Fennel Risotto with Dry White Wine and Garlic

Fennel is a sweet vegetable with a subtle aniseed flavour. Team it with dry white wine to add depth and flavour to this simple vegetarian risotto.

Serves:4

Preparation time:  10 mintues

cooking time:        30 minutes

total time:             40 minutes

Ingredients

2 ½ cups hot vegetable stock
4 tbsp butter
1 fennel bulb (about 1 pound),sliced thin
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3 shallots, finely diced
½  cup arborio rice
2 T dry white wine
2 T fennel fronds, chopped

Method

1.       Bring the stock to a simmer in a small saucepan. In a frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the butter over a medium-high heat. Add the fennel, shallots and garlic and season to taste. Cook for 15 minutes or until soft, stirring occasionally. Set aside.

2.       Meanwhile, in a medium-sized heavy-based saucepan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter over a medium heat.  Add the rice and stir to coat in the oil and butter for 2 minutes. Season with a freshly groung black pepper. Stir in t1 tablespoon of white wine and increase the heat to bring to a gentle boil. When the liquid has been absorbed by the rice, start to add the hot stock, a half cup at a time.

3.      After about 20 minutes the rice should be creamy but still al dente. , Combine with the fennel, the fennel fronds and the remaining wine. Stir and season to taste

Kale with Bacon and Walnuts

Time: 30 min

3 pounds kale, trimmed of stems and center ribs

1 cup chopped walnuts, coarsely chopped

2 Tablespoons balsamic glaze

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

6 slices crisply cooked bacon, chopped, reserve drippings.

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Tear kale into large pieces. Cook kale in 2 Tablespoons bacon drippings in a large heavy pan until kale is done to your  taste and moisture is cooked away.  (about 6-10 minutes)

Saute the walnuts in 1 Tablespoon bacon fat in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 5 minutes. Stir in red pepper flakes and cook, stirring about 1 minute. Add balsamic glaze and cook about one minute more until walnuts are glazed.

Add walnut mixture and bacon bits to kale and add salt and pepper to taste and

Serve warm

I served with cornbread  to which I added shredded  zucchini and La Vaquita Savadorian style cheese.The bacon fat and cornbread are in keeping with the southern style of preparing greens.

Makes 8 servings

And, there is plenty more - Any Ideas?????

Rice Pudding

I find it amazing that you can make such a luscious treat with skim milk and very little sugar. I took advantage of an oversupply of skim milk and a cool day to use the oven.

1 cup arborio rice
8 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar
4 Tablespoons butter (lessen if desired)
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup currants ( I was out of raisins)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon cinnamon sugar mixture.

Boil the rice for 10 minutes in a saucepan of water. Drain the rice.
In a large enamel baking dish, combine rice with milk, sugar, butter and salt. Simmer uncovered until rice absorbs the milk. Watch attentively for any sticking and stir throughout.

Add currants, vanilla and stir until mixed in. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar generously over the top and allow to continue cooking in a 350 F. oven to allow currants to soften and cinnamon-sugar to caramelize.

Cool and eat.

Note: I had always cooked this entirely in the oven, but I got a good result today with stovetop cooking.

Tomato Basil soup

4 cups tomotoes, peeled, cored and chopped, or 4 cups canned whole tomatoes, crushed
4 cups tomato juice, or part tomato juice and part vegetable stock
12 to 14 fresh basil leaves, washed and chopped
1 to 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2  to 1/3 pound sweet butter
salt to taste
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Combine tomatoes, juice, and/or stock in saucepan. Simmer 30 minutes. Puree, adding basil leaves in small batches, in blender or food processor. Return to saucepan and add cream, butter, salt, and pepper, while stirring constantly over a low heat.

Published in 1991 by Chef Paul Joseph Seidman (La Madeleine).

Cake from the Pantry

1 package Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® carrot cake mix

1 cup coconut milk

4 eggs

1 can (8 oz) peach preserves

1/2 cup chopped nuts

1/2 cup white chocolate chips

1/2 cup shredded zucchini

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottoms only of two 8-inch or 9-inch round pans with shortening or spray bottoms with cooking spray; lightly flour.

2. In large bowl, beat cake mix, coconut milk, eggs and peaches with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes. Stir in nuts, white chocolate chips and zucchini. Pour into pans.

3. Bake 8-inch rounds 40 to 45 minutes, 9-inch rounds 30 to 35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Run knife around sides of pans to loosen cakes; remove from pans to wire rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

4. Fill layers and frost side and top of cake with cream cheese frosting. Store covered in refrigerator.

Peach Cobbler

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
5 Tblsp. unsalted butter
4 Tblsp. cream cheese
4 to 5 Tblsp. ice water



7 very large ripe peaches, peeled and chopped coarsely
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick)unsalted butter

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Lightly grease a deep 7 x 9-inch ovenproof dish. Set aside.







Place the flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add the butter and cream cheese. Process until mixture is the size of small peas. Add ice water and process until mixture begins to form a ball. Remove and shape into a ball. Meanwhile, cut the peaches into thick slices and set aside.

To assemble the cobbler, roll the dough out into a large, ragged rectangle on a floured surface. Dust with flour and roll back onto the rolling pin. Unroll over the prepared dish, lining the bottom and sides and allowing excess dough to hang over sides. Heap peaches into the dish. Sprinkle with sugar and dot with the butter pieces. Fold the loose ends of the pastry over the top.


Put cobbler into the oven and turn temperature to 425 degrees. Bake for 45 minutes, or until top is golden.

Onion Marmalade

                         Jeff's smoked hog

            (slow smoked with no seasoning)

Ingredients:

* 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
* 6 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
* ½ cup Port wine (this caused mine to be dark - use sherry if lighter in color desired)
* ½ cup vinegar
* 2 tablespoons sugar
* 2 tablespoons dried cherries
* ½ teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
* 1 bay leaf
* 20 black peppercorns, cracked

Preparation:


Place all ingredients in a non-reactive, thick-bottomed pot over low heat. Simmer until almost all liquid has evaporated and onions are translucent. (30-40 minutes) Set aside to cool.

Place in glass jars and refrigerate.