Florentine Risotto Recipes

ARTICHOKE LEMON RISOTTO RECIPE

Steps:

• Prepare the marinated artichoke hearts according to this recipe. Puree half of them in the food processor and reserve the rest.
• Heat up the vegetable stock and season to your taste with the sea salt.
• In a large skillet over medium low flame melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and one of olive oil. Add the onion or leeks and sautéed together until translucent.
• Stir in the risotto rice and toss to coat in the oils. Toast for a minute or so then hit it with the white wine.
• Once the wine has been almost fully absorbed start adding in the stock a ladleful at a time while maintaining a constant gentle simmer. Make sure to stir well every time you add more stock and never let the rice dry out completely before adding more liquid.
• The risotto is done in about 30 minutes, once the grains are al dente, they still have a little bite to them and not mushy.
• Remove from heat and stir in the pureed artichoke hearts, parmesan cheese and 1 tablespoon of the remaining butter.
• Add a little more warm stock, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice then stir again and cover with a lid and allow to sit for 3 minutes. If needed you can add a little more stock just before serving to help loosen it a little more.
• Divide between 4 plates and serve with the reserved artichoke hearts on top, lemon zest, a drizzle of olive oil, black pepper and the fresh thyme and basil.

FLORENTINE RISOTTO

Steps:

• Bring broth to a boil in medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to low to keep broth barely simmering.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat until hot. Add mushrooms, onion and garlic; cook and stir 2 minutes. Add rice; cook and stir 1 minute.
• Carefully stir in 1 cup hot broth and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook and stir until almost all of liquid is absorbed. Continue adding broth, 1/2 cup at a time, cooking and stirring after each addition until liquid is absorbed. Rice should be tender and creamy but still slightly firm in center.
• Add spinach and artichoke hearts; cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes or until spinach is wilted and artichokes are thoroughly heated. Stir in cheese. If desired, garnish with additional Parmesan cheese.

FLORENTINE STEAK (BISTECCA ALLA FIORENTINA) - HISTORY AND RECIPE

Steps:

• First of all, you have to know that the perfect dry hanging is by resting the entire loin in a fresh and dry place before cutting.
• Therefore, it would be better buy dry hanging meat directly from your butcher. If you need to make it at home, wrap each steak in single cheesecloth.
• Now, place the steak in the lower part of the refrigerator for up to 4 days, well separated on a rack. Change the cheesecloth once a day.
• Finally, analyze analyze carefully the meat before consuming. It have to be darker, with a stronger smell, with not trace of ammonia smell that suggest a wrong maturation.
• If you can, prepare the grill with coal or wood embers.
• Alternatively use an electric grill or a cast iron griddle. You can get great results also with a soapstone griddle.
• Heat very well the surface chosen to cook the steak. Place the Porterhouse steak standing on the bone to warm the interior and soften the fat fiber. Continue for 15 minutes in this way.
• Now, heat at a very high temperature about 5 minutes per side without moving the meat.
• This step is particularly delicate: the surface of the meat should roast very well without burning, finding the right temperature depending on the tools at available.
• Let the steak rest in a warm place (e.g. an oven previously heated then turned off) for about 10-15 minutes: in this way, the fiber of the meat will relax themselves redistributing the juices and retaining the flavors into the steak.
• Serve the Florentine Steak after sprinkling it with cooking salt and prepare yourself for a huge meal!

RISOTTO FLORENTINE

Steps:

• In 2-quart saucepan, heat broth over medium heat.
• Meanwhile, in 10-inch skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, until onion is crisp-tender.
• Stir in rice. Cook, stirring frequently, until rice begins to brown.
• Reduce heat to medium. Pour 1/2 cup of the hot broth and the saffron over rice mixture. Cook uncovered, stirring frequently, until broth is absorbed. Continue cooking 15 to 20 minutes, adding broth 1/2 cup at a time and stirring frequently, until rice is almost tender and mixture is creamy. Remove from heat.
• Stir in beans and spinach. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover; let stand 5 minutes.

FLORENTINE STEAK

Steps:

• Sprinkle both sides of the meat with a drizzle of high-quality extra-virgin olive oil. Place the steaks on a red-hot grill and roast over a very high heat for 3-5 minutes - depending on how you like your steak cooked. (A true Florentine steak must be rare, however.)
• Then turn them over and salt; continue cooking for another 3-5 minutes. Rotate them once more to salt the other side.
• Once the steaks have finished cooking, let the meat rest for a few minutes before cutting it, so that its juices are redistributed inside. Transfer to the serving dishes and season with a drizzle of oil, ground pepper and some roasted porcini mushrooms, potatoes or cannellini beans (depending on personal preference).

BUDINI DI RISO (FLORENTINE RICE PUDDING TARTS) RECIPE

Steps:

• In a food processor (if you don't have one, you can instead mix the dough in a large mixing bowl using a pastry cutter or your fingers), work the butter into the flour, together with the pinch of salt, until it resembles a coarse, sandy yellow cornmeal.
• Mix in the powdered sugar and transfer the mixture to a work surface.
• Form the mixture into a volcano shape (with a crater in the middle) and place the egg yolks and zest in the crater.
• Use a fork to beat the yolks and mix them into the flour, then use your hands to work the liquid and dry parts together just to form a dough. Be careful not to overwork it -- you just want it to stay together, otherwise, your crusts will be tough and hard, rather than crumbly and tender.
• Form the dough into a round, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 30 minutes.
• Once the 30 minutes are up, preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C).
• Remove the dough to a floured work surface and roll it out very thin (about 1/8" or 3 mm thick).
• Cut it into rounds slightly larger than your tart tins or muffin cups, using either a sharp paring knife or a round cutter shape.
• Gently press the dough into the bottom and sides of the molds with your fingers, then pierce the bottom a sides of each a few times with the tines of a fork. (In Florence, the crust is often shaped so that it has a little "lip" around the edge, but that's optional.)
• Fill each tin with dried beans (to keep the dough from puffing up while baking) and bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
• Remove and set aside to cool, then remove and discard the beans when cooled.
• While the dough chills, make the rice pudding and preheat the oven to 392 F (200 C).
• In a medium, heavy-bottomed pot over low heat, melt the butter.
• Add the rice and shot of Vin Santo (or other alcohol, if using), and stir with a wooden spoon for about 1 minute.
• Add the milk, sugar, vanilla seeds, and vanilla paste or extract and simmer gently, uncovered, over low heat until the rice is tender (but not completely mushy) and most (but not quite all) of the liquid is absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes. Do not let the pudding get too dry, as it will dry out further in the oven and your tarts will be dry and tough, rather than moist and creamy.
• Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
• Stir in the beaten eggs and orange and lemon zest. To Make the Tarts
• Spoon the rice pudding into each pre-baked crust up to the edge and bake for about 10 minutes, or until the tops are firm and golden brown.
• Set the tartlet pans or muffin tin on a wire rack to cool, then remove the mini tarts to another wire rack to cool completely.
• Lightly dust with powdered sugar just before serving.

CHICKEN FLORENTINE RISOTTO WITH GARLIC PARMESAN CREAM

Steps:

• Warm the chicken broth over low heat.
• In a saute pan, add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season chicken with salt and pepper, and saute in oil over medium heat. When chicken is brown, add a splash of the vermouth. Allow it to evaporate and continue to cook for 5 more minutes. Check for doneness ¿ do not over cook. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
• Wipe the saute pan clean with a paper towel and add a small amount of olive oil, just to lightly coat the pan. Add the spinach and saute. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the spinach is barely wilted. Remove spinach from pan and set aside.
• In a Dutch oven, over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 teaspoon butter and saute onions and celery. After 2 minutes, add the 5 cloves of minced garlic. Continue to saute until onions are translucent. Add rice and cook, stirring constantly until you hear the rice crackling, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the saffron and remainder of the vermouth and continue to stir until the vermouth is completely absorbed. Add a ladle of chicken stock and continue to stir until absorbed completely. Continue to add remaining stock, a ladle at a time, stirring until completely absorbed before adding another.
• Cooking time will be approximately 22 minutes for al dente. After the first 20 minutes of cooking add the cooked chicken and spinach and 2 teaspoons of garlic to the rice. After 22 minutes, stir in the remaining tablespoon of butter, Parmesan and cream. Check seasoning, adding salt and pepper if needed. Remove from heat, transfer to a serving dish and garnish with chives.

VEAL CHOP CUTLET FLORENTINE

Steps:

• For the risotto: Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Toast the rice, then add the chopped onion and cook until light brown with a nutty aroma. Keep stirring to prevent sticking during this process. Deglaze with the white wine and add the porcini broth. Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring the whole time to prevent sticking. Add more liquid as needed. Fold in the porcini at the end.
• For the veal chop cutlet: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Pound out the veal chop to about 3/8 inch thickness. Put the flour in one shallow bowl, the whisked eggs in another and the breadcrumbs in a third. Dust the veal in the flour first, then dip in the egg wash and finish in the breadcrumbs to coat.
• Pour the olive oil into an ovensafe pan. Add the veal chop to the pan and coat one side in the olive oil, then flip it over right away so there's olive oil on both sides. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast for about 15 minutes, flipping the cutlet halfway through.
• For the Marsala wine sauce: Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and saute for a few minutes. Sprinkle in the flour and add the Marsala and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, until the sauce reduces to the desired consistency, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with the salt and pepper, then finish with the butter and chopped parsley
• Remove the veal pan from the oven and place the prosciutto on top of the cutlet followed by the mozzarella. Return it to the oven until the cheese melts, 3 to 5 minutes
• For the spinach bed. Heat a saute pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the garlic and cook until beginning to brown, then add the spinach, salt and pepper. Cook until the spinach is just wilted, then transfer to a serving plate; do not overcook.
• Top the spinach with a serving of the risotto, followed by the veal chop and Marsala sauce.