Risotto with cardoon, artichokes and Grappa Alex

Ingredients:
300 g cardoons
200 g Jerusalem artichokes
extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion
500 g Carnaroli rice
2 ml Grappa Alex
vegetable stock
80 g butter
80 g grated parmesan cheese
coffee powder
50 g sugar
about 500 ml vegetable stock

Preparation:
Clean the cardoons and artichokes, cut them into cubes and cook for 10 minutes in a little olive oil. Finely chop the onion and sauté with a little oil, then fi lter the oil and discard the onion. Put the oil back into the pan and sauté the rice, sprinkle with a little grappa and then add the vegetable stock and stir, simmering until the rice is cooked. Add the cardoons and artichokes, then the butter and parmesan and stir. Divide the risotto between 6 plates, dust with ground coff ee and decorate with fried artichoke slices and with a reduction of grappa made by cooking the grappa with the sugar until syrupy.

Recipe: Chef Danilo Angé, Milano
From the book “Spirit of Life” by Sandro Bottega & Peter Dowling