Stirring up a Yummy Meal

Okay, so I hate to boast, but I haven't found any risotto in town to make me really, really happy. I did tonight! Risotto is one of those comfort meals that can take lots of different proteins, but it is a great showcase for shellfish and veggies like mushrooms. It's mouth-pleasing texture reminds me of great meals in Italian restaurants. No memories of and Italian grandmother's kitchen, but it definitely brings me joy that feels like a long-lost memory of warm, rustic kitchens in rolling hills dotted with wild growing basil, thyme and rosemary.

Not to get all Shirley Maclaine on you, but it feels so familiar and I actually find making it to be very therapeutic. Eating it is almost as good. I've heard people complain about how long it takes, how much work it is and that it's tricky to get it just right, but I find it pretty easy. You just have to plan and be attentive. You can't say, clean your shrimp while you're in the middle of cooking it. Or decide you need to run outside for some fresh thyme after you've added the rice.

So, mis en place comes in handy when making risotto. In other words: get your stuff together people!! Get it all together before you start cooking. Your shrimp aren't going to spoil in 30 or 40 minutes.

My favorite risottos have peas or asparagus, mushrooms and shrimp or lobster. Tonight I wanted some seared scallops and I waffled between scallops and shrimp on a bed of polenta

and wilted greens or risotto. The risotto won, but after picking up some "dry" scallops (more on that) and shrimp at Blue Marlin, how would that work with risotto? So, what I did was sear the scallops separately in a stainless pan and then added them to the risotto when I plated it.

Make sure you add your greens and shrimp toward the end so the greens (spinach, arugula) stay green and just wilt and the shrimp don't overcook. Make sure you get your scallop pan hot, THEN add oil and a pat of butter and set your scallops in the pan, but don't overcrowd the pan. If your scallops are wet, they won't sear and get that beautiful restaurant-quality crust on them. Wet scallops are treated with a phosphate solution that keeps them moist after they are harvested. This also adds weight to them because they retain water and more importantly, it

keeps them from browning. The liquid just keeps seeping out in the pan which prevents the stick and the reaction between the protein and the hot lubricant in the pan. You can squeeze them in paper towels until you use a whole roll, but it won't make them sear. Recently, a contestant on

Top Chef got sent home because her scallops were lame and boring. She worried about not getting a brown crust on them and the judges zapped her for it. Her problem might have been technique and not phosphates, but if you start with dry scallops, it's hard not to get it right with the technique I described. Don't use a non-stick pan, either. This is not the time for non-stick healthy methods, this is the time for hot butter on a decadent scallop.

Okay, okay, so how was it? Divine. This is where the boasting comes in. I might have used a bit too much garlic and I probably could have used the second pack of mushroom medley and I forgot a squeeze of lemon to brighten it up, but it was still pretty good.

For reference, I used Tyler Florence's mushroom and pea risotto recipe from his book, "Real

Kitchen". There are many foolproof recipes in that book. As anyone who knows me can guess, I didn't follow the recipe exactly, but since it had been a while since I made risotto, I needed a guide.

You can use Arborio rice and of course, it's available at Culina. Tonight I used some carnoroli that an Italian chef in Grand Cayman gave me. He waxed poetic about its virtues and honestly, I'm not sure of the difference between that and Arborio, but he said it was difficult to get, etc. etc., so I used it. His risotto was a bit rich for me and maybe truffle-heavy.

Also, make sure you use a good dry wine. Not the one that's been in the

fridge for a couple of weeks, or the magnum of Woodbridge that you have collecting dust in the pantry for the next time Uncle Joe and his tipsy wife stop by, but a decent one that you would sip while cooking. A Pinot Grigio is a great option.

Well, happy cooking and Buon appetito!

Nesting

Is it strange that I'd rather hang out in the kitchen cooking and trying new recipes than be outside having a last hoorah with summer? The beginning of September brought some unusually cool couple of days and today as the clouds hang steadfast, I am trying to figure out what to do with some late summer peaches I picked up in Ukrop's in Richmond and trying a turkey burger recipe. Ukrop's is a Richmond grocery store and institution known for their prepared foods, their friendly staff who carries your groceries to your car (even when you feel you shouldn't let this guy who is old enough to be your great grandfather carry anything, much less walk) and their stubborn hold on the old Virginia Blue Laws. They have their "own" beef and their "own" peaches. I never knew what that meant exactly, but I remember standing over the kitchen sink in my Fan District apartment, eating a Ukrop's peach with juice running down my arm. That's when I started referring to especially juicy fruits as kitchen sink fruit.

Anyone who knows me knows that baking is not my thing. I do it a lot, but my forte is extemporaneous, improv stuff, the influence of acting classes from college probably and where I feel the most comfortable. It's always a challenge for folks in my classes because I don't look at the recipe and sometimes fail to follow it exactly. Frustration abounds when engineers, physicians and accountants ask me, "how much of that did you put in there?" I usually pause and look at them quizically more often because I don't even remember what I just did, let alone the amount: "Uh, a dash? A couple of shakes? Maybe a tad or a smidgen? How about a scant?"

The point people, is that it really doesn't matter because everyone is different and everyone puts priority or value on ingredients, accuracy and results. All you have to do is read the reviews of recipes on epicurious or listen to the comments of people leaving a restaurant. What I mean is, one person's idea of "too much" cilantro is another's idea of an ingredient that cannot be left out of, say salsa.

When I was visiting my Dad in Virginia Beach, we went into one of my favorite little wine/gourmet/lunch shops and I got all worked up for curry chicken salad. I LOVE curry chicken salad and make a pretty mean one myself. The first time I had it was at Strawberry St. Cafe in Richmond and I couldn't get enough of it. So here I am, all excited about it salivating, practically ripping the wrapping paper off the sandwich. Oh. Huhn. Hmm. Doesn't look right. The color of the stuff was off: not yellow enough, in fact, just barely yellow. It was wet. Really wet. Too much mayonnaise. And no crunch, no variety in texture and the chicken was all wrong. It was chunks, not shredded. What a disappointment. I like a lot of curry and I put grapes and cashews and mango and celery in mine and I boil the chicken in chicken broth and then shred it, which makes it easier to eat for one, and also complements the shapes of the other stuff in it. SO, some people might like less curry and more mayonnaise and would be fine with it. Some might not even know the difference if it's all they've known. We see this all the time with regional dishes like Brunswick Stew or Chicken and Dumplings. So, my thing is always add a scant amount (of what the recipe calls for) and you can always add more, but you can't take away. No matter how much sugar, apple juice or whatever you add to chili, if it's too much hot pepper, it's too much hot pepper and that's that. My husband likes stuff spicy, and I like it a little less spicy. I love lots of garlic and some people have a hard time with it, it makes their heartburn flare or whatever. I'm making salsa verde, using a recipe and I decided to put a little more garlic in it. I might even add some cumin, who knows?

That's the beauty of cooking compared to baking. Unless you're making a trifle or using a mix, there's not a lot of room for fudging (pun intended) when baking.

The good news for all of you folks that want to know EXACTLY how much, is that there are some guidelines with dash, smidgen and pinch. Unfortunately though, I don't follow those measurements either!

The breakdown: a dash is about an 1/8th of a tsp.; a pinch is smaller, about 1/16th of a tsp.; a smidgen is less scientific, but about 1/32tsp. and a scant means "no more than", so less of the measurement (cup, tsp., whatever) would be preferable over one bit more than what the measurement is.

Okay, so I'm marinating peaches in some white ginger simple syrup and am trying to figure out how to bake them into something spectacular. I'd like to incorporate some of that flax flour I never use into it. Or whole wheat flour or maybe I should just use Bisquick and call it a cobbler and be done with it. There's always vanilla ice cream... I could make my own. I think I'll just focus on the turkey burger and put the peaches in my yogurt tomorrow.

Here's my curry chicken recipe, just in case you're salivating for it now.

• 1 3/4 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 lb skinless boneless chicken breast
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise (use light optionally)
• 1/3 cup plain yogurt
• 5 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 medium red onion, chopped (1 cup)
• 1 firm-ripe mango (3/4 pound), peeled, pitted, and chopped
• 1 cup red seedless grapes (5 ounces), halved
• 1/2 cup salted roasted cashews, coarsely chopped

Bring 4 cups water to a simmer with chicken broth in a 2- to 3-quart saucepan. Add chicken and simmer, uncovered, 6 minutes. Remove pan from heat and cover, then let stand until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and cool 10 minutes. Chop into 1/2-inch pieces.

While chicken is cooling, whisk together mayonnaise, yogurt, curry, lime juice, honey, ginger, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add chicken, onion, mango, grapes, and cashews and stir gently to combine.

Hunker Down and Cook!

Can you feel it? The cool evening and morning air gives us a little poke to remind us that autumn’s yearly ball is soon to follow with vibrant leaves swaying and twirling on their way to rest. The trees will be bare, and in my neighborhood, the ducklings will arrive in the cove (I look forward to their arrival every year). It also means that the seasons for gathering are upon us.

Passionate cooks can easily parallel themselves to a lead actor in a play. The audiences are the guests surrounding our kitchen island as we prepare, or those sitting around the table dishing up the acts (the courses) on their plate. From the opening act to the final curtain, there is nothing more satisfying to a passionate cook than to watch the faces of their guests as they finish one dish after another. I love to watch their expressions when something is exceptionally delicious. Maybe their eyes will close or they will let the fork linger a little longer than usual to hold the food in their mouths – validation for a job well done.

For a kitchen store this is really our favorite time of year because our store is bustling. Everyone else feels the change and they want something impressive and new to hang on their pot rack, or that gadget that peels a transparent layer from their potatoes. Every season creates a sense of beginning which is why people come in looking for new recipes, cooking advice or just to hang out and talk about food. People may be willing to invest in a copper sauté because their recipe specifically requires a pan that “stops cooking when removed from heat” and copper is absolutely the best! We love to get into that level of detail with people. I remember last year a woman was planning a dinner party (her first one) and was in a panic because she had no idea what to do. I had the time so we sat at the little green table in the cookbook section and perused entertainment and appetizer books. I helped her select items that were easy to make but made an impressive display. Our chef showed her how to make tomato roses to dress the plates and provided her with advice on ensuring that her game hens came out crisp and moist. She has been a devoted customer since.

This will be our second holiday season at Culina (God willing) and I for one am looking forward to it because it is this time when people hunker down and cook and we feel the most valuable. People look through our windows and believe we sell cookware but the value we really offer is in our collective culinary experience and knowledge. That my friends comes free of charge.