Ingredients: (Serves 4)
300 gms carnaroli or arborio rice
1 large head of broccoli, with the stalk
2 lts vegetable stock, preferably homemade, hot
1 cup of breadcrumbs; preferably homemade - but panko might work
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 anchovies
½ tsp peperoncino, or minced chile
Olive oil in abundance
2 tbsps parmesan cheese
1 tsp frshly ground pepper
Salt to taste
Method:
300 gms carnaroli or arborio rice
1 large head of broccoli, with the stalk
2 lts vegetable stock, preferably homemade, hot
1 cup of breadcrumbs; preferably homemade - but panko might work
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 anchovies
½ tsp peperoncino, or minced chile
Olive oil in abundance
2 tbsps parmesan cheese
1 tsp frshly ground pepper
Salt to taste
Method:
- With a sharp knife, shave about half a cupful of the broccoli flowers. Little tiny,itsy,bitsy pieces of broccoli flower.Set aside.
- Cut off the rest of the broccoli flowers. Peel the broccoli stem and peel to remove the tough green skin. Slice into rounds.
- In a pan of boiling salted water, cook the broccoli stalk for about 7 minutes, until just tender. Remove and set aside.
- In the same water, cook the broccoli flowers; again, about 7 minutes, but maybe a little less. Drain, reserving some of the cooking liquid.
- Put the broccoli flowers into a blender, add a good slug of olive oil and the parmesan, enough cooking liquid to make a smooth paste, and blend until smooth. Set aside.
- In a small frying pan, heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and add the anchovies. Stir until the anchovies fall apart, then add the garlic. Once the garlic begins to brown, add the peperoncino and the breadcrumbs and toast until brown.
- To assemble the risotto: heat some oil in a large pan and add the rice, ensuring it is coated with the oil. Now add a ladle of stock and start stirring. When the rice has absorbed the stock, add another ladle and stir. Stirring will help to make the risotto creamy. After about 20 minutes, add the stems and broccoli paste. Keep stirring.
- This risotto took about 30 minutes to cook; you want to add your stems and paste near the end so you can maintain a bright green risotto.
- When the rice is cooked to your specifications (we like it with just a little "give" in the grains) then serve. Sprinkle with the itsy bitsy broccoli flowers, then top with the breadcrumb mixture (which is called "muddica" in Sicily)