Seasonal Recipes

TOURS OF ITALY & ITALIAN MARKETS

During my tours of Italy which are guided by Isabella and Luigi Dusi – We visit the markets of hillside villages and larger cities like Padua. This market is a vital necessity to the  life in this very old university city – It is opened 6 days a week and it means fresh fruit and vegetables can be purchased daily when they are in perfect quality. Meat, fish, cheese, bread are all here and  some businesses have been operating here for over 100 years.

Markets provide a lovely spontaneity to your weekly cooking. To be able to fill your basket with fresh produce then decide what to do with it is satisfying and rewarding and above all economical. Buying fruit and vegetables in season is always cheaper.

La Ribolitta is the soup  I am making the most of this winter – It is robust enough to be a meal and yet perfect for lunch with a batch of fresh home-made scones.

I think we have forgotten how quick and easy cheese scones are to make and how delicious they are hot out of the oven with melted butter.

I have also included a recipe for Baked Apples – I demonstrated these in my winter class this year and everyone loved them especially the Zabaglione poured over the top.

LA RIBOLLITA

(Thick Tuscan Bean and Lentil Soup)

½ c good extra virgin olive oil
2 onions finely diced
6 cloves garlic, crushed
3 sticks celery, diced finely
2 carrots, peeled and diced finely
1 leek  finely sliced
400g tin whole peeled tomatoes
250g cavolo nero or savoy  cabbage
400g cooked cannellini beans
200ml red wine
2 litres chicken stock
100 g stale ciabatta bread
3-4 thyme stems
parsley

  • In a large saucepan sauté the onion and garlic in a little of the olive oil until soft and fragrant.
  • Add the celery, cabbage, leeks and carrots. Cook for 5 minutes to soften the vegetables.
  • Stir in the beans, tomatoes and cabbage leaves. Cook until the cabbage starts to wilt.
  • Add the wine, chicken stock and thyme. Simmer gently for about 40 minutes.
  • Add the bread to the pan. If it is very fresh dry it out in the oven to prevent it breaking up.
  • Remove the pan from the heat and leave to rest for 30-40 minutes.
  • Serve hot but not boiling drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and chopped parsley.

Stuffed Baked Apples

6 apples –  eating apples – Pacific Rose, Gala etc
100 grams Amaretti biscuits
100 grams toasted walnuts
150 grams muscovado sugar
125 grams melted butter
100 grams currants – soaked in ¼ cup brandy for 10 minutes
2 teaspoons caster sugar
1 cup white wine

  • Cut a small slice off the tops and bottoms of the apples. Core using an apple corer. Cut in half around the middle and scoop out a little of the apple flesh to widen the cavity. Reserve the flesh.
  • Process the reserved apple flesh, amaretti biscuits, toasted walnuts, and brown sugar until roughly chopped.
  • Transfer to a bowl and combine with the melted butter and soaked currants.
  • Fill each apple half with the biscuit mixture – making a mound on the top.
  • Place the filled apple halves into a baking dish. Sprinkle with the caster sugar and pour the wine into the base.
  • Bake for 40 minutes at 180 C – or until tender.
  • Serve with Zabaglione

Zabaglione

3 egg yolks
100 grams caster sugar
½ cup Marsala

  • Half fill a saucepan with water and bring to the boil.
  • Whip the eggs with the sugar in a wide stainless steel bowl until slightly thickened.
  • Beat in the Marsala.
  • Place the bowl over the boiling water – continue whisking until the mixture is thick, voluminous and fluffy.
  • Remove and serve at once.