The Rise of Risotto

After many years of cooking, favorites assume their spot in the weekly menu rotation and will not budge. In fact, it can be hard for a fresh-faced new recipe to break into the pack. However, two recipes in John Besh's new cookbook have gained a strong following in this house. The first is the sloppy joe recipe already posted and now, risotto. Clearly, there is nothing startling about this recipe - which is why risotto has become such a favorite for cook and eaters alike. It is basic and delicious. Yes, risotto does take a bit of time in front of the stove, but for anyone living in a cold weather clime, standing in front of a stove in January is not a bad place to be.




** Wooden spoon needed for this recipe**

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion diced
2 cups arborio rice - must be arborio
6 cups chicken broth, heated - heated is important. (I put the first 3 cups in a large pyrex measuring cup, pop it in the microwave to heat thoroughly, and then keep refilling and reheating)
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese - more if you love parmesan like we do
salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in large saucepan and add diced onion. Cover with a lid, allowing onion to soften without browning - about 8 to 10 minutes.

Remove lid and add the rice, turning to cover each kernel in oil. Add 3 cups of the heated chicken broth, bringing slowly to a boil and then reducing heat to a steady simmer. (The lid is no longer needed) Stir often, and as the broth is absorbed into the rice, add more heated broth - about 1/2 cup or so at a time. Keep the rice and broth at a good simmer. Cook until most of the broth is absorbed. Rice should be al dente, but I prefer my al dente on the softer side. Risotto should be creamy and a bit porridge-ish, so you don't want all the broth absorbed. From start to finish, this part will take anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes.

Finish the dish by adding the butter, parmesan, salt, pepper and stirring thoroughly. I serve with a veggie, such as corn, just cooked & tossed with a spoonful of red pepper relish until the relish melts fully. Then add a handful of chopped grape tomatoes. This corn salad gives a nice burst of color, crunch, and sweet acidity. An excellent contrast to risotto's creamy richness.

Happiest Birthday Cake

Yesterday, Elisabeth turned eleven and once again our family-favorite cake played the starring role. All credit for this incredible devil's food cake goes to a childhood babysitter, Mrs. Dykstra. I don't remember too much about her, other than her cake becoming Mimi's go-to recipe. Now, it's mine. I've crowned this cake with all sorts of frostings: vanilla, chocolate, mocha, and even whipping cream. All were staggeringly good. The strange, but wonderful, mystery surrounding this cake is that it gets better with each day. Of course, Mrs. Dykstra's cake only last two, may be three days at most, but they are VERY good days.

Set oven to 350 degrees

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa - Hershey's works great
1/2 cup boiling water
2 teaspoons baking soda

Combine the cocoa & baking soda in a small bowl. Pour in boiling water, stir to combine fully, and set aside to cool.

2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
1 cup butter at room temperature
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sour cream

Place flour and salt in a bowl, stir to combine, and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, mixing well. By now, the hot cocoa mixture will be cool-ish, so add to the butter mixture and beat well. Then, add half the sour cream and mix. Add half the flour mixture and mix again. Repeat with remaining sour cream and flour mixture.

Pour and smooth your batter into a PAMed tube pan. Bake for about 50 - 55 minutes. Keep an eye on the cake once you hit 50 minutes since you don't want to over-cook it. Cake should bounce bake when you gentle press the top or use a skewer to test for "doneness".