New vegetable experiences

Purslane: Was found in our misticanza (mixed greens) served as the salad course tonight. I really enjoyed the salad and now that I have read about the health benefits of some of the misticanza components, including purslane, it is even more memorable. The delicate yet crunchy little flower known as purslane is high is Omega-3, supposedly containing more of this nutrient than any other land based vegetable source. The purslane we had today was foraged in the wild. I wonder if it can be purchased from a retail store or supplier.

The salad was composed of:

Roasted beets- tossed in salt and vinegar
Braised fennel lightly drizzled with a mustard mayonnaise
Mixed greens (including purslane) tossed in a light honey vinaigrette
Crumbled goat cheese (caprino)

Simple yet delicious!

Farrotto

Aside from the exciting new tastes of purslane, I experienced the mega-grain Faro in its whole grain state. Yesterday, we ate a pasta made of Farro and today the whole grains were cooked with sautéed nettle and roasted cauliflower. The preparation was similar to that of risotto in that vegetable stock was used to cook the grain that was gently stirred over short intervals. I loved the nutty taste provided by the nettle. This dish had subtle flavors of porcini mushrooms (used to make the stock), nutty-nettle, and rich farro. A light amount of parmesano-reggiano cheese was used to finish the pasta without masking the delicate subtle flavors of the nettle, farro and porcini.

If I could easily access nettle that is safe to eat and find someone to help me pick the leaves from the stinging stems I would love to recreate this dish when I return to the States, especially because nettle is said to be a good liver cleanser. I wonder how potent it is once it has been treated with high heat as in this recipe.

Basic recipe:

Extra virgin olive oil
Yellow onion, minced
Nettle, several lbs
Faro, dry
Vegetable stock, made with porcini mushrooms
Salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese

Gelato de buffalo: I have tried Buffalo Mozzarella before and today I tried Buffalo Ice Cream. What a delicious treat!!! It is very rich and creamy with a slight sweet taste. I love it. Tonight it was served for dessert with candied cherries. What a delight!