Beef Risotto Stuffed Tomatoes

If you read last week's post, you know I began a quest to make recipes involving each state's food.  We had pecan and blackberries for Alabama and today we have tomatoes and rice for Arkansas.

Tomatoes and rice, tomatoes and rice...really? I'm not sure what I think when I think about Arkansas, but I doubt tomatoes and rice would have ever made the list.  Apparently I need to become better educated on agriculture in the South.

Anyway...when I thought about these two ingredients, it didn't take long for the word "stuffed" to get thrown into the mix.  I was imagining something along the lines of a stuffed pepper, just subbing tomatoes for peppers.  Then I remembered that I had arborio rice in the pantry.  Then I thought about the ridiculous amount of ground beef I had in the refrigerator from the grocery store's stock up sale and that pretty much sold me on the latest recipe.

I realize it does sound completely random...tomatoes stuffed with beef risotto.  Even the beef risotto sounds weird.  I promise you, once the asparagus and goat cheese get added all is right with this recipe.

Beef Risotto Stuffed Tomatoes

Ingredients:

8 lg tomatoes

Salt & Pepper

2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 lb asparagus - cut into 1 inch long pieces

1 shallot - diced

1 lb lean ground beef

1 c. uncooked arborio rice

1/2 c. white wine

4 c. beef broth

4 oz. creamy goat cheese

2 oz. crumbled goat cheese

Directions:

Cut the tops off the tomatoes and remove the center.  

Sprinkle the inside with salt and pepper then place upside down on a baking sheet. Let them rest in the refrigerator while you prepare the risotto.

In a large pot, over medium high heat, melt butter and add the vegetable oil.  Add the cut asparagus and cover.  Cook for 5 minutes.  Add the diced shallots and cook until tender, about 3 to 5 minutes.  

Add the ground beef and cook until it is no longer pink. Add arborio rice and mix well.  

Add the white wine and cook until it has evaporated completely.  Begin adding broth, a 1/2 cup at a time, adding the next 1/2 cup once the previous one is completely absorbed/evaporated.  I suggest start taste testing at 3 cups of broth, you want the rice to be fully cooked but firm.  Once the desired consistency has been reached, remove from heat and add the creamy goat cheese.  Mix until fully incorporated then set aside.

Set oven to broil and remove tomatoes from the refrigerator.  Tomatoes should be drained of their excess liquid by now.  Clean off the baking sheet and put the tomatoes back on it, right side up.

Once the oven is heated, broil tomatoes for about 7 minutes. Skin should be just beginning to brown and blister.

Once the tomatoes are done, remove from oven, and reduce heat to 350F.  Fill the tomatoes with the risotto and top with the crumbled goat cheese.

Bake in oven for 15 minutes.

Mmmmmm, these were tasty.  The goat cheese gave a nice tang to the savory nature of this dish.  Having the meat prepared with arborio rice made it a very hearty dish.  Even the largest of the tomatoes could only hold about 1/4 cup of filling, so two of them together made for a great lunch.

Farmers Market Finds

As the summer weather begins to ramp up, so do the outdoor farmers markets.  I love shopping at these markets because not only am I supporting my local growers and producers, but I also get to be a bit more adventurous with my purchases.  Local growers, from my own personal experience, will offer items you would not find in your larger grocery stores.  You also get to meet the people growing your food and ask about the products they are offering.  I have walked away from the market with new produce to try and recipe suggestions... just what a cooking addict needs!

I went a couple of weeks ago to one market and walked away with a new type of celery to try.  I also picked up lunch - vegetarian nim chow.  The nim chow was amazing and I will soon be returning to that market for more.

 

 

This celery is a lot thinner than what you would pick up in the regular grocery store and it is a full tube as opposed to the u-shape most of us are probably used to.  I asked the farmer if the entire celery was edible and for preparation suggestions.  She told me I can eat everything, leaves included, and that many people use it in soup.  When I got it home, I decided to throw it raw into a salad.  I will never do that again.  It has such a strong flavor that eating it raw is honestly kind of gross.  The leaves are really bitter and the stalk has what I can only describe as a soapy flavor.  It is simply no good.  So, I gave it a day and gave some cooking options a thought.  The farmer had suggested soup and I had some Arborio rice in the fridge... see where I am going with this yet?

 

 



I decided to make some risotto, flavored with celery and scallions.

Ingredients:

1 scallion - sliced
1 stalk celery - sliced
2 c. stock (1 bullion cube dissolved in 2 c. boiling water)
2 c. water
1/2 c. white wine
1 c. Arborio rice
1 Tbsp oil

Directions:

Heat oil on medium in a large sauté pan.  Add scallions and celery and sauté until tender, approximately 7 minutes.  Add the rice, give it a couple stirs, then add the white wine.  Stirring occasionally, cook until the wine is completely absorbed.  This should take about 3 - 5 minutes.

At this point, incorporate the stock a half cup at a time and then incorporate the water a half cup at a time.  Each addition will take more time to absorb the farther into the cooking process you get.  The first half cup will take 3 - 5 minutes and the last could take up to 7 minutes.

In the end, you get a flavorful risotto that can be used as a side dish.  The celery held up well during the cooking process but, the long and slow cook broke down the flavor and allowed for the celery to come through. No bitterness in this recipe and it is definitely something I will make again.

Shrimp and Butternut Squash Risotto

I absolutely love risotto.  It's pretty much a guarantee that if I find it on a restaurant menu I'll order it.  In my opinion, there are very few food items that are better than this creamy dish of rice and whatever else you decide to throw into that sauce pot.  Today's adventure combines shrimp, asparagus, and butternut squash to make this creamy and flavorful one pot dinner.  The butternut squash is the dominant flavor but, the shrimp and asparagus do not have to fight to come through. 

When I wrote one pot, I was serious.  Most risotto recipes I've found have you cooking various parts separately.  I have no patience for that many dishes to wash, therefore the recipe I have put together cooks everything together.  You need to watch your time and the amount of stock you have left so you know when to add different ingredients but, it all comes together in the end.

Ingredients:

1 qt chicken stock
1 lb shrimp
1 c. asparagus - approximately 7 stalks cut into 1 inch pieces
1 lb butternut squash - cubed
1 onion - chopped
1 c. Arborio rice
1/2 c. sauvignon blanc
2 cloves garlic - minced
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 c. parmesan cheese

Oh the glorious directions:

Melt butter over medium heat.  Sauté squash and onions for approximately 8 minutes.

Add rice and garlic, cook for 2 minutes

Add wine and cook until absorbed, approximately 4 minutes.  Add 1/2 c. stock at a time, cooking until absorbed before adding more.  Each round will take approximately 5 to 7 minutes to absorb - it will take longer towards the end.  Also, as the rice cooks and the dish becomes creamier it may become more difficult to tell was the stock is completely absorbed.  Listen for a popping noise.  As the rice fully absorbs the stock and starts to dry out again it will begin to sound like Rice Krispies®.

With approximately 20 minutes left, add the asparagus.

When adding the final 1/2 c. of stock also add the shrimp.  Cook until the stock is absorbed and shrimp are cooked through.

Stir in the parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper.

 



Enjoy with your favorite glass of white wine!