A Life, Lived

Lemon Asparagus Risotto

Asparagus season is in full swing here in Ontario. I am doing my best to eat it a few times a week. . . supporting local farmers and all of that . . . plus it tastes AMAZING!

I made this risotto a week ago. It was quick and delicious.

The only change made to the recipe was I set the pressure for 5 minutes and not 6 - we prefer our risotto to be on the al dente side and I was worried 6 minutes would yield mushy rice. 5 was OK but I wonder if 4 might work too.

Grab some asparagus, set up your Instant Pot and enjoy!

Lemon Asparagus Risotto

2 tbsp olive oil
2 cups asparagus trimmed, cut into 1.5-inch pieces
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 large shallot diced
2 garlic cloves minced
1 cup Arborio rice
2 cups vegetable broth
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan

Select SAUTÉ, HIGH. Select START.

Add olive oil to the inner pot. Once oil is hot, add chopped asparagus and cook for about 5 minutes, until slightly tender.

Remove asparagus and place into a bowl. Set it aside.

Add unsalted butter to inner pot. Once butter has melted, add diced shallot and cook for 2 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for about 5 minutes, until slightly tender, until fragrant.

Add rice to inner pot and occasionally stir for 2 minutes until each grain is coated with butter. Select CANCEL to turn off SAUTÉ.

Pour in the vegetable broth. Add lemon juice and lemon zest, then stir.

Secure the lid for pressure cooking.

Select PRESSURE COOK, HIGH. Set time to 6 minutes (00:06). Select START.

Once program ends, allow for a 5-minute Natural Release. Then, Quick Release remaining pressure. Select CANCEL.

Remove lid. Add grated parmesan and cooked asparagus.

Stir risotto until cheese melts, about 1 minute. Salt and pepper to taste.

Coconut Rice

Let me apologize right off for a crappy pic for this post. Rice is often a vehicle for other foods - in this case Vietnamese meatballs. That being said, the rice was delicious enough it is worthy of a pic of its own!

This dish uses Jasmine rice which I find cooks more quickly than other forms rice however using the pressure cooker cuts trhe cooking time even more. With a 3-minute cook time, you can have this pressure cooker jasmine rice recipe on your table in under 20 minutes.

Rice is one of my favourite things to cook in the pressure cooker! It’s fast, easy, and comes out perfectly every time.Some folks seem to have difficulty making rice in the IP but I've been lucky apparently. NOt only is it quick, I find the consistency of the cooked rice is better as well.

The recipe called for garnishing with toasted coconut. I skipped that step because of 'Mr. Toasted Coconut hater'. I did add chopped cilantro and we loved it.

Enjoy!

Instant Pot Coconut Rice

1 1/2 cups jasmine rice
1 can (14 ounces) unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
Toasted coconut, optional, for garnish

Rinse rice in cool water until the water runs clear. Drain the rice in a colander or sieve.

Add the rice, coconut milk, water, sugar, and salt to the pressure cooker pot. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Lock the lid in place. Select High Pressure and 3 minutes cook time.

When the cook time ends, allow the pressure to release naturally for 7 minutes, then finish with a quick pressure release.

Carefully remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork.

Spoon the rice into a serving bowl. Sprinkle with toasted coconut before serving, if desired

Asparagus Risotto with Lemon and Mint

Asparagus Risotto is one of my favourite things to make when the fresh stalks of local asparagus first appear in the market. This recipe, by Jamie Oliver, rounds out the flavour of the asparagus with lemon and mint - always a fresh and to my way of thinking, spring-like combination of flavours.

I used to be intimidated with risotto - it is made out to be such a complex dish. It isn't. In fact, it is incredibly forgiving. The one downside is it takes time - you can rush it. Well, unless you're making it in the InstantPot. smile

I went the traditional route here. With the traditional method of cooking risottos, be sure to stir constantly and methodically but not too energetically — you'll wear yourself out and start to cramp in the wrists otherwise. The key is to regulate the temperature and watch it as it cooks. If the heat is too high you will boil off your stock instead of letting the rice absorb it. If the heat is too low it won’t cook.. You want to give the rice time to cook while releasing it’s starch and making a creamy sauce.

Enjoy!

Asparagus Risotto with Lemon and Mint

1 litre organic vegetable or chicken stock
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion , peeled and finely chopped
4-5 sticks celery , trimmed and finely chopped
600 g risotto rice
250 ml vermouth or dry white wine
2 bunches asparagus , woody ends removed and discarded
700 ml organic vegetable or chicken stock
50 g butter
1 small handful Parmesan cheese , freshly grated, plus a block for grating
1 bunch fresh mint , leaves picked and finely chopped
2 lemons , zest and juice of
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
extra virgin olive oil

Finely chop your asparagus stalks into tiny discs, keeping the tips whole. Then start making your basic risotto recipe.

Bring the stock to a simmer in a saucepan.

Put the butter and olive oil in a separate large pan, add the onion and celery and cook very gently for about 15 minutes, without colouring, until soft. Add the rice (it will sizzle) and turn up the heat. Don't let the rice or veg catch on the bottom of the pan, so keep it moving.

Quickly pour in the vermouth or wine. You will smell the alcohol immediately, so keep stirring all the time until it has evaporated, leaving the rice with a lovely perfume.

Add the stock to the rice a ladle at a time, stirring and waiting until it has been fully absorbed before adding the next. Turn the heat down to low so the rice doesn't cook too quickly, otherwise the outside of each grain will be stodgy and the inside hard and nutty (you don't want to cook it too slowly either, or it will turn into rice pudding!) and continue to add ladlefuls of stock until it has all be absorbed. This should take about 14 to 15 minutes and give you rice that is beginning to soften but is still a little al dente.

Add in the asparagus.

Add the rest of the stock a ladleful at a time, stir until it has been absorbed. Repeat until the rice and asparagus are cooked. You might not need all your stock. Be careful not to overcook the rice - check it throughout cooking to make sure it's a pleasure to eat. It should hold its shape but be soft, creamy and oozy, and the overall texture should be slightly looser than you think you want it.

Turn off the heat, stir in the Parmesan, mint, almost all the lemon zest and all the juice. Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed. Put a lid on the pan and leave the risotto to rest for a minute. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil, a scattering of lemon zest and a block of Parmesan on the table.

Fried Rice

I can't believe that I have made it to age 56 and never made fried rice before. It seems weird to me, given the thousands of meals that I have cooked, but it is what it is.

The only reason this got on the menu rotation is that I misordered our dinner on Saturday and somehow ended up with two large orders of plain rice. Needless to say we had a lot leftover.

Fried rice is a great way to use up leftover rice.

When planning the menu I took to google for some inspiration and found a recipe dubbed 'the Best Fried Rice'. Well the, who am I to argue with that claim to greatness?

This easy to make fried rice is loaded with veggies and only takes about 20 minutes to make. It tasted great - so much better and healthier than takeout.

It may have taken me 56 years to try cooking fried rice at home but I know it won't take that long to repeat the experience.

Enjoy!

Fried Rice

2 tablespoons butter divided (note, I used coconut oil)
3 eggs whisked
2 medium carrots small dice
1 small onion small dice
3 cloves garlic minced
1 cup frozen peas thawed
4 cups cooked and chilled rice (I used white rice but brown rice would work as well)
3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
sliced green onions for garnish if desired

Heat 1 tablespoon of butter into a large skillet.

Add the eggs and scramble until fully cooked (NOTE - you can see from the pic above that my eggs were left in rather large pieces. For a more pleasing presentation you should be sure to break them up). Remove them from the pan and set aside.

Add the remaining tablespoon of butter into the pan.

Add carrots and onion to the pan and cook until tender, 3-4 minutes.

Stir in garlic and cook for an additional minute.

Add in the cold rice and peas and sauté for 3-4 minutes. The rice should brown up a bit.

Add the eggs back to the pan and stir in soy sauce, oyster sauce and sesame oil. Cook for 1-2 minutes to heat through.

Serve immediately with green onions for garnish, if desired.

Tomato and Basil Risotto

This is a perfect risotto to feature the last hurrah of summer. Yesterday we harvested the basil before the cool nights finished it off for us. We also had some vine ripened tomatoes that needed to be used up. This was the perfect dish to make with the last of the summer bounty.

The ingredient list and steps are just a but more complicated than with other risottos that I have made (par for the course for a New York Times recipe) but nothing that should be overwhelming.

Don't try to make this when you don't have access to fresh tomatoes grown in the sun - you really want the flavour of the ingredients to shine through here!

Enjoy.

Tomato and Basil Risotto

7 cups well seasoned vegetable stock, garlic stock, or chicken stock
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ cup minced onion
Salt to taste
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound tomatoes, grated
Pinch of sugar
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 ½ cups Arborio rice
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
½ cup dry white or rosé wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
½ pound additional sweet ripe tomatoes, finely diced (about ¾ cup)
¼ cup slivered fresh basil
¼ to ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (1 to 2 ounces)

Put your stock or broth into a saucepan and bring it to a simmer over low heat, with a ladle nearby or in the pot. Make sure that it is well seasoned.

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a wide, heavy skillet or a wide, heavy saucepan. Add the onion and a generous pinch of salt, and cook gently until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and garlic and cook, stirring, until the grains of rice are separate and beginning to crackle. Stir in the grated tomatoes, sugar, thyme, and salt to taste and cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes have cooked down slightly and coat the rice, 5 to 10 minutes.

Add the wine and stir until it has evaporated and been absorbed by the rice. Begin adding the simmering stock, a couple of ladlefuls (about 1/2 cup) at a time. The stock should just cover the rice, and should be bubbling, not too slowly but not too quickly. Cook, stirring often, until it is just about absorbed. Add another ladleful or two of the stock and continue to cook in this fashion, adding more stock and stirring when the rice is almost dry. You do not have to stir constantly, but stir often and when you do, stir vigorously. When the rice is just tender all the way through but still chewy (al dente), in 20 to 25 minutes, it is done. Taste now and adjust seasoning.

Add another ladleful of stock to the rice. Stir in the additional finely diced tomatoes, basil and Parmesan and remove from the heat. The mixture should be creamy (add more stock if it isn’t). Serve right away in wide soup bowls or on plates, spreading the risotto in a thin layer rather than a mound.

Instant Pot Rice Pilaf

This is the perfect side dish for the summer - it is ready in about 30 minutes, doesn't heat up and the kitchen, and tastes delicious!

There isn't a whole lot to say about a rice pilaf - rice, noddles, herbs - done. yet when all is said and done this is a powerful addition to your dinner plate.

This recipe if flexible and you could mix up the herbs and spices to suit you.

Instant Pot Rice Pilaf

1/4 c. olive oil or butter
1/3 c. orzo or vermicelli
1 c. white ricev1 1/2 c. low-sodium chicken broth
1 tsp. garlic powder
3/4 tsp. coarse kosher sea salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. paprika
1 tbsp. freshly minced parsley OR 1 tsp. dried parsley

Turn Instant Pot on SAUTE mode. Add the olive oil (or butter). Once hot, add the pasta and cook for 2-3 minutes or until browned. Add the rice and cook until it turns bright white, about 3-4 minutes.

Carefully pour in the broth along with the garlic powder, salt, pepper, onion powder, and paprika.

Place the lid on. Make sure valve is switched to sealing. Turn SAUTE off and select MANUAL mode (high pressure) for 3 minutes. Once cooked, allow the pressure to come down naturally. This will take anywhere from 12-15 minutes.

Open the lid and stir in the parsley. Let the rice sit for a few minutes before serving.

Mexican Rice

Yes, I did it. I made another Paula Deen recipe. I've largely stayed away from her recipes for some time - not necessarily because of those racist issues which came to light but more because butter and sugar seemed to be the number one ingredient in everything. This one didn't look too bad (I used olive oil instead of the two tablespoons of butter).

We did like this - it was a great addition to our Cinco do Mayo dinner. It was easy to make ad ready in about 20 minutes - even better.

Mexican Rice

2 tablespoons butter (we used olive oil)
1 1/2 cups long grain rice
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 clove minced garlic
2 cups water
1 (14 1/2 oz) can diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 teaspoons chili powder
1 cup shredded cheese

In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the rice, onion, peppers, and garlic. Cook until the rice is browned and vegetables are tender. Stir in the water, tomatoes, chili powder, and salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the rice is tender, about 15 to 17 minutes. Stir in the cheese and transfer to a serving bowl.

Asparagus Morel Risotto

Fresh morel mushrooms are one of the fleeting gifts of spring. For this reason you'll often find them paired in dishes with asparagus or ramps - other seasonal treats. If you are unable to find fresh by all means used dried morel mushrooms (although I'd use some of the soaking liquid in the risotto for added flavour).

I made this recipe, developed by Charlie Palmer for Food and Wine magazine, on Good Friday and we all thought it was amazing.

I served the risotto with grilled veal chops. Any Italian would tell you that was unacceptable - risotto is a primi and veal chops a secondi and you would never blend the courses. Not being in Italy I did it and the reaction from the food police was minimal. :-)

Risotto is not the daunting task that some folks seem to think. If you've never tried it I'd encourage you to do so.

If you wish to make your risotto a vegetarian meal use vegetable stock instead.

Asparagus Morel Risotto

5 cups strong chicken stock
3/4 pound fresh thin asparagus stalks, trimmed and blanched
1/2 pound fresh morels
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup finely diced onion
2 cups Arborio rice
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon minced fresh Italian parsley
Salt and freshly ground white pepper

In a heavy saucepan, bring the stock to a slow, steady simmer over moderate heat. Lower the heat and maintain the simmer.

Cut the asparagus tips to 1-inch and set aside. Cut the remaining asparagus into 1/2-inch pieces.

Trim the stems from the morels and reserve them for another use (in stocks or soups). Brush any debris from the morels and, if they are very large, cut them in half.

Heat the oil and butter in a heavy-bottomed, broad, medium saucepan over moderately-high heat. Stir in the onions and saute for about 5 minutes, or until translucent. Add the asparagus stalks and the morels and saute for about 1 minute, or until they are well-coated with the fat. Add the rice and saute for a few minutes to thoroughly coat the grains with the fat

Add 1 cup of the simmering stock and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until all of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice, about 5 minutes. As each addition is absorbed, continue stirring and adding stock, 1/2 cup at a time, until the rice is tender but still al dente. You should begin tasting the rice after it has cooked for about 20 minutes. Just before the rice is ready, stir in the reserved asparagus tips, 1/2 cup of the cheese and the parsley. Season with salt and pepper.

Jambalaya

I've made a number of different versions of this classic Creole dish and this is the least classic version I have ever put on a plate. That being said, it tasted great and came together in less than an hour. This makes up for the odd touches. We both loved it and you can bet I'll be making it again . . .

Jambalaya

2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/4 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/4 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup chopped smoked turkey sausage (about 4 ounces
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 cups uncooked long-grain white rice
2 3/4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and chopped
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and black pepper. Add chicken to pan, and cook 5 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Remove chicken from pan; cover and keep warm. Add sausage to pan; cook 5 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Add 1 cup onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic; cover, reduce heat to low, and cook 12 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.

Stir in rice; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add broth, paprika, thyme, and red pepper; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes. Add chicken and tomatoes; cook, uncovered, 10 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Stir in shrimp; cover and cook 5 minutes or until shrimp are done. Remove from heat, and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Sprinkle with green onions.

 

Butternut Squash Risotto

We have had a butternut squash sitting on the counter for the past few weeks. It was starting to take on the look of a science experiment so I thought I had better use it up. It was a wet and cold day so I thought a risotto might be the way to go.

Risotto on its own is delicious enough: tender, delicious rice slow-cooked until the texture is creamy and perfect. But add in cooked butternut squash, in all its natural creaminess and perfection? Awesome.

The recipe I used was from Martha Stewart. It was different than most in that it cooked the squash with the rice. Normally cooked squash is added in at the end.I figured this technique would yield a better flavour so I went with it.

There was a curious thing though - the recipe called for no onion. Just about every risotto recipe I've ever made calls for some finely diced onion to be sautéed in butter first. I've been doing this for years. Chefs in Italy showed me how to do this during cooking classes. Needless to say I added this step.

The end result was amazing!

 

Butternut Squash Risotto

1 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 cup Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth, mixed with 1/2 cup water and heated
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage, plus more for garnish

In a medium heavy-bottom saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add squash; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until edges soften, 6 to 8 minutes.

Add rice; stir to coat. Add wine; cook until almost all liquid has evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium-low; add 1/2 cup hot broth mixture. Cook, stirring, until almost all liquid is absorbed. Add remaining broth mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until liquid is absorbed before adding more, 35 to 40 minutes total.

Stir in Parmesan, sage, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Serve immediately, garnished with more Parmesan and sage, if desired.