Risotto with turnip tops pesto and Terra di Bari P.D.O. Extra Virgin Olive Oil, mussels and confit cherry tomatoes

Method

For the pesto

• 1

  Clean the turnip tops, blanch them in plenty of salted water for a few minutes and cool them down in water and ice. Keep some of them aside for the garnishing, and some cooking water as broth for the risotto.

• 2

  Blend the turnip tops with the other ingredients until you get a smooth and homogeneous pesto.

For the mussels

• 1

  Clean the mussels thoroughly and pour them into a heated pan with oil and garlic.

• 2

  Add some white wine, cover with a lid and cook until the mussels open completely. Once open, remove them from the heat and separate the molluscs from their shells.

• 3

   Then, filter the cooking liquid and add it to the cooking water of turnip tops to make a sort of broth for the risotto.

For the cherry tomatoes

• 1

  Cut the cherry tomatoes into half, arrange them evenly on a baking plate and season with oil, salt and sugar. Bake in the oven at 120° for about 2 hours.

For the risotto

• 1

  Toast the rice with a drizzle of oil, then sprinkle with some broth and simmer. 

• 2

  Cook the rice; continue to pour the broth little by little and cook the risotto "all'onda", i.e. creamy and not too dry nor soupy.

• 3

  When cooked, add half of the shelled mussels. Stir in the pesto made with turnip tops and some Terra di Bari P.D.O. Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Food plating

Spread the risotto on a flat plate and garnish with the turnip tops, some shelled mussels and the confit tomatoes. Pour a drizzle of Terra di Bari P.D.O. Extra Virgin Olive Oil on top.