Olive Oil & Lemons

Food as Art

I love colorful food.More directly, I really love vegetables.They are the first bite that I take at a meal; I’ll typically eat my entire serving before I hit the meat.Unlike my husband and son who will put away the protein first, then only work on the vegetables only after gentle reminders.So, I am always looking for unusual or new preparations.That all said, I was stumped with what to do with a red cabbage that showed up in my market basket.Virtually indestructible, it hid in the crisper drawer for weeks before I finally decided I needed to do something with it.I found this unusual risotto in one of Marcella Hazan’s cookbooks.Virtually everything I have made from this cookbook is absolutely delicious.And, deceptively simple with relatively few ingredients.I figured anything tastes better when it is cooked down with pancetta; red cabbage is no different.

Today, we’re going big with a full meal that showcases this fabulous risotto.It is beautiful and tasty and would make a wonderful meal for a dinner party.While it looks like a lot of activity, it is actually pretty easy.The only trick, if there is one, is that cooking down the cabbage does take about an hour.That said, you prepare the cabbage and salsa well in advance.Then making the risotto and fish will take about 30 minutes.

Red Cabbage Risotto with Roasted Halibut and Roasted Pepper – Tomato Salsa

4 servings

Risotto with Red Cabbage and Pancetta*

1lb. red cabbage
2T extra virgin olive oil
2/3 cup chopped onion
½ cup finely chopped pancetta or bacon
2 garlic cloves, sliced very thin
Salt
Black pepper
5 cups beef broth
1-1/2 cups Arborio rice
1T butter
½ cup grated parmesan

Shred the cabbage very fine, you should have about 4 cups.

Put the oil, chopped onion, and pancetta into the pot where you will be making the risotto, and turn on the heat to medium high. Cook, stirring from time to time, until the onion becomes very pale gold. Add the sliced garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until its scent begins to rise, but without letting it become colored.

Add the shredded cabbage and cook for 2 or 3 minutes, turning it over and over with a wooden spoon to coat it well.Add 1/2 cup of water, salt, and generous grindings of pepper; turn the cabbage over once again; put a lid on the pot; and turn the heat down to medium low.

Cook until the cabbage has softened completely and all but dissolved to a creamy consistency, about 1 hour.If, during the cooking, you find that there is not sufficient moisture in the pot to keep the cabbage from sticking to the bottom, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of water whenever necessary.

When the cabbage is just about done, pour the broth into a saucepan and bring it to a slow simmer on a burner close to the pot with the cabbage.

Uncover the pot with the cabbage, turn the heat up to medium high, and add the rice.

Turn it over thoroughly and continuously for about 1 minute to coat it well. Add 1 cup of simmering broth, and cook the rice, stirring it and periodically adding liquid.Finish cooking the rice, continuously stirring and adding broth until it is tender but firm to the bite, about 25 minutes.

Off heat, and swirl in butter and grated parmesan.

Roasted Halibut

4 filets halibut, approximately 1-1/2 pounds
Salt & pepper
Olive oil

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Season filets lightly with salt and freshly ground pepper.In a non-stick oven proof frying pan heat 1 T (or so) of olive oil over medium high heat.Gently place filets into pan and sear for approximately 2 minutes until lightly golden.Gently flip and sear second side for approximately 2 minutes until golden.