Risotto Nostalgico e Profumo di Mare ( Pea and Asparagus Green Risotto With a Poached Fish Rollatina. Very green and beautiful!)

I grew up in a busy city by the Adriatic sea. On a really hot day, the city smelt of tar, expensive perfumes and seaweed. Though the city was big and busy and very crowded, it was beautiful and cosy: it was home. On Summer nights the bars and caffe` stayed open until the early hours of the morning. The city wore a new dress with every season, but one element, one presence was constant : the sea.

On a Summer's night you could almost hear the waves, crushing against the rocks and, if you were in a romantic mood, you could even hear the crabs. They make a bubbling sound at night. I know, because I heard this sound many times.

In Winter, on really windy, rainy day, the sea would be very angry and rough. The waves crossed the Lungomare and invaded the long, wide road which, like a very beautiful snake, ran  parallel with  the city, and led to nearby seaside town. It was and still is a beautiful road. It's the place where my dad's family originated from. It's very beautiful.     
                                                                                                                                      

My father loved the sea. He took me to the seaside for the first time and put me on a little island, where I sat like a little mermaid, screaming. I was afraid of the sea. He taught me how to catch crabs and shrimps and sea cucumbers. If you squeeze them, they spit water. It was funny! I loved my Babbo!

My mother loved the city: she loved traffic, noises, crowded shopping centres, and big buildings. She loved people and talking: she talked a lot! Not a country girl, my mother. She was able to see beauty in buildings and cement. But it was she, who, strange enough, taught me how to look at nature, plants, and especially vegetables. My mother wasn't a meat eater. 


During our visits to Caterina's, her farmer friend, who lived outside the city, beyond a railway line, we would pick baby artichokes, fresh peas still in their pods, baby tomatoes (I can still remember the smell!) and, if I was really, really lucky, Caterina would let me have one or two freshly laid eggs.

During these visits I saw things you never see in a city: a horse, chickens, crickets and worms. I loved it!

I feel very lucky to have these places, in my mind, which I can revisit when I feel sad, or when the sky has been grey for far too long.

It has been a very long, Northern Winter and I needed to re visit those places. With this in mind, I got a few ingredients inspired by the sea and the countryside of my childhood and cooked a nostalgic dish. And here it is:

Risotto Nostalgico e Profumo del Mare

( Pea and Asparagus Green Risotto

with a Poached Fish Rollatina)

Serves 2

Ingredients:

( For the risotto)

a small bunch of fresh asparagus

5-6 spring onions (scallions)

1 very small garlic clove

two handfuls of peas

5 tbsp olive oil

salt

pepper

Pecorino or Parmesan Cheese

150g Arborio rice

1-2 stock cubes

For the Fish Rollatine:

2 large fish fillets

(can be sea bass or sole

or any white fish)

10 shelled prawns

2 small garlic cloves

small bunch of parsley

a few basil leaves

some Pecorino or

Parmesan, grated

salt

black pepper

Cling film for wrapping the

fish

Making my risotto

Before I started, I washed my asparagus and prepared my spring onions. I cleaned and chopped a small clove of garlic and then proceeded to chop the onions and the stalks (just the tender part) of my asparagus, reserving the tips.

I made some stock (about 1 litre) by using a couple of stock cubes and hot water, and placed in large jug, ready to be added to my risotto. If you have time, you can make your vegetable stock by  using water, some oil, an onion a tomato and some celery.

In a medium saucepan I heated some olive oil until really hot, I then added my spring onions ( I used the whole thing, leaves included, as I wanted my risotto to be green.) After two or three minutes, the asparagus stalks were added with the garlic, very finely chopped.

 I let the vegetables cook and blend together for a couple of minutes, then started adding my rice, one handful at the time. I let the first lot toast, then added some stock. I stirred all the time to make sure the rice didn't dry out too much and didn't stick to the pan. I continued to add more rice and stock, until the rice was used up. I carried on stirring and adding small amounts of stock, as I went along. I never let it dry out. Risotto is very easy to make.

When my rice was almost ready, I put my lovely peas in a small food processor and blitzed  until they became a bright, emerald green "cream". 

I added this to my risotto with a generous grating of cheese. I served garnished  with some asparagus tips which I had quickly poached. 

This risotto can also be served and enjoyed with a generous garnish of uncooked pea shoots.

While I was making my risotto, I also had a fish rollatina poaching in water. I actually made this first, so the two dishes could be served together, as a delicious main course.

I placed my fillets on a clean surface, placed four large prawns in the middle of each with some parsley, basil, some cheese, a tiny bit of chopped garlic, some salt and black pepper and then proceeded to roll the fish, till it looked like a sausage. The fish parcel was then placed in the middle of a biggish piece of cling film, which was then wrapped very tightly round the fish rollatina and then secured ( I tied the ends of mine, together.)


At this point, my fish really looked like a sausage, as it was being poached in hot water.

My little fish parcels were poached in boiling water for about 7-10 minutes, then unwrapped, sliced, and served with some of the rice.

 I also made a small warm salad, with broad beans (fave) which I cooked and then shelled, with some feta cheese and olive oil. I also poured some lovely Italian olive oil over the fish. It looked gorgeous! 

My dish was fresh, delicious and very healthy. I think both my parents would have enjoyed it, as it was made using some of their favourite ingredients. Beautiful!