The perfect way to celebrate the outbreak of spring is vignole or vignarola, a quick and easy Italian stew of seasonal vegetables with its origins in Rome. A delicious way to use the green vegetables that are at their sweet best, it perfectly represents the succulent green shoots of spring. It can include whatever you have to hand but emerald-like new season peas and broad beans are ideal, while artichokes add their characteristic tang to the dish, alongside sweet new garlic and tender Swiss chard or spinach. If you can lay your hands on wild garlic that sprouts at this time of year use that instead of the bulbs. I’ve added English asparagus because I simply couldn’t resist its seasonal sumptuousness. Ramping up the green flavours are mint and parsley to finish, aided and abetted by a drizzle of grassy green extra virgin olive oil. This is a dish that can easily be vegetarian, but the traditional addition of diced pancetta bacon adds a particular savoury note to the spring symphony. A lovely, and virtuous, way to celebrate the season.
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil for frying onions
- 50g diced pancetta or bacon lardons (optional)
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped or crushed
- 250ml vegetable or chicken stock
- 120g fresh peas (though frozen work beautifully)
- 140g chargrilled or tinned artichokes or 6 small fresh artichokes, rimmed and cut into small chunks and put in acidulated water)
- 150g fresh broad beans, shelled
- 150g English asparagus, trimmed of woody bitsa and cut into bitesize pieces
- 260g Swiss chard, chopped, or use washed spinach leaves
- Salt and cracked black pepper for seasoning
- A good glug of extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
- 1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
- A generous glug of extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
Method
- To a large saucepan over a moderate heat, add the single tablespoon of olive oil and then the pancetta if you’re using it. Sauté the pancetta for a couple of minutes and then add the chopped onions and a pinch of salt. Cook for 15 minutes or so until the onion is soft and then add the garlic and cook for another couple of minutes.
- Add the stock to the pan and bring up to a simmer. If you are using frozen peas add them now and cook for a couple of minutes to get the stock back up to a simmer, then add the chunks of artichoke, broad beans, asparagus tips and chard or spinach or fresh peas if that’s what you’ve chosen.
- Simmer for 10 minutes or so until everything is heated through, and the chard/spinach leaves have wilted. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper as you wish.
- Now is the time to add the chopped herbs to keep their vibrancy of flavour and colour.
- Ladle the vignole into warmed bowls with a liberal drizzle of that gorgeous extra virgin to finish everything off in fine style. Serve with crusty bread. If you fancy adding some croutons by all means do, but not Parmesan or Pecorino that mask the essential green spring flavours and fresh herbs. I won’t call the food police if you do!
It’s a versatile dish. The liberty I’ve taken with asparagus could be extended to chopped, cooked Jersey Royal spuds to add some carbohydrate heft, courgette, or some young leeks, or maybe spring greens to replace the spinach/chard. Whatever you use, I hope that all these lovely vegetables put a spring in you step.
Wines: This is delightful accompanied by fragrant Italian whites and any bottles with aromatics and fruit to match the herbs and the sweet vegetables. Very dry, fresh sherries can also show well.
Wine recommendations
The Society's Fino
