From Episode 175: Debra's Menu

Soup of Fresh Borlotti Beans and Summer Vegetables

Serves 4

Ingredients:

½ loaf ciabatta bread, crusts removed
4 tablespoons/60 ml extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon/less than 5 g coarsely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 cups (about) vegetable stock
1½ cups/250 g shelled fresh borlotti beans or canned borlotti beans
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 carrots, peeled and diced
1 celery heart (the leafy inner ribs of the celery stalk), diced
1 leek (white and pale green parts only), diced
4 escarole leaves or Napa cabbage leaves, sliced into ½-inch-/1.3-cm-wide ribbons
1 tablespoon/less than 5 g coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon/less than 5 g coarsely chopped fresh oregano leaves

Method:

To prepare the ciabatta croutons:

Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Tear the ciabatta bread into bite-size pieces and place the ciabatta pieces on a heavy baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon/15 ml of olive oil and toss to coat with the oil. Sprinkle with the parsley and season with salt and pepper. Toast the ciabatta pieces for about 15 minutes or until they are nice and crisp. Remove the ciabatta croutons from the oven and cool.

Meanwhile, to prepare the borlotti bean soup:

Bring the stock to a boil in a medium pot over a medium to high heat. Add the fresh borlotti beans and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes or until they are al dente. If using canned borlotti beans, skip this step since the beans are already tender.

Heat 2 tablespoons/30 ml of olive oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and sauté for 10 minutes or until the onions are tender. Add the carrots, celery and leek and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the borlotti beans and stock to the vegetables and bring the stock back to a boil.

Add the escarole, basil and oregano. Cover and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes or until the escarole and carrots are tender and the flavors are well blended. Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper.

Ladle the soup into 4 serving bowls. Scatter the ciabatta croutons over the soup. Drizzle the soup with the remaining 1 tablespoon/15 ml of olive oil and serve.

Risotto of Asparagus and Parmigiano-Reggiano

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons/30 ml olive oil
3 shallots, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 pinch saffron strands
2 cups/390 g Carnaroli or Vialone Nano rice
3/4 cup/170 ml dry white wine
8 cups (about) vegetable stock, hot
1½ pounds/700 g thin asparagus, woody ends removed, stalks cut into 1½-inch/4-cm lengths
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick)/55 g butter
1/2 cup/55 g grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/4 cup/55 g mascarpone cheese
2 tablespoons/about 5 g finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1/2 lemon, juiced
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
One 1 1/2-ounce/40-g piece Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, shaved with a vegetable peeler

Method:

Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat. Add the shallots, garlic, thyme and saffron, and sauté for 2 minutes or until the shallots are tender but do not brown. Add the rice and sauté for 30 seconds.

Stir in the white wine and cook for 3 minutes, or until it is absorbed. Add 3/4 cup/175 ml of the hot vegetable stock and cook, stirring constantly, until absorbed. Continue adding the hot stock, 3/4 cup/175 ml at a time, until the rice is al dente (the center of each grain of rice should be slightly firm). This should take about 22 minutes.

Add the asparagus and continue to cook for 2 minutes. Remove the stems of thyme. The leaves of the thyme should have fallen off the stems and into the risotto. Remove the risotto from the heat, and stir in the butter, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and mascarpone cheeses until the butter has melted.
Stir in the parsley and lemon juice and season the risotto generously to taste with salt and pepper. Divide the risotto among four warm serving bowls. Garnish with some of the asparagus tip pieces and shaved Parmesan cheese, and serve.

Risotto of Seafood, Asparagus and Saffron

Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the seafood:

1 tablespoon/15 ml olive oil
One 8-ounce/225-g filet monkfish, skinned and cut into bite-sized pieces
16 fresh mussels, de-bearded
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
16 large shrimp, peeled and de-veined

For the risotto:

2 tablespoons/30 ml olive oil
3 shallots, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 pinch saffron strands
2 cups/390 g Carnaroli or Vialone Nano rice
3/4 cup/170 ml dry white wine
8 cups (about) vegetable stock, hot
1 pound thin asparagus, woody ends removed, cut crosswise into 1 ½-inch/4-cm lengths
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick)/55 g butter
1/4 cup /55 g mascarpone cheese
2 tablespoons/about 5 g finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1/2 lemon, juiced
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Method:

To prepare the seafood:

Place a large heavy-based sauté pan over a high heat. Drizzle the olive oil into the hot pan. Add the monkfish and the mussels. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook for 2 minutes or until the mussels begin to open.

Add the shrimp and cook for a further 2 minutes or until the shrimp are just cooked through and the mussels are completely open. Discard any mussels that do not open. Remove the mussel meat from the shells and return the mussel meat to the sauté pan with the shrimp and monkfish. Discard the mussel shells. Set aside and reserve for the risotto.

Meanwhile, to prepare the risotto:

Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat. Add the shallots, garlic, thyme and saffron and sauté for 2 minutes or until the shallots are tender but not brown.

Add the rice and sauté for 30 seconds. Stir in the white wine and cook for 3 minutes, or until it is absorbed. Add 3/4 cup/175 ml of the hot vegetable stock and cook, stirring constantly, until absorbed.

Continue adding the hot stock, 3/4 cup/175 ml at a time, until the rice is al dente (the center of each grain of rice should be slightly firm). This should take about 22 minutes. Add the asparagus and continue to cook for 2 minutes.

Remove the stems of thyme. The leaves of the thyme should have fallen off the stems and into the risotto. Add the seafood and then remove the risotto from the heat. Stir in the butter and mascarpone cheese. Stir in the parsley and lemon juice and season the risotto generously to taste with salt and pepper. 

Divide the risotto among four warm serving bowls. Garnish with some of the asparagus tip pieces and serve.