Risotto with Caramelized Beets

To me,  a simple risotto is the perfect, most savory and creamy conveyor for everything that's fresh and in season. Fresh peas, asparagus, mushrooms and, this month, beets. This risotto starts with a bit of shallots and ends with a handful of parmesan and fresh basil; enough but not too much, so that you really get to enjoy the flavor of the caramelized beets.

Risotto with Caramelized Beets
Serves 2 to 3

2 shallots, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine
4 to 5 cups low sodium chicken broth, warm
1/2 cup grated parmesan
10 fresh basil leaves, julienned
2 cups caramelized beets (click here for recipe)*

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the shallots, and cook until slightly browned. Add the rice, and  toast for two minutes, stirring well.
2. Pour the wine to the rice, and stir until almost all of  the liquid has evaporated. Add one cup of chicken broth, stirring until the rice has absorbed the liquid. Add the remaining stock, half cup at a time, stirring until all the liquid has evaporated after each addition. Stir in the parmesan and the basil. Serve the risotto topped with caramelized beets and extra fresh basil.

*The recipe for caramelized beets contains sugar. It is suggested to reduce the amount of sugar by half if using the beets in this risotto recipe.

Chicken and Shrimp Paella

After an intense month of joy and heartache, Spain has own the 2010 world cup. On that eventful Sunday, my husband and I planned our day around the event. Spain was our second choice after the US didn't make it into the final group of sixteen. Isn't that the magic of the game? That after the crushing loss from the US departure, all of our hopes were revived with Spain in the final. That two people with no real ties to that country (except my diluted Spanish heritage, and our love of spanish food, music, and culture) would find so much happiness in a single goal, to me, is part of the magic of the game. And not just us; among our freinds everyone was interested in the final match. One person even threatened to "unfriend" me on Facebook because of my exuberant status update after the win. Needless to say, she's a Netherlands fan, and of course was only joking... I think.

In honor of the event, I made this seafood and chicken paella. This is my basic go-to recipe for paella but this was the first time that I've made it in my new paella pan from Kitchen Window in Uptown Minneapolis. And what a difference it makes, especially in terms of a reduction in cooking time. And that chewy layer of rice at the bottom of the pan; worth every cent!

Chicken and Shrimp Paella

Serves 3 to 4

2 oz prosciutto

2 to 4 tbsp olive oil

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed*

1/2 cup diced onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup diced bell pepper

1/2 tsp saffron threads, crushed

1 1/2 cup long grain white rice

2 1/2 to 3 1/2 cups chicken stock

1/2 cup marinated artichoke hearts

1/2 cup green peas

1 cup diced fresh tomatoes

8 to 10 raw shrimp, with tails on

1. In a large pot or paella pan over medium heat, add a couple tablespoons of olive oil. Cook the prosciutto until crispy. Remove and add the chicken. Cook for about 15 minutes until evenly browned. Remove and add the remaining two tablespoons of oil. Saute the onion, garlic, and peppers for another 8 to 10 minutes until they have browned on the edges.

2. Add the rice and saffron threads. Stir thoroughly until the rice becomes glossy and is coated nicely by the onion mixture. Pour 2 1/2 cups chicken broth over the rice and stir. It takes about another 20 minutes for the rice to cook. Stir occasionally and add more chicken broth or hot water (up to 1 cup more) if needed.

3. Once the rice has cooked, add the raw shrimp. Stir and allow shrimp to cook for another 3 or four minutes until pink throughout. Evenly layer the cooked chicken, tomatoes, peas, and crunchy prosciutto on the top before serving.

*I always like to season chicken for recipes like this, i.e. recipes where the chicken is just part of the main dish. It's a technique I've learnt from growing up in Trinidad. So here, I seasoned the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, one crushed garlic clove and the leaves of one sprig of thyme and a teaspoon of paprika.

Also, you would notice that I did not add salt to the recipe above and that is because the chicken broth already has a lot of sodium. Of course, if you find you need more salt, go right ahead and add to taste.

Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, pat-a-rice-cake

If you ever wanted an alternative way of serving rice, rice cakes are it. Either as a side dish or as part of an entree, these are a great way of adding more fiber to your diet. With two cups of broccoli and substituting brown rice for white rice, these small patties pack a heavy fiber punch.


Brown Rice and Broccoli Cakes
Makes 6 to 8

1 shallot, sliced thinly
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 cup broccoli florets
2 cups cooked brown rice
1/2 cup grated parmigiano reggiano
1/3 cup bread crumbs
3 tbs dijon mustard
3 tbs olive oil
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 whole carrot, grated
salt and pepper

1. In a heavy skillet over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, shallots, and garlic. Saute for two minutes. Add broccoli, season lightly with salt and pepper and continue to cook for 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Once broccoli has cooked, and cooled, add to food processor and mince finely.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine minced broccoli, rice, and the remaining ingredients. Combine throughly.
4. Using a 3.5 inch circular cookie cutter, form 1 inch thick rice patties. Transfer to a well greased baking sheet
5. Place oven rack in the middle of oven and turn on broiler. Bake patties for ten minutes on each side. Remove baking sheet from oven, and allow patties to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before servings. This time is also necessary for the starches to set so that they don't fall apart.