“An Online Cooking Class Collaboration with Ottavio & Chef Mara Jernigan“

Announcing our second collaboration with Ottavio Italian Bakery & Delicatessen and chef Mara Jernigan. Long-time chef and cooking teacher, Mara has a wealth of knowledge and a passion for both local food and Italian regional ingredients and cooking techniques gained from her years of guiding culinary tours in Italy. Join us for a fun, on-line, interactive and informative series of cooking classes utilizing the best ingredients from Ottavio, with recipes and a live cook along from Mara’s kitchen and with wine suggestions from Vessel Liquor store.

Date: Tuesday MARCH 2nd 5:30-6:30 pm on Zoom

Info: Zoom invite and password to be posted here and on our instagram page 1 hour prior to the class. Class is offered free on Zoom, ingredients are available for purchase at Ottavio or online here

We recommend that you print out the recipes below and have your ingredients measured out and ready. You are welcome to cook along with Mara (she goes fast sometimes!) or just watch…or just cook one of the recipes. Our class is done with video off until the end of the class when we turn all the videos on and show each other what we’ve made!

Meeting ID:

Passcode:

Ottavio Ingredient List (available here for online purchase, parking lot pick up or for in-store purchase) :

• ladyfingers
• Acquerello or Carnaroli rice
• Gorgonzola
• Parmigiano Reggiano
• Mascarpone 250g
• Prosciutto di Parma

Purchase List:

• Frozen raspberries
• Whipping cream (1/4 litre)
• Sugar 
• 4 eggs
• Dessert wine (i.e. Marsala or medium sherry) if desired OR 1 lemon
• 1 large or 2 medium beets
• 1 large or 2 small onions
• Butter
• Vegetable or chicken stock if desired, or water
• 1/4 Cup white wine
• Salt and pepper

Recipes:

Aquarello Risotto with beets, gorgonzola & crispy prosciutto

Preheat the oven to 375 F
Lay the proscuitto slices out on a tray (optional, line with parchement paper)
Bake the proscuitto until crispy, approximately 15 minutes. Remove and cool
Peel and grate the beets
Dice the onion
Bring the water or stock to a slight simmer in a pot.
In a heavy bottomed sauté pan, sauté the onion in butter until translucent. Add a pinch of salt to the sautéed onions. Add the rice and coat the grains with the butter
Before the onions begin to brown, add the grated beet
After a couple of minutes, deglaze the rice with the white wine, then start adding the water or stock a little at a time, just enough to cover the rice. Stir continuously with a wooden spoon. 
Continue stirring and adding the water/stock a little at a time. The cooking time is between 17 and 20 minutes. After about 15 minutes
The rice is done when it is still firm at the very middle of the grain but not crunchy. At this stage add the butter, and parmesan cheese and stir vigorously with the wooden spoon.
Adjust the consistency of the rice with the stock or water. The risotto should be a little runny but not soupy.
Taste the risotto and add salt, pepper or a splash of white wine if necessary.
Add chunks of the gorgonzola, stir quickly and serve, with an extra chunk of gorgonzola and the crispy proscuitto on top of each serving

Cuisine: Northern Italian

Source: Mara Jernigan

Aquarello rice is Canaroli rice grown and aged for a year in the north of the Piedmonte region in the countryside not fr from Milan, where Risotto Milanese is prepared with saffron. The flavour and texture of this rice is so good you can make it with water, but use stock if you please.

1 250.gram tin of Acquerello (Carnaroli) rice
5 cups filtered water, vegetable or chicken stock
1/2 cup chopped onion
4 tablespoons butter
1 Cup of grated raw beets
1/2 cup white wine
50 to 100 grams Gorgonzola dolce DOP
1/2 cup finely grated Paramigiano Reggiano
4 slices of proscuitto di Parma 
4 Tbsp. butter 
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Raspberry Tiramisu

This version of the Italian classic uses fresh raspberries and their juices instead of coffee

For the compote:
2 cups of fresh or frozen raspberries
1/2 Cup of water
1/4 Cup of sugar
For the Moussse:
4 eggs, separated*
2 ounces of dessert wine *optional, or 1 tsp water, 1 tsp lemon juice 
1/2  cup of sugar
1 250 gram container of mascarpone cheese
1 cup of whipped cream, whipped to stiff peaks
2 egg whites, whipped to soft peaks
1 package lady fingers

Bring the water and sugar for the compote to a boil. Add the raspberries, turn it off and set aside
Whip the 2 egg whites in the Kitchenaid to firm peaks and set aside
Whip the whipping cream in the Kitchenaid to stiff peaks and set aside
Set up a double boiler, with a pot of simmering water and a stainless bowl that fits on top
Over the simmering water, whisk the egg yolks , dessert wine (or water & lemon juice) and 1/2 Cup of sugar briskly to thicken to the “ribbon stage”. The yolks will turn a light lemon colour at this point a thick “sabayon” or “Zabaglione”
Remove the sabayon from the heat and whisk in the mascarpone, scraping down the sides
Fold in the whipped cream in 2 additions
Fold in the egg whites gently, do not overmix
Moisten the lady fingers in raspberry juice and arrange on top
Pour a layer of the raspberries into a casserole dish
Pour half of the mascarpone mousse on top
Reapeat the above, finishing with the second layer of  mascarpone
Chill for 6 hours and serve

Vessel Liquor Store Wine Suggestions:

Monte del Fra Bardolino for $18.99

 Zenato San Benedetto Lugana $25.99 

Cost: The class is free!