Lemon Tarragon Risotto with Seared Scallops

Another Risotto. I know I make a lot of risotto but seriously it's so good and so easy to vary. This one is probably my favorite way to eat scallops. The lemon compliments them perfectly. (Serves 3-4)

What you need
One carton of organic free range chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups of arborio rice (short grain)
1/2 an onion or 2 shallots, minced
1/2 cup or so of dry, white wine
Juice of half a lemon (No Realemon please!)
A small bunch of fresh tarragon, (dried works too in a pinch) chopped
One handful of grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
 9 large fresh or thawed scallops, Cut in half lengthwise if they are very large or left whole if small (make sure the abductor mussel is removed. It looks like a little nub on the side and can easily be picked off)

THE directions for making risotto are exactly the same as for my previous barley risotto recipe. So I wont reiterate it here. This is simply one of the many variations. Once your risotto is almost cooked to the right consistency, you add your lemon, tarragon and parmesan cheese. Season to taste and your done. I like to start the scallops slightly before that though as you should serve is right away. Having someone come and stir the risotto for you while you sear the scallops is a major help too!

For the Scallops
Preheat a regular (not non stick) frying pan over medium high heat with a thin layer of vegetable oil on the bottom. Season your scallops with a little salt and pepper. When the oil gets shimmery, add your scallops and sear quickly on each side (about 45 seconds or so per side) until they have a nice sear and are cooked through. It is worse to over cook then to under cook them in my opinion. Place 3 scallops on each serving of risotto.

Portuguese Night

This recipe for Portuguese Grilled chicken was inspired by a very delicious bottled sauce that came in to the Home Hardware the other day. I had heard of Peri Peri (or Piri Piri) sauce before but I never had the opportunity to try it. It's made with a base of African Birdseye chilies, lemon, olive oil and garlic. I've never seen that particular type of chili here in Invermere so I thought this would be a good way to try this Portuguese dish using a nice free run chicken I picked up at Hopkins Harvest last week. I was a little worried the chicken would be too spicy for me but the grilling seemed to tone it down enough that you really could taste all the different flavours in the sauce. I used it as a marinade along with some other ingredients and besides having a hard time getting the grill temperature right. It turned out great! My husband said he didn't mind a little charcoal! Grilling chicken is always a challenge for me. I try not to make it black on the outside and raw on the inside. I wont tell you about the Tandoori chicken I tried to make once........

Anyway I figured i might as well go with a Portuguese theme for the rest of my meal. I made a tomato and shrimp rice pilaf (using chicken stock I made from the other parts of the chicken) and bought a bottle of Portuguese wine from the B.C. Liquor Store called Vinho Verde. It is a very light (almost clear), delicate wine with slight frizziness and a lower alcohol content. This makes it a good match for spicy foods. Totally refreshing, low in alcohol (9%) and a great bargain. (I think it was less then $10.00) Serve very cold!

The active ingredient in most spice, capsaicin, activates pain receptors in the mouth, causing the ‘spicy’ reaction. Alcohol intensifies the burning feeling, but sugar can also reduce the burn – and that’s why this pairing worked so well





Marinade for Portuguese Grilled Chicken
1 free run or organic chicken, cut into quarters or 2 lbs of chicken pieces
1/3 cup dry white wine
Grated zest and juice from one lemon
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp of tomato paste
1/4 cup of Peri Peri Sauce (or your favorite hot sauce will work too)
1/4 tsp of salt
A few grinds of fresh cracked black pepper

ADD everything to a large resealable freezer bag and squish around to evenly mix. Squeeze as much air out of bag as possible and seal bag. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours, turning occasionally.
PREHEAT grill to medium heat. Oil grill with a clean cloth dipped in vegetable oil. Place chicken on grill skin side down and grill 10 minutes with the lid closed but check occasionally so you don't burn it. Turn and cook for another 20 or 30 minutes or until juices run clear when chicken is pierced. Let chicken rest 5 minutes before serving.

Portuguese Tomato and Shrimp Pilaf
A couple glugs of olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic
2 tsp salt
Several grinds of fresh cracked black pepper
1/4 tsp of hot red pepper flakes
1 bay leaf
1 can of diced tomatoes, drained or 1 1/2 cups of fresh chopped tomatoes
1 1/2 cups of long grain rice (such as basmati)
2 1/4 cups homemade chicken stock (recipe to follow)
2 Tbsp each of chopped fresh parsley and cilantro (I didn't have any at the time)
A large handful of thawed, UNCOOKED shrimp peeled and deviened*

HEAT olive oil on medium heat in a large saute pan. Add onion and cook about 4 minutes until soft. Add garlic, salt, red pepper flakes and bay leaf and cook another minute. Add tomatoes and stock and bring to a boil. Add rice, cilantro and parsley and stir well. When liquid returns to a boil stir again, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer without lifting the lid for about 20 minutes or until water is absorbed and rice is tender. remove from heat, scatter shrimp on top and let sit 5 more minutes, covered. Fluff rice with fork and serve*.

*Use a small bowl to shape the rice for a nicer presentation.
*If you peeled your own shrimp. save the shells and add them with the stock and tomatoes. They give a wonderful shrimp flavour to the rice while it cooks. Discard with the bay leaves before serving.

Barley risotto with bacon

Another barley risotto and this one is pretty damn good too. Super creamy, richly flavoured and deeply satisfying. This recipe is from one of my favorite chef''s, Michael Smith. The trick to the creaminess is having the broth already hot so that when you add it to the barley it stays consistently hot as well, which, along with the constant stirring, encourages the release of the starch in the barley. in turn, the starch thickens the surrounding liquid and makes it creamy. So be patient, which is ironic coming from me because I hate waiting for anything (Especially food) and don't stop stirring! Also, don't bother even making this without the wine. If your like me and can't leave a bottle of wine around long enough to use for cooking, try and keep a nice bottle of red and white wine that you like tucked away JUST for cooking because the flavour just isn't the same without it. Trust me!

What you need

8 cups or so on organic chicken broth
8 slices of bacon, thinly chopped
2 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup of pearl barley
1/2 cup of dry white wine
some salt and pepper
1/2 Tbsp of dried thyme or rosemary (2 Tbsp fresh)
A big handful of grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

POUR the chicken broth into a pot and heat to simmering. In a large saute pan, fry the bacon over med-high heat until crisp and golden brown. Pour off about half the fat. Add the garlic and onions and saute them for a few minutes until they're translucent and soft.
 STIR in the barley and continue cooking, stirring constantly until the grains are well coated with oil and slightly toasted. about 3 minutes.
LOWER the heat, pour in the wine and continue stirring as the barley quickly absorbs the liquid. Begin adding the stock, one ladleful at a time, stirring constantly to allow each addition to be absorbed before adding more.
CONTINUE stirring in the hot broth until the risotto is creamy (45 minutes or so). Taste frequently to judge when the barley is done. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the herbs and cheese. Serve immediately.

Barley risotto with beets and feta

I love risotto. One of my best foodie friends inspired me to try it and I never would of believed how easy it was! After watching so many episodes of Hell's kitchen I thought if those guys can't get it right how could I? I'll admit the first few attempts weren't very successful (Ask my husband I'm sure he will tell you). I eventually figured out how to achieve that wonderful creaminess that a good risotto should have. Recently I started experimenting with barley instead of the traditional arborio rice. I think I may even like it more actually. Somehow it seems more hearty and I love the texture. I diced my beets but you could also try grating or pureeing them. A little rosemary would of been nice too for next time. I think this is one of the coolest looking dishes I have ever made and a good one to pull out for next valentines day. A nice Merlot or Pinot Noir or even a sparkling Rose would go nicely with this.


Barley risotto with beets and feta

3 medium beets (roasted or boiled whole until tender and skins removed)
Olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic
1 cup pearl barley
A couple glugs of dry white wine
A 900mL carton of organic chicken or vegetable broth simmering on the stove
salt and pepper
A handful of parmesan cheese
A squeeze of fresh lemon juice
Feta Cheese

Directions

First get your beets prepped (They take awhile). Cook, peel and then dice, grate or puree them. Set them aside for now. Preheat a saute pan on medium heat and add a few Tablespoons of oil, When oil shimmers (If it starts to smoke turn it down) add your onion and saute until soft, add garlic and saute 30 seconds or so more. Add barley and stir for one minute more. Add your wine and stir until absorbed and alcohol is burned off. Start adding your hot broth a ladleful at a time, not adding another until your last one has completely absorbed. This is where patience comes in handy 'cause this takes about 40 minutes. This is how you get that creaminess. When you are almost out of broth taste. The barley should still have a little bite to it and should NOT be too soft. Add your parmesan cheese, beets, lemon and salt and pepper to taste. Serve right away with the feta cheese crumbled on top. Fantastic!