Text copyright 2012 Art of Living, PrimaMedia,Inc/Maria Liberati
A romantic Valentine’s Day and even though I was not far away from the kitchen I could not help but pause every so often to catch a glimpse of my favorite romantic flicks from Italy…and take a tour of Italy from home…they present Italy in it’s former glory..from Summertime with Katharine Hepburn in Venice
and Two Women with Sophia Loren filmed in Sora
to Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow with Sophia and Marcello Mastroianni in Naples and Rome,, (they go together like peanut butter and jelly or should I say pasta and Parmigiana) what a tour…
.ahh!! they have to stop putting so many of these wonderful flicks on in one day…it is like overeating a Holiday lasagna or a great big pizza…you just can’t stop… the scenery, the talented actors and cinematographers,beautiful music and sights and the romance Italian style…
But alas all good things come to an end..here is one of today’s favorite recipes and one of my favorite recipes for V Day..
Risotto with Strawberries & Champagne
(photo credits: www.comefare.com)
copyright 2011 Art of Living,PrimaMedia,Inc/Maria Liberati
(From the Gourmand World Cookbook Award Winning Book: The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition
*4 cups vegetable broth
3* tablespoons olive oil
*2 leeks chopped finely
*1 cup arborio or carnaroli rice
*1 tablespoon butter (unsalted)
*pinch of salt
*1 cup Prosecco, Spumante or sparkling,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 Champagne or Sparkling wine first.. 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 and donlt forget to top with grated parmigiana-reggiano cheese. Decorate plates with strawberry garnish.
Get your copy of The Basic Art of Italian Cooking Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition here or an ebook version available exclusively on KIndle