Tag: arborio rice
Chilean Sea Bass with Sweet Pepper and Spinach Risotto
It is nice to start the New Year off in a healthy way. You can’t get any better than Chilean sea bass- can you? It is one of my husband’s favorite fish. My daughter and I like it too. I don’t end up making it too often- I think because I tend to forget it is there and also because it is kind of pricey- but it is still a lot cheaper than eating it in a restaurant.
I simply sauteed the fish with salt and pepper and a squirt of lemon juice. I wanted for the fish flavor to come through loud and clear. For the accompaniment- I decided on a risotto. I used a red pepper pesto I had in my fridge. I also added baby spinach at the end to make it a complete meal.
It was fabulous- healthy and delicious. If I could eat like this everyday, I would be really thin and really healthy…
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Leftover Shrimp and Sausage Paella
This is what I came up with the leftovers from last night’s dinner. I had some shrimp- not too many, so I chopped them up into small pieces so a little goes a long way.
My husband loves paella, especially the kind with lots of red sauce- he is crazy about anything with red sauce.
I made this paella with arborio rice since it is creamier than the regular one. I cooked it like a risotto but didn’t stand in front of the stove, stirring constantly. Instead I added most of the broth at once and let it cook. It resulted in a very delicious and perfectly cooked paella.
To start the process, I crumbled up the leftover chorizo and cooked it with the onions and garlic. I added rose wine because that is what I was drinking. Tomato sauce and chicken broth later, I had a yummy dish. By adding the frozen peas, I had a one pot meal.
A neighbor and my daughter’s friend stopped by and joined up for dinner. They both ate up the paella and complemented on the taste.
Next time you have leftovers- make a paella!
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Chocolate Rice Pudding with Amaretto Cream
My daughter loves chocolate pudding and I love rice pudding (actually she loves rice pudding as well). I love a generous portion of rice pudding with a sprinkle of a good Vietnamese ground cinnamon on top. It is the most delicious thing ever.
My husband, on the other hand, thinks rice should only be eaten with savory dishes. He does not relish any dessert made out of rice- what- seriously?? I love desserts made out of rice. Rich, creamy and delicious. My daughter, on the other hand, like me, loves all kinds of rice desserts.
I made this dessert combining chocolate and rice puddings together. I used arborio rice and cooked it in milk. I then added chocolate, sugar and vanilla extract. Once the pudding came together, I served it hot but with a twist. I whipped some heavy cream and added amaretto liquor and almond extract with some sugar. I served the dessert with the whipped cream and some toasted, sliced almonds.
It was absolutely out of this world delicious. It can be served cold as well but I prefer it hot. Either way, it makes a fabulous end to any meal- in the winter or the summer.
Try this one- I bet your kids will like it too…
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Roasted Tomatoes and Asparagus Risotto with Pan Seared Scallops
The colors in this dish are very festive and remind me of the holiday season- which is good because that is what every one is looking for right now.
We all love scallops in my family and I cook them very often. I love pairing them with risotto. The creamy rice dish goes so well with the sweet scallops. Now, I know risotto is a bit labor intensive but if you make the scallops with it- which are very quick- it’s a nice combination.
I made the risotto with a bit of shallots and garlic. I slowly added the chicken broth and made the velvety risotto. I wanted to add asparagus and tomatoes. The colors make me happy. The flavors are fabulous- the asparagus with its fresh, grassy flavor and the tomatoes with the sweet and tart burst in your mouth.
The scallops, as I mentioned, are so easy and quick to make. A sprinkle of salt and pepper and a screaming hot pan- is all you need (okay, some oil as well). The trick to perfectly cooked scallops is to turn them as soon as they turn brown. About a minute or two on each side on a very very hot pan. That’s all it takes- very simple.
This dish would be great for an intimate Christmas dinner. The colors are so appropriate and you can’t beat the taste. I would serve a red wine with this- I know a white goes better with scallops but somehow I think of red when risotto comes to mind. The heartiness of the gooey and soft rice is heaven with a yummy glass of red wine.
Whatever you are making for your big holiday- make it with love and enjoy your family and friends.
- 1 cup Arborio rice
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium shallot, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- Salt
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 to 2 pint cherry tomatoes
- 1 bunch asparagus, end cut off and the tips cut into 2 inch pieces
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
Preheat the oven at 400 degrees.
Place the vegetables on a lined cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the tomatoes begin to pop. Keep aside.
Heat the 4 cups of chicken broth in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and then place on simmer right next to the cooking risotto. In a wide frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the shallots and garlic. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes on medium heat. Add the rice and stir for a minute. Add a ladle of chicken broth (about a ¼ cup) to the risotto. Stir on medium heat constantly until the broth is soaked up. Keep adding the broth till the rice is soft and well cooked- it should take about 20 minutes and most of the chicken broth. Add the roasted vegetables and mix well. Taste for seasoning. Add the butter and cheese. Serve pan seared scallops on top.
Pan Seared Scallops
- 1 pound diver sea scallops, cleaned
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
- Lemon Juice
In a wide non-stick frying pan, heat the olive oil till almost smoking. Add the scallops and cook for 2 minutes. Sprinkle salt and pepper. Flip the side and cook for another 2 minutes and sprinkle salt and pepper. Drizzle some lemon juice and serve on top of the risotto.
Zucchini Risotto with Arugula and Steak Salad
Family was visiting from Austin and wanted to eat something delicious, different and gourmet- what the heck was I supposed to make??
Risotto was discussed briefly and so I started thinking about arborio rice. How should I cook it and what should I serve with it? When I am coming up with a menu- I try to include a vegetable and a protein with the starch. I am thrilled to include all the food groups on one plate.
My husband reminded me of the zucchini pesto in the fridge- “maybe you can add that to the risotto”, he said. Wow, I thought – all this cooking is rubbing off on him as well. What a great idea- that is what I did. I made a simple risotto with chicken broth and folded in some velvety zucchini pesto.
What about the protein? We were in Trader Joes and my idea was to buy the marinated, frozen rack of lamb. It is delicious and very easy- just roast in the oven and serve. Turns out that some of them didn’t care for lamb- so it was back to the drawing board. I was walking around Trader Joes and came across tip steak. I decided to marinate the steak and make a salad with the arugula and serve them on top of the hot risotto.
Well, the combination was delicious. I love cold salad on top of anything hot. In this case the bitter arugula was fabulous with the garlicky steak and the creamy risotto. It was a big success and everyone loved it. We drank a wonderful merlot with the meal- it is great spending time with family!
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A Kid Friendly Easy Paella Recipe- Chicken, Sausage and Shrimp
I had to cook for another one of our kid-adult play/dinner dates. It had to be something we would all enjoy and of course it had to healthy. I had just finished watching something on television about Spain- and what is the first thing that comes to mind- well, okay, two things- sangrias and paellas, right?? Well, it does for me…
I thought I could make a kid friendly paella with chicken, mild sausages and shrimp. I really wanted to add chorizo instead of a mild sausage, but I wasn’t sure how the kids would react to it- Sia can handle it but I wasn’t sure of the others. I LOVE chorizo, in case you don’t know what it is- it’s either fresh or cured sausage, made out of pork and various spices. Either way it is full of flavor and delicious. I can make a meal out of lots of chorizo, some Manchego cheese and red wine- oh, and maybe some delicious olives- you don’t need another thing! Chorizo and paella remind me of our trip to Barcelona. We ate a great meal, 3 times a day for our entire trip. The wine, tapas, paellas, sangrias and most of all the flan. I had to have a flan everyday and it was good every time! That reminds me to post a flan recipe soon! Anyway, the paellas were delicious with all sorts of seafood, and meats added to them.
I of course needed to make it quite simple and straight forward- so I didn’t add any spice- just lots of flavor. Who doesn’t like chicken, sausage, shrimp and rice?? I added some frozen green peas to fulfill the vegetable quota and some red peppers to give it color. The arborio rice made the dish really creamy and the chicken broth and saffron added great flavor. Adding the shrimp at the last minute ensured perfectly cooked crustaceans. I was extremely happy with the way the dish turned out.
The kids ate the dish but a bit reluctantly- Sia wanted only the shrimp and sausage and the other kids were not too keen on the shrimp. Once they were told about the no dessert till the dinner was done policy- everyone ate their share. The adults enjoyed it with a Malbec Rose- my favorite wine for the summer!