From Denny: This certainly was an unexpected find today. Apparently, the two actors Richard Gere and wife Carrie Lowell own Bedford Post Inn, Bedford, New York. The actors and the chef look like they are simpatico and have a lot of fun together. You also get an inside peek at the Inn and its kitchen. What a beautiful place it is!The Bedford Inn's restaurant has recently been named one of the top 10 restaurants in the country. Chef Lewis must be quite excited to receive such an honor. He shows us how to turn leftover risotto into a holiday appetizer.
Besides, mushrooms are brain food! Healthy food for your brain and a simple easy-to-make hot appetizer for the holidays. Works for me! :)
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Wild mushroom risotto
From: Chef Brian Lewis
INGREDIENTS
For the risotto base:
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 tablespoons minced Spanish onion
• 1 cup carnaroli rice
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 4 cups mushroom or chicken stock
• Kosher salt, to taste
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
For the roasted wild mushrooms:
• 1 pound fresh porcini mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
• 1 pound chanterelles
• 8 sage leaves, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS
To make the risotto base:
1. Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottom sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions and season with salt. Cook until soft and translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
2. Add the rice and stir together with the onions for 2 minutes. Season with salt to taste.
3. Add the white wine and let simmer and absorb fully into the rice, not stirring at this point, for 3-4 minutes. Once the wine has been absorbed and the alcohol evaporated, the rice will begin to toast and take on a nutty aroma.
4. Begin to add the chicken stock at this point, one cup at a time, stirring with a wooden spoon preferably. Stir constantly, allowing the rice to give off its creamy starch and create a delicate creamy broth with the stock.
5. Continue to cook and stir the risotto until all of the stock has been absorbed by the rice. At this point, remove the pan from the heat and add the cold butter, stirring it into the rice quickly, allowing the butter to emulsify with the rice.
6. Finish the risotto by adding the Parmesan cheese and the cooked porcini mushrooms.
7. Serve with a side of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
To roast the wild mushrooms:
1. In a heavy-bottom sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and season with a touch of salt, cooking gently until all of the moisture has evaporated and they begin to brown, about 8-10 minutes.
2. Add the butter and sage, combining with the mushrooms and cooking until the butter is lightly brown and the sage has browned.
3. Adjust the seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
4. Keep warm until ready to add to the risotto.
Wild mushroom stuffed arancini (air-en-cheen-ee), also known as risotto balls
From: Chef Brian Lewis
INGREDIENTS
For the wild mushroom stuffed arancini:
• 2 cups wild mushroom risotto, cold
• 3/4 cup imported Taleggio cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 4 eggs
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh sage
• 2 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 3 quarts canola oil, for frying
• Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
For the fines herbs aioli:
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons fines herbs (equal parts minced tarragon, Italian parsley and chives)
DIRECTIONS
To make the wild mushroom stuffed arancini:
1. Fill a large, heavy-bottom sauce pot with the canola oil, making sure that the oil does not go higher than halfway high, to prevent the oil from spilling over.
2. Using a fryer thermometer, bring the temperature of the oil to 350 degrees F. Have a tray lined with paper towels ready to drain and season the fried arancini.
3. Using a tablespoon, form the risotto into equal-size balls, called arancini. Stuff each ball with small cubes of Taleggio.
4. Bread the arancini: Break the eggs into a medium-size mixing bowl and whisk with the milk and strain into another mixing bowl. Place the flour in a medium-size mixing bowl. Combine the bread crumbs, Parmigiano-Reggiano, rosemary, sage and salt and fresh black pepper to taste.
5. Roll the arancini in the flour, then dip into the eggs and then roll into the bread crumbs.
6. Fry until golden brown for 3-4 minutes. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and season with a touch of salt to taste.
To make the fines herbs aioli:
1. Mince and mash garlic to a paste with a pinch of salt using a large heavy knife.
2. Whisk together yolk, lemon juice and mustard in a bowl. Combine oils and add, a few drops at a time, to yolk mixture, whisking constantly, until all oil is incorporated and mixture is emulsified. (If mixture separates, stop adding oil and continue whisking until mixture comes together, then resume adding oil.)
3. Whisk in garlic paste and fines herbs, season with salt and pepper to taste. If aioli is too thick, whisk in 1 or 2 drops of water.
4. Chill, covered, until ready to use.
*** Thanks for visiting and check out Winter Comfort Food from Chef Tyler Florence! And if you are a blogger, be sure to copy these great reindeer images - they are too fun!
