BEN FINK
Mary Ann Esposito
Mary Ann Esposito is the host of the
long-running PBS series Ciao Italia.
She is the author of 11 Italian cookbooks, including Ciao Italia Pronto!,
Ciao Italia Five-Ingredient Favorites,
Ciao Italia Slow and Easy and her
latest, Ciao Italia Family Classics.
She lives in Durham, New Hampshire,
with her husband, Guy.
Risotto with Pork Sausage
and Greens
Premio
Recipes developed by Mary Ann Esposito
½ pound beet greens, spinach, or
Swiss chard, stemmed and washed
3 tablespoons extra-virgin
olive oil, divided
1 garlic clove, minced
1 small onion, peeled and diced
½ teaspoon hot red pepper ;akes
or hot red pepper paste
½ pound Premio* mild or hot Italian
sausages, casings removed
1½ cups Arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine
2 cups hot tomato juice
2½ to 3 cups hot chicken broth
Salt and black pepper
Drop the greens into a pot of boiling water and cook them just until wilted.
Drain, cool, squeeze dry, and coarsely chop them. Set aside.
Heat 1½ tablespoons of the oil in a medium sauté pan and add the garlic and
the greens. Cook for 2 minutes over medium heat. Transfer the mixture to a
bowl and set aside.
In a heavy-bottomed, 2-quart saucepan, heat the remaining 1½ tablespoons
olive oil over medium heat. When it is hot, stir in the onion, red pepper ;akes,
and sausage. Cook, breaking up the sausage, until the onion softens and the
meat begins to brown slightly. Stir in the rice and mix to coat the rice well.
Pour in the wine and stir until it evaporates.
Begin adding the tomato juice in ½-cup increments. Cook and stir, allowing
the rice mixture to absorb each addition before adding more.
Add the broth in ½-cup increments, continuing to cook and stir until the rice
mixture is creamy and the rice is still ;rm but cooked through. You may not
need all the broth. Stir in the greens and grated cheese. Season with salt and
pepper to taste and serve immediately. Makes 6 servings.
Both recipes adapted from Ciao Italia Family Classics, to be published
by St. Martin’s Press in October 2012.
* Brands may vary by region; substitute a similar product.
In my kitchen, a risotto made with beet greens and pork sausage
is a requested favorite. I serve this as a main dish and team it with
a salad and fresh fruit for a healthy and balanced meal.
Sausage and Barley Soup
Premio
;⁄; cup pearled barley
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound Premio* mild or
hot Italian sausages
1 medium onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
2 large carrots, thinly sliced
1 small fennel bulb
(white part only), chopped
1 sweet red bell pepper, cored,
seeded, and chopped
1 28-ounce can diced plum tomatoes
1 medium zucchini, cut in half length-
wise, then cut into thin half-moons
¼ teaspoon hot red pepper ;akes
Salt and black pepper
Put the barley in a large saucepan and cover it with 2½ cups of cold water.
Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and cook until the barley is tender. Drain it in
a colander and transfer to a bowl.
Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the sausages and cook
until browned. Transfer the sausages to a cutting board and allow them to cool
for 5 minutes. Slice into ¼-inch-thick rounds and refrigerate until needed.
Put the onion, celery, carrots, fennel and bell pepper in a soup pot. Cover the
ingredients with water by 2 inches. Bring to a boil then lower the heat to medium,
cover, and allow the vegetables to cook until they soften.
Stir in the tomatoes and their juice and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, lower
the heat to medium, and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the zucchini, parsley and
red pepper ;akes and cook 2 minutes longer. Add the sausage and barley,
cover, and cook about 5 minutes longer, just until everything is hot. Season
with salt and pepper to taste and ladle into bowls. Makes 8 servings.
* Brands may vary by region; substitute a similar product.
Chef’s Choice 107
