Napa Farmhouse 1885™

I "retired" from the corporate world a couple of years ago because I wanted to experience a real life after years of 80 hour work weeks and constant travel. A year later I realized that I was having a really good time, was always busy (how did i ever fit in a job??) and needed a creative outlet to share my experiences. Now I split my time between California and New Mexico but, wherever I am, I write about delicious, fresh, local, organic/sustainably grown food.

Showing posts with label grains. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Wild Mushroom, Sweet Pepper & Leek Risotto

Risotto gets a bad rap for being difficult to prepare. Nothing could be further from the truth. The technique is actually very easy. I also find the process relaxing. I stand in the kitchen with a glass of wine and slowly...ever so slowly...add broth, a ladleful at a time, stirring occasionally until the liquid is absorbed and then add another ladle. I don't really have to concentrate so this dish is perfect when hosting a dinner party. We can all stand in the kitchen talking, laughing and taking turns stirring. The whole process should take between 20-30 minutes.

I also love the versatility of risotto. If you keep the proportion of liquid to rice consistent, you can add whatever meat, vegetable and/or cheese combination you like. Plain with just shallot and cheese is delicious, or you can get as fancy as you like. Spring pea and onion? Roasted eggplant, tomato and basil? Shrimp & lemon? What sounds good to you? Add handfuls of fresh herbs in season or use half olive oil and half butter. Get creative and, in the comments section below, please share your favorite way to prepare risotto.

Wild Mushroom, Sweet Pepper & Leek Risotto
(serves 4 as a main course, 6 as a first)

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 large leek, cleaned and sliced (white & pale green part)
1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped
1 shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 lb wild mushrooms, wiped & sliced
1/2 lb baby bella mushrooms, wiped & sliced
42 oz vegetable broth
3/4 cup sherry
1 cup arborio rice
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
3/4 cup parmigiano-reggiano (shredded)
sea salt
freshly cracked black pepper.

Warm olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add leek, red pepper, shallot and large pinch each salt & pepper. Saute until tender. Add garlic and cook another minute. Add mushrooms and saute for 5 minutes.

While vegetables are cooking, add broth and sherry to a medium saucepan. Simmer over medium heat until warm. Reduce heat to low.

Add rice to vegetables and stir ensuring rice is coated in oil. Add 1 large ladleful of broth to rice and vegetable mixture and occasionally stir until broth is absorbed. Repeat process 1 ladleful at a time until rice is very creamy, tender but still al dente. Ensure you do not add each ladleful of broth until the prior one is absorbed. Taste a bit of rice to ensure it is cooked to your liking.

Remove from heat and stir in vinegar. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Serve sprinkled with the parmigiano-reggiano.

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Springtime means the start of sensational side dishes made from fresh, just-picked produce and this week at Food Network we are celebrating Grains. Do you have a favorite grain recipe? Share in the comments section and/or link to your blog if you have one. And be sure to check out the delicious sounding recipes from my blogger friends and Food Network.

Weelicious: Mushroom Barley
Virtually Homemade: Easy Yellow Rice
Feed Me Phoebe: Maple-Chia Overnight Oatmeal
The Wimpy Vegetarian: Mujadara with Roasted Tomatoes and Greens
Jeanette's Healthy Living: Indian Spiced Quinoa Pilaf with Peas
The Heritage Cook: White and Wild Rice Pilaf
The Mom 100: Red Quinoa Salad with Arugula, Artichoke Hearts and Olives
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Wild Mushroom, Sweet Pepper & Leek Risotto
Red or Green: Spicy Barley Risotto
Taste with the Eyes: Brown Rice Noodles paired with Tamarind Fish
The Cultural Dish: Three Ways to Make Risotto
Creative Culinary: Rice and Egg Bowl with Salmon and Peas
Swing Eats: Stir-Fried Quinoa with Chinese Vegetables
FN Dish: 5 Quirky Grain Switch-Ups You Gotta Try

best,

diane

napa farmhouse 1885

red or green?

California Girl in Taos

MoseyLove
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I have started sharing my newest blog "California Girl in Taos." Please visit and let me know what you think.

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Heirloom Tomatoes & Two Rice Salad

photo from the Napa Register

On Sunday, August 24th at 3:20 am, a very large (6.0) earthquake struck the Napa Valley of California with most of the damage occurring in the old, historic part of town. I am heartbroken to see the images of some of my favorite buildings "red tagged" and literally shaken off their foundations with roofs collapsed, walls crumbled and windows blown out. My facebook feed is filled with photos of my friends' homes and businesses and wineries in shambles. Picture the interior of your house. Now imagine someone picking it up, shaking it like mad, and then setting it back down. Everything fallen off the walls, dropped out of cupboards, broken glass and plates and heirlooms everywhere. No power...gas off because of the potential for leaks, no running water. That was downtown Napa this weekend. But Napans are strong and resilient. My heart was full hearing all the stories of neighbors helping neighbors. I am so happy to report that Napa Farmhouse 1885 is doing just fine...so, if you want to help, visit Napa...eat...drink some wine...shop. Enjoy. (and if you can't visit, shop a website from a Napa store or winery.) #Napa Strong!

Now, on to the food! It is Labor Day weekend. (Where did the summer go?) I love the combination of these two salads. Perfect in-season August tomatoes with garlic and a handful of fresh herbs paired with a tangy, lemony wild rice and sprouted brown rice salad full of edamame, cashews and more herbs. This dish is hearty enough to serve as a main course but is delicious with grilled chicken, steak or fish. Added bonus the salad stays fresh for a couple of days so the leftovers make a wonderful lunch. Have a happy and restful Labor Day everyone..especially Napans!

Heirloom Tomatoes & Two Rice Salad
(serves 10)

Heirloom Tomato Salad
2 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
coarse sea salt
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
freshly ground black pepper
2 pints yellow and red cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1/4 cup basil, torn
1/4 cup Italian parsley, chopped

Using the flat side of a chef's knife, smash the garlic. Add a large pinch of sea salt and continue smashing until a paste forms. Scrape the garlic paste into a medium sized bowl. Whisk in the olive oil, vinegar and mustard. Add a Tsp pepper. Stir in the tomatoes and allow to marinate at room temperature for 1 hour. Add the herbs and stir. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.

Two Rice Salad
3 cups vegetable broth or water
(1 Tsp sea salt if using water)
1 cup wild rice
3 cups water
2 cups organic sprouted brown rice*
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 fresh Meyer lemon juice
1 Tbsp Meyer lemon zest1 Tbsp tamari soy sauce
3/4 cup green onions, chopped
1 cup edamame fresh or frozen. (if frozen, allow to thaw and follow package directions)
1/4 cup chopped basil
1/4 cup chopped mint
1/8 cup chopped dill
1/2 cup toasted whole seasoned cashews (I bought a
sea salt
black pepper

Wash uncooked wild rice. Place broth or water in a heavy saucepan and, if using water, add 1 Tsp kosher salt. Bring to a boil. Add wild rice and bring back to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 50-60 minutes or just until kernels puff open. Uncover and fluff with a fork. Replace the cover and set aside (off heat) until ready to use in the recipe.

Combine brown rice and water in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to simmer and cook 40 - 45 minutes until rice is tender and water has evaporated. Fluff with fork and transfer to a large bowl. Allow to cool. Set aside.

In the bottom of a large bowl whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest and soy sauce. Add a pinch each of salt and pepper. Whisk to combine. Stir in the wild and brown rice, green onions, edamame, all the herbs and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate for 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld. Stir in the cashews right before serving.

Mound both salads side by side on a large platter. Garnish with additional herbs if desired.

* I found sprouted brown rice in the grains bins at my local gourmet/health food store. If you can't find it locally there are many sources available online

It is "Labor Day Recipes" week at Food Network's #Summer Soiree roundup. Do you have a favorite Labor Day recipe? Share in the comments section and/or link to your blog if you have one.

Feed Me Phoebe: Hot Crab Dip with Jalapenos and Scallions
The Heritage Cook: Four Sauces Designed for Grilled Foods (Gluten-Free)
Jeanette's Healthy Living: Grilled Brined Chicken with Homemade Barbecue Sauce
Dishing with Divya: Baked Vegetable Sacks
Virtually Homemade: Roasted Summer Vegetables with Lemon Tahini Dressing
Weelicious: Heirloom Tomato Salad
Elephants and the Coconut Trees: Peach and Blueberry Baked Fruit Pizza
Devour: Cooking Channel's Ultimate Labor Day Party Menu
Dishin & Dishes: Grilled Chicken with Board Sauce
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Heirloom Tomatoes and Two Rice Salad
Domesticate Me: 10 Fabulous Summer Recipes for Labor Day
Taste With The Eyes: "End of Summer Rolls" Caprese-Style
FN Dish: Day-Off Desserts for Labor Day

best,
diane

napa farmhouse 1885

red or green?

California Girl in Taos

MoseyLove!
please follow me on facebook-+

I have started sharing my "California Girl in Taos. Please visit and let me know what you think.

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Cornmeal Thumbprint Cookies with Chocolate Ganache Filling

I have been on a mission to take traditional dessert recipes and make them healthier. The caveat is they still need to taste delicious. These cookies are a perfect example. Thumbprint cookies filled with a dark chocolate "ganache" filling. The parentheses around ganache are due to the fact that this filling is made simply from melted best quality dark chocolate mixed with Tahitian vanilla...sans the usual heavy cream. For the cookies, I eliminated white flour and used a blend of almond, coconut and white, whole wheat instead. And, best of all (in my opinion) there is no refined white granulated sugar in this recipe. Coconut sugar provides a hint of sweetness...resulting in a treat that is not overly sweet; perfect with tea, or a glass or wine or sherry.

Quick, easy, delicious and healthy....the perfect cookie? You decide. :) Enjoy everyone!

Cornmeal Thumbprint Cookies with Chocolate Ganache Filling
(makes 2 dozen cookies)

1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup white, whole wheat flour
1/2 cup yellow stone-ground cornmeal, fine grind
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1 tsp sea salt
1 egg
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tbsp pure Tahitian vanilla

Chocolate Ganache
16 oz best quality (70% cacao) bittersweet chocolate (I use Scharffenberger) chopped
2 tbsp pure Tahitian vanilla

In the bowl of a food processor, add the almond flour, coconut flour, whole wheat flour, cornmeal, coconut sugar and sea salt and pulse 3-4 times to combine (hint, cover the top of the bowl with a tea towel to avoid flour dust from escaping). Add the egg, olive oil and vanilla and, using the lowest speed, incorporate the wet ingredients into the dry. (the dough will feel a bit sticky)

Transfer the dough to the center of a large sheet of plastic wrap. Form into a disk, wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Remove dough from refrigerator. Break off pieces of dough to form 24 balls. Place balls on prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart. Using your thumb, gently press the center of each ball to form an indentation. Bake in preheated oven for 15-18 minutes or until cookies are golden brown. Remove from oven, cool 5 minutes on sheets and then transfer cookies to racks allowing to cool completely.

Meanwhile, add the chopped chocolate to a microwave safe bowl. Add the vanilla and microwave for 10 seconds. Remove from microwave and stir. Microwave for an additional 10 seconds and stir. Repeat this process until chocolate is almost melted. (a few lumps are ok). Remove from oven and continue stirring until chocolate is completely smooth.

Using a small spoon, fill each thumbprint with chocolate ganache. Allow to set as chocolate will harden as it cools.

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Other cookie recipes you may enjoy:

my gran's peanut butter cookies
pb&j cookies
organic lavender cookies
thumbprint cookies with fig-grand marnier jam
new year's resolution chocolate chip cookies
"pretty healthy" double chocolate cookies
fresh peach cookies

It is "Cookies" week at Food Network's Comfort Food Feast. Check out the other delicious sounding recipes from my blogger friends. Have a favorite cookie recipe of your own? Please feel free to share in the comments section of this post or link to your blog if you have one.

Jeanette's Healthy Living: Peanut Butter and Jelly Thumbprint Quinoa Oat Cookies
The Heritage Cook: Meyer Lemon Shortbread Cookies with Meyer Lemon Curd
Elephants and the Coconut Trees: French Palmiers
Weelicious: Homemade Oreo Cookies
Devour: Top 5 Chocolate Cookies
Taste With The Eyes: A Korean Sweet Treat - Hwa Jeon with Honey and Flower Petals
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Cornmeal Thumbprint Cookies with Chocolate Ganache Filling
Red or Green: Chocolate, Almond and Ginger Cookies
Domesticate Me: Healthy Dark Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookies with Cherries and Sea Salt
Food for 7 Stages of Life: Rose and Cardamon Nankhatai (Eggless Indian Shortbread Cookies)
Virtually Homemade: Oatmeal Caramel Skillet cookie with Marshmallows and Chocolate
The Sensitive Epicure: Almond Butter Cookies (Gluten-Free)
FN Dish: Cookie Comfort

best,

diane
napa farmhouse 1885

red or green?
california girl in taos
MoseyLove!

please follow me on facebook

I have started sharing my Taos experiences on my newest blog "California Girl in Taos". Please visit and let me know what you think.

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Easy Mushroom-Chile Risotto

Can you believe Thanksgiving is next week? It honestly feels like it is still late September. So this is the perfect time for Food Network's Favorite Thanksgiving Side roundup. I am looking forward to trying all the recipes from my fellow bloggers and the FN chefs. This is my sixth year of blogging so six different times I have shared my favorite Thanksgiving recipes. In 2008 I asked friends and family to contribute posts with their favorite meals, family dishes and traditions and we had almost a post a day. In 2009 it was roasted brussels sprouts. Thanksgiving 2010 looked like this:

our 2010 thanksgiving menu
*roast turkey with herb rub and shiitake mushroom gravy
*cornbread stuffing with andouille, fennel & bell peppers
(bon appetit, nov 2010 page 113)
*smashed potatoes with roasted garlic
*roasted sweet potato fries
*roasted brussels sprouts with garlic & balsamic
*harvest chutney
*pumpkin pie with brown sugar-walnut topping

Thanksgiving 2011 focused on desserts and I made a caramel apple pie that received rave reviews. It now has a permanent home on our T-day menu. Last year I introduced chorizo, cornbread & tortilla dressing and spicy twice baked sweet potatoes to amp up the flavor. Honestly. it is now hard to pare down the choices. I happen to love all these dishes but. c'mon, you can go overboard!

This year I decided to offer something completely different...and a perfect choice for vegetarians used to just eating the side dishes. This Mushroom-Chile Risotto is chock full of portobello, shiitake and crimini mushrooms made spicy with New Mexican red chile powder and, because I like the taste and health benefits, I used sprouted brown rice. You can use whatever type of rice you like, just adjust the cooking time accordingly following the directions on the packet.

I call this "Easy" risotto because, unlike a traditional risotto where the stock is slowly stirred into the rice, this version cooks the rice in stock and then adds a sauteed mushroom/wine mixture at the end. Just the technique needed at Thanksgiving where uncomplicated is the word of the day in my home. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Easy Mushroom-Chile Risotto
5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 medium leek, cleaned and diced
1 clove garlic, peeled & minced
2 cups sprouted brown rice
1 tbsp New Mexican red chile powder
4 cups organic vegetable stock, divided
1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
4 crimini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 large portobello mushroom, cleaned and chopped
4 large shiitake mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
3 tbsp white wine
1/4 shredded parmigiano-reggiano
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp fresh Italian parsley, chopped

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add leeks and a pinch of salt and saute for 3 minutes or until soft. Add garlic and saute an additional minute. Add rice and red chile powder and stir to coat with oil. Add 3 cups stock and bring to boil, reduce heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to simmer and cook 40-45 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid has evaporated.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add remaining 3 tbsp olive oil and bell pepper and saute for 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, 1 tsp each salt and pepper and saute for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add remaining stock and white wine and cook an additional 5 minutes until liquid has reduced a bit.

Pour the mushroom mixture over the rice and stir to combine. Stir in the parmigiano-reggiano and parsley. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Serve immediately.

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