Seafood Risotto

I’m going to make the declaration that risotto is an underrated food. She is so versatile but I don’t feel that she gets the credit that she deserves. I went to a local restaurant and they served a blue cheese risotto and I COULD NOT STOP THINKING ABOUT IT. So rather than trying to recreate it and disappoint myself, I figured I’d go with the next best option, which was seafood risotto. I used the seafood stock that I just made and this frozen Mediterranean mix from Pana Pesca, which was such a freaking lifesaver and so much cheaper! Shout out to NYT Cooking for guidance on this dish. Remember when it comes to risotto, patience is a virtue.

Ingredients

  • Seafood of your choosing [I used shrimp, mussels, clams, and calamari]
  • 1 Cup Chardonnay
  • 2 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1/2 Yellow Onion, minced
  • 2 TBP Minced Fresh Ginger
  • 1 Cup Arborio Rice
  • 4-5 Cups Hot fish stock
  • Salt + Pepper
  • 1 TBSP Butter
  • 1 TBSP Green Onion

Let’s Get Cooking

Place any shelled seafood (for me it’s clams) into a saucepan with 1/2 Cup chardonnay. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook on low heat until the shells open. Shuck the seafood and reserve the broth. Add in additional fish stock and bring up to temperature.

Heat oil in a heavy shallow saucepan. Add in onions and ginger, and saute over low heat until soft. Stir in rice and cook briefly. Add in the remaining 1/2 cup of wine. When the wine has been absorbed, add in 1/2 cup of the hot fish stock. Cook over med-low heat until absorbed, gradually continue to add 1/2 cup fish stock at a time until the rice is al dente. Season with salt and pepper.

Stir in additional seafood, (for me it’s shrimp, calamari, and mussels). Cook for about 5 minutes or until seafood is cooked. Add in shucked seafood (clams) + butter + green onion.

Serve warm & enjoy!

Made with Love,

Hannah

Chicken, Spinach, & Artichoke Soup

Soup season is slowly making its way to a close, but before it’s over this chicken, spinach, & artichoke soup from Sarah DiGregorio is a MUST MAKE. The recipe can be made on the stovetop, but I made it in the crockpot because nothing is better than low and slow. The recipe calls for frozen spinach, but I used fresh and it still came out great, I used about 2 Cups but it’s totally your call!

Ingredients

  • 2 TBSP Unsalted Butter
  • 1 Large Yellow Onion, finely chopped
  • Salt + Pepper
  • 3 Celery Stalks, chopped
  • 8 Garlic Cloves, smashed & chopped
  • 2 lbs Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs
  • 1 Cup Chicken Stock
  • 1/2 Cup White Wine
  • 1/2 Lemon, Juiced
  • 1 TSP Red Pepper Flakes
  • 1 10oz Package Frozen Cut Spinach, or 2 Cups Fresh Spinach
  • 1 10oz Jar Marinated Artichoke hearts, drained
  • 1/2 Cup Cream Cheese
  • 1/2 Cup Finely Chopped Fresh Dill or 2 TBSP Dried Dill
  • Scallions & Grated Parm for topping

Let’s Get Cooking

In a large skillet, melt the butter over MED-HIGH heat. Add in the onion and season lightly with salt, stir until soften and translucent. Add in the celery + garlic and stir until soften, lower the heat if needed to avoid burning. Pour the mixture into a slow cooker.

To the slow cooker, add in chicken thighs + stock + wine + lemon juice. Season with red pepper flakes + 1 TSP Salt + black pepper and mix well to combine. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours. ** The dish can stay on the warm setting for a few hours following the cook time if needed **

About 20 min before you’re ready to eat, add in the spinach + artichoke hearts to the slow cooker and cook on low until the spinach can be stirred into the soup.

Add in the cream cheese + dill and stir until the cream cheese melts in.

Shred the chicken and serve in bowls, topping with parm and scallions.

Made with Love,

Hannah

Midnight Pasta w/ Garlic, Anchovy, Capers & Red Pepper Flake

Hello, it’s been a while. Life has been happening; I traveled abroad, I left my job of 4 years and went into private practice and in the meantime, I kind of got into a cooking funk. I was making the same couple meals, eating just because I had to, not because of my usual enjoyment. So this past week I decided I needed to do something about it! I had bought some tinned fish while at Borough Market in London [one of my fav places] and figured I should make pasta with it! I found this recipe from NYT Cooking and it is absolutely going to be a staple. It is so quick and easy, relatively little prep is required and it’s easy to modify with how many people you are cooking for. It’s time to step out of your comfort zone & cook with some tinned fish!

Ingredients

  • 1/2 LB Spaghetti
  • 3 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil + 1 TSP Oil from Anchovies
  • Salt
  • 4 Garlic Cloves, peeled and chopped
  • 4 Anchovy Filets, rinsed and roughly chopped
  • 1 TBSP Capers, rinsed
  • 1/2 TSP Red Pepper Flakes
  • 2 TBSP Chopped Parsley
  • Parmesan

Let’s Get Cooking

In a large pot, fill with water & salt well. Bring to a boil and cook the spaghetti to just under al dente, about 1 minute less than required cooking time. Drain when done but don’t forget to reserve the pasta water.

While the pasta is cooking, warm the olive oil in a small skillet over MED heat. Add in the garlic and cook for about 1 min, don’t let it brown. Stir in the anchovies, capers, and red pepper, cook for about 30 sec and turn heat to low.

Add in the reserved pasta water, and turn heat back up to MED-LOW. Add in the cooked pasta + parsley and toss well to coat. Add in the parmesan and once the sauce thickens, plate & enjoy.

Made with Love,

Hannah

Spaghetti with Lemon and Asparagus Sauce

One of the guiding factors in choosing a recipe for me revolves a lot around what produce is in season. I wanted to make pasta that highlighted spring produce and I came across this recipe from my New York Times cookbook by Jean Yves Legarve. I am not sure who that is, and if I am uncultured I apologize, but I do know one thing, you need to make this pasta. Cream sauces can be daunting, but I promise not only is this dish so delicious with the perfect amount of citrus and cheese, but it is also so easy to throw together you can make it on a weeknight.

Ingredients

  • 6 TBSP Unsalted Butter
  • 8 Thick Asparagus spears, stalks peeled & cut into 1-in lengths [I could only find an ALDI package of asparagus so I used 1/2 the package]
  • 1 Lemon, Grated for zest & juiced
  • 2 Large Eggs
  • 3/4 Cup Heavy Cream
  • 2 TBSP Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
  • 1/2 TSP Nutmeg
  • 3 TBSP Chopped Flat Leaf Parsley [I used dried]
  • 1/2 LB Spaghetti
  • Salt
  • Fresh Cracked Pepper

Let’s Get Cooking

Melt the butter in a medium skillet over MED heat. Add in the asparagus and cook until tender, about 6 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the lemon zest + half the lemon juice + eggs + cream + Parmesan cheese + nutmeg + parsley in a bowl and mix well. Be sure to taste the sauce, the lemon flavor should be subtle. I had to add all of the juice from my lemon so be sure to taste!

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Stir encough salt that the water tastes salty. Cook the pasta until al dente, according to your pasta package.

Drain the spaghetti well and return it to the pot. Add in the asparagus with the butter and lemon sauce. Toss well.

Turn the head to LOW and gently toss the pasta over the heat for 30 seconds, until the sauce thickens slightly & adheres to the pasta. Season to taste with salt & LOTS of cracked black pepper.

Made with Love,

Hannah

French Loaf

I miss the local Boulangeries in France, with all the amazing pastries and warm baguettes. This recipe is from the NYT Cookbook, and I was thinking that it was for a baguette; I was very wrong. The bread is more of a sandwich bread, not as crispy and crunchy as baguettes are. This is the perfect loaf for weekend sandwiches, garlic bread, or even homemade croutons. Bread-skill wise I give this about a 2.5/5 difficulty.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/8 TSP Active Dry Yeast
  • 1/4 Cup Lukewarm Water
  • 1 Cup Cold Water
  • 2 TBSP Unsalted Butter
  • 3 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 TSP Salt

Let’s Get Bakin’

In a small bowl, blend the yeast + lukewarm water until the yeast is dissolved, let sit until foamy.

In a small saucepan, combine the cold water + butter. Heat on LOW until the butter melts.

Combine the flour + salt and mix well. Add in the yeast mixture and combine using a mixer or your hands. Add in the dissolved butter and mix until it forms a ball.

On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough quickly and gently into a ball. Place the dough ball into a buttered bowl and let rest covered for about 30-40 minutes.

After the first rise, turn out into a lightly floured surface and briefly knead and shape into a ball. Return to the bowl and cover and let rest for about 60 minutes, or until doubled in size.

After the second rise, turn the dough out onto a floured surface, roll into a loose ball, and let sit for 5 minutes.

Turn the dough seam side up and flatten with your fingers into a rough rectangle shape. Fold one-third of the dough toward the center of the rectangle, then roll it up like a jelly roll.

Transger the loaf to a baking sheet seam down and the ends folded under. The NYT says the loaf should be about 13 1/2 in long.

Cover with a clean town and let proof again for about 15-30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 450F. Using a sharp knife cut 3 parallel diagonal slashes in the top of the dough.

Place the baking sheet into the oven and put 4 ice cubes into the floor of the oven. Bake for 5 minutes and then add an additional 4 ice cubes.

Turn the pan and bake for 10 more minues. Reduce the heat to 400F and bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Use for sandwiches, make garlic bread, dip in your soup, do whatever you please with it!

Enjoy,

Hannah

Rachel’s Green Beans with Dill

Another recipe from the MASSIVE New York Times Cookbook. This cookbook has come in handy a few times. I love the variety of recipes and how quick and easy some of them are. I made this dish as a side to some Honey-Mustard Salmon I had this week. The dish is quick and easy and I recommend fresh dill.

Ingredients

  • Sea Salt
  • 4 Large Handfuls of Green Beans, trimmed
  • 2 TBSP Unsalted Butter
  • 2-3 TBSP Chopped Dill, I event went for 3 1/2 TBSP, I love dill
  • Fresh Cracked Black Pepper

Let’s Get Cooking

Fill a pot with water, season with salt, and bring to a boil.

Drop in the green beans in the water and cook for about 4 minutes or until tender. Drain the green beans.

Put the green beans back into the pot. Add in the butter + dill + pepper. Mix well over low heat.

Season with salt and transfer to a serving bowl. Top with more dill if desired.

Enjoy!

Made with Love,

Hannah