Auntie Jills Risotto Food

THE BEST RISOTTO

Steps:

• Warm the chicken stock in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, cover and keep warm while you make the risotto.
• Heat the olive oil in another medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the shallot, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and about 10 grinds of black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the bay leaves and 3 tablespoons butter, stirring until the butter has melted, about 1 minute.
• Add the rice and toast, stirring only once, until it smells nutty and starts to turn light golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Pour in the wine and simmer, stirring occasionally, until it has evaporated completely, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Ladle one cup of the warm stock into the rice and cook, stirring gently without stopping, until the rice has absorbed the liquid, 2 to 3 minutes (you will know it's time to add more stock when you move the rice aside and no liquid pools in the center).
• Repeat this process, adding more stock a ladleful at a time, until the rice is al dente, 17 to 19 minutes. Discard the bay leaves. (You may have a little stock left over. If so, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week.) If you prefer your risotto on the saucier side, add more stock 1/4 cup at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
• Stir in the Parmesan, the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, 1 teaspoon salt and a few more grinds of black pepper and serve with more Parmesan, if desired.

AUNTIE JILL'S RISOTTO

Steps:

• Keep broth in a saucepan over low-medium heat. On another burner, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and saute onion and carrot for about 3 minutes. Add rice and stir. Pour in 2 cups of chicken broth and stir. And stir. And stir! You should never stop stirring for more than a minute at a time.
• When you are stirring and you notice that the rice doesn't cover the bottom of the pot right away, it is time to add another cup of hot broth. Keep repeating this procedure; taste the rice after about 30 minutes and see if the "crunch" is gone. The rice should be tender and the consistency of the dish should be creamy. I found that I used the full amount of broth by the time it was at the right consistency. You may need more.
• When you are happy with the consistency, stir in wine. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan.

AUNTIE JILL'S SOY-FREE VEGAN BROWNIES - AND THEY'RE GOOD!

Steps:

• Mix dry ingredients together in large bowl (walnuts added later).
• Mix wet ingredients together.
• Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix together - approximately 50 strokes. Fold in walnuts.
• Spread mixture into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350F for 25 minutes, or until a knife/toothpick can be inserted and comes out clean.