Ritorno a casa

Ritorno a casa (Returning home) can be included among Joia’s soups, a path I have taken in the past, with various preparations: Prima a sinistra poi a destra, Caro Gualtiero or Riflessione su dove vorrei essere, qui. This dish is an evolution of Verso sera, another artichoke soup that, however, I prepare with a pink broth of carrots and beetroots, surmounted by croutons of various shapes and a smoked celeriac mash. It’s a way of recalling the evenings spent at home, with the family, in front of the fire - a rediscovered intimacy.

Ritorno a casa is a continuance of the sense of reunion to my family, something which, to me, has metaphysical and spiritual, on top of material, meanings. Returning home, after a day of social engagement, is a way of going back to a mystic dimension. This is why this dish has very round, concentric contents. With that extra touch of heat and Oriental spices that I always find fascinating.

Ritorno a casa
An artichoke and broccoli soup with a heart of barley, celeriac and candied lemon zest

Recipe for 4 people

INGREDIENTS
2 artichokes
300 g of broccoli
20 g of 12 year old Balsamic Vinegar
20 g of parsley
5 g of paprika
60 g of extra virgin olive oil
20 g of horseradish
salt

for the barley sphere
100 g of celeriac
10 g candied lemon zest
75 g of barley flour
salt and pepper

METHOD
1) Bring 250 g of water to the boil with a pinch of salt. Pour in the barley flour, mix with a whisk and then with a palette knife, cook on a low flame for 20 minutes and leave to cool. Grate the clean celeriac and let it sauté in the pan with a little oil until it is nicely done and dry. Season with salt, pepper and the grated lemon zest.

2) Prepare four small spheres, each made with 30 g of celeriac; prepare four larger spheres, each with 50 g of barley. Flatten the barley sphere to form a circle, place the celeriac sphere in the middle and close again to form 4 large spheres. These spheres will need to be cooked in salted boiling water for 2 minutes.

3) Cook the broccoli in salted boiling water for 5 minutes, let them cool down in iced water. Blend them with 150 g of water, 40 g of olive oil and a pinch of salt.

4) Clean the artichokes, cut them in small cubes and roast them in a pan with a drop of oil. Grate the horseradish and leave it to marinate with 20 g of oil and a pinch of salt. Finely chop the parsley.

5) Put the artichokes – seasoned with balsamic vinegar – in 4 soup plates, pour over the hot broccoli cream, season with the horseradish, the paprika and the chopped parsley. Place a hot barley sphere in the middle and serve.