Recipe: Risi e Bisi (Italian Rice and Peas) and Basic Homemade Meat Broth

RISI E BISI (ITALIAN RICE AND PEAS)

2 pounds fresh, young peas, weighed with the pods
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
2 tablespoons chopped onion
Salt
3 1/2 cups Meat Broth (recipe follows)
1 cup uncooked Italian rice, like Arborio
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, preferably Parmigiano-Reggiano

Shell the peas. Keep 1 cupful of the empty pods, selecting the crispest unblemished ones, and discard the rest. Separate the two halves of each pod. Take a half pod, turning the glossy, inner, concave side that held the peas, toward you. That side is lined by a tough, film-like membrane that you must pull off. Hold the pod with one hand, and with the other snap one end, pulling it down gently against the pod itself. You will find the thin membrane coming away without resistance. Because it is so thin, it is likely to break off before you have detached it entirely. Don't fuss over it: Keep the skinned portion of the pod, snap the other end of the pod and try to remove the remaining section of membrane. Cut off and discard those parts of any pod that you have been unable to skin completely. It's not necessary to end up with perfect whole pods since they will dissolve in the cooking anyway. Any skinned piece will serve the purpose, which is that of sweetening the soup. Add all the prepared pod pieces to the shelled peas, soak in cold water, drain, and set aside.

Put the butter and onion in a soup pot and turn on the heat to medium. Saute the onion until it becomes colored a pale gold, then add the peas and the stripped-down pods, and a good pinch of salt to keep the peas green. Cook for 2 or 3 minutes, stirring to coat the peas well.

Add 3 cups of the broth, cover the pot, and adjust the heat so the broth bubbles at a slow, gentle boil for 10 minutes.

Add the rice and the remaining 1/2 cup of broth, stir, cover the pot again, and cook at a steady moderate boil until the rice is tender, but firm to the bite, about 20 minutes or so. Stir occasionally while the soup is cooking.

When the rice is done, stir in the parsley, then the grated Parmesan. Taste and correct for salt, then turn off the heat.

BASIC HOMEMADE MEAT BROTH
Makes 1 1/2 to 2 quarts broth

1 carrot, peeled
1 medium onion, peeled
1 or 2 stalks celery
1/4 to 1/2 red or yellow bell pepper, cored and stripped of its seeds
1 small potato, peeled
1 fresh, ripe tomato or a canned Italian plum tomato, drained
5 pounds assorted beef, veal, and chicken (the last optional) of which no more than 2 pounds may be bones
Salt

Put all the ingredients in a stockpot, and add enough water to cover by 2-inches. Set the cover askew, turn on the heat to medium, and bring to a boil. As soon as the liquid starts to boil, slow it down to the gentlest of simmers by lowering the heat. Skim off the scum that floats to the surface, at first abundantly, then gradually tapering off. Cook for 3 hours, always at a simmer.

Filter the broth through a large wire strainer lined with paper towels, pouring it into a ceramic or plastic bowl. Allow to cool completely, uncovered.

When cool, place in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight until the fat comes to the surface and solidifies. Scoop up and discard the fat.

If you are using the broth within 3 days after making it, return the bowl to the refrigerator. If you expect to keep it any longer than 3 days, freeze it.

HOW TO STORE BROTH:
It is safe to keep broth in the refrigerator for a maximum of 3 days after making it, but unless you are certain you will use it that quickly, it is best to freeze it. It's impossible to overemphasize how convenient it always is to have frozen broth available. The most practical method is to freeze it in ice-cube trays, unmold it as soon as it is solid, and transfer the cubes to airtight plastic bags. Distribute the cubes among several containers, so that when you are going to use the broth you will open only as many bags as you need.

Makes 4 servings
Source: Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan