This plant grows in the Ticino woods and appears between March and April, marking the beginning of a period rich in new flavors and aromas. In Ticino, wild garlic is widely used in the culinary world, becoming the star of numerous spring dishes. Its delicate flavor is reminiscent of traditional garlic, but with a fresher, more aromatic, and slightly herbaceous character.
Even the Ticino Gourmet restaurants use it in their recipes, enhancing it in seasonal proposals that celebrate the territory and its spring scents.
Chef Alberto Pavan of the Restaurant Al Lago, Romantik Hotel Castello Seeschloss, on the lakeside promenade in Ascona, offers wild garlic risotto with goat's cheese and salmon trout. A dish that celebrates the Ticino spring, showcasing local ingredients with balance and freshness.
This recipe is paired with a Monti Vivo Classic Method rosé sparkling wine from Cantina Monti, Ronchi di Cademario, fresh, refined and persistent.
Ingredients for 4 people
- 300g Carnaroli/Vialone Nano rice
- 1L of vegetable broth
- 80g butter
- 80g of fresh goat's cheese
- 40g grated parmesan cheese
- 200g of wild garlic
- b. of extra virgin olive oil
- 30g of pine nuts
- 120g salmon trout fillet
Preparation:
Wash the wild garlic leaves and blend them with extra virgin olive oil, pine nuts, and two ice cubes until you obtain a creamy pesto. Season with salt and pepper. Toast the rice and cook, gradually adding the vegetable broth; once al dente, remove from the heat and stir in the wild garlic pesto, porcini mushrooms, butter, and Parmesan cheese. Cut the trout fillet into four small pieces, season with salt, and cook for a few seconds over low heat in a cast iron pan with plenty of butter. Prepare a batter with 50g of 00 flour, 50g of cornstarch, and 100g of sparkling water. Dip a few garlic leaves in the batter and fry them in oil at 180°C until golden brown. To finish, arrange the risotto on a plate, top with the trout, and garnish with the fried leaves and a few porcini mushroom crumbs.
