FOOD, FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD Embrace food less ordinary and elevate your at-home gatherings to new heights with these recipes from Dianne Bibby’s gorgeous new cookery book.
Lemony Cacio e Pepe Risotto
SERVES
6
“The secret to a good risotto – besides good ingredients – is stirring. It’s really that simple. Risotto is needy, requiring a fully focused cook and 30 minutes. Bear in mind that the first course – Primo – is considered a starter, so portion sizes should lean more towards conservative than ample.”
30 ml olive oil 30 ml butter, divided 1 shallot, finely diced 2.5 ml coarsely ground black pepper zest of 1 lemon 2 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves picked 200 g arborio rice 100 ml white wine (chenin blanc) 1 litre hot chicken stock 55 g parmesan, finely grated 15 ml lemon juice grated pecorino, to serve fine salt, to taste extra virgin olive oil, to serve
Heat 30 ml olive oil and 15 ml butter in a deep saucepan. Add the shallot and cook over a low heat until softened but still pale, 5–7 minutes. Stir in the pepper and lemon zest, and sizzle until the oil smells fragrant, just a minute or so. Add the thyme and rice. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Once
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the rice smells nutty and sounds almost ‘glassy’ against the pan, deglaze with the wine and reduce by half. Keep the stock warm by placing it in a saucepan over a medium heat. Ladle in the stock gradually, stirring all the while. The stock should be fully absorbed before adding the next ladle. Cooking times will vary between 22–25 minutes. Check that the rice is al dente and the consistency creamy.
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Remove from the heat and rest for 2 minutes with the lid on. Stir in the parmesan, lemon juice and the remaining butter. Season to taste. At this point, you may want to loosen the risotto by adding a little hot water. Divide the risotto between six shallow bowls. Serve with grated pecorino and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. TRIVIA Cacio e pepe, Rome’s famed pasta dish, epitomizes simple cooking – spaghetti, pecorino Romano and black pepper.