Zucchini with Herbs

This is a very simple side dish that allows the delicate flavor of the zucchini to come into its own. Recipe serves 4-6.

Ingredients:

2 pound (1 kg) zucchini, grated
Salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh basil
1 tablespoon fresh marjoram
1 tablespoon fresh parsley
Freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1. Place grated zucchini in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Leave to drain for 1/2-1 hour. Squeeze out all moisture.
2. Heat oil in a fry pan. Add zucchini and cook for 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.
3. Add lemon juice and herbs and mix through. Season with pepper and serve.

Truffle and Lobster Risotto

To capture the precious qualities of the fresh truffle, partner it with lobster and serve in a silky smooth Italian risotto. Both truffle shavings and truffle oil are added towards the end of cooking to preserve their flavor. Recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:

2 ounces (60 g) unsalted butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 3/4 cups risotto rice, preferably Carnaroli
1 fresh thyme sprig
2/3 cup dry white wine
5 cups simmering chicken stock
1 freshly cooked lobster
3 tablespoons chopped mixed fresh parsley and chervil
3-4 drops truffle oil
2 hard-boiled eggs
1 fresh black or white truffle
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1. Melt the butter, add the onion and fry until soft. Add the rice and stir well to coat with fat. Add the thyme, then the wine and cook until it has been absorbed. Add the chicken stock a little at a time, stirring. Let each ladle full be absorbed before adding the next.
2. Twist off the lobster tail, cut the underside with scissors and remove the white tail meat. Carefully break open the claws with a small kitchen hammer and remove the flesh. Cut half the meat into big chunks, then roughly chop the remainder.
3. Stir in the chopped lobster meat, half the chopped herbs and the truffle oil. Remove the rice from the heat, cover and leave to stand for 5 minutes.
4. Divide among warmed plates and center the lobster chunks on top. Cut the hard-boiled eggs into wedges and arrange them around the lobster meat. Finally, shave fresh truffle over each portion and sprinkle with the remaining herbs. Serve immediately.

Tip: To make the most of the aromatic truffle scent, keep the tuber in the rice jar for a few days before use.

Apple and Lemon Risotto with Poached Plums

Although it is entirely possible to cook this Italian dessert dish by the conventional risotto method - by adding the liquid slowly - it makes more sense to cook the rice with the milk in the same way as for a rice pudding. Recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:

1 cooking apple
1/2 ounce (15 g) butter
Scant 1 cup risotto rice
2 1/2 cups creamy milk
About 1/4 cup caster sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons) lemon juice
3 tablespoons double (thickened) cream
Grated rind of 1 lemon, to decorate
For the poached plums:
1/4 cup light brown Muscovado sugar
Scant 1 cup apple juice
3 star anise
Cinnamon stick
6 plums, halved and sliced

Method:

1. Peel and core the apple. Cut it into large chunks. Put these in a large, non stick pan and add the butter. Heat gently until the butter melts.
2. Add the rice and milk and stir well. Bring to the boil over a medium heat, then simmer very gently for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. To make the poached plums, dissolve the sugar in 2/3 cup apple juice in a pan. Add the spices and bring to the boil. Boil for 2 minutes. Add the plums, and simmer for 2 minutes. Set aside until ready to serve.
4. Stir the sugar, cinnamon and lemon juice into the risotto. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring all the time, then stir in the cream. Taste and add more sugar if necessary. Decorate with the lemon rind and serve with the poached plums.

Tip: If the apple is very sharp (acidic) the milk may curdle. There is no need to worry about this - it will not affect the look or taste of the sauce.

Chocolate Risotto

If you have never tasted a sweet risotto, there is a treat in store. Italian-style Chocolate Risotto is delectable and children of all ages love it. Recipe serves 4-6.

Ingredients:

Scant 1 cup risotto rice
2 1/2 cups creamy milk
3 ounces (90 g) plain chocolate, broken into pieces
1 ounce (30 g) butter
About 1/4 cup caster sugar
Pinch of ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons double (thickened) cream
Fresh raspberries and chocolate caraque, to decorate
Chocolate sauce, to serve

Method:

1. Put the rice in a non stick pan. Pour in the milk and bring to the boil over a low to medium heat. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and simmer very gently for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is very soft.
2. Stir in the chocolate, butter and sugar. Cook, stirring all the time over a very gentle heat for 1-2 minutes, until the chocolate has melted.
3. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the ground cinnamon and double cream. Cover the pan and leave to stand for a few minutes.
4. Spoon the risotto into individual dishes or dessert plates, and decorate with fresh raspberries and chocolate caraque. Serve with chocolate sauce

Seafood Risotto

You can use any mixed shellfish or seafood for this Italian risotto, as long as the total weight is similar to that used here. The risotto would also make a very good appetizer or starter for eight. Recipe serves 4-6.

Ingredients:

1 pound (500 g) fresh mussels
About 1 cup dry white wine
8 ounces (250 g) sea bass fillet, skinned and cut into pieces
Seasoned flour
4 tablespoons olive oil
8 scallops with corals separated, white parts halved or sliced, if large
8 ounces (250 g) squid, cleaned and cut into rings
12 large raw prawns or langoustines, heads removed
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 cups risotto rice, preferably Carnaroli
3 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
2 1/2 pints (1.5 litres) simmering fish stock
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons double (thickened) cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1. Scrub the mussels, discarding any that do not close when sharply tapped. Place them in a large saucepan and add 6 tablespoons of the wine. Bring to the boil, cover the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes until all the mussels have opened, shaking the pan occasionally. Drain, reserving the liquid and discarding any mussels that have not opened. Set aside a few mussels in their shells for garnishing; remove the others from their shells. Strain the cooking liquid.
2. Dust the pieces of sea bass in seasoned flour. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a frying pan and fry the fish for 3-4 minutes until cooked. Transfer to a plate. Add a little more oil to the pan and fry the white parts of the scallops for 1-2 minutes on both sides until tender. Transfer to a plate.
3. Fry the squid for 3-4 minutes in the same pan, adding a little more oil if necessary, then set aside. Lastly, add the prawns or langoustines and fry for a further 3-4 minutes until pink, turning frequently. Towards the end of cooking, add a splash of wine - about 2 tablespoons - and continue cooking so that the prawns become tender, but do not burn. Remove the prawns from the pan. As soon as they are cool enough to handle, remove the shells and legs, leaving the tails intact.
4. In a large saucepan, heat the remaining olive oil and fry the shallots and garlic for 3-4 minutes over a gentle heat until the shallots are soft but not brown. Add the rice and cook for a few minutes, stirring, until the rice is coated with oil and the grains are slightly translucent. Stir in the tomatoes, with the reserved liquid from the mussels.
5. When all the free liquid has been absorbed, add the remaining wine, stirring constantly. When it has also been absorbed, gradually add the hot stock, one ladle full at a time, continuing to stir the rice constantly and waiting until each quantity of stock has been absorbed before adding the next.
6. When the risotto is three-quarters cooked, carefully stir in all the seafood, except the mussels reserved for the garnish. Continue to cook until all the stock has been absorbed and the rice is tender but still has a bit of "bite".
7. Stir in the parsley and cream and adjust the seasoning. Cover the pan and leave the risotto to stand for 2-3 minutes. Serve in individual bowls, garnished with the reserved mussels in their shells.

Shellfish Risotto with Mixed Mushrooms

This is a quick and easy Italian risotto, where all the liquid is added in one go. The method is well-suited to this shellfish dish, as it means everything cooks together undisturbed. Recipe serves 6.

Ingredients:

8 ounces (250 g) live mussels
8 ounces (250 g) live Venus or Carpet Shell clams
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 1/3 cups risotto rice
7 1/2 cups simmering chicken or vegetable stock
2/3 cup white wine
8 ounces (250 g) assorted wild and cultivated mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
4 ounces (125 g) raw peeled prawns, vein removed
1 medium or 2 small squid, cleaned, trimmed and sliced
3 drops truffle oil (optional)
5 tablespoons chopped mixed fresh parsley and chervil
Celery salt and cayenne pepper

Method:

1. Scrub the mussels and clams clean and discard any that are open and do not close when tapped with a knife. Set side. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the onion for 6-8 minutes until soft but not browned.
2. Add the rice, stirring to coat the grains in oil, then pour in the stock and wine and cook for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes more, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the prawns, squid, mussels and clams and stir into the rice. Cover the pan and simmer over a low heat for 15 minutes until the prawns have turned pink and the mussels and clams have opened. Discard any of the shellfish that remain closed.
4. Switch off the heat. Add the truffle oil, if using, and stir in the herbs. Cover tightly and leave to stand for 5-10 minutes to allow all the flavors to blend. Season to taste with celery salt and a pinch of cayenne, pile into a warmed dish, and serve immediately.

Spinach and Rice Soup

Use very young spinach leaves to prepare this light and fresh-tasting Italian soup. Recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pound (750 g) fresh spinach leaves, washed
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 small fresh red chili, seeded and finely chopped
Generous 1 cup risotto rice
5 cups vegetable stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Shavings of pared Parmesan or Pecorino cheese, to serve

Method:

1. Place the spinach in a large pan with just the water that clings to its leaves after washing. Add a large pinch of salt. Heat gently until the spinach has wilted, then remove from the heat and drain, reserving any liquid.
2. Either chop the spinach finely using a large kitchen knife or place in a food processor and process the leaves to a fairly coarse puree.
3. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and gently cook the onion, garlic and chili for 4-5 minutes until softened. Stir in the rice until well coated, then pour in the stock and reserved spinach liquid. Bring to the boil, lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Add the spinach, with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 5-7 minutes, until the rice is tender. Check the seasoning. Serve in heated bowls, topped with the shavings of cheese.

Tip: Buy Parmesan or Pecorino cheese in one piece from a reputable supplier, and it will be full of flavor and easy to grate or shave with a vegetable peeler.