Risotto

So the only thing better in Kevin's mind than fresh and well-made risotto is getting to enjoy it fried up the next day. One of his fellow professors challenged us to make an Italian dish for a department-wide picnic. I searched the pasta book the deacon's gave me as a parting gift--but when I realized it was a lunch picnic, I also realized I didn't have enough time to make fresh pasta. Risotto it was! My favorite recipe is this one from cooking light--it never let's me down.

It was actually a great picnic food. I timed it to take it straight from the pot to the serving dish at the picnic. Plus, it was the first time we got to use our balsamic vinegar from Italy (and I learned that if you get the really good stuff, aged 6 years or more, no reduction is needed at all. Our cooking class told us that was an American thing to do with watered down balsamic).

So tonight, we rolled up the leftover risotto into fist-sized balls, rolled them in egg and whole wheat crumbs panko crumbs, and fried them lightly. Delicious.

I have done breadcrumbs before, but I have learned that panko crumbs soak up less grease and leave a crunchier taste with less frying. Some people also put in a bite of cheese in the middle of their risotto balls, but this had enough mozzarella in it already. I also learned that if you use fresh mozzarella cheese in the risotto recipe, you don't need nearly as much as the recipe says it does. Not that anyone minded the extra cheese! (not in this family anyway!).

I have learned (finally) how to take pictures from my camera and post them to my site. I been in the dark ages, having a phone without bluetooth for so long! No more--so many more pictures to come!