Set It & Forget It. The Easiest Risotto Ever!

It’s not often that I get giddy about a recipe. Well, maybe I get giddy about recipes more often than the average person, but it’s not out of control or anything. It's just that I can't help but get enthusiastic when something that seems too good to be true, culinarily speaking, ends up delivering on its promise. This particular bout of giddiness started with a healthy dose of skepticism when presented with the notion of a risotto that could be made entirely in the oven. A sort of set-it-and-forget-it risotto. The last time I was this excited about a recipe it was for Sullivan Street Bakery's 4-ingredient French Boule you make in a Dutch oven that requires absolutely no bread-making skills whatsoever. The one that flew around the internet a couple of years ago faster than Lindsay Lohan’s latest mug shot.

I happened upon this improbable recipe way too early one morning, bleary eyed, as I stumbled around the kitchen trying to make some coffee, the Today Show droning in the background. As I took my first few sips and felt the caffeine starting to course through my veins (a sure sign that I’m coming alive for the day) I noticed Ina Garten (the Barefoot Contessa) on the screen touting recipes from her latest tome, How Easy Is That? I admit I was only half paying attention to her chirpy banter with Matt Lauer until she started talking about a recipe for the “easiest risotto ever!” A risotto that requires “almost no stirring.” A risotto as creamy and delicious as any you’ve ever had. She had me at “no stirring.”

I turned up the TV and paid close attention. She explained to an inquisitive Matt that this was a risotto that didn’t require constant stirring. If you’ve ever made risotto, or been too afraid to attempt it, it’s usually the constant stirring thing that puts people off. She casually poured the Arborio rice into a Dutch oven, along with some simmering chicken stock, homemade of course, because we all have that on hand. She explained that the whole procession would be placed into a 350º oven for a mere forty-five minutes and through the magic of television, produced a steaming pot of pretty unimpressive-looking rice. But then, before our eyes the magic did happen and it had nothing to do with television. I watched intently as she stirred in some more chicken stock, a splash of white wine, a generous handful of Parmesan cheese and of course, a big knob of butter. As she continued to stir vigorously, the rather sad-looking mixture began to pull together into a creamy, glossy and cohesive looking pot of gorgeous risotto. I blinked a few times, assuming I was still half asleep, but there it was on the screen, a risotto as delicious and sumptuous looking as any I’d ever seen and one that defied the very logic of the dish.

Needless to say, I decided I had to try this particular method of making risotto that very night for dinner. The recipe was still fresh in my head, but I couldn't help being a bit skeptical as I gathered my ingredients, all of which I happened to have on hand (with the exception of that fantasy homemade chicken stock). I settled for boxed stock and just hoped the entire notion of a no-stir risotto from the oven wasn’t the biggest fantasy of all.

I tweaked the recipe slightly, adding a minced shallot and a couple of cloves of garlic to bump up the flavor. Other than that, I followed the recipe exactly as Ina had demonstrated it for Matt. Forty-five minutes later I pulled the pot from the oven and began stirring in the remaining ingredients. This is where skepticism slowly gave way to giddiness, because just as it had on the TV screen, with no magic involved, the unimpressive-looking rice really did pull together into a creamy, glossy and downright gorgeous pot of risotto. The texture of the rice was absolutely perfect too, exactly as it would have been if I'd spent the last half hour mindlessly ladling and stirring on the stove top. I wondered where this technique had been all my life. The full-blown giddiness (the kind that induces a little dance) came of course, with the first bite, because this was without a doubt, some of the most delicious risotto I’d ever tasted.

And just as Ina promised Matt, it was the "easiest risotto ever."

Easy Parmesan "Risotto"

(Recipe adapted from Ina Garten)

While not technically a classic Italian risotto, this sure is easy. I found the process for this recipe in a book by Donna Hay, the wonderful cookbook writer from Australia. I make it with my homemade chicken stock, lots of freshly grated Parmesan, and frozen peas. Risotto in the oven? You have to make this to believe it!

Serves 4 to 6

1 ½ cups Arborio rice
1 shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 cups simmering chicken stock, preferably homemade, divided
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup frozen peas

Preheat the oven to 350º.

Place the rice and 4 cups of the chicken stock in a Dutch oven along with the shallots and garlic. Cover and bake for 45 minutes, until most of the liquid is absorbed and the rice is al dente. Remove from the oven, add the remaining cup of chicken stock, the Parmesan, wine, butter, salt and pepper, and stir vigorously for two to three minutes, until the rice is thick and creamy. Add the peas and stir until heated through. Serve hot.

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Winter Warmth: Soul-Soothing Comfort from the Kitchen

There are times in life when I seek solace from a harsh world purely through the means of butter, cream, and starch. Sometimes nothing else will do. It’s times like these when I just want to retreat into my shell, put on my fuzziest slippers and softest, most lived-in robe, and putter around the kitchen making something warm and soul-soothing. As clichéd as that sounds, it really is one of my guiltiest and most savored pleasures, and my preferred method of restoring balance and calm to my hectic life.

There’s something about a simmering pot on the stove that makes me feel all is right with the world. Especially when the end result is a big bowl of Hearty Winter Chili, topped with cheese and sour cream and accompanied by warm, tender corn bread, cooked the old-fashioned way in a cast-iron skillet. When I’m feeling particularly out-of-sorts, I find the meditative repetition of stirring a pan of Saffron Risotto for 20 minutes - the only way to achieve that melting creaminess - an almost Zen-like experience. Top it with juicy grilled shrimp and the dish becomes transcendent!

When I crave something just a little more exotic and worldly, but no less warming and gratifying, it has to be Indian Coconut-Chicken Curry, spiked with coriander, cumin, and creamy coconut milk. This dish can be made in minutes and tastes even better reheated the next day.

And of course, for many, the ultimate comfort food comes in the form of chocolate. Old-Fashioned Whoopie Pies have been a favorite of mine since childhood, and these dense chocolate cakes sandwiching a billowy layer of marshmallow cream are the ultimate sinful indulgence.

So the next time you need a break from the world, or just need to indulge in a little guilty pleasure of your own, you just may find it in a bowl of something warm and comforting made in your own kitchen. Lived-in robe and fuzzy slippers optional.

Hearty Winter Chili

Serves 8

FOR CHILI
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 1/2 lbs. lean ground sirloin
1/4 cup dark chili powder
2 tablespoons grill seasoning
1 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 to 3 tablespoons hot sauce, to taste
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 large bell peppers, chopped
1/2 bottle beer (about 1 cup)
1 (14-oz.) can tomato sauce
1/2 cup smoky barbecue sauce

FOR GARNISH
Sharp cheddar cheese, grated
Sour cream
Scallions, thinly sliced

In a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add olive oil followed by ground sirloin. Season meat with chili powder, grill seasoning, cumin, Worcestershire, and hot sauce. Break up the meat into small crumbles as it cooks.

Add onion, garlic, and bell peppers and cook until onions are translucent and soft, about 10 minutes more. Add beer and deglaze the pan, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan and allowing the alcohol to cook off. Add tomato and barbecue sauces and bring to a bubble. Let chili simmer 15 minutes. Adjust seasonings and heat level to your taste. Remove from heat and serve with your favorite garnishes.

Hot Skillet Corn Bread with Honey Butter

Serves 10 to 12

FOR CORN BREAD
1 1/2 cups white or yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon. granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
2 eggs
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
2 tablespoon vegetable oil

FOR HONEY BUTTER
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup honey
Pinch of kosher salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together melted butter, buttermilk, eggs, and corn, and fold into the dry ingredients, stirring until just combined.

Over high heat, add oil to cast iron skillet and heat until smoking. Quickly pour batter into the hot skillet and carefully and quickly transfer the skillet to the preheated oven.

Bake for 10 to15 minutes, or until corn bread is golden-brown around the edges and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The top should spring back when lightly pressed. Cut into wedges and serve slathered with honey butter.

Indian Coconut-Chicken Curry

Serves 6

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
4 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
4 teaspoon finely chopped ginger
2 tablespoon ground coriander
2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, or to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 pounds boneless chicken, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/3 cup chopped cilantro, for garnish (optional)
Steamed basmati rice, for serving

In a Dutch oven or enameled cast-iron casserole, heat oil, then add onion and cook until nicely browned around the edges, about 7 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute. Add coriander, cumin, turmeric, cayenne, and black pepper and stir for 1 minute. Add salt, tomatoes, and chicken stock and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the tomatoes are softened. Add chicken and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.

Add coconut milk and simmer partially covered for another 15 minutes, or until the sauce thickens and the chicken is cooked. Add cinnamon and cloves and simmer another minute. Remove from heat and garnish with cilantro. Serve with steamed basmati rice.

Saffron Risotto with Grilled Shrimp

Serves 4

FOR RISOTTO
5 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
1/4 cup unsalted butter, divided
1 large shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
2 pinches saffron threads
2/3 cups dry white wine
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

FOR SHRIMP
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoon flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Preheat outdoor grill or indoor grill pan over high heat.

Heat chicken stock over medium-high heat until just below the boil. In a large sauté pan, heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil and 2 Tbsp. butter over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic and sweat until translucent, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes.

Add rice and saffron, turning to coat, and sauté until the edges of the rice begin to look slightly translucent, about 2 minutes. Add wine and cook until most of the liquid is absorbed and the pan is almost dry. Add one ladleful of hot stock, stirring constantly until liquid is almost absorbed. Continue adding stock, one ladle at a time, stirring each addition until the liquid is almost absorbed, about 22 to 25 minutes total. Stir in remaining butter and cheese and season with salt and pepper; cover.

Toss shrimp with remaining oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill shrimp until pink, opaque, and curled in on themselves, about 2 minutes per side. Spritz shrimp with lemon juice and parsley and serve over risotto.

Old-Fashioned Whoopie Pies

Makes 8 pies

FOR CAKES
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 1/4 teaspoon. baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1 egg

FOR FILLING
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 (7 oz.) jar marshmallow fluff
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line two sheet pans with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. In another small bowl, stir together buttermilk and 1 tsp. vanilla.

In a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together 1/2 cup butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg, scraping down the sides of the bowl to combine. Reduce mixer speed to low and alternately mix in dry ingredients and buttermilk mixture in batches, beginning and ending with flour. Scrape down side of bowl occasionally and mix until smooth.

Using a 1/4-cup ice cream scoop, drop mounds of batter about 2 inches apart on prepared sheet pans. Bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until tops are puffed and cakes spring back when touched, 12–13 minutes. Transfer cakes to a rack to cool completely.

To make the filling, cream together remaining butter and confectioners’ sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add vanilla and marshmallow fluff and continue beating until smooth and light, about 2 more minutes.

To assemble the pies, dollop a rounded tablespoon of filling on flat sides of half of cakes and top with remaining cakes.

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The Truth About Risotto

Maybe it's Gordon Ramsay's fault. All his yelling and screaming on Hell’s Kitchen seems to have scared people off of risotto. It’s no wonder, as week after week we watched whichever bitchling had been dealt the unfortunate assignment of appetizers for that evening’s dinner service get their ass handed to them on a platter, Ramsay-style. It was with great pomp and circumstance that Gordon clutched his chef coat, pacing and agitated before tasting their pathetic attempt at risotto, grimacing dramatically, critiquing the lack of salt, groaning that it was either under cooked, or over cooked (it was hardly ever just right) before finally spitting it in the “bin” and declaring it, “Inedible!” and shouting, "Bollocks!" Meanwhile, the traumatized kitchen bitch dutifully endured the tongue lashing, doing their best to fend off a quivering lip before slinking away in embarrassment, shame and most likely cooking oblivion, all over a plate of rice! I’m not gonna lie, I was a little scared too and I was watching from the safety of my living room couch! Fortunately, I know the truth about risotto.

Bollocks indeed! The jig is up, Gordon! I’m here to “dispense with the rubbish” and let everyone know that risotto is one of the great culinary cons – it is not something to be intimidated by. Its origins are meager at best, yet restaurants have no problem charging $18 or more a plate for what amounts to a few cents worth of ingredients and a dish that essentially began its life as peasant food. And here’s the real rub: many a chef and cooking show have led us to believe that there is a built-in degree of difficulty if we were to actually attempt it in our own kitchens. That notion should be tossed in the “bin.” I’ve often thought that what puts people off about making risotto, Gordon's wrath aside, is the time commitment and the thought of constant stirring. Or perhaps, the fear of not cooking it properly. It is a tad bit laborious I’ll give you that, but it’s by no means difficult, so don’t confuse the two. The truth is, a child could do it given that there’s nothing more to do than sauté a few aromatics, tip the rice into the pan and cook it until it takes on a bit of nuttiness and gets slicked with whatever fat you’re using. If you’ve made a box of Rice-A-Roni (forgive the example), you’ve done this step! You’re well on your way to conquering risotto, so breathe.

To further put you at ease, continue my efforts of persuasion and perhaps attempt to erase the sound of Gordon Ramsay yelling, “Donkey!” in my own head, I’ll remind us all that not only is the time it takes to make risotto time well spent, but that there’s something almost meditative and Zen-like in the simple task and mindless repetition of stirring a pan of ingredients for 25 minutes or so. Proper risotto demands patience and attention. That’s the only way to achieve that melting creaminess and luxurious texture. Interesting advice coming from me, as I am quite possibly the most impatient person on the planet where everything else is concerned. That said, even I become transfixed in an almost Pavlovian fashion at the promise of a bowl full of soft, warm and meltingly creamy, saffron-infused rice as a great reward for such little effort. And perhaps best of all, I (and you) can enjoy that great reward in peace, without the looming threat of having our asses handed to us on a platter, Ramsay-style.

Saffron Risotto with Grilled Shrimp

Serves 4

FOR THE RISOTTO
5 cups good quality chicken stock
2 tablespoons Extra-Virgin olive oil
¼ cup unsalted butter
1 large shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1½ cups Arborio rice
2 pinches saffron threads
2/3 cups dry white wine
½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground white pepper

FOR THE SHRIMP
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on
2 tablespoons Extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoon flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Preheat outdoor grill or indoor grill pan to high.

Toss the shrimp with the oil and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper, set aside. The shrimp only take a couple of minutes per side so I get them ready to go and grill them during the last few minutes of cooking the risotto.

Heat chicken stock over medium-high heat until just simmering. In a large sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and sweat until translucent, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes. Add the rice and saffron, turning to coat in the oil and sauté until the edges of the rice begin to look slightly translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook until most of the liquid is absorbed and the pan is almost dry. Add one ladle-full of hot stock, stirring constantly until liquid is almost absorbed. Continue adding stock, one ladle at a time, stirring each addition until the liquid is almost absorbed, about 25 to 30 minutes total. The best test for doneness is to taste it and make sure it’s lost its too chewy center, it should be perfectly al dente.

When the risotto is nearly done, toss the shrimp on the grill and sear until pink, opaque and curled in on themselves, about 2 minutes per side. Spritz the shrimp with more lemon juice when it comes off the grill. When the risotto is done, stir in the remaining butter and the cheese and season with salt and pepper, it should have a nice thick, but not too thick consistency. To serve, ladle risotto into warmed wide bottom bowls and shake slightly from side to side. The risotto should spread evenly on its own. Top with the shrimp, scatter with the parsley and dig in.

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