Wild Mushroom Risotto

Risotto is one of the ultimate comfort foods. It originates from Northern Italy, and I just love the creamy texture of this rice dish. It's made with short grain rice, such as Arborio rice, which is readily available here in the U.S. This particular type of rice can absorb liquid well, and it releases starches which lends to the creamy consistency of risotto.

Some people seem to get intimidated by the process of making risotto, but it really isn't difficult or labor-intensive at all. There is a lot of stirring involved, and that process usually takes a little under 20 minutes, but I find it relaxing and productive all at the same time. Stirring is important because it helps to loosen the starches from the rice grain into the liquid which thickens it.

My favorite risotto is wild mushroom risotto because of the wonderful earthiness and depth of the mushroom flavors. This is the perfect dish to make on a cozy fall evening, and don't forget to pair it with a full bodied chardonnay for the perfect compliment and enhancement to this dish.



WILD MUSHROOM RISOTTO (Adapted from Sara Foster)
-Sydney, this one's for you, my friend.

-5 cups of chicken broth
-1-2 T olive oil
-1 T butter
-1 small yellow onion, diced
-2-3 garlic cloves
-1 and 1/4 cups of arborio rice
-1/2 cup good white wine
-3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
-salt and pepper

-1 T butter
-1 T olive oil
-1/2 pound wild mushrooms mix, sliced. (like shiitake, chanterelle, cremini, oyster) i usually use shiitakes and cremini's b/c they're readily available.
-3 ounces spinach
-1 T chopped fresh rosemary

Directions
1. Bring chicken broth to simmer and keep over low heat

2. heat oil/butter in pan, then add onion til tender (4 minutes). then add garlic for one minute

3. add rice and stir to coat each grain of rice with the oil and onion mixture. then add salt/pepper

4. add white wine and cook over medium heat until wine nearly evaporated/absorbed

5. Add 1/2 cup of warm chicken broth and stir constantly until the broth is absorbed

6. When the rice gives off a sizzling sound, then add another 1/2 cup of broth and repeat steps 5 and 6 in cycles until most of the broth is used up.

7. this process of #5 and #6 should take approx 15-20 minutes, the mixture should be creamy but not mushy. the rice should be an al dente consistency. You probably will not have used the entire 5 cups of broth, but keep the extra on hand to help thin out or loosen the risotto at the end if needed

8. in the mean time while risotto is cooking, prepare mushrooms by heating oil/butter in separate saute pan. Add mushrooms and cook for approx 5 minutes until slightly browned and soft. Add salt/pepper to season.

9. With risotto off the burner, add the mushrooms and their liquid to the risotto. Also add spinach and rosemary and cheese. Spinach will wilt into the risotto.

10. Add extra warm broth if the risotto is too thick. The consistency is a personal preference.
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Easy Roasted Vegetables

I'll let you in on my new foodie discovery. I found THE best herbed olive oil blend for grilled vegetables at Williams-Sonoma a few weeks ago, and I couldn't resist buying it. The aroma was intoxicating as I stepped into the store, and the sampling of grilled vegetables dressed in this concoction didn't disappoint.


This is a great olive oil to have on hand to dress up boring vegetables, but the herbs don't overpower the natural flavor of the veggies--they simply compliment them. What a healthy side dish too!

We were invited to a last minute dinner party this past weekend, so I offered to bring a dish. I didn't have a lot of time to prepare anything elaborate, and suddenly remembered that I had this jar of herbed olive oil in the pantry. Perfect!!! A versatile side dish of roasted vegetables goes well with so many main dishes.

The dish was a major hit, the hostess loved it and the guests were raving about the veggies more than any of the other dishes -- little did they know how easy it was to prepare this dish. You have GOT to try this. You can thank me later...

ROASTED VEGETABLES (w/Herbed Antipasti Oil)

-2 Russet Potatoes (or 3-4 red new potatoes)
-2 Carrots
-1/2 Red onion
-Red bell pepper
-Zucchini
-Yellow summer squash
-Eggplant
-Crimini mushrooms
-olive oil
-salt/pepper
-Antipasti Oil (from Williams-Sonoma)

-preheat oven to 450 degrees
-roughly chop veggies (keep potatoes and carrots on the smaller or thinner side or it will take forever to roast)

-spread potatoes and carrots on baking sheet, toss with olive oil and salt/pepper
-roast for approx 20 minutes, tossing once during roasting time
-remove potatoes and carrots to separate plate once the potatoes start to brown

-spread the rest of the remaining veggies on baking sheet, toss with olive oil and salt/pepper
-roast for 15-20 minutes , turning once during roasting time
-don't let these veggies roast too long to the point that they're mushy

-toss all of the roasted veggies with several spoonfuls of the herbed antipasti oil to desired taste, and season with salt and pepper if needed at this point. Try to avoid over-tossing or some of the softer veggies could get mashed. Also, note that the antipasti oil does have red pepper flakes in it, so if you use too much of it, the veggies could be a little too spicy.

-let the veggies cool for one hour or longer, serve lukewarm or at room temp.

-FYI: this medley of vegetables is my own preference at this time of the year (Sept) as these are in-season and readily available. Furthermore, they all roast wonderfully and aromatically.

You can certainly pick and choose your own variety of vegetables as per your own preferences.

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Fall is in the Air

Do you feel it? It's here. It's gently working its way into the air. It hasn't declared itself in all of its full glory -- but it's coming. I've been waiting, expecting, anticipating....I can hardly wait any longer.

IT is Autumn -- my favorite time of the year.

Autumn exudes the feeling of warmth, romance, ambiance, comfort. I love to stroll through the forest in a cozy sweater, surrounded by colorful vibrant leaves while the sun beams down on me through the crisp air. A pumpkin latte sounds good right about now, doesn't it?


But I have to admit, another predominant reason for my obsession with Autumn is the food that I associate with it. It's about comfort foods, earthy ingredients, slow-cooked and braised dishes. Oh, I can hardly wait!

Autumn is all about wild mushrooms, various squash dishes (especially butternut squash), root vegetables, braised meats, soups and chowders, cinnamon and nutmeg, and don't forget about all of those pumpkin recipes.

I already decorated my home with pumpkins and hardy mums, and I've started in with a few autumn-inspired dishes. I can't wait to share those with you this week. Stay tuned. There are SO many recipes and experiences that I'll share with you this fall. I hope that you enjoy the season with me in all of its bounty and glory, we've only just begun...
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Roasted Salmon Salad

My husband is on a major health kick plan. You'd be so proud of him. He used to average two donuts per day, so I put him on a donut restriction plan and gave him low cholesterol advice. He lost 17 pounds over the summer! He looks and feels great.

He loves my roasted salmon salad, so I whipped that up for him tonight. It's very easy and incredibly healthy, so I wanted to share it with you. It's an all-inclusive simple supper for a busy weeknight.

Doctor's health tip: Fish oil containing omega-3 fatty acids has been clinically proven to lower triglycerides (a bad form of cholesterol). High triglycerides have been linked to atherosclerotic heart disease. So, to promote heart health, you would have to take at least 1000 mg fish oil capsule daily. But if you consume two servings of fatty fish per week (such as salmon or tuna), you could get that same equivalent fish oil intake naturally each week.

Now, that you know how good fish oil can be for you, why wouldn't you want to make this salad???

ROASTED SALMON SALAD

Ingredients:

1. Salmon fillets (approx 1/3 pounds each)


2. Mixed lettuce greens


3. Dried cranberries


4. Pine nuts (toasted lightly on a dry medium heat skillet)


5. Red onions, finely chopped


6. Red new potatoes (or fingerlings would be fun)


7. Cherry tomatoes


8. Goat Cheese -- optional


9. Haricots verts (french green beans) -- optional

Dressing:

1. EVOO


2. Balsalmic vinegar (I like Williams Sonoma Fini-modena or Costco brand)


3. Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

• Quarter the red potatoes, then toss with EVOO and salt/pepper


• Roast potatoes for 15 minutes


• Remove pan from oven, push potatoes to one side of the pan, and add salmon fillets to the other side of the pan.


• Brush salmon with EVOO and salt/pepper


• Place pan back in oven and roast for 10 more minutes (Fish will be medium doneness)

• For the dressing: I use one part EVOO to one part vinegar. If that's too strong for you, then add more EVOO. Mix the balsalmic vinegar with a small dollop of dijon mustard, then whisk in the EVOO until dressing is emulsified

• Toss the lettuce, onions, dried cranberries, pine nuts, haricot verts with the dressing.
• Divide the tossed salad mixture onto plates
• Then top each plate with roasted potatoes, tomatoes, salmon and goat cheese
• I like to drizzle a little balsalmic dressing over the salmon to garnish

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Summer Peach Cobbler

Although Labor Day has passed, I'm trying to stretch my summer out a little longer -- if I can help it.

Seattle can certainly help it. September tends to be sunny and beautiful here, and so far, it hasn't disappointed. One of my best friends from college, Christine, has also helped to keep that summer feeling alive -- thanks to her obsession with peaches.

Every summer, she travels over the mountain passes and ventures into eastern Washington to the Yakima Valley. Nothing will get in the way of Chris and her mission to find Elberta peaches. Although there are over 300 varieties of peaches, she makes it a point to seek out those Elberta's. They are known to be one of the largest peaches, and she loves them for their juiciness and their amazing fragrance. The aroma is truly intoxicating...

She brought some peaches over this past weekend, so we made my annual cobbler recipe. It's fool-proof, super easy, and yummy. Chris, here's the recipe as promised:

PEACH COBBLER (adapted from Gourmet magazine)

1. 4 to 5 large peaches, cut into thin wedges
2. 1/4 cup sugar
3. 1 T lemon juice
4. 1 teaspoon cornstarch

For Topping:

1. 1 c flour
2. 1 t baking powder
3. 1/4 t salt
4. 3/4 stick cold butter, cut into small pieces
5. 1/4 c hot water

INSTRUCTIONS:

• preheat oven 425 degrees
• mix sugar and cornstarch together, toss with peaches and lemon juice in a 2 qt nonreactive baking dish
• bake 10 minutes
• sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. add butter and blend with your fingertips until it resembles coarse meal.
• stir in water until just combined.
• Remove peaches from oven and drop spoonfuls of topping over them (you can spread it gently, but you don't need to spread it into a confluent sheet as the topping will spread while cooking)
• Bake for 20-25 more minutes until topping is golden.

Serve warm with ice-cream. The buttery biscuit topping is a wonderful complement to the fresh peaches. By the way, this makes a great breakfast treat the next day.



Hint: I do peel my peaches for this recipe, but the recipe doesn't call for it. If you choose to peel them, I found a time-saving method to peel them which will save you a lot of time and grief. Make an "x" mark at the base of the peaches with a knife, then dunk them in boiling water for a little under 2 minutes. Remove from boiling water and then shock them in an ice bath. Peel the skin off. The skin comes off with ease and very little effort...

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