The Daring Cooks Risotto Challenge

The 2010 March Daring Cooks challenge was hosted by Eleanor of MelbournefoodGeek and Jess of Jessthebaker.  They chose to challenge Daring Cooks to make risotto. The various components of their challenge recipe are based on input from the Australian Masterchef cookbook and the cookbook Moorish by Greg Malouf.

I have joined a cooking community that challenges bloggers once a month to try a new recipe. This month it was risotto and the only requirement was that you have to make your own chicken stock, the rest you can be as creative as you want. 

Since I have never made risotto I went with the suggested recipe the hostesses provided for Preserved Lemon Risotto & since I didn't have the preserved lemon I used lemon zest.  It was definitely very lemony and would go well with fish, of course I didn't realize this till after it was all made and we were sitting down to dinner with just a nice side dish :)

My mom came over to help me make the chicken stock and I have to say I am in LOVE with making my own stock now.  It was so much easier to do than I thought it would be and so much cheaper and better for you than store bought.  I have already used the leftover stock so now I have to go make some more! Plus having the chicken meat as leftovers is a nice bonus.  

Chicken Stock

Ingredients:

• 1 large chicken 2-3 pounds about 1 kg (can just buy a separated chicken bone-in too)
• chicken bones 2-3 pounds 1 kg
• 2 onions, roughly diced
• 1 medium leek - white part only, roughly diced
• 2 sticks celery, roughly diced
• 2 cloves garlic, halved
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp. white peppercorns ( Any type of whole peppercorn will do)
• 2 bay leaves (fresh or dried, it doesn't matter.)
• peel of 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 tsp. allspice

 Directions:

1. Wash the chicken and bones and places in a 5 Litre pot, cover completely with water and bring to a boil
2. Skim away any scum as it comes to the surface
3. Add the vegetables and bring back to a boil
4. Add the rest remaining ingredients and simmer very gently, uncovered for 1.5 hours
5. Carefully lift out the chicken, set aside. The chicken meat can be removed from the chicken, shredded off and used for other things like soup!
6. Simmer the stock gently for another hour. At , at the end you should have around 2 Liters
7. Carefully ladle the liquid into a fine sieve, the less the bones and vegetables are disturbed in this process the clearer the stock will be. 
The stock is now ready for use. Freeze what you don't need for later use.

 Risotto Base

Ingredients:

• olive oil 2 fluid oz 60 ml
• 1 small onion, quatered
• rice 14 oz 400g
• Any type of risotto rice will do
• white wine 2 fl oz 60 ml
  chicken or vegetable stock , simmering 2 pints 1 L

 Directions:

1. Heat oil in a pan and add onion. Fry for a few minutes to flavor the oil then discard. (you can leave the onion in too).
2. Add the rice and stir for a few minutes to coat each grain of rice with oil and toast slightly.
3. Add the wine and let it bubble away until evaporated.
4. Add enough stock to cover the rice by a finger’s width (about an inch or two). Don't actually stick your finger in, it will be hot. Just eye it off.
5. Cook on medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon from time to time, until most of the stock has been absorbed.
6. Repeat Step 5 making sure to leave aside approximately 100 ml. of stock for the final step. .
7. Repeat, save 100ml for the final stage.
8. Once you are at this point, the base is made. You now get to add your own variation.

Preserved Lemon Risotto 

Serves 4 as a starter or light lunch

Ingredients:
1 preserved lemon, peel only, finely diced. (Regular lemon zest will work as well.)
celery leaves, from the heart, finely chopped 1 Tbsp
unsalted butter 3.5 oz 100g chilled and cut into small cubes
parmesan cheese, grated 2 oz 60g

Directions:

1. Make the base until the end of step 8.
2. Stir through the preserved lemon
3. Add the final 100ml of stock and butter and stir until both are completely absorbed. Stir through the parmesan, stick the lid on and let it sit for a few minutes.