Use arborio rice, short grain with a lot of starch, sticky
Start off by sauteing the arborio in fat to promote some fluffiness, akin to pilaf method
Get pot hot, add enough olive oil to cover bottom of pot, bring the oil to convective heat, just before smoking
If desired, add some chopped shallots, chopped mushrooms, garlic, or whatever you like, saute for a minute or so
Add 1 cup arborio rice, warm the rice up and coat with oil, but don't brown it
With risotto, you leave the pan uncovered, and add liquid in small amounts at a time
The ratio of liquid to rice will be greater than 2 to 1, but not exact, cook with eyes to see when it's done
Start off adding 3 oz of chicken broth, and stir till most of it is absorbed, give it a minute or so, then add another 3 oz of broth, and let it absorb slowly, stirring frequently. Just keep doing this, remember the broth needs to be hot to keep the process going
Risotto may take at least 6-8 small additions of broth, toward the end, take a taste to see if the rice is soft or still a bit hard, and if still hard, add more broth until it starts to show creamy stickiness
Adding some parmesan cheese at this point is great, keep stirring, a bit of saffron now is great, too, check for S&P
When done, risotto can be molded, that is, set out on the counter to desired height/depth, then cut with a biscuit cutter, and transferred to plate with a spatula, or a ramekin can be filled then turned out on a plate
Risotto can be a side or main dish, serve with chicken, fish, shrimp, scallops, pork or beef
Many possibilities: Mushroom risotto, seafood risotto, chicken risotto, broccoli risotto, asparagus risotto, cauliflower risotto, any kind of risotto you want
Many colors, red, green, black, but they all cook the same
Because it's a legume, not a grain, lentils cook a bit differently, though similarly
The ratio is three to one, liquid to lentils
Lentils take longer to cook than grains, use simmering method with lid on
They are starchy and make their own gravy
After about 15 minutes, make desired additions, such as tomato concasse, roasted red peppers, diced shallot, diced green pepper, use whatever you like, shrimp is great, Indian paneer, herb and spice at will
Test for desired texture, soft yet firm may require 20 to 25 minutes total cooking time
Serve as a side with beef, chicken, pork, fish, whatever, or use as a main course
Dried chickpeas should be soaked at least 12 hours, preferrably overnight (24 hours), in 2 qts water with 1.5 tbs salt, and 1/2 tsp baking soda, covering beans by a couple of inches
After soaking for 24 hours, they should double in size and are now ready for cooking, drain completely in colander, rinse them 15 seconds under running water, 1 cup of dried chickpeas yields about 2 cups of cooked beans
Add pre-soaked beans to a large pot, add 3 cups water, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp baking soda, to cover beans by 1 inch
Cover pot with lid bring to low boil
Reduce heat to low simmer with lid on for 1 hour, check for desired tenderness, (may take longer depending on the chickpeas and how long they pre-soaked)
Skim foam off the top, drain the beans in colander
Rinse the beans with running water, and use in any recipe
1/2 cup chopped parsley, or combination parsley and cilantro
2 tbs AP flour
1 egg
2 tsp lemon juice
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp dried coriander
1/2 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking powder
oil for frying
Procedure
Soak the chickpeas for 24 hours, drain completely, rinse well
Simmer chickpeas in fresh water for 1/2 hour, drain and rinse
Put chickpeas in food processor, along with onions, garlic, parsley, flour, egg, salt, pepper, cumin, coriander, and lemon juice
Process the chickpeas and herbs, seasonings, spices until very finely ground but not a puree, not a paste, but almost
Transfer mixture to a bowl, cover and refrigerate for 2 hours, to help the flavors meld and become easier to form into balls or patties (if forming patties --1.5 to 2 inches wide-- for pan frying, instead of balls --1.5 inch diameter-- for deep frying, allow enough thickness --at least 1/2 to 5/8 inch-- for moist, fluffy centers), mix in the baking powder just before forming balls or patties
Whether deep frying or pan frying, cook until golden brown and crispy on the outside
In large skillet saute onions until translucent, add garlic, garam masala, curry powder
Add coconut milk, stir in any fond in skillet, and chickpeas, simmer for about 10 minutes, stir in lemon/lime juice, salt and pepper, sugar, tomatoes, and spinach, continue to simmer, stirring frequently, until spinach wilts, taste for salt, adjust as needed
Serve with rice, quinoa, polenta, grits, pasta, etc
Add curry powder, garam masala, tumeric, cook a couple more minutes
Add everything else, bring to simmer for at least 30 minutes, check lentils for tenderness
Lentils should be soft, sauce should be thickened and creamy, if too thick add water, if too thin continue to reduce until desired consistency is achieved
Stir in half of the cilantro, taste and adjust for seasoning
Serve over rice (jasmine or basmati), sprinkle with cilantro, add a dollop of yogurt
Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
Spread the chickpeas on a kitchen towel and pat them dry, removing any loose skins
Transfer the chickpeas to a bowl and toss with a drizzle of oil and generous pinches of salt, make sure the chickpeas are all coated with oil, add your favorite spices as desired, eg., curry powder, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, garam masala, chili powder, lemon pepper, etc
Transfer the chickpeas to a baking sheet covered with parchment paper, spead out evenly
Roast the chickpeas for 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp
Remove from the oven to cool
Store roasted chickpeas in a covered container at room temperature, best used within two days
Good served plain as a side dish, or as a base for saucy meat like braised short ribs, but also seafood, pork, poultry, lamb
Cheesy polenta goes well with all kinds of meats and sauces
Chilled and solidified in a baking dish, polenta can be sliced and fried or baked or broiled
Transferred to a baking dish or glass pie pan, it can be baked with a cheese topping
Cooking polenta
The ratio is 4 to 1, liquid to cornmeal, for firm polenta, or 5 to 1 for creamy polenta
Water can be used, but why not use chicken (shrimp, vegetable, beef) broth, or broth and milk or cream
Bring liquid to a low boil in sauce pan, then add cornmeal in a steady stream, stirring as you go
Bring to low simmer and cook for at least 1/2 hour until desired consistency, stir frequently
Now add butter and parmesan cheese, or cheese of choice, goat, gorgonzola, cheddar, etc (for ratios of butter and cheese see below under Polenta Cakes)
Optionally add sauteed onions and garlic, or pureed sweet corn, or whatever
Polenta Cakes (8 servings)
Ingredients
1 cup polenta (corn meal)
4 cups broth (chicken, beef, vegetable, shrimp, etc), or 2 cups broth and 2 cups milk for added creaminess, or 3 cups broth and 1 cup heavy cream
5 tbs parmesan or cheese of choice
Note: 1 tbs of cream cheese per 1 cup of uncooked polenta adds luxurious texture and aids the assimilation of other cheeses in polenta while avoiding the cloying texture when heavy cream is added
2 tbs butter
S&P to taste
Procedure
Prepare polenta in sauce pan as above in Cooking Polenta
Preheat oven to 400F
Lightly oil 7 x 11 baking dish
Pour cooked polenta into baking dish
Bake for 30-40 minutes
Allow to cool completely
Cut into squares, triangles, circles, any shape desired
Saute the squares until golden, 2-3 minutes per side
This is a basic barley pilaf, numerous combinations of herbs and spices, vegetables, and protein products (eg. beef, poultry, pork, lamb, seafood, etc) may be used
Ingredients (6 servings)
2 tbs canola/olive oil
1 cup pearl barley
2.5 cups chicken or beef broth (depending on other meal elements)
1 onion, finely diced
1 carrot, finely diced
1 stalk celery, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, divided (reserve some to sprinkle at plate up)
1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp tumeric (optional)
Procedure
Saute the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic, transfer to a small bowl, set aside
Saute the barley grain, in same pan that vegetables were sauteed in, until all grains are well coated with oil
Cook/boil the barley with chicken or beef broth, according to package directions, until all moisture is absorbed and barley is tender, allow to rest
Add the sauteed vegetables to the cooked barley, add tumeric, peas, and most of the parsley, stir gently until well combined, check for seasoning and adjust as needed
Grits come to us from the Muskogee Indians of the Southeastern US region, 16th C
Hominy is soaked in lye, the outer layers removed, revealing the kernel within, the grit
The grits are then ground fine, medium, or coarse
The grits cooking ratio is 4:1 liquid to grits, because it is a corn product
Cheesy grits are achieved with the addition of cheddar, Swiss, American, parmesan, or cheese of choice (try 4 to 5 tbs)
Creamy grits are achieved with the addition of milk or heavy cream (try 2 cups water and 2 cups milk, or 3 cups water and 1 cup heavy cream)
Note: 1 tbs of cream cheese per 1 cup of uncooked grits adds luxurious texture and aids the assimilation of other cheeses in grits while avoiding the cloying texture when heavy cream is added
Grit Cakes #1
Melt 2 tbs butter in pan, saute a couple tbs each of onion, green pepper, and some garlic (essentially making a compound butter, infused with onion, pepper and garlic flavors)
Add 1/2 cup of grits, deglaze pan with 2 cups of chicken broth or desired liquid (if using water, add 1/4 tsp salt for each cup of water)
Cover and cook over low heat for 20-30 minutes until all liquid is absorbed
Pour grits into rectangular baking dish, and bake to remove more moisture and stiffen, 350F for 20 minutes, or until desired consistency
Use knife or biscuit cutter to portion and plate as side dish, or serve with chicken breast or fish fillet on top with sauce
Grit Cakes #2
Pour cooked grits into rectangular baking dish and refrigerate overnight to solidify
Slice cake portions and pan fry, or coat with breading, then fry (fried grit cakes)
Serve with chicken or seafood in sauce on top, or plain
Grits are great with cheese, sausage, bacon, etc, red-eye gravy
Middle Eastern cuisine, cracked and parboiled groats of wheat, usually durum wheat
Bulgur does not require cooking, although it can be included in cooked dishes, soaking in water is all that is needed
Used like rice, quinoa, or couscous
Bulgur is often used as a cereal to make a porridge with milk and sugar or maple syrup or cinnamon, or a savory porridge with meats, vegetables, and spices
Bulgur can be stir-fried, cooked with meat, seafood, tomatoes, onions, herbs and red pepper
Bulgur salad, like tabbouleh, prepared with tomato paste, fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley, olive oil, and other salad ingredients to personal taste
The cooking process is similar to that of rice or couscous in that boiling water is used to soften the grain, for every one part bulgur, you typically need about two parts water
Use it in almost any recipe that calls for rice, couscous or a similar grain