Eccola! Caramelized Onion & Fennel Risotto- Daring Cooks March 2010

Rice is the one grain that is a staple for almost every country in the world. And every country, sometimes even towns and villages, have their own size, style, traditions and ingredients for cooking rice. For Italy, one of the most famous rice dishes is risotto.

Caramelized Onions and Fennel Risotto
w/ Stinco d'Agnello
(Braised Lamb Shank)

The 2010 March Daring Cooks challenge was hosted by Eleanor of MelbournefoodGeek and Jess of Jessthebaker. They chose to challenge Daring Cooks to make risotto. The various components of their challenge recipe are based on input from the Australian Masterchef cookbook and the cookbook Moorish by Greg Malouf.

Risotto is classically cooked by slowly braising the Arborio style rice in a stock (and sometimes a soffrito of carrots, garlic, celery and onions.) and finishing with Parmigiano Reggiano. What starts out as a pan of solid white grains, gradually becomes a serving of opaque starch drenched creamy bites of deep flavor with a hint of cheese.


The additions of mushrooms, or artichokes, seafood, or perhaps green vegetables varies according to the regions of the country and it's local, fresh, available goodies. Seafood in Venice is a definite (also the gateway that rice was most likely brought to Europe.) In the more central parts of the country, it might be meats like pork, wild boar or lamb.

There are many opinions on how to best make risotto. Every Italian cook that I've ever asked has preached of "slow and steady" stirring on low heat, adding stock little at a time. There have been other cooks (ala Food Network, etc.) who have insisted that technically you don't have to even stir or watch so carefully. You can probably imagine where I fall on the subject. Lentamente, sempre!

Part of our challenge included making our own stock for the risotto. The recipe as listed includes making it with a whole chicken, however I usually buy a whole chicken and break it down for pieces to be used in meals,(saves a lot of money) then use the carcass for stock. That's what I did for this one, too. Here's my very simple stock recipe:
Simple Chicken Stock (ShowFoodChef)

1 onion chopped rough
2 carrots chopped rough
2 celery stalks chopped rough
handful of fresh parsley chopped large
bay leaf
fresh thyme sprigs
a few peppercorns
1 Chicken carcass broken into large pieces
(DO NOT ADD SALT, wait to add salt according to what you use the stock in)

Place all ingredients into a large stew pot and cover with cold water. Heat on High just to boiling, then turn heat down to low and simmer for 2-3 hours. Strain well into a bowl and cool, then chill overnight in refrigerator. The next day, skim off fat and strain stock again into containers for freezing or using.
Caramelized Onions and Fennel: (ShowFoodChef)

1 onion sliced length wise, thin
1 fennel bulb sliced into thin strips
1 tsp butter
2 tbls olive oil

Add all ingredients into a saute pan and cook on low/med for about 20 minutes, stirring often until a nice caramelized color is reached. Do not cook faster on higher heat as this will make the onions taste bitter.
These can be used in the risotto, but are also great as garnish on meats, or egg dishes.

Click HERE for a Recipe for Butternut Squash Risotto.

Chicken Stock as given by Daring Cooks:

Ingredients:
1 large chicken 2-3 pounds about 1 kg
chicken bones 2-3 pounds 1 kg
2 onions, roughly diced
1 medium leek - white part only, roughly diced
2 sticks celery, roughly diced
2 cloves garlic, halved
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp. white peppercorns ( Any type of whole peppercorn will do)
2 bay leaves (fresh or dried, it doesn't matter.)
peel of 1/2 lemon
1/4 tsp. allspice

Directions:

1. Wash the chicken and bones and places in a 5 Litre pot, cover completely with water and bring to a boil
2. Skim away any scum as it comes to the surface
3. Add the vegetables and bring back to a boil
4. Add the rest remaining ingredients and simmer very gently, uncovered for 1.5 hours
5. Carefully lift out the chicken, set aside. The chicken meat can be removed from the chicken, shredded off and used for other things like soup!
6. Simmer the stock gently for another hour. At , at the end you should have around 2 Liters
7. Carefully ladle the liquid into a fine sieve, the less the bones and vegetables are disturbed in this process the clearer the stock will be. 
The stock is now ready for use. Freeze what you don't need for later use.

Risotto Base (as given by Daring Cooks)

Ingredients:
olive oil 2 fluid oz 60 ml
1 small onion, quatered
rice 14 oz 400g
Any type of risotto rice will do. I use Arborio but the recipe itself says Vialone Nano. Another to look for is Carnaroli.
white wine 2 fl oz 60 ml
chicken or vegetable stock , simmering 2 pints 1 L

Directions:

1. I did not follow this > Heat oil in a pan and add onion. Fry for a few minutes to flavour the oil then discard. (We diced ours and left it in as we like onion). ** I reheated the caramelized onions and fennel in a tbls. olive oil, then continued with these steps...
   
2. Add the rice and stir for a few minutes to coat each grain of rice with oil and toast slightly.
3. Add the wine and let it bubble away until evaporated.
4. Add enough stock to cover the rice by a finger’s width (about an inch or two). Don't actually stick your finger in, it will be hot. Just eye it off.
5. Cook on medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon from time to time, until most of the stock has been absorbed.
6. Repeat Step 5 making sure to leave aside approximately 100 ml. of stock for the final step. .
7. Repeat, save 100ml for the final stage.
8. Once you are at this point, the base is made. You now get to add your own variation.
9. At the end I finish with 1 tbls. butter and 1/3 cup of fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
   

LAMB SHANK RECIPE: (ShowFoodChef)
Soffritto: 1 onion, 2 carrots, 2 celery, 2 bulbs garlic (all chopped rough)
2 Lamb Shanks
3Tbls.+ Olive Oil
1 Tbls. Tomato Paste
1/2 Cup Red Wine
2-3 Cups Stock (chicken or vegetable)
Salt/Pepper to taste

Heat a deep sided pan on Med/High with a covering of olive oil. Season the Lamb Shanks, then brown them on all sides working for a nice crunchy brown skin all over. Remove and hold to the side.
Turn the heat down and add the soffritto to the pan, season and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often.
Add 1 Tbls. tomato paste and stir into the soffritto (this adds a depth of flavor).
Add 1/2 cup red wine and stir, heating on Med. until the liquid is reduced in half.
Put the browned Lamb Shanks back into the pan and pour in 2 cups of stock, bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan and cook until the shanks are "fall off the bone" tender (about 2 hours) You can also, put this into the oven preheated to 325F for the 2 hours instead of stove top, if you want.
When done, remove the shanks and keep warm. Strain the sauce, carefully, and return the sauce to the pan and reduce to a thicker au jus.

This is delicious with risotto, rice, potatoes or pasta.
ENJOY and thanks for checking out my post! :D

DOWNLOAD PRINTABLE RECIPES HERE!

Real Dill Eggs (Baked w/House Ricotta & Sweet Potato Petals

I obviously enjoy challenges and meeting deadlines, and I really could have used a little of that, years ago, when I was in school. In 7th grade Science class I remember writing up my "Every 6 Weeks Report" the night before it was due... every 6 weeks. It's not like I didn't know it was coming up, so why did I wait til the last minute? I'm making up for that lack of spirit, by joining all kinds of online food challenges now and here's another one.

Real Dill Eggs: Baked w/ House Ricotta & Sweet Potato Petals

It's time for the 50th Anniversary of Paper Chef (one of the longest running food events online.) Last month I was the judge and chose the winner: Prospect: The Pantry. So, this month she's choosing.

Here's why it's fun to do Paper Chef: You're given 4 ingredients and a theme, kinda like a Quick Fire Challenge or a Chef's Mystery Box. The freedom is fun, and no matter what happens you have an original recipe of your own when you're finished.
The ingredients randomly chosen were: Dill, Honey, Ricotta, Eggs and a Feeling of Rejuvenation for the theme. Since Daylight Saving's Time is getting ready to start here, (and can't begin soon enough for me) I thought of mornings and light, and flowers beginning to bloom. These baked eggs are surrounded by my version of sweet potato petals hugging a spoonful of honey infused homemade ricotta with fresh dill.

These are easy to create ahead:

~1 Large, long Sweet Potato will make at least 4-6 ramekins.

~Prick the potato lightly with a fork all over and place in boiling water for 3 minutes to par-boil (partially cook), then drop in ice water to stop the cooking and drain dry.

~Peel, and slice the potato very thin (a mandoline works best).

~Butter (or oil) each 4 oz. ramekin or baking dish very well.
~Place a potato slice in the bottom center and then circle the slices around the inside, overlapping.
~Add a heaping Tablespoon of the *Honey Infused and Dill Ricotta and spread evenly. (recipe for **Homemade Ricotta below)
~Season with salt and pepper.
~Add a Large egg and season, again.


~Carefully place the ramekins into a deep sided baking pan on the middle oven rack, then very carefully add boiling water up to half-way around the ramekins (creating a bain marie).

~Cook in a preheated 350F oven for about 12-17 minutes (depending how you like your eggs). Finish for a couple minutes with the oven on broil to crisp the potato edges.

~Remove the pan, and very carefully remove each ramekin. (These will be very hot, and surrounded by extremely hot water, so use care.) Cool on a rack for a moment.

Serve in the ramekins or loosen the sides and gently remove from the dish and place on your serving platter.
~Garnish with more fresh dill, or fleur de sel.

*Seasoned Ricotta - For every 1/2 cup of Ricotta, gently stir in 1 Tbls. honey and 1 Tbls. minced fresh dill


** Homemade Ricotta - 32oz whole milk heated in a saucepan til just before simmering. Add 2 Tablespoons of White Vinegar or Fresh Lemon Juice and remove from the heat. As the milk curdles, stir gently for 1 minute. Leave the pan, covered and off the heat for 1 hour as the curds form. Pour the milk and curds through a double layer of "wet and squeezed out" cheese cloth over a fine mesh strainer. Pull the cheese cloth up and tie on a wooden spoon and let drain into a bowl in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, remove the fluffy Ricotta and put in a container and keep in the refrigerator - good for several days.

Quote from my husband - "These look all elegant, but taste real homey"

Please consider this your invitation to join Paper Chef for the next challenge, I'd love to see your creations!

One Day Sweet Tartelette Came To Town...(Part 1) + Blood Orange Macarons

A few years ago, before I ever thought about being a Blogger and I was just a Googler, I used to check two sites all the time for recipes and inspiration. One of the sites was 101CookBooks and the other was Sweet Tartelette. You can imagine my personal joy to actually meet and workshop with the charming, funny, generous, and lovely Helene Dujardin, who genuinely deserves the moniker: Sweet Tartelette. For a few hours on a Saturday morning, Helene led us wide-eyed Food Bloggers through a Macaron workshop.
When we arrived, the work tables were already set up with a gift bag for each of us that contained: A Pastry bag, A Pastry tip, a full bottle of powdered food coloring, a bottle of water and a bag of pistachios. It was a great touch that made you feel like you had won something just for showing up. Then, Helene thanked the three ladies who had arranged this visit and opportunity for us all: Rachael of LaFuji Mama, Gaby of WhatsGabyCooking, and Jen of Devour The World. All three of these gals are adorable and multi-talented bloggers.

Macarons have become a "medal of honor" to many bakers. We knew this was our chance to have the "Macaron Master" teach us "pastry grasshoppers" how to make magic out of ground almonds, powdered and granulated sugar, and those ever mercurial damned egg whites. Helene did not disappoint and was amazingly generous with her individual attention and her expertise.
In a world where people litigate over the ownership of everything from a lottery ticket to a twinkling star in the heavens, here was a talented chef ready to share any and all knowledge about her craft.

Helene's personality is an amazing combination of "passionate, cool, hip" French-ness and "friendly, down-to-earth, neighborly" Southern American. In one sentence you may hear the lyrical kiss of a French accent, but the sentence could end with "yawl". She is what you would hope for: Super talented without any "Diva-tude".


If someone had peeked in on our little baking troupe that morning they would have snickered at how we oohed and aahed over egg whites, and stared at electric mixers whipping as if they were spinning gold in front of our very eyes. Even Helene had to laugh at how intense we all were, how focused we watched her every move and how kid-like we giggled over the vibrant colors.

And how we all became complete Foodie-Photo nerds when the chance of having "feet" (the little lacy bottoms that are so desired, yet so elusive) on our macarons became a reality.


The Macaron workshop was a great mixture of fun, learning, hands-on lab work and meeting new friends. Nice combo, wouldn't you say?


Tid-Bits from Macaron Workshop with Tartelette (as interpreted by me)

1) Measure out your egg whites, and all ingredients carefully and using a scale is preferred.

2) Aging the egg whites makes a huge difference; the more age the less liquid and it is liquid and moisture that is the enemy of success for these sweet treasures.
3) Beat your egg whites til very foamy and light before pouring your granulated sugar in like rain over the white while continuing to beat.
4) Beat your egg whites until they hold a stiff peak, glossy and firm rather than loose.
5) Add your well ground almonds and powdered sugar into the egg whites and give it an aggressive mix at first. (Helen checked each and every one of ours to help call the right time to stop for adding in color or any other ingredient.)

6) Once color, etc. has been added, continue to fold (less aggressively) until the mixture folds back on itself and settles to the count of 5. In other words, if you draw your spatula through the center, the mixture returns to itself and settles in about the count of 5.

7) Have everything ready ie.. pans with parchment, etc. before filling your pastry bag. Once filled, tilt your tip to the parchment and squeeze lightly from the top, lifting at the count of 1,2,3 lift.
8) Space your circles about an inch apart (I thought it helped to see how much a couple of them spread before deciding how much room was needed for the rest.)
9) Bang your pan straight up and down on the counter a couple times to settle any bubbles, but be careful not to tilt the pan.
10) Put your macarons in a preheated oven at 280F for convection, 300F for regular gas or electric, for about 15 - 20 minutes. Cool for a few minutes and remove each one carefully to finish cooling on a rack.

All of these tips have been posted (and much clearer) on Tartelette's site and in her articles for Dessert Magazine. Although none of these written tips are nearly as good as having her eyes and guidance in person, it's a good start. If you have the chance to take her workshop or can help organize her visit to your city to lead a workshop; DO IT NOW!

The pictures I posted so far were from my class with Helene and the many new friends I met that Saturday morning. At home, I used many of Tartelette's tips, including how to dry fruit for flavorings, and experimented at home with these:

Blood Orange Macarons with Dark Chocolate Butter Ganache
I was thrilled to have them come out so delish. I've included my added steps for these below, and you can follow the link [HERE] for the recipe at Tartelette.
Bon Appetite, Yawl.

Blood Orange Macarons:

Tartlette's recipe plus these steps:
+ Cut segments from 2 blood oranges, place them on parchment and dry in the oven set at 200F for a couple hours until all moisture is gone. (Turn several times during the 2 hours.)
+ Rub 1 tsp. of zest from a blood orange into the powdered sugar and almond flour.
+ Remove the dried segments and grind to a powder. Add this powder to the bowl half way through the mixing of your flour and meringue.
+ I added several drops of gel food coloring (mixed to make orange) at the same time to the mix.

Dark Chocolate Ganache Filling:
4 oz. darkest chocolate in small pieces
2 Tbls. butter Melt in a double boiler, stirring to make creamy.
Remove and let cool to room temp. before piping as a filling.

Quote from Deb, my Sister-in-law: "Can I have another one of those before you put them away, I think these may be the best dessert thing you've ever made."

**Next: Part 2 is the Food Styling/Photography Workshop I did with Tartelette (I know; How much talent can one woman have, right?)***

Butternut Squash, Leek & Potato FRITTATA (or should I say, REFRIGETATTA) Let's Lunch Bunch

One of my Grandfather's favorite dinners was breakfast. I know that sounds odd, but as a medaled war hero, he had probably been through times when what you ate was what was there, ya know what I mean? So, on occasional evenings he would ask my Grandmother to make him (in a southern accent) "Runny eggs n' sum bacon with y'er biscuits and cream coffee". Cream coffee meant- with evaporated milk- as he usually drank it straight in the morning, but probably picked up the term "cream coffee" from Europe along the way. Cream was his way of making strong coffee a "night-time" drink. This casual attitude of "eat what ya want, when ya feel like it" carried over thankfully to the grandchildren as we often had a Tomato Sandwich for breakfast, or a plate of Seasoned Hashbrowns for lunch. And very often, what we ate was whatever needed to be used up from the refrigerator. That's also our theme for the Let's Lunch Bunch, and how I came to have a Frittata for my mid-day meal.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH, LEEK & POTATO FRITTATA

A Frittata is an Italian Omelet-like dish that usually consists of eggs, or a mixture of egg whites and whole eggs and then veggies, spices, sometimes meats and even pasta. It's also the easiest way to use up those left-over ingredients that you saved in case you needed them and now feel bad if they're wasted. Maybe it should be called a "Refrigetatta"?

Here's mine, but you can substitute...well...what do you have?

BUTTERNUT SQUASH, LEEKS & POTATO "REFRIGETATTA"

A few pieces of Butternut Squash and Leeks (I roasted these first to bring up the hearty flavors and moisture)
4 egg whites and 2 eggs (beaten in a bowl)
Left over Potatoes (they were already cooked, but you could roast a few slices along with the veggies, too)
1/3 cup of cubed Gruyere cheese (or goat cheese would be good also)
2 Tbls. olive oil
dash of salt, pepper, fresh parsley, fresh thyme, sprinkle of red pepper flakes

Heat an oven proof skillet, with the olive oil, on Med.
Place the potato slices in a single layer for a bottom to the Frittata.
Gently pour in the eggs, season w/ salt and pepper and sprinkle with the cheese.
Resist the urge to stir or mix, then top with your veggies (leeks and onions should be in slices or small bitesize pieces).Season with your spices, and optionally sprinkle a little topping of more cheese.
The bottom should be set by now and you're ready for the oven to finish the job.
Carefully, put your skillet into the preheated 375F oven for about 15 min. (You may want to finish with the skillet under the broiler setting just for a couple minutes to give the top a nice cut.)For a rustic presentation, bring the skillet right to the table for slicing. Or serve slices with a small salad. Almost every month a group of us hungry bloggers set out to share what we call a "virtual lunch". I absolutely love my Let's Lunch pals and I know you'll find some really great ideas in their posts. Check out:
A Tiger In The Kitchen (one of the original "Let's Lunch"ers)
Cowgirl Chef (another original)
Cosmic Cowgirl
Bon Vivant
(check back for more!)

If you'd like to join in, we'd LOVE to have you post. Just look on twitter using this search:
#LetsLunch and connect it to your post. Or leave a comment here and I'll catch you up and in.
Thanks for reading, I always appreciate it!