Ramp Season is Here!

Some love them, some hate them, some don't have a clue what they are, some just think the hype is overblown.  Me?  I rather enjoy the ramp.  It's a little oniony, a little leeky, a little garlicky.  The window of opportunity to get them is very brief in the spring.  This year with my ramps I decided to make some ramp risotto.

Start with a big old bunch of ramps.

They are actually easier to clean than a leek and you can use the whole thing, green and all.  Clean them up, chop them up and add them to the pot you cook your risotto in with 3 Tablespoons of olive oil (extra virgin if I'm making it) and a Tablespoon of unsalted butter.  

Saute for about 5 minutes.... no browning really is required here, you just want to start to soften the ramps.  After the 5 minutes, add a cup of Arborio rice (or any other short grain risotto rice you prefer).  And stir it into the ramps for 2-3 minutes, coating the rice in the oil/butter.  To that add a half cup of white wine.  Stir until the wine is absorbed.  

Then it's business as usual in the risotto game.  Add a ladle-ful of broth to the pot and stir until completely absorbed.  Then add another, doing the same stirring game each time.  One cup or rice should use about 4-5 cups of liquid.  You can use water, but why do that if you can use broth?  You don't have to make your own, unless you want to.  Use a good quality store bought broth (I pretty much exclusively use Kitchen Basics).  

It's getting there...

Sorry about the steam!

Keep adding and stirring....

I said above to stir broth until completely absorbed and that's what most recipes for risotto will say. But I have found this to be a little less than true.  I have stopped stirring when I make risotto.  Not for long stretches, but I don't continually stir the whole time.  In fact when I was making this yesterday I was also making a salad at the same time.  So broth added, stir it for a minute, go cut some cucumbers, come back and stir until absorbed.   Same thing with tomatoes for the salad, etc.   You really shouldn't stop for long stretches, which I don't, but a minute here and there, I have found to not be an issue.  

When the rice will no longer accept another drop of broth, it's time to stir, cook and let it thicken up a little.  You don't want it stiff, but I don't like my risotto like porridge either.  No soupy risotto please!   It should be soft and creamy.  At the end of the cooking, add half a cup of Parmesan cheese and before you know it, it's done!   

I was rather fond of this ramp risotto.  I think I'll make it again next Spring!   

Mangia!  :)

Lucca - An Italian Gem in Canton

It was a lovely Saturday evening with some lovely friends.  Dinner at Lucca to try out what new creations Chef Josh Schory has put on the menu for Spring/Summer.  With a 6:30 reservation, we walked in around 6:40 thanks to Google maps sending us on a wrong turn.  Then again, do I blame Google maps or the weird way the streets run in Canton?   Ahh, that's neither here nor there, we made it and weren't too terribly late.  The night started off right with a lot of great conversation in our group of six.  Our waitress was very attentive and came by often to see if we had made drink or appetizer decisions.  When it was clear we hadn't, she left and then came back again to tell us that Chef Schory has created an amuse bouche for the table.  Isn't that a pleasant surprise!  Before too long each one of use received a perfectly cooked scallop with lemon aioli and a dollop of mango salsa on the side, sprinkled with pepper powder.

Not being much of a seafood gal myself, I thought this was absolutely beautiful to look at and pretty darn tasty to eat.  Perfectly seared scallop, creamy and flavorful aioli, juicy sweet mango and a little spice from the pepper.  Great balance and a very nice way to start what would be one excellent meal. 

Even though I'm not a seafood gal, I am a sucker for calamari so when I saw it on the menu, I pretty much had blinders on to the rest of the offerings under appetizers.  I've never been able to find a calamari appetizer that I've loved more than the one at the new defunct LeFever's in Cuyahoga Falls, but that doesn't mean I ever stop trying!  This one was cornmeal dusted and fried, with cherry peppers and roasted garlic aioli.

I'm glad I gave this one a shot.  I had to share this plate of calamari but I could have easily devoured it all on my own.  The outside was crispy, the inside tender and delicious.  The garlic aioli was a perfect compliment.  Some of the peppers were a little too hot for me, but so what.  That certainly is no big deal.  It didn't beat LeFever's but it was damn tasty.

For my entree I chose Chicken Picatta with Parmesan Risotto.  I do love a picatta but he had me at risotto.  It arrived at the table with three pieces of chicken breast, succulent and juicy in the classic lemony sauce with capers, and the risotto.

I really enjoyed this dish, so much so I didn't even mind the capers (which I'm usually not too keen on).  The risotto was creamy and cheesy.  All in all, a winning choice.  And at $14, a deal too!

Nick chose the Gnocchi with Pesto Cream and Parmesan Tuile.

Isn't that stunning?  The Parmesan Tuile surrounded the gnocchi like a crown.  It was almost too pretty to eat.  Almost.  It broke apart easily and scrumptiously.  And inside the crown were the most delicate gnocchi I had ever tasted.  They were soft and pillowy.  The sauce was beautiful and I loved the whole pine nuts in it. 

It was a lovely night all around... beautiful surroundings, good food, good company and a relaxed meal.  We weren't rushed in and out as is often the case when one goes out to eat anymore.  And we didn't break our bank account.  Yes, I will be going back to Lucca.

Mangia!

Edamame Risotto

This time of year, as asparagus comes into season I love to make asparagus risotto.  But I'd already made it twice in the past month, so I was looking for something else to put in my risotto.  Then the light bulb went off, I had some edamame in the freezer!  It was actually the first time I had bought edamame frozen but decided to give it a go. 

The edamame I bought was still in the pod, but you can buy it already out of the pod too.  I cooked the edamame according to the package instructions which is pretty much standard for most frozen veg. 

Once it's cooked, let cool for a few minutes until you can handle it and then pop those beans right out of the pods.  I thought this was going to be a long and tedious process but it was very quick.  They slip out pretty easily.

They look like lima beans don't they?  Well as a bona fide lima bean hater, I can tell you they do not taste like them!  Once they're all shucked, set aside and start making the risotto.

I have a pretty standard recipe that I use for all my risotto's, and this time was no different.  Start by heating up five cups of chicken broth in a pan.  Don't boil it, just heat it.  And in another pot, put in three tablespoons of olive oil and two tablespoons of butter.  To that added 2 chopped shallots (or you can use a medium onion or a leek, whichever you like and have on hand) and a little salt and pepper. 

Once the shallots are soft and translucent, add one and one half cups of Arborio rice.  Stir to coat the rice and cook for about a minute or so.  Add half a cup of white wine and stir until the wine has been absorbed. 

Now it's time to get down to business.  Add stock to the rice a ladlefull at a time.  Stirring until all the stock is absorbed.  Use your judgment on adding more salt as you go.  It really depends on whether you're using bought stock or homemade.

After about half the stock has been absorbed, add the edamame to the pot and continue with the stir stir stir of it all.

I know all the stirring and stirring is kind of a pain in the ass.  But it's so worth it.  I've tried the Ina Garten baked risotto, which is much less hands on, but honestly, I didn't really like it as much as I like it the traditional way.  But that's just me.  I always say I prefer to do things the hard way.  And trust me, if you will be rewarded!

Once all the stock has been absorbed and your risotto is looking yummalicious, stir in half a cup of Parmesan cheese.  Right before your eyes the risotto becomes even more creamy and delicious looking.  All that's left is to enjoy!

Buon Cibo mia Amici

Arancini, At Last

One of the things my Grandma talked about wanting to make but never did was arancini.  I'm not sure why she never made them, or why I never took a day and went to her house to make them with her, but it never happened.  And I thought of them from time to time, how delicious it sounds and how I'd like to make them.  When I see them on a menu, I order them.  So what is arancini you ask?   Having originated in Sicily, it's basically risotto that is shaped into a ball with some fillings in the middle, breaded and deep fried.  In the words of Ina Garten, "how bad can that be?"

Traditionally arancini start with saffron risotto and being the traditionalist I am, I would start with saffron risotto.  To make it, you need one small onion, diced and sauteed in a large pan on medium heat with a Tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and a Tablespoon of butter.  

Once the onions have softened and are translucent, add 1 1/2 cups of Arborio rice.  Do yourself a favor and don't try and use regular long grain rice thinking it will work the same.  It won't.  You need a short grain rice like Arborio or don't even bother.   Add a good pinch of saffron.  It's expensive but a little goes a long way.

Stir together and saute for about 2 minutes.   You don't want the rice to brown or anything, but you want it to be nicely coated with the oil/butter.

Add 1/3 cup of white wine to the rice and stir until the wine is evaporated.  You should have another pot going with 5 cups of chicken stock.  I happen to not be able to find chicken stock in my favorite brand Kitchen Basics that week, so I opted for turkey stock.  And I didn't have any of my own available either.  You want to warm the stock but not boil it.  Just heat it gently.  Add one ladle of chicken stock at a time to the rice, stirring and stirring until all the stock is absorbed.  Then add another.   And keep doing this until you get the desired consistency of risotto that you want.  Normally it would take 5-6 cups of stock to get the loose risotto texture that is desired when eating risotto.  But since we are making arancini, you want the consistency a little stiffer.

Check out that color!  That's the saffron at work.   Once the risotto is done, set it aside to cool completely and make your filling.  I've had them with a tomato sauce, a meat sauce, peas, or cheese inside.  I had an idea for what I wanted to fill mine with and that's what I went with.   One pound of Italian sausage (either bulk or removed from the casings) browned with a diced small onion and some basil from my garden.

Once the sausage and onions are nicely and lightly browned, drain any grease off and mix it with the risotto.

Hot damn that looks good enough to eat right now!  But just wait.  Let it all cool completely and wait.  Chill.  You've come this far.  And so I chill.  Once the risotto mixture is cooled, it's time to start the arancini mayhem.  Put a pot on the stove with about 3-4 inches of oil (vegetable, canola, any light oil that has a high smoke point).  That oil needs to get to between 340 and 350 degrees.  I have a candy/deep fry thermometer that came in very handy for this occasion.   It is the first time I've used it for deep frying because I never deep fry.  Ever.   So this should be fun!

While it's heating I cut up the cheese.  Oh yes, there will be cheese.   Fresh mozzarella in fact.  Cut it up into a small dice.  Try not to keep eating it while you do that so there is some left for the arancini.

And now, assembly.   Wash your hands or if you're a wuss, put on some rubber gloves.  Take about 3 Tablespoons, give or take, of the rice mixture and form it into a sort of semi circle.  Then put one of your pieces of diced motz in the middle.

 

Take a little more of the rice mixture and place it over the cheese and then form the whole thing into a ball.  As you can see, mine fit in the palm of my hand.

Not too small, but not huge either.   A little bigger than a golf ball.  Once they are all formed, it's time to bread them.  Dip them in egg then in bread crumbs.  I'm using Panko.

And this is how many I got from the batch of risotto/sausage.

 

Look at those cuties.  From here I've washed my hands again, for about the 50th time and then check my oil.  It's ready!

Be careful with this huh?   It's hot freakin oil!  Gently put in three arancini at a time and don't go anywhere.  This goes fast.  Check out the action shot.

You can see they are getting brown really fast.   The temp of the oil shot up right before I put them in and this first batch got very brown in very little time.   But then I was able to get the temp down and things went a little smoother.

The one on the right was from that first batch with the too hot oil.  The one on the left, clearly perfect.   Money shot!

These were absolutely delicious.  The risotto was still creamy.  The sausage added a wonderful depth to the arancini and the cheese, what are you kidding me?  It's fresh motz, it's freakin fantastic anywhere at any time.  Try it.  Make them.  Don't fear the arancini!   You won't be sorry.

Buon Cibo mia Amici

Squashy Risotto

It's getting to be risotto weather.  Or am I crazy?   Fall just seems kind of risottoey to me.  Kind of like pot roast or stew.  And when you're making your risotto with butternut squash, well it just screams autumn.  I've tried making Butternut Squash Risotto before and the result was not what I had hoped for.  But this time, I had a new plan.  The previous time I made it, I peeled, seeded and diced the squash, tossed with a little salt, pepper and olive oil and roasted it.  Then I made a basic risotto and folded the roasted diced squash into it.  I'm not saying it was bad.  But what happened was, when I took the squash out of the oven, I had to taste it.  It was good.  So I had to taste it again.   And well, just to be sure, I had to taste it a few more times.  Quality control is very important.  So by the time I finished tasting and testing, there wasn't much left for the risotto.

This time I'm starting with an around 2 lb butternut squash.  Butternut just happens to be readily available, inexpensive and darn tasty.  But my fave of the winter squashes is by far, the kabocha squash.  But they are not readily available and they are not inexpensive.  But they are delicious.  So either way.  Hell if you want to use acorn or delicata, by all means, feel free.  Cut your squash of choice in half, take out the seeds and place cut side down on a baking sheet with either a little cooking spray or a light coating of oil.

Roast in a 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes.  These suckers are hard and they take a long time to cook.  When you take it out the cut side should be caramelized and all kinds of delicious.

Let it cool for a little while.  When it's cool enough to handle, scrape out all the yummy and discard the skin.  Then just mash it up with a fork.  You can puree it in a food processor if you must dirty this annoyingly difficult to clean appliance, but a fork or even a potato masher will do the trick.  And then set aside until later.  It might get watery while it's stilling there waiting to be added, no worries.

Now for the risotto.  It's pretty much standard.  One small onion or two shallots, diced.  I'm using a vidalia onion today because I was *gasp* out of shallots.  How could this be!  No worries, it won't happen again.  Add the diced onion to a heavy glorious pot that already has two Tablespoons of butter and three Tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil heating up.  Cook the onions gently on medium heat, just sweating them out.  You don't want to brown them.

While the onions are sweating, in another pot you should have 5 and a half to 6 cups of chicken stock heating up.  If you make this yourself, bravo!   I don't always have time or inclination to make my own, but when I do I freeze it and us it as needed.  This time I'm using my favorite stock in a box, Kitchen Basics.  It's by far the best, has the least amount of sodium and is made right here in good old Cleveland (actually Brecksville) Ohio.

When the onions start to turn translucent, it's time to add the rice.  You will need 1 and a half cups of a short grain rice, preferably Arborio.  Add it straight to the butter/oil and onion mixture and stir it around to coat the rice.

Cook the rice for about 2 minutes on medium heat and then add 1/3 cup of white wine.  Stir the rice and wine until the wine has all but evaporated.  Now it's time to add your heated stock.  You don't want it to boil on that burner, but just come up to heat.   I use a large soup ladle and ladle in one or two each time.  After adding that amount, stir the risotto while the stock gets cooked in.  You don't have to stir constantly.  I know a lot of recipes say to do that, but I don't stir constantly and it turns out beautifully.  You want to stir a lot, don't get me wrong.  And you don't want to walk off and leave the risotto unattended.  But you don't have to give yourself that Tommy John elbow ailment from making risotto.

Don't forget to season as you go.  You know how much sodium you have in your own stock or in whatever store bought stock your using so be as aggressive or passive as necessary based on that.  This whole process should take about 20-25 minutes, adding another ladleful or two of stock after the last ones have cooked in.  And when you're down to your last ladle of stock, add it in and then add in your mashed butternut squash and stir it in.

Thinking about this dish had me going straight out to my garden and picking a nice big bunch of sage.  What says fall more than sage?   And it's a beautiful accompaniment to butternut squash.

Look how pretty my hand looks holding this gorgeous sage.  You would think I was in a commercial for sage the way I'm holding it.  I feel so Vanna.

Clean and chop the sage into ribbons and add to the risotto just about when it's done.

And then as the final step, add three quarters of a cup of grated Parmesan cheese to risotto and stir it in.  Now there is nothing left to do but enjoy it.  Buon Cibo mia Amici.

It's Risotto Season!

My sister in law has some relatives in Pennsylvania that grow mushrooms. So whenever her father goes to PA to visit them he comes home with so many mushrooms they have to give them away. I am often a lucky recipient of said mushrooms. I got a bee in my bonnet to make mushroom risotto and that is where a good portion of those mushrooms went!

In a large skillet, heat 3 Tablespoons of olive oil and then add a mixture of chopped mushrooms. I used button, cremini and shitake. Saute until well cooked, but not browned. Add some wine or broth to the pan if it's too dry, plus salt and pepper. I added tons of fresh thyme because I still have tons in my garden. But dried will work just fine too.




In a heavy bottomed pot, melt two Tablespoons of butter in three Tablespoons of olive oil. Add one medium sized shallot, chopped.



In a saucepan, heat (but don't boil!) five cups of chicken broth or stock. You can use homemade or store bought. Just adjust your added salt if you're using store bought. It can be salty already.

When the shallot is softened but not browned, add 1 1/2 cup of Arborio or other short grained rice. Stir to coat rice and then let cook for two minutes. The heat should be on medium. After the two minutes, add 2/3 cup of white wine. Stir until all the wine has been absorbed into the rice and then start to add your broth. You do not need to keep the heat on under the pot with the broth, but it should be warm. One ladle full at a time, add the stock to the rice and stir until each ladle full is completely absorbed. It takes patience, but your efforts will be so worthwhile!


When all the broth is gone and the rice is done, stir in your mushrooms and then stir in 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately. Nick went crazy for this last night so I think I'll be making it again!

"It's risotto Vyv."

I have been wanting to make risotto for a long time. I don't know why I never do. Well that's not entirely true. I did once. I made butternut squash risotto and I wasn't all that enthused with it. I don't remember why because I love butternut squash. I guess I just didn't make it right. Well the same cannot be said of the Asparagus Risotto I made recently. I have to say it was probably one of the best things I have made in quite some time. I used a combination of recipes. I looked at several and they had elements I liked, but none had put all the elements I liked together, so I did it myself!

I started out with some beautiful fresh asparagus. It's still available at a pretty decent price.




I always prefer my vegetables roasted so that's what I did with the asparagus. All you do is break or cut it into bite sized pieces, drizzle with olive oil and put in a pan to roast in the oven at 400 degrees for about 20-30 minutes. I should be browned but not overly so. While it's roasting, heat 5 cups of chicken stock in a pan (I use Kitchen Basics). Then, in a good heavy pot place 2 Tablespoons of butter and 3 Tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in the bottom. Add one small onion, chopped. As you may already know, I generally use whatever sweet onions are available. It was large so I used about a third of the onion.



Once the onion has sweated a little, add 1 1/2 cups of Arborio rice. Now, if you have never made risotto make sure you have the correct rice. It must be a short grain rice like Arborio. Stir the rice with the onions and butter/oil mixture for a couple minutes. Generally most would add salt and pepper after each additional ingredient is added but since I'm using a boxed chicken stock for this, I am waiting to see if it will need additional salt.




Once the rice is well coated, add 2/3 cup of white wine. Stir until most of the wine is cooked in. Now it's time to start adding the stock. You do not need to keep the heat on under the pot with the stock, but it should be warm. A ladle full at a time, add the stock to the rice and stir until each ladle full is completely absorbed. This is kind of tedious but so well worth it! Don't leave the pot. It needs to be stirred often. Keep doing this, one ladle at a time until all the stock is gone. When you get close to the end, add the roasted asparagus to the pot.



You will be amazed at how this simple pot of rice turns into risotto! Before serving, stir in 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese. Check and see if it needs any more salt and add some pepper. Enjoy!