Getting My Groove Back

Like I mentioned in my last post, it's been a while since I've done the whole food blogging thing. Honestly, I haven't been doing much cooking at all. In the post-breakup weeks I indulged myself in ordering junk food and letting my friends feed me. Which was great, and what I needed, really, but now I'm finding out that I'm a bit rusty in the kitchen. Oops.

Last night I decided to cook myself an honest-to-goodness meal, and while it started out a little rocky, in the end I was pleased with myself. I didn't want to get too ambitious, so I picked a Rachael Ray recipe: Honey Chicken with Snow Pea Rice. Yeah, I hate Rachael Ray, but I felt like a 30 minute meal was about all I could handle. Also, I'd been craving Chinese food after watching an Asian-themed episode of the Phantom Gourmet. I figured this would hit the spot.

Well, I started off on the wrong foot as I put too much oil into the rice and then burned it by turning the heat up too high. Not my finest culinary moment. But I somehow managed to get my mojo back, and by the time the meal was finished (more than 30 minutes later, I have to admit) I was pretty darn happy. Small accomplishments, people... sometimes that's all you need.


Honey Chicken with Snow Pea Rice
Serves 4

• 3 T vegetable oil, divided
• 1 T unsalted butter
• 1-1/2 c. long-grain rice
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 c. dry white wine (I used pinot grigio)
• 4-1/2 c. chicken stock, divided
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 2 large handfuls snow peas, thinly sliced across the width
• 2 lb. chicken tenders, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 3 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 3-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• 3 T honey
• 1 T cornstarch
• 5 scallions, thinly sliced

Heat a medium saucepan or pot over medium-high heat. Add 1 T of the vegetable oil and the butter to the pot. Once the butter melts, add the rice, season with salt and pepper, and lightly brown the rice for 3 to 5 minutes. Add the wine and allow it to evaporate entirely, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 3 cups of the chicken stock and the lemon zest to the rice. Bring the liquid to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat. Cook the rice for 18 to 20 minutes, or until tender. Once the rice only has about 3 more minutes of cook time, remove the lid and add the sliced snow peas. Don't stir the rice; just add the snow peas on top and put the lid on. The steam will lightly cook the snow peas. Once cooked, fluff the rice and with a fork and stir in the snow peas. They should still have some crunch to them.

While the rice is cooking, preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat with the remaining 2 T of vegetable oil. Add the chicken, season with salt and pepper, and brown for about 3 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes, onions, garlic, ginger, and honey. Stir frequently and continue to cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the onions are tender. Add the remaining 1-1/2 c. of chicken stock to the pan and bring to a simmer. Once at a simmer, combine the cornstarch with a splash of water, and mix to create a thin paste. Add the cornstarch mixture to the simmer chicken, mix thoroughly, and continue to cook for 2 minutes, or until the liquid is thickened. Add the sliced scallions and the lemon juice to the chicken and stir to combine. Serve the honey chicken over the snow pea rice.

Recipe from Rachael Ray 365: No Repeats

Lima Bean and Mint Risotto

A few weeks ago, my friend Jackie asked for a recommendation of something yummy she could make for her boyfriend while he was visiting. I suggested risotto, and ever since she told me how great it turned out, I've been craving it myself. Tonight I finally made some for dinner - I borrowed a recipe from the January issue of Food & Wine. The recipe was for pea and mint risotto, but since I had lima beans on hand, I substituted them instead of the peas and was very pleased with the result.

Food & Wine recommended as a wine pairing a 2005 Luna Pinot Grigio from Napa County. My local wine shop doesn't carry that particular wine, so I picked an Italian pinot grigio that happened to be on sale. It's a 2005 St. Michael-Eppan Pinot Grigio from Appiano, Italy ($11), and it has a really crisp finish and an aroma of pears. Great acidity, too, which cut nicely against the risotto's cheesiness. Any pinot grigio, or even sauvignon blanc, would go great with this dish.


Lima Bean and Mint Risotto
(serves 2 as a main dish or 4 as a side dish)

• 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large garlic clove, halved
• 1 large shallot, minced
• 1 1/2 c. arborio rice (10 oz.)
• 3 c. chicken stock, warmed*
• Salt and freshly ground white pepper
• One 10-oz package frozen lima beans, thawed
• 1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup finely shredded mint leaves
  

*Note: the recipe calls for 4 1/2 cups, but my risotto was definitely done after 3.

In a large saucepan, heat the oil. Add the garlic and shallot, cover and cook over moderately low heat until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the rice and stir over moderately low heat until slightly translucent, about 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of chicken stock and cook, stirring, until nearly absorbed. Continue adding the stock, about 1 cup at a time, stirring until the stock is absorbed before adding more. Cook, stirring, until the rice is al dente and suspended in thick, creamy liquid. Season with salt and pepper; discard the garlic. Add the lima beans and cook just until heated through. Stir in the cheese and mint and serve.