“In Venice we have big soups, simple soups,” Francesco says. “This is a good example.” But he adds that when it’s served at Remi, it is sometimes garnished with creme fraiche and caviar, for a lavish touch befitting the Venetian taste for luxury. At one time there were sturgeon in […]
In Venice risotto is a religion that must be practiced daily, with careful attention paid to ritual. “Venetians insist that you need at least 10 years of experience to make a good risotto, and then be prepared to attend to it for 18 minutes,” Francesco says. “You can’t make a […]
Waverly Root, author of The Food of Italy, wonders whether this simple yet sumptuous creation is a soup or a vegetable dish. Called risi e bisi in Venetian dialect, it’s more about peas than about rice, and is traditionally served on April 25, St. Mark’s Day, when the first peas […]
This is one of the recipes that Francesco remembers his mother preparing for him when he was a child and that he now makes for his little son, Jacopo. It’s simply risotto with milk. But add some butter and Parmesan cheese and it becomes sophisticated enough for adult meals. Spread […]
The basic preparation for this dish is the same as for other rice dishes, so you might want to invent some of your own. Mushroom Rice Rice Mushrooms Onions Parsley In a deep pan, place a bit of butter or olive oil and onion cut up in small pieces. Cook over […]
This is an easy chili recipe that you can throw in the slow cooker and forget about all day. Great topped with Cheddar cheese, crushed corn chips, and a dollop of sour cream. Turkey Chili 1 tbsp vegetable oil 1 pound ground turkey 2 cans low sodium tomato soup 2 […]
Pink peppercorns suggest nouvelle cuisine, or as it is called in Italy, nuova cucina, but in reality they have been used in Venice for many centuries. Venetian traders introduced them from East Africa and, called “grains of paradise,” they were first recorded in 1214. Fanciful Venetian glass goblets set off […]
Deftly skewering an assortment of ingredients and then searing them on the grill makes for attractive presentation. Francesco alternates colorful vegetables- some raw, some cooked- with fish, and lightly coats them with bread crumbs before grilling. He uses long bamboo skewers that have been soaked in cold water and threads […]
Starting in the 11th century, the spice trade with the East and with Africa enriched the coffers of the Venetian republic and its merchants. At one time there was an official Office of Saffron to control this precious spice, which comes from the stamens of the purple autumn crocus (three […]
Black Risotto represents Venice at its most exotic. Pristine rice is turned shadowy and dark with the ink of a strange-looking sea creature. The taste is exotic too – briny, sweet, peppery, and rich, Francesco says that recently some chefs have made risotto with squid ink on top before serving. […]
