Cooking with Escopazzo

It’s prime eating season on the Beach – Miami Spice discounts make great food accessible and brutal heat scares away the tourists. Today we're celebrating with a special Compliments of the Chef visit to Escopazzo. Chef and owner Giancarla Bodoni prepares Risotto with Taleggio cheese at her 14-year-old hotspot, said to be the country’s first organic Italian restaurant. Buon apetito!Risotto with Taleggio cheese (serves 4)Ingredients

• 8 cups of Arborio or Carnaroli rice
• 3 quarts of vegetable stock, heated
• 2 cups of Taleggio cheese, cut into pieces
• 2 cups of dry white wine
• 1/4 cup and 1 tbsp. of butter
• 1 small shallot, diced
• Olive oil
• White pepper
• 4 cups Napa cabbage, chopped

1. Heat a drizzle of olive oil, a tbsp of butter and the chopped shallots in a pan. Sweat shallots for about a minute.
2. Add rice and stir for a minute over medium flame.
3. Add wine, allow it to evaporate and add enough stock to cover rice.
4. Stir continuously and slowly add liquid as stock is absorbed (should take about 18 minutes).
5. While risotto is cooking, sauté cabbage with olive oil, salt and pepper.
6. Remove risotto from flame and add butter, cheese and sautéed cabbage.
7. Stir vigorously for a couple of minutes until cheese and butter have
8. Rest covered for one minute.
9. Stir vigorously and garnish with caramelized walnuts.

Caramelized walnuts

• 2 cups of chopped walnuts
• 1 sprig of fresh thyme
• 2 cups of sugar

1. Place the sugar and thyme in the sauté pan and allow to caramelize.
2. When mixture has turned a dark blond color, add walnuts and a bit of water.

For more information, visit escopazzo.com.