Risotto with Smoked Salmon, Spinach and Peas

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a light and lovely entrée that's packed with flavor. It is perfect for Meatless Monday or any day you are looking for something that can be quickly made and is easy on the palate. I normally serve risotto as a side dish, but the addition of smoked salmon and loads of vegetables gives this dish enough heft to serve as a delicious one-dish meal. The intense flavor of the the salmon permeates the rice and produces a wonderfully flavorful meal in about 30 minutes. I wanted to begin the new year with a series of recipes that included something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue. This is my offering for the "something old" in that equation. The recipe I've adapted was developed about 20 years ago by Marian Burrows, a cookbook author and journalist who is a senior staff write at the New York Times. I make this recipe at least once a year for my family who really enjoy it. I think you might like it, too. The ingredients, as listed below, will produce three meal-size servings. Here's the recipe.

Risotto with Smoked Salmon, Spinach and Peas...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Marian Burrows

Ingredients:
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup minced onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine or dry vermouth
4 to 5 ounces baby spinach washed, stemmed and torn or cut into smaller pieces
3 ounces smoked salmon, diced
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
2 teaspoons lemon juice

Directions:
1) Heat oil in 2-quart pot. Saute garlic and onion in hot oil until they begin to take on color.
2) Meanwhile, pour chicken broth into a separate pot and bring to a simmer.
3) Add rice to garlic and onion mixture, stirring until well coated. Add wine and cook until liquid has almost evaporated, about 2 minutes.
4) Add 1 cup of hot broth to rice and cook over high heat, stirring very often until liquid has been absorbed. Repeat procedure two to three times, or until rice is almost cooked.
5) Add final cup of broth to pot along with spinach, salmon and peas. When rice is tender and some liquid remains, add rice and lemon juice. Stir well. Serve immediately. Yield: 3 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Easy Vegetable Risotto - Lite Bite
Asparagus Risotto - Las Vegas Food Adventures
Tomato Risotto Recipe - Pham Fatale
Beetroot Risotto - Angie's Recipes
Wild Mushroom Risotto - Bunky Cooks
Butternut Squash Risotto - So Tasty, So Yummy
Baked Crab Risotto with Cream Cheese and Chilli - Simply Delicious

Asparagus and White Bean Salad

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Since I've committed to Meatless Mondays, I've been searching for recipes that are substantial enough to serve for dinner and tasty enough to keep a confirmed meat eater happy. That search, and local asparagus selling for less than $2.00 a pound, led me to this light and delicious entree. The recipe first appeared in Gourmet Magazine in April of 2006. The original recipe used this salad as a brushcetta topping. I've carried it a bit farther and use the salad as a filler for flour tortillas, rice wrappers or lettuce wraps. I've changed the presentation because the bruschetta proved to be very messy. There is no binder in the filling and a lot of it ended up on the table or floor. Those of you who try this recipe will be very pleased with its taste and texture. It is next to no work to assemble, but it is important to follow a couple of the directions to a tee. The asparagus must be sliced no thicker than 1/8 of an inch. While it briefly sits in a warm marinade, it is not cooked and anything thicker than that would be tough to chew. It's also important to serve the salad soon after it has been prepared. It loses color as it sits and unless your favorite color is olive drab, it behooves you to get this to the table in a timely fashion. Please note that the cheese is shaved from a brick and that the recipe measurement is for shaved, not grated, cheese. I really like this entree. It is light, bright, different and altogether perfect for a weekend lunch or a light supper. Here's the recipe.

Asparagus and White Bean Salad...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Gourmet Magazine

Ingredients:
1 pound medium asparagus, trimmed
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 (15- to 19-oz) cans white beans, rinsed and drained well
1 (1/2-lb) piece Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Flour tortillas, rice wrappers, or toasted sliced country-style bread

Directions:
1) Cut asparagus on a diagonal into 1/8-inch-thick slices.
2) Bring oil, lemon zest, juice, salt, and pepper to a simmer in a 4-quart heavy saucepan, then stir in beans and asparagus. Remove from heat and let stand, uncovered, 10 minutes. Meanwhile, remove enough cheese from piece with a vegetable peeler to measure about 1/2 cup shavings. Add shavings to beans along with parsley, then toss. Adjust salt to taste.
3) Spoon salad into wrappers or spread on warm toast. Serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Savory Asparagus and Goat Cheese Tart - One Perfect Bite
Asparagus and Lemon Grass Risotto - One Perfect Bite
Spring Vegetable Ragout - One Perfect Bite

Creamy Onion and Blue Cheese Soup - Meatless Monday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The weather turned cool and wet on Saturday. Really wet. It was not a day for salads, so I pulled an untried soup recipe from my files and had a go at it. This turned out to be a nice soup, perfect for a rainy Saturday or Meatless Monday, but I must warn you, it is not for the feint of heart. To say it is strongly flavored is an understatement, but if you love French onion soup, beer and blue cheese I suspect the first spoonful will make you a rabid fan. The recipe is much like any other you may have for French onion soup, save for the addition of lots and lots of blue cheese. The cheese gives the soup its creamy texture. I suggest you add it in increment and taste as you go along. Start with four ounces and work you way up the suggested range of measure. Eight ounces would have been ideal for me, but Bob preferred it with a full twelve ounces. The soup also uses beer instead of wine to boost flavor. A bit of caution should be exercised here. To avoid bitterness, use something that is mellow. I have, for years now, used a specific non-alcoholic beer for cooking that gives flavor without bitterness. I'm not a teetotaler. The Belgian beer that I prefer is not available in this area, but I've found that O'Doul's Amber Ale has a hops finish and is a reasonable substitute. I also puree roughly half of the soup to give it substance. While this will never replace my favorite French onion soup, I can recommend this soup to any who love strong flavors are looking to try something a bit out of the ordinary. Here's the recipe.

Creamy Onion and Blue Cheese Soup...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite adapted fro The Spoon

Ingredients:
6 (8-oz.) yellow onions, thinly sliced
3 tablespoon butter or olive oil
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf 1/2 teaspoon sage
6 cups vegetable stock or water
1 (12-oz.) bottle O'Doul's Amber Ale
4 to 12 ounces blue cheese, crumbled

Directions:
1) Heat olive oil and butter in a large pot or Dutch oven until butter melt and mixture sizzles. Add onions and stir to coat. Cover pan and cook at a medium-low temperature for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are tender and translucent. Uncover, raise heat to medium-high, and stir in salt and sugar. Cook, stirring only to prevent burning, until onions are a deep golden brown, about 30 to 45 minutes.
2) Lower heat to medium, stir in flour to form a paste with onions. Cook, stirring constantly, until flour is lightly brown, about 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of vegetable stock or water, stirring to blend stock with onion mixture. Add thyme, bay leaf and sage along with remain stock and beer to pot. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook slowly for 30 to 40 minutes. Place 1/3 to 1/2 of soup in a blender jar, Puree, being careful not to burn yourself. Return to pot. Add cheese in 4 ounce increments to taste. Add salt and pepper as required. Continue cooking over low heat for 30 minutes longer. Do not allow soup to boil once cheese has been added. Serve piping hot. Yield: 6 servings.

You might also enjoy these meatless entries:
Vegan Red Lentil and Pepper Flan - One Perfect Bite
Vegan Red Lentil Soup - One Perfect Bite
Pasta Primavera - One Perfect Bite

This recipe is being linked to Meatless Monday at My Sweet and Savory