Recipe: A Few of My Favorite Risottos - Hey Wendy try these...

Wendy... I make risotto all of the time... here are a few of my favorite recipes... I make the first one in the Spring time.... the Mushroom one in the cold of Winter... and then the Lemon Green bean one in the heat of Summer...

One thing you will notice is that... the base recipe is pretty much the same... If you wanna do something with proscuitto... I would go for the Base recipe... and then right before you place in the final cup of stock ... add... your proscuitto since it has already been smoked/cured and you should really enjoy it as is ... I would also perhaps add some cayenne pepper and asparagus cooked only until al dente (just barely cooked through) chopped into maybe 1 inch pieces... since I don't like mushy veggies in my dishes... and since the heat of the final cup of stock along with the heat of the rice will continue to cook the asparagus...finish it off just before you are going to serve it with the 2 Tb. butter and some freshly squeezed lemon juice and parsley. Hope this is what you were hoping for!

Risotto With Shrimp, Green peas and Peppers
Serves: 3-4

1 pound shrimp, shelled, deveined and tails removed
6-8 oz frozen green peas
1 large yellow pepper slivered into 1 inch pieces
3 cups chicken stock
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic chopped
1 small onion chopped
1 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup dry vermouth
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 lemon zested

1. Begin by saut ing shrimp in 1 Tablespoon of olive oil, until shrimp are bright pink and opaque in color. Do not over cook. Set aside.

2. Bring chicken stock to a simmer over HI heat. Then lower to keep stock continuously hot.

3. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over MED HI heat.

4. Add the onion and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes or until tender.

5. Stir in rice until completely coated with oil mixture.

6. Add vermouth stirring constantly until most of the liquid is absorbed. Keep repeating this process of adding 1/2 cup stock and stirring until absorbed for about 20 minutes total.

7. Just before adding your final 1 cup of stock , stir in your shrimp, peas and peppers. Stir in your final cup of stock, mixing well until the items have just become warm.

8. Add butter, lemon zest, lemon juice and cheese. Stir completely. Remove from the heat and serve immediately.

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Risotto With Mushrooms And Zucchini
Serves 4

3-4 Cups homemade chicken stock
1 TB olive oil
4 TB butter (3 for initial saut and 1 for after rice is cooked)
1 large garlic clove, chopped
1 small onion chopped
4 Cups fresh mushrooms (or 2---1 LB boxes fresh mushrooms)*discard stems and quarter*
1 Zucchini sliced in coins. then quartered.
1/4 tsp. saffron
1 Cup Arborio rice
1/2 Cup dry vermouth
1/4 Cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 Cup fresh flat leaf parsley
Salt and pepper to taste.

1. Bring chicken stock to a simmer in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to low.

2. Heat oil and 3 TB of butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium high heat.

3. Add garlic, onions, and mushrooms. Saut until mushrooms begin to brown. That should take about 15 minutes.

4. Next add saffron, and rice. Stir until the rice is coated with the oil and butter/mushroom sauce mixture.

5. Add vermouth, stirring constantly until most of the liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes.

6. Reduce heat to medium and add 1/2 cup of simmering chicken stock. Keep stirring until most is absorbed.

7. Repeat this process in step 6 until most of the stock is used, (it may take 4 or 5 1/2 cups of stock to make sure rice is creamy but al dente.) ****the trick to a good risotto is to always stir and never leave unattended.

8. Right before you decide you will be using your final 1/2 cup of stock... add your zucchini coins...then add the final 1/2 cup of stock stirring until the liquid is absorbed.

9. Stir in 1 TB of butter, cheese, parsley, salt and pepper.

10. Serve

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Lemon and Green Bean Risotto
Serves:2-3

3-4 cups chicken stock
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic chopped
1 small onion chopped
1 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup dry vermouth
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 Lemons' zest
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan
6-8 ounces frozen green beans

1. Bring the chicken stock to a simmer, then lower the heat just to keep the stock hot.

2. Heat the oil over MED HI heat, then add onions and garlic and cook for 5 minutes until tender.

3. Add rice, stirring until rice is completely coated with oil. Once done add vermouth, and stir constantly until all liquid is absorbed.

4. Reduce heat to MED: Begin by adding 1/2 cup chicken stock. Stir constantly until stock is absorbed. Continue to add 1/2 cup chicken stock, stirring until the stock is absorbed...so on and so on until the rice is eventually tender, creamy yet firm (about 20-25 minutes).

5. Just before adding your final cup of stock, stir in your frozen/thawed green beans. Stir well and then add your final cup of stock.

6. Finally stir in the butter, lemon zest, lemon juice. Add grated cheese, stir well. Remove from heat and serve. You may also want to add an additional Tablespoon or two of butter to make creamy.