Archive for the 'Grains + Rice' Category

Wild Mushroom Risotto

Published on October 27, 2011 in Grains + Rice, Italian and Side Dishes. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , .


Now that I’ve left you in suspense for a couple days, I’m back to tell you what I did with that giant thing. Well, seeing as how it was, you know, GIANT, I did a few things.

The first thing I did was dissect that sucker. It was so pristine, I only needed to wipe a few spots of dirt off with a wet paper towel. Gorgeous. Then I cut off all the stems, chopped them up and made a nice mushroom stock. Very quick — put a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan on medium heat. Chop up an onion, a couple carrots and celery (if you have it, I didn’t). Cook that in the olive oil for a few minutes. Add the mushrooms, some fresh or dried thyme, whatever herbs you feel like (sage is good and I tossed in some fennel seeds for fun) and cook that up for a few minutes. Add about 8 cups of water, a pinch of salt, a few peppercorns and a couple bay leaves, bring to a boil and then simmer for a couple hours. Drain well through a sieve, pushing down on the veggies to make sure you get all the liquid out. Discard the cooked veggies (or give them to your dog; he will be one happy hound).

The next thing I made was a quick sauté with butter and shallots with a sprinkle of basil (I would’ve preferred thyme or sage, but didn’t have any fresh). Served on homemade honey wheat bread toasted and rubbed with olive oil and garlic, it was a perfect appetizer for our lazy breakfast-for-dinner supper. So so good and the simple preparation really enhanced the gorgeous, earthy flavor of the mushroom.

The next night I finally did what I’d been planning since I procured that delicious specimen. Mushroom risotto. First off, mushrooms in anything are fantastic. Second, butter helps — always. Add creamy, velvety risotto to the mix, along with a generous helping of tangy Parmesan stirred in at the end, and I’m pretty much done and dusted. And very very happy. Contrary to what you might think, risotto is not hard to make, but it does take some time and preparation. This is a dish that shouldn’t (can’t, really) be rushed, but rather approached as a happy little journey in the kitchen. Put on some music (this is always a favorite), pour yourself some white wine (you’ll have to open a bottle anyway for the recipe) and ladle and stir, and ladle and stir, and prepare yourself for something really spectacularly good.

NOTES:
Don’t be too concerned about heading out into the woods to forage your mushrooms — Whole Foods or your local farmers market will do very nicely for you with their selection. Or if you’re in NYC, head over to the New Amsterdam Market on Sunday by the South Street Seaport and get someone to do the foraging for you. Shitake, cremini, porcinis, even portabello will all taste delish. Just don’t get those white button ones (or eek! Remember canned mushrooms? Can you even get those anymore? The horror. The horror.). Here’s some info if you do want to try your hand at foraging for these beauties!

I used my fresh mushroom stock (along with some supplemental mushroom stock from the store), but you can also use an ounce of dried morels or porcinis soaked in boiling water for 30 minutes to make about 2 cups of the cooking liquid. It brings a really nice mushroom flavor to the dish, but it’s not absolutely essential. If you do go this route, make sure to strain the liquid very well (through a coffee filter or paper towel), so you don’t get any gritty stuff in your risotto.

Wild Mushroom Risotto

6 cups mushroom stock, preferably homemade
4 tablespoons/1/2 stick butter
2 shallots, minced
3 cups (or about 2/3 pound) fresh Hen-of-the-Woods mushrooms
1 tablespoon fresh thyme or sage, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
Herb garnish (optional; fried sage leaves would also be really nice)

Clean your mushrooms gently and discard any stems (or make your own stock). I chopped my mushroom into approximately 1/2″ sized chunks.

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

In a heavy-bottomed pot dutch-oven over medium heat, melt the butter and sauté shallots for 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and herbs and sauté for another 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat the grains with butter. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes.

Add 2 full ladles of the mushroom stock to the pan along with the salt and pepper. Stir and simmer over low heat until the stock is almost absorbed (about 5 minutes). Continue to add the stock mixture, 2 ladles at a time, stirring every few minutes. Each time, cook until there’s a bit of liquid left (but not completely absorbed into the rice), then add more of the stock mixture. Keep going until you use up all your stock or until the rice is cooked (I like it al dente). It’s okay if there’s a bit of liquid still not absorbed. Take off the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese. Serve hot in shallow bowls with extra cheese.

Baked Risotto with Asparagus, Spinach and Parmesan

Published on May 19, 2011 in Cookbooks + Cooks, Grains + Rice, Italian and Side Dishes. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

A few weeks ago, I was waxing rhapsodic about Patricia Wells’ fantastic Italian cookbook, Trattoria, which I’ve had for years and love dearly. I think the subtitle really says it all:  ”Healthy, Simple, Robust Fare Inspired by the Small Family Restaurants of Italy.” Yes, please. These are recipes that are not particularly hard to make, but the flavors are fresh and delicious and you feel good cooking them and eating them. It’s happy food. We like happy food here at WIG HQ.

So, the baked risotto. This is a good one, particularly now that asparagus is in season (although not for much longer!). And I used these gorgeous spring onions, but you could go with shallots too. It’s also another one of those great recipes that lends itself to experimentation and substitutions, depending on your mood and/or the current contents of your refrigerator. Mushrooms would totally kick ass in this; also, I could even see tiny little cubes of fresh tofu nicely nestled in there. The original recipe doesn’t call for any particular herb, but thyme, sage or basil would all be lovely. It’s also pea season, so peas with a bit of mint would be another great combo. The world’s your oyster, people…ooh, oysters? That could also work! OK, I’ll stop now, but you get the idea.

Most non-vegetarians would probably consider this a side dish, but we love it with a quick frittata or even a couple poached eggs on top. Yes.

And I am dutifully including a pic of the cooked final product. And while it’s not nearly as lovely and green green green as the pre-baked image, it tastes much better.

Baked Risotto with Asparagus, Spinach and Parmesan

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, minced
Sea salt, to taste
1 cup Italian Arborio rice
2-1/4 cups vegetable stock
4 cups loosely packed fresh spinach, roughly chopped
1 bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into bite-sized diagonal slices
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
1 tablespoon basil, finely chopped
Zest of half a lemon
Hot pepper flakes, to taste (or black pepper)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 400ºF/205ºC.

In a large wide saucepan over a medium flame, heat the olive oil, then add the onion and salt. Cook until the onions are translucent and soft, about 3-4 minutes. Add the Arborio rice, stirring to coat with the oil. Add the stock, spinach, asparagus, nutmeg, basil, lemon zest, hot pepper flakes and salt and stir to combine. Bring just to a simmer, then stir in half the cheese.

Transfer to a one-quart soufflé dish, smooth out the top of the mixture, then top with the remaining cheese. Cover and bake until the rice has absorbed all the liquid and is cooked through, between 30-40 minutes. You want it to be moist, but not soupy. Serve immediately with a bit more cheese for good measure.

Tofu Curry

Published on March 3, 2011 in Asian, Grains + Rice, Thai and Tofu + Tempeh. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .

This is a nice and easy recipe from my mom that’s really yummy. What I like about it is that you can really add whatever you have into it — I usually use red peppers and mushrooms, but if you want to add whatever’s fresh at the farmer’s market, say zucchini or eggplant or those little baby corn on the cob things (you know, the ones Tom Hanks nibbles typewriter-style in Big), have at it. It’s flexible. We like that.

NOTES:
This recipe calls for your basic curry powder, but if you want to do a Thai version, substitute about 1-2 tablespoons of a Thai curry paste in place of the powder and garlic. If you want to make it spicier, just whisk in more after you’ve added the coconut milk. And use some basil leaves instead of cilantro.

Suffice to say, you’ve got options. Always a good thing.

Tofu Curry

1 block firm or extra firm tofu
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 onion, diced
1/2 red pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
A generous handful (about 6-8) mushrooms, sliced (I used cremini, but whatever you have)
1 tablespoon curry powder
1/2 cup nuts, chopped (preferably cashews)
1 13.5 oz/400 mL can light coconut milk
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Cayenne pepper to taste
1 tablespoon cilantro, roughly chopped

Press the tofu between several layers of paper towel and place a few heavy cans or pot on top (definitely don’t use a Brita pitcher that you’ve just recently filled with water. That would be really unwise. Especially if it tips over and spills a gallon of water everywhere. Just FYI).

Cut the tofu into 3/4″ cubes and brown in a sauté pan on medium heat (or in the oven at 350ºF/180ºC). Heat oil over medium heat and cook the onions until browned, about 8 minutes. Add the peppers and garlic and cook for a couple minutes. Stir in the curry powder, followed by the nuts and cook for another minute. Add coconut milk, bring to a boil, and reduce heat to medium. Add tofu and cook for another few minutes. Stir in the soy sauce and cayenne. Taste for seasoning.

Serve with brown rice and garnish with the cilantro.

Tempeh-Stuffed Peppers

Published on February 23, 2011 in Grains + Rice, Main Courses, Side Dishes and Tofu + Tempeh. 2 Comments Tags: , , , .

As I’ve mentioned many times before, my mother is an excellent cook. So much so that it is possible for me to name the exactly three times Mom made something that was just not up to snuff. I’d say that’s a pretty good record for any cook, let alone one who had four kids in five years and cooked pretty much every meal we ate.

Two of the recipes were admittedly experiments — recipes pulled from magazines with the promise of a catchy name or an exotic list of ingredients. The first one, “chicken in a biscuit” was a misguided attempt at creating a casserole out of bone-in chicken pieces and biscuits. Soggy, unattractive and just not right. The second, cheese blintzes, had too much going on. I seem to recall some kind of sweet sauce that perhaps would’ve been better served with a dessert blintz rather than a savory one.

The third — and my siblings may disagree with me on this one — was stuffed peppers. I think part of the problem was that I really hated green peppers — this is back when a mellower-flavored yellow or red pepper was not an option. They were just so strong, as was the filling, and my youthful taste buds just couldn’t take it. To be honest, I’m still not crazy about green peppers, but am working on learning to like them (cooked, not raw).

All of which is to say, I’m not sure what possessed me to make stuffed peppers. I suppose it was the lovely peppers I found at the market, combined with a surplus of tempeh, along with some leftover brown rice that needed to be put to use. Stat.

And I must say, they turned out rather well. I would even venture to say this would make a nice side or main dish at a dinner party. I mean, come on — things in edible packages are cute and festive (with lids to boot!). I stuffed the peppers with a Spanish style filling, but you could go in lots of different directions here: Mexican (cumin/chili powder/chipotle), Indian (curry/cumin/turmeric), Italian (basil/lemon/oregano), Asian (sesame/soy/satay)…you get the idea.

So maybe it was just me. Maybe Mom’s stuffed peppers were actually really good, and I just was too young to appreciate them. But I’m still not going to attempt chicken in a biscuit. Not a chance.

Tempeh-Stuffed Peppers

4 peppers (in the color of your choosing)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion (~1 cup), finely chopped
16 ounces tempeh
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 cup of veggies (corn, carrots, edamame, peas all work well), fresh or frozen
1 cup crushed tomatoes (or pasta sauce in a pinch)
1/2 cup vegetable stock
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, minced (or 1 teaspoon dried)
1/2 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika
Salt
Red pepper flakes (optional)
3/4 cup cheese, shredded (provolone, mozzarella, fontina, cheddar all work)

Preheat oven to 375ºF/190ºC.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cut the tops off the peppers and remove stem, seeds and white ribs. Cook the peppers (and tops) in the boiling water for 5 minutes. Remove with a strainer or tongs and drain in a colander.

While the peppers are cooking, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook until translucent (about 5 minutes). Crumble the tempeh into the pan, and cook until tempeh browns, 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add veggies, rice, spices and tomatoes and stir to coat. Add the stock a bit at a time if the mixture is dry. Add salt and red pepper flakes to taste. Remove from heat.

Arrange the peppers cut side up in an 8″ square pan coated or sprayed with olive oil. Fill the peppers with the tempeh mixture, then place the tops back on each pepper. Cover with foil and bake 15 minutes. Remove foil and tuck the pepper tops along the sides of the pan. Sprinkle each pepper with a couple tablespoons of cheese. Bake uncovered another 15 minutes, or until tops are browned.

Moroccan Butternut Squash Stew

Published on October 21, 2010 in Beans + Legumes, Grains + Rice and Main Courses. 6 Comments Tags: , , , .


Fall is officially here. It’s blustery (especially if you live right by the Hudson River like we do), the leaves are crunching underfoot and the farmer’s market is chock full of butternut squash. So yes, friends, it is time for this stew. It’s not just any stew though; it’s sweet and spicy, earthy and hearty, and it brings me back.

Back to Morocco and the incredible flavors, beautiful things and warm people we found. It was a long time ago (so long that these photos are pre-digital (!) and yes, I unearthed them from the box on the very bottom of the as-yet-unpacked pile wedged in the back of the closet), but I still remember the crazy intensity of the souks, the twisting and narrow paths lined with stalls selling everything from nail files to exotic birds. People haggling, eating, living in their small corner of the market. I couldn’t get enough of the spice stalls. Barrel upon barrel of heady spices piled like pyramids: cinnamon, cumin, ginger, cardamom, saffron (those lovely orangey threads weren’t piled in barrels, but were ridiculously abundant compared to the typical miniature pillbox you get in the US). I just wanted to plunge my hands into the piles and roll around in them. I’m weird like that.

This stew has a few of those spices and some other flavors as well. I love the clean barley bite of the Israeli couscous combined with the rich smoky sweetness of the squash. The almonds add a nice crunch, while the parsley does its fresh little grassy dance on top.

It’s a stew that should be eaten hot on a cold night while dreaming of camel rides in the desert.

If you’re stopping by for the first time via Pretty Mommy, welcome. Come on in and poke around. I hope you find other fun stuff that gets your mouth watering and your stomach growling.

Butternut Squash Stew with Couscous
Adapted from Real Simple

Note: The original recipe has you cook the squash on the stove, but I think the sweetness of the roasted butternut squash brings a lot more flavor to the dish. It is an extra step and requires another pan (and the oven), so if you’re in a rush, feel free to go the stovetop route. You’ll need to cook the squash for about 10-15 minutes longer.

2 pounds/just under a kilo (4 cups) of butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, smashed
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1-1/2 teaspoons cumin
1-15 oz/210 g can diced or crushed tomatoes
1/3 cup dried cranberries
32 oz/~1 liter vegetable broth
1-15 oz/210 g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon salt

1-1/3 cups Israeli couscous (the big pearly kind)
2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/4 cup almonds, roughly chopped

Preheat the oven to 425ºF/218ºC. Combine the squash, garlic, olive and oil and half of each of the spices on a sheet pan and mix with your hands to completely coat the squash. Roast, stirring occasionally, until the squash is tender and caramelized (about 30 minutes).

In a large pot or Dutch oven (I like to use my Le Creuset), heat a tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes. Mince the roasted garlic and add that along with the other half of the spices and cook for a minute or two. Stir in the squash, tomatoes, cranberries, broth, chickpeas, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes.

While that’s simmering away, bring 1-3/4 cups water (or stock) and the remaining salt to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in the couscous. Cover and simmer on low heat for about 12 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed.

Serve with a sprinkle of parsley and almonds.