But what's wrong with treating your household to a midnight snack of cold steak and risotto?
Almost as magnificent and a sturdy choice for cold weather, the creamiest risotto around also displayed a generosity of wild mushrooms; a sprinkling of Parmesan added another dimension.
I wouldn't argue that its flavor is better than that of meat stock, but it certainly is different -- cleaner, fresher and lighter -- which makes it especially good in summer dishes like vegetable risottos and cold soups.
RECOMMENDED DISHES -- Lobster risotto, field green salad, cold corn soup, gravlax, truffle-celery-potato ravioli, seared diver scallops, Atlantic seafood casserole, grilled tenderloin of veal, roasted venison chop, Napoleon, bittersweet chocolate cake, three-crème brûlées, raspberry sorbet.
Crostini, bruschette, salads, roasted vegetables, cured meats, baked pastas, risottos and hot and cold meat and fish dishes, plus desserts from tarts to ice-creams, make satisfying and affordable fuel for a night on the tiles.
Whatever it was that diverted the British from cold baked beans on toast to asparagus risotto most certainly involved a great deal besides Elizabeth David.
You don't want to be that chump blabbing to himself into a headset — but if you take the call outside, your risotto is going to get cold.
Risottos are comforting and warming on cold winter nights, and they invite company into your kitchen for a visit as you stir the rice leisurely, adding stock at regular intervals.
Risotto is a great meal for a cold night and this one uses the seeds and guts of your Halloween pumpkin too.
RECOMMENDED DISHES -- Cold crab and asparagus, smoked salmon with quail eggs, goat cheese fritter, special linguine with broccoli rabe and clams, special risotto with shrimp and morels, pork tenderloin, rack of lamb, lamb shanks, fresh berries.
