Butternut Squash Risotto--Barefoot Bloggers

Time for another Barefoot Blogger's post and another great Ina Garten recipe--this one selected by the wonderful Rachel at Rachel Likes to Cook. Kicking off the fall season, Rachel chose Butternut Squash Risotto and I am beginning to believe that Butternut Squash is the new black! Its featured in this recipe, the one I chose for later in the month, several chefs have featured it in recipes on the Food Network, its in all the fall magazines and Giada's recently published cookbook, I found three recipes for it including one for a risotto with vanilla. Yep, Butternut Squash is definitely the new black this season!

I actually was looking forward to making this recipe quite a bit for two reasons; one I have never actually made risotto and the second reason is I have been long prejudiced against most squash and consider it among my least favorite foods and I have been working on willing myself to like it more. I was a little worried that I would have the patience and fortitude needed to focus on stirring and adding the broth to the Risotto (I am basically a somewhat lazy, impatient cook) but Ina rates the recipe as easy and the Weekend Lunch episode with this recipe aired a few days before I made it and it looked doable.

You can find the recipe either in Barefoot Contessa Family Style on page 86 or here at the Food Network.



Butternut Squash Risotto
Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa

Ingredients
1 butternut squash (2 pounds)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
2 ounces pancetta, diced
1/2 cup minced shallots (2 large)
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice (10 ounces)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon saffron threads
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Peel the butternut squash, remove the seeds, and cut it into 3/4-inch cubes. You should have about 6 cups. Place the squash on a sheet pan and toss it with the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, tossing once, until very tender. Set aside. Meanwhile, heat the chicken stock in a small covered saucepan. Leave it on low heat to simmer. In a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the pancetta and shallots on medium-low heat for 10 minutes, until the shallots are translucent but not browned. Add the rice and stir to coat the grains with butter. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes. Add 2 full ladles of stock to the rice plus the saffron, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stir, and simmer until the stock is absorbed, 5 to 10 minutes.


Continue to add the stock, 2 ladles at a time, stirring every few minutes. Each time, cook until the mixture seems a little dry, then add more stock. Continue until the rice is cooked through, but still al dente, about 30 minutes total.

Off the heat, add the roasted squash cubes and Parmesan. Mix well and serve.


Results: Incredible! Ina does it again! The combo of flavors; pancetta, squash, cheese, saffron and the creamy texture made this recipe a winner. The color is gorgeous too! I did find it cooked almost 20 minutes more than listed on the recipe but it was worth the wait and the texture of my risotto was pretty close to perfect I think. It made plenty for dinner for my Mom and I, as well as heated up well the next day for lunch. We served it with some fresh beans, cooked by Mom with some bacon and onion. (Yep, bacon and pancetta in one night--living dangerously!)



Great, great recipe pick Rachel! I only hope my pick of Vegetable Pot Pie to be posted on the 4th Thursday of this month is as good. (I am a little scared about making the pastry crust!) Check out the other Barefoot Bloggers' risottos here and if you love Ina and want to cook and post her recipes each month along with us, come learn more about the Barefoot Bloggers here.

Mom's In The Kitchen: Raisin Bran Cookies

In case you were wondering, I don't just cook for Mom, she cooks for me too. When she asked me if I wanted her to bake me some chocolate chip cookies, I of course said yes but I also requested her Raisin Bran cookies too. Made with Raisin Bran Cereal, and similar to an oatmeal cookie only lighter and better, these are one of my very favorite cookies. My Mom has been making them forever and said she got the recipe from a Kellogg's Cereal pamphlet. Although I don't like to eat Raisin Bran as cereal, it makes a darn tasty cookie!

Raisin Bran Cookies

by Mom, from Kellogg's

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3/4 cup butter (or 3/4 cup of half butter & half butter flavor Crisco)

1 1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 eggs, beaten well

3 Tbsp milk

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

2 1/4 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

3 cups Raisin Bran Cereal

1/2 cup raisins

Cream butter/shortening and sugar until fluffy. Add egg, beat well. Add dry ingredients, alternating with milk and vanilla, mix well. Add cereal and extra raisins and mix well using a spoon or spatula.

Drop by rounded teaspoonful on greased or parchment covered baking sheet. Bake at 365 degrees F. for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden. (Oven temps and times may vary so you may need to adjust for your oven).

Cool on pans for 1 minute or so and then remove to cooling racks. Makes about 3 1/2 dozen.

Soft, chewy and especially good warm, with a cup of cold milk.

Max, hanging out on the buffet behind the couch enjoying Grandma's visit.

Farmer's Market Finds: Locally Grown Spices

Saturday's trip to the KCC Farmer's Market yielded it usual bounty: locally grown mangos, Manoa lettuce, zucchini, tomatoes, green beans and assorted herbs (lemon basil, mint, cilantro). Mom and I split an order of the fried green tomatoes she was craving, served with a wasabi mayo and a lemon-basil mayo. A stop by the Wailea Agricultural Group booth also unearthed some more unusual finds--fresh spices that I don't often see outside of a spice jar. The Wailea Agricultural Group, from The Big Island, is the largest fresh Hawaiian Heart of Palm grower in America. They consider themselves "stewards of the earth" and practice sustainable agricultural practices. They sometimes bring tropical fruits and Meyer lemons to the market and this Saturday they also brought spices.


The strange looking "orbs" in the picture I posted yesterday are indeed fresh nutmeg, encased in mace as Rachel, Beach Bum, and Stephanie's Matt guessed. Its two, two, two spices in one! Nutmeg is the seed from the evergreen trees, Myristica fragrans, that are indigenous to Southeast Asia and Australia. Mace is the red "lacy" covering over the seed. (For more details and pictures look here).
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When harvested, the nutmeg is encased in a yellowish fruit and the outer skin, flesh and mace are stripped off. The fruit is used in some countries to make jam or candy. The mace is removed, pressed flat and dried for a few hours, then stored in a dark cool place for several months where it will change color and becomes either orange-yellow or orange-red depending on the variety. It can then be ground in a spice grinder and used in both sweet and savory dishes. My spice book describes Mace as tasting "warm, aromatic, delicate and subtle with some lemony sweetness, yet it finishes with a potent bitterness. (My favorite spice book by the way is this one: Herbs and Spices: The Cook's Reference by Jill Norman--a great book with wonderful pictures)


Meanwhile the hard brown-black shell is dried for 6-8 weeks until the nutmeg kernel rattles in the shell. The shell is then cracked open and the nutmeg removed and stored until used--it keeps best whole and grated when needed. My spice book describes nutmeg as being "more camphorous and pine-like than mace, with hints of clove and a deep, bittersweet, woody flavor".

Nutmeg is not a favorite spice of mine, but the chance to dry and use my own locally grown nutmeg and mace and the fact they were $1.00 each made them too good to pass up. I'll post the results of my spice drying as it happens.



The nice guy at the booth also had some fresh bay leaves for $1.00 a stem. These are some huge leaves! He said to throw the branch on top of my refrigerator to dry, then strip off the dried leaves and store in an airtight container.


Hours of entertainment, really fresh spices, supporting a great local company and learning something new all for $3.00--I'd say that's a pretty good deal.

A Taste of Home: Blackberry Milkshakes

I am not a big fan of fast food, though I will admit to the occasional late night "Run for the Border" during a weak moment usually after a bit of drinking. In Oregon, where I spent a good portion of my life and Southern Washington, they are lucky enough to have Burgerville. Burgerville is a different kind of fast food place, where they use local, sustainable ingredients like Tillamook Cheese, local beef, halibut and salmon, sweet potatoes, etc. (there is a list of their local suppliers on their website--how cool is that!?) They have been written up in Gourmet and were given a Food Network Award for "Best Better Burger" for their burger and their sustainable business practices. My favorite thing there, besides their Pepper Bacon Cheeseburgers, are their Oregon Grown Blackberry Milkshakes, made with real ice cream. Since they are only served seasonally, for a few weeks during blackberry season, I can't get them a lot and it isn't really something you can have someone bring over.

My Mom (and sister) did the next best thing to bringing me a milkshake by having my Mom bring over some fresh Blackberry Jam my sister made. I made up a quick batch of my favorite easy vanilla ice cream from Prudie's recipe and combined it with the jam for a pretty close approximation of my favorite treat. (For two shakes I used about 2 1/2 cups of vanilla ice cream, 1/3 cup milk and 3 Tbsp fresh Blackberry Jam).

Served with a healthy salad made from leftover salmon, it was a perfect lunch. Thanks Mom for the delivery service (and making the salads) and thanks Linda for the delicious jam!

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On another note:

Do you know what these strange looking objects are in the picture below? (No, they are not alien pods). I got them at the Farmers Market. Leave me your guess and tune in tomorrow to see if you are right.

Turkey-Apple Burgers Stuffed with Blue Cheese

My Mom is visiting from Oregon for 12 days which means coming up with different things to feed her. Last night I made this healthy salmon with rice and salad. For tonight, I had some ground turkey breast that needed to be used, some leftover blue cheese and one Granny Smith apple. How about combining them into a turkey burger with grated apple stuffed with blue cheese?!

Turkey-Apple Burgers Stuffed With Blue Cheese

Serves 4

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1 lb ground turkey breast

1 Granny Smith apple, coarsely grated

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

6 oz blue cheese, crumbled

buns and burger fixings of choice
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Place ground turkey in a bowl, add grated apple, garlic. salt and pepper. Divide mixture into 4 equal portions. Divide each portion in half and make eight slightly thinner (but not too thin) patties, equal in size. Place about 1.5 oz of blue cheese in the center of four of the patties, leaving about 1/2" rim of burger around the cheese.

Top with the four remaining patties forming four stuffed burgers. Grill or cook in a lightly oiled grill pan on stove until they are cooked through (about 4 minutes per side). Top with your favorite burger fixings--I used a honey-bran bun, red onion, tomato, lettuce, and a touch of mayo and Dijon mustard.

Results: Incredibly moist, tasty burgers. The green apple flavor is not that apparent in the burgers, but the coarse grated apple really moistens what otherwise might be a dry turkey breast burger. (Have plenty of napkins available!) The blue cheese adds a kick of sharp-tangy flavor. Deb's Mom says: "Best and most moist turkey burger I ever had!" (Of course she is my mother and thinks I am pretty perfect--so draw your own conclusions!)

From the Pantry Dinner: Lemony Capellini Pasta with Bread Crumbs, Capers & Garlic

Am I the last foodie on the planet to discover the wonder and sheer perfection of toasted breadcrumbs as a pasta topping?!? I've seen it, read about it but it never had that much appeal for me until the other night. Searching through my cupboards for some kind of pasta topping that was not tomato or cream based but still possessing a high degree of the comfort factor, I came across a container or organic panko bread crumbs. Since they are so coarse and they stay so delightfully crispy, I thought they would be perfect on top of pasta. A few of my other favorite ingredients; lemon, capers, parsley, olive oil, garlic, black pepper and Pecorino-Romano cheese on top of the remains of a box of capellini pasta and about 10 minutes later, a delicious dinner.

Lemony Capellini Pasta with Bread Crumbs, Capers & Garlic

Serves 2

6 ounces of dried capellini or other long thin pasta

salt

juice of 1 lemon

2 Tbsp good quality olive oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 Tbsp capers, rinsed and drained

2/3 cup panko bread crumbs

2 Tbsp coarsely chopped parsley

black pepper to taste

grated Pecorino-Romano cheese to garnish (or Parmesan or cheese of your choice)

Bring water to a boil, add salt and cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile heat olive oil in a small pan, add garlic and cook until garlic is a pale, golden color. Add capers, panko and parsley, cook, stirring frequently, until breadcrumbs are toasted and golden brown. Drain pasta well, squeeze the juice of one lemon over pasta and mix gently. Top with breadcrumb mixture, black pepper and grated Pecorino-Romano cheese.

Results: Heaven in a bowl! Simple, filling, comforting with great flavor and texture. The panko stays so crispy and light in the pasta. Putting the lemon on the drained pasta rather than into the breadcrumb mixture means it stays even crisper. The flavors of the ingredients really shine and it makes a quick weeknight meal that is elegant enough to serve to guests. You can substitute or switch around the ingredients--just do the breadcrumbs--you won't be sorry!

Of course you can make your own breadcrumbs too but the panko really works well in this dish.

A New Foodie Book Club! So Get Ready to: "Cook the Books!"

There is a New Foodie Book Club starting: "COOK THE BOOKS" and I am lucky enough to be one of the hosts along with Rachel of The Crispy Cook and Johanna of Food Junkie. After finding out on the Royal Foodie Joust Forum that we all love food inspired books and how much we wanted a book club, COOK THE BOOKS was born. The basic plan is bi-monthly, a book (fiction or non-fiction) based around food will be selected, read, and used as inspiration to cook up a wonderful dish which we will all post about. What could be more fun!?!

For those of you who read my blog, you know how much I love to read and how sad I was when the other book club I was participating in fizzled away, but my new found foodie friends Rachel and Johanna are just as passionate about reading and cooking as I am--so no danger of that in this club! Check out their blogs to see their COOK THE BOOKS Announcements here and here. Since Rachel is from upstate New York, Johanna from Greece and I am here in Hawaii, we'll have a "global' feel to the club! ;-)

For the first round the book chosen is La Cucina: A Novel of Rapture by Lily Prior. Set in Italy, this is a wonderful, sensuous and mouthwatering story and I can't wait to see all the fabulous dishes it will inspire.

Here are the guidelines:

1) Starting today, October 1st, COOK THE BOOKS readers are asked to read Lily Prior's "La Cucina: A Novel of Rapture", (NY: HarperCollins, 2000) . There are a number of inexpensive copies of this book available online if you would like to purchase your own copy or perhaps you may prefer to get a copy on loan from your local library.

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2) After reading the book, cook up something delicious inspired by this novel and blog about it. If you don't have a blog, one of us three hosts above would be happy to post your entry as a guest blogger. Make sure to include a link to this COOK THE BOOKS announcement so others can find out about the details.
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3) In the meantime, feel free to suggest other foodie readings for a future round of COOK THE BOOKS by leaving a comment after this post.

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4) This round of COOK THE BOOKS will run from October 1, 2008 to December 15, 2008. Participants will then be asked to vote on the next Cook the Books reading selection and for the most mouthwatering COOK THE BOOKS entry. The winner will receive a fabulous badge to place proudly on their blog.

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5) Ready, set, read!

I really hope you join us--this will be a fun one, with plenty of time to find the book, read it and get inspired to create something delicious!