This risotto (Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics) was incredible – the lemon zest and lemon juice really added a nice zing that other risottos don’t have. And it’s a great way to eat a ton of vegetables – I’m thinking about substituting spinach and other green CSA vegetables when they’re in season this spring and summer. This would be great for vegetarian dinner guests if you substituted vegetable stock for chicken stock.
Filed under dinner, Side dishes and Vegetables
I’m afraid that whatever I write here will not do this recipe (Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics) its due. This is quite possibly my new favorite food. It’s the perfect combination of creamy and crispy, tangy and salty, gooey and firm. Oh my. It’s nice to have a victory after a few disappointments, and I was even afraid to try these because I had had such a rash of mediocre meals lately. The ingredients sat in our refrigerator for at least a week before I was brave enough to try them. Then, there was the challenge of what to pair with them for dinner. I ended up making them with vegetable soup (coming soon), but soon found out that they’d be delicious with anything, or alone. Or for dessert. Or breakfast, for that matter. I’ll stop now, so you can go make these yourself.
Filed under Side dishes and Vegetables, Breakfast, dinner, Appetizers
I made a lot of risotto when we were first married. It’s inexpensive, it’s easy to keep all of the ingredients on hand, it doesn’t take too long to make, and it’s a fairly easy way to have a meatless meal. Mostly, I used Mark Bittman‘s recipe and added spinach. Then, for a while, risotto fell out of favor here, partly because my husband grew tired of it, and partly because it’s kind of hard to stir something for 30 minutes when trying to keep a toddler entertained. So, welcoming risotto back into our repertoire was like welcoming an old friend back into the kitchen. The recipe on pp. 86-88 of Barefoot Contessa Family Style is very similar to the recipe I’ve used for years, but it adds prosciutto or pancetta and roasted butternut squash. It was a delightful way to end a busy Sunday, and it didn’t even dirty that many dishes. Eating the leftovers for the next few days for lunch felt downright decadent. Note: saffron is expensive. If you know someone traveling to Spain or Israel, ask them to bring you some, because for some reason it is very affordable there. It’s a wonderful souvenir to bring home because it’s lightweight, and takes up so little space in luggage. My sister brought me back an ounce or so from her last trip to Spain, and it will last me a long time.
