What's For Dinner?

Four Mushroom Risotto

2-3 Tbls. olive oil
1-2 Tbls. butter (optional)
4 Tbls. shallots, minced
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
4 cups mushrooms(cremini, shitake, porcini, morel), chopped
5-6 cups low salt chicken stock
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
4 Tbls. chopped parsley
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
kosher salt and black pepper

Put the stock in a large sauce pan and turn heat to medium low and let simmer.

Cook the mushrooms in a 10" skillet until very soft(10-15 minutes). Add some salt and pepper and half the butter, if using.  In a larger skillet, heat the olive oil and the rest of the butter over medium heat. Add the shallots and the garlic stirring so that they do not brown. Adjust the heat if necessary. Add the rice and stir constantly for about 4 minutes or until you can smell a nutty aroma. Add the wine and stir until all the wine has been absorbed. Add about 1/2 cup of the simmering stock and stir constantly until it has all been absorbed.  Continue this process for about 25-30 minutes. I usually time it. The rice will get thicker and creamier. Keep the heat at a level so that the rice and broth in the skillet bubble gently. Get some helpers to stir for you. You may not use all the broth. Taste the risotto to see if it is tender and if so, it is ready to serve.  Add the mushroom mixture to the rice mixture.Taste and  season with the salt and pepper.   

Serve the risotto in soup bowls, if possible. I like to add some extra stock so that the consistency is somewhat soupy. I dislike risotto that has the consistency of thick oatmeal. Top each serving with parlsey and cheese.  Serve with crusty bread and olive oil. Serves 4.

Risotto is a labor of love.  The key is to layer flavors at every opportunity. If you like to make your own stock, it greatly enhances the flavor. The garlic, shallots and wine all do this as well.  The porcini mushrooms are the secret ingredient. Buy them dried and pour hot water over them to reconstitute(1/2 cup dried porcinis). Let sit for 10-15 minutes. Strain the mushroom liquid into the sauce pan with the chicken stock.  More flavor.  In cooking school, I learned to add copious amounts of heavy cream and butter to risotto.  I never do this and find the result more satisfying and healthier.

Beef Tenderloin & Mushrooms with Balsamic Reduction

1 large onion, chopped
3 1/2 cups(or 1 lb.) chopped mushrooms( shitake, cremini, etc.)
3/4 balsamic vinegar
2-3 Tbs. olive oil
5 -6 cups of salad greens, washed (arugula, mizuna, watercress, etc)
2 4 oz. beef tenderloins
kosher salt and black pepper

Prepare grill for the tenderloins. It will take approximately 15 minutes to grill them, depending on your preference and thickness of the cut.

Pour the balsamic vinegar into a small saucepan and turn on heat to medium. The vinegar will reduce and become syrupy. Get a sense of the level in the pan and try to reduce by half. It doesn'thave to be exact. This should take about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 2 Tbls. of oil and onions over  medium-high heat.  Let the onions cook down so that they are brown and sweet. Again, about 15 minutes. Stir frequently and add a Tbls. or so of water if they dry out too much.  Remove from pan and set aside. Add the mushrooms(and more oil) to the same pan and cook until they are soft and brown(10 minutes). Add the onions back to the pan along with a few Tbls. of the balsamic reduction. Stir together. Add the greens a cup at a time and let them wilt into the other ingredients. Add salt and pepper. Turn off  heat and let sit.

Season the tenderloins with salt and pepper and pour some balsamic reduction over top. Grill to desired doneness.   

Reheat the mushroom mixture if necessary. Taste and add more balsamic if desired. Plate with tenderloin atop the mushroom mixture.

I adapted this recipe from a local restaurant. It's a different way to eat red meat. No mashed potatoes or carrots. The greens and mushrooms are light and don't make me feel overly full. However, if you don't eat red meat, substitute chicken or pork tenderloin. The tenderloin above is only 3 oz. but looks bigger in the photo. 

 

Spaghetti Vicenza

2-3 Tbls. olive oil
8 slices of bacon, chopped
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
10 peperoncini, seeded and chopped
35 oz. can of diced tomatoes
1 pound of dried spagetti pasta
1/3 cup chopped flat leaf parlsey
1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly grated(optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Bring 4 quarts of salted water to boil.

In a large skillet(12"), heat 2 Tbls. of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until golden brown(about 15 minutes). Stir frequently so they don't burn but have some color on them. You will notice the sweet aroma as they caramelize. If you need more liquid, add a few Tbls. of water rather than adding more oil. When they are done, remove onions from pan and set aside. Add the chopped bacon to the same skillet and cook until browned(10 minutes). Add the onions back into the pan, along with the peperoncini, the tomatoes(and their juices) and some salt & pepper. Turn the heat down and let the ingredients simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Cook the pasta until al dente and drain. Add the pasta to the skillet and mix ingredients together. If skillet is not large enough for all the ingredients use a separate bowl.  Serve topped with cheese and parsley as desired. Serves 4-6.

Another easy recipe. I use turkey bacon and like that better than pork bacon. You can adjust the peperoncini depending on what you like. It's not spicy, just tangy.

Chinese Chicken with Broccoli Stir Fry

1 1/2 # white or dark meat chicken, cut into bite size pieces
3 Tbs. soy sauce
1 Tbs. dry sherry
1 Tbs. cornstarch
3/4 # broccoli florets (aboout 4 cups)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbs. minced ginger
1/2 tsp. red chile flakes
2 Tbs. oyster sauce
1/4 cup canola or grapeseed oil
salt and pepper

In a bowl, whisk together 1 Tbs. of soy sauce, the cornstarch, and the sherry. Add the chicken and stir to coat and let sit for up to 30 minutes.  In a large, heavy bottomed skillet(not non stick) add 2 Tbs oil. When skillet is hot, add the chicken and let it cook undisturbed for 2-3 minutes. You can season it with salt and pepper at this time. After it has browned, flip over to the other side and do the same. It's okay and even preferable if the chicken sticks a bit. After the second side has cooked for about 2 minutes, remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. It should not be fully cooked at this time. Add the remaining Tbs. of oil and add the chile flakes, the ginger and the garlic. Stir for 1 minute making sure the garlic does not burn.  Add the broccoli to the pan and 3-4 Tbs. of water. This will incorporate some of the browned bits on the pan.  Stir fry the broccoli for a few minutes stirring frequently. You can put a lid on the pan to speed up the process. When the broccoli  is close to done, add the chicken and the oyster sauce and the rest of the soy sauce. Stir everything together for a minute or two longer. Cut into a piece of chicken to check doneness. Serves 4.

Serve with rice. It's easy to customize this recipe. You can use any protein you like and also adjust the chile flakes according to your preference. I used dark meat chicken in the above recipe/picture.
Oyster sauce is found in the Asian cooking section at the market.

Black Bean & Goat Cheese Quesadillas

3 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
15 oz. can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 Tbs. chili powder
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 Tbs. mild green chiles(from can)
3-4 oz. goat cheese
3  tortillas 8" (flour or whole grain)
1/3 cup chicken stock or water
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat over to 350 degrees.

Heat 2 Tbs of the oil in a medium (8-10") skillet. Add the onion and saute until soft (about 5 minutes). Add the cumin and chili powder and saute another minute. Add the green chiles and the garlic and cook for one minute further. Add the beans and the stock or water and cook until the liquid has absorbed, stiring frequently so it doesn't stick. Add the cilantro and desired seasoning of salt and pepper. Mash the beans with the back of a fork to make a paste. Turn off heat and set aside.

To assemble the quesadillas, heat a non stick skillet(8-10") over medium heat. Add the olive oil and spread a thin even layer of oil by using a paper towel. Add one of the tortillas and put 1/3 of the bean mixture over half of the tortilla. Add a few crumbles of the goat cheese and fold the other half of the tortilla over the first half to make a half moon. Cook until both sides have browned slightly and then place on cookie sheet. Continue this process with the remaining two tortillas and then place all three in oven for about 8-10 minutes. When done, remove quesadillas to a cutting board and cut in half.  Top with salsa or guacamole. Serves 3 people.

This is a flavorful dish mostly because of the goat cheese and cilantro.