The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook (49 page)

If you would prefer a simple lemon risotto, omit the asparagus and peas.

6 cups homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken stock

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 cup Arborio rice

½ cup dry white wine

6 thin asparagus spears, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths

1 cup thawed frozen peas

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest, plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

½ cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1.
Bring the stock to a boil in a medium saucepan; turn off heat.

2.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat in another medium saucepan. Add the onion; cook, stirring constantly, until translucent, 6 to 7 minutes. Add the rice; cook, stirring constantly, until the edges of the grains are translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Raise heat to medium-high. Add the wine; cook, stirring constantly, until the wine has completely evaporated.

3.
Add ½ cup stock; cook, stirring constantly, until the stock has been completely absorbed and a wooden spoon drawn through the rice leaves a trail in its wake. Continue adding about 4 more cups stock, ½ cup at a time, waiting for each addition to be absorbed before adding the next. (It should take about 13 minutes.)

4.
Stir in the asparagus. Add ½ to 1 cup more stock, in same manner as described above. About 1 minute before the risotto is done, stir in the peas. The risotto is done when the liquid looks creamy and the grains are cooked but still slightly firm in centers. (The total cooking time will be 16 to 20 minutes.)

5.
Remove from heat; stir in ½ cup stock. (You may have stock left over.) Stir in the zest, juice, remaining 2 tablespoons butter, parsley, and cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with more cheese.

MAKING RISOTTO WITH BROWN RICE OR FARRO

The key here is presoaking the grains: Cover 1 cup brown rice or farro with cold water by 2 to 3 inches in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil; boil 1 minute. Turn off heat; let stand 1 hour. Drain. Follow Lemon Risotto with Asparagus and Peas (Pasta, Rice, and Grains). Cooking time will be about 22 minutes, so add the asparagus after 18 minutes.

yellow pepper risotto with shrimp and zucchini

SERVES 8 TO 10 AS A MAIN DISH; 10 TO 12 AS A STARTER

This recipe was developed by Christopher Israel, formerly the chef and a co-owner at one of Bruce Carey’s restaurants.

4 yellow bell peppers

6 tablespoons olive oil

2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails intact, shells rinsed and reserved

1 teaspoon coarse salt, plus more for seasoning

Freshly ground black pepper, for seasoning

10 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 large zucchini, chopped into ¼-inch pieces

3 quarts homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken stock

6 shallots, minced

2 cups Arborio or Carnaroli rice

1 cup dry white wine

½ cup loosely packed fresh basil, finely chopped, plus more for garnish (optional)

1.
Place the bell peppers directly on a gas-stove burner over high heat, turning with tongs as soon as each side is blistered and blackened. (Alternatively, roast the peppers under the broiler.) Transfer to a bowl; cover with plastic wrap. Let stand until cool enough to handle. Peel the peppers, discarding the skins; cut in half, and discard the seeds and ribs. Transfer the peppers to the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Puree until smooth; set aside.

2.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. In a large bowl, toss the shrimp with ¾ teaspoon salt, and season with black pepper. Arrange one-third of the shrimp in a single layer in skillet. Cook until they are opaque and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes, turning once. Transfer to a plate; repeat with the remaining oil and shrimp, wiping out the skillet with paper towels between batches, as needed. Set aside, and cover loosely with foil to keep warm.

3.
In the same skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the zucchini and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, and season with pepper. Cook until the zucchini is just tender and bright green, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat; set aside.

4.
Place the stock in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the shrimp shells, and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, and strain through a fine sieve, discarding the shells. Return the stock to the pan, and bring back to a boil; keep at a low simmer.

5.
Meanwhile, melt 6 tablespoons butter in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots, and cook, stirring constantly, until they are soft and translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the rice; cook, stirring constantly, until the grains are glossy and make a sound like glass beads clicking, 3 to 4 minutes.

6.
Add the wine to the rice mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, until the wine is completely absorbed by the rice.

7.
Using a ladle, add about ¾ cup hot stock to the rice along with a few tablespoons reserved pepper puree. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon at moderate speed until the mixture is just thick enough to leave a clear wake behind the spoon; be careful not to stir too vigorously, or the mixture may become gluey.

8.
Continue adding hot stock, ¾ cup at a time, along with some puree, stirring constantly, until the rice is mostly translucent but still opaque in the center, a total of 18 to 25 minutes. You may not need to use all of the stock and can add smaller amounts as you go along. The final mixture should be thick enough to suspend the rice in liquid that is the consistency of heavy cream.

9.
Remove from heat, and stir in the reserved shrimp and zucchini, remaining 2 tablespoons butter, and the basil. Season with salt and black pepper, and garnish with basil, if desired. Serve immediately.

risotto with peas, marjoram, and asiago

SERVES 4

Perfect risotto is easy to make; the keys are to be sure the stock is fully incorporated after each addition and to avoid overcooking the rice. If you prefer, you may use Parmesan instead of Asiago cheese in this recipe.

6 to 8 cups homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken stock

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 shallots, minced

1 cup Arborio or Carnaroli rice

½ cup dry white wine

1½ pounds garden peas, shelled (1½ cups)

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup grated Asiago cheese (about 4 ounces)

1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh marjoram leaves, plus several sprigs for garnish

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1.
Bring the stock to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat; reduce heat, and keep at a low simmer.

2.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots, and cook, stirring frequently, until they are softened and translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the rice; cook, stirring frequently, until it is thoroughly coated and slightly fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the wine, and cook, stirring constantly, until it is completely absorbed.

3.
Using a ladle, add ¾ cup hot stock to the rice mixture; stir constantly with a wooden spoon until it is thick enough to leave a clear wake.

4.
Continue adding stock, ¾ cup at time, stirring constantly after each addition, until the rice is mostly translucent but still opaque in the center and the liquid is the consistency of heavy cream, a total of 18 to 20 minutes; the mixture will continue to thicken slightly when removed from heat. About 12 minutes into cooking, stir in the peas. Watch carefully, adding smaller amounts of liquid if necessary to make sure it does not overcook. The rice should be al dente but no longer crunchy, and the peas tender and bright green.

5.
Remove from heat. Stir in the butter, cheese, and chopped marjoram; season with salt and pepper. Serve garnished with marjoram sprigs.

arugula risotto

SERVES 12

Because this recipe makes a large quantity of risotto, be sure to use a wide, shallow saucepan or skillet to let the rice cook evenly.

3 to 3½ quarts (12 to 14 cups) homemade or low-sodium canned (6 14½-ounce cans) chicken stock

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

8 shallots, minced

3 cups Arborio or Carnaroli rice

1½ cups dry white wine

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

1½ cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons Arugula Puree (recipe follows)

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Arugula flowers, for garnish (optional)

1.
Bring the chicken stock to a simmer in a large stockpot over medium heat; cover, and keep at a steady simmer until ready to use. At the same time, heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots to the oil; cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are softened and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the rice, and cook, stirring constantly, until the rice is thoroughly coated and makes a clicking noise, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the wine; cook, stirring constantly, until the wine is completely absorbed.

2.
Using a ladle, add about 1½ cups hot stock to the rice; cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the mixture is just thick enough to leave a clear trail behind the spoon. Add another ¾ cup hot stock to rice; cook, stirring constantly, until most of liquid is absorbed.

3.
Continue adding stock, ¾ cup at a time, stirring constantly after each addition, until the rice is mostly translucent but still opaque in the center, and the liquid is the consistency of heavy cream, 20 to 25 minutes. The rice should be al dente but no longer crunchy. Watch carefully, and gradually reduce the amount of added liquid to make sure the mixture does not overcook; it will continue to thicken after it is removed from heat.

4.
Remove from heat. Stir in the butter, cheese, and arugula puree; season with salt and pepper. To serve, mound risotto in the center of shallow serving bowls, and sprinkle with additional cheese. Garnish with arugula flowers, if desired.

arugula puree

MAKES ½ CUP

This verdant puree can be tossed with pasta or drizzled over boiled potatoes just like pesto. It can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

2¾ teaspoons coarse salt

1 bunch arugula (about 3½ ounces), stems removed

¹
/
₃
cup extra-virgin olive oil

¹
/
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teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1.
Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil, and add 2½ teaspoons salt and the arugula. As soon as the water returns to a boil, remove from heat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the arugula to the ice bath to stop the cooking. Working in batches, remove the arugula from the ice bath and place on paper towels to drain, squeezing out as much excess water as possible.

2.
Transfer the arugula to the jar of a blender. Add the oil, remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, and the pepper; puree until smooth and thickened with a small amount of unincorporated oil on the surface. Before using, stir gently to combine.

farro salad with thinly sliced zucchini, pine nuts, and lemon zest

SERVES 8 TO 10

Farro is a type of hulled wheat that has been cultivated in Italy for centuries. Look for it at gourmet shops and health-food stores, where it is also sold as spelt. Other grains, such as barley or bulgur wheat, can also be used; cook them according to package instructions.