Plum & Raspberry Crumble

July 16, 2014 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking with the Contessa

As inspiration for more adventurous culinary efforts I’m following along with Ina Garten, aka The Barefoot Contessa, in my tiny New York kitchen. Let’s see if I can keep up with the Contessa!

Episode: “Long Island Food”

The Set-up: Ina owes her realtor Jack a “big favor;” the end result: she’s doing the cooking when his Friends visit the Hamptons.

The Menu: Beef & Horseradish Sauce Sandwich, Montauk Seafood Salad, Plum Raspberry Crumble

0:33 – Before we get started on the Beef & Horseradish Sauce Sandwich can we speculate for a moment on what Jack did for Ina that resulted in her owing him so big? Did he settle a bridge-related gambling debt? Alter some records in the surveyor’s office? I smell a mystery!

1:16 – Okay, back to the food. She’s roasting an entire beef tenderloin just to make sandwiches for four people, so the debt must have been serious.

2:27 – Pro Tip #1: pat the tenderloin dry with a paper towel then coat it with butter, mustard, salt & pepper to keep the meat moist while flavoring it.

3:49 – While the beef cooks she makes the horseradish sauce, which also includes Dijon mustard and coarse-grain mustard. Talk about clearing out the sinuses – spicy.

4:08 – The roast is out of the oven and it looks so good that I feel bad for teasing her 4 minutes ago. Pro Tip #2: Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature, then cover with foil and allow the meat to rest for 10-15 minutes.

4:45 – We check in with Jack and Friends to find them at Mecox Bay Dairy doing some cheese tasting. Remember when we had our pairing lesson? Art tells them about Mecox Sunrise and they decide to bring some to Ina.

5:12 – Sandwich assembly time. Ina’s using Eli’s Health Loaf #2 and I can personally assure you that this is really good bread.

6:23 – I like Ina’s take on sandwiches – lots of Pro Tips #3: a thin layer of butter on the bottom slice keeps the bread moist. #4: don’t neglect the corners with the sauce! #5: something crunchy (in this case arugula) is always nice.

6:51 – Jack and Friends come to Ina’s and they trade witticisms, sandwiches, and cheese in that order. Can I just say that I don’t really get the Friends? Who are these people? Does Jack owe them a favor? I feel like we’re in deep waters here…

10:04 – Now that we’re alone with Ina again she pretends like everything is normal and that we’re just making Plum Raspberry Crumble like nothing happened, but I noticed she didn’t let Jack and Friends into the house.

11:28 – The combination of red plums and raspberries is beautiful and she hasn’t even cooked it yet! Pro Tip #6: stirring a little flour into the fruit makes for a delicious “goo.”

13:11 – The crumble is in the oven and we get a check in on Jack and Friends. It’s so odd, they seem like regular, sandwich eating people and yet they have such a hold over Jack. He promises them an afternoon of surprises to placate them.

14:56 – Back to Ina’s to start the Montauk Seafood Salad and she must be really rattled because she’s having a hard time remembering the reason for the name. (Hint: it’s where the fishing boats are!)

15:20 – As Ina peels and deveins the shrimp she gives us Pro Tip #7: the trick to cooking shrimp is to slightly under-cook them 1½ - 2 minutes.

20:09 – Next, Ina poaches the sea scallops in hot water with white wine vinegar and salt. These also take just a few minutes – 1 minute for small bay scallops, perhaps 4-5 minutes for larger sea scallops. I never realized shellfish was so delicate!

21:17 – Now we get a little lesson on mussels. First, all mussels should be tightly closed (open before cooking means they’re dead – no good.) Second, mussels need to be scrubbed and soaked in water with a little flour to get rid of the sand. Third, remove the ‘beard’ before cooking.

22:02 – Montauk Seafood Salad seems like quite a process. After cooking the mussels they now have to be removed from their shells. Whew.

23:33 – Off for a wine tasting break with Jack and Friends at Channing Daughters Winery. Jack would clearly like a generous glug of chardonnay, but decides to keep his wits about him pleading designated driver. Smart play, Jack.

24:01 – Back with Ina. She’s making a lemon, thyme and garlic vinaigrette by infusing warm olive oil with the seasonings. I like that idea and I bet mixing the seafood with warm dressing will really bring out the flavors.

28:54 – She finishes plating the seafood salad just and Jack and Friends arrive. It’s a race against the clock. Once again, Ina greets them outside. This time they don’t even make it to the front porch!

29:45 – She hands off the Montauk Seafood Salad and Plum Raspberry Crumble in exchange for three bottles of wine. Her relief is palpable and she let’s us know that “while they’re eating their dinner she’ll be drinking hers.” Point taken.

Final Thoughts:

Those filet of beef sandwiches looked really, really good. I wonder if I could make a smaller batch using filet mignon?

I love how many crumble recipes Ina has – literally several for any season of the year.

I learned an important lesson: never get in the position of owing Jack a favor.

Lessons Learned:

After the success I had with the Peach and Blueberry Crumble a few weeks ago and with the bounty of summer fruit still filling the markets I was in the mood for more crumble. You might not believe me, but Plum Raspberry Crumble is actually even easier.

Once again, the recipe consists of two components – the plums & raspberries and the oatmeal almond crumble topping. Both elements require minimal prep (no skin removal this time!) and just a little measuring and mixing. Also, just one large dish instead of several small ramekins – bonus. Don’t forget your parchment paper lined sheet tray and keep the butter cold!

Small Kitchen Friendly?

Yes, for the most part especially in comparison to the Peach Blueberry Crumble. I used two medium bowls (one for the fruit filling and one for the crumble mixture), one large casserole dish, and a sheet pan. I also used a spatula, pastry cutter, measuring cups and spoons, and my bird beak paring knife to cut the plums. (The curved blade works well for cutting stone fruit, but a regular paring knife would work too.)

The Verdict:

Plums are somewhat sweet and fairly mild in flavor, so the combination with tart raspberries is great. We also really liked the balance of textures – crispy crumble top + firm plums + delicate raspberries + cool ice cream = a nice contrast. I didn’t owe anyone a favor when I made Plum Raspberry Crumble, but it still makes an excellent summer dessert when you want people to feel special (look, I baked!) but need something relatively low pressure (no pie crust to stress over.) Definitely try this while plums are still in season.

Guacamole Salad

July 09, 2014 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking with the Contessa

As inspiration for more adventurous culinary efforts I’m following along with Ina Garten, aka The Barefoot Contessa, in my tiny New York kitchen. Let’s see if I can keep up with the Contessa!

Episode: “Girls That Grill”

The Set-up: Ina and some lady friends are showing the guys how it’s done with their own cookout. Laura’s hosting, Valerie is setting the table and providing granddaughters.

The Menu: East Hampton Clam Chowder, Blue Cheese Burgers, Guacamole Salad, Chocolate and Vanilla Sundaes

0:39 – As Ina describes the premise of the episode I realize that she’s doing all the cooking, while the others just bring table settings. The least they could do is bring beer!

1:10 – First up, and frankly most important: the Blue Cheese Burgers. Pro Tip #1: use a combination of ground chuck (moisture, aka fat content) and ground sirloin (flavor.)

2:51 – Ina forks together the ground beef with breadcrumbs, steak sauce and eggs before forming the patties. How do we feel about this meatloaf-esque mix? I'm not so sure….

3:36 – While the burgers chill before the party, we get an interlude with Laura (the hostess) at her oceanfront home. I take it back, all she needs to do is keep paying the mortgage; I’ll bring the beer.

4:44 – We’re back with Ina to make the Chocolate Sauce sundaes. In her catering days she’d make sundaes for the children at family barbecues and fancy desserts for the adults, but guess who wanted sundaes too? Sundaes = crowd-pleaser.

5:12 – Pro Tip #2: add a little brewed coffee to bring out the chocolate flavor. This is a classic Ina recommendation, but worth repeating.

8:49 – Road trip! Ina’s taking us to The Seafood Shop to buy the clams for East Hampton Clam Chowder.

9:18 – We get a brief lesson on clams (steamers = best for linguini with clam sauce, little necks = small & expensive) as she searches for the right clams for chowder. Colin, our Seafood Shop rep, comes to the rescue with chowder clams that fortunately have already been shucked. How convenient….

10:37 – Back in the kitchen to start the chowder the best way: onions sautéed in butter. Always a good decision.

11:14 – Over to Valerie for a table setting discussion. Ah-ha! Valerie seems to own a home décor shop and now I understand why she’s in charge of the table. I’m betting there won’t be a paper plate in sight!

12:59 – Onward with the clam chowder! Ina makes a case for fresh clam juice, and while I’d like to tease her about this the idea of bottled clam juice gives me the chills

13:06 – Next, the roux (melted butter + flour + whisking) and Ina give us a super helpful Pro Tip #3: to prevent flour-y lumps whisk a ladle of the hot clam stock into the roux before adding it to the larger pot.

14:23 – Now I see why the clam juice is so important. The diced clams, which only need to cook for 2 minutes, are added at the very end and don’t really have time to flavor the chowder.

15:02 – This chowder looks so, so good. I’d love to be near the ocean with a cup and some oyster crackers right now….

19:17 – Time for the Guacamole Salad, which is essentially the vegetables you’d find in guac but diced larger and tossed in a lime vinaigrette.

20:29 – Ina mentions that she doesn’t like really hot dishes, so I’m surprised that she’s adding jalapeños to the salad. Honestly, I usually skip them when I make guacamole.

22:34 – A little last minute prep montage – charcoal chimneys being filled, tomatoes being sliced, paper napkins being put into Mini Coopers – all set to the Barefoot Contessa “things-are-afoot” music.

23:15 – Two things: one, that is a GIANT cooler; and two, Ina is super Prepared (capital P) with storage containers.

27:36 – I can’t tell what time of year this is, but if I had to guess I’d say September. Valerie’s granddaughters are rocking their cable knit sweaters (grey & lemon yellow if you’re wondering.)

28:03 – Laura is put in charge of the grill, but I saw her and Ina both pressing down on the Blue Cheese Burgers with a spatula, which is a no-no. Ladies, I know it’s tempting, but you know better than that! Think of the juices!

28:52 – The granddaughters decline the blue cheese, but earn their keep by helping with the Guacamole Salad.

29:41 – Last but not least: a toast to girls grilling (and ruling!) with the Chocolate and Vanilla Sundaes. That’s my kind of toast…yum.

Final Thoughts:

These are all really approachable recipes that I could honestly imagine at a back yard cook-out.

I love New England Clam Chowder and if I could get Colin to shuck the clams for me I think I could actually manage it.

I wonder who drew the short straw and had to clean up after dinner? I’m guessing Valerie’s daughter…

Lessons Learned:

I love, love, love guacamole so I was really interested to try the Guacamole Salad which seems to be a slightly healthier twist on a classic. This recipe consists almost entirely of chopping produce, so if you can dice bell peppers and rinse black beans you’ll be in good shape.

I’m kind of fussy when it comes to prepping vegetables and in this case I focused on keeping the major components (i.e. the tomatoes, peppers, avocado) medium-diced and what I consider the ‘flavoring’ ingredients (red onion, garlic, jalapeño) minced quite small. Biting into a giant chunk of any of those ingredients is not my favorite.

I was looking for a moderate spice, not a blast of hot jalapeño, so I also de-seeded. Depending on your preferences I’d adjust the size/seeds/amount accordingly. I'd also suggest adding some chopped fresh cilantro if you’re sure everyone likes it (I do.)

Small Kitchen Friendly?

Yes, definitely. I used a medium bowl to mix together the vegetables, a medium sieve for draining and rinsing the black beans, a medium cutting board, a chef’s knife, a small paring knife, and a large spoon for tossing the ingredients together.

For the dressing you’ll need a liquid measuring cup, microplane grater, and measuring spoons.

The Verdict:

I made Guacamole Salad to bring as a side dish to a cookout we were attending in Connecticut. I wanted something fresh, a little unusual, and portable since we were taking the train out to the suburbs – this absolutely fits the bill for all three.

One note of caution: this salad isn’t the best choice if it’s going to sit on a buffet table for very long. Definitely wait until the last possible second before serving to add the diced avocado, otherwise it begins to turn brown and slightly disintegrate in the dressing (not very appealing.) I brought whole avocados with me and borrowed a knife to prepare them before we ate.

However, the flavors are bright with a nice balance of acidity from the lime juice, and spice from the jalapeño and cayenne. I’d definitely make this again as an accompaniment to burgers or serve as a dip with tortilla chips.

Honey Vanilla Pound Cake with Strawberries

July 02, 2014 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking with the Contessa

Each week I try to expand my culinary horizons and improve my technique by cooking a new recipe in my tiny New York City kitchen. (Seriously, this baby is small!) My inspiration and guiding light: Ina Garten, aka The Barefoot Contessa. Follow along with me, learn from my mistakes!, and let's see if I can keep up with the Contessa!

Episode: “Market Day”

The Set-up: Ina visited the Sag Harbor Farmers’ Market and is really jazzed to use local produce to inspire her recipes.

The Menu: Honey Vanilla Pound Cake, Mache Salad with Brie and Apples, Vanilla Extract, Garlic & Lemon Oil, Basil Mayonnaise

0:51 – We get a voiceover tour of the Sag Harbor Farmers’ Market as Ina explains how seasonal ingredients determine what she’ll cook. I would love to get in this mindset but 99% of the items I buy at markets are jam related…

1:15 – Case in point: Ina found some local honey (cue a “loving local honeys” joke for my sister in law…) and decided to make Honey Vanilla Pound Cake.

2:07 – Courtesy of Cooks Illustrated magazine we get Pro Tip #1: ‘cool room temperature’ butter makes the best pound cake crumb. This seems like a tricky distinction, but worth trying for?

3:22 – Next, we get a bee keeping tutorial from Frederique Keller of Bee Pharm – the producer of the honey Ina purchased. I swear this looks like a Honey Nut Cheerios commercial (in a good way!) all warm sunlight and golden wheat oat fields.

4:23 – Back to Ina and the Honey Vanilla Pound Cake. The honey seems to be getting the best of her, but she still manages to deliver Pro Tip #2: Adding the honey to the eggs in a measuring cup will make it easier to pour into the mixer.

4:39 – Ina’s using cake flour but offers us a helpful substitute if we only have all-purpose flour in the pantry. Making a note because I literally never have anything other than all-purpose…

5:55 – The cake is baked and Ina expertly turns it out of the loaf pan thanks to the parchment paper liner. She suggests some serving ideas – butter, more honey, berries – but says really she likes it best plain.

9:43 – Next up, Ina’s making a salad using cheese produced by the Mecox Bay Dairy for her staff. Do you think Barefoot Contessa HR lists ‘lunches prepared by Ina’ in it’s benefits package? Who needs paid vacation!

9:55 – During her Ina’s intro to the dairy we get the most idyllic, sun-dappled scenes of cows strolling through a green pasture and munching on hay. For Kate, my one word review: pastoral.

10:37 – She’s baking wedges of a Mecox cheese similar to Brie with honey and pistachios for the Mache Salad with Brie and Apples. This looks truly awesome, but I’m not sure it can really be called ‘salad’ yet…

11:04 – Apparently baked Brie has to be watched carefully or it liquefies “likethat” [finger snap]. You’ve been warned.

13:16 – The mache greens have arrived and are dressed with balsamic vinaigrette. They look pretty similar to clover, so now I suppose it’s a salad.

14:29 – Oooh, nice. Ina asked Art for a cheese-pairing lesson on the Mecox cheeses. Here’s the rundown: Farmhouse cheddar + chutney & malt-y beer; Sigit + salted cashews & dry hard cider; Mecox Sunrise + pears & sweet Sauterne; Shawondasee + celery & crisp Sauvignon Blanc.

15:58 – We’re back with Ina and she’s assembling the salads. The devouring hordes, ahem I mean ladies, from Barefoot Contessa HQ arrive and dive in.

20:12 – We’ve reached the ‘potions and concoctions’ portion of the show. She doesn’t call it that, but I think it’s appropriate.

21:03 – First potion: homemade Vanilla Extract = Vanilla Beans + Vodka + Time. I’d like to point out that the recipe says this takes 720 hours or 1 month. Ina recommends 6 months, which would be 4,320 hours. No big deal.

21:36 – Second potion: Garlic Lemon Oil = Hot Oil + Garlic Cloves + Lemon Peel + Red Pepper Flakes. This does require a little cooking, but I bet this is super flavorful.

22:14 – Finally, a concoction: Basil Mayonnaise. I have to be honest – the closest I’m going to get to making this recipe is if I blend store-bought mayonnaise with basil leaves.

27:32 – Ask Ina Time! The first question is a request for a Roasted Beet recipe. I actually love beets, so I’m paying close attention here and adding ‘beets’ to my grocery list.

28:45 – Second question: how to get the core out of a head of lettuce. I would normally consider this question absurd, but then we get to see Ina smash a head of iceberg on the counter. Twice! The second time is in slo-mo and it’s amazing. Also, this trick totally works, so there’s that.

29:50 – Third question: another recipe request this one for radishes. Ina recommends eating them raw dipped in a pile of sea salt with bread and butter. I’m not kidding. This apparently how French school children eat them? I feel like she’s pulling my leg. Perhaps this is her new way of dealing with silly questions? Anyway, that’s the end!

Final Thoughts:

I love farmers’ markets but I’m always overwhelmed, hence the jam purchases. Time to take Ina’s approach.

The Hamptons seem to have so much great produce – farms, fishing boats, wine – I need a harvest-time visit!

This set of Ask Ina questions must have required a particular amount of restraint. She needed to whack that lettuce. Seriously.

Lessons Learned:

I’ve made sweetbread before, but never Honey Vanilla Pound Cake, which sounded amazing. I had to take Ina’s advice on the cake flour substitute but I did remember to take the butter out in advance to come to room temperature, so progress!

I had no trouble with the measurements or the process, but the baking time is a different question. The recipe calls for 50-60 minutes, but I needed more like 75 before the toothpick came out clean.

I have a few theories that bear future trial:

1. Typically, I place all baked goods on the middle rack (something to do with even air circulation), but in my oven the heat comes from the bottom. Perhaps placing the pan on the bottom rack closer to the heat source would help it cook correctly?

2. I’ve never noticed a problem with our oven cooking at the correct temperature, but without a thermometer it’s impossible to know for sure. Perhaps it’s a few degrees off?

3. It’s pretty warm here in New York and my butter was definitely very soft by the time I started to bake. Maybe that pesky ‘cool room temperature’ butter is more essential than I realized?

Small Kitchen Friendly?

Yes, for a baked good especially. I used two medium sized bowls (butter & sugar, and dry ingredients) and a two-cup liquid measure for the eggs, honey, etc. The recipe calls for a stand mixer, but I couldn’t be bothered to pull it out and used handheld mixer instead. I also used a glass loaf pan, rubber spatula, microplane grater, and measuring spoons and cups.

The Verdict:

I brought Honey Vanilla Pound Cake and Strawberries (recipe below) to a backyard picnic for my take on Strawberry Shortcake. I got positive feedback from everyone on the results and I personally though the pound cake served as an excellent compliment to the fresh berries.

The flavor is light - I’d probably add a bit more honey and vanilla to the next attempt - however, as a vehicle for juicy strawberries it’s perfect. I’d make this again for an easy summer dessert, or when I needed something portable and easily assembled for a crowd at a Fourth of July barbecue. Try this, but keep an eye on it and let me know how it turns out!

Macerated Strawberries
(serve 6-8 ppl)

1.5 lbs. fresh strawberries, sliced
1/3 cup sugar, or less to taste
1 tsp. lemon zest

In a medium bowl, stir together sliced strawberries, sugar, and lemon zest. Allow the mixture to rest for 45-60 minutes before serving over biscuits, cake, or ice cream.

Risotto Primavera

June 25, 2014 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking with the Contessa

As inspiration for more adventurous culinary efforts each week I follow along with Ina Garten, aka The Barefoot Contessa, in my tiny New York kitchen. Let’s see if I can keep up with the Contessa!

Episode: “Impromptu Dinner”

The Set-up: Ina’s friend and creative jack-of-all-trades, Miguel, is in town and she invited him to a spur of the moment dinner Chez Garten.

The Menu: Risotto Primavera, Caramel Pecan Sundaes, Shortbread Cookies

0:48 – Ina explains that Miguel is in the Hamptons doing research on historic homes for a photo shoot and when he called she just had to invite him to dinner. We don’t see this phone call, but if I were an F.O.I. (that’s Friend of Ina) I would totally hit her up anytime I was within an hour radius. Well played, Miguel.

1:07 – The challenge is, can she make an entire dinner from things she already has in the pantry? I know I can and it takes less than 5 minutes to prepare: cereal!

2:11 – But for real now, first up: dessert. We get a quick how-to on Shortbread Cookie dough before Ina starts rolling them out. Oh, the counter space in that glorious barn kitchen! I’ll give you a minute to revel…

3:16 – Additional perks of being a F.O.I.: introductions to the movers and shakers of the East Hampton Historical Society. We get a few glimpses of Miguel touring the Osborne Jackson House. Spoiler alert! There are old time-y kitchen tools.

4:59 – Now Ina is making a little chocolate glaze for the Shortbread Cookies. In order to get the chocolate to harden to a glossy finish it has to be tempered.

5:36 – Apparently this is an annoying process, so Ina gives us “Tempering for Idiots.” Pro Tip#1: melt part of the shaved (not cubed!) chocolate in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between until it’s just melted. Then add in the remaining chocolate shavings.

6:44 – As she dips the cookies in the chocolate she remarks how it’s nice when they don’t look like they’re straight from a box. One of my favorite things about Ina; she makes a virtue of imperfect, homemade looking food.

11:23 – This meal appears to be 50% entrée, 50% dessert (all good in my book) because now it’s Caramel Pecan Sundae time. Ina toasts the pecans, of course, and then starts the caramel sauce.

12:32 – I am super intimidated by anything that involves boiling sugar but this looks fairly simple. Pro Tip #2: Ina says swirl, don’t stir the sugar and water or it will solidify.

13:19 – Off the heat before adding the cream and vanilla. She says stand back it will “bubble up violently” and she’s right – terrifying. Now it’s okay to stir? Hmm. Caramel sauce will require more research…

13:56 – Back to Miguel for a moment. He’s doing a credible job of feigning interest* in the “original milk paint.” Keep up the good work!

14:08 – Ina claims that everyone has some kind of ice cream in the freezer, which is probably true, but hers is brand new pints of Haagen Dazs and mine is half eaten Edy’s slow churn.

14:47 – We get some additional thoughts on “dressing ice cream up for company:” Triple Raspberry Sauce and Affogato (aka hot espresso over vanilla ice cream.) Sign me up!

19:13 – Now for the main course: Risotto Primavera. As Ina chops leeks and fennel she tells us that she thinks cooking is hard (Lord help the rest of us, right?) so to make it easier she has a few basic recipes and varies the ingredients to make something totally different. That’s fair I guess.

20:42 – As the leeks and fennel sauté Ina reveals that her “one weakness” is keeping lots of homemade chicken stock in the freezer. Question is: should we believe her? What if her weakness actually “really good vanilla” or “very cold butter”? Probably best to leave that one alone in case she’s bluffing…

21:34 – I need all the help I can get with risotto, so here’s Pro Tip #3: Coating the Arborio rice with the butter and oil keep the risotto from becoming sticky.

22:29 – Ina also shares that she thinks making risotto “therapeutic” at the end of a long day; just standing there and stirring. If I had this dish a little more under control I’d probably agree. Alas, for me it’s stressful!

22:45 – We check in with Miguel again. He compliments the fireplace in the master bedroom and says it will be “perfect for the [alleged] photo shoot.” Fairly sure this is all an elaborate ruse to get dinner out of Ina. Miguel is wily*.

23:21 – Back to Risotto Primavera. Ina tells us that she doesn’t really believe in frozen vegetables, except for peas and asparagus. Convenient, yes? I’m pretty much with her, but I’ll also use corn and green beans. Please don’t judge.

27:16 – Did anyone else notice the glass of white wine on the counter? No wonder cooking risotto is so “therapeutic.”

28:38 – A few finishing touches mainly in the form of CHEESE! Mascarpone and Parmesean for anyone who’s curious.

29:51 – Miguel arrives and pretends this wasn’t his real destination* Ina ushers him in and it’s dinnertime!

*I do not know Miguel and this statement should not be interpreted as fact. I'm just assuming...

Final Thoughts:

I am so not adept at ‘impromptu’ dinners – perhaps my pantry & freezer stocks need a little TLC?

The concept of basic recipes with multiple variations is brilliant!

Ina’s friends have the best jobs – florist, location scout, magazine editor, pastry chef…

Lessons Learned:

Hmm, two rice dishes in a row? Oh, well. Since my first risotto was only semi-successful I thought a second try with Risotto Primavera was in order. I watched Ina very carefully and I think my earlier issues were because I didn’t fully coat the rice in the butter and olive oil, and also added the stock too slowly.

Tip number one, don’t be stingy with the stirring when you first add the rice. The butter coating is important!

My second tip involves a little math. Try this one on: once the leeks, fennel and rice are all in the pot the remaining cooking time should be ~20 minutes. The recipe calls for 4 cups of hot stock total to be added 2 ladles at a time. One ladleful = approx. ½ cup of stock, so each time the stock is added it's about 1 cup. 20 minutes divided by 4 cups of stock means an average of 5 minutes for absorption. If after the first addition of stock it’s taking more or less time than 5 minutes then adjust the flame under the pot (higher or lower) so that your cooking time settles in to that rate. Does that make sense?

The third tip is to taste the rice periodically like you might when cooking pasta. Revolutionary, right? It won’t be fully seasoned yet since the salt, pepper and cheese come later, but you will be able to see how close to ‘al dente’ you are and make adjustments.

Using these guidelines I'm happy to day that my Risotto Primavera turned out much, much better than the Butternut Squash Risotto I made in April. Not mushy at all! Still working on the creaminess, but I think I’m well on the way to “therapeutic” risotto cooking!

Small Kitchen Friendly?

It depends. If you’re going with the Ina method of using frozen veggies, then it can be done with just two pots on the stove. But if you need to blanch fresh asparagus like I did, then you’re up to three pots and a large bowl. Choose your own adventure...

I used a 5 qt dutch oven, two medium sauce pans (one for chicken stock, one for blanching), a medium bowl, and a medium sized cutting board. I also used a chef’s knife, a box grater, a microplane grater, a wooden spatula, and measuring cups & measuring spoons.

The Verdict:

I made this on a warm evening this week and the fresh spring-y flavors of the Risotto Primavera are excellent for a summer dinner even though it’s a hot dish. Definitely add the lemon zest and juice to keep it bright and balance out the creaminess of the cheese. This one is a winner, and since the vegetables in the recipe are available year-round I’d still make this in the dead of winter when spring seems far away.