Anyway, all the more reason to celebrate comfort food of a chilly evening. And what says comfort food more than risotto - I mean it's rice, cheese and you eat it with a spoon. Nuff said. These recipe gems though are a tad alternative, in that neither involves rice per se. They are, nevertheless, just as satisfying from a comfort perspective.
You may have noticed the plural there. Why yes, this is a 'three-fer' today, with three risotto recipes using three different bases in place of rice: barley, orzo and farro. Why it's an extravaganza of comfort, all in one post; a veritable cornucopia of stomach-warming goodness. My only regret is that clearly we were too eager to start loading up our spoons with the final recipe and I didn't take a photo of it's delicious orange splendor. Suffice to say, it was gorgeous looking, as well as tasty!
Curried Barley Risotto
Serves 6
Adapted from The Ultimate Vegetarian Slow Cooker Cookbook by Linda Larsen
2 cups pearled barley
1 red onion, chopped
2 leeks, trimmed and sliced thinly
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
5 cups vegetable broth
2-3 TBSP Thai red curry paste*
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 TBSP butter
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
*these can vary in heat, so err on the low side and taste before step 2 below, adding more if more spice is required.
1. Place barley, onion, leeks, garlic, mushrooms, bell peppers, broth, curry paste, salt and pepper in the slow cooker stoneware. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.
2. Stir in the parmesan, butter and parsley, cover and cook for a further 15 minutes until melted.
Leek and Herb Orzotto
Serves 4
Adapted from Cooking Light Magazine
4 cups vegetable stock
2 TBSP butter
2 TBSP olive oil, divided
2 leeks, halved lengthwise and then thinly sliced
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup orzo
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp grated lemon rind
4 large eggs
1. Bring stock to a simmer in a saucepan, then put lid on pan and keep warm over low heat.
2. Melt butter with 1 TBSP olive oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat, then add onions and leeks and saute gently without browning for 8-10 minutes.
3. Add orzo and stir to coat in oil, then pour in wine and cook, stirring, for two minutes until wine is virtually evaporated.
4. Using a label, add stock 2/3 cup at a time, and cook stirring until stock is evaporated before adding more. When the orzo has increased in size and the mixture starts to look starchy, test the orzo to see when it is cooked to the desired consistency (should take about 15 minutes, unless you want it really al dente). You may not need all of the stock.
5. Remove from the heat and add parsley, cheese, salt, pepper, lemon rind and most of the chives.
6. In a frying pan, heat remaining olive oil over medium heat, then break the eggs into the pan. Cook, as you would a fried egg, until it is done to your liking (keep the yolk runny, as it is delicious trickling over the risotto!)
7. Serve risotto with an egg on top, sprinkled with remaining chives.
Carrot Farrotto
Serves 6
Adapted from The Skinnytaste Cookbook by Gina Homolka
For salad:
1 medium carrot, peeled into long ribbons
2 TBSP fresh lemon juice
1 tsp olive oil
salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups fresh baby arugula (rocket)
For carrot puree:
1 TBSP olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups chopped carrots
2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
For farro:
1 3/4 cups semi-pearled farro
4 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1. In a medium tupperware place the carrot ribbons, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Shake to combine and then set aside until ready to serve.
2. To make the carrot puree, saute the onion in the olive oil in a large saucepan for 3-4 minutes over medium heat until soft and translucent. Add the carrots, broth, salt and pepper and simmer, covered, over medium-low heat for about 30 minutes until the carrots are soft. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
3. Use an immersion blender to puree the carrot mixture until smooth. Set aside.
4. In a large saucepan, combine the farro and remaining vegetable broth. Bring to a low boil, and cook until the farro is al dente - should take about 15-20 minutes. Drain using a sieve, and return to the same saucepan. Stir in the carrot puree and cook until creamy - about 5 minutes. If the mixture is too thick, add a little more broth.
5. Stir in the parmesan cheese.
6. Toss the arugula with the reserved carrot salad, and serve on top of the plated farrotto.
No comments:
Post a Comment