Cucina Rustica Risotto W Early Autumn Vegetables Recipes

RISOTTO WITH VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Using a heavy sauce pot, heat the olive oil and saute the onions until translucent, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt.
• Add the rice and toast for another minute. Add the white wine and vegetable stock and stir until a creamy consistency. Allow rice to cook for 15 minutes until rich and creamy.
• Once rice is cooked, add the zucchini, peppers, and tomato and mix well.
• To serve, place on large platter and garnish with basil leaves and cherry tomatoes.

RISOTTO WITH WINTER VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a 7-liter pressure cooker over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, the 1 teaspoon salt, and the pepper to taste and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften a bit, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat. Stir in the carrots, thyme sprigs, celery root, squash, if desired, chicken broth, and wine.
• Close the pressure cooker lid and bring the pressure up to high (which can take up to 10 minutes), then reduce the heat to maintain an even pressure for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and press the cooker's pressure indicator stem until no more steam comes out.
• Carefully remove the lid--the risotto will look a bit soupy at this point. Stir the mustard greens into the risotto, then let the mixture sit until the greens wilt, about 2 minutes. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and the 1 cup cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper, if you like. Pass additional grated cheese at the table.

AUTUMN TORTE RUSTICA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. Place squash slices on baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Lightly spritz with cooking spray. Bake 15 minutes or until tender., Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine two eggs, cheeses and sage. In a small bowl, whisk water and remaining egg; set aside., In a large skillet, saute onion in oil until tender. Stir in the spinach, garlic and nutmeg. Cook and stir for 2 minutes; set aside., Unfold one pastry sheet onto a lightly floured surface. Roll out into a 14-in. square. Press onto bottom and up sides of a greased 9-in. springform pan, allowing excess pastry to drape over edges. Brush with reserved egg mixture. , Layer with half of the squash, cheese mixture and spinach. Repeat layers. Roll out the remaining pastry into a 10-in. square; place over filling. Trim edges; fold the bottom pastry over the top and press edges to seal. Reroll pastry trimmings. Cut out with a small leaf cookie cutter; place on torte. Brush pastry with egg mixture., Place pan on baking sheet. Bake at 400° 40-45 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire rack to cool for 45 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. Refrigerate leftovers.

RISOTTO WITH LEMON AND SPRING VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°. Place asparagus on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until crisp-tender, 10-12 minutes. When cool enough to handle, cut into 1-in. pieces; set aside., In a large saucepan, bring stock to a simmer; keep hot. In a Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Add spinach and salt; cook and stir until tender. Remove spinach and keep warm. In the same pan, heat 2 tablespoons butter. Add leek; cook and stir until tender, 2-3 minutes. Add rice, garlic and remaining 2 tablespoons butter; cook and stir until rice is coated, 1-2 minutes., Stir in wine and lemon juice. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer; cook and stir until wine is absorbed. Add hot stock, 1/2 cup at a time, cooking and stirring until stock has been absorbed after each addition, until rice is tender but firm to the bite, and risotto is creamy. Stir in ham, zest, asparagus and spinach; heat through. Remove from heat; stir in cheese. Serve immediately, with additional cheese if desired.

RISOTTO WITH AUTUMN VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Heat 2 T. butter and the oil in large saucepan over low heat. When butter foams, stir inleek and cook, stirring occasionally, until leek is tender and wilted, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, pour broth into small saucepan. Heat until hot and keep hot over very low heat.
• Add rice to leek, increase heat to medium, and cook, stirring constantly, until edges of grains are transparent, about 5 minutes.
• Pour enough broth into rice to cover by 1/4 inch. Adjusting heat to maintain a lively simmer (not steady boil), simmer, stirring constantly, until liquid is absorbed and you can see bottom of pan as you stir, about 5 minutes.
• Add more broth to cover rice by 1/4 inch and continue to simmer, stirring constantly, until liquid is absorbed. Repeat adding broth and simmering until rice is tender, but still slightly firm at the center; it should take about 20 minutes from time first liquid is added. Season to taste with salt and pepper halfway through cooking and stir in carrot, turnip and celery.
• Stir enough broth into risotto to make it creamy. Remove from heat and stir in remaining butter, the cheese, tomatoes, and garlic. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve hot.

RISOTTO COUNTRY STYLE

Steps:

• Melt butter in a 2-quart saucepan; add in the onion, carrots, celery, and half the parsley; cook slowly over low heat until the vegetables are wilted and nearly tender.
• Add in the rice and, stirring constantly, saute until the grains of rice are opaque and make a clicking sound against the metal of the saucepan, approximately 1-2 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the broth until it is very hot; turn off the heat, but keep the broth hot on a warm burner.
• Add the white wine to the rice and cook slowly, stirring constantly, until it is completely absorbed.
• Add the hot broth to the rice one ladleful at a time, stirring frequently.
• The rice should cook very slowly over low heat.
• Wait until all the liquid is absorbed before adding the next ladleful of broth.
• Midway through cooking time add salt and pepper to taste.
• When the risotto is just tender, add the ricotta, 2 tablespoons of butter, parmesan cheese, and the remaining parsley.
• Turn off the heat and stir vigorously until all the butter and cheese are absorbed and the ricotta is well mixed into the risotto.
• Serve immediately; pass the Parmesan at the table.