BLT Risotto

Tags

bacon, dinner, recipes, risotto, spinach

I really didn’t know what to do with the 3lb bag of Arborio rice that was given to me by mistake from Fresh Direct, so it sat in my cupboards. Sure, I could make risotto… I mean, that’s what arborio rice is for. But the thought of using it never came to mind until I was looking through a cookbook at Patty’s house.

“Oh, I have been meaning to give that to you…”

A free cookbook! It was Emeril Lagasse’s Sizzling Skillets and One Pot Wonders. Everything about a one pot dinner sounded great to me but when I spotted the BLT Risotto recipe my mind went right to the giant bag of free Arborio Rice.

I had most of the ingredients on hand, so I figured “Why Not?”

I was also nursing a really gnarly hangover and was craving CARBS like crazy. There was no time like the present to 1) make hangover risotto and 2) stop feeling hungover.

Ingredients:

6 cups chicken stock

6 ounces thick cut bacon  1/5 lb thick cut bacon

1 cup onion, diced

3/4 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp crushed garlic

1 1/2 tsp fresh thyme 3/4 tsp dried thyme

1 1/2 cups Arborio rice

3/4 cups dry white wine

1 lb vine ripened tomatoes 2 vine ripened tomatoes

5 ounces fresh baby spinach

2 Tbsp unsalted butter

2 ounces parm cheese

To start, set the 6 cups of broth in a pot to simmer. It has to be hot in order to do its magic later.

While the broth was simmering, I crisped up the bacon in a large skillet… the same skillet I would be using for the duration of the cooking! One skillet to wash! yesss!

I digress.

When the bacon is nice and crispy, remove it from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside on some paper towels.

Add the onions to newly rendered bacon fat and season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon until the onions are translucent. About 4-6 minutes.

Add the garlic, rice, and thyme. Toast up the rice, stirring frequently for 5 minutes. Pour in the wine and allow the rice to absorb it.

When the wine is absorbed, add 1 cup of the chicken stock and gently stir the rice. As the stock evaporates, continue to add 1/2 cup of stock at a time. This should go on for about 15-18 minutes until there is 1/2 cup of stock remaining and the rice is al dente.

Add the tomatoes and allow to cook for two minutes.

After that, add the spinach, bacon, remaining stock, butter and parmesan cheese. Once the spinach wilts, allow it cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Plate and serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Amazing.

And it made for an awesome hangover breakfast!

Risotteria

Tags

dessert, Gluten free, restaurant reviews, risotto

So, things with the boyfriend have been progressing nicely and we have been devouring this city one restaurant at a time. One of his colleagues told him about a place that he had to try. Knowing how I never turn down a new dining experience, he picked me up and we ventured to the West Village.

Risotteria is a very small restaurant. It must be said that if you have issues sitting next to strangers at close range, this place is not for you.

When we arrived, we were greeted by a small crowd for the Sunday dinner service, as well as a very bubbly and energetic staff.

The menu is quite extensive for a place serving risotto. There are sooo many different kinds of risotto that while we were there, we used our wait time to start deciding on what we wanted to eat.

Luckily, that went by really quickly and we were seated.

On the table was an empty wine table that served as the wine list. BF loved that and was very eager to place our wine order. He chose a refreshing Sauvignon Blanc that went perfectly with our entrée.

Because we were referred by a friend of his, they surprised us with a complimentary appetizer. The eggplant parmigiana was incredibly delicious! Considering that we didn’t come in wanting eggplant, it was definitely a delicious surprise.

BF ordered the proscuitto di Parma which was supple and flavorful.

I ordered the meatballs that were reminiscent of my grandmother’s homemade meatballs!

The main event was the risotto! BF Ordered the lamb and gorgonzola which was smooth and extremly creamy with tender chucks of lamb.

I opted for a more assertive flavor….

Sausage with spinach. The sausage was the best part! But after so many other courses, I found this to be too rich to consume in its entirety. I packed up the rest to go…

And BF ordered us dessert…

Risotteria is a restaurant that does Gluten Free and Vegan! Personally, I don’t have a gluten intolerance, but I don’t mind indulging every now and then.

The Red velvet cupcake wasn’t my favorite.

BF ordered the tres leches. I found it to be on the dry side as I like my tres leches to be dripping with deliciousness.

Aside from the disappointing desserts, Risotteria was a fantastic meal! The food is great and the icing on the cake is the service. All smiles and high energy!

Can’t wait to go back!