What to do with Leftover Leftovers!

~  Menu  ~

Boursin filled Smoked Garlic & Butternut “Quasi-Arancini”

Roasted Tomato & Chilli Sauce

Glass of Secret Red

A few Amaretti

Coffee

A few days ago I cooked a traditional roast chicken dinner for the men in my life.  I like roast chicken too but have taken to eating mine with spicy roasted butternut squash; the sweet heat of which goes so well with the tender chicken and the salty gravy.  Of course in my enthusiasm I cooked too much squash.

Last night I made a simple risotto (basic risotto recipe below) with red wine and veg stock and stirred in the leftover squash together with a little smoked garlic which I had bought at the Cake~Hole.  

I couldn't eat all the risotto either so for lunch today I made a cake of the leftovers into the middle of which I inserted a ball of Boursin.  I coated the risotto cake in flour and fried it hot and crispy.  This is known as an arancini. I served it to myself with a spoonful of leftover roasted tomato and chilli sauce and the last few salad leaves from the fridge.

"Wullla" as the Americans say!  I managed to eat all of it this time.

How to make Risotto

There are numerous recipes all over the place for risotto, here are some basic guidelines.  If you are cooking for four whole people you need 400g risotto rice and 1¼ ltrs of liquid including the wine; adjust accordingly

~   Finely chop some onion (I used red) and cook till tender in a little oil or butter.  Add finely chopped garlic if you like and cook a few minutes more.

~   Add risotto rice (I used 125g Arborio which is enough for about 1¼ people and explains why I couldn’t quite eat it all) and stir it around to coat with the buttery oily goo.  Cook a few minutes till a little translucent.

~   Meanwhile, as they say, have ready some simmering stock.

~   When the rice has been cooking a few minutes add a splash of wine.  Some people say the wine should be warm so as not to “shock” the rice but it has to take it chances with me.

~   Cook, stirring constantly, till the wine has been absorbed.

~   Add a ladle of hot stock and continue to cook, stir, absorb, add a little more etc. till the rice is just tender with a little bite in the middle (al dente) and is coated in a creamy and unctuous goo.

~   Stir in your chosen additions and flavouring also perhaps a knob of butter or some cream or cream cheese.  A good dose of grated Parmesan is almost a must.

~   Eat immediately.