These last couple weeks have been relatively uneventful in my kitchen. I have a new job working in an Italian restaurant here in town....but not in the kitchen. (waiting tables...better money)
I have, however, done a small amount of experimenting for an upcoming class I am teaching on risotto. I made an asparagus risotto...(2 actually, different timing on the asparagus addition)....and a spicy, fire roasted tomato risotto.
Both (all 3) types turned out quite well. I learned that adding sauteed asparagus at the end of the risotto process works better than cooking it in the risotto itself. The color is brighter and the texture is more pleasing-the slight crunch of the asparagus adds to the creamy risotto. The tomato risotto was another experiment that went well (Recipe and pictures to follow). I used fire roasted canned tomatoes for this batch which added a different sort of flavor than plain tomatoes would have. The liquid was a mixture of chicken broth, water, red wine, and herbs to add a little color and extra flavor to the finished product. I started off with a mixture of finely chopped carrots and onions and could have used celery-but I didn't have any in the fridge. That carrot, celery, and onion mixture is known as (mirepoix in French) soffritto in Italian and is typically used to start risottos, soups, and sauces.
Ok, now for the good stuff.
Tomato risotto recipe:
Soffritto- 1/2 carrot, 1/2 celery stalk, 1/4 onion all chopped finely.
3/4 c arborio rice
1 can diced or crushed tomatoes
very hot (near boiling) liquid- broth, water, red wine, salt and pepper, basil
1. Sweat soffritto in olive oil on a large bottomed pan until tender.
2. Add rice and stir to coat rice in oil, then deglaze with white wine or broth mixture.
3. Stir in tomato product and4. add enough broth mixture to cover the rice completely.
5. Stir continuously over medium high heat as the rice cooks and absorbs the liquid.
Add more broth mixture as needed until the rice is cooked to al dente.
Season to taste with salt, pepper, and parmesan cheese. Mount with about 1/2 Tbs butter for extra creamy-ness.
I served the rice with pan seared, herbed chicken breast- Chicken marinated in herbs and garlic, seared in the pan, then braised in some of the canned tomato product from the risotto.
Now, for the title dish. (and you thought I had totally forgotten)
Curry is a favorite of mine to make because it is really tasty and can be made with things that I usually have around the house, except for the coconut milk. The inspiration for this batch was the fresh coconut I got. (If you have never tried it, its fun to break open and great anger management therapy)
The best way to deal with a whole coconut is to first hammer a nail into each of the 3 eyes, and turning it upside down over a glass to drain the liquid inside.
Once empty, I like to smash the coconut on a sidewalk until it is in manageable pieces.
I usually end up eating the white flesh, but I tried shaving small pieces off and toasting it, which really brings out the nutty flavor.
This particular batch of curry consisted of chicken marinated in red curry paste, red bell peppers, red onion, potatoes, frozen green beans, and carrots. I used a combination of red curry paste and yellow curry powder, 1 can of coconut milk, a bit of powdered coconut milk (powdered coconut flavor-mostly the fat solids. Very tasty and fun to use!), and red pepper flakes.
I serve my curry on coconut saffron rice; this time I used the fresh coconut juice as part of the liquid for cooking the rice and a few treads of saffron that adds a little color and flavor.
I hope everyone goes out to purchase a fresh coconut and enjoys the stress relieving pleasure of throwing a coconut on the ground and seeing it shatter. Good luck with your kitchen experiments, and Chop On!
