The Things We Cherish

I come to you today with a public service announcement, prefaced by a question or two: When was the last time you backed up the files on your computer?

A week? A month? Never?

Folks, it might be time to do a little autumn cleaning. Consider the stuff stored on that computer of yours. I did not give it much thought until ours went kaput during a thunderstorm three weeks ago.

That Sunday evening, as Steve and I sat chatting, an almighty bolt of lightening illuminated the room, sucking away the light from our lamps and causing us to jump (and me to screech) at the blast of simultaneous thunder. A nearby transformer popped like a turquoise firework.

When the lights came back on, our computer was dead and unresponsive.

As if trapped in a near-death experience, I caught mental glimpses of what we had lost: our wedding vows; photos from our pre-marriage years, from our wedding, our honeymoon, our family gatherings, the infancies of our niece and nephew. A photo of my husband's grandfather, whom we lost in August, teaching my husband how to carve a turkey at our first Thanksgiving dinner as a married couple.

We had not backed up any of it, the most important things we own.

I could not even cry. Steve went into overdrive the next morning, searching for companies that could rescue hard drives. And, bless him, he found a place that would operate on the machine and tell us whether our information could be recovered.

It could and they did.

This weekend, Steve transferred all of those precious things to our new computer. We have a backup as well.

So, what's on your computer? Perhaps you should think about backing it up, just in case.

I tend to make risotto during times of emotional turmoil. The computer crash called for comfort food, big time. This recipe has all the creaminess of good risotto, plus savory roasted squash and a zing of goat cheese. It is good for the worried soul.

Shiitake Mushroom Risotto with Roasted Acorn Squash and Goat Cheese
A Fritter Original

1 whole acorn squash, halved and seeded
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus 1 teaspoon
1/8 cup of shallots, minced
1/2 cup of risotto rice
1/4 cup of Amontillado sherry (a tawny sherry with caramel notes)
6 cups of chicken stock
1/2 pound of fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and wiped clean, sliced into 1/4-inch pieces
2 teaspoons of soft (sometimes labeled "fresh") goat cheese
1 teaspoon of fresh thyme leaves, divided into 1/2 teaspoon amounts
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Take the acorn squash halves and drizzle with 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper, then place the squash cut-side down on a sheet of aluminum foil on a baking sheet. Roast the squash for 25 minutes, until tender (insert a knife through the rind; if it slides in easily, the squash is done). Set aside to cool to room temperature.

In a medium saucepan, heat the chicken stock over medium-high heat until it simmers. Reduce the heat to low and cover.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a separate medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots and stir to coat in the olive oil. Saute the shallots, stirring occasionally, until they are translucent.
Add the risotto rice and stir to coat the rice in the oil and shallots. Allow the rice to toast, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir the Amontillado sherry into the rice and reduce the liquid by half (about 2 minutes), while continuing to stir.

In half-cup amounts, begin adding the hot chicken stock. Continue to stir between additions of stock, until the liquid is absorbed almost completely. You will start to feel viscosity as the time to add more stock approaches. Continue adding stock until the rice is al dente.

Meanwhile, cut cubes of roasted squash away from the rind. Once the risotto is al dente, add one more 1/2 cup of chicken stock then gently fold the squash and shiitake mushrooms into the risotto. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, and reduce the heat to low. Let the risotto sit until the mushrooms and squash are heated through.

Ladle servings of risotto into shallow bowls and sprinkle the fresh thyme leaves and goat cheese over the top. Serve while piping hot.

Earthy red wines pair well with this dish. We drank a 2002 Don Pascual Tannat that complemented the subtle shiitakes in the risotto.

Poise Regained

Whew.

What a hairy week. After the circus on Tuesday, I needed to recover my composure. As I mentioned, I took to my pool on Tuesday afternoon, then took to my bed. In between, I made dinner.

Comfort food was called for. Something that required repetitive, soothing motions. Tai chi in the kitchen, if you will.

So I made risotto.

A lot of people avoid risotto because it demands a lot of time at the stove, stirring. That's one of the reasons that I enjoy making it, provided I have the 30-40 minutes that it takes. I can stand at the stove and stir methodically, adding chicken stock at regular intervals, and zone out. When I'm done, I have a creamy, filling meal and a centered chi.

Last night, I told my mother that I made risotto to help cope with the day's trials. She laughed and commented that it's interesting what different people eat for comfort. My grandmother, she reminded me, could eat a gallon of ice cream in one sitting when she is under stress. My other grandmother derived strength from a pack of cigarettes, a pot of coffee, and a pan of homemade fudge (she no longer goes for the cigarettes or coffee, but the woman can still put away an unsettling amount of chocolate). A friend of mine craves Tex-Mex when she wants comfort food, and a different friend eats those scary "Ranch-flavored" chips.

Which makes me wonder: What's your comfort food?

Risotto with Green Vegetables
A Fritter Original

You're going to be stirring a lot when you make risotto. Some people will tell you that you need to stir constantly. I don't buy it. You can step away from your saucepan for a few minutes to prep vegetables or set the table. Just don't get hooked on an episode of Hardball or spend 10 minutes photographing asparagus.

1 tablespoon olive oil
6 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup yellow onion, chopped
1 teaspoon (roughly 1 clove) garlic, minced
1/2 cup white wine (I used an unoaked chardonnay, but sauvignon blanc would work too)
1/2 cup risotto rice
1 zucchini
1 bunch of asparagus, cut 1 1/2 inches below the tips
1/2 cup shelled edamame (frozen is fine)
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
A few sprigs of flat-leaf parsley

The Risotto

Heat the chicken stock in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until simmering. Reduce the heat to low and cover.

In another medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until almost translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add the garlic and stir constantly for 1-2 minutes to prevent browning. Add the wine and reduce for about 6 minutes, until the liquid is almost completely evaporated and the onions are thick.

Add the risotto rice to the onions and stir to coat. Cook the rice for 1-2 minutes, stirring to prevent burning.

Add 1/2 cup of hot chicken stock to the rice and stir until the stock is almost completely absorbed. The mixture will become very thick and dense and when you scrape the bottom of your saucepan with your spoon, the rice will not slide back into place very quickly. At this point, add another 1/2 cup of chicken stock and stir. Repeat this process until the rice is nearly al dente, about 25-30 minutes.

See my note above about stirring. The next part of this recipe can be performed either before you begin the risotto, if you are a "constant stirrer" type, or while you're making the risotto, if you do not believe that you need to be stirring for 30 minutes straight (like me).

The Veggies

Peel and chop the zucchini into 1/4 inch rounds on the diagonal. Heat a small saute pan over medium-high heat and saute the zucchini with a pinch of salt and pepper for 4-5 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from pan and set aside.

Heat a small saucepan containing 1 inch of water over high heat until boiling. Add the asparagus tips and boil for 2 minutes. Do not overcook. Drain well and set aside.

All Together Now

Once the rice is nearly al dente, add the shelled edamame and stir to mix it in. Gently fold in the asparagus and zucchini. Season with salt and pepper, and allow the risotto to cook another 2-3 minutes so that the vegetables are evenly heated.

Serve the risotto in bowls and garnish with a few sprigs of flat-leaf parsley and a sprinkling of lemon zest.

Serves: 2. This recipe can be increased easily by adding 1/4 cup of uncooked rice per person.