Pale Ale Risotto with Smoked Gouda, Ham and Peas

In a recent ‘Joe Sixpack’ article that appeared in the Philadelphia Daily News, author Don Russell highlights some of the incredible combinations that local cheese makers and craft brewers are pairing together. It was very inspirationional to learn how centuries-old techniques are being embraced and incorporated into modern-day cheese and beer making. It encouraged me to put together a recipe using two of my favorite pairings, pale ale and smoked gouda. It was also an opportunity to put one of my less favorite beers (Blue Moon Belgian Pale Ale, which came in a mixed case…not bad, but by far not my favorite of this style)  to good use.

Because we are smack-dab in the middle of a frigid winter, I decided to go with risotto, one of my favorite comfort foods. I also added to the mix diced ham and peas, another of my favorite combinations, for a little extra texture and taste. This turned out to be a very hearty and flavorful dish that needed no extra seasoning. It hit the spot on a below-freezing weekend night…even my 4-year old loved it!

Pale Ale Risotto with Smoked Gouda, Ham and Peas

1 large shallot, minced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1.5 cups uncooked Arborio rice
1 12-oz bottle pale ale (any pale ale will do, or an IPA will add a more complex taste)
3 cups of low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup cooked ham, finely diced
1/4 cup peas, cooked
6 ounces smoked gouda cheese, cut into small cubes
1/2 cup grated parmigiano reggiano cheese

Heat the low sodium chicken broth to near boiling, set aside.

In a medium saucepan, add 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook until translucent. Add the rice, sautéeing until each grain is coated.

Add the beer and heat to simmer, stirring constantly. When the beer is mostly absorbed, add a ladleful of hot chicken broth to the saucepan. Stir constantly while simmering. Repeat procedure (ladle and stir once the liquid is mostly absorbed) for around twenty minutes.

When you are down to the final two ladles of broth, stir in the ham, peas and cubed gouda. Continue to ladle and stir, the gouda will melt into the risotto.

When all broth is incorporated, remove from heat, add the parmigiano reggiano cheese and remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and stir well. Serve with crusty bread.

Saying “Cheese” to New Resolutions!

Another year, another round of New Year resolutions! Since starting this blog back in 2008, most of my resolutions have been food related (learning how to make home made pasta, new challenges with Una Mamma Italiana), and because of this my resolutions have been fun and enjoyable to partake in! This year, I have my cousin Jenny to thank for setting me up with my 2013 food-related resolution. Her Christmas gift to me was a fantastic book called Artisan Cheese Making at Home. The book is very well put together and is a lot of fun to look at – the pictures are absolutely mouth-watering. Everything from ricotta and mascarpone, to créme fraiche and greek yogurt, to cocoa rubbed jack cheese, ale-washed trappist cheese and tips on how to make smoked mozzarella are covered in appetizing detail. Obviously, some of these cheeses can’t even be considered just yet, not only for my lack of skills but for the lack of space and set-up in my basement. But that’s not going to stop me from reading and absorbing this book, attempting what recipes I can handle and sharing with you my journey in cheese making. If anything, I’m looking forward to trying out some of the suggested recipes included in the book…even if I have to sneak over to the 9th Street Market to get my hands on some good quality cheese, wrapped and ready to go.

I also have some other fun ideas in mind for the blog this year. Keep an eye out over the next few months for new recipes featuring:
• risotto
• soups
• pot pies
• pasta dishes
• my kids’ take on panzarotti vs. calzone

Plus…I’ll be joining my friend Carl for a very special home brewing post!

I’ll also be chasing down Una Mamma Italiana for another food challenge or two…and hopefully some other surprise visits from other special contributors.

Thanks again for visiting…here’s to a great and appetizing 2013!

Warm Italian Crab Salad

Now that we are just a few days away from celebrating the Feast of the 7 Fishes, which is one of the biggest and most important meals of the Italian and Italian-American culture, I am sure that most of you already have your menu planned. If you are looking for one more addition to your table, or another way to dress up one of your traditional dishes, this warm crab salad recipe is a tasty and versatile solution! With just a few basic ingredients and about 10 minutes of simmering on your stove-top, you can have this dish ready to be served in no time as an appetizer with crackers, mixed with a pasta in garlic and oil or even used as a stuffing in one of your other dishes.

From my kitchen to yours, I wish you a very Blessed and Merry Christmas.

Buona Natale!

WARM ITALIAN CRAB SALAD

1 red bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. white wine
Juice of 1 lemon
8 oz. canned crabmeat*
1/3 cup seasoned breadcrumbs

*8 oz. of canned crab meat equals two 6 oz. cans (found with other canned fish) drained, or a half of a 1 lb can of pure packed crab meat (found in grocery store seafood section)

Heat butter in a pan until melted. Add onions and celery; heat until soft. Add crab meat, wine and lemon juice; stir. Add breadcrumbs, stir until warm. You can then serve it on top of pasta with garlic and oil or as an appetizer with crackers, as pictured below.

Broiled Rainbow Trout with Cannellini Beans and Pancetta

After getting through yet another Thanksgiving weekend filled with way too much food and celebration (what other kind of holiday weekend is there, really?) I decided yesterday to switch gears completely and go with a healthy (ok, healthier) dinner. One of the meals that I enjoyed a few weeks back while on vacation in Disney World was broiled rainbow trout served over a mixture of white beans, arugula and bacon. It was definitely on my ‘to do’ list to recreate this dish, and yesterday was the perfect opportunity.

Instead of using bacon, which is always paired nicely with rainbow trout, I opted for one of my favorite Italian go-to accent ingredients…pancetta! I also wanted to substitute a more hearty green for the arugula, and went with a nice side of broccoli rabe. You can also use a more leafy green, such as sauteed swiss chard or escarole and incorporate it into the bean mixture. Because broccoli rabe is more of a chunky green, it works better as a side dish in this instance.

Assembling this dish was fairly easy: first sauteing the pancetta and beans in a skillet, then seasoning and broiling the trout. Plating this dish rustic style is the best way to serve it – simply place the broiled trout filets over the bean mixture, and drizzle with a balsamic reduction. The rustic presentation will make for a nice dish to serve this holiday season at a dinner party…or better yet, as part of your Feast of the 7 Fishes.

Broiled Rainbow Trout with Cannellini Beans and Pancetta

1 15 oz can cannellini beans
4 oz (or two 1/4″ thick slices) pancetta, sliced into small cubes
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth (your choice)
2 filets rainbow trout
olive oil
salt and pepper
1 cup balsamic vinegar

Step 1: Prepare the Beans
In a large skillet over medium heat, add 2 tbspns olive oil. Add the onion, stir and cook until translucent. Add the pancetta and stir together. Cook over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes, or until pancetta becomes slightly crisp. Add a bit of the broth as needed to keep the pancetta from sticking to the pan. Drain the beans, then add to the pancetta. Stir and cook for about 3-5 minutes until beans are warmed, again adding more broth as needed to keep from sticking to the pan. Remove from heat, cover to keep warm. You can also add sauteed greens to the mixture, such as swiss chard or escarole.

Step 2: Prepare the Rainbow Trout
Turn your broiler to 500˚, placing the cooking rack closest to the top. Lightly oil the filets on both the meat and skin side, season with salt and pepper. Cover a baking dish with aluminum foil and lightly oil. Place the filets on the dish, skin-side down. Broil for 4-5 minutes, or until the trout starts to flake. Check it often to make sure it does not burn. Carefully remove from broiler. The skin should peel off easily at this point (you can also remove the skin as you serve the fish).

Step 3: Plating the Meal
Using a large serving dish, spread out the bean mixture evenly. Place the filets on top of the beans. You can break the filets into smaller pieces for easier serving. Drizzle with a balsamic reduction*. Serve with a nice, crisp white wine.

*Balsamic Reduction
To reduce balsamic vinegar simply means to cook it in a skillet or pan until it starts to thicken. Because it reduces, you want to use about 4 times as much as you will need for drizzling. For this recipe, you will use 1 cup balsamic. Pour the balsamic into a skillet over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer until it starts to thicken up (about 3-5 minutes total). It will continue to thicken up after you remove the pan from the heat, so be sure to remove it from the heat while it’s still a just a bit thinner than you prefer. Drizzle over the fish.

And speaking of Disney….

I finally got to personally meet and spend some quality time with my favorite celebrity chef!