Recipe Review 2/26/07

Oops! I fell a bit behind on my recipe reviews. Sadly I realized I also don't have any pictures to post with this one so you'll have to use your imaginations!

Squash and Pinto Bean Stew (Ckng Lght Annual 06, pg 452) 6
This was hearty and substantial and made far more than the 8 servings it called for. I followed the directions and actually made my own pinto beans and they turned out fantastic - there was a lot more than the recipe called for, but they turned out! I think the key was to use bottled spring water and not tap water, especially as my tap water is well water with a high calcium count.

I used one of my butternut squash from the garden (yes! I still have some left yet!) and a nice thick broth was made with vegetable stock and seasoned with a chipolte pepper. The whole stew itself is pretty simple, nicely flavored and very thick. I froze two tubs for a later date.

Italian Risotto with Shrimp (Ckng Lght Annual 06, pg 452) 5
The original recipe called for this to be made in the microwave (!) and as I don't have a microwave, I just did it like my other risotto recipes. It was a basic risotto, flavored with bottled roasted bell peppers, corn and shrimp. I made sure to thaw everything ahead of time so I wasn't dumping frozen items into a nicely simmering rice mixture, but I neglected to take the tails off the shrimp. So eating it wasn't as pleasant as it could have been. I also noticed the shrimp turned a bit mushy as the dish sat which also wasn't pleasant texture wise. So overall, this was just an okay dish.

Wild Rice Casserole (c/o the sister-in-law) 6
The sister-in-law (SIL) introduced this dish to me many, many years ago at a holiday dinner and I really enjoyed it for it's flavors and simplicity. I obtained the recipe...and never made it until now. A friend and I got together and made a joint dinner. I was in charge of sides and they chose to do a planked salmon (turned out fantastic by the way) and I thought a rice dish would complement salmon quite nicely. This is a make ahead and bake ahead dish: wild rice is combined with vegetable broth, mushrooms, onions, almonds and red pepper. Throw into a casserole dish, cover and bake! I did decrease the cooking temp to 300* and bake for 2 hours (down from 325* for 1 1/2 hours) with satisfactory results. Toward the end of cooking I added some extra broth and stirred to allow the rice on top to soften. I think this would be a perfect dish to add to the Thanksgiving table.

Warm French Lentils with Kielbasa (Fine Cooking, Mar 07, pg 80) 7
This was a delightful, warm dish with subtle flavors that tickled the nose and delighted the tongue. Regular lentils could be subbed with no problems, but I was feeling adventurous and bought some French Lentils at the co-op. It is a pretty simple dish: lentils, onions, seasonings, kielbasa (maybe one other ingredient...). Cook lentils with thyme, onion, carrot, bay leaf, and garlic (herbs in a cheese cloth ball) and remove. Add a splash of vinegar, add kielbasa. Serve. Very homey and comforting. I served this alongside a green salad. My only complaint was that I may have over cooked my lentils as I'm still adjusting to cooking on gas.

Stay tuned for next week when I review what happens with a blizzard and a new stove!