Bottega - Michael Chiarello [81]
FOR THE PAPPARDELLE: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Using a mandoline, trim the stalk ends and then evenly slice the rhubarb into thin, horizontal strips about 10 inches long to resemble pappardelle pasta, about four strips per stalk.
Put all the rhubarb strips into a nonreactive 9-by-13-inch baking or roasting pan. Add the Madeira, granulated sugar, water, cardamom pod, zests, and juices. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean pod into the liquid. Add the star anise, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly. The rhubarb strips should be submerged in the liquid.
Cover the dish with aluminum foil and braise the rhubarb over medium heat just until tender, about 18 minutes. Don’t overcook. Remove from the heat and let cool completely.
Store in the dish, covered. The fruit is easily broken, so treat it gently. Pour off 1½ cups of the braising liquid and reserve. Pour the remaining braising liquid over the rhubarb (the container should be small enough so that the rhubarb stays submerged in the liquid).
In a small saucepan, bring the reserved 1½ cups braising liquid to a simmer and cook to reduce to 1 cup, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, let cool, cover, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. If you’re in a hurry, cool the liquid in an ice bath and then cover and refrigerate.
FOR THE RHUBARB FRITTI: In a deep fryer or a heavy, large pot, heat 3 to 4 inches of oil to 375°F on a deep-fat thermometer. Reduce the heat to medium-high. Line a sheet pan with paper towels.
While the oil heats, combine the cornstarch and flour in a medium bowl and whisk to blend. Set aside. Using a mandoline or large, sharp knife, julienne each rhubarb stalk into matchsticks about 1/8 inch wide. Toss the matchsticks in the flour mixture to coat.
Shake off any excess flour and carefully add a small handful of the rhubarb to the oil and cook, using tongs to keep the pieces separated, until lightly golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a wire skimmer, transfer the rhubarb to the paper-lined sheet pan and dust with the powdered sugar. Repeat to cook the remaining rhubarb.
If you like, you can let the fritti cool and then, an hour before you’re ready to serve the dessert, place them in a preheated 150°F oven for 15 to 30 minutes so it’s extra crisp.
Place each panna cotta on a dessert plate and serve with the rhubarb pappardelle and fritti alongside. Drizzle each plate with a little of the braising liquid.
Strawberry Tiramisù Semifreddo (“Half-Frozen”)
SERVES 10 TO 12
Tiramisù may be the most common Italian dessert, on the menu in every sort of restaurant. At some point, you need a refresh. Applying strawberries to tiramisù is right up my alley—taking an old standard and giving it some fresh flavor. We sparked it up a little more with a very Italian pistachio genoise, and finally we made it semifreddo, “half-frozen.” This beautiful dessert needs to freeze for at least 24 hours before serving, so plan accordingly. You can play with the fruit here. Try fresh raspberries, peaches, or any soft fruit. The espresso shot in the cake-soaking syrup is key to the whole “pick-me-up” concept behind tiramisù. If you don’t have an espresso machine, you can use instant espresso. What I would do instead is go to my local coffeehouse, have them make three shots (enough for 1/3 cup), and bring it home.
If you’d like to make this dessert but are short on time, go to an Italian bakery and buy a plain sponge cake that measures 12 by 17 inches. This trick will slice a big chunk out of your cooking time. Take the mascarpone out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you start making the filling so it will be at room temperature.
Wine Pairing: Demi-sec Champagne
PISTACHIO GENOISE
½ cup pistachios, toasted (see Chef’s Note)
6 eggs at room temperature
1 cup sugar
11/3 cups cake flour
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
STRAWBERRY SAUCE
4 cups