Рецепт Risotto with Chicken Livers, Madeira and Sage; no update
No house photos this week.
Mon mari has continued work on rendering the walls upstairs.
Every time I go up to look there is more, not less, to be done.
It might have something to do with his tap-tap-tapping all over the walls with the claw side of his hammer.... Something about having to chip out the loose stuff before being able to properly repair it.
Taking photos of gray walls with holes chipped in seems, well, rather boring.
All things in time.
I spent the last few days working outside: cleaning the potager and herb garden, planting spring bulbs, trimming shrubs and bushes and roses, giving the lawn a last trim... Taking advantage of the sunny, warm days.
Nothing photo worthy there, either....
So, I thought I'd show you what meager fall color we get here.
There is a pretty sumac stand across the lane, where the rabbits live. Their old hutch is still there.
Speaking of bunnies, a nice old man came to the door yesterday and asked permission to hunt our bunnies on our property.
I said yes, please.
He wanted to know if I wanted to share in the spoils of the hunt.
I said, no, please.
I'm absolutely certain they would have been dropped off on my doorstep, whole and still quivering.
We have a bumper crop of walnuts this year. We've filled five 5-gallon buckets so far. We have two trees by my potager and a third on the far corner of the house.
From under that tree we can see the steeple of the church in the nearby village.
Have I ever mentioned that the lizards like to live around our windows? And fall on my head when I open them?
Have you ever tried to catch a lizard? Can't be done.
Maybe he'll eat the centipedes....
Have I ever mentioned that we love chicken livers?
And risotto?
Why not combine two favorites?
- Risotto with Chicken Livers, Madeira and Sage
- 2/3 cup Arborio rice (or other rice specifically for risotto - Carnaroli or Vialone Nano)
- 1/2 cup dry, white wine
- 2 - 2 1/4 cups chicken stock
- 2 cups Savoy cabbage, finely sliced
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese - freshly grated (about 2oz, 60gr)
Condimenti
Heat chicken stock and keep hot over low heat. In medium saucepan heat oil over medium-high heat. Add shallot and sauté until transparent. Add cabbage and sauté until starting to wilt. Add rice and sauté stirring, for 2 - 3 minutes until rice has white center. Add white wine and stir.
Start condimenti.
When wine is almost absorbed add a 1/3 cup of stock, stir. When stock is almost absorbed add another 1/3 cup and continue adding 1/3 cup at a time and stirring. Before the last 1/2 cup taste a few kernels of rice. They should be just 'al dente' - slightly resistant to the tooth but fully cooked. If more stock is needed add it 1/4 cup at a time and waiting until almost completely absorbed.
At this point risotto will be thick but not stiff - there will still be visible liquid and it will not hold its shape on a plate.
Add the Parmesan, stir well and spoon into 2 large bowls. Make a slight well in the center, spoon the chicken livers and sauce on top and serve.
Condimenti
10oz (300gr) chicken livers, cut in half
2 shallots, sliced thinly
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tbs olive oil
1 tbs fresh, snipped sage leaves
1/3 cup Madeira
In a large, nonstick skillet, sauté shallots in oil until tender and starting to caramelize. Add chicken livers, soy sauce, and sauté until nicely browned. Add Madeira, sage, and simmer until reduced slightly and chicken livers are cooked through. Cover and keep warm until needed.
The sweetness of the Savoy cabbage and the Madeira worked well with the slightly gamy chicken livers and sage.
We declared it emminently calorie-worthy.