Firstly, I purchased an oven thermometer over the weekend. I found that my oven is at least 25 degrees too hot. All day Sunday, I worked with my oven to perfect the temperature while I made these cookies . Fortunately, they are so low-maintenance that I think they could be baked at a wide range of temperatures.
Secondly, I made some flatbread, also on Sunday, with some of my homemade pizza dough that was in the freezer. This was the first time I had used it. It tasted good, but the texture was rather tough and floury. I intend to use the dough that I have made, but the next time I make more pizza dough, I am going to have to follow Gallant's lead. As you can see in the picture, Gallant really enjoys his baked dough.
Now, to the recipe that I wanted to talk about today:
Last week, I made an asparagus risotto from the April 2009 issue of Cooking Light. For a Cooking Light recipe, this creamy, cheesy risotto is positively decadent. It calls for 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream! I used regular heavy cream, but after having eaten the dish, I think half and half would be adequate. Possibly whole milk, but anything less would be very watery. I also made a few other changes to the recipe, as I don't really see the purpose behind pureeing some of the raw asparagus. You can find the original recipe here. Regardless of which way you decide to make it, the end result is delicious.
Asparagus Risotto
Adapted from April 2009 Cooking Light
When making this recipe, it is most nutritious to use asparagus that has been grown locally, as it should be the freshest. While most risotto recipes command that you stir the risotto constantly, I have found that this is not entirely so. It is necessary to stir the risotto very frequently, and to keep an eye on the dish when not doing so. However, a risotto is a not a delicate sauce that will scorch immediately. It is completely possible to work on another, less high-maintenance, dish while cooking your risotto.
* 3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
* 1 1/2 cups water
* 1 tablespoon butter
* 2 cups chopped onion (about 1 large)
* 2 cups uncooked Arborio rice (it is recommended to use Arborio because its starchiness binds the ingredients together)
* 1/2 cup dry white wine
* 4 cups asparagus, cut into thirds (about 1 1/2 pounds or one large bunch)
* 3/4 cup grated Romano cheese, divided
* 1/4 cup heavy cream or half and half
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1/4 cup or less Fontina Cheese (or another flavorful cheese), for grating over top before serving.
In a small sauce pan, combine broth and water. Bring to a simmer, but do not boil. Keep warm over low heat.
Melt butter in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add onion to pan; cook 8 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in rice; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly (you want to let the rice toast a bit). Stir in wine; cook 2 minutes or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring almost constantly. Add 1/2 cup broth; cook 2 minutes or until the liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring almost constantly. Add remaining broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring almost constantly until each portion of broth is absorbed before adding the next (about 30 minutes total). About halfway through adding the broth, fold in half of the asparagus. Around the last 1/2 cup of broth, stir in remaining asparagus and continue to stir until the broth is absorbed.
Stir in 3/4 cup cheese, cream, salt, and pepper. Transfer risotto to a bowl. Grate fontina directly onto individual servings.
No comments:
Post a Comment