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Posts tagged ‘risotto’

Jan 22

17 Comments

Guest Post- Beet and Gorgonzola Cheese Pearled Barley with Cream Sauce

The first guest post is from my good friend Mimi whose gorgeous blog Chef Mimi blog  has inspired and delighted me for a long time. She is an amazing cook, prolific writer and world traveller and her delicious recipes are beautifully executed, photographed and I know eagerly gobbled up by her family. I am a big fan of risotto and love her take on it using barley and beets and creamy gorgonzola. Without further ado here is Mimi’s wonderful recipe, thank you so much for writing this post for my blog. Please pay Mimi a visit and if you want to print out this recipe you can do so from her blog.

When I first read through Eataly, the cookbook, this recipe caught my attention. It’s risotto made with barley, flavored with beets, and topped with a Gorgonzola cream! Plus, it was really pretty.

The Eataly cookbook, featuring “300 landmark recipes highlighting the best of contemporary Italian home cooking,” is a hefty volume. I’ve already made one recipe for the blog, and although it was poorly written, which seems crazy these days, it turned out great.

Maybe the Italians don’t follow the same recipe protocol as we do here in the United States? I assumed it was a universal thing, but who knows?

In any case, I knew I just had to try this recipe. Full disclosure, however, I substituted feta for the Gorgonzola.

Beet and Gorgonzola Cheese Pearled Barley with Cream Sauce
(that’s the actual name of the recipe in the book)

9 ounces pearled barley
2 cooked beets, cut into cubes
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Generous 2 cups vegetable broth
7 ounces white wine
5 ounces Gorgonzola, cut into cubes
1 3/4 ounces whipping cream
2 ounces butter, cut into cubes
1 ounce grated Parmesan cheese
Salt
A few thyme sprigs to garnish (optional)

Soak the barley in a large bowl of cold water for 2 hours. Rinse and drain well.

Put the beets, 2 tablespoons of the oil, a pinch of salt, and 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon of the broth into a food processor and blend to a purée.

Pour the remaining broth into a pan and bring to a simmer. Keep over a low heat while you make the risotto.

Put the drained barley into a pan, add the remaining oil and a pinch of salt, and toast the barley over medium heat for 6 minutes, stirring continuously.

Add the wine and cook for a few minutes until the wine has evaporated, then add a ladleful of the broth.

Cook the barley over medium heat for about 30 minutes, gradually adding in more broth, a ladleful at a time, until all of the liquid is absorbed by the barley, adding the beet puree 10 minutes before the end of the cooking time.


Meanwhile, put half the Gorgonzola and the cream into a food processor and blend to make a light, creamy sauce.

Once the barley is cooked, remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan, the remaining Gorgonzola, and the butter.

Divide among individual serving dishes, flattening the surface with the back of a spoon. Drizzle a spiral of Gorgonzola cream sauce over the top of each dish and garnish with a drizzle of oil and some thyme leaves. (I obviously didn’t use thyme leaves.)

I served the barley and beet risotto with some rosé to make the meal even more festive. Or, at least, pink!

This risotto, although really not a risotto, is absolutely fabulous. I was surprised there was no onion or garlic, but it’s more about the taste of the grain, plus the broth and cheeses.

I know this would also be really good with Gorgonzola, but the feta cream was outstanding with the beet-flavored risotto.

 

Beet and Gorgonzola Cheese Pearled Barley with Cream Sauce

9 ounces pearled barley
2 cooked beets, cut into cubes
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Generous 2 cups vegetable broth
7 ounces white wine
5 ounces Gorgonzola, cut into cubes
1 3/4 ounces whipping cream
2 ounces butter, cut into cubes
1 ounce grated Parmesan cheese
Salt
A few thyme sprigs to garnish (optional)

Soak the barley in a large bowl of cold water for 2 hours. Rinse and drain well.

Put the beets, 2 tablespoons of the oil, a pinch of salt, and 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon of the broth into a food processor and blend to a purée.

Pour the remaining broth into a pan and bring to a simmer. Keep over a low heat while you make the risotto.

Put the drained barley into a pan, add the remaining oil and a pinch of salt, and toast the barley over medium heat for 6 minutes, stirring continuously.

Add the wine and cook for a few minutes until the wine has evaporated, then add a ladleful of the broth.

Cook the barley over medium heat for about 30 minutes, gradually adding in more broth, a ladleful at a time, until all of the liquid is absorbed by the barley, adding the beet puree 10 minutes before the end of the cooking time.

Meanwhile, put half the Gorgonzola and the cream into a food processor and blend to make a light, creamy sauce.

Once the barley is cooked, remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan, the remaining Gorgonzola, and the butter.

Divide among individual serving dishes, flattening the surface with the back of a spoon. Drizzle a spiral of Gorgonzola cream sauce over the top of each dish and garnish with a drizzle of oil and some thyme leaves.

May 2

77 Comments

I Am A Finalist In Whole Foods Contest!!!!!

I am so excited my recipe for Brown Rice Risotto is a finalist in the Whole Foods contest for whole grain breakfast. If you would not mind voting for my recipe it would be greatly appreciated, if you don’t want to vote thats ok too!! I am so thrilled that they chose my recipe. You can click here to vote if you don’t mind, and today is my birthday, what a great gift!!!

Brown Rice Risotto

Brown Rice Risotto

Apr 8

52 Comments

Brown Rice Breakfast Risotto With Walnut Topping

Brown Rice Risotto

Brown Rice Risotto

The latest Whole Foods Recipe Contest is all about breakfast and whole grains. The weather is starting to get warmer but decided to create a warming healthful breakfast for the last vestiges of cool weather. This is not a quick on the go sort of breakfast (unless you make it the night before), it takes a good 30-40 minutes to cook but when dealing with whole grains you expect to take a little longer to prepare. I used short grain brown rice, milk (almond milk works great also), dates to sweeten and topped with some maple sweetened toasted walnuts. I love risotto and breakfast risotto is wonderful, You can easily make this the night before (thats what do) and either serve cold or heat it. No added sugar, whole grain brown rice is a healthful way to start your day!
Serves: 2
2/1/2-3 cups milk or almond milk
1/2 cup brown arborio or short grain rice
3-4 medjool dates pitted and chopped The dates really sweeten this use less for lightly sweetened risotto.
2 tbs butter (One tbs to saute dates and the other tbs when risotto is finished)
pinch of salt
Garnish
1/2 cup walnuts
2 tbs maple syrup
Add milk to medium saucepan and bring to simmer on med/low heat or heat in microwave for 2-3 minutes to get it hot. Place butter  in saute pan, add chopped dates and cook until softened, add rice and saute until rice is coated with the butter approximately 3 minutes.
Slowly add the milk a cup at a time to the rice, stirring until milk is absorbed and adding more until all of it is used. Add the remaining tbs of butter. Rice will be toothsome, total cooking time is about 30-40 minutes  NOTE: I didn’t add any additional sweeteners, the dates did the job for me, add a little sweetener of your choice if you like. I always have extra liquid ready when making risotto, the whole grain brown rice takes longer to cook and may need more liquid, I needed the full 2 1/2 cups of milk.
While risotto is cooking, pre heat your oven to 350, line small sheet pan with parchment, place walnuts and maple syrup in a small bowl and toss to combine, spread on sheet pan and toast in the oven for 10 minutes or just until you can smell the nuts. Remove from oven and give a rough chop.
To serve: Spoon risotto into bowl, sprinkle some of the nuts on top, add fresh fruit also, I like blueberries.

May 28

12 Comments

Voting Has Started!! Integrale Gauntlet- Mediterranean Seafood Risotto With Gremolata

Mediterranean Seafood Risotto With Gremolata

I created this recipe for a contest from Marx Foods, the challenge involved using their Italian Organic Integrale Rice in an original recipe for a savory risotto.  I wanted to do something a bit different, I love Mediterranean flavors and thought of Bouillabaise or fish stew with the delicious broth laden with a variety of vegetables and seafood, herbs and spice. The Integrale rice is different from any risotto rice I have ever used. It’s a whole grain brown rice which adds a whole new dimension to the dish. The risotto is made with the seafood broth, for added creaminess along with the butter I added mascarpone and parmigiano reggiano, The risotto is topped with a gremolata (parsley, garlic and lemon) and I served with assorted seafood that I cooked in the broth that I didn’t use for the risotto. To vote for this recipe click on this link Integrale Gauntlet . There are a number of recipes and the top 10 bloggers will proceed to the second round which is a sweet risotto dish. I am psyched!!

Serves 4-6

Stock

5 cups fish stock

1 cup clam juice

1 1/2 cup white wine

1 cup water

1 yellow or white onion peeled and sliced

1 shallot peeled and sliced

2 scallion the white and light green parts chopped

2 cups yellow or red cherry tomatoes cut in half

2 large cloves garlic peeled and sliced

1 tbs fresh thyme removed from stem and rough chopped

salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp saffron threads

olive oil (to saute the vegetables)

Risotto:

1 1/2 cups Integrale rice

1 shallot peeled and chopped

6 -6 1/2 cups hot seafood broth

olive oil to coat skillet

2 tbs butter

2 tbs mascarpone

1/4 cup grated parmigiano reggiano cheese

Gremolata:

1 head Italian flat leaf parsley cleaned and stems removed and air dried

zest of 1 large lemon

1  clove garlic

Directions:

In Dutch oven add some olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan and heat on med/high until hot. Add the onion, shallot ,garlic, thyme and green onion and saute until soft and translucent. Add the tomatoes and cook until they start to soften,now add the fish stock, clam juice, saffron and wine and turn heat to high, bring to a boil then reduce to med/high and let cook for 30 minutes. Turn heat to low so the stock simmers. Scoop out the vegetables so you have only the broth remaining. Season with salt and pepper.

While the broth is cooking make the gremolata, you can either chop by hand or use food processor. If using processor add the parsley, lemon zest and garlic and pulse until it is combined. Place in covered container and refrigerate until you are ready to serve the risotto.

In 12 or 13 inch saute pan coat bottom of pan with some olive oil and heat on med/high. Add the shallot and saute until soft, add the rice and stir constantly coating each grain with the oil and shallot, saute for 1 to 2 minutes, touch the rice with your hand it should be hot to the touch. Make sure you have your pot of simmering broth next to you, add one cup of the broth when it is absorbed add one more cup of the hot broth, stir constantly and when the rice has absorbed the liquid add another cup of broth, continue doing this until the rice is cooked through and creamy, at this point add the 2 tbs of butter, grated cheese and the mascarpone the rice should not be dry but  creamy (like heavy cream). It took about 35 minutes to cook the risotto. Adjust seasoning. To serve spoon onto plate and top with gremolata.

Serving Suggestion: With remaining broth add some mussels, scallops and firm fish filets (I used halibut) or whatever kind of seafood you like and serve with the risotto.