Mushroom Risotto

We once again picked up some awesome mushrooms from River Valley at the farmers market this weekend.

This is a simple risotto, that really lets the mushrooms stand out.

Wild Mushroom Risotto

about 1 lb mushrooms, cleaned

2 onions, diced

2 - 3 stocks celery

1 - 2 oz dried mushrooms

bouquet garni

about 1 cup arborio rice

about 1/2 cup dry white wine

cheese to taste (I used some fresh mozzarella and tomini with truffle)

salt and pepper

olive oil

butter

Start by making a mushroom stock. In a large pot add the dried mushrooms, one onion, celery, herbs and any mushroom pieces (i used the stems from criminis), then fill with about 2 quarts of water. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Cook for about an hour and keep warm as you make the risotto.

While the stock is boiling, chop the mushrooms and dice the second onion.

In a large pot add a little butter and oil and the onions. Cook over medium until they begin to soften. Then add the mushrooms and cook another minute. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the rice and cook a minute.

Add the wine and deglaze the pan, making sure to scrape any bits off the bottom.

Add the strained stock about a half cup at a time into the rice, and stir regularly to keep from sticking. Add the liquid gets absorbed add more until the rice is cooked and has a creamy texture. Then add the cheese and stir to combine.

You can garnish with a touch more cheese and a drizzle of truffle oil.

Peas and Tomatoes

This week in our produce from Irv and Shelly's, we received frozen peas. I was looking for something interesting to do with them and came to this recipe from Cooking in Spain by Janet Mendel. The book we picked up when we lived in Madrid and it has been a great resource for great Spanish food.

Guisantes a la Valenciana

oil

1 lb peas

1/2 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic

1 cup white wine

fresh thyme and parsley

pinch safron

1/4 tsp cumin

salt and pepper

In a pan warm the oil and add the peas, onion and one clove of the garlic.

Add the wine and herbs and cover. Cook for a few minutes until tender.

In a mortar, crush the other garlic with the saffron and cumin and a pinch of salt.

Add in a tablespoon of the cooking liquid and add to the peas.

Season with salt and pepper.

To go with the peas I made stuffed tomatoes with rice. To flavor the rice I used a Chermoula sauce, that I found in Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.

Chermoula

4 cloves garlic

salt

2/3 cup cilantro

1/3 cup parsley

1 1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp cumin

1/8 tsp cayenne

1/4 cup EVOO

juice of 1 - 2 lemons

Crush the garlic with the salt with a mortar and pestle.

Chop the greens and add to the garlic. Smash this together.

Add the spices and liquids.

To fill the tomatoes I used brown rice. I cooked about 1 cup and added about 3/4 of the sauce when the rice was done cooking but still hot.

To prepare the tomatoes, chop of the top, about 1/4 inch from the top. If the tomatoes are very round, slice a very thin piece off the bottom so that they sit flat.

Using a spoon, scoop out the seed and the inner membranes.

Stuff with the rice.

Place in a dish and drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake in 400 deg oven about 20 - 30 minutes.

Serve topped with the rest of the sauce.

Spinach Risotto

Making risotto is surprisingly easy, it just takes time and a little patience. The real trick is to add the liquid slowly and let it absorb into the rice before adding more. This will lead to a great creamy texture.

Spinach Risotto

1 leak, cleaned and sliced into 1/4 slices

1 Tbs butter

1 cup Arborio Rice

1/2 cup white wine

3 cups stock (I made my own, but store bought low-sodium will work)

1 bunch spinach

salt and pepper

Parm

Melt the butter in a large pot, add the leaks and cook over medium heat until soft, about 10 minutes.

Add the rice and cook a minute or two.

Add the wine and cook until the liquid is absorbed. Add the stock about a 1/2 cup at a time. Letting it absorb before adding more. Stir constantly.

When the rice is almost done (it should not be totally mushy but al dente) add the spinach, and cook through.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with fresh Parm.

Indian Feast

Last night I wanted to try a few new Indian recipes. Having never made these dishes before I was careful to read through the recipes and make sure I had everything ready before I started. Since many of the same spices where used in several dishes, I had all my recipes out and was able to measure each spice for each recipe one at a time. I put those that went in together in bowls to help keep track, and had all my pots and pans ready to go before I started. This took only a few minutes, but saved a lot of time when I got to the cooking of the dishes.

Arroz Caldoso

Similar to paella, arroz caldoso is a baked spanish rice, though it is wetter. You can use almost any fish or shellfish, I had shrimp so thats what I used.

Arroz Caldoso

3 cups stock (prefereably fish, but others work too)

safron

1 lb shrimp

1 medium onion, diced

2 - 3 tomatoes, diced

2 - 3 garlic

1 cup short grain rice (arborio works)

salt and pepper

Place the stock and saffron in a pot and simmer. Pre-heat oven to 350.

Saute the shrimp in oil for a few minutes on a side until slightly browned on each side.

Remove from the pan and set aside.

In the same pan, heat a touch more oil and saute the onions for about 5 minutes over medium high.

Add the garlic and saute one minute more.

Add the tomato and cook for about 10 minutes.

Add the rice and cook for a minute to coat.

Add the broth, and cook over medium heat.

Once the rice is no longer soupy, place in the oven for about 10 minutes.

Cook for about 10 minutes, then add the shrimp. Cook for another 5 to 10 minutes until the rice is almost done. Then remove from the heat, cover for about 5 minutes.

Serve the rice with a side of aioli.

Aioli

2 -3 garlic cloves

salt

1 tsp fresh lemon juice or vinegar

1 egg yolk

about 1/2 EVOO

Crush the garlic with the salt in a mortar and pestle.

Add the egg and lemon and stir.

Slowly drip the oil into the garlic while constantly stirring until the mixture becomes thick.

Leftover risotto

The other night I made this yummy risotto. The problem is that you can not reheat the left overs.

So the best thing to do with them is make cakes.

Form small balls with the cold risotto, then roll them in bread crumbs and pan fry them in a little oil. Be careful when flipping, as they may be somewhat soft.

Serve with some greens and a touch of dressing.

Pumpkin Risotto

The other night we had a large butternut squash and didnt know what to do with it. Then we remember this awesome recipe from my friend Adam.

He had made it at a dinner party at his house some time ago, and it is truly wonderful.

It does take a bit of time to prepare the stock in advance, but well worth it. As Adam notes on his blog, you can make extra and freeze it.

I made a few tweeks to the recipe as written, but it was generally the same.

PUMPKIN BROTH

(yield: 7-8 cups of liquid)

1 Tbs. butter

1 medium onion, peeled and thinly sliced.

2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced

1 celery stalk with leaves, washed and sliced1 leek, washed and thinly sliced,

white and light green parts only

2 cups canned pumpkin puree

8 cups stock

1 bay leaf

1/2 tsp. whole black peppercorns

4 allspice berries

1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 cinnamon stick

2 Tbs. pure maple syrup

RISOTTO

1/4 cup olive oil

1 3/4 cups Arborio rice

1 1/2 cups diced (1/2 inch) fresh pumpkin, butternut, or other firm-fleshed squash

1/2 cup dry white wine

6-7 cups pumpkin broth

1 Tbs. minced fresh sage

2 cups arugula, washed and chopped

1/3 cup diced fresh mozzarella

1 tsp. Kosher salt

1/4 tsp freshly grated black pepper

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (3/4 ounce)

Start the broth by sautéing the vegetables in butter until soft.

Add the pumkin and stir to combine.

Then add the rest of the ingredients, and simmer for about 45 minutes.

Finally, strain the stock though a fine sieve to remove the vegetables. Keep the stock warm as you begin the risotto.

Start the risotto, by warming the oil and adding the rice and squash. Saute for a minute until the rice begins to brown slightly.

Add the wine, and cook while stirring until dissolved.

Add about a 1/2 to 3/4 of a cup of the stock and continually stir. Continue to add stock, cooking until it is almost all gone, until the rice is al dente and the squash is cooked through.

Finally add the rest of the ingredients, stir to combine and season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with fresh cheese.