Risotto Milanese

When I think about a romantic meal, risotto always pops into mind. With Valentine's Day just around the corner, this would be a perfect meal to serve to your special someone.

Risotto Milanese is the first meal I made for my hubby when we started dating 8 years ago. If you are looking for a great way to your man's heart and stomach, THIS RECIPE IS THE ONE!. I love making this meal beacuse it is pretty simple, especially once all the prep is complete. One pan, a handful of ingredients, HUGE flavour and time to drink some vino while romancing your date. If you are thinking about heading out to an overcrowded restaurant that rushes you through dinner, think about staying in and feeding your special someone at your own pace. Have a great love day!

Beef Stock

1 large onion
1 red pepper
3 cloves garlic
2 carrots
fennel stems
parsley stems and leaves
2 beef bones
2 beef shanks
2 celery stems
2 tbsp. peppercorns
2 tbsp. sea salt
2 bay leaves
approx 6 litres of water

The stock recipe above is a guidline. The ingredients may vary based on the items I have on hand. I always save mushroom stems, herb stems, and vegetable peels in ziplock bags that I keep in the freezer to avoid waste. When I make chicken, beef or fish stock I use my baggies of veggie scraps to add great depth of flavour to my stocks. This is a great trick to aviod waste and stretch the grocery budget a little further. If you do not want to make your own beef stock just purchase low sodium beef stock from your grocery store.  If you purchase your stock and omit the creamy bone marrow from the recipe, add mascarpone at the end to give the dish a silky finish. I recommend using a couple of tablespoons in place of the marrow. (Do not mix the mascarpone with the butter, only add this ingredient at the end.) See below recipe for instructions:

1. Place all your veggies, beef bones, shank and spices in a large stock pot or pressure cooker.
2. Cover all the ingredients with water.
3. Bring the stock to a boil. Turn the temperature down and slow simmer for a few hours if you are using a regular pot.
If you are using a large pressure cooker, bring the ingredients to a boil before sealing the lid
shut. Cook for 25-30 minutes.
4. Strain stock through a seive into another pot.
5. Pick out the chunks of beef and shred. Set aside to cool and refrigerate until needed.
6. Remove the beef bones and using a butter knife scrape out the creamy marrow from the beef bones into a bowl. Set marrow aside and discard the veggies and spices.

Ingredients for Risotto
Serves 6-8

2 cups Aborio Rice
1.5 litres of beef stock- must be hot when adding to the risotto.
1 cup marsala wine
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter
3/4 cup parmigiano
5oz bone marrow
1 tsp saffron threads
1 small onion
1/2 small fennel bulb
salt and pepper to taste

1. In a food processor pulse together the butter and bone marrow. If you are not using bone marrow you do not have to pulse the butter. Set the creamy mixture aside until needed.
2. Dice the onion and fennel. Heat a large deep pan and melt half of the butter marrow mixture on medium high heat.
3. Add the onions and fennel to the pan and cook until translucent. About 3-4 minutes.
4. Add the the aborio rice to the pan and toast for 3 minutes.
5. Add the marsala wine to the pan and cook until the alcohol is evaporated.
6. Stir in the saffron.
7. Add two cups of stock, and gently stir to make sure the rice is not sticking to the bottom of the pan.
8. Continue adding 2 cups of beef stock at a time making sure to only add more liquid once the last batch is absorbed. Gently stir after each addition. Place the cheese rind in to the pan. This will add amazing flavour to the dish.
9. Once you add the last two cups of liquid, stay with the pan to be ready to add the parmigiano cheese and the other half of the bone marrow butter.
Make sure to turn the heat off when the pan has approximately 3/4 cup of liquid left. That is when you want to add the parmigiano and butter mixture. If you are not using bone marrow in this recipe, this is when you would add your mascarpone with the butter and parmigiano.
10. Cover and let rest off the heat for 5 minutes.
11. During the resting time, heat the shredded beef in a little of beef stock to keep it from drying out.
12. Plate the rice and add some beef on top along with desired garnish.

Enjoy!

A

Purple Cabbage Winter Salad

This afternoon I had a few friends over for lunch and I wanted to make a winter meal salad that would not only visually impress, but also pack big, bold flavors and textures. Cabbage is plentiful during the winter months and it is a prefect ingredient for this salad. The color is amazing, the texture is crunchy and the flavor is spectacular. If you are looking for a new way to utilize your cabbage this winter, give this vivacious, flavorful meal a try.

Yield: 4 lunch size salads

Ingredients

1 small purple cabbage
1 McIntosh apple
4 strips of smoked bacon
2 eggs
1/4 cup blue cheese
4 oz. green beans
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp. honey
4 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Procedure
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
1. Wash green beans, trim the ends and place into a glass bowl. Cover the beans in water and microwave for 3-4 minutes. This will cook the beans but leave them crispy. If you like your beans cooked more, microwave for 5-6 minutes instead.  Once cooked, rinse the beans in cold water, pat dry and set aside.
2. Place the two eggs in a small pot and cover with water. Once the water is boiling cook for 7 minutes. This will cook the egg, leaving it slightly soft in the centre. Once cooked and cooled, peel the shell off the eggs, slice in half and set aside.
3. Place the bacon on a rack-lined sheet pan and bake for 12 minutes or until crispy.  Once cooked, pat off any extra grease and set aside.
4. Using a mandolin or a sharp knife, slice the cabbage 1/8 inch thick and set aside.
5. Slice the apple in 1/8 inch thick disks and then slice into matchsticks. Place the sliced apple into a bowl of water with a splash of lemon juice, if you slice the apples in advance. This will help keep the apples from turning brown.
6. Place the mustard, honey, vinegar, EVOO, salt and pepper in a bowl or a jar. Whisk or shake until the dressing is well combined.
7. Toss the green beans and the cabbage in the dressing until well combined. Evenly serve the mixture on each plate.
8. Top each salad with apple, bacon, blue cheese, and egg.
9. Enjoy!!!!!


A

Clementine Peking Duck

Peking Duck is a famous dish that is known for having crispy skin, being roasted to perfection and boasting excellent flavour. I wanted to be able to make this delicacy, putting my own spin on it using the clementines and spices I had on hand. Although this recipe is not an authentic version of the dish, I was very pleased with the end result and look forward to making it again.


Ingredients

1 4-6 pound duck
12 sage leaves
1 clementine rind- remove as much of the white pith as possible
1 star anise
1 tbsp. ground cinnamon
2 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup chopped ginger- I mixed the cinnamon in with the chopped ginger

Procedure

1. Wash the duck inside and out. Make sure to remove the neck and kidneys that may be left inside. Cut off any excess fat from either end of the bird.
2. Place the duck on a sheet pan lined with a drip rack and gently pull the skin away from the duck meat by sticking your hand into the neck area and pulling it up (breast side up) without tearing it.
3. Stuff the cavity of the duck with the star anise, rinds, sage, cinnamon, ginger and garlic.

I stuffed the cavity of the duck to ensure the duck would be infused with delicious flavor from the inside out, while roasting.

4. Seal the cavity of the duck using a long wooden skewer, weaving it in and out in a sewing pattern while pinching the skin together making sure the cavity is tightly sealed. Push the remainder of the skewer into the cavity of the duck so it is not sticking out during the cooking process.

5. Using small toothpicks, pin the wings on either side. Push the toothpicks all the way into the duck, so the wood does not burn during the cooking process.
6. Using a fork, prick the skin all over, especially in the extra fatty areas.
7. Make a water bath for the duck.

you will need:

1 large deep pan (I used a 5 quart pan)
water- fill pan half way
1 tbsp. peppercorns
1 star anise
rind of one clementine- white pith removed as much as possible
1 cinnamon stick

8. Bring the water mixture to a boil.

9. Place the duck into the hot water mixture breast side up for 30-40 seconds, making sure to continuously ladle the hot liquid over the entire duck. This step will take out some of the fat from the duck and prep the skin for roasting.

10. Remove the duck from the liquid and place onto the rack lined sheet pan, breast side up.

11. Store uncovered in the fridge for a minimum 24 hours. This step will dry out the skin, aiding in a crispy exterior during the cooking process.

12. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Season the duck evenly with salt and pepper and flip the duck breast side down.
13. Roast the duck on the rack-lined sheet pan breast side down for 1 1/2 hours. Every so often, ladle out any excess duck fat from the pan and discard. I hardly had any duck fat so I only had to ladle once while I flipped the bird over after the first 1 1/2 hours.
14. If the duck is crispy, flip it over and cook the bird breast side up for an additional hour.
15. Once you flip the duck you will need make the clementine glaze.

you will need:

4 clementines- zest and juice
1 tbsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 cup of honey
1 1/2 tbsp. sambal oelek
1 tbsp. molasses
1 tbsp. soy sauce

16. Once the duck has been roasting breast side up for an hour, brush the skin with the clementine glaze and continue roasting for an additional 30 minutes or until the duck is crispy. If the duck still needs more time brush it again with more glaze and continue to roast until the duck is perfectly crispy.

Note: If you notice that the duck is getting too dark turn the oven down to 350 degrees.


17. Remove the duck from the oven and let it rest for 30 minutes.

18. Carve and enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!