Farmstead Roasted Vegetable Risotto with Crispy Sweet Potato Chips & Pomegranate Rubies

Do you ever fear that one day you will run out of creativity? That it will all just dry up in a panic and you'll be left with zero ideas. Sometimes I fear this will happen to me. Then I remember that there are restaurants and inspiration is literally everywhere. I swear one trip to Europe is enough to keep me inspired for years. 

The best meal I've had in a long time was vegetable risotto at Farmstead in Napa. You know something is amazing when you can't stop eating the leftovers, cold, five days later. Yeah. So good. The restaurant is as farm to table as you can get. We literally witnessed the chef walk out back to the garden, pick some herbs and return to the kitchen. Everything about this place was lovely. Including, and especially their risotto. Re-creating is has been on my to-do list for a while. And with Valentine's Day less than a week away, I think the timing is just perfect. 

After a couple tries it tastes spot on to the risotto I had on that cool afternoon back in October. Warning, risotto can be a bit involved, but in my opinion, it's got a worse reputation that it deserves. And should really only take about 20-25 minutes max of near constant stirring. You see, there are certain kitchen tasks that require near constant attention, like smitten's ethereally smooth hummus that requires you peel each single chickpea and homemade pasta that most normal people would totally roll their eyes at and say "you've got to be kidding me, not worth my time". Well, risotto sort of falls into that category. And you know, I think I've discovered the secret to these types of somewhat monotonous tasks. The answer is turn on a good pandora station, pouring yourself a generous glass of wine (hey, you've already opened the bottle of the risotto anyway!) and allow yourself to settle in and let it be a sensual meditative experience. It also helps if you have a partner, one person to manage the ingredients as they get added to the pot, and one to man the stirring. The result is well worth the wait.

I recently followed a butternut squash farro risotto recipe which was delicious and lovely, but it barely made 3 servings, which was seriously disappointing for the amount of time and effort. I knew I didn't want that so this recipe makes a whopping 6-8 servings, though I'd say closer to 8,  and also happens to re-heat beautifully. 

It's packed with tons of vegetables, from butternut squash to broccoli to everyone's favorite kale. And despite being a traditionally heavy winter dish, this risotto is surprisingly light and fresh with lemon zest, fresh basil, and tangy pomegranate arils. It almost feels spring-like which is sometimes refreshing in the dead of winter. Something about homemade risotto is just so special, comforting, and perfect for treating yourself or sharing with someone you love.   

Farmstead Roasted Vegetable Risotto with Crispy Sweet Potato Chips & Pomegranate Rubies
Serves 6-8 

For the Risotto:
2 cups arborio rice 
1 cup dry white wine
6 shallots, sliced 
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided 
1 small butternut squash
grapeseed oil for drizzling 
6-7 cups low sodium vegetable stock 
6 ounces baby broccoli, chopped
2 medium zucchini, diced
7 ounces shitake mushrooms, sliced 
1 small bunch of kale, de-ribbed & chopped 
2 teaspoons of salt 
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan 
zest of 1 lemon 
1 large pomegranate, de-seeded 
1 large bunch of basil, thinly sliced

For the sweet potato chips: 
1 large sweet potato 
grapeseed oil (or coconut or canola oil) 
1/8 teaspoon cumin 
1/8 teaspoon paprika 
1/4 teaspoon salt 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Peel the butternut squash and scrap out the center (you can save the seeds for roasting if you'd like), and dice into small cubes. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, toss squash with oil, salt and pepper. Cook for 35 minutes.

Meanwhile, peel the sweet potato and using a thinnest setting of a mandoline, slice into thin strips. Toss with oil, cumin, paprika, and salt. Line a baking sheet with parchment and place sweet potato slivers in a single layer, being mindful they don't touch, and cook at 400 degrees for about 7 minutes, watching carefully as not to let them burn. Note: both of these can be done ahead of time. 

Make the risotto. Heat the vegetable stock in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Heat 3 tablespoons of butter in a dutch oven or large saucepan over medium heat. Sauté shallots in butter until soft, about 5 minutes. Add rice and stir. Add wine and continue stirring until the liquid reduces by half. Ladle about 1/2 cup of the warm stock into the rice, stirring until liquid is completely absorbed, then ladle another 1/2 cup of stock and continue to stir almost constantly. Repeat. Once about one quarter of the stock is incorporated, add in the broccoli, when about half the stock is incorporated add in the zucchini, when about three quarters of the stock is incorporated add the mushrooms. Just before risotto is finished stir in the kale. Continue with remaining stock until the risotto is creamy and al dente, I ended up using 6.5 cups total. Add roasted butternut squash, two tablespoons of butter, salt, lemon zest and parmesan and stir until warmed throughout. 

Remove from heat, and serve, topping with sweet potato chips, basil, and pomegranate arils. 

Notes: 

• I find the water method easiest and and the least messy method for removing pomegranate seeds. Here's a video.
• You can really do this with any vegetables you have on hand. Just add in the vegetables that take the longest to cook soonest. 

Big Sur Grilled Cheeses with Slow-Roasted Cherry Tomato Jam

Once upon a time, Nate and I went to Napa for our second anniversary. We took the extra long scenic route home along Pacific Coast Highway and finally got to see Big Sur, 90 miles of some of the most beautiful coastline in the world. It's so remote, with winding roads, zero cell phone reception, and sweeping cliffs above a turquoise ocean. It felt so remote and spectacular I remember wondering why the roads through were even built. On our way through we stopped at Big Sur Bakery, the cutest little cafe that felt more like snow white and the seven dwarves' cottage than a cafe. We ordered a strawberry strudel, which was absolute perfection and grilled cheeses with tomato jam. It tasted like an adult version of the childhood classic, with thick crunchy slices of bread, gooey mozzarella, and thick tomato jam that tasted less like jam and more like chunky tomato sauce. 

Back in the day I practically lived off grilled cheese. I don't know how, but for a span of about four years around college, I survived on a diet consisting mainly of bread and cheese. Not good. Now I eat them maybe once or twice a year, usually when I'm sick or having a really bad day. To me, grilled cheese is still the ultimate comfort food. I usually spice it up by adding whole grain dijon and a nice handful of baby spinach, maybe a thick slab of heirloom tomato. Totally adult, totally a justifiable dinner, am I right? So when I wasn't feeling good last week, and didn't feel like cooking but wanted something comforting and good I took a shot at re-creating the big sur grilled cheese. 

They start by slow roasting cherry tomatoes until they are sweet, caramelized, and literally bursting with flavor. Because they cook low and slow most of the their juices evaporate, so there's no need to drain them. Pulse them a bit in the food processor then add that chunky goodness to grilled cheeses with a bit of fresh basil, fresh cracked salt and pepper and of course, a few slices of creamy avocado. It's hardly a recipe, and dares to be adapted with maybe some goat cheese or spinach. The bread almost demands real butter which I unapologetically used. The result, according to my husband, tastes like "tomato soup grilled cheese" in one perfectly messy sandwich. Perfect for watching the big game we're skipping out on because the beloved 49ers didn't make it this year. Perfect for snowy weekends where you just don't feel like cooking. And perfectly acceptable for grown adults.  

Big Sur Grilled Cheeses with Slow-Roasted Cherry Tomato Jam
Makes two sandwiches 

For the tomato jam: 
20 oz cherry or grape tomatoes, halved 
2 tablespoons olive oil 
1 large garlic clove, minced 
1/2 teaspoon salt
fresh ground pepper 
1 teaspoon cane sugar 

For the sandwiches: 
4 slices of bread, I used multigrain sourdough 
unsalted butter 
4 oz mozzarella (one heaping cup), grated
tomato jam - recipe above 
small handful of fresh basil 
a pinch of salt + pepper 
1 large avocado (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment, top with tomatoes and toss with olive oil, garlic, salt & pepper. Cook for 1 hour. Remove from oven, let cool slightly, then add to a food processor or blender (I used my mini food processor), top with sugar and pulse, until chunky. 

Heat a large skillet. Butter the bread, top with cheese, jam, basil, salt and pepper. Cook until brown and crispy flipping halfway through. Remove from skillet, open up the sandwich and slide in slices of avocado. Serve.

Notes:

You will have leftover jam, enough to make 3-4 sandwiches.  It keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for 7-10 days. 

I know what you're thinking, sugar? As much as I hate adding extra sugar, the tomatoes are just way too acidic without it. You could try a sugar substitute and I almost did but hesitated for fear of ruining tomatoes so perfect. 

Meyer Lemon, Raspberry, Goat Cheese Waffles

I'm currently on a bit of a citrus kick. Our fruit basket is chock-full of various shades of orange, pink and yellow, and I may have already confused a grapefruit and a blood orange for a lemon multiple times this season. All the colors and shades start to blend together until you actually cut the thing open and taste it! Thanks to the kitchn I learned storing lemons in a ziplock bag in the fridge keeps them fresh for a month! I tried it and it works like a gem. Lemon water has been a new obsession of mine as well. And meyer lemon water? Don't even get me started - I could drink gallons of the stuff. It's tangy, sweet, refreshing, and it's supposed to be detoxifying and SUPER good for you. 

If you've never had the chance to try a meyer lemon, they are sort of a delicacy and can be on the pricier side but are well worth it. They are generally softer than a regular lemon, with brighter more orange skins, they produce more juice and best of all their taste is sweeter and softer than regular lemons. They're really a treat. 

There are few combinations I love more than meyer lemon and goat cheese, especially in the winter. They taste amazing in my favorite one pot kale & quinoa dish so I figured why not let them play together in something sweeter. Meyer lemon waffles with sweet raspberries and tangy goat cheese. So so good. And the best part about these waffles? They freeze beautifully, just pop them in the toaster and they taste like they just came off the waffle iron. Happy Sunday. 

Meyer Lemon, Raspberry, Goat Cheese Waffles
Makes 4 large waffles 
adapted from Joy the Baker

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda 
1/2 teaspoon salt 
3 tablespoons coconut sugar (or granulated sugar) 
1 tablespoon meyer lemon zest, (from about 2 large lemons) 
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
1/3 cup meyer lemon juice (from about 2 large lemons)
1/3 cup greek yogurt, I used 2% Fage
1/2 cup almond milk, regular milk, or water (I used almond)
1 heaping cup fresh or frozen raspberries, thawed slightly 
2.5 oz crumbled goat cheese (about 1/2 cup loosely packed) 

Preheat your waffle iron. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a small prep bowl, stir together sugar and zest until the mixture becomes fragrant. Add the sugar mixture to the flour mixture and whisk to combine. 

In a large bowl, mix together butter, eggs, vanilla, lemon juice, greek yogurt, and milk. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir until just combined, don't over-mix. Pour in raspberries and goat cheese and stir gently, keeping the goat cheese crumbles intact. Dollop the batter into your waffle maker and cook until golden, following manufacture's instructions. 

Notes:

• You could totally use regular lemons if you can't find meyers.
• I have a very un-fancy waffle maker and I know they are all probably a little different, but I found turning up the dial to the highest "most brown" setting worked best. I also sprayed my iron with coconut oil between waffles. 
• These freeze beautifully. Just pop them in the toaster and they taste almost better than they did on day 1.