Richard Lipton

Risotto

There is no question that Louisiana is known for rice. One of the things that made my jaw drop when I first got here was the 18-wheeler trucks carrying nothing but hundreds of 50-pound bags of rice cruising down the highway. And there wasn't just one truck at a time, there were at least 8 or 9 trucks with rice following each other . Unbelievable. I like rice as much as the next person, but how much rice can one person or town eat? The answer to that was also unbelievable.

Between long, medium, and short grain rice, there are enough varieties to boggle the mind and surprise the palate. When you start getting into Jasmine, Basmati, Brown, Risotto, and Sushi, look out, as the varieties increase to over 1000 times. I have always thought of Risotto as Italian Sushi rice, as it is usually short grained, loaded with starch, and when it is prepared, it becomes sticky, but also creamy, unlike sushi rice. It takes on the flavor of whatever it is cooked with and can be combined with almost anything for a one-course complete meal in itself.

The grocery stores are really starting to expand their international aisles and stock them with a wide selection. Whether Mexican, Italian, French, Oriental, etc. you can find just about anything you need locally. And those items that cannot be found locally can be ordered specially through the internet, so long as you don't mind paying a little extra, of course.

Here are a few ideas for you to use in your next venture into the land of Risotto. Mix, match, and experiment with your own favorite flavors to create something wonderful for dinner tonight. Bon Appetit

Risotto with Shrimp
Serves 4

1-1/2 lbs shrimp, peeled, deveined
Reserved shrimp shells
5 Tbsp butter
1 onion, thickly sliced
1 carrot, thinly sliced
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
1 leek, white part only, thinly sliced
6 sprigs parsley
¾ Cup white wine
2 tsp salt
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 Cups (4 dl) risotto rice
1 Tbsp tomato paste
2 Tbsp parsley, chopped
Salt and white pepper

Set aside 4 whole shrimp and ¨peel and cut the shrimp into bite-sized pieces. In a large saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter and sauté the shrimp shells, sliced onion, carrot, celery, leek, and parsley sprigs for 3-4 minutes. Add the wine and continue cooking as it evaporates. Pour in 2 quarts (2 liters) water, add salt, and boil for about 30 minutes. Strain and set aside. This is a quick shellfish stock (fumet).

In a large skillet or saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons oil and sauté the finely chopped onion until translucent. Add the rice and cook briefly, stirring until the rice is translucent. Thoroughly blend in tomato paste and add 1 cup ( 2 dl) of the simmering stock. Immediately cover the pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Add a second cup (2 dl) of stock, stir to incorporate, cover, and simmer another 5 minutes. Add the cut- up shrimp and a third cup (2 dl) of stock, stir to incorporate well, cover and simmer for yet another 5 minutes. Repeat until the rice has been cooking a total of 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a small sauté pan and cook the whole shrimp for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and keep warm. Taste the rice for doneness. It should be fluffy but not mushy. If it needs to cook more, add a little stock, cover and cook a few minutes longer. Mix in the remaining butter and parsley and add salt and pepper to taste. Allow to rest, covered, for a few minutes, then serve garnished with the whole shrimp.

Crabmeat and Basil Risotto
Serves 6

3 Tbsp butter
1 shallot, minced
1-½ Cups (3 dl) risotto
5 Cups (10 dl) chicken stock
½ Cup (1 dl) heavy cream
3-½ oz (105 g) goat cheese
8 oz (240 g) crabmeat
¼ lb fresh Basil, chiffonade*

Over medium heat, melt the butter in a heavy saucepan. Add shallot and sauté until translucent, 3 minutes. Add rice and sauté 1 minute. Add cup chicken stock, reduce heat, and simmer until liquid is absorbed, stirring often. Continue adding stock, 1 up
(2 dl) at a time, until rice is tender, not adding more stock until the previous stock has been absorbed. Add cream and cook 2 minutes. Add cheese, crabmeat, and basil and stir to incorporate well. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and cayenne. Serve immediately.

* Basil chiffonade - roll the basil leaves together tightly and cut into paper thin slices.

Spinach
Richard M. Lipton

One of the greatest fall vegetables which I never liked as a child is Spinach. Most kids I know hate this green leafy vegetable with a passion. The only way my parents could get me to eat spinach was through the Stouffer's Cream Spinach in the freezer section of the grocery store. Fresh spinach? Not a chance, never, not on your life. Nowadays, with a little ingenuity and the wonders of modern technology, spinach can be made at home, both edible and desirable, without having to buy creamed spinach and baking it.

Not only can it be made in a way that will be sought after, it can also be more nutritious well. Raw spinach has the texture of eating leaves off the tree, pardon to any raw spinach salad lovers out there, but what would happen if you replaced the basil in pesto with spinach? You would still get the nutrients out of the raw spinach, but in a different form. Mix in your spinach with other ingredients and add it to a delightfully fresh pasta dish. Cooking spinach takes out the a little of the nutrients, however, the spinach will still taste good.

Last, but certainly not least, prepared spinach pasta doesn't have half the nutrients you get from fresh spinach, but getting some nutrients is better than none, hmmm? Bottom line --- there are many, many ways to enjoy your spinach (apart from what you see on Popeye), so why not enjoy the variety of preparations. Heaven forbid, your family should see you enjoying what you're trying to force on them. Hmmm, leading by example -- what a concept. Enjoy these ideas for hiding the spinach and bon appetit.

Pasta with Spinach and Proscuitto
Serves 6
Pasta is a wonderful winter dish and so easy to make. It is definitely for the working mother (or father) and a real child pleaser.

4 Tbsp butter
2 Cups (4 dl) heavy cream
1/2 Cup (1 dl) tomato puree
1/2 Cup (1 dl) Romano cheese
Salt and pepper
½ lb prosciutto, diced
1 lb spinach, rinsed and steamed
1 lb pasta shells

In a saucepan, melt half the butter. Add cream and tomato and boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 12-15 minutes until reduced to 2-1/2 cups (5 dl) . Remove from heat and stir in half the cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cook the prosciutto in a large skillet with remaining butter over medium-high heat 4 minutes until crisp. Add spinach in batches and cook until wilted, tossing often. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat over to 350° F (180° C) degrees. Cook pasta shells according to package directions. Drain. Toss the pasta with the tomato sauce and spinach. Spoon into a
3-quart buttered baking dish. Sprinkle remaining cheese over the top and bake 15-17 minutes or until bubbling hot.

Green Linguini
Serves 2
Another great pasta dish with a tasty sauce. Great for a vegetarian meal.

12 oz (360 g) spinach linguini
4 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp garlic, minced
4 oz (120 g) mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup (1 dl) sun dried tomatoes, sliced
¼ Cup (½ dl) pine nuts, toasted
Salt and pepper
½ Cup (1 dl) chicken stock
6 Tbsp butter

Cook pasta according to package directions, drain well, and set aside. Heat olive oil over high heat and saute garlic, mushrooms, tomato, and pine nuts. Add seasonings to taste, chicken stock, and butter. When mushrooms are cooked through, add pasta, toss to coat, and serve. Sprinkle romano cheese on top if desired.

Spinach Pesto Sauce
(Serves 4)
The pesto can be made in advance and then used during the busy week.

1 small bag Spinach
1 Cup (2 dl) garlic cloves, roasted
1 Cup (2 dl) pine nuts, toasted
Olive oil as needed
½ Cup (1 dl) parmesan cheese

Blend spinach, garlic, pine nuts, and parmesan in food processor. Add olive oil in a steady stream, while processor is running, until sauce consistency is reached. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with hot pasta of choice, adding cream to the sauce, if desired (heat gently over low heat).

Beef, Slow Cooked
By Chef, Richard M. Lipton

I love seafood. If there ever was any "greatest" food on earth, for me, anyway, it would be almost anything out of the ocean. Most seafoods cook really fast. Any seafood cooked over a long period of time tends to be mushy, tough, or just plain tasteless. Beef , on the other hand, can be seasoned, covered with stock/water, covered with a lid and slow cooked for several hours to produce a tender dish. You can add whatever vegetables strike your fancy, season it with different herbs and spices, kick back and take a nap.

There are lean and tough cuts of beef. The trick is to know what the most flavorful cuts are. The more fat inside the meat --- marbling --- cuts through the tough fibers of the meat and makes it more tender. The fat is also from where a lot of the natural flavor comes. When the fat renders, or melts, the remaining beef is tender and moist, as long as the fat remains in the pan. Less fatty beef is tougher and needs to cook longer. Beef for stew is a prime example of tougher cuts whereas filet mignon is the most tender cut of beef around.

All beef can be slow cooked, however, without it falling apart or losing any of its natural flavor. Chili with beef is a prime example of a good winter, slow cooked meal. Osso buco, a lesser used cut of meat, slow roasted, makes for one of the most tender and delectable meals imaginable. Osso buco is traditionally made with Ox tails, but works well with pork or veal shanks. Whatever your favorite cut of beef is, slow roast it at a low temperature with your favorite herbs and spices, and watch the mouths water when you set this on the dinner table. Bon appetit

Chili
(Serves 25)
A couple of different ingredients such as the beef brisket, tequila and peanut butter give added flavor to this original Chili recipe. You might want to be a little careful with the suggested green chilies and chili powder.

4 medium onions, minced
10 lbs beef brisket, chopped
1/4 cup (½ dl) oil
1-½ cloves garlic, minced
2 lbs pork, ground
1, 7 oz (ca. 210 g) can green chilies, minced
1, 15 oz (450 g) can tomato sauce
1 lb whole tomatoes, chopped 1 tsp green peppercorns
1 tsp salt
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1 oz (30 g) tequila
1, 12 oz (360 g) can beer
2 oz peanut butter
2, 3 oz (90 g) jars chili powder (mild)
2 beef bouillon cubes
5 oz (150 g) sesame seeds
1 Tbsp cumin
1 Tbsp dry mustard

Brown onions and beef in oil. Stir in garlic, pork, chilies, all spices, tomato sauce, tomatoes, tequila, beer, peanut butter, and bouillon cubes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally. Do not stir the last 20 minutes. Serve immediately

Osso Buco
Serves 4
Osso Buco is a wonderful winter meal. Let this simmer away while you watch t.v. or read a good book.

8 large Ox Tails, Pork or Veal shanks
Salt and pepper to taste
Flour, as needed
7 tbsp butter
Mixed herbs of choice
3 Tbsp olive oil
½ tsp salt
1-½ Cups (3 dl) white wine
½ Cup (1 dl) freshly chopped parsley
1-½ Cups (3 dl) red onions, minced
1 Tbsp lemon zest
¾ Cup (1-½ dl) carrots, finely chopped
¾ Cup (1-½ dl) celery, finely chopped
1 Cup (2 dl) garlic minced
4 Cups (1 liter) beef stock
1-½ Cups (3 dl) plum tomatoes, chopped
1 Tbsp garlic minced

Season the meat to taste with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour, shaking off excess. In a heavy skillet, heat 3 tablespoons butter and 3 tablespoons oil over medium high heat. Brown the meat, adding additional butter and oil if necessary. Transfer the shanks as they are browned to a platter.

Add wine to the skillet, boil the mixture, deglazing the pan, until the liquid is reduced to about 1/2 cup (1 dl). Reserve in a small bowl. In a flameproof casserole dish, (or Dutch oven) large enough to hold the meat in one layer, cook the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic in the remaining 4 tablespoons butter over medium low heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened. Add the meat and any accumulated juices to the casserole dish. Add the wine reduction, and enough broth to almost cover the meat. Spread the tomatoes over the meat, add the mixed herbs to taste, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring the liquid to a simmer over medium high heat. Braise the mixture, covered, in the middle of a preheated 325 ° F (160° C) oven for 2 hours, or until the meat is tender. Transfer the meat to an oven proof serving dish with a slotted spoon. Keep meat warm.

Strain pan juices into a saucepan, pressing hard on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Skim off fat. Boil for about 15 minutes or until reduced to about 3 cups (6 dl). Baste the meat in some of the reduced juices, and bake them, basting 3-4 more times, for 10 minutes or until the meat is glazed. In a bowl, stir together the parsley, zest, and garlic. Sprinkle the meat with the mixture and pour some remaining juice around and over the meat. Serve with remaining juices in a gravy boat alongside, immediately.

Fun with Vegetables

I always refer to cooking as having fun. There are so few people out there doing what they like to do and having fun doing it. When you find something at which you're good and earn a living at the same time, then go for it. Work never seems so bad if you like what you are doing. Going to the grocery store opens up a world for me as I always look for something different to "play" with.

Be it fruits, vegetables, meats, seafoods, or starches, there is always some new popping up in shape, form or color. Someone out there is always creating a new shape or flavor of pasta. Some geneticist out there has found a way to make purple cauliflower, white asparagus, or orange broccoli. Flat Iron Steaks are now the "in" thing at steak houses, now that they have been "discovered".

If you ever think that we have dug ourselves into a rut, culinary wise, visit the grocery store, the oriental market, or look at the menu of your favorite restaurant. I bet you’ll find something somewhere you have never seen before. If not, shame on you, for you are surely in a rut. Enjoy these fun recipes and bon appetit.

Asparagus and Portobello Salad
Serves 4
An unusual and interesting combination for a salad. The vegetables are prepared on the grill, so don’t put the barbecue away yet.

1/4 cup (½ dl) lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest, grated
2 Tbsp thyme, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tsp sugar
2/3 cup (1-1/3 dl) olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
2 lbs asparagus, trimmed
1-½ lbs portabella mushrooms, stemmed
Olive oil to taste
Kosher salt
4 oz baby greens, washed, dried

Combine the lemon juice and zest, thyme, garlic, and sugar in a food processor until smooth. Add the oil in a slow steady stream while blending. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Heat the grill. Toss the asparagus and mushrooms with the oil to coat and season to taste with salt and pepper. Grill both vegetables until well marked but not burnt. Line 4 salad plates with the baby greens, slice and divide the mushrooms for each plate and place equal amounts of asparagus on top. Serve with the dressing.

Cream of Asparagus and Basil Soup
Serves 6
Fresh basil has an unbelievably “green” flavor. The basil in this soup is the key to the wonderful taste. Try it.

3 lbs asparagus, ends and tips
reserved separately
2-1/2 cups chicken stock
2 medium onions, chopped
1-½ Tbsp butter
2 Cups (4 dl) water
½ Cup (1 dl) heavy cream
1-½ Cups (3 dl) basil, packed

In a saucepan, simmer reserved asparagus ends in water, covered, 15-20 minutes. Remove and discard ends and bring water to a boil. Add asparagus tips and cook over high heat until tender but firm, 3-4 minutes. Remove and shock asparagus, reserving cooking liquid. Drain tips well.

In a large saucepan, sauté onions in butter with salt and pepper to taste over moderate heat, until translucent. Add stock and reserved cooking liquid and simmer, covered, 15 minutes or until onion is well cooked. Add asparagus tips and keep simmering. While soup simmers, bring cream to a boil in a small saucepan. Stir in basil and salt to taste. Cook over high heat, stirring often, until basil is wilted, 10-12 seconds. Puree basil mixture in food processor and return to saucepan to keep warm. Puree soup in batches in food processor and return to pot. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide soup amongst 6 bowls and drizzle with basil cream over each.