Recipe Ermes Red Rice & Radicchio Served on Pecorino Cream

[MypinchofItaly]

Serves: 2 | Preparation time: 15 mins | Cooking time: 40 mins

• Radicchio – Red chicory, whole: about 250 g
• Ermes red rice: 150 g
• Pecorino, grated: 80 g
• Vegetable broth: 1 l
• Milk: 240 ml
• Extra virgin olive oil: 1 tbsp
• Salt and pepper: to taste

Method

Use a vegetable broth cube or else follow this recipe to make your broth from scratch.
Bring the broth to a gentle simmer and keep it boiling for the whole time whilst cooking the rice; a cold broth would lead to overcooked rice. Heat up the oil in a pan and toast the rice on medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring continuously. Pour in just enough broth to cover the rice, then add the remaining broth one ladle at a time, waiting for the broth in the pan to evaporate almst completely before adding more of it. As the Ermes one is a wholegrain variety of red rice, it will take a bit longer (about 30 minutes) for the rice to cook through.

Whilst the rice is cooking, rinse the chicory under cold running water and then dry the leaves with a clean kitchen cloth. Cut the leaves in long stripes and set them aside.

Heat up the milk in a pot, without bringing it to a boil. Add the pecorino to the milk a little at a time and mix well. As Pecorino melts, the milk should thicken up in a cream. Turn off the heat and leave the cream to cool at room temperature.

Once the rice is completely cooked, turn off the heat and add to it the chickory and a tablespoon of Pecorino cream. Stir well.

Make sure to pour a layer of Pecorino cream in the plate before presenting the rice to your guests.

Tip: If you can’t find pecorino in your local cheese shop, or you simple are not a fan, you can substitute it with goat’s cheese