With asparagus season just about to begin here in the Hudson Valley, I like to propose you a very simple way to enjoy them.

I like to gently stew the asparagus in a pan with extra virgin olive oil or butter, salt and just enough water to allow them to cook through. This way the asparagus flavor and nutrients stays with them and their taste is very rich. Fresh peas, if available, can be cooked the same way and make an excellent complement to this dish.

Serve asparagus and peas along the side of a soft boiled farm egg (cooked in boiling water for 6-7 minutes and then carefully peeled) placed on a toasted bread crouton, which will offer a pleasant touch of crunchiness and help absorb the creamy, dripping yolk. Season the egg with salt and pepper, shave some Parmigiano-Reggiano around and drizzle more olive oil and balsamic vinegar all around.

Voila’!

Deliciously messy…

Making abundant risotto has never been a problem in my house.

But trying to add liquid the next day and re-heating it to create a “born-again” version typically produces a sub-standard result, there are a few preparations that can be made using leftover risotto that don’t make you feel like you are eating leftovers at all. On the contrary, these preparations can be presented as new dishes on their own and their quality, if properly made can be outstanding. One of these simple preparations is called Arancini di Riso, which are risotto balls about the size of a lime or clementine, stuffed with sausage, vegetables or cheese and other delicious garnish bites, then breaded and deep fried. This same preparation in some parts of Italy, is also known as Suppli‘.

Now because the cooking is really quite fast and enclosed inside of the breaded crust, the rice reheats and remains moist without needing to absorb more liquid and without overcooking. The result is an irresistible crispy bite on the outside that leads to a creamy risotto and a flavorful filling in the center. In fact, it is so good that it is almost not fair to call it a leftover.

The surprise bite at the center or stuffing can be totally up to you of course and is best selected respecting the main flavor of the risotto you are using. Normally a good melting cheese like mozzarella or Fontina or even Taleggio or Gorgonzola by itself or paired with a vegetable variation like tomato, tomato sauce, or peas or with a meat like sausage or cooked ham.

Arancini can be prepared ahead of time and fried just before you plan to serve them. Give it a try, next time you cook more risotto than you can eat and I am convinced that cooking extra risotto every time won’t be considered an accident anymore.

I absolutely love the taste of oranges in-season, prepared with sea salt and a good extra virgin olive oil. They can be combined in a bowl, by simply swirling them around which creates a natural vinaigrette of emulsified juices, salt and oil. Delicious!

This easy preparation works as an appetizer, a juicy side (to a grilled fish for example) or as a main dish in a composed, healthy salad.

They are perfect alone, but also offer a fantastic base upon which you can build more complex flavors and textures.

Just a few ideas for great add-ons or add-ins are:

• Sliced red onions or scallions

• Black olives (one of my favorite varieties is Taggiasche from the Liguria region of Italy)

• Sliced fennel and fennel leaves

• Baby arugula or baby spinach

• Steamed crustacean such as shrimp, lobster or crab

Sometimes it’s just that simple and so good for you too.

Few things to me can be as satisfying and heart-warming as a few slices of a good salame with freshly-baked, rustic bread and a nice glass of wine. Honestly, does it get any easier, tastier or any more Italian than that?

The biggest issue at hand, as you often read in my posts is about the quality of each ingredient in such a simple preparation. And finding the right ingredient, in this particular case, can more or less challenging, depending on where you live.

Growing up, I was so used to freshly baked bread that I would have never, ever imagined one day it would have become a luxury that I could afford to enjoy only once in a while. We used to have so many great bakers in the small town where I lived that my family bought fresh bread alternatively from three or four of our favorites because each excelled in a particular bread which would influence our choice for the day.  So one day we bought from one baker, and the next day from another but one thing was for sure – we purchased bread daily, religiously. Except for Sunday, when all the bakers were closed. Bummer.

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