Risotto.

Smoked Gruyère Risotto pictured with Top Sirloin Cutlets, Red Pepper Asparagus & Red Wine Reduction

Just for fun, I asked my friend if she knew what risotto was and she replied, "not really, but I know it is something I can't make."  Hmmm... you can open up your own business and raise 2 kids, but you can't make risotto.  That doesn't seem like it adds up, does it?  Further in my risotto exploits, I made some risotto for another friend and she asked, "So, what box did you start with?"  After I got through being appalled at the suggestion that I would use a box and reminding her that I am in culinary school, she became a bit disheartened.  She said, "Well, if it didn't start from a box, I have little hope of recreating it."  Sheesh!  Who knew that risotto could have such a grave effect on the culinary self-esteem of such powerful women?  After witnessing firsthand the intimidating hold that risotto seems to have on the college-educated female population, I decided to take a stand and unmask risotto once and for all. 

Risotto is just rice, y'all.  Don't get spooked.  While it is scrumdidlyumptous, it is super easy to make.  It looks fancy and can taste very rich, but it is not that much harder than making normal steamed rice (unless of course you are used to Uncle Ben's Instant Rice.  If that is true, you might have a steeper learning curve.)  To be more specific, risotto is a way to cook rice, not a recipe in and of itself.  It has a creamy consistency, but with a definite bite.  Although it is typically made with Arborio rice, you can use regular rice. There are many different flavoring agents that can be used in risotto, including cheese and fresh herbs.

Let's Get Cooking:
Risotto is a traditional Italian way of cooking rice, thus the cooking method has nifty Italian-titled steps.   

1. Soffrito: In a saute pan, sweat 1-2 oz of onions in butter or oil. (To sweat means to cook until tender, but not brown)
2. Riso:  Add the rice to the pan and cook until shiny.  This is called "pearling."  The butter or oil will coat each grain individually, preventing the end product from looking clumpy. 
1. If you are using long grain rice, you would add approximately 2 parts liquid to 1 part rice.  If you are using Jasmine rice, the ratio is 1.75 parts liquid to 1 part rice.  If you sprung for the short grain Arborio rice, the ratio is 1 part liquid to 1 part rice.  Keep in mind, you may need more liquid than the ratio calls for to cook the risotto to al dente perfection.
3. Vino:  Add 1-2 oz white wine and reduce (simmer) until most of the wine evaporates.  If you don't let the wine evaporate, the resulting risotto will taste like it has been bar hopping all night.
4. Brodo: Add the liquid, most likely chicken stock, a little at a time and stir to prevent scorching.  Add 3 fl oz or so, stir and wait until the liquid is mostly absorbed before adding another 3 fl oz.  Continue until the rice is cooked al dente and has a creamy consistency.  You can use other stocks, milk or plain water as your liquid.  The liquid you use depends on what you will be serving the risotto with.
5. Condementi: Mix in a generous amount of butter and add your "garnish" or flavoring agents such as Parmesan cheese or fresh basil leaves.  Some even finish their risotto with a dab of heavy cream to add richness.  Don't forget to season with salt throughout so that your end product isn't bland.  Note: It is a general rule to not finish risottos made with fish or shellfish with cheese.  I didn't make the rules, I just break them hehe.
6. Enjoy :-)

Pretty easy right?  Now go out and kick some risotto behind!  Don't forget to let me know how it turns out!  (I know you will do great)  Feel free to send me a picture of your risotto mastery via Twitter @PerlaNovela1908 or post a link to your pic in the comments section below.

Yes, I am the Culinary Princess and I am unmasking would-be culinary behemoths one technique at a time ;-)

Stay confident, get excited about food and be blessed TCP Friends!

Stock.

My food and I come from good stock.  My mother, who is awesome, has taught me the values and life lessons that have made me the woman I am today. The most important lesson I have learned: always listen to your mother. Despite my residual teenage rebellious tendencies, I know (sometimes grudgingly) that she is always right (sigh... there is going to be no living with her now that I have openly admitted that lol).  So when my mommy says that she 'recommends' I write about how to make good stock because her friend has an ardent curiosity and she think it will be an interesting topic for most of my readers, I gotta listen. (Watch her be right (again) and this will be my most highly read post lol).

Blog readership aside, my mommy is right (of course) in her desire to spread the art of stock making.  A good stock, be it veal, chicken, beef or fish, is the basis for all good food (we aren't talking about boxed food people).  The quality of the stock used will determine the flavor, depth and consistency of your food.  Although my recent discovery that Swanson's makes stock, not just broth, thrilled me and my lazy side (don't tell my chef instructors), nothing can replace a fresh, homemade stock.

The Difference Between a Stock and a Broth:
No, it is not a good idea to use a broth when the recipe calls for a stock (yes, I felt you thinking about it). You will have a less flavorful product that might not be the right consistency, or might not even come out at all. The difference between the two: gelatin.  A stock is a clear liquid flavored by soluble substances extracted from bones, vegetable and seasonings. A broth is made with meat, not bones. Gelatin is extracted from the collagen in the bones and makes a good stock jump and jive like jello when it is cold. A broth can't even come close to a stock's rhythm.   Stock is much more flavorful than broth and provides a distinctive mouth feel.

Stock Uses:
Everything.  Next topic...

No, really. Stocks are used is most dishes and sauces.   You use stock to braise, make soups, flavor rice dishes, flavor vegetables, etc... In most recipes that call for water, a good stock will help you kick it up a notch.  One key component about a stock is that it can be reduced to intensify the flavor. Reduction evaporates the liquid while concentrating and infusing the flavor with the other ingredients and thickening the final product.

Seven Principles of Stock Making:
While not quite up there with the 10 Commandments, the Seven Principles of Stock Making are important rules to follow if you want to make good stock.

1. Use cold water to start, not hot
2. Simmer, never boil.  Boiling will make the stock cloudy because it emulsifies the fat
3. Skim the scum off the top frequently
4. Strain carefully when complete through a china cap and/or chinois (dropping the stock)
5. Cool quickly in an ice bath (put the stock pot in the sink, surround with ice and stir.  Must get below 70 F within 2 hours and below 35 F within 6 hours.  Do not put directly in the refrigerator.  It will not get cold fast enough and may spoil other foods by warming up the internal temp of the refrigerator).
6. Store and label in the refrigerator
7. Defat the top before using

Types of Stock:
Stocks come in 2 main varieties: brown and white.  The difference is that the bones and mirepoix for brown stock are browned in the oven and are not in white stock.  They worked with Captain Obvious to come up with those titles.  The younger the animal, the more gelatin there is in the bones and the better the stock will be.  That is why veal stock is usually preferred to beef stock.  There are also specialty stocks, such as lobster stock.

Making Stock:

Stocks follow the simple ratio of 5 qts water to 5 lbs of bones to 1 lb of mirepoix.  Besides any aromatic herbs you would like to add, such as thyme, parsley or bay leaf, a stock only has those three ingredients.  You can scale the amounts up or down, depending on how much stock you would like to make.  The mirepoix ratio is 50% onion to 25% celery to 25% carrots.  If you are making white stock and want it to be truly light in color, you should use the mirepoix ratio of 25% leeks to 25% onion to 25% celery to 25% parsnips.

White Stock Process:
Most likely chicken or veal

1. Add bones to large stockpot and cover with cold water just to the top of the bones
2. Bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer
3. Skim the scum off the top
4. Add the mirepoix
5. Simmer for time specified below 
6. Skim regularly
7. Cool down in ice bath
8. Refrigerate
9. Defat the top
10. Enjoy :-) 

Brown Stock Process:

Most likely veal or beef

1.  Roast bones in a single layer in a 450° F oven until browned
2. Transfer bones to stockpot and deglaze roasting pan with water (use water to loosen the drippings off the bottom of the pot).  Add deglaze to stock pot
3. Cover bones with cold water just to the top of the bones
4. Roast the mirepoix until brown.  Brush with tomato paste and roast until paste turns a rust color
5. Skim scum off top of stock
6. Add mirepoix
7. Simmer for time specified below
8. Skim regularly
9. Cool down in ice bath
10. Refrigerate
11. Defat the top
12. Enjoy :-) 

*Note:  You can use the stock right after making it, but be aware that it will contain a lot of fat.  If you cool and refrigerate first, it will be much easier to take the fat off becuase it floats and solidifies on the top.  Be warned: it looks gross.

Depending on the types of bones you use, you will need to cook the stock for a certain length of time.  Please note that you do not start the time until after you have skimmed the scum for the first time and added the mirepoix.  While the times below are general guidelines, most chefs prefer to cook beef, veal and chicken for a longer time, up to approximately 24 hours.

·         Beef Bones: 8-10 hours

·         Veal Bones: 6-8 hours

·         Chicken Bones: 3-4 hours

·         Fish bones: 30-45 minutes

·         Vegetable: 45 minutes

So there you have it: the art of stock making.  I know that it is a lot and may seem a bit complicated, so if you have questions, feel free to comment in the comment section of this post.  I pray that you are successful in your stock making endeavours and if you know my mom, be sure to thank her for this post :-)

Make good stock, cook good food, and stay blessed TCP Friends!

Brave.

Despite my better judgment, I fear failure.  I know that faith should help me transcend my fear, but in the back of my mind I keep saying, "You know, I don't know what the heck I am doing!  Can anyone else tell?" (Come on, you know you have thought that too.  Fess up.)  I am a 20-something year-old woman with grandiose plans to open a catering business, grow that business and take over the world (the last part is a bit of a stretch, but only a little).  Without my 100% faith in God and the path that He has put me on, I would be...well... screwed.  Thank goodness that God encourages me on a daily basis by continuously blessing me.  Many of you reading may be in your own world domination battles and might be feeling a bit overwhelmed, as I was.  While my blog is mostly about food and all things surrounding it, I also want to encourage my fellow Superwomen (and Supermen) with Pinky and the Brain ambitions.  (Sidenote: If you have all the encouragement you need, but want some great food ideas, check out the recipe tab of my blog).

I am stepping out of fear and into bravery by simply opening my eyes and looking around me.  I am looking at where I have been, where I am and where I am going.  A few things I have noticed...

My actions are producing fruit.  Since God means all things for our good, even difficult situations you find yourself in during your quest for victory will end up aiding you.  When you are on the path that God means for you to be on, you will notice that your work pays off.  I started with 0: $0, 0 resources, 0 ideas and 0 clear purpose.  Now, after a very short time, I am on a path and am not stopping!  Especially through prayer, components and resources will come together and you will start producing results, or fruits, that are encouraging.  I have been blessed with mentors, clients, resources, advice and support that have begun to elevate me and my business to newer levels.  While I still have a little ways to go before I am featured on the cover of Forbes or applauded on the Food Network, diligence and faith will get me there.  They will get you there too.

My eyes are leaps ahead of my hands.  To avoid becoming discouraged with any minor setbacks, I look forward and upward, past the current task at hand.  Try writing down your goals and referring to them on a continuous basis.  Not only will this keep you motivated, but it will help form new ideas for better ways to achieve your desired results.  As you walk the walk, God constantly informs you of which steps to take.  By keeping your path clearly in focus, you can stop walking and start running.  

I just keep swimming.  The first wild leap of faith into culinary was in some ways the easiest step.  It was like diving into a cold pool after sun bathing all day.  The pool is calling to you, but you aren't so sure about the whole water thing (if you are a black woman, you can really understand where I am coming from).  However, once you jump off the diving board, you can't go back, even if you wanted to.  You have to just let go and fall.  Now that I am in the water of my new profession, I have to use the full force of my faith to stay afloat.  In the enduring words of Dory from the Disney movie Finding Nemo, "...do you wanna know what you've gotta do?  Just keep swimming."  No matter the obstacles, just keep swimming.  One of my favorite gospel songs, "Stand" by Donnie McClurkin, reminds us that after we have done all we can, we should just stand and be sure that God's got a purpose and plan for our lives.  Whether you prefer to stand or swim, continue to partner with God to work towards your goals.  I have faith that you will be successful!