Wild Mushroom Risotto

There is a Mushroom Man at our farmer’s market now, and ever since he appeared this past Fall, I’ve had a bit of an addiction. This is my favorite recipe for using his shitake mushrooms.

(4 side dish servings, 2 main dish servings)

  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 3 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 cup finely chopped onion (I add some diced shallots if I have them)
  • 8 ounces fresh shitake mushrooms. Remove tough stems and chop.
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 cup Arborio Rice (I substituted farro for 1/2 cup in a pinch and it was chewy and delicious)
  • 1 sprig of rosemary and/or thyme, chopped
  • 1/2 cup red wine
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • salt and fresh ground pepper

Bring the broth to a simmer on a back burner in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat to low and keep warm. Melt the butter in a large, heavy saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook, not allowing to brown, until soft, about 8 minutes. Add the mushrooms, garlic and rosemary/thyme. Sauté until the mushrooms are tender and the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Stir in the rice. Add the wine and cook, stirring often, until liquid is absorbed, about 2 minutes. Continue to add 1/2 cup of broth at a time, stirring each time until the liquid is absorbed. When all the broth is incorporated, the mixture will be creamy, and the rice just tender. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and season to taste with salt and pepper.

*Variation (12/08): Most recently I made this recipe using a basic homemade vegetable broth (1 onion, a few smashed garic cloves, 2 carrots, scraps from some celery root, 1 bunch herbs including parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme, salt and pepper), subbed white wine for red, and stirred in about 1lb of roughly chopped spinach with the last 1/2 cup of broth. Delicious!

Leave a Comment

Pasta with Spinach, Sun Dried Tomatoes and Pine Nuts

This easy recipe is fresh and delicious served either hot or cold. It’s a great way to kick-off the Spring season when the new spinach and garlic appear at the market.

  • 1lb dried whole wheat pasta (choose a short noodle like fusilli or penne)
  • 1 lb spinach, washed and tough stems removed. If the leaves are big, coarsely chopped
  • Olive oil
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts
  • 1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely sliced
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon zest
  • Salt and fresh ground pepper
  • 1/4 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Bring water to a boil in a large pot and cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup cooking liquid before draining.

Meanwhile in a small sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Cook the pine nuts and sun dried tomatoes until the nuts are golden brown and fragrant. Add the garlic and lemon zest and continue to cook for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat.

Drain pasta and return to pot, add spinach and 1/2 cup reserved water. Stir until spinach begins to wilt. Stir in pine nut mixture, adding remaining water if needed. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil. Serve garnished with Parmesan cheese.

Leave a Comment

Barley Risotto with Asparagus and Hazelnuts

This recipe arrived in a Spring issue of Gourmet last year and I think I made it 3 times in the short season that asparagus was available. I love risotto, and the barley is a unique and healthy twist.

Using the stalks, tips, and even the cooking water makes the risotto sing with asparagus’s springtime flavor.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr
(Makes 4 servings)

  • 1 1/2 pounds medium asparagus, trimmed
  • 5 1/2 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 1/4 cups pearl barley
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons finely grated fresh lemon zest
  • 1 ounce finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (about 1/2 cup) plus additional for serving
  • 1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

Cut top third of each asparagus stalk diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices, reserving tips and slices together, then coarsely chop remainder. Bring water (5 1/2 cups) and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil in a 3- to 4-quart saucepan, then add chopped asparagus and cook, uncovered, until very tender, 6 to 7 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a food processor (not a blender, which would require adding liquid).

Add reserved asparagus tips and slices to boiling water and cook, uncovered, until crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer with slotted spoon to a sieve, reserving cooking liquid in pan, and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Drain well and reserve in another bowl. Measure cooking liquid and, if necessary, add enough water to bring total to 4 cups, then reserve.

Cook onion with pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt in oil in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add barley and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add wine and boil, stirring, until liquid is absorbed, about 1 minute. Add 4 cups reserved asparagus-cooking liquid and bring to a boil, covered, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until barley is tender (it should be chewy) and mixture is thickened to a stewlike consistency, 35 to 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, mince garlic and mash to a paste with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt using side of a large heavy knife, then add to asparagus in food processor along with zest and purée until smooth.

When barley is cooked, stir in asparagus purée, asparagus-tip mixture, and enough additional water to thin to desired consistency and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until hot, about 1 minute. Stir in cheese, then season with salt and pepper. Serve with hazelnuts and additional cheese on the side.

*Asparagus can be cut and cooked, chopped stalks puréed, and cooking water reserved 1 day ahead, then chilled in separate airtight containers.

Recipe from Gourmet magazine, April 2007

Leave a Comment

Roasted Beets for Salad

My favorite way to use beets is to roast them, in their skins, drizzled with olive oil, salt and pepper, and tightly covered with foil until tender. (Takes about 45minuts to an hour at 350˚)

When the beets are cool enough to handle, peel and slice them. Use the roasting oil to make a simple vinaigrette and drizzle over salad greens topped with roasted beets and crumbled goat cheese.

Leave a Comment

Black Beans

These black beans are awesome. The are so easy to make and so delicious. The flavor improves over time, so if you make them on a Sunday, they’re the ultimate time saving meal for the week to come. Try them over rice with some roasted cubes of winter squash. Puree them and serve the soup with a squeeze of lime juice and some fresh diced scallions.

  • 1 lb dried black beans (about 2 1/3 cups), picked over and rinsed (but not soaked)
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 8 cups water
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/4 cup Sherry (cream or medium-dry)
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Bring black beans, onion, oil, water (8 cups), and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil in a 6- to 8-quart heavy pot, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until beans are tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours (depending on age of beans). Thin to desired consistency with additional water. Stir in Sherry and remaining teaspoon salt, then soy sauce and vinegar to taste (start with 1 tablespoon each), and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes.

*Beans can be cooked in about one third of the time in a 6- to 8-quart pressure cooker. Follow recipe, combining beans with onion, oil, water, and salt in pressure cooker. Seal pressure cooker with lid and cook at high pressure, according to manufacturer’s instructions, until beans are tender, 30 to 45 minutes. Put pressure cooker in sink (do not remove lid) and run cold water over lid until pressure goes down completely.

*Beans improve in flavor if cooked at least 8 hours ahead. Chill, uncovered until completely cooled, then covered up to 1 week, or freeze up to 3 months. Beans thicken considerably as they stand, so thin with water when reheating over moderately low heat.

As seen in Gourmet magazine, April 2007

Leave a Comment

Borscht!

Farmer Ted Blomgren from from Windflower Farm, sent the following letter in my winter CSA box for the month of January…

Yesterday, Jan and I harvested scallions from the unheated greenhouse, and bagged root crops, including carrots, parsnips and beets… The scallions were the first we’d ever grown during the winter. Next year, we’ll plant earlier so that they’ll be bigger. Still, we’re happy to be able to send them… Pete Charro, who provided much of our summer fruit share, said he had stored some of his ‘Red Delicious’ apples and that he’d even put them in a bag for us…. Your share will also include winter squash, yellow onions, and a head of green cabbage. You’ll have most of the makings for borscht….Today we harvested arugula and a salad mix. The January thaw has arrived just in time to ease our work… Your salad mix will include ‘Red Saladbowl’ lettuce, baby tatsoi, mizuna, and kale, and ‘Yukina Savoy’ and ‘Tokyo Bekana’ hearts.

I have never made borscht before. Despite new favorite recipes for beet chocolate cake and chipotle beet soup, I found some lamb shoulder in my freezer and decided to give it shot.

Here is a recipe from epicurious.com that is pretty close to what I made, which I will say was delicious with a dollop of sour cream. I improvised a bit with another recipe from The Gourmet Cookbook: Instead of making the beef stock from ribs, I cut up the lamb (you could use beef too, about 2 lbs.) into 1″ cubes and browned the meat. Then add a quart of beef, or some other type of stock and water (totaling 12 cups) and bring to a boil. Simmer the beef for about 1-1 1/2 hours (while beets roast) until tender, then proceed to the next step of the recipe.

Also, for more to do with winter cabbage, check out this great article on winter cabbage salad, by Mark Bittman at nytimes.com.

Leave a Comment

Beet and Chipotle Soup

I know what you’re thinking… “beet and chipotle soup?!” Yes, and it’s as good as it sounds.

(serves 4 to 6)

  • 2 pounds whole beets, stems trimmed to less than 1-inch
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1 cup full-bodied red wine
  • 6 cups water
  • 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
  • 1 white onion, coarsely chopped
  • 1 Tablespoon dark brown sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup sour cream, plus 1/4 cup for garnish
  • 2 chipotle chiles in adobo (you’ll find these canned)
  • Fresh chives or other herb, chopped for garnish

Put the beets, stock and wine into a large soup pot and add the water. The liquid should cover the beets by at least 1 inch. Bring to a boil and let simmer, covered, for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Fork test the beets for tenderness before removing them from the pot. Remove the beets with a slotted spoon and reserve the cooking liquid in the soup pot. When the beets have cooled enough to handle, peel them and remove the stems and roots. Cut up 1/2 cup of 1/2-inch diced beets for garnish and set aside.

Heat the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat, and when it is melted, add the onion and brow sugar. Saute for 2 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the sugar is dissolved. Add the onions, coarsely shopped beets, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, 1/2 cup sour cream, and chiles in adobo to the beet liquid in the soup pot. Whirl everything in the container of a blender until smooth (in batches if needed). The soup can be served hot of cold; if cold, chill for at least 6 hours. Garnish with the reserved beets and 1 Tablespoon of sour cream, then garnish with chives.

Recipe adapted from by Katharine Kagel’s Cooking with Cafe Pasqual’s: Recipes from Santa Fe’s Renowned Corner Cafe

Leave a Comment

Mashed Potatoes and Celery Root

I make celery root mashers all the time, you don’t really need a recipe, just sub half the potatoes for celeriac. But hey, if you wanna do it like the pros, Tyler Florence is a fave of mine:

(serves 4)

  • 1 1/2 pound celeriac bulbs, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
  • kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
  • Chopped chives and extra virgin olive oil for garnish

Put the celery root and potatoes in a medium saucepan with cold water to cover. Add 1 teaspoon salt, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until very tender. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup liquid. Pass the vegetables through a ricer or food mill into a large bowl. Stir in the cream and butter until absorbed and the mixture is smooth. Add enough cooking liquid to make a soft puree. Season with salt, pepper, garnish with chives and a drizzle of olive oil.

Recipe by Tyler Florence from Eat This Book: Cooking with Global Fresh Flavors

Leave a Comment

Curried Squash and Mushroom Soup

This easy and delicious recipe was given to me years ago by my friend, Beth Sugarman, when I used to babysit and cook for her family in college. It has since become a fall favorite at my house, and just this past week I made it with some incredible oyster mushrooms from the Grand Army Plaza Green Market.

(serves 6)

  • 1 large butternut squash
  • 2 ½ cups water or stock
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 medium clove crushed garlic
  • 8 oz. any type of mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 tsp. ground coriander
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp. dry mustard
  • 1 ¼ tsp. salt
  • a few dashes cayenne
  • optional: fresh lemon juice
  • * Serve with plain yogurt &/or chopped almonds.

Cut squash in half and bake in a 375’ oven on a baking tray until soft and pierces easily with a fork. (This can be a day in advance, just refrigerate till ready to make soup.) Cool, discard seeds and scoop out the insides. Put in blender with water/stock and puree till smooth. Combine with orange juice in a large pot.

Meanwhile, heat butter over medium heat and add garlic, onion, salt and spices in a skillet. Sauté until the onion is very soft – add a little water if it sticks. Add mushrooms, cover and cook 10 minutes. Add the sauté’ to the squash, scraping the skillet well to salvage all the good stuff. Heat everything together very gently. Taste to correct seasoning. Serve garnished with a dash of cayenne and a squeeze of lemon juice. You can serve immediately or simmer a while and the flavors will mature. Freezes well.

Leave a Comment