lizzycooks : March 2011

Dad's Green Onion Risotto

This is the risotto recipe that goes with the Shrimp Paulista recipe I just posted. By the way, if you have never had risotto, try it! It takes a bit of patience, but it warms the soul and you won't regret making it. So good.

Ingredients:

4-6 cups broth

2 tablespoons butter

1 bunch green onions, white parts finely chopped, green parts thinly sliced

1 cup Arborio rice

½ cup dry white wine

¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons ricotta cheese

1 teaspoon orange zest

Bring the broth to a low simmer in a medium saucepan. In a separate pan, sauté the onions in the butter until softened. Add the rice and coat with the butter. Add the wine and cook until it is absorbed by the rice. Begin adding the broth, one cup at a time, until it is absorbed and the rice is softened (about 20-25 minutes). Remove from heat and add the cheeses and the orange zest.

Place in large bowls and top with Shrimp Paulista.

Dad's Shrimp Paulista

My Dad is a gourmet cook who creates delicious meals every day. He simply loves to cook and has a wonderfully stocked kitchen and pantry. When I was a kid I remember him making guacamole, ice cream sundaes with all the toppings, Chinese food, and one particular mystery recipe. It was a chocolate looking liquid substance he was pouring into ice cubes trays and then placing into the freezer. He can't remember what it was but it sure left an impression on me. He also emails recipes to me and I stash them away on my computer. This shrimp recipe goes with this Green Onion Risotto recipe--both from Dad's files. Bon Appetit!

Ingredients:

2 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined (reserve the shells)

4 tablespoons lime juice

1 lime

½ cup chopped cilantro,divided

6 garlic cloves, minced and divided

1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, divided

2 tablespoons olive oil

Prepare a broth with the shrimp shells by boiling them in 6 cups of water for 15 minutes. Remove the shells and strain through a fine strainer several times.

Place shrimp in a bowl and toss with lime juice, ¼ cup cilantro, 3 garlic cloves, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper flakes. Refrigerate for 25 minutes (while cooking the risotto).

Place oil in a large sauté pan. Add shrimp, marinade, and remaining garlic. Sauté until shrimp are cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add remaining cilantro, salt, and pepper flakes.

Serve in a large bowl on top of the risotto. Garnish with lime wedges and chopped cilantro.

Parmigiano-Reggiano Vinaigrette

What is Parmigiano-Reggiano you ask? Only some of the best cheese in the entire world. And before you ask, no, it is not that stuff in the green can at the grocery store!

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

6 tablespoons red wine vinegar

4 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Kosher salt

Mix together and serve on a salad, veggies, dip your bread in it, or put it on baked chicken breasts. It's all good.

Lemon-Rosemary Chicken Breasts

Anything with lemon is good in my book! Lemonade, lemon squares, lemon hummus, lemon cake, lemon in my water...

1/4 cup olive oil
8 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 lemon
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (you will probably need 2 lemons in addition to the one above)
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts (6 to 8 ounces each)
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add the garlic, and cook for just 1 minute but don't allow the garlic to turn brown. Turn off the heat and add the white wine, lemon zest, lemon juice, rosemary, and 1 teaspoon salt. Pour into a 9 by 13" baking dish.

Pat the chicken breasts dry and put them on top of the sauce. Brush the chicken breasts with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cut the lemon in 8 wedges and tuck them in with the chicken pieces.

Bake for 30-40 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken breasts, until the chicken is done and lightly browned. If the chicken isn't browned enough, put it under the broiler for 2-3 minutes. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and serve hot with the pan juices.

Carrot Nut Bread (Makes 2 Loaves)

I like it when bread recipes make two loaves and this is one of those recipes. You can freeze one loaf or cut it into slices and freeze slices individually as I often do. I modified this recipe from one I found at www.preparedpantry.com to make it a little healthier. Think of this as a healthier version of carrot cake.

Ingredients:
2 cups grated carrots (I used a food processor)
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3 large eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup skim milk
3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare two medium loaf pans with cooking spray or you can grease them with butter.

Grate and measure the carrots and set aside. Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.

Whip the eggs together in a medium bowl. Stir the sugar in and then add the oil, vanilla, and milk. Make a depression in the dry ingredients and add the wet mixture along with the carrots and nuts. Mix with a spatula until combined.

Divide the batter between the two loaf pans. Bake on the top shelf of the oven for 45 to 50 minutes at 350 degrees or until the loaves test done when a toothpick is inserted in the middle of the loaves. Remove the loaves from the pans and cool on wire racks. This bread makes a great gift.

Lemon Sauce for Bread Pudding

This lemon sauce recipe is from cooks.com and is just one of many different types of luscious sauces you could drizzle over your homemade bread pudding. I can think of many other things this sauce would go well with too...

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar (or Splenda Blend)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 cups water
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1 lemon (~ 2 1/2 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons butter

Blend the sugar, cornstarch and water in a sauce pan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook 2-3 minutes until mixture is thickened. Remove from heat and add lemon zest, lemon juice and butter. Serve the warm lemon sauce over bread pudding or whatever you'd like.