Springtime is the season that mother nature begins to really yell “WAKE UP!!” She gives us lots of fresh food with plenty of vitamins, mineral salts and fiber to do some real spring cleaning…
From artichokes that can be boiled or baked, and rich in fiber, vitamin c, carotenoids, and mineral salts not to mention their natural diuretic properties to strawberries and cherries. Fresh parsley and mint have real depurative properties so eat some or use some to flavor your dishes. And to get an extra dose of their healthy benefits get these fresh fruits and vegetables grown locally or as local an possible, shorter time from harvesting to arrive to your table and you will experience that shock to your mouth…wake up… ultra fresh taste, yes you are tasting real food.
Here is a dish for that will give a Spring Wake up to your mouth, with fresh strawberries:
Risotto alla Fragole (risotto with strawberries)
(from the Gourmand World Cookbook Award winning cookbook
The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions)
4 cups vegetable broth
3 tablespoons extra virgin, cold pressed, olive oil
2 leeks chopped finely
1 cup arborio or carnaroli rice
1 tablespoon butter (unsalted)
pinch of salt
1 cup Prosecco, Spumante or dry white wine
10 ounces fresh strawberries, washed and cut in half
Heat vegetable broth till boiling. Place olive oil in large saute pan. Place in chopped leeks and saute till leeks are just about golden. Place in rice and toast till rice is coated with oil and all liquid is evaporated. Add in wine or Prosecco. Stir till all liquid is evaporated. Place in ½ cup of vegetable broth and stir till all liquid is evaporated and repeat placing in ½ cup liquid til evaporated till rice is al dente (approximately 15 minutes).
Puree strawberries. When rice is almost done, place in strawberry puree. Stir in well. Remove from heat. Let stand for 2 minutes. Place 1 tablespoon of butter on top and stir till melted. Serve, top with grated parmigiana-reggiano cheese. Decorate plates with strawberry garnish.
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