Cooking Questions 4: More questions about cookery

[aceluby]

I'll just add on that I just found this thread and in just the last week the amount of tips and good tricks to use has been awesome. This forum is pretty awesome.

[Lily Valley]

Ooh, I thought rice... seafood stock... what about a delicious seafood risotto? :drools:

Of course, that's kinda heavy if you'restewing in your own gravy down there. I know we're just in the upper 70s, but I made a cold salad for dinner last night.

OK, after googling 100 recipes on seafood risotto, I'm lost. Emeril Lagasse's calls for butter and cream, the rest call for wine and stock. All of them require attention and stirring.

I'll definitely save this project for cooler temperatures, but does anyone have a good recipe? I'd substitute local seafood for the mussels and such that are often suggested.

I've been intimidated in the past, but I love risotto.

[Tears of Lys]

OK, after googling 100 recipes on seafood risotto, I'm lost. Emeril Lagasse's calls for butter and cream, the rest call for wine and stock. All of them require attention and stirring.

I'll definitely save this project for cooler temperatures, but does anyone have a good recipe? I'd substitute local seafood for the mussels and such that are often suggested.

I've been intimidated in the past, but I love risotto.

Oh, don't be intimidated. All it requires is time and a strong arm. :P

I've gotta listen to a seminar right now, but if Chef hasn't answered in the meantime, I'll post one later.

ETA: So I don't forget, most good risotto recipes call for a somewhat watered-down stock - otherwise, the resulting dish becomes too salty.

[Lily Valley]

I had the same thoughts on the pilaf, the shrimp head stock is pretty dark, I'd water it anyway. Another hour and it would've been fishsauce.

Thank you so much.

Edit: And I'd like to add my thanks, my family's thanks and all of my friends thanks to the good advice I've gotten here

Really, thank you all so much.

[Deedles]

Wine and stock for sure. The release of starch from the rice is what makes it creamy. Typically for a non seafood risotto I would add butter and parmesan cheese to the end but wouldn't add the cheese with seafood. Id go with something like 50-60g of arborio rice per person. Start by gently sweating an onion in butter until soft but not coloured. Add the rice and swirl around for one to two minutes unttthe ends of the rice is slightly translucent. Add a small glass white wine (I usually go with an unoaked chardonnay but pretty much anything goes), stir til wine is nearly all evaporated. The rice mixture should be hot but not boiling. A gentle simmer. Add ladle of stock. Stir. Wait til nearly all gone. Add ladle of stock. Repeat until texture of rice is nearly right. Add seafood. Add a bit of butter. Turn off the heat but leave the pan where it is. Cover with another pan and leave for a minute or two to let butter melt in. Stir. Serve.

[MercenaryChef]

Deedles has nailed proper risotto cookery. And seafood never gets cheese. I mean unless you are a heretic :)

[aceluby]

Wine and stock for sure. The release of starch from the rice is what makes it creamy. Typically for a non seafood risotto I would add butter and parmesan cheese to the end but wouldn't add the cheese with seafood. Id go with something like 50-60g of arborio rice per person. Start by gently sweating an onion in butter until soft but not coloured. Add the rice and swirl around for one to two minutes unttthe ends of the rice is slightly translucent. Add a small glass white wine (I usually go with an unoaked chardonnay but pretty much anything goes), stir til wine is nearly all evaporated. The rice mixture should be hot but not boiling. A gentle simmer. Add ladle of stock. Stir. Wait til nearly all gone. Add ladle of stock. Repeat until texture of rice is nearly right. Add seafood. Add a bit of butter. Turn off the heat but leave the pan where it is. Cover with another pan and leave for a minute or two to let butter melt in. Stir. Serve.

Never made risotto, but now I think I'm going to try it tonight with some seafood. Sounds pretty easy and delicious.

[Tears of Lys]

Deedles has nailed proper risotto cookery. And seafood never gets cheese. I mean unless you are a heretic :)

I made a pretty great seafood risotto once using mascarpone - wasn't real "cheesy" but gave the dish a richness that was heavenly.

I guess I am kind of a closet heretic. :P

[MercenaryChef]

Every time you put cheese with seafood a Italian grandmother dies

[Inigima]

I love you, MC

[Deedles]

Cheers Merc Chef. Im a big fan of risotto. One of our favourites is one with some smoked pork, a blue cheese like gorgonzola and sliced apple chunks. Sometimes I put some roasted walnuts on top too. Its pretty yummy

[Lily Valley]

Cheers Merc Chef. Im a big fan of risotto. One of our favourites is one with some smoked pork, a blue cheese like gorgonzola and sliced apple chunks. Sometimes I put some roasted walnuts on top too. Its pretty yummy

Thank you both! I have one really idiotic question. I am assuming that since you are ladling the stock into the rice that the stock should be warmed on the stove and not ice cold out of the fridge, correct?

I'm going to have to wait on this one til next week in order to track down the proper rice. It's also supposed to be 100 here all weekend with an overnight low of 88.

Oh, and I also drank all the wine. :leaving:

[Deedles]

Yep. Simmering stock. You don't want too much differential between the stock and the risotto dish.

Drinking all the wine is perfectly acceptable. I have been known to cook food requiring wine just as an excuse to open a bottle....

100 degrees sounds unpleasant. Definitely cold salad time.

[Fragile Bird]

<thread derail>

As much as I adore the thought of WorldCom in New Orleans (they are bidding for 2017 or 18) Lily Valley's comments about the heat means it probably won't happen.

<end thread derail>

[sologdin]

but who in the world wants non-sweaty nerds?

[Fragile Bird]

Meh. Sweaty nerds was for when you were a teenager.

[Edda van Heefmstra Ruston]

Yeah, the Excel was pretty good at hiding the sweat. Nerds are always sweaty, though, so it was definitely there.

(New Orleans is currently bidding for 2018, running against San Jose, CA.)

And to make this vaguely on-topic, my next kitchen purchase is likely to be a slow cooker. I have seen some interesting recipes -- including a jambalaya -- and it is not warm here, so I might make one soon!

[Inigima]

I keep almost buying a slow cooker. And then I realize nothing I cook is really appropriate for the method.

[aceluby]

I keep almost buying a slow cooker. And then I realize nothing I cook is really appropriate for the method.

But it's so easy and really nice for the summer since it doesn't heat up the whole house. I cook whole chickens, pork loin, turkey, soup stock, bowls of brown, or just easy, juicy chicken breasts. For meat, just chop up some onion, put the meat on top of it, surround it with cut up potatoes, carrots, celery, etc... season with salt, pepper, and any other spices and in 4-8 hours you have an entire meal, ready to eat.

[Lily Valley]

Thank you Deedles! If I can pull this off I am going to be totally unbearable around the office. (Unofficial what-did-you-make-for-dinner-contest-winner)

I keep almost buying a slow cooker. And then I realize nothing I cook is really appropriate for the method.

ARGH! The beans man! The beans! Prep the night before, refridgerate right in the ceramic part of the crock pot. Pull out in the morning, put it back in the heating thingie and turn it on. Your lovely warm dinner will be ready for you when you get home.

I love mine. It's like having a husband without all the backtalk.