If you read our previous story on winemaking in Italy, you know this period is very sacred for Italians. The sounds, colors and smells during this period are exceptional in Italy, and it’s certainly the season I miss the most. Despite being an avid beach-goer and enjoying days baking under the beaches in Calabria, fall is when all the senses come to life. I mean, who wants to spend time in the kitchen in the heat of summer? But better than the sounds and autumn senses are the flavors of fall! Can you say olio nuovo, or new oil, or vino nuovo, the new wine?
Fall just begs for long hours behind the stove, cooking and baking, and creating exceptional dishes. Come January, many of us go on the required (albeit always temporary) “new year, new me” diet, which never lasts long, but from September to December, it’s in the kitchen that you will fine me! One of my absolute favorite things to cook in the cooler months is risotto. I almost never make risotto in the summer, as it requires constant stirring behind a hot stove. But come fall, there isn’t enough Arborio rice to hold me back! Risotto is comforting, warms body and soul and it’s almost therapeutic for me to prepare. The attention it requires is constant, but the reward is so satisfying. Several years ago, I led a food and wine tour with celebrity TV chef Joanne Weir. We were leading a wonderful culinary tour of the Veneto region and Valpolicella and we stayed a week at Serego Alighieri, the stunning winery and villa owned Dante Alighieri’s descendants. As can be expected, the week was filled with delicious food and wine, particularly Amarone. Because wine makes just about everything better, can you imagine how delicious this risotto is? This was one of the dishes that the students learned to prepare during our cooking classes at the winery. Certainly, many risottos call for a bit of wine, usually less than a cup of dry white wine is used. However, in this recipe, the Amarone is center stage. And I love how it completely changes the color of the risotto. If this doesn’t say fall, I don’t know what does.
Amarone Risotto
Serves 6 – 8 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 small yellow onion, diced 2 ½ cups chicken or vegetable stock 2 ½ cups Amarone wine 2 cups Arborio rice 2 tablespoons butter freshly grated nutmeg 1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano salt and freshly ground black pepper
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Hi there, thanks for visiting my blog! Here you will find recipes, short stories, tales, rants and whatever else is on my mind with regards to food, Italy, travel and along those lines. Drop me a line, I'd love to hear from you! Archives
February 2021
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