prosciutto | Bewitching Kitchen

We use our outdoor grill pretty much the whole year, as even during the winter we’ll have nice breaks in the weather, with temps reaching the mid 60’s. Grilling brings a glimpse of summer into the kitchen, and that is a feeling any Brazilian-American always appreciate!

I found this recipe in a Food and Wine magazine, and the first thing that called my attention was the way it treated the squash: thinly cut as ribbons, then threaded into skewers. The photo in the magazine was quite gorgeous, evidently some practice is needed to cut the squash in the perfect thickness and grill them carefully enough to preserve a nice shape. Let’s say my technique needs to be improved before serving this dish to guests… But even if you don’t hit the jackpot with your technique, this is a fabulous side dish. Don’t omit the prosciutto, it is a key component.

GRILLED SQUASH RIBBONS AND PROSCIUTTO WITH MINT DRESSING
(adapted from Food and Wine magazine)

1 teaspoon lime zest
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup chopped mint
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil + more for brushing veggies
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 medium zucchini, very thinly sliced lengthwise
2 medium yellow squash, very thinly sliced lengthwise
6 ounces sliced prosciutto

Prepare a gas or charcoal grill, brushing or spraying the grids with a little olive oil. In a small bowl, combine the lime zest and juice with the mint, and the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.Alternately thread the zucchini, yellow squash and prosciutto onto 4 pairs of 12-inch bamboo or metal skewers (soak the bamboo skewers in water to prevent them from burning). Lightly spray the vegetables and prosciutto with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.Grill the skewers over high heat until the zucchini and yellow squash are lightly charred, maximum of 2 minutes per side. Serve the mint dressing on the side (it is great for salads too).

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I suppose the same recipe would work without going through the trouble of making the ribbons, but they do add a lot of charm to the dish. I wasn’t sure about grilling the prosciutto, as it is a bit dry to start with, but it turned out as a great match for the squash ribbons. Salty and chewy, it gave that extra bite to the veggies, just like croutons on a Caesar salad. We both loved everything about this recipe, a real winner!

Food & Wine suggests using these veggies + dressing as a “sauce” for pasta. Simply cook the pasta al dente, and slide the veggies off the skewers, mixing with the pasta while it’s still very hot. Add some of the dressing, adjust the consistency if needed with the pasta cooking water, and voila’: heaven on a plate!

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Risotto is one of my favorite dishes, but I refrain from making it for dinner parties because it does require some loving attention. No way to entertain your guests when risotto is on the menu, unless they don’t mind standing next to the stove with you, sipping wine and watching the rice gently bubbling away.

I’ve read a few articles describing how restaurants do it, though. Obviously the customer cannot wait for 30 minutes as the kitchen staff prepares each plate to order, so they resort to a method said to work like a charm: the rice is cooked almost all the way through, then spread on a baking sheet to cool down. Once the order comes in, they spoon out a single serving, and finish it quickly on top of the stove.

I would be a bit insecure to try this approach for the first time on guests, but Phil and I were perfect guinea pigs for this experiment. I adapted a recipe for pea risotto from a recent issue of Food and Wine, and put the method to test.

TWO-STAGE PEA AND PROSCIUTTO RISOTTO
(adapted from Food and Wine, May 2011)

3 slices of prosciutto, cut in small pieces (use scissors)
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 Tbs olive oil
1 small shallot, finely diced
1 cup arborio rice
1/4 cup dry white wine
4 – 5 cups chicken stock, warm (you won’t use it all)
1 Tbs butter
1/4 cup Parmiggiano cheese
salt and pepper to taste
a nice squeeze of lemon juice
1 cup pea shoots, very loosely packed

Heat the chicken stock in a saucepan, and keep on very low heat. Using a blender or the food processor, puree half the peas in 1/2 cup of chicken stock. Reserve. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet, cook the prosciutto until it starts to get crisp. Remove the pieces and place over kitchen paper, reserve.

In the same skillet, cook the shallots seasoned lightly with salt and pepper, until soft and fragrant. If necessary, add a little more oil, then the rice and cook stirring often until all grains are well coated. Add the wine and simmer until absorbed, about 3 minutes.

Add enough hot chicken stock to cover the rice, and cook over medium heat, stirring often. Keep adding stock, one ladle at a time, until the rice is about 75% cooked through (taste it, it should feel still hard at the center; it took me about 25 minutes). Remove from the stove and immediately transfer it to a baking sheet in a layer. Place it in the fridge until time to serve the dish (several hours won’t harm it).

When it’s time to finish the risotto, heat 1 cup of the remaining chicken stock in the skillet, add the rice, cook for a couple of minutes, then add the reserved pea puree (warm it briefly in the microwave). When the rice is done, nicely al dente, add the peas, the prosciutto, the grated cheese, the butter, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper, add the pea shoots right before serving, and

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: This is definitely the solution to the “risotto for guests” puzzle. It tastes exactly as if it was prepared all the way through, and it takes literally minutes to serve. The other detail in this recipe that won me over: the pea puree. I’ve made plenty of pea risottos before, they are always delicious, but turning part of the pea in a puree raises the dish to a new high. I think many types of risotto will benefit from this approach, so that’s something to experiment with in the future. My husband suggested the addition of chevre cheese instead of Parmiggiano, and I bet it will be a delicious variation.

Remember: if you love risotto and want to include it in your next dinner party menu, don’t be afraid of the two-stage method!

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