Parmesan Chicken Risotto Recipe

Parmesan Chicken Risotto Recipe – Elevated Comfort Food

As everyone attempts to sharpen their kitchen skills with the extra free time we have these days, how do you decide between learning a more involved impressive recipe or sticking to comfort food? The perfect in-between recipe is Risotto: a cheesy, creamy, tender-as-pasta rice dish that’s fancy enough to impress your toughest critics (whether that be a picky eater or a culinary expert.) It isn’t too difficult, but it does take a bit of time, so it’s perfect for weekends with nowhere to go (like the many no-where-to-go weekends we’ve all had lately.)

This recipe is a conglomeration of a few recipes I’ve used over the years, namely this and this.

Here it is!

Chicken Parmesan Risotto (serves 4)

Ingredients

1 lb Chicken
Salt and Pepper
6-8 cups chicken stock
5 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots (about 2)
1 cup Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
4-6 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup parmesan cheese (but really just measure with your heart)
1/4 cup fresh parsley

Directions

Bring chicken broth to a simmer in a medium saucepan.
Cut chicken into 1” cubes. Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the chicken is just done, 3-4 minutes. Set aside.
Heat remaining olive oil in a deep 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, 3-4 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. The final mixture should be thick enough that grains of rice are suspended in liquid the consistency of heavy cream.
Remove from heat. Stir in butter, parmesan cheese, and parsley; season with salt and pepper. Stir in chicken. Serve immediately, with extra parmesan and parsley for topping.

If you’re looking for side dishes to pair with this Risotto, here are a couple of dishes I love to make with Risotto, with a schedule of how to time all of these dishes to be ready at the right time.

Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus

https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a52754/bacon-asparagus-dippers-recipe/

Garlic Mozzarella Bombs

https://rasamalaysia.com/garlic-herb-cheese-bombs/

Tip: If you’re feeling fancy, use fresh mozzarella inside. If you’re feeling thrifty, use cut up mozzarella sticks!

Cooking Schedule

6:05 Start cooking chicken

6:10 Start simmer stock – Preheat oven

6:10 Start oil

6:20 Start adding stock

6:25-30 Put in Asparagus

6:45 Put in Rolls

6:50 Stir in Butter, Parsley, Salt, Pepper. Pull out some for Mia. Stir in Parmesan

6:55 Pull out Asparagus and Rolls

February 5, 2021February 5, 2021

Carbonara For One: More Than a Recipe

Why Carbonara?

Carbonara is my love language. It is not only my favorite food, but also my preferred way to offer care and comfort to myself and my loved ones. I prepare carbonara at least once per week, sometimes more if I am feeling particularly tender, hungry, or cozy. I often make single servings for myself after long days, or even for a late breakfast, and I have continued to hone my process over several years. At this point it feels more like a dance than a recipe, requiring fluidity, attention, and flexibility.

It goes without saying that I did not create any part of this dish, and that I’m sure there are many Italians that could cook circles around me. What I bring to this recipe is a pure reverence and devotion to the dish, and an utter delight each time I make it. If you take anything from this post, I hope it is not a perfect bowl of pasta, but a desire to find your own sacred foods and cultivate a deep appreciation for the ritual of making them.

Bon Appetit!

Ingredients:

3 eggs, separated (fresh, free range ideally – the quality of the eggs really matter in this recipe, low quality yields flavorless pasta)
3-4 oz. of guanciale/uncured bacon/pancetta
Generous handful of spaghetti or bucatini
Hunk of good Parmesan (you can use Pecorino Romano if you like, not pre-shredded)
Heaps of freshly ground black pepper
Kosher salt
Optional: scallions/chives/parsley for garnish

Method:

Chop or cut pork into small bits.
Sauté pork in a non-stick pan over low-medium heat.
Start to boil pasta water in a separate saucepan.
When pork is starting to crisp, about 5 minutes into cooking, reduce heat to low and allow it to fully cook over low heat in the rendered fat.
Once water boils generously salt pasta water and add pasta, cooking 2 minutes short of al dente
While the pork and pasta are cooking you will prepare the sauce. In a bowl (I use the bowl I am going to eat out of) separate three eggs. You do not need egg whites for this recipe, but I will add a teaspoon of the whites to the yolks to give the sauce a little more fluidity. Mix egg yolks until very well blended.
Grate parmesan into the egg mixture. I use at least ½ cup, it should form a texture like a paste. Add pinch of salt and generous amount of cracked pepper to the egg and cheese mixture.
When pasta is close to al dente scoop a splash of pasta water into the egg mixture. This tempers the eggs and begins to melt the shredded cheese. The texture should thin a bit, but not be watery. Be careful not to overdo it!
Increase heat on pork to med-high to bring the pan temperature back up.
Using tongs transfer pasta directly from the pasta water to the pan with the pork with ¼ cup of pasta water, moving quickly. DO NOT DRAIN OR RINSE YOUR PASTA. Reserve the rest of the pasta water.
Continually stir the pasta and pork as the liquid cooks off and pasta water reduces some. The pasta should be lubricated, not dry, with the fat and pasta water beginning to stick to the pasta. Add more pasta water if you need to during this step as it cooks off.
Pull off heat and allow pasta to cool slightly.
Slowly start to pour egg and cheese mixture into the pan with the pasta, stirring continually as you pour. If the sauce seems too thick after adding the egg mixture you can add more pasta water, one tablespoon at a time. The sauce should be glossy and cling to the noodles, not goopy or thin.
Finish in the bowl with fresh Parmesan, more cracked black pepper, and garnish if you choose to.
Eat immediately! Carbonara is best served hot and eaten quickly after.

Notes:

This recipe requires you to multitask. Time is of the essence when you make carbonara! It is crucial that you do not overcook the pasta, and it all comes together quite quickly. It helps to prep your mise en place before you begin and have everything close to the stove where you are cooking for easy access.

Tongs are a huge help with this recipe. You can use them to cook the pork and the pasta, and they make it easy to transfer the pasta without draining.

If you’re not a pork eater, you can substitute mushrooms or another hearty vegetable in place of the meat. Add a tiny bit of soy sauce or another umami flavor to the vegetables for the salty, meaty flavor you would be skipping.

Salt at each stage. You need to add it to the pasta water and a pinch to the egg mixture or the dish will lack complex flavor, but it is easy to over salt so be mindful of that!

Do not put cream or milk in this dish. Pasta water works magic here, it’s just not necessary, and it will result in a pasta that is too rich and heavy. Or peas, because frozen peas do not add anything to the flavor or texture of this dish.

February 9, 2020February 11, 2020

The Montana Snowbowl

— History —

Created in 1962, The Montana Snowbowl is what I would consider “Missoula’s Ski Resort.” Over the years, Snowbowl has remained almost exactly the same which is part of its charm. The resort still has a small-town feel despite the large crowds it draws. The most notable development in recent years opened this year with the addition of the Snowpark lift. Prior to this addition the resort catered more towards intermediate and advanced skiers with beginners sticking to cat tracks and a few easy runs. This addition is a great upgrade to the mountain, and I look forward to seeing what the future has in store for the mountain.

— Location —

Snowbowl is located 13 miles north of Missoula, Montana and is about a 25-minute drive from downtown Missoula. A paved road covers the first 8 miles, but the last five miles is a gravel road that can get a little treacherous if you aren’t properly prepared. Most vehicles traveling to Snowbowl should have four wheel drive and chains or snow tires in order to deal with the rough winter conditions.

— The Resort —

Snowbowl has lots to offer whether it is the mountain itself, food, gear, or lodging. At the resort you will discover three lifts, one t-bar, and one rope-tow which provides access to 950+ acres of skiable territory. All the chair lifts are two seaters and only one of the lifts begins at the base of the mountain which results in some long lines on weekend mornings but those crowds quickly disperse. The lodge itself contains two restaurants, The Last Run and The Double Diamond Café. Both of these restaurants have good food, plenty of seating, and a fireplace to warm up by. Snowbowl also has a rental shop for all the gear you might need, a ski school with fantastic instructors, and Gelandesprung Lodge. Gelandesprung is the available lodging above the rental shop and is essentially ski in/out lodging with different room layouts and a community hot tub. All in all, Snowbowl is a wonderful small town ski resort and one of the best parts about living in Missoula.

Photo Gallery

February 5, 2020

Food Abroad

This previous spring, I had the opportunity to study abroad in Torino, Italy. While living overseas I was able to travel to a variety of different countries, learn a lot, and most importantly eat a ton of great food.

Below, I’m reminiscing on some of the best meals I got to eat there. Hopefully this trip down memory lane will hold me over until my next food adventure.

February 12, 2019February 16, 2019

Top 5 Most Poisonous Human Foods for Dogs

By: Jake Briski

Dogs are very selfless animals that love their owners more than they love themselves. Unfortunately we can’t share everything with them even though we wish we could. There are many dangerous human foods that can cause minor and major issues with your dog. I myself have two dogs that I treat like family and know how fun it is to share my food with them. Even though I do my best to be careful about what I give them, there have been a few instances where they have gotten into something they cant have. I have researched the top 5 foods that create harm to your favorite furry friend. Many of these foods cause a dog’s body to change certain substances within the food to a toxin after its metabolized. These toxins can then trigger cardiac arrest, low blood sugar and organs to start shutting down. The severity of these issues is based on weight, type of dog, and amount consumed so always contact your vet if you think your dog has consumed any of these foods.

1. Raisins/ Grapes

Even a small amount of Raisins or grapes can cause the kidneys to start shutting down. Raisins are more poisonous than grapes since the drying process creates an increase in the level of the toxic substance. When consumed, this substance, once metabolized, attacks the kidneys in rapidly. Unfortunately I have had a terrifying situation with my dogs eating raisins. They both got into a half eaten granola bar that included raisins. At first I didn’t think much about it until I started researching toxic food for dogs. Raisins were always high on the list, which made me panic. I ended up calling the local emergency pet hospital for advice. I didn’t know which of the dogs or if both had gotten some of the granola bar. I have one medium dog (Buddy) and one small dog Bella so it’s possible that the large dog didn’t share any of the granola bar. Either way I was advised to induce vomiting to look for the raisins and even after that to call our vet the next day to get a blood test done. To induce vomiting hydrogen peroxide is used based on the dog’s body weight. Even if symptoms are noticeable, kidney damage could already be taking place. With the help of a vet this damage can somewhat be reversed so that the kidneys don’t completely shut down. Thankfully neither of my dogs had harmful levels of the substance in their system. This was a huge relief but now I know how dangerous raisins can be.

2. Snacks with Xylitol

Many snacks and dental products include this dangerous substance called Xylitol. The most commonly known product with this ingredient is chewing gum. Others include cereals, sugar-free candy, peanut butter, and fruit snacks. Some people may be wondering about peanut butter being on that list but it’s true. Many manufacturers use this toxic ingredient to sweeten their peanut butter flavor. Make sure you check the labels because there are many options that are in fact a healthy and tasty treat for dogs. Xylitol can cause low blood sugar and liver damage. I know this blog is about dogs but this substance, in particular, is more dangerous to our feline friends so be careful with all pets.

3. Macadamia Nuts

Many nuts are ok for dogs to have but this one specifically is very dangerous. A substance in the macadamia causes damage to a dog’s nervous system, which could be permanent. This one, unlike the others, seems to be less researched since we don’t know exactly what happens and why this nut causes so much damage. This is a very good reason to simply keep this snack far away from dogs and other fur friends.

4. Onions

There is a substance in onions and onion powder that when consumed by a dog causes a decreased ability for the red blood cells to carry oxygen. This triggers a process of red blood cells breaking down which could cause anemia. If anemia becomes acute a blood transfusion may be needed to help replace the bad blood cells. Being a dog owner I know that they are little vacuums so make sure when cutting onions that bits and pieces don’t end up on the floor for your dog to get.

5. Chocolate

This one seems obvious but I feel it’s worth mentioning. The darker the chocolate the more toxic it is to dogs. It creates a toxic substance that raises heart rate and can even lead to cardiac arrest. Very small amounts may give your dog an upset stomach and diarrhea. Even though milk chocolate is diluted of this substance, dogs shouldn’t have any type of chocolate regardless of its type.

I didn’t mention the symptoms that come along with eating these foods but many of them include vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, seizures and lethargy. If your dog ever seems out of the ordinary always consult you veterinarian to make sure things are ok. If left untreated many of these toxic foods can cause permanent damage and even death.