Posted by Darby on April 8, 2009 under Arneis, Main | 
Risotto Milanese Recipe
This is a classic Italian dish that is quite versatile. Once you learn how to make risotto you will find many uses for it, either as a stand alone course or as an accompaniment to other dishes.
Rice is grown extensively in the plains of Northern Italy, and risotto competes with pasta as a major source of carbohydrate in traditional regional cuisine.
Ingredients
- 350g oz aborio or short grain rice
- 60g butter
- 1 diced onion
- 100 ml dry white wine
- 3 cups hot chicken or vegetable stock
- Small pinch saffron
- Extra 30g butter
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt to taste
Method
- Saute the onion in the 60g of butter, till it is soft, not browned
- Add rice and saffron and stir well so that each grain is covered with butter
- Add the wine and stir well over low-moderate heat. As the liquid is absorbed and evaporates add the stock about a half a cup at a time, stirring constantly. It will take about 20 minutes to cook. You may need a little more water to make sure the rice is fully cooked.
- When the rice is cooked stir through the extra butter, salt and cheese.
- Remove from heat and cover for a few minutes before serving.
Wine pairing for Risotto Milanese
If you are serving it as a stand alone dish I would suggest an Arneis. The distinct flavours of this wine wine would not be overwhelmed by the moderate flavours of the saffron and cheese. If you are serving this with a meaty dish such as osso buco you would match the wine to the meat.
Posted by Darby on under Arneis, Main |
This Veal Scallopine recipe is a simple dish to make, but you need to be careful about a few points.
1. The veal should be fairly thin, if it isn’t give it a bash or two with a meat mallet.
2. Use a pan that will just hold the meat slices neatly, so that they don’t stew, or the fat doesn’t burn.
3. It needs to be served quickly.
Ingredients
- Salt and pepper for seasoning
- Plain (all purpose) flour
- Thin slices of veal
- Butter
- Olive oil
- Half a lemon, sliced
- A handful of fresh sage leaves
Season the veal slices and toss in the flour to coat well.
Melt a knob of butter with an equal amount of olive oil in a frying pan. Fry the lemon slices for a minute or two, then remove.
Cook the veal in the frying pan, sealing quickly on each side. It should only take about 2 minutes.
Remove the veal to a warmed plate.
Add some more butter to the pan if necessary and fry the sage leaves until crisp.
Serve the veal with the sage leaves on top, garnished with a green salad or vegetable.
Variation
Instead of sage, use a cup of thinly sliced mushrooms. After you have cooked them for a couple of minutes scrape any browned bits of veal off the pan and pour in about 100ml of white wine. When the wine has reduced by about half pour the sauce over the scallopini.
Food pairing suggestion
This Italian style dish would go well with a crisp Arneis white wine
Posted by Darby on April 3, 2009 under Appetisers, Arneis, Tapas |
Marinated Mushrooms Recipe
These mushrooms can be served as a first course on their own but are better as part of an antipasto platter. The drained mushrooms can also be tossed through a green salad. They need at least a few hours to marinate, but are best after a day or two in the refrigerator.
Ingredients
Serves 2 as entree, 4-6 as part of a platter
- 250g small button mushrooms
- Half cup of good olive oil
- Juice of a lemon
- 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh herbs (chives, tarragon or parsley are great)
- 2 cloves garlic
- A couple of peppercorns or other spices
Method
Heat oil gently and infuse with the garlic. Meanwhile halve or quarter the mushrooms according to size. If they are small and you are doing them a day ahead you can leave them whole.
Remove oil from heat and add the mushrooms. Mix well and allow to cool. Add lemon juice, herbs, and spices. Allow to marinate in a glass bowl, preferably for 24 hours. Bring to room temperature before serving.
You can store these for up to a week in a glass jar in the fridge. In this case don’t put the fresh herbs in until you are ready to serve the mushrooms.
Wine suggestion
I love a crisp Arneis wine with antipasto. In this food pairing the wine often has enough oomph to go with the varied flavours from the various ingredients.
