Free Cooking Rice with an Italian Accent! by Giuseppe Orsini

recipes. This is one such recipe, which brings squid to heights of culinary excellence.
    1 large peeled white onion, thinly sliced
    1 large peeled clove garlic, minced
    Â½ cup olive oil
    1 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley, divided in half
    15 ounces frozen baby squid completely thawed, washed in cold water, and julienned
    Salt and pepper to taste
    1 tablespoon tomato paste dissolved in ½ cup dry white wine
    1½ cups long-grain rice
    1 quart boiling hot fish stock, fresh or canned, or clam juice
    In a large saucepan, sauté onion and garlic in oil on moderate heat for five minutes. Add first ½ cup chopped parsley, stir, and add squid. Cook for five minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add tomato paste dissolved in wine and evaporate on high heat three minutes. Lower heat to moderate. Stir in rice, stir, and cook for three minutes. Add hot fish stock or clam juice, cup by cup, until rice absorbs most of the liquid, constantly stirring, for eighteen minutes (it will be a little soupy). Mix in the second ½ cup of parsley. Transfer to serving bowl and bring to table. You’ll never use squid for fish bait again. No cheese on fish dishes!
    RECOMMENDED WINES:
    GRECO DI TUFO, FALANGHINA
    Â 
    Risotto dello Sbirro
    (POLICE SPY’S RISOTTO)
    SERVES 4
    S birro is a contemptuous term for a police spy, or a “narc” in our slang. I was told by one of my relatives in Reggio Calabria, who is a special forces officer in the Italian state police, that this risotto is often the favorite dish of the sbirri —the spies—of the area. All I know is that it is very tasty and satisfying. No, it will not transform you into a spy!
    1 tablespoon butter
    2 tablespoons olive oil
    2 scallions, finely chopped
    1 large peeled clove garlic, crushed
    1 yellow bell pepper, diced small
    1 red bell pepper, pith removed, seeded, diced small
    1½ cups Arborio rice
    Salt and pepper to taste
    Â½ cup dry white wine
    1 quart boiling hot chicken stock
    1 3½-ounce can tuna packed in oil, drained and flaked
    Â½ cup chopped flat leaf parsley
    Â¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves
    In a large saucepan, melt butter in oil on gentle heat. Sauté scallions and garlic for five minutes. Add diced bell peppers, stir, and cook for five minutes. Add rice and stir three minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add wine and on moderate heat cook until it evaporates. Add hot broth, cup by cup, until rice absorbs all the liquid (about eighteen minutes, constantly stirring). Stir in flaked tuna and chopped herbs. Stir vigorously. Transfer to serving bowl and bring to table. No cheese on fish dishes!
    RECOMMENDED WINES:
    BIANCO DI SICILIA, GRECO DI TUFO
    Â 
    Risotto con i Carciofi
    (ARTICHOKE RISOTTO)
    SERVES 4 (WITH A BONUS!)
    This is a lovely risotto delicately flavored with artichoke hearts. The original recipe called for four, young, fresh artichokes, all outer leaves removed, and stem cut off, the thistle removed, and pared down to the tender hearts. Then the hearts were julienned and placed into cold water with the juice of one lemon to prevent discoloration. I just don’t have the heart to throw away almost all of the artichoke, so I substitute a 14-ounce can of artichoke hearts packed in water. I halve the rest of the artichokes, dip them in egg wash, cover them with bread crumbs seasoned with crushed garlic, chopped parsley, salt and pepper, and grated Pecorino Romano cheese. I fry them in olive oil until golden brown and serve them as appetizers. I did it again, didn’t I. I gave you two recipes in one. Oh, well!
    2 ounces pancetta or bacon, minced
    1 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
    1 large peeled garlic clove, crushed
    3 tablespoons butter
    4 canned artichoke hearts, julienned
    1 quart boiling hot beef stock
    Salt and pepper to taste
    1½ cups Arborio rice
    2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
    In a 6-quart saucepan, sauté the pancetta, ½ cup of parsley, and the garlic in two tablespoons of butter on gentle