Stir-fried basmati rice with cabbage, carrots and bacon

Ingredients for 4 persons:

• 280 g basmati rice
• 100 g of smoked taut bacon
• 1 Savoy cabbage
• 1 red onion
• 2 medium carrots
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Soy sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste.

Procedure:

Prepare the dressing:

To clean cabbage, remove the tough or damaged outer leaves and cut off the base of the core. Wash the head well under running water, then cut it in half, removing the tough central part. Then cut the leaves into strips.

Clean the carrot and cut it into julienne strips (or to speed up you can grate it with a wide-mesh grater). Cut the onion into thin strips as well.

In a wok pan, brown the diced bacon without oil. When the fat has melted and the bacon has become crispy, remove it from the heat and barely sauté the chopped onion in the cooking liquid.

Add the vegetables, stirring well, and wilt over medium heat, adding a little broth or water to keep them soft.

Season with salt and pepper.

Cook the rice:

Meanwhile, boil basmati rice in plenty of salted water. Drain it well when al dente and add it to the wok with the vegetables.

Saute everything together over a high flame and add in the finish a drizzle of soy sauce for an oriental touch.

Service:

Add the crispy bacon only at the end, on top of the plated rice, to maintain the contrast of textures.

In the glass, chosen by Stefania Vinciguerra

Chianti Montalbano 2024 Tenuta di Artimino

Ruby red. Fresh, fruity aromas – strawberry, plum, cherry – and spicy. Flavorful on the palate, balanced, with fruity flavors and light tannins. Pleasant and of good length.

Production area: Montalbano, or Monte Albano, is a striking mountain range covering 16,000 hectares between the provinces of Pistoia, Prato and Florence. Here are the famous production areas of Chianti Montalbano, a wine that encompasses history, culture and tradition. The estate has its vineyards in the DOCG area, in Artimino, near the famous Villa Medicea La Ferdinanda, the heart of the estate.

Grape varieties: 85% Sangiovese, 15% Canaiolo.

Production processes: The harvested grapes are crushed and destemmed before being sent to stainless steel tanks where temperature-controlled alcoholic fermentation begins. Macerations are short to avoid excessive extraction and enhance the fruit component. The two varieties are fermented in purity so that they can express their full potential. The wine undergoes malolactic fermentation in steel, after which the blend is made for future bottling.

Alcohol content: 13% vol.

Serving temperature: 16-18°C.

Recommended pairings: Ideal with cured meats, pasta dishes with meat sauces, red and grilled meats, game and medium/long-aged cheeses.