So, hey, here’s something fun to do with millet! It’s kind of like risotto (except, not really), but it is creamy and delicious. And, you don’t have to stir in continuously like real risotto. Just simmer under a cracked lid, stirring every so often.

I was actually surprised at how good this was. I think jwa was too. You know, I think he’s kind of humoring me with all the new, out-of-the-ordinary grains and stuff, but this one he really liked. He seemed pleasantly surprised by that.

Sorry, I don’t have a good image of the roasted butternut squash, just believe me, it was there and I roasted it. Also, it’s very apparent that I really need to replace my one burnt out light above my stove top. Buying an appliance bulb tomorrow, I think, because one light bulb there just isn’t enough for good pictures. . . . → Read More: Millet Risotto with Butternut Squash, Goat Cheese & Leeks]]>

So, hey, here’s something fun to do with millet! It’s kind of like risotto (except, not really), but it is creamy and delicious. And, you don’t have to stir in continuously like real risotto. Just simmer under a cracked lid, stirring every so often.

I was actually surprised at how good this was. I think jwa was too. You know, I think he’s kind of humoring me with all the new, out-of-the-ordinary grains and stuff, but this one he really liked. He seemed pleasantly surprised by that.

Sorry, I don’t have a good image of the roasted butternut squash, just believe me, it was there and I roasted it. Also, it’s very apparent that I really need to replace my one burnt out light above my stove top. Buying an appliance bulb tomorrow, I think, because one light bulb there just isn’t enough for good pictures.

Oh yeah, so cooking it this way (lid askew, stirring occasionally), was not actually one of the ways to cook millet that was discussed in class. But, you know, I like to live dangerously and it seemed to work out pretty well. I’m calling it for this is an okay way to cook millet!

Millet Risotto with Butternut Squash, Goat Cheese & Leeks
1 tbsp olive oil (plus a little more for drizzling)
1 leek, cleaned and chopped
1 large shallot, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp dried sage
1 cup peeled & diced butternut squash
1 cup Millet
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 cups chicken or vegetable broth (low sodium if not homemade)
2 tbsp goat cheese (if you add a third tablespoon in there, I won’t tell anyone)
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped parsley or cilantro
1/4 cup pine nuts
salt & pepper

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Spread the butternut squash out on a baking sheet and drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Roast until soft, and a little golden in places, about 20-30 minutes. Set aside.

In a pot, heat the olive oil and saute the leeks and shallot until soft, about 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and sage and saute for another minute or two. Add the millet and cook until slightly toasted. About 3-5 minutes.

Add the wine and let it absorb for a minute or two, then add all the chicken broth. Stir and lower the heat so it’s only lightly boiling. Crack the lid over the top and stir occasionally, until most of the broth is absorbed and the millet is tender, about 20-30 minutes (depending on how soft you like your millet).

Add the roasted butternut squash and then the cheeses. Stir it all together, it should be pretty creamy. If it’s too creamy, you can always add a splash more broth.

Add the parsley (or cilantro) and pine nuts and mix it all together and add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve drizzled with a little olive oil. You may be tempted to serve with more Parmesan cheese too, but honestly, you probably won’t even need it! But if you want to, it’s okay.

This was sort of a happy accident in that I had no idea what to make for dinner and then I absentmindedly pulled a magazine from my desk drawer and came across this recipe. After doing a mental inventory of the fridge and cabinet I discovered that yes, I had all the stuff at home and yes, this is what I would be making for dinner. Happy! Accidental? Hmm, well, maybe not.

Anyway, this was very good! Creamy and orangey and cheesey. With healthy carrots on top.

And yeah, you can have fun with the leftovers too. Although, I did bake rather than fry my risotto balls but still quite delicious. Okay, let’s go with the recipe.

Risotto All’Arancia con Carote (or Orange Carrot Risotto) Adapted from a recipe in La Cucina Italiana Magazine — about 3-4 servings) 3 medium carrots, diced 1 large orange 3 tbsp olive oil (divided) 1 shallot, . . . → Read More: Risotto All’Arancia Con Carote (or Orange Carrot Risotto)]]>

This was sort of a happy accident in that I had no idea what to make for dinner and then I absentmindedly pulled a magazine from my desk drawer and came across this recipe. After doing a mental inventory of the fridge and cabinet I discovered that yes, I had all the stuff at home and yes, this is what I would be making for dinner. Happy! Accidental? Hmm, well, maybe not.

Anyway, this was very good! Creamy and orangey and cheesey. With healthy carrots on top.

And yeah, you can have fun with the leftovers too. Although, I did bake rather than fry my risotto balls but still quite delicious. Okay, let’s go with the recipe.

Risotto All’Arancia con Carote (or Orange Carrot Risotto)
Adapted from a recipe in La Cucina Italiana Magazine — about 3-4 servings)
3 medium carrots, diced
1 large orange
3 tbsp olive oil (divided)
1 shallot, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups arborio or carnaroli rice
1/4 cup dry white wine
4-5 cups hot chicken broth (homemade or low sodium)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp unsalted butter
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper and fresh chopped rosemary leaves (plus more Parmesan for garnish)

Steam the carrots until tender, about 4 minutes. Alternatively, you can also saute them in a little olive oil until tender, also about 4-5 minutes. Set aside.

Zest the orange peel with a microplane grater and the juice the orange. Keep the zest and juice separate.

In a heavy bottomed pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat and saute the shallot and garlic until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the rice and orange zest and stir to coat with oil. Cook about 3 more minutes. Add the wine and orange juice and stir until absorbed. Then, add the hot broth by 1/2 cupfuls, stirring frequently. Wait until each addition is mostly absorbed to add the next.

Add the cheese and butter to the last addition of broth. Stir and season with salt and pepper. Let that last addition of broth cook down until the desired consistency. You may not use all the hot broth. Start tasting for doneness when you have about 1/3 of the broth left to add).

To serve, spoon risotto out into bowls and make a small indentation in the center of each. Add the carrots there and sprinkle it all with the chopped rosemary and a small drizzle with remaining olive oil. Garnish with more cheese if desired.

Leftovers?

Make Risotto Balls! (Arancini)
Take any leftover risotto and form little balls (I also added some chopped green onions and cilantro to mine — leftover from brunch), hiding a bit of mozzarella or goat cheese in the middle.

Chill to firm and then roll in a beaten egg and coat in breadcrumbs (I used panko).

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F and spray a lined baking sheet with canola or olive oil spray. Lay the risotto balls on the sheet and spray with more oil. Bake about 30 minutes. Flip them over once, about half way through cooking time.

Let cool briefly and then devour!

Goat cheesey interior goodness…

Oh, wow, having a cold is horrible. It’s been so long since I’ve been sick, that I couldn’t really remember how annoying it is to be under the weather. But, last weekend it all came back to me. It started with a lump in the throat and then the fun continued on from there — fever, chills, stuffed up nose, aches, pains, coughing. Grr! And to top it all off, this cold started while we were on a previously-had-to-be-postponed trip to Seattle to see the Battlestar Galactica exhibit.

Luckily, it’s been about six days now and I think I’ve mostly recovered and ohmygod!, am I sick of canned soup. By the way, you know you’re sick when canned soup sounds good (and you have absolutely no interest in making soup — an endeavor you normally love).

So, here’s to good health! Let’s celebrate with some tasty, . . . → Read More: Risotto with Savoy Cabbage and Chicken Sausage]]>

Oh, wow, having a cold is horrible. It’s been so long since I’ve been sick, that I couldn’t really remember how annoying it is to be under the weather. But, last weekend it all came back to me. It started with a lump in the throat and then the fun continued on from there — fever, chills, stuffed up nose, aches, pains, coughing. Grr! And to top it all off, this cold started while we were on a previously-had-to-be-postponed trip to Seattle to see the Battlestar Galactica exhibit.

Luckily, it’s been about six days now and I think I’ve mostly recovered and ohmygod!, am I sick of canned soup. By the way, you know you’re sick when canned soup sounds good (and you have absolutely no interest in making soup — an endeavor you normally love).

So, here’s to good health! Let’s celebrate with some tasty, creamy risotto!

This was a dish born out of having half a head of savoy cabbage leftover from making lamb cabbage rolls and having no idea whatsoever what to do with that half a cabbage head. Make more cabbage rolls?? It was starting to look like that when I found this recipe online.

This was very good and comforting, with just a bit of heat from the chicken Sicilian-style sausage I used.

Risotto with Savoy Cabbage and Sausage
risotto con verza e salsiccia…Adapted from La Cucina Italiana Magazine
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 Savoy cabbage, cored and thinly sliced
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 chicken Italian sausages, removed from casings
1.5 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
5 cups lower-sodium chicken broth, heated to a simmer
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano cheese
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
Salt and Freshly ground black pepper

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add cabbage and onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, about 8 minutes. Add sausage and stir to combine. Add rice and cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes.

Add wine and 1 cup broth; cook, stirring, until liquid is mostly absorbed, about 7 minutes. Add 1/2 cup more broth and cook, stirring, until mostly absorbed.

Repeat, adding liquid in 1/2 cupfuls, until rice is tender yet still slightly firm to the bite (you may not use all the broth).

Stir in the tablespoon butter, most of the parsley and the cheese. Taste. Add a bit more cheese. (Repeat that last step a few more times). Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately, garnishing with the leftover parsley. About 4-5 servings.

What is this? Another post? Holy crap, yes, it’s another post. This was another meal we had over the Memorial Day Weekend. It was a very green meal with green herb risotto and some (leftover) pea puree bruschetta. We even had matcha creme brulee for desert. See? very green!

The risotto was good, but I will confess to adding a tad more cheese that the original recipe called for — mainly a few tablespoons of herbed goat cheese and about twice as much Parmesan. That’s just how I roll.

The bruschetta was an afterthought, a little side-snack and a way to show off these awesome garden radishes that jwa pulled up. Grilled, sliced baguette, toasted and rubbed with garlic, then slathered with a bit of the puree, a half cherry tomato and a sliver of robusto cheese. Drizzled with a little balsamic vinegar and sprinkle some . . . → Read More: The Very Green Meal (Featuring Risotto & Pea Puree)]]>

What is this? Another post? Holy crap, yes, it’s another post. This was another meal we had over the Memorial Day Weekend. It was a very green meal with green herb risotto and some (leftover) pea puree bruschetta. We even had matcha creme brulee for desert. See? very green!

The risotto was good, but I will confess to adding a tad more cheese that the original recipe called for — mainly a few tablespoons of herbed goat cheese and about twice as much Parmesan. That’s just how I roll.

The bruschetta was an afterthought, a little side-snack and a way to show off these awesome garden radishes that jwa pulled up. Grilled, sliced baguette, toasted and rubbed with garlic, then slathered with a bit of the puree, a half cherry tomato and a sliver of robusto cheese. Drizzled with a little balsamic vinegar and sprinkle some chopped chives (also from the garden) to finish. Surround the bruschetta on the platter with the aforementioned radishes.

Pea puree recipe is here.

Green Herb Risotto
Adapted from a recipe in Bon Appétit (July 2007)
1 1/2 cups (loosely packed) fresh baby spinach leaves
1/2 cup (loosely packed) fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup (loosely packed) fresh Italian parsley leaves
2 tbsp (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tbsp sliced, toasted almonds
2 garlic cloves
6 cups chicken broth
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium white onion, diced
1 medium orange or yellow bell pepper, diced
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
2-3 tbsp goat cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus additional for serving
salt & pepper

Blend first 6 ingredients in processor until thick paste forms. You can do this a few hours ahead of time, just wrap up and stick in the refrigerator.

Bring the broth to simmer in saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat to very low; cover to keep warm. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and bell pepper; sauté until soft, stirring often, about 10 minutes.

Add rice; stir until heated through, about 3 minutes. Add wine; simmer until absorbed, stirring often. Add warm broth mixture 1 cup at a time, allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding next and stirring often, until rice is tender but still firm to bite, about 20 minutes. You’ll use most if not all of the broth.

Stir in herb paste and the cheeses.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately in warm bowls, passing additional Parmesan cheese alongside. I garnished with a few chopped green onions and thyme sprigs. A nice drizzle of ilove oil would be good too on top!

I’ll try to get the matcha creme brulee recipe up this week too!

I cannot believe I’ve only made risotto a handful of times this winter! That is crazy because I luuurve risotto. Maybe the weather is turning all crappy again to inspire me to make more risotto?

Anyway, this is the latest risotto experiment — sort of a Spanish-inspired theme. I’ve just started eating cauliflower and I am trying to throw it into as many dishes as possible. Cauliflower in 2007/2008 is like the spinach of 1995.

I think cauliflower is the last vegetable I have left to develop a liking for…er, okay, wait, still not crazy about beets. And I have tried…but that’s a different story.

So, cauliflower is very good roasted, which is how this recipe starts. Roasting is always a good place to start. After the roasting, there is sauteing, stirring, melting and then eating.

Cauliflower Risotto with Saffron, Pancetta and Manchego 1 head of cauliflower, cut into 2-inch-wide florets 2 . . . → Read More: The Last Risotto of Winter 2007-08? Cauliflower Risotto with Saffron, Pancetta and Manchego]]>

I cannot believe I’ve only made risotto a handful of times this winter! That is crazy because I luuurve risotto. Maybe the weather is turning all crappy again to inspire me to make more risotto?

Anyway, this is the latest risotto experiment — sort of a Spanish-inspired theme. I’ve just started eating cauliflower and I am trying to throw it into as many dishes as possible. Cauliflower in 2007/2008 is like the spinach of 1995.

I think cauliflower is the last vegetable I have left to develop a liking for…er, okay, wait, still not crazy about beets. And I have tried…but that’s a different story.

So, cauliflower is very good roasted, which is how this recipe starts. Roasting is always a good place to start. After the roasting, there is sauteing, stirring, melting and then eating.

Cauliflower Risotto with Saffron, Pancetta and Manchego
1 head of cauliflower, cut into 2-inch-wide florets
2 tbsp + 1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
1/4 cup pancetta cubes
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large sprig of rosemary, leaves removed and chopped
1 pinch saffron threads
1 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup of white wine
4 cups chicken stock, simmering
1/2 cup manchego cheese, grated (you can also sub different cheeses — Parmesan, feta, gruyere, goat cheese, I think they’d all work just fine)
Garnish: more chopped rosemary, grilled shrimp

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Toss cauliflower with oil, parmesan, some salt and pepper in a large bowl. Spread evenly on a baking pan and roast in upper third of oven, stirring occasionally, until golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Set aside.

Now, heat up a big pot and add the remaining olive oil and the pancetta cubes, onion and garlic. Cook for about 2-3 minutes and add the rosemary and saffron.

Next comes the rice. Add that to the pot and stir to coat in the oil and pancetta-y goodness. Add the wine and stir until it is mostly absorbed. Then, start adding the simmering broth (about 1/3 a cup at a time), stirring, adding more when the liquid in the risotto pot is almost absorbed.

When you’ve gone through about half the broth, add the cauliflower (do not forget the golden Parmesan bits!) and continue to add more broth as it cooks. On your last addition of broth, add the cheese. And stir while it melts. Taste and salt and pepper as needed.

Serve in bowls with more chopped parsley duh, I meant rosemary, as a garnish and grilled shrimp on the side if desired. And really, who doesn’t desire grilled shrimp on the side?

Red wine and bread on the side is also quite nice! Oh, hell, get a plate of green olives too…