Thinking

Posted: May 2, 2010 | Author: Alyssa | Filed under: Alyssa | 2 Comments »

Recently,  I had to make a gigantic decision.  I had to decide what the next step in my career/life was going to be.  I was lucky enough to have several different opportunities and the decision was one of the most difficult I’ve ever had to make.  They day before my deadline I was so overwhelmed that I could barely think, so I did what I normally do when I can’t think and I got to work in the kitchen.   My main dish was going to be a stuffed pork chop with shallot and brie, but I wasn’t so sure about a side dish.  So while perusing the internet for ideas I came across a recipe for champagne risotto.   I thought this was a perfect dish for me at the time, because risotto is amazing comfort food, but champagne is the ultimate in celebratory beverages, so it sort of encompassed my riduculously confused state of mind.  Now I didn’t have any asparagus, and I rarely follow a recipe to the tee, so I changed it up a little.

I started by bringing 3 cups of chicken stock to a simmer, while I was sauteeing my diced shallot and garlic in about a Tbsp of butter.  Once the shallot was tender, I added the arborio rice and mixed it in to the shallot so that it toasted a little (about 5 minutes).  Once the rice was completely coated in butter and a little toasty, I added the champagne.  Rather than adding 3/4 cup champagne all at once, I added 1 cup of champagne, 1/2 cup at a time.  So I added the first half, let it absorb, then added the second half.  Once all the champagne was absorbed, I started adding the chicken stock one ladle full (about 1/2 cup) at a time, making sure the liquid had fully absorbed in between each addition.  Once all the liquid was gone and the rice was fully cooked, I threw in the rest of the butter and Parmesan until it tasted like I wanted it to.

As I served it (to myself) I topped it with some crispy prosciutto pieces that I had thrown into the oven at 400 for about 8 minutes just until it was crispy.  It was the perfect partner to my stuffed pork chop and was just complex enough to occupy my mind and clear it out a little.

As I had hoped, while I was cooking I had sort of sub-consciously been working through all my information and by the time I was done, I knew what the right decision was for me.  Which is why I can proudly and excitedly announce that this Pretty Girl will be moving to Massachusetts this summer.  That also means that since I will be so much closer, we can all look forward to more Pretty Girls get crazy events in the future

Once again the kitchen came through for me at a very difficult and overwhelming time in my life. There is something immensely comforting about really diving into a recipe and letting your hands do the work rather than your mind. Cooking is such a sensory experience its easy to lose yourself in the tastes, smells and textures and just forget about everything for a while.  It always amazes me how much it helps me during stressful times, but I am very glad that I know where to turn when I am about to lose my mind.