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Sunday, March 14, 2010

Risotto Daring Cooks




This was not my favorite recipe and I wouldn't post it except it is part of the Daring Cook's challenge. Eleanor and Jess choose risotto with a homemade stock for this month's challenge.

We enjoy risotto. For this challenge I thought that I would try something that I had never tried. I have never made my own beef broth. I decided to make some beef broth out of shanks, onion, red wine and water. Then I chose a recipe that required beef broth from Marcella Hazan's Marcella Cucina. Risotto with Sausages and Cranberry Beans.

It was a simple recipe with cranberries beans, pork sausage, onions, beef broth and risotto.

Hazan says that the final step of risotto is the mantecare. It means to work butter or cream into what you are cooking. It is what gives the risotto some of its creamy consistency.

The mantecare for this recipe included better and parmigiano-reggiano cheese. The risotto was ok, I have had rice and beans made with white rice that I enjoyed more. The beans are mashed against the edge of the pot to add some creamy consistency.

I have some risotto recipes that I enjoy more.

6 comments:

  1. Sorry to hear it wasn't the best risotto you have ever had!! I wonder are cranberry beans the same as red kidney beans they sure look like it that is what they are called in Australia. Thank you for the information about the mantecare. The final result looks very intriguing. Cheers from Audax in Sydney Australia.

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  2. Too bad you didn't like what you made. But hey, it was a challenge.

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  3. It's a shame that you weren't thrilled with your results, but it sounds like you at least learned a lot. I make risotto frequently, but I had never heard of a mantecare before!

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  4. Audax, they are not the same bean. They are white with red marks, used in Italy and Spain.

    http://www.foodreference.com/html/fcranberrybean.html

    I could have stuck with one of my regular recipes, but it is fun to try new things.

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  5. I'm sorry this wasn't a total success for you. At least you have better recipes to go to next time. I definitely think it is cool that you made your own broth though - not many people can say THAT!

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  6. Thanks for the information we have borlotti beans in Australia which are the same thing from the infromation the web site you gave. Cheers

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