pugliauncovered

By Bonnie and Clyde, on 04-04-2007 05:00

Views : 629    

Favoured : None

Published in : Food and Drink, Andiamo Fare La Pappa

Stage1: Heat the stock. Put the olive oil and butter into a separate pan, add the onion, garlic and celery, and cook very slowly for about 15mins without colouring. This is called a soffrito. When the vegetables have softened, add the rice and turn up the heat.

Stage2: The rice will now begin to lightly fry, so keep stirring it. After a minute it will look slightly translucent. Add the wine and keep stirring-it will smell fantastic. Any harsh alcohol flavours will evaporate and leave the rice with a tasty essence.

Stage3: Once the wine has cooked into the rice, add your first ladel of hot stock and a good pinch of salt. Turn the heat down so that the rice doesn't cook too quickly on the outside.Kee0p adding ladelfuls of stock, stirring and massaging the creamy starch out of the rice, allowing each ladelful to be absorbed before adding the next. This will take around 15 mins. Taste the rice to check if it is cooked. If not, carry on adding stock until the rice is soft but with a slight bite. Don't forget to check the seasoning carefully. If you run out of stock before the rice is cooked, add some boiling water.

Stage4: Remove from the heat and add the butter and Parmesan. Stir well. Place a lid on the pan and allow to sit for 2 mins.This is the most important part of making the perfect risotto, as this is whgen it becomes amazingly creamy and oozy like it should be. Eat it asap, while it retains its beautiful texture.

Peel the artichokes back to their pale, light leaves,then halve them and remove the hairy chokes with a teaspoon. Immerse the artichokes in water with half the lemon juice, with a heavy lid or heat-resistant dish placed on top of them to keep them immersed and stop them discolouring.

Start your risotto bianco and when you begin stage 3 drop 6 of your prepared artichoke halves into the simmering stock. Continue cooking the risotto, adding the stock a ladelful at a time until therice is half cooked. Slice the remaining artichoke halves very finely and stir int the risotto. Continue stirring the stock into the rice.

At stage 4, when the rice is cooked and you add the butter and parmesan cheese, stir in the rest of the lemon juice. Take the pan off the heat and check the seasoning.

Remove the cooked artichokes from the stock pan and toss with most of the lemon zest, the torn up mint leaves and a splash of olive oil. Spoon the risotto on to 4 plates and place the dressed artichokes on top. Drizzle with the remaining dressing from the bowl and serve sprinkled with extra Parmesan and the rest of the lemon zest.