cooking in a kitchen you’ve never been to before is always a challenge. if you’ve ever been a caterer, personal chef, or just a really generous stranger, you’ll know what i’m talking about. in amongst the usual stress that comes from planning and executing a menu, are a number of troublesome questions. questions such as: “can i assume they have olive oil?” and “what will i do if there isn’t an oven/microwave/fire pit/tea light candle?” well, i found myself asking these very questions in the third week of my u.s. trip.

you see, we’d been invited to the home of a sister of a friend who lives in san francisco. despite having never met her before, she generously allowed me the use of her kitchen, as i was by that point having saucepan withdrawals. so, all that was left to do was to plan a menu, go to wholefoods and debate whether or not she would have pepper. 

after arriving at her absolutely beautiful home and checking out the ridiculous view, i quickly realised i needn’t have been so worried. our lovely host had a near professional kitchen with every oil/condiment/spice under the san fran sun. it was every cook’s dream. well, apart from finding a companion whose favourite hobby is washing up.

after some hurried prep, i dished up the first course: beef carpaccio. there was no denying it was a risky move. during a lengthy discussion with the butcher three hours earlier, i had frightened visions of being arrested at my hotel the next day after murdering these kind strangers with inappropriately prepared raw meat. despite this, i found a beautiful flank steak and went for it. paired with capers, parmesan, micro greens, lemon and a classic mustard vinaigrette, the result was rather delicious. as an added bonus, everyone survived.

next up was another potentially risky dish: fennel and white chocolate risotto. yes, in case you were wondering, i am a masochist. sure, it sounds crazy, but i had seen this flavour combination done before and thought it was high time to have a crack at it myself. and you’d be surprised how fantastic it works. simply add a few pieces of good quality white chocolate to the risotto just before serving, instead of cream or butter. make sure you season well, and i promise it will still taste savoury and not like rice pudding. top with scampi, prawns, crab, fennel fronds or scallops, as i did here. 

the risotto was paired with my favourite “o” salad. no, not oprah- orange, olive & onion. with a bit of “b” for good measure (basil). i’m sure you can figure out why i don’t list that initial in the title…

also, a very basic frisee & bacon salad. just fry up the bacon in a bit of olive oil. (not extra virgin) once crispy, chuck in a chopped garlic clove then remove from the heat. after it has cooled slightly, remove the bacon with a slotted spoon, then pour some balsamic vinegar directly into the pan. swirl around, and pour over frisee (also known as curly endive). add the bacon and you’re done. please note: this image was taken pre-salad tossing. i realise that looks like an enormous amount of bacon. actually, let’s be honest, it is an enormous amount of bacon. 

dessert was a spiced dark chocolate pot de creme with coffee, cayenne pepper and cinnamon. our fabulous host had some gorgeous oval brulee ramekins which worked well. baked for half an hour in a bain marie then topped with whipped cream. though incredibly rich, it was a satisfying end to an enjoyable night of cooking for some lovely company. particularly as they have all lived to tell the tale.

stay tuned for (yes) yet another edition of the grain of salt u.s. food tour..

i like to think of myself as a risotto aficionado. i pride myself on achieving the perfect risotto texture, the pursuit of which can only be described as a labour of love. this texture is referred to as “oozy” (colloquial term), or in other words must-be-able-to-spread-around-the-plate-or-bowl-it-sits-on (technical term). i will stop at nothing to achieve the ultimate MBATSATPOBISO (catchy, abbreviated term) texture. i laugh in the face of the absorption method, and sneer at those who question how i can be bothered to stand at the stove, stirring intermittently for half an hour. i will not stand while large pieces of meat balance on lumps of cooked arborio, and dare not speaketh the word ‘stodgy.’ yes, i am a risotto aficionado.

surprisingly and unfortunately, those who know me don’t see it this way. in fact, they have another name for the risotto aficionado. it’s, well… ‘control freak.’ okay, i’ll admit it, i can be a little intense when it comes to how i liked my risotto cooked, but that’s because it only takes one too few ladles of stock or one heat setting too high to turn a delicious meal in to a disappointing one.

spring risotto w/ asparagus, broad beans, peas, lemon zest, pancetta crisp & mint  

having said all that, here are my tips to obtaining the perfect level of MBATSATPOBISO:

1. cook risotto on a gentle-medium heat.
2. stir often, but not constantly. too much “massaging” of the spoon can damage the rice grains, releasing too much starch, causing considerable stodge. a little starch= good. a lot= bad.
3. only add a ladle of stock when the previous one has already absorbed into the risotto. also, make sure the stock is simmering, otherwise it will lower the temperature of the rice and, again, cause considerable stodge.
4. once risotto is cooked to your liking, remove from heat completely, before adding a knob of butter and a handful of grated parmesan cheese. stir gently, put the lid on, and wait a few minutes. now, even if you have taken utmost care throughout the cooking process, things can often take an unpleasant turn at this stage. if you check your risotto after a few minutes and it has gone to the land of stodge, simply add one more ladle of stock, give it a gentle stir and it should be fine. stock is your friend. 
5. don’t let your risotto texture obsession get out of hand. if this happens, simply drink one glass of white wine, sit down and try to avoid yelling at your guests. too much of this can cause considerable friendship stodge— the worst of all: no amount of stock can save that. 

hope these tips help whomever may be reading them. now, crack open the arborio and get ladling!