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this week's menu is full of fresh, seasonal vegetables. this dinner was simple to make, although a little time consuming (risotto is always a little time consuming). next time i'll double the risotto and freeze half - risotto always reheats so well. you'll need breadcrumbs for this recipe ... if, like me, you realize you don't have any as you are making the dish, simply run a few slices of bread through your cuisinart. store any leftover breadcrumbs in the freezer for up to three months.
zucchini pancakes topped with goat cheese & slow roasted tomatoes
serves: 6 pancakes
adapted from here and here
ingredients
- 1 whole large zucchini
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 3/4 cup minced purple onion
- 3/4 cup breadcrumbs
- 3/4 - 1 cup 4-cheese italian cheese blend
- 2 whole eggs
- pinch of red chili pepper flakes
- 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, to taste
- freshly ground pepper, to taste
- olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
directions
- wash and cut the ends off the zucchini.
- shred it using the large holes of a cheese grater.
- squeeze the shredded zucchini with paper towel to remove as much excess liquid as possible. dump shredded in a bowl.
- add minced garlic, purple onion, breadcrumbs, shredded cheese, eggs, chili pepper flakes, salt and pepper. stir to combine with a fork.
- heat olive oil in a skillet (about 1/4 inch deep in bottom of skillet). add butter too and let it melt while the oil heats.
- when oil is hot, spoon (i used an ice cream scooper) a blob of zucchini batter into oil and flatten it a bit.
- cook for about 2 minutes on one side and flip, cook for about 2 minutes. (note: mine took closer to 4 minutes each side, but that is also why they are a little darker.)
- keep warm in a 250 degree oven. these heat up deliciously!
asparagus risotto
adapted from here
serves: 4
this is a delicious risotto. make it today and you will not be disappointed!
ingredients
- 1 pound asparagus, washed, ends removed and cut into 1/2" pieces
- 3 tablespoons
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 1 cup arborio rice
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 3 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock for vegetarian option),
- 1 cup of the asparagus cooking water
- 3/4 cup shredded 4-cheese italian blend
- Salt and pepper
- bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan. add a pinch of salt to the water.
- blanch the asparagus pieces for 2 minutes. use a slotted spoon to remove the asparagus pieces to an ice water bath to stop the cooking. drain from the ice water bath and set aside.
- reserve 1 cup of asparagus cooking water; throw away the rest.
- in a 3 or 4 quart saucepan (i used my dutch oven), heat butter on medium heat.
- add the shallots and cook for a few minutes until they are translucent.
- add the rice and cook for 2 minutes more, stirring until coated.
- while the shallots are cooking, bring the stock to a simmer in a separate pan. add the asparagus cooking water.
- add the wine to rice/shallots. stir and allow the rice to absorb the wine.
- when the wine is almost all absorbed, add 1/2 cup of asparagus water/stock mixture to the rice.
- stir until the liquid is almost all absorbed, adding more stock in 1/2 cup increments.
- stir often to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- continue cooking and stirring rice, adding a little bit of broth at a time, cooking and stirring until it is absorbed, until the rice is tender, but still firm to the bite, about 15 to 20 minutes. remove from heat.
- add asparagus and cheese. stir.
- serve immediately.
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