Panzanella w/ Risotto and Two Curries w/ Biryani

Credit : Asher Lubchansky

Meal 1: Panzanella (Bread Salad) and Risotto w/ Snap Peas.
• Lightly toast the crutons on a cookie sheet in a 350° oven. 5- 7 minutes until warmed and a little toasted on the edges, but still soft in the middle.
• Carefully remove the sliced peas and reserve. Place the risotto in a sauce pan with a little milk or water. Heat and stir steadily to make a porridge. Add liquid as necessary, in stages, until the rice grains are cooked through – they will the tooth tender like pasta with no hint of raw starchiness. This should take under 5 minutes. Again target a finished texture of good porridge, neither too loose nor too tight. Stir in the peas and finish with a little butter, cream, truffle oil etc of your liking and check the S & P. Serve.
• Toss the greens with the garnishes – roasted red pepper, lima beans, and shredded carrot, plus a dressing. Oil and vinegar will serve you best. Toss in the warm croutons and garnish with a little parmesan if you like, and serve.

 Meal 2: Rajma ( Red Kidney Bean Curry) and Yellow Split Peas with Spinach and Kohlrabi, & Spring Vegetable Biryani 
• Heat the curries, separately, on the stove top.
• Heat the rice dish in a sauté pan with a little oil. Add a splach of water to steam it all through and serve immediately.

 Menu Notes 

 The first of the season’s broccoli from Blue Moon Farm made its way into the biryani along with some very nice asparagus from Crossroads.Jen-her had some beautiful young kohlrabi so I got some for a dish that usually calls for potato. Try kohlrabi as a sub for potato in potato salad too, especially in June, before potatoes come into season again. Vermont Vally has continued to impress us with their frisee and escarole, so I decided to feature it this week with a Panzanella. And Asher insisted that I inform you that he and River harvested the foirst of our peas from the garden for the risotto. Enjoy!