Name: Genoese Dill & Fava Bean Risotto
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: Servings: 4
Cuisine: Iranian
Ingredients: 3 pounds fresh or 1 pound frozen fava beans *; 1 tablespoon cumin seeds; 3 tablespoons vegetable oil; 2 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced; 1 cup Arborio rice (risotto rice), do not wash; 4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed; ½ cup freshly shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese; 3 tablespoons butter; ½ cup white wine; 3½ cups vegetable stock or water; 1 tablespoon salt; 1 sprig rosemary; ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley; ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1 cup chopped fresh dill; ¼ teaspoon saffron threads ground and diluted in 2 tablespoons hot water

Preparation info

Servings:
4

Difficulty
Easy
Ready in
1 hr 15

Appears in

Silk Road Cooking

By Najmieh Batmanglij

Published 2000

About

In the thirteenth century Genoese traders crossed the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. They went eastward through Persia, setting up a trading post in Tabriz, and on, to Beijing and Zhangzhou. According to Marco Polo, Tabriz was an entrepot for goods from Baghdad, Mosul and Hormuz (Bandar Abbas). It is interesting to note that this recipe is still popular, with slight variations, in both Italy and Iran.