First time Post: Tomato Risotto and Stuffed Mushrooms
This is the first time I'm posting in this community so i wanted to share something that is especially yummy.
Typically I only cook for myself and my fiancee so I am always having to adjust recipes so we don't end up with 10 days worth of leftovers. It's amazing how some recipes will say it serves 4 but really it serves more like 8 (ahem Rachael Ray)
Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms
Tomato Risotto with tomatos grown in my parent's garden.
Recipes
This is largely a cooks illustrated recipe but I can't cook anything without fiddling around with it. If you want to add bacon or proscuitto or leave out the blue cheese that is fine.
Stuffed Mushrooms with Spinach and blue cheese.
Serves 2 as a side dish.
8 Large Mushrooms
1 tsp of olive oil,
salt and peper
1/2 a small onion, finely chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced
3-5 oz spinach either fresh or defrosted
1/8 cup of bread crumbs
1-2 tablespoons of ricotta cheese
1-2 oz of blue cheese or parmesan cheese
Remove the stems from the mushroom and use a small spoon to scoop out the gunky black stuff. Toss caps and stems in the olive oil and salt/pepper and then Roast in the oven at 450 for 12-15 minutes and then turn them over and roast them for annother 10. You want the mushrooms to be dry and all the brown liquid cooked off.
Cook onions and garlic until they are browned and add the spinach and cook unti the spinach wilts. Put the spinach mixture in the food procesor with the bread crumbs, ricotta, 1/2 the blue cheese and mushroom stems. Pulse until it mixes together. Stuff each mushroom (if you want to add bacon, fry some up and crumble it in the caps) and roast until the cheese melts, about 4-5 minutes.
Tomato Risotto for 2
2 fresh tomatoes
1 tsp of olive oil
salt and pepper.
1 small onion finly chopped
1 tsp of butter
1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
2 cups of Chicken Broth
3/4 cup of Arborio Rice
Parmesan cheese to taste
Start by giving the tomato a rough chop, drizzle it with salt pepper and olive and put it on a roasting pan, roasting the tomato in the oven at about 350 degee for about 25-30 minutes. I think roasting tomatoes really brings out their flavor.
In a saucepan saute the onion in butter and when it's brown drizzle the balsamic vinegar on top. Heat up the broth in the microwave or stovetop. Add in the rice, letting it abosorb the vinegar. Ad the broth in 1/4 cup inrecements, letting the rice absorb most of the liquid before you add more. This process should take between 15-20 minutes. At around minute 12 or so add in the tomatoes with the oil it cooked in and its juices.
When the risotto is creamy and the rice is soft, you're ready to serve it, add grated parmesan to taste.