Food blogging is really a multiple part process. You have to make the recipes, take photos while cooking, write the text and then put it all together. Many of us do one or more of these things well, but Angela from Madame Croquette has mastered them all. She has such a beautiful presentation of her food and her pictures just jump off the page. I am so happy to have Angela guest blog today. Check out Madame Croquette and I guarantee it will quickly become one of your favorites. Welcome Angela…
Saffron Risotto
Ingredients
- 1 quart vegetable stock
- 3/4 stick unsalted butter
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup of white onion, chopped
- 1 cup Arborio rice
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 teaspoon saffron threads
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Dash bay leaf
- Dash cumin
- Dash coriander
- 2 tablespoon of lime juice
 Directions
Heat vegetable stock in a saucepan until it reaches a simmer. Set aside in low to medium heat.
In a heavy-bottomed pot, add butter, sauté onion and garlic until translucent, but not browned.
Add spices—coriander, cumin, bay leaf, saffron- and rice. Stir until all the grains are coated with butter and sauté for 3 minutes.
On a simmer, add 1 cup of stock at the time and stir until the stock is absorbed.
Repeat process until rice is cooked through, but still al dente about 30-40 minutes total. At the end, add wine and lime juice and stir until it is absorbed.
Remove from heat, add the Parmesan cheese, and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!
Tips:
- I stir in the shape of an 8 because it helps to bring out the natural starches from the rice. Notice that I didn’t use cream because if you follow this method, the starches from the rice will make the risotto smooth and creamy!
- If you pealed the prawns, keep shells and add them to the stock. It will make it very flavorful!
Cilantro Oil
Ingredients
- 1 bunch coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- 1 cup olive oil
- 1Â green onion, chopped
- 2Â garlic cloves, chopped
- 1/3 cup lime and lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Sauté garlic and green onion in a pan in medium heat with some oil.
Combine all ingredients in food processor and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Tiger Prawns
 Ingredients
3 tiger prawns with head on
Butter
Garlic, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Â
Directions
Heat some oil with the chopped garlic. Sauté 3 tiger prawns until done about 2-3 minutes per side or until they turn pink. Don’t over cook them because it makes them rubbery. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Tip: If you do end up overcooking them, don’t throw them away!! Throw them in a stew because they will soften up again if you cook them for a longer time.
Utensils:
Squeeze bottle, Spoon, Plate, Large pastry ring
Spoon the risotto inside the pastry ring
Pack in all the risotto until it feels solid
Place the prawns in the middle of the risotto with the heads facing upwards and fill in squeeze bottle with oil.
Make circles starting with the biggest one and ending with the smallest one.
Carefully remove pastry ring.
Enjoy!
Thanks so much to the Rantings of an Amateur Chef for letting me do a guest blog post! It was a wonderful opportunity to be showcased by such an influential blogger!
With all my heart, I hope that all of you enjoyed and learned from my guest blog post. I would love to see you pop by my blog Madame Croquette! Happy blogging everyone!
Rantings of an Amateur Chef 
Lovely recipe and beautiful presentation.
LikeLike
Thank you! Your blog is lovely 🙂
LikeLike
Looks like you were watching Master Chef. Is this were you got your idea? I don’t like those chefs, a bunch of crabby pants! What do you think?
LikeLike
Now that is my kind of meal…well done!
LikeLike
Thanks so much!!
LikeLike
Okay Pat…not only and I going to be forced to break out the cheffy toys that I bought online (and never used) but I’ll have to endure the snickers of the family! They already poke at me everytime that commercial comes on- you know, the one where the mom pretends she’s on a cooking show. I’ll never live it down, but this dish looks so good I just have to try it! Any idea how long the cilantro should be good for? I’m thinking I should freeze some. This could be a useful condiment. Thanks! 😉
LikeLike
Hi ! I made this recipe so I wanted to tell you that the cilantro oil keeps very well. It was good for 1 week after I made this recipe and I used the rest in tacos and as an oil for tomato soup. Great condiment to have!
LikeLike
Thank you- it sounds delicious! I’ll be giving it a try soon.
LikeLike
Mmmm-mmm.. Just the description makes me want to break out the risotto pan. Will definitely try this one.
LikeLike
Thank! You should definitively try it!
LikeLike
Wow, the pics look just lovely! Indeed a master with all the arts required for a food blog 🙂
LikeLike
Thank you! I’ve got to say, I’m a fan of your blog as well.
LikeLike
Wow, didn’t know that :). Glad you like my blog. I am a novice with my camera, still trying to figure out ISO and the rest. So I am flattered 😀
LikeLike
Happy Blogging!
LikeLike
And wish you the same. Cheers!
LikeLike
Loved the plating!
LikeLike
Thank you so much!
LikeLike
yummy! My comments on here are so not productive, but its all I can say when I see your food so there!
LikeLike
Reblogged this on madamecroquette and commented:
Check out my guest blog post at the Rantings of an Amateur Chef!
LikeLike
Beautiful, I’m not a risotto fan, but this sounds amazing!
LikeLike
Thanks so much!
LikeLike
Thank you Pat for doing this guest post and for your kind words! I’m happy with all these feed back!
LikeLike
What a beautiful dish. I have all the ingredients in the kitchen and have been looking for variation on risotto. The prawns and cilantro sauce are a lovely touch.
LikeLike
Great post / photos. Nice detail…
LikeLike
Wow looks awesome. I have never made risotto I will have to try it.
LikeLike
Very Nice!!!
LikeLike
The risotto look delish! The shrimp looks like it’s saying, Don’t eat me or I’ll pinch your mouth!
LikeLike
That looks just beautiful! Makes me want to run out and get little squeezy bottles to make herb oils for plating! 😀
LikeLike
Love that it doesn’t have any cream in the recipe! Very nice.
LikeLike
A delightful & well flavoured risotto! Yummmmm!!!
LikeLike
I think I may finally try to make Risotto. Love the blog and your pics are great.
LikeLike
Lovely! It always surprise me how Italian dishes, travelling around th world, could become different but still so good! That’s the kind of globalization that I love!
LikeLike
Love it! I’m blogging a pea and mint risotto later today but the presentation of your dish is something else. I also finally figured out what you guys mean by green onions, we called them spring onions but did leave me wondering if there was a type of onion I was missing out on!
LikeLike