Beka's Unconventional Risotto (using no cheese, and stock from christmas turkey)

I received arborio (risotto) rice as a Christmas gift from a close friend of my mother's (thanks, Val!) and was dying to make a lovely creamy winter risotto. I have no fancy parmesan cheese. And instead of using chicken stock, I was interested in using the leftover stock I'd made from our Christmas turkey. So this was definitely a creative adventure. The result? The best risotto I've ever made (according to me as well as my husband). It was creamy, comforting and filling just like a risotto should be, but it was lighter without the cheese. And the homemade turkey stock created a lovely post-holidays flavor that just overwhelmed us. It was fantastic! So the next time you roast a turkey, make that stock and save it for a risotto. It's delicious. And hey, who needs to spend $6-8 on fancy cheese when it's so good without it? Leaving out the cheese made it understated enough for a side dish. Not nearly as heavy. Anyway, here's what I did:

• about 6 cups turkey stock (leftover from holiday turkey, in my case), but you can always use chicken stock, even from a can, I won't hold it against you
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1 onion, very finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, very finely minced
• 2 cups arborio rice
• 2/3 cup dry white wine (room temperature)
• sea salt & freshly ground pepper

Put the turkey stock in a saucepan and keep at a gentle simmer. Melt half the butter in a large, heavy saucepan and add the onion. Cook gently for 10 minutes until soft, golden and translucent, but not browned. Add garlic and saute for additional 3-5 minutes.

Add the rice and stir until well coated with butter and heated through.

Pour in the wine, boil hard until it has reduced and almost disappeared. This will remove that raw alcohol taste.

Begin adding the turkey stock, a large ladle at a time, stirring gently until each ladle has been almost absorbed into the rice. The risotto should be kept at a bare simmer throughout cooking, so don't let the rice dry out - add more broth as necessary. Continue until the rice is tender and creamy, but the grains are still firm. This should take about 20 minutes, depending on the type of rice used (check package instructions).

Taste and season well with salt and pepper and beat in the remaining butter.

Turn off the heat and let risotto rest for a few minutes to finish absorbing the rest of the liquid and to set up. Serve immediately after. I hit it with a generous amount of salt and pepper before serving. If it's a bit sticky, add a little extra hot broth at the end to get the right texture.

Truffled Lobster Risotto

Another day, another risotto recipe. I didn't cook tonight as our dear friends Mark & Jen took us to dinner. But this recipe is the next one in my old notebook so here it is:

• two 8-oz uncooked lobster tails
• 3.5 cups canned low salt chicken broth
• 3 tbsp truffle oil (white or black)
• 3/4 cup carrots, chopped and peeled
• 1/4 cup shallots, chopped
• 1 cup arborio rice
• 1/4 cup brandy
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/3 cup fresh chives, chopped

Preheat oven to 425.

Cook lobster in a large pot of simmering salted water until cooked through, about 10 minutes.

Transfer to bowl of cold water to cool. Drain lobster. Remove meat from shells, reserve shells.

Cut lobster meat into 1/2 inch peices.

Break shells into large pieces. Place on baking sheet; bake 15 minutes.

Blend shells with 1 cup chicken broth in a blender until finely chopped. Strain through a very fine sieve. Reserve lobster broth; discard shells.

Bring 2.5 cups chicken broth to simmer; keep hot.

Heat 1 tbsp truffle oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat.

Add carrots and shallots; saute 2 minutes.

Add rice; stir 2 minutes.

Add brandy; reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until brandy is absorbed, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes.

Add lobster broth and 3/4 cup chicken broth.

Simmer until rice is just tender and mixture is creamy, adding remaining broth by 1/4 cupfuls as needed and stirring often - about 20 minutes.

Add lobster and cream, stir until heated through.

Remove from heat. Stir in 2 tbsp truffle oil and chives. Season with salt and pepper.

Lemon Risotto

Anyone who knows me knows that making a risotto is one of my favorite things. And lemon is absolutely one of my favorite flavors. I love this recipe. You probably will too.

• 6 cups chicken broth (or more)
• 4 tbsp butter
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 cups arborio rice
• 2 cups freshly grated parmesan cheese ( used more!)
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• lemon juice & zest
• salt & pepper
• 1 cup white wine

Bring chicken broth to a slow boil in a medium sized saucepan & set aside.

Melt 4 tbsp of butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.

Add onion & saute until translucent. Add rice & stir to coat for 3 minutes.

Add 1/2 cup hot broth. Stir while cooking until rice absorbs the liquid.

When the liquid is absorbed, it's time to add more broth. Keep adding it 1/2 cup at a time, stirring very frequently, until all is used. Never drown the rice. Risotto is done when the rice is still tender.

Stir in wine, parmesan, butter, lemon juice, zest & parsley. Season with salt pepper.

Cover & let stand for a few minutes before serving.

Risotto with Prosciutto & White Truffle Oil

Ok I just tried making this last night so I'm updating it today (2.12.09) with some pictures! Here are two of my great loves - truffle salt, and truffle oil, not to mention risotto & proscuitto...

• Olive Oil
• 2-3oz sliced prosciutto, cut into strips or chunks
• 3 tbsp butter
• 2 shallots (or 1 small onion), minced
• 2 cups arborio rice
• 6-8 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• white truffle oil
• truffle salt (optional)
• 1 cup white wine (I also tossed in a splash or two of sherry)

Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a skillet.

Add small slices of prosciutto & cook until it begins to turn dark in color & slightly crispy.

Remove from the skillet with a slotted spoon & set aside on a paper towel-lined plate, to maintain the crispness of the prosciutto.

Heat 3 tbsp of butter in a large pot over medium-high heat.

Add minced shallots & cook until soft.

In a separate pot, simmer 6 cups of chicken stock over medium heat (add more if necessary).

In the pot with the butter & shallots, stir in 2 cups of arborio rice. Stir until the rice is completely coated in the butter.

Allow the rice to simmer until it starts to turn golden, but be careful not to let the rice stick to the pot.

Add the chicken stock 1 cup at a time. Simmer & stir. Simmer and stir some more. You want to keep doing this continually until it's all absorbed. The rice should be creamy but not stiff. Once the last of the stock has been added, slowly stir in the wine.

Once you have the consistency that you want, stir in 1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese & pepper to taste.

Finish by sprinkling with truffle salt & drizzling with truffle oil.

Top with prosciutto.

Risotto Milanese (that means with saffron)

Again, risotto is expensive and time consuming, but it's great for special occasions and just sooo lovely. As long as you're willing to stand over it. Just pour yourself a glass of wine and have a friend to keep you company. It's fun, I swear!

• 1/4cup extra virgin olive oil (I won't say EVOO because I hate Rachel Ray. There I said it)
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 tsp saffron threads
• 3 1/2 cups chicken stock (usually more), HOT
• 2 cups arborio rice
• 1/2 cup white wine (more, more!)
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for sprinkling

In a 12-14 inch skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion & cook until softened & translucent but not browned, 8-10min.

Meanwhile, heat the stock & add saffron to the stock - stirring to infuse. Once the onions are translucent, add the rice & stir with a wooden spoon until toasted & opaque, 3-4 minutes.

Add the wine to the toasting rice, and then add a 4-6oz ladle of the saffron-infused stock and cook, stirring, until it is absorbed. Continually adding the stock a ladle at a time, waiting until the liquid is absorbed before adding more.

Cook until the rice is tender and creamy and yet still a little al dente, about 15 minutes.

Stir in the butter and cheese until well mixed. Garnish with extra cheese.

Butternut Squash Risotto

I made this for family Thanksgiving in '05. It takes a lot of work and time, and it's also not cheap to make. Don't make this unless you know you're cooking for foodies. When your cousin looks up at you like "why couldn't you just bring mashed potatoes?" you'll wish you had. However, this is a fantastic dish and has been a true hit with people who aren't my cousin.

• 1 small butternut squash (about 1 1/2 lbs)
• 1 3/4 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 small onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 large garlic clove, sliced thin
• 1 1/4 tsp fresh ginger, minced
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup arborio rice
• 1/4 cup dry white wine (but why stop there?)
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh chives

Preheat oven to 450.

Halve squash lengthwise and discard seeds. Peel one half and cut into 1/4 inch cubes. Put remaining half, cut side down, in an oiled shallow baking pan with diced squash & season with salt & pepper. Bake squash in the middle of the oven, stirring diced squash occasionally, until tender and browned lightly; 15-20 minutes.

Holding halved squash in a kitchen towel (here comes the pain-in-the-ass part...), scoop out flesh & chop coarse.

In a saucepan, bring both broth and water to a simmer & keep at a bare simmer.

In another saucepan, cook onion, garlic and ginger in butter over moderately low heat, stirring until softened.

Stir in rice & cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. Add wine, and cook, stirring until absorbed.

Stir in 1/4 cup broth and cook, stirring constantly, and keeping at a simmer throughout, until absorbed. Continue simmering & adding broth, about 1/4 cup at a time, stirring constantly and letting each addition be absorbed before adding the next, until about half of the broth has been added.

Stir in diced and chopped squash and continue simmering & adding broth until rice is tender and creamy looking, but still al dente, about 18 minutes. Stir in chives and salt & pepper to taste.

Garnish with chopped fresh chives and shaved parmesano-reggiano cheese. A drizzle of truffle oil and a bit of proscuitto is never a bad thing, either.