Corn Risotto

We like Risotto and this version of a Corn Risotto is excellent. Good choice to make when corn is at its best in summer.

Corn Risotto

New York Times

This creamy, pale yellow risotto is studded with chewy fresh corn kernels, making for a nice mix of textures. Making your own corn stock deepens the flavor of this dish, but if you don’t have the time, chicken stock will work. The dish is also pleasingly light, for risotto — finishing the dish by folding in airy whipped cream adds richness without also adding heft. Add the cream quickly and carefully right before serving. If it sits in the hot risotto it will melt — which wouldn’t be the end of the world, of course, since you’ll still have a wonderfully creamy risotto.

Ingredients

FOR THE CORN STOCK (OPTIONAL, YOU MAY USE CHICKEN STOCK):

2        corn cobs (kernels removed and reserved for risotto)

1        onion, cut into quarters

1        carrot, cut into 1-inch pieces

1        celery rib, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces

Dark green leaves from 1 leek (reserve white and light green parts for risotto)

2        cloves garlic, smashed

1        teaspoon salt

1        teaspoon whole black peppercorns

For The Risotto

2        tablespoons unsalted butter

1        leek, white and light green parts only, finely chopped

1        teaspoon kosher salt

¼       teaspoon black pepper

1        cup arborio rice

½       cup dry white wine

6        cups hot corn stock or chicken stock

1-½   cups raw corn kernels (from about 2 ears corn)

1        cup grated Parmesan cheese

¼       cup heavy cream

2        tablespoons minced chives(optional)

PreparationfortheStock

Combine all ingredients with 6 cups water in a large pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat so liquid is simmering; cover pot and let simmer for 30 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer. Add enough water to bring liquid up to 6 cups.

For the Risotto:

1.   Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a wide, high-sided sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add leek and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, about 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add rice and cook, stirring, until grains look slightly translucent.

2.   Pour in wine and cook, stirring, until it has all been absorbed, about 2 minutes.

3.   Add a ladleful of hot corn stock to the rice mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until rice has absorbed all of the stock. Continue cooking, adding ladlefuls of stock whenever rice mixture looks dry and stirring continuously. When half the stock has been added, stir in corn. Continue cooking until all of the stock is incorporated, corn is tender and rice is creamy and tender, about 30 to 40 minutes total.

4.   Remove risotto from heat and stir in Parmesan and remaining tablespoon of butter. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes.

5.   In an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat cream at high speed until it holds stiff peaks. Uncover risotto, stir vigorously and season to taste with salt and pepper. Immediately before serving, stir in the chives, if using, then gently fold in cream.

Best Pork Ever

When we saw this recipe for The Best Pork Chops Aren’t Actually Chops, we knew we had to make it. It is fabulous! I highly recommend it. It is like an ultimate Vietnamese dish.

The Best Pork Chops Aren’t Actually Chops

New York Times

Why relegate pork shoulder to the braising pot when you could put tender, juicy shoulder steaks on the grill? Alison Roman makes the case.

Meet the new hero of summer grilling: pork shoulder steaks. Paired with herbs and citrus, they're irresistible. Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott for The New York Times

What if I told you the best grilled pork chop in the world is actually not a chop at all, but sliced pork shoulder? Marbled with and surrounded by fat, the crown jewel of winter braising could soon become the hero of summer grilling. No, not by smoking a large hunk of meat for 64 hours in an extremely expensive grill, though that would be delicious. You’re going to slice the shoulder into thick steaks, then grill them hot and fast to a perfect medium-rare, and it’s going to be revelatory.

Grilling the steaks hot and fast gives them a nice char, while leaving them juicy inside. Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott for The New York Times

Slicing pork shoulder into steaks about one-inch thick allows you to cook them quickly over hot coals or in a cast-iron skillet, just like a piece of red meat, letting the bits of fat (of which there are many) char and crisp. The inside is left pink, juicy and tender, never chewy or dry.

I know the idea of anything less than well-done pork can take convincing, but truly it’s fine — the United States Department of Agriculture has deemed pork safe to eat at 145 degrees Fahrenheit (or 63 degrees Celsius), which is medium-rare meat.

Just like a braised pork shoulder, these steaks are excellent with just salt and pepper — but with minimal effort, they can be more than excellent. Giving them a dip in a spicy, sweet and tangy bath made from citrus juice, chile paste and a bit of fish sauce seasons them from the inside out and helps them caramelize on the grill, getting as charred and flavorful as possible. Feel free to marinate them up to 24 hours in advance, but I, for one, am never thinking that far ahead, and know that they are good left to sit for even 20 minutes, about the time it takes to get your grill scorching hot.

From there, you can eat them as is, alongside other grilled vegetables, but I am a huge fan of laying the just-sliced pork over a bed of rice or noodles and leaves of crunchy lettuce to let the juices from the pork dress everything below, then topping the whole thing with fresh herbs and lightly pickled shallots. (Think of it as a very inauthentic and possibly lazy version of the classic Vietnamese dish bun cha.)

Squeeze some grilled citrus over everything, along with some marinade you’ve reserved to use as dressing. Then let the juices from the pork mingle with all that to create what is maybe the best-tasting sauce in the world — a good fit for what is surely the best pork chop in the world.

Ingredients

1-½  pounds boneless pork shoulder

Kosher salt and black pepper

¼      cup fish sauce

3       tablespoons light brown sugar

2       tablespoons sambal chile paste (optional)

2       garlic cloves, finely grated

1       lime, halved crosswise, plus 1/2 cup fresh lime juice (from about 4 limes)

1       orange or tangerine, halved crosswise (optional)

Cooked rice noodles or rice, for serving (optional)

1       head Boston lettuce or escarole, torn into large pieces

6       mint sprigs

½      bunch cilantro

1       shallot, thinly sliced into rings

Preparation

1.    Using a sharp knife, slice pork shoulder crosswise into 1-inch-thick steaks. (Depending on the shape and cut of your shoulder, some pieces may not stay together in a steak shape; this is O.K.) Season pork with salt and pepper and place in a shallow baking dish (a 9-by-13 works best) or resealable plastic bag.

2.    Combine fish sauce, light brown sugar, sambal (if using), garlic and 1/2 cup lime juice in a medium bowl, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Pour half of the mixture over the pork and let it sit for about 15 to 20 minutes while you prepare the grill, using tongs to turn pork once or twice to make sure all of it is getting enough attention from the marinade. (There’s no need to refrigerate, unless you are working ahead, in which case you should refrigerate until ready to grill.)

3.    If you’re using a charcoal grill, build the fire so it’s screaming hot. This pork is to be cooked hot and fast, so the hotter the better. If you’re using a gas grill, heat it on high. Bring a clean baking dish out to the grill for the pork to rest in after cooking.

4.    Once the grill is sufficiently hot, grill the pork until deeply browned and lightly charred on both sides, 2 to 4 minutes per side (this will happen faster on a charcoal grill), moving the pork around as needed to prevent excessive flare-ups, which, depending on how fatty your pork is, will happen with varying severity. Grill the lime and orange, if using, cut-side down, until lightly charred, 1 to 2 minutes.

5.    Remove the pork and lime from the grill and let rest a minute or two in that same large baking dish to catch the juices. Drizzle the remaining lime dressing over the sliced pork and let it rest for a few minutes so the juices mix with the dressing.

6.    Slice the pork about 1/4 inch thick. Arrange rice noodles or rice, if using, on a large platter and top with lettuce, along with some of the mint, cilantro and shallots. Top with sliced pork and remaining herbs and shallots. Spoon the juices from the bottom of the baking dish over everything and serve with the grilled citrus for squeezing.

Herby Pork Larb

We like Thai food and often order Larb as an appetizer. When we saw this recipe for Herby Pork Larb With Chile in The New York Times, how could we resist. This is a very good dish. It was made even better with the Guacamole and Margarita we started with!

Herby Pork Larb With Chile

Colu Henry

New York Times

In this take on the classic Thai dish larb moo, ground pork is pan-cooked, then stirred together with a combination of funky fish sauce, fresh and dried chiles, shallots, lime juice and an abundance of fresh herbs for brightness. If you don't eat pork, ground chicken or turkey will work well in its place. Making the toasted rice powder is a little fussy, but it gives the dish an authentic nutty flavor and crunch. That said, if you skip it, it will still be delicious. If you have the time, top this dish with crispy shallots: It takes the whole thing to the next level, as does a flurry of chive blossoms when in season. Serve this spicy dish with sticky rice, and grilled or roasted wedges of cabbage squeezed with lime, but for a low-key weeknight, plain white rice and lettuce leaves work just as well.

Ingredients

3       tablespoons jasmine rice

1       large shallot, thinly sliced into rounds (about 1 scant cup)

2       tablespoons fish sauce

¼      cup lime juice from about 2 to 3 limes, plus more for serving (optional)

½      teaspoon sugar

1       bird’s eye chile, thinly sliced

½      teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more to taste

3       scallions, thinly sliced

½      cup torn mint leaves

½      cup roughly chopped cilantro, leaves and tender stems

1       pound ground pork

Kosher salt

Flaky salt (optional)

Preparation

1.   In a large skillet over medium heat, toast the rice, stirring frequently, until it starts to smell nutty and turns golden in color, about 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a mortar and pestle or clean spice grinder and allow to cool for a minute or two. Grind or pulse the rice until it has a powderlike consistency. You should have about 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons. Set aside and wipe out the pan.

2.   In a large bowl, whisk together shallots, fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, bird’s eye chile, chile flakes, half the scallions, half the mint and half the cilantro. Set aside.

3.   Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and add pork, breaking meat apart with the back of a wooden spoon or spatula. Cook until meat is no longer pink, but not browned, about 5 to 6 minutes.

4.   Remove pork from heat and allow to cool for about 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the pork to the bowl with the chile-herb mixture, add the rice powder and stir together until combined. Season with kosher salt to taste.

5.   Top with remaining herbs and serve. Season with flaky salt and an extra squeeze of lime, if desired.

Salmon Curry

File this under we tried. Sometimes the magic works and sometimes it doesn't. Salmon and Spinach Curry was not a favorite of mine. I have never seen anything like this on a menu in India.

Salmon and Spinach Curry

Made in India

Meera Sodha

My mum scratches her head. “I don’t remember eating a lot of fish in Kampala, although we did live near the water. They certainly didn’t have salmon, though.” "So how did this dish come about?” 1 ask. "You loved salmon, and so did your sister, Sonal, so I created it especially for you.”

Some dishes don’t need explanations. This is one of my favorites, and I’m sure it'll become one
of yours.

Serves 4

2        Tablespoons Canola Oil

1        cinnamon stick

6        whole peppercorns

2        cloves

1        large onion, chopped

½       teaspoon brown sugar

8-9     ounces ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped

1-3/4inch piece of ginger, peeled and finely grated

4        cloves of garlic, crushed

Optional 1 fresh green chili, finely chopped

¼       teaspoon garam masala

1        teaspoon ground cumin

1-1/2teaspoons ground coriander

¼       teaspoon ground turmeric

½       teaspoon chili powder

1-1/4teaspoons salt

1        pound spinach leaves

14      ounces skinless, salmon fillets

Put the oil into a large, lidded frying pan on a medium heat. When it’s hot, add the cinnamon stick, peppercorns, and cloves, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until they start to release their aromas.

Add the onion and brown sugar and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until golden and caramelized. Stir
in the tomatoes, put the lid on the pan and cook for 5 minutes or so, until the tomatoes begin to soften.

Add the ginger and garlic land green chili if you would like a little more heat), and stir in the garam masala, cumin, coriander, turmeric, chili powder, and salt. Keep stirring to ensure the spices don’t catch on the bottom of the pan. After around 8 minutes the mixture should start to look quite paste-like. When it does, add the spinach, turn down the heat, and pop the lid back on and leave it to wilt.

Cut the salmon into big chunks, around 2-1/2 X 2-1/2 inches, and add to the pan. Coat the salmon in the tomato and spinach sauce, taking care not to break up the salmon pieces. Put the lid back on and leave for around 5 to 7 minutes, so that the fish cooks through.

Remove the cinnamon stick and check for seasoning. Serve with chapatis or my caramelized onions and jeera rice).

Rotisserie Chicken, Salmorejo Soup

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Rotisserie Chicken produces wonderful flavors from the smoke and Barbeque. We let the drippings fall upon the cooking Potatoes beneath the Chicken. To round out the main course we grilled fresh Corn.

We stuffed the two chickens using the recipe for Roast Chicken for Two and from The Balthhazar Cookbook by Keith McNally, Riad Nasr & Lee Hansen. This is a great recipe that keeps the chicken very moist. You can find the recipe on our blog of: June 23, 2012. Click the date to get the recipe.

For a starter, we made a new soup for us: Salmorejo. I really liked this soup. It is a perfect summer treat!

Salmorejo

Jose Andres – Food and Wine

Salmorejo is a classic soup made primarily with tomatoes and bread. It’s best with a splash of sherry vinegar, but Andalusian tomatoes pack a good hit of acidity, so they often omit it in Spain. It’s also frequently made with pan de telera, a type of hard roll, which thickens the soup, but anything from a ciabatta to a rustic white loaf is good here

Ingredients

2 1/2 pounds vine-ripened tomatoes, cored and chopped


½      pound rustic white bread,crust removed, 
bread cubed (2 1/2 cups)


2       garlic cloves


1       teaspoon sherry vinegar


¼      cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving


Kosher salt


2       hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped


½      cup chopped serrano ham


How To Make It

1.  In a blender, puree the chopped tomatoes with the bread, garlic, sherry vinegar and 1/2 cup of water at high speed until very smooth, about 1 minute. With the blender 
on, drizzle in the 1/4 cup of olive oil until incorporated. Season 
with salt. Cover and refrigerate until the soup is cold, at least 30 minutes. 


2.  Divide the soup among 
4 bowls. Garnish with the chopped eggs and ham, drizzle with olive oil and serve.


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Make Ahead The soup can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.