Oooh, risotto. When it’s done right, it’s totally glamorous (and it’s not too hard to do). I made the “Parmesan-Carrot Risotto,” from the January/February 2009 issue of Everyday Food, when I was attracted to the short, simple list of ingredients — all the more easy when you chop your carrots in the food processor. We enjoyed the magnificently flavorful, golden risotto. I cooked the carrots and onion with 1 tsp. of salt and 1/2 tsp. black pepper for 6 minutes. My chosen dry white wine was a 2008 Argentinian Torrontes. I used vegetable-bouillon broth, rather than the suggested chicken broth. Total risotto stirring time was 41 minutes.
The butter and cheese quantities were perfect for this risotto. My young child liked this one.
Lately, I’ve been on this kick to reinvent my concept of the “stuffed mushroom.” I grew up with the simply stuffed, breadcrumb variety. I tried the “Amazing Shrimp Stuffed Mushrooms,” from Allrecipes.com, interested in the idea of stuffing the mushrooms with a fish-infused cheese. The recipe asked for 20 mushrooms, which I found to equal roughly 1 lb. Instead of using canned shrimp (I couldn’t find any), I used a 4.37-oz. can of skinless and boneless sardines in water. I combined them with a scallion cream cheese. I simmered my mushroom caps for 3 minutes, then let them cool for 2 hours.
I refrigerated the stuffed mushrooms for 4 hours, although I’m not sure why, exactly. Was this step really necessary for the stamina of the stuffing? In the end, the blanched mushroom texture was a bit rubbery, but I could accept that. The final mushrooms were very interesting, with their fishy, cheesy stuffing. The melted Romano cheese on top worked well. Most amazing, was Dave’s approval of these mushrooms, as he’s a hardcore anti-sardine demonstrator. This was, however, perhaps too much time to spend on the stuffing of a mushroom.
RECIPES: this risotto supplies a flavorful backdrop for a respectful meal, while the mushrooms become an interesting conversation piece
PREP TIMES: risotto is ready within an hour; the mushrooms need hours
TASTES: sweet carrots and red onion intertwine with wine, butter, and cheese in a risotto swirl of tastiness; mushrooms stuffed with a fishy cheese are a challenge to the nature of the vegetable
Next time, I want to take a vegetarian trip. I’ll make the “Tempeh Reubens with Caramelized Onions,” from the January 2005 issue of Vegetarian Times, along with “Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Pears,” from Allrecipes.com. Return to my site on Thursday, June 25, to see how tasty this is.
