Risotto with Zucchini, Cherry Tomatoes and Kalamata Olives

Note to self: That's an awfully cluttered kitchen counter.

I set up and prepped a ton of soffrito (onion, carrot and celery), since I needed to stick some in my freezer for future dishes (work hard today so I can be lazy every other day). I prepared myself for this by drinking three espresso shots with some agave syrup and a bit of warmed almond milk.  Seeing as how I'm writing about this at 1:14 am, I must still be paying for that.

Meg came over with a gorgeous Hazelnut Cake (from the Silver Spoon for Children cookbook I ordered last month but only used once), which she let me photograph as she sifted powdered sugar onto it. 

Even prettier than the one in the book

Soffrito

Jenn arrived just as I was finishing prepping my soffrito.  If you have never heard of such a thing, maybe you would recognize this trio of aromatics as a mirepoix (French) or a trinity (Cajun).  It's onion, celery and carrots chopped fine and used as a base for sauces, soups, you name it.  The main difference between the three is the size you chop them (and that may just vary on the dish you're making) and ratio.  I used one yellow onion, two carrots and three celery stalks, then froze three cups of it (individually) and used the last cup for my risotto.

It could've used more olives and less zucchini...

My mom writes great directions...But let's not pretend that I'm good at paying attention to any of them.  I didn't want to put green beans or peas in my risotto because I'm willful, so I put a whole extra zucchini in the saute pan (and this is overcrowded, so don't copy me) with the recommended coupla tomatoes and a bunch of olives.  

          
 

 Cook the soffrito until the onion is transparent, not brown like in this picture (oops).  You want the onions to melt into the dish, especially if you're a hater, like me.

Then you throw in the rice, getting it coated with a bit of oil and you're ready to start adding the chicken broth (which has been sitting on its own burner in a big pot, just waiting to make its grand entrance).  You stir in a small amount at a time, then wait for it to evaporate.  Your pan should sizzle each time you add it.  I was really paranoid while I was cooking this and will probably be paranoid about this part of the process until I've made risotto about a dozen times more.

Once you've added most of the broth and tested the risotto (just barely al dente), it's time to add whatever you choose to add to it.  I've had excellent risotto that only had parmesan, salt and pepper but did not seem lacking.  You can add virtually anything you want to this dish, but there are specific regional recipes, as well.  I'm sure there are many Italians who would be horrified at what I add to my risotto.  Just wait till the Genovese find out that I like fresh tomatoes on my pesto.  I'll never be allowed in the country again.

  And done...et voila!  How do you say that in Italian? 

By the way, this would have been better if I'd been seasoning it while it cooked.

That there's my first risotto, you guys

Thanks to the lovely Young ladies for sharing this dinner and their family with me.  Thanks to Meg for making a gorgeous cake to go with it.  And thanks to my mom for teaching me how to cook long-distance.

                                                                  

Mom's Basic Risotto Recipe

1 1/2 cup arborio or carnaroli rice

6 cups of good chicken stock, simmering in a separate pot

1/2 cup white wine (optional)

1 onion chopped fine Or 1 cup soffrito

1 garlic clove, minced

parmegiano reggiano

salt, pepper to taste

Heat a 12 inch saute pan over medium heat (should have straight sides, but not imperative).  When hot, add 2 Tbsp of good olive oil, add garlic and saute until fragrant but not brown (20-30 seconds).  Then add the onion (soffrito) and saute gently until the onion is transparent, but not brown.  Keep an eye on the heat.  Then add the rice and stir quickly until covered in a light coating of oil.  You can add a tiny bit more if you need it.  Cook the rice for 2-3 minutes on medium, then add the wine.  Stir until the wine has evaporate completely.  At this point, you are going to start adding the stock.  Here's how that goes:

Add about 1/2 a cup of stock to the rice, stirring constantly.  When the stock has completely evaporated, add another 1/2 cup and stir until completely evaporated.  When you add the stock, the pan should sizzle.  If it doesn't, the other stock hasn't evaporated.  That's how you'll know if you're doing it at the right time.  Continue this way for about 20 minutes, being careful not to let the rice stick to the pan.  I set a timer so I can keep track.  At this point, taste the rice to see if it's cooked to your liking.  If not, keep going.  The rice should not be soupy, but it shouldn't be solid either.  It should move on the plate.  If it's too thick, just add a little more stock until it's the consistency that you want.  Don't worry if you have stock left over.

Add the parmegiano, salt and pepper to taste and eat it until your eyes pop out.