinzia of Cindystar, and hosted until April 1 by me, Simona of briciole.

The photo was shot in color with my iPhone and then converted to sepia (Lightroom preset B&W Look 1).

The gallery of image contributed to the event.

Click on the button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post

vermicelli di riso fatti in casa

or launch the vermicelli di riso fatti in casa audio file [mp3].

[Depending on your set-up, the audio file will be played within the browser or by your mp3 player application. Please, contact me if you encounter any problems.]

rice flour, noodles, soup, Vietnamese cuisine

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vermicelli di riso fatti in casa

vermicelli di riso fatti in casa / IMG_2887

brodo in stile occidentale con vermicelli in stile orientale

L'ottava tappa dell'Abbecedario culinario mondiale1 è il Vietnam. Per celebrarla ho preparato in casa i vermicelli di riso. Era da un po' di tempo che volevo provare a fare una pasta asiatica e dopo aver trovato una buona ricetta2 mi sono messa all'opera. Un procedimento interessante mi ha dato un buon risultato. 

La ricetta che ho seguito utilizza una libbra di farina di riso (450 g), ma io ho applicato la regola che ripeto in tutti i miei post sulla pasta fatta in casa3 e ho utilizzato un quarto degli ingredienti. Vi raccomando di fare lo stesso. Per favore, leggete con attenzione la nota sotto riguardante la farina di riso.

Ingredienti per i vermicelli:

  • 113 g farina di riso bianca (vedi Nota in basso)
  • 210 ml acqua (numero 1)
  • acqua numero 2
  • 10 ml olio di vinaccioli o altro olio vegetale insapore (dal sapore neutro)
  • 28 g amido di tapioca (o farina di tapioca, che è la stessa cosa)
  • mezzo cucchiaio di sale grosso

Ingredienti per la minestra:

  • brodo di pollo fatto in casa
  • erba cipollina fresca

Aggiornamento: Nota riguardante la farina. Per fare i vermicelli all'inizio ho usato farina di riso bianca che avevo a casa, comprata sfusa qualche tempo fa al supermercato locale (farina numero 1). La ricetta che ho seguito dice di usare farina di riso bianca tailandese (che a quanto ho letto è macinata più fine di quella americana). Quando sono riuscita a trovare tale farina, in un negozio nella Chinatown di Oakland, ho fatto un confronto tra essa (farina numero 2) e la farina di riso che ho comprato di nuovo al supermercato locale, dal momento che l'avevo finita (farina numero 3).

Dopo diversi test, posso dire che la farina di riso bianca tailandese ha dato lo stesso risultato della farina numero 1 che ho usato all'inizio. Hanno dato un risultato migliore della farina numero 3. La differenza è minima se consumate i vermicelli immediatamente. Quelli fatti con la farina numero 3 tendevano ad appiccicarsi l'uno all'altro se lasciati riposare, una tendenza che aumenta col passare del tempo.

Quindi anche io raccomando di utilizzare la farina di riso bianca tailandese, se riuscite a trovarla. Altrimenti, utilizzate una farina di riso bianca macinata fine e preparate una quantità ridotta di impasto, come ho fatto io. Non usate farina di riso glutinoso.

Preparare la base il giorno precedente
In una ciotolina mescolare acqua (numero 1) e farina di riso fino ad avere un impasto liscio. Coprire la ciotola e far riposare l'impasto per 24-28 ore in un luogo al riparo da correnti (nel mio caso sopra al frigorifero). L'impasto dovrebbe fermentare un po', ma se non succede potete proseguire lo stesso con la ricetta.

Preparare l'impasto
Quando siete pronti a preparare i vermicelli, scoprite la ciotola. Vedrete che la farina si è depositata sul fondo e c'è uno strato di acqua sopra di essa. Versarla lentamente per eliminarla senza disturbare la farina. Quando ho usate la farina numero 1 (vedi Nota in altro) quest'acqua era circa 60 ml. Quando ho usate la farina tailandese e la farina numero 3 quest'acqua era circa 90 ml. Se eliminate la quantità minore, aggiungete all'impasto 10 ml d'acqua. Se eliminate la quantità maggiore, aggiungete all'impasto 20 ml d'acqua. Mescolare bene per creare un impasto liscio.

Riempire una pentola alta da 4 litri con 3 litri d'acqua e scaldarla in modo che sia a bollore per quando siete pronti a cuocere i vermicelli.

Versare l'olio in una pentola da un litro e scaldarlo a calore elevato. Quando l'olio è bollente, versare l'impasto di farina di riso nella pentola. Abbassare il calore a medio e mescolare con un cucchiaio di legno, facendo attenzione a raschiare il fondo e le pareti della pentola. L'impasto si addensa rapidamente mentre lo mescolate. Abbassare il calore e continuare a mescolare fino a quando l'impasto non sia così sodo che il cucchiaio di legno infisso in esso rimane diritto.

Trasferire l'impasto in una ciotola pulita e farlo intiepidire un po' in modo da poterlo manipolare. Distribuire l'amido di tapioca sulla superficie e impastare per incorporarlo. Quando quasi tutto l'amido è incorporato, vuotare la ciotola sul piano di lavoro leggermente infarinato con la tapioca e lavorare l'impasto fino a quando sia omogeneo, circa un minuto. L'impasto è morbido ma non appiccicoso.

impasto per vermicelli di riso fatti in casa / IMG_2842

l'impasto pronto ad essere pressato

Come formare e cuocere i vermicelli
Preparare una ciotola con acqua ghiacciata: riempirla a metà di acqua e poi aggiungere una dozzina di cubetti di ghiaccio. Mettere la ciotola vicino ai fornelli.

Preparare lo schiacciapatate. Usare un tipo che ha i fori solo sul fondo e non ai lati. (Il mio ha due dischi intercambiabili e uso quello con i fori più piccoli.)

Quando l'acqua nella pentola ha quasi raggiunto il bollore aggiungere il sale grosso e mescolare. Portarla a bollore come per la pasta.

impasto per vermicelli di riso fatti in casa / IMG_2843

un altro modo di utilizzare lo schiacciapatate

Mettere l'impasto nello schiacciapatate (vedi foto qui sopra). Stando sopra la pentola, pressare lo schiacciapatate e far uscire i vermicelli direttamente nell'acqua bollente. Abbassare lo schiacciapatate in modo che la sua base quasi tocchi l'acqua a scuoterlo in modo da far staccare i vermicelli (vedi anche il video nel post di Andrea2).

vermicelli di riso durante la cottura / IMG_2853

bvermicelli di riso durante la cottura

Mantenere l'acqua a bollore delicato. I vermicelli salgono in superficie e poi si raccolgono verso un lato della pentola. Con un colino a retino o strumento simile tirare fuori dall'acqua i vermicelli e versarli delicatamente nell'acqua ghiacciata preparata in precedenza. Quando sono tiepidi, scolarli e sciacquarli in acqua fresca corrente per rimuovere l'eccesso di amido. Scolare bene.

vermicelli di riso scolati / IMG_2854

vermicelli di riso scolati e pronti per l'uso

La mia raccomandazione è di consumare i vermicelli quanto prima.

Nella foto in alto potete vedere la minestra che ho preparato semplicemente scaldando del mio brodo di pollo fatto in casa e aggiungendo i vermicelli di riso e un po' di erba cipollina tagliuzzata. (Il mio brodo non è mai limpido perché oltre al pollo ci metto molti avanzi di verdure.) Con la ricetta dei vermicelli in alto potete fare 4 tazze di minestra da servire come primo.

vermicelli di riso fatti in casa con fagioli / IMG_2852

una coppia speciale: vermicelli di riso fatti in casa con fagioli cannellini

Nella foto qui sopra ho impiattato i vermicelli con dei fagioli cannellini comprati freschi l'estate scorsa, sgranati e surgelati. Li ho anche usati per fare degli involtini primavera con verdure varie e arachidi tostate tritate (niente foto). Secondo me sono al meglio nella minestra.

Adesso sono pronta a provare a fare altri tipi di pasta asiatica.

1 Post inaugurale dell'Abbecedario culinario mondiale.
2 Il post di Andrea Nguyen su Viet World Kitchen è alquanto dettagliato e comprende un breve video dove potete vedere come lei pressa i vermicelli direttamente nell'acqua bollente. La ricetta di Andrea deriva da quella di Charles Phan che di fatto io avevo consultato prima di trovare il post di Andrea. Il paragone che Phan fa con l'impasto dei bigné è preciso: cuocere l'impasto per i vermicelli somiglia alla cottura dell'impasto per i bigné. L'elemento della ricetta che mi ha attirato in particolare è la fermentazione dell'impasto. Dopo aver letto i risultati degli esperimenti di Andrea, io ho sempre fermentato il mio impasto per 24-28 ore.
3 La mia collezione di pasta fatta in casa.

Con questa ricetta partecipo all'ottava tappa dell'Abbecedario culinario mondiale, un evento organizzato dalla Trattoria MuVarA che ci porterà a visitare 27 paesi del mondo usando le lettere dell'alfabeto come guida. H come Hanoi (Vietnam) è ospitata da Sabrina di Les madeleines di Proust. 

La lista di ricette contribuite all'evento e lo slide show che le mostra.

 

risotto al gorgonzola / risotto with gorgonzola cheese

| Simona
risotto with gorgonzola cheese

white beauty

Lake Como (Lago di Como) is one of the jewels of that treasure called Italy. It is famous around the world and rightly so. I cannot think of a stretch of it that is not worth visiting and no matter from which direction you approach it, you'll fall in love with it.

Living in Milan means having easy access to Lake Como. Many a Sunday, a short train ride would bring me to the station in Como. I had a friend in the city and with her I would spend some time sunbathing on the lake shore and then walking around the elegant downtown.

I have visited the lake again after moving to California, to show Como, Lecco, Bellagio, Varenna, Menaggio, etc. to my husband. It's easy to daydream while admiring the deep blue water on a sunny day, and I can understand visitors going back over and over again.

One of the villas built on its shore, Villa d'Este, in Cernobbio, has been a hotel since 1873. The reason I mention it is the book Tales of Risotto, Culinary Adventures from Villa d'Este by Jean Govoni Salvadore and Luciano Parolari. The latter has been executive chef at Villa d'Este for over thirty years. 

I did not grow up eating risotto, but rather learned about it after moving to Milan. Readers of this blog know that I am fond of risotto : it is straightforward to make, once you know the basics, and offers endless possibilities. The trick is to have the right ingredients, a bit of patience and a preference for minimalism. That's of course my opinion, but in reading Tales of Risotto, I learned that Chef Parolari and I agree on several counts.

The book contains 50 recipes for risotto divided into sections: cheese, vegetable and fruit, fish, shellfish, seasonal, poultry and meat. At the end, there are recipes for some traditional rice dishes like rice-stuffed tomatoes (pomodori col riso) and rice croquettes (supplì al telefono). At the beginning there is a general introduction where Chef Parolari talks about the fundamentals of risotto, including the basic steps that must be followed, regardless of the kind of risotto you are making. "Quality ingredients are the key to a perfect risotto," he writes, and "Do not overcook the rice."

Chef Parolari uses Carnaroli rice, which is also my favorite. It is relatively easy to find it in stores in the Bay Area. When I spot some at a good price, I stock up on it, so I have it on hand when I need it. (I also use Vialone nano.)

The other important ingredient of risotto is stock. The book includes recipes for various stocks. I make my own stocks (chicken, vegetable and fish) and freeze them, which is another thing that allows me to prepare a risotto any time I wish. Once you have rice and stock, you can make risotto with whatever the season offers and/or you have available. You can make a simple risotto alla parmigiana (with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese) or a rich risotto with Prosecco wine and oysters, just to give an example. The book contains a wide range of recipes, each with a headnote giving the recipe's story or background.

gorgonzola cheese

gorgonzola dolce

I have wanted to make risotto al gorgonzola (with Gorgonzola cheese) for a while. Seeing the recipe in the book told me it was time I did it. The photo of the piece of gorgonzola dolce (sweet Gorgonzola cheese) I purchased for the occasion allows me a short detour in the world of cheese making. First of all, in case you are wondering, Gorgonzola is the name of a town outside Milan. Gorgonzola is a blue-veined cheese and the photo shows the marks left by the probe used to pierce the cheese to bring oxygen inside it to allow proper mold development. The mold is added to the milk at the beginning of the cheese-making process. The piercing occurs 10 days or so after aging has begun and according to this page, it happens again 10 days later, on the other side of the wheel. End of detour.

I have received permission from the publisher to share with you the recipe for this simple, flavorful risotto. (The link goes to a reproduction of the page of the book that contains the recipe from Tales of Risotto, by Jean Govoni Salvadore and Luciano Parolari, copyright © 2006, published by Glitterati Incorporated, www.GlitteratiIncorporated.com)

I halved the quantities, using one cup of rice. With apologies to Chef Parolari, I skipped the cream and also the tomatoes, because tomato season is over and I did not feel like using tasteless tomatoes. The result is a risotto of a lovely white color with specks of green from the gorgonzola if you look closely. Once you start eating, you will close your eyes to better focus on the flavor of this deeply flavored dish.

risotto with gorgonzola cheese

white on white

I like this recipe not only because it uses one of my favorite cheeses, but also because it is nicely balanced in the amount of the various ingredients, an example of a perfect combination of all the parts that makes a magnificent whole.

PantryCarnaroli rice is a staple in my pantry and so this post goes to Pantry Party, an event created by Elizabeth of The Law Student's Cookbook whose December theme is anything goes.

This post contains the roundup of the event.

Click on the button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post:

risotto al gorgonzola

or launch the risotto al gorgonzola audio file [mp3].

[Depending on your set-up, the audio file will be played within the browser or by your mp3 player application. Please, contact me if you encounter any problems.]

FTC disclosure: I have received a free review copy of the book mentioned in this post from the publisher. I have not and will not receive any monetary compensation for discussing the book on my blog. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

rice, cheese, Italian recipe

risi e bisi / rice and peas

| Simona

[cliccare il link per andare alla versione in italiano]

risi e bisi

risi e bisi

Peas (piselli) mean spring, but I am happy to be eating them in early summer too. In the first three CSA boxes of the season, I received a nice amount of them. They were actually of the kind that you can eat the pod as well (mangiatutto, in Italian), and I did so with most of them, using an old recipe. However, I really had a lot and in looking at the nice and plump peas, I decided it was time to try to make risi e bisi, a traditional recipe from Veneto, the region around Venice. I looked at this recipe (in Italian) for general guidance and followed my usual technique for making risotto.

DSC_1428

so fresh!

I made the recipe twice and will tell you what I changed between version 1 and 2. This is a really nice rice dish. The flavor is delicate but clear, in part due to the use of the empty pods (baccelli) to make the vegetable broth for the rice which is cooked risotto-style. Preparation of the special broth adds an hour to the overall time needed to bring risi e bisi on the table. However, you can do it some hours ahead: just make sure you keep the peas nice and fresh. When the right time comes, reheat the broth and proceed with the recipe.

Print-friendly version of briciole's recipe for risi e bisi

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb / 450 g peas
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 small or 1/2 large carrot, chopped
  • 1 small or 1/2 large celery rib, chopped (in version 2, I used a few leaves of lovage, slivered)
  • 1/2-1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/4 cup minced onion (in version 2, I used a small leek, white and light green portion, cut in half lengthwise and then sliced thinly)
  • 1 small garlic clove, thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
  • 1 cup / 200 g Carnaroli, Vialone Nano or Arborio rice
  • Sea salt, to taste
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (in version 2, I used 1 oz. / 28 g of fresh chévre, crumbled)

Rinse the peas, then shell them, setting aside the empty pods. Put the pods, carrot, celery (or lovage), onion and a pinch of salt in a saucepan, cover with water, bring to a boil and keep at a lively simmer, covered, for one hour. Let cool slightly then strain the broth. You should have at least 3 cups / 710 ml of broth. If not, add a bit of water to bridge the gap.

In a 2 qt. saucepan, warm up olive oil, then add the onion (or leek) and garlic and stir. Cook for a few minutes until the onion is translucent, then add the peas and parsley and 1 tablespoon / 15 ml of the broth. Cook on medium-low until the peas are just tender. After the first 5 minutes, cover the pan. The time depends on the peas. Make sure the peas don't dry out (in which case, add a bit of hot water) or overcook.

In the meantime, bring broth to a simmer in a 1 qt. saucepan and keep it at that temperature. When the peas are ready, add the rice and toast for a couple of minutes, while stirring. Ladle enough of the simmering broth to barely cover the rice. Allow the rice to absorb most of the broth, then add more broth, a ladleful at a time, letting the rice absorb most of the broth before adding more. Make sure the rice never gets dry, keep it at a lively simmer and stir at regular intervals.

Taste the rice 15 minutes after the first addition of broth: if it feels a bit hard at the core, cook it 1-2 minutes longer, then check again. (The cooking time depends on various factors, including the kind of rice.) Once ready, remove the pan from the heat, distribute the cheese of choice on the surface, then stir well to incorporate. Taste and adjust the salt, if needed. Let the risotto rest, covered, for a couple of minutes while you gather the guests around the table. Serve immediately and enjoy.

DSC_1555_2

black and white goodness

I hope your mouth is watering by now.

Whb341This is my contribution to edition #341 of Weekend Herb Blogging, an event started by Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen, now organized by Haalo of Cook (almost) Anything at Least Once and hosted this week by Cinzia of Cindystar. This post contains the roundup of the event.

BWWLOGOThe photo above — shot in color and then converted to black and white — is my contribution to edition #40 of Black and White Wednesday – A Culinary Photography Event created by Susan of The Well-Seasoned Cook.

Click on the button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post:

risi e bisi

or launch the risi e bisi audio file [mp3].

[Depending on your set-up, the audio file will be played within the browser or by your mp3 player application. Please, contact me if you encounter any problems.]

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rice, pea

Newrule

risi e bisi

risi e bisi

risi e bisi

I piselli hanno il sapore della primavera, ma a me va bene anche mangiarli all'inizio dell'estate. Nelle prime tre cassettine della stagione ne ho trovati in quantità. Erano del tipo mangiatutto e la maggior parte li ho preparati usando una vecchia ricetta. Ma erano davvero tanti e così ho deciso di usare i più cicciotti per provare a fare risi e bisi, la tradizionale ricetta veneta. Ho usato questa ricetta come guida generale e ho applicato la mia solita tecnica per fare il risotto.

DSC_1428

freschissimi

Ho preparato risi e bisi due volte, cambiando un paio di cose (vedi sotto: versione 1 e 2). Come si sa, questo piatto è una delizia. Il sapore è dovuto in parte all'uso dei baccelli nella preparazione del brodo vegetale nel quale viene cotto il riso. Questo passaggio allunga di un'oretta il tempo necessario a portare in tavola risi e bisi, ma potete farlo qualche ora prima: basta mantenere freschi i piselli. Quando siete pronti per la volata finale, riscaldate il brodo e si parte!

Ingredient1:

  • 450-500 g piselli
  • una cipolla piccola tagliata a pezzetti
  • una carota piccola (o mezza grossa) tagliata a pezzetti
  • una costa di sedano piccola (o mezza grossa) tagliata a pezzetti (versione 2: alcune foglie di levistico, tagliate a striscioline)
  • 1/2-1 cucchiaio / 7,5-15 ml olio d'oliva
  • 4 cucchiai / 60 ml  cipolla tritata finemente (versione 2: un piccolo porro, tagliato a metà per lungo e poi a mezzelune fini)
  • un piccolo spicchio d'aglio tagliato a fettine sottili
  • un cucchiaio di prezzemolo fresco tritato fino
  • 200 g riso Carnaroli, Vialone Nano o Arborio
  • sale fino, q.b.
  • 4 cucchiai di Parmigiano-Reggiano appena grattugiato (versione 2: 30 g di caprino fresco sbriciolato)

Lavare i piselli e sgranarli, mettendo da parte i baccellli. Mettere baccelli, carota, sedano (o levistico), cipolla e un pizzico di sale in una pentola, coprire d'acqua, portare ad ebollizione e mantenere un'ebollizione leggere per un'ora, a pentola coperta. Far intiepidire leggermente e poi filtrare il brodo ottenuto. Dovreste avere almeno 710 ml. Se di meno, aggiungere un po' d'acqua per coprire il divario.

In una pentola, scaldare l'olio d'oliva e aggiungere lo cipolla (o porro) e aglio e mescolare. Cuocere per qualche minuto, poi aggiungere piselli, prezzemolo e un cucchiaio del brodo. Cuocere a fuoco medio-basso fino a quando i piselli sono appena teneri. Dopo i primi 5 minuti, coprire la pentola. Il tempo necessario dipende dai piselli. Controllare che i piselli non si ritrovino a secco (nel qual caso aggiungere un po' d'acqua) e che non diventino stracotti.

Portare a ebollizione il brodo vegetale leggero e mantenerlo in lieve ebollizione (quanto ne userete dipende dal tipo di riso che usate). Quando i piselli sono pronti, aggiungere il riso e tostare per 1-2 minuti mescolando. Aggiungere abbastanza brodo bollente da coprire appena il riso. Lasciare che il riso assorba la maggior parte del brodo, poi aggiungerne ancora, un mestolo alla volta. Mantenere il riso bagnato col brodo e cuocere, girando ad intervalli regolari.

Assaggiare il riso 15 minuti dopo aver aggiunto il primo mestolo di brodo e se il riso è ancora un po' duro al centro, lasciar cuocere un altro minuto o due, poi assaggiare di nuovo. Quando il riso è pronto, togliere la pentola dal fuoco, distriuire sulla superficie il formaggio scelto e mescolare bene. Assaggiare e correggere il sale. Far riposare il risotto, coperto, per alcuni minuti. Impiattare il risotto, servire immediatamente e gustare.

DSC_1555_2

delizia in bianco e nero

Spero di avervi fatto venire l'acquolina in bocca.

Whb341Questo post è il mio contributo all'edizione numero 341 di Weekend Herb Blogging, un evento creato da Kalyn di Kalyn's Kitchen, organizzato ora da Haalo di Cook (almost) Anything at Least Once, la cui versione italiana è organizzata da Brii di briggishome, e ospitata questa settimana da Cinzia di Cindystar.

Questo post contiene la raccolta dell'evento.

risotto alle fragole / strawberry risotto

| Simona

[cliccare il link per andare alla versione in italiano]

strawberry risotto

strawberry risotto

Berries and risotto make a enticing duo: my risotto ai lamponi (raspberry risotto) and risotto alle more are not only pretty, but also surprising in their ability to deliver a satisfying berry flavor in a savory dish. While I was immediately successful in marrying risotto with two kinds of berries, with a third one, strawberries, I could not strike the right note. I tried three variations, but the result did not satisfy me completely, so I gave up.

Last year, I learned about roasting strawberries and successfully adapted the technique to prepare them for gelato, frittata and, most recently, a version of lassi that uses my homemade kefir. The question then formed in my mind: would roasted strawberries be the ingredient that finally gives me a satisfying risotto con le fragole? The title of the post gives away the affirmative answer.

In this risotto, I finally obtained the strawberry flavor I wanted. Once again, the roasting process with the touch of balsamic vinegar and sugar brings out the berries' flavor. I realize that it also adds to the time requirement for the preparation, but you can roast the berries ahead of time: just remember to warm them up before adding them to the cooking risotto, so they don't cool it drastically.

Vialone Nano, Carnaroli and Arborio are the types of rice I have used to make risotto. My preference goes to the first two, which, unfortunately, are the kinds most difficult to find in the US. If you find some Carnaroli or Vialone Nano at an affordable price, I suggest you try it. If not, you can use Arborio.

Print-friendly version of briciole's recipe for Strawberry risotto

Ingredients:

  • 12 oz. [340 g] strawberries, organic or pesticide-free
  • 1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar (aceto balsamico) of good quality
  • 1 teaspoon sugar, possibly ultra-fine
  • 1/2-1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons minced shallot (scalogno)
  • 1 cup [200 g] Vialone Nano, Carnaroli or Arborio rice
  • 2 tablespoons [30 ml] white wine, not cold
  • 2 cups [475 ml] vegetable broth, possibly homemade + 1 cup [235 ml] water to make a light vegetable broth
  • Sea salt, to taste
  • 2-3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Wash strawberries and carve out stem. Place in a bowl, sprinkle  balsamic vinegar and sugar on them, and toss gently. Heat the oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat that is wider and longer than the sheet, so no juice can escape from any side. Place strawberries on the sheet on a single layer. Put the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Let strawberries cool slightly, then cut them (lengthwise) into 4-6 pieces, depending on their size. Set aside a dozen pieces to garnish the bowls at serving time.

strawberry risotto

shortly after adding the roasted strawberries

Bring broth and water to a simmer in a 1 qt. saucepan and keep it at that temperature (you may not need it all, depending on the variety of rice you use). In a 2 qt. saucepan, warm up olive oil, then add the shallot and stir. Cook for a few minutes until the shallot is translucent, then add the rice.

Toast the rice for one minute, while stirring, then add the wine. Let the wine evaporate, while stirring the rice, then add enough of the simmering broth to barely cover the rice. Allow the rice to absorb most of the broth, then add more broth, a ladleful at a time, letting the rice absorb most of the broth before adding more. Make sure the rice never gets dry, keep it at a lively simmer and stir at regular intervals.

If the strawberries are cold, warm them up (in the microwave, use the defrost option to do this; otherwise, keep the bowl where they are on top of the pan with the broth). Ten minutes after the first addition of broth, pour strawberries and their juice into the pan and stir well. Make sure the rice comes back to a lively simmer. Continue cooking the rice as before, adding simmering broth as needed.

Taste the rice 6 minutes after adding the strawberries: if it feels a bit hard at the core, cook it a minute or two longer, then check again. (The cooking time depends on various factors, including the kind of rice.) If cold, warm up the strawberry pieces you set aside earlier.

Risotto should be soft and creamy, but with some body (slightly al dente). Remove the pan from the heat, add a bit of salt and the cheese and stir well to incorporate. Taste and adjust the salt, if needed. Let the risotto rest, covered, for a couple of minutes while you gather the guests around the table. Plate and decorate with the strawberry pieces . Serve immediately and enjoy.

Let me say it again: this risotto is worth the extra effort needed to prepare the berries.

Whb335This is my contribution to edition #335 of Weekend Herb Blogging, an event started by Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen, now organized by Haalo of Cook (almost) Anything at Least Once and hosted this week by Simona of briciole.

This post contains the roundup of the event.

Click on the button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post:

risotto alle fragole

or launch the risotto alle fragole audio file [mp3].

[Depending on your set-up, the audio file will be played within the browser or by your mp3 player application. Please, contact me if you encounter any problems.]

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risotto, rice, strawberry

Newrule

risotto alle fragole

strawberry risotto

risotto alle fragole

Il risotto ai lamponi e il risotto alle more mi venivano bene da un po'. Invece quello alle fragole — provato in tre variazioni — non mi soddisfaceva e quindi ho gettato la spugna.

L'anno scorso, poi, ho imparato a cuocere le fragole al forno e ci ho preparato gelato, frittata e di recente  una versione del lassi che utilizza il mio kefir fatto in casa. Ho pensato: e se  provassi di nuovo a fare il risotto con le fragole? Il risultato finalmente mi ha soddisfatto: in questo risotto sono riuscita ad ottenere la fragolosità che cercavo. La cottura in forno con un pochino di aceto balsamico e zucchero fa risaltare il sapore delle fragole. Mi rendo conto che contribuisce anche ad allungare i tempi di preparazione, ma potete cuocere le fragole in anticipo e poi scaldarle prima dell'uso per evitare che il riso venga raffreddato.

Carnaroli e Vialone Nano sono i tipi di riso che preferisco ma non sono facili da trovare negli USA (e infatti di solito ne metto in valigia un chilo quando vengo in visita in Italia). In caso di carenza del riso preferito, uso l'Arborio.

Ingredienti:

  • 340 g di fragole bio o senza pesticidi
  • mezzo cucchiaino [2,5 ml] aceto balsamico
  • 1 cucchiaino [5 ml] zucchero, possibilmente finissimo
  • 1/2-1 cucchiaio [7,5-15 ml] olio d'oliva
  • 2 cucchiai [30 ml] scalogno tritato finemente
  • 200 g riso Vialone Nano, Carnaroli o Arborio
  • 2 cucchiai [30 ml] vino bianco non freddo
  • 475 ml brodo vegetale + 235 ml acqua per ottenere un brodo leggero
  • sale fino, q.b.
  • 2-3 cucchiai di Parmigiano-Reggiano appena grattugiato

Lavare le fragole e privarle del picciolo. Mettere le fragole in una ciotola e aggiungere aceto balsamico e zucchero. Mescolare con delicatezza. Scaldare il forno a 175 C. Foderare una lastra da forno con un tappetino di silicone per forno che sia più lungo e più largo della lastra, in modo che il succo prodotto durante la cottura in forno non finisca sotto il tappetino.

Mettere in forno e cuocere per 20 minuti. (La temperatura in gradi Fahrenheit che uso io, 350, è un po' al di sopra di 175 C e un po' al di sotto di 180 C. Ho deciso di specificare la temperatura più bassa poiché preferisco essere cauta. Potete lasciare le fragole in forno un paio di minuti in più.) Lasciar intiepidire leggermente le fragole. Tagliarle per il lungo in 4-6 pezzi (a seconda di quanto sono grosse). Mettere da parte una dozzina di pezzetti per guarnire il risotto impiattato.

strawberry risotto

cosa bolle in pentola?

Portare a ebollizione il brodo vegetale leggero e mantenerlo in lieve ebollizione (quanto ne userete dipende dal tipo di riso che usate). In una pentola, scaldare l'olio d'oliva e aggiungere lo scalogno . Cuocere a fuoco basso per qualche minuto, poi aggiungere il riso. Tostare il riso per un minuto, poi aggiungere il vino. Lasciare evaporare il vino, girando il riso, poi aggiungere abbastanza brodo bollente da coprire appena il riso. Lasciare che il riso assorba la maggior parte del brodo, poi aggiungerne ancora, un mestolo alla volta. Mantenere il riso bagnato col brodo e cuocere, girando ad intervalli regolari.

Se le fragole sono fredde, scaldarle un po' (nel forno a microonde utilizzando la funzione che scongela oppure tenendo la scodella dove sono le fragole sopra la pentola dove bolle il brodo, tipo bagno maria). Dieci minuti dopo la prima aggiunta di brodo, versare le fragole e il loro succo nella pentola del riso e mescolare bene. Riportare il riso a temperatura e continuare a cuocerlo come prima, aggiungendo brodo quando necessita.

Assaggiare 6 minuti dopo aver aggiunto le fragole e se il riso è ancora un po' duro al centro, lasciar cuocere un altro minuto o due, poi assaggiare di nuovo. Se sono fredde, scaldare i pezzi di fragola per la guarnizione. Togliere la pentola dal fuoco e aggiungere il sale secondo il gusto e il parmigiano. Mescolare finché il formaggio è ben distribuito, poi far riposare il risotto, coperto, per alcuni minuti. Impiattare il risotto e guarnirlo con dei pezzetti di fragola. Servire immediatamente e gustare.

Whb335Questo post è il mio contributo all'edizione numero 335 di Weekend Herb Blogging, un evento creato da Kalyn di Kalyn's Kitchen, organizzato ora da Haalo di Cook (almost) Anything at Least Once, la cui versione italiana è organizzata da Brii di briggishome, e ospitata questa settimana da Simona di briciole.

Questo post contiene il raccolto dell'evento.

riso rosso bhutanese con bietola novella / Bhutanese red rice with baby Swiss chard

| Simona

[cliccare il link per andare alla versione in italiano]

Bhutanese red rice
This story starts with a plan for risotto with baby Swiss chard (bietola, also called bieta) from my little vegetable garden. That was Plan A and it had to be shelved due to an insufficient amount of Carnaroli rice in the box. Plan B, which entailed the use of Arborio rice, had to be shelved too, for the same reason. Clearly, my pantry (dispensa) inventory tracking system is not working properly.

Plan C started to take the shape of using whole-grain Carnaroli rice, when the small bag of red Bhutanese rice found itself in the trajectory of my hand. I resisted the idea: red Swiss chard would not stand out, color-wise, when cooked with red rice. On the other hand, this red rice is really good. I relented: I would use the red rice, but the dish would still be a risotto with baby Swiss chard.

baby colored chard

I have a deep respect for my little chard plants. They withstood several intense storms during the Holidays and put out tender leaves (foglioline, diminutive of foglie, leaves). They are currently enjoying a spell of nice weather (bel tempo), some well-deserved sun after days and nights of rain and wind. Besides red, I also have a few yellow chard plants (the color refers to the chard stalks), but their leaves were not quite ready to be picked, so I kept my original plan to use only red chard for the risotto.

Bhutanese red rice is flavorful and quite nutritious. According to this page, it is the only product exported by Bhutan, a kingdom on the Himalayas. If you go to the page of the importer of the rice1, you can read:

Bhutanese Red Rice has been grown for thousands of years at 8,000 feet in the fertile soil of the Paro Valley, irrigated with 1,000-year-old glacier water rich in trace minerals… this quick-cooking whole grain is a nutritional and culinary superstar. It will entice you with its complex, nutty, earthy flavor, soft texture and beautiful russet color.

For the original risotto plan I had set aside some freshly made leek vegetable stock. It's a vegetable stock prepared according to the recipe for Quick Vegetable Stock from "Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone" by Deborah Madison, made with less onion and the roots and dark green leaves of leeks that have been discarded from other cooking projects.

Print-friendly version of briciole's recipe for Bhutanese red rice with baby Swiss chard

Ingredients:

  • olive oil
  • a small shallot, minced
  • 1 cup Bhutanese red rice
  • 1 and 1/2 cup homemade vegetable stock + 1 cup water
  • a generous splash of white wine (vino bianco), not cold
  • 8-10 leaves of colored baby chard, or a handful of baby spinach leaves (spinaci novelli, see Variation below)
  • salt, to taste
  • freshly grated parmigiano reggiano

Wash the baby chard leaves, cut the stalks  and chop them finely. Bring the diluted stock to a simmer in a saucepan. In another saucepan, warm up half to one tablespoon of olive oil, then add the  shallot. Cook on low for a couple of minutes, then add the chopped chard stalks and continue cooking for several more minutes, until the shallot is translucent. Add the rice and let it toast for one minute, then add the white wine. Let the wine evaporate, while stirring the rice, then add enough broth to cover the rice. Continue to add the simmering broth, a ladleful at a time, letting the rice absorb it. Keep the risotto at a nice simmer and stir it at regular intervals. Make sure the rice is always quite wet. (This rice behaves differently from Carnaroli or Arborio when cooked risotto style.)

After 30 minutes, add the chard leaves, cut into ribbons. Continue cooking until the rice is done (5-7 minutes). Add 1/4 cup of parmigiano reggiano. Stir until the cheese is melted, then let the risotto rest, covered, for a few minutes while you gather the guests around the table. Adjust the salt. Serve with additional parmigiano reggiano on the side.

Variation: you can make this recipe using a handful of baby spinach, left whole, added at the same time as you would add the chard leaves.

The result is a departure from traditional risotto, but a tasty one. You eat something special and you know it. My husband now calls this "my favorite rice."  (I may have generated a monster here.)

Whb269 This is my contribution to edition #269 of Weekend Herb Blogging, an event started by Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen, now organized by Haalo of Cook (almost) Anything at Least Once and hosted this week by Janet from Taste Space.

This post contains the roundup of the event.

Click on the button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post:

riso rosso bhutanese con bietola novella

 or launch the riso rosso bhutanese con bietola novella audio file [mp3].

[Depending on your set-up, the audio file will be played within the browser or by your mp3 player application. Please, contact me if you encounter any problems.]

1The link is for information only: it is not an advertisement. I do not have a business relationship with the company referenced.

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Newrule

riso rosso bhutanese con bietola novella

riso rosso bhutanese
Questa storia comincia con lidea di fare un risotto utilizzando bietola dal mio orticello. Purtroppo ho dovuto cambiare tale idea perché mi sono accorta di non avere abbastanza riso carnaroli e neppure arborio. Il mio sistema di controllo delle scorte evidentemente non funziona bene.

L'idea numero 3, cioè utilizzare il carnaroli integrale è stata sovvertita dall'incontro tra la mia mano e il pacchetto di riso rosso bhutanese. Non ero convinta perché riso rosso e bietola con le coste rosse non fanno un buon contrasto di colore. D'altra parte, questo riso rosso è davvero buono. Così ho deciso di usarlo cuocendolo come un risotto.

bietola novella
La mia bietola ha resistito al maltempo del mese di Dicembre e ora gode del tepore di alcuni giorni di sole. Ho alcune piantine di bietola gialla (cioè con le coste gialle), oltre a quelle di bietola rossa, ma le foglie erano ancora un po' piccole e quindi ho tagliato solo delle foglie dalle piante di bietola rossa. (So che la bieta rossa si trova anche in Italia, per lo meno a Verona. Qui negli USA, la bietola colorata si chiama col nome generico di "rainbow chard", ovvero "bietola arcobaleno" e viene venduta a mazzi composti da coste di vario colore, come potete vedere in questa foto da un mio post di qualche tempo fa.)

Il riso rosso bhutanese è gustoso e nutriente. Secondo il testo su questa pagina, è l'unico prodotto esportato dal Bhutan, uno stato che si trova sull'Himalaya. Sul sito web dell'azienda che importa il riso rosso, si può leggere (traduzione mia):

Il riso rosso bhutanese è coltivato da migliaia di anni a 2400 metri di altitudine nella Paro Valley e irrigato con acqua di ghiacciaio ricca di minerali… questo riso integrale cuoce rapidamente.

Per fare il risotto avevo messo da parte del brodo vegetale preparato con meno cipolla e foglie e radici di porro scartati da un altro progetto culinario (la ricetta per il brodo vegetale che uso è dal libro  "Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone" di Deborah Madison).

Ingredienti:

  • olio d'oliva
  • un piccolo scalogno tagliato finemente
  • 200 g di riso rosso bhutanese
  • 350 ml di brodo vegetale fatto in casa + 250 ml di acqua
  • un generoso spruzzo di vino bianco, non freddo
  • 8-10 foglie di bietola novella colorata, o una manciata di spinaci novelli (vedi "Variazione" in basso)
  • sale a piacere
  • parmigiano reggiano grattugiato al momento

Lavare la bietola e separare le costine, che taglierete a pezzetti. Portare a ebollizione il brodo vegetale diluito e mantenerlo a leggero bollore. Scaldare un cucchiaio di olio d'oliva e aggiungere uno scalogno piccolo tritato finemente. Cuocere a fuoco basso per un paio di minuti, poi aggiungere le coste tagliate e continuare a cuocere per qualche altro minuto finché lo scalogno è traslucido.

Aggiungere il riso e tostare per un minuto, poi aggiungere il vino bianco. Far evaporare il vino mescolando il riso e poi aggiungere abbastanza brodo da coprire il riso. Continuare ad aggiungere il brodo, un mestolo alla volta, lasciando tempo al riso di assorbirlo e mescolando ad intervalli regolari. Mantenere il riso bagnato. (Questo tipo di riso si comporta diversamente da carnaroli o arborio quando è preparato stile risotto.)

Dopo 30 minuti, aggiungere la bieta tagliata a striscioline. Continuare a cuocere fino a che il riso è pronto (5-7 minuti). Aggiungere 3-4 cucchiai di parmigiano reggiano e incorporare nel riso. Far riposare per alcuni minuti. Correggere il sale e servire con parmigiano grattugiato a tavola.

Variazione: al posto della bietola, utilizzare una manciata di foglie di spinaci novelli lasciate intere.

Il risultato è un piatto diverso dal risotto tradizionale, ma molto gustoso.

Whb269 Questo è il mio contributo all'edizione numero 269 di Weekend Herb Blogging, un evento creato da Kalyn di Kalyn's Kitchen, organizzato ora da Haalo di Cook (almost) Anything at Least Once e la cui versione italiana è organizzata e questa settimana anche ospitata da Brii di Briggis recept och ideer.

Questo post contiene il riepilogo dell'evento.

Novel Food #10: risotto all’arancia / orange risotto

| Simona
orange risotto with pan-fried scallops

ready to be savored

Years ago, I found a copy of Michael Dibdin's Ratking in the room of the resort where I was vacationing. I was intrigued by the fact that the story was set in my home town of Perugia, so I read it. Later on, I learned that Dibdin (who died in 2007) had taught at the university there. I have since read a few more novels by him, all featuring police inspector Aurelio Zen and each set in a different part of Italy. All the novels I have read contain interesting references to food and drink.

In Back to Bologna (2005), there is something else: one of the characters, Romano Rinaldi, is a TV chef, and an episode of the book is the televised cooking challenge between him and Edgardo Ugo, university professor of semiotics. The reference here is to Umberto Eco. Eco is widely known for his novels, but before reading his Il nome della rosa (The Name of the Rose), I read, while in college, Opera aperta (literally, open work), a book on literary theory that made an enormous impression on me (if you are curious, the wikipedia entry I referenced above briefly explains what this is about).

Based on my limited experience of Dibdin's work, this novel is different. Zen is more preoccupied with his health (he is recovering from abdominal surgery) and his rapidly deteriorating relationship with Gemma than with the murder at the beginning of the story. The disconnect Zen experiences is reflected in the story, the various characters and their actions. This created the tension that made me continue reading until the last page.

The story of the TV chef is a satire of the world of illusion created for the screen and its audience. The man sings while he makes you believe that he is cooking: he is lo chef che canta e incanta (the chef who sings and enchants). Reality tries to assert itself the first time Rinaldi performs live:

The audience burst into laughter and applause. Rinaldi acknowledged their appreciation of his wit and poise with a rendition of the famous aria from Rigoletto, changing the lyrics to 'La donna è mobile ma indispensabile.' This led to still more applause. Keenly in tune with the mood of his public, he proceeded with the rest of the piece, interpolating or altering lyrics as he went, before ending on a high and long-held note at the very edge of his local range.
It was at this moment that the pan of oil on the stove behind him burst into flames.

What happens next to Rinaldi's career is interesting, and I prefer not to reveal it, in case you decide to read the novel. It was not lo chef che canta e incanta, however, that inspired me, but professor Ugo. At the beginning of the movie, Ugo references a party held at his house, which made me do a bit of additional reading and ultimately inspired me to cook the dish I will describe later on:

He walked downstairs to the gigantic kitchen and peered despondently into the fridge. There were the remains of the dinner to which he'd invited a group of friends and colleagues the previous weekend, all the dishes being prepared communally from Marinetti's tract on Futurist cooking. As the generous quantity of leftovers indicated, the preparation had been more satisfying then the actual food, but it had all looked very striking and had been beautifully photographed for an article about the event in La Cucina Italiana — good publicity for everyone concerned.
He selected a few of the chunks of mortadella and cheese sculpted into letters that had formed part of the dish 'Edible Words', from which all the guests were supposed to eat their own names, then walked through the former's housekeeper's office.

I did not know that the interests of Filippo Tommaso Marinetti, the founder of Futurism, included gastronomy, so, of course, I had to find out more. There is actually quite a bit, starting from the Il manifesto della cucina futurista (Manifesto of Futurist Cookery), published in 1930. This article describes the message Marinetti launched and the reactions to it. At the beginning of his manifesto, Marinetti calls for the elimination of pasta and supports the consumption of rice. Later on, he states that the perfect meal requires an absolute originality of dishes.

Banchetti futuristi (banquets) were organized, where the principles of the Manifesto were applied. One of those banquets, on the theme of aviation (movement and speed were important themes in Futurism), included a dish called rombi d'ascesa, described as risotto all'arancia, a dish that would not raise eyebrows today, but I can imagine it did 80 years or so ago (rombo, in this context, is the noise made by an engine, and ascesa means ascent). I found a recipe for rombi d'ascesa, but the inclusion of roast beef juice made is unpalatable to me, so I decided to make a simple vegetarian risotto, using orange juice (succo d'arancia) as part of the liquid. I have made fruit-based risotto many times before, but never with oranges, so this was the inspiration I needed.

Interestingly enough, soon after reading the passage in Dibdin's book, I saw a reference to Futurist Cuisine in a New Yorker's article by Adam Gopnik on Le Fooding, another topic about which I knew nothing before my reading.

Back to Dibdin's Back to Bologna. It is always a conundrum for me to decide how much to reveal about the story, especially in the case of a mystery  novel. Maybe I will end with Bill Ott's words in Booklist: "This isn't the dark neo-noir with which the Zen series helped redefine European crime fiction (e.g., Blood Rain, 2002), but it's a plenty tasty blend of tragedy and comedy."

Now on to the risotto. The first time I made it, I used a blood orange (arancia sanguigna) and the result was nice. Note that the darker color of the risotto in the photo below compared with the one in the photo at the beginning is due to a combination of blood orange juice and a bit of red beet juice that was in the vegetable broth.

orange risotto

a darker rendition

The second time, I used a navel orange and also decided to have scallops play the part of rombi. I know, scallops are not rhomboidal in shape, but I could have cut them that way. 

Print-friendly version of briciole's recipe for Orange risotto

Ingredients for the risotto:

  • 2 cups / 475 ml vegetable broth, possibly homemade + 1/2 cup / 120 ml water to make a light vegetable broth
  • 1/2-1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons minced shallot
  • Leaves of two thyme sprigs
  • 1 cup / 200 g Carnaroli or Vialone Nano or Arborio rice
  • 2 tablespoons / 30 ml white wine, not cold
  • Juice of one orange, about 1/3 cup / 80 ml; before juicing the orange, grate the zest
  • 2-3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano OR 2 tablespoons mascarpone, cream cheese or fresh chèvre
  • Sea salt, to taste

Ingredients for the (optional) scallops:

  • 8 scallops
  • 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
  • Fine sea salt, to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • Orange juice, to taste
  • Reserved orange zest

Bring the broth to a simmer in a small pan and maintain it at that temperature.

In the meantime, in a larger pan, warm up the olive oil, then add the shallot and thyme. Cook on low until the shallot is translucent, then add the rice and stir.

Let the rice toast for one minute, then add the white wine and stir. Let the wine evaporate, while stirring the rice, then start adding the simmering broth, a ladleful at a time, and letting the rice absorb it.

Keep the risotto at a nice simmer and stir it at regular intervals. Make sure it never gets dry. Add the orange juice towards the end of the cooking time.

The rice should be soft and creamy, but with some body (slightly al dente). Taste it after 15 minutes from the first addition of broth: if it feels a bit hard at the core, cook it a minute longer, then check again.

Once ready, add Parmigiano-Reggiano or other cheese of choice. Stir until the cheese is incorporated, then let the risotto rest, covered, for a few minutes. Adjust the salt, stir and plate.

 A few minutes before the risotto is ready, prepare the scallops. Cut them in half crosswise. Heat the olive oil in a skillet until quite hot.

 Distribute the scallops in the skillet and pan-fry for one minute, until they are golden at the edges. Flip the scallops in the same order in which you distributed them in the pan.

 Cook the other side for no more than one minute. Season with a bit of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

 Distribute four scallop halves on each plate of risotto. Drizzle a small amount of orange juice on each scallop and decorate with the reserved orange zest.

If desired, decorate the risotto with orange pulp removed from the juicer.

A more intense flavor can be provided by orange peel, blanched and then cut into thin strips, which are also decorative (as you can see on this page). My husband does not like orange peel, so I did not explore this option.

Nf_chef_100px_2This, as you may have guessed, is my contribution to the tenth edition of Novel Food, the literary/culinary event that Lisa of Champaign Taste and I have been co-hosting for some time, since a conversation on the food in Montalbano's novels gave us the idea of marrying literature and food in a blog event.

My portion of the roundup is here and Lisa's portion is here.

Click on the button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post: 

risotto all'arancia

or launch the risotto all'arancia  audio file [mp3].

 

Related articles
insalata di arance / orange salad
risotto al gorgonzola / risotto with gorgonzola cheese

risotto ai porri / leek risotto

| Simona

leek risotto

Group_w180x130The 2010 March Daring Cooks challenge was hosted by Eleanor of Melbourne Food Geek and Jess of Jess the baker. They chose to challenge Daring Cooks to make risotto. The various components of their challenge recipe are based on input from the Australian Masterchef cookbook and the cookbook Moorish by Greg Malouf. The recipes are available here.

I make risotto very often and I like to create variations on the theme, as it can be inferred from the recipes I have posted in the past: risotto ai lamponi (raspberry risotto), risotto alle more (blackberry risotto) and risotto integrale al pomodoro e salvia (whole-grain risotto with tomato and sage). The challenge for me this month was to find the time to make the chicken broth (brodo di pollo), as my schedule was quite hectic. I was resigned to excuse myself, when a sliver of time opened up and I booked it for broth-making.

To make my life a bit easier in terms of preparation, I bought several pieces of organic chicken instead of a whole bird (two whole legs, a bone-in breast, a back). I also bought a small piece of beef to add to the chicken, like my mother does to make her broth (brodo di carne). I had all the vegetables at home: onion, carrot, celery. To those, I added a piece of leek (I removed the leaves and used the top of the green part, leaving the white and pale green section for later use), a couple of sprigs of thyme, 6 or 7 stems of parsley (both herbs grow plentiful in my small garden: the photo below shows a detail of the thyme plant from which I harvest most often), two bay leaves and a 2-inch piece of lemon peel. I had never used the latter before, but saw it in the recipe chosen for the challenge and liked the idea. I did not use any other spice.

DSC_0008_2

After I added the vegetables, I simmered the broth for a little over 1.5 hours, then removed the pieces of chicken and boiled the rest for another half hour. I turned off the heat, put the chicken meat back into the broth and let it cool a bit. Finally, I strained the broth, setting aside the meat and discarding skin, bones and vegetables. I will use the boiled meat for a dish that my mother used to prepare and that I loved as a kid (a story for another day). I divided the broth into two containers, let it cool completely, then put it in the fridge. The morning after, I removed the layer of fat from the surface. A set of engagements prevented me from making the risotto until the last minute (l’ultimo minuto), that is, yesterday.

I prepared risotto ai porri (leek risotto), because it’s one of my favorite variations on the theme of risotto and I had the leek partially used to make the broth. After warming up the saucepan and warming up olive oil in it, I cooked the white and pale green part of the leek sliced into half-moons until it was soft. To the leek, I added the leaves from a couple of thyme sprigs. I used Carnaroli rice, which I favor over Arborio. I added white wine and then the simmering broth as usual (see recipes mentioned above for the details). Once the risotto was cooked, I added salt to taste and a couple of tablespoons of my homemade cream cheese then stirred with a bit of energy to distribute the cheese. I find that the flavor of the cheese pairs well with that of leeks and its creaminess rounds out the risotto well. After a few minutes of rest, I served the risotto. I usually don’t measure ingredients when I make risotto, with the exception of rice (one cup) and broth (three cups). The guiding principle for me is that this is a rice dish, so the rice is the protagonist.

You will find a lot of personal interpretations of the beloved Italian dish, when you browse the creations of my fellow Daring Cooks. A special thank to Eleanor and Jess for the nice challenge.

Click on the button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post: 

risotto ai porri

or launch the risotto ai porri  audio file [mp3].

 

la stagione dei lamponi / raspberry season

| Simona

raspberry risotto

I love raspberries, so I was looking forward to the arrival of raspberry season. This week I had two baskets that I had to consume immediately, so I made risotto ai lamponi (raspberry risotto) and gelato alla vaniglia variegato al lampone (raspberry-marbled vanilla ice cream), both colorful dishes.

The risotto is quite pretty, besides being tasty. You will find my recipe in this post from last year. When I prepared the risotto last week, I had just made a batch of mascarpone and used two tablespoons of it to finish the risotto, instead of the fresh chèvre. This week, I used my  favorite, Cypress Grove’s Purple Haze.

In the wake of the success of my recent gelato alla vaniglia variegato al rabarbaro (rhubarb-marbled vanilla ice cream), I decided to make the same vanilla ice cream (recipe in this post) and to marble it with raspberry purée. A couple of hours before churning the ice cream, marinate the raspberries with a teaspoon of agave nectar and half a teaspoon of balsamic vinegar (as described in this post), then shortly before needing it, purée the raspberries and press through a strainer. It is important to spend a bit of time pressing all the pulp off the seeds, so the purée is nice and thick. I refrigerated the purée until ready to add it to the ice cream.

gelato variegato

Once the gelato alla vaniglia was ready, I scooped it into a bowl and added the raspberry purée by spoonfuls, swirling it in with a spatula to create a marbling pattern 1. As usual, I served the result to the head of my quality assurance department (a.k.a., my husband) and then we discussed the findings. The flavor of raspberries was probably a bit too prominent for a variegato, so next time I will try using less raspberry purée. I also want to try to fold the same amount of raspberry purée I used this time into the custard before churning it. I will run these tests soon and then report on the results.

The language corner. The four seasons (quattro stagioni) in Italian are: primavera (spring), estate (summer), autunno (fall), inverno (winter).

1 I used a lidded plastic bowl, which then went into the freezer with the leftover ice cream, after I covered the surface of the ice cream with a square of wax paper. If, after the marbling, the ice cream had been too soft, I would have covered it with wax paper, put the lid on the container and allow it to spend a short time in the freezer until firmer, but still soft.

Click on the button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post: 

la stagione dei lamponi

or launch the la stagione dei lamponi  audio file [mp3].

 

risotto integrale al pomodoro e salvia / whole-grain risotto with tomato and sage

| Simona
whole-grain rice

whole-grain Carnaroli rice

Among the things (not all of them edible) that I brought back from Italy, there is a package of riso Carnaroli integrale (whole-grain Carnaroli rice) purchased at the farmers' market in Milan. The rice is grown in a farm (azienda agricola) not far from the city. The label describes the product as non trattato, which I interpret as meaning that no chemicals were used in growing it. The farm can be visited, and this is something I would like to do the next time I am in the area. 

pineapple sage

pineapple sage

In the meantime, I used the riso integrale to make risotto. My plan was to use some pomodorini ciliegia (cherry tomatoes) and some of the salvia (sage) from my herb garden to season the risotto. I grow several kinds of sage and the one I used this time is the pineapple one, whose smell I love. When I got back home, some of the branches displayed pretty red flowers, which make hummingbirds very happy.

Print-friendly version of briciole's recipe for Whole-grain risotto with tomato and sage

  • 2 1/2 cups / 600 ml vegetable broth, possibly homemade
  • 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/4 cup / 4 tablespoons minced onion
  • 5-6 leaves of pineapple sage, slivered (see Note below)
  • 4 oz. / 113 g cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered (depending on their size)
  • 1 cup / 200 g whole-grain Carnaroli rice
  • 2 tablespoons / 30 ml white wine, not cold
  • 1/2 cup / 120 ml water
  • 1/4 cup of myzithra or ricotta salata, grated
  • Sea salt, to taste

Note: The quantity of sage depends not only on your taste, but also on the intensity of flavor of the kind you use and on the size of its leaves. The leaves of my pineapple sage are fairly large.

Soak the rice for 5-6 hours.

Bring vegetable broth to a simmer in a small saucepan and maintain it at that temperature.

In the meantime, in a larger pan, warm up the olive oil, then add the onion and sage. Cook on low until the onion is translucent, then add the cherry tomatoes.

After 3-4 minutes, add the rice, drained, and cook for 1-2 minutes.

Add the white wine and stir. Let the wine evaporate, while stirring the rice, then start adding the simmering broth, a ladleful at a time, and letting the rice absorb it.

Keep the risotto at a nice simmer and stir it at regular intervals. Make sure it never gets dry.

When you pour the last ladleful of broth, bring to simmer the water and add it as needed until the rice is cooked (35 minutes in my case, consistent with the information on the label, which says 30-35 minutes). The texture will be different from risotto made with regular Carnaroli rice, a bit chewy, instead of creamy: take that into account when tasting it.

Remove the pan from the heat, add the cheese of choice, adjust the salt, stir, then let the risotto rest, covered, for a few minutes while you gather the guests around the table.

whole-grain risotto with tomato and sage

ready for the table

Serve and enjoy!

WHB3-1 This is my submission for the (drumroll, please) third anniversary of Weekend Herb Blogging. My heartfelt congratulations to the creator of this popular blogging event, Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen. And many thanks as well, for being such an exceptional organizer. Here is the roundup of WHB #156.

After three years at the helm, Kalyn is passing the baton to Haalo of Cook (almost) Anything at Least Once. Here is the introductory post from Haalo, where she explains what happens next.

Click on the button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post: 

risotto integrale al pomodoro e salvia

or launch the risotto integrale al pomodoro e salvia audio file [mp3].

risotto alle more / blackberry risotto

| Simona

[cliccare il link per andare alla versione in italiano]

Another season of blackberry picking has started in my neighborhood and it found me ready to explore uncharted territory. After using more mostly to make sorbetto (sorbet), this year I have expanded my repertoire to include plum and blackberry spread (sweetened with honey), and risotto alle more.

blackberry risotto

About a month ago, I wrote about risotto ai lamponi and the combination of ingredients I devised for raspberries works also very well for blackberries. I actually tried varying a couple of components, but comparison tasting favored the shallot and thyme base. The one variation I hereby propose is the use of fresh mascarpone to finish off the risotto. For the previous dish I used crumbled fresh chèvre: at the time I had not yet discovered the delights of making mascarpone at home.

In summary, for risotto alle more I used the same ingredients in the same quantities as in the recipe for risotto ai lamponi with the following changes:

  • 6 oz. of blackberries, instead of raspberries
  • 2 tablespoons of mascarpone instead of 1 oz. of fresh chèvre, plus a decorative dollop over each portion, to be mixed into the risotto by the happy recipient.

Fern Canyon

Having recently started sharing photos unrelated to the subject at hand, I would like to continue with an image of Fern Canyon, a gorgeous place located in Redwood National Park, CA.

Click on the button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post: 

risotto alle more

or launch the risotto alle more audio file [mp3].

[Depending on your set-up, the audio file will be played within the browser or by your mp3 player application. Please, contact me if you encounter any problems.]

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Newrule

risotto alle more

blackberry risotto

Mettere 170 g di more in una ciotola e aggiungere un cucchiaino di nettare di agave e mezzo cucchiaino di aceto balsamico. Lasciare marinare per un paio d’ore, poi frullare, e infine passare al setaccio per rimuovere i semini. Mettere da parte.

Portare a ebollizione 600 ml di brodo vegetale leggero. In una pentola, scaldare mezzo cucchiaio di olio d’oliva e aggiungere uno scalogno piccolo tritato finemente e le foglioline di due rametti di timo. Cuocere a fuoco basso per qualche minuto, poi aggiungere 200 g di riso carnaroli o arborio. Tostare il riso per un minuto, poi aggiungere un generoso spruzzo di vino bianco (non freddo). Lasciare evaporare il vino, girando il riso, poi cominciare ad aggiungere il brodo bollente, un mestolo alla volta. Mantenere il riso bagnato col brodo e cuocere, girando ad intervalli regolari.

Assaggiare dopo 15 minuti dalla prima aggiunta di brodo e se il riso è ancora un po’ duro al centro, lasciar cuocere un altro minuto, poi assaggiare di nuovo. A questo punto, tenere il risotto un po’ più secco del solito. Aggiungere il purè di more e 2 cucchiai di mascarpone (fatto in casa). Mescolare finché il mascarpone è ben distribuito, poi far riposare il risotto, coperto, per alcuni minuti. Correggere il sale e servire, decorando ogni porzione con un po’ di mascarpone.

Ho aggiunto la versione in italiano di questa ricetta per poterla poi inviare a La cucina a colori, raccolta di ricette di Elena di Gnam Gnam.