midweek roundup

​As I walked through Wegmans last Sunday, I was trying to think of what I could prepare for supper that evening. As I passed through the seafood department I thought Shrimp Risotto would be a great alternative to beef or chicken. This time instead of purchasing wild caught, uncooked shrimp, I opted for something I haven’t seen before in the frozen seafood case, Wegmans Large Raw Shrimp, Peeled and Deveined Tail Off. The shrimp are farm raised in the United States, no chemical or antibiotics with a price of $12.99 for a pound of shrimp. The shrimp are 43 per bag, a bit smaller than the fresh, but considering I was using them for a risotto, I thought the size would be fine.
 
The recipe came from the website Epicurious and is an old recipe from the long-gone magazine, Gourmet from February 1998. For the recipe you’ll need chicken broth, dry white wine, butter, minced garlic, dried crushed red pepper, uncooked shrimp, onion, arborio rice and fresh parsley. I find using my LeCreuset braiser works the best for this task. The enameled cast iron offers good heat distribution and makes clean up a cinch. Also, for this recipe, I used homemade shrimp stock. 

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The recipe starts by sauteing the shrimp in butter, garlic and crushed red pepper until just pink. Some wine is added and a few more minutes in the pan, and the shrimp are done. Next it was on to “standard procedure” for making risotto i.e. butter in the pan, coat the rice and then begin adding and stirring in the stock. It takes anywhere from 25-30 minutes for the rice to be al dente.
 
The risotto came out perfectly! The shrimp were excellent and bite size. I’m glad I made shrimp stock as the risotto had a wonderful, rich flavor. Risotto requires patience and lots of stirring as you want the rice to release its starch which gives the dish its creaminess. If you’re looking for a special dish for Mom this weekend, this would be the choice I would go for.
 
Another easy recipe that Mom may enjoy is also from the website Epicurious, Sweet-and-Saucy Pork Chops. My local Whole Foods has on special (May 5th through May 10th) Bone-in Pork Loin Chops for $4.99/lb. I’ve purchased these before and they are delicious. Beside the pork chops you’ll also need salt, sugar, extra-virgin olive oil, a shallot, fresh garlic, red wine vinegar, fresh rosemary sprigs, drained capers and unsalted butter.
 
The pork chops turned out succulent and tender. A bit of sugar is sprinkled on the pork chops, along with salt, which helps the pork brown. The sauce is made with shallots, garlic, red wine vinegar and sugar. With rosemary adding herbaceous notes, the capers make it savory. The ingredients in total make a delightful agrodolce sauce, meaning its both sour and sweet.
 
This recipe will take approximately 30 minutes to prepare giving you plenty of time to make a side dish or two or a side and a salad.
 
One last dish that I recommend for Mother’s Day is Maple Roasted Chicken. This recipe is from chef Millie Peartree was featured on The New York Times Cooking app. Although this recipe called for chicken thighs, I found a spatchcock chicken at my local Wegmans store and merely adjusted the roasting time. Using an instant read thermometer is the best way to determine when meat is cooked to the proper temperature.  For this recipe you’ll need to allow time to brine the chicken. You can do this for as short as one hour or as I did, overnight.
 
For the recipe you’ll need bone-in, skin on chicken thighs, pure maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder, smoke paprika, kosher salt, olive oil, ground black pepper, cinnamon and ground fennel.
 
The marinade imparted a delectable flavor into the chicken. The small amount of maple syrup and olive oil on the exterior turned the chicken a beautiful golden brown. To finish off the chicken, a glaze is applied and the chicken is placed under the broiler for approximately a minute. Oh my gosh, this was scrumptious! I wish I let the chicken stay under the broiler just a minute more. The glaze, made of more maple syrup, cinnamon, salt, fennel and smoked paprika not only gave the chicken a delicious taste, but created an amber glow to the skin. I made sure I grabbed a chicken wing from the cutting board, delish! I think wings brined and glazed using this recipe then tossed on a barbecue grill would be outrageous. This is a terrific recipe; I can’t wait to make it again. I think this would be a perfect Mother’s Day meal. Suggested accompaniments to the chicken are baked russet or yams and for a vegetable, roasted Brussel sprouts or asparagus. 

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Shrimp Risotto
Bon Appétit Magazine
February 1998 Issue
 
Makes 2 Servings
 
5 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
3/4 cup dry white wine
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1/2-pound uncooked large shrimp, peeled, deveined
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 1/2 cups arborio rice* or medium-grain white rice
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
 
*Arborio, an Italian short-grain rice, is available at Italian markets and many supermarkets.
 

1. Bring broth and 1/4 cup wine to simmer in medium saucepan. Reduce heat; keep hot. 
2. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in medium skillet over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon garlic and crushed red pepper, then shrimp. Sauté until shrimp begin to turn pink, about 2 minutes. Add remaining 1/2 cup wine. Simmer until shrimp are just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Drain shrimp, reserving cooking liquid.
   
3. Melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and remaining 1 teaspoon garlic; sauté until onion is pale golden, about 4 minutes. Add rice and stir to coat, about 2 minutes. Add 2 cups broth mixture. Simmer until liquid is absorbed, stirring often. Continue adding broth mixture 1 cup at a time, stirring often and simmering until liquid is absorbed before adding more, about 20 minutes. Stir in reserved shrimp cooking liquid. Cook until rice is just tender and mixture is creamy, about 5 minutes longer. Remove from heat. 
4. Stir shrimp and 2 tablespoons parsley into risotto. Season risotto to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowls. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons parsley.

shrimp_risotto_from_bon_appetit_magazine_february_1998.pdf
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Sweet-and-Saucy Pork Chops
By Chris Morocco
Bon Appétit Magazine, September 2019 issue
 
Servings: 2
 
INGREDIENTS
2 (1"-thick) bone-in pork rib chops (look for the most marbled ones you can find, preferably with some fat cap too)
Kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp. sugar, divided
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 large shallot, chopped
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3 sprigs rosemary
1 Tbsp. drained capers
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces
 
Directions

1. Season pork chops with salt and sprinkle evenly with 1/2 tsp. sugar. Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Cook chops, undisturbed, until well browned underneath, about 3 minutes. Turn and cook just until second side is lightly browned, about 1 minute. Transfer chops to a plate (they won’t be fully cooked); reduce heat to medium.
2. Pour remaining 1 Tbsp. oil into same skillet and add shallot and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until softened and just beginning to brown, about 3 minutes.
3. Add vinegar and remaining 1 tsp. sugar to skillet. Cook, swirling pan occasionally, until vinegar is nearly evaporated, about 2 minutes.
4. Add rosemary, capers, and 1/2 cup water to skillet; season with salt. Reduce heat as needed to maintain a very low simmer. Add butter and swirl pan continuously (and vigorously) until sauce becomes smooth, glossy, and emulsified.
5. Return pork chops to skillet, arranging darker side up. Simmer gently in sauce, swirling occasionally, until chops are cooked through, about 3 minutes (a thermometer inserted near the bones should register 135°F).
6. Transfer pork chops to plates and spoon sauce over.

sweet_and_saucy_pork_chops.pdf
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Maple Roasted Chicken
By Millie Peartree
From New York Times Cooking/The New York Times
 
Yield: 4 to 6 Servings
Time: 45 minutes, plus brining
 
INGREDIENTS
 
FOR THE CHICKEN THIGHS:
8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 3 pounds)
¼ cup pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
 
PREPARATION
 

1. Using paper towels, pat the chicken dry and trim off any excess fat. Place in a large resealable plastic bag or medium bowl with a lid.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika and 2 tablespoons salt. Pour into the bag with the chicken, seal and refrigerate overnight or for at least 1 hour.
3. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Pull the brined chicken out of the fridge, drain off the brine and pat the chicken dry. On a rimmed sheet pan, rub the chicken with the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and the pepper.
4. Set it skin side up and roast for 25 to 35 minutes, or until the juices run clear when pierced and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
5. As the chicken roasts, make the glaze: Add the maple syrup, cinnamon, salt, fennel, paprika and ½ cup water to a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the mixture has reduced and thickened enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.
6. Brush the cooked thighs with the glaze and set under the broiler for 30 seconds to 1 minute, keeping an eye on the glaze as it is quick to burn. Serve hot.

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