Risotto. And what to do with the leftovers.

I love risotto.  I know a lot of people shy away from it because "it's hard" and "it takes too long," but I've never minded making it.  I find it soothing, and kind of fascinating, to tend to the pot as the ingredients marry and blend, and the rice gets all creamy and delicious.  I also like how you can make it differently every time, depending on what ingredients you have on hand.  This time I used acorn squash, asparagus, carrots and broccoli.  I also fried up some tofu and sprinkled the little cubes on top for some texture and protein.

INGREDIENTS:

5 - 6 cups broth - chicken or vegetable. 

3 carrots, peeled, cut into thirds and then quartered lengthwise (or about 12 baby carrots, cut lengthwise)

1 bunch of asparagus tips, about 4 inches long

1 - 1 1/2 cups broccoli florets

1 small acorn squash, peeled, seeded and cubed

1 onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced (or 1/2 tsp minced jar garlic)

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 1/2 cups arborio rice

3/4 cup dry white wine

1 cup parmesan cheese

1 tsp dried thyme or 1 tablespoon fresh, chopped

Fresh ground pepper

DIRECTIONS for risotto:

*Bring broth to a boil in a saucepan.  Add carrots and cook 3 minutes. Add asparagus and broccoli and cook 1 minute more. Remove vegetables and reserve. Bring the broth down to a simmer.

*Heat oil in a wide pan.  Add onions, squash and garlic and cook until onions are softened - 3 - 5 minutes.

*Add rice to onion, squash and garlic and stir to coat.  Cook 2 - 3 minutes.

*Add wine and stir until mostly absorbed.

*Add broth, a ladle (or 1/2 cup) at a time, stirring between additions and waiting until most of the liquid is absorbed before each new addition of broth.  Continue this way until the rice is creamy and cooked through.

*Stir in the parmesan and thyme.

*Add the vegetables back in and stir to heat them through.

*Serve with tofu (recipe follows) and a generous sprinkle of fresh ground black pepper.

For Tofu:

*Squeeze the liquid from the tofu, season liberally with salt and pepper, and cut into cubes. (I cut the brick in thirds down the flat way - so you have three thin blocks - then cube those 4 x 6 each) 

*Heat oil in another wide pan and fry the tofu over medium heat until brown and crispy. 3 - 5 minutes. Flip the cues and cook on the other side until brown and crispy.  Remove from pan, reserve.  

*Toss a few on top of your risotto.  

*Use leftovers in a salad of spinach, craisins, walnuts and goat cheese for lunch the next day.

NOW.  When I have tried to reheat risotto, that creamy goodness becomes a gluey mess.  How, then, shall we eat our leftovers?  We fry them, of course!

Make a little risotto patty:

Dredge it in flour:

Fry it in olive oil over medium heat until it's golden brown.  Flip and do the same on the other side:

Enjoy as a side dish or for lunch.

Or, if you're me, fry an egg and have it for breakfast: