In the meantime...

This week is crazy with work, so finishing the chair is going to have to take a back-seat to actually having a job. (Booooooooooooo.) But I thought everyone could keep busy with some other reee-diculous recipes that Mummy and I explored this past week.


Veal Confit with Lynne Rossetto Kasper
http://splendidtable.publicradio.org/recipes/confit_veal.shtml

When you read the first recipe, it sounds complicated but is actually more time consuming than it is labor intensive. If this strikes your fancy, make sure to plan a couple days in advance. This is also an incredibly economical meal. We bought our veal breast at Fairway for about $6.00, and it fed five people (Brennen and Julia can attest to the deliciousness of this recipe if you have any doubts!)


We served the veal confit over the easiest, most consistently delicious risotto recipe I've found, which you too can enjoy here: 
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/marthas-spring-risotto-with-peas-and-zucchini

Serves 6

• 2 cans (14.5 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 to 2 large zucchini (1 pound), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed

Directions

1. Heat broth and 2 1/2 cups water in a small saucepan over low heat; keep warm. Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add zucchini; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until zucchini is golden, 8 to 10 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer zucchini to a plate.
2. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add onion; cook until soft, 5 minutes. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Raise heat to medium. Add rice; cook, stirring, until translucent around edges, about 3 minutes. Add wine; cook until absorbed, about 2 minutes.
3. Cook, adding 1 cup hot broth at a time (stir until almost all liquid is absorbed before adding more), until rice is tender, 25 to 30 minutes total.
4. Add zucchini and peas; cook until peas are bright green, 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining tablespoon butter and Parmesan. Serve, topped with more cheese.

I actually usually use green beans, baby green peas, and most recently we also added steamed asparagus, but you can use whatever veggies you've got handy. One addition that John developed is to soak a few strands of saffron in about 1 cup of stock, and then mix it into the risotto as one of the cups of hot broth during Step 3. This gives the risotto a lovely golden color and a tantalizing aromatic quality that is sure to please. That said, it isn't vital if you don't have the saffron handy and is still delish regardless. 

My friend Seth claims it is some of the best risotto he's ever had. If you knew Seth, you'd know he doesn't hand out compliments willy-nilly, so it must be a good recipe.

Until this weekend... Enjoy!