BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP WITH MASCARPONE AND LEMON-HONEY WALNUTS
BEAN, PANCETTA, AND RADICCHIO SOUP
SALMON, ROBIOLA, AND GRAPE RISOTTO
MUSHROOM AND BLACK TRUFFLE RISOTTO
After the antipasto there is always a primo, or first course—small servings to accompany a multicourse meal. When I first moved to the States, the way risotto and pasta were presented in supersize servings was confusing to me. I believe that’s where the misconception that risotto and pasta are fattening comes from.
In this chapter I focus on soups and risotto. The Italians and Italophiles out there may be wondering, Where is the pasta? Technically pasta is a primo, but as I have so many pasta recipes that are near and dear to me, I’ve dedicated a whole chapter to it (see this page to this page).
In the pages that follow I’ll show you how to make your own stock and share with you two of my favorite soup recipes, a fall butternut squash soup and my grandpa’s favorite fagiola soup. And if you always wondered how to make a perfect risotto, this is the chapter for you! I’ll teach you the technique for making a just-right al dente risotto and share some of my favorite ways of flavoring it up, with ingredients ranging from salmon and grapes, beets and goat cheese, asparagus and lemon, mushroom and truffle, to sausage and radicchio. Then you’ll be well equipped to come up with your own signature risotto variations.
BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP WITH MASCARPONE AND LEMON-HONEY WALNUTS
Zuppa di Zucca e Mascarpone con Noci al Limone
I came up with this recipe for a church potluck one fall Sunday at the height of winter squash season. As the weather changes, I like to cook with butternut squash as much as possible: pureed, in soup, or stuffed into mezzelune and topped with crushed amaretti cookies (see the recipe on this page). You don’t necessarily have to use the mascarpone; it’s a lighter soup without it, but if you’re not on a diet, go ahead and enjoy it! For me, especially since my MasterChef experience, soup is never just soup: Multiple layers of taste and texture are called for, with the walnuts and croutons providing crunch and a flavor contrast to this creamy soup.
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (2-pound/910-g) butternut squash, peeled, halved, seeded, and cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) cubes
8 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 large red onion, roughly chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
⅓ cup (75 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups (480 ml) vegetable stock, homemade (this page) or good-quality store-bought, plus more as needed
8 ounces (225 g) imported Italian mascarpone cheese (such as Galbani or Polenghi), at room temperature
1 bread roll, preferably ciabatta, cut into crouton-size cubes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Handful of fresh rosemary leaves
FIRST, WE’LL GET THE WALNUTS READY:
Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C), and line a baking sheet with wax paper or parchment paper.
Place the nuts in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and honey and season with salt and pepper. Pour the mixture over the nuts and toss to coat. Spread the nuts on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer and toast in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until they are nicely browned and glazed from the honey. Transfer to a plate in a single layer to cool, leaving the oven on. If they’ve stuck together after they’ve cooled, break them apart.
Raise the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C), and line the baking sheet with a new sheet of wax paper or parchment paper.
Place the squash, garlic, and onions on the lined baking sheet and add the rosemary and thyme. Season heavily with salt and pepper, drizzle the oil on top, and toss everything together with your hands to coat. Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake for 45 to 60 minutes, until the squash is very soft. Remove from the oven and let cool. Leave the oven on.
Line a baking sheet with wax paper or parchment paper. Place the bread cubes on the sheet, drizzle it with a good amount of oil, and sprinkle with some salt and pepper and the rosemary. Bake for about 10 minutes, until golden brown and crisp. Remove and set aside.
Remove the thyme and rosemary and transfer the vegetables to a food processor, add the stock, and process until smooth with an even color throughout. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed. Transfer the pureed squash mixture to a large bowl and gently fold in the cheese with a spatula until fully incorporated. Add some more stock, if needed, to reach the desired consistency.
Place the soup in a large saucepan and warm it up over medium heat. Add just enough lemon juice to give the soup a little spark of brightness. Divide the soup among four soup bowls, sprinkle some croutons all around, and finish with some nuts in the center of each bowl.
LUCA’S TIP: I like to keep my mascarpone out of the food processor for this soup; it needs to be treated gently by simply folding it into the soup at the end. Anything more forceful can make the fat separate from the liquid, causing the soup to “break.”
Making your own stock at home may take some time, but it’s very easy to do and allows you to know exactly what you are eating. Stock can be stored in the freezer for several months, so you can make a big batch, divide it among small containers, and use a little bit at a time in your recipes.
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 whole leek, cleaned well and roughly chopped
1 large white onion, peeled and halved
2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
4 garlic gloves, peeled and smashed
Makes about 2 1/2 quarts (2.5 L)
Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the leeks, onions, celery, carrots, garlic, thyme, and rosemary and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes to soften the vegetables slightly and bring out the flavors of the aromatics. Add 3 quarts (3 L) water, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover with foil, and cook at a bare simmer for 2 hours.
Strain the stock through a fine-mesh strainer into a large container. Discard the solids in the strainer. If you’re not using the stock right away, let it cool completely, then refrigerate until ready to use. It will keep for up to 3 days.
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Bones and giblets of 1 chicken
1 whole leek, cleaned well and roughly chopped
1 large white onion, peeled and halved
2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
4 garlic gloves, peeled and smashed
Makes about 2 1/2 quarts (2.5 L)
Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken bones and giblets and sear for about 4 minutes per side, until browned all over. Add the leeks, onions, celery, carrots, garlic, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes to lightly color them. Add 3 quarts (3 L) water, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Skim off and discard any foam that rises to the surface. Reduce the heat to low, cover with foil, and cook at a bare simmer for 2 hours. Taste the stock to see if it’s flavorful. If it’s not yet full of flavor, cook it a little longer.
Line a strainer with a double layer of cheesecloth and place it over a large container. Remove the bones from the stock and strain the stock through the strainer into the container. Discard the solids left in the strainer. If you’re not using the stock right away, let it cool completely, then refrigerate until ready to use. A layer of fat will form on top of the stock when it has cooled—you may want to remove it and perhaps use it in another recipe. The stock will keep for up to 3 days.
BEAN, PANCETTA, AND RADICCHIO SOUP
Fagioli con Pancetta e Radicchio
This was a favorite of Nonno Velin, my mother’s dad, with whom I spent a lot of time in the town of Casarsa, Friuli, as a kid. More often than not you’d find him sitting on a recliner next to the wood-burning stove with my grandmother cooking something delicious in the kitchen. You won’t find this dish in any restaurant, because it’s Nonno Velin’s own unique way of putting beans, pancetta, and radicchio together in a bowl. My grandmother would cook the pancetta and beans and put them together for the soup and, as she often would, place a radicchio salad in the middle of the table. My grandfather would take the radicchio and stir it right into the soup. The soup would wilt the radicchio a little, but the radicchio still retained a good amount of crunch and lightened up an otherwise heavy soup.
If you are using dried beans, you’ll need to soak them in water overnight and then boil them for a couple of hours. The last time I made this soup, I checked in with my mother, and while she was giving me pointers on putting it all together, I told her that I was using canned beans. “No, Luca, I can’t believe the MasterChef is using canned beans!” Well, guys, no worries, I will not judge you if you do. I know we don’t always have a lot of time for cooking, and with all the flavors that go into this dish, I promise you, no one will be able to tell the difference.
1 pound (455 g) pancetta, sliced ½ inch (12 mm) thick
6 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
½ cup (20 g) fresh sage leaves
2 medium stalks celery, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup (240 ml) chicken stock, homemade (this page) or good-quality store-bought, plus more as needed
1 (15-ounce/430-g) can red kidney beans, or 1 3/4 cups (375 g) freshly cooked red kidney beans
1 (15-ounce/430-g) can cannellini beans, or 1 3/4 cups (375 g) freshly cooked cannellini beans
1 cup (225 g) chopped canned San Marzano tomatoes (with juice)
Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat until screaming hot. Cut the pancetta into rectangular bites measuring about ¾ by 1 1/2 inches (2 by 4 cm) and add it to the pan. Sear it on one side until well browned, about 5 minutes, then turn it and sear it on the other side until well browned, 5 minutes more. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for about 10 minutes more to render the fat. (What we are doing here is getting all the fat out so you can cook the vegetables in it, and also crisping up the pancetta to use as a topping for the soup.) Taste the pancetta to see if it’s nice and crunchy, then, using tongs, transfer it to a plate lined with paper towels. If there is more than ¼ cup (60 ml) rendered fat in the pan, pour the excess out and save it for another use, such as frying eggs.
Raise the heat to medium, add the garlic and sage to the fat in the pan, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until the garlic starts to brown. Add the onions, celery, and carrots, raise the heat to high, and season with salt and pepper. Cook the vegetables until they start to caramelize, about 5 minutes, then add the stock and stir to release any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the kidney beans, cannellini beans, and tomatoes (with juice) and cook for 5 minutes more to bring the flavors together.
Using an immersion blender, blend about half of the mixture in the pot, adding more chicken stock to the soup, if needed, to reach the desired consistency (I like mine pretty thick). Taste and season with more salt and pepper, if needed. Divide the soup among four soup bowl and top each with the radicchio and pancetta. Drizzle with some oil and serve, inviting your guests to mix everything together before they dig in.
Pasta Fagioli: Add a little more stock and a cup or so of cooked ditalini or any short pasta.
LUCA’S TIP: Guanciale can work in this recipe instead of the pancetta. Pancetta comes from the pig’s belly (pancia in Italian means “belly”) and guanciale comes from the jowl or cheek (guancia in Italian means “cheek”). Guanciale is really delicious, because it has even more fat than pancetta does!
SALMON, ROBIOLA, AND GRAPE RISOTTO
Risotto al Salmone, Robiola e Uva
My mother used to make us a delicious salmon risotto. The last time I mentioned it to her, though, she said she didn’t remember it and denied ever making it. For the first time, my mother, the one I call more than anyone else, couldn’t help me with a recipe! I turned to my MasterChef training: I would cook the salmon just briefly so it wouldn’t dry out when I added it to the risotto, include grapes for something unexpected, and add chives and orange zest to play against the grapes and build up multiple layers of flavor. A little of my adopted home of New York City came into the mix, as in the end part of the inspiration for this recipe comes from the famous New York City smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel!
Robiola cheese is a very young, soft, and creamy cheese; you could also use mascarpone or any creamy cheese (yes, even cream cheese). When it comes to the fish, don’t be cheap! Fresh wild salmon is the best choice. Yes, it is a bit more expensive than farm-raised, but there is huge difference in quality and flavor.
1 quart (960 ml) fish stock, homemade (this page) or good-quality store-bought
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
12 ounces (340 g) fresh salmon, skinned and cut into ½-inch (12-mm) cubes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
6 tablespoons (84 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 large shallot, very finely chopped
½ cup (about 5 ounces/140 g) Robiola cheese or other soft creamy cheese, at room temperature
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
½ cup (50 g) grated Grana Padano, at room temperature
1 cup (160 g) small seedless red grapes, halved
In a large saucepan, bring the stock to a simmer. Keep it at a low simmer while you make the risotto.
Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat until super-hot. Season the salmon cubes with salt and pepper and add them to the pan. Cook, without stirring, for 1 minute. Turn off the heat, add ½ cup (120 ml) of the stock and 1 teaspoon of the orange zest, stir to combine and release any stuck-on bits from the bottom of the pan, and set aside.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Add the shallots and rice and toast the rice, stirring, for about 3 minutes, until the rice starts looking chalky. Add the wine, raise the heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring constantly, until the wine has been absorbed, about 5 minutes.
Add the liquid from the salmon pan, but don’t add the salmon yet. Reduce the heat to medium.
From here on, you will keep stirring and adding the hot stock 1 cup (240 ml) at a time, as the rice asks for it, waiting until the previous addition has been absorbed before adding the next. At the 10-minute mark, add the Robiola or similar cheese. Keep on stirring. Remember, the stirring is what makes your risotto super-creamy!
At the 17-minute mark, taste the rice. It should still be too al dente, but we are getting closer. Keep cooking, just a few minutes more, adding stock as needed, now in ½ cup (120 ml) increments, until the rice is just tender and creamy-looking but still al dente. The total cooking time will be about 20 minutes. Remove the rice from the heat. Add the salmon, the remaining 2 teaspoons of orange zest, the chives, and the parsley.
Now for the last but perhaps most important step: Cut the remaining 4 tablespoons (56 g) butter into chunks and add it to the risotto along with the Grana Padano; stir vigorously until the butter is melted, adding a little stock if it is looking too thick. Add the grapes, stir, season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately on flat plates.
Risotto con Barbabietole e Caprino
Beets and goat cheese is one of my favorite classic Italian combinations. I introduced you to the Beet, Goat Cheese, and Pistachio Crostini on this page, so you know how well these two foods go together. This risotto is a lot of fun because the color is kind of shocking, like bubblegum. You would never think that something you’d eat for dinner would have such a fun color!
2 (about 300 g total) red beets, scrubbed
1 cup (120 g) shelled pistachios
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the pistachios
1 quart (960 ml) vegetable stock, homemade (this page) or good-quality store-bought
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large shallot, very finely chopped
1 cup (8 ounces/225 g) soft fresh goat cheese, at room temperature
¼ cup (25 g) freshly grated Grana Padano, at room temperature
¼ cup (10 g) chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon apple-cider vinegar or white-wine vinegar
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the beets, return the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Simmer for 30 to 45 minutes, until tender. You can check for doneness by inserting a thin knife; if it goes in without resistance, the beet is done. Drain the beets and let them cool slightly. When cool enough to handle, peel the skin off using your fingers (wear disposable gloves if you want to avoid staining your hands), then roughly chop them. Place the beets in a blender and puree them, adding a small amount of water, if needed. Set aside while you start the risotto.
While the beets are still cooking, toast the pistachios. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Place the pistachios in a small bowl. Toss them with a drizzle of oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Arrange the pistachios on a baking sheet and toast for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and transfer to a small plate to cool.
In a large saucepan, bring the stock to a simmer. Keep it at a low simmer while you make the risotto.
Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots and rice and toast the rice, stirring, for about 3 minutes, until the rice starts looking chalky. Add the wine, raise the heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring constantly, until the wine has been absorbed, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium.
From here on, you will keep stirring and adding the hot stock 1 cup (240 ml) at a time, as the rice asks for it, waiting until the previous addition has been absorbed before adding the next. At the 10-minute mark, add the beet puree, then at the 15-minute mark, add the goat cheese. Keep on stirring to bring the starch out of the rice and get your risotto very creamy.
He is a sweetheart, and somehow never harsh. In both my auditions, he said “no” to my dishes, but I am sure he was happy that I was able to prove him wrong.
At the 17-minute mark, taste the rice. It should still be too al dente, but we are getting closer. Keep cooking, just a few minutes more, adding stock as needed in ½-cup (120-ml) increments, until the rice is just tender and creamy-looking but still al dente. The total cooking time will be about 20 minutes.
Remove from the heat, add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, the Grana Padano, chives, and vinegar and stir vigorously, adding a little more stock if your risotto is looking too thick. When the butter and goat cheese are melted and incorporated, the risotto is ready. Add the toasted pistachios to the risotto before serving for a crunchy little garnish. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.
LUCA’S TIPS: If you’re looking for another way to eat more beets and goat cheese, don’t forget that the two make a great salad combo as well.
You can make more of the beet puree and use it to flavor and color a pot of mashed potatoes.
This is the first dish I cooked for my wife, Cate, and it’s just like Cate: simple yet sophisticated. It’s amazing how much flavor two everyday ingredients— asparagus and lemon—can bring to the plate. Cate loved this risotto so much that we went on to serve it at our wedding. At the time neither of us would have imagined that I’d be writing a cookbook with this recipe in it!
1 bunch asparagus (about 14 ounces/400 g), woody ends trimmed and saved for stock
1 quart (960 ml) vegetable stock, homemade (this page) or good-quality store-bought
7 tablespoons (100 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large shallot, very finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
1 cup (100 g) freshly grated Grana Padano, at room temperature
¼ cup (10 g) chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Fill a large bowl with ice and water to make an ice bath. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the asparagus and cook for about 3 minutes, until slightly softened and bright green in color. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the asparagus to the prepared ice bath. Let cool for a minute, then, using a slotted spoon, remove the asparagus and pat it dry with a paper towel. Chop the asparagus into ½-inch (12-mm) pieces.
In a large saucepan, bring the stock to a simmer. Keep it at a low simmer while you make the risotto.
Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots and rice and toast the rice, stirring, for about 3 minutes, until the rice starts looking chalky. Add the wine, raise the heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring constantly, until the wine has been absorbed, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium.
From here on, you will keep stirring and adding the hot stock 1 cup (240 ml) at a time, as the rice asks for it, waiting until the previous addition has been absorbed before adding the next. At the 5-minute mark, add the lemon zest; at the 10-minute mark, add the asparagus and 1 tablespoon of the remaining butter. Keep on stirring to bring the starch out of the rice and get your risotto very creamy.
At the 17-minute mark, taste the rice. It should still be too al dente, but we are getting closer. Keep cooking, just a few minutes more, adding stock as needed in ½-cup (120-ml) increments, until the rice is just tender and creamy-looking but still al dente. The total cooking time will be about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the remaining 4 tablespoons (56 g) butter (cut it into cubes first), the cheese, parsley, and lemon juice. Stir vigorously, adding a little more stock if it is looking too thick. When the butter is all melted, the risotto is ready. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.
Asparagus and Lemon Risotto with Shrimp: Flambé the shrimp as you would for the Seafood Soup on this page. Remove the shrimp from the pan, chop it, and add it to the risotto after 15 minutes of cooking.
LUCA’S TIPS: It is important to blanch the asparagus in the boiling water for just a few minutes; you need it to keep a nice crunch, because you’re going to be cooking it some more when it is added to the risotto.
Make sure to grate only the yellow part of the lemon peel; if you grate into the white pith, it can add a bitter taste to your dish.
MUSHROOM AND BLACK TRUFFLE RISOTTO
Welcome to fall! Mushrooms and truffles are one of those things I wait for all year long.
Truffles are in the fungus family but are considered tubers rather than mushrooms because they grow underground. The truffle is a very fascinating ingredient, with both black and white varieties.
Let’s talk about white truffles first: They have a very short season, from the end of October to the beginning of the new year, or at least that’s the only time I would spend money on them, because that’s when they are at their best. White truffles are a true delicacy; they can be sold for up to $2,200 per pound, and a restaurant plate of tagliolini with white truffles can go for $150. I did not grow up eating truffles, but I’ve been lucky enough to try this special dish a few times. Since white truffles are such a flavorful and delicate ingredient, they are most often used to finish a dish, as in the tagliolini or a simple Grana Padano risotto. Another classic dish is a simple fried egg with white truffle on top; I once added asparagus to the egg, and it was incredible! The most famous white truffles come from the city of Alba, in the Piedmont region in the northwest of Italy, so if you are ever around Italy at that time of the year, I suggest you make it a point to stop there.
Black truffles are far more affordable, and they have two seasons: summer and winter. The French have the edge on this one, as French black truffles are considered the best in the world. They are heartier than the white ones and can be matched with mushrooms and sauces as well as meat. Back in the day, truffle-seekers used to go around with pigs that would sniff out the truffles, but often the pigs would eat the truffles, so now dogs are trained to help do the job. Truffles grow next to the roots of trees and take on the flavor of the tree they grow next to. Pine, hazelnut, oak, and chestnut are some of the best. Truffles grow in just a few hours and only at night. A truffle-picker once told me that you could go to a tree at two in the morning and not find anything, and then go back to the same tree at six and pick a treasure. That might give you an idea of why they are so precious!
1 quart (960 ml) vegetable stock, homemade (this page) or good-quality store-bought
6 tablespoons (84 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 shallot, very finely chopped
4 tablespoons (60 ml) black truffle paste
½ recipe Sautéed Mixed Mushrooms (this page)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup (100 g) freshly grated Grana Padano, at room temperature
½ cup (20 g) chopped fresh parsley
In a large saucepan, bring the stock to a simmer. Keep it at a low simmer while you make the risotto.
Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots and rice and toast the rice, stirring, for about 3 minutes, until the rice starts looking chalky. Add the wine, raise the heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring constantly, until the wine has been absorbed, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium.
From here on, you will keep stirring and adding the hot stock 1 cup (240 ml) at a time, as the rice asks for it, waiting until the previous addition has been absorbed before adding the next. At the 5-minute mark, add the truffle paste; at the 12-minute mark, add the mushrooms and season very lightly with salt and pepper. Keep on stirring to bring the starch out of the rice and get your risotto very creamy.
At the 17-minute mark, taste the rice. It should still be too al dente, but we are getting closer. Keep cooking, just a few minutes more, adding stock as needed in ½-cup (120 ml) increments, until the rice is just tender and creamy-looking but still al dente. Total cooking time will be about 20 minutes.
Remove from the heat and add the remaining 4 tablespoons (56 g) butter (cut it into cubes first), the cheese, and the parsley. Stir vigorously, adding a little more stock if it is looking too thick. When the butter is all melted, the risotto is ready. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.
LUCA’S TIPS: Most of the truffle pastes on the market include mushrooms, and these are the ones I always use, because they are more affordable and full of flavor. When you are choosing a brand, make sure it contains 100 percent natural ingredients with little more than black truffles, mushrooms, and extra-virgin olive oil. You can find truffle paste in Italian groceries and international food shops.
Please stay away from anything that says truffle oil, as it is almost always something that is made in a laboratory and is not natural. It overpowers your dishes and can ruin your palate.
Red wine, sausage, and radicchio call for a cold winter day. This is another classic combination, one we’ve also used for the crostini on this page. I hope that your butcher has some delicious homemade sausage for you; if he doesn’t, you should consider a new butcher. A tasty sausage needs to have a nice blend of spices and, of course, a good amount of fat. Don’t use ground pork for this recipe, as the recipe will never come out the same. You may be thinking that I should teach you how to create a great sausage blend, but if I give you everything in this book, I will have nothing left for my second one!
1 pound (455 g) pork sausage, cut into small pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 quart (960 ml) beef stock, homemade (opposite page) or good-quality store-bought
6 tablespoons (84 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 shallot, very finely chopped
1 cup (100 g) freshly grated Grana Padano, at room temperature
2 cups (4 ounces/115 g) finely chopped radicchio (about ½ head)
½ cup (20 g) chopped fresh parsley
Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the sausage, season with salt and pepper, and cook until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Add ½ cup (120 ml) of the wine and stir to remove any browned bits from the bottom; cook until the wine has been absorbed, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
In a large saucepan, bring the stock to a simmer. Keep it at a low simmer while you make the risotto.
Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots and rice and toast the rice, stirring, for about 3 minutes, until the rice starts looking chalky. Add the remaining 1 cup (240 ml) wine, raise the heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring constantly, until the wine has been absorbed, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium.
From here on, you will keep stirring and adding the hot stock 1 cup (240 ml) at a time, as the rice asks for it, waiting until the previous addition has been absorbed before adding the next. At the 10-minute mark, add the sausage with its fat and any juices from the pan. Keep on stirring to bring the starch out of the rice and get your risotto very creamy.
At the 17-minute mark, taste the rice. It should still be too al dente, but we are getting closer. Keep cooking, just a few minutes more, adding stock as needed in ½-cup (120-ml) increments, until the rice is just tender and creamy-looking but still al dente. Total cooking time will be about 20 minutes.
2 1/2 pounds (1.2 kg) meaty beef bones
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 whole leek, cleaned well and roughly chopped
1 large white onion, peeled and cut into chunks
2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C).
Place the bones in a roasting pan and roast them for about 45 minutes, turning the pieces halfway through, until well browned. Remove from the oven.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks, onions, celery, carrots, and garlic and cook, stirring often, until caramelized, about 15 minutes. Add the beef bones, rosemary, and thyme and cook for 3 minutes more. Add 2 1/2 quarts (2.5 L) water, raise the heat to medium-high, and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan with aluminum foil, and cook at a bare simmer for at least 2 hours and up to 6 hours, occasionally skimming the fat and foam that rise to the surface of the stock (but don’t stir the stock).
Line a fine-mesh strainer with a double layer of cheesecloth and place it over a large container. Remove the bones from the stock and strain the stock through the strainer into the container. Discard any solids left in the strainer. If you’re not using the stock right away, let it cool completely, then refrigerate it until ready to use. A layer of fat will form on top of the stock—you may want to remove it and perhaps use it in another recipe. The stock will keep for up to 3 days.
Remove from the heat and add the remaining 4 tablespoons (56 g) butter (cut it into cubes first), the cheese, radicchio, and parsley. Stir vigorously, adding a little more stock if it looks too thick. When the butter is all melted and the radicchio is wilted, the risotto is ready. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.
