Mushrooms, Celery and Chicken Risotto

Since it was quite miserable outside I just felt for something comforting but light and some kind risotto filled the bill. I had one chicken breast, celery and Cremini mushrooms on hand so recipe was born. It is very similar to Chicken and Mushroom Risotto that I have posted earlier. It may seem like lot of mushrooms but the shrink to about 1/4 of its volume.

Risotto is very versatile meal. This time I cooked enough of it to have a lot for leftover. Next day I prepared Risotto Cakes and whit what was left I cooked risotto soup. I just used 1 part of risotto for 2 parts of chicken stock by volume. It tasted fantastic and the soup was done in 15 minutes! After all, everything was cooked already.

Ingredients
2 tsp. olive oil
2 Tbs. butter
2 1/2 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 stalks of celery
2 skinless chicken breasts
3 shallots
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1-1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
Pinch of Saffron
4-1/2cups chicken stock (heated)
1/2 cup of freshly grated Parmigiano cheese
2 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley
Oil
Salt & pepper

 Directions

Slice the celery diagonally across into 1/8” slices. Chop the chicken breast into 3/8” pieces, sprinkle with sea salt and pepper and coat with 1 Tbs. of olive oil.

Heat up the chicken stock and keep hot.

Heat 1 tsp. of oil and 1 Tbs. of butter in skillet. Add mushrooms and toss to coat all slices. Cook till mushrooms show nice color (do not move them too much). Add celery and cook until it softens, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken pieces and cook for 5 – 7 minutes or until the chicken is almost cooked. Remove chicken, mushrooms and celery to a bowl and keep warm.

In the same skillet that you cooked mushrooms and chicken, sauté shallots and garlic in remaining butter and oil until shallots are translucent. Add the rice and stir until the rice turns opaque, about two minutes.

Add the wine to the rice and stir frequently until the wine has been absorbed into the rice.

Add 1/2 cup of the heated chicken stock and stir until absorbed. The rice and stock should bubble gently.

Continue to cook the rice, adding chicken stock 1/2 cup at a time, scraping the bottom of skillet continuously, and allowing the rice to absorb the stock before adding the next 1/2 cup. Taste for seasoning and adjust.

With the last addition of stock return chicken, mushrooms and celery to the skillet and sprinkle with half of Parmigiano cheese.

Cook rice, scraping the bottom of skillet continuously, until al dente, about 25-30 minutes. Remove from heat when the risotto is thick and creamy.

Serve on pre-heated plate or bowl and garnish with freshly grated Parmigiano and parsley. Serve immediately.

Risotto Cakes with Goat Cheese

Every time I make risotto I make sure to double the recipe so that I have a lot of left-overs. As I noted in another risotto cake post, some restaurants actually make risotto just for the cakes. Once you taste one (good one, that is), you will definitely look forward to the next one.

When I made Chicken and Mushroom Risotto I made it really creamy. Really great as a risotto but it is a problem when you try to form a cake with the left-overs. I had no choice but to mix it with little bit of bread crumbs to give it some body.

To make the cake I chopped the leftover chicken and mushrooms, mixed them with soft goat cheese and formed a small ball. Then I formed ball with risotto, made deep indentation in risotto ball, placed goat cheese ball inside, enclosed it and flattened it to form a cake or pate about 3” in diameter and inch and half high. Next came 3-step breading job: first, coat cake in flour, then beaten egg and finally Panko. Press the Panko in so it doesn’t get loose when placed in hot oil. I shallow fried the cakes till light golden brown on all sides. In 10 minutes it was ready to be served with arugula and cherry tomatoes and freshly grated Parmigiano cheese on top.

I just love the texture of crisp Panko on the outside and soft risotto and creamy goat cheese on the inside, all in one bite!

Chicken and Mushroom Risotto

Last few days I had craving for nice creamy risotto so I checked my posts to see what kind I cooked last time. I was very surprised that I didn’t post any regular rise risotto recipe, none at all!

Risotto is so versatile. You can prepare it with so many different meats and vegetables and mix them right in risotto at the end of cooking or serve them on top. Since I bought King Oyster Mushrooms and farm fresh chicken breasts I wanted to use these two ingredients as a main topping. I just love these mushrooms for their taste and texture. Also, since I do have saffron on hand at all times, the risotto I have made was classical “Risotto alla Milanese”.

Ingredients

3 tsp. olive oil

3 Tbs. butter

2 1/2 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced

2 skinless chicken breasts

1-1/2 cups Arborio rice

3 shallots

4 garlic cloves, crushed

1/2 cup dry white wine

Pinch of Saffron

4-1/2cups chicken stock (heated)

1/2 cup of freshly grated Parmigiano cheese

2 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley

Oil

Salt & pepper

Directions

Heat 1 tsp. of oil and 1 Tbs. of butter in skillet. Add mushrooms and toss to coat all slices. Cook till mushrooms show nice color (do not move them too much). When done, remove to bowl and keep warm.

Preheat oven or toaster-oven to 375 °F. In the same skillet where you cooked mushrooms, add 1 Tbs. butter and 1 tsp. oil and cook chicken breast for about 3 minutes on each side or until both sides are golden brown. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper, place in baking dish (I use steel pie plate) and roast in oven for about 15 minutes or till juices run clear when pierced with sharp pointed knife. Do not overcook! Remove from oven, cover with foil and let the breasts rest but keep warm.

In the same skillet that you cooked mushrooms and chicken, sauté shallots and garlic in remaining butter and oil until shallots are translucent. Add the rice and stir until the rice turns opaque, about two minutes.

Add the wine to the rice and stir frequently until the wine has been absorbed into the rice.

Add 1/2 cup of the heated chicken stock and stir until absorbed. The rice and stock should bubble gently.

Continue to cook the rice, adding chicken stock 1/2 cup at a time and allowing the rice to absorb it before adding the next 1/2 cup. Taste for seasoning and adjust.

Cook rice until al dente, about 25-30 minutes.

With the addition of last batch of stock add the grated parmesan cheese and 2 Tbs. of butter and stir thoroughly.

Remove from heat when the risotto is thick and creamy.

Serve on pre-heated plate or bowl, top with mushrooms and slices of chicken breast and garnish with freshly grated Parmigiano and parsley.  

Serve immediately.

Cook Ahead Risotto

To cook ahead:

With this technique you never have to stand at the stove, stirring, for 30 minutes while your guests wonder where you have gone. You can make any kind of risotto you want using this method. This method is used by restaurant chefs.
A standard recipe of 4 servings uses 5 cups liquid (wine and stock) to 1-1/2 cups Arborio rice.
Prepare your risotto according to your recipe, but use only 3 -1/4 cups liquid. You will use the remaining 1-3/4 cups to finish the risotto. Cook on medium-low heat until 3-1/4 cups of stock is absorbed.
Remove the rice from heat. If you are going to use it within few hours, just keep it on side, covered.
10 minutes before serving

Remove chilled rice from refrigerator and bring to room temperature. Place the remaining 1-3/4 cups liquid in a wide pot or sauté pan; heat to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and add the partially cooked risotto. Stir with a wooden spoon until the stock is absorbed, approximately 4 to 5 minutes or until rice is tender but still firm (the rice is done when it is tender, but firm to the bite). Turn off the heat and immediately add the remaining butter and Parmigiano cheese, stirring vigorously to combine with the rice. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

Update of The Weekly Menu – April 10, 2011

Monday

Western Beef Stir-fry.

The rice was cooked like a regular fried rice with vegetables but the beef steak was cook in a hot frying pan till medium rare and then sliced into 1” wide strips on bias and then tossed with BBQ sauce. Since no knife is necessary in order to eat it, it makes it a good branch meal where all you need is a fork or chopsticks.

Tuesday

BBQ Chicken Wings.

Yah, I know, I had it last week and maybe week before that but hey, they are so good! Sweet and hot and sticky…heaven on the plate. As is usual for me I served it on bed of chopped Napa cabbage.

Wednesday

The Chicken Vegetable & Rice Soup.

This was a nice light lunch. It was just a previously made chicken stock with meat, carrots, celery, potatoes, garlic, tomatoes, rice and topped with Parmigiano cheese. I put a Parmigiano cheese rind in the stock and simmered it for 30 minutes and it gave the soup such a complex flavor! Since I have so much rind from the cheese I will use it in every soup base.

Thursday

Seafood-Mix Risotto.

Rice was the last staple that I didn’t use with frozen seafood mix. Week ago I saw on Food Channel tip for using frozen scallops and squids. As anybody that used them knows that they have a sort of metallic after taste that is hard to get rid off. I think it was on America’s Test Kitchen, they suggested to use lemon juice. I went one step farther: I have marinated the mix with grated zest and juice from 1 lemon. Did it work? Not a trace of any chemical preservatives. Not exactly like fresh stuff but pretty good. This trick will be in my repertoire from now on.

Friday

Risotto Cakes with Bocconcini.

Many restaurants cook risotto for a sole purpose of having it for cakes and I can understand why. When you bite into one first sensation is the super crispy Panko coating. Then you feel the cheesy and creamy rice followed by melted, stringy Mozzarella Bocconcini. Then you take a bite of crispy Napa cabbage. Wow! This is not a leftover meal, this is a meal worthy to be on a banquet menu. I did make one change since I cooked my last risotto: before forming the patty or cake, I mixed in a lot of grated Parmigiano cheese to help in binding it and hold shape. Great move! After all, I bought so much cheese at a basement price J !

Saturday

Stove-top Chicken Teriyaki.

In my opinion this version is so much juicier, tender and quicker to prepare then traditional cooking method over barbecue. Even though I have marinated for 6 hours skinless and boneless chicken thighs cut into 1 inch strips, I am not sure that it is necessary when cooked in non-stick frying pan. The chicken pieces are basically sauted in the marinade and when I turn then over after about 10 minutes I add the green onions and cook another 10 minutes, partially covered. At the end of cooking time the marinade turns into a thick sauce. Served over rice along with cucumber salad makes it a summer delight.

The Weekly Menu – April 10, 2011

Rice Terraces

Last week was fairly light as far as food is concerned. When I went over the pictures I have realized that we had rice every day. Mind you, I did use 3 different types. Arborio (short grain) for Seafood Mix Risotto and Risotto Cakes, Japanese Shirakiku (medium grain) for Stovetop Chicken Teriyaki and Thai Jasmine-scented rice (long grain) for Western Beef Stir-fry, Chicken Vegetable & Rice Soup and as a side dish for Barbecue Chicken Wings. Since every meal was so different from each other I didn’t even notice that we had rice every day!

Arborio was soft and creamy, Shirakiku soft and sticky and Thai rice had a nice bite. I guess that this is just a preview of things to come. In warmer months we eat lot of rice and light Oriental noodles like Rice noodles, Cellophane or Mung beans noodles, Japanese Soba and Sōmen among others. Many of them are served at room temperature or cold in salads. I will be posting a lot of noodle recipes.
Here are the pictures of the dishes. More detailed descriptions will follow in next few days.

Western Beef Stir-fry.

BBQ Chicken Wings.

The Chicken Vegetable & Rice Soup.

Seafood-Mix Risotto.

Risotto Cakes with Bocconcini.

Stove-top Chicken Teriyaki.



 

Rice cake and arugula.

This version was prepared using leftover rice and chicken from Arroz con Pollo.

I used same technique as in risotto cake where you make a small ball, flatten it and place small piece of melting cheese like mozzarella in middle and then enclose it around the cheese. Press on all sides and make a little patty, Place in an egg wash (1 large egg, beaten), cover in Panko or bread crumbs and shallow fry in oil on both sides till golden brown and crispy.

Serve it on bed of arugula sprinkled with sea salt with lemon wedge on side and dollop of mayonnaise with lemon zest on top.  

It makes for a great snack.
Note: I know that I should have only one cake on plate for good composition but Marjo was eager to dig in…Next time. J

Pan Seared and Roasted Duck Breast

We just love duck or duck parts prepared in any way. I must have cooked well over 200 ducks and/or parts and I have learned one thing: to roast whole bird in one piece is terrible waste. While breast needs only about 15 - 20 minutes in a heavy skillet on stove top and 400°C oven, the legs on other hand need 2 hours in 350°C oven. When you do whole bird, by the time legs are done the breast is way too overcooked, dry piece of meat regardless of how much fat you leave on the bird. And there is a lot of fat. I cut up the duck into 2 breasts, 2 legs and cage and wings (video). When I roast the legs I roast the cage and wings at the same time for my duck stock. The roasted bones make incredible stock when slowly simmered with root vegetables for 2 – 3 hours.

On this occasion I served the breast with my very own Three Grains Risotto.

Pan Seared Duck Breast

 One breast will serve 2 people.

1.      Preheat  oven to 400°F

2.      Very generously season breast on both sides with sea salt and cracked black pepper

3.      Do not score the skin, there are enough pores in the skin to release the fat and it also makes much better slices when done.

4.      Place the duck breast skin-side down on a cold dry pan and turn on the heat (medium).

5.      As the fat renders out of skin pour it out.

6.      Once the skin is crispy and golden, turn the duck breast over and continue cooking for 1 minute, just to sear the meat

7.      Turn the duck breast skin-side down on the pan and place it into the oven and cook for 6 minutes. Test if done. Medium rare is at 125°F at thickest part of breast.   

8.      Remove from oven and let the duck breast rest for about 10 - 15 minutes.

9.      Slice at an angle, dot the slices with aged Balsamic Vinegar and serve on a bed of arugula.

Note: The cold dry (meaning no oil) pan is important; starting on a pre-heated pan sears and locks up the fat and you end up with an overly-fatty piece of meat.

Three Grains Risotto

This version is prepared same way as regular risotto but is much more tolerant of how often you steer it and you can keep it warm unlike Arborio risotto that has to be served immediately. Also, it is a good side dish for turkey or any wild game meat.

You will need:

2 t. olive oil

1T. butter

3 shallots or ½ small white onion, finally chopped

2 cloves of garlic, finally chopped

½ cup wild rice, washed

½ cup barley, washed and rinsed

½ cup Basmati rice, washed

½ cup white wine

4 – 5 cups chicken stock

Heat the stock.

In a separate pan heat the olive oil and butter, add the onions and garlic and stir fry very slowly for about 15 minutes without coloring.

After the vegetables have softened, add all the grains and turn up the heat.

When the grains start to look slightly translucent pour in the wine and let the grains absorb almost all the wine.

Add 2 cups of hot stock and stir for few seconds. Cover and simmer on low heat for about 15 minutes.

Check and stir every 5 minutes or so.

When stock is absorbed add another cup.

Taste for seasoning and add salt if needed.

Repeat till all the grains are cooked to your taste.

Stir in 1 T. of butter, set aside and keep warm.

Enjoy...