Asparagus Lemon Risotto

My brother-in-law Russell (Rochester, NY) was staying with friends in Kansas and his hosts Fred and Julia (Lawrence, Kansas) made this risotto —delicious!

Asparagus Lemon Risotto

Serves 4

Risotto is a great base for all kinds of vegetables. It’s done when it has a loose consistency and ripples when spooned into a bowl.

6 cups vegetable stock, preferably homemade [Russell used chicken stock]
¼ cup olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 cup Arborio or Carnanti rice
½ cup dry white wine
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed, stalks cut into 2-inch lengths
1 cup thawed frozen peas
1 tsp grated lemon zest, plus more for garnish
2 Tbs fresh lemon juice
1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
½ cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Bring stock to a simmer in a medium saucepan.

Heat 2 Tbs oil over medium heat in another saucepan. Cook onion, stirring frequently, until soft, 6 to 7 minutes. Add rice; cook, stirring, until edges are translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add wine; cook, stirring, just until evaporated.

Add ½ cup hot stock; cook, stirring, until almost absorbed. Continue adding ½ stock in this manner until liquid is creamy and rice is al dente, about 20 minutes total (you may not need to add all the stock). Add asparagus with the last addition of stock, and the peas about 1 minutes before risotto is done.

Remove from heat; stir in lemon zest and juice, parsley, cheese, and remaining 2 Tbs oil. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with additional cheese and lemon zest.

Herbed Steamed Rice

Every time I make something with tarragon, it’s like I’ve used a mystery herb. Tarragon was very popular in the late 70s early 80s, but isn’t really used much now. It really adds a wonderful bright note to this rice. This rice pairs well with Lyonnaise Chicken with Vinegar Sauce.

Herbed Steamed Rice

Serves 4

3 Tbs unsalted butter
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed and drained
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 cups water
Kosher salt
1/4 cup chopped mixed herbs, such as parsley, chives and tarragon

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Add the onion, cover and cook over low heat until translucent, 5 minutes. Stir in the rice and garlic. Add the water and 1 teaspoon of salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and cook over moderately low heat for 10 minutes.

Replace the lid on the rice with a clean kitchen towel and remove from the heat. Let the rice stand, covered, for 5 minutes until tender. Using 2 forks, lightly fluff the rice. Gently stir in the herbs, season with salt, cover with the towel and the lid and let stand for up to 30 minutes before serving.

Chicken with Saffron and Rice

Last week I tried this recipe from Williams Sonoma. It was very good, though I made adjustments by cutting the quantity of rice in half. It’s a traditional Spanish dish of chicken and rice that is seasoned with saffron. The saffron makes this dish. Saffron is a spice derived from the flower of the Crocus. It’s one of the world’s most expensive spices by weight.

Chicken with Saffron and Rice

Serves 6 – 8

3 1/2 lb chicken thighs and drumsticks
Salt, to taste, plus 1 1/4 tsp
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 Tbs olive oil
1 yellow onion, finely diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
1/4 tsp crumbled saffron
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
5 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup dry sherry
2 1/4 cups chicken broth
2 cans (14 1/2 oz) diced tomatoes with juices
1 1/2 cups medium-grain rice
1/2 cup green olives, pitted and halved
1 Tbs minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 350°F.

Season the chicken with salt and black pepper. In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm 1 Tbs of the olive oil. Working in batches, brown the chicken on all sides, 7 to 8 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate. Discard the fat in the pot, then wipe out the pot with paper towels.

In the same pot over medium heat, warm the remaining 1 Tbs. olive oil. Add the onion, bell pepper, saffron and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds. Add the sherry and cook until slightly reduced, about 1 minute. Add the chicken, broth, tomatoes and their juices and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 20 minutes.

Stir in the rice, olives, the 1 1/4 tsp salt and black pepper. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Cover the pot, transfer to the oven and bake for 30 minutes, stirring once halfway through the cooking time.

Remove the pot from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes. Sprinkle the chicken with the parsley and serve immediately.

Wild Mushroom Risotto

Last week a friend of mine asked for a risotto recipe that you don’t have to laboriously stir. I make this all the time.

Risotto is a class of Italian dishes of rice cooked in broth to a creamy consistency. The broth may be meat-, fish-, or vegetable-based. Many types of risotto contain Parmesan cheese, butter, and onion. It is one of the most common ways of cooking rice in Italy.  Properly cooked risotto is rich and creamy but still with some resistance or bite: al dente, and with separate grains. The traditional texture is fairly fluid. It is served on flat dishes and it should easily spread out but not have excess watery liquid around the perimeter. It must be eaten at once as it continues to cook in its own heat and can become too dry with the grains too soft.

Wild Mushroom Risotto

Serves 8

1 lb Porccini mushrooms
2 Tbs butter
1/3 cup onion, finely chopped
2 lbs Arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine
10 cups low-sodium chicken stock – simmering
4 Tbs olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 bay leaves
salt & pepper to taste
2 tsp flat leaf parsley
grated parmesan

Preheat oven to 500°.

Cut mushrooms – 1 “ cubes, 4 – 5 cups, set aside.

Heat butter and onion in oven proof dish until wilted, add rice and stir.  Add wine – cook 2 minutes until wine is absorbed.  Add 10 cups of broth and cook over moderate heat – briefly.  Place in oven to cook for 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet, add garlic and bay leaves and cook briefly, then add mushrooms – cook 2 minutes, add salt, pepper and parsley.  Cook 1 minute.  Remove garlic and bay leaves.

Remove rice from oven, and add mushrooms with a slotted spoon to rice.  Continue to cook rice on stove for 2 – 5 minutes.  Serve with Parmesan cheese.

Wild Rice & Chicken Casserole

I used to make this casserole when we were first married for dinner parties.  It was “cheap and cheerful” as we would say.  Personally, I prefer to use a wild rice blend when making this dish, which does make it cheaper!

Wild rice (also called Canada rice, Indian rice, and water oats) is four species of grasses forming the genus Zizania, and the grain which can be harvested from them.

Almost always sold as a dried whole grain, wild rice is high in protein, the amino acid lysine and dietary fiber, and low in fat. Like true rice, it does not contain gluten. It is also a good source of certain minerals and B vitamins.

Wild Rice & Chicken Casserole

Serves 8

½ cup wild rice, cooked according to instructions
½ cup onion, chopped
½ cup butter
¼ cup flour
6 oz can sliced mushrooms
1 1/3 cup chicken broth
1½ cups light cream or half and half
3 cups cooked chicken, diced
½ cup pimento, sliced
1 tsp salt
2 tsp parsley
¼ tsp black pepper
½ cup blanched, slivered almonds
2 Tbs Sherry

Sauté the onion in butter until soft, remove from heat and stir in the flour.

Drain the mushrooms, reserving the liquid.  Add enough chicken broth to the mushroom liquid to measure 1½ cups.  Gradually stir the liquid into flour mixture, then add the cream.  Cook and stir until thick.  Combine with the wild rice and cooked chicken.  Add salt, pepper, sherry and parsley.  Place in a 13”x 9” casserole and sprinkle with the almonds.

Bake at 350˚ for 25 to 30 minutes.

Creamy Lemon Rice

Yes, it’s another lemony recipe! What can I say? We have a tree that is over loaded with lemons!

Creamy Lemon Rice

Serves 4

2 cups excellent, rich chicken broth
4 large egg yolks
½ cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice
½ cup frozen peas
1 bunch of scallions, sliced to yield a scant
½ cup of rings
2½ cups cooked rice (day-old is more than fine)
2 generous pinches coarse kosher salt, or to taste

Bring the chicken broth to a simmer on the stove top in a stainless-steel pot and keep it simmering as you gather the rest of the ingredients. It will slightly reduce and intensify in these few minutes.

In a stainless-steel or glass heatproof bowl, whisk the egg yolks, then add the lemon juice and whisk until blended.

Add a ladleful of hot stock to the egg-lemon mixture and whisk thoroughly.

While whisking, slowly add the hot egg-lemon mixture into the pot. Stir or whisk gently over medium-low heat while the liquid ever so slightly thickens and changes color from bright to pale yellow, about two minutes. Add the peas and the scallions, which will turn bright green in the first few seconds as they blanch in the hot liquid. Stir gently until the peas are warmed through, then add the cooked rice. Stir thoroughly, then turn off the heat and let rest, covered for a minute or two. Season with salt and pepper as needed.

Shrimp Fried Rice

For my toddlers

When my kids were toddlers (though they still act like toddlers!), I used to make them fried rice for dinner.  I thought it was a great way to get them to eat eggs.  I haven’t made it in a long time and my daughter, Grace, requested it for her birthday dinner.

Shrimp Fried Rice

Serves 4

8 oz small raw shrimp, shelled and deveined
½ tsp kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp cornstarch
2 Tbs cooking oil, divided
3 eggs, beaten
2 stalks green onion, minced
4 cups leftover rice, grains separated well
¾ cup frozen peas and carrots, defrosted
1 Tbs soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil

In a bowl, toss the shrimp with the salt, pepper and cornstarch. Let marinate for 10 minutes at room temperature. Heat a wok or large sauté pan on high heat. When the pan is hot enough for a bead of water to instantly sizzle and evaporate, add just 1 tablespoon of the cooking oil and swirl to coat pan.

Add the shrimp, quickly spreading out around the cooking surface area so that they are not overlapping. Let fry, untouched for 30 seconds. Flip over and let the other side fry for 30 seconds, or until about 80% cooked through. Remove the shrimp from the pan onto a plate, leaving as much oil in the pan as possible.

Turn the heat to medium, let the pan heat up again. Add the eggs, stirring in a quick motion to break up and scramble the eggs. When the eggs are almost cooked through (they should still be slightly runny in the middle), dish out of the pan into the same plate as the cooked shrimp.

Use paper towels to wipe the same wok or sauté pan clean and return to high heat with the remaining 1 tablespoon of cooking oil, swirling to coat. When the oil is very hot, add the green onions and fry until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add in the rice and stir well to mix in the green onions throughout. Spread the rice all around the wok surface area and let the rice heat up, untouched until you hear the bottoms of the grains sizzle, about 1-2 minutes. Use the spatula to toss the rice, again spreading the rice out over the surface of wok.

Drizzle the soy sauce all around the rice and toss. Add the peas and carrots, the cooked eggs, shrimp and sesame oil, tossing to mix the rice evenly with all of the ingredients. Let everything heat back up again, until the rice grains are so hot they practically dance! Taste and add an additional 1 teaspoon of soy sauce if needed.

Fast Fried Rice

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have a healthy day!

Here is a fast, low fat dish.  This will put you on the right track to a healthy day.  Notice how I didn’t say healthy life.  That would not be realistic….

Fast Fried Rice

Serves 2

2 tsp oil
1 egg, beaten
2 slices bacon, chopped
6 oz mushrooms, sliced
7 oz frozen peas
1 garlic clove, crushed
1” piece fresh ginger, grated
2 tsp dark soy sauce, plus extra to serve
1 tsp sugar
1 cup cooked basmati rice

Heat the oil in a frying pan, then tip in the egg. Leave to set for 30 seconds-1 minute, swirling every now and again, then tip it out and finely slice. Add bacon and mushrooms to pan, then fry until golden, about 3 minutes. Add peas, garlic and ginger, then cook for 1 minute.

Mix the soy sauce and sugar together. Turn up the heat, add the cooked rice to the pan, heat through, then splash in the sweet soy sauce. Stir through the egg and serve straight away, with more soy sauce if you like.

Red Rice

A Southern style rice

A Southern style rice recipe, similar to a Spanish rice, made with tomatoes, peppers, onion, rice, bacon, and other ingredients.  This side dish is served as an accompaniment to everything from fried chicken to short ribs.

Red Rice

Serves 6 to 8

4 to 6 slices bacon, about 4 oz
1 medium onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
2 cups uncooked rice
2 (14.5 oz each) cans tomatoes, pureéd
2 tsp salt, or to taste
1/4 tsp pepper
1 scant tsp sugar
3 or 4 drops Tabasco, or to taste

In a large heavy skillet, fry bacon until crisp; remove from pan to paper towels. Drain well then crumble and set aside. Sauté onions, celery, and green pepper in the bacon grease until tender. Add rice, tomatoes, crumbled bacon, and seasonings. Cook on top of the stove for 10 minutes. Pour into a large buttered baking dish; cover tightly and bake at 350° for 1 hour, or until rice is tender.

Porcini Mushroom Risotto

Risotto

In Italy, rice is to the North as pasta is to the South. It is said that Lombardy’s Milan is where the first classic risotto was prepared. And the most widely known, Risotto alla Milanese, is from here.

Arborio the most widely used rice in the preparation of risotto, as the grains are less likely to break during cooking and the rice absorbs a lot of liquid while retaining a firmness and a bite.

Italian risotto is quite different from rice, as we know it. It is a dish in itself. Rarely served with meat, chicken, pork or fish. An exception, risotto alla Milanese served with osso bucco.

Normally served as a first course, risotto can also be a main course.

Practically any ingredient, meat, fish, fowl, herb, vegetable, cheese, or sausage can be added to a risotto to flavor it. However, the basic method for preparing risotto is the same. To absorb a little broth at a time till is reaches a creamy consistency, tender grains with slight chewiness.

The idea is to “insaporire” the rice, to flavor it with the ingredients of choice.

Porcini Mushroom Risotto

Serves 6

3/4 cup (about 1/3 oz) dried porcini mushrooms
4 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
8 oz bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium onion, minced (about 1 cup)
2 1/4 cup (about 1 lb) Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh-ground pepper
Dried bread crumbs

Make the mushroom broth: Bring 4 cups water to a simmer in a medium saucepan, completely submerge the mushrooms, and soak for 25 minutes. Remove the mushrooms with a slotted spoon and slice into 1/2-inch pieces. Strain the water and return it to the saucepan; add the chicken broth, bring to a simmer, and keep warm.

Make the risotto: Cook bacon in a large saucepan until crisp. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside; reserve fat. Sauté onions in 2 tablespoons bacon fat until translucent — about 5 minutes. Add the rice and cook over medium heat until slightly translucent — about 5 minutes. Add the wine and cook until absorbed. Add 1 cup of hot broth, stirring constantly, and cook until absorbed, continue stirring and adding broth by the cupfuls until risotto is creamy and rice is cooked through but slightly al dente — about 25 minutes. Stir in the bacon, Parmesan, salt, and pepper and serve immediately or freeze.

Freeze the leftover risotto: Shape 1/4 cupfuls of cooled risotto into 2-inch patties and coat with bread crumbs. Stack patties between sheets of waxed paper and transfer to an airtight container. Store frozen for up to 2 months. To serve, cook frozen patties in a lightly oiled or buttered skillet for 6 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels.