recipe: whole-grain risotto with tomato and sage (risotto integrale al pomodoro e salvia)

April 18, 2014 | Simona

Whole-grain risotto with tomato and sage

by Simona Carini

Prep Time: 10 minutes + soaking time

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Keywords: boil pasta gluten-free soy-free sugar-free vegetarian rice tomatoes Italian

Ingredients (Serves 4)

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. / 123 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

Instructions

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.

Serve and enjoy.

Go to the full post on risotto integrale al pomodoro e salvia / whole-grain risotto with tomato and sage

risotto al gorgonzola / risotto with gorgonzola cheese

December 24, 2012 | Simona

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 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.

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.

Carnaroli 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

July 8, 2012 | Simona

[cliccare il link per andare alla versione in italiano]

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.

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.

black and white goodness

I hope your mouth is watering by now.

This 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.

The 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

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.

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.

delizia in bianco e nero

Spero di avervi fatto venire l'acquolina in bocca.

Questo 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

May 27, 2012 | Simona

[cliccare il link per andare alla versione in italiano]

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.

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.

This 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.]

[jump to Comments]

risotto, rice, strawberry

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.

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.

Questo 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.

la stagione dei lamponi / raspberry season

June 12, 2009 | Simona

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.

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

November 2, 2008 | Simona

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

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.

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!

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

September 3, 2008 | 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.

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.

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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risotto alle more

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.

risotto ai lamponi / raspberry risotto

July 23, 2008 | Simona

[cliccare il link per andare alla versione in italiano]

This being the year of savory strawberries for me, I made two versions of strawberry risotto, among other dishes. It was then just a matter of time before I tried to make risotto ai lamponi. I have actually already shown a preview of this recipe in the photo on the left, used in the recent post about Italian menu. Among other people, Christine of Christine Cooks tasted the very first rendition of my idea, which, I think, is a good one.

Risotto ai lamponi requires a bit more work than its strawberry cousin, because after puréeing the raspberries, I press them through a strainer to remove the seeds. The dish has a lovely color. In the hands of someone with better food presentation skills, I cannot imagine what decorations can be achieved. In my hands, don't expect visual fireworks: I usually ask my guests to close their eyes and concentrate on the flavor.

Place raspberries (about 6 oz) in a small bowl and add a teaspoon of agave nectar and half a teaspoon of balsamic vinegar. Let lamponi marinate for a couple of hours, then purée and press through a strainer. Set aside.

Bring 2.5 cups of light vegetable broth to a simmer in a small pan. In a larger pan, warm up half to one tablespoon of olive oil, then add a small shallot, finely chopped, and the leaves of two thyme sprigs. Cook on low until the shallot is translucent, then add a cup of Carnaroli or Arborio rice. Let the rice toast for one minute, then add a generous splash of white wine (not cold). Let the wine evaporate, while stirring the rice, then start adding 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 it never gets dry.

The rice should be soft and creamy, but with some body (slightly al dente). Check it after 15 minutes from the first addition of broth and, if it feels a bit hard at the core, cook it a minute longer, then check again. The risotto is a bit drier than usual at this point, but not for long: add the raspberry purée and 1 oz of fresh chèvre (my favorite is Cypress Grove 's Purple Haze), crumbled. 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, and enjoy.

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

risotto ai lamponi

or launch the risotto ai lamponi 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.]

[jump to Comments]

risotto ai lamponi

Mettere 170 g di lamponi 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 lamponi e 30 g di caprino a pezzetti. Mescolare finché il formaggio è ben distribuito, poi far riposare il risotto, coperto, per alcuni minuti. Correggere il sale e servire.

risotto al salto

September 26, 2007 | Simona

When I was growing up, in my house eating riso (rice) was strongly associated with being sick. I will tell the story of white rice in another post. Here suffice to say that it was when I moved to Milan at age 21 that I was introduced to good risotto and its variations, among them the famous risotto alla Milanese, to which saffron imparts a lovely golden hue. My friends told me that making risotto was not difficult and I believed them. However, I was not a cook at the time, so I could not verify their claims. My realization of the potential of risotto as a highly versatile dish came years later, when I took up cooking. I then remembered my friends' claims and approached risotto without the awe that makes too many people almost afraid of it. I found myself in agreement with them: making risotto is not difficult.

I have written about risotto and about my way of making it elsewhere. Here I will offer a suggestion for using leftovers of whatever wonderful risotto you will make. The dish is called risotto al salto (where salto means jump, a reference that will become clear soon). When I prepare risotto I usually make what I consider enough for however many people I am planning to feed, but it usually happens that I have a portion left, which the day after I use to make risotto al salto. I generously spray a small frying pan with olive oil. This is because I grew up in olive oil country. In northern Italy people would put a bit of butter in the pan. Whatever ingredient you choose, warm up the pan and make sure that it is coated with olive oil or butter, then add the risotto, spread it and pat it to form a small frittata. Let the risotto warm up on low heat until a golden crust forms on the bottom surface, then make it jump up and land on the other side: that is why it is called al salto.

There is no need to worry: I meant that metaphorically. The idea is that somehow you need to get the top surface to become the bottom one and vice versa. This is not too difficult if you use just one portion of risotto to begin with: a wide spatula may be enough to hold the risotto and then it is a matter of fearlessness and steadiness to perform the sleight of hand that flips the risotto. Alternatively, you can place a plate over the risotto and flip the pan so that the bottom surface comes out on top and then you can ease the risotto back in the pan. Whatever the chosen method, let the pale side (now at the bottom) become golden as well and then place the risotto on a plate: serve immediately and enjoy hot.

If you have more than one serving of leftover risotto, the advice is to make one serving of risotto al salto at a time. The risotto al salto of which the photo shows a piece was bigger than I had ever made before and too big to flip without running a high risk of catastrophic failure, so I will not repeat the experiment, though it came out all right. The base risotto was leeks and zucchini (porri e zucchine), the latter from my little garden. In this case I used a piece of leek instead of the customary onion for the initial soffritto, then added sliced zucchini. However, I often make risotto with just leeks: it is one of my favorite.

This is my entry for the Risotto Relay event organized by Sathy & Liz from The Baker & The Curry Maker (a great combination, if you ask me, and in fact they are great friends). Here is the rundown.

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

risotto al salto

or launch the risotto al salto 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.]