Posted by Lucy Baker, May 6, 2008 at 3:15 PM
Making your mom eggs on Mother's Day is easy. That's not to say serving her an omelet in bed or a frittata on the sun porch isn't a good idea—such gestures are always appreciated. But this year, why not try your hand at a dish that's a bit more time consuming to prepare, yet yields far more impressive results?
Today's Cook the Book recipe, excerpted from Cowgirl Cuisine, is for Gazpacho Risotto with Garlic Shrimp. Don't be alarmed by the number of jalapenos—they add only a mild heat, while the slow roasted tomatoes lend the dish a rich smokiness. The finished risotto is a real showstopper: tinted a lovely shade of pink and brimming with fresh vegetables. You could serve it simply, without the shrimp, but doesn't your mom deserve a meal that pulls out all the stops?
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Posted by Robyn Lee, May 1, 2008 at 12:30 PM
The following recipe is from the May 1st edition of our weekly recipe newsletter. To receive this newsletter in your inbox, sign up here!
In Lidia Bastianich's latest cookbook, Lidia's Italy, she shares recipes from her favorite ten places in Italy. This springtime recipe for risotto with spinach comes from Friuli in northeast Italy and shows the basic risotto-making technique used in Friuli. Instead of spinach, she suggests using greens more common to the region, such as nettles, wild asparagus, or sclopit, if you can find them.
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Posted by Adam Kuban, April 12, 2008 at 6:00 PM
Each Saturday evening we bring you a Sunday Supper recipe. Why on Saturday? So you have time to shop and prepare for tomorrow.
When I've overdone it during the week, I like to keep things simple on the weekends. And this week I overdid it, with two burgers* in one night, a fair amount of drinkin', and a three-second ride on a mechanical bull. The easy comfort of risotto bianco is sounding really good right now. The recipe that follows is adapted from the one in Alice Waters' book The Art of Simple Food. It doesn't really say in her book, probably because it's second nature to Ms. Waters, but with something as basic as risotto, you really have to use good-quality ingredients. Homemade chicken stock is ideal. I have some in my freezer, so I'm going to hit my stash for this. And I'll just pick up a good Italian Parmigiano.
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Posted by Nick Kindelsperger, March 19, 2008 at 4:30 PM
It wasn’t until recently that I realized the term "risotto" could be applied to all sorts of dishes that didn’t have an ounce of rice involved. It’s a liberating idea in theory, but one I haven’t really followed through with in practice. Although I never thought turnips would be the gateway, we actually picked this recipe because of the turnips, not the risotto tag. The fiancée and I just came to the conclusion that we probably hadn’t ever bought turnips before. It was about time.
Halfway through preparing this recipe, I predicted disaster. It didn’t smell that wonderful, and all that oil looked excessive. The resulting dish was a tad heavy, but I suppose that all rice-based risottos are, too. Luscious, warming, and filling probably give a better description. It's yet another Mario Batali
recipe that seems a little too simple until it hits the plate.
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Posted by Blake Royer, January 31, 2008 at 4:15 PM
No, it's not as good as the real thing. It doesn't have the creaminess, the richness, the elegance. But I wanted a big bowl of creamy starch for dinner, I wanted it quickly—and real risotto will never be quick. This was a pleasant surprise: the orzo spends four or five minutes boiling to accomplish most of the cooking, then a short simmer in stock with some fresh thyme and orange zest completes it. Like the real deal, butter and Parmesan are stirred in at the end—unlike the real deal, this was ready in 15 minutes, including waiting for the boiling water.
The flavors are exceedingly subtle, and The Best of Gourmet: A Year of Celebrations recommends it as a side dish, which is probably wiser. If I made this again, it would be next to a roast chicken. It's more of a wingman. But if it had to be a main course, maybe some shallots or onion, sautéed beforehand in butter along with that thyme and orange zest, would boost the flavors; the parboiled orzo could be added to that along with stock. I'm also curious how long this would take without the pre-boiling: just dry orzo added to stock, simmered until tender and absorbed, more like a real risotto. Has anyone tried that?
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Posted by Emily Koh, January 25, 2008 at 1:00 PM
Unlike other members of the wheat family, farro (Italian for "emmer wheat") hasn't gotten as big of a push into the spotlight, although it has started to appear on menus in soups and salads. It also isn't stocked as widely, considering that all authentic farro comes directly from Italy, and availability is limited to gourmet and health food stores. Don't let that stop you, however—this grain cooks quick like rice, and has an earthy, nutty taste, not unlike oats. If you're hankering for some warm risotto these cold winter nights, try switching it up with this farro risotto with butternut squash, ham, sage, and toasted walnuts recipe.
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Posted by Adam Kuban, March 27, 2007 at 7:15 AM
Saffron Risotto
Makes 4 to 6 servings. From Patricia Wells's Trattoria
. Adam Roberts (AKA the Amateur Gourmet) prepared this dish as part of his Serious Eats article Fully Stocked. To make this risotto, you can The Amateur Gourmet's Chicken Stock recipe or your own favorite chicken stock recipe.
Ingredients
About 5 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
A pinch (about ¼ teaspoon) saffron threads
4 tablespoons (2 ounces) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 shallots, minced
Sea salt to taste
1 1/2 cups Italian Arborio rice
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus additional for the table
Procedure
1. In a large saucepan, heat the stock and keep it simmering, at barely a whisper, while you prepare the risotto.
2. In a measuring cup with a spout, combine ½ cup of the hot stock and the saffron. Stir to infuse and set aside.
3. In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine 2 tablespoons of the butter, the oil, shallots, and salt over moderate heat. Cook, stirring, until the shallots are soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. (Do not let the shallots brown.) Add the rice, and stir until the rice is well coated with the fats, glistening and semitranslucent, 1 to 2 minutes. (This step is important for good risotto: the heat and fat will help separate the grains of rice, ensuring a creamy consistency in the end.)
4. When the rice becomes shiny and partly translucent, add a ladleful of the stock. Cook, stirring constantly, until the rice has absorbed most of the stock, 1 to 2 minutes. Add another ladleful of the simmering stock, and stir regularly until all of the broth is absorbed. Adjust the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer. The rice should cook slowly and should always be covered with a veil of stock. Repeat the procedure, stirring frequently and tasting regularly, until the rice is almost tender but firm to the bite, about 17 minutes total. Add the saffron stock at the end. The risotto should have a creamy, porridge like consistency.
5. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and the cheese. Cover and let stand off the heat for 2 minutes, to allow the flavor to blend. Taste for seasoning. Transfer to warmed shallow soup bowls, and serve immediately, passing additional cheese.
