Thursday, May 28, 2009

Risotto





So it’s asparagus season again. My three-year old bed is producing more abundantly than last year, and we had Asparagus Risotto with our first cuttings. Risotto is a northern Italian braised rice dish. It has some common elements with pilaf and paella, in that the rice absorbs a broth and other ingredients are added, but it is a unique dish unto itself. Italian short grain rice must be used to create an authentic risotto. Long or short grain American rice or basmati rice will not work. Risotto is not boiled rice.

Risotto is based on indigenous rice strains, like Arborio and Carnaroli, which evolved in Lombardy and Piedmont in northern Italy. In the Veneto, Vialone Nano is preferred, where risotto is prepared “wavy” like risi e bisi, or rice and beans, a soupy risotto-like dish. Risotto is actually a technique for preparing these short grain rice kernels by gradually adding a liquid, like brodo or stock, which slowly dissolves the rice’s exterior starch, amylopectin, which combines with the rice and broth resulting in a creamy liaison with other ingredients; cheese, meat, vegetables or seafood. Risotto is velvety and sticky; the rice kernels are homogenized with the flavor base while still retaining an al dente bite.

A thick-bottomed saucepan is needed and medium heat. A simmering pot of broth or stock is preferred, but water is also used. The total amount of liquid will be about 4 times the volume of rice being cooked. The rice is never washed and never covered, and it is stirred frequently, if not constantly, requiring diligent attention during the cooking process. Some cooks use a wooden spoon, others insist on a fork to fluff the rice to avoid breaking the kernels as they approach doneness. Butter is required as the cooking lipid, although small amounts of extra-virgin olive oil can be added, but detract from authenticity. Onion is the only required aromatic, but garlic, minced carrot and celery often are included. The aromatics are cooked until they are dry and exude the butter, and then the rice is toasted in the hot fat a few minutes. Wine is used to deglaze the pan, and is allowed to totally evaporate before the first ladles of broth are added. As a result of adding the broth gradually and allowing it to be absorbed by the rice while constantly stirring, the starch is slowly released, and amalgamates with the rice kernels and the flavor base to produce a truly satisfying dish.

Risotto is traditionally finished off the heat with a knob of butter and a handful of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese stirred in. It is allowed to stand for a few minutes, and then served warm as a first course, or it can be a main meal with a salad and some crusty bread.

If you ever have left over risotto, it makes great risotto balls when breaded and deep fried, usually with a morsel of fresh mozzarella or gorgonzola inserted inside, or as risotto cakes, which can be rolled in dried breadcrumbs, or not, and sauted for a few minutes to warm them through.

Wild Mushroom Risotto

Ingredients

* Extra-virgin olive oil
* 2 cloves garlic, smashed with heel your hand
* 1 1/2 pounds assorted fresh mushrooms, such as shiitake, oyster or cremini, cleaned and sliced
* Kosher salt
* 1 cup dried porcini mushrooms, soaking in 3 cups hot water
* 1 medium or 2 small onions, cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 1 1/2 cups)
* 2 cups Carnaroli or Arborio rice
* 2 cups dry white wine
* 6 to 7 cups hot chicken stock
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano
* 1/2 cup chopped chives

Directions

Coat a large saute pan generously with olive oil and add the smashed garlic cloves. Bring to a medium-high heat. When the garlic cloves have begun to brown and are very aromatic remove and discard them. Add the assorted fresh mushrooms to the pan and season with salt. Saute the mushrooms until they are soft and pliable. Turn off the heat and reserve.

Using your hand, carefully scoop the porcini mushrooms out of the hot water. (At this point the water should have cooled off significantly. If it is still too hot for your hand, use a slotted spoon.) Pour the top 2/3 of the mushroom water into another container and reserve for use while making the risotto. Discard the bottom third. It contains a lot of sand and dirt from the mushrooms. Puree the re-hydrated mushrooms with a little of the reserved mushroom water to make a smooth mushroom paste. This will not look good but it will certainly taste good! Reserve.

Coat a large saucepot abundantly with olive oil. Add the onions and season generously with salt. Bring the pot to a medium-high heat. Cook the onions, stirring frequently until they are very soft and aromatic but have no color. Add the rice and stir to coat with the olive oil. Cook the rice for 2 to 3 minutes to toast, stirring frequently. Add wine to cover the surface of the rice and stir frequently until it has completely absorbed. Add the reserved mushroom water and then add chicken stock until the liquid has covered the surface of the rice. Stir frequently until the stock has absorbed into the rice. Repeat this process 2 more times. Check for seasoning, you probably will need to add salt.

During the third addition of stock, add the reserved sauteed mushrooms and 2 tablespoons of the pureed porcini mushrooms. When the stock has absorbed into the rice and the rice is cooked but still "al dente", remove the pot from the heat. Add the butter and cheese and whip until well combined. This will set the perfect consistency of the rice. The rice should flow and not be able to hold its shape and look very creamy. Serve immediately garnished with chives.

Asparagus Risotto

1 lb. asparagus, tips removed and stalks cut on the bias into 1" pieces
1 onion, chopped fine
salt & pepper
2 tbl. butter
1 cup Arbrorio or Carnaroli rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
5-6 cups stock or water
1-2 tbl room temperature butter
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmiagiano-Reggiano cheese

Have a pot of stock or water simmering on the side. Simmer the cut asparagus stalks, but not the tips, in the stock for 3 minutes. Remove with to a dish for later in the recipe. Keep the asparagus tips separately.

Melt the butter in a large skillet and saute the onion with a pinch of salt and a grinding of pepper until the onion is opaque, 4 or 5 minutes. Add the rice and saute in the hot butter 2 to 3 minutes. Deglaze with the white wine and stir constantly until the wine evaporates completely. Slowly add hot stock with a 2 or 3 oz ladle, stirring between additions until the stock is absorbed by the rice. Continue to add stock in small amounts, and stir constantly. After 18 minutes or so the rice will still retain a bite at its center. Add the cooked asparagus stalks, turn off the heat, add the butter and grated cheese. Stir vigorously for a minute or do, garnish with the asparagus tips and a final dusting of grated Parmiagiano-Reggianno cheese.









Saturday, May 9, 2009

Focaccia






The last couple of weeks we’ve been looking at home made pizza. Today we’ll move on to pizza’s close relative, focaccia, an Italian flat bread which has less toppings and is great for sandwiches or eaten as a quick snack.

First, however, a quick word on the various types of yeast available. Fresh, compressed yeast was the first form of yeast available to both home and professional bakers. Fresh yeast has a short shelf life, so use it up within a few days of purchasing. It must be refrigerated and while it can be added directly to the flour, it works best if bloomed in warm water first. Active dry yeast is most commonly used by bakers as it can be stored at room temperature and remains viable for a long time. It is best if bloomed before using. Instant yeast does not need to be bloomed as its small grains can be completely hydrated when mixed with the flour and water. It can be bloomed, but this step isn’t necessary. I use SAF instant yeast for most of my baking.

Focaccia is a primitive, rustic food that, like a lot of Italian dishes, arose out of poverty and the need to use whatever ingredients one might grow or forage for. It is a simple flat bread that can be topped with any number of herbs, meats, cheeses or seafood, but most commonly includes just olive oil, salt and herbs. Focaccia drives its name from focus, the Latin word for hearth, as it was originally baked either on a hot stone in the hearth or directly on the hearth floor under a mound of hot ash. While eaten all over Italy, it is generally conceded that it’s national home is Genoa, where it is called focaccia. In Tuscany it is known as schiacciata, and in southern Italy pinze. In France pissaladiere with onions and anchovies and fougasse are similar breads.

Foccacce can be thick or thin, crisp or soft, lightly topped with olive oil and salt or topped with a wide variety of ingredients. Sometimes flavorings are kneaded directly into the dough for a little surprise. It could be minced pancetta or prosciutto, garlic, currants or herbs.


The dough is stretched out on a well oiled pan, dimpled with the finger tips, which leaves small indentations to catch the olive oil that is brushed on top to not only flavor the dough, but to help retain moisture inside while the dough cooks. Coarse salt and herbs like oregano, piney rosemary or thyme are sprinkled on top before being placed in a hot oven and sprayed with a mist of cold water that not only helps with oven spring, delaying the death of the yeast, but also helping make the crust golden and crunchy.

While focaccia can be made from most any bread dough, most recipes do include a small amount of olive oil as an ingredient. I like to use a pre-ferment in my breads, so the recipe on the internet will have a biga, a pre-fermented bit of dough which adds flavor to the final product. Once you start making your own focaccia, it will become a regular treat, and it makes fantastic sandwiches when sliced horizontally and layered with your favorite sandwich makings.

Here's a recipe for a focaccia that uses King Arthur's White Whole Wheat flour.

Focaccia di Farina di Grand Bianco
Focaccia w/White Whole Wheat Flour
Makes 2 half sheet pans

Biga:

½ tsp active dry yeast
¼ cup warm water, 105-115 degrees
1 ¼ cup water plus 2 tablespoons water, at room temperature
3/3/4 cups (500 grams) unbleached all purpose flour

Sprinkle yeast over the warm water is a large mixing bowl or mixer bowl. Whisk it in and let stand 10 minutes. Stir in the remaining water and then the flour. Stir with a wooden spoon about 100 strokes to form a sticky dough.

Transfer dough to a lightly oiled container, turn the dough over so it’s covered with the oil, cover tightly and allow to stand in a cool place for 6 to 24 hours. The biga will tripled in volume and collapse back onto itself. It will be bubbly, wet and sticky when ready to use. Scoop out what is needed. The balance will keep in the fridge for 3 or 4 days, or you can freeze it for later use.

Dough:

10 g active dry yeast
145 g warm water, 105-115 degrees
250 g biga, at least 12 hours old
940 g water, room temperature
388 g white whole wheat flour
1163 g bread flour
15 g sea salt

Topping:

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ tsp coarse sea salt
3 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary, oregano or thyme

Bloom the yeast in the 145 g warm water in your mixing bowl. Chop up the biga and add it along with the room temperature water to the yeast mixture. If making the dough by hand, combine the salt and flour and add it a cup at a time to the water-yeast mixture. When the dough forms, turn it out on a lightly floured surface and knead 6 to 8 minutes. The dough will be sticky, but add just enough flour so you can handle it. If using a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment to combine the flour-salt mixture with the water-yeast mixture. Mix on low speed for 3-4 minutes until the dough forms. Change to the dough hook and knead at medium high speed about 5 minutes until the dough is elastic, sticky and soft, but not wet. You will see bubbles under the skin.

Place the dough is a lightly oiled container, cover tightly and let rise until double in bulk or more, about 1 to 1 ½ hours. Deflate the dough, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into two equal pieces, sprinkle lightly with flour. Set aside while you prepare the ½ sheet pans.

Oil each sheet pan with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Place one of the pieces of dough on each sheet pan and start stretching the dough out to cover as much of the bottom as possible. Cover with a kitchen towel and let it rest for 10-15 minutes, then stretch the dough out to the edges of the pan. Cover again and let rise for 45 minutes to an hour until the dough is puffy. Preheat the oven for at least 30 minutes at 425 degrees with pizza stone inside.

When the dough has risen, dimple the surface with your fingertips. Brush with 1 tablespoon of oil, sprinkle with the sea salt and minced herbs.
Have a spritzer bottle of cold water on hand. Place the focaccia on the pizza stone, spray the dough and sides walls of the oven with water. Close oven door and reduce heat to 400 degrees. During the first 10 minutes of baking, spray the dough and oven walls twice more, at 4-5 minutes intervals. Bake until focaccia is golden brown, about 18-20 minutes. Immediately remove from the sheet pan and place on paper towels to absorb and excess oil. Cool to room temperature on a rack. Repeat for the second focaccia.