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View Full Version : Review: Leek and Mascarpone Cheese Risotto Apr/00


Grace
03-25-2001, 05:37 PM
I had some Mascarpone cheese to use up (leftover from that great smoked salmon and mascarpone pizza recipe!). I did a search in my CookWare and came up with this recipe. I just made this tonight for dinner, and it was OUTSTANDING!!! I must say that I cheated though, and used canned chicken broth instead of making the homemade broth as per the recipe. Making the homemade broth would probably only make it even better. Easily something I would serve to guests. I give it a 9.5. My husband hasn't eaten yet, so no rating from him, but I can't imagine he won't like it.

Here's the recipe:

CookWare(tm) from Cooking Light(r)

Leek-and-Mascarpone Cheese Risotto

SOURCE: Cooking Light YEAR: April 2000 PAGE: 166

INGREDIENTS FOR 8 SERVINGS:
8 cups water
6 cups chopped leek (about 6 large), divided
2 cups chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided
1 cup chopped fresh basil, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 thyme sprigs
2 carrots, cut into 1-inch-thick pieces
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 large onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 celery stalk, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups uncooked Arborio rice or other short-grain rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup (3 ounces) mascarpone cheese
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup (1-1/2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

INSTRUCTIONS:
Leeks, golden saffron, a touch of lemon, and a few of the first basil leaves
of spring make this a cheerful risotto. Mascarpone (mas-kar-POHN) is a buttery
Italian triple-cream cheese found in many supermarkets and gourmet food shops.
Regular cream cheese makes an acceptable, though not as rich, substitute.

1. Combine water, 2 cups chopped leek, 1 cup parsley, 1/2 cup basil, 1/2
teaspoon salt, and next 5 ingredients (salt through celery) in a large Dutch
oven. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 35
minutes. Strain broth through a sieve into a large bowl; discard solids.
Reserve 5-1/2 cups broth; reserve remaining broth for another use.

2. Bring 5-1/2 cups broth and saffron to a simmer in a small saucepan (do not
boil). Keep warm over low heat. Melt butter in a large saucepan over
medium-high heat. Add 4 cups chopped leek; saute 5 minutes. Add rice; cook 2
minutes. Add wine; cook 1 minute or until the liquid is nearly absorbed. Stir
in 2 cups broth; cook 5 minutes or until the liquid is nearly absorbed,
stirring constantly. Add remaining broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring
constantly until each portion of broth is absorbed before adding the next
(about 15 minutes total). Add 1 cup parsley, 1/2 cup basil, mascarpone, lemon
rind, salt, and pepper; cook 1 minute or until mascarpone melts. Sprinkle with
Parmesan. Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 cup).

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:
CALORIES 323 (27% from fat); FAT 9.8g (sat 5.4g, mono 3.1g, poly 0.8g);
PROTEIN 7g; CARB 48.7g; FIBER 1.8g; CHOL 21mg; IRON 4.1mg; SODIUM 589mg; CALC
135mg

RunnerKim
03-26-2001, 04:08 PM
Thanks for posting this Grace - I too have some leftover from the salmon pizza recipe and need to get it used up!

Kim

Peggy
03-26-2001, 11:05 PM
Yet another MUST TRY recipe to add to my "Grace" pile... http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif (My printer is busily reproducing it as I write this message.) Sounds yummy! Thanks for posting the recipe!

Peggy

Kelli Kerrigan
04-01-2001, 09:09 PM
Ok, this was awesome!!!!!
I subed aspagus for the leeks and didn't use my own chicken stock. I will make this for Easter! Maybe adding a few musrooms....it was so good, I couldn't stay away from it!

emilycat
04-11-2001, 06:59 AM
Oh, wow, this was incredible! My guest was absolutely in awe that it was so delicious and said, "This is definitely something I'd like to have again." I told him he might be out of luck, since I rarely make the same thing twice, but this is one of the best risottos I've ever made, so maybe I could make an exception http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif
I cheated, too, though, and used Vegetable bouillion instead of the homemde stock; I also used more leeks than called for. Did anyone do it the "right way?" http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif Anyway, it ws amazing.

RunnerKim
04-11-2001, 09:55 AM
I too really enjoyed this, but alas did not make it the "Right" way either. I did make the veg. broth - except I didn't buy fresh thyme (really wish you could just buy what you need of fresh herbs) and I couldn't find saffron threads. Otherwise, I followed the recipe - oh I only did a half recipe too.

Kim

Peggy
04-11-2001, 10:16 AM
I did make it as written (complete with the vegetable broth) and thought the flavors were very good. The only problem was the rice cames out very sticky. What did I do wrong???? I'm sure this is my error and not the recipe's fault. What is the "risotto secret" that I did wrong????

Peggy

aggie94
05-07-2001, 10:49 AM
I was able to scratch off the second on my list of risottos to make during my lifetime (and trust me, that list is LONG!). This one was YUMMMMY!!! Like most others, I didn't make the broth from scratch, but used vegetable bouillion instead. I also substituted chopped spinach for the parsley since I'm allergic. I bought 4 large leeks, but I think I ended up with way more than 4 cups -- I went ahead and used them all anyway, since I love leeks. The end result of this dish was delicious, but I do think that next time, I'll leave out the grated lemon rind. The lemony flavor was a little too strong in some bites.