Risotto and Pan-Seared Fish Recipes

January 1, 2008

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    Cooking can be very empowering, especially when you can make mouth-watering dishes that sound like they belong on the menu of a fancy restaurant in the comfort of your own kitchen. Impress yourself and your family with these simple and delicious recipes for classic Italian risotto and golden, crispy pan-seared fish.

Simple Oven-Baked Risotto
Makes 4 servings
Active Prep-time: 15 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes

We’ve made classic risotto simple, with a variety of tasty ingredient options the whole family will enjoy. Have you been told that risotto can take a half hour of continual stirring on the stovetop? We’ll put this myth to bed, and make risotto a delicious staple in your household. No need to save this creamy, Italian rice delight for special occasions when you can easily bake it in the oven.


INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons butter
1 small onion (3/4 cup), chopped
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice*
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon (2 cubes or packets), dissolved
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/3 cup chopped parsley
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, plus more to serve

INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  2. In a medium ovenproof saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions, and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add rice and thyme, and stir to coat rice with butter.
  3. Add lemon juice; raise heat to medium-high and cook stirring until the rice absorbs the lemon juice. Add bouillon liquid, and bring to a simmer, about 2 minutes.
  4. Place pot in oven, uncovered, and cook until the bouillon is absorbed and rice is cooked, about 18 minutes. Remove pot from oven and return to stovetop. Stir in parsley and Parmesan.
  5. Add more warm water, as needed, to create an oatmeal-like consistency. Serve immediately.

* Tip: Arborio is rounded, medium-grained Italian rice that is traditionally used for risotto because it is firm and creamy when cooked. You should be able to find it in the regular rice section of your local grocery store or in the international foods aisle.


Ingredient Options
In addition to the basic risotto listed above, try these stir-in ideas for added flavor and variety:
  • Shrimp and Peas: Defrost, rinse and drain 1 pound of frozen cooked shrimp and 2/3 cup baby peas. Stir in after removing risotto from oven.
  • Porcini Mushrooms: Re-hydrate a handful of dried porcini mushrooms in the warm bouillon liquid for 20 minutes. Use this liquid in your risotto and add chopped re-hydrated porcinis to the risotto with the parsley and Parmesan.
  • Roasted Butternut Squash: Add oven-roasted squash cubes toward the end of cooking, and substitute 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh sage for the chopped parsley. For tips on roasting squash check out the Roasted Butternut Squash Soup recipe in Handy Kitchen Gifts for the Holidays.
  • Sun-dried Tomatoes and Basil: Add 2 tablespoons chopped sundried tomatoes, and 1/3 cup basil leaves to the risotto in place of the chopped parsley.

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