The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook - Martha Stewart Living Magazine [145]
5. Remove from heat; stir in ½ cup stock. (You may have stock left over.) Stir in the zest, juice, remaining 2 tablespoons butter, parsley, and cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with more cheese.
MAKING RISOTTO WITH BROWN RICE OR FARRO
The key here is presoaking the grains: Cover 1 cup brown rice or farro with cold water by 2 to 3 inches in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil; boil 1 minute. Turn off heat; let stand 1 hour. Drain. Follow Lemon Risotto with Asparagus and Peas (Pasta, Rice, and Grains). Cooking time will be about 22 minutes, so add the asparagus after 18 minutes.
yellow pepper risotto with shrimp and zucchini
SERVES 8 TO 10 AS A MAIN DISH; 10 TO 12 AS A STARTER
This recipe was developed by Christopher Israel, formerly the chef and a co-owner at one of Bruce Carey’s restaurants.
4 yellow bell peppers
6 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails intact, shells rinsed and reserved
1 teaspoon coarse salt, plus more for seasoning
Freshly ground black pepper, for seasoning
10 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large zucchini, chopped into ¼-inch pieces
3 quarts homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken stock
6 shallots, minced
2 cups Arborio or Carnaroli rice
1 cup dry white wine
½ cup loosely packed fresh basil, finely chopped, plus more for garnish (optional)
1. Place the bell peppers directly on a gas-stove burner over high heat, turning with tongs as soon as each side is blistered and blackened. (Alternatively, roast the peppers under the broiler.) Transfer to a bowl; cover with plastic wrap. Let stand until cool enough to handle. Peel the peppers, discarding the skins; cut in half, and discard the seeds and ribs. Transfer the peppers to the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Puree until smooth; set aside.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. In a large bowl, toss the shrimp with ¾ teaspoon salt, and season with black pepper. Arrange one-third of the shrimp in a single layer in skillet. Cook until they are opaque and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes, turning once. Transfer to a plate; repeat with the remaining oil and shrimp, wiping out the skillet with paper towels between batches, as needed. Set aside, and cover loosely with foil to keep warm.
3. In the same skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the zucchini and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, and season with pepper. Cook until the zucchini is just tender and bright green, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat; set aside.
4. Place the stock in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the shrimp shells, and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, and strain through a fine sieve, discarding the shells. Return the stock to the pan, and bring back to a boil; keep at a low simmer.
5. Meanwhile, melt 6 tablespoons butter in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots, and cook, stirring constantly, until they are soft and translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the rice; cook, stirring constantly, until the grains are glossy and make a sound like glass beads clicking, 3 to 4 minutes.
6. Add the wine to the rice mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, until the wine is completely absorbed by the rice.
7. Using a ladle, add about ¾ cup hot stock to the rice along with a few tablespoons reserved pepper puree. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon at moderate speed until the mixture is just thick enough to leave a clear wake behind the spoon; be careful not to stir too vigorously, or the mixture may become gluey.
8. Continue adding hot stock, ¾ cup at a time, along with some puree, stirring constantly, until the rice is mostly translucent but still opaque in the center, a total of 18 to 25 minutes. You may not need to use all of the stock and can add smaller amounts as