Leek Pancetta And Porcini Risotto With Herbs Recipes

PANCETTA AND LEEK RISOTTO FOR TWO

Steps:

• Warm the chicken broth in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cover and keep warm while you make the risotto.
• Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, about 4 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the pancetta to a paper-towel lined plate.
• Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the rendered fat from the saucepan, then add the garlic, leek, a pinch of salt and several grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the leek is tender and softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the rice, butter and bay leaf. Cook, stirring, until the rice is toasted, smells nutty and turns a light golden brown, about 4 minutes. Pour in the wine and simmer, stirring occasionally, until it is completely absorbed, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Ladle 1/2 cup of the warm stock into the rice and cook, stirring gently without stopping, until the rice has absorbed the liquid, 2 to 3 minutes (you will know it's time to add more stock when you move the rice aside and no liquid pools in the center). Repeat this process, adding more stock a ladleful at a time, until the rice is al dente, 15 to 17 minutes. Discard the bay leaf.
• Stir in the baby spinach, Parmesan, half of the reserved pancetta, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a couple grinds of pepper. Stir until the spinach is wilted and everything is evenly combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Spoon into 2 dinner bowls and top with the remaining pancetta and a sprinkle of Parmesan.

PASTA WITH PANCETTA AND LEEKS

Steps:

• Cook the pasta according to package directions to al dente and set aside, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
• Saute the pancetta in a large skillet over medium heat until the fat is rendered and it starts to brown. Add the leeks and cook, about 8 minutes. When you add the leeks, you can also throw in a pat or 2 of butter if you want to. This'll give the dish some scrumptious flavor.
• After 8 to 10 minutes, pour in the wine, and then cook until reduced, an additional 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, and then pour in the cream. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in some Parmesan.
• Toss in the pasta, adding a little pasta water to thin as needed. Serve with Parmesan over the top - delicious!

FARRO AND ARBORIO RISOTTO WITH LEEKS, HERBS AND LEMON

Steps:

• Bring the stock to a simmer in a saucepan. Season well and turn the heat to low.
• Heat the oil over medium heat in a large nonstick frying pan or wide, heavy saucepan and add the leeks. Cook, stirring, until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes, and add a generous pinch of salt, the garlic and the rice. Cook, stirring, until the grains of rice are separate and beginning to crackle, about 3 minutes.
• Stir in the wine and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. The wine should bubble, but not too quickly. You want some of the flavor to cook into the rice before it evaporates. When the wine has just about evaporated, stir in a ladleful or two of the simmering stock (about 1/2 cup), enough to just cover the rice. The stock should bubble slowly (adjust heat accordingly). Cook, stirring often, until it is just about absorbed. Add another ladleful or two of the stock and continue to cook in this fashion, not too fast and not too slowly, stirring often and adding more stock when the rice is almost dry, for 15 minutes.
• Stir in the farro and more stock to cover and continue to cook, adding more stock as necessary and stirring often, for another 10 minutes or until the rice is cooked through but al dente. If it is still hard in the middle, you need to continue adding stock and stirring for another 5 minutes or so. Taste and adjust seasonings.
• Stir in the herbs and fresh pepper (be generous), add another ladleful of stock and continue to cook, stirring, for a minute, then add the Parmesan and the lemon juice, stir together and remove from the heat. The risotto should be creamy; if it isn't, add a little more stock. Stir once, taste and adjust seasonings, and serve.

LEEK RISOTTO

Steps:

• Pour the stock or broth into a saucepan and bring to a simmer.
• Keep liquid hot.
• In a large, heavy saucepan over low heat, heat oil.
• Add the leeks and saute about 5 minutes.
• Add the rice and stir until white spots appear in the center of the grains, about 1 minute.
• (It is very important to use Arborio rice!) Add the wine and stir until absorbed, about 2 minutes.
• Add one ladleful of the hot stock or broth, adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, and cook, stirring constantly, until the liquid is absorbed, about 2 minutes.
• Continue adding the stock or broth, one ladleful at a time and stirring constantly, until the rice is just tender but slightly firm in the center and the mixture is creamy, 20-25 minutes longer.
• Add the cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Stir to mix well.
• Serve at once.
• Makes 8 cups.

TRUE ITALIAN PORCINI MUSHROOM RISOTTO

Steps:

• Place porcini mushrooms in a bowl and cover with hot water. Let soak until soft, about 1 hour. Drain, reserving soaking liquid. Squeeze mushrooms to remove excess water and roughly chop.
• Bring beef stock to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to low and cover to keep warm.
• Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic cloves; cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms; cook and stir until soft, 5 to 6 minutes. Season with rosemary, salt, and pepper. Discard garlic cloves; pour in 1/2 cup wine. Increase heat to medium-high and simmer until wine reduces, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil with 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook and stir shallot until soft, about 3 minutes. Cook and stir Arborio rice until toasted and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Pour in remaining 1/2 cup wine. Simmer until wine is absorbed, about 3 minutes.
• Ladle 1/3 of the warm stock into the saucepan; cook and stir until absorbed. Ladle in remaining stock and reserved soaking liquid in small amounts and cook, stirring constantly, until risotto is tender and creamy, 15 to 18 minutes.
• Remove risotto from the heat; stir in remaining 2 tablespoons butter and Parmesan cheese. Let stand for 3 to 5 minutes before serving.

LEEK RISOTTO WITH SUGAR SNAP PEAS AND PANCETTA

Steps:

• Add 1/2 tablespoon oil to a large, wide saucepan, and add the pancetta slices. (It's OK if they're not in one layer, as they will shrink quite a bit.) Turn heat to medium and cook, turning and rearranging the pancetta until lightly browned, crisp, and the fat has rendered, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer with tongs to a paper towel, leaving the fat in the pan.
• Add the stock and 1 cup water to a separate medium saucepan. Transfer the saucepan to a back burner and bring to a simmer over low. Keep warm on the lowest heat.
• Add 1 tablespoon oil to the pan that you cooked the pancetta in, and add the leeks, garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring, over medium-high until wilted and soft, about 5 minutes.
• Add the rice and cook, stirring, until grains look slightly translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add wine and cook until nearly absorbed, about 1 minute.
• Add a ladleful of stock to the rice - you want just enough to barely cover the surface of the rice. Cook at a lively simmer, stirring very frequently, until it's nearly absorbed, 2 to 3 minutes. Continue adding stock in this way until rice is very creamy, but still al dente, 15 to 20 minutes total. You may not need all of the liquid, but you will probably use most of it.
• Stir in the butter and cheese, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the snap peas. Add more of the remaining liquid if needed to loosen (it should be a bit soupy), and divide among four shallow bowls. Crumble the reserved pancetta over top, and sprinkle with chives, if desired.

PORCINI AND PARMESAN RISOTTO

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, combine broth, porcini, and 4 cups water. Bring to a boil; cook until porcini are tender, about 1 minute. With a slotted spoon, remove porcini; coarsely chop. To keep broth warm, reduce heat to low, and cover.
• In a large saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high. Add fresh mushrooms and chopped porcini; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate; set aside.
• Reduce heat to medium-low. Add onion and 1 tablespoon butter to saucepan; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add rice, and cook, stirring, about 1 minute. Add wine, and cook, stirring, until absorbed, 1 minute.
• Add 2 cups of warm broth to rice mixture; cook, stirring occasionally, until absorbed, 4 to 5 minutes. Continue to add broth, by cupfuls, stirring occasionally and allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding more, untilrice is al dente, about 25 minutes total (you may not need all the broth).
• Remove risotto from heat. Stir in Parmesan, remaining tablespoon butter, and half the sauteed mushrooms;season with salt and pepper. Top with remaining mushrooms, and serve immediately, garnished with more Parmesan.

LEEK, PANCETTA AND PORCINI RISOTTO WITH HERBS

Steps:

• Combine parsley, dill, coriander, olive oil, salt and pepper in bowl and puree in an immersion blender until smooth. Put the puree aside.
• Sauté pancetta in a heavy-bottom pan for 6-8 minutes.
• Add onion and garlic, sauté for another 5 minutes or so.
• Add leeks and porcini mushrooms. Cook for another 15 minutes.
• Stir in rice, cook until translucent, 2-3 minutes. Add wine, stir until absorbed.
• Add mushroom liquid and chicken stock, about 1/2 cup at a time, stir constantly until almost completely absorbed before adding more.
• When all stock is absorbed (or when rice is tender but firm to the bite), remove from the heat.
• Stir in grated parmigiano and the herbs puree. Season with salt and pepper.