The dish I decided to make for her is Black Trumpet Mushroom and Asparagus Risotto with Pan Seared Rosemary Chicken Breast. The first thing I had to do was warm up a cup of chicken stock to let the black trumpet mushrooms soak in for half an hour. I then began by sauteing the arborio rice in my new 2qt saucepan in 2 tablespoons olive oil. I then added diced shallot, thyme, parsley, black pepper, minced garlic, and 2.5 cups seafood stock. I brought the whole mixture to a boil, dropped to a simmer, and let it cook UNCOVERED for 20 minutes.
In my new big ol' flying saucer of a saute pan I heated some olive oil and began to sweat some shallots. I took a massive single breast of chicken (Earthfare free range natural juicy goodness, for Publix chicken I would do two breasts), butterflied it and lightly seasoned with kosher salt and black pepper. I placed the breast down in the pan and topped with three sprigs worth of rosemary. I let the breast sit untouched for three minutes before flipping. After another 3 minutes, I deglazed the pan with a mini-bottle of Pinot Gris and moved the pan to a preheated 400 degree oven for 10 minutes.
In a 1qt saucepan, I brought 1 cup of chicken stock to a boil. I sliced one bunch of green asparagus into 1 inch pieces, on the diagonal, and let them cook in the stock for about 5 minutes. Once they were fork tender I strained them, tossed with kosher salt and olive oil, and set aside.
At this point the risotto had been cooking for close to 16 minutes. I added a handful of reconstituted mushrooms and the asparagus, stirring occasionally. I then pulled the saute pan out of the oven, placing it back on a medium flame, and moving the chicken breast to a cutting board. I sliced the chicken and placed it back in the pan, stirring the white wine pan sauce to ensure coverage.
I then turned off the flame for the risotto. If you do not have a gas range, remove the pan from the hot burner. I folded in half a cup of shaved parmesan cheese. This I divided into two pasta bowls, then topped with the chicken, and served with a Tuscan demi-loaf.
The risotto was exactly how I like it, though a little on the umami side for The Girl. The seafood stock mixes well with the starch to give it the richness that risotto should have. Next time, for her, I will do a little less mushroom and fold in a half cup of heavy cream. The chicken had a nice sweetness that it picked up from the Pinot Gris. It was tender, juicy, and evenly cooked. Can't ask for much more than that. Overall, this is a dish that I will make again and again, with my beautiful new cookware that will always remind me that I slave away in the kitchen out of love, not obligation.
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