risotto

Creamy Cauliflower Risotto and Garlic Rosemary Lamb Chops

/ Jodi / 33 Comments

Creamy Cauliflower Rissoto and Lamb Chops

Last Sunday, I was in the mood to be creative in the kitchen, so I decided to tackle the rack of lamp chops I recently purchased and do something interesting with a head of cauliflower I had.

For the lamb chops, I rubbed them with a simple mixture of fresh rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper and marinated them for 4 hours in the fridge.  When we were ready to eat, I simply pan seared them about 2 minutes on each side in a hot skillet with olive oil.  They turned out amazing!

lamb chops and creamy cauliflower risotto

Here is the recipe for the Creamy Cauliflower Risotto.  I have to say… I absolutely LOVED it!  A little more work than simply roasting cauliflower or mashing russet potatoes, but if you have the time and the inclination, it is SOOOO worth it!

Add some fresh greens, and you have a meal fit for royalty!

Hope you will give this a creative cauliflower recipe a try!  You won’t be sorry.

Creamy Cauliflower Risotto

  • 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
  • 3 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1/2 cup chopped sweet red, yellow, and/or orange peppers
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/3 cup white wine
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 4 Tbsp. butter
  • 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Finely chop cauliflower florets until it reaches approximate size and texture of rice.  (You can use a food processor if you like, but I did not.)  Set aside.

Heat olive oil in a large sauce pan.  Saute onions, peppers and garlic until caramelized.

Add white wine, and cook for 1 minute.  Add cauliflower “rice” and chicken stock.  Cover and cook on medium for about 10 minutes.

Add butter, and continue to cook for another 5 minutes without lid, allowing some of the liquid to evaporate.  Stir occasionally.

Once the cauliflower “rice” has thickened, stir in the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.  (There really is no substitute for this BEST Parmesan cheese!)  Remove from heat and add Greek yogurt or sour cream and salt and pepper to taste.  Blend with immersion blender to desired creamy consistency.

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

*Recipe slightly adapted from GlutenFreeFix

Lemon Basil Shrimp Risotto

/ Jodi / 14 Comments

lemon basil shrimp risotto 1

When trying to decide what to make with a beautiful bag of shrimp I had, I came across this recipe from one of my kitchenista heroes, Ree Drummond aka The Pioneer Woman.

lemon basil shrimp risotto ingred

Risotto gets a bad rap for being difficult, but it really isn’t, and it doesn’t even take that long.

And oh how the fresh lemon juice and zest in this recipe combined with the fresh basil gives this recipe such a light, Springy, refreshing twist.

lemon basil shrimp risotto

Here is the recipe as I slightly adapted from Ree:

Lemon Basil Shrimp Risotto


Ingredients:lemon basil shrimp risotto
1 Tbsp Butter
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1-1/2 pound Large Shrimp
1 Onion,  Diced
4 cloves Garlic, Minced
2 cups Arborio Rice
2 cups Dry White Wine
4-5 cups Chicken (or Vegetable) Broth
1 Lemon
1/2 tsp Salt
1 Tbsp Black Pepper
2 Tbsp Half & Half Cream
1/2 – 3/4 cup chopped fresh Basil Leaves
1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

Directions:

Heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and cook for 3-5 minutes until opaque in the middle.

Remove shrimp to a cutting board, chop into bite-sized chunks, and set aside.

Add the onion and garlic to the skillet that still has the butter and olive oil in, and cook for 2 – 3 minutes over medium-high heat or until onion starts to turn translucent.

Add dry Arborio rice to the pan and stir for a couple minutes.

Pour in 1 cup of wine and stir gently, allowing the rice to absorb the liquid. Add second cup of wine and do same.  After the wine is absorbed, begin adding broth 1/2 cup to 1 cup at a time, allowing the rice to cook and absorb the liquid each time. Stir occasionally as you go, and add the salt and pepper during one of the broth additions. After 4 cups of broth have been absorbed, taste the rice. It should have a slight bite, but if it seems undercooked, add additional broth and cook it until it absorbs until the risotto is the perfect doneness.

Zest and juice the lemon and add both the zest and the juice to the risotto toward the end of cooking. Stir in the half and half cream, the chopped basil, and serve immediately with extra lemon zest and Parmesan cheese on top.

This recipe would also taste delicious with chicken breast substituted for the shrimp.  I think it could also be great adapted as a vegetarian dish using your favorite vegetables.  I could imagine it with some broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, or maybe even some yummy roasted butternut squash.

This is a very versatile recipe that could become a staple in your dinner repertoire. Hope you’ll give it a try.

Cheers and Hugs,

Jodi