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Come Party With Me: Harvest Party - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 07:50:24 -0700

In wine making, the harvest is one of the most crucial times of year. It's when the vintners pick the grapes and usually occurs between August and October. Since the harvest is such an important season, many wineries celebrate with a lunch or dinner.

I think the tradition is the perfect excuse to plan a party! Just because you don't live in wine country doesn't mean you can't commemorate the harvest. Invite friends over for a meal that honors the wonderful world of wine. Every dish on the menu has wine on the ingredient list.

Start by displaying an assortment of charcuterie, olives, crackers, and goat cheese mousse with red-wine caramel. For the main course, offer chicken braised in white wine with shallots, pancetta, and fennel. Plate the chicken with a simple risotto alla Milanese - made with white wine and Parmesan cheese. These recipes are welcome at any dinner party, be it harvest-themed or a special birthday. To check them out, keep reading.

Fast & Easy Dinner: Red Wine Risotto With Grilled Chicken

partysugar — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 10:30:30 -0800

Still wondering what to serve your sweetie for dinner tomorrow night? Well how about a delicious, balanced meal complete with chicken, risotto, and greens? The risotto is cooked in red wine giving it a delightful, deep-purple color and rich, layered flavor.

The chicken is flash-marinated in a balsamic-Worcestershire mixture before being seared on a grill pan. The entire dish is topped with shredded spinach and arugula making for a meal that is indulgent, yet healthy. To check out the recipe, read more.

Red Wine Risotto with Grilled Chicken
From Rachael Ray

Ingredients

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon grill seasoning, such as McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning
6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 1½ pounds total)
1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
4 cups chicken broth
1 medium onion, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
2 cups Barolo (dry Italian) red wine (two-thirds of a bottle)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary (about 4 sprigs)
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese
2 cups arugula, shredded
2 cups baby spinach, shredded

Directions

Preheat a grill or a grill pan to medium-high. In a shallow dish, combine the balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, 3 tablespoons of the oil and the grill seasoning. Add the chicken thighs and turn to coat evenly with the marinade.
In a small saucepan, heat the dried mushrooms and chicken broth over medium-low heat.
In a large skillet, heat the remaining olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper and cook for a couple of minutes to soften.
Add the rice, stir to coat and cook for 1 minute.
Add half of the wine; when it has been absorbed by the rice, stir in the remaining wine and the rosemary. When all of the wine is absorbed, ladle in some of the mushroom broth.
Place the marinated chicken thighs on the grill and cook for 7 to 8 minutes on the first side and for 5 to 6 minutes on the reverse side.
Add a ladle of the mushroom broth to the risotto every few minutes, stirring occasionally and cooking until absorbed.
Remove the softened mushrooms from the broth and chop; add to the risotto. Cook the risotto until creamy and al dente, 20 to 22 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in the butter and cheese.
Thinly slice the grilled chicken. Divide the risotto among shallow bowls and top each serving with the arugula, spinach and sliced chicken.

Serves 4.

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Yummy Links: From a Drink Calculator to Stephanie Izard

partysugar — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 08:00:07 -0800

Hosting a New Year's Eve party? Use this drink calculator to determine how much alcohol you'll need. - Evite
A soup recipe for every season. - The Kitchn
Learn how to make the classic Champagne cocktail. - Cookthink
From cocktails to dinners to dessert, here are ten recipes that use vodka. - Chow
Barley risotto is healthy and delicious. - Serious Eats
Catch up with Top Chef Season 4 winner, Stephanie Izard. - The Epi-Log

Source

Sunday Slow Cooker: Barley Risotto With Fennel

YumSugar — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 06:00:00 -0800

To get through the craziness of the holidays, I've been employing my slow cooker. Today I'm feeling like something creamy and soothing, but I want it to be healthy and light, too. I wasn't sure that could be possible until I came across this risotto, which calls for barley instead of regular Arborio rice. Although the dish will be smooth from hours of simmering in broth, it'll also have a nice texture that's different from rice, along with the bright flavor of fennel. To make this, read more.

Barley Risotto With Fennel
From Eating Well

Ingredients

2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1 large or 2 small fennel bulbs, cored and finely diced, plus 2 tablespoons chopped fronds
1 cup pearl barley or short-grain brown rice
1 small carrot, finely chopped
1 large shallot, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 vegetable broth
1-1 1/2 cups water, divided
1/3 cup dry white wine
2 cups frozen French-cut green beans
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup pitted oil-cured black olives, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions

Coat a 4-quart or larger slow cooker with cooking spray. Crush fennel seeds with the bottom of a saucepan.
Combine the fennel seeds, diced fennel, barley (or rice), carrot, shallot and garlic in the slow cooker. Add broth, 1 cup water and wine, and stir to combine. Cover and cook until the barley (or rice) is tender, but pleasantly chewy, and the risotto is thick and creamy, 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours on high or low.
Shortly before serving, cook green beans according to package instructions and drain.
Turn off the slow cooker. Stir the green beans, Parmesan, olives, lemon zest and pepper into the risotto. If it seems dry, heat the remaining 1/2 cup water and stir it into the risotto.
Serve sprinkled with the chopped fennel fronds.

Serves 6.

Nutritional Information per 1-cup serving: 242 calories; 6 g fat (2 g sat, 1 g mono); 9 mg cholesterol; 36 g carbohydrate; 10 g protein; 8 g fiber; 474 mg sodium; 330 mg potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Vitamin A (35% daily value), Selenium (20% dv), Vitamin C (15% dv)

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The Amazing Rice: Parmesan Crab Risotto

partysugar — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 10:15:35 -0700

With the holidays around the corner, its a good time to start bookmarking elegant and delicious recipes. A simple but stunning parmesan crab risotto is the perfect starter for an intimate dinner party. Or, pair it with a crisp green salad for a great luncheon menu. Risotto requires that you stand over the stove for 20 minutes so invite everyone into the kitchen. Use fresh-cracked crab meat for a rich, luxurious-tasting risotto. The recipe is quite basic, so feel free to get creative. Onions instead of shallots, parsley in place of sage, or sautéed mushrooms for a vegetarian version. To look at how I made it, read more.

Parmesan Crab Risotto
From Martha Stewart and Sunset

Ingredients

6 to 8 cups Homemade Chicken Stock, or canned low-sodium chicken broth, skimmed of fat
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots, (about 2)
1 cup Arborio or Carnaroli rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
4 to 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for grating or shaving
3/4 pound shelled cooked Dungeness crab
1 tablespoon minced fresh sage leaves
Salt, freshly ground pepper

Directions

Heat stock in saucepan over medium heat; keep at a low simmer. Heat olive oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat.
Add shallots to oil, and cook, stirring, until translucent. Add rice, and cook, stirring, until rice begins to make a clicking sound like glass beads, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add wine to rice mixture. Cook, stirring, until wine is absorbed by rice.
Using a ladle, add 3/4 cup hot stock to rice. Using a wooden spoon, stir rice constantly, at a moderate speed. When rice mixture is just thick enough to leave a clear wake behind the spoon, add another 3/4 cup stock.
Continue adding stock 3/4 cup at a time and stirring constantly until rice is mostly translucent but still opaque in the center. Rice should be al dente but not crunchy. As rice nears doneness, watch carefully and add smaller amounts of liquid to make sure it does not overcook. The final mixture should be thick enough that grains of rice are suspended in liquid the consistency of heavy cream. It will thicken slightly when removed from heat.
Remove from heat. Stir in butter, Parmesan cheese, crab meat and sage; season with salt and pepper.
Divide the mixture among four shallow bowls, mounding risotto in the center, and grate or shave additional Parmesan over risotto. Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

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Six Makeshift Pantry Meals

YumSugar — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 05:30:09 -0700

You know the scenario: You arrive home late, need to put a meal on the table, and haven't gone grocery shopping. Rather than going out to eat an expensive dinner, stay home and whip up a last-minute meal from the ingredients right out of your cupboard! Here are six of our favorites.

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Seven Stunning Tomato Dishes

YumSugar — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 05:30:13 -0700

For those of you who like tomatoes and know how to appreciate them, you know that tomato season is fleeting and oh-so-sweet. How to make the most of it? Here are seven different ways that come to mind . . .

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Theirs vs. Mine: Beet and Cheddar Risotto

partysugar — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 13:28:31 -0800

A couple of weeks ago, my girlfriend told me about a gorgeous red beet risotto she had seen in a magazine. Inspired, we decided to make one for dinner. We chose this recipe because it pairs the beets with sharp cheddar cheese. The vibrant color of the risotto would be perfect for any Valentine's Day meal - especially when served in a heart-shaped dish. The flavor is rich, creamy, and was even well-liked by my beet-hating father. It's not difficult to make, so take a look at the recipe when you read more.

Beet and Cheddar Risotto
From Food & Wine magazine

1 medium beet, peeled and quartered
2 cups loosely packed beet greens, stems trimmed
2 cups water
2 cups vegetable broth
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, minced
1 cup arborio rice
8 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese (2 cups)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for serving

Place the beet in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add the beet greens and pulse until finely chopped.
In a medium saucepan, bring the water and vegetable broth to a simmer.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until softened, 3 minutes.
Add the rice and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in the beets and beet greens and cook for 1 minute.
Add the broth to the large saucepan, 1 cup at a time, and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the liquid is nearly absorbed between additions, 20 minutes.
Add the cheddar; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring until the risotto is creamy and thick, 3 minutes longer.
Serve in deep bowls, passing the Parmigiano-Reggiano on the side.

Serves 4.

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Make These Valentine's Day Treats for Your Sweetheart

YumSugar — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 09:10:52 -0800

If you still haven't figured out how to treat your loved ones this Valentine's Day, then check out some of our favorite recipes from the past. I personally love the heart-shaped ice cream sandwiches, but the champagne risotto is nice too. Check them all out, hit the "Start Slideshow" button below.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: 15-Minute Pumpkin Risotto

partysugar — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 09:01:33 -0800

Quick and simple, this delicious rice dish comes together in a matter of minutes. Pre-cooked, dried white rice is effortlessly flavored with white wine, pureed pumpkin, and sautéed onion. While the rice stands, throw together a simple green salad to pair on the side. This is a filling, vegetarian meal that warms any cold winter night. To give the recipe a try please, read more.

15-Minute Pumpkin Risotto
From Sunset magazine

1 onion (about 8 oz.), chopped
2 teaspoons butter or margarine
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup canned pumpkin
3 cups precooked dried white rice
About 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Salt and fresh-ground pepper

In a 4- to 5-quart pan, combine onion, butter, and nutmeg. Stir often over high heat until onion is limp, 3 to 4 minutes.
Mix the cornstarch smoothly with a little of the vegetable broth. Add to pan along with remaining broth, wine, pumpkin, and rice.
Stir mixture over high heat until boiling, 3 to 4 minutes. Cover and remove from heat; let stand 5 minutes.
Stir in 3/4 cup cheese. Sprinkle portions with additional cheese and add salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 4.

Nutritional Information: CALORIES 461(16% from fat); FAT 8.3g (sat 4.9g); PROTEIN 16g; CHOLESTEROL 20mg; SODIUM 402mg; FIBER 3.2g; CARBOHYDRATE 75g

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