food photography
The Sardinian Kitchen
Orange zest candies - Aranzada
Today I want to share with you the recipe for Aranzada, a typical dessert from Sardinia, my region in Italy.
I come from a tiny village in the East coast of Sardinia that is famous for its oranges, generally the second week of April there is the famous “Oranges festival”. I took some images a long time ago during the event, if you love citrus fruits and you want to know more click Here.
Oranges are in season right now, so I thought to take this opportunity to make these zingy sweet bites made from orange peel, honey and almonds. For the orange zest to lose its bitterness, you need a bit of advance preparation. You must soak the skins one day before or to achieve best results, a few days in advance.
Makes 8 aranzadas
Preparation time: 10minutes + a few days soaking
Cooking time: 20 minutes
INGREDIENTS
50g unwaxed orange peel
(around 6 oranges)
40g peeled almonds
15g caster sugar
60g honey
INSTRUCTIONS
First thing with a potato peeler peel the oranges making sure you will remove the white pith.
Thinly cut the peel into strips, mine were about 3mm wide and 5mm long. Allow them to soak in warm water overnight or for a few days for best result.
Change the water at least twice a day.
Drain the orange peel and pat dry them.
Preheat the oven to 180ºC.
Roughly chops the almonds into even-sized pieces. Spread them on a baking tray and toast them in the oven for 5 minutes.
In a large pot heat up the sugar and honey. Keep stirring until it is brown and it coats the back of a spoon. When it reaches a slightly stringy and sticky consistency it is ready. Pour in the orange zest and cook for 1 minute.
Stir in the almonds as well and quickly spoon it into small cake cases. You’ve got to be as fast as you can to avoid the mixture from cooling down completely and becoming rock hard.
Healthy January 0.3
Sourdough wholemeal focaccia with onions and radicchio
Like many, I have been playing with sourdough since the beginning of the first lockdown in England. It kept me busy as it is like a pet to care for. Anthony Bourdain in his book Kitchen Confidential mentioned several chefs giving names to their starter. One of his colleagues used to call it the B****
Have you given a name to yours yet?
This recipe is sort of an adaptation of a regional recipe from my area in Sardinia, Pratzira with onions (Onions focaccia). Pratzira comes in different flavours and shapes, onions, tomatoes, potatoes, mushrooms and so on.
I absolutely love the onions version with its sweet taste and slippery texture. Add some tasty radicchio leaves and you are in for a treat!
If you do not know how to make natural yeast, there are many resources online bit I will share the recipe with you in the near future. Check this space.
A bit about nutrition…
When I consulted my blog partner Giulia about this recipe for our healthy January. She said “Ok, we are halfway through our detox month and, therefore, we can allow ourselves to cook something scrumptious and slightly higher in carbs than our previous recipes. “
The star of these focaccine, though, are the veggies — radicchio and onions. The purple-and-white type of leaf vegetable can be eaten raw, mixed in into salads and contorno, but it is AMAZING also if cooked. Radicchio, also known as Italian Chicory is packed with plant compounds —especially in its red part— which act as antioxidants on free-radicals and can improve circulation.
Onions have been seen in research to have anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties, to act as a prebiotic on our gut flora, and to be able to balance the immune system and improve heart health.”
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0924224407002282
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10408398.2011.646364
Prep Time: 45 minutes +
leavening time about 14 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 15 hours 45 minutes
INGREDIENTS
DOUGH
210g strong wholemeal flour
150ml water
10ml olive oil
5g salt
70g sourdough starter
360g white onion
170g radicchio
60ml olive oil
INSTRUCTIONS
First thing you will need to activate your sourdough starter by feeding it on the night before using it.
The second step is often called by the experts as “autolyse”.
In a small bowl, mix the water, wholemeal flour, and oil. Cover the bowl with a cloth and set aside for 1 hour. This is to allow the enzymes in the flour to activate.
Then add in the natural yeast and knead for 5 minutes to form a smooth dough. Now add in the salt and knead for another 2 minutes.
Let it rest for 8-12 hours or until it is doubled in size. This time can vary significantly depending on the temperature in your kitchen and of your ingredients, and how active is your starter.
A generall tip is to check the consistency of the dough, it should be bouncy and light.
Slice your onions into thin rings. Then cook them in a pan with 30ml of olive oil for about 10 minutes or until translucent.
Stir constantly to avoid burning them.
Let the onions cool down. Keep some aside, you will need these to decorate your focaccine. Then gently incorporate the rest into your dough, folding the edges of the dough on top of it a couple of times.
Put the dough onto a floured surface and portion it into 8. Then shape each one into a small ball, tucking the sides in with your hands. Dust some flour all around and on the top of each ball rubbing it genlty with your hands. Cover them with a cloth and let them raise again for about one and a half hours.
Preheat the oven to 220 ºC
Now place each ball into a greased baking tray and flatten each one using your finger tips. Pressing genlty and avoiding knocking out all the air.
Cut the radicchio into small wedges to fit into your focaccine. Place some of the radicchio leaves on the top of each focaccina.
Bake for 10 minutes. Then drizzle the remaining olive oil on the top and cook for further 10 minutes or until is gold.
Healthy January 0.2
Artichokes in olive oil and parsley dressing
My obsession with artichokes goes as far as trying to smuggle two small plants with pot and soil in my suitcase from Sardinia to grow them in London. They arrived safely but suffered a few injuries on the way.
Sadly I also failed in my attempt to grow them in London, all of them died after one month of incessant rain.
The Sardinian variety is with spikes, which I found difficult to find in the UK. I have just recently seen that the brand Natoora sells them online. (This post is not sponsorised)
Some time ago I visited the Blue zone of Sardinia, an area with a high longevity rate among the inhabitants, and speaking with some of the oldest inhabitants it seems that many like to eat artichokes. So I consulted my blog partner Giulia, to know more about these delicious vegetables from the nutritional point of view.
“Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus is without any doubt one of our favourite flowers from the Mediterranean region, the area where Italy is located and where Jennifer and I come from.
Artichoke is an edible thistle (a flowering plant) and it is absolutely delicious —you can’t blame us for loving it so much!
When cooked artichoke has a succulent meaty pulp and a sweet and nutty taste. You can also eat it raw —mainly the inner part known as the heart— but the consistency is definitely more fibrous and the taste is bitter.
This chubby green thistle is also packed with nutrients and health-promoting benefits. Artichokes are low in fat and rich in fibre which make them a great food for our digestive system and our heart health. They also contain a good amount of antioxidants, vitamin C, K and folate, and important minerals, such as magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and iron.
Medical research has found that this plant, which has been used for centuries for its benefits, may help balance cholesterol levels and blood pressure. Another great reason to consume artichoke as both a vegetable or an extract is the protective and stimulating effects it may have on our liver and gut health. The fact that this plant is also so high in fibre —especially a soluble fibre called inulin— makes it a prebiotic food, which can help improving the intestinal flora.
As we don’t waste anything in Jenny’s kitchen while we prepare our recipes, we used those inedible leaves we removed from the artichokes before cooking to make a tea. This tea has a bittersweet taste and it is a great drink to stimulate digestion and liver health. “
This recipe is great served as a starter to complement a cheese or cured meats board or even as a side dish.
This is the best season for Artichokes so make sure you don’t miss them!
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30308247/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22435514/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26310198/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29520889/
Recipe
Serves 4
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes
INGREDIENTS
8 artichokes
1 lemon
1 tsp salt
50ml white wine vinegar
1l water
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
a handful of fresh parsley
INSTRUCTIONS
Artichokes oxidise when cut, therefore rub some lemon juice into your hands before touching them.
To prepare the artichokes remove about some of the harder outer leaves until you are left with the softer ones. Cut most of the stalk, leaving about 1 cm. Trim the stalk into a point and chop about 2-3 cm off the tips of the leaves.
Slice them in a half and then cut the so called “beard“ just below the leaves.
Place the artichokes in a large bowl with water and the juice of two lemons (this will prevent them from turning black).
In a large pan bring the vinegar and water and 1 tsp of salt to the boil. Add the artichokes and let them simmer for about 30 minutes.
Leave to cool down into their own liquid.
Now we will prepare our dressing. Finely chop the parsley. In a small bowl pour in the olive oil and spoon in your parsley.
Pat-dry your artichokes with a table cloth and pour some of the parsley oil previously made on the top.
You can add a squeeze of lemon juice for extra sharpness if you prefer.
Healthy January 0.1
Italian-style Zucchetti with lentil 'meatballs'
After a well deserved break I am back with a new series of images and recipes Giulia and I created for January.
I am aiming to post one recipe a week every Friday.
This months theme is Detox. As we know January is for many “Veganuary”, for others “Dry January”. I have never been a great fan of these trends, because it is like saying that you can feel at peace with yourself by being a good person only for 30 days, when you have been bad all year round.
I think we should try to do be moderate most of the times, but I understand many of us have been naughty throughout Christmas and NYE and we are desperately trying to recover the damage done both to ourselves and the environment.
So for these reasons we created some fun recipes to give a break to your body, eat something nice and tackle climate change at the same time.
For this recipe we played on the concept of spaghetti meatballs but using lentils ‘meatballs’ and spiralised courgettes instead of spaghetti.
You will need a spiraliser for this recipe to make your courgettes look like spaghetti.
Giulia is an expert nutritionist and she gave me some insight about the ingredients used here.
“Some great plant-based foods that are rich in proteins are nuts & seeds (pumpkin seeds, hemp, linen seeds, etc… almonds, hazelnuts, pistachios…) and legumes such as beans and lentils, but also eating whole grains can help you reaching your daily protein intake which is 0.8g per kilogram of body weight.
We prepared these lentil polpette (balls) with tomato sauce and zucchetti (zucchini spaghetti) as we wanted to show how easy it is to cook vegan and still use some of those comforting flavours which remind us of home.
Lentils can be a great alternative to meat. They are definitely high in protein, containing about 9g of protein per 100g, and they are also rich in fibre which make them a good food for our digestion and blood-sugar balance.
Courgette spaghetti instead of regular wheat spaghetti for reducing refined carb consumption as well, on top of increase fibre intake.”
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 60 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Serves 2 people
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE LENTIL BALLS (32-35 balls)
1 garlic clove
1/2 tsp paprika
1 shallot
1 tsp oregano
80g potato
100g dry lentils
2g salt
one twist of black pepper
a handful of parsley
50g oat flour
TOMATO SAUCE
1 tbs olive oil
1/2 onion (45g)
1 garlic clove
1 red chilli
3g salt
400g tinned chopped tomatoes
2 small courgettes spiralised
INSTRUCTIONS
Soak the lentils in water for about 1-2 hours.
Fill a pan with water and bring to a boil. Cook lentils for about 30minutes or until they are soft.
For better results taste your lentils to check when they are ready.
Peel the potatoes and cut them into small cubes. In a separate pan cook the potatoes previously cut in boiling water for about 25 minutes.
Now in a food processor blend in the lentils to form a smooth cream, then mash your potatoes and incorporate them into the mix together with the rest of the ingredients.
Using your hands shape the mix into balls of about 3cm diameter. Then roll the balls into the oat flour to form a coating.
Arrange the lentil balls in a large tray previously covered with baking paper.
Cook in the oven for about 15 minutes or until they fully cooked and crunchy on the outside.
To make the tomato sauce, finely chop the onion and the chili and slice the garlic in a half.
Take a small pan to cook these ingredients together in olive oil for about 3-4 minutes.
Then pour in the tomatoes and cook for about 5 minutes. Season to taste.
Then lightly blanch your spiralised zucchini in boiling water for 30-60 seconds.
Now you can assemble the plate with all your ingredients.
We hope you will enjoy it!
Cassola. Sardinian Seafood Soup.
If you are a seafood lover you can’t miss this seafood soup typical of my area in Sardinia, Italy.
With my family we generally cook a seafood based meal for NYE. Because of the pandemic, like many of us, I will not be able to spend time with them this year, but hopefully this comforting soup will bring you some warmth.
As we always do, Giulia and I cooked this main by making a few small changes in the list of ingredients, in order to offer a healthier alternative. However, the star of this dish was (typically) and still is seafood. Also following Giulia’s advice in terms of nutrition “Mollusks and crustaceans are a great source of proteins and minerals, especially if you compare them with the most popular protein-rich foods like chicken or beef. Prawns, for example, are high in an easily-absorbable form of selenium, an essential mineral that protects our body from free-radicals.
Mussels also contain good levels of selenium, zinc and other vitamins such as B12 and betacarotene. I really hope you love sea food as much as we do!
The first thing we added to this recipe in order to give this soup a small amount of fibre was celery. This vegetable is very low in calories, but full of health-promoting benefits such as antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds which have been seen to support the function of our heart and digestive system.
We then used red mullet a small-size fish instead of a big one such as sward fish, which is traditionally added to this dish. Small fish contain less mercury and toxins from the sea, so they are for sure a better option! (We decided not to add any oily fish to this soup as their distinctive strong flavour would overpower the delicate taste of the other ingredients).”
With our bellies full, we wish you a very relaxing New Year’s Eve and a positive start with the New Year.
Prep Time: 20 minutes + 2 hours to soak the clams and mussels
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 60 minutes
Serves 2
INGREDIENTS
1 small squid (160g)
6 tiger prawns (shell on)
200g mussels
300g clams
1 small red mullet (200g)
100 ml white wine
1 chilli
2 garlic cloves
400ml tomato passata
150g cherry tomatoes
a bunch of parsley
1tbs olive oil
1 celery stick
FISH STOCK
450ml water
prawn shells
red mullet bones
1 celery stick
1 garlic clove
1tbs olive oil
INSTRUCTIONS
To start we will be prepping our ingredients.
The first thing to do as soon as you buy the clams and mussels, is to place them in water for a couple of hours. This is done to help the clams release all the sand. Also if there are any open clams or mussels, lightly tap them to the side of the sink. If they do not close, discard them.
Clean the prawns by cutting the shells along the back slicing into the flesh a tiny bit too to expose the vein. Pull the vein out and rinse the prawn in water. Repeat the procedure for each prawn.
Place the shells in a small pan that you will use to make a fish stock.
If your fishmonger hasn’t filleted your red mullet then this is the time to do it. I suggest watching videos on the internet if you do not know how to fillet a fish. As a summary instruction, you must cut the head and tail of the fish. Then with a sharp knife slice along the back and keep slicing the rest of the flesh. You must feel that the flat part of the blade is rubbing against the bones underneath.
Keep the bones and place them in the same pan with the prawn shells. Add in the garlic clove peeled and sliced in a half and the celery stick with 1 tbsp of oil. Cook at high heat for 1-2 min until the shells have changed colour.
Add in the water and 1/2 tsp of salt and bring to the boil. Then cook at low heat for at least 20-30min.
Start by cleaning your mussels by removing the “beard” often found hanging off the shell. Place the mussels in a colander in the sink and run water over them, using the tip of a knife to clean off any debris that could be on the shell.
Drain the clams. Cut the squid into rings of 1/2 cm thick.
Now in a large non stick pan. Heat up the olive oil, then cook the garlic, celery and chilli for 3 minutes. Pour in your clams and mussels. Cook for 2 minutes. Then add in the white wine. until it evaporates completely.
Cook at medium heat for a few minutes. Shake the pan a few times to help the clams and mussels to open. Mine started to open after just 4 minutes and were all open within 6 minutes.
If you find any stubborn ones that do not want to open, then wait an extra minute for them to open. Avoid opening them with a knife but just discard them instead if they stay closed.
Set the clams and mussels aside.
Now cook prawns, squid and red mullet in the same pan with all the flavours of the mussels and squid. Cook for 2 minutes on each side for a total of 4 minutes and set aside.
Pour the tomato sauce in the same pan where you cooked the fish, season to taste and cook for 5 minutes. If your fish stock is ready then drain it with a fine sieve over the pan with the tomato sauce. Cook until you reach the consistency desired. I cooked mine for just about 10 more minutes.
Then place all the seafood back in to warm up for a further 2 minutes.
Sprinkle some parsley on the top and enjoy!
TIPS:
This recipe can be simplified if your fishmonger does part of the job for you. Such as asking him to clean the squid and fillet the red mullet. But remember to keep the red mullet bones that you will use to make your fish stock.
Alternatively if you want to save yourself some time, most of the fishmongers sell pre-made fish stock.
Check that the clams and mussels you are buying are not closed or broken.
Gubana
Who doesn’t like cakes? Well, Giulia and I like them a lot! Cakes are obviously not the healthiest foods of all, but, “as a nutritionist, I believe a balanced diet should also include some cheat foods every now and then… and —let’s be honest— Christmas is all about cheat foods!” said Giulia
Our choice for this Christmas was Gubana cake from Friuli Venezia Giulia, a region in the North-East of Italy. Bordering with Slovenia and Croatia, it is not that surprising that this cake has a lot in common with cakes from these countries.
In order to make a dessert less “bad for you” from a nutritional perspective you can easily cut down on the amount of sugar you put into it — usually, if I’m baking for a party, I use 1/3 less sugar compare to original recipes; and 1/2 less sugar (I also use honey) if the cake/biscuits I’m making are for my household. This is a quick effective suggestion that can make a massive impact on your health if you eat sweet foods regularly.
Also, to slow down the absorption of sugars from your digestive tract, adding fibre to your cake is a very smart move!
Fresh or dried fruit and nuts such as almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts and pine nuts are a great source of fibre! And this is what we did, we researched and picked a traditional Italian dessert that would have a good amount of nuts and raisins in the recipe.
Nuts also contain a number of vitamin and minerals such as phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, vitamin E and K, so don’t be afraid of adding them to your Christmassy cake!
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30-40 minutes
Total Time: 1.30 minutes
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE DOUGH
350 g strong bread flour
150 ml milk
80 g sugar
10g instant yeast
1 medium egg
70g butter, melted
Finely grated zest of one lemon
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped of seeds
FOR THE FILLING
150 grams raisins
70 ml marsala wine
20 ml honey
40 g peeled almonds
40 g walnuts
30 g hazelnuts
20 g pinenuts
10 g butter
1 lemon zest
2g ground cinnamon
1 egg yolk for brushing
INSTRUCTIONS
To start soak the raisins in the marsala wine and set aside.
For the dough bring the butter outside the fridge to soften. Then in a large bowl or a mixer, if you have one, combine all the dry ingredients together except the salt. Add the egg and the butter, and keep mixing with your hands until everything is well incorporated. Pour in the milk a little at the time and keep kneading until you reach the right consistency. The dough should be smooth, firm but soft and elastic.
Cover the bowl with a cloth and set aside to rise in a warm place.
For the filling preheat the oven to 150 ºC and roast the almonds for 10minutes or until they become lightly coloured.
Blend the raisins in a food processor with the marsala wine, lemon zest, honey, sugar and ground cinnamon.
On a chopping board, crush the nuts lightly and add them to the filling mix.
Take a circular baking tray of about 18cm in diameter. Spread a little bit of butter all around the inside with your hands and lightly dust some flour with a fine sieve. This is to avoid the dough from sticking into the tin while cooking. A good trick I discovered some time ago is to use rice flour instead of wheat flour.
Now scatter some flour on a large flat surface where you will roll the dough with a rolling pin. The aim is to create a rectangular shape. Our rectangle was about a 48x25cm and about 4mm thick. With a knife or spatula spread the filling over the dough, leaving a small border all around.
Roll the dough up along the longest edge, you will obtain a long cylinder.
Then roll the cylinder around itself into a spiral shape and place in the baking tray.
Let rise in a warm place for about 2-3 hours or until it is doubled in size.
Brush with an egg yolk over the top and bake at 180 ºC for 30-40 min.
To check if the cake is ready, I suggest using a long skewer to poke the cake. If it comes out clean then it means your cake is ready.
“The food of the Gods”
Polenta cakes with mushrooms sauce and kale
Once I read that the ancient Romans believed mushrooms were the “food of the Gods” and I think most of us (Italians) still see mushrooms in the same way.
The properties contained in mushrooms are slightly different depending on each variety. For this recipes we used chestnut mushrooms which are rich in vitamin K —an essential nutrient to ensure healthy blood and bones—B vitamins and minerals such as copper and selenium. These succulent vegetables are also an amazing source of antioxidants and immune-boosting compounds such as beta-glucans.
“What I have realised during over three decades of dinner parties and, particularly, Christmas parties is that we all often start binging on appetizers and starters—high-calorie foods, made with refined ingredients and almost zero fibre— to find ourselves feeling full before the main meal even arrives on the table. For this reason, I like to inspire my guests with low-calorie vegan or vegetarian starters, and to share with you the recipes I tried.” says Giulia
Polenta is a delicious food, typical from Italy. In my region, Sardinia, people used to eat polenta as a primo, often served with a tomato sauce. In Lombardia instead, Giulia said “there is no party without polenta, but this corn-flour pudding gets generally served as a side dish (contorno), together with roasted or stewed meat.” Since polenta is very light, gluten-free and has a delicate flavour that works well with pretty much everything Giulia and I decided to use it as a base for our Christmas starters.
The combination of vegetables we used as topping also has the traditional flavours of Italy. However you could potentially use other veggies if you don’t like mushrooms or cavolo nero.
Cavolo Nero, also known as Tuscan Kale, is just an Italian variety of kale, but with dark green-blue leaves —here the adjective “nero” which means black.
Kale belongs to the cruciferous vegetable family, known for its high amounts of phytonutrients which help promoting detoxification and protecting against cell-aging. Like most leafy green vegetable, kale is also high in beta-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin K and minerals, especially manganese.
These polenta cakes are perfect served as a starter either for Christmas or NYE.
They are really easy to make, provided that you buy the instant polenta, or the task will become way longer.
For a more luxurious version you can use Porcini mushroom which have a stronger taste.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Serves 2
INGREDIENTS
POLENTA
200g Instant polenta
800ml vegetable stock
1 tsp salt
MUSHROOM SAUCE
200G chestnut mushrooms
1-2 cloves garlic
15g butter
30ml red wine
100g tomato sauce
a few leaves of kale (Cavolo nero)
100ml water
5g butter
1/2 lemon squeezed
TO SERVE
a bunch of parsley
INSTRUCTIONS
For the polenta I recommend using Instant polenta unless you want to spend your day cooking. For best results follow the instructions on the package. I used De Cecco polenta for mine (This is not a sponsored post). It just needs about 8 minutes to be ready.
The procedure is more or less the same for every polenta though, it consists in boiling your vegetable stock in a large pot, add in some salt to your liking.
Then remove the pot from the stove and pour in the polenta slowly into the water while stirring.
After you poured it all in, bring back the pot on the stove and cook at low heat stirring continuously for about 8 minutes or until the water is fully absorbed.
Take a large flat tray and pour in your polenta. It should form a layer about 1 inch thick. Leave to cool down.
In the meantime we can work at our mushroom’s sauce.
First thing clean your mushrooms using the tip of the knife to scrape the stalk a tiny bit and use a kitchen towel to clean the top of the mushroom.
Slice your mushroom into small pieces.
In a small pan heat up the butter and when it is melted add in the garlic cloves. Cook for 2-5 minutes or until they have some colour. Add in your mushrooms previously cut, add half a glass of water and cook with the lid on for about 10-15 minutes at low heat. Your mushrooms are ready when they are soft.
Spoon in your tomato sauce and cook at low heat for another 10minutes. Season to taste. Sprinkle some parsley on the top.
Now we will quickly prep the kale that will form a base for our mushroom sauce to seat on top of the polenta. Wash the kale, then on a chopping board shred it into 1 inch wide strips.
Bring to the boil 100ml of water with salt, add in the butter and lemon juice and cook your kale for about 5 minutes or until tender. Drain it well and set aside.
Cut the polenta into circles with a cookie cutter or squares if you prefer.
Heat up a pan and heat-up the polenta for about 2 minutes per side.
Place the circles on a serving tray. Then place some of the kale leaves on top of each one and spoon in some your mushroom sauce.
The polenta cakes are now ready, they are also delicious served at room temperature.
Immune boosting
#4 Buckwheat risotto with asparagus and spinach
Since I was a child we would walk across the landscapes with my family in Sardinia during spring and late summer foraging wild asparagus. You would have hoped that nobody went there before yourself to harvest them all. And whenever one found a few would shout ‘two, three’ and so on, and your foraging companion would reply back with their numbers — it was like a challenge to prove who had the sharpest eyes!
I recently went to Sardinia and I brought a friend from London with me. We found so many asparagus that we renamed the place “The Asparagus Paradise”.
But luckily it is all a paradise in London if you wish to say so, we don't need to forage asparagus anymore as the grocery shops stock them all year round.
This is another variation of a tradition Italian primo piatto: risotto.
Giulia and I cooked buckwheat by following the exact same step you would follow to cook a regular risotto. We used buckwheat instead of rice as the first grain is high in fibre, phytonutrients and minerals such as copper and zinc. Low levels of zinc are linked to a weak immune system, therefor it is extremely important to increase consumption of zinc during winter months.
We picked asparagus for its distinctive flavour and because this vegetable —together with onion that in Italy is the base for almost every primo piatto— is packed with quercetin. Quercetin is a plant-compound that can help protecting the body from free-radicals, inflammation and viruses, on top of modulating the immune system.
Another great vegetable we added to the risotto is spinach which contains high levels of vitamin C and beta-carotene, also essential to our immune system and general health.
Buckwheat risotto with asparagus and spinach
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 2 serves
INGREDIENTS
STOCK
600ml water
1 vegetable stock cube
RISOTTO
140g buckwheat
100ml white wine
1/2 onion finely chopped
130g asparagus
20g butter
40g baby spinach leaves
a handful of parsley
5 twists of black pepper
sea salt to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
Bring some water to the boil and then break 1 vegetable stock cube into 600ml of water.
Chop the asparagus into pieces of about 1 inch long.
Heat the butter in a shallow saucepan over a medium flame. Add 1 finely chopped onion, then fry for about 5 mins until is translucent.
Tip the buckwheat groats into the pan and cook for 1-2 min. Pour over the white wine and boil until the alcohol fully evaporates.
Keep the pan over a low heat and pour in half of the vegetable stock. After about 5 minutes stir in the previously chopped asparagus, season with salt and pepper and continue to cook.
Simmer the buckwheat, stirring often. When it has absorbed all the liquid, add another splash of stock again and continue to simmer and stir.
Continue stirring until the buckwheat is cooked and the water fully absorbed. If it is still undercooked, add more water.
Take the pan off the heat, add in a handful of chopped parsley leaves.
Cover and leave for a few mins to cool down so that the rice can take up any excess liquid as it cools a bit.
Immune boosting
#3 Homemade oat & wheatgerm granola with goat’s yogurt and berries
The world is divided into two, between people that love breakfast and people that skip it all together.
I get very grumpy if for some reason I can’t have breakfast, it is my favourite meal of the day! My breakfasts vary from unhealthy options such as buttery croissants and ultra sweet jams every now and then, to healthier ones to redeem myself from my gluttony sins.
It is not until I arrived in London that I discovered granola, and I really liked it, although now you can find it anywhere in the world even in Italy. The problem with granola brands you find in supermarkets is that they often contain high amounts of refined sugars. That’s why me and Giulia decided to make our own recipe.
We put a spin to this recipe using rolled oats and wheatgerm. Wheatgerm is literally the germinating part of the seed that turns into a plant, it is often discarded during the milling process although it is a very nutritious ingredient, packed with minerals such as zinc —an essential nutrient for our immune system.
Nuts and seeds were also added to the mix for their beautiful texture and their vitamins, minerals and healthy fats content.
Yogurt is a great source of probiotics, those friendly microorganisms that help support our gut health and our immune system. If you are ok with dairy or you only have a mild sensitivity to it, you may want to try goat’s yogurt instead of a regular yogurt. According to research, goat’s milk contains less casein and lactose than cow’s milk, and it is high in nutrients such as calcium, phosphorus, omega-3, vitamin B12, vitamin D.
Note: In case of a proper dairy allergy or a strong sensitivity, please use a plant-based yogurt alternative.
Fresh fruit is a very important part of a healthy breakfast —and you could add potentially more fruit to this recipe. We chose a variety of berries since they are rich in antioxidants, anti-inflammatory compounds and they are low in sugar.
Try out this version and let us know what you think!
You can make a large batch of it if you wish. If placed into an airtight container, it can last as long as one month.
Homemade oats & wheat germ granola with goat’s yogurt and berries
Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 15 min
Total Time: 20 min
Servings: 2
INGREDIENTS
GRANOLA
30g wheat germ
30g oats
20g mixed seeds
20g almonds and walnuts
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1tbs honey
10ml water
25ml coconut oil
240g goat’s milk natural yoghurt
mixed berries
1 tsp honey
INSTRUCTIONS
For the granola. First thing preheat the oven to 200ºC
Roughly chop the walnuts and almonds. In a large bowl, mix together the oats, wheat germ, mix seeds, honey, almonds and walnuts, cinnamon. In a separate bowl, whisk together the coconut oil, honey and water. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry, and mix until evenly blended.
Spread the compost on a baking tray covered in parchment, to form an even layer. Cook for about 15minutes.
Split the yoghurt into two bowls and add in the berries.
Sprinkle some of the granola. Drizzle some honey on the top if you wish for extra sweetness.
Pronto!
Immune boosting series
#2 Roasted Sardines with peppers salad
Do sardines come from Sardinia? I have been asked this question several times. I always thought it was hilarious, it is one of these question people often used to break the ice as soon as they find out I am from Sardinia.
The straight answer is: No! Although there is some speculation that the word sardines derives from the Greek “Sardò”, indicating the island of Sardinia, there is no proven link between the two.
Another recurring question I am asked is “do you miss Sardinia being in London?” Of course I miss my island sometimes! What I miss the most is the long days and months of sun and very warm springs. In London I have suffer from Vitamin D deficiency before.
Talking to my friend Giulia from Cromonutrition I found out that it is extremely common to see vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency amongst people. The reason for this is the reduced day-light from autumn to early spring, which impacts the skin’s ability to make vitamin D. Vitamin D is one of the most important nutrients for the immune system, according to Giulia.
What you could do to increase your vitamin D level is to eat more fish such as salmon, tuna, sole… and sardines!
Sardines are also packed with essential fatty acids, low in toxins —as they are a small fish with a short lifespan— and they take 15 mins to cook, so you now have plenty of reasons why you should include them into your diet.
So together with Giulia we decided to make a pepper salad to go with our roasted fish because “yellow and red peppers are the fruits with the highest vitamin C content —yes, peppers and not oranges!” I’ve learnt from Giulia. “Bell peppers are also rich in vitamin E, betacarotene and flavonoids, so they do contain a wide variety of antioxidants. We also added capers for their quercetin content and parsley as it is high in betacarotene. The cherry on top of the cake for this healthy meal is Apple Cider Vinegar. Being a fermented food, ACV contains healthy probiotics which can improve our gut flora and, therefore, support our immune system.”
“I still remember the first time I ate sardines… It was many years ago, in one of my summer holidays in Southern Italy with my dad. The restaurants where we were having dinner had some Sarde a Beccafico on the buffet and I got tempted by their inviting appearance. Wow! Nothing was ever quite the same after I tried them.”
You can find Giulia on Instagram under @Cromonutrition
Roasted Sardines with yellow & red peppers salad
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 2 serves
INGREDIENTS
6 fresh whole cleaned sardines
2tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves
1 tbsp dried oregano
parsley
2 tsp salt
ground pepper
PEPPERS SALAD
1/2 red pepper
1/2 yellow pepper
10 black olives
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp capers
1/2 tsp salt
black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
For the salad, cut the peppers in very small cubes. Then cut the black olives in a half and slice them into small pieces. Put these in a large bowl, add in the capers and toss with the apple cider vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper.
For your sardines, first thing when you purchase them make sure to ask your fishmonger to clean them for you, unless it is something you enjoy doing.
Preheat the oven to 200 ºC.
Pat dry the sardines and place them on a oven’s tray with some baking paper underneath. Rub the sardines on the inside and outside with olive oil, salt, pepper and oregano. Then chop the garlic cloves very thinly and do the same with the parsley. Place parley and garlic inside the sardines together with a small slice of lemon.
Cook the sardines in the oven for approximately 15 minutes, until well cooked and crispy.
Serve with the peppers salad and with a slice of bread if you wish.
in Immune boosting, Pasta
Immune boosting series
#1 Pumpkin gnocchi with aromatic herbs
I started my first collaboration with Giulia, a lovely human being and a knowledgeable nutritionist. It feels lonely working as a freelance sometimes and it is good to get inspired by people that do something different from what I do. It helps to open my views and learn something new. If I can then bring that something into my photography is a plus!
Together we joined forces to create a series of healthy Italian inspired recipes. All the nutritional info here have been written by Giulia, together we created the recipes and photographed them.
We decided to prepare this primo piatto, since gnocchi are a traditional Italian dish that we both remember making them with our grandparents.
We used zucca (pumpkin) instead of just potatoes as pumpkin is a great source of antioxidants and beta-carotene, precursor of vitamin A.
Vitamin A is an essential nutrient for cellular growth and for maintaining a healthy and responsive immune system. Research has also linked this vitamin to lung function improvement in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which is an excellent reason why we should start eating more vitamin A -rich food during these times.
The sauce we created for our pumpkin gnocchi has several health-boosting ingredients! In extra virgin olive oil, we infused garlic, oregano, rosemary and sage which can all help fighting microbes. Then we used a combination of seeds as a healthier substitute for Parmesan cheese, since pumpkin, sesame and sunflower seeds are rich in zinc which plays a key role in immune function, and because dairy products could be quite inflammatory on the body.
“Autumn is all about pumpkin and chestnut from where I am from, near Lake Garda in Northern Italy. From October to December, homes and restaurants start cooking pumpkin-everything: soups, ravioli (tortelli di zucca, a typical recipe from Mantova), salads, cakes, even gelato — which is incredibly tasty.
The flavour of pumpkin brings me back to my childhood in Italy, and the fact that this vegetable is also packed with health-promoting properties makes me feel glad to consider pumpkin one of my comfort foods! “ said Giulia.
You can find Giulia on Instagram under @Cromonutrition
Pumpkin gnocchi with aromatic herbs
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1hour 20minutes
Servings: 2 serves
INGREDIENTS
GNOCCHI
300g pumpkin
200g old potatoes
40g corn starch
100g flour
1 medium egg
a few twists of ground black pepper
5g salt
AROMATIC OLIVE OIL
60ml extra vergin olive oil
10 sage leaves
3 crushed garlic cloves
a few rosemary leaves
1/2 tsp oregano
To sprinkle
2 tbs ground sunflour and pumpking seeds
10g grated parmesan
To cook the gnocchi
2.5l water
2 tsp salt
INSTRUCTIONS
For the sauce, start by placing all the ingredients in a bowl with the olive oil.
For the gnocchi. Pre-heat the oven to 220 ºC
Cook the potatoes in the oven wrapped in tinfoil for about 50 minutes or until soft.
Cut the pumpkin into cubes, remove the seeds, filament and skin. Place on a tray with baking paper. Sprinkle some salt on the top and cook them in the oven for about 40 minutes or until soft.
In a large bowl peel the potatoes and mash them so they completely smooth. Then mash the pumpkin. It is essential to mix the ingredients together while they are still warm to obtain a compact dough. Put in the flour and the corn starch and mix lightly together using your hands.
In a separate bowl whisk one egg. Then make a hole in the middle of the gnocchi dough previously made and place half of the whisked egg, mix lightly until fully incorporated. The dough should be firm and compact and not too moist but not too dry and hard. If it is dry add more egg, if it is too wet add more flour. For best results try not to touch the dough too much.
Put it into a container, cover with clingfilm and let it rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
Dust a flat surface with flour. Take a third of the dough and roll it into cylinder of about 1 inch thick. Then cut it into small pieces of about 1 inch long.
Place the gnocchi on a tray dusted with flour and covered with a cloth to rest for 10 minutes.
Boil about 2.5 liters of water in a large and deep pot. Add in the salt. Bring to a simmer and cook the gnocchi in batches. They are ready when they start to float.
Divide into two portions. Drizzle the herbal olive oil on top of them and finally sprinkle the ground seeds and parmesan on top.
If you wish to use the gnocchi in a separate occasion they can be frozen for up to three months or in the fridge they can be used up to 3 days.