Red Risotto!

Tags

pea risotto, red risotto, risotto, shrimp risotto, spring risotto, tomato based risotto

Over the time that Mei’s godparents were visiting from Portugal, we took advantage of the last evening they would be visiting with us to go to one of our favorite restaurants that is located just three blocks down the road from us, which means we can walk to it! It is on the river, so we get to watch little ducklings and swans swim past while we sit in a small dining room designed for no more than 20 or so diners where the ceiling is covered in living grape vines!

It’s a truly relaxing place to have dinner!

At any rate, I ordered a spring risotto and when it arrived, I immediately noticed that it was RED! In the small time that I have been obsessed with risotto, I have never come across a red one – and never had I eaten one. Granted, the portion was very small especially after I had shared a quarter of it with a hungry and risotto loving Mei, and I immediately wanted to make one for myself! How hard could it be? I can make regular “white” risotto and you have all seen how I can make a “purple” risotto, so a tomato based “red” risotto would be no problem!

After thinking on it for a week or so, I decided on putting shrimp, asparagus and peas in our red risotto and couldn’t wait to get a night to make it! In the time before I made it, I researched different tomato based risottos and noticed that either the tomatoes were added before the the rice was toasted or in the last couple of steps, just before the risotto was finished. I thought I could infuse more flavor if I waited until the end to add the tomato and it was truly a treat for the masses!

We actually wound up with a small amount of leftovers that was quickly devoured by the end of lunchtime the next day. We will certainly be making this dish again! In fact, this meal wound up being a picnic dinner at my husband’s work during a particularly long shift, Mei and I packed up dinner just as soon as it was ready and rushed over so we could all enjoy it still piping hot with melting, thin strands of parmigiana cheese on top!

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Ingredients:

• 150g arborio rice or about one handful per person
• 400 ml chicken/vegetable/fish stock
• 2 TBS butter
• 2 TBS olive oil
• 3 shallots, finely diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 100 ml dry white wine
• one 14.5 oz can of chopped or diced tomatoes in juice
• 1 TBS tomato paste
• 200 g shrimp
• 100g frozen peas, or fresh if you prefer
• parmigiana cheese, grated
• minced parsley and salt & pepper to taste

Keep the stock warm in a saucepan throughout the cooking process.

Melt the butter and oil together in a flat, high walled pan. Saute the onion and garlic until soft and fragrant, about five minutes.

Add the rice and toast until there is just a small white dot in the center of each grain of rice and opaque.

De-glaze the pan with the white wine and stir constantly until the wine is almost completely absorbed by the wine.

Add a ladle of the stock at a time, stirring frequently until almost absorbed until the rice is cooked and/or the stock is gone. If the stock is used up before the rice is cooked, you can use warm water as well. A splash of more white wine with the last ladle of stock also adds a bit more flavor – especially important if you had to add water.

Stir in the tomatoes in juice, paste, seafood and peas until just cooked and heated through. Top with grated parmigiana and parsley and serve immediately.

Bulgogi Risotto

Tags

beef bulgogi, bulgogi, Korean BBQ, Korean food, pecorino mushroom risotto, pecorino mushrooms, red pepper, red pepper risotto, risotto

Who doesn’t love bulgogi?

Who doesn’t love risotto?

It occurred to me that marrying the two could make quite the complimentary meal… so we did! Afterall, I had a package of dried pecorino mushrooms burning a hole in my  pantry and while I would have preferred to use shittake mushrooms for this marriage instead, this is what I had and I was confident I could, as Tim Gunn would say “make it work.”

Before you start getting all excited, do take note that I didn’t bother making my own bulgogi marinade. Yeah, I know… but you know those pecorino mushrooms? They were sitting right next to a jar of bulgogi marinade.

All that was left to do was to get some tender beef to marinade in the bulgogi marinade and dinner was half taken care of. I managed to get a really good beef roast and sliced it really thin and into strips sufficient to be eaten without a knife once it was served over the risotto and it worked! I marinaded the beef overnight and pulled it out to flash fry on the stove, sprinkling a bit of sesame seed on top of each slice that stuck easily to the caramelized goodness of the rich sauce. I made this in the last ten minutes of the risotto being done and it all came out perfectly timed and smelling super delicious!

The risotto took a particularly long time to become as creamy as normal, maybe just over an hour… but usually it takes me 40 minutes. I don’t know how to do a 20 minute risotto… anyone out there have any suggestions? I think I have managed to make a batch once at the 30 minute mark, but normally? Forty minutes, give or take. But it was delicious! I put in the pecorino mushrooms and red peppers and boy did it compliment the bulgogi well! I also used beef stock instead of chicken, since I was pairing it with beef on top which made for a darker risotto so while the plate didn’t look pretty, it tasted amazing.

Every bite popped and had a whole melody of flavors that I was very happy about, all complimenting each other well. This was certainly an interesting marriage but it worked and I totally suggest it! Of course, being an Asian fusion, I cringe a bit and I know my Korean readers are cringing at the bottled bulgogi and rather untraditional way of having bulgogi but it was an adventurous and delicious meal!

Ingredients:

• 6 C stock
• 1 TBS olive oil
• 1-1/2 medium red bell peppers, seeded & diced
• a handful of pecorino mushrooms, soaked in hot water for five minutes
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 TBS butter
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 C dry white wine, chilled
• 1-1/2 to 2 C of arborio rice
• 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 4 scallions, green parts only, sliced into thin rings
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 lb of thinly sliced beef
• sesame seeds
• bulgogi marinade

In a small saucepan, bring the stock to a simmer and maintain.

In a large skillet, heat the oil (medium-high). Add the peppers and mushrooms, stirring frequently, cooking thoroughly until slightly crunchy, about five minutes. Remove and set aside.

In the same skillet, heat the butter, add a bit more oil if needed, add the onions and cook until transluscent then add the garlic and cook until aromatic. Add the rice and toast, stirring constantly until each grain is opaque. Add the wine and cook, stirring constantly utnil the rice has absorbed the liquid.

Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the thyme, add 1-1/2 C stock, stirring constantly until absorbed. Repeat until all the stock has been used or the rice has become a creamy risotto. Stir in the bell peppers and green onions in the last round of stock. Remove the heat, season and serve immediately.

Marinate the beef strips the night before in the bulgogi marinade and cook on high heat, just until the outsides are cooked, sprinkling on sesame seeds on both sides in the last couple seconds of cooking. Then serve on top of the risotto and eat while piping hot.