WHAT'S
FOR DINNER MARGRIT?
Risotto
1 big ol’ onion or a big
ol’ leek
olive oil at least a
tablespoon or three (or more)
A cup of
Arborio rice (yes! It must
be this kind-- it’s special and starchy and the very secret of
risotto) or a cup more more for big batches
A quart or more of chicken
broth if you make your own YOU ROCK
(but
the kind in the carton is yummy especially the free-range happy
chickens kind, cuz they make better broth I swear it’s not
psychological. Canned broths are gross, I reject them. And don’t
even mention boullion cubes. Thanks).
Stuff
to make it interesting nutritionally diverse and therefore not just
rice, my faves are in bold type: mushrooms, capers, olives,
broccoli, zucchini, roasted bell peppers of all denominations, fresh
corn scraped off the cob, green beans, garbanzos, chicken apple
sausage, shrimp
,
scallops, chicken, chicken liver, duck,
platypus, ostrich, brontosaurus, emu, turducken --you name it!
well just don’t put in any endangered species… fruit or chewing gum
probably wouldn’t be that good either nor would chocolate
sprinkles…
Parmesan cheese or Asiago or
gruyere
or not, you lactose-intolerant
eaters
Seasonings like: salt, pepper, garlic,
wine, roasted garlic, fresh cilantro, fresh basil, or other
herbs YOU like
Sautee the leek or onion in a goodly amount of olive oil
until the onion is caramelly or at least translucent. Pour in the
rice and toast it awhile but don’t burn it! Pour in a cup of the
chicken broth. Stir stir stir. As the liquid is absorbed add more
liquid and stir stir stir. And so on and so
on.
Meanwhile you should prepare the
filling shouldn’t you? I like to steam the veggies just so: Green
beans take the longest so put them in first, brocc and zucc are
close so they come next when the green beans are still too crunchy
but turning greener. I hate them overcooked but I don’t like
it raw either, no precious. Then a minute before I turn off the
steam I toss in sliced mushrooms. They will be succulently lovely.
Roast the pepper in the oven or the microwave (if absolutely
necessary). If you’re using raw shrimp you gottta clean them take
off shells, steam them a bit until pink or use precooked shrimp but
make sure they are delicious. Which they can be. For other meats
prepare them your favorite way: like frying sausages for example or
toasting them in the oven until they burst and then slice ‘em.
When the rice is soft…meaning not gritty on
your tooth anymore you can stop adding liquids and stirring.
By the way, if you ran out of broth why not add wine? Or water
even. Now you can stir in the fillings and seasonings and cheeses.
Oh! I scrape the corn off of the cobs right into the rice near the
end. But you could’ve steamed it if that seems scary. I like
corn raw. Yum yum. Maybe you will
too… |
