Seafood Carbonara Risotto

Nice. Having never made Carbonara this was interesting. In retrospect, I would only have used half the amount of carb sauce and twice the amount of blue cheese. I have written here my amounts for the carbonara sauce, cut it in half if you try this. If you're a carbonara fan, give it a go.

2 cups risotto rice
1 litre chicken stock
1 onion in fine dice
300 gms green prawns, shelled and deveined
10 fresh sea scallops
1/2 cup bubbling wine
1 tbs butter
3 eggs
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup Parmesan
1/2 tbs blue cheese
1 tbs cream
Salt and pepper
Juice of 1 lemon
Sliced chilli
1 tbs butter
1/2 tbs porcini oil
2 slices of pancetta cut in batons
1 clove garlic minced
1 whole clove garlic
Parsley stalks
2 tbs minced parsley
1 wedge of lemon

Simmer the chicken stock with the prawn shells and head, lemon wedge and whole garlic clove for 10 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve and discard the solids. Place to stock back on the heat and return to a simmer.
Combine well the Parmesan, blue cheese, eggs, egg yolks, half of the parsley and cream along with some salt and pepper, cover until required.
Sauté the onion with the butter and garlic until soft and translucent in a large, heavy based frying pan. Throw in the rice and toast for a couple of minutes. Deglaze the pan with the bubbles then once almost absorbed spoon in some stock, stir occasionally until reduced. Repeat until you are down to your last 2 ladles. Pour in the last 2 ladles of stock along with the lemon juice, and half of the parsley, stir, remove from the heat and cover for 5 minutes to cool and finish cooking.
Heat the porcini oil, fry the pancetta until crispy, remove and cook the prawns until just tender. Add a little more butter to the pan and when foaming, cook the scallops allow for nice colour on each side. Remove and keep warm.
Stir the carbonara sauce through the risotto, along with half of the pancetta, test for seasoning then spoon into warmed bowls. Top with seafood and pancetta and a sprinkling of chilli. Some more lemon probably wouldn't hurt either.

Asparagus and Prawn Risotto

Two things before I begin. Firstly and again - listen to your mates they know stuff. Secondly - hello stinky wee. A friend of mine told me about his favourite risotto which is an asparagus version - 500 gms blended into the stock, 500 gms added into the risotto at the end. Really good advice, I can see this working with a whole bunch of things eg, bulk garlic, corn, mushroom, lemon, seafood and cream like a bisque and so on. Cheers mate - (sorry I bastardised your simple idea).

1 kg asparagus
300 gms green prawns shelled (shells reserved)
2 shallots finely diced
2 cups aborrio rice
1 tbs butter
2 cloves garlic minced
1 clove garlic bashed
1 L chicken stock
1 cup Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper
1 chilli sliced
1 lemon

Simmer the prawn shells in the stock for 5 minutes. While this is happening remove the woody ends from the asparagus and reserve, slice up half of the spears and the other half into big chunks. Strain the prawn stock and discard the shells, return the stock to the heat and place in the chunky asparagus and 1 half of the lemon whole. When the asparagus is becoming tender, remove the lemon then blitz it all with a hand blender. Be careful, it could get messy. You should end should end up with a thin asparagus soup. Place in the woody asparagus ends and the bashed garlic and return to a simmer. Go about making the risotto in the normal manner from this point, omitting the woody ends and bashed garlic. Slice the prawns reserving a few to cook in butter and garlic. When you are adding the last two ladles, thrown in the sliced asparagus, sliced prawns, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper and the juice of the remaining lemon half - cover and rest for 5 or ten minutes. Add to bowls, top with more Parmesan, a whole prawn, sliced chilli and more lemon if required.

Chicken and Brattwurst Risoni with Corn, Fennel and Mushroom

I love slow cooked stuff - its cheap and the kids smash it to bits.

500gms chicken thigh fillets
3 Bratwurst sausages (or pork)
1/2 bulb fennel in small dice
1/2 bunch spring onion in small dice
1/2 a capsicum in small dice
300 gms mushrooms in small dice
1 handful fresh oregano chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1/3 bunch parsley minced
1 cup sparkling white wine
2 cobs corn, kernels sliced off
2/3 cup risoni
Salt and pepper
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
Parmesan and chilli flakes to serve

Chop the chicken into chunks. Mix the chicken with salt and pepper, oregano and garlic and extra virgin olive oil. Heat a large non stick pan to medium high. Half cook the sausages, remove to a clean plate. Sear the chicken chunks in batches until they have nice colour then remove the a clean plate. Slice the sausage. Pour any remaining oil from the chicken marinade to the pan and saute the mushroom and fennel. When they have nice colour add in the chicken, capsicum, sausage, spring onion, risoni and wine. Toss about. If you have kept the corn cob and stems from the fennel, add them to the top. Bring to the boil, reduce to the lowest setting, add a lid and braise for an hour.
Remove the lid, remove the corn cob and fennel stalks, add in the corn kernels, Parmesan and mix through and mix. Add the lid and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Check for seasoning and add more salt and pepper or even a squeeze of lemon if it needs it. Spoon into bowls and top with grated Parmesan and chilli flakes.

Cacciatore Risotto Stuffed Sweet Chillis

I bought some long sweet chillis from some farmers markets and some great cacciatore and well, it just made sense. Capsicums work just as well. Easy and full flavoured.

1 cup risotto rice
1/2 an onion finely diced
1 clove garlic thinly sliced
1 clove garlic minced
1/2 stick celery finely diced
1/3 cacciatore sausage finely diced
Splash of wine
2 cups chicken stock
2 or 3 long chillis
1/2 bottle passata
Lemon juice and rind
3 tbs grated parmessan
Some basil
1 tbs butter
Salt and pepper
1 tbs extra virgin olive oil

Heat the stock in a saucepan to simmering, flavour it some sliced garlic and celery stick ends. Melt the butter over medium high in a medium sized saucepan. Sauté the onion, celery, minced garlic and minced cacciatore. When translucent and fragrant add in the risotto grains and toast, tossing for a minute or two. Splash in the wine and when almost absorbed add in a couple of ladles of stock, stirring occasionally until almost absorbed, then repeat until you are down to the last couple of ladles worth. Should take about 18 minutes. Turn off the heat, ladle in the last of the stock and add in the parmessan, as much lemon rind as you think (maybe 1 tbs), a good squeeze of juice and stir. Check for seasoning and and add more of whatever is missing (salt and pepper or lemon juice). Add the lid, remove from the heat and allow to cool. Heat an oven to 180C.
Remove the top of each chilli or capsicum and carefully remove the seeds with a sharp paring knife. Fill the chillis with as much risotto as you can and secure the lid with tooth picks.
Pour the extra virgin into a small roasting dish, pour in the passatta, sliced garlic and some sliced basil. Stir to combine. Add in the stuffed chillis and rub with a little oil. Roast in the oven for about 15 minutes or until the chillis are softening and a little coloured. Remove, slice on an angle, place on plates and top with a little sauce and maybe a squeeze of lemon.

Prawn, Prosciutto and Chilli Risotto

Shelled some prawns, made risotto. Easy as. Used the left overs to make Seafood Risotto Cakes. Annoyingly, I deleted the photos for this recipe and will have to take new ones at a later stage. Fortunately, I plan on making this again very soon...

500 gms green prawns
1 stick celery

1 litre chicken stock

1 clove garlic bashed
1/2 bunch parsley (reserve stems)
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tbs butter
1 tbs olive oil
1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 cups aborio rice
1 shallot finely diced
1 cup wine (I used bubbly)
3 tbs finely grated Parmesan
Salt and cracked pepper
Rind and juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 chilli sliced finely
3 slices grilled prosciutto

Shell and devein the prawns and reserve the shells. Keep 1 prawn per person whole then slice the rest of the prawns into thumb nail sized pieces. Finely dice one half of the celery and cut the other half into chunks. Remove the tops from the parsley and finely mince and reserve the stalks. Add the prawn shells, bashed garlic and celery chunks to the stock and bring to a simmer for 10 minutes. Strain the stock (discard the prawn shell) and return to the saucepan along with the parsley stalks.
Heat the butter in a large heavy based frying pan to medium high until foaming then add in the olive oil, saute the onions and 3/4 of the minced garlic. Toast the rice for a minute or two, stirring. Deglaze the pan with the wine. From this point add 1or 2 ladles of stock at a time when each previous one is almost absorbed, stirring occasionally. When the stock is almost all gone, try a few rice grains, if they are still quite uncooked add more stock to your saucepan and continue until cooked. This should take about 18 - 20 minutes. When adding the final ladle add the Parmesan, half of the parsley, prawn pieces, lemon rind and juice, salt and cracked pepper, check for seasoning, adjust accordingly then add the lid.
Heat extra virgin over medium high and when hot add the garlic, half of the chilli, some parsley and the reserved prawns, toss and cook - 1 or 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Spoon the risotto into bowls, top with chopped prosciutto, more finely grated Parmesan, parsley, chilli slices and 1 prawn per bowl. If necessary add a squeeze of lemon.

Fresh Corn, Basil, Blue Cheese and Chicken Risotto

This was the simplest risotto I have made by far and it was light and delicious. The flavours I combined for this took 4 minutes to mix, the risotto itself takes about 18 minutes to cook. Watch this dude, he knows his business or read through some of my previous recipes  (Mushroom and Silverbeet Risotto, Asparagus Pea and Mint Risotto, Cacciatore Basil'd Chicken and Blue Cheese Risotto etc) for further ideas.

1 cob corn stripped, cob reserved
2 tbs blue cheese (more if required)

2 handfuls basil leaves

Zest of half a lemon and its juice

1 tbs extra virgin olive oil

Chopped store bought barbecued chicken
2 cups risotto rice
4 cups chicken stock (more may be necessary)
2 shallots finely diced
1 clove garlic whole
2 cloves of garlic minced
1 tbs butter
1 tbs olive oil
1 cup sparkling white wine (or white wine)
Salt and pepper
Sliced chilli

Blend the corn, blue cheese, whole garlic clove, basil and extra virgin in a hand held blender.
Heat the stock in a medium sized saucepan with the reserved corn cob. Using a large, heavy based frying pan with high sides, saute the onion and 2 cloves of minced garlic over a medium heat. When translucent add the risotto rice and toss to coat, toasting for about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the bubbly and allow to almost completely absorb. From this point add 1or 2 ladles of stock at a time when each previous one is almost absorbed, stirring occasionally. When the stock is almost all gone, try a few rice grains, if they are still quite uncooked add more stock to your saucepan and continue until cooked. This should take about 18 - 20 minutes. When adding the final ladle add the corn mixture, salt and cracked pepper, lemon zest and juice, the chopped chicken, stir to combine, add the lid and turn off the heat. Allow to sit for 4 for 5 minutes, check for seasoning, spoon into bowls, top with sliced chilli and serve.

Seafood Risotto Cakes

Tasty as and it were left overs. I'm not going to go through the process for making risotto here, the process is the same as making any risotto but feel free to check out some of my previous risotto recipes (Mushroom and Silverbeet Risotto, Asparagus Pea and Mint Risotto, Cacciatore Basil'd Chicken and Blue Cheese Risotto etc). The only difference I made to the basic was that I flavoured the stock with bashed garlic, parsley stems, prawn heads and shells then removed them with a slotted spoon. When the risotto was almost done (about 5 minutes from the very end I added in diced fish, thinly sliced squid, scallops and green prawns and some lemon juice. Very nice. My favourite part about the risotto cakes were the whole prawns trapped inside the cake - unreal. We ate this by itself with a squeeze of lemon but it would be very nice with aioli and a simple salad.

Left over seafood risotto

2 eggs

3 cups Panko bread crumbs (or other)

2 cups seasoned flour

Oil for frying

Salt flakes
Lemon wedges

Beat one egg with a fork and fold through the risotto. Form the risotto into cakes with your hands or by using a chefs mould. Heat the oil 1 or 2 cm deep in a heavy based frying pan to medium high. Beat the remaining egg in a bowl. Carefully flour the cakes, coat in egg and cover with crumbs. Fry on each side until golden taking care not to break. Alternatively deep fry them until golden. Remove to absorbent paper, season with salt, squeeze over some lemon and serve straight away.

Herbed Bacon and Mushroom Risotto

The least complicated version of a risotto I have created and right up there as one of the tastiest. If you haven't cooked risotto before, try something as simple as this - herbs and bacon and mushrooms and cream and Parmesan.

3 slices bacon diced
5 button mushrooms in chunks

1/2 handful sage minced

1/2 handful thyme minced

1/2 handful rosemary minced

2 shallots in fine dice

2 cloves minced
1/2 a celery stalk
1 clove of garlic bashed
A few slices of dried porcini mushroom
2 tbs cream
3 tbs grated Parmessan
Salt and pepper
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 tbs butter
2 cups risotto rice
1 L chicken stock
1 cup white wine

Heat the chicken stock, celery stalk, bashed garlic clove and some of the porcini mushrooms in a medium sized saucepan until it simmers. Over a medium heat saute the onion and minced garlic with a little bit of the minced herbs in 1 tbs butter and 1 tbs extra virgin. Add in the risotto rice and toss and toast for 2 or 3 minutes. Add in the wine and allow to mostly absorb. Add 2 ladles of the flavoured stock mixture at a time and allow to mostly absorb before adding the next, stir after each ocassionally. Continue until the risotto is mostly cooked (about 18 to 20 minutes).
In the meantime, heat the remaining butter and extra virgin over medium and saute the chunked mushrooms, some porcini mushroom slices, garlic, minced herbs and bacon for as long as it takes to make the risotto.
Stir the mushroom mixture into the risotto with the cream, Parmessan and some salt and pepper with the last ladle full of chicken stock. Add a lid to the risotto pan and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
Eat.

Cacciatore, Basil'd Chicken and Blue Cheese Risotto

Not very many ingredients (for me), little prep, lots of flavour. Both the cacciatore and blue I used in this recipe I bought from a local deli on a whim and I was really impressed with both. Cooking the chicken and toasting the grains in the rendered cacciatore oil was the key to this recipe and, the blue made it really luscious. The cacciatore was Tomewin Farm Mild Cacciatore and the blue Tarago River Shadows of Blue. The blue was not too pungent (enough for my wife to actually like it) and was really creamy. The cacciatore was similarly not overpowering, unlike a lot of small goods I find to be. If you can get your hands on them, you won't be disappointed.

As always with my recipes, if you don't have something, substitute or leave it out but, whatever you can include however will add to the risotto's depth.

1/2 a cacciatore in thin-ish slices

4 chicken thigh fillets

1 tbs chopped rosemary

Salt and pepper
1 tbs oven roasted cherry tomato oil
2 handfuls basil leaves
2 shallots in fine dice (or 1 small onion)
2 cloves garlic minced
1 clove garlic bashed a bit
2 cups risotto rice
1 cup white wine

A mushroom version

1 litre chicken stock

1 pinch saffron threads

Olive oil

2 tbs chopped parsley (stalks reserved)

2 or 3 tbs blue cheese (will depend on its severity)

Lemon

Combine the chicken thigh fillets, salt and pepper, rosemary and oven roasted cherry tomato oil. Line the bottom of a plate with the basil leaves. Add the chicken stock to a small saucepan, add in the parsley stalks and bashed garlic and heat until simmering.

Heat a little olive oil to a medium heat in a large heavy based saucepan with high sides. Add in the cacciatore slices, frying both sides until they have some colour, remove to the plate with the basil, cover and place in a warm place. Add the chicken thighs to the same pan and cook in the same oil until it has colour and is cooked through. Remove to the basil/cacciatore plate, covering as many basil pieces as possible, cover and keep warm.

Saute the onions and minced garlic in the cacciatore oil until translucent then, add and toast the risotto grains for a couple of minutes. Deglaze with the white wine, scrapping up any bits. From this point add 1 or 2 ladles of stock at a time when each previous one is almost absorbed. When the stock is almost all gone, try a few rice grains, if they are still quite uncooked add more stock to your saucepan and continue until cooked. This should take about 18 - 20 minutes. Toward the end of the cooking process, chop half of the chicken and dice all of the cooked cacciatore. Discard the basil but reserve the resting juice.

When adding the final ladle, add the blue cheese, juice from the cooked chicken, the chopped chicken, the cacciatore, parsley, check for seasoning and add the lid and turn off the heat. Allow to sit for 4 for 5 minutes.

Spoon the risotto into warmed bowls, top with sliced chicken pieces and a squeeze of lemon.

mushroom version again

Honey Roasted Pumpkin and Lemon Chicken Pearl Barley Risotto

Noice, and less effort than normal risotto. The pumpkin ended up mushing itself all through the whole shebang.

1/4 pumpkin skinned in 1cm dice
1/2 tbs honey
1 chicken breast
Zest of 1/2 a lemon
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
Some Rosemary stripped
1/2 head of broccoli in small florets
1 stick of celery in small dice (reserve the woody end)
1 1/2 cups pearl barley
1/2 an onion in small dice
2 cloves garlic minced
1 cup white wine (optional)
1 litre of stock
1 knob of butter
Pecorino or Parmesan
1/2 handful of parsley chopped
2 slices bacon
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Lemon for serving

Add the diced pumpkin to a large mixing bowl, add some olive oil and the honey and toss to combine. Place  in a single layer on a lined baking tray and roast in a pre-heated 200C oven for about 30 mins or until they have taken on some colour. Remove when ready.
With a large sharp knife, slice the chicken breast horizontally into three slices of even thickness . Combine the chicken breast with the lemon zest, lemon juice, some olive oil, pepper and rosemary and set aside for ten minutes while you prepare the rest.
Heat the stock in a small saucepan and add in the woody celery bit.
Fry the bacon over medium high in a large heavy based saucepan until mostly crispy then remove to a warm place (I use the grill with the door closed and not on). Cook the chicken in the same pan until just cooked then remove to a warm place. Reduce the heat and saute the onion, celery and garlic until translucent. Add the pearl barley to the pan tossing to coat and removing any sediment from the bottom. Add the wine if using and allow to absorb. Add in about half of the stock and simmer, adding more as it is almost absorbed. Stir occasionally.
While this happening, dice 2 of the slices of chicken and slice the other piece into strips. Chop all of the bacon.
From the time you add the stock it should take about 25 mins to cook, test grains of the barley occasionally after about twenty minutes. A couple of minutes before you think it is ready, add the broccoli florets. When you think it is almost ready add in the last laddleful of stock, as much Parmesan as you like, the butter, parsley, diced chicken, bacon and pumpkin and stir to combine. Add the lid, turn off the heat and allow to sit for a couple of minutes.
Serve in warmed bowls topped with sliced chicken and a squeeze of lemon.

Risotto with Greek Lamb Sausage and Oven Roasted Mushroom

Any sausage would be fine, this was just what was available at the butchers.

500gms Greek lamb sausages
2 large field mushrooms
2 cups risotto rice
4 cups chicken stock (more may be necessary)
1/2 an onion finely diced
3 cloves of garlic minced
1 tbs butter
Extra virgin olive oil
1 cup white wine
Salt and pepper
1/2 a handful of parsley finely chopped
2 tbs grated Parmesan cheese

Heat the stock in a medium sized saucepan. Line a baking tray with baking paper, place the mushrooms on top, sprinkle them with white wine, garlic, salt and pepper and extra virgin olive oil and place into a pre-heated 180C oven for about 20 minutes or until collapsed. Fry the sausages in a large, heavy based frying pan with high sides cover with foil and keep warm. Tip out all except about 1 tbs of sausage fat then saute the onion and 2 cloves of minced garlic over a medium high heat. When translucent add the risotto rice and toss to coat, toasting for about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the wine and allow to almost completely absorb. Reduce the heat to medium. From this point add 1 ladle of stock at a time when each previous one is almost absorbed. When the stock is almost all gone, try a few rice grains, if they are still uncooked add more stock to your saucepan and continue until cooked. This should take about 18 - 20 minutes. Chop up half of the sausages and mushroom. When adding the final ladle, add the chopped sausage and mushroom, chopped parsley, the Parmesan, check for seasoning, toss and add the lid and turn off the heat. Allow to sit for 4 or 5 minutes.
Spoon the risotto into warmed bowls, top with slices of the remaining sausage and mushroom and some extra virgin olive oil.

Asparagus, Pea and Mint Risotto

Light and tasty, very simple. This sounds complicated but it is not. Also, as we were trying this asparagus concoction prior to mixing, we decided that it would be great on biscuits or bruschetta.

Risotto
2 cups risotto rice
4 cups chicken stock (more may be necessary)
1/2 an onion finely diced
2 cloves of garlic minced
1 tbs butter
1 tbs olive oil
1 cup white wine

Asparagus Mixture
2 bunches asparagus, woody ends removed
3 or 4 slices of Parmesan from a block
1/2 a handful each of mint and parsley
Juice of half a lemon
1 cup frozen peas
2 whole garlic cloves
Salt

4 Barbecued Balsamic Thyme Chicken thighs (click the link)
Chilli flakes

For the asparagus mixture allow the peas to defrost then combine the ingredients in a blender using only half the lemon. Check for seasoning, add more lemon if necessary. Set aside.
Barbecue the chicken, remove to a clean plate, cover and rest. When required, chop 2 of the thighs up relatively finely, slice the other 2 thinly.
Heat the stock in a medium sized saucepan, place in the woody asparagus ends and parsley stalks. Using a large, heavy based frying pan with high sides, saute the onion and 2 cloves of minced garlic over a medium high heat. When translucent add the risotto rice and toss to coat, toasting for about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the wine and allow to almost completely absorb. Reduce the heat to medium. From this point add 1 ladle of stock at a time when each previous one is almost absorbed. When the stock is almost all gone, try a few rice grains, if they are still quite uncooked add more stock to your saucepan and continue until cooked. This should take about 18 - 20 minutes. When adding the final ladle, add the asparagus mixture, juice from the cooked chicken, the chopped chicken and add the lid and turn off the heat. Allow to sit for 4 for 5 minutes.
Spoon the risotto into warmed bowls, top with sliced chicken pieces and chilli flakes.

Mushroom and Silverbeet Risotto

This did require some preparation but it was very tasty. If you don't have silverbeet use spinach. When I made this I used the leftover stock from the Garlic Thyme Pot Roasted Chicken recipe which was about 400ml and topped it up with store bought stock. I also used the fat from the top of the stock instead of the olive oil and butter to toast the rice.

2 cups risotto rice
4 cups chicken stock (more may be necessary)
8 silverbeet leaves deveined and roughly chopped
2 tbs yoghurt (natural or Greek)
1/2 an onion finely diced
2 cloves of garlic minced
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 sprig rosemary stripped
2 tbs pesto
5 chicken thigh fillets
1 lemon
2 tbs butter
2 tbs olive oil
300 gms diced mushroom
1 1/2 cups white wine

Combine chicken and pesto and allow to marinade in the fridge for a while.
Steam or boil the silverbeet until just cooked, drain, squeeze out any moisture, allow to cool then blend with the yoghurt in a food processor then set aside in the fridge.
Heat 1 tbs butter in a large heavy based frying pan, when it foams add 1 tbs olive oil. Add the stripped rosemary and half of the garlic, cooking until fragrant then add mushrooms, toss to coat and saute until mostly cooked. Add 1/2 cup white wine and reduce, remove and set aside.
Cook the chicken in a frying pan in a little oil over a medium heat (so the pesto doesn't burn) until just cooked and set aside.
Heat the stock in a medium sized frying pan. Using a large, heavy based frying pan with high sides, saute the onion and remaining garlic over a medium high heat. When translucent add risotto rice and toss to coat, toasting for about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the wine and allow to almost completely absorb. Reduce the heat to medium. From this point add 1 ladle of stock at a time when each previous one is almost absorbed. When the stock is almost all gone, try a few rice grains, if they are still quite uncooked add more stock to your saucepan and continue until cooked. This should take about 18 - 20 minutes.
When the stock has been absorbed and the rice is just cooked, remove from the heat, stir in the silverbeet,  any juice from the chicken, mushrooms and Parmesan cheese. Check for seasoning then spoon into serving bowls.
Top with sliced chicken and a squeeze of lemon.