I may have mentioned in the past how much mon mari enjoys our weekly fish dinner.
He fondly refers to it as ‘Fish Hell Night’.
Occasionally, I make something that resembles comfort food a lot more closely than it resembles fish.
He also, just to be clear, claims vehemently that he hates tuna.
For some reason known only to him, he loved this.
It was probably the capers….
Tuna, Caper and Feta Risotto
Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2/3 cup Arborio rice (or other rice specifically for risotto – Carnaroli or Vialone Nano)
1/2 cup dry, white wine- 2 1/4 cups chicken stock
- 1/2 medium leek, sliced
- 2 tsp butter
- 1/4 cup (1oz, 30gr) Parmesan cheese – freshly grated
- 3oz (90gr) feta, crumbled
Condimenti:- 9oz (270gr) canned tuna
- 1/2 medium leek, sliced
- 1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped
- 1 medium carrot, chopped
- 1/3 cup olives, pitted, dry-cured black, Greek olives (or Kalamata), chopped
- 2 tbs capers
2 tsp olive oil
Instructions:
- Heat chicken stock and keep hot over low heat.
- In medium saucepan heat butter over medium-high heat.
- Add 1/2 leek and sauté until transparent then add rice and sauté stirring, for 2 – 3 minutes until rice has white center.
- Add white wine and stir.
- Start condimenti.
When wine is almost absorbed add a 1/3 cup of stock and stir. (No need to stir constantly but do stir from time to time.)- When stock is almost absorbed add another 1/3 cup and continue adding 1/3 cup at a time and stirring.
- Before the last 1/3 cup is added taste a few kernels of rice. They should be just ‘al dente’ – slightly resistant to the tooth but fully cooked. If more stock is needed add it 1 tbs at a time and waiting until almost completely absorbed. At this point risotto will be thick but not stiff – there will still be visible liquid and it will not hold it’s shape on a plate.
- Add the condimenti, Parmesan, feta, spoon into a bowl or risotto platter and serve immediately.
- It will continue to absorb liquid and the leftovers (if any) will be quite stiff. The risottos that we have eaten in northern Italy have all been served in soup plates (flattish bowls) and eaten with a spoon – not a fork.
- Condimenti:
Heat olive oil in nonstick skillet. Add leek, pepper, carrot and sauté 10 minutes or until tender.- Add tuna, olives, capers, reduce heat and keep warm until needed for risotto.
I gave the puppies a wee trim the other day.
Now that I see the photos I realize I didn’t do such a terrible job!
The problem was their belly hair.
I may have mentioned that it’s been raining here…. Constantly.
The dogs still need to go outside…. for personal, doggie reasons as well as because they need exercise and they’re bored.
Bonnie has a much longer and heavier coat than Guapa, but they both would come back from our walk with filthy bellies.
They would then distribute the dirt all around the house as it dried.
They also have all of this pretty, long hair that is feathered up their paws and legs…. That would get covered in mud.
So I cut it all off.
Well, most of it. They wouldn’t stay still long enough for me to get all of it.
This is what Bonnie looked like after a walk with her newly trimmed coat.
Now imagine her belly and legs covered with fur that was 4 inches long.
And Guapa….
I filled a bag with fur trimmed from Bonnie – and had only about 25% of that from Guapa
They still get diry – just not quite as bad….
Remember when they were just little puppies?
With clean bellies?
They make me laugh and seem perfectly happy to show off their bellies. It is also easy to see why mon mari loves this risotto.
Love those bellies! Wow! Have they grown! And they’re adorable as always. I’m sure the trimming makes life easier for you and they probably like it too as much as your dear one loves the tuna dish! Comfort food for sure!
Having a furry dog too, I totally understand you taking to them with the scissors. I regularly have to snip knots and drapey fur that gets matted when it is wet. You have done a great job.
Val, yes, they are still content to have their bellies shown to the world…. As long as they get petted first.
Pam, yes they’re grown – but they’re smaller than we thought they would be… which is a good thing, right?
manningroad, I think I’m going to have another go at them – a bit more would be even better!