We are huge fans of cavolo nero in the Hayden household, and have taken to calling this popular method of blitzing the cooked leaves “monster sauce”. It’s a well-known method that I learned while working with Italian chefs to celebrate in-season cavolo nero and new season extra-virgin olive oil, keeping the sauce as simple as possible to let each of them sing. You can serve this sauce however you like: I often stir it through pasta for a quick dinner, but when I have more time, I stir it through a white risotto. Finish with an additional drizzle of good extra-virgin olive oil: heaven.
Cavolo nero risotto
Boiling the garlic alongside the cavolo nero takes the edge off it, so the resulting puree is nowhere near as punchy as a standard pesto.
Prep 10 min
Cook 50 min
Serves 4
200g cavolo nero, leaves stripped off the stalks
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 litre vegetable stock (I use the cavolo nero cooking water)
1 large knob butter
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 celery sticks, trimmed and finely chopped
225g risotto rice, such as arborio
100ml dry white wine
Salt and black pepper
75g pecorino, or parmesan
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to finish
Put the cavolo nero leaves and garlic in a large saucepan of water, bring to a boil, then cook for five minutes. Using a slotted spoon, lift the leaves and garlic into the jug of a blender, add 100ml of the cooking liquid and set aside. Add boiling water to the liquid left in the pan, to make it up to a litre, and leave it on a low heat.
Meanwhile, put a second large pan or casserole on a medium heat, add the butter, chopped onion and celery, and saute for five minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables start to soften. Add the rice, stir for a minute or two, until it turns translucent, then add the wine and stir until it has all evaporated. Season the rice generously.
Start adding the hot stock to the rice a ladleful at a time, stirring until all the liquid has been absorbed before adding the next ladleful. The rice will take 22-25 minutes to cook, by which time it should be oozy but still have a slight bite.
When the rice is almost done, chop 40g of the cheese, add it to the contents of the blender jug, then pour in the extra-virgin olive oil. Season well, then blitz smooth.
When the rice is ready, stir in the green puree, cook, stirring, for a further two to three minutes, then take off the heat, cover and leave to rest for two minutes.
Serve with the remaining pecorino grated over the top and a final drizzle of good oil.
