750 ml(3cups)chickenstock,
preferablyhomemade
2 tbspextra-virginoliveoil
30 gmunsaltedbutter
½ onion,finelydiced
½ smallcabbage,thickspines
removed,thinlysliced
1 garlicclove,peeled,
bruisedandleftwhole
200 gm(1 cup)carnaroli,vialone
nanoriceorarboriorice
50 gmparmesan,finelygrated,
plusextratoserve1 Pourstockintoa saucepan
andbringtotheboil,then
reduceheatandbringtoa
simmer.Heatoilandbutter
in a largesaucepanover
low-mediumheat.Oncebutter
hasmelted,addonionand
reduceheattolow.Cook,
stirringoccasionally,forabout
7 minutesuntilsoftenedand
translucent.Addcabbageand
garlic and stir, then add 125mlRISIE VERZA
Cabbage risotto
SERVES 4“RicewasintroducedintoItaliancookingfromtheeast,probably
arrivinginItalyviaVenice,”saysPaolaBacchia.“Itis a staplein
PiedmontandLombardyandwidelyusedinVeneto.Youcanuse
vegetable stock to make this dish vegetarian if you prefer.”ofhotstock.Coverandcook
forabout 20 minutes,stirring
occasionally,untilcabbage
hassoftened.
2 Addricetopanandstirso
it warmsthroughandis coated
withthebutterycabbage.Add
a ladlefulofhotstockandstir
well,allowingricetoabsorbthe
liquid.Whenalltheliquidhas
beenabsorbed,addanother
ladlefulofstockandcontinue
cookingasdescribed– you
wanttokeepit quitesoupy.
Continuecookingforabout
20-25minutes,addingstock
asneeded(orboilingwaterif
yourunoutofstock),untilrice
is cookedbutstillhasa bitof
bite.Removepanfromheat,
seasontotasteandremove
garlicclove(if youcanfindit).
Stirin parmesan,thencover
andrestfora fewminutes.
Serveonwarmplateswith
extra parmesan on the side.➤M
y fathergrewupontheshoresoftheAdriatic
Sea.Yearslater,inourhomeinsuburban
Melbourne,hetoldmethatbeforethewar
hismother,mynonnaStefania,wouldwrap
freshlyfriedsardinesinpaperandcarrythemdownto
thebeach.Theywouldsitontherocksandeatthefish,
stillwarmandsofreshtheystilltastedofthesea.
TheItaliancoastoftheAdriaticSearunsfromthe
baseofthepeninsulaat theIonianSeatothenorthern
watersoftheGulfofTrieste,beforeit loopsaroundto
SloveniaandCroatia.If youfollowit northwardsfrom
itsmostsouthernpoint,wheregrovesofolivetrees
twisttheirrootsintotheundulatingredearth,you
willseea changinglandscape.White-washedwalled
masserie,colourfulvillagesandsea-facingpiazze dot
the1,200-kilometrecoastline,withtheseabeing
a strongconnectorofthoselivingonitsshores.
Thedifferencesfoundalongthecoastarepartlydueto
thepresenceofinvaders– a 500-year-oldAustrianlegacyis
revivedinthekitchensofItalianswholiveintheGulfof
Trieste,anda spectacularlyancientGreeklegacyinhabits
thefoodoftheSalento.ThereareplacesalongtheAdriatic
coastwherethemountainstouchthesea,resultingin
a happymarriageofingredientsthatarenotcommonly
associatedwitheachother:mushroomsandclams,
silverbeetandsquid,andpotatoesandmussels.
TherecipesinAdriatico, andinthesepages,arethe
resultofa three-monthresearchtripspenttravellingthe
lengthofthecoast.ManyaretraditionaldishesthatI
sawonmenusortasted,othersareadaptedfromolder
cookbooksI foundonmytravels,andstill others are
from local people I met along the way.