cooking against the grain

I like to think that the double-entendre of my title will make more sense in a minute.

Cooking can get kind of boring when you make the same thing everyday. On the other hand it can get kind of disgusting when you try new things that wouldn't normally make it into your top five foods book. I remember the first time i tried to make extra creamy mashed potatoes, as do the unlucky few who shared that dinner with me. Suffice to say I had unlocked the secret to making a thick cheese sauce although considering it was supposed to be the main starch on the table no one was that excited. But i digress.

One great way to experiment with new foods without having to pack a suitcase and sail a thousand nautical knots from your comfortable cooking repertoire is to experiment with new grains. Delicious millet, appetizing montina and who can forget the household favorite, sorghum! Ahh, grains - the carbohydrate-laden comfort food of the masses. It is interesting to note that of the few grains we commonly consume today (rice, wheat, corn ) none were excessively popular a few centuries ago. If you were a crusader in Europe in the 15th century you probably carried a small pouch of barley and dainty little sack of lentils. I know what you're thinking... They had a Whole Foods back in the 15th century? Those Europeans really do have us beat! But, in fact, up until recently there was no such thing as a giant mono-crop of one kind of produce so diversity of fruits, vegetables and grains was much greater.

I think it's great to try each one. There are recipes for almost every kind of grain. For something like whole-grain buckwheat or pearled barley a savory breakfast treat can be made. These grains cook up fast just like oatmeal and with a drop of olive oil, salt and seasonings like scallions or garlic it can be a fast and healthy snack. You can throw some farro or job's tears into a soup as a nice substitute for alphabet pastas.

Tonight i think I'm going to work on a risotto (Hi NeNe!). Risotto is a dish made with arborio rice (an extremely short grain with a thick hull that absorbs more liquid than most grains and likewise more flavor.) Because risotto is usually an Italian dish i like to add both Parmesan cheese and small amounts of other complimenting cheeses like mozzarella and ricotta salotta. here is the basic risotto recipe

Ingredients:1 cup white arborio rice 1 tablespoon Olive oil 1 large onion, chopped 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated 5 cups vegetable stock
Directions:
Heat olive oil in a heavy non-stick 2-quart pot. Saute onion in oil until translucent. Add rice and stir rice until grains are coated with oil and let simmer until grains begin to brown Add 1 cup hot stock or water, stirring until liquid is absorbed. Continue cooking for about 20 minutes, adding the remaining liquid 1 cup at a time. This rice creates its own creamy sauce; add additional liquid if creamier texture is desired. Remove from heat, stir in cheeses and serve immediately. At this point you add fresh herbs and chopped vegetables as you see fit. I like mushrooms, peppers and broccoli. Anyway

The point is not to be afraid of some good, old-fashioned vegetarian cooking experiments!

Now I'm going to go pan-sear myself some brussel sprouts and button mushrooms!

Bon Appetit! or as the french like to say "joost say eet in eenglish you snooty Americaine"