Poached Cherry Risotto Recipes

POACHED CHERRIES WITH RICOTTA

Steps:

• Place cherries in a large, shallow, heat-proof bowl; set aside. In a medium saucepan, combine wine, sugar, vanilla bean and seeds, basil, and lemon zest. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Pour hot liquid over cherries. Set aside until mixture is room temperature and cherries are slightly soft, about 1 hour.
• Drain cherries, reserving the poaching liquid. Discard basil, vanilla bean, and lemon zest. Return cherries to large bowl. Place reserved poaching liquid in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; continue to boil until liquid has reduced to 1 cup, about 10 minutes. Pour hot liquid over cherries. Chill for a minimum of 1 hour or overnight. Serve in shallow bowls, topped with a spoonful of ricotta.

PESTO RISOTTO WITH CANNELLINI BEANS, TOMATOES, AND POACHED EGGS

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender, about 3 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly toasted, about 1 minute. Slowly pour in white wine. Cook, stirring frequently, until wine is absorbed.
• Add 1/2 cup broth, stirring frequently, until broth is absorbed. Working in batches, continue adding 1/2 cup broth at a time, stirring until all broth is absorbed. When done, rice should be tender and creamy. (Step 2 should take 20 to 25 minutes total.)
• Stir Parmesan cheese, pesto, 1/4 cup parsley, and 1 tablespoon vinegar into the risotto. Keep warm.
• Combine beans, tomatoes, and salt in a small saucepan. Cook, covered, over medium heat, until warmed through, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a 10-inch skillet, bring 4 cups water and the remaining vinegar to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer (bubbles should begin to break the surface of the water). Break an egg into a custard cup. Hold the lip of the cup close to water and slip egg into water. Repeat with remaining eggs. Simmer, uncovered, 3 to 5 minutes or until whites are completely set and yolks begin to thicken but are not hard. Use a slotted spoon to remove from skillet.
• Serve risotto topped with tomato-bean mixture, poached eggs, and remaining parsley. Sprinkle with pepper.

POACHED CHERRY RISOTTO

Steps:

• Place the milk, cream and vanilla into a saucepan and bring gently to boiling point. Meanwhile, begin melting the butter in a large saucepan and then add the rice. Stir well to ensure the rice is well coated in the butter. Cook this for a few minutes - you want the rice to get glossy and a bit translucent.
• Add a half cup of the boiling milk mixture. This should absorb fairly quickly and as soon as it has, add another half cup. Keep stirring and when this has absorbed add another half cup of milk mixture and 1 tablespoon of the reserved poached cherry liquid. This is the sweetener and it will also color the risotto.
• You need to continue this process of stirring and adding the just boiling milk and poaching liquid - you'll notice that the time between additions will get longer as the rice cooks.
• When you've got about 1 cup of milk mixture left - add a half cup of drained poached cherries to the risotto and continue as before. The risotto is finished when the rice has softened and become creamy - it should by now have a lovely delicate rose blush to it. How pretty is that?.
• Serve hot with a spoonful of reserved poached cherry juice and some extra poached cherries on top.