Risotto alla Pitocca (A Chicken Risotto)

Put the chicken pieces in a pot with one of the onions, the celery, the bunch of parsley, garlic, bay leaf and the carrot. Add cold water to cover and put the pot on the fire; when it reaches a boil, skim off the scum. Simmer for about an hour, until the chicken is done. Fish the chicken from the pot and cut the meat into thin strips, discarding the skin. Strain and reserve the broth.

Mince the other onion and sauté it in the butter. When it turns golden (not brown) add the chicken and stir in the wine. Once the wine has evaporated, stir in the rice. Begin adding the broth a ladle at a time, waiting until the broth has almost evaporated before adding the next ladle. Stir continually. Near the end, check the saltiness of the dish. When the rice reaches the al dente stage remove it from the fire, dust it with the minced parsley and a healthy grating of pepper, and serve. The recipe is drawn from Alessandro Molinari Pradelli’s La Cucina Lombarda; he doesn’t mention cheese, but have some at the table for those who want it. Serves 6. Serve with a light-to-medium flavored red such as light Chianti or Pinot Noir; or a flavorful, but unoaked white such as a Pinot Blanc, dry Chenin Blanc (Vouvray Sec) or a top Pinot Grigio.

New Jersey Sweet Corn and Maryland Crab Risotto

Remove corn from the cob. Reserve 1 cup of the kernels. Purée the remaining corn in a food processor. Sauté the mushrooms in 2 Tblsp of the olive oil until brown. Set both the corn and mushrooms aside. Heat remaining 2 Tblsp olive oil in a heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté 2 minutes. Add rice; stir 3 minutes. Add wine; stir until liquid is absorbed, about 2 minutes. Add 1 cup hot stock. Simmer until liquid is absorbed, stirring often. Continue adding stock 1/2 cup at a time until rice is tender but still firm in center and mixture is creamy, simmering until stock is absorbed before each addition and stirring often, about 25 minutes.

Mix corn purée, corn kernels, mushrooms, spinach, crab, 2 Tblsp butter, jalapeño and Parmesan into the rice. Check for seasoning. Add a little chicken stock if necessary to moisten. Remove from heat and spoon into soup bowls. Top with tomato, parsley, and chives. Sprinkle with additional cheese if desired. Serves 4. From Chef Charles Van Heest, The Hotel du Pont. Serve with a medium-bodied crisp white wine such as a Sancerre or Pouilly-Fumé, a Sauvignon Blanc or a white Bordeaux. This would also work with a slightly chilled light red such as a Beaujolais or a Pinot Noir.

Classic Paella
(This may look complicated, but it’s a complete meal in one dish, and it goes fairly quickly)

Add salt and saffron to boiling water. Place a paella pan or other wide, shallow pan on stove or grill over medium heat. Sprinkle in the dried herbs and stir for a few seconds. Add the oil, onions, and garlic. Cook, stirring, 3-4 minutes. Add the peppers and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add the rice and continue to cook, stirring, until the rice glistens and has changed color slightly. Add 6 cups of broth and the saffron with its water. Bring to a boil. Add the squid, pancetta, chorizo, fish, and tomatoes. Cook until most, but not all of the liquid is absorbed, 15-20 minutes. Stir occasionally and add more broth if liquid evaporates too quickly and the rice begins to stick.

Add the shrimp, mussels, clams, and peas. Cook without stirring the mixture. When the shrimp have become opaque and the clam and mussel shells have opened, remove the paella from the heat. Sprinkle with fresh herbs. Cover lightly with foil, and let stand for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Discard any mussels or clams that fail to open. Serve hot. Serves 8-10, but left-overs are terrific. Serve with a hearty Spanish red such as Gran Viña Jara.

Chicken Melon Salad

In large bowl combine mayo and orange juice and blend well. Refrigerate while preparing rest of salad. Bake chicken breasts at 375 degrees for 20-30 minutes (60-70 minutes if frozen) until thoroughly cooked. Let stand until cool enough to handle. Cut chicken into 1" pieces and add to refrigerated salad dressing.

Cook pasta. Drain, rinse briefly, then drain thoroughly. Stir pasta into mayonnaise/orange juice mixture. Gently stir cantaloupe, kiwi, and peas into the salad. Chill 2-3 hours until cold or serve immediately. Serves 4 (Variation: Substitute 1 lb cooked shrimp and 1/2 lb cooked sea scallops for the chicken.) Serve with a lightly oaked or unoaked Chardonnay, Viognier, or Vouvray Sec.

Orecchiette with Veal Sauce

Mash the fennel in a mortar or blender. Heat the oil in a broad pot, and sauté the onion and fennel 3 min. Stir in the garlic and the meat. Cook until the meat has browned. Stir in the wine, reduce heat to a simmer. Drain and crush the tomatoes; stir them in when the wine has evaporated. Mince the red pepper, crumble the bullion cubes, and mix them with the grated lemon zest and nutmeg; stir this mixture into the sauce, and simmer it for about a half hour. In the meantime bring salted water to boil and cook the pasta. When it is done, pour the sauce over it and serve with the grated Pecorino. Serves four with a tossed salad. Terrific with a hearty red Italian wine such as Colosi.

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