Dairy « (y)our food choices™

Comfort food for a cool spring afternoon. Yum!

We spent our Saturday bowling with a group of animated guys celebrating a friend’s birthday. Beers, burgers and oily balls – what better way to spend an afternoon? The birthday boy regaled us with tales of his celebration dinner at Incanto earlier in the week leaving us hungry for something fresh and seasonal. He described a delightful sounding pea and mint risotto that inspired us to hit our Sunday farmer’s market in search of the best spring produce du jour. Peas and asparagus are iconic spring veggies abundantly available in our May markets. Pairing them with chopped mint and parsley, butter, freshly grated lemon zest and Parmesan creates an exquisite mélange perfect for creamy risotto.

The May/June 2010 issue of Cook’s Illustrated provides an almost no-stir risotto recipe, and since risotto was on our minds we thought why not try out their cooking method, with a pleasant adulteration of spring vegetables? Fast forward to Monday and this was our lunch. Add a glass of wine or two and our week was off to a delicious start!

Almost Hands Free Risotto with Spring Vegetables

6 ½ cups homemade chicken stock (or low sodium store bought)

4 Tablespoons butter

1 large leek finely chopped

Salt

1 medium garlic clove, minced

2 cups Arborio rice

1 cup Vermouth

½ cup thinly sliced asparagus

½ cup fresh (or frozen) shelled peas

2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 cup)

1 teaspoon lemon zest

2 Tablespoons parsley, chopped

2 Tablespoons mint, chiffonade

Fresh ground pepper

Add the chicken stock to a medium sauce pan and heat to a simmer. In the meantime, add two tablespoons butter to a stock pot and melt over medium heat. Once the butter has melted add the leeks and a pinch of salt, sauté for about 4 minutes or until the leeks are softened. Add the minced garlic and stir for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add the Arborio rice and cook stirring constantly for another 3 minutes or until the rice is translucent around the edges. Add the Vermouth and stir until all of the liquid is absorbed, about 3-4 minutes. Add five cups of the chicken stock, give the pot a good stir and put the lid on the pot. Cook over low-medium heat, covered for 15-20 minutes, stirring every five minutes, making sure the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.

Once the liquid is absorbed take the lid off the pot and add another ¾-1 cup of broth. Stir gently for a minute then add the asparagus and peas. Stir for a couple more minutes and add the Parmesan cheese. Remove the pot from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Uncover and add the remaining two tablespoons of butter, lemon zest, parsley, and mint; season with salt and pepper to taste. If the risotto is too thick for your liking, add ¼ cup more broth. Top with grated Parmesan cheese and serve.

Leftover risotto can be reheated in a sauce pan on the stove, just add a little water or broth to loosen up the grains.

Cheers,
Steve & Jason

Our Stout and Cheddar "UK Soufflé"

When going on a vacation there are certain things you must do to prepare. Of course, there is the obvious packing, getting a cat sitter, and stopping the mail, but there’s are the little things like eating what ever is left in your fridge to avoid having to toss it out. You become a little creative in the dishes you prepare and sometimes, if you’re really lucky, the dish comes out tasting very good.

Rosemary Scented Pan Roasted Veggies

The night before we traveled to London we had very little left in our fridge – some vegetables that we pan roasted with rosemary and some fixings for a souffle, or so we thought. We were short on milk and didn’t think it would be wise to go purchase more since whatever we bought would be past its prime when we returned, but we did have some flat stout beer in the fridge from a leftover Beach Chalet growler. So, after doing a little research and thinking, hell, why not, we created a souffle using a mix of the last of our milk, stout beer and Irish Cheddar. The result was a UK, French mash-up that was one of the best souffles we’ve ever whipped up. The coloring was a nice tan though not as pristine as a typical souffle, but the taste was uniquely delicious, and the souffle rose higher than any we’ve tried before. The resulting souffle is a sort of fluffy ‘rarebit’ that pairs perfectly with toasted crusty bread and a nice salad. Give this one a try and tell us what you think!
Cheers,
Jason & Steve

Recipe: UK Soufflé

Soufflé Prep

4 Tbsp butter, plus 1 tsp

¼ cup flour

¾ cup whole milk

¾ cup stout beer

6 eggs, separated

¼ tsp dry mustard

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Dash of Cayenne

½ cup grated English or Irish cheddar

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for dusting soufflé dish

Pinch of cream of tartar

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 2-quart soufflé dish well (or several small ramekins of your choosing) then lightly dust the interior with grated Parmesan cheese, set aside.

Place a medium saucepan over medium heat and melt the 4 tbsp butter. When it begins to foam, add flour and whisk constantly until mixture begins to darken slightly. Add milk and stout while whisking to avoid creating lumps. Continue to whisk for a couple of minutes until mixture begins to thicken. Remove pan from heat and stir in salt, pepper, cayenne, mustard and cheeses. Next, whisk in egg yolks one at a time, again being careful to incorporate them quickly to avoid scrambling them.

Beat egg whites and pinch of cream of tartar in a spotlessly clean bowl until soft peaks form. You can do this by hand or with an electric hand or stand mixer. Once whipped, stir a few tablespoons of egg white into the cheese mixture until completely incorporated. Add remaining egg whites and fold them in gently with a rubber spatula to avoid breaking their volume (Bittman uses his hands).

Pour the batter into your prepared soufflé dish and bake in the center of your oven for 30 – 40 minutes (less if you’re baking small soufflés). Bake until a rich golden brown. To test, insert a wooden skewer into the center. The skewer should be just lightly moist. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

Remember, a soufflé waits for nobody. Everything you plan to eat with it should be ready and on the table before you take the soufflé out of the oven. It will lose volume almost immediately after leaving the heat of the oven so time is of the essence. Use a couple of large spoons to scoop it from its dish and plate it while steaming hot!

Bon Appetit!