NRS02: Orange-Pecan Chicken Risotto オレンジとペカンの鶏肉リゾット

You didn’t think I was serious, did you?

Ah, but I am. If there’s one thing I can commit myself to, it’s making risotto every Sunday. In fact, I am so dedicated to this new feature that I actually made this risotto last Tuesday because I had originally planned to go out for Mexican food tonight. As it happened, I didn’t go out for Mexican. I got sick, stayed home, and made baked potatoes.

Hmm, that story didn’t really go anywhere, did it? Well then, here’s something that will go somewhere: into your stomach via your smiling mouth! Please enjoy this consummation of mild citric sweetness and buttery chunks of pecans, chickeny goodness and a light, nutty crunch.

Orange-Pecan Chicken Risotto

3/4 cup short-grain rice
3/4 cup dry vermouth
2 shallots or 1/2 onion, chopped
juice of 1 orange
zest of 1/2 orange
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon hot mustard
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1/4 teaspoon ground clove
about 6 ounces chicken meat, chopped or torn into small pieces
about 4 cups hot chicken stock
parsley, chopped
1/4 cup pecans, chopped and toasted
1/4 cup aged Gouda, shredded
butter
salt
pepper

1. Mix orange juice, orange zest, lemon juice, soy sauce, honey, pepper, clove, and garlic together in a resealable container. Add chicken, stir to coat, and marinate, refrigerated, for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours. (Remove garlic cloves and allow this mixture to come to room temperature before cooking.)
2. Heat butter over medium heat in a deep frying pan. Add shallots or onions with some salt and pepper and sauté until soft and lightly browned.
3. Add rice to the pan and stir well to coat with butter. Increase heat and keep stirring to toast rice.
4. When starts to turn opaque, add vermouth to deglaze. Cook off liquid, then add pecans and reduce heat back to medium.
5. Add stock, ladleful by ladleful, and cook, stirring often, until rice is almost al dente.
6. Add chicken and marinade, stir well, and cook until liquid is almost gone and chicken is cooked through.
7. If needed, add more stock to finish cooking rice.
8. Stir in cheese, parsley, and a bit more butter. Serve hot in shallow bowls and garnish with fresh parsley.