Showing posts with label gluten free. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gluten free. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Gluten Free Spaghetti with Mushroom Bolognese

Every month I look forward to the arrival of my new Food & Wine magazine.  The covers are always tantalizing.  The celebrity Q&A surprises me most months as I assume all celebrities never actually do anything as mundane for themselves as cooking.  (So and So can do what?) And the Editors' Top 10 Objects. There are usually at least one or two items I'm not sure how I ever lived with out.  Really. Seriously! I DO need the "Chicken Shaped"  Food jewelry.  See March 2016 pg 18.  (A blatant hint for my dear husband)

Page 86 of the March issue.  Mushroom Bolognese!  The photo of the dish in the magazine made me warm and fuzzy and sent me back.  Transported back to a comfortable, safe haven.  Saturday dinners with Dad.  As a teen, I remember Dad and I making Kraft Italian Style Spaghetti from a box.  We always doctored up the the recipe, adding meat and more mushrooms and more spices. It was a fun bonding time of father and daughter.  Page 86 reminded me of my comfort food but without the beef.


The next best thing about this recipe is it required very little altering to fit our dietary restrictions (elimination of the sugar ingredient and the use of gluten free pasta) and some of its ingredients could, in some form, come from my very own garden!  Fresh carrots, baby eggplant and tomatoes, tomatoes. tomatoes!  Doesn't it taste better when you've grown it yourself!

Stubby raised bed carrots.  They are meant to be this short and aren't they cute!


INGREDIENTS
·         1/4 cup dried porcini mushrooms
·         6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
·         1 small onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
·         2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
·         1 baby eggplant (8 ounces), peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
·         1 pound cremini mushrooms, one-fourth sliced, the rest cut into 1/4-inch dice (FYI, Cremini and Baby Bellas are the same thing.  I NEVER knew!)
·         8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps cut into 1/4-inch dice
·         Kosher salt
·         Pepper
·         5 garlic cloves, minced
·         2 tablespoons tomato paste
·         1 tablespoon white miso
·         One 2-inch chunk of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus grated cheese for serving
·         One 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed
·         1 thyme sprig
·         12 ounces brown rice spaghetti
·         2 tablespoons chopped parsley
HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE
1.     In a small bowl, cover the porcini with 1 cup of boiling water; soak until softened, about 30 minutes. Finely chop the porcini, discarding any tough bits. Pour off and reserve 1/2 cup of the soaking liquid.
Shitakes, creminis, porcinis, garlic, onion and carrot from my own garden
2.     In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the onion and carrots and cook over moderate heat until light golden, about 8 minutes. Add the eggplant and 2 tablespoons of the oil and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 8 minutes. Stir in the cremini, shiitake, chopped porcini and the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste and miso and cook for 2 minutes. Add the chunk of cheese, the tomatoes and their juices, the thyme, sugar and reserved mushroom soaking liquid and bring to a simmer.
3. Cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is very thick, about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Discard the thyme sprig; season the sauce with salt and pepper.
Hearty and flavorful.  One would never know it was vegetarian!
4.In a pot of salted boiling water, cook the spaghetti until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta water.
5.     Add the pasta, pasta water and parsley to the sauce; toss to coat. Serve in bowls, topped with grated cheese.
MAKE AHEAD

The mushroom Bolognese can be refrigerated for 2 days.
Delicious

Sunday, February 28, 2016

Lamb Rogan Josh

My husband and I are both big fans of lamb protein and in various cuts, not just the pricey chops or loin.  We love ground lamb (our Lamb Ragout recipe will be coming soon to a blag near you) and lamb shoulder.  Usually we grill the lamb shoulder but then I stumbled on this Persian lamb recipe from Food & Wine. The deep, heavy spices and slow cook time make this a very rich and flavorful, hearty dish.

Forgive my blurry photo and sloppy plating...it was getting late and we were HUNGRY!


INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup coconut oil
2 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 1-inch pieces
Himalayan pink sea salt
2 onions, thinly sliced (3 cups)
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Madras curry powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 bay leaves
One 14-ounce can tomato puree
1 cup coconut milk
1 cups water
1 teaspoon garam masala
Cilantro leaves, for garnish
Brown rice, for serving

On this third round of testing my husband picked up lamb loin chops but it words wonderfully well with lamb shoulder

HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE

In a large, enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the oil. Season the lamb with salt and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until the lamb is browned, about 12 minutes; using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate.

Browning in the lamb.



Add the onions to the casserole and cook over moderate heat until lightly browned, 4 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic, curry, turmeric, cayenne and bay leaves and cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomato, coconut milk and water; bring to a boil. Season with salt.
The lamb returned to the casserole dish where it will cook for roughly another hour.
Return the lamb and any juices to the casserole. Cover partially and simmer over low heat until the lamb is very tender, 1 hour. Stir in the garam masala; cook for 5 minutes. Discard the bay leaves. Garnish with cilantro. Serve with rice.

Saturday, January 23, 2016

Garlic & Greens Spaghetti - Because Garlic Fest is just around the corner

GARLIC!!!!!!GARLIC!!!!!!!!GARLIC!!!!!!!!

Last year, by virtue of a glitch is the cosmos, I was asked to fill in as a guest judge at the Delray Beach Garlic Festival.  I suspect is was the universe pointing to one of the true lovers of all things garlic because clearly it was not pointing to a public speaker.  This year, another judge must have fallen into a black hole, as I was asked, again. to participate as a Judge.  (Someone seriously needs to do a better vetting process if I'm asked to speak with a microphone in hand)

In any event, to ready myself for the challenge I have re-invented Garlic & Greens Spaghetti from the Food Network Magazine Cookbook, Great Easy Meals. (Page 277 for those who want the original recipe)

This dish has everything my husband and I love.  GARLIC in abundance.  Fresh greens.  And, Pasta.

The modifications to this recipe were minimal.  We, of course, added more garlic than required and less EVOO.  We found adding two onions to the dish made it too sweet and lessened the recipe it to just one.  If you have followed us before, the standard pasta is replaced with brown rice pasta. (An FYI, we also tried it with linguine but much preferred the spaghetti version)

We attempted this recipe twice.  Once with grilled pork and the second time with blackened shrimp on top.  Both were delicious.  Both would be made again.

The original recipe suggests par boiling the greens, however we omitted that step.  I preferred to saute the greens in the onion/EVOO.  I hate to lose any nutritional value in the water bath and we both love sauted greens.


Ingredients
20 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onions, halved and sliced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or more to taste
Kosher salt
12 cups torn winter greens, such as kale, chard, escarole or mustard greens (about 2 1/2 pounds)
12 ounces brown rice spaghetti 
1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese


Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, cook the garlic in the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and crisp, about 3 minutes. (Be careful not to over-brown the garlic or it will taste bitter.) Using a slotted spoon, transfer the garlic chips to a paper-towel-lined plate. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons oil into a small bowl to use as a dip for crusty bread, if desired. 

Is there any better smell than a saute pan full of garlic?


When the water is boiling, Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente.  Our brand of pasta takes about 15 min.
Brown Rice Pasta has a different cooking method than traditional pasta.  Be sure to follow the instructions


Add the onions and red pepper flakes to the oil in the pan; cook, stirring, until the onions are light brown, about 10 minutes. Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt. When the onions are almost done, add the greens and cook, uncovered, until just tender,stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
Greens and onion mixture with Garlic waiting in the background.

When the pasta is done, remove and reserve about 1 cup cooking water; drain the pasta and transfer to a serving bowl. Add the cheese and toss. Add the greens and some of the reserved pasta water and toss, adding more water as necessary to keep the pasta from clumping. Top with the garlic chips and protein of choice.
Almost ready to serve


Garlic & Greens with Blackened Shrimp

Garlic & Greens with grilled pork

Friday, February 21, 2014

Fragrant South Indian Beef Curry

Since starting this blog at the beginning of the year I have come to the conclusion that most recipes need the "three times at bat" rule.  The big exception to that was the Chile Spiced Skirt Steak Taco Recipe.  That won me and my family over on the first try and we keep going back to it time and again.  Since not every recipe is going to be that captivating here is my plan:
  • First try:  Follow the recipe as closely as possible omitting or substituting only absolutely when necessary to stick with our dietary restrictions.  (Coconut Oil for Canola Oil is a good example)
  • Second Round:  This is where I either liked the recipe and try it again to make sure you followed it correctly or I  mix it up to make improvements.
  • Round Three:  Is where I either experiment with sides or re-try my round two improvements.
The Fragrant South Indian Beef Curry recipe required all three rounds, even though I changed very little. (As noted, I switched out the steamed rice and used Quinoa and, of course, went with the healthier Coconut Oil)  The reasons for all three rounds:  I can't decide if I like this dish or not.  I clearly don't dislike it since I made it three times but I'm also on the fence about liking the very strong "fragrant" flavors.  Star anise is a very new ingredient for me and wow, does it pack some seriously strong, perfume-y flavor.  Should I eat it or dab it behind my ears?

Either way, the dish does smell amazing while cooking!  If you give it a try I would love comments back to see what you think.
Curry with a side of steamed brocolli

Fragrant South Indian Beef Curry


2 tablespoons canola oil Coconut Oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
12 fresh curry leaves or 2 bay leaves
6 garlic cloves, grated
4 teaspoons finely grated peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon tomato paste dissolved in 1/2 cup of water
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
4 small dried hot chiles
4 star anise pods
Two 3-inch cinnamon sticks
1 3/4 pounds boneless beef short ribs, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
Salt
In a medium enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onion and curry leaves and cook over moderate heat until lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Stir in the dissolved tomato paste along with the coriander, garam masala, cayenne, turmeric, dried chiles, star anise and cinnamon sticks. Add the ribs, season with salt and stir until coated with spices. Cover partially and cook over very low heat until the meat is tender, about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Spoon off as much fat as possible and discard the star anise, cinnamon sticks and bay leaves, if using.
MAKE AHEAD
The beef curry can be refrigerated overnight.
SERVE WITHSteamed rice. Quinoa
SUGGESTED PAIRING
Spiced, dark-berried red. We went with our usual Rex Goliath Malbec.  Its heavy, fruity flavor worked well with the hot, spicy, perfume-y beef and this curry dish needs a wine that can stand up to its bold flavor.

Food & Wine Annual Cookbook 2013, page 212

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Poached Eggs in Red Wine Sauce

I'm not sure this dish was intended as a breakfast dish, but at our house, why not.

As mentioned below, I used a Malbec for the sauce.  Specifically Rex Goliath 47 lb Rooster Malbec.  We just discovered this crazy reasonable red (Malbec is new to Rex) and really enjoyed the deep, berry flavors. This wine really holds up well and worked very well in the sauce.

This recipe kept me sticking pretty close the original.  The usual coconut oil and almond flour were the substitutions.  I did cut back on the amount of oil.  They had me using it to fry bacon.  Seriously? Who cooks greasy bacon in oil?  Unnecessary. Done.  The other change was not one of choice but rather availability.  Apparently in my area the frozen pearl onion is a rare as a big foot sighting.

In any event, the dish was fabulous!  I love being able to use fresh herbs from the garden.  The wine sauce itself has this great depth and is almost addicting. (My husband and I were trying to find other things we could put it on.)  The separately cooked  eggs, veggies and bacon were so flavorful and I liked being able to distinguish each individual flavor.  It made each bite was a real treat.
Bacon, sauce in a pan and the onions and mushrooms.



Poached Eggs in Red Wine Sauce
One 750-milliliter bottle Pinot Noir (told ya there would be more wine!)  I used a Malbec as that is what I had on hand.
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 medium carrot, thinly sliced
3 thyme sprigs
1 parsley sprig
1 bay leaf
1 garlic clove
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened coconut oil
1 tablespoon all-purpose almond flour
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 pound white mushrooms, quartered
2 thick slices of bacon, cut crosswise 1/2 inch thick
3/4 cup frozen pearl onions (4 ounces), thawed and patted dry (I opted for Florida Sweet onion chopped into large chunks due to two factors:  Availability of the FL onion and lack of availability of the pearl)*
8 large eggs
Four 1/2-inch-thick slices of rustic country bread, halved crosswise and toasted  Quinoa or Gluten Free Toast
Chervil sprigs or chopped parsley, for garnish

In a medium saucepan, combine the wine with the onion, carrot, thyme, parsley, bay leaf and garlic and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderately high heat until reduced by half, 12 to 15 minutes. Strain the wine through a fine sieve and return it to the saucepan; discard the vegetables and herbs.

In a small bowl, blend 2 tablespoons of the coconut oil with the flour to form a paste. Bring the wine sauce to a boil and whisk in the flour paste. Simmer over moderate heat, whisking, until thickened, 2 minutes. Season the sauce with salt and pepper and keep warm.

In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of the coconut oil. Add the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until tender and browned, about 7 minutes; transfer to a large plate. In the same skillet, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of coconut oil. Add the bacon and cook over moderately high heat, turning once, until browned but not crisp, about 3 minutes; transfer to the plate.(I eliminated the oil here since we are cooking bacon.  Lets not go crazy with the oil, people)  Add the pearl onions to the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until tender and golden, about 5 minutes; transfer to the plate. Keep warm.

Bring a large, deep skillet of water to a simmer over moderate heat. Crack the eggs into a small bowl, one at a time, and carefully slide into the simmering water. Poach the eggs over moderate heat until the whites are set but the yolks are still slightly runny, about 4 minutes. Transfer the poached eggs to paper towels to drain.

We placed a serving of warm quiona on plates, set the eggs on top and spoon the red wine sauce over the eggs. Scatter the mushrooms, bacon and pearl onions around the plate, garnish with chervil sprigs and serve right away.  Next round I'm trying this dish on Sami's Gluten Free Flax & Millet bread.
Clearly I need to work on my food styling but I'm trying!


MAKE AHEAD: The red wine sauce can be refrigerated overnight. Reheat gently, adding a few tablespoons of water if it's too thick.
 *(Side note.  Always check your freezer to see if your husband graciously went out and bought the pearl onions you couldn't find.  Nothing like finding the bag days after I finished the recipe trial)

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Herbed Lamb Meatballs

When I had the idea for this blog, I was very much excited about the transformation of recipes. My main goal was to make regular recipes available for those of us following a gluten free, sugar free, dairy free lifestyle.  My first post required several attempts and a few tweaks here and there until I came up with an acceptable end result.

Since my hubby and I are HUGE fans of lamb, the Herbed Lamb Meatballs with Rich Tomato Sauce and ricotta (Food & Wine Magazine, January pg 96) seemed like the next great experiment.  Besides loving lamb, I really love recipes that are full of fun herbs I can pick directly from my garden and this recipe had that going for it.  Full of excitement, I read the ingredient list.  Marker in hand, I was ready to make my substitutions.

While this recipe IS delicious, it was a bittersweet read.  I WANTED to make substitutions and transformations and prove that eating in my new found "free zone" was doable.  I wanted to show change! And with this recipe, there was little to change.  And then it hit me...who said everything has to be changed?  This recipe (other than the ricotta topper) was good on its own. There was no need to change.  Proof that we can eat healthy and fun and tasty without turning our world upside down.

The recipe below does have a few tweaks but those had more to do with the state of my pantry than fitting into my diet.  I substituted coconut oil for the olive oil only because I was running low on Olive Oil.  And, as you will find out if you continue to follow, I only use Pink Himalayan Sea Salt.  Lastly, I added more wine.  I have a feeling I will be doing that a lot as well.
Herbed Lamb meatballs served with my homemade red cabbage slaw with capers.


Sauce

1/4 C Coconut Oil
4 large garlic cloves minced
1 C lightly packed basil leaves, torn
2 T oregano leaves
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
Two 20 oz cans whole Italian tomatoes with the juices, crushed
6 large anchovy fillets, chopped
1 C Red wine (this is totally my idea.  A good red sauce needs wine)
Himalayan sea salt and pepper
Meatballs
1/2 C raw almonds, finely chopped
1/2 C coconut milk
2 1/2 lbs ground lamb
2 large eggs, beaten lightly
1/4 C finely chopped basil leaves, plus whole leaves for garnish
1/4 C finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 T finely chopped mint
1 T finely chopped oregano
1 1/2 tsp finely chopped thyme
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 T dry red wine (just one T?  guess that means a glass for me while cooking)
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground fennel
1 1/2 T Himalayan sea salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 C coconut oil


Warning:  After an hour of cooking this sauce, your house will smell AMAZING!
MAKE THE SAUCE In a large saucepan, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the anchovies and cook until they basically "melt".  Next, add garlic, basil, oregano, bay leaves and red pepper and cook over moderately high heat for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and simmer over moderately low heat, stirring, until the tomatoes are saucy, 1 hour. Stir in the about a cup of red wine.
MAKE THE MEATBALLS In a bowl, cover the almonds with the milk and let stand until most of the milk has been absorbed, 30 minutes. Add all of the remaining ingredients except the whole basil leaves, olive oil and mix well. Form into 1 1/2-inch meatballs and transfer to a rimmed baking sheet.
In a skillet, heat the oil until shimmering. Working in batches, cook the meatballs over moderately high heat, turning, until nearly cooked through, 7 minutes per batch.  I had issues with the meatballs sticking to the pan.  De-glazing with a bit of red wine worked wonders.
Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer until cooked through, 8 minutes. Spoon into bowls, top with basil.
MAKE AHEAD The meatballs can be refrigerated in the sauce overnight.

SUGGESTED PAIRING from Food & WinE
Traditional Chianti Classicos, made with only Sangiovese, have an herbal edge that befits these meatballs.

While my initial plan was to have the suggested pairing on hand, that didn't happen with this recipe.  On hand at my house was BV Coastal Cab, a personal choice with heavier tomato based dishes.  The wine that WOULD have been my choice is BV Coastal Pinot Noir.  Unfortunately, it was sold out at my local liquor store.  Probably because Food & Wine named it a great wine under $10.

Friday, January 3, 2014

Pan Roasted Shrimp with Citrus and Quinoa Risotto with Lemon

Recently, on a flight from Wisconsin to Florida I picked up the January issue of Food & Wine Magazine to occupy my time.  For four hours I poured over the fabulous recipes and wine pairings.  As an avid cook, I couldn't wait to get home and fire up the stove.  The "note" section of my smartphone was now chock full of ingredients to Google, wine and ingredients to purchase. The car ride from airport to home must have sounded like an episode from Food Network.

My head was spinning with ideas.  While so many of the recipes in the magazine caught my attention, most had ingredients outside of my health zone.  I am not one willing to be bland and taste-less even though I have eliminated what some consider staples of a regular diet. (No Gluten, No GMO, No corn, No sugar, No dairy, No peanuts, No Soy)  It was time to reinvent a few wheels...and here we are.  My versions of fabulous recipes from Food & Wine fit in to my very structured lifestyle.

And, what better way to start this blog than with Shrimp.  Is it not one of the universally loved sea foods?  The original recipe can be found in Food & Wine Magazine January 2014, pg 71.  (Eliminated from the original recipe:  butter and grilled country bread.  Added to the recipe:  coconut oil.  Change to recipe:  Head On shrimp not used and I use Himalayan salt)

We found the this dish to be so delicious!  So delicious, in fact, that we made it two nights in a row just to make sure it met our flavor standards.  The dish is easy and flavorful.  The olives and citrus turned out to be a fabulous flavor combination which was very unexpected.

My Version of Pan Roast Shrimp with Citrus
1 Poblano pepper—halved, cored and thinly sliced crosswise
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup mixed pitted olives, chopped
Two 1/4-inch-thick slices of lemon, halved
Two 1/4-inch-thick slices of orange, halved
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
rosemary sprig
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup coconut oil
1 1/2 teaspoons pink Himalayan salt
1 1/2 pounds large shrimp
1.       Preheat the oven to 450°. In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients except the shrimp.
2.       Scrape the ingredients into a large ovenproof skillet and roast for 10 minutes.
3.       Remove from oven and add Add the shrimp and toss to evenly coat.  Cook another 10 min or until the shrimp are just cooked through. 

Since this dish originally was to be served with grilled country bread, I made a substitution of Quinoa, also a recipe from Food & Wine with some tweaks.  The original recipe can be found in Food & Wine Magazine January 2014, pg 70. 


My Version of Quinoa Risotto with Lemon and Roasted Tomatoes
( I really took more liberty with this dish since I wanted to service the shrimp dish over the risotto.  I'm sure it would be equally delicious with the tomato portion I eliminated)


   1 1/2 cups white quinoa, rinsed
2.     Kosher salt
3.     1/2 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
4.     6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
5.     1 1/2 teaspoons minced rosemary
6.     2 garlic cloves, minced
7.     Freshly ground pepper
8.     4 whole canned Italian tomatoes, drained and halved lengthwise
9.     1 lemon
10.  1 large shallot, finely chopped
11.  2 cups chicken stock
12.  1/4 cup crème fraîche, plus more for garnish ¼ cup coconut milk
13.  1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
14.  Finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
15.  Chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish
1.      In a saucepan, bring the quinoa with 2 1/2 cups of water and a large pinch of salt to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is tender, 20 minutes. Let stand covered for 15 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
2.     Peel the lemon with a sharp knife, being sure to remove all of the bitter white pith. Working over a bowl, cut in between the membranes to release the sections. Cut the lemon sections into 1/4-inch pieces.
3.     In a medium saucepan, heat the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil until shimmering. Add the shallot and garlic and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the rosemary and cook for 1 minute.
4.     Stir in the quinoa and stock and bring just to a boil. Simmer over moderate heat, stirring, until the quinoa is suspended in a thickened sauce, about 5 minutes. Stir in the 1/4 cup coconut milk, lemon zest, lemon sections. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon the risotto into bowls; serve.


Food and Wine says: Pair it with California Savignon Blanc.  
Clearly the magazine knows what they are talking about, it was a great choice.

A side note:  The lined through items are the eliminated ingredients in the Risotto recipe.  I'm guessing you guys could figure this out....but why leave anything to chance. 

I'm really excited about our next test:  Herbed Lamb Meatballs with Rich Tomato Sauce.