La Ribbolita Tuscan Soup

La Ribbolita Tuscan Soup

Original Recipe registered by Florentine Chapter of Academia Della Cucina

12 ounces dried white beans, soaked overnight

2 bay leaves

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, more for drizzling

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 large onion, diced

2 celery stalks, diced

2 large carrots, diced

Fresh thyme

2 medium potatoes, cubed

12 ounces black cabbage, shredded

12 ounces Savoy cabbage, shredded

10 ounces Swiss chard leaves, shredded

1 tablespoon tomato paste or 2 cups peeled chopped tomatoes

Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

12 ounces day old crusty bread cut in cubes

Strain and add the soaked beans in 8 cups of boiling water with the bay leaves: cook until tender. Taste one bean to check if it is soft. Discard bay leaves. Strain and reserve all of the cooking liquid. Puree half of the beans.  Add the puree into the reserved cooking liquid.  Set the whole beans aside. 

In a pot, warm 6 tablespoons of oil, add the garlic, onion; cook until soft. Add the celery, carrot and thyme; cook briefly.

Add the potatoes, black cabbage, Savoy and Swiss chard. Dissolve the tomato paste in a bit of warm water, season with salt and pepper. Stir over medium heat for a couple of minutes.

Pour in the pureed bean broth; cook over low heat about 1 hour.  At the end, stir in the reserved whole beans. Add bread to the soup. Cook for a couple of minutes. Remove from heat.

Set aside to rest overnight.  Reheat the soup and drizzle with fresh olive oil.  Serve hot or lukewarm with a drizzle of oil and fresh grinded pepper. 

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Eggs in Black Truffle

Eggs in Black Truffle

In a small skillet, on moderate heat, add sufficient olive oil to just cover the pan. When hot, add 2 organic fresh eggs.  Cook to your liking. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and shave a little preserved truffle on top.

  

  

Fresh Black Truffle

A preserved truffle is not cooked in the same way as a fresh truffle. A fresh truffle is a living mushroom that gives off perfume for days after being discovered and it can be freshly shaved on almost any recipe. A preserved truffle needs to be used with eggs, in butter, cream, and béchamel sauces. I will be writing more recipes and more information about truffles.  I wanted to start with a basic simple recipe that anyone can make and enjoy.  

Fresh White Truffle 

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Italian Spinach Sformato

Spinach Sformato

2-3 tablespoons basil olive oil, or extra virgin olive oil

1 large onion, minced

1 pound baby spinach, or frozen spinach thawed 
4 eggs, beaten
4 tablespoons bread crumbs
4 ounces whole ricotta
4 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
Roasted garlic sea salt, or sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Drizzle aged balsamic vinegar

 

aged balsamic

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Line a baking loaf pan with parchment paper. Butter and season.

In a large skillet, add the oil and sauté onion until barely golden, about 10-15 minutes. Set aside in a bowl. Add the spinach in the same pan add quickly sauté for about 2 minutes.  If using thawed spinach cook until free of liquid. Season with salt and pepper.  Add the spinach to the bowl with the onion.

Add the beaten eggs, breadcrumbs, grated cheese to the bowl. Mix well; fold the ricotta a little time. Taste for seasoning. Adjust as needed.

Transfer and spread evenly in baking loaf pan. Bake about 30-35 minutes or until the sides become just golden. Allow to cool. Remove from pan.  Cut in slices and serve warm or room temperature. Drizzle aged balsamic on top.

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Golden Beets and Burrata Salad

Golden Beets and Burrata Salad

4 fresh golden beets

Pinch sea salt

1-2 tablespoons blood orange olive oil

Fresh thyme

Drizzle champagne mimosa vinegar

1 Burrata Mozzarella

Trim the greens, and tops and bottoms of each beet. Rinse well. Place the beets in a large saucepan and add water to cover with a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 30 minutes. When tender, place pot under running cold water until beets are cooled. You can test if the beets are done with a toothpick or the point of a small knife.  Do not overcook the beets. The skins can now be easily peeled off the beets. Slice the beets. 

In a skillet, add a little blood orange oil on medium-low heat.  Place the beet slices in the skillet and warm on both sides about a minute. Add the fresh thyme. Sprinkle some champagne vinegar and turn the beets around.  Remove skillet from heat.

In a large place, add your favorite greens at the bottom, then place the beet slices around the greens on the plate.  Top with Burrata and a drizzle of oil. 

Creamy Burrata

My two favorite foods in one plate, with my favorite oil and vinegar! Don't try this without the Burrata... I don't recommend it!

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Alba’s Cream-Free Butternut Squash Soup

Butternut Squash Soup 

5 cups vegetable or chicken broth

1 1/2 cups frozen pearl onions

4 cups frozen diced butternut squash

Pinch nutmeg

Pinch cumin

1/2 teaspoon Raz el Hanout spice (optional)

Pinch red pepper flakes

Freshly ground pepper

Drizzle basil olive oil

 

Pearl Onions

In a thick bottom pan, add the broth, onions, and butternut squash on medium high heat.  When it boils, reduce heat to medium-low.  Cook until tender, about 15-20 minutes. Add the spices a minute or two before soup is ready. Reduce heat to low heat; place your smart stick (immersion blender) in the pan and blend until creamy.  Taste for seasoning, adjust if needed.  Place the smart stick again in the soup and blend for a few more minutes even if the soup is already creamy.  It will make it stay creamy.

Serve warm in bowls with a drizzle of basil olive oil.

Butternut Squash

No cream, no butter, no cheese; LOTS of flavor, all from the pantry and freezer to your plate!

Tip: If your soup is too thick, simply add a little more broth.  If the soup is too brothy, let it cook down on higher heat, remembering to stir as it thickens. 

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Alba's Fresh Fig Marmalade

Fresh fig marmalade

30 fresh black mission figs

2 cups sugar

3 bay leaves

Freshly ground black pepper

Place all the figs in a bowl with cold water; gently rinse.

Remove the stems.  Gently remove the figs from the water and gently dry with paper towels.

Cut the figs in half, lengthwise and place in a glass container. Add the sugar; gently fold, cover and refrigerate overnight.

Place the figs in a medium size saucepan. Tuck in the bay leaves, and add black pepper.  Cook on medium-low until it boils.  Reduce to low and cook uncovered for 15 to 18 minutes.  Figs should be soft not breaking apart. Stir occasionally and gently.

Transfer the figs, not the juice to a bowl. Keep the juices in the pan.  Cook the juices over medium-low until it reduces by half, stir often.  Remove the bay leaves.  Return figs to the thick sauce and gently fold. Allow to cool.  Transfer fig marmalade to a glass jar.  Serve warm or refrigerate up to a week.

Marinading figs with sugar overnight

Cooking the figs

Serve with pungent cheese, over a slice of cake, with prosciutto, or eat it right out of the jar!!!!

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Honey Dew and Crispy Prosciutto

Honey Dew and Crispy Prosciutto

1 small ripe honeydew melon cut in bite-size cubes
½ cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

¼ pound paper thin sliced Prosciutto di Parma

3 tablespoons chopped arugula

Dressing:
5 tablespoons Secolari Arbosano extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon Secolari Pear or Blueberry balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon plain honey
Secolari fleur de sell

Freshly ground black pepper

Place the prosciutto in a large skillet over medium heat.  Cook until prosciutto is just crispy, turning only once.  Set aside to cool.

In a small bowl, add the ingredients for the dressing except the arugula. Whisk well to combine.

Arrange the melon on a platter, add the Gorgonzola and crumble the prosciutto. Sprinkle with a pinch of fleur de sel.  Drizzle the platter with oil, then honey, and balsamic vinegar.  Add the chopped arugula on top. Serve immediately. 

Prosciutto

Refreshing, cool, crispy, sweet, savory, fruity... just a few adjectives to describe this recipe. You can certainly use any extra virgin olive oil and balsamic you like, however the products I used was for a cooking class at Secolari.. and can I say, it was quiet in the house while clients savored this dish. If you like to order Secolari products go to https://secolarievoo.nrostores.com/

Secolari Artisinal Oils and Vinegars

This is a great dish to serve as an appetizer or side for picnics, a summer BBQ, wedding showers, birthdays, and other special occasions. 

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