Farro And Arborio Risotto With Leeks Herbs And Lemon Food

FARRO AND ARBORIO RISOTTO WITH LEEKS, HERBS AND LEMON

Steps:

• Bring the stock to a simmer in a saucepan. Season well and turn the heat to low.
• Heat the oil over medium heat in a large nonstick frying pan or wide, heavy saucepan and add the leeks. Cook, stirring, until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes, and add a generous pinch of salt, the garlic and the rice. Cook, stirring, until the grains of rice are separate and beginning to crackle, about 3 minutes.
• Stir in the wine and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. The wine should bubble, but not too quickly. You want some of the flavor to cook into the rice before it evaporates. When the wine has just about evaporated, stir in a ladleful or two of the simmering stock (about 1/2 cup), enough to just cover the rice. The stock should bubble slowly (adjust heat accordingly). Cook, stirring often, until it is just about absorbed. Add another ladleful or two of the stock and continue to cook in this fashion, not too fast and not too slowly, stirring often and adding more stock when the rice is almost dry, for 15 minutes.
• Stir in the farro and more stock to cover and continue to cook, adding more stock as necessary and stirring often, for another 10 minutes or until the rice is cooked through but al dente. If it is still hard in the middle, you need to continue adding stock and stirring for another 5 minutes or so. Taste and adjust seasonings.
• Stir in the herbs and fresh pepper (be generous), add another ladleful of stock and continue to cook, stirring, for a minute, then add the Parmesan and the lemon juice, stir together and remove from the heat. The risotto should be creamy; if it isn't, add a little more stock. Stir once, taste and adjust seasonings, and serve.

FARRO RISOTTO

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, mix together the farro and 4 cups of water. Soak for 30 minutes and drain well.
• Heat the broth in a small saucepan and keep warm over low heat.
• In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat the oil and butter over medium heat. Add the shallots and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the drained farro and cook, stirring constantly until toasted, about 3 minutes. Add the wine and stir constantly until evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the hot broth and stir constantly until completely absorbed. Continue adding the remaining broth, 1/2 cup at a time, until the farro is creamy and cooked through, about 30 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the currants, pine nuts, feta cheese, and the remaining salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and serve.
• Cook's Note: To toast the pine nuts, arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F oven until lightly toasted, about 6 to 8 minutes. Cool completely before using.

FRESH HERB RISOTTO

Steps:

• Put your stock or broth into a saucepan, and bring it to a simmer on the stove, with a ladle nearby or in the pot. Make sure that it is well seasoned. Combine the herbs and one of the minced garlic cloves in a bowl, and set aside.
• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a wide, heavy skillet or saucepan. Add the onion or leek and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and cook gently until it is just tender, about three minutes. Do not brown.
• Stir in the rice and the remaining three cloves of garlic, and stir just until the grains of rice become separate and begin to crackle. Add the wine and cook, stirring, until it is absorbed.
• Begin adding the simmering stock, a couple of ladlefuls (about 1/2 cup) at a time. The stock should just cover the rice and should be bubbling, not too slowly but not too quickly. When the rice is just tender all the way through but still chewy, usually in 20 to 25 minutes, it is done. Taste now and correct seasoning.
• Add another ladleful of stock to the rice. Stir in the herbs, pepper, lemon zest and juice, and Parmesan, and remove from the heat. The mixture should be creamy. If you put some on a plate and tilt the plate the mound of rice should flatten out. Serve right away.

RISOTTO WITH PARMESAN AND LEMON

Steps:

• Bring the chicken stock to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium heat.
• Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a separate large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and a touch of salt and cook, stirring often, until the onion is tender, about 8 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring, until toasted, about 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook until evaporated, 2 to 4 minutes.
• Add 1 cup simmering chicken stock to the rice and cook, stirring constantly, until absorbed. Repeat, adding the stock 1 cup at a time, until the rice is al dente and creamy in texture, about 20 minutes. (You might not use all of the stock.)
• When the rice is al dente, remove from the heat and stir in the cheese, chives and lemon juice. Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil.
• Divide the risotto among shallow bowls. Drizzle with olive oil, top with the lemon zest and more chives, and season with salt and pepper.

RISOTTO WITH GARLIC, HERBS AND LEMON

Steps:

• Put the stock in a saucepan and bring to a simmer.
• Heat the olive oil in another heavy saucepan. Add the onion and garlic and cook slowly until they soften but do not color. Stir in the rice and cook a minute or too longer. Stir in the lemon zest.
• Add the wine, bring to a simmer, and cook until the wine has evaporated. Then, over a medium to medium-low heat, begin to add the stock, about one-half cup at a time, stirring slowly but constantly. As each portion of the stock is absorbed by the rice, add some more, cooking until the rice is al dente and moist, which should be approximately 15 to 20 minutes.
• Stir in the herbs and season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon into individual soup plates and serve at once. Pass the Parmesan cheese on the side.

LEEK, MUSHROOM & LEMON RISOTTO

Steps:

• Wash the leeks well. Slice in half lengthwise and roughly chop. Wipe the mushrooms with paper towels and roughly chop.
• Heat the oil in a large saucepan and cook the garlic for 1 minute. Add the leeks, mushrooms and salt & pepper to taste. Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes or until softened and browned. Remove from pan and set aside.
• Add 2 tbsp of the butter to th epan and cook the onion over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
• Stir in the arborio rice and cook for 1 minute. Add 1 ladleful of hot stock to the pan and cook gently, stirring occasionally, until all the liquid is absorbed.
• Add another ladleful as each previous one is absorbed, this should take about 25 minutes. The risotto will turn thick and creamy. The rice should be tender but not sticky.
• Just before serving, stir in the leek & mushroom mixture along with the remaining butter, grated lemon zest, 3 tbsp of the lemon juice, half of the parmesan and the herbs.
• Serve and sprinkle with the remainder of the parmesan and herbs.