The Trio of Grains with Pannerone, Leeks, and Caramelized Apple is a blend of flavors that, in my opinion, go well together. I find that the slightly bitter taste of the pannerone is well balanced by the sweetness of the caramelized apple. Try it and let me know. An ideal dish to impress your partner on Valentine’s Day and more.

Difficulty: Very Easy
Cost: Economical
Preparation time: 30 Minutes
Portions: 4 people
Cooking methods: Stovetop
Cuisine: Regional Italian

Ingredients

3/4 cup leeks
1 1/2 tbsp butter
to taste fine salt
4 1/4 cups water
1 bouillon cube (28g beef stock heart)
1 1/4 cups rice (with spelt and barley, trio of grains)
9 oz pannerone (Lodi cheese)
to taste fine salt
1 apple (about 250g)
3 tbsp sugar (to caramelize the apple)
2 tbsp water (to caramelize the apple)
1 1/2 tbsp butter (to caramelize the apple)

Steps

Clean the leeks and slice them very thinly.
In a large pan, put 1 1/2 tbsp of butter and the leeks, and let them stew for about 10 minutes. Salt and stir. The leeks should be well cooked. In the meantime, prepare the broth by heating a liter of water with beef bouillon cube.
Add the Trio of Grains to the pan with the stewed leeks and toast for a few seconds.
Pour one or two ladles of broth into the pan, stir, and cook over medium heat. As the broth dries up, add more.
Meanwhile, cut the pannerone into cubes and place it on a plate.
Meanwhile, also prepare the caramelized apple. Wash, peel, core, and cut the apple into small cubes. In a pan, add water and sugar, and let it dissolve over medium heat. Add the apple cubes and cook for two or three minutes.
Now add the butter and cook for another one or two minutes on high heat. Turn off the heat and leave the apple in the pan.
About five minutes before the Trio of Grains is done cooking, add the cubed pannerone, mix well, and adjust the salt if necessary.
Mix well for two or three minutes until the grains are fully cooked.
Serve by adding a tablespoon of caramelized apple. Enjoy your meal!