Risotto

A few weeks ago, we were having these food meetings with Ellen and and Ken at Larch House(where I have been living and cooking for the last 5 years). The meetings were held to organize a fundraiser at 221A. We were responsible for catering the food. Anyways during the meetings apart from organizing, conceptualizing and stressing out what we would make/serve at the event we would cook meals.

Risotto was made at one Friday meeting. Risotto is a creamy brothy dish made commonly with Arborio rice (stubby Spanish rice) and lots of broth. This is what you need:

Arborio rice
Stock (good quality chicken/vegetable stock)
White wine
Garlic
Shallots
Bay leaf
& Butter, and a little oil

For making it extra special you need a few other things:

Shitake mushrooms
Pecorino Romano
Zucchini





So, fry the shallots in a little oil and butter. Soften them up a bit, then add the arborio rice and keep stiring till the rice change color. Add the garlic and the bay leaf and then ladle in the stock. The best risotto is made if you can keep stiring and ladling the stock slowly but consistently till the rice is done.

Now add the bay leaf and the wine. In a fry pan fry the sliced shitake mushrooms in oil, with a bit of salt and butter. and keep them aside. Add the zucchini to the risotto and cover for a few minutes, add a little more stock and by this time it should be done, roughly about 1/2 hour. Plate the rice, place the mushrooms on the top and finally grate generous amount of pecorino.

Photographs by Miss Lee

Roast beef sandwich

I wrote this whole bloody story about sandwiches and roast beef and stuff. But I think i'll just post the pictures. you can get the roast beef at Oyama on Grandville Island and the bread is from Beyond Bread bakery on 4th. The two together............ can't be explained in words.

Oh also had some arugula and avocado on the side.

Photographs by Miss Lee.

De stock

I am writing this post after a long long dry spell. After not committing to memory a day exercise and getting involved in every thing but writing, I think I should return to blogspot. Anyhow, a few days ago I made stock. I make stock every few months. It basically happens when I have collected enough bones; turkey bones from thanksgiving, lamb bones from a pit roast, chicken bones, shanks, or whatever.

So this time was a some lamb bones from last July when Larch house had a lamb roast, and a collection of chicken and Cornish hen bones.



Lamb Stock:

Lamb Bones: quite a few of them
Vegetables: a few (onions, garlic, celery, carrots, whatever else is in the fridge)
a few spies: I like to use star anise, black cardamom and bay leaves

Roast the bones for an hour or so at 375d, add the vegetable to the baking dish after half/ hour. fill a 10 liter stock pot with cold water add everything, and boil. After a few hours strain the liquid. KEEP THE LIQUID., and reduce. Reduce till it tastes amazing, thick and concentrated. Let it cool and think of genius ways of storing it. I use ice cube trays.