Duck and Apricot Risotto with Mint ~ Final Round Integrale Risotto Gauntlet

Duck and apricot risotto with mint sounds like one of those, "wait, you put what with what?" kind of meals but in this case, it's just so crazy it works!

For the third and final round of the Marx Foods Integrale Risotto Gauntlet* I wanted to pull out all the stops and create a feast of a dish that encompassed the richness of the Integrale along with the fresh flavors of summer. Although duck is often considered a winter food it pairs beautifully with the apricot and mint for a seasonally appropriate offering. The richness is cut with a sweet and tart balsamic glaze and the seasoning is highlighted by a garnish of ricotta salata - a dry, salty form of ricotta cheese.

Lavender Mandarin Rice Pudding Brûlée with Almonds ~ Integrale Risotto Challenge

This lavender mandarin rice pudding hits all the high notes for a dessert: creamy, sweet, and yes, even a touch of crunchy. I am thrilled to have passed the first round of the Marx Foods Risotto Gauntlet* and made it into the second round: dessert!

Rice pudding is a quintessential comfort food reminiscent of home and childhood. An important part of my childhood is my Mom's garden, including her stunningly fragrant lavender plants. The combination of mandarin and lavender results in an ethereal fragrance that is complimented by the creamy, custard topped rice and rich almonds.

Brown Butter Carrot & Walnut Integrale Risotto

Brown rice risotto is not a phrase you hear uttered very often. It is, however, a deliciously nutty alternative to arborio rice with the same toothsome, al dente quality. Paired with earthy sweet carrots, rich walnuts and brown butter this Integrale Risotto makes for a wonderful spring risotto dish, equal parts virtuous and decadent.

Risotto and I have a long history together. I first fell in love with the slow, methodical process of making risotto while living in Italy. I was impressed with the versatility of this humble dish and loved trying different recipes in various cities such risotto ai frutti di mare (seafood risotto) on the coast or the classic saffron infused risotto Milanese in Milan. Risotto for me is a comfort food - albeit the most elegant comfort food out there - and was the first dish Thom ever cooked for me (smart man!). As you know, that love affair continues as well.

Chorizo Paella

Now that I'm back from a whirlwind trip to Miami for a dear friend's wedding I am able to devote a little more time to the amazing Spanish night my friends and I shared earlier this month. The catalyst for this entire event was my friend Nahir's confession that one of the two dishes she can make with confidence is paella.

Paella is a regional Spanish dish from Valencia along the Mediterranean coast. The name comes from the Catalan word for pan (derived from Latin) and may be made with meat (paella Valenciana), seafood (paella de marisco), or both (paella mixta). Originally a rustic country dish paella was commonly made with ingredients on hand - generally chicken, rabbit, snails, and vegetables. Along the coast, of course, shellfish and fish dominated in the dish.