dolphins and simple risotto

Dolphin!!!!!!!!!

This is (a picture of) the picture I got from the dolphin swim place. I think its cute, and so did Trav & Ro. There were three different pictures I really liked, but at $19 a pop, I was only getting one!

So today is gorgeous! It's sunny and supposed to reach a high of 72*! I was so excited for springy weather that I shaved my legs this morning and wore a cute wrap dress that Trav got me last year (but sans tights and boots, and with my sandles). I look cute... ;-)

Anyway, so I have another recipe for you! Risotto!
Now, I love me some risotto... but I don't make it too often. Honestly, it can be a pain to make. To get a lovely creamy risotto, you can't just walk away and let it cook... you have to be very hands on. Plus, I think Trav still isn't so sure about it... that's my meat and potatoes boy.

Anyway, I did make some last night and it was wonderful! This recipe (my own) is pretty simple and, I think, quite delicious. Give it a try and let me know what you think.



Megan's Tipsy Risotto
(lay off the wine there buddy)

As always these are all estimated values... I'm an eyeballer, not a measurer, when it comes to my recipes. Use these as a starting point, then adjust to your liking.

3/4 stick butter
few tsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 - 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 cup rice (short-grained round or semi-round rice - ie. Arborio, Vialone Nano, Carnaroli*)
2 small cans chicken broth (I think they are around 2 cups each?)
1.5 cup room temp. white wine**
1/2 cup grated parmesaen cheese (this is pretty cheesy, you can add less)
1 tsp. Basil
Pepper

Optional ingredients: Steamed Asparagus, chopped mushrooms, grated squash or some other veggie like that

1. Melt a generous amount of butter (leaving aside 3-4 generous pads) and olive oil (the mix gives a nice taste) in a medium sized pan. Add onion and saute until transparent. Add half the garlic to pan and continue cooking until garlic is lightly golden.

2. Add rice and saute, stirring, until rice starts to become transparent. Appx 2 minutes. While rice is sauting, warm chicken broth in a sauce pan.

3. Once rice is done and broth is warm, start adding broth to rice pan one ladle-full at a time. Keep rice at a low to medium-low heat, enough to lightly simmer the mixture, but not much more. As liquid is absorbed add more. After a few ladels of broth, add the white wine to rice, wait until it is absorbed, then continue adding broth until rice is tender and starting to get that creamy consistency.

4. Add the rest of the garlic, plus 3-4 generous pads of butter, and mix until melted.
*If adding veggies, do so now.*

5. Turn off heat. Add grated parmasaen cheese and basil, mix until thoroughly incorporated. Risotto should be nice and creamy/thick at this point. Serve immediately.


Yummy, right?! The basil is such a nice flavor, and a good contrast to the garlic and cheese. I love this stuff.


Okay, still lots of work for me to catch up on... so off I go!



* Um, I won't lie... I used crappy rice (like super crappy, boil-in-a-bag rice)... but it still works and its good and it doesn't cost an arm and a leg. But that other stuff does work better, and if you are a novice risotto maker, it is worth it to use the good stuff.
** Remember that cooking down wine concentrates the flavor, so while it doesn't have to be great expensive wine, don't use crappy wine either! We used this lovely wine that Ro & Pat brought me from Italy last year... then we sucked down enjoyed the rest of the bottle with dinner. Plus another bottle with dessert. :-D



Ps. Where have all the bloggers gone?! At least a third of the people I read regularly have been woefully MIA as of late. Come back missing bloggers, come back!