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[nverland]

TASMANIAN BERRY MARTINI

6 Tasmanian pepperberries (see note)
4 ounces excellent gin
1 three-finger pinch deep sea salt
1 lemon wedge
Ice cubes, for shaking

Yields 2 cocktails.

Gently crush the peppercorns with the flat edge of a kitchen knife. Combine the peppercorns and gin in a glass beaker or jar. Allow the peppercorns to infuse into the gin for 5 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, put the salt on a flat plate. Rub the rims of two martini glasses with the lemon wedge. Place each glass upside down on the plate to rim it with salt, then place in the freezer for at least five minutes.

To prepare cocktail: Put ice cubes in shaker, and strain the gin over the ice. Allow to stand for 15 seconds, then very gently stir for five seconds. Allow to stand for another 15 seconds. Remove the martini glasses from the freezer, gently stir the gin again, and strain it into the glasses. Serve immediately.

Note: “Tasmanian pepperberry (Tasmannia lanceolata) is sometimes used as a substitute for Szechuan pepper, though it harbors none of the heat and frankly bears no resemblance,” writes Bitterman. “If you can’t locate any, substitute a few petals of dried hibiscus …”


VEGETABLE PAELLA
Serves 4

SOFRITO:
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 organic red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into small dice
1 organic yellow bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into small dice
4 small scallions, white parts only, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 small red onion, finely chopped

VEGETABLE STOCK:
4 scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 organic celery stalk, cut into chunks
1 white onion, cut into chunks
1/2 organic carrot, sliced
1/2 fennel bulb, trimmed and sliced
1 cup canned plum tomatoes
2 tablespoons Spanish paprika
1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds
1 tablespoon whole fennel seeds
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon saffron threads
1 teaspoon granulated onion
8 cups water
Salt

PAELLA:
1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
4 cups fresh vegetables in small bite-sized pieces, such as shelled fava beans, shelled peas, haricots verts or green beans, wax beans, and diced leek whites
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

First, make the Sofrito. Heat the oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the bell peppers, scallions, garlic, and onion. Cook, stirring frequently to prevent burning, until the vegetables have cooked down to a thick consistency almost resembling a paste. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Meanwhile, make the Vegetable Stock. In a large pot, combine the scallions, celery, onion, carrot, fennel, tomatoes, paprika, coriander, fennel seeds, pepper flakes, saffron, and granulated onion. Pour in the water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 7 minutes. Line a strainer with cheesecloth, place over a large mixing bowl, and pour the stock through the strainer. Press down on the solids with a wooden spoon to extract the liquid. Discard the solids. Season the stock to taste with salt.

For the Paella, put the rice in a paella pan or other shallow baking dish. Add 2 cups of the Vegetable Stock and stir in the Sofrito. (Keep the rest of the stock warm.) Carefully transfer to the preheated oven and bake until the rice is tender and all the liquid has been absorbed, 15 to 17 minutes, checking toward the end of cooking and stirring in a little more stock if the rice is beginning to look dry. Remove from the oven and let rest for about 5 minutes before serving.

As soon as you remove the rice from the oven, prepare the mixed vegetables. Bring the remaining stock to a boil in a saucepan. Add the vegetables and cook just until tender-crisp, 3 to 5 minutes.

Transfer the rice to individual serving plates or leave it in the paella pan or baking dish. With a slotted spoon, remove the al dente vegetables from the stock and spread them on top of the rice. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately.