4 posts tagged “risotto”

So, remember last week, when I was telling you how badly I wanted to try ZenChef’s (over at Chefs Gone Wild) Clam Risotto?  Well, I did it.  I made his absolutely remarkable risotto and I’m sort of half wondering if I have died and gone to heaven?  Did I?  Somebody let me know if you read this post…to let me know if I died or not.  I mean seriously…it’s *that* good.  I even screwed it up a little–I forgot the lemon juice until after we finished eating it.  Did I mention there was not a single grain of rice left over?  We even licked the cockle shells clean.   I was going to make some really inappropriate joke about sucking cockle shells, but I’d better not.  But we did. lol  ;)  If you know me, you know that I cannot follow a recipe exactly.  It really is some sort of impossibility for me.  I do not feel complete if I don’t change things up at least just a little.  After all, a recipe really should just be a springboard for our own creativity, right?  So, I will note my (minimal) changes, even though I did stick pretty close to Zen’s original post. 

So, would you look at this?  Don’t you just want to dive into that plate of creamy risotto bliss?  Trust me, it’ll be the best dive you’ve ever performed.

zens risotto

Risotto…what can I say about it that you probably don’t already know?  Not much, I’m guessing.  Creamy rice mixed with a touch of wine, a bit of parmigiano-reggiano, and whatever ingredients suit your fancy at the time.  It’s all about the technique I suppose…a proper risotto must be cared for and tended to for it to come out perfect.  I’ve found that the only way to get perfect results is to add the liquid little bits at a time, stirring constantly until the liquid is absorbed, then repeating until desired “creaminess” is achieved.  This makes it difficult to nail down the exact quantities of liquid, but, as I always say, each person’s tastes are different, some prefer their rice more al dente, others prefer it softer, and yet, others prefer it downright soupy.  I’m not judging anyone’s tastes, I’m just saying that you’ll need to take your desired result into consideration when preparing risotto.  :)  Cooking is all about being creative, letting your inner Julia Child or Rick Bayless come out to play…I’m a firm believer that a recipe is just the starting point to creating a dish that your own family will love.

For the recipe, please visit my blog:  http://canarygirl.com/?p=111

pumpkin and mushroom risotto

Asparagus is at it’s peak here in canaryland, it’s crisp and fresh, and can be attained at an excellent price….not so common round these parts!  We can generally get white asparagus, especially canned (though that’s not really the same food now, is it?), since it’s grown extensively in Navarra….but the green variety, the thin stalks of deliciousness are somewhat evasive here…well, the fresh kind anyway.  The soft, bendy shrively kind is readily available most of the time.  But who the heck wants that? lol  I adore asparagus season…it is easily one of my favorite vegetables, and even the simplest of preparations gets my heart beating in excitement…but this dish, my friends…risotto…with asparagus tossed in near the end so that it still has that hint of crunch, and combined with big white mushrooms?  Well, that’s just taking it to a whole ‘nother level, now isn’t it? 

For the recipe, please visit: http://canarygirl.com

asparagus and mushroom risotto

Grana Padano is basically the same thing as Parmeggiano-Reggiano, it’s just made in a different region of Italy.  If you have trouble finding it, Parmeggiano or Romano or Asiago are all good substitutes.  The other day, Elly posted a recipe for Pork Tenderloin Milanese, with Pecorino Orzo and Tomato topping….I had been craving it ever since she posted, so yesterday I made a similar meal.  So I whole heartedly give credit to Elly for the recipe….I can’t follow a recipe to save my life, though….so I posted my version too. ;)

You can find my version at http://canarygirl.com .

grana padano fillet and "risotto"