Hearty Mushroom Orzotto

A dear friend recently asked if I had ever made orzotto. Not only had I not, I had never heard of it. She supplied me with a link to a Mario Batali recipe for same – looked interesting. So we prepared it one night, with liberties as usual. I hereby testify that it is a wonderfully delicious, nutritious, healthy, satisfying, rib-sticking, and forgiving recipe. I can only say “Thank you Suzanne!"

Orzotto is an Italian dish similar to risotto but made with pearled barley rather than rice. The word is a mash-up of orzo (barley) and risotto. Orzotto comes from the mountains northeast of Venice, the Friuli Venezia Giulia region.

To those concerned with health (and who isn’t), the glycemic index of pearled barley (25) is much lower than short-grain rice (69) typically used in risotto.  According to Harvard Health:

Glycemic index and glycemic load offer information about how foods affect blood sugar and insulin. The lower a food’s glycemic index or glycemic load, the less it affects blood sugar and insulin levels. Foods with a high glycemic index, like white bread, are rapidly digested and cause substantial fluctuations in blood sugar. Foods with a low glycemic index, like whole oats, are digested more slowly, prompting a more gradual rise in blood sugar.

High glycemic index foods (e.g., french fries, candy bars, baked potatoes) contribute to obesity and type 2 diabetes. So we like the health effects of orzotto much better than risotto.

So here is my Mushroom Orzotto with apologies to Mr. Batali.

Ingredients:

1 cup pearled barley

1 quart low sodium, low fat chicken broth

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

½  teaspoon fresh minced thyme (or ¼ tsp dry will suffice)

1 pound portobello mushrooms, sliced ¼” thick

1 clove garlic thinly sliced

Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

1 tablespoon butter (or substitute additional olive oil)

¾ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Method:

1. Cook the pearled barley in a pan of salted, boiling water for 15 minutes. Drain well.
2. Meanwhile heat the chicken broth in the microwave or another saucepan. Keep warm.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven. Add the thyme, mushrooms, and garlic and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until mushrooms are softened. (Note – I covered the pan for a few moments to accelerate the process, but then uncovered to evaporate the accumulated moisture).
4. Add the barley and stir well. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add 1 cup of warm broth and stir until most of the stock is absorbed. Continue this process until all of the broth is incorporated. The result in about 25 minutes should be a creamy sauce.
5. Add the butter and cheese and blend into mixture. (We don't use butter so added another tablespoon of olive oil instead).

Test seasoning and serve. Buon appetito!  

Note on mushrooms.

Mario’s recipe used shitake. I used portobello. You could use porcini. This is a fun and forgiving recipe to play with. The only word of advice is that the mushrooms be well cleaned so the orzotto is not gritty.

Hearty Kale and Black Bean Stew

This has quickly become our go-to comfort food when we need a hearty, filling, yet healthy meal that can be easily prepared in a single pot in less than 30 minutes. What's not to like?

One website proclaims black beans to be the "world's healthiest food." While this may be a bit hyperbolic, an analysis of the nutritional content of black beans shows an excellent profile of high fiber and protein, low fat, and a good source of thiamin, magnesium, and folate. Perhaps not the world's healthiest food, but certainly approaching perfection.

While there are many who would take the trouble to soak dried black beans overnight, we elect to use canned, drained beans for convenience.

Then there is the kale. In addition to a long list of necessary nutrients, antioxidants, and minerals, kale is also a great source of dietary fiber and vitamins A, C, and K. And of course, properly prepared, it tastes great.

It is not difficult to wash and chop fresh kale, but if you are fortunate, your local supermarket will offer 1 lb. bags of frozen chopped kale. This greatly accelerates the preparation of this dish.

We start the stew with a soffritto (base) of olive oil, onions, sweet red pepper, and garlic, in typical Italian fashion. But then the choice of spices is completely personal. We enjoy hot red pepper flakes and curry powder, but you can use any spices you like.

In any case, this meal is quite quick to prepare, delicious and nutritious to eat, and freezes well for future enjoyment. I hope you appreciate it as much as we do.

Ingredients

4-5 TBS extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp. curry powder
1/4 tsp. hot red pepper flakes (more or less to taste)
1 medium sweet red pepper, seeded and chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled, and chopped
1 28 oz. or 2 15 oz. cans black beans, drained
1 lb. chopped kale (fresh or frozen)
6 cups water
Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Method

In a large soup pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Stir in curry powder and red pepper flakes, mix well and cook a minute to blend flavors.

Add red peppers and onions, saute until softened and cooked down, 5 minutes.

Add garlic and cook another minute.

Add kale, stir all ingredients well, cover, and cook until kale stems are softened. Uncover and continue to cook kale until it is reduced (some moisture expelled).

Add black beans, stir well, and heat through.

Add water, stir well to mix, and cook until flavors are blended. Cook uncovered to thicken if desried.

Serve with grated parmigiano reggiano cheese as a topping, and a good Chianti wine.

Buon appetito!

Puree of Spinach and Lentil Soup

This is a hearty one-pot soup with Italian roots. Lentils, spinach, and carrot lend an earthy, filling taste with excellent nutrition. The soup may be served hot or chilled – either way it is outstanding. The soup is pureed, and an old fashioned kitchen food processor will do the trick. But that is a bit of trouble, so I would recommend an immersion blender.  Since obtaining our stick blender, I have made this soup much more frequently – it is so easy!

Ingredients

3 Tbs. EVOO

¼ tsp. hot red pepper flakes

½ red bell pepper seeded and chopped

1 medium yellow onion chopped

1 large carrot chopped

2 cloves garlic chopped

6 cups water

1 ½ cups lentils, picked over for stones

8-10 oz. fresh spinach, washed and drained

Freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste

1 cup cottage cheese or plain yogurt

3 Tbs. finely chopped fresh chives

Method

Heat olive oil in a large pot, preferably cast iron. Add hot pepper flakes, red pepper, onion, and carrot. Saute until vegetable mixture is softened. Add garlic and sauté for another minute.

Add water and bring to boil. Add lentils and reduce to a slow boil. Cook lentils, covered, until lentils are tender, 20-30 minutes. Add spinach and cook, covered, another 15 minutes.

Now the soup must be blended. If you are using an external kitchen food processor, transfer the soup in batches and blend until smooth. Return to pot when done. If using stick blender, blend in the pot until smooth (this is the preferred method).

Add cottage cheese or plain yogurt. Stir well until completely blended.

Serve topped with chopped chives, and on the side slices of rustic bread. A hearty red wine is the topper. This is a meal!  Enjoy.

South African Corn and Bean Stew

South African Samp and Beans

This is a traditional South African samp (cracked corn kernels) and bean recipe. It takes about 3.5 hours to prepare, so a Saturday or Sunday afternoon is perfect. The recipe is nicely spiced by the jalapeno, garlic, bay leaf, and curry powder. You can experiment to adjust any of the spices up or down. Or remove some and add your own favorite spices!

Extremely filling, you should find this to be a very satisfying and healthy meal.

Ingredients:

16 oz. dry pinto beans

16 oz. samp (cracked corn kernels)

10 cups water

1 bay leaf

2 chicken bouillon cubes

2 cans 15 oz. diced tomatoes, with juice

3 teaspoons curry powder

Freshly ground black pepper

2 potatoes, peeled and diced

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

1 onion, chopped

1 red pepper, seeded and chopped

2 medium jalapeno peppers, chopped (seeds removed if you want to cool it down)

4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

Note: you may add salt if desired. I think the salt from the two bouillon cubes is adequate.

Method:

1.      Mix and wash the samp (corn) and beans together in a colander. Wash well to remove any grit.

2.      Put them in a large pot with 10 cups water. Add bay leaf and bouillon cubes. Bring to boil then reduce heat to medium and cook with lid slightly askew until samp and beans just start to become soft, about 2 hours. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

3.      Add tomatoes, potatoes, curry powder, and black pepper, stir, and continue to cook for another 30 minutes. 

4.      Place EVOO in a skillet and sauté onions, red pepper, jalapeno, until softened. Add chopped garlic and cook 2 minutes more. Scrape sautéed veggies and EVOO into samp/bean mixture, stir, and continue cooking, another 30 minutes.

5.      Test samp, beans, and potatoes. If any are not fully cooked, continue cooking until done.
Add water if necessary.

6.      Serve with warm slices of whole wheat bread and a rich red wine (cabernet sauvignon for example). Enjoy!