Just some recipes I like

Guest blogger! The stage is yours:

I am going to skip the informative posting part, and get straight to the recipes, because these are a few favorites I need to share with the world, and most notably Sam and Natalyo.

First, as always, a cocktail. This one's called a Mango Sour. I found the recipe in a Gourmet magazine cookbook.

You need: Vodka, Mango Nectar, lemon juice, and ice. It's easy, basically just combine those four things however you like it. It's best if you shake the mixture then add it to a cup of ice. Drunkeness is directly related to the amount of Vodka you add. This was probably obvious but now you know for sure.

Okay, next thing, RISOTTO. I found this recipe in a Jamie Oliver cookbook, called The Naked Chef Takes Off. This one's a little wordy but not as hard as it seems.

RISOTTO!!!

INGREDIENTS

5 Cups vegetable, chicken, or fish stock. I used bullion cubes cause I'm classy like that.
Baby portabello mushrooms (I used a whole package)
2.5 heads of garlic
3 shallots or 2 medium onions, finely chopped
1/2 a head of celery, finely chopped
14 oz. medium grain rice, such as arborio (I used brown rice-not a great idea, because it takes longer)
2 wineglasses of dry white vermouth or dry white wine
sea salt and black pepper
5 T butter
4 oz. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 handful fresh thyme leaves
2 T mascarpone cheese


1: Heat the stock. Roast the remaining garlic heads (which should be whole and unpeeled if possible) on a dish in a 450 degree oven for a 25 minutes to a half hour until they are soft.

2: In a separate pan heat the olive oil, add the shallots or onions, and 2 finely chopped cloves of garlic, and the celery. Fry slowly for about 4 mins. When veggies softened, add rice and turn up the heat.

3: Keep stirring the rice as it fries, and once it looks slightly translucent, add the vermouth/wine and KEEP STIRRING. The alcohol evaporates and what's left tastes AMAZING. Jamie knows what he's talking about.

4: Once the liquor has cooked into the rice, add your first ladle of hot stock and some salt. Turn the heat to a simmer. Keep adding ladles of stock, stirring the creamy starch from the rice, allowing each ladle to be absorbed before adding the next. Add the thyme and the mushrooms as well. Should take about 15 minutes. Taste the rice before you decide it's done! Believe me, you will want to. Continue adding stock until the rice is soft but with a slight bite.

5: Remove from heat, add the butter, some Parmesan, and the Mascarpone. Stir gently, then lid the pan and let sit for a few minutes. It should be creamy and oozy...eat right away!



The other recipe you need to try is pretty basic, and one my sister tried the other day that was wildly successful.

ROASTED CHICKEN WITH VEGGIES AND WHATNOT

INGREDIENTS

You need chicken-preferably something with skin and bones but if you're the boneless type then follow your heart.
several Shallots or 4 onions (just get shallots!!!)
1 Garlic head, peeled
Carrots-lots of them.
Potatoes-the cute little red kind.
TONS OF FRESH ROSEMARY.

Place the chicken in a baking dish, and douse it in olive oil. (BTW, you need olive oil..forgot to mention that earlier). Add salt and pepper if you're into that. Chop the rosemary and distribute across the chicken. Slice the carrots and throw them in, then the potatoes, then separate the garlic but there's no need to chop it. Add the shallots, which should be cut in half at least...if you are using onions instead then cut in four pieces. Now cover your baking dish with tin foil, cook it until it's done ('bout a half hour) and the EAT IT. Pretty simple, and very delicious.


Bon apetit!

-Fork