If you are looking for a tasty and authentic Italian eating experience for autumn, Strada in Blackheath is holding a Risotto Festival to celebrate the history and versatility of the “little rice” dish.
The restaurant in Lee Road has added four new risotto dishes inspired by the Northern Italian regions of Piedmont, Milan, Lombardy and Venice where rice has been grown since the 10th century.
On my visit sous chef Mahmoud Elsherif recommended I try the Risotto All’aragosta e Gameroni. How could I refuse succulent sautéed tiger prawns and lobster spiked with piquant chilli butter? Fantastic. But just so I could sample the full flavour of the festival which runs throughout September, Mahmoud brought me three other risotto dishes to try.
My risotto feast included two dishes ideal for veggies; Risotto Zafferano e Asparagi, infused with saffron and Grana cheese and crowned with asparagus spears, and a Risotto Verdure teeming with an abundance of green vegetable goodness. And for the meat-eaters there was Risotto Norcina with Italian sausage and chestnut mushrooms; the perfect warmer after a bracing walk across the windy common.
All washed down with a refreshing glass of Verdicchio Classico; just one of the many Italian regional wines available by the glass or bottle.
There are other risottos on the menu too as well as the guest dishes, including Risotto Cappesante with pan fried scallops and Risotto alla Zucca with pumpkin, butternut and sautéed pancetta.
According to Strada’s development chef Maurice Maffeo: “Risotto is one of Italy’s oldest dishes but also one of the most versatile. You can use just about any ingredient, which is why cooking a risotto can be almost as satisfying as eating it.”
If you are going to raid the fridge and kitchen cupboards for all those bits of left-over food to throw into a risotto of your own, make sure you keep a spoon handy because the secret to the perfect creamy risotto is frequent stirring.
But before you start getting inventive at home, I recommend a visit to Strada for some inspiration, where guest dishes are available throughout September, priced from £9.75.
For more information on Strada, Blackheath and other Strada restaurants in London visit www.strada.co.uk.
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