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Risotto

Risotto

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Yield: 4 Servings
J. Kenji Lopez-Alt / Serious Eats

A perfect plate of risotto should flow like lava if you tilt the plate. Spoon it onto a hot dish (and you must use a hot dish), and it should slowly spread out until it forms a perfectly level disk. But there are a lot of myths out there about how to make a perfect risotto. This recipes dispenses with the myths to give you risotto that’s perfectly creamy and nutty, using just one pan.
Using a wide, shallow skillet allows for more even cooking of the rice.
It also lets you add all the liquid at one time, and you only have to stir the rice once.
Rinsing rice in the cooking liquid means you retain all of the starch, which will otherwise break down when the rice gets toasted in oil and butter. The result? Creamy andnutty-tasting risotto

  • 1½cups (about 13 ½ oz) risotto-style rice (see note)
  • 1quart low-sodium homemade or store-bought chicken stock
  • 1cup white wine (optional; can be replaced with additional broth)
  • 2TBS butter, plus more for finishing, if desired
  • 2TBS extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2medium cloves garlic, grated on a Microplane (about 2 tsp)
  • 2small shallots, finely minced (about 2 TBS)
  • ¾cup heavy cream, whipped to stiff peaks
  • 3oz finely grated Parmesan cheese
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Chopped herbs or other garnishes, as desired


Combine rice, chicken stock, and wine in a large bowl. Agitate rice with fingers or a whisk to release starch. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer set in a 2-quart liquid cup measure or another large bowl. Allow to drain 5 minutes, stirring rice occasionally.

Heat butter and oil in a heavy 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until foaming subsides. Add rice and cook, stirring and tossing frequently, until all liquid has evaporated, fat is bubbling, and rice has begun to take on a golden blond color and nutty aroma, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and shallots and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until aromatic, about 1 minute. Give reserved broth a good stir and pour all but 1 cup over rice. Increase heat to high and heat until simmering. Stir rice once, cover, and reduce heat to lowest possible setting.

Cook rice for 10 minutes, undisturbed. Stir once, shake pan gently to redistribute rice, cover, and continue cooking until liquid is mostly absorbed and rice is tender with just a faint bite, about 10 minutes longer.

Remove lid and add final cup of stock. Increase heat to high and cook, stirring and shaking rice constantly, until risotto is thick and creamy. Off heat, fold in heavy cream and cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir in herbs as desired. Serve immediately on hot plates.

Rice Pilaf with Peas

Rice Pilaf with Peas

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Stove-top or Oven-baked

Yield: 6 Servings
Hannah Jack Tavern, Merrimack, NH (closed)

Circa 1988. This recipe comes from the then chef at Hannah Jack Tavern in NH. This is a nice simple rice dish with peas added. Cooking the rice in stock gives you a nicely flavored rice. Feel free to experiment with a little fennel, minced carrot or other aromatics.

  • 3TBS butter
  • ½medium onion or 1-2 shallots, finely chopped
  • 1-2garlic cloves, minced (Optional)
  • 2TBS pine nuts, toasted (Optional)
  • 1½cups raw long grain rice
  • 3cups stock or water
  • 8oz frozen baby peas

Heat the butter in a saucepan and sauté the onion until translucent. Add the rice (and optional garlic or pine nuts) and sauté, stirring, until the rice is hot to the back of your hand. Then pour in the liquid, bring to a simmer, cover the pan with a piece of parchment or paper towel and the lid.

Stove-top:

Turn down the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes. Add the peas and stir to distribute, using a fork. Return to the heat, covered as before, for another 5 minutes. After that time, behold the perfectly cooked rice – all the liquid absorbed, and steam holes evenly distributed about the surface.

Baby peas really do not need to be cooked, only heated. Don’t follow the cooking directions on the box; they’ll be overdone.

Oven Baked:

Preheat oven to 350 to 400°F. Bake for 15 minutes. Carefully remove lid. Add peas. Replace lid and bake for 5 more minutes.

Serving:
If desired, scoop the rice into custard cups or ring molds and un-mold on the plate for a little more elegance than just spooning it on!

Spanish Rice

Spanish Rice

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Spanish Rice

Yield: 4 to 8 Servings
Adapted from: Marion Cunningham / Epicurious

Circa 2008: There are more versions of Spanish Rice around than you can count. I do know this one is good. It is vegetable heavy compared to most and it is delicious. I have added the thyme, parsley, increased the cumin and replaced the tomato sauce with a can of diced tomatoes.
Marion Cunningham wrote: “Of course, I don’t believe this dish is Spanish at all, but rather Cajun from Louisiana. I made it quite often in the 1960s. Then — as now — in home cooking, one had to watch the cost, and rice was an inexpensive way to fill out a meal; after all, rice feeds half the world. In most American homes at the time, rice was served buttered with salt and pepper. This recipe gave rice a little style, made it a delicious “fancy” side dish to serve alongside grilled meat or chicken. If you like a little added spice, put some hot pepper sauce on the table.”

  • ¼cup olive oil
  • 2onions, finely chopped
  • 2bell peppers, 1 red and 1 green seeded, ribs removed, and finely chopped
  • 2ribs celery, finely chopped
  • 3cloves garlic, minced
  • 2cups long-grain white rice
  • 114-oz can diced tomatoes
  • 2cups water
  • 1½tsp salt
  • ½tsp black pepper
  • 1½tsp cumin
  • ½tsp thyme
  • ½tsp parsley


Sweat vegetables:

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat, then add the onions, green peppers, celery, season with salt & pepper and sauté until soft, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook for another minute while stirring.

Add the rice and stir together to mix.

Add the cumin, thyme, parsley, salt and pepper.

Add liquids:

Carefully add the diced tomatoes and the water.

Cook:

Bring to a boil, lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the rice is done, stirring once or twice. Don’t overcook the rice!

Baked Stuffed Green Peppers

Baked Stuffed Green Peppers

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Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Source Lost

Circa 2007:  I’ve lost track of where I found this recipe. It’s probably based on an Emeril Lagasse recipe.  Don’t discard the tops of the peppers when you remove them.  Instead, cut out the stem and mince the tops to add to the stuffing.

  • 4-6green bell peppers, tops cut away and seeds removed.
  • ½cup finely chopped green bell pepper tops
  • 2TBS vegetable oil
  • 1cup finely chopped yellow onions
  • ½lb ground beef
  • ½lb ground pork or mild sausage
  • 1TBS minced garlic
  • ¼cup finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
  • ¾tsp salt
  • ½tsp ground black pepper
  • pinch red pepper flakes
  • 2cups cooked long or medium-grain white rice
  • 8oz tomato sauce
  • water

Optional

  • bread crumbs, regular or panko


Preheat the oven to 350 °F.

Check to make sure your seeded peppers stand up good.  If not, trim a very thin slice off of the bottom to give them some stability.  Try not to cut through the bottom leaving a hole.

In a large pot of boiling water, parboil the peppers until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Peppers can also be steamed upside down for 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove with a slotted spoon and dry on paper towels.

In a large sauté pan or skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and chopped bell peppers and cook, stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the beef, pork, garlic, parsley, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook until the meat is browned, stirring with a heavy wooden spoon to break up the lumps, about 6 minutes. Add the rice and tomato sauce and stir well. Remove from the heat and adjust the seasoning, to taste.

Pour enough water into a baking dish to just cover the bottom, about 1/8-inch deep. Stuff the bell peppers with the rice mixture and place in the baking dish.

Optional: Top with breadcrumbs and/or cheese.

Bake until the peppers are very tender and the filling is heated through, 25 to 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.