Warming Up February: La Cucina Italiana
With all of the cookbooks and magazines that feature Italian cooking, one would think it would be very difficult to get noticed in the midst of them all. La Cucina Italiana, however, always manages to make its voice heard.
The February 2007 issue of the magazine (still on news-stands) provides plenty of recipes and articles to keep your mind off the February cold. Besides the always-tempting section on items for the home and kitchen, and the latest news on Italian wine, the issue’s A Tavola (At the Table) section has some wonderful recipes. I’m eyeing the Stuffed Polenta Cups for the next occasion when I need to make an appetizer and the Stuffed Artichokes had my mouth watering the moment I saw the picture.
For the bakers among us, the issue has a recipe for Sfogliatelle alla Crema (Puff Pastry with Cream) that are sure to please. If you’ve ever visited an Italian bakery you will have seen these shell-shaped treats so I’ve made a mental note to give this recipe a try. Other tempting desserts include Walnut Cake, Currant Bread and Zabaione Cups.
The magazine has a feature on polenta, the creamy dish made of cornmeal. The article by Catherine Trophy reveals that the ways in which you can prepare polenta are varied and all delicious. The issue also includes a feature on farro, which is a brown short-grain used in many cuisuines, including Italian, Middle Eastern and North African.
For those of us that can’t get enough of articles and recipes on Italian food, the magazine includes an announcement about the launch of Cibo (food), an e-magazine dedicated to Italian food and wine.
For me, though, the part of the magazine I enjoyed the most was the article “Staying Warm” by Cristabelle Tumola. It’s been terribly cold here in Toronto and the soups featured in this section were instantly comforting. While the Creamy Pumpkin and Pasta Soup and the Lentil Soup with rice were tempting, I decided to try the Barley Minestrone.
This satisfying soup was easy to put together and just the thing to chase the cold away. Be sure to check out the February 2007 issue of La Cucina Italiana!
Barley Minestrone
Adapted from La Cucina Italiana, February 2007
Note: This recipe will serve 4 to 6 people.
7 ounces pearl barley
8 cups chicken stock (or water)
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped
1 tbsp. rosemary, finely chopped
2 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
salt and pepper to taste
Parmigiano Reggiano to taste
Soak the pearl barley in a bowl of cold water for 30 minutes.
Drain the barley and place it in a large stockpot. Add the chicken stock (or water) and bring to the boil.
Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer the barley for an hour and ten minutes. Be sure to stir occasionally.
While the barley is simmering, heat the olive oil in a small pan. Add the onion, parsley and rosemary and saute for five minutes.
Add the sauteed onions and the carrot to the simmering barley. Stir well.
About half an hour before the soup is done, add the chopped potatoes and continue to cook, stirring occasionally.
When the soup is done, the barley will be tender and the potatoes cooked through. Taste and adjust the seasoning accordingly.
Serve with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
