Two Spring Dinners

Andrea went to New York City to assist Devin in moving, so we decided to take pity on Roger and invite him over for dinner so that he wouldn’t be alone.

We started with Zuni Cesar Salad. It is our favorite presentation of a Caesar because you don’t cut up the romaine lettuce, you get to eat it with your fingers. Yummy!
You can get the recipe from our blog of: July 25, 2009. Click the date to get the recipe. It is a great rendition of the famous salad.

We then had Risi-e-Bisi. This is a very thick rice dish made with fresh peas and prosciutto. It is a perfect spring dish when fresh peas are at their best. It is very satisfying on a cold rainy night. It was perfect for our Los Angeles weather.

If you have never made Risi E Bisi you should try it!

Later on in the week we made a Chanterelle Pasta with Wild Mushrooms. The recipe for the Chanterelle Pasta was from the Chez Panisse Vegetables – by Alice Waters
It was excellent. We then put the left over pasta in casserole and baked it. It was delicious that way also, as the noodles became firm and chewy.




RISI E BISI Rice
Makes 6 servings
Bugialli’s Italy by Giuliano Bugialli

For The Broth:
4 pounds snow peas or, if using fresh peas for the dish, 4 pound of the pods of the peas
16 cups cold water
1 medium-size carrot, scraped and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 medium-size stalk celery, cut into large piece
1 very small clove garlic, peeled
5 sprigs fresh Italian parsley, leaves only
Coarse-grained salt

For The Rice:
4 – 6 ounces pancetta or prosciutto, in one piece
1 medium-size cipollotto (Venetian white onion) or yellow onion, cleaned
4 tablespoons (2 ounces) sweet butter
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium-size clove garlic (optional), peeled
15 sprigs fresh Italian parsley, leaves only
1 pound very small, sweet fresh peas or frozen "tiny tender" peas, not defrosted
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cup raw short-grain rice, preferably Vialone or Italian Arborio

To Serve:
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) sweet butter
6 tablespoons freshly grated Grana Padano cheese
Sprigs fresh Italian parsley

Wash the snow peas or pea pods very well under cold running water. In a large pot bring the cold water to a boil with the snow peas or pods, carrot, celery, garlic, and parsley over medium heat. While boiling, add coarse salt to taste, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for SO min¬utes. Strain the broth and discard all the vegetables.

Finely grind the pancetta or prosciutto in a meat grinder and coarsely chop the onion on a cutting board. Place the butter and olive oil in a medium-size casserole set over low heat. When the butter is melted, add the pancetta or prosciutto, onion, and garlic clove, if used. Saute slowly for about IS minutes, then add the parsley and mix very well, then add the fresh or still frozen peas. Season with salt and pepper. Raise the heat to medium, add 1 cup of the vegetable broth, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the garlic and discard. Pour in 5 cups of the broth and when

it reaches a boil, add the rice. Mix very well, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 18 minutes. Be sure to have enough broth in the casserole for the rice to absorb to cook completely, with a tiny amount of liquid left; the final texture should be something between a real risotto and a thick bean soup. Remove the casserole from the heat, add the butter and cheese, and mix very well. (Mantecare—to churn—is the word used to describe the movement of absorbing the butter and the cheese into the rice.) Serve with the Italian parsley.

Chanterelle Pasta
Chez Panisse Vegetables – Alice Waters

1 ounce dried porcini
3/4 cup heavy cream 1 1/2 cups chicken stock or Mushroom and Herb Broth
1 pound chanterelles (or horn) of plenty, hedgehogs, etc.)
3 or 4 sprigs thyme
2 cloves garlic
1 leek
4 tablespoons unsalted-butter
Salt and pepper
1 pound fresh pasta
Reggiano Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped parsley
Optional: Toasted Bread Crumbs



Put the dried porcini in a saucepan with the cream and chicken stock or the broth and heat gently for 30 minutes or so to infuse the mixture with mushroom flavor. Remove the porcini from the cream with a slotted spoon or strainer, and strain the cream through cheesecloth or a fine sieve to remove any sand.

Clean and slice the chanterelles. Chop the thyme leaves and peel and chop the garlic. Clean and chop the leek and sauté in 1 tablespoon of the butter until soft and translucent. Remove from the pan and reserve.

Put a pot of water on for the pasta.

Saute the mushrooms in the rest of the butter, seasoned with salt,

Pepper, and the chopped thyme. When nearly cooked through, add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.

Pour the strained cream and stock over the mushrooms, add the leeks, and simmer gently while the pasta is cooking. When the noodles are done, add them to the mushrooms. Taste and correct the seasoning. Serve garnished with grated Parmesan, the parsley, and, if you like, a scattering of Toasted Bread Crumbs.

Serves 4 to 6.