Fire-Roasted Red Pepper Risotto

Creamy, smoky and infused with mushroom broth, this Fire-Roasted Red Pepper Risotto was an obsession for my guests who asked for seconds and thirds--and then some to take home. I was inspired by a stop-in-your-tracks, gorgeous red bell pepper and a plump spring onion. They both spoke the language of risotto and whispered for me to take them home from the market. Here are the main ingredients for this dish:

Spring onion, Arborio rice, mushroom broth, red bell pepper

For me, roasting peppers is among the top-ten coolest activities to do in the kitchen. Keep the flame on medium low and watch the pepper during the process. After roasting the pepper and steaming it in a plastic bag, gently wipe it all over to remove most of the charred flesh (the roasted flavor will still remain). A few bits of remaining char is fine, and even desirable. It's a visual cue for your diners that the dish includes a fresh, fire-roasted pepper.

Turn pepper for even roasting.

Place pepper in resealable bag for 5 minutes to steam.

Chop pepper roughly.

Recipe: 

Fire-Roasted Red Pepper Risotto

[Adapted from How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman]

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon butter, unsalted

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 spring onion (or large shallot), chopped

1/4 teaspoon saffron threads

salt and cracked pepper to taste

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 cup Arborio rice

1/4 cup port wine

1 quart mushroom broth

1 large red pepper, roasted and chopped

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Directions:

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat; add 1 tablespoon of butter and allow to melt but not brown or burn.
2. Add the spring onion and saffron and saute, stirring frequently, until the spring onion softens, about 4 minutes. Add salt the salt, pepper and smoked paprika; stir thoroughly.
3. Add the rice and mix thoroughly with oil, butter and seasonings. 
4. Pour in the the port wine and let the mixture simmer for 1 minute. Stir throughly to mix the ingredients and coat the rice.
5. Add mushroom stock 1/2 cup at a time. Stir the risotto frequently, and do not allow it to sit without stirring for more than 1 minute. When the broth absorbs, add another 1/2 cup of mushroom broth and continue stirring.
6. After 20 minutes, test the rice by tasting. If it is not soft and chewy, continue to add 1/2 cup of mushroom broth (until the whole quart is used) and stir. It may take up to 30 minutes for the rice to cook thoroughly. The rice should be soft and chewy but not mushy.
7. Stir in the chopped, roasted red pepper when the rice is nearly done (i.e. the grains have swelled, but the grains still have a "bite"--or crunchiness).
8. When the rice is done, mix in the softened butter and begin grating the cheese into the rice. Stir after each addition of cheese to ensure that it is distributed throughout the rice.

Adjust salt and pepper, if desired, before serving. Serves 4

Sustainable Super Salmon Burger

Burgers have made a serious comeback--or perhaps they never left. Here in the Washington, D.C. area, there are popular burger boutiques: Five Guys, and the coastal chain, Elevation Burger. Granted, these restaurants have delicious veggie burgers or sandwiches on the menu, the choices are pretty limited if you're a pescetarian. Sometimes you want to bite into a substantial fish burger with all the trimmings but without absorbing a whole day's worth of sodium, which is what fish burgers at several fast-food chains offer. 

Even if you have to make it at home, it's worth closing your mouth around a good salmon burger--a burger that you can make with simple, cheap (but good) ingredients. Using sustainable salmon is always a plus too. Would you believe canned salmon? Crown Prince Natural Alaskan Pink Salmon  is a Certified Sustainable Seafood

according to the Marine Stewardship Council, one of the organizations that certifies fisheries and their products. It's low in sodium as well. (Note: I wasn't paid to write about this product nor did I receive anything. I just really like Crown Prince Alaskan Pink Salmon.)

The Recipe:
Sustainable Super Salmon Burger
Ingredients
2 cans Alaskan pink salmon
1 egg, extra large
2 scallions plus tops, chopped
1 sprig flat-leaf parsley, chopped
3 tablespoons cocktail sauce
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt or sea salt
1/4 teaspoon cracked pepper
1 cup fine cracker crumbs, unseasoned
3 whole-wheat burger buns
1 large tomato, sliced
1 red onion, sliced
12 freshly washed and dried spinach leaves
Burger condiments of your choice

Directions

1. Drain salmon and place into a large bowl. 
2. Add egg, scallions, parsley, cocktail sauce, salt and pepper. Mix throughly by hand or with a fork, breaking down all chunks of salmon. Pick out the small, soft bones if you want, but keeping them and mixing them in means extra calcium. (However, if you will be serving the burgers to children, be safe and remove them--or buy boneless and skinless salmon.)
3. Spread cracker crumbs on a clean cutting board used for fish and meats. 
4. Pre-heat a skillet to medium high. Add one tablespoon of safflower oil, grape-seed oil, or another high-heat-tolerant oil. Lightly and carefully wipe the pan with a paper towel to spread the oil thinly to cover the pan.
5. Scoop salmon mixture from the bowl and form a ball the size of a tennis ball (this will make a substantial sized burger). 
6. Roll the salmon ball in cracker crumbs, coating the salmon ball thoroughly. 
7. Place burgers in skillet and use a spatula to slightly flatten the balls into a burger shape. 
8. Cook burgers one at a time, adding and spreading a bit more oil between burgers, until golden brown on each side and firm to the touch. (Note: flip burgers carefully to avoid breaking or splitting.)
9. Allow the burgers to rest while toasting the buns in the skillet (if desired).
10. Build your burgers and add your favorite condiments.

(Makes 3 Super Salmon Burgers)

Soy Butter Toasted-Coconut Shake

The soybean is the "go-to" legume of the vegetarian food world. It can imitate meat and dairy products, it packs a higher amount of protein than any other legume, and it contains "enough of all the essential amino acids to meet biological requirements when consumed at the recommended level of protein intact," according to the United Soybean Board's Health and Nutrition Page. 

Like peanut butter, soybeans can be roasted and turned into a tasty spread and added to recipes. Although soy butter does not contain peanuts, some companies may process their dried, roasted soybeans on equipment that also processes peanuts. If you or someone you love has a peanut allergy, read the product label before purchasing the soy butter. The soy butter used for this recipe, the IM Healthy brand, is manufactured in a peanut-free facility.

This soy butter shake is low in fat and calories (I kept the saturated fat content low in this shake by using coconut only as a garnish). It's also nearly dairy free (I topped the shake with non-fat whipped dairy cream--but it's optional). Chill the glass in the freezer before pouring this protein-rich, sweet treat and feel pleased with yourself because you have milk-shake taste without a cascade of calories. Enjoy!

Recipe: Soy Butter Toasted-Coconut Shake

Ingredients

1/4 cup fresh, raw coconut flakes (or Bob's Red Mill Coconut Flakes, unsweetened)

2 cups Silk soy milk, unsweetened

3 tablespoons soy butter, unsalted

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons sugar

4 scoops soy ice cream, vanilla 

Toasted coconut shavings for garnishing

Non-fat whipped cream (optional)

Directions

1. Chill two, empty 12-ounce glasses in the freezer while preparing the shakes.
2. Crack open a coconut; drain the coconut water and use a vegetable peeler to shave coconut meat. Place coconut shavings into an 8-inch saute pan and toast until shavings are golden. (If using packaged, dried coconut flakes, soak flakes in warm water until rehydrated. Place flakes on paper towels to drain before toasting.) Set toasted flakes aside.
3. Pour soy milk into blender; add soy butter, vanilla extract and sugar and blend until smooth.
4. Place two scoops each of ice cream into two 12-ounce glasses, and slowly add shake mixture from blender into each glass.
5. Top shakes with coconut shavings and add whipped cream around the inside rim of each glass.