Edena Sheldon i aan CUISINE SCENE THE INGREDIENTS are simple enough. Rice, chicken stock, butter, olive oil, onions, cream, and pood parmesan, The result? Risotto! A sublime dish, the ultimate comfort food, When done property. And in the hands of this chef, it is per- fection. | phaned chef-owner Markus Wieland a few weeks ago at his elegant Yaletown Northern Italian ristorante, Alabaster, “Markus,” | said, “you make the most wonder- ful tisotto -- would you give me ¢ private lesson one afternoon in your restaurant kitchen?” He replied at once with a wel- coming “come on over next Monday at 3 p.m. and weft cook!" Wieland started by telling me of his fondness for risotto, the dish at hand. “Simple, yet a pretty rich dish. And it can be combined with almost anything ... shellfish, seafood, veal, mushrooms, greens, quail, anything!" When one observes Wieland at work, it is casy to understand why the end result on the plate is as pure and perfect and consistent us itis. Try his risotto to set the stan- dard, then try your own hand at his recipes, as taught to me last week. Here are tips from Wicland on cooking the perfect risotto, @ Use imparted arborio rice (Italian short grain rice); look for arborio superiore on the package where Italian products are sold (on the North Shore go to Duso’s at Lonsdale Quay, Caper’s in West Vancouver). No substitute! Do not rinse the rice. 8 Use good-quality olive oil for this dish, but not extra-virgin (fla- vor is too strong). ® Use the best quality fresh unsalt- ed butter and fresh heavy cream. The cheese is very important. Freshly grated, imported, parni- giano reggiano. & Use very hot, boiling, rich chick- en stock to prevent the rice from getting mushy. @ Prepare the risotto uncovered, and with constant stirring and attention. In the meantime, here are Markus’ recipes to get you started in your own cucina. Buen appetito! BASIC RISOTTO Serves four. Total cooking time is about 20 minutes. 2 Fhsp. (30 mL) olive oil 2 Thsp. (30 mL) unsalted butier % e,. (125 mL) minced shallots or onions 1% ¢. (375 mL) imported arborio rice 3-4¢. (750 mL-1 1) boiling chick- en stock 4% c. (50 mL) heavy cream Ye. (60 mL) cold unsalted bulter, cubed Salt and pepper 2 Tbsp, (30 mL) minced fresh parsley 4 (128 inka impocted parnie- sun, freshly grated Minced fresh parsley, as garnist Heat oil and butter ita wide, deep saute or saucepan of stainless steel Cor non-reactive meth und sizéling, over high heat. Add the onions and saute one minute, stir ring until glossy. Add the rice. Saute, stirring (wo to three minutes over high heat until glossy sind shiny, Repin adding the boiling: stack, one cup ata lime, slowly, over Inedium-high heat, The risotte will bubble furiously while cooking, Stir all the while, uncovered. Cook rivetto antl tiquid rs almest absorbed, then add another cup of stock, slowly. Stir and cook, uncovered, as above belore adding additional stock as needed. When risotto is almost done, it should be creamy (ike porridge), and a bit af deare Ciem to the bite) when rice fs dasted. To finish, add the cream, then the cold butter, Season to taste with salt and pepper. Finally, stir in the minced parstey and the grated cheese. Serve the risotta at one, mounded onte hot dinner plates. Garnish right before serving with a sprinkling of minced parsley. MUSHROOM RISOTTO Serves four. Total cooking time is about 20 minutes. Use ingredi- ents for Basic Risatto, plus 3c. (150 g.) mixed fresh mush- rooms (select th: e2 kinds from oyster, button, shitake, porto- bello, morels) 2 Thsp. (30 mL) olive oil 2 Thsp. (30 mL) unsalted butter Additional 1 ¢, (250 mL) boiling chicken stock Minced fresh parsley Wipe mushrooms clean with a damp cloth, Do not wash or they will turn brown and absorb water. Tear oyster mushrooms into quar- ters. Quarter button mushrooms, Slice other mushrooms into strips. Set aside. Prepare Basic Risotto up ta the point of adding cream and cold butter. Meanwhile, sauté the prepared mushrooms in a large. wide sauté pan in the hot ofl and butter. Sauté without shaking the pan, as the pan will lose too much heat, over high heat, five to six minutes, until goid- en brown and tender. Add the cooked risotto to the mushrooms in skillet (all the good flavors are in the mushraom pan) and combine. Add the additional hot stock, as needed to produce a creamy risotto. Finish by adding the cream and cold butter (from the basic recipe), parsley and salt and pepper to taste, RISOTTO WITR SMOKED BLACK COD AND SPINACH Serves four. Total cooking time is about 25 minutes. Use ingredi- ents for Basic Risotto, plus 1 1b, (600 g) smoked Alaska black cod About 2-3 c. (500-750 mL) milk Salt and pepper Additional I c. (250 ml.) boiling chicken stock I small buach fresh spinach or Arugula, leaves only Minced fresh parsley Lemon Cream Sauce (recipe below) Prepare Basic Risotto up to the point of adding cream and cold butter, Meanwhile. break smoked cod into 12 to 15 natural, Large (approx. pieces. Bring milk to the boil and sea. son with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to a simmer and place ced in hot milk. Poach one to two minutes. This Wedn esday, Marc My * the, ( wade With a h 23, 1994 - North Shore News - 45 * cma PEGE? AGN] \s (eis NN ee ue : i NEWS photo Brad Ledwidge ALABASTER CHEF-OWNER Markus Wieland (right) presents his Mushroom Risotto, while sous- chef David Griffiths classics in Yaletown. gives the cod a great delicate flavor and keeps it very moist. Set aside several minutes in the milk. Do not allow fish to boil, Prepare the Lemon Cream Sauce. Before finishing the risotto with cream and butter, add the whole young spinach leaves. Stir into rice until wilted, one to two minutes. Finish the risotte by adding the cream and cold butter. Season to laste with salt and pepper. Add parmesan and parsley. To serve finished dish, mound the hot risotto onto warmed dinner plates. Lift cod from milk with sloticd spoon, and place three to four pieces around each serving. Drizzle lightly with the Lemon Cream Sauce, sprinkle with minced * fresh parsley and serve at once. LEMON CREAM SAUCE A’. (175 mL) dry white wine Juice of 2-3 lemons 1 ¢, (250 mL) heavy cream 4 Tbsp. (50 mL) cold unsalted butter, cubed Salt and pepper 2 Thsp. (30 mL) minced fresh parsley Reduce wine and lemon juice in a small non-reactive saucepan until glossy and syrupy and reduced to about 4c. (50 mL), over high heat. Add the cream and reduce over high heat to about half’ Whisk in the cold cubed butter, a few cubes at a time . 10 finish sauce over medium heat. Finished EDGEMONT VILLAGE Carner of Edgemont Bivd . + Queens presents a superb Risotto with Smoked Black Cod and Spinach. Two great sauce should be glossy and shiny, and should coat a spoon, Season with salt and pepper. Stir in parsley. 983-9330 We reserve the ght tw limit quantities. Prices in effect from Wed. Matr.23-Fues, Mar 29 PY