Rice soup with salame and cabbage

Makes: 4|Cooks In: 20 mins|Difficulty: Easy

“These make a delightful addition to an antipasto selection and are delicious served as a salty/hot accompaniment to poached meats like cotechino. Readily available long red chillies are ideal: they are hot, but not mouth-blisteringly so.”

Ingredients

40 g butter
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 stick celery, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
300 g Savoy cabbage, finely sliced
1 x 200 g portion of Salame (see page 23)
1.5 litres boiling Golden Chicken Stock (see page 79)
260 g Italian rice, preferably Vialone Nano
freshly grated parmesan (optional)

Method

Step 1

Melt the butter and oil in a large heavy-based pan set over a medium heat. As they sizzle, add the celery and onion.

Step 2

Stir for a few minutes, then add the cabbage and cook for a few more minutes. Add the salame and use a wooden spoon to stir it in well and break down any lumps.

Step 3

After a few minutes, add the boiling broth and cook for 35–40 minutes.

Step 4

Add the rice, and cook for a further 10 minutes until the rice is cooked.

Step 5

Stir from time to time. Serve at once; cheese is optional.