Asparagus and Sausage Risotto

Whenever I mention to people that I love making risotto, they always give me this look and say "Well isn't that really time consuming" or "Wow, you must REALLY like to cook." Well yes, I do like to cook, and yes, this is no insta-meal. However, it only takes about 30 minutes if you're just patient and know what to look for. So to prove to you that I'm right (because I am) I spent extra time taking step-by-step photos.

Of course, I did all this before I realized that Pioneer Woman was going to post something so similar (and with much prettier photos). Her risotto looks quite tasty as well. Mine will show portions for two and also what to do if you're adding extra ingredients. It also has about a bajillion photos (and thanks blogger for making uploading and positioning pictures a real pain). Note: You can apply these guidelines to any kind of risotto. For the most part, just add your pre-cooked ingredients to the end. Want some other risotto ideas? See here.

Also, if you know how to make blogger do expandable post short-cuts without making it add "Read More" links to all previous posts, PLEASE let me know. It's been driving me crazy.

Okay, so here it goes! Click here to dig in!

The line-up!

Asparagus and Sausage Risotto

Serves 2

1/2 cup arborio rice

2 - 3 cups chicken broth

1 TBS olive oil

1 large shallot, chopped fine

1 - 1 1/2 cup asparagus, steamed and chopped into 1" pieces

1 link pre-cooked chicken sausage, sliced thinly

1/4 cup frozen (or fresh) peas

1/4 cup white wine

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 TBS butter

a splash of light cream

salt and pepper to taste

1) Pour chicken broth into a small sauce pan. Bring to a simmer. Lower heat, but keep warm. We're going to be adding this to the risotto as we go along.

2) Heat oil in a medium sauce pan, over medium heat, until it shimmers.

3) Add shallots to the hot oil. You can use onions instead, if you'd line, but I'm starting to have this love affair with shallots because they have this delicious subtle sweetness to them.

Sauté until translucent.

4) Add risotto to the pan. Stir until coated. This slows down the absorption process and gives the rice a slight nuttiness.

5) Add white wine to deglaze pan. Stir until most of the wine is absorbed. The rice should start to feel a little sticky.

6) Okay, now we're going to start adding the broth. I usually add the most at the beginning and then smaller amounts as we go along. I usually start with about a cup of broth.

Now we're going to start stirring. According to many risotto experts, one needs to be stirring "constantly." I usually stir more like "often." You do sort of need to hover near the stove and keep an eye on things, but you don't need to be stirring every second.

You want to keep your eye on the heat level. I usually leave it at this low simmer over medium to medium-low heat. You don't want the rice to absorb too quickly/boil off the liquid or it won't really cook right. And hey look, I'm not stirring!

This is what the rice will look like about 10 minutes in. See how it's starting to puff up and turn opaque? If you tried a grain right now it would be still mostly raw and kind of crunchy. You'll also notice there's very little "creaminess."

See how the liquid is being absorbed and starting to make the rice kind of creamy? You'll notice when you stir that the mixture will feel thicker and the rice will start to stick a little to the bottom and sides of the pan. Time to add more broth!

I added about 1/2 - scant 1 cup of broth. Depending on the brand of rice you get, you may need more broth, you may need less. Same deal if, say, you had the heat on too high when you started. So I usually try to keep an extra cup of broth handy. Hot water will work in a pinch.

Let's take another look at the risotto itself. We're not about 20-25 minutes into the cooking process. See how it's softer and we're starting to get that "creaminess" from the starch that's been released from the grains? Lets give it another stir...

Most of the liquid has been absorbed and there's more of that creaminess in the pot. If you try a bit now, it should be a little too "al dente" meaning almost tender, but with a bit too much of a crunch. Right now, we want it to be tender and firm, sure, but not crunchy. However, this point in time heralds the coming of additional ingredients!

*Trumpets Sound!*

Add another 1/2 cup of broth (sorry about the flash folks)

6) Time to add the asparagus...

... chicken sausage...

... and peas!

Now we stir it all together. Isn't all that green pretty? This is going to cook for another 5 -10 minutes. You'll need to be a little more active about stirring now because there's so much stuff going on in here. I usually add whatever last splash of broth I have leftover to this beautiful mess.

Let's get another close up. The rice is opaque, soft, and now, if you taste it, tender. It should still have a firmness to it, a bit of chew, but it shouldn't be crunchy. Now just watch the amount of liquid in the pan. You don't want risotto soup.

Ah, perfect. There's some liquid left, but it's thick and kind of creamy. Don't worry if it's not super "creamy." Much of that will come from adding the cheese and, well, cream.

7) Turn off the heat and add salt and pepper.

8) Now we add that tablespoon of butter. Stir until melted and incorporated.

9) Then we add the cheese. And stir. Now. We could stop here. It will be plenty creamy and delicious, but I just happened to have some cream sitting around, all lonely like, in my refrigerator, so why not.

So lets add a splash of cream. Like 1/2 tablespoon. You really don't need it. But it's tasty.

Isn't that just gorgeous? I want to eat it. Off of my screen.

And this, this here is what it's all about. Your final product? Dreamy, creamy, cheesy, risotto deliciousness.

10) Serve it up with an extra sprinkling of parmesan. Just for good luck.

Spinach and Artichoke Risotto

I love Spinach and Artichoke Dip and I love risotto, so what better combination? Really, that's all I have to say.

Spinach and Artichoke Risotto
Serves 2
9/10

2 - 3 cups stock (chicken or vegetable)
1 TBS olive oil
1/2 cup onions, chopped
1 cup arborio rice
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and chopped
1/2 cup frozen spinach, thawed and chopped
2 oz cream cheese (you can buy single servings)
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 TBS butter
1/4 tsp garlic salt (or more, to taste)
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
black pepper to taste

1) Heat stock in a small sauce pan until hot, but not boiling. Keep warm.
2) Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan until shimmering. Add onions and sauté over med-high heat until translucent. Lower the heat to med-low. Add the arborio rice and stir until it is coated with oil.
3) Add white wine. Stir until the liquid has been mostly absorbed and the rice begins to stick to the pot.
4) Add warm stock to the rice 1/2 – 1 cup at a time and continue to stir the risotto until the liquid is mostly absorbed and the rice begins to stick before adding the next cup. The rice will being to absorb the liquid much slower.
5) After about 15 minutes, the rice will have puffed up, but still be a bit al dente (read: crunchy). Add artichokes, spinach, garlic salt, red pepper flakes, and pepper.
6) Cook for 5 - 10 more minutes, adding stock as it is absorbed. Th risotto should take on a creamy texture and will almost hardly be absorbing any liquid at all. The rice should be tender but slightly chewy. Remove from heat.
6) Add the butter, cream cheese, and parmesan, blending until creamy. Serve with chips or toasted pita bread.

Wonton Soup and Asian-Inspired Risotto

With the leftover wontons from our Artichoke and Feta wontons, I decided to make wonton soup, and to go with it, an asian flavors inspired risotto. I went light on the soy sauce and ginger, but I wouldn’t be afraid to add more—the flavors were somewhat subtle. To fry up your own fried wonton garnish, I actually just sliced up some wonton wrappers, brushed them with olive oil and a little salt, and baked them in the toaster oven at around 350ºF for a couple of minutes. Keep and eye on them; they burn easy.


Wonton Soup
Serves 2 (plus extra for freezing)
8/10

wonton wrappers
1/3 – 1/2 lb ground chicken
1 TBS soy sauce
1/2 TBS dry sherry
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
1 tsp sesame oil
2 TBS scallions, chopped and divided
2 – 3 cups chicken broth or stock
water

1) Combine chicken, soy sauce, sherry, ginger, sesame oil, and 1 TBS scallions in a medium bowl.
2) Lay out one wonton wrapper. Wet edges with a little bit of water (I usually just use my finger). Place a teaspoon of chicken mixture in center of wrapper. Bring two opposite corners together and press the edges together to seal. Place on a non-stick baking sheet. Repeat until all the mixture has been used.
3) Heat chicken broth in a medium sauce pan until just boiling. Lower heat and add scallions and six wontons. Cook for 4–5 minutes. Remove from heat and serve.
4) Cover remaining wontons with plastic wrap and place in freezer until frozen, then remove and store in freezer in a large freezer bag or plastic container.



Asian-Inspired Risotto
Serves 2
8/10

1 cup Arborio rice
2-3 cups chicken stock or broth
1 – 2 TBS soy sauce
1 tsp ginger
1 TBS sesame oil
1/2 cup of scallions, chopped
1/4 cup white wine or dry sherry
1/2 cup sweet bell pepper, chopped
1 link cooked chicken or turkey sausage, chopped
1/4 cup parmesan, grated
1 TBS butter
salt and pepper to taste
fried wontons for garnish

1) Heat stock in a small sauce pan until hot, but not boiling. Add soy sauce and ginger. Keep warm.
2) Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan until shimmering. Add scallions and sauté until translucent. Lower the heat to med-low. Add the arborio rice and stir until it is coated with oil.
3) Add the wine or sherry to deglaze the pan. Stir until the liquid has been mostly absorbed and the rice begins to stick to the pot.
4) Add warm stock to the rice 1/2 – 1 cup at a time and continue to stir the risotto until the liquid is mostly absorbed and the rice begins to stick before adding the next cup. The rice will begin to absorb the liquid much slower.
5) After about 15 minutes, the rice will have puffed up and taken on a creamy texture and will almost hardly be absorbing any liquid at all, but still be a bit al dente. Add sausage and bell pepper and cook about 5 more minutes or until the rice is tender but slightly chewy. Remove from heat.
6) Add the butter and parmesan, blending until creamy. Season to taste. Top with fried wontons and serve.

Thoughts on Risotto

From the first time I attempted to make risotto, I fell in love with it's simplicity. Though the recipes appear somewhat challenging at first, there's a certain rhythm to mixing up a delicious, creamy batch of a risotto, which once you master it, you can do anything you want. It's a hearty dish that can be a main course on a cool fall night or a flavorful side dish to compliment any meat or vegetable entry. It can be sweet or savory, rich or spicy, delicate or robust. But most importantly, for me, it's one of the easiest dishes to improvise with. With a little patience, and some basic ingredients, you can go anywhere.

So what exactly is risotto? Essentially, it's a creamy rice dish of Italian origin. What makes it unique is the kind of rice that is traditionally used. Risotto rice comes in several varieties, Arborio being most commonly available (and the only kind I've used), with others such as Baldo, Cariso, Carnaroli, and Vialone Nano. Each variety has it's own cooking characteristics (so read the packaging!) but the general gist is that it's a round/semi-round short grain rice with a high starch content. That's what gives it that dreamy creamy texture when cooked.

Now there's much debate about how to cook risotto, but the first steps are almost always the same. You should have a saucepan of simmering liquid on hand (water will do in a pinch, but stocks are more traditional and flavorful) and another pot ready for your risotto. Into this pot goes a drizzle of olive oil, to which, once heated to a nice shimmer, you should add diced onions, and cook until softened. You then add the risotto, stir until coated with oil and lightly toasted (this delays the absorption process and allows the starch to release more slowly, as well as giving the rice a slightly nutty taste). Then wine is usually added, the rice stirred until the liquid has absorbed and the alcohol cooked off.

Then comes the adding of the liquid. Some argue that you can simply dump all your liquid in at once, cover the pot, and wait for the rice to cook. In my experience, the rice would not cook or absorb evenly. Instead, we add the hot broth in increments, usually of about 1/2 -1 cup at a time, stir until the risotto has absorbed the liquid and begins to stick just a bit, then add more. As you go, you will find the rice is absorbing the liquid much slower, the grains are softening, the mixture is coming together. I find that for a cup of arborio rice it usually takes 2 1/2 -3 cups of liquid to reach the right consistency. The rice should be a little chewy, and the liquid should be thick, almost creamy. Don't worry if it's not as creamy as you thought it would be. Remove it from the heat and add butter and parmesan, maybe a little cream. Then your next bite will be warm, almost gooey, but with enough firmness to the rice to give it some consistency. This is a stick-to-your-ribs kind of dish. A bonafide comfort food.

This is risotto at it's simplest, but once you master the timing (about thirty minutes) and the proportions, the world is your oyster. A simple way to start is to add peas and ham right around the 20-25 minute mark, when the rice is still a little too al dente, but probably only needs one more dousing of liquid to bring it to the right consitency. Another good combination that we like is sausage (pre-cooked of course) and bell peppers. I've made risottos with sundried tomatoes, pesto, asparagus, three different kinds of cheese, roasted red peppers, vegetable stock, canadian bacon, even apples, all of which (though not all together!) have been successful and mighty tasty.

One risotto that I am particularly proud of, I actually dreamed up entirely on my own, without the guidance of cookbooks or recipes. One night, before falling asleep, I thought about two of our favorite dishes, grilled pork chops with apples and onions and cheese fondue. Somehow, in my sleepy state, this got me thinking about mixing the cheddar and hard cider used in fondue with the apples and onions of our pork recipe. What better union than in a risotto? The caramelized apples and onions would add sweetness and the cheddar would add a strong, sharp flavor. We tried it the next night, and it was good, though the cheddar we had bought was not strong enough (I was afraid of overpowering the risotto, but apparently it was underpowered).

Coincidentally, it was this recipe that jumped to mind when, on our honeymoon, the cruise sponored a recipe contest. It was the only recipe I knew by heart as I had come up with it myself and only just recently. I submittted it and lo and behold, along with a recipe for Estonian Kringel, it won the contest. I received a free cookbook and apron, and a chance to whip up my risotto in the galley, then share it with other cruisers. When I made it in the kitchen, using slightly different ingredients (chicken boullion, processed cheddar, a different kind of rice) it came out good but not great. When they prepared a batch for other passengers to try, it was not the risotto I had intended. Where was the sweetness? There was hardly any apple flavor at all and far too much parmesan. Still, people seemed to enjoy it, though I tried to press on them that the recipe we were handing out would render a different (and in my opinion tastier) result.

When we returned from the cruise, my new in-laws were just dying to try my “prize winning” risotto. So I made a batch to serve along side roasted pork tenderloin rubbed in mustard and rosemary. This time, it came out perfectly. Below is said recipe. It should be slightly sweet, with the creamy robust flavor of the cheddar to counter it.

Caramelized Apple and Onion Cheddar Risotto
Serves 2
10/10!

1 cup Arborio rice
2-3 cups chicken stock or broth
1 TBS olive oil
1 medium apple, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
1/2 cup of onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup hard cider, apple juice, or white wine
3/4 cup sharp cheddar, grated
1/4 cup parmesan, grated
1 TBS butter
a pinch of nutmeg
2 TBS cream (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

• Heat stock in a small sauce pan until hot, but not boiling. Keep warm.
• Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan until shimmering. Add onions and apples and sauté over med-high heat until the onions begin to carmelize and the apples are falling apart. Lower the heat to med-low. Add the arborio rice and stir until it is coated with oil.
• Add the hard cider to deglaze the pan. Stir until the liquid has been mostly absorbed and the rice begins to stick to the pot.
• Add warm stock to the rice 1/2 – 1 cup at a time and continue to stir the risotto until the liquid is mostly absorbed and the rice begins to stick before adding the next cup. The rice will being to absorb the liquid much slower. After about 20 minutes, the rice will have puffed up and taken on a creamy texture and will almost hardly be absorbing any liquid at all. The rice should be tender but slightly chewy. Remove from heat.
• Add the butter, nutmeg, cheddar, and parmesan, blending until creamy. Add cream and stir until incorporated. Season to taste and serve.

Pork Tenderloin in Mustard/Rosemary Rub
Serves 4
9/10

1 lb pork tenderloin
1/2 cup coarse ground mustard
6 springs of rosemary
2 TBS olive oil

• Pre-heat oven to 400ºF. Rub the mustard into the pork tenderloin.
• Heat olive oil in a dutch oven. Once hot, add pork and brown on all sides.
• Add rosemary to the dutch oven and cover. Roast in the oven for approximately 20 min. or until the internal temperature reaches 155ºF.
• Remove from the oven and allot the pork to rest for 5 minutes. Slice and serve.