AainaA

Minestrone has been one of my favorite dishes to concote during Winter, or late autumn. A well-prepared thick petite marmite not only gives energy to fulfill the week’s requirement, but keeps one warm and alert. Shared with friends, and family, the Ratu Minestra is honored with pan-roasted Ciabatta loaves and serves well with Rosé, or Champagne.

To prepare the very simple Ratu Minestra {Empress Stew} from AainaA’s Black Book of Secret Recipes…

Ingredients

• 1,5 kg chopped lamb shoulder, washed and dried with clean kitchen towel
• 600ml Red wine
• 1,5 ltr stock {beef, or lamb}
• 1 ltr water
• 3 Spanish Onions quartered or sliced about ½ cm thick
• 3 Firm Tomatoes quartered or sliced about 1 cm thick
• 4 Carrots diced
• 1 Celery diced {about 220 to 250gms}
• 1 Fennel diced {about 200 to 250gms}
• 1 Cauliflower chopped {about 200 to 250gms}
• 4 Golden Potatoes quartered
• 200 to 250gms Garlic squashed, and chopped
• Olive oil, Sea Salt, & Peppercorns
• Unsalted Butter {preferably President or Lurpak}

Spice Bouquet:

• 1 bunch of fresh Rosemary
• 2 Star Aniseed
• 1 Cinnamon stick

How-to

1. Thaw chopped lamb shoulder the evening prior the cooking at room temperature. Preferably to use fresh lamb shoulder from the market of if not available, frozen ones from your local Carrefour or Cold Storage. Wash, and dry it with clean kitchen towel.
2. On a chopping board, crush washed and cleaned garlic, and chop it – set aside.
3. Prepare the vegetables – dice the carrots, celery and fennel; quarter the potatoes and Spanish onions; chop the cauliflowers and set aside.
4. In a muslin cloth, about 5cm by 5cm, prepare the spice bouquet by placing 2 star aniseeds, crushed peppercorns, 1 cinnamon stick, and fresh Rosemary. Tie it with cotton thread, and set aside.
5. In a casserole, pour in Virgin Olive oil {for cooking}, and unsalted butter {about 20gms butter per 250gms of meat}. Brown garlic and onions.
6. After the bulbs are semi-browned, drop in lamb shoulders and let it cook, two to three minutes each side. Once those are favored, pour in 1 lit. water, and let it boil for about 30 minutes or until water is lowered to about 1cm in volume, drop in a dash of the sea-salt, and then pour in the 1ltr stock.
7. Drop in the Spice Bouquet, add the vegetables and let it boil over low-flame. ½ hour before serving, stir-in the red wine, and serve in warmed soup bowls, with pan-roasted Ciabatta loaves.

Bon Appetit!

To reserve & book catering from AainaA’s Cuisine {reserved for Petaling Jaya Residents only} call AainaA for details, two weeks ahead prior event date at +60122718036.