Lemon Risotto

There is no 2 ways about it, I love all things citrus, and when I tried a lemon risotto on a recent outing I had to reproduce it. Here is my recipe that I served with a grilled veal chop.


Lemon risotto
For 2 people as a main course
Ingredients
2 cups chicken broth
Juice of 1 lemon
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
1 shallot
3/4 cup risotto rice (I used Il riso BERETTA that I found at http://www.bigjohnspfiseattle.com/, great resource for an expat like me!)
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup grated Parmesan + 1 TBSP for serving
1 pinch of lemon zest (you can add more depending on how "lemony" you want your risotto to be)
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh Lemon thyme to add that extra zing

Method
Warm up the broth and half of the lemon juice (it has to be hot when poured on the rice).
Sauté the shallot in a drop of olive oil (don't brown them), then add the rice and toss it so it gets covered in olive oil, at this point add the wine and half of the lemon juice, stir continuously until most of the liquid is gone.
Add half a cup of chicken/lemon broth and stir continuously until almost all absorbed, continue this process with the rest of the broth half a cup at a time (very important).
The total cooking time is about 20mn of continuous stirring on medium heat.
Half way through add the lemon thyme to taste.
When the rice is cooked and all the liquid used remove from heat and stir in the Parmesan, butter, salt, pepper and lemon zest to taste.
You should have a creamy risotto.
Serve with a topping of Parmesan and a sprig of fresh lemon thyme.

Veal roast with honey

After almost 2 months out and about it's time to settle back into life in the PNW and start publishing again! I have some real nice and easy recipes to share. Today it will be the main course I served at my Mom's party back in May:





Veal roast with honey
For 8
Ingredients
1.5 kg Veal Roast (count 180 to 200 gr per person)
4 tomatoes
2 shallots thinly sliced
200 ml of white wine
3 Tbsp honey
Salt, pepper to taste

Method
Brown well the roast in a large frying pan, then place in a roasting pan.
Degalze the pan with white wine and pour over roast, gently fry the shallots and place in roasting pan.
Wash and quarter the tomatoes and place in the roasting pan alongside the veal roast.
Salt and pepper then baste the top of the roast with honey.
Cover with lid or tin foil (seal well) and bake in pre-heated oven at 200 C for about 45mn (count half an hour per pound)
When cooked turn of the oven and leave the unopened roasting pan in for a further 15mn.
Take out, slice and serve hot with baking juices.

Secret Ingredient: Lemon - Part 2

After the velvety asparagus soup I made a very French dish called Blanquette de Veau, it's a veal stew with a lemon twist.
This is my Mom's recipe who has it from her own Mother.



Blanquette de Veau
For 6
Ingredients
2 to 2.5 pounds veal stew (it will depend on the crowd you entertain, whether they are big eaters or not...)
2 TBSP all purpose unbleached flour
3 sliced carrots
1 bunch of fresh Parsley
Salt, pepper
2 TBSP sour cream
Juice of 1/2 a lemon

Method
Soak the veal pieces in cold water for 30 mn.
When ready drain the water, dry the meat with paper towel and place it in a hot pan with a bit of oil, do not brown the meat.
When all the meat has taken a white color sprinkle 2 TBSP of flour over it, stir and add a bit of water.
Then pour over the sliced carrots, half of the parsley thinly cut, salt and pepper then add more water, enough to cover the meat and stir.
Close your pot (I use a cast iron pot) and let it simmer on low heat for 1 h to 1.5 hour, stirring occasionally.
When you are ready to serve add at the last minute 2 TBSP of sour cream and the juice of half a lemon and stir.
Serve hot with white rice or as I did with fingerling potatoes.

Spring is in the air

For the past 3 days I have been fighting a bad cold and it seems I am not winning!
Despite this I still cooked a nice veal stew last night and it was enjoyed bay all.
This recipe is of my creation.

Veal stew with carrots
Ingredients
1 pound of veal stew meat diced
2 shallots
4 carrots
1 glass or so of dry white wine
1 tomato
salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary, parsley

Method
Slightly brown the veal dices in a non stick frying pan over high heat, then place the veal pieces in a pot (ie. cast iron pot) over medium heat (until it boils then reduce to a simmer).
Deglaze your frying pan with the white wine and pour it over the veal pieces
Peal and thinly slice the shallots and place in pot
Peal and slice the carrots and place in pot
Clean and cut tomato and place in pot
Season with salt, pepper and herbs to taste, add a glass of water
Close pot and let simmer for an hour or so (veal being a tender meat by nature the cooking time can be reduced compared with beef).
Before serving if sauce is too liquidy dissolve a couple of spoons of corn starch in 2 table spoon of cold water and pour the mix in the sauce and boil for 3 or 4 mn.
Serve with steamed fingerling potatoes or broiled fennel bulb (this recipe will be for another day).

Bon appétit