Risotto with Roasted Garlic, Mushrooms and Spinach

Last night I made risotto for the second time ever. Far better than the first attempt (first try had butternut squash in it and I have determined after several tastings that I just do not like butternut squash, at least not without many other complementary flavors to mask it [for instance I had storebought butternut squash soup and it would have been SO much better with apple blended into it]), but there were a few things about the recipe I'd change for personal preference reasons.

1) It had roasted garlic in it, which I've done many times before in the "chop off top of head, pour olive oil over, wrap in foil, bake" way, but this way wanted me to separate the cloves beforehand, which had the end result of having the side of the clove that was touching the bottom of the pan become dry and hard and burnt. Next time, I'll just roast the head whole and squeeze the cloves out.

2) It wanted dried porcini mushrooms and also wild mushrooms. I used crimini. I have also determined that I am not a huge fan of portobello because despite my careful cleaning they always have this icky black crap coming off of them (like black watery stuff) and taste like dirt. This wasn't a huge issue last night when the risotto was fresh, but I reheated it today and took it in my Mr. Bento to work (speaking of which I have been completely neglecting that in favor of McDonald's Monopoly stuff, oh god I suck) and the dirty crimini flavor had completely permeated throughout the risotto. Sigh.

3) Last time, with the failed butternut squash risotto, I made it the "authentic" way, by adding the broth in ladlefuls until all is absorbed and risotto is creamy. But it just came out sticky and gooey at the end (butternut squash may have contributed to this). Last night I just put all the broth in at once and let simmer until absorbed. And the creaminess factor was MUCH better. Huzzah!

So yeah. Recipe:

Roast 1-2 heads of garlic at 400 degrees for 50 minutes or until done. Let cool, squeeze cloves out and chop to get roughly 1/4 cup garlic.

Slice 12 oz mushrooms of your choice, saute in olive oil over med-hi heat until done. Season with salt and pepper, set aside.

In a large saucepan (I used a 3-qt one), cook 1/4 cup chopped shallots with a lot of thyme in olive oil over med-hi heat until tender. Add 1 1/2 cups arborio rice, stir to combine. Add 1/2 cup white wine, cook until nearly evaporated. (Mine vaporized nearly instantly, but I also only used about 1/4 cup because that was all that was left in the bottle). Add 3 cups chicken broth, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until all is absorbed and risotto is creamy, adding more broth if it gets too dry too fast. Add mushrooms and 2 cups thinly sliced spinach, cook until spinach is wilted. Add plenty o Parmesan, season to taste with salt and pepper.

Pasta with Roasted Winter Vegetables

Last night we went to Hen House, the grocery store with the most orgasmic produce section in existence, and bought spinach and leeks and garlic and shallots (they sell individual shallots! out of a barrel! all the other stores sell them in little pre-made sacks and half of them are moldy already. oh my god I love Hen House) and a JAR OF ARBORIO RICE! not a tiny box! and a box of polenta! and hooray for Hen House.

Tonight I made rigatoni with roasted vegetables. It was really really easy, chopping took more time than anything, as far as actual effort. Although it was kind of... uninteresting. I think I'll keep the roasted vegetable recipe, cut out the rigatoni, and just use it as a side dish in the future.

Chop:
1 small eggplant into 3/4" chunks
2 small red potatoes (unpeeled) into 3/4" chunks
2 medium carrots, peeled, into thin diagonal slices
1 cup mushrooms into quarters
8 cloves garlic
1 large red onion into 1" chunks

Toss with:
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp dried thyme
copious salt and pepper

Bake at 400 degrees, tossing occasionally, for 45 minutes.

Chop:

1 crown broccoli

Add, bake another 10 minutes or until broccoli is crisp-tender. Sprinkle with plenty of Parmesan.

Herbed Mushrooms/Proto-Bento

Tonight Alex did Parmesan-herb-encrusted Cornish game hen halves, which were actually QUITE tasty, and I napped and at the last minute threw together some steamed broccoli in the microwave and sauteed button mushrooms. The mushrooms actually turned out a little MORE intensely-flavored than I would have liked, because I cooked them at pretty high heat and they got quite browned (not burnt but yeah). After they had cooked for about 5 minutes in butter and olive oil, with me constantly stirring them, I added some minced shallot, cooked for another minute, and then sprinkled with dried parsley and tarragon (we actually did have fresh tarragon but I didn't want to mix and match and we didn't have fresh parsley... or actually maybe we do but if so it's close to a month old and it's the crappy curly Italian kind).

Also today for lunch I created a proto-bento. I sliced some English cucumber and romaine lettuce and arranged it neatly in a plastic container with a slice of lacy swiss cheese, a few thin slices of roasted turkey breast, and a few slices of dill pickle. I also brought in a pita (bread, not pocket, because I am an idiot and bought the wrong one), a light string cheese stick, and a roll of Smarties, as well as my usual can of Coke Zero. I learned some very valuable lessons.

1) Bring less toppings. I sliced WAY too much cucumber and lettuce.
2) Get a condiment dispenser. I had nothing to put mayonnaise in, especially since I don't like a whole lot of mayonnaise, so I ended up just squirting a few little dots over the top of everything, and when lunch rolled around and it was time to assemble my pita I had mayo all over my hands. Not cool.
3) Lacy swiss gets almost melty at room temperature.
4) Pita was the wrong choice, a whole wheat tortilla would probably have been better.
5) Get a real bento box!

I really like the idea of doing bentos for future work lunches, because up till now 90% of my lunches have been fast food or frozen Lean Cuisine/Healthy Choice/Smart Ones dinners. (I did bring a container of leftovers in when I made cod chowder... I had cod chowder with a side of applesauce... that was an easy-to-chew meal.) And finally I am getting sick of it. Especially now that we have found a good-sized Asian market nearby.

Also there is the rest of that bag of frozen tortellini in the freezer that is sitting there begging me to take it to work (cooked, of course). Problem is, I don't want to eat it plain, and while we do have a half-used jar of spaghetti sauce in the fridge I'm not sure that would be incredibly good for me.

Also I keep seeing pictures of bentos with gyoza and grape tomatoes and berries and spinach pasta in them and they look SO GOOD. I saw a recipe for a cucumber-radish-feta salad today and thought "Hmm I bet that would work well in a bento." I have become such a nerd. Also that salad is something I would never have considered eating a few years ago.