It’s always ‘a pain in the kitchen’ when you have guests coming over for dinner yet you do not know what to cook for them. You need something that will not only make them eat their fingers (preferably after having finished their plates) but impress them so much that they will crave for the secret recipe… At this point, thanks to the effects of red wine, you’ll be laughing mischievously and say: ‘Ah, I can’t… It’s my grandmother’s specialty… A family secret.’ Hey darling, stop it, we know you’ve been to Il Cavoletto di Bruxelles written by Sigrid Verbert who has already published 5 cookbooks with delicious recipes. We’re proud to share a new recipe of Sigrid, exclusive for Swide readers… right after a small interview.

 

How did this passion for blogging start? My food blog started five years ago. It was a way to keep my recipes organized and also to share them with my friends. I am a messy cook so it was a revolution for me inserting all those printed recipes into a blog. I discovered I liked taking pictures too so the whole thing grew into a business.

What was your inspiration for this recipe? I was inspired by the typical classy D&G look, associated with simple yet sophisticated black and white outfits (which happen to be the only things I wear, with the exclusion of jeans). I also thought of the designers themselves, the Italian regions they come from and I came up with the recipe of this simple north-meets-south risotto. It’s a combination of white risotto with butter and Parmesan and the black risotto with an intense fish flavor. There’s a harmonious interaction in the taste.

 

Can you tell us the perfect menu... for the first date? On a first date I’d go for a light dish like fresh fish… Maybe an appetizer like a tartar of raw Sicilian shrimps, green apple, lime and celeriac… Or a mix of swordfish, mango, black olives, basil and chilly pepper. As the main course, I’d choose a nice salt-crusted sea bass with salad. And dessert would a yogurt mousse with lemon and raspberries.

to impress the parent-in-laws? My mother in law is Italian so I had to come up with a serious Italian classic… A lasagna with home made pasta and slow cooked ragu’… Miracle! Or a homemade ravioli filled with zucchini, basil and ricotta followed by a Sunday roast will be appreciated as well. Dessert? An apple cinnamon cake or a crostata with fig jam that I make in Calabria every summer. Remember: the trick is to keep it simple and down to earth.

to cheer ourselves up? Pasta pasta and pasta! It’s a good influence on one’s mood. If I want to treat myself, I never go for chocolate. I prepare a bowl of linguine with slow roasted cherry tomatoes, garlic and a handful of fresh arangula. Then I add some lemon juice along with plenty of freshly cracked pepper… There you go: good mood in a bowl.

for the last dinner? Chicken yakitori with Japanese rice. I have spent 3 months in Japan this year and I still get ''homesick'' about Japanese food so I really can't resist to cook at least once a week.

What are your guilty pleasure in food? I never feel guilty about food! Maybe only when I eat on the streets… I’ve been educated to sit down at a table to have my meals but so many countries offer traditional snacks on the streets. When I travel, I get curious and taste anything that comes on my way from raw sea urchins in Palermo to sandwiches with freshly grilled sardines in Istanbul… Crispy churros in Spain… Soft Octopus fritters with sweet sauce in Osaka… There are so many. I like discovering new tastes and returning home to go on a diet! J

You are one of the top bloggers in food, you have written a book as well... What’s next in your agenda? I’ll be working on the promotion of my new cookbook that just got published. I’m also considering some TV projects but if you are to ask me the most important thing in my agenda… well, I’m expecting a baby girl next spring!

 

Interview by Yigit Turhan 

 

Photo Credits:  Maurizio Camagna , Sigrid Verbert