Weekend Foodie: A bank holiday risotto supper and some pastry treats for the kids
It’s the long St Patrick’s weekend, and time for some shenanigans in the kitchen! Risotto is one of my favourite things to make when you’ve time. It has a reputation for being difficult - but, like anything, it’s easy when you know how!
Chicken and Prawn Risotto
Ingredients (serves 4) Generous knob of butter 2 tbsp olive oil 400g mini chicken fillets, chopped 1 green pepper, seeded and chopped 12 cherry tomatoes, halved 1 tsp dried Italian mixed herb mix (optional) 300g risotto rice 1 ltr chicken stock, plus a little extra if necessary Extra Butter and grated Parmesan cheese to finish Method Melt butter with oil in a pan and add the chicken. Cook to brown slightly all over.
Add pepper and tomatoes and cook till the pepper begins to soften.
Add rice and cook for a minute or two, stirring.
Add a ladle of stock from the measure over medium heat, and allow to absorb, stirring Add another ladle of stock and repeat.
Continue like this, adding stock when each addition has been absorbed.
Add prawns with the final addition of stock and stir through the rice. Allow to heat through thoroughly. The rice should be tender but still with bite - but add a little more stock if you prefer it softer.
Finish with butter and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Paddy's Pastries
Ingredients (makes 12) 300g self raising flour 1 level tsp baking powder 225g butter, in cubes 225g caster sugar 2 medium fresh free range eggs 5 tbsp milk Finely grated zest of a lemon Squeeze of lemon juice For the frosting:
12 tbsp icing sugar, sifted Few drops of water to correct consistency Green food colouring and edible gold and white sprinkles for decorating Method Sift the flour with the baking powder and set aside.
Beat sugar and butter together till light and fluffy.
Whisk in the eggs and milk gradually, with alternate spoonfuls of flour.
Fold in the remaining flour with lemon zest and squeeze of juice.
Pop 12 deep paper cupcake cases into the moulds of a 12 hole baking tray.
Divide the mix into each case, leaving space at the top of each to rise.
Bake in a pre-heated oven, Gas 4 180C (160C for fan assisted) until golden, risen and firm to the touch.
Test by inserting a skewer into the centre of the cakes. It should come out clean. If still sticky, return to oven for a little longer.
Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.
Mix the icing sugar with water and a couple of drops of food colouring gradually, to make a thickish consistency Spoon this on top of the cakes and decorate it with gold and white sprinkles to finish.
Drink accompaniment
St Patrick’s Day was the one day of the Lenten period when people were allowed to drink alcohol in the name of the Saint.
Whiskey was the drink of choice for many, in a toast to St Patrick on his National Day of celebration.
I’m sure there will be a bottle in most households for that very reason this weekend!
So I’m going to recommend a white wine which will match this risotto with its white meat and seafood slant.
Chardonnay makes a great go-with for this dish. I’m choosing an unoaked Chardonnay, which displays a more crisp fresh fruitiness than the big buttery chardonnays which are aged in wood.
Santa Rita 120 Chardonnay from Chile has lots of crisp apple and some ripe orange hints, a perfect balance of flavours for this risotto which has the chicken and prawns.
Chill it briefly in the door of the fridge before pouring, to bring out all those fruit flavours.
A great bargain at Supervalu this week until March 19, so grab a bottle at just €8 this weekend.
App?
