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| Creamy, Cheesy, and Garlicky Rice with Spinach |
This week the
French Fridays with
Dorie challenge was Creamy, Cheesy, and Garlicky Rice with Spinach.
I was on a high from last week’s challenge, so
I prepared this dish over the Labor Day weekend and used it with grilled steak
as a potato substitute.
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| 10 ounces of fresh spinach |
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| 10 ounces fresh spinach after steaming |
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| 10 ounces fresh spinach after squeezing water out |
The recipe is surprisingly easy and quick.
I expected to spend at least an
hour on the recipe but was done in less than thirty minutes (ten minutes of
prep work and about eighteen minutes of cooking time).
I chose to combine two of the suggested cheeses,
the Emmethal and Gruyere, which added a bit more depth and complexity to the
flavors.
The creaminess of the cheeses,
whipping cream and butter nicely melded with the rice and spinach. There was a
lovely aroma in the kitchen -- not quite the measure of last week's corn soup, but
enticing nonetheless.
This dish would
work well for a dinner party as it is not labor intensive, can be kept warm
without compromising the result, and served when needed.
Also, it can be enhanced with a drizzle of
truffle oil, the addition of some foraged mushrooms (or what you can find in
the market) or maybe even a splash of wine to finish before serving.
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| Onions & Garlic - ready to go! |
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| Chicken Broth, Onion & Garlic Mixture & Rice |
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| Gentle, rolling boil - see how the rice is absorbing the chicken broth |
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| Rice after about 18 minutes - ready for garnish! |
The following night, we combined the leftovers with cooked ground sirloin,
stuffed it
into bell peppers and baked for a nice main
course.
So the dish is versatile as well
as delicious.
From a technique standpoint, I missed watching the Arborio rice develop
pretty little shiny pearls on its side before liquid is added.
Also missing was the labor-intensive ritual
of carefully ladling in the perfect amount of stock for the rice to absorb in
order to obtain the correct texture.
I
guess I am a traditionalist when it comes to risotto.
Like diamonds, I prefer the real thing!
This faux risotto is an acceptable alternative
if you are short on time, entertaining and don’t want to fuss too much.
Definitely don't forget to pair this dish with wine.
It is hearty enough to hold up to a red, and we
paired ours with a 2006 St. Francis Cabernet that was a real gem.
This recipe can be found in “
Around My
French Table” by Dorie Greenspan on page 380-81.
As part of the
French Fridays with Dorie community, members can post their
experiences with the recipe on
www.frenchfridayswithdorie.com.
Click on the link or icon on the side to read
what other members have to say this week.
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| Voila - a completed dish! |
