A Take on Risotto e Salvia

Good Afternoon!!!

I know it's Saturday, but, I had to do it!!!   It snowed this morning, actually a squall.  We had snow with blue sky to the west in waiting.  It stopped, the winds came and the snow melted.  Then I watched my favorite movie of all time, Moonstruck.  I love that movie!  It's on WMax, I guess this month??  Anyway, it's background music is my favorite opera La Boheme by Giacomo Puccini.  Ok, I'm a geek, what can I say???  Actually, I love all kinds of music.  I did get to see La Boheme at the Met a couple of years ago - Metropolitan Opera in NYC.  Oh my, it was beautiful!!!  I've seen it here in Philly too, but the production at the Met, was, well I don't have words for it.  Maybe it was because of the venue.

So, anyway, I was hungry and inspired for something I haven't made in awhile.  I took out my favorite Lidia cookbook and the first recipe I had bookmarked was Rice with Sage or Risotto e Salvia.  I just didn't want plain rice (even with sage), so I decided to embellish the recipe a bit.  Here it is:


2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium carrot, diced small
1 medium celery stalk, diced small
1 medium (or half large onion), diced small
6 sage leaves
1/2 bell pepper, diced small
1/2 tomato, diced small
2 oz sopresata, diced small
2 cups arborio or any other Italian rice (risotto)
5 cups water (or a mixture of light stock and water, I just use water though)
salt and pepper to taste

In a heavy pot (I use a 6 qt enamel coated cast iron pot), add the butter and oil.  Heat on medium heat, when butter is melted, add the sopresata and sage leaves, saute until the leaves begin to wilt.  Then, one by one, add the veggies hardest to softest - carrots, onions, celery, peppers, tomatoes.  After each addition, saute for a minute or two, then add the next one until all veggies are added.  Saute them until they are softened.  Add the water, salt and pepper.  Cover and bring to a boil.  Then add the rice and stir well, bring to a boil again.  Reduce the heat to simmer (med-low).  Stir a few minutes into cooking so the rice doesn't stick.  Cook for about 13-15 minutes until rice is al dente.  Cooking time depends on the rice itself.

Serve with some Locatelli cheese (pecorino romano) and enjoy!!!