La Vignarola Roman Style Spring Vegetable Stew Recipes

LA VIGNAROLA ROMAN-STYLE SPRING-VEGETABLE STEW

Steps:

• Fill a large bowl halfway with cold water. Squeeze the lemons into the water and add the rinds to the bowl. Using a serrated knife, cut off the top third of an artichoke. Pull back and snap off the dark green, leafy blades, one by one, until only the pale yellow leaves remain. Using a paring knife, trim the artichoke bottom and stem to the pale green flesh, then cut it in half lengthwise. Drop into the water (to keep the artichoke from turning brown) and repeat with the remaining artichokes. Using a spoon, scoop out the prickly leaves and hairy choke. Cut each half into 4 wedges and return to the water until ready to use.
• If using fresh fava beans, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Fill a large bowl two-thirds full with ice water. When the water comes to a boil, add the beans and cook for 1 minute, then drain and immediately submerge the beans in the ice water. Peel the beans by gently tearing the pale skins and pinching at one end. Discard the skins, reserving the dark green interiors.
• Heat a 12-inch nonreactive pan over medium heat. Add 1/4 cup olive oil and when hot, add the onion, oregano (if using) and guanciale. Cook, stirring occasionally until the onion and guanciale are translucent, about 10 minutes. Drain artichokes and add to the pan, along with 2 cups water and 11/4 teaspoons salt. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook until artichokes are just tender, about 25 minutes. If using frozen favas, add them and cook for 2 minutes. If using fresh favas or frozen edamame, add them, along with the peas, and cook until warm and tender, about 5 minutes more. Remove the oregano sprig. Sprinkle in parsley and mint. Season with lemon juice, freshly ground black pepper and, if desired, additional salt. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and serve.

ROMAN SPRING VEGETABLE CASSEROLE WITH ARTICHOKES, PEAS, FAVA BEANS, AND ROMAINE LETTUCE OR ALA VIGNAROLA

Steps:

• Squeeze the juice of 1/2 lemon into a bowl of cold water. Prepare the artichokes by trimming away all the tough, inedible portions. Cut the trimmed artichokes lengthwise into wedges about 1/2-inch thick. Drop the wedges into the bowl containing the water and lemon juice.
• If any shelled fava bean is more than 1-inch in length, cut away the thick green skin that sheaths it.
• Detach the leaves from the lettuce head, discarding any bruised, wilted, or discolored ones. Soak the leaves in two or three changes of water, drain, and shred them fine. You should have approximately 4 cups, but a bit more or less won=t matter too much.
• If using fresh spring onions, cut off all the green tops and the root ends, then slice them very thin.
• Choose a saucepan that can subsequently accommodate all the ingredients. Put in the sliced onions, the olive oil, and a large pinch of salt, and turn on the heat to low. Cook the onions, turning them over from time to time, until they have become completely wilted.
• Drain the artichokes, rinse them in cold water, and put them in the pot, together with the shelled peas, fava beans, and shredded romaine lettuce. Sprinkle liberally with salt and turn over all ingredients several times to coat them well.
• Put a lid on the pot and cook, always at low heat, turning the contents of the pot over from time to time, until the artichokes, peas, and beans are tender. It may take up to 2 hours, depending on the freshness and youth of the vegetables. Add 1/3 cup water whenever the cooking juices appear to be insufficient to keep the vegetables from sticking to the pot. You should need no more than 2 cups of water all together.
• Taste and correct for salt, and serve warm, but not piping hot, from a shallow bowl or deep platter.
• Ahead of time note: You may cook the dish 2 or 3 days in advance, refrigerating it in an airtight container. Reheat gently but thoroughly before serving, adding a tablespoon or two of water if necessary.

VIGNAROLA

Steps:

• Peel and dice the leek whites (the green parts will not be used). Chop the garlic finely. Peel the carrots; cut into peaces if large.
• Simmer the wine, leek, garlic, and half a cup of water for circa 6 minutes Add the other ingredients and simmer for another 4 mins or so, or until the veggies are just cooked but still slightly crunchy. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve in bowls with the broth.

LA VIGNAROLA

Steps:

• In a large sauté pan over a medium flame, warm 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and brown the pancetta for several minutes. Soften the onion until transparent in the fat, taking care not to color it. Add the peas and the wine, bringing the combination to a simmer. Cover the pot, its lid askew, and gently simmer the peas for 20 minutes or less, until barely tender. Remove the fava beans from their pods and cook in boiling sea-salted water for 12 to 15 minutes or until they are nearly tender, rather like the al dente stage in cooking pasta. Set aside.
• Blanch the artichokes in boiling salted water for 3 minutes. If they are of the purple-lipped variety and no larger than a small plum, leave them whole, barely trimming their tender petals and scraping at their stems a bit. If they are somewhat larger, give the stems a scrape or two and slice them in half, lengthwise, removing any signs of a more than embryonic choke.
• In another sauté pan, over a lively flame, warm 1/3 cup of olive oil and sauté the artichokes, salting them generously, adding freshly cracked pepper and tossing them about for several minutes or until they are nearly tender. Transfer the artichokes and their accumulated juices to the sauté pan with the peas and pancetta, sautéing the mixture for 2 or 3 minutes just to finish cooking the artichokes.
• In a small saucepan, warm 3 tablespoons of olive oil with the lemon zest and the garlic, taking care not to color the garlic. Set the scented oil aside.
• Add the blanched favas and the mint leaves to the sauté pan, gently heating the components together and taking care not to let them reach a simmer.
• Remove from the heat, stir in the lemon/garlic-scented oil, and serve la vignarola as an antipasto or a first course, warm or at room temperature, with oven-toasted bread and cold white wine.