Cooking Challenge: Fresh Summer Corn Risotto

One of Jon's favorite meals is risotto any which way he can get it--mushrooms and chicken, or spring vegetables with goat cheese--but; add whatever you want once you learn the basic process! 

As a forwarning, risotto is not hard to make, but, it does require your full attention and a watchful eye with constant stirring! Preparation and practice are key to making great risotto. Read the recipe. Prepare your ingredients (especially if you are grilling the corn). Stick with it. Just don't throw in the towel if it doesn't quite taste like home the first time you make it!  

Risotto is a stand-alone meal or functions as a great side dish. In my opinion, it is certainly one of the best leftover meals to have sitting in your fridge! Ultimate comfort food!

Fresh Summer Corn Risotto

Equipment:
Large Dutch Oven or 5 quart saucepan
Flat wooden spoon
Ladle or measuring cup

Ingredients:
2 cups Arborio rice
8 cups of warm chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 cup white wine (only if age >21 years)
2 Tbls butter
3/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated

2 cups of grilled corn (or use canned corn kernels), seasoned with:
--Fresh thyme
--Salt and pepper
--1-2 Tbls olive oil

Instructions:
1. Wash your hands.
2. Measure and prep all of your ingredients before you heat your skillet and start.

Grilled Corn

3. Heat 2 Tbls of butter in your large Dutch Oven or Saucepan over MED-HIGH heat.

4. Add the Arborio rice and ensure all kernels are coated in butter.

5. Watch for the rice to turn from shiny off-white kernels to a faint yellowish-brown.

6. Add your first amount of broth to barely cover the rice. 

7. Turn heat to MEDIUM for a steady simmer. And stir in a figure-eight pattern.

8. Do not walk away. Allow the liquid to reduce until rice is visible again. 

9. Repeat the process of adding enough broth to cover rice and reducing liquid.
(Plan on being at the stove for approx 20-25 minutes for this process.)
10. After 2-3 cycles of broth reduction add 1/2 cup of wine.

11. Continue stirring in figure-eight fashion until a thickened liquid begins emerging. 
(At this stage you should only have 1/2 - 1 cup of broth remaining which you may or may not need.)

12. Check the consistency of the rice--some like a tiny bit of bite/firmness 'al dente', others like it softer.

13. Add the extras--in this case: Grilled Corn.

14. Add the parmesan.

15. Season one last time with salt and pepper and thyme. Definitely worth sharing.

Siracha Hot Reuben

As most of you know, the Midwest has turned cold to the point that I have to force myself out of the house to the gym or grocery store or work! Thus, when I do make it out the door, I promise to make each trip worthwhile...and that means planning! Planning to keep pantry and fridge stocked so that once I get home I have options readily available!

Sometimes you just need something warm with a little heat to take the chill out of your bones after walking home home from campus! I have taken a hot Reuben Sandwich and made it hotter with a Siracha version of the traditional Thousand Island dressing! Want it "hotter"...replace the Swiss cheese with Pepper Jack! 

Stay warm after studying! Finals are almost over! 

And...use my holiday coupon above to invite a friend for dinner. 

Make somone happy today!

Siracha Hot Reuben

Equipment:
Non-stick skillet
Small mixing bowl

Ingredients:
Pastrami, any kind (I used Turkey) or Ham
Swiss Cheese (or Pepper Jack)
Sauerkraut
Rye Bread
Butter, softened
Siracha Sauce

Siracha Thousand Island Sauce:
1/2 cup mayo
1-2 Tbls ketchup
2-3 tsp of Worchestershire Sauce
1-2 tsp of Siracha or Chili Paste

Instructions:
1. Wash your hands.
2. Combine all of the Siracha Sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Adjust to your taste.
3. Spread butter on one side of rye bread of each sandwich slice, i.e. bottom and top slices.

4. Heat skillet with 1-2 Tbls of butter over MEDIUM heat.
5. Place each slice of rye bread with butter side DOWN.
6. Begin building your sandwich layering cheese, meat, sauerkraut.

7. Spread sauce over kraut / meat and second slice of bread (inside part).

8. Sear first side of sandwich until golden brown and then carefully flip to the second side. (should have butter as well)

9. Sear until golden brown.

10. Remove from heat and share...or not!

Chili Relleno Rice

Fall has definitely hit the Windy City this weekend--leaves are falling and changing colors, pumpkins are being carved, and everyone is drinking "Spiced"-something-Lattes. The days are getting shorter and everyone seems to be staying inside more. But, it doesn't have to be all dreary.
Make the most of your weekends.

A little prep goes a long way on a dark and cold night, or after a long day of studying / classes or mid-terms.  Plan your meals. Cook ahead for the week. And thank me later for taking my advice. Have something you can pop into the oven or microwave when you get home--nothing worse than having to walk to the store when it's rainy, damp or cold.

Rice bakes are ideal for this, and this recipe rocks the house--one of our favorites. If you already have leftover rice from another meal--ultra-simple! But, even if you do need to make the rice, so what...that'll take 20 minutes plus some cooling. And then you will throw, yes THROW, the recipe into one big bowl which will take another 20-30 minutes max.  

Spicy.
Cheesy.
Comfort.
At Its Best.

Sear some chicken while this bakes. Add a salad.

Sit down and relax!
I suspect you will be able to charge a dinner fee for this one when your roommates come home!

(Adapted from Tyler Florence's Family Meal cookbook. Original recipe Christina Flach)

Chile Relleno Rice

Equipment:

Large Mixing Bowl

Oven

9" x 13" Pyrex Oven-proof dish

Ingredients:

5 cups cooked white rice

1 1/2 cups reduced-fat sour cream

1 can condensed Cream of Chicken soup

2 (7oz) cans diced mild (or spicy) green chiles

2 cups cubed Monterey Pepper Jack cheese

Salt & Pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Wash your hands. 

2. Preheat oven to 375F degrees.

3. Make the RICE if you haven't got leftovers.

4. Combine cooled rice, sour cream, soup, green chiles and cheese in a large mixing bowl.

5. Add salt and pepper to taste.

6. Lightly grease pyrex dish or spray with PAM.

7. Add rice mixture.

8. Bake @ 375F degrees x 20-30 minutes until golden brown.

Spuds On Fire

I'm just not willing to let this meager summer go...not yet anyway! So, I made classic burgers the other night. You know when you get one of those cravings? And along with it I wanted fries--something good, crisp, different, but without the frying and vat of oil!

Thank goodness I saved this recipe from Food52. The timing was perfect! Check it out. Get rid of the frozen, soggy, mushy carb sticks--get real! Literally! Nothing could be easier for off-campus cooking--prepped in minutes, cheap, cheap, cheap, delicious thru and thru.

Slapfries With Sirachanaise

Equipment:

Cookie sheet with rim

Large mixing bowl

Ingredients:

3-4 baking potatoes, cut into long fries

4 Tbls olive oil

Spices:

1/4 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp tumeric powder

1/4 tsp mustard powder

1/4 tsp cayenne

Dipping Sauce:

2 Tbls mayonnaise 

1 tsp Siracha (or I used Hot Garlic Chili Paste)

Instructions:

1. Wash your hands & the potatoes.

2. Preheat oven to 400F degrees.

3. Slice potatoes into 1/4" horizontal sheets, then 1/4" vertically for that classic long, thin, fry look.

4. Add fries to mixing bowl with spices and oil.

5. Toss to coat and spread single layer onto lightly greased cookie sheet. 

6. Bake 35 minutes, turning every 10 min to avoid sticking to pan.

7. Crisp to your preference.

8. Combine mayo and hot sauce in a bowl.

9. Enjoy an awesome new way to eat fries! 

PS. I have no idea why they're called slapfries other than the flavor hits you in the face! In a good way!