Italian Risotto

The kids all raved over this one! Very creamy and flavorful, almost just melts in your mouth.Ingredients:
2 TBSP. butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine
2 sprigs of thyme
7 cups chicken stock, hot
4 TBSP. butter
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
In a 12 to 14-inch skillet, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent but not browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Once the onions are translucent add the rice and stir with a spoon until toasted and opaque, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the wine to the toasting rice ensuring that it is all cooked off before you add any stock. Add a 6-ounce ladle of the chicken stock and cook, stirring, until it is absorbed. Add in two sprigs of thyme. Continue adding the stock a ladle at a time, waiting until the liquid is absorbed before adding more. Cook until the rice is tender and creamy and yet still a little al dente, about 15-20 minutes. Remove the thyme. (See Note Below) Remove from heat and stir in the butter and cheese until well mixed. Season to Taste with salt and pepper. Portion risotto into 4 warmed serving plates, serving with extra cheese.

My New Favorite Rice

This has now become my new favorite rice!
Ingredients:
6 cups chicken broth, divided
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 pound portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 pound white mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 shallots, diced
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
sea salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons finely chopped chives
4 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
1. In a saucepan, warm the broth over low heat.
2. Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the mushrooms, and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Remove mushrooms and their liquid, and set aside.
3. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to skillet, and stir in the shallots. Cook 1 minute. Add rice, stirring to coat with oil, about 2 minutes. When the rice has taken on a pale, golden color, pour in wine, stirring constantly until the wine is fully absorbed. Add 1/2 cup broth to the rice, and stir until the broth is absorbed. Continue adding broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring continuously, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is al dente, about 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Remove from heat, and stir in mushrooms with their liquid, butter, chives, and parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Almond Crusted Halibut and Lemon Rice Pilaf

This was Warren's birthday dinner and I do have to say....it was delicious! There are quite a few steps to the sauce, but boy is it worth it! Of course, after having made it, it was hard to completely enjoy guilt-free, as there is so much butter in the sauce! It won't be a frequent meal at our house, but I DEFINITELY will save it for special occasions. I recommend you double the sauce because it is THAT good! Warren recommends you triple!

The Rice Pilaf is a basic recipe that I use all the time and I just adapt it for whatever flavor I'm craving at the moment. I've made it spicy, lemony, garlicy, etc. Tonight's flavor of choice....lemon.

Ingredients
1/3 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons minced shallots
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1/3 cup heavy cream
10 tablespoons unsalted butter - chilled, cut into tablespoon-size pieces
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
6 (6 ounce) fillets halibut
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
2/3 cup minced blanched almonds
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1 egg, lightly beaten

Directions
Make beurre blanc: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine wine, vinegar, shallots, thyme and bay leaf. Boil until liquid has evaporated. Stir in cream, and boil until liquid is reduced by half; decrease heat to low. Whisk in butter, 1 piece at a time, adding each new piece before previous one has melted completely. Do not allow sauce to simmer, or it may separate.
Strain sauce through a fine sieve into a heatproof bowl. Stir in chives, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Keep warm by setting bowl in a larger container of hot water.

Preheat oven on broiler setting. Pat fillets dry, and season with salt and pepper.
Heat oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute halibut fillets for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until lightly browned, and just cooked through. Transfer to a baking sheet, and cool 5 minutes. In a small bowl, stir together bread crumbs, almonds and 1 tablespoon melted butter. Brush tops of fillets with egg, and spread with almond mixture.
Broil fillets 1 to 2 minutes, or until browned (watch closely - every broiler has its own personality!). Place fillets on individual plates, and spoon beurre blanc around it.

RICE PILAF:
2 cups white rice (preferably long grain) (or brown, if your family will eat it)
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion - green onion (or yellow onion)
1/2 cup chopped celery
4 cups chicken broth (I use bouillon and water). You can also use vegetable broth as an option
2 tsp. seasoning (this is where I change the recipe) I used the tequila lime seasoning from Cabela's - makes for a yummy lemon rice pilaf!
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne or more depending upon your family
Garlic, optional


Method
Brown the rice, onions and celery in the olive oil. Add the four cups broth and seasoning and bring to a boil and then simmer for 20 minutes until rice is done. Fluff with a fork.