Risotto with Shiitake, Asparagus, and Artichoke

Here's a dish that commemorates springtime - a risotto showcasing asparagus, among other things.  Risotto is that classic Italian dish using a short-grain, high starch rice that is stirred continuously during cooking to loosen the starch and create a thick, flavorful sauce that envelops the whole dish.  The dish is almost always made with Arborio rice, although these days you can find arguably better rice to use, such as Carnaroli.  The process also generally follows a formula - saute some aromatics, coat the rice in some oil, add a liquid while stirring, and then add the remainder of the ingredients once cooked, usually including a cheese of some kind. You can't phone this dish in - you have to stir for all you're worth for the 15-20 minutes that the rice cooks, and you have to pay attention to the doneness level so you don't ruin anything.  Be on your guard, and this will be well worth the effort.

Springtime Risotto of Shiitake, Asparagus, and Artichokes
expanded on from Gourmet, May 2003

• 5 cups chicken broth (40 fl ounces)
• 1 cup water
• 1 pound thin to medium asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1/4 inch thick slices, leaving tips 1 1/2 inches long
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
• 3/4 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
• 2 artichoke hearts, fresh if available, jarred if not
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups Carnaroli or Arborio rice (10 ounces)
• 1/2 cup dry vermouth
• 2 ounces finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1 cup)

Shiitakes add a great earthy flavor and meaty consistency to this otherwise meat-free (except the broth) dish

Shallots.  Only way this dish would get better is if I put in flakes of gold.

First, we have to blanch the asparagus - boil to partially cook, then stop the cooking process in ice water.  Usually you just use water to boil, but we can do double duty and start heating up the broth here, which saves a pot.  So bring the broth and water to a boil in a large pot, then add asparagus and cook, uncovered, until crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes.  Immediately transfer the asparagus with a slotted spoon to a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking, reserving the hot broth which you should keep at a simmer.  Drain the asparagus and set aside.

Digitize your asparagus.  Anybody ever see that movie Tron?

Blanch in the broth - cook 3-4 minutes, then shock in ice water.  Now the asparagus is ready to add at the last step, cooked and ready to go.

In another large heavy pot or pan, heat the oil with 1 tablespoon butter over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then saute mushrooms.  You want them nicely browned, so I recommend doing this in two batches, using half of the fat each time.  Don't overcrowd the pan or you will get squishy grey mushrooms!  Stir occasionally, until browned, about 4 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper, then transfer to a bowl.

Brown the mushrooms.  You don't want to see moisture coming out - do this in two batches

The mushrooms came out great, but are easily ruined

In that same pan, cook onion in 2 tablespoons butter over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes.  Add the rice and cook, stirring, 1 minute.  This will coat the rice grains in oil and begin frying them, which adds flavor.  Add the wine to deglaze and start infusing flavor into the rice, and cook, stirring, until absorbed, about 1 minute.

Add the rice and toss to coat in the oil

Now the fun part - start cooking the rice with the broth.  Ladle in 1 cup of the simmering broth and cook at a strong simmer, stirring, until absorbed, about 2 minutes.  Continue simmering and adding broth, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently and letting each addition be absorbed before adding next, until rice is just tender and looks creamy, 18 to 20 minutes.  There's going to be a lot of stirring involved.  Now here's the most important point: it's done when the rice is cooked through, not when the broth is gone.  Keep tasting periodically as you get towards the end, and when the rice has just a bit of bite left (called al dente or "to the tooth", like a pasta), you're done.  Save any leftover broth for thinning as needed.

Stir the rice while adding broth

Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup cheese, remaining tablespoon butter, and salt and pepper to taste. Gently fold in asparagus, artichokes and mushrooms, then cover pan and let stand for 1 minute.  If desired, thin risotto with some of remaining broth.  Serve immediately with remaining cheese on the side.

Chicken Stuffed with Fontina, Artichokes, and Sundried Tomatoes

As part of my quest to clear out recipes in my "to-do" box, I picked up some Fontina cheese today to make this dish.  On my way home, I thought - stuffed chicken breast... that probably means I'll be standing around beating the fight out of these chickens to flatten them out, which won't really go too well with my shoulder injury.  But to my pleasant surprise, this prep method was quite painless, and didn't require use of a hammer.

This dish came together very quickly, and with the right tools, it's fast, easy, and succulent.  I didn't know what to expect of the Fontina cheese, which is kind of like a Gouda but much softer, and perhaps smelled a bit more ripe.  This pungency survived the cooking process, and added a nice tang to complement the sweet herb flavor of the basil, the tartness of the sun-dried tomatoes, and the mellow garlicky base of the artichokes.  And to top that off, the mix was crammed inside of one of the most juicy chicken breasts I may have ever cooked.  Not too shabby.

I couldn't believe how moist these came out, and how quickly they cooked given their size.  Huge fan of this cooking method now.

Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Fontina, Artichokes, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
from Bon Appétit, February 2008
 

• 1 6-ounce jar marinated artichokes, drained, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup grated Fontina cheese
• 1/4 cup (packed) drained, coarsely chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
• 1/2 tablespoon fresh basil
• 2 5-ounce skinless boneless chicken breast halves
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

The setup

Preheat oven to 375°F. Mix artichokes, cheese, tomatoes, and basil in medium bowl. Using small sharp knife and working with 1 chicken breast at a time, cut 2-inch-long slit horizontally into 1 side of chicken breast. Move knife back and forth in slit to form pocket. Divide 1 cup cheese mixture among chicken pockets (reserve remainder for frittata). Press edges to seal. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.

Make your filling by coarsely chopping the ingredients and tossing together loosely to combine.  Don't squeeze it too tightly, or you'll end up with a cheese log.

This was way too much fun - slice through the side of the chicken breast and make a pocket, like you're opening a pita.  Don't slice through the opposite side, you want only one narrow slit and a huge cavern into which you will cram the filling.

Now spoon that filling in there, but don't overstuff

Heat oil in heavy large ovenproof skillet over high heat.  I vote cast iron, but stainless steel will work if that's what you've got.  Add the chicken and cook for 2 minutes.  Turn the chicken over, and immediately transfer the skillet to the oven.  Bake until cooked through, about (note: about, not exactly) 10 minutes.

Note that the filling wasn't so tightly packed that it started escaping out the side.  You'll burn your cheese if you do that, and nobody like that.

Get a nice browned crust on one side, then flip and transfer to the oven.

How do you know when it's done?  Get out your digital thermometer, and test the center.  If it's not at 160 or higher, add another few minutes.  After 10 minutes, mine was at 130.  So I gave it another 5, and it was perfect.  If you want to be safe, bring it up to 170, but even that will start to dry it out too much.  Serve with a starch and some kind of green vegetable, but ideally nothing too powerful to drown out the flavors of this.

 

The finished dish, served over spinach with roasted potatoes

Artichoke Ravioli with Roasted Tomatoes

Since my recent food processor acquisition, I've been itching for excuses to try it out, and a ravioli filling seemed like a good idea at the time.  That's right, ravioli - the wonton of the Italian world.  For some reason I had been avoiding making ravioli for years, figuring it would take too long.  But I found a good sounding recipe, bought all my ingredients, and many hours later I had produced something moderately resembling ravioli.  Granted, it looked absolutely nothing like the pictures I saw online, but with a second pass I believe it can be tweaked significantly to improve the presentation.

The recipe was stolen and adapted from Gourmet magazine, but I have changed it per reviewer guidance after having made it, to include more filling, different flour, and adjustments to the cooking process.  If you want, you can use my earlier recipe for semi-semolina pasta, or you can just use this slightly different recipe, which worked just fine and had the right ratio of dough to filling.  See the end of the recipe for an interesting substitution.

Hey!  I make you the Ravioli!

Artichoke Ravioli with Roasted Tomatoes

Adapted heavily from Gourmet magazine

For the pasta:

• 1 1/2 cups semolina flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons water
• All-purpose flour, for dusting

For the filling:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 small onion, chopped (3/4 cup)
• 14 oz frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and patted dry
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped fine
• 1.5 ounce finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (3/4 cup)
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 extra large egg yolk, or 2 medium
• 3/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• ½ tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 teaspoon black pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 large egg white, lightly beaten with 2 teaspoons water (for egg wash)

For the assembly:

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 4 medium plum tomatoes, trimmed and cut into 1/4-inch dice (1 cup)
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 ounce finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1/2 cup)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Tools for the job:

• Pasta roller (essential)
• Basting/pastry brush (essential)
• Food processor (recommended for dough, essential for filling)
• Ravioli crimper (optional)

Blend flour, eggs, salt, and water in a food processor until mixture just begins to form a ball, adding more water, drop by drop, if dough is too dry (dough should be firm and not sticky).  Process the dough for 15 seconds more to knead it.  Transfer to a floured surface and let stand, covered with an inverted bowl, 30 minutes to 1 hour to let the gluten relax and make rolling easier.

Getting the dough ready.  Of course I forgot to take a picture of the final dough, but I assure you it's quite boring to look at.

Heat butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté onion, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 6 minutes.  Add artichoke hearts and sauté, stirring occasionally, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes.  Add garlic cloves and saute with mixture for final 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and cool slightly.

Saute the artichokes with the onion and garlic, to go into the filling

Transfer all but 3/4 cup artichoke mixture to cleaned bowl of processor (reserve remaining artichoke mixture in skillet), then add cheese, parsley, red pepper flakes, yolk, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and nutmeg and pulse until mixture is coarsely chopped.

Cut pasta dough into 4 pieces, then flatten each piece into a rough rectangle and cover rectangles with an inverted large bowl.  Make sheets for ravioli following pasta roller instructions (setting #5 on Kitchenaid rollers).  What?  You don't have a pasta roller?  Well, why are you making this?!  When done, the dough will be a smooth sheet, approximately 24-30 inches long (that's 60-75 cm, for you crazy metric people).

The ravioli sheets, ready for my further pleasure

Put a sheet of dough on a floured work surface and drop 1 1/2-teaspoon (I'm done converting) mounds of filling 1 1/2 inches apart in a row down center of one half of sheet.  I'm not going to tell you how to make your ravioli - you can make them into circles, or squares, and make them small or large.  I made 8 per sheet, 4 by 2, cutting each sheet in half first so I could drape it over afterwards.  What I should have done was trim the edges down a little, because they were still so huge that each one took up most of my plate, with not enough filling out at the edges.  So I guess I might try circles next time, as the original recipe suggested.

Lay out the filling in a way that seems appropriate.  I went for 8 ravioli per sheet - you could do 6 circles, there's no magic here.

Brush egg wash around each mound, then fold other half of sheet over filling.  Press down firmly around each mound, forcing out air (air pockets increase the chance that ravioli will break during cooking.)  Cut pasta (between mounds) with cutter into 3-inch rounds, or squares, or whatever you want to do.  Line a large shallow baking pan with a clean kitchen towel (not terry cloth) and dust towel with flour, then arrange ravioli in 1 layer in it.  I'll tell you what you shouldn't do - don't use a WET paper towel and let the ravioli sit too long.  Make more ravioli with remaining pasta dough, 1 sheet at a time, and remaining filling, transferring ravioli to lined pan.

Apply the egg white wash around the filling.  This will act as a glue for the layers

Drape the other half of each sheet over the top, press out the air, and crimp with a ravioli crimper (or a fork).

And now, some prep work: put an oven rack in middle position of the oven and preheat to 400 °F.  Lightly butter a large baking dish.  Bring a 6- to 8-quart pot of salted water to a boil. 
Roast the tomatoes on a sheet pan until softened, about 10 minutes.  Reduce temperature to 350 °F.

While tomatoes are roasting, add ravioli to boiling water.  Stir carefully to separate, and, adjusting heat to keep water at a gentle boil, cook until pasta is just tender, about 6 minutes.  Transfer with a slotted spoon to a colander.  Amazingly, while this dough will cook as fettuccine in about 2 minutes, it takes much longer when assembled in ravioli form, even when rolled just as thin.  So don't skimp on the cooking time, but don't overdo it either.

Boil your ravioli for 6 minutes.  Note the presence of wine to help this process along.  It IS Italian cooking, after all.

Transfer half of the ravioli to large baking dish and top with half of artichoke mixture, half of tomatoes, half of cream, and half of cheese.  Repeat with remaining ravioli, artichoke mixture, cream, and cheese.  Sprinkle with salt, and black pepper.

Layer your ravioli with the toppings and bake for 15 minutes.  You'll have to deconstruct this before plating - I might do single layers next time, and will update the recipe accordingly.

Bake, uncovered, until ravioli is heated through and cream is bubbling, about 15 minutes.  Serve by separating ravioli from each other and plating with artichoke and tomato mixture.  Garnish with black pepper and more fresh Parmesan cheese.

Tip: if you want to make your life REALLY easy, give up on making dough and just buy some wonton wrappers from an Asian grocery store.  They're almost exactly the same, and will buy you back an hour of your life.  Will anyone know the difference?  Probably not, unless they're fresh off the boat Italian, and they're not going to let you cook for them anyway.  Just take them to the Olive Garden where, if I understand the ad industry correctly, all Italian immigrants love to be taken.