Black Swan Seafood Risotto

SEAFOOD RISOTTO

Steps:

• In a large saucepan heat the chicken stock to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until ready to use. In a large heavy pot heat 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil over moderate heat. Small children can help by taking paper off butter, cutting 2 tablespoons with butter knife, and dropping it into the pot. Small children should be highly supervised over each step that involves any type of gadget or working near a heat source. Add half of the onions to the pot and cook until clear, about 5 to 8 minutes. If you have older children, they can begin wiping off the shiitake caps with a damp cloth, removing the stems, cutting off the end, slicing the stems lengthwise and then slicing the caps.
• Add the rice to the onions and stir to coat. Small children can do this well once they practice and learn a controlled stirring motion. "Slow and steady" can be repeated until they get the hang of it.
• Add 1/3 cup white wine and stir until completely absorbed. Constant stirring will be required from here on out to make a good risotto. Have the children equipped with a long handled ladle and a deep oven mitt carefully dip the ladle into the broth and pour it into the rice. Stir continuously until the stock is absorbed. Repeat over and over using as much stock as necessary until the rice is cooked through but not mushy. The risotto should be creamy, slightly soupy but not watery.
• Meanwhile, in a medium skillet heat 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil until melted. Add the other half of the chopped onion and stir to coat. Have the children cut the red pepper with table knives into strips and then crosswise into small even squares. Add the diced pepper to the onion and stir to combine. Add the tomatoes and stir to combine. Add the shiitakes and cook until any liquid evaporates. Add the fresh seafood and cook until just done.
• Stir the sauteed seafood and vegetables into the pot of risotto. Grated Parmesan can be stirred into the risotto or served on top at the table. Cover until ready for service.

LOBSTER AND PRAWN RISOTTO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a skillet over low heat. Stir in the garlic and onions. Cook 1 minute. Add the rice, stirring to coat with oil, about 2 minutes. When the rice has taken on a pale golden color, pour in the white wine, stirring constantly until the wine is fully absorbed, and then add a dash of salt. Add 1/2 cup broth to the rice, and stir until the broth is absorbed. Continue adding the broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring continuously, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is al dente, 15 to 17 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan and mascarpone. Finish with the black truffle oil, salt and pepper to taste.
• In a frying pan, add 1/4 cup vanilla-infused olive oil, the 2 whole garlic cloves and the thyme and heat for 1 to 2 minutes over medium heat. Place the lobster tails in the pan flesh-side down and sear until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Flip over and spoon some infused oil onto the lobster tails. Place the pan into the oven and cook for 2 minutes.
• Once cooked, remove the lobster tails from the pan and place the pan back on the stovetop. On low heat, add the remaining 1 tablespoon vanilla-infused olive oil and diced tomatoes. Remove the seeds from the vanilla bean and mix the seeds into the tomato and oil mixture.
• Take the shrimp and remove the tails. Once the tails are removed, add them into the pan for 3 to 4 minutes, turning occasionally until cooked.
• Spoon the risotto onto plates and place the lobster tails onto the risotto. Place the shrimp on the risotto and spoon the tomato mixture on top of the risotto. Once plated, cut the lime in half and serve with half a lime on each plate. Drizzle more vanilla-infused olive oil on and around each plate and serve.

JAPANESE SEAFOOD RISOTTO

Steps:

• Heat the chicken stock in a medium saucepot and keep warm.
• Coat a straight-sided pan with the vegetable oil and set over medium heat. Add the ginger and scallion whites and cook until aromatic, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the rice, sprinkle with salt and cook for a minute or two to toast the rice. Deglaze with the sake and cook for about a minute to allow the alcohol to burn off. Add a few ladles of hot stock to the rice, just enough to cover, and cook, stirring constantly, until the rice has absorbed the stock. Add a few more ladles of stock and repeat. You will do this 4 to 6 times, until all of the stock is absorbed and the rice is cooked through but still has a nice bite to it. The whole process should take about 20 minutes.
• Once the rice is cooked, stir in the shrimp and edamame and let the heat of the rice gently cook the shrimp. Once the shrimp have turned opaque, stir in the miso paste. Beyond this point, do not let the risotto boil; miso tastes bitter if it boils. Check the seasoning and adjust the salt as needed. Add the mirin, lemon zest and juice and scallion greens and gently fold in the crabmeat.
• To plate, spoon a generous amount of risotto into a serving bowl, drizzle with a little sesame oil, add a splash of soy sauce and top with some nori.

SEAFOOD RISOTTO

Steps:

• In a large saute pan, over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the onions. Season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring. Saute until the onions are slightly soft, about 3 minutes. Add the stock and garlic. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer for about 6 minutes. Add the rice and simmer for 12 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Clean, trim and dice the shellfish and seafood. Season the seafood with salt and pepper. Continue to cook for 6 minutes. Stir in the butter, cream, cheese, and green onions. Simmer for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat. Spoon the risotto in the center of each shallow bowl. Garnish with parsley.

BLACK BEAN RISOTTO

Steps:

• Add 1/2 the olive oil to a saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic, jalapenos and onions and saute for about 3 to 4 minutes, do not brown. Add the chili powder, cumin, oregano, bay leaf, beans and tomatoes and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes until all ingredients are warm, then set aside.
• Add the other 1/2 of the olive oil to a sauce pot and saute the rice until warm, about 30 to 60 seconds. Transfer the rice to the inner cooking pan of the RIZO Micom Rice Cooker and Warmer and place inside the cooker. Pour the heated chicken stock over the rice and then place the sauteed ingredients on top of the rice. Close the lid and press the risotto button to start. When the rice is finished it will automatically switch to warm mode. Press the RESET button. Add the salt, pepper, butter and cheese, mix all and serve immediately. Garnish with cilantro, scallion flowers and maduros.