There is no March Madness in this house. (For those of you not in the sports world, March Madness is about basketball. ... At least I think it's about basketball...) We went for Medici Madness instead.
For years, we have enjoyed Lorenza de Medici's updated recipes from her family treasure trove of splendid Renaissance manuscripts. Today, I have made one of our all-time, favorites: Crema di Cipolle alle Mandorle from her book, Florentines.
I learned from my live-in encyclopedia (Mark) that in the late Renaissance, the expansion of the Ottoman Empire disrupted trade routes, forcing European cookery to turn away from imported spices to herbs – thyme, rosemary, nepitella, sage, – readily available in their beautiful countryside and gardens.
These herbs are what we equate with Italian cuisine. Prior to that, recipes featured unexpected combinations of exotic spices in savory dishes, including saffron, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, black pepper and rosewater. (In another post, I will write about an exquisite rosewater pasta recipe.)
Today's soup is, as Italian cuisine often is, very simple. Onions sautéed till soft, mixed with ground almonds and broth, simmered for a while, then puréed with some cinnamon, nutmeg and ground amaretti cookies. A little salt and black pepper round out the flavors.
It is creamy with no milk or cream, full of great vitamins, comforting beyond belief, and delicious beyond any expectations. Who could believe something this rich and decadent is actually good for you?
So, while I write this, Mark is contentedly paging through volumes of gardening books looking at limonaias in Renaissance villas, including several Medici villas.
I guess we are both in an Italian dreaming state of mind!
Grazie, Lorenza! Grazie a voi ed alla vostra famiglia!
~ David
Crema di Cipolle alle Mandorle
(adapted from Florentines)
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 pounds (about 4 large) red onions, thinly sliced
6 ounces ground almonds
6 cups light chicken or vegetable broth
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
6 amaretti cookies, crushed into crumbs
salt and pepper, to taste
In a large soup kettle, heat the olive oil and sauté the sliced onions for 10-20 minutes, until soft, translucent and beginning to turn golden. This is the point where their natural sweetness begins to emerge. The cooking time for this will vary depending on the heat and the size (width) of your kettle.
Add the ground almonds and stir to coat the onions. Then add broth slowly while stirring. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes.
Add the cinnamon, nutmeg and 2 tablespoons of the cookie crumbs. Purée with an immersion blender or in a blender. If using the blender, return to the pot and reheat to serve,
Serve in heated bowls and garnish with remaining cookie crumbs.
Serves 8-10 as a first course. Labels: almonds, amaretti, cinnamon, Creamy onion soup, Lorenza de Medici, Medici, nutmeg, renaissance onion soup, Renaissance recipes
