Risotto Squaquerello

Ingredients for 4 persons (as a starter):

• 300g rice for risotto (I suggest Vialone Nano or Carnaroli)
• 750ml stock
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 tblsp squaquerello
• 2 tblsp grated parmesan cheese
• a bunch of rocket leaves
• salt & pepper
• extra virgin olive oil

Cook the rice according to the packet instructions. If you are using Vialone Nano I suggest the following method of cooking the rice. Take a large pan, fry the onion in a little olive oil until transparent then pour 750ml stock and bring to boil. Throw in the rice and stir once making sure rice is totally covered in the stock. Leave to cook according to the time on packet instructions (around 15 mins generally) without stirring. Check it out every now and then to make sure water has not evaporated, if that is the case just add some boiling water. When the rice is al dente add the squaquerello, parmesan, and rocket and stir well. Leave to rest for a couple of minutes, then decorate with rocket leaves and top with some olive oil. The taste is a creamy, fresh, bitter and tangy risotto!

Risotto Squaquerello

For more information you can visit the following site: http://www.latteriamontello.com/en/nonno_nanni/squaquerello.php

Ravioli with rabbit filling

So, here’s the recipe for 6 persons. For the pasta you need:

• 500g flour
• 5 eggs

Mix the flour and the eggs until the dough is formed. Knead for 15 minutes until smooth and silky and leave to rest in the refrigerator for half an hour.

For the filling you require:

• 600g rabbit’s meat
• 1 carrot
• 1 onion
• 1 celery
• white wine
• stock
• sage
• salt & pepper
• olive oil
• butter
• parmesan shavings

Cook the chopped onions, carrots and celery with a little olive oil. Add the rabbit pieces and fry until brown on both sides. Add the white wine and cook on high heat until it evaporates. Following add some stock and leave to simmer for around an hour until the rabbit’s meat is very tender. Leave to cool and remove the meat from the bones. Blend the meat with the cooked vegetables until a smooth paste is formed.

Ravioli pasta with rabbit filling

Start opening the dough into large thin sheets in order to prepare the ravioli. Put some filling in the middle and cut into shapes of your liking. I did them in the form of ‘tortelli’ rather than ravioli but feel free to do them as you please.

When the ravioli are ready prepare a large pan of boiling water and when its boiling drop the ravioli and cook for approximately 5 minutes depending on the thickness of the pasta. In a separate frying pan melt some butter, add a smashed garlic clove and chopped sage leaves. Put in the cooked ravioli and combine well with the butter. Serve with parmesan shavings.

Home made rabbit ravioli

Stuffed Squid

On Saturday it was my turn to do the fishy shopping… the display was eye-catching & mouth-watering… all types of fish available from the traditional lampuki to the John Dory and the Pesce San Pietro. Yet, my shopping list consisted of ingredients for a typical Sicilian dish from Trapani… couscous di pesce! Well friends were coming over to dinner so it was time to impress! I bought a mix of fish ideal to prepare the stock, dentici fillets, prawns, and clams to add to the couscous… as well as some fresh mussels for the gratin, as an antipasto. This couscous di pesce was more complicated to prepare than I thought… next time I will post its recipe but for today here’s a crumbly starter… mussels au gratin.

Serves 6

• 2 kg fresh mussels, scrubbed and cleaned
• 100gr breadcrumbs
• 50gr parmesan, grated
• salt & pepper
• handful of chopped parsley
• olive oil

Put the mussels in a large pan on high heat until they are all open. Discard any which remain closed. Open the shells in two and put the half shells which contain the mussel in an oven proof dish. Scatter over the mixture of breadcrumbs, parmesan, parsley and salt & pepper and put in a pre-heated oven of 180 degress Celsius for 10 minutes. Pour some olive oil and serve with fresh crusty bread.

Mussels au Gratin

Vegetable Terrine

Serves 8 (as a starter)

3 leeks
150g mange tout
150g green beans
2 yellow peppers
2 red peppers
4 artichoke hearts divided into quarters
3 eggs
2 buffalo mozzarella
rosemary, thyme, oregano

Cut the top green part of the leeks and throw it away. Also remove and throw the first 2 leaves from the leeks. Then continue to take away the rest of the leaves leaving only the core of the leek and keep these aside. Bring a large pan of water to boil. Put the leek leaves in the boiling water for 5 minutes and then leave to drain in a colander. Pat them dry with a cloth.

Now wash the peppers, leave them whole and put them under the grill until they are blackened from all sides. When ready put them in a plastic bag and leave them to stand for about 10 minutes. In the meantime chop the remaining leek cores, wash the green beans and mangetout and cut their ends.  Cut the artichoke hearts in 4 parts. (You can use frozen artichoke hearts or the ones in jars). Now take the peppers out from the plastic bag and peel their skin, clean the seeds and cut them into wide strips. Also chop the mozzarella into cubes and leave it in a colander to drain its own water.

Subsequently, wet and squeeze a piece of baking paper the size of your dish and line the dish with it. You can use a rectangular loaf tin for this recipe. Prepare the eggs by beating them. Take a large pan put some olive oil and start cooking the vegetables. Put the chopped leeks first, then add the green beans and mangetout, and finally the artichoke hearts. Leave for 10 – 15 minutes to cook adding some warm water if veg are too dry. Put in the chopped herbs and season with salt and pepper. Leave to cook on low heat for another 5 minutes.

Take the dish and start putting the leaves of the leeks on all sides – leave them hanging out from the border of the dish so that you can wrap the terrine up in the leek leaves. When the tray is lined start putting the first layer of coloured peppers then brush them with the beaten egg. Continue layering the other vegetables, add a layer of mozzarella and brush it up with the eggs. Repeat the layers of veg, mozzarella and beaten egg until finished. Wrap up with leek leaves, cover with foil and put in a pre-heated oven of 180 degrees Celsius and cook for 20 minutes. Then remove the foil and cook for another 15 minutes uncovered. When ready leave to cool, slice into thick pieces and serve warm dressed with some good quality olive oil.

Smoked Salmon Risotto

Here’s an easy recipe… ideal for a quick lunch or as a starter.

Ingredients for 4:

• 300g arborio rice
• 1 small onion
• 1 large potato
• 1 fennel bulb
• 200g smoked salmon
• half glass of white wine
• knob of butter
• 500ml stock
• 150g Greek yogurt

Finely chop the onion. Peel and cut the potatoes in small cubes. Cut the fennel bulb in half lengthwise and slice it finely. Take a pan with high borders melt the knob of butter on medium heat, add the chopped onion, potatoes and fennel. Leave until onion is transparent. Add the rice and toast it for 2 minutes. Pour the wine and let it evaporate. In the meantime keep stirring so the rice won’t stick together. When the wine evaporates start adding the stock little by little until the rice is cooked according to the time indicated on its packet. Just before the rice is ready add the salmon cut into slices. Switch off the burner and add the Greek yogurt. Mix well and leave to stand for 2 minutes. Serve into plates and decorate with the top parts of the fennel including the leaves.