Risotto

Risotto is a braised rice dish, where the starch is left on the rice and cooked in a way to create a thick, creamy textured dish.  Any type of rice can be used, however the high-starch short grain rices result in the creamiest risottos.  'Arborio' is a popular type of rice for risotto, which seems to be readily available at most grocery stores.

There are 2 general methods for making risotto, one a stove top method and another that finishes the cooking in an oven:

1.  Stove top method:

This is considered to be the traditional Italian method of making risotto.  The rice is cooked at a fairly high heat in oil or butter with chopped onions, until the rice looks milky, but not browned.  Wine is added (about 1/2 the amount of wine as rice) and cooked until it is absorbed by the rice.  Then, at a lower heat, add hot stock slowly over about a 25 minute period, using about a 3:1 to 4:1 ratio of stock to rice.  The heat should be high enough for the stock to cook down and be absorbed by the rice during the cooking period.  Other additions to the dish, such as vegetables, meat, seafood can be added during this period.   For the most part, the additions should be cooked separately, unless they will cook during the 25 minute period.   Cheese, if used, is stirred in at the end.

2.  Stove / Oven method:

This is the standard French method of making risotto (according to Julia Child).  Cook the rice exactly as above, with oil or butter and chopped onions, until milky but not browned.  Add wine (about 1/2 the amount as the rice) and cook until it is absorbed.  Use a 2:1 ratio of stock to rice, and stir it in all at once, along with any other additions to the dish like vegetables, meat, seafood, etc.  The stock should be hot, just at boiling point, when added to the rice.  Bake, covered, in a 375º oven for 20-25 minutes, until the moisture has been absorbed.  Stir in any cheese after baking.

Recently I've been using the oven method because it is simpler and less time consuming, and I've been happy with the results.

Here are a few recipes ideas - experiment to create your own.  It can always be made without any extra "additions", using just the onions, rice, wine, stock, with a little Parmesan cheese.

Fennel risotto, with onions, peas, mushrooms

1 1/2 cups rice
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 fennel bulb, chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine, warm
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 1/2 cups peas
8 oz. mushrooms, chopped
stock, boiling - 5 cups for stove top method, 3 cups for oven method
salt and pepper (to taste)
1/2 cup Romano cheese
 2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup chopped parsley

Cook the onions and fennel bulb in oil until the onions and fennel soften.  Add the rice, and cook until milky,  5-10 minutes.  Add the stock, basil, fennel seeds, peas, mushrooms, salt and pepper, according to cooking method described above.  Just before serving, stir in the cheese and butter, garnish with parsley.

Carrot Risotto
from Stan

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
6 carrots, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
stock, boiling, 5 cups for stove top method, 3 cups for oven method
1/3 cup minced onion
1 1/2 cups rice
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup Mascarpone cheese (or cream cheese)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon thyme leaves
1/8 teaspoon white pepper

Heat 1 tablespoon each oil and butter over medium heat; add carrots and stir until well coated. Add 1/2 cup water, salt and sugar, cover and cook 5 minutes. Uncover and cook until the water evaporates and the carrots are starting to brown. Reserve 1/2 of the carrots; puree the rest in a blender with 3/4 cup hot water.

Bring the stock to a simmer and keep warm, covered, over low heat.

Heat remaining oil and butter in the same pan used for the carrots; add onion and cook until translucent. Add rice, stir, and cook until translucent. Add wine and cook until evaporated. Add carrot puree and cook, stirring, until mixture is no longer soupy.  Add stock and cook according to cooking method (above).

Fold in the reserved carrots, Mascarpone, Parmesan, parsley and thyme. Add more broth if needed to loosen the Risotto. Season with salt and pepper.

Green Bean and Mushroom Casserole

We were asked to make the infamous green bean casserole for Thanksgiving dinner this year.  Instead of using canned soup and packaged fried onions, we found this recipe that is almost as easy to make, tastes better, with much less sodium and preservatives!

This is derived from a recipe from chef Alton Brown on the food network web site:

1 pound fresh green beans, washed and chopped into ~1" pieces
12 ounces of mushrooms, sliced or chopped
2 onions, sliced thinly
2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons panko bread crumbs
1 cup stock
1 cup half-and-half
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
black pepper
salt

Preheat oven to 450º.

Combine the onions, 1/4 cup flour, bread crumbs, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl and toss to combine.  Spread evenly on a greased baking sheet, and bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes.  Toss every 10 minutes during cooking.

Blanch the beans for about 7 minutes in salted boiling water, then drain and rinse with cold water.

In a skillet, melt the butter, add the mushrooms, 1 teaspoon salt, and grated black pepper, cook for about 5 minutes until the mushrooms give up some of their liquid.  Add the garlic and nutmeg and cook for another couple of minutes.  Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of flour over the mixture, stir to combine.  Add the stock, and simmer for a couple of minutes.   Add the half and half, cook on medium-low heat until the mixture thickens, about 6-8 minutes.

Combine the beans and 1/4 of the onions with the mushroom mixture, put into a casserole dish (or leave in the skillet if it is oven proof).  Top with the remaining onions and bake at 375º until bubbly, about 30 minutes.  Serve immediately.

Caesar Salad

The Caesar salad supposedly originated at the Hotel Caesar in Tijuana, Mexico.  According to the Wikipedia entry the original salad did not have anchovies, but used Worcestershire sauce which gave it an anchovy flavor.  We like it with anchovies.   An egg, raw or briefly cooked in the shell for 1-1 1/2 minutes can be added before tossing, if desired.  We usually skip the egg.

1 clove garlic, sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
1-2 cups of cubed French bread (for croutons)
1 head romaine lettuce, washed, cut into pieces or separate leaves and keep them whole
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
juice of 1/2 a lemon
4 anchovy fillets, cut into small pieces (or a few drops of Worcestershire sauce instead)
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
generous grating of black pepper
salt to taste (if you are using anchovies, you probably don't need salt)

Put the olive oil in a small bowl, add the garlic and let steep for 24 hours (or however much time you have!).

Make the croutons:
Preheat oven to 250º.  Bake the cubed bread on a cookie sheet for 15 minutes.  Toss with 2 tablespoons of the garlic oil and bake for another 15 minutes, or until crunchy.

Finish the salad:
Add the lettuce to a salad bowl, add the croutons, garlic oil, and all other ingredients, toss, and serve immediately.

Corn Bread

I thank the "Clarkes" for giving me this 10" cast iron pie pan, it makes the bottom crust of the bread crunchy and flakey.   I used a drop of vegetable oil to coat the pan then dusted it with flour and placed it in a 170 degree oven while I prepared the batter.

In one bowl mix well these DRY ingredients:

1 cup corn meal (for a robust texture, substitute 1/4 cup of polenta or grits)
1 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

In another bowl mix well these WET ingredients:

1 1/4 cup of evaporated milk (or 1 cup of regular milk)
1/3 cup of vegetable oil
1 egg, lightly beaten

At this point take out the cast iron pie pan from the oven and set the oven to 400 degrees.
Now add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stir just until blended, pour into pan, and place in the oven.

Bake for 20- 25 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out clean.

Serve warm with butter.

Roasted Vegetable Lasagna

This is a nice way to make a meatless lasagna.   The vegetable mix can be modified as desired; I've seen some recipes which use roasted root vegetables.  Eggplant and butternut squash would be good in this lasagna too.

9 Lasagna noodles
2 cups tomato sauce or marinara sauce
8 cups of chopped vegetables, equal amounts of:
    mushrooms
    zucchini
    carrots
    corn
    broccoli
    cauliflower
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
15 oz. Ricotta Cheese
1 cup chopped spinach
1 egg white
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup grated Mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated Fontina cheese
Crushed red peppers (to taste)

Preheat oven to 450º.  In a mixing bowl, toss the vegetables with the salt and olive oil.  Spread onto a roasting pan, and put in the oven for about 30 minutes until roasted.  Stir every 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and leave on roasting pan until ready to use.

In a mixing bowl, combine Ricotta cheese, spinach, egg white, Parmesan cheese, and crushed red peppers.

Cook the Lasagna noodles per package directions.  Drain.

Put a thin layer of tomato sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.  Lay 3 noodles side by side in the bottom of the dish (overlap as little as possible).  Add a little more sauce to the top of the noodles.  Spoon 1/2 of the Ricotta cheese mixture over the noodles.  This can be spread as a thin layer, or in evenly spaced clumps on the noodles.  Spread 1/2 of the roasted vegetables on or between the Ricotta mixture clumps.  Drizzle sauce across the vegetables, and sprinkle 1/2 of the Mozzarella and Fontina cheeses.  Add another layer of noodles, Ricotta cheese, vegetables, and sauce.  Top the lasagna with the last 3 noodles, the remaining sauce and the remaining Mozzarella and Fontina cheeses.  Bake at 400º for 30 minutes, uncovered, until cheese on top starts to brown.

Black-eyed Peas

Happy New Year!  In the southern US, eating this dish on New Year's Day is thought to bring a prosperous year filled with luck.  To add wealth, serve with green vegetables to represent the color of money (collard greens, chard, cabbage, etc), and with cornbread (the color of gold).

When served over rice, this dish is sometimes called Hoppin' John.

This vegetarian recipe is derived from one that was in the LA Times a while back.  Ham, bacon, or sausage can be added.  This is delicious any time of year - don't just wait for new year's day to have it.

1 pound (~2 cups) dry black-eyed peas
6 cups hot water

4 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large yellow onion, chopped
4 celery stalks, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (more to taste)
1 teaspoon oregano
2 bay leaves
4 cups stock

Rinse the peas in cold water, place them in a large pan, covering with hot water. Allow them to soak overnight. If you don't have time for overnight soaking, bring the pease and water to a boil, allow to boil for 2 minutes, then remove from heat and let stand for 1 hour.

Stovetop method:
Heat olive oil in a skillet. Cook garlic, onion, and celery in oil until transparent. Add salt, cayenne, oregano, bay leaves, and cook for a few more minutes.  Drain the peas, discarding the soaking liquid.  Combine the peas, stock, and skillet mixture in a large soup pot.  Cover and cook slowly for 45-60 minutes or until the peas are tender.

Slow cooker method:
Heat olive oil in a skillet.  Cook garlic, onion, and celery in oil until transparent.  Add salt, cayenne, oregano, and bay leaves, and cook for a few more minutes.  Drain the peas, discarding the soaking liquid.  Combine the peas, stock, and skillet mixture in the slow cooker.  Cook on high for 3-4 hours, until the peas are tender.