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!
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