Red Pepper Risotto

Risotto is notoriously one of the most intimidating kitchen undertakings for new cooks. Or seasoned ones, actually. I know I was terrified of making it, especially after going to Italy and eating it all the time. First, I was scared to know how much butter and cream was it it. Second, I knew there was a definite serving temperature requirement: if it got cold it'd be a gelatinous blob of ice. Thirdly, I assumed it'd take hours to make.

These thoughts were incorrect. Risotto is actually creamy because of the starches that develop when the rice cooks. The temperature requirement is kind of true, but if you serve it hot, everything is fine. And the entire process took about 30-40 minutes - including chopping/prep time. Not to shabby.

I had some roasted red peppers and chicken thighs in the fridge so I decided to plan the risotto around that. Just chop everything into about the same sized pieces, fry the chicken in olive oil until it is cooked through - then add salt, pepper, garlic powder, and chili flakes. Then I added the red pepper and set this aside until the rice was ready.

For the rice, make sure you purchase "arborio." In a saucepan, heat 6 cups of chicken stock - don't let it boil or even simmer...just warm it through. In a nonstick pan, melt 2 Tbs olive oil and fry 1/2 of a finely chopped onion until it's translucent. Add 1 1/2 cups rice and fry until the rice is coated - about 3 minutes.  Pour in 1/2 cup white wine and a pinch of salt. Now, start incorporating the stock, 1 cup at a time and making sure it absorbs completely before adding the next increment. This should take about 25 minutes and you might not need all 6 cups of stock. The end consistency is going to be a little looser than rice pudding - the rice shouldn't be super mushy or have a bite to it. I add 1 tsp fresh thyme right at the end for flavor. Turn off the heat, stir in 1/2 cup grated Parmesan and 2 Tbs butter.

Serve up your risotto with a nice helping of the chicken/pepper mixture on top:

Easy Risotto

Risotto is surprisingly simple to make now that I've done it a few times. And there are so many different ways to doctor it up and show off your new recipe.

Here's a simple basic recipe you can use as a template:

1 cup of arborio rice

3-4 cups chicken stock

1 onion finely chopped

4 cloves of garlic chopped

salt and pepper to taste

3 Tbs of pecorino cheese, grated

butter

Set the chicken stock to warm on a separate burner.

On another burner, fry the onion and garlic in a large saucepan.

Add the rice and toast it until it's a light brown color and starts to smell nutty, about 10-15 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper.

Once this has finished, add the chicken stock, one ladle-full at a time.

After each addition of stock stir to be sure it is completely absorbed by the rice before adding the next ladle. The amount of liquid you have to add will vary - just stop when the risotto is cooked through and the grains are tender. There should still be a little bite to them, though, so don't let it become too mushy. The rice will tighten up as the risotto cools so you might want to add a little more liquid than absolutely necessary.

At the very end add 2 Tbs of butter and the pecorino and season again with salt and pepper.

Try the following additions:

- At the very end, a half cup of chopped sundried tomatoes

- Cube a butternut squash, coat with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and roast it in the oven (425 degrees). Add this to the risotto before serving. Add a few pinches of nutmeg as well.

- Add 2 cups of cubed mushrooms in step two, along with the onion and garlic. With this add about 1 teaspoon of dried sage.

- Add 2 cups of spinach sauteed spinach (pictured above).

- Stir in 3 oz of goat cheese and sprinkle in 1/2 cup of fresh Italian parsley , chopped

Crispy Risotto Bites with Spicy Marinara

Here's the little treat I made for myself the day I found out I got into dental school. I just took some leftover risotto that I had in the fridge and warmed it up just slightly. I heated some oil and rolled little bits of the risotto in breadcrumbs. I fried them on both sides until they were golden and then served over some spicy marina (fra diavolo-esque) I made last week.

To make that you just blend a can of crushed tomato, 3 cloves garlic, one medium onion and salt/pepper/and Cayenne pepper. Heat over the stove and freeze any you don't plan on using within a week. I plan to use the extra that I made in a stew in the upcoming weeks.

These are kind of addictive - possibly because they are all teeny and bite sized and crispity crunchity.

Even Foodies Get Scared

In 2009 I was lucky enough to study abroad in Italy. There I learned what risotto is supposed to taste like: creamy, al dente, savory and flavorful. In the States, I'd never had a good plate of it, so it's no wonder I thought I didn't like it. Well, after having the proper risotto, I was scared I'd never be able to match the wonderful consistency. So for the past 2 years I have relished in the memory of a truly amazing risotto but never ordered any nor tried my hand at recreating it. Until now.

I have to say, blogging has made me more confident in my abilities in the kitchen. The idea to finally make risotto was born about 2 months ago. I slowly took baby steps towards the event: I bought a bag of arborio rice 1 month ago, a week later I received my Martha Stewart Everyday Risotto recipe (it was fate), and then, during my last trip to the store I picked up the rest of the ingredients.

I made some substitutions to the recipe because I thought the flavors would work well together. The key to risotto, I learned, is really understanding your star ingredient: the rice. I tried it at various stages to know what it tastes like when in was undercooked vs. al dente. And I was patient, coaxing the starches out and adding flavor. The substitution of pecorino for Parmesan was a great idea since it gave the dish an extra punch of flavor.

What you need:

1 container button or whatever mushroom you like, quartered

1 onion, chopped small

2 cloves garlic, chopped small

salt, pepper

1/4 cup cooking sherry or 1/2 cup white wine

1/2 tsp dried sage (tarragon would be good, too)

6 cups chicken stock (or 5 cups plus a cup of water if you want to stretch it, like I did)

1 package (1 and a half cups) arborio rice

4 Tbs butter, divided

pecorino

What you do:

Start the stock heating in a saucepan - let it come to a simmer and keep warm throughout the cooking process.

Melt 2 Tbs of butter in a heavy-bottom pot. Add the onions and cook until translucent. Add the mushrooms and cook until wilted slightly. Add the rice and cook about 3 minutes, until the grains are opaque on the edges. I just let them toast and turn a light brown color. Once I felt them sticking to the bottom of the pot, I added 1/4 cup cooking sherry and the sage. That cooked out in about 4 minutes, then I added my first cup of stock.

Stir for about 4 minutes, until the cup of stock had cooked out. Add the next cup and continue about 6 more times, letting it cook out each time. I set a time next to me so I knew I was waiting the correct amount of time and not getting antsy. I also tasted after the 5th time so I could tell how far along the rice was.

When it's the right consistency (creamy but a tad tough in the middle of the rice), turn off the heat and add 2 more Tbs butter and 1/4 cup freshly grated pecorino

Serve immediately with a little more shaved pecorino. I wouldn't recommend storing this but you can - it will just be a little drier and not as creamy.

All in all, I am incredibly proud of myself. But I owe the experience to you, my readers, because with each view, I am little more confident that I have the skills to master the things I am afraid of.