pegkerr: (Both the sweet and the bitter)
pegkerr ([personal profile] pegkerr) wrote2006-09-24 11:08 pm
Entry tags:

Wow: A success

Tonight's dinner: I got some Arborio rice at Seward Co-op and tried my hand as some risotto.

The verdict: Rob placed it 7.5 out of ten, but admitted that he probably would have placed it higher if he hadn't had such a late lunch.

But this is the shocker:

Delia: 9 1/2 out of 10
Fiona: 9 1/2 out of 10

Good heavens. I hardly know how to react to the fact that they liked a dinner I cooked so much.

I spent much of the day in the kitchen, actually. I bought kale, onions, beets, turnips, parsnips, squash, carrots and mushrooms at the co-op. I prepared and froze a bunch more pesto. I now have a total of twenty cups of pesto in the freezer. I think I'm finally ready to face the winter. Yes, I really do need that much pesto. And I whipped up a six-serving batch of Bilbo's Underground Stew, which will take care of my lunches for the next week.

Edited to add: Since people asked:

1 cup Arborio rice
cup mushrooms, chopped
small onion
1 tsp olive oil
1 TB butter
3 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan
1/2 cup white wine

Saute the mushrooms and onions in the tsp olive oil in a skillet. Since my family hates 'em, I then removed them from the pan (reserving them all for myself). I did wait five mintues and drain the liquid from them back into the pan, to add flavor. Meanwhile, heat the chicken broth in a separate pan.

Add the rice and 1 TB butter to the pan and saute for a minute. Add a ladleful of the heated chicken broth to the rice (never add cold broth to a risotto) until the liquid is reduced, then add the next. Midway through the process, add the wine and reduce that, too. Continue adding chicken broth, reducing the liquid, stirring regularly, until the rice is tender, with a creamy sauce. Right before serving, stir in the shredded Parmesan. Serve immediately. I served with chicken on top.

Note: since my family hates vegetables, this is very simple and frankly, bland, but you can use mushrooms, peppers, asparagus, shrimp, etc, to flavor the risotto.

[personal profile] moony 2006-09-25 04:21 am (UTC)(link)
With regard to your daughters' picky behaviour, I offer you this: when I was younger, I ate NOTHING but hamburgers, mac & cheese, and potatoes. For years. Oh, and chicken. I liked chicken. My dad is a cook of sorts and would make all kinds of things, and he'd badger me to try them. I'd refuse. Epic battles were fought in our house over food.

Now? I am adventurous! I love Chinese, Thai, certain Middle Eastern cuisine. I'll try things. I eat salads and veggies and eggs and I even experiment in my own kitchen!

They'll grow out of it. Eventually they will realise the world is a tasty place and they are missing out. :-)

(In the meantime, keep Food Network on as often as possible. Seriously, that channel has made me LOVE food. Homina.)

[identity profile] dd-b.livejournal.com 2006-09-25 04:42 am (UTC)(link)
Some of them will grow out of it. Others won't -- for example, Rob :-).

[identity profile] brithistorian.livejournal.com 2006-09-25 04:27 am (UTC)(link)
I was so happy to read this! After all the times you've posted about having problems getting Rob and the girls to eat things you'd cooked, I'm so glad to hear about them finally liking something! Yay!

Risotto

[identity profile] minnehaha.livejournal.com 2006-09-25 04:32 am (UTC)(link)
Congratulations.

What kind of risotto did you make?

B

Re: Risotto

[identity profile] pegkerr.livejournal.com 2006-09-25 07:56 pm (UTC)(link)
Very plain (post edited to add recipe).

[identity profile] oneminutemonkey.livejournal.com 2006-09-25 04:35 am (UTC)(link)
I second the above. Please share your risotto recipe... my wife has been trying to make her own for a while, but can't quite nail it down like she wants. :>

[identity profile] pegkerr.livejournal.com 2006-09-25 07:56 pm (UTC)(link)
My recipe is very plain (post edited to add recipe).
ext_12911: This is a picture of my great-grandmother and namesake, Margaret (Default)

[identity profile] gwyneira.livejournal.com 2006-09-25 04:47 am (UTC)(link)
Mmm, risotto. Nice to hear that the girls liked it so much. What did you put in it?

Something I like about risotto is that once you've made it a few times, it's pretty easy to make it with whatever you want in it. I made one with sausages, sundried tomatoes, and spinach in it a couple of weeks ago which was really good.

[identity profile] airemay.livejournal.com 2006-09-25 04:50 am (UTC)(link)
Hmm, sounds yummy. :D

[identity profile] aome.livejournal.com 2006-09-25 10:44 am (UTC)(link)
Share your risotto recipe? Yay for success!

Also, I wish I could send you my entire basil plant, which I lovingly put into my garden, fed and watered ... and then did almost nothing with. :(

[identity profile] pegkerr.livejournal.com 2006-09-25 07:56 pm (UTC)(link)
My recipe is very plain (post edited to add recipe).

[identity profile] nmsunbear.livejournal.com 2006-09-25 03:09 pm (UTC)(link)
Oooh, I love risotto. How great that your girl enjoyed it so much! And you can riff on risotto like crazy. My favorite is lemon with asparagus. :)