Risotto Cakes

Every time I make risotto, there is always a lot left over. I never know what to do with it, and it doesn't have the right texture when re-heated. I've been hearing of people making risotto cakes with their leftover risotto, so I thought I'd give it a try. I'm so glad I did because it was absolutely delicious. I made one of those just-add-water gravy mixes to drizzle on top, and we had a nice meal. I'm looking forward to making many more risotto cakes in the future and trying out different toppings. I'm thinking marinara sauce with sprinkles of fresh basil would be nice.

Risotto Cakes
Ingredients:
2 cups Risotto
1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Topping of your choice (gravy, marinara sauce, Parmesan cheese, etc.)

Directions:
Shape risotto into 4 round patties (about 3-1/2 inches wide). Dredge in breadcrumbs.
Cook patties in hot oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Serve warm with desired topping(s).

Source: Southern Living June 2008 issue

Risotto with Chicken and Caramelized Onions

This risotto is a complete meal with the meat and carbs, and it left us feeling full and satisfied. Typically risotto requires lots of attention and constant stirring. However, this recipe only required a couple of stirs. Between stirs, I had time to shred the chicken, chop the chives, watch The Bachelor.... oh wait; did I say that out loud?!?
The end result was a rich and creamy risotto with chicken and caramelized onions mixed throughout.


Risotto with Chicken and Caramelized Onions

Ingredients:
1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 yellow onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
Pinch of sugar
5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups water
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and Pepper
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 cup)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 Tablespoons minced fresh chives (optional)

Directions:
Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of the olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and sugar, stirring to coat. Allow the onion to cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden brown and caramelized. Remove the onions to a plate and set aside.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the chicken broth and water and bring to a simmer. In the meantime, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet used to cook the onions set over medium-high heat. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Transfer the chicken to the heated skillet and cook, turning once, until each side is a light golden brown. Remove from the heat and transfer the chicken breasts to the saucepan with the simmering broth mixture. Let cook until cooked through (no longer pink). Remove the chicken from the broth and transfer to the plate with the onions.

Add the butter to a Dutch oven set over medium heat. Once melted, add the garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the rice to the pan, stirring frequently, until the grains are translucent around the edges, about 3 minutes.

Add the wine and cook, stirring constantly, until fully absorbed, about 2-3 minutes. Stir 5 cups of hot broth mixture into the rice. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until almost all liquid has been absorbed and the rice is just al dente, 16-19 minutes, stirring twice during cooking.

Add 3/4 cup of the hot broth mixture to the risotto and stir gently and constantly until the risotto becomes creamy, about 3 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan. Remove pot from the heat; cover and let stand for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Stir the shredded chicken and caramelized onions into the risotto with the lemon juice and chives. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If desired, add up to 1/2 cup of the remaining broth mixture to add moisture and loosen the texture. Serve immediately.
Yield: about 6 servings

Source: Annie's Eats; originally from Cook's Illustrated May/June 2010

Bacon and Wild Mushroom Risotto with Baby Spinach

Risotto can be made into a complete meal when vegetables and meat are added. The choices of combinations are endless. This recipe says to use a combination of wild mushrooms, but I like to stick with the baby bellas and the button mushrooms. There are some wild mushrooms that remind me of other things such as squid tentacles and frog legs. Thanks, but no thanks!
This particular risotto has an amazing smoky flavor, thanks to the crispy bacon. I also chose to sprinkle a little of the cheese on top of the risotto after serving instead of mixing it in. Therefore, I used less cheese and saved a few calories.




Ingredients:
4 cups chicken stock
6 bacon slices, chopped
1 cup chopped shallots
1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
4 garlic cloves, minced
12 ounces wild mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
1 cup uncooked Arborio rice
1/3 cup dry sherry
4 cups baby spinach
1/2 cup (2-ounces) grated fresh Asiago cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:
Bring chicken stock to a simmer in a small saucepan (do not boil); keep warm over low heat.
Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add bacon to pan; cook 8 minutes or until crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove bacon from pan with a slotted spoon. Add shallots, oil, thyme, and garlic to drippings in the pan; cook 6 minutes or until shallots are tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in mushrooms; cook 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add rice, and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in sherry; cook 1 minute or until the liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Stir in 1 cup stock; cook 4 minutes or until the liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Add remaining stock, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of stock is absorbed before adding the next (about 25 minutes total).

I recommend pulling up a chair to save your feet. :)

Stir in spinach; cook 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in cheese, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle with bacon.
Yield: 5 servings

Nutritional Info (per 1 1/4 cups risotto and 1 Tablespoon bacon):
405 calories; 19.1g fat; 38mg cholesterol; 145mg calcium; 42.6g carbs; 555mg sodium; 16.5g protein; 3.5g fiber; 2.4mg iron

Source: adapted from Cooking Light

Chicken Cacciatore Risotto

Risotto is one of my favorite things to eat. There are thousands of different ways to dress it up, and this recipe uses ingredients that dress it up in style. According to my Food Lover's Companion, cacciatore means "hunter" in Italian. Maybe that's why Aubrey loved this dish so much (he loves to hunt). The book also says that cacciatore is "prepared 'hunter-style' with mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, various herbs and sometimes wine."

Aubrey helped me stir the risotto while I shredded the chicken and chopped the parsley. Risotto is a funny little dish because you have to continually stir from the beginning until the end. Emeril said on one of his shows that you can't even stop to answer the phone. Or was it answer the door? I don't remember, but you get the point. So bring over a chair and have a seat and stir, stir, stir.

I'm definitely going to make this again and again. Aubrey said that I need to put a star by this in my recipe book. He also had seconds and raved about it while helping me clean up the kitchen.

Ingredients:
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat
2 teaspoons Herbes de Provence
Salt and Pepper, to taste
2 Tablespoons butter, divided
1 cup arborio rice
3/4 cup red wine
3 cups chicken broth
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
6 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced (I used baby bella)
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
fresh parsley, minced

Directions:
Season the chicken thighs with salt, pepper, and Herbes de Provence. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and coat with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Add the chicken and cook 5-7 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Remove chicken and set aside.

Add 1 Tablespoon of the butter to the skillet. When melted, add the shallot, and cook until softened, 3 minutes. Add the garlic, and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, bring the chicken stock and diced tomatoes to a simmer. Cover and allow to simmer continuously.

Add the rice to the skillet, and cook, stirring continuously, until the edges are translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Decrease the heat to medium-low. Add the red wine, and stir continuously, until it is mostly absorbed.

Working 1-2 ladles at a time, add the chicken broth/tomato mixture to the rice, stirring constantly, until almost all the liquid has been absorbed. After about 12 minutes, add the peppers and mushrooms to the rice mixture.

Continue adding liquid until the rice is cooked to al dente, about 20 minutes total. Taste to check doneness. When cooked to al dente, add 1 more ladle of chicken broth, and remove from heat. Stir in the remaining Tablespoon of butter, Parmesan cheese, and fresh parsley.

Shred the chicken into bite sized pieces, and add to the risotto. Divide evenly among serving plates, and top with more cheese and parsley. Serve immediately.

Serves 3-4 as a main dish

Source: Pink Parsley

Risotto Primavera

I've had this recipe saved for a while, and finally found the perfect time to cook it. This has been such a rainy week, and it made me in the mood for some comforting Risotto. I was really pleased at how it turned out. I bought a Rotisserie chicken, which was the perfect along side of this. I love the taste of all of the fresh veggies with the brothy taste of the Risotto. You could make a meal of this or use it as a side dish.

Ingredients:
3 - 3 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1 1/4 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/4 inch strips
1 yellow squash, quartered and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 pound asparagus, top 2 inches cut into diagonal pieces (freeze bottoms for a later use)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
Pour the stock into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to achieve a gentle simmer, and maintain over low heat.

In a large, heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion and mushrooms and saute, stirring occasionally until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat with the oil. Add the wine and cook, stirring often, until most of the liquid has been absorbed... about 3 minutes.

Reduce the heat to low and add the bell pepper and 1 cup of the hot stock. Cook, stirring often, until most of the stock is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Add the squash and asparagus and another 1 cup of the hot stock and simmer, stirring often until most of it has been absorbed. Add another 1 cup of the hot stock and simmer, stirring occasionally, until it has been absorbed and the risotto has a creamy consistency, about 20 minutes. Taste the rice; if it is hard in the center, add the remaining 1/2 cup stock and simmer, stirring until absorbed and the grains are tender but slightly al dente.

Season with salt and pepper. Place in individual dishes and sprinkle Parmesan on top.

Source: Adapted from Tide and Thyme

Summer Risotto

I have a little obsession with Risotto. If you haven't ever tried to make it, please, please, please give it a try. You will be very impressed.
This Risotto that I made tonight is absolutely the best Risotto I've ever had. Amazing!!! The zucchini and basil give this dish the perfect taste of summer. I'll definitely make this again. It is a great recipe for a whole meal or side dish.


Risotto with Pancetta, Zucchini, Basil & Parmesan

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon softened butter
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped roughly
1 large garlic clove, crushed
½ cup thinly sliced pancetta, chopped roughly
1 1/3 cups Arborio rice
2 small zucchini, grated coarsely
¾ cup dry white wine
4 cups hot chicken stock
8 basil leaves, chopped roughly
½ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese

Directions:
Heat the butter and oil together in a saute pan over medium heat on the stove top. Add the onion, garlic, and pancetta. Fry gently, stirring continuously, until they just begin to color.
Stir in the rice and cook until all the butter and oil are absorbed. Add the zucchini and cook for 1 minute. Move the Wide Oven away from the heat, add the wine and 1 cup (250 ml) of the hot stock, together with the basil leaves and seasonings.
Return the Wide Oven to the heat, stir well and leave to simmer gently for 10-15 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Add 1 cup (250 ml) of the hot stock and continue simmering and stirring for 10-15 minutes longer. Repeat this process until all the stock is used. After the last addition, stir frequently. The consistency should be very moist and creamy with the rice grains soft, but remaining whole.
Remove the saute pan from the heat and stir in three quarters of the parmesan cheese. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top as it is served.

Recipe is from Le Creuset

Spring Asparagus Risotto

I'm always looking for a new risotto recipe, and I found another one in the April 2009 Cooking Light magazine. Aubrey and I both love asparagus, and it was perfect for this risotto dish. This recipe is actually from a chef (Clif Holt) that lives in Birmingham (where I'm from)... so that made it all the more special. I'll definitely be making this again in the future.

Ingredients:
4 cups (1-inch) slices asparagus (about 1 and 1/2 pounds), divided
3 cups fat free, less-sodium chicken broth, divided
1 and 1/2 cups water
1 Tablespoon butter
2 cups chopped onion (about 1 large)
2 cups uncooked Arborio rice or other medium-grain rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup (4 ounces) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions:
Place 1 cup asparagus and 1 cup broth in a blender; puree until smooth. Combine puree, remaining 2 cups broth, and 1 and 1/2 cups water in a medium saucepan; bring to a simmer (do not boil). Keep warm over low heat.

Melt butter in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add onion to pan; cook 8 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in rice; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in wine; cook 2 minutes or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Add 1/2 cup broth mixture; cook 2 minutes or until the liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Add remaining puree mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of broth is absorbed before adding the next (about 30 minutes total). Stir in remaining 3 cups asparagus; cook 2 minutes.

Stir in 3/4 cup cheese, cream, salt, and pepper. Transfer risotto to a bowl. Serve with remaining 1/4 cup cheese.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 and 1/4 cups risotto and 1 and 1/2 teaspoons cheese.

Nutritional Info: 283 calories; 7.7g fat; 10.5g protein; 44g carbs; 4.1g fiber; 23mg cholesterol; 2.2mg iron; 634mg sodium; 144mg calcium

Dirty Risotto

I've been dying to try this recipe that Giada made on the Food Network. I'm a big fan of risotto. My dad actually introduced me to it... He would make risotto (plain) served with a rotisserie chicken, and it was one of my favorite meals. The trick to cooking risotto is to NEVER leave it alone and continually stir. Don't even stop to answer the phone... well, maybe you can do that... but stir while you talk.
I really liked this dish, but Aubrey wasn't a big fan of the sausage. Next time I make it for him I'll probably either leave the sausage out or use a different kind.


Ingredients:
5 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons butter
2 ounces pancetta, chopped
1 link (about 6 ounces) spicy Italian sausage, casing removed
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
4 ounces button mushrooms, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice or medium-grain white rice
3/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

Directions:
In a medium saucepan, bring the broth to a simmer. Cover the broth and keep warm over low heat.
In a large heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the pancetta and sausage and saute until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms and saute until tender, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the rice and stir to coat. Add the wine and simmer until the wine has almost completely evaporated, about 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup of simmering broth and stir until almost completely absorbed, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking the rice, adding the broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition of broth to absorb before adding the next, until the rice is tender but still firm to the bite and the mixture is creamy, about 25 to 30 minutes total. Remove from the heat. Stir in 3/4 of the Parmesan. Transfer the risotto to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with the parsley and remaining Parmesan and serve immediately.