Good Cook by Simon Hopkinson Page A

cheese, together with one of the most fragrant of all summer herbs, and with that lovely taste of creamy butter, too.
    Boil the rice in about 1 quart of salted water, till just cooked. Briefly drain over a serving bowl, tip out the water (this has now heated the bowl), and now tip back half the drained rice into the hot bowl. Add the mozzarella, Parmesan, garlic, basil, butter and pepper, then cover with the rest of the rice and leave to settle for a minute or two. Now, stir vigorously, while also lifting and dropping back the rice, until the mozzarella becomes stringy—two large forks work best, here. Serve immediately on hot plates, and hand extra Parmesan at table.

risi e bisi
    serves 4, as a first course
    2¼ lb fresh peas (unpodded weight), podded, and with the pods reserved
    approx. 1 quart light chicken stock
    6 tbsp butter
    1 onion, very finely chopped
    7 oz carnaroli (or other) rice
    salt and freshly ground white pepper
    3–4 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan
    1 tbsp finely chopped parsley or, more controversially, mint
    Again, to the Veneto, for one of the simplest and most perfect bowls of comfort eating: “risi e bisi”—sloppy rice and peas. It is similar to a risotto with peas, but much more soupy in texture. I recall a very late springtime lunch enjoyed at Harry’s Bar in Venice, fresh off the train from Florence, and at exactly the time when the first fresh peas had just come into season; but then, at Harry’s, it would be unthinkable to serve this dish at any other time of year.
    The risi e bisi was served in a deep bowl, filled to the brim, of the palest green and piping hot. Extra Parmesan was stirred in at table and that was my lunch. Just that. Well … maybe a glass or two of prosecco, just to show willing.
    By the way, do not worry that the peas will have lost a little of their bright color by a more lengthy cooking than usual; peas do this naturally, but they also taste very good. I would say flavor over the look every time, with a dish such as this.
    Note: although not exactly authentic, I sometimes like to use mint instead of parsley, here. Mainly, this is because I really like the taste of peas and mint together, which is a very English marriage. No doubt this would be deeply frowned upon by a strict Venetian cook, so I would change the name to “sloppy rice and peas with mint.” That should do it.
    Take the empty pea pods and place them in a food processor. Process to a coarse mush and put them into a large pan. Pour on the stock and simmer the mixture for about 30 minutes, until the stock is nicely pea-flavored and lightly sweetened as a result. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl and reserve.
    Now, rinse out the pea-pod pan and in it melt 3 tbsp of the butter. Tip in the onion and fry over a medium heat until softened. Add the podded peas and gently cook for a minute or two, stirring frequently. Add 24 oz of the pea-flavored stock, cover, and cook at a moderate boil for 5 minutes.
    Add the rice and the remaining pea stock, cover, and cook at a very slow simmer for 15–20 minutes, or until the rice is tender but just firm to the bite. Stir occasionally while cooking; also taste and add a touch of seasoning (don’t forget that salty Parmesan will be added later). Just prior to serving, briskly stir in the remaining butter, 2 tablespoons of Parmesan and the parsley or mint. Pour into hot bowls and offer extra cheese at table.

chicken with livers

    chicken

poached chicken with saffron sauce & cucumber
    serves 2
    for the chicken
    2¼–3¼ lb chicken, preferably corn-fed
    1 onion, stuck with 3 cloves
    2 sticks of celery, chopped
    1 carrot, thickly sliced
    1 leek, cleaned, trimmed and thickly sliced
    2 large tomatoes, roughly chopped
    2 bay leaves
    2–3 sprigs of thyme
    small bunch of parsley, roughly chopped
    9 oz dry white wine
    salt
    for cooking the cucumbers and making the sauce
    10 oz of the prepared chicken broth
    4–6 small cucumbers, depending on size, or 1 medium-sized normal