Just another lonely day...

Tells you how long it's been since I've written when I'm cooking oxtail soup AGAIN....

Two notes on that recipe: it's best with 4 good sized oxtails (a bit over a pound's worth.). Second, use 4 tblspoons butter when scraping up the browned bits and 4 of flour when making the roux....My favorite wine to use thus far is the inexpensive (red) Zin I used tonight. Also, since Paprika is not as hot in the states as it is in Europe, a pinch or two of Cayenne at the end really gets that very slight "je ne sais quoi" heat on the back of your throat that the author I quoted from says is the aim....

I say it is "another lonely day" because Chip has been apart from our family for the longest amount of time ever in our marriage. Not that long, really. It will only be 8 days by the time he comes back, and you know, I know tons of you women out there who either had dads in the military, or husbands, or both, with much, much longer stretches than this. Just want you to know how much I admire you. I also want to say this has been a great week for me--giving me perspective; a great time with my two little girls (like a week long date with them!!! God has been so gracious to us and allowed us to really enjoy one another. Hurray for that.); plus my family is living practically next door, so that's helped a ton.

No, his absence has not been the hardest part of this time. It's that his dad is dying. It is so hard to be apart from him when I know he's struggling, and trying to do and be so much for his family. Please pray for him and for his dad in particular right now, to turn to the Lord ultimately in his time of weakness.

Anyway, what about another recipe, folks?

Butternut Squash Risotto (finally)

Roast a butternut in the oven by cutting it in half, scraping out the pithy/seedy interior and facing it downwards in a glass dish with about 1/2 inch of water until softened (about 30 minutes in a 350F oven, more or less). When done, scrape all the lovely soft flesh into a bowl. (This step can be accomplished consecutively with the ones below if your certain your oven will get the squash done in within 30 minutes' time).

Bring 3 quarts of chicken stock to a simmer. In a separate, heavy bottomed sauce pan (at least 4 quarts in volume) heat 1/4 cup of olive oil over med-lo heat. When brought to temperature, add one diced onion, one minced clove of garlic, and 4 oz chopped pancetta (alternatively you can use American bacon, chopped finely, but be careful not to burn it, as it is a very different product). *There is an option at this point of finely chopping a celery stalk and a carrot for further flavor and throwing it into the pan as well*. Cook until softened/onions (celery) translucent (be VERY careful not to burn the garlic as this gives everything a horrible bitter flavor).

When softened nicely, add 2 cups of arborio rice. (This is a special risotto rice, very starchy, becomes very creamy through cooking in this method). Stir until the rice grains are coated with the oil, making the outer edge of the rice grains clear looking (oily). Bring the heat up to medium, and add a cup of dry white wine, and cook about 1-2 minutes until it is mostly absorbed, but NOT dry looking--this is the method you will follow for the remainder of the cooking, so it is important to "get". Your rice will be at the perfect place to add more liquid when it is no longer standing in liquid, but the mixture is, instead, beginning to bubble low between the grains of rice (not dried out to the point of having no liquid at all). Add your first ladleful of simmering chicken stock. Stir occasionally, making sure nothing is sticking to the pan, and to encourage all the rice to absorb stock and release it's starch.

You will probably add nearly all of the stock to your risotto pan, ladleful by ladleful over the course of about 30 minutes, until the correct texture and consistency is reached. You want the rice to be just firm enough to have interest in your mouth (not pudding, not crunchy, but "al dente"). When it reaches that perfect texture, remove your risotto from the heat, stir in the butternut squash, and one last ladleful of stock, as well as 1/2 cup of grated parmesan reggiano (or to taste. You might want to put a wedge of it on the table with the grater to allow others to "garnish" their own bowl with a bit more). Grind a bit of white pepper over top (lovely with the sweet squash), and toss a bit of minced italian flat parsley for the beautiful color contrast. Serve with a seasonal salad (Ok, I'll write another recipe for one later...) and a glass of the same dry white wine you used to start off the risotto...or a better one to dress it up....or a red, if you must, but it MUST be a lighter bodied red, like a Pinot Noir.

I hope you guys enjoy...Much love, and I miss you all.