Asparagus-Shrimp Risotto, More Mango Gazpacho, Wild Mushroom Wellington, Scarborough Fayre/Fair

Asparagus-Shrimp Risotto
It's been dog's years since I made a risotto, but this simple recipe came across my feed, and sounded just right.  All I needed was the special rice. 

 This risotto is  a bit healthier because it doesn't add unnecessary extra oil or butter at the end.  For tools you'll need a deep-ish pot, a wide skillet and a soup ladle or silicon half-cup measure with a handle.   Nice and creamy, this serves four, or two with plenty of leftovers.

1/2 large Sweet White Onion
2-3 cloves Garlic, minced
2-3 Tbso EVOO
5 cups Broth -- I used water plus mushroom powders
2 cups Arborio Rice -- the ultimate short grain rice, gotta have it to make passable risotto
1 lb Asparagus -- pencil thin stalks, please
1/2 lb large Shrimp -- I used pre-cooked locally sourced shrimp
Fresh cracked Black Pepper to taste
Shaved Parmesan Cheese to garnish

Trim the asparagus butts and save them to make pesto.  Cut the good bits into thirds and reserve.  Peel the shrimp and reserve.

Put your broth in a pot and bring it to a simmer.  Add the asparagus and the shrimp if uncooked.  

In the skillet, heat the EVOO a minute, then saute the onion and garlic on medium heat until it's soft.  Add the rice and cook for a couple minutes, folding it with a spatula until it's all coated.  

Push aside the asparagus and shrimp, and scoop up a 1/2 cup of broth.  Pour it over the hot rice and fold the rice and stir while it is being absorbed -- about 2 minutes.   Repeat this process a total of five times, folding the rice so it gets cooked evenly.  

If your shrimp is cooked, add it to the remaining liquid/asparagus for a couple minutes to warm through.  Then pour the asparagus/shrimp liquid into the risotto for one last fold through cooking before plating.  

Plate with shaved Parmesan and a few twists of fresh cracked black pepper!


Mango Gazpacho II
LOTS of mangos this year, very early season!  Here's another simply delicious mango gazpacho!

2 cups Mango
2 cups Watermelon
2 cups  Lemon-Lime Sparkling Water
1/4 cup Lime juice
6+  English Cucumber, diced
1/2 cup Blueberries
2/3 cup  Red Onion, diced
1 Red Bell Pepper, diced

Take the mango and watermelon for a spin to puree, then transfer to a pitcher.  Stir in the other ingredients and taste.  Adjust tart/sweet as desired.  Chill at least 3 hours before serving.

Wild Mushroom Wellington
I got some beautiful "wild" mushrooms from the SWFL Produce Co-op and just had to do something special and different with them.  All my own recipe

1 lb Mixed Mushrooms, Chopped -- Oyster, Cremini, you name it
1Tbsp Butter
1 small Sweet Onion, diced
3 cloves Garlic, minced
1/4 cup Roasted Eggplant Spread -- recipe from a couple weeks back
1 Tbsp Worchestershire Sauce
1 tsp Toasted Sesame Oil
1 Tbsp Scarborough Fayre spice blend
1/4 cup Panko
1 Egg, beaten
1 sheet Puff Pastry

Saute the mushrooms in butter, hot and fast so they don't shrink.  Reduce the heat, add the onion and garlic,  and simmer until they start to soften.  Add the sesame oil, Worchestershire, and spice blend.  Continue cooking another minute or two.  Then add the eggplant spread and stir to combine.  Turn off the heat and stir in the panko to absorb any liquid.  Reserve.

Pre-heat the oven to 400F.  Thaw a sheet of puff pastry for about 20 minutes, gradually laying it flat on a lightly floured surface.  With a rolling pin or wine bottle, roll the pastry out a couple inches bigger all around.  Brush the beaten egg around the edges of the pastry about an inch wide.

Spoon the mushroom mixture into the center of the pastry and fold the edges over to encase it.  Place on a parchment covered baking sheet, seam-side down, and brush the outside with the remaining egg.   Bake for 20-30 minutes until GB&D. 

Let it rest a few minutes before slicing and serving.

                               

Scarborough Fayre/Fair Herb Blend
All my own invention, based on the herbs mentioned in Child Ballad #2:    The words in the oldest, Yorkshire versions of the song are savory, sage, rosemary and thyme. 

Paul Simon visited England in the 60's and first heard the local version of the song, and I suppose the word "savory" didn't make much sense since we seldom use Savory in the States.  So when he  brought the  tune back to the US, he substituted an herb we all knew, and Art Garfunkle wrote the Canticle lyrics which are sung around and behind the original words.  The rest, as they say,  is American Folk music history

I make two versions;  Fayre with the herb Savory and  Fair with the herb Parsley (both dried).  Savory can be a bit hard to find and expensive in the States (I got my from an internet spice shop); it's much more common and available in the UK.  

Simply enough, I use equal parts of each herb.  The only tricky bit is to try and grind the Rosemary and Parsley so they are as powdery as the other herbs.  Otherwise the blend will tend to separate.  I've used both a mortar & pestle and my electric coffee/spice grinder (cleaned before use) to grind things.    I make batches of about 1/8 cup of each herb, and store it in my spice cupboard in a shallow screw-top jar from which I take pinches as needed.

Whichever way you make it, the blend is really nice on eggs, mushrooms, vegetables, stuffings and anywhere you want a bit of herby earthiness -- umami as we now say.