Celebrating Spring! (Chicken Primavera Risotto)

Asparagus, carrots, peas and chicken make a tasty
risotto that celebrates Spring

When we lived in SoCal, we took Spring for granted. Basically it meant that you could bring out your white pants and shoes. And there were Easter Lillys at the grocery store. 

Here in North Carolina, things are soooo different. The trees are popping with flowers and the neighborhood is awash with yellow daffodils and pink tulips. Windows are also thrown open, at least until the pollen hits. But that's a small price to pay for the incredible leafing out hardwood trees that provide perfect shade for lazy summer afternoons in a hammock.

So when I had to come up with a recipe for the May issue of Southerly (our neighborhood magazine) the following dish was an easy choice. Cheers to Spring! And bring on all things primavera!

Chicken Primavera Risotto

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 5 1/2 cups chicken stock. If you only have a standard 4-cup box of broth, add in 1 1/2 cups of water and some garlic and/or poultry season to stretch it.
• 3 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into pieces and seasoned with salt and pepper
• 3 Tbs Butter, divided
• 2 Tbs olive oil
• ½ cup onion, 1/4 inch dice
• 1 ½ cups Arborio rice
• ½  cup dry white wine 
• 10 thin or 8 thick spears of asparagus, cut into ½ inch pieces
• 1 cup frozen peas, uncooked
• 1/2 cup each of diced carrots, onions, and halved cherry tomatoes
• 1/8 cup chopped parsley
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/2 tsp poultry seasoning (or a few sprigs of thyme chopped)
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Additional Parmesan cheese and cracked black pepper for garnish.

Method

• Bring the chicken stock to a boil and then reduce the heat to low
• Heat the olive oil in a large sauce pan or medium sized Dutch oven heat the olive oil and then brown the chicken in two batches until cooked through; remove to a bowl.
• Now add the 2 tbs of the butter to the pan and sauté  the onion and carrots until the onions are translucent; then add the rice and stir until coated. Raise the heat to medium high and pour in the wine, stirring until fully absorbed. Then begin to add hot chicken stock in ½ cup increments, stirring now and then until absorbed before adding more. Hint: it’s time to add liquid when a spoon dragged thru the mixture creates a “canyon.” 
• After about 10 minutes add the asparagus, tomatoes, peas, poultry seasoning and chicken. Continue adding broth as above, stirring to keep the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot. After about 10 more minutes the rice will be tender, but still firm. At this point, add any remaining stock and stir until it is mostly absorbed, but still loose.
• Now you are ready to finish the dish. Turn off the heat and vigorously stir in the  the remaining 1 Tbs of  butter, parsley and cheese.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve with additional Parmesan cheese and black pepper.

Enjoy.

Tour Guide (Two Peas in a Pod Risotto)

What a fun day I had yesterday! 

Tucked off the beaten path on Franklin
Street; Caffe Driad is a perfect
spot to meet friends on Saturday 

Earlier in the week received an email from a SoCal colleague, telling me that a friend of hers – also from Orange County, CA and also in marketing – had moved to Chapel Hill, and asking if I’d help show her around.  Silly question – of course, I would!  So yesterday morning I met Bev Day, a delightful SoCal transplant, at Caffé Driad; one of my favorite Chapel Hill coffee spots. 

Over cappuccino and pressed tea we chatted about the local area and our former homes.  Then off we went to the Carrboro Farmers Market to see what we could see.

The market was in full swing when we arrived. Things have really come into season over the past few weekends.  Our shopping bags filled as we continued to chat – fresh peas, greens, strawberries, leaks, onions and more.

After we left the market, I took Bev on a little tour of my end of town. What a fun day and what a nice new friend.  I look forward to future escapades as we continue to explore our new home. Who knows, maybe we will find the elusive amazing sushi restaurant we’ve both been hunting for!

Until then, it’s farmers market fare for Steve and me.  Tonight I’m making Two Peas in a Pod Rissotto – I hope you give it a try.

And welcome to what The Southern Part of Heaven, Bev.  It was great to meet you.

Two Peas in a Pod Risotto

Ingredients

• 1 cup  Aborio rice
• ½ small onion, diced
• Tbs fresh thyme, chopped
• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 2 Tbs butter, divided in half
• 1/3 cup fresh peas (or you could use thawed frozen ones)
• ¼ cup sugar snap peas, cut on the diagonal into ¾ inch pieces; plus about a tablespoon or so more for garnish
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 4 cups chicken stock
• ¼ cup parmesan cheese, plus a bit more for garnish
• Salt and pepper

Method

Prepare the stock

Heat chicken stock over medium heat until just boiling and then decrease heat to Low.

Prepare the risotto:

• Over medium heat in a large sauce pan melt 1 T of the butter and all of the olive oil
• Sauté onion until translucent
• Add rice and stir until coated
• Add wine and stir until absorbed
• Add hot chicken stock mixture in ½ cup increments, stirring until absorbed and then adding more; it is ready to add more when a spoon dragged thru the mixture creates a “canyon.” 
• After about 10 minutes add both types of peas and continue adding broth as above
• After about 10 more minutes the rice will be tender, but still firm or “al dente.” (taste a few grains to check) At this point, add the rest of the stock and stir until it has almost absorbed it all.
• Now, add the remaining Tbs of  butter, and the parmesan cheese.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To serve:

• Sprinkle with additional black pepper, parmesan cheese and some chopped up sugar snap peas for crunch.

Enjoy!

A family that cooks together... (Seared Scallops with Lemon Asparagus Risotto)

I love cooking with my family. Lately I’ve had a chance to whip up a meal or two with my brother Ed, and I look forward to our annual Christmas Culinary Duet, which we spent the better part of the morning planning.  This past Saturday night, Steve, Will and I had an amazing dinner. It brought back fond memories of Will’s high school years when he and I would cook Sunday Dinner, with Steve standing in the wings waiting to clean up our mess.

And a lovely mess we make. But if you ask Steve, he’ll tell you that it is worth it.

Saturday night's meal was particularly fun because Will made one of my signature dishes, Lemon Asparagus Risotto, to accompany a simple yet delicious preparation of seared sea scallops. 

Risotto is a Barnett staple we serve at special dinners but is also a “go to” meal that often rescues us from take-out when we don’t think we have anything in the house for dinner. But that’s another blog…

I have to say that it made both Steve and me very happy to see our son working so well on this dish. And it made us even happier when we tasted it.  The kid knows how to cook!

(photo - about half way through the cooking process, add the asparagus)

Seared Scallops

 Ingredients

• 2 – 3 Dry Diver Scallops per person
• 2 – 3 Tbs light oil (peanut, canola, etc.)
• 2 large cloves of garlic, smashed
• Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper

 Method:

• About 30 minutes before cooking, bring the scallops to come to room temperature.
• There should not be any moisture on the scallops, but if there is, blot it off with a paper towel so you get a nice sear. Season the scallops with salt and pepper.
• Coat the bottom of a large skillet with the oil – do not use a non-stick pan
• Add the smashed garlic cloves and heat on low until slightly browned.  Take your time.  Patience will pay off with yummy garlic oil.
• When the garlic is nice and brown - but not burnt - you can remove it from the pan and throw it away (or give it to someone you love to spread on a cracker or bit of crusty bread)
• Raise the heat to medium high.
• When the oil is good and hot, carefully add the the scallops one by one and sear for 3 – 4 minutes. Don't crowd them.  Don’t mess with them. Let the heat do its magic.  When the scallops are a light caramel color, turn them and cook the other side another 3 – 4 minutes.
• Remove and serve with lemon asparagus risotto.

 Lemon Asparagus Risotto

 Ingredients

Broth:

Ingredients

• 5 cups chicken stock (Be sure to use stock and not broth)
• 1-inch strip lemon peel
• 1 clove garlic smashed
• 1 tsp dried sage
• 1 tsp dried thyme

Risotto:

Ingredients

• ½ dry white wine (can substitute more stock in necessary)
• 3 Tbs Butter
• 2 Tbs olive oil
• ½ cup onion, minced
• 1 ½ cups Arborio rice
• 10 thin or 8 thick spears of asparagus, cut into ½ inch pieces
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese
• 2 Tbs lemon zest
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated on micro-plane
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Additional Parmesan cheese and cracked black pepper for garnish.

Method

Prepare the chicken stock:

• In a medium saucepan combine the chicken stock, garlic, lemon peel, sage and thyme. Heat over medium heat until just boiling and then decrease heat to Low.

 Prepare the risotto:

• Over medium heat in a large sauce pan melt 2 T of the butter and all of the olive oil
• Sauté onion until translucent
• Add rice and stir until coated
• Add wine and stir until absorbed
• Add hot chicken stock mixture in ½ cup increments, stirring until absorbed and then adding more; it is ready to add more when a spoon dragged thru the mixture creates a “canyon.” 
• After about 10 minutes add the asparagus and continue adding broth as above
• After about 10 more minutes the rice will be tender, but still firm or “al dente.” (taste a few grains to check) At this point, add the rest of the stock and stir until it has almost absorbed it all.
• Now, add the remaining Tbs of  butter, cheese and lemon zest.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To serve:

Sprinkle with additional black pepper and Parmesan cheese.

If you don’t like the weather… just wait ‘til later (Savory Chicken and Tomato Risotto)

It was a brisk 31 degrees when I rolled into the office parking lot the other morning. A Carolina Blue sky overhead and frost on the ground – a good day to hunker down and get some work done. By nightfall it was raining and the next day it was sunny clear again. As they say here, if you don’t like the weather, just wait… it will change shortly.

I’ve come to enjoy the ups and downs of North Carolina weather – even if I don’t have a clue what to wear. Clear and sunny means cotton and sandals to a former Californian. You only make that mistake once!

The recent chilly days and nights are also a good excuse to make risotto, a Barnett family favorite and what I tend to make when nothing is in the house. Last night was just such a night. And below is the “what’s in the pantry” dinner we enjoyed as we listened to the rain on the rooftop. Oh, and it was sunny and warm enough today to take a walk without a jacket at lunchtime. Go figure.

Savory Chicken and Tomato Risotto (and fresh thyme from the plant that keeps on giving...)

• 1 large box chicken stock (about 5 cups)
• 1 cup Arborio rice
• ½ onion, finely diced
• 1 clove garlic, finely diced
• ½ cup white wine
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme (I keep a little plant growing at all times), leaves removed and slightly chopped (or a Tbs of dry thyme will do)
• 2 frozen chicken tenders, slightly thawed and cut into bite-sized pieces
• ¼ cup tomato paste1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 1 Tbs and 2 tsp butter
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (the best you can find)
• Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper

Method

• Heat the broth until boiling and then reduce to a simmer. Keep this warm for use throughout the preparation

In a medium sized sauce pan over a medium flame:

• Coat the bottom of the pan with the olive oil and melt 1 Tbs of the butter
• Sauté the onions until soft
• Add the garlic and sauté until soft – don’t brown it!
• Remove the garlic and onion with a slotted spoon – reserve for later
• Now add the chicken, a pinch or two of the salt and pepper and cook until lightly brown. It may still be slightly frozen in the center, that’s OK. Remove with a slotted spoon – reserve for later
• Add the tomato paste, thyme and reserved onion/garlic mixture to the drippings left in the pan and sauté until heated through (this really helps develop the flavor)

Now for the rice... this takes about 20 minutes, but is well worth it. Pour yourself a glass of wine and enjoy the process...

• Add the rice and wine and heat through.
• Now start adding the warm chicken stock ½ cup at a time, stirring as you go and adding more as each portion is absorbed. You don’t have to stir it constantly, but don’t leave it alone.
• When you are half way through the broth, add the chicken and peas. Keep adding more broth until you’ve used it all and the rice is done, but still slightly firm.
• Remove from the heat, and still in the remaining butter and Parmesan cheese. Season with kosher salt and cracked black pepper.

Dust with a little more cheese and a few more fresh thyme leaves (if you've got 'em) before serving.

Enjoy!