KELLEY SAYS: Chicken marbella has become a family favorite over the years for all types of gatherings. It's easy to make and is just as good served cold or hot. I decided to fancy it up a bit this go-round by adding a nice salad and risotto.
BARRY SAYS: Another solid choice. The rice was the perfect complement, flavor and texture-wise. It was perfect for soaking up the delicious sauce coating the olives, prunes and chicken of the marbella.
KELLEY: I prepped the marbella the night before - the recipe is pretty straightforward and easy to find - and then cooked the risotto as our guests arrived, so it really was easy.
BARRY: And delicious.
Porcini risotto
2 pints vegetable stock
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 shallots, diced
Porcini risotto is the perfect complement to a nice tossed salad and chicken marbella.2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/8 cup rehydrated dried porcini mushrooms
2 cups risotto rice
2 cups white wine
Salt
3 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Heat the stock in saucepan. In a separate pan, combine olive oil and butter, adding shallots, garlic and mushrooms; cook for about 15 minutes. When the vegetables have softened, add the risotto, and turn up the heat. Stir regularly to prevent rice from sticking or frying. Add the wine after about 1 minute, and keep stirring.
Once the wine has cooked into the rice, add a ladle full of the heated stock and a pinch of salt. Lower heat to a simmer to prevent overcooking the rice. Add additional ladles of stock one at a time, allowing each to be fully absorbed. Taste as you go. Make sure the rice doesn't get overcooked. It should be soft, but with a bite.
Remove from heat, and add butter and Parmesan. Cover and allow it to rest so that the risotto becomes creamy.
Contact Barry and Kelley Courter at bcourter@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6281.