Arancini......What? (Risotto Balls)

This recipe is a great use of leftovers.  Sometimes we make risotto, just to have these the next day, or so.  These risotto balls are stuffed with a little cube of cheese just to put them over the top. I used Fontina Fontal, but once again, use whatever cheese you like or have on hand.

Risotto Balls (Arancini)

2 cups risotto, chilled (great use for leftovers!)

2 ounces cheese, cubed 1/2"

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Salt and pepper

Fresh basil, roughly chopped

1 T Italian seasoning

½-3/4 cup of bread crumbs

½-3/4 cup of grated parmesan (don’t use shredded)

1 ½ cups Panko bread crumbs

Peanut oil, for deep frying

You can use a deep fryer to make these, but I make them on the stove, using a heavy pan and heat about 3" of oil to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs, add the salt and pepper, basil and Italian seasoning, mixing well.  Add in the Risotto, depending on how sticky the risotto is how much bread crumbs and parmesan you will need to add.  The eggs will act as a binder, but will also loosen up the mixture, so by adding the crumbs and parm, it will tighten up with mix.

Prepare a baking sheet with waxed paper. Take about 2 heaping tablespoon(or a small cookie scoop, scooping out 2 balls) of risotto and form it into a ball, about 2 inches.  Make a small hole in the ball and insert the block of cheese. Reform the ball so the cheese is covered. Cover and chill for approximately 2 hours.

Remove from the refrigerator.  Balls should be sticky.  If you find they are not, whisk another egg and dredge each ball in the flour then into the egg then into the Panko crumbs.  Otherwise you can just dredge the balls in the Panko.

Drop into the heated oil and fry until brown and heated through, about 4 minutes, turning the balls halfway through frying. Drain on paper towel.

These can also be made ahead and frozen.  Wait until you are ready to fry to coat in Panko.

Mississippi Mud Pie

M-I-Crooked letter-Crooked letter-I-Crooked letter-Crooked letter-I-Humpback-Humpback-I....That is the way we would spell Mississippi when we young.  I bring this up because when I found this recipe a few months ago, all I could think about was my dad and sister repeating this spelling again and again.  And I kept repeating it while I was making this cake. 

I found that this pie was a little more involved that most Mississippi Mud Pies, or dishes.  But man was it incredible.  When I make it again, and I will make it again, I will adjust the crust.....it was a little thick, and I would prefer not to use a premade cookie (Oreos).  So I will be looking for an alternative...maybe graham cracker crumbs, flavored with chocolate....we'll see.

 

Mississippi Mud Pie

Ingredients

For the crust:

16 ounces Oreos (about 35-40 cookies)

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the cake:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

6 ounces dark chocolate (60-70%), chopped

2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder

1/4 cup Kahlua (or strong coffee at room temperature)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

6 large eggs, separated, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar, divided

For the chocolate pudding:

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 cup corn starch

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 large egg yolks

2 & 1/2 cups cream

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 ounces dark chocolate (60-70%)

For the whipped cream:

1 & 1/4 cups heavy cream

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Instructions

To make the crust:

Preheat oven to 300°. Lightly spray a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line pan with parchment. Spray parchment and sides of pan.

Place cookies in food processor and grind to a fine crumb. Transfer the crumbs (about 3 & 1/2 cups) to a small bowl. Pour melted butter over crumbs. Mix until combined.

Using the back of a spoon or your hands, press crumbs evenly into bottom and up sides of prepared pan. Place pan in freezer for about 10 minutes to let crust set.

Bake 10 minutes, or until crust is dry to the touch. Cool in pan on wire rack.

To make the cake:

Increase oven temperature to 350°.

Melt butter and chocolate in microwave or double boiler. Set aside to cool.

Whisk together espresso powder, Kahlua (or coffee), salt, and vanilla. Set aside.

Using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat egg yolks with 1/2 cup sugar until mixture is light and almost doubled in volume (about 5 minutes). Add chocolate mixture and beat until just combined. Scrape down sides and mix on low speed for 5 seconds. Add Kahlua mixture and beat until just combined. Scrape down sides and mix on low speed for 5 seconds.

In a separate bowl, still using the stand mixer and a clean whisk attachment, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually increase speed to high. Add remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Beat until soft peaks form.

Scoop about 1 cup of egg whites into chocolate mixture. Gently fold in egg whites for about 30 seconds. Add remaining egg whites and continue folding until they are almost combined. Do not overmix.

Pour batter onto cookie crust. Bake 38-42 minutes, until cake is set but jiggles slightly. Cool in pan on wire rack. As the cake cools, it will deflate in the center. Wrap cooled cake tightly and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.

To make the chocolate pudding:

Whisk together sugar, cocoa powder, corn starch, and salt in a medium saucepan. Add egg yolks and whisk until combined and resembles a thick paste. Slowly pour in milk while whisking constantly.

Place saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly so it doesn’t burn on the bottom of pan. Boil for 30 seconds. Transfer to a medium bowl.

Add butter, vanilla, and chocolate. Whisk until combined. Continue whisking for a few minutes to cool mixture slightly. Let pudding stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pudding to prevent a skim from forming. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Stir pudding to loosen it. Pour on top of cake, staying inside crust border. Using an offset spatula, spread pudding evenly.

Refrigerate cake for at least 30 minutes.

To make the whipped cream:

Pour cream into chilled metal bowl. Beat with a chilled whisk until soft peaks form, about 1 minute. Sprinkle sugar onto cream. Continue whisking vigorously until stiff peaks form.

Spread whipped cream all the way to the sides on top of pudding layer of cake. Unmold cake and serve immediately.

Brie Pasta

Tonight's dinner is a easy one. Several years ago a good friend invited us over for Christmas Eve dinner. She served a great pasta with Brie and tomatoes that was so very good. It's a dish I forget about, then when it pops back up I wonder why I haven't made it sooner.

Brie Pasta with Garlic and Roasted Tomatoes

1 lb pasta (shape of your choice)

20-30 cherry tomatoes, halved and roasted in the oven, *see below

1 wedge of Brie, about 3/4 lb, your favorite), chopped

3-4 garlic cloves (I used roasted garlic)

Up to 2 cups reserved salted hot water from boiling the pasta 

Salt and pepper, to taste

2-3 leaves of basil, thinly sliced

Boil pasta in salted water.

Chop Brie into small piece so they are easier to melt. 

Drain pasta, remembering to reserve 2 cups.

Return the pasta to the pot, pour in about 1/2 cup of the hot water, and 1/2 of the Brie. Stir until melted.  Add in another splash of water as needed to keep melting the cheese.  Add rest of the cheese and roasted tomatoes.  Stir until all cheese has melted and a sauce is formed from the cheese and water. 

Garnish with chopped basil.

*To roast tomatoes, cut tomatoes in half, toss with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Roast in 450° oven, for about 8 minutes, or until tomatoes appear cooked.

Shrimp ala Katrin

Shrimp ala Katrin

Some years ago, I had a very good friend make me this dish as a holiday gift.  I brought it home and Craig was SO in love with it, I had to get the recipe.  So after much badgering of my friend, Katrin, she relented and gave me the recipe.  I have made this again, and again, and we both absolutely love it.  Since making it, we have named it Shrimp ala Katrin, in honor of my friend. 

I have altered the recipe from time to time, depending on what I have and what we want…..more shrimp, less tomatoes, more onions/garlic, fresh thyme or oregano with the fresh basil.  But the basics are always the same.

Here is the recipe as I made it tonight: 

Shrimp ala Katrin

1 lb Shrimp (I used 26-30)

Olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

4-5 cloves of garlic, pressed

4 large tomatoes, diced (and a few cherry tomatoes, because we had them)

20-30 leaves of fresh basil

1 Tablespoon dried oregano
Black pepper, to taste
Salt, to taste

Prep all of the vegetables, peel the shrimp, set aside.

Heat a circle or two of olive oil in a medium pan.
Add Shrimp, onions and garlic, sauté until onions are transparent and shrimp is pink.
Add tomatoes and cook until all has formed a sauce.  Add basil , stir and serve over rice.

"The Real Dill" Bloody Mary

Bloody Mary

 

A couple of months back I was fortunate to be able to review The Real Dill’s Pickles.  In the package there was a jar of Bloody Mary mix.  Immediately, my partner Craig asked if he could write a guest blog to be featured here. So after much research and testing, here is his post:

~Bob

"The Real Dill" Bloody Mary:

The history and origin of Bloody Mary’s vary, I like to believe it was named after Queen Mary I of England. 

Queen Mary I of England was born February 18, 1516, the daughter of King Henry VIII and his first of six wives, Catherine of Aragon. Mary was the only child from that union to survive infancy. She reigned as Queen of England from July 19, 1553 until her death on November 17, 1558. 

Mary had always rejected and resented the break with Rome that her father had instituted and his subsequent establishment of the Anglican Church that had flowed from her half-brother's Protestantism, and now she tried to turn England back to Roman Catholicism. This effort was carried out by force, and hundreds of Protestant leaders were executed. The first was John Rogers (a.k.a. “Thomas Matthews”), the printer of the “Matthews-Tyndale Bible”. His execution was followed by the execution of former Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer, who was primarily responsible for the printing of the “Great Bible”. Hundreds more would follow in Mary’s bloody reign of terror.

This earned the queen the title of “Bloody Mary”.  Now that the history lesson is over, let’s get on to drinking!

Bloody Mary’s are a popular drink to go with brunch.  Recently Bob recently had the opportunity to review a line of artisan pickles from "THE REALDILL", they also sent a jar of their Bloody Mary mix.  It is made from the brine of their Habanero Horseradish Dills, which are so de-lish!    I have tested the mix a couple of times now, well three times if you count the one that is quenching my thirst. 

As with most cocktails they vary from bartender to bartender,  the Bloody Mary is pretty simple to make...the most common recipe is:

3 parts Vodka  

6 parts Tomato juice

1 part lemon juice

dash of salt & pepper

dash of Worcestershire sauce

dash of Tabasco

For this test I used the following:

Tall glass filled with ice

2 dashes of celery bitters from "The Bitter Truth"

3 oz of "Belvedere" Bloody Mary Vodka from

6 oz of "The Real Dill" Bloody Mary Mix

a squeeze of lemon juice

a stalk of celery

and a spear of Habanero Horseradish Dill pickle

Whereas I like spice and heat, Bob not so much, but this mix has the perfect combination of spice and heat.  It gives you the since of a very spicy drink but it leave you with just enough of the heat not to have to call the fire department out or eat a spoonful of sour cream.  I would have to say that this has to be my favorite Bloody Mary mix that I have tried. 

Here are a few different takes on this very "Noble" cocktail:

Bloody Beer: Beer, usually a light beer or lager, replacing vodka. Often served with Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, hot sauce, and/or lime.

Bloody Bishop : Sherry in equal measure to vodka.

Bloody Cab: Cabernet Sauvignon replacing/in addition to the vodka.

Bloody Derby : Bourbon replacing vodka.

Bloody Fairy, Red Fairy : Absinthe replacing the vodka.

Bloody Geisha, Bloody Ninja : Sake replacing vodka.

Bloody Hillbilly: Moonshine replacing Vodka

Bloody Maria: Tequila replacing vodka.

Bloody Maureen : Guinness replacing vodka.

Bloody Molly : Irish whiskey replacing vodka.

Bloody Murder : Gin replacing vodka, black vinegar replacing Worcestershire sauce, wasabi sauce replacing horseradish, served with a cherry tomato pierced with a plastic sword stirrer

Bloody Pirate, Cubanito : Dark rum replacing vodka. The latter is commonly found on menus in Havana, Cuba.

Bloody Scotsman : Scotch replacing vodka.

Michelada Clementina (or simply "Chelada") : Mexican beer replacing vodka, usually flavored with a couple of dashes of Worcestershire sauce and Maggi and Tabasco sauce. Usually made with Clamato (tomato juice with clam juice added). Usually the proportion of beer equals the tomato juice.

Red Hammer : Through the 1950s in the Northeastern U.S., while vodka was scarce, gin instead of vodka was known as a Bloody Mary; once vodka became readily available in those regions, the traditional vodka-based Bloody Mary was known as a Red Hammer for a time.

Virgin Mary, Bloody Shame, Bloody Virgin, or Bloody Barbara : Without alcohol. Typically with an increased volume of tomato juice, the vodka simply being omitted with no substitute.

"Virgin Mary" is commonly used in the USA, and

"Bloody Shame" is commonly used in Australia.

"Bloody Barbara" refers to Barbara Castle, the British Minister of Transport who introduced tougher drink-driving laws.