Orzotto alla Zaffarana con Carciofi & Piselli
Pearl Barley "Risotto" with Saffron, Artichokes & Peas
Rice
is nice, but barley is... well, pretty nice too! I love the chewy
texture of barley and the way it absorbs other flavors and makes them
its own... just like rice... only... maybe a little better sometimes.
Like this time for example!
I decided to make a saffron-infused
barley this evening, to blend with baby artichokes and peas- all
classics of Italian cuisine and perfect in combination. Especially with a
kiss of Parmesan to lift all of those good flavors up together- you
might just well be surprised at how wonderful this tastes together!
I
love making dishes from such simple ingredients and then making them
special. Oh, I know, I have a quite a few threads of saffron in this
dish, but still, it is frugal and fabulous at he same time, as well as
being healthy and delicious. Barley may be one of those long-forgotten
ingredients- but seriously- why go following fads and trends and eating
grains like quinoa when we have our own wonderful varieties right here?
If it was good enough for the ancient Romans- then it's more than good
enough for me!
For
2 nice portions I needed just 2 handfuls of barley, 1 shallot, 3 baby
artichokes, 2 handfuls of peas, a little Parmesan, saffron and parsley
and about 45 minutes of time.
The
result is tasty without being overpowered by a strong vegetable or
chicken broth, as would be the case with most traditional risotto
dishes- no, this has all of the flavors of its constituent ingredients
boiled into it right from the get-go... and they are more than enough!
You better believe it!
I
trimmed the artichokes and cut away the top 2/3rds of them- seems
wasteful, but at the same time they are inedible! So, the only thing
that might make sense, if you were to be making maybe 5-6 portions,
would be to boil them up to make extra broth... but not tonight!
Instead, I cut them in half, cut out the "choke" and then cut them into
relatively thin wedges. T be precise, I cut them into quarters first and
then cut each quarter into three slices. Other than that, all I needed
to do was to finely chop the shallot and to chop down the stems of the
parsley... and to heat up a pan, ready to get started!
I began by frying the artichoke slices, shallot and parsley in a little olive oil until they began to slightly turn brown.
I
then added the barley and let it also get coated in olive oil, soaking
up the flavor of artichoke and shallot. I seasoned with salt, pepper and
a touch of nutmeg, then added the saffron- a good pinch. You can always
add more as the barley cooks- the color it turns once the water is
added should be a good indicator- and adding boiling water is the next
step!
Add
plenty of water- enough to cover everything and a touch more... bring
it up to the boil, reduce it back down to a gentle simmer and then let
it bubble away for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Next,
add the peas, have a little taste to see if you need any extra
seasoning and then let it simmer on for a further 10 minutes.
By
now the barley will be tender, as will the artichokes and peas and all
that needs to be added is a last trickle of olive oil, a good pinch of
finely chopped parsley and plenty of Parmesan cheese, to be stirred-in
to richen and bind the broth to a nice creamy consistency... Now- where
are those plates?!?!
Serve with a sprinkle of parmesan and some freshly ground pepper and simply enjoy!
Perfumed, perfect and delicious- this is what a great Autumn dish looks like! And I sure hope you like it! I know that I do!
Tortina in Padella, di Farina di Carrube, Fiocchi d'Avena, Banana & Cocco
Frying-Pan Cake, with Carob Flour, Oatmeal, Banana & Coconut
No
Internet, no telephone, no TV- jeepers! What's a guy to do on a Sunday
morning? Basically, just chill-out and make breakfast, that's what! It
is so frustrating to not have those comforts we take for granted and
would be doubly so if we couldn't put together a little something for a
breakfast treat out of other things we take for granted- like the few
ingredients I put together here...
I
love oatmeal and I love pancakes. I also love oatcakes. And as you now
know, I have also grown to love carob flour. So it isn't really all that
surprising that this here little beauty came to be this morning... it
was always only a matter of time! Haha!
My
ingredients were: 4 tablespoons of oatmeal, 3 tablespoons of carob
flour, 4 tablespoons of yogurt, 1 egg, 3-4 tablespoons of honey, 1 ripe
banana and 1-2 tablespoons of coconut flakes for the topping.
This
makes a nice, moist, rich and chewy little "cake"- basically just a
thicker and more substantial pancake in this case, although I have no
doubt that it would work wonderfully in a regular cake tin. The
combination of flavors just goes so well together! Even the mandarin
orange and coconut I added- they went perfectly with this combination-
so I would surely recommend it!
Begin by mixing the oatmeal, carob flour and banana together with a teaspoon of cinnamon for some added flavor and spice.
This
ensures that the carob flour gets well distributed into the mixture,
because it immediately begins to cling to the banana pieces... it would
otherwise tend to sink to the bottom of your bowl. So this is a good
tip, all y'all!
Next,
add the yogurt, egg yolk and 2 tablespoons of honey. This was a sweet
enough mixture for me, but feel free to add more honey or even sugar if
you prefer.
The resulting mixture will be a little lumpy but nicely glossy- just like this! Its consistency should be similar to that of a thick porridge.
Now
it is time to add the egg white, which needs to be whipped up into
stiff peaks. Stir it in gently, but thoroughly and turn on your oven to
maximum heat- because you are almost ready to go!
Pour the mixture out into a buttered pan and fry for 3-4 minutes, until the butter begins to froth up at the sides, then sprinkle with coconut and transfer the pan to the oven. Finish the pan cake off at 180°C for a further 15-20 minutes, until the coconut begins to turn slightly golden... and the kitchen begins to smell terrific!
In
the meantime, peel the mandarin orange, separate the segments and
carefully pull away the membrane... if you can! It's tricky stuff and
not every type of mandarin orange will cooperate with you! Haha! I guess
that's why the canned mandarin oranges were invented in the first
place... and lord only knows how they manage to do that on an industrial
scale!!
You
can really smell a rich, toffee-caramel aroma and that's due to the
carob flour- great stuff and a perfect accompaniment for coconut and
banana! A winning team!
I
set out a few slices of mandarin as a garnish and drizzled the cake
additionally with the last of the honey- just perfect! Who could ask for
anything more? Except for maybe a second slice! In any case my friends-
it was simple but delicious! So if that appeals to you as much as it
does to me- give it a try... and enjoy!
Just, YUM!
Tagliatelle di Riso Integrale con Funghi Shimegi & Verdure
Brown Rice Noodles with Shimeji Mushrooms & Vegetables
I
love that I can still discover so many new things when it comes to
grocery shopping- I so often hear people complaining about not knowing
what to buy or cook and find it amazing how little most people are
prepared to try something they are not familiar with... Really! You
can't have it both ways folks! There are whole universes of flavor to be
explored out there! What is it that you are so afraid of?
Case
in point this evening- these rather unspectacular, but very wholesome
noodles made of brown rice, and a new variety of mushroom for me-
Shimeji, which are like larger Emoji mushrooms- which are of course
still much, much smaller than our regular mushrooms- but not a bit less
tasty!
So I decided to make something simple, so as to become better acquainted
with them both, keep the seasoning mild and let their own flavors speak
for themselves. At the same time, I wanted my dish to be tasty and
colorful and so I added a few other vegetables for some contrast and a
hint of spice and good seasoning- and a great, simple stir-fried dish
was born!
My
ingredients were 1 portion of brown rice noodles, 1 carrot, 1 Spring
onion, 2-3 small peppers (or some regular bell pepper), 1 handful of
sugar snap peas, about 2" of ginger, a 200g "block" of mushrooms and a
little handful of cilantro.
I
kept the seasoning mild, relying on soy sauce, 5-spice powder, sesame
oil and oyster sauce, but of course there is plenty of flavor right
there in those ingredients too which I did not want to overpower- I
wanted to get to know the flavors first!
I
cut the carrots into relatively thin slices, on the diagonal and simply
cut the mushrooms away from the large base, so that they fell apart
into their own individual pieces. I decided to cut the peppers and peas
into strips and chopped the ginger finely, so that its flavor would be
evenly distributed... and having done that teensy-bit of prep-work, I
got bust with the real work! But be careful not to blink- as this cooks
so quickly you may just miss something!
The
first ingredients to start frying are the carrots, peppers and ginger- I
gave there 2-3 minutes in a little peanut oil and then added the stalks
of the cilantro... you know how I love using them! They really are
full of great flavor!
Next
came the peas, mushrooms and spring onion, along with a teaspoon of 5
spice, a little pepper and a few drops of sesame oil and soy sauce to
round off those flavors nicely. Whilst everything sizzled away merrily, I
dropped the rice noodles into boiling water and let them soak for 2-3
minutes- just the time it took for the mushrooms to fry- they are soft
and cooked through in a flash!
I
drained the rice noodles, added a little sesame oil and soy, a squeeze
of lime juice and a good sprinkle of finely chopped cilantro and they
were ready to go!
Don't
fret, don't worry, just try out something new and be happy! It's only
food- and you have nothing to lose but everything to gain in your own
kitchen! Enjoy!
Risoni Stagionale con Porro, Pastinaca & Gorgonzola
"Seasonal" Risoni Pasta, with Leeks, Parsnips and Gorgonzola Cheese
I
know that basically, the ingredients I used in the dish are available
almost year-round, but somethings we only want to eat at certain times-
either through force of habit or tradition. And one such ingredient is
the humble but so flavorful parsnip.
It is the time of year
when we like to add its rich, earthy flavor to stews, casseroles and
soups- and rightly so! Especially when combined with contrasting
flavors, like the sweet mildness of leek and zucchini and the pungent
creaminess of Gorgonzola... what a powerhouse of comfort, all in one
dish that this turned out to be!
This
made a nice change from a regular risotto and was a little easier to
make... it didn't rely on having to have a rich broth or stock to make
it, or continuous care, attention and stirring- just the few, good
ingredients and 30 minutes of time. Which makes this a great alternative
on one of those week-day nights when you think you have nothing in the
house. Plus- you will only need to wash-up one pan after making this,
which is always a good thing, right?!!
To
make 2 decent portions, I needed 1 small leek, 1 small carrot, 2 small
parsnips, 1 small zucchini, about 2 tablespoons worth of diced
Gorgonzola cheese, 1 cup of risoni and a little fresh parsley. So this
is pretty frugal in price and just goes to show you that even the
smallest quantities of basic ingredients can still go to make a great
meal!
I
really like how this dish is a self-contained little creation- all of
the flavors it needs are right there in one pan... I personally see
nothing wrong with occasionally using a prepared stock or soup-cube on
occasion, should you not have the time to boil one yourself (and who
does?!?!). But by using the classic Italian combination of celery,
carrot and onion (the classic Italian "soffritto") you can always create
that strong flavor-base that is the first building block of any Italian
meal. And with plenty of leek in this dish, you can also do without the
onion- after all- they are kissing cousins, right?
Simple
prep work is all thats required- the celery, carrot and parsnips get a
nice, fine dice and the zucchini and leek nicely and finely sliced- easy
stuff!
Simply
fry the celery, carrot, leek and parsnips in a little olive oil with a
little salt and plenty of pepper for 3-4 minutes, until they all change
color and become bright and beautiful.
Once
they are nice and glossy and slightly moist, add the risoni and the
stalks of the parsley that you are going to add later- you know they are
full of great flavor!
Add
enough boiling water to cover everything, give it a good stir and
reduce to a low, rolling simmer... and go and do something else for the
next 15-20 minutes! Like maybe dicing up the Gorgonzola and chopping the
parsley- haha! All I am trying to say is that you don't need to be
stirring all the time as you would with a risotto- just an occasional
glance, stir and maybe a top-up with water should it be needed.
After
20-25 minutes of cooking time in all, the risoni and the vegetables
should be nice and tender and ready to have those tender, thin slices of
zucchini added, along with most of the chopped parsley and diced
gorgonzola... keep a little of each to add before serving, but gently
stir everything together now to really bring this dish alive... and
whilst you are add it- yes! Some freshly ground nutmeg will do this the
world of good too!
And
now you're talkin'! Rich and creamy, smooth and savory and delicious!
Who cares if it's cold outside if you can enjoy a lovely plate of
comforting goodness like this?
Add
those few extra pieces of Gorgonzola, a last scatter of fresh parsley
and a little freshly ground pepper and your seasonal supper is ready to
be served... and enjoyed! Buon appetito!
Pasta con Melanzane, Pomodorini, Ricotta Salata, Origano & Basilico
Pasta with Eggplant, Cherry Tomatoes, Salted Ricotta, Oregano & Basil
Pasta-
glorious, comforting, always down-to-earth and delicious pasta! With no
end to the possibilities of preparing and serving it, it is one of the
most versatile basics we can always rely on in our pantries! Thank
heavens my ancestors invented it! No disrespect to my Asian friends out
there- but noodles are noodles... and pasta is pasta! And basta!
One of my favorite dishes is "Penne alla Norma"-
one of the most traditional of Sicilian pasta dishes, with fried
eggplant, tomatoes and basil- and you can't go wrong with a combination
like that! But this evening, I skimped just a little on the oil, added
plenty of dried oregano into the mix and let the ingredients stew down
with the pasta a little to make it just a little bit different... and
topped with salted Ricotta cheese, just a tasty as tasty can be!
A
great misconception when it comes to pasta and a sad one at that, in my
humble opinion, is that you should prepare your pasta, drain it, set it
onto your plate and then spoon your sauce on top... no, no and thrice
no! Worse still is when people put oil or butter onto their plain pasta
before serving it up and THEN adding a sauce! Aaargh! Please people, no!
The way it SHOULD be done, is for the pasta
to be stirred into the sauce or condiment, nicely coated and then
served up, rich and flavorful- not plain and dried out! Give the pasta a
nice coating of flavor and let it be good- don't drown it and smother
it either. Oh, I know what's best- to stop griping and to start showing,
right? Ok- then follow me!
My
ingredients as always were minimal and simple- 1 eggplant, 1 onion,
10-15 cherry tomatoes ( I will leave that up to your own taste and
judgement), garlic which is optional, fresh basil and dried oregano. I
used a handful and a half of "mezza-rigatoni rigate" for my dish, but
you can use whichever kind of pasta you prefer. Oh yes- and that
deliciously soft and pungent, salted Ricotta cheese for grating at the
end- mmm!
Norma-
I love ya- but I couldn't do without adding the oregano this evening-
just to liven you up a bit... I know you will forgive me! You know you
want it too! Haha!
I
diced the eggplant and onion rather finely and halved the cherry
tomatoes. As I said, garlic would also be great, but I omit it on many
occasions as I know that a lot of people prefer to do without... they
probably get a lot more kisses than I do too!
I
sweated the eggplant and onion down in a little olive oil, seasoned it
with salt and pepper and kept stirring until they softened-up and began
to gently brown.
I
then added the tomatoes and a good handful of basil, which I chopped
down into shreds. I stirred them in well and cooked everything down
until it began to come together nicely , then seasoned with plenty of
pepper and nutmeg... it's best to go skimpy on the seasoning when you
are using salted Ricotta!
Once
the tomatoes and eggplant had reduced down, I added the almost, but
not-quite "al-dente" pasta, along with a good bit of the water it had
boiled in- enough to cover the base of the pan and bring up all of the
cooked-in flavors. I then carefully stirred it in and let the boiling
water transform the residue on the base of the pan, the juices and the
soft flesh of the eggplant and tomatoes into a rich condiment for the
pasta- and so delicious!
After
around 5 minutes of gentle stirring, the pasta had a nice and unctuous
dressing of eggplant and tomato, the water had transformed into a nice
sauce... and it was ready to serve! A sprinkle of oregano, a grind of
pepper and a light grating with salted Ricotta- and dare I say, "buon
appetito!"
This is exactly what Italian cooking is all about... good, simple food! So please- grab yourself a plate and enjoy!
Anyone for seconds?
