RISOTTO WTIH SAFFRON

Arborio rice, organic garlic, carrots, broccolini and half an onion



I’ve wanted to post a very typically Northern Italian risotto recipe for some time.  That’s why I bought saffron last week…. It’s a crowd pleaser and the kind of dish that takes 25 minutes from conception to completion.

The very first time I ever made a risotto was in my uncle Giulio’s kitchen under his supervision at age 17 in the town of Lurate-Caccivio in the shadow of the Alps and Lake Como.  It was summertime and I remember how I really sweated over that pot.  Since then I’ve learned a few tricks to sweat less.

Saffron consists of the dried stamen from flowers, I've also got a sprig of fresh oregano from my garden, a dried laurel leaf, whole nutmeg and some dry porcini mushrooms I found at an Italian market.

This is going to be presented as a deconstructed risotto primavera with saffron.  For richness I’m going to add some freshly ground nutmeg and I’ll slice up some dry porcini mushrooms.  Though the saffron is expensive, a little goes a long way, but there's nothing quite like it so don't even try to skimp on it... it's actually totally worth it.

I used my electric grinder to mince 1 clove of garlic, ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes and a half onion.  To make it easier on the grinder I drizzled in 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil (cold pressed of course) with a pinch of rough sea salt.  I pulsed till everything was very finely minced.  In fact, I scraped the sides down twice with a spatula and pulsed again to make certain nobody gets a  mouthful of onion or garlic in this dish - these will be subtle elements.  Note: If you don’t have a grinder or a cuisinart, use your chef knife and be patient till it all begins to approach a paste-like consistency.

Home made stock I made with my last blog entry's baked chicken

I’m going to use my own fresh stock (two jars worth) – you can also use boxed or canned, just go for the low salt, low fat chicken broth.  Pour them into a pot and cover till they begin to boil, then bring down to a simmer.  Add in your dry laurel.

I also want to peel and chop the carrots at this point.  As soon as they’re evenly sliced, I also throw them into the slowly simmering stock pot – I want to cook them just enough to still have some bite, not get mushy - NEVER mushy.  "Al Dente" means they give your teeth resistance and this is how you want your rice AND the veggies.

First I turn on the heat on the tall sided pot, splash a tablespoon of oil (e.v.o.o.) into the bottom and then throw in the onion/galic paste and stir with a wooden spoon till it’s all translucent.  Then, I add in my 16oz of pearl shaped Arborio rice and stir it till it’s all covered with the oil from the pan.  At this point, throw in the saffron too, the heat will activate it and make it very fragrant.  Also add in your nutmeg.  Spices always get activated in the heat.

Deglaze the pan with a ¼ cup of good white wine (I used last night's leftover pinot grigio).  Note: You should always cook with a wine you’d drink yourself.  Never use cooking wine.  If you don’t have wine on hand, a light white wine vinegar or rice vinegar can be used (1/8 cup water 1/8 cup vinegar) for this  – you want acid in the dish.  If you wish to skip it simply splash in a half ladle of your simmer stock (no carrots) into the pot to deglaze it... a few drops of lemon might do the trick.

From here on throw in two ladle-fulls of hot stock into your rice every few minutes.  Keep stirring occasionally.  Don’t allow the rice to go dry.  In other words, though this meal happens quickly, you can’t leave the kitchen while you make it or you’ll have burned rice porridge.  Add in a pinch of salt each time you add stock... this is how you layer in the flavor.

Don't forget to add in the porcini mushrooms - they'll add a lot of richness.

Keep stirring and adding stock till the stock is all used up and the rice is al dente.  Turn the heat off on your rice.  Now add in a pat of butter, any fresh herbs (I sliced up a sprig of oregano, basil can also be used at this point) and at most, a ¼ cup of grated parmesan and cover the pot.

Now, the vegetables can be stove top roasted in the dry pan over medium heat.

Allow your risotto to stand for 5 minutes.  Use the opportunity to set the table.

On Top Chef, Mr. Tom Collicchio always preaches that risotto should spread over the plate.  In fact, Italians don’t all agree on this.  I don’t want it to be dry, but I also don’t want it to be soupy.  It should be loose - relaxed.  If you add too much cheese – it will seize up on you and that’s bad.  If this happens to you, have some more hot stock on hand just in case, add in a ¼ cup at a time until you get it back to the consistency you like (I’m letting you be the final judge and arbiter on this point) before you serve.

Risotto from start to finish: 25 minutes.  I like my risotto moist, glossy and flavorful.  By adding the pan roasted veggies over the top, it becomes a deconstructed [and very modern presentation of] risotto primavera.  Only add a couple of turns on the parmesan cheese grater – it doesn’t need more.  BTW: I made enough for several friends and they’re almost here.  Enjoy this trip from my fond memories of my uncle’s kitchen to your table.  Let me know how yours came out and where you stand on the risotto debate (soupy or relaxed). 

NOTE: This risotto can be a whole meal in itself, or serve it in small portions as the first course.  If you’d like, follow it up with my last blog entry’s baked chicken, a green salad and finish it up with cake or strawberries.  That would be five-star dining, but it would take a bit more time to prepare.  Ciao!

FRENCHED BAKED CHICKEN

One of the biggest challenges in the home kitchen is to make something ordinary special.  Many of us struggle with the basics and end up eating out (hidden unnecessary calories, preservatives, and even rancid oils) or eating poorly (drive-through, etc).  Here’s a way to make a simple baked chicken sing without any added or unnecessary calories.  Remember: some of the most flavorful dishes are incredibly easy, and in the kitchen, ease = elegance.

I’m also going to end up with a great big vat of homemade chicken stock which I'll use in my next entry.  Let’s “French” a chicken (NOTE: this does not involve any tongue)...

To avoid cross-contamination keep the anti-bacterial detergent on hand.  Every time you touch the chicken you wash your hands.  This is always the strategy to follow whenever we touch any raw flesh (be it beef, pork, fish or fowl).  Wash-wash-wash, and then when you’re done, moisturize.  But if you inadvertently touch the raw chicken and then the wooden spoon, that wooden spoon needs to go into the dishwasher for decontamination.  Another example: you touch the chicken and then grab the pepper mill - you've just cross contaminated.  I’m trying to photograph this process (“Frenching” a chicken) so each time I touch, I wash-wash-wash, otherwise I've put e-colli or salmonella (or both) on the camera.

After you’ve rinsed and patted the chicken dry (inside and out), I use my handy dandy extra sharp kitchen shears to snip off the drumstick knuckles and the last wing joints – these burn in the oven and add nothing to our bird - but will help enrich our stock. 

Next, just like when I deal with the veggies, I like to have an even flat surface to make sure everything cooks evenly – so it is with my bird. 

Flip it over so the breast is on your baking sheet and cut out the entire backbone. 

Next flatten it out (you’ll hear the wishbone crack as it opens) skin side up. 

Your bird is now Frenched and ready for marinade.

I like to prepare two different things for the bird – a wet marinade that’s nothing more than my go-to vinaigrette sans sugar or thyme (a tad of oil, some Dijon mustard and rice vinegar with fresh ground black pepper and a bit of kosher salt) I massage all of this into the bird while the oven gets hot (350 degrees F).  To make it extra flavorful, I invert the bird skin side down and massage the marinade into the flesh and add any left over for it to soak in.  It only needs 10-15 minutes to thoroughly do its job.

Next, I make a garlic paste – 3 cloves of softened garlic, a teaspoon of kosher salt, a ¼ cup of extra green virgin olive oil and my mortar and pestle.  Set the paste aside. 

I have a sprig of fresh rosemary from my garden (any fresh herb will work here such as oregano, basil, or sage) and I take the leaves off and mince them with my mezzaluna. (A Mezza Luna [or half moon] is a typically Italian double handled blade especially good for mincing herbs.  NOTE: Don’t put it on your bridal registry and don’t buy it for someone else – it’s very bad luck because it will slice up relationships). 

Take the paste and minced herb, spread over the skin of your chicken – I use a spatula to keep the garlic off my fingers.  The bell just rang, this means the ovens hote, the bird is ready – into the oven it goes for 55 minutes.

Voila – beautifully done baked chicken. 

Tent it (10 minutes) and serve.  Juicy and flavorful with a slightly crunchy skin – even if you’re watching your weight, you can taste a little of it and enjoy.  Accompany this not-so-boring chicken with your favorite greens and veggies.

THE STOCK

Into a large stock pot I put the holy trinity: half an onion (plus the peel, don’t throw it out) just rough chop, three carrots (just rinse and rough chop), and three celery stalks (wash and rough chop). 

I also throw in the garlic skins, a fresh sprig of oregano, some discolored basil leaves, a dry laurel leaf and the chicken back, drumstick knuckles and wing tips. 

I also throw in the gizzards, dry laurel leaves and then fill with water. 

Notice: no salt added.  Cover the pot and bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer for 55 minutes. 

Take off the heat, and skim out everything but the liquid (or pour through a strainer into a bowl).  The remaining stock is ready to be used.  I usually ladle it into jars and refrigerate overnight. 

Any fat will float and harden (take it out and have a salt-free, fat-free stock on hand for your next extravaganza).  We’ll make use of this in my next entry.  I hope you enjoyed this little foray from my kitchen to your table.  Let me know how your baked (Frenched) chicken came out.

This half onion is being saved for our next endeavor - a savory surprise... it also involves saffron!