Fun Fearless Foodie

After months of hard work, preparation, and anticipation the time has finally arrived for me to begin working in the kitchen at L’Ecole, the restaurant of the French Culinary Institute (FCI).  The idea of working in a restaurant kitchen always scared me a bit.  Me, working the line, making food to order that people are actually paying for? I always sort of envisioned it as this hectic, crazed experience that requires strength, speed, and an absence of fear, something I would never be cut out for. And after working three dinner shifts I discovered that’s exactly what it’s like.  But here’s the crazy thing—sometime in the last seven months this former human resources director and cooking enthusiast has transformed into a fast, fearless, no nonsense, honest-to-goodness cook.  Is this really me?!

The education I’ve received at FCI has been outstanding, and my readiness and adaptability to work in the kitchen is a true testament to the curriculum and instructors that have been guiding me and my classmates for the last seven months. But I would be remiss not to mention how hard I’ve been working up until now to get myself ready for this next big adventure. I can honestly say I’ve never worked so hard in my life at something, and I’m really proud of what I’m able to do.  But enough about me, my horn, and all that tooting…

The the last two levels of the Culinary Arts program require you to work in a rotation of stations in the kitchen, switching stations every fifth class.  My first assignment is working the entremetier station—responsible for preparing vegetable dishes and nightly specials.  One could argue that I caught a lucky break in starting out here, the dishes aren’t as involved or popular as say, saucier (meat) and poissonner (fish), and my partner and I certainly have a more relaxed pace then some of our other classmates, but we have our own challenges as well.  Most notable is the fact that we have to come up with the nightly vegetable plate—an entree alternative for vegetarians—on our own.  This is one of the few stations where you get to express your creativity as most other stations are responsible for set dishes.

I volunteered to prepare the vegetable plate for Thursday night’s dinner service with the idea of making a roasted cauliflower risotto.  Cauliflower is one of the few vegetables that is in season right now in New York, along with broccoli, brussels sprouts, turnips, onions, and winter squashes.  On the surface these are not the most sexy members of the locavore bunch, but with some nice olive oil, fresh herbs, and the magic of the Maillard reaction, even the humble cauliflower can be delicious, taking on a nutty flavor when roasted.  Risotto seemed like the perfect bed for the roasted vegetables.  Something about the creamy mouthfeel that you get from the starch combined with the slight bite from the al dente rice provides a rich and filling contrast to the vegetables, and gives the diner—whether vegetarian or not—the satisfaction of enjoying an entree sans protein that is as filling as their neighbor’s.

My original plan was to prepare the risotto the traditional way, with butter, onions, and nutty Parmesan cheese, but our new instructor, Chef Nick, suggested adding mascarpone and créme fraiche for an even richer and creamier texture, which of course was sinfully delicious.  He also gave me the idea to add brussels sprout leaves and some roasted butternut squash for added color and flavor, which was a great idea since my original concept would have been a bit beige.  I tossed in some golden raisins reconstituted in white wine for a sweet, acidic balance to all the cream, and we fried sage leaves for an herb garnish.  Not forgetting the importance of contrasting textures, toasted pine nuts were sprinkled on top for crunch.

I could not have been more pleased with the completed dish. The risotto came out creamy and al dente, and the vegetables, unglamorous as they may be, really shined brightly. All the components complimented one another and the feedback from my classmates and chef instructors was positive.  Dinner service went off without a hitch and we had at least 10 orders come through.  It was really exciting to think that 10 different people thought my dish sounded delicious enough to order—and pay for!

This is the perfect example of a winter meal that will comfort you and give you a good excuse to eat vegetables in season.  Like pasta, risotto is an easy dish to get creative with, throw in whatever vegetables, herbs, nuts, and cheeses you have on hand and experiment with flavors.  The recipe below lists approximate measurements, it’s merely a guide, so feel free to go heavy with the things you like and light on the things you aren’t so crazy about.  Once you get the technique for making risotto down the possibilities are endless!

Roasted Winter Vegetable Risotto

Risotto is often regarded as a dish you make only when you have time to guard the stove, but using the restaurant-style technique below you can prepare it in advance and finish when you’re ready to eat, all in a matter of minutes, thus making this a perfect dish to serve at your next dinner party.

Makes 4 (main course) portions

This was a shot of what was left at the end of the night, not quite as pretty as what was served, but you get the idea. Just imagine roasted veg and fried sage on top.

Ingredients

For the risotto

• Unsalted butter
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 2 cups Arborio or Carnaroli rice
• White wine
• Chicken or vegetable stock (you will need roughly 8 cups)
• Salt
• Freshly ground pepper

For the vegetables

• 1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets
• 1 cup brussels sprout leaves
• 1 small butternut squash, medium dice
• olive oil
• lemon juice
• Fresh thyme leaves
• Salt
• Freshly ground pepper

To finish

• Unsalted butter
• Parmesan cheese, grated
• Mascarpone cheese
• Créme fraiche (substitute with sour cream if you can’t find in your grocer)
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• Olive oil
• Fresh sage leaves
• Pine nuts, toasted
• Parmesan cheese, shaved

Directions

For the risotto

1. Bring stock to a boil, reduce heat to low, and keep warm on the stove.
2. Melt a spoonful of butter in a deep saute pan or saucepan over medium heat until it begins to foam; add onions, sprinkle with salt, and saute until onions are translucent, but not browned. Toss rice with onions and butter and toast for a few minutes, making sure all the rice is coated with butter (add more if needed).
3. Pour in enough white wine to cover the rice half way and deglaze, making sure to stir vigorously and loosen any pieces stuck to the bottom of the pan; let the wine reduce until it’s almost dry.
4. Add a ladle-full of hot stock and briskly simmer, stirring, until stock has been absorbed. Continue simmering and adding hot stock, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and waiting until each addition has been absorbed before adding the next. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If you want to hold it and finish closer to serving time, stop when the rice is about 75% of the way done, it should still have a crunchy bite and be a little creamy.  Spoon the risotto onto a sheet tray lined with parchment paper and let cool.  Once cool, transfer into a storage container and place in the refrigerator until ready to use.

For the vegetables

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Toss the cauliflower florets with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and thyme leaves.  Place on a sheet tray and roast in the oven until golden brown and cooked through.  Keep an eye on the cauliflower to ensure it doesn’t burn, it helps if you toss the florets a few times in the middle of roasting to get an even color. Add a little more oil or cover with aluminum foil if they are browning too quickly.
3. Repeat the same process for the butternut squash.
4. To remove the leaves from the brussels sprouts, remove the stem and core using a pairing knife, then carefully peel back leaves. Prepare a bowl of ice water. Bring a pot of water to a boil.  Once boiling, salt heavily until the water tastes like the sea. Drop in brussels sprout leaves and cook until tender, it should only take a few minutes.  When cooked, remove using a slotted spoon and drop directly into the ice water to shock and stop the cooking process, this will help them keep their bright green color.  Strain in a colander and let air dry.

To finish

1. Place raisins into a heat-safe bowl;bring wine to a boil; remove from heat and pour over raisins. Let sit for at least 10 minutes. Strain and discard wine (or save for later use).
2. Saute sage leaves in olive oil until they are crispy, but not brown. Let drain on a paper towel and reserve for garnish.
3. Place cooled risotto into a saucepan with a 1/2 a cup of stock over medium heat, stirring frequently.  Continue to add more stock, a little at a time, until the risotto is heated through and has a creamy, but not loose, texture. Stir in butter, raisins, Parmesan cheese, mascarpone, and créme fraiche (it should be creamy and rich). Season to taste. Add cooked vegetables, reserving some for garnish.
4. To plate, place two spoonfuls of risotto into a hot, shallow bowl, shave a few slices of Parmesan on top, sprinkle with pine nuts and roasted vegetables, and top with a piece of fried sage.