Riffing on Risotto

It's cold. There was a frost this morning, and I had to wear a fleece to walk the dogs. This is serious stuff, people. We Californians (even the implanted non-native Californians) are not prepared for this! I had to dust off the fleece!

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.

Cassoulet? Pourquoi pas!

Cassoulet is a traditional French stew "containing meat (typically pork sausages, goose, duck and sometimes mutton), pork skin (couennes) and white beans (haricots blancs)" (from Wikipedia, so it must be true). Yeah, well unfortunately I have a life, so skinning pigs, trying to find goose in the local supermarket, and soaking beans isn't exactly convenient. I'd probably have to give up something less important to fit in such culinary exploits, like sleep.

Nevertheless, slow cooked stews are kind of a staple in our house this time of year. There is nothing I love more than a meal that requires just a bowl, a spoon and an appetite. And I figure if you eat enough comfort food, you will, at some point, feel comforted and less stressed. This is an ongoing experiment, so I'll keep you posted on the 'less stressed' thing. 

One thing is for sure - this particular cassoulet recipe was easy peasy, does not require chasing after domesticated, or indeed undomesticated, fowl, and comforted our bellies, if not our frazzled nerves (work in progress - like I said, I'll keep you posted).

Slow Cooker Sausage Cassoulet
Adapted from Cooking Light Magazine
Serves 6

olive oil
2 large yellow onions, chopped
1 1/2 cups carrots, cut into 3/4" chunks
1 cup chopped peeled turnip
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans cannellini/white beans, drained and rinsed
4 fully cooked Italian style chicken sausages, cut into 1/2" thick slices
1 28oz can chopped tomatoes
3/4 cup chicken stock
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 TBSP salted butter
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, celery, carrot, turnip and garlic and cook stirring for around 5 minutes until vegetables are becoming tender.
2. Place vegetable mixture into the stoneware of a large crockpot/slow cooker. Add beans, sausage, tomatoes, stock, thyme, salt, pepper and bay leaf and stir to combine.
3. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
4. Melt butter in a small skillet and fry breadcrumbs for a few minutes until browned. Stir frequently, otherwise they will burn!
5. Remove skillet from heat and stir in the parmesan.
6. Take half of the breadcrumb mixture and stir it into the cassoulet in the slow cooker. 
7. Serve in bowls, sprinkled with chopped parsley and remaining breadcrumb mixture.

Winner, winner, chickpea dinner!

Since my daughter started her AP Environmental Studies class this year, she has taken to 'schooling' us on all the things we are doing wrong for the planet. As you can imagine, this has been a lovely addition to having a teenage girl merely schooling us on how we are ruining HER life; now we are ruining EVERYONE'S lives, even people we have never even met, or who have not even been born yet. Our achievement apparently knows no bounds. In my defense, I feel I have to say that this onslaught of criticism does come from a girl who seems incapable of breaking down her Starbucks cup into the bits that go into the recycling bin, those that go into compost and those that are trash... but I digress.

One of her favorite current complaints is that meat, or rather the farming of that meat, is bad for the environment. Whilst I am not planning on giving up meat, I have found myself making the effort to cook more vegetarian meals. Whereas we used to eat vegetarian maybe two evenings per week, we now aim to eschew meat more than we indulge - i.e. go veggie at least four evenings per week. I know that vegan would be even better for the environment, since dairy farming is probably evil too, but I just can't, and here is my reason:

Nuff said.

This change in our diets, has led me discover a fair few new recipes which have entered our regular rotation, and also rekindled my desire to blog and rave about them, so here I am, with apologies for my absence of late.

The recipe below is based on a curry recipe I found in a favorite book by Judith Finlayson: The Vegetarian Slow Cooker. However, I found her recipe resulted in a dish that was a tad watery and not rich enough for my tastes, so I tweaked it and came up with this little gem. We enjoyed this thoroughly and I've even added the recipes below for the accompaniments we had alongside the curry. Apart from adding some naan bread on the table for the kids, the meal was also low carb, since there was no rice or other grain involved. Hopefully that will help further with reducing the post-Christmas-pooch situation we still have going on!

Chickpea and Spinach Curry
Serves 6

1 tbsp canola oil
3 onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 TBSP ginger root, finely grated
1 TBSP ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 TBSP balsamic vinegar
3 cups chopped Roma/plum tomatoes (no need to skin or de-seed)
3 15oz cans chickpeas/garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup chopped fresh spinach
1/2 of 15oz can coconut milk
2 tsp cornstarch/cornflour
1/2 cup chopped green/spring onions

1. Heat oil in a large skillet and fry onions over medium heat until starting to brown.
2. Add garlic, ginger, coriander, cumin, salt and pepper and continue to fry, stirring constantly, for a further minute.
3. Add balsamic vinegar and tomatoes and heat through until it starts to bubble.
4. Pour into the slow cooker stoneware, and mix in the chickpeas.
5. Cook on low for 7 hours.
6. Mix the cornstarch with the coconut milk to combine, and then stir that into the crockpot with the spinach. Cook for a further 20 minutes until thickened and bubbly.
7. Serve sprinkled with chopped green onions.



Roasted Spiced Carrots and Parsnips
Adapted from Taste of Home magazine

4 large carrots, cut into 1" pieces
3 large parsnips, cut into 1" chunks
3 TBSP canola/sunflower oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp chile powder
1/4 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
dash ground cloves
dash cayenne pepper

1. Preheat oven to 425F (220C).
2. Whisk together the oil, salt, coriander, cumin, pepper, chile powder, paprika, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and cayenne.
3. Toss the carrots and parsnips with the oil mixture, then spread on to a rimmed baking sheet.
4. Roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until vegetables are tender.



Roast Cauliflower with Turmeric and Cumin
adapted from Food & Wine magazine
serves 6

1 large head cauliflower, chopped into florets
1/3 cup canola/sunflower oil
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp salt
2 TBSP toasted pine nuts
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro (coriander leaves)

1. Preheat oven to 425F (220 C).
2. Whisk together the oil, cumin, turmeric, cayenne and salt.
3. Toss the cauliflower with the oil mixture to coat, and then spread on to a large rimmed baking sheet.
4. Bake for one hour, tossing in the middle, by which time it should be tinged brown and tender.
5. Toss with the cilantro and the pine nuts and serve warm.

Loading up the ladle

This is not one of those 5 ingredient recipes, that is for sure, but don't be afraid. Despite the rather long list of lovely parts, the resulting whole comes together pretty quickly, and is more than worth a bit of prep.

Again, we are in Soupville, and this one calls itself a Minestrone in the original recipe (from Bon Appetit). However, (not that I'm pedantic, you understand!) a minestrone generally contains pasta, and this one notably does not. Despite this, it does contain a plethora of lovely veggies, including some hunger-quelling potatoes, and was thus more than satisfying (served with a hunk of bread to mop up the bowl, of course) for my tableful of large appetites. As for 'pistou' the delicious topping on the soup, this is a French version of pesto, although it does not contain pine nuts.

So grab that ladle like you mean business and scoop up some colorful bowls of (non-authentic, but nonetheless delicious) French/Italian Minestrone, and rake in the compliments.

Kale Minestrone with Pistou
Serves 6

2 TBSP olive oil
4 oz chopped pancetta
1 large onion, chopped
1 leek, thinly sliced
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 tsp chopped fresh oregano
2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
2 bay leaves
salt
2 TBSP tomato paste/puree
1 28oz can whole peeled tomatoes, drained
1 2oz parmesan rind
2 15oz cans cannellini beans, drained with liquid reserved
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
12 oz baby potatoes, cut into 1/2" pieces
1 bunch Tuscan/Lacinato kale, stems removed and sliced

For Pistou:
2 garlic cloves
1 cup fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup olive oil
3 TBSP grated parmesan
1 tsp grated lemon zest
salt to taste

1. Saute the pancetta in the olive oil over a medium heat in a large saucepan.
2. Once it is browned around the edges, add the onion, leek, carrots, celery, garlic and red pepper flakes and a sprinkle of salt.
3. Cook, stirring, until the onion is translucent and the carrots are getting tender - about 10-12 minutes.
4. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for a couple of minutes until it starts to darken, then add the tomatoes, using your hands, or kitchen scissors to break them down into chunks. Add the herbs, black pepper and the parmesan rind.
5. Add to the reserved water from the beans, enough water to make it up to 6 cups of liquid, then pour this into the pan and stir to combine.
6. Bring to the boil, and then stir in the potatoes. Reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender (about 20 minutes).
7. While the soup if simmering, make the pistou: put the basil and garlic cloves in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add the oil, parmesan and lemon rind and pulse to combine.  Season with salt to taste.
8. Once the potatoes are tender, taste the soup and add more salt and pepper if desired. Add kale and white beans and cook for a further five minutes to cook the kale and heat the beans through.
9. Serve soup with a dollop of pistou on top, and a sprinkling of more fresh grated parmesan.

In survivalism mode!

Nope, not moving into a cave and stockpiling beef jerky, but rather loading up the freezer. It is soup season, and as someone who regularly over-caters, this is a good thing, as I can load up my freezer with tubs of soupy goodness for the days when any effort is too much effort. You can make all the anti-Cali jokes you like, but it is layers weather here, and it has been mighty wet too. Cold and damp are two things that have the kind of relationship, whereby feeling one, makes you feel even more of the other. No kidding, I actually had to wear a hat when walking the dogs today!

So soup is the order of the day, and expect to see a few new bowl-shaped recipes appearing here in the next few weeks, at least until the weather perks up. This one is a particular new favorite around here, as it is packed with squash, of which there is a healthy glut in stores right now, quinoa, which fills bellies very nicely, thank you very much, and the kind of spices that make one feel instantly warmer from the inside.

So grab a spoon and enjoy (while sitting with a blanket over your knees and wearing fuzzy socks to protect those toesies!)



Squash and Quinoa Soup
adapted from The Great American Slow Cooker by Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarborough
Serves 8

8 cups chicken broth
6 1/2 cups (2 lbs) peeled seeded and chopped butternut squash
2 2/3 cups lite coconut milk
1 large onion, chopped
1 1/3 cups white quinoa
4 tsp curry powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (more if you like more heat)
1 tsp ground cardamom
plain yoghurt and snipped chives to serve

1. Mix together all the ingredients in the slow cooker.
2. Cook on low for 6 hours, or until squash and quinoa are both very tender.
3. Use an immersion blender (or transfer to a blender in batches) to puree the soup until smooth. Heat for a further 15 minutes in the slow cooker if needed.
4. Serve in bowls with a dollop of yoghurt and some chives sprinkled over the top.

Baby it's cold outside

Living in California makes you a wimp. It's official. I've lived here for 17 years, and now, if the temperature dips below 50 degrees F, I start to shiver, search for fuzzy slippers and stare at the thermostat convinced that it is lying. Even the onset of age-induced hot flashes doesn't provide relief. Sheesh - I even measure temperature in fahrenheit - if that isn't a sign of wimpishness, I don't know what is. Fahrenheit can't even measure freezing point in a way that seems justified - how can 32 degrees sound cold? Zero is far more evocative of the kind of toe-tingling chilblain-inducing cold you get up in the mountains of California, even if not in the wimpy coastal areas where we live. 

Anyway, with fuzzy slippers installed, I certainly enjoy the kind of soups and stews that winter brings. And nothing warms you quite like a nice curry with just enough heat to warm you from the inside out, whilst not scaring off the kids. This one definitely fit the bill last night. It even has potato in it, thus satisfying the apparently carb-deprived in the family, without the need for cooking rice. All the better for making a quick transit from frosty doorway to dinner table. All you need is a bowl of this, and some naan bread to mop up the saucy goodness, and your extremities will be safe from frostbite for another evening at least. Don't forget the slippers just in case though...

Indonesian Beef Curry

Adapted from Family Circle magazine

Serves 6

2 TBSP canola oil

3 lbs lean cubed stew beef

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

2 onions, peeled, halved and thinly sliced

1 1/4 lbs small potatoes, cut into 1" chunks

1/2 lb halved peeled baby carrots

2 14oz cans light coconut milk

3 TBSP curry powder

1 1/2 TBSP soy sauce

1 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp granulated garlic/garlic powder

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

2 cups chopped green beans

fresh chopped parsley and warmed naan bread to serve

1. Season beef with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet and brown the beef in two batches over a medium-high heat. Put beef in slow cooker.

2. Add onion, potatoes, and carrots to slow cooker.

3. Mix together coconut milk, curry powder, soy sauce, ginger, garlic and cayenne pepper. Pour over beef and vegetables in the slow cooker and stir to combine, pushing the vegetables under the liquid.

4. Cook on LOW for 7 hours, then add the green beans and cook for a further hour. Check seasoning. 

5. Serve sprinkled with parsley and with naan bread for dipping.

Put a bow on it :-)

Temperatures are dipping and its time for comfort food. It's time for the kind of meal that just might involve undoing a top button and having to beach oneself post-prandially on a nearby sofa for a spell. This dish involves one of my favorite comfort foods, polenta. I can feel myself relaxing when I even say 'polenta'. Say 'polenta and a glass of red wine' and I'm pretty much comatose.

This dish is originally called 'polenta in chains', because the veggies in there are in strands and thus appear entwined throughout the final dish. I have to say, that description didn't make sense to me, so, at risk of offending multiple generations of Italians than me, I'm renaming it Polenta with Ribbons, since the veggies are cut into thin strips or shredded, so that in the final dish, they look kind of like ribbons stirred into the cheesy polenta-y goodness.

I had never before cooked polenta in a slow cooker, and to be honest, it isn't the best use of the machine, since it doesn't take too long to cook - for me, the slow cooker is about being able to load it up 8 hours in advance before the day really begins, and then have dinner pretty much sorted when the day is ending. However, it does work well, so if you happen to be available to do a minimal amount of prep 3 hours before dinner time, have at it, but if you have a more normal schedule and are driving kids from pillar to post all afternoon, I cannot see why it wouldn't be perfectly possible to cook this in a more traditional way on the stove-top. I would then saute the veggies just a touch though, so that they are not too crunchy in the final dish, and maybe mix them in about 5 minutes before the polenta is ready. Then all you need is a nice salad to accompany it, and that glass of red wine.



Polenta with Ribbons
adapted from The Italian Slow Cooker by Michele Scicolone
Serves 6+

7 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups polenta (not instant polenta)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups shredded carrot
3 cups finely shredded kale
2 cans white beans (e.g. Cannellini beans), drained and rinsed
ground black pepper
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
3 TBSP olive oil

1. In the slow cooker, stir together the polenta, water, garlic and salt.
2. Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 hours.
3. Stir in the veggies, beans and pepper to taste (1/2-1 tsp should do it).
4. Cover and cook for a further 60-75 minutes until the polenta has thickened and the veggies are tender.
5. Stir in the olive oil and cheese and serve immediately, sprinkled with more parmesan if desired.