Baked Mushroom Risotto

Thanks to Ann, Mari, and Linda, I had to give baked risotto a try. The method is simple enough: stir arborio (or other short-grain rice suitable for risotto) into some stock/broth and bake for about 45 minutes. Add grated parmesan and butter, season with salt & pepper, and 'Bob's your uncle'.

Since this was going to be my dinner, I first sauteed a rather large shallot in some olive oil, then added the rice, then stirred in the stock and baked. And as most suggested a need to add more stock at the end of the baking time, I decided to up the moisture quotient at the beginning and added a whole cup more than originally recommended. My baking time was right at 45 minutes and there was no dryness to compensate for. I added in the parmesan, butter, salt & pepper, and sauteed shiitakes that I had already seasoned with fresh thyme. Oh my. It was amazing (and I must say - even better the next day... a great plan ahead dish!)

Okay... it's not exactly like traditionally cooked risotto, but it's close enough when I'm not up for a marathon stirring session. Thanks to all my blogging friends for their baked risotto experience. I am happily better for it!

Baked Mushroom Risotto

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large shallots, chopped
3 cups arborio rice
7 cups chicken stock
8 tablespoons butter, divided
1 pound shiitake mushroom, stemmed, sliced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced
2 cups grated parmesan cheese
salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven, and saute the shallots until translucent. Add the rice and stir, coating the rice evenly with the oil. Stir in stock, cover the Dutch oven with its lid and place in oven, cooking for 45 minutes. (Stir once or twice during cooking.)

Saute sliced mushrooms in 2 tablespoons of butter. Season with salt & pepper and thyme. Set aside.

When rice is finished baking, remove from oven and stir in parmesan cheese and remaining butter. Stir in mushrooms; check for seasoning, adding additional salt & pepper as needed. Serve.

12 servings

Mexican Chicken Kiev

On one of the cooking boards I frequently visit, I discovered a recipe someone had posted for Mexican Chicken Kiev. Not filled with a flavored butter like a traditional chicken kiev, this one is filled with Monterrey Jack cheese and chilies. Monterrey Jack melts beautifully and is rather mild so it absorbs the flavors of whatever it is paired with. The chicken was juicy, tender, crispy, and oh so tasty!
I had considered making a salsa verde to serve with the chicken dish but decided to wing a rice side dish instead. I cooked up some jasmine rice (my everyday rice of choice), then added some black beans (canned, drained, and thoroughly rinsed), chopped cilantro, seeded & chopped fresh tomato, and a pinch of chipotle powder. It went perfectly with the Mexican Chicken Kiev.

I love this dinner and was surprised how easy and quick it was to put together. Quick & easy - always a winning combination!!


Mexican Chicken Kiev

8 boneless chicken breast halves
1 (7 ounce) can diced green chilies
4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, cut in 8 strips
1/2 cup fine bread crumbs (I used panko)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 tablespoon chili powder (I used a chipotle chili powder)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon pepper
6 tablespoons butter, melted

Pound chicken breasts to 1/4 inch thickness.

Place about 2 tablespoons chilies and 1 strip cheese (I used shredded cheese - about 2 tablespoons for each piece of chicken) in center of each chicken piece. Roll up and tuck ends under. (I secured with a small wooden skewer.)

Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, & seasonings. Melt butter in a shallow dish in microwave. Dip chicken rolls in butter & roll in bread crumb mixture. Place chicken rolls seam side down in a baking dish. Drizzle with the remaining melted butter.

Cover & chill several hours or overnight if desired. (I found this step unnecessary, but it's good to know that it can be made that far ahead!)

Bake uncovered in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes or until done.

A roasted tomato sauce or salsa verde would be very nice with this if a sauce is desired.


Source: Cookfun (CK)

Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto

I had a butternut squash I needed to use and couldn't decide exactly what I wanted to cook using it. I considered squash ravioli. I thought about just roasting it and using it as a side dish. But I finally decided on risotto. I found a wonderful-sounding recipe on the blog, Garden of Eating, (love that name!), so off I went. I ended up using vermouth for the white wine called for in the recipe, as I had the perfect amount left in the bottle without having to open a new bottle of wine. I also had two quarts of homemade chicken stock in the freezer and used it all in this recipe. In retrospect, I think I could have added more liquid for a little creamier end product, but the flavor was amazing. That little bit of vermouth added the right amount of brightness and lightness to an otherwise autumnal dish. I will be making this over and over again!

Risotto with Roasted Butternut Squash

Serves 4-6

One butternut squash (2 pounds), peeled, de-seeded, and cut into 3/4-inch cubes cubes

One large onion, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil or butter

7 cups chicken or vegetable stock

2 cups arborio rice (risotto rice)

1/2 cup dry white wine (I used vermouth)

1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

2 teaspoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped

1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped (I used rosemary)

Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Toss the cubed squash with the olive oil, salt and pepper and turn out onto a heavy baking sheet in a single layer. Roast for 25 - 30 minutes, until soft, turning once, half-way through. Remove and set aside to cool.

2. Heat the stock in a saucepan. Cover the stock and leave it on low at a simmer while you're cooking the risotto.

3. In a large, heavy bottomed pan melt the butter and cook the onion on medium-low heat until softened, about 5 minutes.

4. Add the rice and stir to coat all the grains with butter. Saute the rice for 2 - 3 minutes until the rice becomes chalky and you can see a white dot in the center of each grain. Then add the wine and cook for 2 minutes, stirring, until it's been absorbed.

5. Add one cup of the hot stock to the pan and stir until it has all been absorbed by the rice (if you don't stir and cook until the liquid is absorbed with each addition, the rice will get very gummy).

6. Continue to add stock, one cup at a time, stirring constantly until the rice has absorbed the liquid and starts to seem dry before adding more stock. Once you've added 6 cups of the stock, you should start adding 1/2 cup at a time. Keep doing this until the rice is cooked through but still a little al dente, about 30 minutes total (you may not end up using all of the stock but it should be pretty close -- if you run out of stock, you can substitute hot water towards the end.)

7. Turn off the heat, add the roasted squash cubes, chopped herbs, and parmesan cheese, season with salt and pepper, mix well and serve.


Source: http://gardenofeating.blogspot.com

Arancini di Riso

I love risotto. Absolutely love it. When it's made correctly, it's creamy and decadent. So, it's hard to imagine that I would ever have enough leftover to make these little delicacies. And it's a rare occasion that I would. I have actually had to make a batch specifically for arancini (and try to keep myself away from it in order for it to cool down enough to make them). This recipe of Giada deLaurentiis is well worth it. Crispy on the outside, tender and flavorful on the inside, with a little bit of fresh mozzarella as a nice little treat in the center. Leftovers never tasted THIS good!