Chad has declared risotto to be his new favorite thing, so I have a feeling I will be exploring the Wide World of Risotto quite a bit. I also enjoy making it. I usually have my iPod on when I cook meals that require some supervision and it makes the time easier to pass. This recipe is from Rice: From Perfect Paella to Sensational Sushi. Since I made this on a Sunday, I needed to find a recipe that did not involve white wine. (Though I'm sure I could just use more stock if I do not have the required alcohol on hand.) For those whom have never resided in Minnesota, this is because Minnesota is a bit backwards with their liquor laws and you cannot buy alcohol on Sundays from liquor stores (which is where one has to buy wine). Also, Chad said "That's because you drank all the wine in the house." This is true.
Risotto with Asparagus
8 ounces fresh asparagus (I used frozen spears. Explanation below.)
3 cups vegetable or chicken stock
5 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups risotto rice (Arborio)
1 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
salt and freshly ground pepper
Bring a pan of water to a boil. Cut off any woody pieces on the butts of the asparagus stalks, peel the lower portions, then cook in the water for 5 minutes. Drain the asparagus, reserving the cooking water, refresh under cold water and drain again. Cut the asparagus diagonally into 1 to 1 1/2 inch pieces. Keep the bud and next-highest sections separate from the stalks.
Place the stock in a pan and add scant 2 cups of the asparagus cooking water. Heat to simmering point, and keep it hot.
Melt two-thirds of the butter in a large, heavy pan or deep skillet. Add the onion and cook until it is soft and golden. Stir in all the asparagus except for the top two sections. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the rice and cook for 1-2 minutes, mixing well to coat it with butter. Stir in a ladle-full of the hot liquid. using a wooden spoon, stir until the stock has been absorbed.
Gradually add the remaining stock a little at a time, allowing the rice to absorb the liquid before adding more and stirring constantly.
After 10 minutes, add the remaining asparagus sections. Continue to cook as before, for about 15 minutes, until the rice is al dente and the risotto is creamy. Off the heat, stir in the remaining butter and the Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.
Would I make this again? Yes. Erik liked this version better and I think it was the lack of wine that made the difference. Chad loves risotto, so it went over very well with him. The trick to getting a 5 year old to eat asparagus is to call it "broccoli beans" - broccoli is his favorite vegetable and the asparagus piece looked like green beans. As far as using frozen asparagus verses fresh, it was simply because there was no fresh asparagus to be found in Lakeville this Sunday! It was gone! Super Target was even out of frozen. I went to Rainbow and purchased the last bag of frozen asparagus spears. Huzzah!
Showing posts with label risotto. Show all posts
Showing posts with label risotto. Show all posts
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Monday, February 8, 2010
Karin's Week One Recipe: Lobster Risotto
Hi there! I know I'm weighing in rather late, but as your foreign blog correspondent, this is the first chance I've had to post from "out East". I read about the challenge, and decided to try it on my own, as I have an entire cupboard of cookbooks of all types. Having now been invited to post along with the others, I'm delighted!
I hope that you won't be overwhelmed with the onslaught of recipes all in a row. I promise to put a bit more space in between in the rest of this year. Most of my entree and side dish recipes will probably be short prep and cook time, as in my household, we eat our big meal at lunch. This limits the amount of time one has in the kitchen, as I often don't like thinking of cooking a big meal the minute I'm awake, and sometimes I forget to thaw things out the night before. An additional requirement in my household is that every big meal have some sort of meat dish in it.
I really like making risotto, ever since I found out how easy it is to cook. I have a cousin-in-law who is from Sicily, Italy, and also is a chef, and he said really, once you start adding the stock in, you just need to stir it when you pass the stove and all will be well. I have a great little cookbook that is entirely risotto recipes, and in the winter it is a warm and filling meal. Also, almost a 1 pot meal, if you don't count how you heat the stock. Just what I like, Veg and Starch and Protein all in one dish!
Lobster Risotto (for 2)
1 cooked lobster, or 1lb jumbo shrimp (I used 16-20count frozen uncooked shrimp)
2.5 c fish stock (I used chicken stock, because I always have it on hand)
1T olive oil
2oz butter
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1t chopped fresh thyme leaves (I used Penzey's dried thyme)
generous 3/4c risotto rice
2/3 cup sparkling white wine (or dry vermouth)
1t green or pink peppercorns in brine, drained & coarsely chopped (I used plain pink peppercorns)
1T chopped fresh parsley (again with the Penzey's dried)
If using lobster, twist off the claws and set aside. Remove all body meat and put with the claws. Bring the stock to a boil in a small saucepan, the reduce heat to simmer. Keep simmering throughout. Heat the oil and 1/2 the butter in a large, rather deep frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook 5min until soft. Add garlic and cook 30sec more. Stir in the thyme. Reduce heat, add the rice and stir to coat in the butter/oil. Cook stirring constantly for 2-3min until rice looks mostly translucent. Stir in the wine and cook for 1min until reduced. Add the hot stock, 1 ladleful at a time, stirring after each addition until the rice absorbs it. Increase the heat to medium until the liquid bubbles. Cook for 20min or until all the liquid is absorbed. 5min before the end of the cooking time, add the lobster meat/claws (or shrimp) and heat until cooked through. Remove pan from heat and stir in the peppercorns, remaining butter and the parsley. Serve at once.
So, would I serve this again? Yes, although with the substitutions, it is maybe a completely different recipe than the one in the book. You be the judge. I had read somewhere at some time that one could substitute vermouth for white wine, and seeing as this was a lunch dish, I did not want to open a new bottle of wine. I did a 1:1 substitution which gave it an interesting flavor. I have since learned it's supposed to be more like a 1:2/3 substitution. Oh well, it still tasted good!
I hope that you won't be overwhelmed with the onslaught of recipes all in a row. I promise to put a bit more space in between in the rest of this year. Most of my entree and side dish recipes will probably be short prep and cook time, as in my household, we eat our big meal at lunch. This limits the amount of time one has in the kitchen, as I often don't like thinking of cooking a big meal the minute I'm awake, and sometimes I forget to thaw things out the night before. An additional requirement in my household is that every big meal have some sort of meat dish in it.
I really like making risotto, ever since I found out how easy it is to cook. I have a cousin-in-law who is from Sicily, Italy, and also is a chef, and he said really, once you start adding the stock in, you just need to stir it when you pass the stove and all will be well. I have a great little cookbook that is entirely risotto recipes, and in the winter it is a warm and filling meal. Also, almost a 1 pot meal, if you don't count how you heat the stock. Just what I like, Veg and Starch and Protein all in one dish!
Lobster Risotto (for 2)
1 cooked lobster, or 1lb jumbo shrimp (I used 16-20count frozen uncooked shrimp)
2.5 c fish stock (I used chicken stock, because I always have it on hand)
1T olive oil
2oz butter
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1t chopped fresh thyme leaves (I used Penzey's dried thyme)
generous 3/4c risotto rice
2/3 cup sparkling white wine (or dry vermouth)
1t green or pink peppercorns in brine, drained & coarsely chopped (I used plain pink peppercorns)
1T chopped fresh parsley (again with the Penzey's dried)
If using lobster, twist off the claws and set aside. Remove all body meat and put with the claws. Bring the stock to a boil in a small saucepan, the reduce heat to simmer. Keep simmering throughout. Heat the oil and 1/2 the butter in a large, rather deep frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook 5min until soft. Add garlic and cook 30sec more. Stir in the thyme. Reduce heat, add the rice and stir to coat in the butter/oil. Cook stirring constantly for 2-3min until rice looks mostly translucent. Stir in the wine and cook for 1min until reduced. Add the hot stock, 1 ladleful at a time, stirring after each addition until the rice absorbs it. Increase the heat to medium until the liquid bubbles. Cook for 20min or until all the liquid is absorbed. 5min before the end of the cooking time, add the lobster meat/claws (or shrimp) and heat until cooked through. Remove pan from heat and stir in the peppercorns, remaining butter and the parsley. Serve at once.
So, would I serve this again? Yes, although with the substitutions, it is maybe a completely different recipe than the one in the book. You be the judge. I had read somewhere at some time that one could substitute vermouth for white wine, and seeing as this was a lunch dish, I did not want to open a new bottle of wine. I did a 1:1 substitution which gave it an interesting flavor. I have since learned it's supposed to be more like a 1:2/3 substitution. Oh well, it still tasted good!
Monday, January 11, 2010
And the Answer to my Question is...
Yep. I left the salt out of the risotto. Having realized this, I spinkled on a little kosher salt, added some fresh-ground pepper, and after the dish was out of the microwave, put on some shaved parmesjan.
All the difference in the world!
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Why Do Some Recipes Work, But Not Others?
One of the realities of cooking for yourself is leftovers: both of the finished product and of constituent ingredients. I had vegetable broth and minced onion left over from the past week's recipe, so tonight I tried a variation of my Sage & Onion Risotto. I halved the recipe, used olive oil instead of butter, added 1/2 cup each frozen peas and chopped carrots, and used rosemary for seasoning.
It was not a resounding success.
Oh, the texture was good and the dish was colorful enough, but the flavor was completely uninspired. I'll finish what I have left after this evening, but only with plenty of cheese and pepper to disguise the taste. Why do some recipes work, but not others?
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Chris's Week One Recipe: Sage & Onion Risotto
Needs must as the saying goes. I was planning to make muffins this week, but a nasty fall on the ice has left me with a bad hand (and elbow and shoulder) so I decided to make something a bit easier with ingredients available: a mushroom risotto using vegetable broth instead of water.
But, alas! The best laid schemes o' mice and cooks gang aft agley. The mushrooms were past their prime....
But, alas! The best laid schemes o' mice and cooks gang aft agley. The mushrooms were past their prime....
Still looking forward to making (my first-ever!) risotto, I created a simple recipe based on Mother's turkey stuffing. This recipe could easily be made vegan by substituting olive oil for the butter and omitting the cheese or using a vegan cheese substitute.
Sage & Onion Risotto
2 T butter
1/2 c minced onion
3 c vegetable broth
2 c arborio rice
1 t rubbed sage
1/2 t poultry seasoning
1/2 t salt [optional]
1/4 t pepper
Grated parmesan [optional]
In a large frying pan, melt the butter and saute the minced onions for a minute or so. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir until mixed. Bring to a boil. Cover the pan and let simmer until the liquid is absorbed (10 min in this case). Remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 10 min before serving. Sprinkle with grated parmesan to taste.
NB: the proportion of liquid to rice was based on the instructions for the rice I used - Lundberg white arborio. You may have to change the ratio if using another rice.
Would I make this recipe again? Most certainly! It would taste even more like stuffing if I had used chicken or turkey broth.
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