Beat The Blues Blue Cheese Risotto Food

"BEAT THE BLUES" BLUE CHEESE RISOTTO

Steps:

• NB: I like to use a fairly strong flavoured, but creamy blue cheese, like Gorgonzola, but Stilton is also nice. Stock-wise, you may need a little more or less than in the ingredients list.
• Bring stock up to a simmer.
• Halve the leeks and remove any gritty bits from inside the rings. Cut the leek into fine strips rather than semi-circles, of approx 1-2 inches in length.
• Melt half the butter with the olive oil and cook the leeks for approx 10 minutes over a low-medium heat until soft and tinged with brown.
• Add bacon to pan and cook for about 5 minutes.
• Stir in garlic and rice, cook for a further minute or two, stirring the rice until it's coated in the butter and oil and starts to go slightly translucent.
• Add the wine to the pan, turning up the heat to bubble most of it away.
• Add a ladleful of hot stock to the leek and rice mixture at a time, stirring more or less constantly. Add more stock each time that most of the liquid has been absorbed. Add the fresh sage.
• Keep doing this for approximately 15 - 25 minutes, until the risotto is creamy, but the rice grains still have a slight bite. You'll need to start testing the rice after about 15 minutes, but it may take a little longer.
• Turn off the heat.
• Stir in the lemon juice, zest, remaining butter, parmesan and blue cheese.
• Leave the risotto for another 2 minutes until rich, creamy and luscious. Season to taste with black pepper and salt if needed.

CREAMY BLUE CHEESE RISOTTO

Steps:

• Cook and stir prosciutto in 1 tsp. of the oil in large skillet on medium heat until crispy. Remove prosciutto from skillet with slotted spoon; set aside. Add mushrooms, onions, garlic, rice and remaining 3 tsp. oil to skillet; stir until rice is evenly coated with oil. Cook until onions are tender, stirring occasionally.
• Add 1 cup of the broth, cooking and stirring constantly until broth is absorbed. Repeat with remaining broth, adding broth 1 cup at a time and cooking until rice is tender but firm.
• Stir in peas, Parmesan cheese and blue cheese; cook until cheeses are completely melted, stirring frequently. Spoon onto serving platter. Top with the prosciutto; sprinkle with parsley.

BLUE CHEESE RISOTTO AND TOAST POINTS TOPPED WITH ROASTED GARLIC, CARAMELIZED ONIONS, AND GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• In a medium sized pan, saute mushrooms in butter and olive oil until they are tender. In a separate pan, saute asparagus tips in butter until they are tender. Set both aside.
• In the same pan, saute onion in olive oil until they are tender and translucent. Add the risotto to the pan and stir constantly. While stirring, add 1 cup of chicken stock to the risotto. When the mixture begins to thicken, add 1/2 cup more of chicken stock. Continually stir the risotto while adding in the blue cheese, 2 tablespoons of butter, and pears. When the risotto reaches the desired consistency, add the mushrooms. Garnish with thin slices of pear and sauteed asparagus tips.
• A viewer, who may not be a professional cook, provided this recipe. The FN chefs have not tested this recipe and therefore, we cannot make representation as to the results.
• In a medium sized pan, saute onions in butter and brown sugar. Cook until the onions begin to caramelize.
• In a separate pan, saute garlic cloves in olive oil until they become slightly tender, and then cover the garlic with chicken stock. Drain the liquid from the garlic and mash the cloves with the onions. Add cheese to the garlic and onion mixture and stir until the cheese melts. Finish the cheese spread with freshly chopped basil.
• Brush baguette slices with melted butter on each side. In a large grill pan, toast the buttered baguette pieces over medium heat. Toast the bread until the pieces are browned and slightly crispy. Remove the toast points from the pan and spoon the cheese mixture on top of each piece. Garnish each point with a small basil leaf.

LEEK AND BLUE CHEESE RISOTTO

Steps:

• Trim the leeks and slice into rings. Wash well.
• Heat the oil in a frying pan with a lid. Fry the leeks for 2 minutes and add the rice. Stir until grains are coated.
• Bring the stock to the boil and add to the rice and return to the boil. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes without stirring making sure the rice is tender.
• Remove from heat and stir in cheese. Season if desired and serve.