Risotto is one of those perfect dishes with which to experiment.  From chicken broth to mushroom soup, the short-grain rice is eager to absorb whatever liquid you throw at it.  At the same time, it’s creamy color and texture make colors and crunch a welcome addition.  Pairings range from smoked trout and roasted butternut squash, to the ever-popular asparagus spears and mushrooms.  Even cold leftovers provide a reason to rejoice, with warm suppli just around the corner!

Having recently made roasted asparagus, I decided my risotto would be

Mushroom and Asparagus Risotto

PREP TIME: 15 minutes
COOK TIME: 20 to 25 minutes
YIELD: Serves 4

WHAT TO GRAB:
1 pound roasted asparagus (recipe here)
2 cups chopped mushrooms (I like cremini)
1/2 cup chopped shallots
4 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon butter
1 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt and Pepper to taste

HOW YOU DO IT:

1. In a medium pot, bring the stock to a boil, then lower to a simmer.

2. In a large saucepan, heat 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat.  Add the shallots and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the shallots are translucent.  Once the shallots are translucent, add the mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes.  Add the rice and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

3.  Add the wine to the rice, stirring frequently.  Once the rice has almost completely absorbed the wine, gradually add the stock, about ½ cup at a time.  Keep stirring.  Once the stock has been mostly absorbed, add another ½ cup of stock.  Continue stirring and adding stock until the rice is tender, but still firm to bite, and will no longer absorb any more stock.  This should take about 20 minutes.  Don’t worry if your rice requires more or less of the stock.

4.  Cut the roasted asparagus spears into thirds.  Off the heat, stir in the asparagus, parmesan cheese, and remaining teaspoon of butter.  Season with salt and pepper, and serve warm!

Making the perfect couscous is kind of like doing laundry.  It requires washing, drying, steaming, and sorting.  Just boiling a pot of water is not going to cut it.  The same way wrinkled sweat pants don’t quite compare with creased slacks, instant couscous has nothing on old-fashioned Moroccan-style couscous.

And just as dressing well takes effort, so does making the perfect couscous.  But if you have the time, it is well worth the effort.  You will need a small length of cheesecloth and a large pot with a steamer insert: you do not need to run out and buy a couscousiere.

Curried Couscous

Recipe adapted from Ina Garten’s The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook.

PREP TIME: 30 minutes
COOK TIME: 1 hour
YIELD: Serves 6

WHAT TO GRAB:
2 cups couscous
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 teaspoons Kosher salt, divided
1 teaspoon ground pepper
1/3 cup parsley, minced
1/2 cup dried currants
1/2 cup carrots, diced
1/4 cup almonds, chopped
1 scallion, thinly sliced (green and white parts)
1/4 cup red onion, diced

HOW YOU DO IT:

1.  Start a large pot of boiling water.  Make sure you have a colander that fit snugly within the pot.

WASHING THE COUSCOUS

2.  Pour the couscous into a large shallow pan.  Pour 6 cups of cool water into the pan, and stir the water around with your hand a few times.  Using a strainer, drain the water.  Return the couscous to the pan.  With wet hands, pick up the couscous and rub it gently, allowing it to fall back into the pan.  This will break up any lumps.  Once you are finished, allow the grains to rest for about 20 minutes.

STEAMING THE COUSCOUS: PART I

3.  Measure a cheese cloth so that it will fit comfortably around the colander to be used.  Moisten the cheese cloth, dust it with flour, and then wrap it around the side of the colander.  The cheese cloth should cover any of the holes around the side of the colander; you want the couscous to steam only from the bottom.  Make sure the colander fits snugly within the stock pot.

4.  Once the water is boiling, fit the colander within the pot.  The colander should be well above the boiling water.

5.  Slowly drop about a 1/2 cup of the couscous into the colander, allowing the grains to form a soft mound in the middle.  After 5 minutes, add the remaining couscous.  Lower the heat to moderate, and steam for 20 minutes.  Do not cover the couscous at any point.

SEPARATING THE COUSCOUS

6.  Remove the colander from the pot, and dump the couscous into the pan.  Spread the couscous out, and sprinkle the grains with 1 cup of cold water and 1 teaspoon of Kosher salt.  With wet hands, pick up the grains and rub them gently, allowing them to fall back into the pan – just as previously done.  If the couscous feels too dry, you can add more water.  Allow the grains to rest for 10 minutes.

STEAMING THE COUSCOUS: PART II

7.  Place the couscous back in the colander.  Steam the grains for 20 minutes.

FINISHED PRODUCT

8.  Remove the colander from the pot and dump the couscous into a large mixing bowl.  Add the butter.

9.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the yogurt, olive oil, vinegar, curry, 1 tablespoon salt, and pepper.  Pour the dressing over the couscous and mix well with a fork.  Add the carrots, parsley, currants, almonds, scallions, and red onions, and mix well.  Season to taste.

10.  Serve at room temperature: either as an entree, or as the base for a Grilled Tuna Steak!

I wasn’t quite sure what to name this dish.

After making my three-cheese risotto, I ended up with several servings of left-over, cold risotto.  Cold risotto, it turns out, is perfect for making fried risotto balls, alternately known as suppli or arancini.

Suppli is short for “Suppli al Telefono,” which translates as “telephone wires.”  Traditional suppli is fried risotto that has been stuffed with mozzarella cheese.  The idea, of course, is that biting into a good suppli produces a low-hanging mozzarella string, reminiscent of telephone wires.

Arancini is Italian for “little orange,” because deep-frying the rice, saffron, and bread crumbs produces an appetizer with a golden-orange hue.  According to Alberto Denti di Pirajno, the famous Sicilian gastronome, the dish owes its origins to an Arabic dish, naranjiyya.  Naranjiyya appeared in the Baghdad Cookery Book, a work dating back to the 13th Century, and describes a fried ball of meat, meant to look like an orange through the use of saffron and egg.  Naranj is the Arabic word for orange.

The differences between Suppli and Arancini are subtle.  By some accounts, Arancini is larger than Suppli, and can include mushrooms, peas, and meat, while Suppli is often limited to mozzarella and tomato.  The principle distinction, however, seems to be geographic – with Suppli hailing from Rome, and Arancini from Sicily.

But no matter what you decide to call them, you can always call them delicious!

Three-Cheese Suppli al Telefono

Recipe inspired by thoughts from Caitlin.

PREP TIME: Requires chilled risotto
COOK TIME: 20 minutes
YIELD: 10 to 12 balls

WHAT TO GRAB:
3 cups chilled three-cheese risotto (recipe here)
1 egg, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon warm water
2 cups vegetable oil
1 cup bread crumbs (recipe here)
12 cubes of mozzarella (optional)
1 cup chopped mushrooms (optional)

HOW YOU DO IT:

1.  Heat the vegetable oil in a medium saucepan or dutch oven over medium heat, to about 360-370 degrees.  You want to have enough oil to cover the balls completely, about 2-inches high, so a smaller pot will require less oil.

2.  Roll chilled risotto into small balls, about 1- to 1 1/2-inches thick.  If you are adding mozzarella or mushrooms, poke a small hole in the center of each ball and insert the cheese and/or mushrooms.  Then re-form the mixture into a ball.

3.  Put the flour, eggs, and bread crumbs in three separate bowls.  Dredge the ball in flour, dip in egg, and then roll in the bread crumbs, making sure the ball is well-coated at each step.  Keep the balls on parchment paper while waiting to fry them.

4.  Working in batches of four, fry the balls for about 3 minutes, or until a nice golden brown.  With a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel to drain.  Serve warm!

HELPFUL HINTS:

If you need to cool the risotto in a hurry, you can spread the cooked risotto out on a baking sheet.  The greater surface area will expedite the cooling process.  For a healthier choice, you can also bake the risotto balls.  For the baking option, bake at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes, and then broil, rotating the balls after 3o or 60 seconds to ensure even browning.

Having a food blog doesn’t stop me from asking silly food questions.

On a recent trip to the grocery store, I could not find the risotto.  After several minutes of scrounging around the different rice and grain shelves, I decided to solicit help.  As I explained to the store clerk, I was making three-cheese risotto, and all that was left on my list was what the recipe referred to as “risotto rice.”  He kindly pointed me to arborio rice.

Risotto, I learned, does not refer to an ingredient, but rather to a dish.

The key to risotto is using a short-grain rice, and not a long-grain rice.  All rice contains two different starches: amylose and amylopectin.  Long-grain rice – typically four times longer than it is wide – contains a greater percentage of amylose, while short-grain rice is heavy on the amylopectin.  These  molecules, the former straight, the latter branched and bushy, give the respective grains their personality.  Amylose allows the long grains to separate when cooked, while amylopectin causes the short grains to stick together.  Amylose is also extremely absorbent, allowing short-grain rice to retain up to three-times its volume in liquid, the sine qua non of risotto.

Long-grain rice includes basmati, texmati, jasmine, and popcorn and pecan rice.  Short-grain rice includes arborio, carnaroli, vialone nano, and sushi.  Brown rice is simply any rice that has not been milled, and still retains its bran and germ.  (Which is why it should be refrigerated within two weeks of purchase).

Arborio rice is probably the most widely available short-grain rice, but it may not be the best risotto rice.  Carnaroli rice is  touted for producing a better texture of risotto – creamy and chewy, but without being gluey like arborio.  Vialone nano grains are smaller than arborio grains, and will give your risotto a nutty flavor.  Sushi rice will also produce an excellent risotto, and tastes virtually identical to arborio rice.

But no matter which short-grain you choose (and only short-grain will work), there are a few helpful hints for making a rich risotto.  First, never rinse short-grain rice.  Adding moisture too soon will throw off the cooking process.  Second, be consistent; it’s important to cook the rice over a constant, medium-low temperature.  Third, do not rush the risotto.  Add the broth slowly, adding liquid only after previous ladleful has been fully absorbed.  Fourth, be patient and keep stirring.  Risotto takes some coaxing!

Follow these rules and you’ll get the perfect

Three-Cheese Risotto

Recipe from Jamie Olivier

PREP TIME: 5 minutes
COOK TIME: 40 minutes
YIELD: Serves 6

WHAT TO GRAB:
3 cups of vegetable or chicken broth
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 medium onions, diced
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
3 sticks of celery, diced
1 3/4 cups uncooked risotto rice (I used arborio)
1 1/4 cups dry white wine
Sea salt and pepper to taste
4 ounces Gruyere or Appenzeller cheese, roughly chopped
4 ounces Fontina or Taleggio cheese, roughly chopped
2 ounces Parmesan, freshly grated
2 ounces Sharp Cheddar, grated
2 teaspoons Italian parsley, diced
6 tablespoons butter

HOW YOU DO IT:

1.  In a medium sauce pan, heat the broth over medium heat.

2.  In a separate pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onions, garlic, and celery, and fry gently for about 5 minutes, or until softened.

3.  Turn the heat down to medium-low.  Add the rice, stirring constantly for 1 minute.  After 1 minute, add the wine and keep stirring.  Once the wine has been fully absorbed (about 10 or 15 minutes), add a ladle of the hot broth, and a pinch of salt and pepper.  Continue adding the broth, a ladleful at a time, stirring constantly.  Remember to allow each ladleful to be fully absorbed before adding the next.  After about 20 to 25 minutes, the broth should be entirely incorporated.

4.  Once all the broth has been absorbed, stir in the Gruyere and Fontina.  Off the heat, mix in the butter and Parmesan.  Season to taste.

5.  Cover the pot and let the mixture rest for 2 to 3 minutes.

6.  Garnish with fresh parsley and grated cheddar, and serve warm!

TO REHEAT:

Combine 1 tablespoon of butter for every two servings of risotto. Heat the mixture until warm, about 5 minutes.

Thomas Jefferson may not have been around to sample my mom’s yellow rice.  But if he had been, I can only assume he would have found this dish a perfect side for his chicken fricassee.

Mom’s Yellow Rice

PREP TIME: 5 minutes
COOK TIME: 30 minutes

WHAT TO GRAB:
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons shallots, chopped
1 clove of garlic, chopped
1 cup jasmine or basmiti rice, well rinsed
2 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon curry
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/2 cup currants or golden raisins

HOW YOU DO IT:

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add the shallots and garlic, and saute until just beginning to brown, roughly 2 minutes.  Add the rice, broth, salt, turmeric, curry, cumin, and currants/raisins, and bring to a boil.  After it boils, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.  (I like to give the saucepan a  shake halfway through, just to make sure the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom and burn).  After 20 minutes, remove from the heat, place a clean kitchen towel between the cover and the saucepan, and let stand covered for another 5 to 10 minutes.   Fluff with a fork and serve warm!

Not every couscous recipe has to be served with dinner.  Seffa, a couscous sweetened with cinnamon, sugar, and rosewater, is one of the more common couscous-based desserts.  This recipe draws its inspiration from Seffa, and makes a wonderful dessert.

Sweet Almond Milk Couscous

Recipe from Mark Bittman

WHAT TO GRAB:
2 1/2 cups of almond milk
1/3 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
1 cup couscous
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 or 1/2 teaspoon rosewater
1 cup chopped almonds, plus extra for garnish
1 cup chopped dried apricots, plus extra for garnish
1/4 cup chopped pistachios

HOW YOU DO IT:

1.  In a medium saucepan, bring the almond milk, sugar, and salt to a boil.  Add the couscous, lemon zest, and cardamom, and stir for 1 minute.  Cover and remove from the heat, and let it stand for 5 to 10 minutes.

2.  Fluff the couscous with a fork and add the rosewater.  (Because rosewater is potent stuff, start with a 1/4 teaspoon, and add more if necessary).  Gently stir in the nuts and apricots.  Spoon the mixture into a serving dish, and garnish with the apricots and almonds.

3.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Couscous is not a grain, as you might think, but a semolina paste.  In fact, couscous is made from the same wheat semolina flour used to make commercial spaghetti.

Couscous originated in the Maghreb, today’s North Africa, and owes its origins to the Berbers, an indigenous people of the region.  The Saracen conquest of Europe in the 7th and 8th Centuries is believed to have introduced the dish to the Western world.

Owing to its origins, couscous is often served with lamb or chicken, and may also be sprinkled with raisins or almonds.   “Couscous aux sept legumes,” or couscous with seven vegetables, is the most common couscous dish in Morocco.  This dish, adapted from a few sources, is modeled after “couscous aux sept legumes.”

Speaking of Moroccan Couscous, the New York Times just named Marrakesh its culinary destination of the year.

Moroccan Couscous

WHAT TO GRAB:
2 large butternut squash, peeled and diced
2 yellow onions, chopped and diced
12 carrots, peeled and diced
3 medium zucchini, diced
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups of chicken or vegetable broth
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon cumin
2 cups couscous
3 scallions, white and green parts, chopped
1/3 cup raisins (optional)
1/3 cup chopped almonds (optional)
Salt and pepper

HOW YOU DO IT:

1.  Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

2.  Place the squash, carrots, zucchini, and yellow onions in a large baking sheet.  Toss the  vegetables with the olive oil, salt, and pepper.  To prevent overcrowding, I like to divide the vegetables in half, and use two baking sheets.  Roast the vegetables for 25 to 30 minutes, tossing the vegetables midway through.

3.  While the vegetables are roasting, bring the broth to a boil in a small saucepan.  Add the butter and cumin, and allow the mixture to seep, off the heat, until the vegetables are done.

4.  In a large, heatproof, mixing bowl, add the couscous and vegetables.

5.  Bring the broth to a boil, and pour the broth over the couscous.  Cover immediately with foil, for 15 to 20 minutes.

6.  Add the scallions, raisins and almonds (if desired), and season with salt and pepper.

7.  Fluff lightly with a fork, and serve!

Not every great recipe requires seven steps and several stopwatches.  Cheese grits are one such example.

Grits are crushed kernels of dried corn.  The dried kernels are crushed between millstones and the resulting fragments are sorted according to density.  The dense shards are grits, and the lighter shards are cornmeal.  Polenta is an even finer grind of yellow corn, with all the particles of flour later removed.  These stone-ground grits can be made from either white corn or yellow corn, with little difference in taste between the respective varieties.

Stone-grounds grits are coarser than the grits you will find in your supermarket, and therefore take longer to cook – anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes.  Quick grits – which we’re more accustomed to – have been ground much finer, and will take roughly 5 minutes to cook.   Unfortunately, the convenience comes with a sacrifice.  Quick grits, unlike stone-ground grits, have been degerminated (to preserve their shelf life).  Without the germ in the kernels, quick grits lack some of the texture and flavor of the stone-ground kind.

Instant grits, meanwhile, have tipped the convenience-flavor balance too far, and represent all convenience and no flavor.  Instant grits are washed, partly cooked, and then dried – a process that leaves them devoid of any taste or texture.  Avoid them.

In St. Louis, I have not been able to find stone-ground grits.  After I get through my supply of quick grits, I think I’m going to order myself some old-fashioned grits straight from the source – or sources.

Cheese Grits

WHAT TO GRAB:
4 cups of water
1 cup of old-fashioned or quick grits
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup finely shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup of chopped green onions, plus extra for garnish
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cloves of garlic
Salt and pepper to taste

HOW YOU DO IT:

1.  In a saucepan, bring 4 cups of water and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to a boil.  Stir in the grits.  When it reaches a boil again, reduce the heat, and simmer for the required time (5 minutes or  15 to 30 minutes), stirring frequently until the grits are thick and creamy.

2.  Remove the saucepan from the heat, and add the butter and cheese, stirring until the cheese is melted and incorporated.  (If you have to put the saucepan back on the burner for this step, its okay).

3.  Add the green onions, cayenne pepper, garlic, salt, and pepper.

4.  When the mixture is lukewarm, remove the garlic, and serve!

NOT SO GOOD VARIATIONS:
A lot of recipes call for baked cheese grits and even a cheese grits soufflé. In my experience, the grits get dry and overcooked when they’re baked.  Sometimes you shouldn’t argue with what works best.