Tuesday, September 02, 2008

Saundra's Risorta!

Okay, so yeah, I'm sorta starting a trend in my house where all the food is Mock this, or Mock that. I have only one reason why...
I HATE GROCERY SHOPPING!
So...I use what I have in my house to make what I want for dinner, no matter if I have the right ingredients or not.
So... I really wanted to make Risotto one night. We hadn't had it in a really long time... and it sounded good.
I didn't have have Orzo. Ya kinda need Orzo Pasta to make Risotto... or so I thought!
I ALWAYS have brown rice around, either cooked or dry... so I decided to try it, and give it an American twist.
It was sooo yummy!
The kids LOVED IT!
Now, I can't truly call it a Risotto, so I will call it a Risorta. Get it? Risotto sorta? Risorta?
Oh whatever!
So here's the recipe for Risorta Saundra Style.
1 recipe of Bechamel Sauce (that's fancy words for white sauce)
{{{5 tbs butter, 1/2 cup flour, 4 cups milk = melt butter, add flour and cook it down for 2 minutes stirring constantly, add milk slowly while whisking, stir until thickened and bubbly... that's Bechamel!}}}
To the thickened Bechamel Sauce add
3 cups cooked Brown Rice
1&1/2 cups cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shrimp (or not if you don't like 'em)
1 cup chopped broccoli
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Stir until all thickened a bubbly and hot.
That's it! Serve with green salad!
***
You can add anything you like... mushrooms, peas, chicken, Parmigiano cheese, gruyere cheese,
Salmon, the sky is the limit!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

actually, you are closer to the real deal with the brown rice. Italians use arborio rice lightly fried in the pan and then slowly add broth to it until it is all soaked up. I think you just inspired me to cook risotto tonight! Thanks!

Sandra said...

You are so right Lindsay! When I was in Italy, they had boxes of it stored in their cold cellars.

I forgot all about that. It tends to be a Northern Italian dish, and my parents are from the southern part and white sauces in the 60's were unheard of.

Anonymous said...

Yummy, thanks for the great ideas.