Category: By Ethnicity/ Region

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Cochinita Pibil Tortas

April 30, 2012 Filled under Beef, Lamb, and Pork, Mexican and Southwestern, Sandwiches
8 Comments

For this month, I was paired with Kimberly from Rhubarb and Honey for Secret Recipe Club. I was really excited when I saw that she had a recipe for cochinita pibil – it’s one of my favorite things to order when we go out for Mexican, and I’ve been meaning to learn how to make it for ages. Unfortunately, we couldn’t find one of the key ingredients (achiote paste) and had to improvise. Although the recipe didn’t come out exactly like the restaurant’s (which has a thicker sauce with a stronger, more acidic flavor), it was absolutely delicious. Read More

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Baked risotto with sausage and kale

Baked Risotto with Sausage and Kale

April 23, 2012 Filled under Italian, Quick Weeknight Meals, Risotto, Shawn's Favorites, Winter
5 Comments

The man who works in the parking garage near my office was in a particularly bad mood this morning. I can’t say that I blamed him. Saturday’s warm sun had gone away, and cold rain settled in. The air was heavy and damp and everything looked gloomy. As he watched person after person head into their toasty warm offices filled with friendly colleagues, he was stuck sitting alone in his little booth (that is, until he had to come out in the rain to deal with my permit issues). On top of all that, it was Monday. I wished that had some of this hearty sausage and kale risotto to share with him – with it’s stick-to-your-ribs warmth, it would have been sure to cheer him up. I could have used some myself. Read More

Baked Risotto with Sausage and Kale

Yields 4 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

When risotto is cooked on the stovetop, contant stirring is required to loosen the starches, which thicken the broth and give the dish its texture. In this baked version, bubbles from the boiling liquid knock the starches loose. 

Ingredients

    • 1 pound reduced fat Italian Sausage (about 6 links)
    • 1 small Onion, chopped
    • 3 cloves Garlic, minced
    • 3/4 cup Arborio Rice
    • 1/2 cup White Wine
    • 2-1/2 cups Chicken Stock, warmed
    • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
    • 3 cups chopped Kale
    • Salt and Pepper

Preparation

  1. Preheat the oven to 425*F. Remove the casing from two sausage links and crumble the meat into an oven save skillet or enameled dutch oven set over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sausage is browned. Add the onion and garlic and cook another 2 minutes. Stir in the rice and cook for 1 minute, or until the grains mostly translucent with a small white center.
  2. Stir in the wine and cook until it is all evaporated. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Cover and transfer to the oven. Bake for 20 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Stir in the cheese and kale, allowing the heat of the rice to wilt the kale. Bake an additional 10 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, cook the remaining sausage links. Sear them over high heat until the skins are deeply browned and begin to blister. Transfer to the oven until cooked through.