Posts tagged risotto

Chestnut Risotto with flaked almonds

January 7, 2021 Comments Off read Vegetables and Salads

adore a creamy, rich risotto on a cold evening. I’ll admit, with no sign of any greens, its not a nutritionally packed or balanced dinner in the slightest but it was a warm hug in a bowl we need right now on chilly weekday evenings when we’re house bound. It really did hit the spot and provided a festive hangover of creamy chestnut and garlic.

Whilst I’m no vegan, I would certainly urge any vegan missing their cream or cheese to try chestnuts as a replacement for that texture. They make a great hummus and are devine in desserts with caramel.

Chestnuts add a really natural creaminess to this one so you can use less cheese if you like but I always add a good handful or two of grated parmesan. Its subtle in flavour so don’t be tempted to overpower the topping too much.

Serves 4

200g risotto/Arborio rice
1 small white onion, finely chopped
1 stick celery, finely chopped
Sprig rosemary, leaves picked and finely chopped
3 cloves garlic
25g butter + 1 large knob
200g chestnut puree – make your own by blending chestnuts or use this one from Merchant Gourmet
1 small glass Marsala wine (or brandy/white wine)
1 stock cube (made up to 500ml or so of hot stock)
50g approx, grated Parmesan cheese
Flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
Flaked almonds, lightly toasted
Garnish – crunchy breadcrumbs/croutons – optional but adds a much needed crunch.

Heat the knob of butter and a tbsp of oil in a large saucepan on a medium heat. Once melted, add the chopped onion and celery and gently sweat for about 8-10 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the rosemary and stir with some seasoning.
Get your hot stock in a saucepan nearby on a low but constant heat.
Crush in the garlic and cook for a further few minutes
Add the rice and turn up the heat to medium high. You are aiming to toast the rice and cover it in the fat. After about a minute the grains should start to change colour. Add the alcohol of choice which will bubble away quickly.
Add a ladleful of hot stock and stir. Bring the heat to a gentle simmer and simmer gently, adding more stock from the pan as it begins to be absorbed for about 18 minutes – time this and as you near 18 minutes keep tasting the rice. It should be just cooked but with a slight bite and most of your stock used. The mixture should be ‘sloppy’ for want of a better word.
Once you feel the rice is ready, add the chestnut puree and stir well to incorporate, it will thicken so add a splash of stock to thin if needed.
Seaosn with plenty of black pepper.
Remove from the heat. Add the grated cheese and the butter and put a lid on. Leave for 2 minutes. Stir well to mix in the melted cheese and butter and add all but a handful of parsley.
Serve in warm shallow bowls topped with the remaining parsley, roasted almonds and crunchy breadcrumbs/crouton!

Roasted Monkfish, Butternut Risotto, Hazelnuts & Sage

February 17, 2020 Comments Off read Seafood

special anniversary coinciding with Valentine’s Day means I feel less guilty about buying some of my favourite and more indulgent ingredients. Monkfish is a favourite fish of ours but one that isn’t exactly budget friendly so any excuse! I did consider using 3 deliciously fried, golden buttery scallops on top of this creamy risotto and I still feel like might even be a better combo so pick whatever takes your heart.

This clearly served 2 on Valentine’s evening but I’ve scaled up here for 4 as I had loads left over! The reserved risotto makes amazing arancini (cooled, rolled, breaded and deep fried) so NEVER discard leftover risotto! Reheated it can get a bit starching and ‘gloopy’ but the flavour is still there.

WINE: Serve with a crisp Muscadet, Chenin or if you’re partial to a Sauvignon Blanc…I’ll let you off.

Serves 4

The risotto can sit and melt while you pan fry the fish so just made sure everything is ready to go!

4 fillets monkfish (you can use cod, haddock or even scallops if feeling indulgent)
300g risotto rice
1 butternut squash
50g parmesan, finely grated
Butter
1 red onion, chopped finely
2 garlic cloves, chopped finely
1 large glass white dry wine
1 stock cube
50g hazelnuts, roamed and roughly chopped
1 small bunch sage leaves, chopped
1 lemon
Rocket to serve

Risotto

Start by preheating the oven to 180. Halve (lengthways) the butternut and remove the seeds. Drizzle with a little oil and season. Roast for about 40 minutes in the oven until the flesh is tender. Remove and set aside to cool slightly. Next, mash the flesh with a fork until smooth and discard the skin.
Season the monkfish with a good pinch of salt and refrigerate until ready to cook (monkfish is quite watery so it helps to do this ahead of cooking).
Heat a large pan of water on the hob and crumble in the stock cube. Keep the stock water on a low heat, barely simmering. You’ll use that during the cooking.
Heat a large heavy based saucepan with a tsp of oil and a tbsp of the butter on the hob on a medium heat. Gently fry the onion slowly for about 8 minutes until turning translucent and soft. Add the garlic and fry for a few minutes more.
Turn the heat up a little and add the rice and coat in the buttery onions. You need to fry the rice here for a few minutes – this too should start to turn translucent. At this point, add the white and simmer nicely, stirring. The alcohol and liquid should reduce. At this point add the butternut and a small spoonful of stock and mix well and turn down the heat to a medium/low.
Add another big spoonful of the stock and simmer, stirring continuously – don’t leave this unattended or it will likely stick. Risotto rice also likes to be stirred often.
Continue adding the stock for about 18 minutes (sometimes longer as the butternut slows the cooking I find) or until the rice is just cooked. Ensure you don’t have a thick consistency OR a soupy one. Reduce or add stock accordingly. Risotto served on the plate should be ‘oozey’ – it should never sit in a clump! (see picture).
Once the rice is cooked, season and remove the pan from the heat and add the parmesan and about 3 tbsp of butter. Set aside with a lid on.

Monkfish

Heat an oven proof frying pan on a high heat with a tsp of light sunflower oil.
Coat the monkfish in a light dusting of flour and season.
Fry the monkfish on a high heat for about 1-2 minutes per side or until golden and crisp.
Add 2 x tsp of butter to each fillet and pop the pan in the oven for about 5-6 minutes depending on the thickness of the fillets.
Once cooked, remove from the oven and put the frying pan onto a hot hob. Add the hazelnuts and sage and toss gently in the buttery juices. Finally, add a good squeeze of lemon juice over the fish and sauce and stir.

Assembly

Stir the risotto well to mix in all the melted butter and parmesan. Spoon into warm bowls and top with a handful of rocket. Squeeze over a little lemon juice.
Top with a fillet of monkfish and a good spoonful of the butter hazelnuts and sage.

Serve!

Crab Risotto, Seaweed Crumb & Pol Roger

December 27, 2018 Comments Off read Seafood

here sadly aren’t many evenings where I indulge in crab and Pol Roger…yet. But if ever an occasion called for such an elaborate and indulgent feast then moving into your first house (flat) purchase with the love of your life surely has to be one. I candidly think this wasn’t quite fancy enough. However, we still don’t have a dining table so the pennies are pinched (from tomorrow).

I’m been saving this glamorous bottle of Champagne for a few years now. Just waiting on the perfect occasion for celebrations and now seemed the perfect time. A classic Champagne only pairs well with greasy, oily and most popularly, deep fried nibbles but being on day 1 in this new kitchen, I opted for a packet of Sainsbury’s chilli coated peanuts. I mentioned that table…

With little energy left to work out the mechanics of the new oven, a hob only, one pot dinner was looking appealing. Deep, rich crab in an oozy, buttery risotto with plenty of zesty lemon was a treat. Topped with some crispy breadcrumbs seasoned with seaweed salt for an extra dimension.

TIPS: For tips on making risottos, please see my tips here.

Serves 2

Crab Risotto

2 large handfuls risotto rice (usually one large one per person)
1 white onion, finely chopped
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
1 large glass dry white wine
1 1/2 pints chicken stock (hot)
Approx 50g parmesan, finely grated
40g unsalted butter, diced
1 lemon, juice and zest
1 packet asparagus spears
200g mixed white and brown crab meat (I use two packets of this 50/50 one from Waitrose)
Chives, chopped to serve

Seaweed Crumb

2 slices brown bread
Seaweed salt (I use this from Cornish)

Start by making the breadcrumbs to get them out the way. Blitz the bread slices in a food processor until fine. Heat a small frying pan with a little splash of rapeseed/plain flavoured oil on a medium-high heat. Once hot add the breadcrumbs with a big pinch or two of the seaweed salt and fry until golden and crisp. Drain on kitchen towel and set aside with the chives to serve later. Once cool, add half the zest of the lemon.
To begin the risotto, make sure you have a large pot on hob, keeping warm on a low heat with your chicken stock ready at hand.
Heat a large high sided frying pan/ saucepan or (my preference) a Le Cresout pot on a medium heat. Add a splash of oil and a knob of the butter.
Once melted and bubbling, gently sauté the onion until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and gently fry for a few minutes. Season with salt and cracked black pepper.
Turn up the heat and add the rice, mixing continuously to stop it sticking. Cook on a hot heat until the grains are starting to turn translucent.
Turn the heat down to a gentle simmer and add the white wine. Simmer to reduce.
Now, begin the stock addition process. The rice should be cooked in about 15 minutes, with the gentle addition of ladles of your hot stock continuously. Ensure you stir throughout and add more liquid as the mixture absorbs the stock. Don’t let it dry out. You may need more/less stock, don’t worry about the measurements. The above is a guide.
After 15 minutes taste the grains. They should have a slight bite to them but be a few minutes away from cooked. The remaining time will cook this out.
At this stage, ensure the consistency is ‘oozy’. By that I mean NOT dry and will fall front he spoon. Add the asparagus spears, the crab and stir to combine. Taste and season if needed. heat for 2 minutes.
Once heated through, add the juice of the lemon, the remaining zest, the cubed butter, 3/4 of the chopped chives and the parmesan. Put a lid on the risotto and remove from, the heat. Let it sit for 3 minutes or so while you get the dishes and finishing touches sorted.
If you can, preheat some bowls. When ready to serve, mix the melted buttery-cheese into the risotto to combine. If its thickened up, add some more hot water just to loosen – it should ooze on the flat like porridge.
Spoon into bowl and top with the rest of the chives, and a good handful of crispy breadcrumbs.
Devour with Pol Roger if you’re celebrating.

Porcini and Chestnut Risotto, Truffle Cream

December 30, 2016 Comments Off read Vegetables and Salads

fter the indulgence of Christmas sometimes something a little less meat-dominant, goose fat roasted or gravy soaked is required. Although don’t get me wrong, it still is a festive, celebratory and just that – indulgent – season so lets not be eating green salads and spag bol just yet. Risotto is perfect for using up leftover scraps and cheeses but can still be pimped with indulgence and provides a warming hearty bowl of soul food when the fun of Christmas is behind you but the frost and cold still linger outside. Feel free to tag team in any other ingredients you prefer or have hanging around using rice, parmesan, shallots and stock as the foundations in all variations.

This recipe was particularly perfect after Christmas when chestnuts, cheese and leftover mushrooms were lingering in the fridge! And if you were lucky enough to be given a nice bottle of truffle oil..ahem..then a spike of it here goes a long way into disguising even the greediest of carnivores into noticing that this is in fact a vegetarian supper….

Happy New Year everyone. If not made before 2017 this is certainly one to make in the cold and bracing January days!

Serves 4

Ingredients

350g arborio/risotto rice (about 4 large handfuls)
3 shallots/2 onions, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
30g butter and tbsp olive oil
Large glass dry white wine
Hot vegetable stock (about 700ml)
30g dried porcini mushrooms
250g chestnut mushrooms, chopped roughly
100g parmesan, grated
50g butter, diced
Large bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped
180g pre roasted and peeled chestnuts, finely chopped or grated.
Juice 1/2 lemon
200g mascarpone/creme fraiche
Truffle olive oil (You can also use fresh shaved truffle here!)

Begin by soaking the dried porcini mushrooms in a jug with enough boiling water to cover and leave for about 15 minutes until softened and hydrated again.
Next, heat 15g of the butter and a splash of olive oil in a large high sided frying pan or saucepan. Soften the chopped shallot gently on a low heat until translucent and soft. After about 10 minutes, add the garlic and cook for a few more minutes.
Next add the rice and turn up the heat to medium and toast the grains while stirring consistently. The grain should begin to turn translucent too and ‘toast’.
After a minute or so of toasting, add the white wine which will bubble briskly and stir until just absorbed.
Drain the soaked mushrooms, chop and set aside. When draining, reserve the mushrooms soaking liquid but discard the final part that will contain any grit from the mushrooms.
Use this hot liquid first before using the hot stock to add to the rice. Stir in the liquid ladle by ladle absorbing the liquid into the rice before adding the next but ensure it does not dry out. Add the liquid after 3/4 of the ladle before has been absorbed. This should take about 18 minutes stirring consistently.
Meanwhile, heat the other 15g of butter and a splash of oil in another frying pan. Fry the chopped chestnut mushrooms until golden and then set aside until needed.
When the rice is just al dente to taste, add in the chopped porcini and continue adding the stock until the rice is cooked to your liking and the texture is still loose. (Don’t allow it to stiffen). Taste and season as needed with plenty of black pepper.
Once the rice is cooked, add in the fried chestnut mushrooms, the chopped parsley and chestnuts and stir to combine.
Finally, scatter over the parmesan, the 50g diced butter and the juice of the lemon. Cover the pan with a lid and remove from the heat and allow it to rest.
Meanwhile, combine the mascarpone/creme fraiche with about 1 tbsp truffle oil or enough to taste depending on the strength that you like it.
Once done, remove the lid from the risotto and stir in the melted cheese to combine evenly. If the texture is a little stiff, add a splash of hot stock to loosen so you get an ‘oozing’ consistency.
Give the risotto once final stir to combine and then serve in warmed shallow bowls and top with the truffle cream and any reserved chopped parsley.

‘Kedgeree’ restyled

May 7, 2016 Comments Off read Seafood

edgeree restyled = Smoked haddock, chive and parsley risotto topped with samphire, pan fried curried haddock loin, soft poached egg and sourdough crispy crumbs.

A modern take on kedgeree if you like and a recipe thats been on my ‘testing’ list for little under a year? I often come up with ideas of dishes that I want to experiment with but there are never enough meals in the week, pounds in the purse or free blog appropriate evenings to do so. But as I sit and indulge in the Masterchef final I write this post and realise the influence this years competition has had on my food. Restaurant worthy presentation for an otherwise hearty, homely supper. But with all the elements of a traditional kedgeree (smoked fish, eggs, rice and curry) its a winner on flavour combination.

I used poached duck eggs here instead of the traditional boiled egg as I don’t know anyone or any dish that doesn’t benefit from a cascade of delicious vibrant orange yolk. But with the soft texture of the egg, fish and risotto, some crispy baked sourdough breadcrumbs are the perfect textural contrast. Also feel free to use cod or any other meaty white fish.

Serves 2

200g (or two large handfuls) risotto rice
750ml hot fish stock
1 shallot, diced finely
1 large garlic clove
50g butter
125ml dry white wine
Handful chives, chopped
Handful flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 lemon, juice and zest
2 haddock fillets
1 tbsp curry powder
1 large filler of smoked haddock (skin removed), chopped into cubes
1 fresh duck eggs
1 x packet samphire (enough for two)
2 slices sourdough bread

Start by rubbing the haddock fillets with the curry powder. Season and set aside until ready to cook. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Place the sourdough breadcrumbs on a baking tray and drizzle with a little oil and season. Toast in the oven for about 10 minutes until crispy and golden. Remove and set aside until serving.
For the risotto, melt half the butter and a tsp of oil in a saucepan. Add the shallot and soften over a gentle heat until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and soften for another minute or so.
Turn up the heat and add the rice. Toast for a few minutes until beginning to turn a little translucent too. Add the wine and simmer away until fully absorbed. Have the fish stock hot and ready in a nearby saucepan. Keeping the risotto at a gentle simmer add ladle by ladle of the stock to the risotto making sure it doesn’t dry out. You may or may not need all the stock but you want to simmer for 18-20 minutes until the rice is cooked and you have a thick but still oozing consistency.
When the rice is cooked add the chunky cubes of smoked haddock and stir through until cooked. The fish will turn white quickly as it cooks in the hot rice (a matter of minutes). It will flake apart when done so use a fork to flake it through to distribute amongst the risotto.
Remove from the heat and add the remaining butter, the chopped herbs and the lemon zest and juice. Add plenty of black pepper and salt to taste. Once the butter has melted, stir all to combine. Place a lid on top and set aside to keep warm.
Meanwhile, steam the samphire for 3 minutes and keep warm.
Get a frying pan really hot and add a splash of oil and at the same time heat a pan of boiling water for the eggs bringing it to a gentle simmer.
Fry the curried haddock fillets for 1 minute on each side in the frying pan, just to get the coating golden and crisp before adding to the oven and cooking through for about 5 minutes depending on the thickness of the fish.
In this 5 minutes, poach the eggs. Turn the water down to a gentle simmer and crack your duck eggs into the water. Poach for a few minutes just until the white is set but the yolk is still runny and soft to touch when tested. Remove using a slotted spoon and rest while your plate the rest of the elements.
When ready to plate up make sure you have some pre warmed serving bowls. Serve a generous spoonful of oozing risotto into the middle. Top with a handful of samphire and then the cooked curried haddock. Top with one of your poached eggs and crack over some black pepper. Drizzle with any curried oil leftover in the baking try from the curried fish and scatter with a handful or crispy sourdough breadcrumbs.
Serve!

Leek and Parmesan Arancini, Smokey Bacon Mayonnaise

March 13, 2016 Comments Off read Extras, Vegetables and Salads

hen I first say James Martin make this mayonnaise my mind immediately jumped to all the decedent foods it could accompany. Surprisingly it only briefly lingered on the monstrously unhealthily nature of mayonnaise and bacon!? But once in a while, a Saturday evening needs a decadent dish lovingly and patiently made – think of it as a culinary pat on the back for a hard working week. James Martin is one of those humble chefs that I trust when it comes to recipes (not to mention our matching appreciation for the use of butter) so all that was needed here was something to accompany it. One of my favourite staple flavour combinations being leek and bacon and a need for something fried and crispy for this gourmet mayo, arancini sprang to mind. In preparation for my up and coming supper club where arancini feature as my starter I thought a little more practice couldn’t go amiss. So out came the rice, butter and wooden spoon, the Italian red was decanted and dinner was set…

Serve with a lovely lemony rocket salad to cut through the oil.

Makes 15 large arancini (2-3/person)

1 large onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
70g butter
200g Alborio rice
1 large glass dry white wine
1 litre hot vegetable or chicken stock
5 leeks
50g grated parmesan cheese
1 lemon
200g breadcrumbs
2 eggs, beaten well
100g plain flour
Sunflower/Vegetable oil for deep frying (About 1 litre)

Arancini

Begin by making the risotto either in the morning before eating these or a day ahead of when you want to serve them.
Melt 20g of the butter in a large saucepan or high sided frying pan with a teaspoon of olive oil.
When hot, sweat the onion and garlic, lid on, for about 5-10 minutes until softened and translucent. You shouldn’t allow it to colour.
Turn up the heat and add the rice. Fry for a few minutes until the rice starts to turn translucent. While the pan is still hot, add the wine and allow to bubble vigorously and absorb into the rice. Immediately turn the heat down to a medium low.
Now add the hot stock ladle by ladle once each liquid addition has been absorbed. Between each spoonful allow to bubble at a very gentle simmer. Cook the rice in the stock in this way for about 20 minutes testing the rice after about 18 minutes by which time it should be soft with a slight bite but not mushy.
Meanwhile while the rice is cooking fry the leeks. Melt 20g of the butter in a frying pan with a teaspoon of olive oil. Top and tail the leeks then slice in half and chop on the diagonal into thin slices. Fry on a medium heat with plenty of salt and pepper for about 10 minutes until soft and just starting to caramelise and colour. Set aside once done.
Once the rice is cooked and most of the stock is absorbed you should still be aiming for a loose consistency. Remove from the heat and add plenty of seasoning to taste and then then tip in the leeks. Add the grated zest of the lemon and the juice of half.
Add the parmesan and the rest of the butter and place a lid onto the pot and set aside for 2-3 minutes. After this time remove the lid and stir in the melted cheese to combine.
Tip the risotto onto a shallow dish/baking tray levelling it out thinly to allow it to cool quickly and place in the fridge to chill.
Once chilled, take just bigger than golf ball sized spoonfuls (or smaller depending on how you want to serve them. I suggest one large one each as a starter or 2-3 for a main) and roll into rounds. Arrange your flour, egg and breadcurmbs into 3 bowls in front of you. Dip the risotto balls first into the flour then the beaten egg and finally coat in breadcurmbs and place each on a plate. Continue until you have used up all the rice. This should make about 15 balls.
Place in the fridge until ready to fry.
When ready, heat a saucepan full of the vegetable oil (deep enough to immerse the arancini by at least half) or turn on your deep fat fryer. You will know when it is hot enough as a cube of bread added to the oil will sizzle and turn golden in a matter of minutes.
When the oil is hot enough, fry the aracini, turning as needed, until golden brown and crisp all over. Once golden, remove using a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen towel. Keep warm while you fry the rest.

Smokey Bacon Mayonnaise

2 egg yolks, room temperature (this is important to prevent it splitting)
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
6 rashers streaky smoked bacon, chopped into pieces
1/2 lemon
350 ml rapeseed or olive oil

Begin by frying the bacon in a hot pan ahead of time until really crisp. Set aside in a bowl with the fat juices and cool in the fridge completely.
Next, place the eggs yolks, mustard, juice of 1/2 the lemon and the white wine vinegar in the bowl of a food processor and set the motor running.
In a very steady stream add the oil. The more slowly you add it the less chance it will split. The mixture will begin to thicken the more oil you add. Continue until you have combined all the oil and the consistency is thick and smooth.
Next add some freshly cracked pepper and tip in the bacon pieces. Pulse until mixture to combine the bacon.
Spoon into a small serving bowl and cover at room temperature until ready to use.

WINE: By no means do you need to fork out on an extravagant Italian bottle such as the below ‘Gaja Conteisa’ that I devoured these with. But there is something quite ironic about a greasy and mayonnaise laden ball of buttery risotto with a Super Tuscan that I won’t lie….went down like a house on fire. Italy, you made my weekend.

Squid Ink Risotto with Chargrilled Octopus and Gremolata

January 3, 2016 Comments Off read Seafood

ne of my ambitions and I guess you could say ‘New Years resolutions’ this year is to experiment more with my recipes and ingredients. We all get into a rut of cooking the same comforting dishes to hit the spot after a long day at work but there is such a vast array of choice out there so make the most of it. Even the most obscure ingredients can be sourced somewhere these days. So I think this blog post does my resolution justice!? I promise this dish is not as scary as it looks – for cooking or eating!

After a visit to a lovely Venetian restaurant last year where a friend and I devoured a collection of tapas style dishes, I enjoyed my first proper experience of squid ink. A dish of Acini di Pepe (a peppercorn-like pasta) speckled with succulent clams and tender pieces of octopus resting in a warm velvety squid ink sauce was devine. A subtle fishy taste and beautiful texture inspired this risotto recipe. Traditionally in Venetian cooking, squid ink can be found in risottos and black rice. However I went a little off-piste in Italy over in Spain with the cooking of the octopus. Chargrilled chunks of tender octopus rolled warm and delicately in a lovely fresh lemony gremolata.

However, this recipe would also be delicious kept authentic and Venetian topped with grilled squid, crab or prawns. You can find squid ink from many fishmongers. I stumbled across mine in a local Spanish deli near by office.

Serves 2-3

Risotto

200g aborio rice
50 g butter
1 onion, diced
1 large garlic glove, crushed
1 small glass white wine
1 litre hot fresh fish stock
2-3 tbsp grated parmesan
1 sachet squid ink (the one I used was 4g)
Juice 1/2 lemon
Octopus, squid, crab or prawns of choice (I used pre cooked Octopus which I simply chargrilled. However you can buy fresh and cook from scratch)
Olive oil

Gremolata

Handful chopped flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 small garlic clove, finely chopped
Zest 1 lemon

Make the gremolata by combining the ingredients together and seasoning. Set aside until needed.
Now start making the risotto. Have a pan of the hot stock on the hob on a low heat ready to use.
Heat half the butter and a splash of oil in a saucepan over a medium low heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic and sauté for 10 minutes until very soft but not golden.
Once soft, turn up the heat and add the rice. Toast for 2-3 minutes stirring it around in the buttery onions.
Now add the wine and allow it to bubble and simmer. Once half absorbed add the squid ink and stir in thoroughly to combine. Season
Now begin adding the hot fish stock a ladle at a time adding another only after each has been absorbed, stirring the grains continuously. Do not let the rice get dry however.
Continue in this way for abut 18-20 minutes until the rice is just cooked with a very slight bite when tasted. You may need all the stock but use as much as needed.
When the rice is cooked and ready and the consistency is loose and fairly runny (risotto should not be stodgy but it should be served in a bowl and have an ‘oozing’ consistency) season to taste. Add the rest of the butter cut into knobs, the cheese and the lemon juice and do not stir. Just remove from the heat and put a lid on the pan to allow it to rest.
Meanwhile heat a griddle pan (or use the grill on a high setting). Add a splash of oil and season the octopus. Chargrill the octopus on both sides to heat through and char. Once hot and ready quickly roll the octopus in the gremolata.
Return your attention to your risotto. Remove the lid and stir to combine the butter and cheese thoroughly. Add a splash of boiling water if the consistency is not as intended of ‘oozing’ enough.
Serve the risotto in warmed deep bowls topped with you grilled octopus. Drizzle with a little oil if wanted.

NOTE: I like to serve this with another Italian staple, Pangrattato or ‘toasted breadcrumbs’. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a hot pan. Add a crushed garlic clove and then about 50g of breadcrumbs. Toast until golden. Then use to scatter on risotto, salads or pasta.

Beetroot Arancini, Chestnut Humus, Hazelnuts

September 14, 2015 Comments Off read Vegetables and Salads

s hard as it is to admit, the long balmy evenings are getting darker and shorter and noticeably less balmy. Autumn is whistling in the air and the wind if whipping the leaves around my now boot clad and sock warmed feet. I adore summer more than you can imagine and I’m always reluctant and depressed to let it go but the potential of Autumn and its bountiful harvest are just too exciting for a foodie like myself and one of the many reasons I adore the English seasons. Pears, plums, apples, pumpkins, game, beetroot and cobnuts. I get far to excited, overwhelmed and overjoyed at the inspiration for Autumnal dinners. A little recipe testing this weekend creating some new dishes in preparation for an Autumnal dinner party I have approaching was the cause for this one.

I’m not normally a huge believer in the arancini concept as generally most things taste good deep fried. I do adore them though – oozing with cheese or glamourised with truffle oil and mushrooms. However, I always wonder if they are more delicious and successful than the risotto itself? For me they are usually an after thought for any leftover risotto you might (surprisingly and hard to image) have as leftovers. But I’ve always admired anyone who makes risotto with the intention of just making arancini. That said I make double the batch and devoured the liquid form for dinner and the deep-fried leftovers the night after.

These subtly spiced, earthy, warm, crispy oozing arancini are the perfect start to the season. Creamy, deeply flavoured whipped chestnut humus and nutty toasted hazelnuts are the perfect addition. All cleanly cut through with some fresh, sharp and zesty lemony rocket and a hearty spiced glass of Pinot Noir. Lets welcome Autumn in style.

NOTE: I would highly suggest making the arancini in the morning before a dinner but ideally overnight. Ensure you have made the humus and garnish beforehand so that arancini are the last thing to cook and are hot, crispy and freshly served immediately.

Serves 6

Beetroot Arancini – try and make the evening before if you can

120g pearl barely
1 pint hot chicken stock
125ml red wine
1 small red onion, chopped finely
1 garlic clove, chopped finely
1 tbsp cumin seeds, toasted and lightly ground
200g cooked beetroot, pureed in a food processor
Large handful finely grated parmesan
1 knob butter
½ lemon
1 egg
Plain flour
Breadcrumbs
Sunflower oil for deep frying

Heat half a knob of butter with a small splash of oil in a saucepan. Very gently sweat the red onion in the butter for about 10 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cumin cook for a few more minutes. Season
Turn the heat up to medium high and add the pearl barely. Toast in the pan with the onion stirring all the time. Next add the wine and simmer off until reduced.
Turn the heat down to a gentle simmer and add the hot stock, ladle by ladle, adding more only after each addition has been absorbed. Continue for about 25minutes or so until the pearl barley is tender. Keep adding stock until the barley is cooked but don’t drown the mixture especially towards the end of the cooking time or it will be too runny.
When the barley is cooked, stir through the beetroot puree and taste and season again. Bring back up to the heat to warm through.
Add the grated cheese, another knob of butter and a generous squeeze of lemon juice and remove form the heat. Place the lid on top and leave it sit and rest.
Stir to combine the cheese. Leave to cook until cold in the fridge, ideally overnight.
When cold and almost solid, its time to make the arancini.
Get 3 bowls ready with the beaten egg, a handful or two of flour and the breadcrumbs
Divide the risotto into 6 or so large spoonfuls and form into balls just a bit larger than a golf ball.
Roll in the flour, the beaten egg and finally give a good coating in the breadcrumbs. Set aside on a plate.
Heat a large pan of oil at lease deep enough to come up half the side of the arancini (8cm or so). Heat to a medium high heat on the hob. Test the temperature with a piece of dry bread. If it sizzles and turns golden its ready!
Get a few sheets of kitchen roll and use them to line a shallow bowl or plate.
Add the arancini, 3 or so at a time depending on the size of your pan. Fry, turning half way one the underside is a light golden brown.
Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on the kitchen paper.
Serve immediately as below.

Chestnut Humus

200g vacuum packed chestnuts
1/2 lemon
Knob butter
Olive oil

Place the chestnuts in a saucepan with just enough water to cover, the butter and some salt.
Bring to the simmer and cook for about 3-4 minutes to soften the chestnuts.
Drain, reserving the liquid.
Place in the bowl of a food processor with some seasoning and blend. Add a splash or two of the reserved water to loosen and blend until beginning to smooth. Keep adding the water until the mixture is smooth but still thick. Add the lemon juice and then thin to the desired consistency with the oil.
Check the seasoning.

Breadcrumbs

Couple of large handfuls of brown breadcrumbs
Handful of hazelnuts, roasted, halved
2-3 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley

Heat a splash of oil in a hot frying pan. Add the breadcrumbs and fry until beginning to turn golden. Season and add the roasted hazelnuts and fry for a few more moments.
Turn the heat down a little and add the parsley to wilt and crisp.
Remove from the what and allow to cool slightly.

To assemble…

Spoon a large tablespoon of so of chestnut puree onto the plate
Top with some rocket leaves dressed in lemon juice
Top with the hot arancini
Scatter over the crunchy crumbs
Devour

WINE: I hugely recommend something with a little spice to it to complement the cumin here. The earthy beetroot is a lovely match for a lovely Pinot Noir. Try this Paper Road Pinot Noir from Borthwick Estate available at Armit Wines.

Spinach Pearl Barley Risotto

November 3, 2014 Comments Off read Vegetables and Salads

Today felt like a Tuesday. Never good if its Monday! After spending half my weekend at work for various reasons, today was a really long and eventful day. I was looking forward to nothing better than stirring a glossy silky risotto in the kitchen all day. I think I may actually prefer pearl barely here (or this evening anyway). Although not as creamy as those made with Aborio rice, barely gives an added texture and bite here. Served healthily and simply, meat free with a soft poached egg it could not have hit the spot better!

NOTE: Same risotto making rules apply…see tips here for the best!

Serves 2

150g pearl barley
Chicken/vegetable stock (about 800ml)
1 onion, chopped finely
1 garlic clove, crushed
3 large knobs of butter
1 large glass dry white wine
150g spinach
Handful chives, chopped
Large generous handful of fresh grated parmesan (plus extra for garnish)
Zest 1 lemon, juice of half
Salt and pepper
2 eggs, fresh and at room temperature
Additional extras to add: Handful of rocket; scatter with fried chorizo; shaved parmesan; top with fish or chicken…

In a large saucepan melt a knob of butter with a tsp of oil until starting to sizzle. Add the onion and cook slowly and gently until soft and translucent. Meanwhile, heat your stock in a saucepan on low.
Add the garlic to the onion and cook for a few minutes before adding in the pearl barely. Turn the heat up and fry the barley for a minute or so.
Pour in the wine and allow the alcohol to burn away slightly and absorb. Once this is done, reduce the heat and add your first ladleful of hot stock. Keep at a light simmer and continue adding stock as soon as the previous addition has been absorbed. Never let it get dry though. Keep stirring to release the starch to give a creamy risotto.
Keep adding until the pearl barley is cooked with a slight bite. This may vary and will be longer than risotto rice. Mine took about 30 minutes. Make sure the texture remains loose.
Meanwhile, blend your spinach and chives in a food processor of chop finely, with a little oil to loosen.
When the barely is ready and the mixture is like a runny porridge, add the spinach, lemon zest, juice and some seasoning – lots of black pepper! Get another saucepan on to simmer gently for the eggs.
Stir the risotto until thick but still unable to hold its shape – there is nothing worse than risotto that ‘sits’ on the plate like mash. It should always need a bowl!
Remove from the heat and add the cheese and the remaining butter and pop a lid on and leave to rest.
While resting, poach your eggs in barely simmering water for a few minutes until the whites are just set and the yolks are still runny.
Stir the melted cheese and butter thoroughly into your risotto and serve in shallow bowls topped with your soft poached eggs!

And served with a delicious Chilean Riesling available here

Pea and Mint Arancini with Avocado Puree

February 10, 2014 Comments Off read Vegetables and Salads

I can’t actually decide if leftover risotto turned morphed in arancini is actually better than risotto…? See what you think

Serves 2

Leftover pea and mint risotto, chilled (or any other risotto)
1 egg, beaten
Plain flour
Breadcrumbs
Grated parmesan
Good melting cheese e.g. mozzarella, tallegio etc
Sunflower oil for frying
1 large ripe avocado
Handful of chopped mint leaves
1 lemon

Get 2 clean shallow bowls ready. Place the egg in one, the flour in another and the breadcrumbs, parmesan and some seasoning in the other.
Roll your chilled risotto into balls (mine were about golf ball size) placing a small piece of your melting cheese in the middle if you like.
Roll each in first the flour, then the egg and finally coat in the cheesy breadcrumbs. If you want a thicker coating repeat in the egg and breadcrumbs. If not, place aside on a plate and repeat with the rest before chilling (the arancini that is…feel free to chill too).
Preheat the oven to 180°C for later. I fried my arancini in shallow oil but they are delicate (unless you made a very stodgy dry risotto to start with- to avoid this see tips here). If you have a deep fryer fry each arancini until golden. If not, fry in shallow oil until crisp. Place in a the oven to warm through to the middle while you make the puree.
Scoop out the ripe flesh from your avocado and place in a food processor with some seasoning and a splash of lemon juice. Blend until thick, glossy and smooth – feel free to add flavours here you like. I added some mint leaves but lime, coriander, chilli all work well depending on what flavour your arancini are.
Once ready, serve your crispy and melt in the middle arancini on top of your silky puree with a scattering of fresh mint.