Tag Archives: Rice

Mushroom and Asparagus Risotto

Posted in Gluten Free, Meatless by

So, this one is a bit of a doozy. It’s not something I’d make every day or even on a work night. This one is for a good and chilly Sunday where you want something savory and you have a bit of time to dedicate to it.  You’ll also be using a lot of your burners on your stove, so be sure it is ready to go.

Mushroom and Asparagus Risotto
(Inspiration drawn from here and here)

Ingredients
6 cups chicken broth
1 cup dry white wine [a Chardonnay works really nicely here]
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
A pinch of kosher salt
2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup asparagus tips
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan

ingredients

Instructions:
1.  In a medium saucepan with a lid, combine chicken broth and white wine and heat just to simmering. Keep warm.

2.  In a large pot, over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onions and a pinch of salt and sweat until translucent, about 5 minutes.

onions

3.  Add the rice and stir. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until the grains are translucent around the edges. Be careful not to allow the grains or the onions to brown.

halfway

4.  In a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat and saute the mushrooms and asparagus tips until cooked.  Remove from skillet and place in a bowl and cover with tinfoil.

veggies

**Take a look at how full the stovetop will be.  If you have too many things going at once, you’re doing it right!

many pots

5.  Get ready for an upper-body workout!   Reduce the heat of the pot to low, and add enough of the wine and chicken stock just to cover the top of the rice. Stir the rice mixture, until the liquid is completely absorbed into rice. Once absorbed, add another amount of liquid just to cover the rice and continue stirring or moving as before.

risotto process

Give yourself a good 35-45 minutes of stirring and pouring.  WARNING: If you dump all of it in at once, it will take twice as long and the rice will be too crunchy.  It is worth the wait/bicep improvement, I promise!

6.  At this point, there should be just enough liquid left to make it one more stir.  Add the asparagus and mushrooms back into the pot with the last bit of liquid and stir all together.

done in pot

7.  Mix in the Parmesan until melted.

8.  Add a little extra Parmesan for a garnish and enjoy!

final

Results:

Like I said above, this is a good one for a chilly day where you have some time to dedicate to it.  The stirring takes forever, but without it, the rice won’t cook through correctly.

It’s a delicious pasta-like dish that is filling and will warm you up!  The mushrooms and asparagus complement each other really nicely in this dish.  If you have other veggies you prefer, anything goes well in risotto.

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Cider Glazed Chicken with Pecan Rice

Posted in Chicken, Gluten Free by

Hi readers!
I decided to start this blog to broadcast my cooking attempts while also find a place to keep recipes that are a success.  I find that I thrive with a recipe.  I just haven’t mastered enough of the skills to throw things together on my own without a guide.  It helps me measure and keep in line and also allows me to pass the buck should something turn out wrong.

Fortunately, in this day and age of the internet, recipes are all over the place.  There are a bunch of listservs that will send them along daily, which allows me to pick and choose what looks good and easy.  Also, I like to borrow inspiration from fellow cooking bloggers – they seem to have it locked up in terms of good choices.  Also, from cookbooks and friends.  The best way to expand your knowledge is to ask.

So, with that in mind, I was seeking something autumn inspired.  It is chilly in DC after all and apple season is just wrapping up.  It seemed appropriate to honor this time of year with some cider inspired goodness.

Cider Glazed Chicken with Browned Butter-Pecan Rice

(inspired by MyRecipes.Com)
Ingredients

1 cup long grain rice
2 tablespoons butter
1 pound chicken breast cutlets (I was cooking for two so I just used two boneless skinless chicken breasts)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup refrigerated apple cider
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Cider Glazed Chicken Prep

Preparation

1. Cook rice according to package directions in a small saucepan, omitting salt and fat; drain.
2. While rice cooks, melt 1/2 tbsp butter in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat.
3.  Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper.
4.  Add chicken to skillet; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from pan.
5.  Add cider and mustard to pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits; cook until reduced.
6.  Add chicken to pan, turning to coat. Remove from heat; set aside.
7. Melt remaining butter in saucepan over medium-high heat; cook for 2 minutes or until melted but not gone.
8.  Lower heat to medium; add pecans, and cook for 1 minute or until toasted, stirring frequently.
9.  Add rice and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt; toss well to coat.
10.  Serve rice with chicken. Sprinkle chicken with parsley.

Cider Glazed Chicken with Pecan Rice

Result:

Be sure to reduce the sauce as much as possible.  The original recipe says 2-3 minutes for the sauce but I found it took a lot longer.

I served this one up with a side of broccoli.  The taste was delicious and not too heavy on the cider or the mustard.  The rice turned out a little too sticky for my liking (without a rice cooker, this is a constant struggle) but the pecans fit nicely.