Showing posts with label rice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rice. Show all posts

Monday, March 15, 2010

Basic Risotto

OK, here's a gluten free (but NOT grain free) recipe that is truly a classic. There are a lot of risotto recipes out there, but here is the basic one that I use. You can modify it to suit yourself with various additions or substitutions....I've listed a few possibilities below to get you started.

Ingredients:

Extra-virgin olive oil
butter (leave out for casein free)
1 large diced onion
2 cloves garlic, smashed and finely minced
3-4 C chicken broth
1 C white wine
1 1/2 C arborio rice (you must use arborio rice!)
salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese (optional - leave out for casein free)

a few optional additions/substitutions:
sliced mushrooms
green onions or shallots instead of regular onion
vegetable broth instead of chicken
cooked or uncooked shrimp, cleaned and deveined
use your imagination!

Directions:

Saute the diced onion in the olive oil and butter until soft. Warm the broth in a separate, nearby pan, but don't let it boil. Add the garlic and the rice to the onion and saute over medium heat for a couple of minutes longer, but don't brown the rice! If you're going to use mushrooms or other veggies, add them with the garlic and the rice. Lower the heat to a medium low setting, and pour in the cup of wine, stirring constantly as the rice and vegetables simmer. When the wine is mostly absorbed, add a ladle full of warm broth, and again, stir as the rice simmers until it is nearly absorbed, then repeat. You'll have to experiment a little to find the right heat level for cooking risotto; the entire simmering and stirring process should take about 30 - 40 minutes, if done correctly.

The risotto is done when the rice is tender all the way through (no crunch in the middle); at that point you could add uncooked shrimp and continue cooking for about 3 more minutes until the shrimp is pink and thoroughly cooked (don't over cook shrimp or it will be rubbery). Cooked shrimp may be added at the very end, just before serving (all you want to do is heat the previously cooked shrimp through). Add a handful or two of Parmesan and salt and pepper to taste.

Risotto demands your attention for the entire 30-40 minutes, but is definitely worth it! Good risotto has a delicate, creamy texture that can't be faked, a direct result of the slow cooking process and your stirring efforts.

For casein-free you can leave out the butter and parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

Sunday, May 31, 2009

Lemony Risotto with Asparagus and Shrimp

This is a delicious recipe that was posted on the celiac.com forum:

Ingredients:


3 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
3/4 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 small onion, finely chopped
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 1/4 cups Arborio rice
1/4 cup dry white wine
3/4 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1/4 cup grated parmesan
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions:

Bring broth and water to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Add asparagus and simmer, uncovered, until just tender, about 4 minutes. Transfer asparagus with a slotted spoon to an ice bath to stop cooking, then drain. Keep broth at a bare simmer, covered.

Cook onion in 2 tablespoons butter with 1/4 teaspoon salt in a 4-quart heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add rice and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Add wine and simmer, stirring constantly, until absorbed.

Stir in 1/2 cup broth mixture and briskly simmer, stirring frequently, until absorbed. Continue adding broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently and letting each addition be absorbed before adding the next, until rice is creamy and tender but still al dente (it should be the consistency of a thick soup), about 18 minutes. (There will be leftover broth mixture.)

Stir in shrimp and cook until just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes.

Stir in asparagus, zest, remaining 2 tablespoons butter, parmesan, parsley, and pepper to taste. (Thin risotto with some of remaining broth if necessary.)

Sunday, May 3, 2009

Garlic fried Jasmine Rice

Another recipe from Tim Luym, published in the October 2008 Sunset. This is a staple for breakfast in the Phillipines, but it's great for dinner too:

1 1/2 C brown jasmine rice
1 1/2 T plus 1 tsp canola oil, divided
1 T minced garlic
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Rinse rice thoroughly in a fine strainer, then pour into medium saucepan with 1 3/4 C water (you may want to use chicken or beef broth in place of some or all of the water to add additional flavor). Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until water is absorbed, 15 to 18 minutes. Remove pan from heat and let stand, covered, 10 minutes.

Pour rice into a rimmed baking pan; let cool, then chill, uncovered, until firm and dry, at least 2 hours (you can leave it overnight if you wish).

Heat 1 1/2 T oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add rice and heat, stirring gently, until hot, 1 to 2 minutes. With a wooden spoon, clear a space in the center, and pour in 1 tsp oil. Stir the garlic into the oil. Let garlic sizzle for about 30 seconds, then stir the garlic and rice together. Add salt and pepper to taste.