I am an Apulian chef and I work in Gravina di Puglia in the Murgia, a plateau at 460 meters above sea level that gave me the inspiration for this recipe.
With humility and great passion I work every day to carry out my personal idea of cooking, which makes quality, knowledge and respect for raw materials its strong point.
The great Murgian culinary tradition and the deep love for this territory are the greatest inspiration for my dishes.
This recipe contains some of the most emblematic elements of my land and was born as a celebration of the authentic flavours that only a sour and sweet land like the Murgia can give.
Risotto with Fennel Recipe
Ingredients for 4 people:
- Carnaroli rice (Gran Riserva Gallo) 240 gr
- Pallone di Gravina grated (from F.lli De Rosa dairy) 40 gr
- Extra virgin olive oil (Frantoio Raguso) as needed
- Wild fennel 1 kg
- Wild Cardoncelli Mushrooms 100 gr
- Wild asparagus 8 pieces
- Cardoncelli mushrooms (small size) 8 pieces
- Rack of lamb 200 gr
- Salt to taste.
- Laurel, sage, rosemary and its flowers to taste
- 1 clove of garlic
To obtain the fennel powder, peel the fennel, then wash them thoroughly, season with salt and spread them on a perforated plate lined with baking paper. Bake at 65° C for 4 hours and then pass everything through a blender until you get a powder.
To obtain the cream, carefully clean and wash the cardoncelli. Then in a pan stew them with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Season with salt and blend everything.
To prepare the mushrooms, cut them in half and grill them in a pan with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a clove of garlic, rosemary and salt.
To prepare the asparagus, cut them in half lengthwise and put them in water and ice for 15 minutes. Then drain and season with salt and oil.
To prepare the smoked lamb, de-bone the rack of lamb and cut into small slices. Beat them lightly, while in an old pan, burn the rosemary, sage and bay leaves until you get white smoke. Then put them in the oven for 15 minutes at 40° C. Season with salt and extra virgin olive oil.
At this point you are ready the risotto. Toast the rice in a saucepan, add only with boiling water and cook by pouring it a little at a time. Stir away from the fire with the Pallone di Gravina mold and EVO oil, season with salt if necessary.
Arrange the risotto in 4 flat plates, sprinkle with the fennel powder, garnish with the cream of cardoncelli, mushrooms, asparagus, smoked lamb, rosemary flowers and fennel leaves.
And to enjoy it to the full I would recommend drinking a Fior di Bacco wine, a dry white Verdeca style from Gravina di Puglia being a blend of Greco Bianco, Moscato, and Bianco D'Alessano grapes.
Enjoy your meal from the Murge!
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