Zucchini & Pea Risotto

 Sunday's are excellent for spending some time cooking dinner.  I try to make something that takes more than 20 minutes once a week and Sunday is normally the only day that I have the time or patience to do so.  Yesterday started a bit slow after celebrating the end of the world not happening, but I had been wanting to make this Spring Risotto with Peas and Zucchini since before I hurt my elbow from my Great Food Fast cookbook.  

 

Zucchini has started to be a staple in my kitchen.  There are so many wonderful things to make with it.  This was no exception, it was so good, even tonight as a leftover. I'm sure I've said it before, but I am picky about my leftovers, so you know it was good.  I only made a few modification to the original recipe part due to what was in the kitchen. It also took more than 30 minutes to get all the broth added.

 

Ingredients

• 16 oz. chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 smallish medium zucchini cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 3 cloves of garlic chopped- divide in half
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
• 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 1/3 cup grated paramsan cheese
• 1/3 cup grated asiago cheese

Directions

1. Heat broth and 2 1/4 cups water; keep warm. Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add zucchini and half of garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until zucchini is golden, 8 to 10 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer zucchini to a plate.
   
2. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add onion and remaining garlic; cook until soft, 5 minutes. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Raise heat to medium. Add rice; cook, stirring, until translucent around edges, about 3 minutes. Add wine; cook until absorbed, about 2 minutes.
   
3. Cook, adding 1 cup hot broth at a time (stir until almost all liquid is absorbed before adding more), until rice is tender.
   
4. Add zucchini and peas; cook until peas are bright green, 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining tablespoon butter and cheeses. Serve, topped with more cheese.
   
   Enjoy! 
   

Risotto alla Brianzola

I didn't make this dish but it was made for me (I might have stirred the risotto a time or two). It was my 25th birthday this weekend, and I hate making plans. Everyone is usually all partied out from New Year's Eve the night before, so going out isn't anyone's idea of a good time. My boyfriend Kurt loves to cook (and is quite excellent at it), so over brunch I bestowed upon him the task of providing me a homemade dinner of his choice. His eyes lit up and he immediately began looking up recipes on his phone and we searched out a grocery store that would be open on New Years Day.

Our trip to Italy! See more here.

When Kurt was a younger lad, he spent a year doing an exchange in Italy. He lived near the town of Merate, outside of Milan, in the region known as Brianza. The north gets a bit colder in the winter, so dishes are often heartier (Kurt tries to tell me they just work harder there, so they need more substantial meals). Apart from the lovely Italian language, Kurt also picked up some great cooking skills during his time there. He was thrilled to try out this recipe particular to the region where he lived. Kurt and I visited his friends and host families in Italy last summer, so I was also excited to get a further glimpse into Italian culture. And of course it was delicious. Grazie mille, Kurt! I had a wonderful birthday!

Risotto alla Brianzola 
1 onion, chopped
1/2 lb sausage
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 cup dry red wine (divide into 1/2 cup portions)
5 cups broth (we used chicken broth)
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1-1/2 cups arborio rice, yellow if you can find it
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads (about 20)
Parmesan cheese for garnish

In a small frying pan, break apart sausage, add 1/2 cup red wine, and sauté meat until browned. Set aside. In a large frying pan, heat butter with olive oil, cook onion and garlic together until soft. Bring broth to a boil in a sauce pan. Add rice and remaining wine to the onion pan. Cook and allow wine to evaporate. Gradually add broth in stages to rice mixture and stir constantly as it is absorbed. (The rice should puff up and develop a creamy sauce.) Once all the liquid has been absorbed, add sausage mixture and saffron to rice. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.

Wine pairing: Chianti or a dry red wine (We drank a Zonin Chianti from 2006 as suggested by the owner of our local wine shop)

An Old Favorite & a New One

Since I am home in my mom's large, counter spacious kitchen and four to six people have to be feed each day, I am taking full advantage.  I brought home recipes that seemed like too much work to half or make for one or won't keep forever as leftovers.

Last night I decided to make a Chicken Braid, an old favorite that I haven't had in years.  The first time I had it was at my friends house and his mom gave me the recipe which I brought home and made with my mom a few times, but it has been hiding in my recipe files for awhile. I have to admit that when it was time to start dinner last night I was sent over to my grandparents to drop off some of the candy and cookies we made yesterday and mom ended up starting and finishing the chicken braid before I returned through the trees.  Never the less, here is the tasty recipe. 


Chicken Braid

• 2 cups cooked chicken, chopped
• 1 cup broccoli, chopped
• 1/2 cup red pepper, chopped 
• 1 garlic clove, chopped 
• 1 cup shredded chedder
• 1/2 cup mayo
• 2 tsp dill weed
• salt & pepper to taste
• 2 packages cresent rolls 
• 1 egg white
• 2 tbsp almond slivers

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 
2. Mix Chicken, broccoli, and pepper in bowl. 
3. Add mayo, dill, salt and pepper to chicken mixture and blend well.  
4. Unroll 1 package of crescent rolls and DO NOT separate. Arrange longest sides of dough across wide baking stone. Repeat with the second package. On long side cut dough 1 1/2" apart and 3" deep (leave 6" in the center to fill). 
5. Spread mix over center of dough.  Pick up strips and twist over mix. 
6. Brush egg whites over dough top and sprinkle with almonds. 
7. Bake 25 to 28 minutes or until deep golden brown. 

Tonight I made a new recipe I found in Real Simple, Sweet Potato Risotto.  I made it once before and thought that my family might like it, even my picky little sister (she is much worse than I am or ever was).  It's not hard, it just take some time to chop everything and it takes about 45 minutes to cook.  I followed my friend Melissa's advice and measured ever thing out in advance since it starts out rather quick and there is not a lot of time to do so when your in the middle of cooking.

Sweet Potato Risotto

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 2 small sweet potatoes (about 1 pound), cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 cup Arborio rice
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan (2 ounces)
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Add the sweet potatoes and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute.
3. Add the rice and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook, stirring frequently, until absorbed.
4. Measure 3½ cups of water. Add ¾ cup at a time and cook, stirring occasionally and waiting until each addition is absorbed before adding the next. It should take 25 to 30 minutes for all the water to be absorbed.
5. Stir in the Parmesan and oregano.

My sister did eat it, but she refused to try the sweet potatoes and picked them out.  She claims she would have picked out the onion, but that was too hard.  I think she would have liked the potatoes if she would have tried, I may be picky, but at least I try things.  She also mixed in French Dressing.  I don't know how that made it better and given her picky eating I can't believe that she would mix them together.  I think its fine the way it is and it's great as a leftover. 

Enjoy!