A Spring Risotto From The Garden

                                        

A Spring Risotto From The Garden 

I never quite understood the unbridled excitement about fresh fava beans in restaurants—until I grew my own. I find such joy in these substantial beans that I can cook within a few hours—even minutes—of harvest. And while prepping them does take time, it is well worth the effort.

Two raised beds in my small backyard often yield spring harvests of fava, snow peas, snap peas, mint, and chives. If I pick a lemon on the way to the kitchen, this dish becomes a true expression of my spring garden!  Serves 4–6

Ingredients:
1 pound fresh fava beans (¹/³–½ cup shelled)

4–6 spears asparagus, woody ends removed, spears sliced into 1-inch pieces
8–12 snap peas (or snow peas), trimmed and strings removed
6 cups vegetable or chicken broth
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 red onion or spring onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic
2 cups rice (carnaroli or arborio)
½ cup white wine
2 tablespoons chopped mint and chives plus some whole or lightly chopped leaves for garnish
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
Sea salt and finely ground black pepper to taste
½–1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (optional)
Your best extra virgin olive oil for finishing

Directions:

If you are starting with fava beans in their pods, remove and discard the pods and drop the beans into boiling water for 30 seconds. Transfer to an ice bath, and when beans are fully cooled, drain and remove the skin that surrounds each bean by pinching one end to pop the bright-green bean out.

Blanch the asparagus pieces and snap peas briefly in boiling water. Set aside.

Heat broth to a simmer and keep it simmering on the stove.

Heat ¼ cup olive oil in a 10- to 12-inch heavy-bottomed, straight-sided skillet or Dutch oven. Add chopped onion and garlic and sauté until translucent. Then stir in the rice until it is evenly coated with oil. Add the wine and stir until it’s absorbed.

Add broth, ½ cup at a time, stirring constantly and keeping risotto at a steady simmer. When rice is creamy and al dente, stir in half of the vegetables.

Stir in chopped mint and chives along with salt, pepper, lemon juice, and lemon zest to taste. Stir in the grated cheese (if using) and some of your best extra virgin olive oil. Turn off the heat, cover, and let risotto rest for a few minutes before serving.

Distribute the risotto into shallow bowls and divide the remaining fava beans, asparagus, and snap peas evenly among the servings. Garnish with the reserved mint and chives. Offer grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and extra virgin olive oil at the table so your guests can add more of each as they wish.

Serve as an entrée or a side dish with grilled or slow-baked salmon. A crisp white wine goes well with this dish.

White Cut Chicken With Ginger-Scallion Sauce

White Chicken With Ginger-Scallion Sauce

My friend has been making this succulent Cantonese poached chicken (bak chit gai) for almost 20 years with two minor tweaks. Instead of chopping it into small pieces, She carves it like a roast chicken. She also adds rice vinegar and cilantro to the accompanying ginger-scallion sauce, though it’s equally delicious without them. Available at Chinese supermarkets, Shaoxing is a nutty aged rice wine for cooking.
Ingredients:
Ginger-Scallion Sauce
1 cup (250 mL) thinly sliced green onions (4 to 5)
3 tbsp (45 mL) minced ginger
Fine sea salt to taste
1/2 cup (125 mL) canola or sunflower oil
1 tbsp (15 mL) rice vinegar
1/3 cup (80 mL) chopped cilantro
Chicken:
4-lb (1.81-kg) whole chicken
12 cups (3 L) water
1 cup (250 mL) Shaoxing cooking wine
6 slices ginger
6 green onions, cut into 3-inch (8 cm) lengths
6 cloves garlic, unpeeled, lightly crushed
1 tbsp (15 mL) fine sea salt
1/2 bunch watercress, tough stems removed
Coarse sea salt for serving
Directions:
For the ginger-scallion sauce, place green onions and ginger in a heatproof bowl. Season with salt and mix.

In a small saucepan, heat oil over high heat. When it’s very hot, about 375°F (191°C), slowly and carefully pour over green onion mixture. Mix with a spoon and cool completely. Transfer to an airtight container. Refrigerate at least 4 hours and up to 1 week. When ready to serve, stir in rice vinegar and cilantro then taste for salt.

For the chicken, rinse chicken under cold running water. Transfer to a roasting pan and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour. (This will help the chicken cook faster and more evenly.)

In a deep 6-quart (5.5-L) pot, bring water, cooking wine, ginger, green onions, garlic and salt to a boil. Carefully lower the chicken in breast side down. (It’s okay if the back isn’t completely submerged.) Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for 15 minutes. Flip chicken so it’s breast side up. (It’s okay if tops of breasts and drumsticks aren’t submerged.) Simmer another 15 minutes. Cover pot with lid and remove from heat. Steep chicken until cooked through, about 45 more minutes.

Carefully transfer chicken to a cooling rack set over a baking sheet and rest 15 to 20 minutes. (Strain, cool and save cooking liquid for Chinese recipes calling for chicken stock.)

Carve chicken into serving pieces. Arrange on a platter lined with watercress. Serve with sauce and coarse salt.   Serves 4 to 6

Baked Squash Risotto With Crispy Crumb Topping

    

Baked Squash Risotto With A Crispy Crumb Topping

This Baked no-stir risotto would be blasphemy in Italy, but thruthfully most people won't know the difference. It stars sweet rich Hubbard squash and the water from the squash gets used as the broth, which furtheramps up the pumpkin flavor . This wouls also be terrific made with sugar pumpkins.

Ingredients

Hubbard Aquash Puree And Broth

1 1/2 lbs (680 g) Hubbard squash, washed with skin on

5 cups water

1/2 teaspoon salt

Risotto

1 cup (250 ml) thinly sliced onion

3 tbsp (45 mL) unsalted butter, divided

1 cup (250 mL) coarsely grated zucchini

1 1/2 cups (375 mL) arborio rice

1/2 cup (125 mL) dry white wine

1 1/2 tsp (7 mL) salt

1/2 tsp (2 mL) freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup (125 mL) grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Topping

1/4 cup (60 mL) light olive oil

4 large sage leaves plus more to garnish

1/2 cup (125 mL) seasoned panko bread crumbs

Directions:

For the squash purée and stock, cut squash in quarters and scoop out seeds. Place in a large pot with water and salt. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Simmer until squash is soft, about 10 minutes. Remove squash with a slotted spoon and place, skin-on, in a blender. Purée until creamy. 

Reserve 3 cups (750 mL) stock and keep hot. Remaining stock can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.

Preheat oven to 350°F`(177°C).

In a large Dutch oven with a lid, add 

onions, 

1 tbsp (15 mL) unsalted butter, 

grated zucchini, 

rice, 

wine, 

2 cups (500 mL) squash purée 

3 cups (750 mL) squash stock. 

Season with salt and pepper. 

Stir to combine. Cover with lid and bake until rice is tender, 45 to 50 minutes.

While risotto is baking, make topping. In a small saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add sage leaves and fry until crisp, about 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain on paper towel. Add panko and cook, stirring, until golden, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Finely crush four sage leaves and mix into panko crumbs.

Remove risotto from oven and stir well. Stir in remaining 2 tbsp (30 mL) butter and cheese. It should have a creamy consistency and will start to thicken as it sits, covered, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Plate risotto and top with panko topping. Garnish with extra crispy sage leaves, if using. 

Serves 6 as a main, or 8 as a side.

Scarlet Runner Beans And Bacon

Scarlet Runner Beans and Bacon

Scarlet Runner Beans cook to a creamy bean. They are one of the most chosen heirloom bean and a major source of plant protein.

Ingredients

1 pound Scarlet Runner Beans
4 ounces bacon (I use pepper bacon for added spice) 

1/2 large white onion finely diced
3 large garlic cloves smashed 

1/2 cup white or red wine
14 oz can chicken or beef broth (I've used homemade broth when I have it on hand)
2 bay leaves
1 tsp fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried. HINT: if using fresh you can just put a couple of sprigs into the pot and remove before serving)
2 large pinches of red pepper flakes (I use fresh pepper finely diced when I have it in the garden)
Season with black pepper and Kosher salt to taste
Large pinch of espresso powder (Optional, but does add a nice flavor)
Optional: Garnish with basil

Directions
Soak dried beans in a large bowl covered with water and soak at room temperature for 4-6 hours or overnight.

Chop bacon into small pieces and crisp in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add oil if you need to coat pan to cook onions. Bacon fat may be enough. When onions turn translucent add garlic and cook until aromatic.

Pour in wine and bring to a boil.

Let cool a bit and then add broth, bay leaves, thyme, pepper and beans (drained from soaking). Add fresh water to cover beans by at least an inch, cover, and reduce heat to a low simmer. Cook about 1 hour stirring a couple of times.  My recipe required over 3 hours to cook until tender.

During cooking, make sure beans are fully submerged in liquid. Add more water if needed.

Add salt and pepper along with espresso powder and continue to cook 1 to 1 1/2 hours until beans are tender but not mushy. You can also cook these in a crock pot for 6-8 hours.

Puree some of the beans to thicken the bean broth or add water if you want thin it out.

Beef Bourguinone

Beef Boourguinone

Ingredients:

1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 ounces (170g) bacon, roughly chopped
3 pounds (1 1/2 kg) beef brisket, trimmed of fat (chuck steak or stewing beef) cut into 2-inch chunks
1 large carrot sliced 1/2-inch thick
1 large white onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced (divided)
1 pinch coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons flour
12 small pearl onions (optional)
3 cups red wine like Merlot, Pinot Noir, or a Chianti -- for a milder sauce, use only 2 cups of wine
2-3 cups beef stock (if using 2 cups of wine, use 3 cups beef stock)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 beef bullion cube, crushed
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped (divided)
2 bay leaves
1 pound fresh small white or brown mushrooms, quartered
2 tablespoons butter

Directions:

Traditional Oven Method.

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).

Heat the oil in a large dutch oven or heavy based pot. Sauté the bacon over medium heat for about 3 minutes, until crisp and browned. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a large dish and set aside.

Pat dry beef with paper towel; sear in batches in the hot oil/bacon fat until browned on all sides. Remove to the dish with the bacon.

In the remaining oil/bacon fat, sauté the carrots and diced onions until softened, (about 3 minutes), then add 4 cloves minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Drain excess fat (leave about 1 tablespoon in the pan) and return the bacon and beef back into the pot; season with 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt and 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper. Sprinkle with flour, toss well and cook for 4-5 minutes to brown.

Add the pearl onions, wine and enough stock so that the meat is barely covered. Then add the tomato paste, bullion and herbs. Bring to a simmer on the stove.

Cover, transfer to lower part of the oven and simmer for 3 to 4 hours, or until the meat is fall apart tender (adjust the heat so that the liquid simmers very slowly).

In the last 5 minutes of cooking time, prepare your mushrooms:

Heat the butter in a medium-sized skillet/pan over heat. When the foam subsides, add the remaining 2 cloves garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds), then add in the mushrooms. Cook for about 5 minutes, while shaking the pan occasionally to coat with the butter. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Once they are browned, set aside.

Place a colander over a large pot (I do this in my clean kitchen sink). Remove the casserole from the oven and carefully empty its contents into the colander (you want to collect the sauce only). 

Discard the herbs

Return the beef mixture back into the dutch oven or pot. Add the mushrooms over the meat.

Remove any fat off the sauce( if any) and simmer for a minute or two, skimming off any additional fat which rises to the surface.

You should be left with about 2 1/2 cups of sauce thick enough to coat the back of a spoon lightly. 

If the sauce is too thick, add a few tablespoons of stock. If the sauce is too thin, boil it over medium heat for about 10 minutes, or until reduced to the right consistency.

Taste for seasoning and adjust salt and pepper, if desired. Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables.

If you are serving immediately, simmer the beef bourguignon for 2 to 3 minutes to heat through.
Garnish with parsley and serve with mashed potatoes, rice or noodles.

To serve the following day, allow the casserole to cool completely, cover and refrigerate.  The day of serving, remove from refrigerator for at least an hour before reheating.  Place over medium-low heat and let simmer gently for about 10 minutes, basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce.

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Grandma Smith's Wine Cookies

Grandma Smith's Wine Cookies

Grandma Smith's Wine Cookies

This is a recipe handed down in the Smith family and shared by my sister-in-law, Rebecca Smith Sitterly.  It is reminiscent of the holidays past spent with her loving grandmother at Christmas.  Some recipes add a flavor that just wouldn't be Christmas without the taste and memory.

***

Ingredients

1 cup dry wine
3 tablespoons cream
1 1/2 cups butter

3 cups sugar
4 eggs
3 Tablespoons vanilla
7 cups flour
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder

Directions:
Combine the wine and cream and let set 15 minutes. Cream the butter and sugar, add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition: add the vanilla, cream and wine mixture and thoroughly combine.

Measure the flour and baking powder, stir to mix the dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients to liquid mixture.

May be dropped by spoonful on prepared cookie sheets or dough chilled and cut out.  Bake at 375*F
Frost and sprinkle with sugars.

Baked Shrimp Scampi

Baked Shrimp Scampi

Our daughters are fans of Ina Garten's recipes. This is the dish that Barbara served at her Christmas party. We doubled the recipe and decided the dish is better not doubled or fit in a dish that can accommodate four pounds of shrimp. It is a very delicious preparation.

Baked Shrimp Scampi
2008, Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics, All Rights Reserved
Ingredients
2 pounds (12 to 15 per pound) shrimp in the shell
3 tablespoons good olive oil
2 tablespoons dry white wine
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 teaspoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
1/4 cup minced shallots
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 extra-large egg yolk
2/3 cup panko (Japanese dried bread flakes)
Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Peel, devein, and butterfly the shrimp, leaving the tails on. Place the shrimp in a mixing bowl and toss gently with the olive oil, wine, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Allow to sit at room temperature while you make the butter and garlic mixture.

In a small bowl, mash the softened butter with the garlic, shallots, parsley, rosemary, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, lemon juice, egg yolk, panko, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper until combined.

Starting from the outer edge of a 14-inch oval gratin dish, arrange the shrimp in a single layer cut side down with the tails curling up and towards the center of the dish. Pour the remaining marinade over the shrimp. Spread the butter mixture evenly over the shrimp. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until hot and bubbly. If you like the top browned, place under a broiler for 1 minute. Serve with lemon wedges.

Baked Shrimp Scampi

Baked Shrimp Scampi

Last week we spent a few days visiting with our daughter Barbara who is an excellent cook. This dish was served for dinner one evening. It certainly will be a repeated dish in our house. Thank you Barbara for sharing the recipe.

Baked Shrimp Scampi

2 pounds (12 to 15 pound) shrimp in the shell

3 tablespoons good olive oil

2 tablespoons dry white wine

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

12 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature

4 teaspoons minced garlic

1/4 cup minced shallots

3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 extra large egg yolk

2/3 cup panko (Japanese dried bread flakes)

Lemon wedges, for serving

***

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

*

Peel, devein, and butterfly the shrimp (see note), leaving the tails on. Place the shrimp in a mixing bowl and toss gently with the olive oil, wine, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Allow to sit at room temperature while you make the butter and garlic mixture.

*

In a small bowl, smash the softened butter with the garlic, shallots, parsley, rosemary, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, egg yolk, panko, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon salt

and 1/4 teaspoon pepper until combined.

*

Place shrimp in a gratin dish butterflied open with tail curled and pointing toward center of dish positioned with flesh against the outer edge of the dish. Top with layer of crumbled mixture. Bake shrimp for 10 minutes or until done.

*

This recipe is great served over capellini pasta.

***

Note: Butterfly shrimp means they're cut around the outer curve but not all of the way through. The shrimp open like a book which helps to cook so fast and the. Cut each shrimp deeply enough to open but not to cut in half. When placing in the gratin dish, stand each shrimp opened against the rim of the dish with the tail pointing in toward the center of the dish.