It looks as if Thursdays will be my Marrow Matters
days. I hope to post a few more ELASTIC TIPS on some of the days in between
but, for now, this is all that I can muster being so busy with processing the
fruit of our harvests.
I do not presume to pretend that I am a master chef
and this so-called risotto is probably not at all like a real risotto, but
delicious and, in Elastic Mom style, quick and easy. Best of all, it only uses
one pan.
GARDEN RISOTTO
Sizzle some butter or oil in a
large pan. Slice up and fry one onion, some marrows, a green pepper and
a few slices of bacon. My bacon was shaved off a hunk of frozen
bacon generously given to us by my father-in-law. I used a rather large yellow
summer squash.
Once the onions start to soften,
add some frozen beans, carrots and sweetcorn to the pan, or use vegetables that
you have on hand. Fry them until defrosted.
The beans were my own, blanched
and frozen and needing clearing from the freezer. I have memories of my
long-suffering children helping me to slice crates of sweetcorn off the cob
with my electric carving knife before freezing them last Summer. Now that the
new harvest is coming, it's time to clear the last of them from the freezer
too.
Shake up the remains of an almost
empty jar of apricot jam with a half jar of hot water and pour it in. You could
shake up any tasty almost empty jar -
mayonnaise, jam, chutney or mustard. No suitable jars? Then just add a dollop
of your favourite flavor and some water, or just use stock.
All the while gently stir
the mixture in the pan. Add some fresh cream, about half a cup. Liquid
quantities are not important, as you will adjust them as you go.
Sprinkle some risotto rice over
the pan. My mother-in-law taught me to use a handful of rice per person and one
extra for the pan.
Keep stirring the risotto as it
simmers. You will soon see if you need to add more liquid for the rice to
absorb.
If it looks a little dry still,
slosh in some wine and chicken or vegetable stock.
Season with salt and pepper and
add your favourite herbs or spices. I used some smoked paprika because its smoky
flavor is great with bacon.
Keep simmering, stirring, and
adjusting the liquid if you need to, until the rice is cooked through, but
still with a bit of a bite to it.
Tuck in to a tasty family
meal.
This recipe is truly ELASTIC and
you can adjust it to whatever you are clearing from your garden. pantry, fridge
or freezer. Avoid unwanted science experiments in your fridge. Plan your meals according to
what needs using the most.
USE IT, DON"T LOSE
IT.
I always try to choose flavours
that compliment each other. Apricot jam and bacon sing together.
ELASTIC GARDEN RISOTTO:
Be creative with flavor families. Use your basic
garden vegetables, making sure to throw in heaps of marrows, but vary the
spices, herbs and meat according to what you have and need to use....
Go THAI with coconut milk, green curry, asian
greens and strips of chicken,
or ITALIAN with garlic, parmesan, tomato, peppers,
oregano and bits of salami.
How about FRENCH with brinjal, peppers, tomato,
mixed herbs, bacon and garlic.
For a VEGETARIAN version use cooked chickpeas or
beans for protein.
Mmm, I am thinking lentils and CURRY spices, but
then that would need a different rice, basmati maybe....
The variations are as abundant as your imagination.
In fact, the flexibility of this recipe makes it perfect to add to my list of
BACK TO BASICS recipes.
