A Feast to Impress: Part Deux

I know, I know. I have been taking my sweet little time in posting the rest of the recipes from the impressive spread a week or so ago. We have already covered the tantalizing starters and must now move on to the main event: the entree. Oh, I was aiming for the fences with this one. Praying for a home run. And, based on their comments, I think I might have hit it out of the park. (Sorry for the unintentional back-to-back baseball references!) The Main Event consisted of Beet Risotto with Kabocha Squash Puree, Micro-Greens, Creme Fraiche and Crispy Shallots. The plate looked almost too good too eat-full of color. Even as we dug into them, they continued to look beautiful and appetizing. When we finished (and have no doubt that we cleared them like pros), the plates looked like tie dye. A meal that was as pleasing to the eye as it was to the palate.

Beet Risotto: Yields 6 Servings

2 T butter

1 T olive oil

1 large Vidalia onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 sprigs fresh thyme

salt and pepper, to taste

6 medium beets, peeled and diced

1 1/2 cups Arborio rice

1 cup white wine

4-6 cups vegetable stock

1/2 cup Pecorino cheese, grated

1. Heat butter and olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and sweat until tender and just starting to caramelize. Add garlic, thyme, salt and pepper; cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in beets. Cover and cook until tender, about 8-10 minutes.

2. Uncover and stir in rice cooking for a minute or so. Deglaze the pan with wine and simmer, stirring constantly, until almost completely absorbed. Add 1 cup of stock and cook, stirring frequently, until liquid has been absorbed. Continue with remaining stock. Risotto should be tender and creamy (similar to rice pudding) when done. Remove thyme sprigs, stir in cheese, and readjust seasonings, if necessary.

Kabocha Squash Puree: Yields 4-6 Servings

2 lb Kabocha squash

salt and pepper

2 T butter (optional)

1 T agave

1/2-1 cup almond milk

Preheat oven to 425. Slice squash in half and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place cut-side down on a foil-lined sheet pan and roast until tender and caramelized, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven. Once cool enough to handle, scoop out flesh from skin; place squash in a food processor and puree until smooth. Add butter, agave and enough almond milk to thin out the squash to a soup-like consistency. Readjust seasonings, if necessary.

Crispy Shallots: Yields 6 Servings

1/2 cup canola oil

2 large shallots

1/4 gluten-free flour (can also use all-purpose if not making gluten-free)

salt

Heat oil in a small saute pan over medium-high heat. Slice shallots into 1/8-inch rings. Dunk in flour and shake off excess. Add shallots and cook until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt.

This was a very tasty meal. I have included a photo of dessert, which consisted of Persimmon Upside-Down Cake, Persimmon Sorbet and Chocolate Pistachio Bark. It was an excellent dessert, but I need to work on the cake recipe. It had great lift and the persimmons added wonderful texture and fruitiness, but the base of the cake tasted quite a lot like pancakes. Once I come up with a better basic cake base, I'll post the recipe :)

As for other amazing cooking, I made a vegetarian and gluten-free Thanksgiving last week! Even though we didn't have it on Thursday, it was still fun to tackle making a vegetarian holiday meal. A little bit classic, a little bit modern, and all together delicious. Recipes soon to come!