Luscious Lobster Risotto

Got a birthday coming up? An anniversary? A new job?

Or maybe you just want an excuse to eat something amazing? Don't worry, we won't judge. We're big fans of celebrating the little moments in life -- like a beautifully sunny day or a random weeknight evening when there's nothing to do but cook something delicious.

And on days like that, there's nothing more perfect than this deliciously creamy lobster risotto.

If you love seafood, this is a meal you won't want to pass up. And if you love a good risotto, that's an even better reason to copy down this recipe to make at the next available opportunity.

The dish takes on a nutty character from slightly browned butter, and a creamy character from being finished with Mascarpone cheese. A bit of lemon zest cuts the richness and brightens the entire dish.

Intimidated by working with lobster? You needn't be.

This luxurious dish is remarkably easy (and affordable) to make with frozen lobster tails, which are available at a variety of better meat counters. You won't have to tangle with a live lobster, or deal with digging meat out of obstreperous claws. You simply thaw, steam them and then slice them open with a knife or kitchen shears to remove the delicate sweet meat.

Hint: rather than opting for one large tail, choose smaller tails, since their flesh is more delicate and their lobster flavor often sweeter.

Luscious Lobster Risotto

There are more great recipes where this one came from! We created this dish as part of our work with the Go Bold with Butter blog, where you'll find an amazing collection of delicious recipes using real butter.

©BURP!

Spring Ramp Risotto

 There's nothing like a warming bowl of risotto to warm your cockles in the depths of winter.

There's also nothing like that same bowl of risotto to comfort you during the damp days of spring. Fortunately, there's also little better than a big bowl of creamy rice teeming with the allium-scented perfume of fresh spring ramps.

If you've made risotto before, you'll find that this recipe isn't fancy or fussy. But, the flavor is plenty complex, and it harbors a deceptive richness that's brightened by the pop of a bit of lemon zest.

Perfect served alongside a slice of grilled fish, this risotto captures spring in a dish.

The bulbs of the ramps are sauteed to soften their slight bite and assist in infusing the rice with flavor. The ramp leaves are saved and added just before the end of cooking for an additional burst of flavor. The brightness of lemon zest pulls everything together.

You'll need a nice big handful of ramps, a bit of lemon (Meyer lemons are really nice for this recipe), some good quality Parmesan cheese, a cup or two of arborio rice, and a quart of vegetable stock.

That's it -- 30 minutes, and dinner is pretty much on the table.

The sum of this recipe is definitely far greater than its parts. In fact, the biggest investment you'll make is that of your time standing over the stove to stir it.

Bright. Savory. Earthy. Green.
It's the perfect side dish for roasted chicken, salmon -- or even on its own.

Spring Ramp Risotto


©BURP!

Easter Dishes: Spring Risotto with Asparagus "Pesto"

  I've got a thing for risotto. And it's not just because it's so creamy and delicious.

That's part of it, of course.  But, I also appreciate its versatility.  Throw anything in with a bit of stock and some arborio rice, and you can call it dinner.

Some people complain that risotto takes such a long time to make.  And they whine about how it requires so much stirring.  But, that's another thing I love about it.  I love watching the rice toast in the oil.  I love how you can see it absorbing the liquid -- first the wine, and then the stock. I love how the grains turn from firm to creamy, almost before your very eyes. And the stirring -- well, that's sort of like meditation.

I particularly love risotto in the springtime when I have a wealth of new vegetables and fresh herbs to choose from.  Like asparagus.


The asparagus pesto in this dish is made in the same manner as a more traditional basil pesto. Blanched asparagus is pureed with garlic, Romano cheese, toasted pine nuts and olive oil, along with a bit of spinach to intensify its bright green color.  Lemon juice is added to pull the flavors together and add a pleasant brightness to the finished pesto.

This delicious spring risotto makes an excellent vegetarian main course or side dish which can be served with a variety of roasted or grilled meats. Leftover asparagus pesto is delicious tossed with cooked pasta, spread on grilled cheese sandwiches, or stirred into potato soup.

Even the leftover risotto is delicious.  Dish it up into a bright colored bowl and eat it right out on the patio, alongside the daffodils, while sipping a glass of delicious Savignon Blanc.

Spring Risotto with Asparagus "Pesto"

©BURP! Where Food Happens

Using and Preserving Summer Herbs: Rosemary Comes to Dinner

I've been friends with Rosemary for a long time now. When we first met, she was dry, and her disposition sharp.  When we talked, I always seemed to get her caught in my teeth.  And I couldn't seem to appreciate her harshness.

However, as the years wore on, I found that there were many sides to Rosemary.  If I caught her in the morning, fresh from the garden, her smell was intoxicating -- a bit like fresh pine boughs, and filled with the earth.  But, if left alone for too long, she grew parched and brittle, and her perfume would start to smell astringent.

Her marriage to garlic is almost too good to be true. But, it's taken many years of practice.  When they first met, they both tried to hog the spotlight. Inevitably, one of them ended up wounded or broken. But, over the years the two lovers have learned to move together in perfect harmony. And everyone is happier -- including the neighbors.

Although she turns some people off with her assertiveness, I'm Rosemary's biggest fan. You always know where you stand when you're with her. And there's no hiding behind false pretenses. She puts herself right out there in front, and you can't help but notice her.  And I'll be honest, that's a big part of her appeal.

I had her over for dinner the other night. At first, we were uncertain about what to make. So, we took a trip to the supermarket. Rosemary pointed to the tender young Strauss free-raised veal shanks and smiled. I knew then that we were in for something special.

 She took me by the arm and led me back into the kitchen. And that's where the lessons began.  I learned to rely on the basics -- celery, onions, carrots, a splash of white wine, and very good chicken stock.  But, she also taught me to think outside the box -- adding petitely diced guanciale, briny anchovy filets, last summer's dried Principe Borghese tomatoes, and (of course) a generous helping of garlic.

As the ingredients simmered, I was mesmerized by how the ingredients danced together -- playing off of one another's strengths, waxing and waning and gradually mellowing.  And, as the components came together, they formed a symphony of flavors... of colors...

With Rosemary at the helm, I began to realize that it couldn't help but become a thing of beauty.  So, I reliquished control. While Rosemary worked her magic, I pulled together a pot of risotto. Simple. Elegant. Embellished only by a grating of Carr Valley Gran Canaria -- an intensely nutty cheese that I figured would be the perfect match for Rosemary's intensity.

The dance took almost two hours to complete, but when we finished, I wasn't even tired. In fact, I felt invigorated. Delighted. Inspired. And as we finished, I couldn't help but savor those final bits of sauce -- deliciously unctuous and smooth, subtly herbal, and ... well, perfect.

Sometimes there's nothing like a new dinner with an old friend.


Osso Buco with Rosemary & Sundried Tomatoes

This guest post wraps up our Summer 2010 Herb Series: Using and Preserving Herbs. Thanks to everyone for making this series such a great success!  And we wish you much luck making use of your bountiful harvest.


©BURP! Where Food Happens

Full-On Beet Risotto with Toasted Pecans

It's that time again -- the point in the year when you can saunter through the farmer's market and find absolutely perfect beets.
You know the ones -- the deeply colored purples, reds, pinks, and golds. Candy cane, bull's blood, Chioggas, and goldens. Not only are the roots flawless and plump -- but the greens are crisp and well formed.

I don't know about you, but I insist upon buying beets with the greens still attached. Not only are they lovely (and tasty -- similar to the flavor of Swiss Chard) -- but they really pack a nutritional punch. They're rich in chlorophyll and can actually possess a higher overall nutritional value than the beet root itself.

On this particular day, the red beets were calling my name. The wind was feeling a bit cool, and I was craving some serious comfort food. Beet risotto anyone?
Whenever I make beet risotto, I always go back to the same recipe -- brilliant beet risotto, which was inspired by an article from Food & Wine magazine a number of years ago). Like many great recipes, it's really more about technique than ingredients, and you can make all sorts of modifications to the ingredients of the recipe to suit your own tastes.

The first step is to chop the beets finely in your food processor. You'll do the same to the beet greens as well.
You saute onion and garlic, toast your arborio rice, and then add the raw beets and greens to the risotto pot. Add your stock, stir, and repeat. By the time your rice is al dente it's also deliciously pink. The beets are cooked and the kitchen smells great.
At this point, you can add your favorite cheese and any number of delicious add-ins.

In our case, we opted for a bit of Wisconsin parmesan and a dab of local buttermilk bleu cheese. I also stirred in some toasted pecans -- which added great flavor, a bit of protein, and a little bit of toothiness.
We've also tried other awesome combinations: cheddar cheese with a spoonful of horseradish, sour cream with chopped fresh dill weed, goat cheese and toasted walnuts... the possibilities are endless.

Brilliant Beet Risotto


©BURP! Where Food Happens

Roasted Broccoli Risotto with Sundried Tomatoes and Olives

Ah. Risotto.
Seduce me with your creaminess. Woo me with your toothy charm.
Nourish me with strong-flavored winter veg... OK, maybe I'm getting a little bit carried away. But, when a girl is as seriously TIRED of broccoli as I am, it's pretty exciting when she finds a broccoli dish that really bowls her over.

This dish was inspired by a pasta recipe I ran across years ago that became a regular occurrance in our winter repertoire. It was a baked penne with broccoli, oil-cured olives, and feta cheese. I liked the recipe because it came together quickly on weeknights. It was also an exceedingly brilliant composition -- all those strong/savory/salty/briny flavors complementing one another all in one bowl.

It hadn't occurred to me to combine the same flavors in a risotto. Until just the other night. When the idea hit me -- like a flash of light -- I was pretty stoked. I decided that roasted broccoli would be a decidedly fine addition to such a risotto, so I hauled out my roasting pan. While the broccoli was crisping up, I hauled out my risotto pan and sauteed some onions with a bit of dried thyme and garlic. I also heated up a bit of stock in a separate saucepan. This would be an excellent vegetarian dish if I had used vegetable stock, but I happened to have chicken stock on hand, so I used that.

I also pitted and chopped a handful of oil-cured black olives, as well as about a half cup of oil-packed sundried tomatoes (which I decided would add some welcome color and a great *pop* of sweet flavor to the dish). And I crumbled a handful of Greek feta.

And so the risotto process began. I added the rice to the pot. And then a bit of semi-dry white wine (actually a nice Chenin Blanc/Vignier).

Then came the stirring. The adding of stock. And more stirring. The kitchen started to smell wonderful. My tummy started rumbling. And I'd slipped into that zen sortofa place that you go when you're making risotto. Then the oven beeped. After jumping about half-way through the ceiling, I regained my composure and opened the oven door to find the broccoli all nice and roasty-toasty. Perfect.

I kept stirring and adding stock. When the rice was nearly al dente, I added the roasted broccoli, tomatoes, and olives -- giving them just long enough to cook together with the rice and allow the flavors to meld.

Then, we scooped that lovely risotto into bowls and sprinkled everything with a bit of crumbled feta. And the dish was complete. And completely glorious. *sigh*And so we dined. Each forkful evoked all sorts of crucifer-meets-umame-wonderful. And our Winter Bellies were satisfied. Which is a Very Good thing.
Roasted Broccoli Risotto with Sundried Tomatoes and Olives


©BURP! Where Food Happens

Farmer's Market Bounty Has Sweet Rewards

Our trip to the farmer's market this past weekend yielded us a great deal of bounty. Among our great finds were succulent local strawberries... And the most amazingly sweet fresh shelling peas.We used some of the leftover biscuits from our Sunday brunch to make shortcakes with the strawberries. And we took the shelling peas, along with some hauntingly fresh asparagus from our CSA share, some mint from the garden, and a great local parmesan cheese, and concocted a really lovely risotto.We garnished it with pea shoots from Growing Power, a local urban garden that does some really amazing work in promoting sustainability and social justice. We support their efforts whenever we can.

Fresh Pea and Asparagus Risotto with Mint

Other risotto recipes you might enjoy:
Asparagus & Shiitake Mushroom Risotto
Brilliant Beet Risotto


©BURP! Where Food Happens

Asparagus Risotto

Last night, as I was contemplating what to do with some leftover asparagus pesto, I was hit with a flash of inspiration. Why not use it as a base for a lovely risotto? Turns out this is a really fantastic way to use up the leftovers.

We love substituting barley for arborio rice in our risotto recipes. It's healthy. And chewy. And substantial. I also really like the earthy flavor, which is really fantastic with mushrooms. So, here we use a mushroom broth -- though you could substitute any sort of broth (or even cooking water from the asparagus). Shiitakes are a natural pairing with asparagus, so we enjoy them together when we can.

Asparagus & Shiitake Risotto



©BURP! Where Food Happens

Brilliant Beet Risotto

Before I share the recipe for one of the more lovely risottos I've ever made, I have to admit that I was inspired by a six-year old.

It's true. The August 2007 Food & Wine magazine featured a number of prodigious child chefs. One of them, little Alex Donowitz, bowled me over. Not only with his crazy hair (so cute). But also with his thoughts about beets.

Alexander Donowitz, who's been a vegetarian for all of his six years, combined two of his favorite ingredients—beets ("because red is my favorite color")and cheddar cheese—to create this super-creamy, vibrant risotto. "I think I'm the only kid in my class who eats beets," he says. (FOOD &
WINE)

I loved the idea of putting the raw beets in the food processor so that they could cook right along with the risotto, and I was very intrigued by the cheddar/beet combination. But I'm hopeless at actually following a recipe. So, of course, something had to change. I had to "up" the beet quotient (cuz that's what I do). Risotto MUST have garlic at our house. And we added a bit of horseradish to act as a foil for the sweetness of the beets, and we subbed a locally produced horseradish cheddar to give it a bit of additional kick. It turned out to be a truly fantastic combination -- one that is sure to become a classic at BURP!

Brilliant Beet Risotto



©BURP! Where Food Happens