Merry Christmas!
December 25, 2009 | Filed Under Christmas, Holidays | 11 Comments
The remainder of the snow storm on a quiet and empty street, Christmas morning.
Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays to All!
Paz
Green Risotto
March 15, 2009 | Filed Under Holidays, Risotto, Saint Patrick's Day | 21 Comments
The first time I made risotto, about a year or two ago, I was disappointed. Although I’d followed the cooking instructions carefully, it didn’t taste very good and had turned out kind of creamy. It didn’t turn out nice and grainy, the way regular rice did. Then I learned that’s the way risotto is supposed to turn out — creamy. Oh! Opps!
Well, actually, my risotto wasn’t really that creamy, it was more like overcooked, too-soft rice. I decided that I didn’t care much for rice like that, so I never made it again — not until I saw Lori Lynn’s Green Risotto on her wonderful food blog, Taste with the Eyes. The texture and vibrant green color called out to me. I wanted to try making risotto again. The green color would be great in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. I’m Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, you know (I’m also Brazilian on Brazil Day, Italian on Columbus Day, Dominican on Dominican Republic Day, Puerto Rican on Puerto Rican Day and so on so forth. You get the idea. I love that there are a lot of national celebrations in New York City.).
An important tip that Lori Lynn noted was that the "key to great risotto is a very tasty chicken stock." I got a very easy stock recipe from her and made my chicken stock. She’d also recommended Wolfgang Puck Roasted Chicken Stock. I couldn’t find it in any of the stores near me, but I made out fine with my homemade chicken stock.
My favorite part of preparing this risotto was making the spinach, which changed the risotto’s white color into green. I loved that the color wasn’t due to an artificial dye. Instead, it was all because of the fresh and nutritious spinach. I’ve always loved spinach.
So, I successfully made my Green Risotto. Lori Lynn was right, the key to a delicious risotto IS a tasty chicken stock. My risotto was green and delicious! It tasted much better than the first risotto dish I made.
Although the risotto is supposed to be a side dish and served with parmesan cheese, I made mine a main dish and served it with roast chicken (yum! It’s from a guest post by Simona of Briciole) and cherry tomatoes. I was very happy with my meal.
Thanks, Lori Lynn, for this recipe. I’m going to make it again, even after St. Patrick’s day. Practice will make my risotto creamy and perfect.
Paz
Ed. Note: Lori Lynn writes in the comment section: "I want to say that I found the recipe in "Cooking for Madam" a great little cookbook by Jackie Kennedy Onassis’ personal chef, Marta Sgubin."
Happy St. Paddy’s Day to one and all!
Green Risotto
Taste with the Eyes
Heat 1/2 c. olive oil in a heavy saucepan. Add a finely chopped onion. Sauté until golden brown.
Add 1 1/2 c. arborio rice and stir until each grain is coated with oil. Add 1/2 c. white wine and cook until the wine has evaporated. Add about 5 c. hot chicken stock gradually as absorbed, stirring continuously until the rice is al dente.
Liquefy fresh spinach leaves with a small amount of water in a food processor.
Add the liquid spinach to the risotto.
Serve with Parmesan on the side.
Happy New Year 2009!
December 31, 2008 | Filed Under Holidays, New Year's | 18 Comments
Wishing you:
Peace, Love, Joy, Hope, Good Health and Prosperity.
Paz
Christmas Greetings!
December 25, 2008 | Filed Under Christmas, Holidays | 20 Comments
Found in the window of Stueben Glass, a glass and crystal store, located on the East Side, Madison Avenue.
Merry…
Merry Christmas!
I wish you peace, hope, love and joy!
Paz
Chicken and Sweet Corn Soup: Happy Thanksgiving!
November 27, 2008 | Filed Under Cook (almost) Anything at Least Once blog, Corn, Eggs, Fellow Bloggers, Green Onions, Scallions, Spring Onions, Holidays, Poultry, Soups/Chowders/Gumbos, Thanksgiving, Vegetables | 18 Comments
Yes, more soup. 
It’s still cold here and I’m still tired and stressed. So, I decided to make more soup, using a recipe I found on Hallo’s blog.
Today, we celebrate Thanksgiving Day in the States. I never had Chicken and Sweet Corn Soup before as part of a Thanksgiving meal, but this is what I wanted to eat. It was definitely a good soup for a weary body and soul like mine. I felt much better after eating it.
What am I thankful for this holiday season? Many things. I’m especially thankful for all of you who stop by my blog with your very kind and encouraging comments. Without you, it would be no fun here.
Paz
Chicken and Sweet Corn Soup
1 litre chicken stock
4 slices ginger
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
4 chicken thigh fillets, skinless, sliced finely
420 grams canned creamed corn
2 cups corn kernels
salt and freshly ground pepper
sesame oil
2 tablespoons corn flour mixed with a little water, optional, to thicken soup
1 egg white, lightly whisked with 1 tablespoon water
Place the chicken stock and sliced ginger into a pot and bring to a simmer so to allow the ginger to infuse into the stock.
Separate the white from the green parts of the spring onions. Slice both finely.
Heat a little neutral oil in a large pot and when it’s come to temperature, add the sliced white part of the spring onion and the ginger. Let this gently sauté for a couple of minutes before adding the chicken pieces – just add a quarter of the chicken at a time. When the chicken has changed colour, add the creamed corn and corn kernels.
Turn the heat up a little and stir this well before adding the stock (strain off the ginger slices). Add half the sliced green parts of the spring onion and let the soup simmer until the corn has cooked through.
Taste and season with salt and freshly ground pepper and a few drops of sesame oil.
If you prefer a thicker soup, then at this stage, stir in the mix of corn flour and water.
Just before serving add in the remaining sliced spring onion greens and while stirring the soup, drizzle in the lightly whisked egg white – this sets as soon as you add it to the soup so it’s important to keep stirring to break it up and get a speckled finish.
