Flourless Chocolate Cake

First and foremost...I've been away since 2011?!?!?? Well...I'm back!!

I've ventured out on several new business fronts, one being a catering company that shares its name with this blog: Davenport's Divine Delicacies. You can see pictures and updates from me at https://www.facebook.com/DavenportsDivineDelicacies?fref=nf. A post that has garnered a lot of attention was this picture...

This is a birthday cake I made for a client for her 50th birthday party. It is a two-layer Flourless Chocolate Cake with Kahlua Buttercream Frosting. It is extremely rich and wonderfully decadent, and, more importantly for this client, gluten free!

This recipe has been a staple of mine since 2002. I am copying it from the New York Times Magazine from the January 20th edition since so many of you have been requesting the recipe. It comes to us from pastry chef Bert Padell. I've made tweaks to the original to suit my own personal tastes over the past decade, but here is the recipe in it's original state.

Happy Cooking!!

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE

• 1 pound unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing the pan
• Almond flour for dusting the pan (the original recipe calls for AP flour...I substitute Almond to make this cake completely gluten free)
• 12 oz bittersweet chocolate
• 4 oz bitter (or unsweetened) chocolate
• 1 bar (3.5 oz) milk chocolate with cappuccino filling (or caramel if you prefer)
• 8 large eggs
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons espresso powder dissolved in 1 cup boiling water (or 1 very strong cup of coffee)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 10-inch springform pan and line the bottom of it with parchment paper. Set the pan on a square of heavy-duty aluminum foil and bring the foil up around the sides of the pan. Set aside.

2. Combine the butter and chocolates in a saucepan and melt over medium heat, whisking until smooth. Transfer to a heatproof measuring cup.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs and sugar for 5 minutes at medium-high speed. With the mixture running, pour in the espresso and beat until blended, then the butter-chocolate mixture, beating until blended.

4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 55 minutes. (The cake will crack around the rim.) Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack for about 20 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or up to a month).

5. Twelve to 24 hours before serving, take the cake out of the refrigerator. Remove the sides of the pan, slide a metal spatula under the parchment paper and slide the cake onto a serving plate. Serve with whipped cream.

Yield: 12-14 servings.

As I said, I've made adjustments to the recipe over the last years and feel free to make your own changes! The coffee, which I know was a concern for one reader, can be completely omitted. You don't need the extra cup of liquid that it provides. Sometimes I've replaced the coffee with substitutes such as Grand Marnier, Countreau, Kahlua, or a nice bourbon all with great success. I also have found that the slightly tart flavor of creme fraiche helps to balance the dense sweetness of the chocolate cake. I'll post my recipe for Rosemary Creme Fraiche below. Another change I've made is using Abuelita Hot Chocolate tabs (which have a slightly cinnamon taste) in lieu of regular bittersweet chocolate. I've also been using Turbinado sugar in this recipe for the last couple of years due to its low glycemic levels, and it works just as beautifully as regular refined sugar. 

I hope you'll all be adventurous and share your cakes with me!! Happy Cooking!!

ROSEMARY CREME FRAICHE

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup sour cream
• 3 tablespoons fresh rosemary finely chopped

Beat the cream until it just comes together. You want it firm, but not completely whipped. Stir in sour cream and rosemary. Seal in an airtight container for at least 4 hours (it's best to let it rest for a week). 

Ta-dah! You made Creme Fraiche! It's also quite delicious dolloped on my Tomato Pear Bisque. If I'm feeling generous I might share that recipe sometime soon!

May your eats be delicious and your dinners divine!!
-Ashley XOXO

PASTITSIO!!!! (for Susan...)

Two summers ago, was it REALLY THAT LONG AGO?!??, our dear friend Anastasia came in from Greece for a short visit. While here, we were in the throws of CSU's SUMMER STAGES and one evening after a busy day of shopping at the West Side Market and a busy day of chopping and cooking, we hosted a GREEK FEAST here at the big house! The menu was a vast array of beautiful and fresh Greek delights that I had never cooked or really experienced at the hand of a true Greek chef. Roasted chicken with tomato and almonds, lentils, stuffed peppers...the menu went on and on... Included in that menu: PASTITSIO!!!

This is a Greek baked pasta, buried in a deliciously rich custard usually filled with ground meat and a blend of tomatoes, peppers and onions. Over the years I've experimented with various meats, finding ground lamb to be absolutely divine in the mix, and I have ALSO developed (though not tested extensively) a Vegetarian version. I'm posting this recipe today for Susan, a very, very dear friend and...vegetarian!!

I have read up on several other vegetarian recipes which use the addition of soy crumbles, eggpplant and some which use strictly a tomato base for filling. I would think that eggplant would make a nice addition to my version of the recipe, and given enough time (I think eggplant really has to ruminate in lots of flavors at least overnight to have ANY flavor) might work! I'm typing up my version below. As I said, I've not tested this recipe much so any insights would be much appreciated!!

VEGETARIAN PASTITSIO...for Susan.
Pastitsio is three simple components: the pasta, the filling, and the custard. Pastitsio (the actual pasta) can be found in specialty stores or ordered on-line. It's basically a really long penne. Penne could be used in place of the pastitsio itself, but if you can find the actual Greek pasta you should try to keep it authentic. In addition to the Greek pasta, I have to INSIST on a REALLY GOOD GREEK OLIVE OIL. This makes ALL THE DIFFERENCE in the baking and flavor. Keep your cheap EVOO around for everyday cooking, but invest in a really good olive oil for making special dishes like these.

THE PASTA!

• Pastitsio - boiled to al dente according to package directions...drain and rest
• Make sure your water is heavily salted to flavor your pasta and DO NOT ADD OIL TO YOUR WATER and DO NOT RINSE! Once the pasta is slightly cool, add 1-2 T Olive Oil and toss lightly. This will help when you're assembling the pastitsio.

THE FILLING!!

• 16 oz, mixed mushrooms or your preferred mushroom thinly sliced
• 4 cups mustard greens (or freshly washed and cleaned greens...you could also use a mix, but I think the spice of the mustards add the best kick)
• 1-2 cups vegetable stock (you might not need this depending on how juicy your tomatoes are!)
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• Juice and zest of one lemon (completely from Susan, by the way)
• 1 medium green bell pepper
• 3-4 medium tomatoes, whole and chopped (whatever's fresh...you could also use a 28oz can of whole tomatoes)
• 1 1/2 cups toasted walnuts, roughly chopped (roast at 275degrees for 10-12 minutes or until fragrant and golden...or buy them pre-roasted but be leary of the salt!)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 T freshly ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon paprika (smoked if you have it)
• 1/3 cup rough chopped oregano (or 2-3 T dried oregano)

Preheat 2-3 T olive oil in a deep pot. Add mushrooms/slices and brown in batches, removing from pot and drain on paper towel. Add onions to olive oil and cook down 3-4 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and cook until just beginning to brown. Deglaze with a squeeze of lemon juice and stir in your bell pepper and tomatoes. Salt and pepper to help your tomatoes start breaking down. (If using canned tomatoes, add entire contents of can). Toss in the mustard greens with your remaining lemon juice, and 1-2 cups of vegetable stock, if needed. Add nutmeg and paprika and half of the oregano. Bring to a boil to bring your flavors together, drop to a simmer and cook together, slightly covered, for 20-30 minutes. The mixture should have reduced and thickened up and should be smelling AMAZING! You also want your tomatoes to really break down and be crushed up into the mix. Return your mushrooms to the pot, stir in the roughly chopped walnuts, lemon zest and remaining oregano. Taste for seasoning and add salt as needed. Stir together and simmer until you get a nice thick filling. An additional 10-12 minutes. Your filling is ready!

THE CUSTARD!!!

• 1 stick of unsalted butter
• 2-3 T olive oil
• 1/3 cup AP flour
• 3 large eggs
• 2-3 cups of simmering WHOLE MILK (I argued this one but the Greek lady at the West Side Market who runs the Mediterranean Grocery and who is FROM the Greek island where Pastitsio was created, INSISTS that you can only use WHOLE MILK to make this custard...why argue with the lady who was raised where the recipe was created?!)
• salt and pepper to taste
• MORE NUTMEG!

This can be tricky and requires a lot of ELBOW GREASE. I make my custard in a deep, double stainless bowl with a whisk. The bowl can easily go right over your heat source and keeps everything together. Add olive oil and butter to the mixing bowl and heat over medium until melted and combined. Your butter will just start to froth but because we're melting it in olive oil, it will not brown or burn. Slowly whisk in the flour creating a thick and buttery roux. Toss and mix in a healthy pinch of salt and the nutmeg and drop your heat, stirring constantly until you smell the flour cook out (this might take some practice, but when you get it you'll know it). Add one cup of simmering milk and continue whisking until well mixed and thickened. (It's going to clump up on you at this point and turn almost dough like.) Add additional cup of milk, whisk in and remove from heat, stirring constantly. Add eggs, one at a time and whisk until smooth. (If you're afraid of this step, you can temper your eggs in a separate bowl with a few Tablespoons of the custard mix. I've found that as long as you're off the heat a couple of minutes and whisking constantly, curdling your eggs is not an issue.)

You're ready to assemble...

Grease a deep baking dish or casserole (10x13x2.75) with 2 healthy tablespoons of olive oil. Layer in 1/2 of your pastitsio pasta making it as neat or chaotic as you choose. You want to fill up the casserole by about 1/3. Spoon on your filling adding any liquids that have settled since cooking. Add another layer of pasta, completely covering the filling. Pour your custard over the top of the entire dish, allowing it to fill in all the gaps in the pasta and sealing the dish.

Give the pastitsio time to settle (15-20 minutes) before putting it in a 325degree oven. (If you're casserole is very full, as mine usually is, you might want to bake on a baking sheet, just in case of overflow.) Bake for 35-45 minutes until the custard on top has set and is a beautiful golden brown.

This one is a little complex...but WELL WORTH IT! I hope all of you can try it and add your own special touches...

May your eats be delicious and your dinners divine!!

Ashley

Chicken and Dumplings - a two part saga in deliciousness!

CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS!!

This comfort food has always been a standbye standard in my repertoire. Over the years I've experimented with many variations that have all been delicious, though some recipes can be quite precarious. Sometimes the fat content is too high, sometimes the soup can burn too easily, sometimes your dumplings just get TOO fluffy and fall apart (that's a real disappointment!). This most recent recipe has proven to hold up quite well, even to reheating, plus it's a simple go-to that combines a little bit of gourmet and a little bit of "store-bought goodness" with a lot of love. Plus it's a healthier alternative for those of us who need less of that goodness in our lives! I hope y'all can try it and let me know how successful it was for you!

CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS...

• 
  
  4 T unsalted butter


• 
  
  3 T all purpose flour


• 
  
  1 cup diced celery


• 
  
  1 cup diced carrots


• 
  
  2 cups diced small redskin potatoes (skins on is fine)


• 
  
  4-6 cups stock (your choice, veggie or chicken...use your store bought favorite)


• 
  
  have additional stock on hand...you'll need about 3 cups to cook your


• 
  
  dumplings in


• 
  
  3-6 pounds boneless skinless chicken of your choice


• 
  
  In my recipe, I used chicken tenders. They're easy to work with, cook


• 
  
  quickly and you can pretty much pull out 3-4 per person. Also, when


• 
  
  you're dishing this up, you don't have to try and cut your chicken into


• 
  
  smaller pieces, you can just create your serving with the whole


• 
  
  tender. You could also just use whole chicken breasts, allowing them


• 
  
  enough time to cook down so you can easily "break" them into pieces


• 
  
  in your soup. You could add some boneless dark meat as well for some


• 
  
  extra special flavor, or as a less expensive option to your white meat.


• 
  
  PS...I USED FROZEN CHICKEN TENDERS. STRAIGHT FROM THE


• 
  
  FREEZER AND RIGHT INTO THE SOUP. IT TAKES A LITTLE LONGER


• 
  
  FOR IT TO COME UP TO TEMPERATURE AND BEGIN TO BOIL, BUT


• 
  
  IT'S A QUICK AND EASY SHORT CUT!


• 
  
  1-3 cans of small buttermilk biscuits (you can buy larger biscuits and cut them into smaller pieces, too. I find that the small biscuits come in counts of ten and that usually serves two hungry people)

THE VELOUTE (a fancy word that means a soup made with stock and a blonde roux)

This is going to be the base of your chicken and dumplings. Plus, once you've learned to make this soup, you've conquered one of the three main base soups from which all the greats are derived.

Melt your butter in a large pot. (I used 5 quart and had plenty of room...make sure it has a lid!) Add the flour and whisk in to combine and creat your roux. Allow this to bubble up and start cooking together for a good 5-7 minutes. Throw in your celery and cook another 4-5 minutes before adding your carrots.

Season this concoction with salt and pepper and continue cooking about 10 minutes altogether, stirring constantly. Throw in your potatoes and stir them into the mix. You might need to season a little more for your potatoes...salt and pepper. Continue cooking a couple of minutes.

You're now going to start adding your stock....

Add about 1/4 cup stock (room temperature if you can so there's less clumping, meaning less work for you!) and stir or whisk in thoroughly to break everything down. Once you have a nice thick soup working, add about 4 more cups of stock and stir together thoroughly. You just want to cover the vegetables and give them a little room to move around. Throw in a couple of bay leaves and any herbs you might have on hand. Bring this up to a boil, and then lower your heat to a med-low for a good simmer. Cook covered until your potatoes are fork tender; about 15-20 minutes.

NOW! If you have an emulsifier you'll need it now. If you don't, you just need your standard blender. Here's what I did....

Strain the contents of your soup into a large bowl, separating your veggies and herbs from your soup base. Pick out the bay leaves and whole herbs. Blend the veggies in batches with your soup base until smooth and creamy, returning each batch to your original pot. You'll end up with a gorgeously smooth and delicious veloute (of sorts).

Add another cup or so of stock to loosen things up a bit and throw in your chicken. If it's frozen, like mine was, add it and some additional seasoning to the pot. If it was not frozen, you can season it ahead of time. Stir everything up and allow the heat to come back up to a boil. Drop your heat to that low simmer again. Cover the pot and let the chicken cook for about an hour. This part of the process is what is going to take the longest.... Add the end of that hour, stirring your pot occasionally, your chicken will be very tender and you'll be able to easily break it up with a wooden spoon. That's when you know you're ready to serve. You can let this hang out on the stove if you like. It just gets better with more time.

In a separate and smaller pot, with a lid or some covering that can act as a lid, bring your reserved chicken stock (2-3 cups depending on how big your pot is...you want it deep enough for your dumplings to swim in) up to a boil. Drop the biscuits in one by one into the boiling stock. Cover and drop your heat to low simmer (again) and allow the biscuits to cook for 10 minutes. Uncover and check on them, turning each one with a spoon, and continue to cook for about another 3-5 minutes.

Keep the dumplings separate until everyone's been served. You can throw all the extra dumplings and stock into your chicken soup when you're done. It re-heats like a dream over low heat. Enjoy this wonderful stand-by comfort food and enjoy without too much guilt because we did it a little healthier by omitting heavy cream or half-and-half!

I hope you all try this one out and let me know how it works for you!

May your eats be delicious and your dinners divine!!

Ashley

Baked Ziti.......yummmmmmmmmm

We're heading into Fall...that means cold. Cold means comfort! I've been craving mac and cheese for several days now, but have not made the commitment to actually move forward on this craving. Last night, I came close with baked ziti. I picked up a box of the tiny, tubular pasta at the store the other day and let the recipe start stewing. After a few days of thinking on it, here's where I went...... The outcome? A deliciously rich, creamy, cheesy pasta bake, perfect for a 45degree Fall Cleveland evening.



For starters, I had to make an italian sausage bolognese. This is a very simple sauce, the recipe for which I've posted on my Facebook cooking page. Let me know if anyone needs this recipe!



BAKED ZITI

• 3-4 cups Italian Sausage bolognese

Preheat oven to 425degrees.

You'll also want to pull together your bread topping and let it sit for a few minutes. The bread will soak up all the goodness and bake beautifully over your pasta....

• 1/4 cup of milk


• whisk together with


• 2 large eggs and a pinch of salt


• fold in


• 3 slices of fresh bread, diced


• 2 cups of grated cheeses (I used mozzarella and mild cheddar...try out some different flavors. You're going to use the same cheeses in a sauce for your pasta, below...)

1/2 pound ziti (1/2 a box...boiled in heavily salted water to al dente...about 6 minutes)

• once your pasta is drained, throw it in a big bowl and add a splash of milk

Add 1 1/2 cups of your bolognese to your pasta. Make the following cream sauce and add to the pasta as well....

• 3 T butter


• 2 T flour


• whisk these together to form a roux and then slowly add the next group of ingredients, whisking in one by one and bringing up to heat...


• 1/2 t cayenne


• 1-1 1/2 t nutmeg


• 1 1/2 cups milk


• 1 cup salted water, reserved from your pasta


• allow to cook until thickened and reduced, then whisk in....


• 1/2 cup creamy cheese (like a cream cheese or mascarpone...or even a goat cheese!)


• 2 cups of assorted other grated cheeses (I used mozzarella and mild cheddar...parmesan or romano would work great, too)

In a deep well oiled casserole, layer 1/2 cup or so of your bolognese to just cover the bottom, top with the pasta concoction you've made above, another layer of sauce over the pasta, and then top with the diced bread mixture. Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden and crusty on top. (I put my casserole on a cookie sheet in case of overflow...it did overflow a little!) Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes and serve hot! Sprinkle with some freshly chopped basil and more sauce and cheese if you're feeling especially in need of some extra comfort....

May your eats be delicious and your dinners divine!!

Ashley

An experiment in frozen broccoli

Note: I will not call this a casserole...there's a stigma attached to this word that really weirds me out. Don't get me wrong. Anything smothered in cheese and baked for 45 minutes has got some real potential at being delicious! I do have reservations, however, when "A CAN OF..." anonymous-soup is included in the ingredients.



This was also an entry into experimenting with frozen vegetables. Budgets being tight, I'm trying out some new ideas to make our grocery budget stretch. I do believe that given proper treatment, the frozen veggies have their place at any dinner table. Fresh is always great, but not always economical, especially with the fall and winter months upon us.



What I came up with last night, we'll call a BROCCOLI CHEESE BAKE. The flavors were outrageously good, balance was spot on, and it complimented the slow roasted pork I had been cooking all day beautifully well. I hope some of you will try this EVER-so-EASY recipe!!



BROCCOLI CHEESE BAKE

• 1 large bag frozen broccoli


• 1/2-1 cup crumbled cornbread (I had this leftover...you could use any old bread you want to make breadcrumbs out of, but the cornbread provided a sweet and delicious binding agent. I used the equivalent of 2 smallish pieces.)


• 3/4 cup sharp cheddar


• 1/4 cup parmesan (or other white cheese)


• 1 cup rice


• 1 T salt

Mix all of the above and pour into a prepared (sprayed with Pam) 2" casserole dish, with lid.

• Mix together 1 can evaporated milk and 1 cup stock (I used chicken) and pour over the contents of your "non"-casserole.

Bake in a preheated 350degree oven for 30-40 minutes covered. Uncover and continue to bake an additional 10-15 minutes, or until golden on top. (Your rice is probably going to need at least 45 minutes to completely cook.)

Let me know if you try this recipe or come up with any clever variations!!

May your eats be delicious and your dinners divine!!

-Ashley

Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder

Pictured here are two pork shoulders that I roasted and shredded for CSU Summer Stages opening party. I set up a Taqueria party complete with several fresh salsas, roasted corn on the cob, and various tortillas and cheeses. It's an easy set up that requires very little maintenance and therefore, allows you to fully enjoy the party at hand! We duplicated the buffet a couple of weeks later in Texas for my dear neices graduation and this pork is a HUGE hit!

This recipe takes time but has very minimal prep for a huge payoff. Leftovers can be used in a chili (see post from a few weeks ago) or rolled into delicious enchiladas, especially if you've set up the whole taqueria. I love rolling the shredded pork with some queso blanco and rosted poblano peppers into corn tortillas (my preferred tortilla for enchiladas) and then baking the enchiladas in a salsa verde for about 45 minutes (30 minutes covered, 10-15 uncovered).

SLOW ROASTED SHREDDED PORK

• 4-6 lb pork shoulder (skin on or off...the above has skin on, which when slow roasted, becomes crisp, delicious chiccarones)
• your favorite dry rub or seasoning (TexJoy BBQ seasoning is my favorite on this recipe)
• 4 bunches of cilantro
• 1 head of garlic
• juice of two medium limes
• olive oil (enough to bring together your wet rub; the previous three ingredients)

PREP: I recommend using a disposable pan for this. It gets messy and I don't like to scrub. I have used a lasagna pan (as pictured above) with 2-3 layers of heavy duty foil lining it to make clean up a little easier. Drizzle a couple of tablespoons of oil into your pan and swirl around to coat the bottom. You can use a non-stick spray if you prefer. Just make sure your pan is deep enough to allow for the drippings that your shoulder will exude...at least 2".

SHOULDER PREP: If your shoulder has the skin on, you will need to separate it from the meat. You're going to leave the skin partially attached as it will keep your meat moist while you're roasting the shoulder. It's very simple...don't be intimidated! Using a small paring knife, start away from the shoulder joint and start cutting under the skin, separating the layer of fat and skin from the meat below. The skin will fold back like a big "flap". Once you've completed this, stab the shoulder liberally working out all your frustrations from the week. Use your dry rub and cover the shoulder on all sides.

WET RUB: Add cilantro (just chop the tops off the bunches...don't worry about any stems you might get, they're just going to get chewed up in the food processor), garlic cloves and lime juice to a blender or food processor. Start your equipment of choice and slowly stream in 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil to pull everything together. You're essentially just making a pesto. When you've completed this step, apply your pesto over the dry rub on the pork. Fold your skin flap over, cover with foil, and refrigerate overnight to let all those flavors settle in and start working on the pork.

ROASTING!!

Pull the pan with your pork out of the fridge and turn your oven on to 375degrees to pre-heat. This allows your shoulder to come closer to room temperature and relax a bit before you shock it with the heat of the oven. You have two options at this point:

• If you have shoulder with skin on and you plan on consuming the chiccarones later, you will want to roast uncovered the entire time. This will ensure crisp chiccarones.
• If your shoulder does not have skin attached, or if you're concerned about it drying out too much and don't really want to eat the chiccarones, keep it covered with foil throughout the roasting.
• As a side note, if you do choose to leave it uncovered, you can always cover it later in the roasting process. Just keep in mind you will not get the crispy skin and you should try this at least once in your lifetime...seriously.

Put your shoulder in your pre-heated oven and roast at the high temperature for 35-45 minutes. You'll begin to smell the garlic just starting to over-cook. Reduce the heat in your over to 200degrees and let the pork cook for anywhere from 6-10 hours. The time required will depend on the size of your shoulder.

When is it "done"??? The pork is ready when a fork will easily shred the outer layer of the meat. Last weekend, for instance, I had roasted the pork about 7 hours. When I checked with the fork it took some effort to shred off the outer layer of meat. I was a little concerned about the moisture content in the pan, there weren't very many drippings, so I covered the pan with foil and returned the shoulder to the oven for another 3 hours or so. TRUST ME when I say, you'll know the difference when your fork easily shreds away the outer layer of the meat and is truly ready to enjoy.

This recipe is so easy. It only requires time. As I said before the payoff is SUBLIME!

Until my next post...

May your eats be delicious and your dinners divine!!

Ashley

Blended Mushroom Dirty Rice Risotto

I have been promising this side dish (also would be a great main dish) for about a week now...I thought it was about time I actually type it up!!



I came up with this two weeks ago Friday when we had dinner with our dear friend Holly Holsinger. She is on faculty at CSU with Michael and heads the Acting department. She is an amazing actor and professor, and she is also a pescatarian (mostly vegetarian but eats fish). It is because of our dear friends like Holly, that I changed my cooking philosophy a few years back. Growing up in the South and learning to cook with a Southern sensibility, I was always taught that no vegetable was complete with bacon...or ham hocks...or chicken stock. This meant that when we had guests who were vegetarian I had to either eliminate the meat in the side dishes or create completely new dishes. It stretched me as a cook and foodie and while I love bacon, and I truly do, I've found that fresh vegetables and herbs with proper seasoning and care just don't need it.



For Holly's dinner, we had this side dish, Mushroom Dirty Rice Risotto, with blackened catfish and the okra and tomatoes from a couple of blogs ago. This recipe takes some time, but is well worth the effort. Once you've gotten the knack of a basic risotto you can add any number of ingredients to compliment your meal.



MUSHROOM DIRTY RICE RISOTTO

• 2 T olive oil


• 1 cup rice (I use inexpensive Carilla parboiled long grain rice, but you can certainly us something more exotic like Arborio. Arborio is what is traditionally used in risottos and is a small pearl shaped rice.)


• 4 cups (or one large container) vegetable stock, brought to a simmer


• 1 small onion, diced


• 3-4 cloves garlic, diced


• 16 oz of various mushrooms, cleaned and sliced into even pieces (I buy a "Gourmet Blend" that's pre-packaged in the vegetable section of the market. You can use absolutely any kind of mushroom. The prepackaged also come sliced and chopped up so they're ready to go.)


• 1/3 cup finely chopped olives (Again, any olives you choose. I used manzanita pitted olives stuffed with pimiento, quick chopped with the brine in a small food processor.)


• 2 T butter, plus more for browning mushrooms


• 1/2 cup milk


• coarse salt, to taste


• cayenne pepper, to taste

*I use a heavy cast iron skillet to make the risotto. It distributes heat evenly and you can use just one pan for the entire recipe.

Heat olive oil with about 1/2 T butter in skillet. Brown mushrooms in batches and drain on paper towels. To get a really great carmelized color on the mushrooms, don't crowd the pan. Set mushrooms aside.

Bring another 1-2 T olive oil up to medium-low heat and melt 1 T of butter into the skillet. Use both for two reasons: the olive oil will keep your butter from burning and turning brown, and it adds less fat while still giving you the flavor of the butter. Add onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and cook until you start to get a slight color. Add rice and olives and mix well. Season with cayenne, to taste. BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT ADDING ANY SALT: if you're using a boxed vegetarian stock, they tend to be a little on the salty side; also, remember that you're adding the olives which should add more than enough salt to flavor the dish.

At this point, you'll start adding the simmering stock. By having it simmering alongside your skillet, you speed up your cooking process. The stock cooks into the rice more readily. Start adding the stock 1/2 cup - 1 cup at a time. More in the beginning will help get things going, but if you add too much at a time, the rice will overcook and start to become mush. Slowly but constantly, stir the rice and stock mixture. The rice will gradually begin to absorb the stock. When you're stock is completely absorbed, or almost, add the next 1/2-1 cup of stock and repeat until all your stock is stirred in. Add the last bit of stock with milk and the remaining 1T of butter. Put the mushrooms on top of the risotto, cover and drop the heat to low.

Just prior to serving, stir the mushrooms into the risotto. If serving as your main dish, top with a little grated parmesan and some chopped herbs. With a loaf of crusty bread this would make a deliciously satisfying late night supper. And as I said before, once you have the basics down, you can make absolutely ANY kind of risotto you like!

May your eats be delicious and your dining divine!

Ashley