Easter cooking with Chef Jennifer: Italian Dinner Edition! Asparagus risotto, mixed greens & orange salad, and rosemary focaccia for your very own Italian dinner party. Recipes below! Join us every Wednesday evening in April for a new episode from resident Chef Jennifer Wiant’s NYC apartment right to your home.
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ROSEMARY FOCCACIA
4 cups flour
2 tsp salt
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
1 tsp sugar
1 tbs yeast
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
In a glass measuring cup or small bowl combine water, yeast, and sugar. Stir to combine. In a heavy mixing bowl add flour, salt, and rasemary. Mix together and make a well in the middle. Add oil to yeast mixture and pour all at once into the well in the flour. Slowly stir in the flour from the edges of the well until all of the flour is combined and you can gather the dough into a rough ball.
Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead for approximately 10 minutes. Put dough back into an oiled bowl, cover with a kitchen towel and place in a warm area for 45 -90 minutes until dough doubles in size.
Generously oil a cast iron skillet or a baking pan with olive oil. Shape dough into a round and press until about 1 inch thick. Let rise again about 1/2 an hour or 45 minutes until finger leaves a slight indent in the dough. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Dimple top of focaccia and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with large grain salt. Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown and a tap on the crust sounds hollow.
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ASPARAGUS RISOTTO
1 1/2 cups Arborio Rice
4 cups stock (chicken or vegetable)
1 cup of water
1/2 cup of white wine
1 small yellow onion finely diced
3 ribs of celery diced
1 tbs butter + 4 tbs for finishing
1 tbs olive oil
1/2 pound of asparagus
1 cup grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese (more for serving)
Salt and pepper
Zest of one lemon
Put stock and water in saucepan and keep at a low simmer on the back of the stove. In a heavy bottom skillet with high sides sauté onions and celery over medium heat in 1 tbs butter and olive oil until translucent. Add rice and stir until grains are coated and begin to take on a golden color. Add wine and stir until evaporated. Season with a little salt and pepper. Start slowly ladling hot stock into rice and stirring constantly until liquid is absorbed before more stock is added. Continue this for about 20 minutes, maybe a little longer, until rice is creamy, cooked, but still al dente with a little chew. With last ladle of stock add chopped asparagus and allow to steam in the risotto. There should be some stock left over for serving. Continue to stir and add remaining butter, cheese, and the fresh zest of a lemon. Season with salt and pepper. Serve in shallow bowls with a small ladle of stock and extra Parmesan cheese.