Radish & Strawberry Salad

This radish & strawberry salad certainly strays from the traditional dishes of Le Marche however is a perfect example of the philosophy "if it grows together, it goes together." The crunchy peppery radishes compliment the sweet juicy strawberries, add a bit of young spring onion (and if we were in the States, cilantro!) for a surprising and delicious spring salad. The recipe is inspired by our friends from Perennial Plate!

Radish & Strawberry Salad
equal parts of radish & strawberries, sliced as thin as possible (you can do this with a mandoline or knife)
a pinch of spring onions, sliced thinly
salt & crack of pepper to taste
olive oil
the best balsamic you’ve got: aceto balsamic tradizionale di modena

In a bowl combine radishes, strawberry & onion. Season with salt & pepper and a light drizzle of olive oil. Very gently (with your hands) toss the salad to incorporate all the ingredients.
To serve: plate and drizzle a few drops of balsamic over the top, serve immediately.

Note: Anything from spring will work in this dish, fresh fava beans or peas, chive, etc - if it grows together it goes together.

Homemade Spirits: Wild Cherry Liquor - Visciolino Digestivo

 A thriving local tradition in Le Marche is making homemade liquors/liqueurs to be served after dinner as a digestivo.  Using pure alcohol or grappa infused with fruits & herbs such as visciolino (wild cherry), nocino (walnut vanilla), brugnolino (wild plum/sloe) & many more!

Visciole is a tart wild cherry found in abundance in the Candigliano Valley of Northern Le Marche and its leaves make the most delicious & delicate after dinner cherry digestivo. Visciolino is made with 100 leaves of the cherry tree + 10 leaves from a peach tree along with red wine, sugar & pure alcohol. The recipe below is simple & passed to me by our dear neighbor Mama Mochi, traditionally made at the end of May/early June.

Wild Cherry Liqueur

Visciolino

1 liter of red wine
100 leaves of visciole (wild cherry tree)
10 leaves of a peach tree

Let soak for 10 days & filter.

Add 600 grams of sugar
1/2 liter of grappa or pure alcohol

Mix well, incorporating the sugar.

Bottle & enjoy! You can let it continue to season or age as well - keep in cool dark storage.

Warm Artichoke, Asparagus, Fava & Potato Salad

 When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade and when the garden is producing kilos of fava and neighbors deliver homegrown artichokes and asparagus we make this delicious warm salad! It's a shame to call is a 'potato salad' but when I asked a handful of guests, as they were eating this dish after a cooking class they all replied 'the best potato salad ever!' Use whatever Spring veggies you've got but the combo of warm boiled new potatoes with sweet artichoke hearts and bright asparagus & or fava is simply...the best potato salad ever!

Check out the short video on Tastemade to see a glimpse of the cooking class with this one the menu!

Artichokes & New Potatoes with Fava and Asparagus

Serves 4

12 artichoke hearts, cleaned (we have small artichokes, if you are using big Roman artichokes you can use 1 artichoke heart per person, cut into quarters)
4 medium potatoes (the best looking potatoes you can find)
2 handfuls of cleaned, double shelled fave beans (or peas)
handful of thin asparagus if you have them (grilled or blanched)
handful of cherry tomatoes, quartered (seeds removed)
small handful of chopped herbs: oregano, basil, parsley - whatever you’ve got.
good extra virgin olive oil
vinegar
salt & pepper

In separate pots, of boiling salted water, cook: the artichoke hearts,  the potatoes with the skin left on whole and fave beans until just soft, but not mushy. Drain and allow to cool slightly.
When you can handle the potatoes, peel them and cut into similar size chunks as your artichoke hearts.

While everything is still warm, place the potatoes, artichokes, bean/peas and tomatoes, etc. into a bowl and season with salt & pepper, chopped herbs and dress with olive oil and vinegar. (General rule of thumb, dress with 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar, i.e.: a 3 count pour of olive oil to a 1 count pour of vinegar.)

Toss gently, adjust seasonings and allow to sit for five minutes and serve slightly warm. Garnish with grated hard egg over the top if you like.

Video Recipe: Cooking Class, Beer Batter for Elderflowers & Squash Blossoms

 On a warm Spring afternoon we added Fried Elderflowers or fiori di sambuco fritti  to the menu - these edible flowers when fried in a beer batter create a light, crunchy, aromatic antipasti/appetizer!

Serve with the same beer you used in the batter, in our case, local craft beer from Apecchio's Collessi Brewery. The flowers have a floral-lemony flavor that pair perfect with Prosecco as well.

The key to this recipe is keeping all the ingredients - including the bowl & whisk in the fridge!! It is a very light/loose batter that becomes nice & crispy!

 

 

Here is a short 2 minute video taken during a May Cooking Class just the other day - on the menu: Fried Elderflowers, Homemade Ravioli stuffed with Greens & Ricotta in a 'Sugo al Momento' or Sauce of the Moment and 2 Crostata's: Fresh Strawberries and Fig Jam with Pine Nuts. It was a lovely lunch but the elderflowers stole the show!

Beer Batter for Elderflowers and Squash/Zucchini Blossoms

*It is very important to have all the ingredients as cold as possible, including: flour, bowl, whisk/whip, etc.

Serves 4
12-15 flowers (sambuco/elderflower or squash blossoms), it is important to keep the stem long to use it as a 'stir-stick' when frying.
bottle of beer (or seltzer water - but it won't be as crispy)
flour
sea salt (for sprinkling on top before you serve)

Add a couple of handfuls of cold flour to a cold bowl, with a cold whisk add cold beer steadily mixing until you develop a light thin batter without lumps that will coat a spoon. (Think of a thin crepe batter.) - Watch the video for an example.

Once at desired consistency, cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for about an hour.

Heat oil to 350 F / 175 C - be sure to use a thermometer.

Clean your flowers. Elderflowers: give a little shake and check for bugs. Squash Blossoms: remove the pistil & stamen.

Dip the flower in the batter holding on to the stem. Allow access batter to drip off. While holding the stem of the flower, place in the hot oil in a slow swirling motion thru the oil. (This avoids clumping).
Fry for 20-30 seconds, until golden brown. Be sure to maintain the temperature of your oil.
Place on the fried flowers on brown paper and sprinkle with sea salt and serve immediately!

Serve with beer or prosecco - something bubbly!!

Rustic Tart with Fresh Strawberries & Cream

Traditionally made with marmalade, this rustic tart is found kept under a kitchen towel in most homes in our area.  With strawberries in abundance this time of year, we use fresh fruit instead of jam.

This recipe is enough to make two 9-in/22cm tarts with lattice. Use what you have for the tart pans, we use round pizza pans.

Italian Rustic Tart with Strawberries
Crostata di Fragole

1 1/3 cup, 250g butter
4 cups, 500 g of flour
1 1/4 cups+ for dusting, 250g  sugar
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon, 5g baking powder
2 full eggs + 3 yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
drop of booze - grappa, rum, brandy, anything you like
about a pint of fresh strawberries per tart, sliced
Optional: Serve with whipped cream or mascarpone cheese thinned out with milk.

Cream butter & sugar until light & fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla a few drops of your favorite liquor and beat in.
Sift together all the dry ingredients.
Incorporate the dry ingredients into the butter & egg mixture with a few strokes of a wooden spoon forming a dough.  Take 1/3 of the dough & and roll it out slightly larger than your  parchment lined tart pan. Roll down the edges of the dough to create the crust.
Arrange the strawberries slightly overlapping to cover the tart. You can sprinkle a little sugar over the strawberries, if they are in season this is not necessary.

To make the latticework top:
Pull off a pinch of dough & roll into a long snake. This is an easy dough to work with if it breaks just pinch it back together. This is a rustic tart. Moist hands will help if the dough is sticky.
Continue until you have enough to make your lattice top.

Bake in a preheated 350F/175C degree oven for about an hour or until the top is nice & brown, the bottom is cooked & the dough should shrink away from the pan a bit.

In loving memory

Spring Vegetable Soup

Spring Vegetable Soup - Artichoke, Pea, Asparagus

Spring Vegetable Soup

Serves 4

1 leek or spring onion, diced
1 carrot, fine dice
1 liter or 4.5 cups of vegetable stock or brodo
couple cloves or garlic
olive oil
3-4 leaves of mint, chopped
small handful of parsley, chopped
optional: 2-3 slices of prosciutto, thinly sliced & then chopped.
salt & pepper
about 2 cups or 2 large handfuls total of cleaned prepped veggies. Use whatever spring vegetables you have: asparagus, artichoke hearts, peas, fava beans (double shelled), leafy greens, spinach, kale, etc.

In a pot over low heat, sweat the garlic, onion & carrot in olive oil for about 10 minutes or so - without color.
Season with salt and pepper. Then add the vegetables in the order to cook, ie: artichoke hearts would go in first as they are the hardest vegetable, followed by peas, asparagus & fava, then spinach, etc. Add in the stock, bring up to simmer for 15-20 minutes until all the vegetables are cooked properly. Skim any oil that has floated to the top.
Finish with the chopped herbs. Check your seasonings and adjust if needed.

Serve with toasty bread and finish with extra virgin olive oil atop each bowl of soup.

Video Recipe: Savory Rustic Tart with Wild Greens, Ricotta & Prosciutto

Recipe for the Savory Tart with Wild Greens, Prosciutto & Ricotta

During a hands-on cooking class at La Tavola Marche (farm, inn & cooking school) in Le Marche, Italy guests forage for wild greens in the field in front of our 300 year old farmhouse. Jason helps guests identify the different edibles and with bags full of dandelion greens, poppy greens, grispigno & more they head into the kitchen to create a rustic tart with the fresh picked wild greens, ricotta & prosciutto.  

  During the dog days of winter, enjoy this slice of life/glimpse at one of our Spring cooking classes!

Visit us during April/May 2014 for one of our Spring Cooking & Foraging Holidays in Italy:

Cooking with Wild Edibles & Bottling Wine:   24 - 28 April 2014 (4 Nights) = 500 Euro/person 

 “Made in Le Marche”  D.O.C. Wine & Cheese Tour, Artisan Meat Market Trip with Chef & Craft Beer Tasting with 3 Cooking Classes 13-18 May 2014 (5 Nights) = 928 Euro/person

  

Recipe for the Savory Tart with Wild Greens, Prosciutto & Ricotta

Torta di Erbe Selvatiche

Pastry Dough
Ingredients:
2 3/4 Cups (250 gr) all purpose flour
3/4 Cup (150 gr.) butter, cut into pieces
1 egg
2-3 Tablespoons ice water
pinch of salt

Method:
Sift flour into a mound, add the butter & pinch of salt. Rub together with your fingers or food processor. When mixture resembles crumbly coarse sand incorporate the egg & water. Knead 2-3 times.
Form into a disk, wrap in plastic and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Filling
Ingredients:
2 Cups (400 gr) of cooked, drained and squeezed dry greens (mix of wild greens or chard, spinach, escarole, etc.)
1 Cup (250 gr.) sheep’s milk ricotta cheese
zest of half a lemon
generous handful of Parmesan
2-3 slices of prosciutto, chopped
salt & pepper
1 egg, separated

Method:
Cook your greens in boiling, salted water depending on the toughness (spinach may only need 20-30 seconds, chard needs 3-4 minutes).  Drain and squeeze as much liquid as you can out of the greens. Combine the greens in a bowl with the ricotta, parmesan, lemon, prosciutto, salt & pepper. Taste & check your seasonings.

To Assemble the Tart:
Preheat oven to 350 F/ 185 C

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and split in half. Roll out dough to 1/4 inch or 1/2 cm thickness and line the bottom of a tart or pie pan. (We use 9-inch or 25 cm but you can make individual tarts as well.) Make sure to have enough dough to fold the edges back over the the top.

Once pastry is lined in pan, brush with egg white then fill with a generous amount of the chard mixture (filling in evenly).

Brush folded over part on the top with egg yolk as well.

Place in oven, bake 45 minutes - 1 hour until pastry is golden brown & filling is bubbly. Serve warm or room temperature.

Rustic Tart with Wild Greens

Rustic Tart of Wild Greens
Torta di Erbe Selvatiche

Pastry Dough
Ingredients:
2 3/4 Cups (250 gr) all purpose flour
3/4 Cup (150 gr.) butter, cut into pieces
1 egg
2-3 Tablespoons ice water
pinch of salt

Method:
Sift flour into a mound, add the butter & pinch of salt. Rub together with your fingers or food processor. When mixture resembles crumbly coarse sand incorporate the egg & water. Knead 2-3 times.
Form into a disk, wrap in plastic and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Filling
Ingredients:
2 Cups (400 gr) of cooked, drained and squeezed dry greens (mix of wild greens or chard, spinach, escarole, etc.)
1 Cup (250 gr.) sheep’s milk ricotta cheese
zest of half a lemon
generous handful of Parmesan
2-3 slices of prosciutto, chopped
salt & pepper
1 egg, separated

Method:
Cook your greens in boiling, salted water depending on the toughness (spinach may only need 20-30 seconds, chard needs 3-4 minutes).  Drain and squeeze as much liquid as you can out of the greens. Combine the greens in a bowl with the ricotta, parmesan, lemon, prosciutto, salt & pepper. Taste & check your seasonings.

To Assemble the Tart:
Preheat oven to 350 F/ 185 C

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and split in half. Roll out dough to 1/4 inch or 1/2 cm thickness and line the bottom of a tart or pie pan. (We use 9-inch or 25 cm but you can make individual tarts as well.) Make sure to have enough dough to fold the edges back over the the top.

Once pastry is lined in pan, brush with egg white then fill with a generous amount of the chard mixture (filling in evenly).

Brush folded over part on the top with egg yolk as well.

Place in oven, bake 45 minutes - 1 hour until pastry is golden brown & filling is bubbly. Serve warm or room temperature.

Fresh Radishes with Olive Oil + Wedge of Pecorino

 

The crisp, peppery flavor of fresh picked radishes pair perfectly with a wedge of creamy pecorino (sheep's milk) cheese and a dish of extra virgin olive oil with a few cracks of salt. Done. This is my kinda snack (or antipasto),  I could crunch on that all night with a few glasses of sparkling Verdicchio DOC to wash it down...

So, what's so great about radishes anyway? 

Radishes are an edible root that are easy to grow & are ready to eat within about a month of planting.  Radishes are a low calorie vegetable that have no fat or cholesterol. Considering how small they are, radishes have quite a high vitamin count (in particular vitamin C) and packed with fiber. They are also known to help fight colon cancer. Despite having positive benefits on health, many people pass radishes over at the market without second thought - perhaps next time you'll pick up a bundle & enjoy! (Here's a quick & easy recipe: Radish, Cucumber & Chive Salad)

fresh picked from our garden

Cherries in Limoncello

Fresh picked cherries macerated in homemade limoncello, it doesn't get much better than that! A perfect combination of sweet & tart and to top it off with a spoonful of whipped cream!

Serves 4

 Pound of pitted cherries
3-4 leaves of mint, plus more for garnish
2-4 tablespoons of limoncello (depending on how boozy you like it)
white sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream

Toss cherries with liquor in a bowl with a little sugar, if cherries are tart add more sugar, if cherries are already sweet you can omit the sugar. Refrigerate for an hour or two.

In a separate bowl whip the cream, chopped mint & a spoonful of sugar of two. Whipped cream should have just a hint of sweetness to it - not sugary.

Spoon cherries with syrup into a pretty serving dish or cup (we use a martini glass) and top with a couple spoon full of fresh whipped cream.  Garnish with fresh mint. Enjoy!

Fried Squash Blossoms + Prosecco

A fabulous summer appetizer is fried zucchini or squash blossoms, lightly battered, golden & crispy with a hint of salt, followed with a tall glass of bubbly Prosecco! It's a match made in heaven.

You can find recipes that fill the blossoms with cheese but I prefer it vuoto, fried without anything stuffed inside so you can taste how delicate this dish really is.  The blossoms perish quickly, so cut them off the plant or buy them the day of use & keep them in the crisper section of your fridge until ready to fry.

I am not normally a big fan of fried foods (I should say I'm a big fan of eating them but the cooking & clean up can be a mess), but this dish is so delicious it's worth it.

Fried Squash or Zucchini Blossoms

Fiori di zucca fritti

8 zucchini or squash blossoms, fresh cut, remove the center pistil & stamen from the flower
cup of flour
1 egg
pinch of salt
spoonful of baking powder
enough seltzer water to make a thin batter
oil for frying

In a bowl combine the flour, salt & baking powder. Scramble the egg & add it to the flour.
Then with a fork, mix in the egg & enough seltzer water to make a thin batter.  Allow to sit in the fridge for at least an hour. The mixture will separate, stir it with a fork a few times before use.

Temperature to fry 350 degrees
Dip into the batter & allow the access to drip off. Fry at 350 degree until golden brown. Sprinkle with salt & serve immediately with an cold glass of Prosecco.

Elderflower Syrup & Cordial

Elderflowers or fiori di sambuco are in bloom in Italy! This flower from the elderberry tree makes a lovely light floral lemonade-like flavored syrup to be added to drinks (sparking water, vodka, gin or grappa), desserts or sorbets - depending on your mood. It makes an amazing vinegerette over salad as well! This can be served along breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner - perfect a for hot summer's day!

Syrup of Elderflower 

Sciroppo di fiori di sambuco:

20 elderflowers (nice big heads), gently shake off any insects & trim any excess branches/leaves
4 lemons, sliced
1.5 kg  sugar
1.8 liters water
60 gr  citric acid

Bring the sugar and water to a boil, stirring occasionally to dissolve. 
Once cooled, pour the the sugar-water and all ingredients into a big jar & cover, leave for 36-48 hours, stirring occasionally. (Some recipes say up to 3 days).
 Then remove lemons & elderflowers and strain the water a few times (if you have a cheese cloth it will help).
Pour the syrup into a pot and cook for about 3-5 minutes minutes.
Then pour the liquid into clean sterilized glass bottles. Close them. Let them cool before placing in the refrigerator. If using a secure seal, they will keep for almost a year in the refrigerator.

To serve, pour 1-3 tablespoons of the syrup into a pint glass and add water or seltzer. Or you can add a tablespoon to a couple shots of vodka or gin.

Sauteed Spring Greens (Liscaro) with Garlic & Olive Oil

Liscaro has more aliases than an escaped convict - in our neck of the woods it is called liscaro, but travel outside our valley and it goes by agretto, lischi, roscano, baciccio, barba del negus. Just another example of how regional & local the cooking (& language) is in Italy! If you like spinach then you will love liscaro (or whatever you prefer to call it) - the flavor is a bit more subtle than spinach & not as irony. Even though it looks like blades of grass, I assure it tastes nothing like it (and yes, I've eaten grass!) 

Sauteed liscaro makes a delicious healthy side-dish, filling for an omelet or fritatta, tossed into salad - basically anywhere you'd add a leafy green veg, you can add liscaro - but nothing is better than simply sauteed with olive oil & garlic!

Sauteed Liscaro

serves 4

2 bunches of liscaro, pick of the roots  tough woody stems until you reach the softer leaves, wash 2-3 times.
2-3 cloves garlic whole, skin removed
olive oil
salt
chili flakes
lemon

In a big pot with boiling salted water plunge in the cleaned liscaro for 3-4 minutes.

While it is cooking in the water, get a pan & on low heat cover the bottom with olive oil.  Toss in the garlic and cook gently until lightly brown. Then remove the garlic & discard.

Once the liscaro is finished boiling, drain & throw it in the pan with the olive oil and sautee on med heat for a couple (2-3) minutes. Season with salt & chili flakes to taste.

At the very end, add a good squeeze of lemon on top & give it a mix. Serve.

Hearty Farro + Sweet Leeks = A Delicious Soup Everytime

   

Nutrient-rich farro is an ancient grain with a nutty flavor & firm-chewy texture, making it wonderful to cook with in soups, salads & breads.  The Romans ate farro to give them strength as they marched across the Western World & would arrive with a full belly & battle-ready thanks to this hearty grain! This recipe for Farro & Leek Soup can be built upon based on what's in-season, in the Spring add peas & asparagus for bright flavor or in the Fall try walnuts & porcini creating a rich meaty flavored stew.

You should be able to find farro at most Italian specialty shops or health food stores. We are lucky to find locally grown farro right here in Le Marche, Italy!

farro & leek spring soup

Farro and Leek Soup

Minestra di Farro e Porri

(Depending on the time of year, you can add in asparagus & peas in the spring or mushrooms & walnuts in the fall if you like.)

Serves 4

2-3 glugs or tablespoons olive oil

2 leeks, white parts only, sliced finely

1 cup or 150 gr farro
1 stalk of celery, finely diced
1 carrot, finely diced
1 onion, finely diced

1 liter meat stock (vegetable or chicken stock is OK, however meat stock adds richer flavor) **Please do not use bullion cubes for this! There are only a few ingredients & they should be of the highest quality possible.
herbs of your choice - I use 1 sprig of thyme & a bay leaf

2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

salt & pepper

In a heavy bottomed pot, heat olive oil on med/low heat. Add in the vegetables and sweat until translucent and soft WITHOUT browning. If the vegetables stick to the pan, lower the heat & add a spoonful of water.  

Then toss in the farro, toasting with the vegetables for 1-2 minutes. Add in the herbs & stock. Season with salt & pepper. 

Then Bring up to a low simmer and continue to simmer for 30-40 minutes until the farro is tender.

You can control the consistency of the soup: to make it more 'stewy'  hold back a little stock, and the contrary if you like it 'soupy,' add a bit more stock.

Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and serve with toasty bread.

Spring Side Dish: Peas & Pancetta

Sweet peas have arrived at the farmers market, spring is here! Peas & pancetta - one of my favorite dishes that I only eat in Spring when the peas are bright & fresh.   I can't get enough, I don't know if it's the peas or the pancetta - is it the green veggie or the fatty pork that I love so?! Maybe I should just have another spoonful...

Peas & Pancetta

piselli & pancetta

serves 4
12 oz or 330 gr of fresh shelled sweet peas, rinsed
4 oz or 100 gr pancetta, bacon or guanciale, cured pig’s cheek (omit if vegetarian)
1 small onion, sliced
1-2 cloves garlic
2-3 cherry tomatoes, halved
spoonful red wine vinegar
small handful parsley, chopped
tiny bit of mint, chopped (optional)
salt & pepper
extra virgin olive oil

Bring a medium pot up to boil. In the meantime, in a medium skillet on medium-low heat, slowly render down the pancetta for 4-5 minutes, trying not to brown it and not crispy. If it starts to brown remove the pan from the heat or lower the flame.

Next add garlic & onion, sauté for 5-6 minutes.
(Vegetarian Note: Just omit the the pancetta & sauté the onions & garlic in olive oil.)
When the onions & garlic are about 2 minutes from being ready, add the tomatoes.

At the same time toss the peas in the water and blanch for 2-3 minutes. You want them approximately half-cooked. Strain the peas and throw them directly into the pan with the pancetta adding a spoonful of the pea-water. Allow to cook until peas are cooked but still have a bite.

Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt & pepper.
Just before you serve, toss in the herbs and drizzle with good extra virgin olive oil.

Summer Soup Recipe - Ribollita

This is a fantastic spring or summer soup, light enough for a sunny day! Ribollita literally translates to reboiled and is a classic example of cucina povera, Italian peasant cooking, using stale bread, beans & seasonal vegetables.

Ribollita Recipe

serves 4

2 carrots, diced
1 stalk of celery, diced
1 onion, diced
1/2 cup of peas (if available)
small bunch of asparagus (if available)
1/2 cup of beans of your choice (we use & grow borlotti or cranberry beans), soaked over night, drained or fresh
1 bunch greens of your choice, washed well & chopped into manageable pieces (we use & grow bietola): cavolo nero, kale, chard, etc
5-7 cups of chicken stalk (vegetarian alternative: vegetable stalk or water)
1 tomato
bay leaf
chili flakes
couple cloves of garlic
salt & pepper
olive oil
1 small can of chopped tomatoes/couple of fresh tomatoes
2 handfuls of the inside (guts) of stale bread, broken into pieces, crust removed
good extra virgin olive oil for topping

In a pot, add beans, bay leaf, and your vegetable scraps -carrot peals, celery tops, onion skins, squished tomato, etc. Cover the beans with plenty of water (a few inches above the beans).

Bring to a boil, lower to simmer for 30-40 minutes until tender (time varies depending on your beans).  Strain beans, saving the cooking water for later.  Remove the aromatics from the beans.

Next in a soup pot, add carrots, celery, onion and slowly sauteed in a few glugs of olive oil for 10-15 minutes with OUT color.

Season with salt & pepper.
Add your canned tomatoes. Cook for 5 minutes on low heat.  Add stock with some of the bean water. Bring up to a simmer. Add greens to your pot, wilting into the soup. Cook for 5-10 minutes, depending the toughness of your greens.

Once greens are soft, add in your beans & bread, one handful at a time.
Season with salt & pepper. Bread should dissolve, creating a velvety texture. Not a thick bread soup. Allow to cook for another 5-10 minutes. Taste check & adjust your seasonings.

Serve with a healthy drizzle of the best extra virgin olive oil you have and a ribbon of parmesan.

Artichoke Risotto

Overflowing crates of artichokes fill the market streets - a sure sign that Spring is on its way! So what to do with these edible flowers - try one of my favs - artichoke risotto. We love to serve this for Easter feasts as well! If artichokes seem a bit overwhelming & you wonder where to begin?! Look no further: The Art of the 'Choke (Cleaning Artichokes)

This recipe takes about an hour total time & yes - you've gotta stir the risotto constantly. It's a labor of love & your work won't go unnoticed (hence the clean bowls!) You'll find some recipes with short-cuts however to really get the creamy chewy consistency you must work the starch from the rice & that means good old fashion elbow-grease!


Artichoke Risotto
Risotto di Carciofi

Serves 6

4 Tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove
8 fresh artichoke
5 cups or so fresh vegetable stock
3/4 cup dry white wine
scant 2 cups risotto rice - Arborio or Carnaroli are best
salt & pepper
Parmesan cheese

Start by cleaning your artichokes (click here for help) and soaking them in lemon water.

Heat the oil in a pan, add the onion & garlic and cook for 10 minutes or so over med-low heat with out browning.

Chop up your artichokes and saute them slowly until tender - so you could mush with a fork.

Add a couple of spoonfuls of vegetable stock to help the process along and keep from browning the 'chokes.

Now raise the heat, add the rice and saute for a minute or two. Add in the wine and let it cook out a bit.

Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, bring the stock to a boil in another pan.

Add a ladle-full of the hot stock and cook, stirring, until it has been absorbed into the rice.

Continue adding the stock, a ladle-full at a time, constantly stirring until each addition has been absorbed. This will take 18-20 minutes.

When the rice is al'dente, turn off the heat, add in a handful or two of graded cheese and give the rice one more stir, check seasoning. Rice should be thick & creamy but not runny. Cover the pot and allow the rice to sit for a couple of minutes.

To serve, spoon the rice into the bowls and sprinkle with parmesan, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and serve immediately.

Buy a couple of extra chokes’ and You can top the dish with a couple of the hearts steamed or boiled separately.

Now MANGIA!! Serve immediately.