TRIPLE RISOTTO

Rissotto Texeira

2 tablespoons butter
1/2 pound mushrooms, cut into thin slices
2/3 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
5 1/2 cups canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock, more if needed
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
2 tablespoons chopped parsely

1. In a large pot, heat the butter over moderate heat. Add the mushrooms. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms are browned, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and the pepper. Cook until the chicken is just done, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the mixture from the pan. In a medium saucepan, bring the broth to a simmer.

2. In the large pot, heat the oil over moderately low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir until it begins to turn opaque, about 2 minutes.

3. Add the wine and the remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt to the rice. Cook, stirring frequently, until all of the wine has been absorbed. Add about 1/2 cup of the simmering broth and cook, stirring frequently, until it has been absorbed. The rice and broth should bubble gently; adjust the heat as needed. Continue cooking the rice, adding broth 1/2 cup at a time and allowing the rice to absorb it before adding the next 1/2 cup. Cook the rice in this way until tender, 25 to 30 minutes in all. The broth that hasn't been absorbed should be thickened by the starch from the rice. You may not need to use all the liquid, or you may need more broth or some water.

4. Stir in the chicken and mushrooms, the Parmesan, and the parsley and heat through. Serve the risotto with additional Parmesan.

BEEF RISSOTTO

1 onion, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 red pepper fine diced
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup chianti classico
¾ pound beef tenderloin, cut into thin strips
2 cups carnaroli rice
8 cups beef broth, heated
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a wide sauté pan, cook the onion, garlic and pepper in the olive oil for 5 minutes over medium heat. Add the Chianti and beef; cook 10 minutes until the beef is browned. Add the rice; cook 2 minutes, stirring, then start adding the hot broth by the cup, adding more only when the previous addition has been absorbed. Continue in this way, stirring, cooking, and adding broth, until the rice is al dente (you may not need all the broth). Fold in the cream, butter, Parmigiano, salt, and pepper, and serve hot.




SWEET PEA & SHRIMP


3/4 lb medium shrimp in shell (31 to 35 per lb), peeled, deveined, and shells reserved
7 cups water
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 cup thawed frozen baby peas (5 oz)
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/3 cups Arborio rice (9 oz)
3/4 cup dry white wine

Bring shrimp shells and 7 cups water to a simmer and keep at a bare simmer, covered.

Toss shrimp with 1/2 teaspoon salt, then chill, covered.

Toss together peas, chives, zest, and pepper in a bowl.

Cook onion in butter with remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt in a wide 4- to 5-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes.

Strain the broth, discard the shells, reserved the broth hot.

Add rice and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Increase heat to moderate, then add wine and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in 1/2 cup simmering shrimp broth and cook, stirring constantly and keeping at a strong simmer, until most of broth is absorbed. Continue cooking and adding broth, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and letting each addition be absorbed before adding next, until rice is tender and creamy-looking but still al dente, about 18 minutes total. Add shrimp and pea mixture and continue to cook, stirring and adding more broth as necessary, until shrimp are just cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. (You may have some broth left over.) Season with salt and serve risotto immediately.